Torah Meets BuzzFeed in Fun New Email Blasts

Collaboration between Big Tent Judaism and Torah Topics for Today
brings ancient wisdom to modern families

“LifeHacks From My Grandparents” is a new website and email listserve that presents a modern spin on Jewish teachings, a toe in the water of Torah study to get at the essence of each portion for all who might benefit.

The project, a collaboration between Big Tent Judaism/Jewish Outreach Institute and Torah Topics for Today, reimagines the lessons of the Old Testament as modern life hacks that people can implement to improve their own lives. Each week’s Torah portion is presented as a BuzzFeed-style list, complete with animated GIFs, followed by a Life Hack of the Week based on the lessons of the Torah portion. Individuals can also sign up to receive the content as a weekly email, at JewishLifeHacks.com.

Fred Claar, creator of Torah Topics for Today and a volunteer leader in the Jewish community, explains, “I began distilling the weekly Torah portions with my own children during Friday night dinners, to get at the essential ethics and values of Judaism in a way that was meaningful to them and not heavy-handed. I’ve continued to do that with my grandkids to this day, sometimes through electronic communications. That’s why I worked with a team of scholars to write TorahTopicsToday.com, and ‘LifeHacks From My Grandparents’ is yet another way to spark some thoughtful conversation in easily-accessible bites.”

The goal of distilling weekly Torah portions into life hacks is to frame Jewish teachings in a way that appeals to an audience accustomed to today’s Internet presentation of content, particularly younger adults. Jewish tradition is about making sacred texts meaningful for everyday life – “LifeHacks From My Grandparents” plays on the idea that not every life hack has to be new.

Visit www.JewishLifeHacks.com to read this week’s hack and sign up for the weekly email!