Talk:Torah Live

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Proposed comprehensive update - COI disclosed

I work for Torah Live (see my user page for COI disclosure). The current article has not been updated since 2011 and describes the organization as a DVD and lecture company, which has not been accurate for over a decade. Torah Live now operates as an online streaming platform with over 1,000 videos and 130,000 active users. I have prepared a fully sourced replacement article using 13 independent reliable sources including The Jerusalem Post, Jewish Journal, Australian Jewish News, Baltimore Jewish Home, PRWeb, Prizmah, Mishpacha, Hamodia, and Jewish Press. Every claim is cited to a published secondary source. I am requesting that an independent editor review and implement these changes. The proposed full replacement text follows below. ---- 

 {{Infobox non-profit | name = Torah Live | image_size = 200px | logo = | logo_alt = Torah Live logo | founder = Rabbi Dan Roth | type = [[Nonprofit organization|Nonprofit]] Jewish educational technology organization | tax_id = [[501(c)(3)]] (USA); Charity No. 1134560 (UK); 580516789 (Israel) | founded_date = {{Start date and age|2007|09}} | founded_place = [[Jerusalem]], [[Israel]] | headquarters = [[Jerusalem]], [[Israel]] | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Rabbi Dan Roth (Founder & Director)<br>Meir Roth (Director of Platform Development)<br>Teli Kaufman (Marketing Director)<br>Rabbi [[Yitzchak Berkovits]] (President) | focus = [[Jewish education]], [[Torah study]], [[Halakha|halacha]], character development ([[Middot|middos]]) | method = Animated video, gamified e-learning, interactive media | num_employees = 7 full-time, 52 freelancers (2023)<ref name="bjh2023"/> | budget = Over $10 million invested in production (2023)<ref name="bjh2023"/> | purpose = Online streaming platform producing animated videos, games, quizzes, and digital learning tools for Jewish education | mission = "Building a generation of proud, committed Jews" | website = {{URL|https://torahlive.com/}} }} '''Torah Live''' is a [[nonprofit organization|nonprofit]] Jewish educational technology organization based in [[Jerusalem]], [[Israel]], that operates an online streaming platform for [[Jewish education]]. The platform features over one thousand animated and live-action videos, interactive games, quizzes, comics, and creative challenges covering [[Halakha|Jewish law (halacha)]], Jewish philosophy ([[hashkafa]]), character development ([[Middot|middos]]), [[Tefillah|prayer]], and [[Jewish holidays]].<ref name="bjh2023">{{Cite web|title=Rabbi Dan Roth|website=Baltimore Jewish Home|date=June 16, 2023|url=https://thebjh.com/rabbi-dan-roth/}}</ref><ref name="jewishboston2021">{{Cite web|last=Klein Greenwald|first=Toby|title=Torah Live Breathes New Life Into Education|website=JewishBoston|date=November 22, 2021|url=https://www.jewishboston.com/read/torah-live-breathes-new-life-into-education/}}</ref> Founded in 2007 by Rabbi Dan Roth under the guidance of Rabbi [[Yitzchak Berkovits]], Torah Live content is designed for children, teenagers, and adults, and is used both at home by families and in classroom settings by Jewish day schools and [[Kiruv|outreach]] organizations worldwide.<ref name="hamodia2011">Hamodia Magazine, "Torah and Technology," Gavriel Horan, 2011.</ref><ref name="jpost2020">{{Cite news|last=Lambert Adler|first=Rivkah|title=Torah Live: Bringing Jewish education into the 21st century|newspaper=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=March 28, 2020|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/torah-live-bringing-jewish-education-into-the-21st-century-622466}}</ref> Materials have been used by organizations including [[Aish HaTorah]], [[National Conference of Synagogue Youth|NCSY]], and [[Chabad]].<ref name="jewishjournal2021">{{Cite web|last=Klein Greenwald|first=Toby|title=Torah Live Breathes New Life Into Education|website=[[Jewish Journal]]|date=October 18, 2021|url=https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/341472/torah-live-breathes-new-life-into-education/}}</ref> Torah Live is registered as a [[501(c)(3)]] nonprofit in the United States, a registered charity in the United Kingdom (No. 1134560), and a registered charity in Israel (No. 580516789).<ref name="torahlive">{{Cite web|url=https://torahlive.com/|title=Torah Live|website=Torahlive.com|access-date=16 April 2026}}</ref> As of 2023, the platform reported 1.8 million video views, 130,000 active users, and over $10 million invested in production, with 91% of funding from philanthropy and the remainder from subscriptions.