Torah V'Chochmah Experiential

“Chochmah is the truth we discover; Torah is the truth we inherit. Chochmah is the universal heritage of humankind; Torah is the specific heritage of Israel. Chochmah is what we attain by being in the image of God; Torah is what guides Jews as the people of God. Chochmah is acquired by seeing and reasoning; Torah is received by listening and responding. Chochmah tells us what is; Torah tells us what ought to be. Chochmah is about facts; Torah is about commands. Chochmah yields descriptive, scientific laws; Torah yields prescriptive, behavioural laws. Chochmah is about creation; Torah is about revelation.”

- Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt”l

Torah V'Chochmah Experiential (TVCx) is an intensive, transformative professional development experience for Jewish educators in Australia – curriculum developers, session leaders, youth workers, and camp staff – who are ready to bring their teaching spaces and programs to life through the thought of Rabbi Sacks.

Delivered by The Rabbi Sacks Legacy in partnership with BJE, this program combines deep intellectual content with practical curriculum design skills. Following a four-day residential conference in Sydney, participants will receive a full year of personalised mentoring and implementation support.

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Bringing the Wisdom of Rabbi Sacks into day school classrooms

Rabbi Sacks emphasized the need to integrate Jewish ideas contained in our tradition and apply them to the modern world and society. Inspired by Rabbi Sacks’ vision of Torah V’Chochmah, we have created a program with two aims:

1. To ensure that Rabbi Sacks’ thought forms an important part of Jewish day school Judaic programs by bringing together content experts, curriculum designers, and cohorts of teachers to build and enhance Judaic Studies curricula. These curricula will include significant ideas and wisdom from the full range of Rabbi Sacks’ Torah as well as other traditional and modern Jewish thinkers.
2. To support educators as they help students build their Jewish identity, knowledge, and skills, to be able to contribute to the global spiritual, intellectual, and moral conversation.

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Meet the TVCx Team

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Phase 1: The Sydney Conference • 10–13 August 2026

Arrive in Sydney for an immersive four-day residential conference bringing together Jewish educators from across Australia. This is an exciting opportunity to collaborate and develop skills in engaging the next generation of Jewish students, built around the stimulating ideas of Rabbi Sacks and grounded in effective practice.

During the conference you will:

• Learn with colleagues from across the Australian Jewish community in an energising, collegial environment
• Explore the key themes of Rabbi Sacks’ thought – covenantal responsibility, Jewish identity, hope and resilience, the dignity of difference, and Judaism’s engagement with the world
• Work within a structured curriculum design framework guided by expert faculty
• Begin developing original curriculum units tailored to your school or program context
• Engage with a rich variety of pedagogical approaches, from storytelling and chavruta learning to experiential methodologies designed for camps, shabbatonim, and community settings

Phase 2: Year-long Mentoring • August 2026 to July 2027

The conference is just the beginning. The real transformation happens in the year that follows, as you implement your learning in your own context with expert support.

Throughout the year you will receive:

• Regular one-to-one and group mentoring sessions with experienced RSL faculty
• Ongoing curriculum development support as you refine and implement your materials
• Access to RSL content, resources, and the global Torah V’Chochmah network
• Feedback and guidance on adapting Rabbi Sacks’ ideas to your school or youth program setting
• Connection with fellow participants across Australia as a community of practice

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