Hey, all you thirsty people! Come to the water!
These words – from the prophet Isaiah – are the words the Talmud uses to describe public Torah reading. Reading from the Torah is not a “nice to have”: it is a necessity for life for every member of the community.
Anyone can learn to sing!
Could we make Torah reading accessible to all? The Learn to sing page of this website hosts an on-line tutor that anyone can use to learn to read – or sing – from the Torah with the notes and intonation used in the UK.
Torah reading is for everyone!
Many members of orthodox synagogues in the UK believe that Torah reading by women and by children is forbidden. But the classic rabbinic sources are inclusive: they offer ample opportunity to call anyone to the Torah, regardless of age or gender, if our communities choose to do so.
You can read these classic sources – both those which permit and those which restrict an inclusive approach to Torah reading – on the the Podcast and Sources page of this site. I teach them on a podcast, which you can find on Spotify and on Apple as well as the other usual platforms.
If you are looking for more modern study resources and commentary, you can find them on the Torah reading is gender-neutral! page of this site.
Torah Reading for All 