Rabbi Aaron and Miriam Greenberg, OU-JLIC of Greater Toronto educators
The University of Toronto enrolls 67,000 undergraduate students. There are 1,500-2,500 Jewish students and 25-75 students who attended Modern or Centrist Orthodox day schools. A commuter institution, U of T is a 45 minute drive from a large, vibrant Jewish metropolitan community that boasts a host of synagogues, day schools and food resources. The university is very accommodating to students that miss classes because of religious observance. University of Toronto hosts the Centre for Jewish Studies and Jewish Education Program for future teachers. The program allows students to spend a year of study abroad at Hebrew University in Jerusalem or other institutions inside Israel and provides stipends for those students who are eligible.
Seeking to maximize students’ engagement with Jewish life, OU-JLIC organizes Torah learning and social events both on and off campus. The OU-JLIC Torah Educators teach several weekly shiurim; organize a monthly guest speaker in a community member’s home; and offer a 7 minute halachah chaburah after 9:45 weeknight maariv at the BAYT, the largest Modern Orthodox synagogue in the area. OU-JLIC in conjunction with the Yeshiva University-Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov coordinate separate beit midrash programs for women and men; students, who learn either at Ulpanat Orot or at Yeshivat Or Chaim, receive a stipend for their involvement in the program. Additionally, many male students take part in the many shiurim and batei midrash available in the large Toronto Orthodox Jewish community. Innovative social programs, which mostly take place off-campus, include the annual basketball tournament, cake wars, and skating. OU-JLIC Rabbi Aaron Greenberg is on campus one day a week and off-campus in students’ communities the rest of the week, giving classes, meeting students and providing for the diverse needs of the Jewish community.
OU-JLIC commuter students join together to celebrate Shabbat and chagim in their local community. At BAYT, in the Perlis Hall, 70-120 young adults gather every Shabbat and chag for Shacharit. After the minyan, students socialize during the kiddush sponsored by the BAYT Brotherhood. The OU-JLIC couple regularly welcomes students into their home; they host a monthly Friday night oneg for students and invite students for meals on Shabbat and chagim.
Meet The Educators