Al Haderech moves to educate congregants

Al Haderech, or “On the Path,” is an educational program that promotes the expansion of knowledge through several different topics pertaining to Judaism. Developed by Rabbi Ravid Tilles at the Merrick Jewish Centre in 2014, Al Haderech seeks to join the community together through insightful learning.

The program stays true to its name, as Tilles hits the road to bring education to those who seek it. “Al Haderech means On the Road, or On the Path,” in Hebrew, Tilles said. “But I take it quite literally, as I actually travel to people’s homes to teach them anything and everything they want to know.”

On the road

With informative sheets of paper in hand, Tilles knocks on his guests’ doors, ready to have his brain picked by groups of up to 12 people at a time.

“As long as everyone is ready to learn, there isn’t really a limit as to how many people are allowed to attend my classes,” Tilles said.

A frequent question that the rabbi is asked about is whether the classes are open to people who do not belong to the Merrick Jewish Centre. “This question is very important because I want the community to know that education doesn’t have boundaries,” Tilles said. “If a person is interested in Judaism and its culture, I am more than happy to share that knowledge with anyone.”

In fact, Tilles said, a number of non-members who are simply curious about his teachings have attended sessions. “Those are always very rewarding classes too,” he said. “As soon as the discussion gets rolling, I can see the interest already, questions are asked, and everyone in the room is engaged in an educational discussion that can lead to discovery, for some.”

Tilles said he’s willing to travel as far as Rockville Centre. “We have members who live out there—we have members who live across Nassau County actually—but I’m definitely willing to travel if it means bringing a group of people together for a meaningful discussion,” he said.

A rabbi’s teachings