WILDERNESS TORAH

BERKELEY, California, 94704 United States

Mission Statement

Wilderness Torah awakens and celebrates the earth-based traditions of Judaism to nourish the connections between self, community, earth, and Spirit.

About This Cause

The story began long ago, when we Jews were connected. We were connected to the land, to the seasons, and to the cycles of the sun and moon. We were connected to one another, as we wandered the desert and then settled and farmed, wandered and settled, wandered and settled. And many times, whether in the village or the shtetl, we planted our food together, and harvested it. We all came together for holidays and festivals, like a big family. In fact we were a big family that became uprooted, again and again, until that big family got splintered into many smaller families. Now, our close friends and family are often spread across the country, instead of living next door. The village gave way to the suburb and the big city. And many of us, young Jews especially, are taking advantage of a wide variety of spiritual and communal offerings available today, from High Holy Days to yoga and meditation. We have privileges and luxuries we could never have previously imagined. And yet, there’s something missing. Somewhere inside of us is this deep yearning for something we had back in the desert, back in the village, back when we were one big family. There is a yearning to connect that is all around us. It’s in the teenager’s phone lighting up with text messages, and the endless hours so many of us spend on Facebook, yearning to connect. It’s at the bustling farmer’s market, where we meet our farmers and run into friends and taste fresh blueberries grown an hour away. It’s in the pile of mulch on our neighbor’s driveway… one of the millions of people who’s decided to tap into the ancient skill of growing food. It’s the yearning for connection to what is truly real: To the earth, to the seasons, and to one another. It’s in this yearning that Wilderness Torah was born. Programs: -Multi-generational holiday retreats that celebrate the Jewish pilgrimage holidays in their original, nature-based context -Nature and mentorship-based Jewish youth education that revolutionizes the Sunday school and B’nai Mitzvah experiences -Young adult leadership training, through a three-month program that builds concrete Jewish leadership skills -Community programs for Jewish institutions, day schools, and JCC’s to bring this approach to their constituents

WILDERNESS TORAH
2222 Harold Way, Suite Cw508
BERKELEY, California 94704
United States
Phone 510-926-4648
Twitter @WildTorah
Unique Identifier 454437061