<ref name="bjh2023"/> The organization has received rabbinical endorsements from over 30 authorities, including the late British [[Chief Rabbi]] Lord [[Jonathan Sacks]], Rabbi [[Asher Weiss]], Rabbi [[Shmuel Kamenetsky]], Rabbi [[Hershel Schachter]], Rabbi [[Yisrael Reisman]], and the late Rabbi [[Abraham Twerski]].<ref name="jewishboston2021"/><ref name="hamodia2011"/> == History == === Founding and early years (2007-2012) === Rabbi Dan Roth, a London-born graduate of [[Kerem B'Yavneh]] and the [[Mir yeshiva (Jerusalem)|Mir Yeshiva]] in Jerusalem, founded Torah Live after an experience teaching [[Pirkei Avot|Pirkei Avos]] (Ethics of the Fathers) at Yeshiva [[Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem|Ohr Somayach]]'s Yesod program, a division for students who had become disengaged from religious life. In a 2023 interview with the Baltimore Jewish Home, Roth described the founding moment as "the worst day of my life," recounting how his students walked out of a traditional lecture on tithes. When he returned the following day with the same material presented in a multimedia format, the same students were "glued to their seats."<ref name="bjh2023"/> Roth, who had no prior background in animation or video production, taught himself Cinema 4D, SketchUp, and Adobe Premiere Pro to begin creating multimedia Torah presentations. His wife Becky assisted by photographing him against a homemade felt green screen for the earliest visual effects shots.<ref name="bjh2023"/><ref name="jpost2020"/> He subsequently recruited a team of graphic designers and programmers and began producing multimedia presentations on topics including blessings, [[sukkah]], [[yichud]], [[tzedakah]], and [[mezuzah]].<ref name="torahlive"/> All content was produced under the halachic oversight of Rabbi [[Yitzchak Berkovits]], dean of The Jerusalem Center for Jewish Values and [[Rosh Kollel]] of [[the Jerusalem Kollel]].<ref name="hamechanech2011">Hamechanech, September 2011.</ref> During this period, Torah Live operated primarily as a live-presentation and DVD distribution company, licensing materials to schools and [[Kiruv|kiruv]] organizations in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Israel. The organization presented at venues including [[Her Majesty's Treasury]] in [[Westminster]], the [[Mir yeshiva (Jerusalem)|Mir Yeshiva]] in Jerusalem, [[Torah U'Mesorah]] conventions, and Dayan Ehrentreu's Conversion Conference in [[Munich]]. By 2011, Torah Live had delivered over 150 presentations in 50 cities worldwide.<ref name="hamodia2011"/> In August 2011, [[Mishpacha]] Magazine published a feature article by [[Jonathan Rosenblum]] about Torah Live and included a sample DVD with all 32,500 copies of the magazine distributed worldwide.<ref name="mishpacha2011">{{Cite news|last=Rosenblum|first=Jonathan|title=Stepping Up|newspaper=[[Mishpacha]]|date=August 24, 2011}}</ref> Torah Live was also covered by Hamodia and the [[Jewish Press]] during this period.<ref name="hamodia2011"/><ref name="jewishpress2011">Jewish Press, "Torah Live's Mezuzah Presentation - A New Approach to an Ancient Mitzvah," September 28, 2011.</ref> === Transition to online platform === Torah Live transitioned from physical DVD distribution and live presentations to an online streaming platform. Director of Platform Development Meir Roth led the technical transformation of the platform into a gamified digital learning environment.<ref name="bjh2023"/> The organization's videos also became available on [[El Al]] Israel Airlines' in-flight entertainment system. According to Roth, the El Al library grew from an initial 3 hours of content to 11 hours, with 7,500 views reported every few months as of 2023.<ref name="bjh2023"/> In a 2021 feature in the [[Jewish Journal]], journalist Toby Klein Greenwald confirmed the El Al presence, noting that "some of their films have even appeared on El Al."<ref name="jewishjournal2021"/> === COVID-19 response and growth (2020-present) === In March 2020, as Jewish day schools across North America closed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Torah Live offered free premium accounts to all Jewish day schools and their students. Schools received unique landing pages, access codes, and technical support for distributing the platform to students.