Etz Chaim Center for Jewish Learning is an Orthodox Jewish organization designed to reach out to

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin , or or ), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. The origins of secularity can be traced to the Bible itself. The concept was fleshed out through Christian hi ...

and non-

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

s in the hopes of bringing them into the

Baal teshuva movement In Judaism, a ''ba'al teshuvah'' (; for a woman, , or ; plural, , , 'owner of return God or his way]') is a Jew who adopts some form of traditional religious observance after having previously followed a Jewish secularism, secular lifestyle or ...

. Its national headquarters are located in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

with other locations in

Owings Mills, Maryland Owings Mills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Baltimore. Per the 2020 census, the population was 35,674. Owings Mills is home to the northern terminus o ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, and

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

It is under the direction of

Rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

Shlomo Porter Rabbi Shlomo Porter is the executive director of the Etz Chaim Center for Jewish Learning. He is a past president oAJOP (Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals) and also has served as an AJOP trustee since its founding in 1985. Rabbi Porte ...

. Rabbi Porter has led the organization since 1981. Originally from

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, Rabbi Porter graduated from

Ner Israel Rabbinical College Ner Israel Rabbinical College (ישיבת נר ישראל), also known as NIRC and Ner Yisroel, is a Haredi yeshiva (Jewish educational institution) in Pikesville, Maryland. It was founded in 1933 by Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, a discipl ...

History

Officially incorporated on November 30, 1983, Etz Chaim is a multi-faceted outreach center dedicated to reaching Jews of all backgrounds to experience

Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...

. Among its programs, Etz Chaim helps people find study partners for the process of

conversion Conversion or convert may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''The Convert'', a 2023 film produced by Jump Film & Television and Brouhaha Entertainment * "Conversion" (''Doctor Who'' audio), an episode of the audio drama ''Cyberman'' * ...

to Orthodox Judaism. Etz Chaim says that success is when a person considers their

Jewish identity Jewish identity is the objective or subjective sense of perceiving oneself as a Jew and as relating to being Jewish. It encompasses elements of nationhood, "The Jews are a nation and were so before there was a Jewish state of Israel" "Jews are ...

more valuable, when a person chooses not to intermarry, or when a person does one

mitzvah In its primary meaning, the Hebrew language, Hebrew word (; , ''mīṣvā'' , plural ''mīṣvōt'' ; "commandment") refers to a commandment Divine law, from God to be performed as a religious duty. Jewish law () in large part consists of disc ...

. In 1992, a

Lubavitch Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

family advertised and held Jewish services, ceremonies, and celebrations in their house in Baltimore County.Lechtman, Jay.
When Is A Home A Shul?
''Baltimore Jewish Times''. February 14, 1992. p. 26. Neighbors complained to the local zoning commission, stating that the family were using their home as a synagogue, in direct violation of local zoning laws, parking laws, and noise restrictions. Etz Chaim supported the family, stating that enforcing such laws on a place of worship was unconstitutional. In 1992, Etz Chaim supported detailed recommendations regarding Jewish celebrations that restricted

kiddush Kiddush (; ), , is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Additionally, the word refers to a small repast held on Shabbat or festival mornings after the prayer services and before the meal. S ...

to only one hot dish, cake, and drinks, while a

b'nai mitzvah A ''bar mitzvah'' () or ''bat mitzvah'' () is a coming of age ritual in Judaism. According to Halakha, Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child's actions. Once Jewish children reach that age ...

or wedding celebration may have up to two hot dishes.Eisenstadt, Merrie M.
Scaling Down Spending Is An Uphill Battle
. ''Baltimore Jewish Times''. March 27, 1992. p. 23. The recommendations stated that all religious celebrations be held only at a

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

itself or a synagogue's facilities. In 1993, Etz Chaim honored Marc Hurwitz for his working helping college students discover or maintain their Jewish identities and fighting assimilation on college campuses. In 1998, Etz Chaim moved its headquarters from Northeast Baltimore to Center City Baltimore. In 2001, a bill was proposed to prohibiting discrimination based on

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...

with regard to public accommodations, housing, and employment in Maryland. Etz Chaim opposed the bill, stating that Orthodox Judaism opposes

homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...

. Also in 2001, a choir of 61 mixed-gender students in third through fifth grades prepared to sing at a Jewish food and life expo. When Etz Chaim was asked whether it was religiously appropriate for female and male children to sing together, Etz Chaim determined the performance should not go forward. On February 6, 2002, a fire destroyed the Etz Chaim Center for Jewish Studies. A teenager was arrested and charged with arson. With money from its insurance carrier and several donors, Etz Chaim was able to rebuild. The new, larger facility included a

Shabbaton __FORCETOC__ The term ''shabbaton'' () may be translated into English to mean sabbatical. The concept of a sabbatical year (shmita) has a source in several places in the Bible (e.g. Leviticus 25), where there is a commandment to desist from workin ...

center, coffee shop, and library,Jacobs, Phil.
Reinventing Etz Chaim; Outreach organization emerges from the ashes of 2002 fire
. ''Baltimore Jewish Times''. October 15, 2004. p. 53. and it was dedicated in June 2015.Jacobs, Phil.
Etz Chaim Dedication
. ''Baltimore Jewish Times'' June 24, 2005. p. 30.

References

External links

*{{official site, http://www.etzchaimusa.org
Etz Chaim Hits 30Outreach Center Rebuilds After BlazeReinventing Etz ChaimEtz Chaim Rebuilds Destroyed HomeJewish Teen Arrested In Shul ArsonsOutreach Group Initiates Unique Study Program
Jewish organizations established in 1983 Orthodox Jewish outreach Baalei teshuva institutions Jewish education in Maryland Jews and Judaism in Baltimore County, Maryland Orthodox Judaism in Pennsylvania Orthodox Judaism in Washington, D.C. Orthodox Judaism in Baltimore Owings Mills, Maryland Giving 501(c)(3) organizations 1983 establishments in Maryland

History

See also

References

External links