Richard Horowitz: About Aish HaTorah
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ABOUT AISH HATORAH CREATED BY RICHARD HOROWITZ
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Transcript of Richard Horowitz: About Aish HaTorah
A B O U T A I S H H AT O R A HC R E A T E D B Y R I C H A R D H O R O W I T Z
• Aish HaTorah is a Jewish Orthodox organization that encourages Jews to visit Israel and reconnect with their heritage and learn about the history of the land.
• Part of Aish HaTorah’s obligations is to send young Americans who are affiliated with Judaism to Israel free of charge.
• The nonprofit organization’s mission is to: “Provide opportunities for Jews of all backgrounds to discover their heritage.”
• As Elie Wiesel once said, “Aish HaTorah means to me the passion of teaching, the passion of learning. The study of Torah, the source of Jewish values, is the way to Jewish survival.”
• In addition, Aish HaTorah translates literally into “Fire of the Torah,” and was inspired by the Talmudic story of Rabbi Akiva.
• The story is about Rabbi Akiva’s founding of a stone that was hollowed out by a constant drip of water, in which he concluded, “If something as soft as water could carve a hole in solid rock, then how much more so can Torah - which is compared to fire - make an indelible impression on my heart.”
• Aish HaTorah’s main headquarters are located in the Old City of Jerusalem just opposite of the Western Wall.
• In the Jerusalem headquarters, classes are offered for both beginners and full-time intensive study participants.
• This way, the levels of education concerning Judaism are applicable to all, regardless of their background and prior knowledge.
• Students are able to learn about a wide variety of subjects, including the Hebrew Bible, Jewish history, Jewish philosophy, Talmud, and Hebrew language ulpan.
• In addition, there are multiple branches of the organization in over 35 cities across the globe.
• Each branch is made up of independent governance and financing, but their mission to educate Jews about their heritage remains the same.
• Aish HaTorah was created in Jerusalem by Noah Weinberg in 1974, a Rabbi who previous left the Ohr Somayach yeshiva that he had also co-founded.
• Aish HaTorah’s unique approach to philosophy combines Lithuanian yeshivas with Hasidism doctrines.
• Rabbi Weinberg’s teachings were influenced by both sects, along with various teachings of the Kabbalah of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and the Vilna Gaon.
