The Jewish Innovation
The TorahTrek Guides Track is designed for those who feel called to Judaism, wilderness and spirituality as a Jewish educator. The program offers participants the personal experience and skills to bring spiritual, nature programs to their community’s synagogues, organizations, schools, and camps. Eight to twelve TorahTrek Guides—Jewish spiritual educators at home in the natural world—graduate per cohort.
Successful spiritual, nature educators must have deep spiritual experience in nature and a basic knowledge of Judaism and ecology. The training consists of two seven-day retreats, a third ten-day retreat (including a three-day solo in wilderness) and regular study between retreats over the academic year.
Young Jews in particular know when their teachers of prayer and other spiritual topics are inauthentic. The Guides Track enables participants to “walk their talk” as religious, Jewish leaders in all settings.
The Impact
Nothing is more difficult for Jewish educators than teaching God and prayer. Rabbi Mike Comins shares a spiritual dynamics approach to Torah, mitzvot and Jewish practice. While this proven, accessible methodology is useful in any educational environment, TorahTrek Guides learn to utilize the classroom of awe and wonder, the natural world, where spiritual questions are not contrived. In A. J. Heschel’s words, “Awe precedes faith; it is at the root of faith. We must grow in awe in order to reach faith.” The Guides Track helps Jewish leaders “walk their talk” as role models and teachers of Jewish spirituality. To date, 20 TorahTrek Guides, including nine rabbis and rabbinical students, have graduated the program.
What Will You Do with the Money?
Most students cannot afford the full cost of the program. Your contribution will support 3-5 committed, young emerging leaders, who (usually) are studying rabbinics, sacred music or Jewish education in a major seminary of Jewish studies (RRC, AJU and JTS, HUC or AJR).
