A Creative Torah Academy of the Arts

What if creative spiritual practice was a part of Jewish education? If the paintbrush, dance shoe, sense of humor, yoga mat, and drum kit were as integral a part of Jewish education as a tallit, siddur, and Hebrew letters? Open Temple’s Creative Torah Academy is a unique Jewish Journey for students to engage in Torah, Jewish Civilization, Thought and Traditions through art, music, movement, theater, nature and spirituality. Our studio sessions, creative activities, discussion forums, guest artists and visits to locations around Venice and Los Angeles nurture the Jewish imagination and critical thinking.

We believe in setting families up for success. We depart from the traditional weekly Hebrew School obligation and offer a program that blends classroom, field trip, shabbat, holiday and take-home experiences.

Classes, field trips, shabbats and other happenings for the 2024-25 school year are currently scheduled to take place on the dates listed below. Sunday classes are from 3:00 – 6:00 pm (with dinner!). Currently enrolled families, please refer to the Creative Torah Academy Google calendar which will be updated if any changes are made, and which has more detailed information.

“Judaism is the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people.”
-Mordecai Kaplan, Founder, Reconstructionist Judaism

The most enduring element of the Jewish people is adaptability. At CTA, we not only teach the next generation of Jews about the content of Jewish history, thought and peoplehood, but methods that drive Jewish adaptation. The disciplines of art and spirituality are the lenses through which we refract the “hidden Jewish light” that the Torah teaches us was created on the first day of creation, and collectively explore what is revealed through this “bending” of tradition.

CTA brings the Open Temple methodology of “performance art ritual” — engaging prompts, contemporary conflicts, creative departures from text and tradition — into the “Hebrew School” classroom, where the classroom is transformed into an atelier, dance and yoga studio, and black box theatre. Our students are young people who thrive in the creative and individualistic curriculum, who think for themselves and enjoy sharing their individuality with others to create something larger together. Our students are the children of intermarried couples, assimilated Jews, Jews without Jewish education, or Jews with too much Jewish education, Jews who feel disenfranchised or alienated from Jewish life or Jews on the periphery and their children. Open Temple provides a place for all of the “Jewish-ly curious” to reclaim our spiritual center right where we are and apply the knowledge we possess to the knowledge we inherit. Together.

School Fees

Participation in Creative Torah Academy compliments other offerings in our community and the outcomes impact the whole family. This requires that families become Open Temple Co-Creators. If our suggested co-creator rates aren’t affordable for your family, please contact us and we will work with you to open up access.

Our 2024-25 tuition rates are as follows:

Journey Kids (Kindergarten and under): Free to 5785 Co-Creators

Arts 36 (Kindergarten – 4th grade and 5th graders new to Creative Torah Academy): $1,800

Venice Yeshiva (Returning 5th graders and all 6th graders): $1,800

B Mitzvah (7th grade and up): $6,500 (returning students who have been enrolled in Venice Yeshiva) and $7,700 (students new to Creative Torah Academy). We also offer a Concierge B Mitzvah for those families with students unable to attend regular CTA and B Mitzvah classes.

Enrollment is now open for Fall 2024/5785. For any questions, please reach out to hello@opentemple.org. If you’re ready to sign up or re-enroll: