Rosh Yehudi Jewish outreach org says demand for Torah and Judaism classes higher than ever among secular Tel Aviv residents.
The past year has seen a 15% increase in the number of secular Tel Aviv residents taking part in Torah classes, according to the head of the "Rosh Yehudi" outreach organization, Haim Eizner.
As a result, he says his organization has had to expand its activities and classes to meet demand.
Rosh Yehudi "conducts a variety of Torah-orientated activities which are open to the general public and residents of Tel Aviv in particular," Eisner explained.
Those activities include workshops on how to read from the Torah; lively "Kabbalat Shabbat" Friday night prayers; "yemei iyun" - or full days of in-depth Torah seminars; and sessions for newlyweds.
Eisner said his organization has been spurred on by a gradual influx of religious Jews into predominantly-secular Tel Aviv, many of whom have themselves joined in its activities.
In the coming days, Rosh Yehudi is preparing for its annual "Tikkun Leil Shavuot" - a nightlong program of Torah study traditionally undertaken throughout the Jewish world during the festival of Shavuot, which will take place this coming Sunday - with a lineup of well-known Israeli rabbis and scholars.
Dozens of families, students and young professionals have also signed up for Rosh Yehudi's festive Shavuot meal, said Eisner.
"The lectures are open to the general public and we are seeing great interest - more than what we registered last year.
