Wilderness Torah

Oakland, CA

Wilderness Torah (WT) works to reconnect Jewish life to the natural world by celebrating all of their festivals on the land (e.g., Passover in the Desert, Sukkot on the Farm, Tu B’Shvat in the forest). They reconnect Jewish youth to the land by offering mentorship programs entirely outdoors, such as Sunday School in the Woods and a nature-based rite of passage journey. With Gendler Grapevine Project’s support, WT held its inaugural four-day immersive Wilderness Torah Training Institute (WTTI). During this training, they worked with 50 community educators and leaders, who were mentored and trained in WT’s transformational earth-based Judaism model, incorporating Rabbi Gendler’s teachings and earth-based wisdom for the next generation of Jewish leaders. This training was geared toward lay leaders and educators, institutional representatives, rabbinical students, and anyone wishing to deepen their own experience. The format closely followed their proven festival format and offered participants an immersion into vibrant, earth-based Jewish life. Participants were trained in WT’s K-12 experiential education model, while experiencing a holistic community-building approach, and left with a curriculum so participants could start using the model in their home community within the next year.

Visit Wilderness Torah’s website