Utah’s Rabbi Benny Zippel says that for the modern challenges that high-tech devices pose to relationships, answers can be found in ancient Jewish wisdom.

Zippel, chief rabbi of Chabad Lubavitch of Utah, will explore that heritage and its applications in an age of social media during his new Rohr Jewish Learning Institute-sponsored course titled “Communication: Its Art and Soul.”

The six-lesson course begins Jan 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Chabad Lubavitch, 1760 S. 1100 East, Salt Lake City.

“Jewish wisdom includes many powerful and original insights into the art of communication that are more relevant today than ever,” Zippel says in a news release. “The goal of this course is to mine these texts and seek out their golden teachings. I believe this can help us reclaim the lost art of deep human connection in spite of our devices.”

Rabbi Zalman Abraham, of the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, praises the course as addressing a “timely and pervasive issue.”

“Many people take communication for granted, but it is the very fabric of our society,” Abraham says in the release. “The goal of the course is simply to make us better parents, better spouses, better co-workers, better friends, and better people across the board.”

To learn more about the course, visit the websites of JLI (http://www.myjli.com/) or Chabad Lubavitch (http://www.jewishutah.com/).