The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning

The World’s Largest Pluralistic Adult Jewish Education Network 

The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning™ serves over 50,000 learners across 50+ communities in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Founded in 1986 by inventor and activist Florence Zacks Melton, the program reflects her vision of inclusive, sophisticated Jewish education for adults, guided by values of accessibility, open-mindedness, integrity, community, and innovation. 

Small Group Innovation: Meetinghouse 

Melton’s new Meetinghouse program bridges traditional Jewish teachings with contemporary life challenges, providing fresh, accessible pathways to spiritual and personal growth for Gen X adults seeking authentic, substantive Jewish experiences that resonate with their complex lives. 

Using beautifully designed Meetinghouse kits, participants explore meaningful themes through Jewish texts, prompts, and activities. Melton is piloting three test kits with at least ten Small Groups: “Bye to Burnout: Jewish Wisdom for Unlearning Hustle Culture,” “The Complexity of Caregiving: Navigating the Sacred Space Between,” and “Feeding One Another: Food as Community Care.” 

Each Meetinghouse kit includes everything needed to host intimate, accessible conversations, even without prior Jewish knowledge

Accessible Content Design 

Each Meetinghouse kit includes everything needed to host intimate, accessible conversations, even without prior Jewish knowledge. The content is flexible, adaptable for different group sizes, and rooted in traditions like chevruta (paired learning) and havura (small study groups). 

The program recognizes the unique needs of Gen X adults juggling careers, caregiving, and personal growth, offering content that speaks directly to their lived experiences while connecting them to timeless Jewish wisdom and community practices. 

Scalable Leadership Model 

Meetinghouse represents Melton’s commitment to expanding access beyond its traditional educator-led model. By creating comprehensive facilitator resources and user-friendly kits, Melton is empowering lay leaders to guide meaningful Jewish learning experiences in their own communities. 

The pilot program will inform future expansion, testing how beautifully designed materials and clear frameworks can support peer-led Jewish learning while maintaining Melton’s high standards for sophisticated, accessible adult education.