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Online Study
- The course map below provides an outline for the course.
- If you've never taken a Torah class, or studied on the Internet,
you can try a sample demo class.
- If you enjoy this demo, you can register for this 9 session class.
Course Introduction
- Welcome to Tastiest Torah Treats. It's been said that Judaism
is a restaurant with everything in the kitchen, but nothing on
the menu. It is a treasure house full of riches, but, for most
of us, all the doors are locked. The purpose of this course is
to put some nourishing, delicious items on the menu; to open some
of the treasury doors and even provide some keys.
We are using "Torah" in the broad sense: the Torah is the scroll
we read from in synagogue, the first five books of the Bible,
but Torah is all Jewish wisdom and learning and teaching.
It is vast and full of riches. No matter what path we are on in
Judaism or spiritual life, Torah has resources to offer us.
Each module in this course will offer a different type of Torah:
different texts, different ideas, different ways of learning.
A recurring theme will be the possibilities of connecting with
God through the imagination. Everything is offered as resources
for you to make use of, according to your own path. Some things
will surely be more useful to you than others. The Talmud says
that you should engage in the type of Torah study that your heart
desires. But we may not know what our heart's desires are until
we've had a taste of them.
Please feel free to ask questions and make comments at any time.
There will be a sincere attempt to seriously answer all questions.
Welcome! Eat, eat...
Course Outline
- Session One
- The Sample Plate: The Siddur
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- Session Two
- Unexpected Depths: Chumash with Rashi
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- Session Three
- The Way of Imagination: Midrash
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- Session Four
- Jewish Chess: Talmud
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- Session Five
- A Rose is a Rose is Shekhinah: Kabbalah
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- Session Six
- G-d in the Mountains: The Baal Shem Tov
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- Session Seven
- Yom Kippur Dancing: Yiddish Radicalism
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- Session Eight
- The How-To Manual: Hasidic Teachings
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- Session Nine
- Food for the Journey: Conclusion
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Course Instructor
Justin Lewis is a professional storyteller and a teacher of Jewish lore and
learning. He has given workshops and taught classes on Zohar,
Midrash, and Hasidic teachings, in Toronto, New York City, and
at Havurah retreats. He has taught children, in a gifted class
at Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto, and privately. Justin has an
MA in Jewish Studies, specializing in Talmud, from the University
of Toronto, and is studying for smichah (rabbinical ordination) at the pluralistic, interdenominational
Academy for Jewish Religion, New York City. Justin's goal in teaching
is to help make the riches of Judaism available as resources for
people of any outlook or spiritual orientation.
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