I’ve often argued that some answers to many of the challenges facing the Jewish people today are found within the Torah (see some past thoughts here and here). Our texts are rich with meaning and wisdom — they should be a galvanizing force to elevate us individually and to strengthen our sense of peoplehood. 

Our work at the Pardes Institute is centered around this principle. Amid the ups and downs of life, passing trends in education and engagement, and challenges (to say the least) in Israel, meaningful and rigorous Jewish text study serves as a steady north star. We now have a new report that shows the impact of this approach to learning and its effect on Jews of various backgrounds, throughout their lives. This should inspire anyone who cares about engaging young people in meaningful Jewish learning.

Courtesy/Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies

First, who’s attracted to Torah study? We now know that our immersive environment for learning and Jewish communal living in Israel caters to students with different motivations and aspirations. They’re not monolithic. Moreover, regardless of their reasons for attending and the particular program they choose, as students become more Torah-literate they apply their newfound “literacy” in other parts of their lives. They deepen their self-understanding of themselves as Jews, intensify their engagement with Jewish community, deepen their connection to Israel and increase their desire to contribute to the Jewish People.

Here’s more of what we learn by digging just a bit deeper into the data:

Increasing a sense of peoplehood and leadership skills

Why should we be surprised that the central texts of our religion can both bring us together as a community and elevate us individually? After studying Torah, Pardes students are far more likely to say they are “committed and working to advance Judaism or Jewish life.” They report a heightened sense of belonging to the Jewish people, greater connection to Israel and a desire for more active participation in organized Jewish communities. In our Educators Program specifically, 86% of participants express high motivation to serve as a leader for the field of Jewish education by program’s end, up from 38% at the start. Across all programs, students reported growth in leadership skills, networking opportunities and the ability to bring a Jewish lens to their professional endeavors.

Community and setting matter

Our location in Jerusalem creates an immersive environment for exploring life in Israel. Students experience a vibrant Jewish communal life while engaging with Israeli society both through programming and on their own. By the end of their programs at Pardes, 69% of students felt a deep connection to Israel, up from 46% at the start. Those answering that they feel connected to Israel “to an extent” or less, drop from 26% to 9%. The combination of study and setting enhances their connection to Judaism, with almost all students citing formative moments that blend rigorous intellectual engagement with personal discovery.

Torah study serves as professional development 

Torah study participants gain tools to bring Jewish values and a Torah perspective into their professional endeavors. They also express greater comfort with their own Jewish knowledge, greater comfort participating in Jewish rituals, experience spiritual growth and are better able to engage in meaningful discussions on contentious issues. All of this helps these leaders and educators live a rich Jewish life and serve as a model to their students.

Students look to Integrate Jewish learning and Jewish values into their lives

More than just studying for the sake of studying (though that certainly is a Jewish value), students like that they can integrate Jewish learning and Jewish values into their lives. This is reflected in exploring big questions through Torah learning, a stronger desire to understand the role of Jewish values in their personal lives and the desire to incorporate Torah study into their daily practices.

At Pardes, we see firsthand how immersive Jewish learning — particularly in Israel — shapes individuals who go on to lead and strengthen Jewish communities worldwide, either as professional or lay leaders. Our newly released impact study underscores this point: the combination of deep Jewish study, pluralistic community and an experience of living in Israel deepens commitment among young Jews and also inspires them to take active leadership roles in Jewish life.

Rabbi Leon Morris the president of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.