<ref name="prweb2020">{{Cite press release|title=Torah Live Offering a Free Premium User Account for All Day Schools and Children in North America Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic|publisher=PRWeb|date=March 11, 2020|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/torah_live_offering_a_free_premium_user_account_for_all_day_schools_and_children_in_north_america_due_to_the_coronavirus_pandemic/prweb16966807.htm}}</ref><ref name="tyw2020">{{Cite web|title=Torah Live Offering Free Premium Account for All Day Schools & Children Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic|website=The Yeshiva World|date=March 15, 2020|url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/promotions/1839446/torah-live-offering-free-premium-account-for-all-day-schools-children-due-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic.html}}</ref> [[The Jerusalem Post]] published a front-page magazine feature on Rabbi Roth and Torah Live that same month.<ref name="jpost2020"/> [[Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools]], a network serving over 300 Jewish day schools in North America, listed Torah Live among its recommended online Jewish studies learning options during the pandemic.<ref name="prizmah2020">{{Cite web|title=Coronavirus Contingency: Online Jewish Studies Learning Options|website=Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools|date=March 2020|url=https://prizmah.org/knowledge/resource/coronavirus-contingency-online-jewish-studies-learning-options}}</ref> The [[Australian Jewish News]] reported that during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Torah Live's website had been accessed by 200,000 active users.<ref name="ajn2022">{{Cite web|last=Klein Greenwald|first=Toby|title=Torah Live breathes new life into education|website=[[Australian Jewish News]]|date=February 6, 2022|url=https://www.australianjewishnews.com/torah-live-breathes-new-life-into-education/}}</ref> Following the pandemic period, Torah Live rebuilt its platform as a fully gamified learning environment. In a 2021 feature syndicated across JewishBoston, the [[Jewish Journal]], and the [[Australian Jewish News]], journalist Toby Klein Greenwald reported that the production team had grown to over 30 scriptwriters, animators, video editors, and sound and special effects artists.<ref name="jewishboston2021"/><ref name="jewishjournal2021"/><ref name="ajn2022"/> In 2023, Torah Live launched "Torah Quest," a community-wide Torah scavenger hunt premiering in Baltimore, where a local donor, Dr. Paul Volosov, had previously sponsored Torah Live access for every school in the city, making Baltimore what Roth described as the first "Torah Live city." The organization announced plans to bring Torah Quest to Toronto, Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City.<ref name="bjh2023"/> == Platform and content == === Video library === Torah Live's content library consists of over one thousand animated and live-action videos organized into courses spanning Jewish law (including [[Shabbat|Shabbos]], [[Kashrut|kashrus]], [[blessings]], [[tefillin]], [[tzitzit|tzitzis]], and [[mezuzah]]), Jewish philosophy (including [[emunah]], [[tefillah]], and [[Free will in theology|free will]]), character development (including [[patience]], [[gratitude]], [[anger management]], and [[friendship]]), and Jewish holidays (including [[Sukkot|Sukkos]], [[Hanukkah|Chanukah]], [[Purim]], [[Passover|Pesach]], and [[Shavuot|Shavuos]]).<ref name="bjh2023"/><ref name="torahlive"/> The platform is accessible via web browser and through dedicated mobile applications for [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] with offline viewing capability, as well as [[Roku]] streaming devices.<ref name="torahlive"/> === Production === Each Torah Live video is produced by a team that includes scriptwriters, 3D graphic artists, video editors, sound engineers, and a research team of Torah educators who study the relevant [[Talmud]]ic and halachic source material before scripting begins to ensure accuracy.<ref name="bjh2023"/><ref name="jewishboston2021"/> Key production staff includes scriptwriter and showrunner Elchanan Schnurr, a former Hollywood professional, and lead animator Ronen Zhurat.<ref name="jewishboston2021"/> The production process combines 3D computer graphics, professional actors, animation, and live-action footage filmed on location in Israel. Roth has described the production standard for a typical seven-minute video as requiring two scriptwriters, four video designers, ten dedicated Torah educators, three rabbis, and two sound engineers.<ref name="bjh2023"/> === Gamification and Real World Impact === The platform incorporates a gamification system in which users earn points, advance through 36 levels (an allusion to the [[Lamed Vav Tzadikim|36 righteous individuals]] described in the [[Talmud]]<ref name="jewishboston2021"/>), collect badges for creativity, responsibility, and participation, and earn virtual currency called "dinarim."