Research has proposed that cotemporary Jews are engaged in personalized Jewish journeys that wax and intensify at various times, often corresponding to the life cycle. One's Jewish involvement tends to be more predicated by these transitions or a life crisis rather than that of a fixed point, determined by one's synagogue or community allegiances.

Ellen Cohn, who earned her doctorate in education at Yeshiva University researched the validity of that assumption in and how the Jewish community could better meet the needs of their constituents, particularly around personal growth and the family life cycle. Additionally, she holds an MA in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary and a Master's degree in Jewish professional leadership from Brandeis University. She uses her expertise in how adult psychological development impacts one's spirituality as an eldercare and hospital chaplain. We will learn more about the concept of Jewish journeys through the lens of a page of Talmud (in Tractate Taanit) as a springboard for discussion and sharing.