About TORCH

Welcome to TORCH! We are glad that you are here.

Founded in 1998, TORCH (Torah Outreach Resource Center of Houston) serves the Houston community as a resource for learning and connection through its unique non-judgmental approach to Jewish education. Also known as the Houston Community Kollel, TORCH has grown to become the most vibrant source for Jewish learning in the Southwest, with a reach that now extends globally through its podcasts and online video content.

Whether one is Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, unaffiliated or anywhere in between, TORCH offers study opportunities in various formats and locations, bringing a new dimension to everyday Jewish life in and around Houston, Texas, and beyond. Our digital offerings allow learners worldwide to engage with our teachings, fostering a global community of Jewish learning.

Our team of dynamic rabbis and teachers share the tools that connect timeless Jewish traditions with modern life. You can learn in a nurturing environment as the rabbis open their minds to impart wisdom. In addition, the rabbis open their homes to share Shabbat and their lives for personal family celebrations.

By uniting fellow Jews through shared joy in religious education and Judaic tradition, and by extending a friendly, upbeat, non-judgmental invitation to all Jews, TORCH is building bridges in our community for thousands of Houstonians and countless others around the world through our digital platforms.

We invite you to spend some time getting to know us. We are a community organization based in Houston, Texas, with a global digital presence. We strive to connect Jews and Judaism through love, friendship, and unity. We hope that you will come away from this site encouraged to join us at one of our programs, whether in person or online.

Come join us!

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to Connect Jews and Judaism by providing meaningful learning opportunities for every Jewish individual in the Houston area irrespective of background, affiliation, denomination or level of observance and to enable them to experience the joy and vibrancy of Judaism in a welcoming environment.

The Mission of TORCH is to provide transformational and educational programs in the Greater Houston area that will help individuals grow and be involved in their various communities through leadership and volunteering.

TEAM TORCH

Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe

Executive Director

Zehava Wolbe

Director of TORCH YJC & ASCENT Faculty

Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

Director of Global Outreach

Chaya Wolbe

ASCENT Faculty

Rabbi Chaim Bucsko

Director of TORCH YP

Tzaitel Bucsko

Director of Operations

Rabbi Yaakov Nagel

Adjunct Faculy

Rabbi Yaakov Cohen

Adjunct Faculty

Devorah Cohen

Adjunct Faculty

Chaviva Granitsky

Director of TORCH Partners

Scott Kammerman

Director of Development

Amy Merkin

Administrator

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steve Finkelman
Leonard Goldberg
Etan Mirwis

Honorary Chairmen

Dan Kullman

President

Peter Botvin
Vice President

Scott Bernstein
Treasurer

Ben Helstein
Vice President

Josh Blackman
Secretary

Jordan Davis
Mordechai Statfeld
Harvey Rosenstock
Members At-large

Past Presidents
Dr. Zev Munk, M.D.* Founding President 1998-2003	Dr. Myron Friedman, Ph.D President 2003-2008
Dr. Brian Passell, Ph.D President 2008-2010	Etan Mirwis* President 2010-2012
Daniel Schlossberg President 2012-2014	Aaron Brown President 2014-2016

Past Board Members
Debbie Abramowitz Bobbi Asarch Dr. Robert Bell Reuven Bisk, Esq. Dan Braun Gabriel Braun Dr. Lazaro Cherem Rachel Davis Belinda Denn Hon. Grant Dorfman Wayne Dorris Eli Drucker Audrey Fersten Steve Finkelman Bari Fishel Dr. David Friedman Dan Goldfine Steven Graubart David Grzebinski Josh Jacobs Dr. David Jacobson	Elyse Kalmans Kenneth Katz Ronnie Katz Dr. Alan Kellerman David Krohn Max Kugler Bobby Lapin, Esq. Max Lashak Dr. Abigail Neiman Levit Malka Levy Frank Levy Laura Loebl Dr. Todd Mordechai Lynn Ilanit Meckley Bryan Miller Judd Millman, Esq. Valerie Mirwis Bella Morgan Dr. Ron Moses Mindeleah Pollak Esther Polland Max Reichenthal	Michelle Roberts Kenneth Rosen Linda Rubenfeld Allison Rudin Steve Rudoff A"H Dr. Bradley Sabloff Dr. Gordon Sack Vicki Samuels Levy Kamran Sassoon* Richard Schanler Brian Schulman Andy Serotta Jason Silverman Dr. Jerry Silverman Malcolm Slatko Dr. Janio Szklaruk Israel Tarshish, Esq. Steve Weinreb Rabbi Yehoshua Wender* Marcy Wolf Beth Schaberg Yarus, Ph.D * Founding Board Members

Our Core Values

What We Are. What We Are Not.