<ref name="jewishboston2021"/><ref name="bjh2023"/> Through what the organization calls "Real World Impact" (RWI), users can redeem dinarim for charitable acts carried out through partnerships with 17 nonprofit organizations. Examples include sending food packages to families in need, delivering entertainment packages to sick children, and sending flowers to elderly residents in retirement homes. Writing in JewishBoston, Klein Greenwald quoted the site's stated aspiration: "Our hope is that when the child grows up, he'll give real money to charity, not virtual money."<ref name="jewishboston2021"/><ref name="bjh2023"/> The gaming system was developed with the advisory involvement of Rabbi Yaakov Deyo, a [[Harvard University]] graduate and CEO of Black Hat Consulting, who has been involved in Jewish educational organizations including the Jewish Enrichment Center of Manhattan and Partners in Torah in New Jersey.<ref name="jewishboston2021"/> === Educator tools === Torah Live provides resources for classroom use, including student workbooks (in middle school and high school editions), teacher guides, [[primary source|source sheets]], presentation materials, and interactive [[Kahoot!]] quizzes. A curriculum guide maps video content to the weekly [[Parashah|Torah portion]], [[Nevi'im|Navi]], [[Mishnah]], and [[Gemara]].<ref name="bjh2023"/><ref name="prizmah2020"/> A parent and teacher dashboard allows educators to track student progress, control which courses students can access, and share content with parents.<ref name="torahlive"/> The platform has also been used at settings supporting students with learning differences, including Camp Kaylie, where the visual and interactive format was noted as effective across different learning styles.<ref name="jewishboston2021"/> === Accessibility and user base === Torah Live's content is designed for use by children, teenagers, and adults across a range of Jewish backgrounds and observance levels. Writing in JewishBoston, Klein Greenwald noted that "Torah Live materials are used by all ages, by all denominations of Judaism and even by some non-Jews who are learning for conversion or who are simply seeking knowledge."<ref name="jewishboston2021"/> The same article noted an unexpected user base among the [[Bnei Menashe]] community in India, a group claiming descent from the [[Ten Lost Tribes|Lost Tribes of Israel]] whose Jewish status was confirmed in 2005 by [[Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel|Sephardi Chief Rabbi]] [[Shlomo Amar]].<ref name="jewishboston2021"/> Schools cited in published sources as using Torah Live include Torah Academy of Boston, [[Maimonides School]], Gindi Maimonides School in Los Angeles, and schools in Greater Boston and Baltimore.<ref name="jewishboston2021"/><ref name="bjh2023"/> The platform offers a free tier with limited content and paid subscription plans that unlock the full library. Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits issued a halachic ruling permitting the use of [[Ma'aser kesafim|ma'aser]] (tithe) funds to purchase subscriptions, on the grounds that subscription revenue directly funds the production of new educational content.<ref name="bjh2023"/> == Leadership and organization == Rabbi Dan Roth serves as founder and director. Rabbi [[Yitzchak Berkovits]] serves as president and provides halachic oversight for all content. Meir Roth serves as Director of Platform Development, overseeing the technical development and digital infrastructure of the streaming platform. Teli Kaufman serves as Marketing Director, responsible for subscriber growth, partnerships, and revenue strategy.<ref name="bjh2023"/><ref name="hamodia2011"/> Dan Roth was born in London and moved to Israel in 2000. He studied at [[Kerem B'Yavneh]] and the [[Mir yeshiva (Jerusalem)|Mir Yeshiva]] in Jerusalem and received [[semicha]] (rabbinical ordination) from the [[Chief Rabbinate of Israel]]. Before founding Torah Live, he taught at Yeshiva [[Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem|Ohr Somayach]]. He is also the author of ''Relevance: Pirkei Avos for the Twenty-First Century'', published by [[Feldheim Publishers]] in 2008, which explores the contemporary application of [[Pirkei Avot|Pirkei Avos]] (Ethics of the Fathers).