First and foremost to proclaim the Word of God out loud, in public
In ancient times, people did not have a personal copy of the Torah. The nearest place where one could be found was the temple or synagogue. This is no longer the case, as most of us have our own copy, and many bible students have multiple copies in many forms. We encourage study from different versions and translations.
Although we can each read the weekly Parashah on our own, we believe it is important to read the Torah out loud in public. The Torah was originally written in Hebrew. Since most of us do not speak or read Hebrew at the level that would be required, we read the Torah from the Complete Jewish Bible, an English version by David H. Stern. This version was selected for consistency and its Hebraic perspective.
Secondly, to create a forum for discussion and sharing
The facilitator brings questions to stimulate, encourage and guide discussion that will occur with the entire group of attendees. God speaks to everyone, and each of us brings unique life experiences to the table. It is important to share together in discussion.