Our Core Values

• We believe that the Torah is an “inheritance for every Jew”.
Every Jew is equal, and deserves equal access to G-d’s manual for living.

• We encourage the spiritual growth of every Jew, regardless of the tradition one subscribes to.
Growth and involvement within Judaism is our key objective.

• We accept every person for where they are in their personal spiritual journey.
We don’t judge; we encourage continued growth.

• We practice and embody the lessons of the Torah that we teach, and openly share our views, experiences and open our homes to the entire community.

What We Are Not

• We are not a Synagogue or School.

• We are not affiliated with any religious movement.
TORCH is an independent Houston based organization, not a division of any national organization.

• TORCH faculty avoid Rabbinic Congregational duties, such as Conversions, Mikvah, Eruv, Kashruth and/or formal officiation of life cycle events so we can better focus on our primary mission of Jewish Education.
(If an urgent need arises, and where no other organization is properly handling the needs of the community, TORCH reserves the right to involve itself in any of these areas for the sake of the community's needs)

OUR PROJECTS

TORCH is proud to be an organization that pioneers and innovates. We've been selected by Slingshot
as one of the top 10 most innovative Jewish non-profits in the US. We are proud to have brought
these successful projects to Houston and are even prouder to see them continue to thrive.

JSU

JSU (Jewish Student Union) is the High School Outreach Division, founded by TORCH in December 2008. JSU affords teen age students in secular high schools with limited Jewish involvement the opportunity to join together for Jewish cultural activities, community service and Israel activism. JSU is now part of the NCSY and operates independently since 2012. Led by Rabbi Gershie Meisels.
www.southwest.ncsy.org

KOLLEL

Kollel of Houston Torah Center (Originally founded as the Beis Medrash Program) is the Rabbinic Scholars Residency Division of TORCH, founded in November 2006. The goal of this project was to have a constant study of Torah in our city. This group of young talented rabbi’s learn torah all day. In early 2011 this division became an independantly run and operated organization, under the auspices of Young Israel of Houston, and led by Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Shlomo Littman of Lakewood, New Jersey.
www.kollelhouston.org

JEI

JEI (Jewish Ethics Institute) is the Medical, Legal and Business Ethics Division, Founded by TORCH in November 2009. JEI is focused on providing professionals from these professions with accredited classes and lectures on Ethics. With full CLE/CME accreditation, participants enjoy thought provoking lectures and networking opportunities. Since 2011, JEI is independantly run and operated by Rabbi Yossi Grossman.
www.j-ethics.org

ABOUT TORCH & SLINGSHOT AWARD

TORCH is thrilled to have been selected by SLINGSHOT 11/12 as one of the 10 most innovative Jewish Non-Profits in North America!

TORCH was chosen based on the following criteria:

The evaluators reviewed each nominee against four criteria:
1. Innovation - How creative, inventive, pioneering or groundbreaking is the organization in responding to the changing needs of the Jewish community and the world around it?

2. Impact - Does the organization reach a critical mass of people? Is it affecting the attitudes and behaviors of its constituents and the Jewish community?

3. Strong leadership - Is there someone or some team at the helm who brings character, vision and guidance? Is this person or team paving a new path in the Jewish community? Is this person or team seen as a strong leader(s) by the organization and by the field?

4. Organizational effectiveness - Is the organization sound? Is it strategic in the way it does business? Is it efficient and responsible about how it raises and spends money?

TORCH was selected for the following reasons:

The Torah Outreach Resource Center of Houston (TORCH) believes that all Jews have a right to Jewish education; however, traditional Jewish education prevents thousands of Jews from fully engaging with Judaism due to location, content or messaging. While most educational programs align themselves with a denomination or synagogue, TORCH ignores traditional divisions in favor of finding innovative ways to be relevant for Jewish communities in Houston and to reach Jews where they are.

For example, TORCH’s Jewish Ethics Institute (JEI) reaches Jewish doctors, lawyers and business professionals who receive accredited ethics hours while learning about contemporary Jewish ethics laws. For many participants, JEI is the first Jewish education experience they have had in years, and it becomes the first step to re-engage with Jewish life. TORCH also runs parallel programs for high school students, Jewish women, young adults and others.

By avoiding the labels common within Jewish education, TORCH serves 10,000 to 15,000 participants each year through programs that include lunchtime learning opportunities, one-on-one study, events and meetings in classrooms, coffee shops and many different synagogues. Going forward, TORCH is in the process of becoming more focused and effective at reaching into the Jewish community.

For more information visit http://www.slingshotfund.org

About TORCH

OUR MISSION