<ref name="aish">{{Cite web|title=Rabbi Dan Roth|website=[[Aish HaTorah|Aish.com]]|url=https://www.aish.com/authors/61005142.html}}</ref><ref name="bjh2023"/> As of 2023, Torah Live employed 7 full-time staff and 52 freelancers worldwide, including scriptwriters, editors, producers, sound mixers, and special effects artists. Approximately 91% of the organization's funding came from philanthropy, with the remainder from subscriptions.<ref name="bjh2023"/> == Reception == Torah Live has received rabbinical endorsements from over 30 prominent authorities who have recorded video approbations on the organization's website. Named endorsers in published sources include:<ref name="jewishboston2021"/><ref name="jewishjournal2021"/> * Rabbi [[Asher Weiss]], halachic authority in Jerusalem, who called Torah Live "a game-changer... harnessing technology to advance appreciation and love of Torah" * Rabbi [[Hershel Schachter]], [[Rosh yeshiva]] at [[Yeshiva University]] * Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, Rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University * Rabbi [[Yisrael Reisman]], Rosh yeshiva at [[Torah Vodaath|Torah V'Daas]] in Brooklyn * Rabbi [[Shmuel Kamenetsky]], Rosh yeshiva at the Yeshiva of Philadelphia * The late Rabbi [[Abraham Twerski]], who described Torah Live as "unprecedented educationally" and noted its role in helping "young people and adults achieve [[tzelem Elokim]] via [[Middot|midot]] development"<ref name="jewishboston2021"/> The late British [[Chief Rabbi]] Lord [[Jonathan Sacks]] endorsed the organization, describing it as "one of the most brilliant users of new web technology" that "will unlock the doors of learning to many."<ref name="hamodia2011"/> In an independent survey conducted in 2019 by MSL Consulting, 93% of teachers rated Torah Live's video quality as excellent or above average, and 84% of parents reported that Torah Live teaches their children about Judaism while having fun.<ref name="bjh2023"/> Writing in JewishBoston, Toby Klein Greenwald observed that Torah Live's multifaceted approach implements [[Howard Gardner]]'s [[Theory of multiple intelligences|theory of multiple intelligences]], enabling students to engage with Torah content through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning pathways.<ref name="jewishboston2021"/> [[Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools]] listed Torah Live among its recommended online Jewish studies learning options during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing it as offering "online video-based courses on dozens of topics each with accompanying quizzes, supplementary materials, topic-related games, and teacher presentation notes" for children aged 9-16.<ref name="prizmah2020"/> == Publications == * ''Relevance: Pirkei Avos for the Twenty-First Century'' by Rabbi Dan Roth ([[Feldheim Publishers]], 2008)<ref name="aish"/> == See also == * [[Jewish education]] * [[Torah study]] * [[Kiruv]] * [[Educational technology]] * [[Gamification of learning]] * [[Yitzchak Berkovits]] * [[Jonathan Sacks]] == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == * {{Official website|https://torahlive.com/}} * [https://www.aish.com/authors/61005142.html Rabbi Dan Roth] at [[Aish HaTorah|Aish.com]] * [https://www.jewishboston.com/read/torah-live-breathes-new-life-into-education/ "Torah Live Breathes New Life Into Education"] at JewishBoston (November 2021) * [https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/341472/torah-live-breathes-new-life-into-education/ "Torah Live Breathes New Life Into Education"] at [[Jewish Journal]] (October 2021) * [https://thebjh.com/rabbi-dan-roth/ "Rabbi Dan Roth"] at Baltimore Jewish Home (June 2023) * [https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/torah-live-bringing-jewish-education-into-the-21st-century-622466 "Torah Live: Bringing Jewish education into the 21st century"] at [[The Jerusalem Post]] (March 2020) * [https://prizmah.org/knowledge/resource/coronavirus-contingency-online-jewish-studies-learning-options Torah Live listing] at Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools [[Category:Jewish educational organizations]] [[Category:Jewish mass media]] [[Category:Educational technology companies]] [[Category:E-learning]] [[Category:Gamification]] [[Category:Organizations based in Jerusalem]] [[Category:Organizations established in 2007]] [[Category:Jewish websites]] [[Category:Nonprofit organizations based in Israel]] [[Category:Jewish education]] [[Category:Torah study]] [[Category:Orthodox Judaism]] [[Category:Gamification of learning]]

Teli Kaufman (talk) 11:13, 16 April 2026 (UTC)

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