With much of the focus of Jewish education centred around children in day and supplementary schools, it’s worth noting that there has been a steady and quiet surge in Jewish learning opportunities for adults over the past 20 years.

Although some of this popularity can be attributed to the desire for Jewish growth, it is undeniable that a key factor is social, to feel a sense of community. In a recent study, Diane Schuster and Lisa Grant argue that Jewish adults “tend to initiate new Jewish learning at times of transition in their personal and professional lives… Some are motivated to acquire new competencies; others are looking to socialize with other Jews; others to find answers to spiritual questions.”

Because such learning often happens at the margins of the adult’s day, and must compete with a myriad of other life commitments (e.g., work, family, entertainment), adult courses are often conducted on a miniature scale, from four to six weeks at a time. The grownup student is a consumer who shops for lectures or courses that seem appealing or directly relevant to their life situation, be it classes on Jewish parenting, Judaism on relationships, or the ethics of money. What many of these students have in common is a desire for a non-judgmental, safe learning atmosphere. The safety is not physical but emotional.

Some adults have bad memories of afternoon or day school, where as children they were subject to less-than-optimal environments, ranging from dull to possibly punitive, and where ostensible intellectual or linguistic deficiencies may have been exposed and commented upon by teachers. Obviously, as adults, they don’t want their Jewish educational experience to repeat that cycle of shame. This can lead to some foreboding about engaging in Torah in any way at this point in their lives, which can be offset by a nurturing teacher/facilitator, and by the feeling that their opinion is not only valued but that the accumulation of their life lessons can bring a unique perspective to the textual material being studied.     

We tend to understand that a non-threatening and encouraging classroom is seminal to the education of children, but we may overlook its centrality in the lives of adults as well. Despite having “grown up,” adult learners still have significant need for comfort and collegiality. Once that is established, reigniting a feeling of competence that the texts can be negotiated and even enjoyed is the fundamental task for the adult educator.

Ultimately, the inspiring of adult learning can bear fruit in many ways. Foremost is the satisfaction of developing a renewed relationship with the heritage of Judaism. But there are also long-term benefits for Jewish families. When children see their parents immersed in Torah study, they are absorbing a powerful message regarding Judaism’s beauty and daily relevance. Years later, when those children become parents, they will reach out and back, almost unconsciously, for the Jewish model that they were given by their parents. The recollection of a house in which Torah was valued, not just in word, but in deed, will remain with them forever.