Mussar Stories

DISCLAIMER: The Mussar Center's curriculum is 100% Jewish. At the same time, we believe that Mussar is for everyone and are delighted to have people from all walks of life and religious backgrounds studying with us. The views expressed here may not always reflect our own traditional Jewish perspectives but we present them as given and celebrate the difference the Mussar Center is making in the lives of thousands of individuals around the world. We hope you enjoy these diverse stories and that you'll send in your own Mussar story here!

I have been studying and practicing Mussar for the past 13 years.  I am a graduate of the Mussar Institute’s Manchim Facilitation Certification program. I recently co-developed and taught a Mussar based Difficult Conversations course.  During our course development, I came across the Mussar Center’s video instruction courses and found them to be of high quality and value.  They are easy to grasp and provide valuable insights to help achieve success with such a challenging topic. Izzy’s teaching style is friendly, informative, and engaging. I highly recommend the Mussar Center’s “The Seven Facets of ‘Reproof’ in Mussar Practice” lessons for anybody who is interested in increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome for a difficult conversation. The course’s blending of contemporary ideas for engaging in difficult conversations, traditional Mussar concepts, and writings from the Rambam, make for a valuable presentation of relevant Jewish wisdom and delivers impactful teaching for enhancing relationships.  Jay G., Retired, Framingham MA

Wonderful! I’ve really enjoyed this podcast. So much great content. An episode is like an hour of therapy and an hour of self reflection rolled into an easily digestible package. I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in self-improvement, Judaism, or religion and philosophy generally.  WillowJadaRufus, iTunes Review

Mussar Center has really helped me hone into working on my middot. It's refreshing to see them laid out and it helps to remind me all the necessary attributes I can work on!  Zack Zav, Philadelphia, PA

Mussar has helped and is helping me think critically about my own character traits (or in Hebrew middot) and aid me in a journey toward self improvement as I work to balance out some of my character excesses. I started with a mussar book on anger. I see the mussar movement and emphasis on character improvement as promoting a good mindset that is much needed in society today. I found the Mussar Center on YouTube around the time I got the aforementioned book.   Their videos are engaging and instructional.  Prior to seeing these videos I knew little about the mussar movement and its goals. I ended up emailing the Mussar Center with a question and was directed to their website which contains the most complete and informative list of  middot/character traits I’ve seen (and I've looked multiple places.) The Mussar Center is very responsive and enthusiastic about their mission and I recommend them for anyone with an inkling or question about mussar.  Sty, student of the Most High, USA 

I am so jazzed about learning the finer art of Mussar! This practice has given me a different perspective on my walk, and given me a more deep perspective of "discipline" as it relates to Torah. I am a firm believer in "words have meaning, words hurt, words heal". I'm such a word nerd. But this study has given me a direction of going deeper in to the mind of the Most High if I possibly can attain such a goal. At least I have a focus to aim for. The Qedoshim were seemingly people of Mussar practice, and I long to be counted among them.  Yvette A., Prison Ministry, East Texas

The lessons I have done in Mussar have opened up new perspectives and ministered to me deeply in my spirit.  It is a discipline that I believe has added growth to my outlook and understanding and also fed my intellect.  It's wholesome and meaty and I probably haven't got the vocabulary to do the course justice.  All I can say is I've breathed sighs of wonder and relief and giggled and been corrected convicted and encouraged and cried at times at the deep revelations that Mussar lessons reveal. All in the comfort of my own home!!!! The course is enlightening.  Tamsin Cole, Nanny, Swansea South Wales

Mussar has deepened my love of Judaism and understanding of Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah. I wanted to dig deeper but so many people follow Madonna into Kabbala and it doesn't really resonate with me. I didn't want to just follow what is popular, but what is meaningful to me. Mussar gives me a way to put my Torah study into action, to live after Messiah's example.  Beth Flowers, Professor Emerita SoCalSem, San Diego

Shalom. My name is Sharon Ellenberg, I am a teacher of Biblical studies, and have had the opportunity to work with missionaries  throughout various countries in Europe, Germany, Russia and other Baltic countries over the years. I am very pleased to recommend the studying of Mussar practices taught by Izzy in his Mussar Center lessons! I found them to be very a personal and useful application of true discipleship into real life. More than just an intellectual study, or popular philosophy, digging into the roots of true discipleship with Yeshua by learning His Word and reaching some deep Waters of growth in digging into those foundations of morality and personal growth based on our original language. Yeshua, His heart, the heart of Hebrew.   Sharon Ellenberg, Oregon