What started as one student’s innovative idea at Brown University has blossomed into a nationwide movement revolutionizing Torah learning on college campuses. Josh Marcus, a sophomore studying applied mathematics, biology, and economics on the pre-med track, and Yavneh LEAD Fellow (a program of JLIC), has created Sefarim Connect, a program that now engages over 100 students across 15 universities in personalized Torah study.
Marcus, who grew up in Westport, Connecticut and attended Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy, spent his gap year at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem, where he deepened his connection to Judaism and Torah learning. His passion for Jewish learning, combined with his understanding of busy college students’ schedules, led to the creation of Sefarim Connect.
When not leading Jewish initiatives, Marcus is an avid outdoorsman who loves fishing, diving, boating, and spending time on the water. This same spirit of adventure and exploration seems to inform his approach to making Torah learning more accessible to his peers. His solution, Sefarim Connect, elegantly addresses the need for flexible Jewish learning by allowing students to learn what they want, when they want, with whom they want.
The program’s structure is remarkably straightforward: students choose their study partners (chavrutot), select their preferred Jewish texts ranging from Tanach to Jewish philosophy, and commit to learning at least once per week. To support their learning journey, participants receive free sefarim (Jewish texts).
The breadth of participation has been extraordinary, with students from prestigious institutions including Brown, Columbia University, MIT, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University in St. Louis joining the initiative. The program has successfully created a diverse learning community spanning traditional to liberal Jewish institutions, including partnerships with the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Tal Ershler, Yavneh LEAD Fellowship Engagement Manager, has been amazed by the program’s rapid growth. “Watching Sefarim Connect grow from an initial idea to a thriving network of over 100 students learning Torah together has been incredible,” he says. “What makes this project particularly special is how it organically addresses a real need we see across campuses – students want to learn, they want to engage with Jewish texts, but they need flexibility in how they do it. Josh took this challenge and created an elegant solution that works for everyone, from beginners to advanced learners. Seeing students from 15 different universities, from MIT to Michigan to Washington University, coming together to learn in pairs really exemplifies what the LEAD Fellowship is all about – empowering our fellows to create meaningful, sustainable impact in Jewish campus life.”
What makes Sefarim Connect particularly special is the range of topics students are exploring. From traditional Gemara study to contemporary Jewish thought (Machshava), from practical Jewish law (Halacha) to weekly Torah portions (Parsha), students are engaging with texts that speak to their interests and spiritual needs. The inclusion of Mussar (Jewish ethical literature) and specific areas like Hilchot Shabbat demonstrates the program’s commitment to both theoretical and practical Jewish learning.
The success of Sefarim Connect stands as a testament to both Marcus’s vision and Yavneh JLIC’s commitment to empowering student leaders. As more universities and students join this movement, the program continues to prove that meaningful Torah study can thrive within the busy college environment when students are given the flexibility and resources they need to succeed.
As this pre-med student’s innovative program continues to expand, it’s clear that Sefarim Connect is writing a new chapter in the story of Jewish learning on college campuses.
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