A little over a month ago, I wrote about the growing trend of yeshiva-style chevruta text study in secular, religious, egalitarian, and nondenominational communities across the United States. As a brief recap, a chevruta is a particularly Jewish approach to studying Torah and other Jewish texts. Learning takes place in pairs of two (or sometimes three), instead of in a traditional classroom setting. The pair then takes turns reading the text, and together grapples with its meaning and implications. It’s a wonderful way to take a page of Talmud, a chapter from the Torah, or an essay by Maimonides, and make it your own. If you and your partner are a good intellectual match, you’ll discover that together, you can develop your own ideas around traditional Jewish texts. Chevruta learning encourages creative, critical thinking. It’s challenging, and it’s fun. (To learn more about the origins of chevruta study, check out this great article on MyJewishLearning).

After reading that post, one of our readers suggested that I compile a list of chevruta study programs around the country. So, after much Googling, and with the help of our many Twitter followers, I am proud to present to you The Unofficial, Incomplete Guide to Nondenominational, Beginners-Friendly, Yeshiva-style Learning Without the Yeshiva (whew, say that five times fast!):

First off, we have our Hillel-based learning programs:

• The University of Pennsylvania Hillel hosts a weekly program called Sunday Night Learning. If you’re in Philly, SNL’s the place to be.
• Are you a college student in the Big Apple? NYU Hillel hosts the Jewish Learning Enrichment Program on Tuesday nights, and Columbia/Barnard Hillel has a Wednesday Night Learning program.
• College students down south should check out the Chevruta Jewish Learning Partnership at UNC Hillel in Chapel Hill, or “Chevruta,” a monthly program at Emory Hillel in Atlanta.
• If you plan to do any graduate school work in Israel, head on over to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem to participate in Limmud B’Chevruta.

If you’re looking for learning programs geared toward a wider age-range, look no further than these synagogue-based learning programs:

• The Beth El Synagogue in Durham, NC has regularly-scheduled Bet Midrash gatherings.
• Members of the Emmanuel Synagogue in West Hartford, CT, meet on Sunday mornings for a learning partnerships session.
• Pacific Northwesterners should look into the Beth Shalom Beit Midrash in Seattle, which meets twice a month.
• The Charles River Beit Midrash in Boston meets weekly (alternating every month between two different communities) to engage in text study of social justice issues.
• In Detroit, the Yeshiva Beth Yehuda’s Patners in Torah program may be based in a yeshiva, but it’s open to all members of the community.

Then, of course, there’s always Limmud! Check here for the international listing of Limmud events.

Know of any other great Torah learning programs?  Please feel free to share!

-Naomi