JewishPathways.com Launches Online Courses in Judaism

December 12, 2007 - For years, Jews moving closer to observance, or those simply looking for a refresher course, had nowhere on the Internet to turn for comprehensive, user-friendly material geared to their level. Now there is JewishPathways.com, a Torah study website where people can get a deeper foundation in Jewish thought and learn practical guidelines on Jewish observance.

JewishPathways.com offers self-paced, online courses in daily Jewish living, Jewish philosophy, Mussar, and the laws of Shabbat, Kashrut, and Blessings.

One online student, Mark Alcott, wrote: "I have been searching for this type of learning model for years. All the rabbis and congregants were thrilled to hear that this is now available. I plan to take all of your courses."

Courses have dozens of multi-media features including instructional videos, audio components, and video classes from top Jewish educators.

Courses also have interactive online testing. The test results are stored in a personal online account, to enable users to track their progress as they study the material.

Jewish Pathways is a product of Aish.com, the largest Judaism website with 270,000 unique email subscribers and 2.6 million monthly visits.

Jewish Pathways differs from a textbook in that it leverages the power of the Internet as an educational tool. "Many people have tried to learn the laws of Shabbat from a book, but it is too cold and technical,” says Rabbi Shraga Simmons, director of Jewish Pathways. “But Jewish Pathways makes it all come alive. We take a student through the material step-by-step, and add a variety of multi-media elements that provide a crucial dimension."

Jewish Pathways courses can also be used in an offline setting, such as curriculum for one-on-one study partners and for ongoing classes.

Says Simmons: “Jewish Pathways enables people to study at their own pace, anytime, anywhere.”

An online course like this typically costs about $100. But Jewish Pathways has been given a generous grant that lowers the cost of each course to $18. But even better — for a limited time only — Jewish Pathways courses are absolutely free.

"Many Jews are moving closer to observance, but there is so much to know and they sometimes feel lost and inadequate," said Simmons. "With Jewish Pathways, they now have a website to rely on for thorough, practical information on how to live a Jewish life and run a Jewish home."