Lectures and study groups at the non-denominational (including rabbis and lay teachers of diverse Jewish perspectives) Lehrhaus were organized on a trimester basis.
While, traditionally, Jewish learning began with the text, guiding the Jew as s/he related to the world without, learning at the Lehrhaus aimed to lead from “without” to “within.” It was “learning in the opposite direction,” proceeding from life to Torah. Rosenzweig believed that renewed contact with classical Jewish writings would bring a genuinely Jewish dimension to the lives of Western, acculturated Jews. He emerged from this search rejecting conversion in favor of serious engagement with Judaism he became a Jewish learner, teacher and philosopher. He wrote to his parents: “We are Christian in all things, we live in a Christian state, go to Christian schools, read Christian books, our whole culture is based on a Christian foundation.” Rosenzweig resolved to take a closer look at Judaism, though, before proceeding with baptism. While in his twenties, Rosenzweig had come close to converting to Christianity. This adult education institute was designed to share Jewish learning with a generation not well versed in Jewish texts, serving as a modern “beit midrash” (house of study). In October 1920, Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929) opened the Freies Judisches Lehrhaus (The Jewish House of Free Study), in Frankfurt. The year 2020 marks the centennial of a remarkable Jewish educational initiative.
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