The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) is a division of
Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch
Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch ( he, מרכז לענייני חינוך, lit. Central Organization for Education) is the central educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. It was founded in 1943 by the sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersoh ...
, the educational arm of the
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic group ...
Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...
Hasidic dynasty.
It offers adult
Jewish courses on
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, and their nation, religion, and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions, and cultures. Although Judaism as a religion first appears in Greek records during the Hellenisti ...
,
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
,
ethics
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns m ...
,
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
and
rabbinical literature
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, is the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. However, the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writ ...
worldwide. It also develops Jewish studies curricula specifically for women, college students, teenagers, and seniors.
In 2014, the organization claimed there were 117,500 people enrolled in JLI, making it the largest Jewish education network in the world. It was created with a mission to make the teachings, values and traditions of the Jewish people accessible and personally meaningful to all Jews, regardless of their background or affiliation. The JLI model combines a research-based approach with instructional design, aiming to present traditional Jewish teachings in a contemporary academic framework. Its headquarters are located in the
Crown Heights area at
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
History
JLI was founded in 1998. The first JLI course, Jewish Mysticism, was piloted at fifteen Chabad centers in 1999. The institute expanded thereafter with controlled growth, introducing the learning program to between fifteen and twenty new cities annually until 2005 when JLI added forty new cities. Since its inception in 1998, over 500,000 students have completed JLI courses, with enrollment of 12,000 to 16,000 students each semester. By 2010, JLI had developed 37 separate six-week courses, the most popular of which have been on the topics of Jewish thought, law, and mysticism.
In 2005, JLI launched its Torah Studies division, which is currently active in 248 communities around the world, and piloted its first JLI Teens curriculum.
The Sinai Scholars Society was introduced on three college campuses in 2006 and has since expanded to seventy campuses including
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight schools ...
, state and private universities.
In 2005, JLI materials were translated into Spanish to serve the Jewish communities of
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
and
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
. In 2011, a curriculum in
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
was developed and piloted in ten Israeli cities. There are currently thirty JLI locations in Israel as well as classes in Hebrew throughout the world in communities with large concentrations of Israeli ex-pats. The
Russian language
Russian (russian: русский язык, russkij jazyk, link=no, ) is an East Slavic languages, East Slavic language mainly spoken in Russia. It is the First language, native language of the Russians, and belongs to the Indo-European langua ...
division was added in 2012 and currently consists of forty chapters throughout the former CIS. JLI course materials were developed in German the same year, and are taught in five cities in Germany.
As of 2013, 382 chapters in twenty-four countries and thirty-one U.S. states offer flagship JLI courses.
As of 2022, over 400 chapters in twenty-eight countries offer flagship JLI courses.
Mission and educational philosophy
JLI's mission is to make the teachings, values, and traditions of Chabad Judaism accessible to every Jew, regardless of background or affiliation. Courses are designed to be innovative, relevant, and accessible, with the aim of creating "a global network of informed students connected by bonds of shared Jewish experience."
Courses
A network of JLI's affiliated local chapters offers courses to the Jewish communities. JLI's flagship courses consist of six weekly sessions and each class unit is taught concurrently at all of its locations.
Specific JLI courses are accredited to offer
Continuing Legal Education
Continuing legal education (CLE), also known as mandatory or minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) or, in some jurisdictions outside the United States, as continuing professional development, consists of professional education for attorneys t ...
credits by the
bar associations
A bar association is a professional association of lawyers as generally organized in countries following the Anglo-American types of jurisprudence. The word bar is derived from the old English/European custom of using a physical railing to separ ...
of 31 U.S. states, in various Canadian provinces, Australia, and the UK, as well as the Order of Flemish Bar Associations, and South Africa's National Board of Licenses. When appropriate, JLI courses are accredited by the AMA's ACCME
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education for
Continuing Medical Education credits, as well as by the
Washington School of Psychiatry
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
and the
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It ha ...
.
JLI was commissioned by the family of former Israeli Prime Minister,
Yitzhak Shamir
Yitzhak Shamir ( he, יצחק שמיר, ; born Yitzhak Yezernitsky; October 22, 1915 – June 30, 2012) was an Israeli politician and the seventh Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms, 1983–1984 and 1986–1992. Before the establishment ...
, to develop a series of lunch-hour educational classes to be offered in corporate offices in Israel.
Departments
In addition to the flagship course offerings, JLI has branched out to offer the following programs geared towards specific segments of the community:
Torah Studies
The Torah Studies department develops weekly classes taught year-round on Torah portions corresponding to those read in synagogues each Sabbath. Geared towards students seeking on-going Torah study, lessons focus on relevant life issues such as personal growth, business ethics, social responsibilities, personal relationships and the environment.
JLI Teens
The first teen-focused JLI course was held in 2009. JLI Teens courses aim to make Judaism relevant to teens and to forge a new generation of Jewish leadership. Teens are engaged with a series of comprehensive courses on issues they contemplate and provide a safe place for discussion on topics such as
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
, personal
ethics
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns m ...
and values,
anti-Semitism
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
, purpose in life, relationships, faith and reason,
social justice
Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fu ...
, leadership, and
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
.
A few select teens in each chapter who demonstrate leadership qualities are invited to join the JLI Teens International Internship Program. The interns' role includes participating in joint conference calls to share ideas, providing early feedback and suggestions to course developers, and partaking in special contests and activities. JLI Teens is offered in seventy cities throughout the United States, Canada, South America, Russia, South Africa, China, Europe and the Middle East.
Sinai Scholars
The Sinai Scholars Society is an integrated fellowship program for students on college campuses comprising Torah study, social activities, and national networking opportunities. The eight-part curriculum addresses essentials in Judaism, introducing students to the contemporary significance of Jewish life. Students submit an academic paper on Jewish thought, and participate in community and holiday events. Sinai Scholars is offered in partnership with
Chabad on Campus at over one hundred universities.
The Sinai Scholars Society sponsors an annual Students and Scholars Academic Symposium. A selected group of university students from across the country present papers on the modern-day relevance of core Jewish ideas and beliefs, the author of the winning paper is awarded a cash prize. At the Symposium students mingle with Jewish scholars in the academic community and connect with peers from other campuses.
Rosh Chodesh Society
JLI's women's studies division, The Rosh Chodesh Society (RCS), seeks to empower Jewish women to connect with their Jewish heritage, and in turn, inspire their families and greater communities. An international network of female Jewish scholars, leaders, and educators provides members with adult education via monthly cultural and social programs. The program was founded in 2009 in memory of Rivka Holtzberg, the Chabad emissary who, along with her husband,
Gavriel Holtzberg
Gavriel Noach Holtzberg ( he, גבריאל נח הולצברג; June 9, 1979 – November 26, 2008 (1st of Kislev, 5769) was an Israeli American Orthodox rabbi and the Chabad emissary to Mumbai, India, where he and his wife Rivka ran the Mumbai C ...
, was a victim of a terror attack in
Mumbai, India
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
. Its debut course, Rivka's Tent, was a seven-part series of text-based study of the three commandments addressed specifically to Jewish women. RCS has affiliates in over 150 communities around the world.
Torah Café
In 2009, JLI created Torah Café, a website offering lectures, workshops, and inspiration from its library. The videos cover a broad range of topics available including academic study of Torah, language, Jewish literature, Jewish History, Biographies of Jewish personalities, Jewish music and ethics.
National Jewish Retreat
JLI sponsors a six-day annual retreat, The National Jewish Retreat, which features live lectures and interactive workshops on Jewish life, law, history, culture and tradition, led by scholars and experts in their various fields of study.
The annual retreat is hosted each summer at a hotel and was designed to engage the mind and refresh the spirit, and provides gourmet Kosher cuisine and entertainment.
In 2013, the Retreat launched the annual Jewish Medical Ethics Conference, which features interactive discussions between participating physicians and Jewish medical ethicists on current and emerging quandaries in the field. The conference is accredited by CME.
The Land and The Spirit Israel Experience
Responding to nationwide demand from students participating in the fall 2007 course on Israel, The Land and the Spirit, JLI launched its first Israel Experience in March 2008. The bi-annual tour presents an insider look at Israel. In addition to visiting historic and religious sites, participants meet with Israeli politicians and decision-makers, Torah scholars and local residents. Participants bring messages of support from their home communities in the
diaspora
A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of origin. Historically, the word was used first in reference to the dispersion of Greeks in the Hellenic world, and later Jews after ...
to the
IDF
IDF or idf may refer to:
Defence forces
* Irish Defence Forces
* Israel Defense Forces
*Iceland Defense Force, of the US Armed Forces, 1951-2006
* Indian Defence Force, a part-time force, 1917
Organizations
* Israeli Diving Federation
* Interac ...
and to families of victims of violence. To date, a total of 2,500 Jews from the diaspora have joined JLI's Israel Experience.
Machon Shmuel
Machon Shmuel: The Sami Rohr Research Institute, under the auspices of The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, has already begun serving dozens of Shluchim worldwide with the experienced Torah scholarship of a dedicated team, providing thorough background research and comprehensive sources covering practically every topic in Torah literature.
Kohelet Foundation Partnership
Since the fall of 2010, JLI has been a provider of adult Jewish education through the Kohelet Fellowships program, a two-year Jewish learning experience for parents of Jewish day school students. Fellows study Jewish texts, either in courses or one-on-one, participate in community learning events, and explore the lessons with their families. Fellows receive tuition breaks from their children's schools funded by grants from the Kohelet Foundation and its financial partners. Courses on Judaism and study partners for the participating parents are arranged by JLI and Yeshiva University's Center for a Jewish Future.
Instructor training
The JLI Academy provides ongoing training to its affiliated instructors in pedagogy and in-depth study of subjects relating to curriculum content. The Academy organizes an annual conference, intermittent webinars, podcasts, interactive instruction and one-to-one training opportunities. The JLI Academy also serves as a forum of discussion between the curriculum development team and affiliates. The Academy acts as a sounding board for instructors, and provides guidance.
The JLI Conference is dedicated to sharing tips and ideas for adult education, and learning new ways of expanding and improving the more than 350 JLI chapters around the world. The conference includes renowned experts including Rabbi
Issamar Ginzberg
Issamar Ginzberg is a business strategy and marketing consultant. He is the founder and CEO of Monetized Intellect Consulting, a business and marketing firm with offices in New York City and Jerusalem. Ginzberg also founded English Speaking En ...
,
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City.["About YU]
on the Yeshiva Universit ...
's Dr. David Pelcovitz, direct marketing pioneer Alan Rosenspan, communication educator Michael Brandwein, Professor
Jonathan Sarna
Jonathan D. Sarna (born 10 January 1955) is the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and director othe Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis Universit ...
, Rabbi Berel Bell, and Rabbi
Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson
Yosef Yitzchak "Yossi" Jacobson ( he, יוסף יצחק יעקבסון or ג'ייקובסון) (born June 11, 1972), also known as YY Jacobson, is an American Chabad rabbi and speaker from Monsey, New York.
Jacobson served as editor-in-chief of t ...
.
References
External links
*
National Jewish RetreatThe Wellness InstituteJLI Teens
{{Chabad
Organizations based in New York City
Chabad outreach
Jewish education
Crown Heights, Brooklyn