In a new survey by the advocacy group, Alums for Campus Fairness, 81% of college students said they avoid certain places, events and situations on campus, and 60% said they had witnessed faculty making antisemitic comments to them or someone they know.
“Antisemitism on campus has risen to a level never seen before,” said the group’s executive director, Avi Gordon.
Fearing even worse antisemitism this academic year, demand is higher than ever by desperate parents and students for Aish Hatorah’s Discovery Seminar. They’re hoping Discovery will help them respond to antisemitism with greater confidence in the answers their faith offers. Discovery is the most highly attended seminar in Jewish history, with over a quarter million attendees.
Presentations of the famous “codes” seminar had all but halted in the United States during COVID. After word leaked out that an in-person class was being held in New Jersey, dozens of other urgent requests followed and Aish can hardly keep up with the demands.
One of the first stops was at Passaic Torah Institute (Yeshiva Ner Boruch) in Passaic, N.J., on Labor Day. More than 120 people attended the workshop, breaking all recent records for the seminar anywhere. “Excellent for any venue, especially on a holiday,” said senior lecturer Rabbi Max Anteby, who has presented the seminar 500 times in all 50 states to audiences that included Hollywood celebrities, U.S. diplomats, secular and religious Jews, and even people of other faiths. But this year is different.
The program’s return comes just as school campuses are erupting, yet again, with antisemitic violence and harassment. Rabbi Steven Burg, executive director of Aish Global, said, “Discovery provides cogent responses for young students as well as professional adults who are constantly being challenged regarding their religious beliefs and political affiliations.”
The highlight of the program is the hidden codes found in the Torah. Attendees learn about statistically tested and verified clues in the Torah that defy rational deniers of the Torah’s divinity, and some which seem to reveal the future. Through an interactive, audio-visual examination of Jewish history and Jewish texts, participants gain a deeper appreciation of how a rational person cannot deny the divinity of Judaism.
The Q&A segment is far-reaching and varies wildly. Anteby reports he’s faced some tough questions, but hasn’t tired of answering them, sometimes for hours after the seminar is over. “I have not presented enough,” he jokes. This year, lines are longer than ever with parents and students asking questions more to ease their minds than to solve theological paradoxes.
The seminar’s agenda includes seeking answers to penetrating life questions such as what constitutes a rational foundation for a belief system, how to take steps toward being a confident and proud Jew, how one finds clarity on our purpose in this world, how to contemplate things that no human being could know and much more. Many participants report coming away from an Aish Discovery Seminar infused with a profound connection to Judaism, discovering its depth, beauty and practical significance in their daily lives.
“Rising antisemitism has spurred an increased interest in the ‘why’ of Judaism, and people want answers,” said PTI’s associate rosh yeshiva Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim. “Aish HaTorah’s Discovery Seminar covers many topics that interest and intrigue Jews, including why bad things happen to good people, the beauty of Shabbos, marriage and relationships, and proofs of the existence of Hashem and the Torah. Hundreds of thousands have attended these seminars and left inspired. No matter what background they came with, they leave with a life-changing new view of Judaism.”
Since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel, there’s been a global surge of expression of Jewish identity and learning more about religious observance that hasn’t been seen since the glory days of kiruv, Jewish outreach, decades ago. Chabad Houses, Hillels, Birthright Israel programs, and other Jewish campus organizations have never been more crowded, and applications to Anglo yeshivot in Israel are at record highs. So too, PTI, which has been a relatively small yeshiva for adults, is suddenly flooded with new young adults wanting to learn about Judaism after the start of the war and is now bursting at the seams. They’re planning for a new larger building and searching for dormitory housing. To keep up with the demand for programming, PTI offers five levels of classes for men and women, with classes ranging from complete beginner with no background to advanced kollel scholar, daily. “People of all backgrounds feel comfortable here,” said Bodenheim. “Everyone’s very sincere.”
For information about Passaic Torah Institute, call 973-594-4774, ptitorah@gmail.com, https://pti.shulcloud.com.