Aish HaTorah (Hebrew 1United States Census 2000 PHC-T-37. Ability to Speak English by Language Spoken at Home: 2000. Table 1a: אש התורה‎, Esh HaTorah, "Fire of the Torah") is a Jewish Orthodox Orthodox Judaism is a formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmudic texts and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim organization and yeshiva Yeshiva or yeshivah (pronounced /jəˈʃiːvə/; Hebrew: ישיבה, "sitting " ; pl. yeshivot or yeshivas), or metivta or mesivta (Aramaic: מתיבתא)) also frequently referred to as a Beth midrash, Talmudical Academy, Rabbinical Academy or Rabbinical School is an institution unique to classical Judaism for Torah study, the study of. Aish HaTorah is actively pro-Israel and encourages Jewish people to visit Israel and connect to the land and its history. From a religious perspective, however, it follows a mostly Charedi Haredi or Chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. A follower of Haredi Judaism is called a Haredi . In non-Jewish circles, it is sometimes referred to as Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, a term never used by those involved, who use the word Ḥaredi or other expressions instead philosophy. Some have asserted that the organisation reflects a more Religious Zionist Religious Zionism, or the Religious Zionist Movement is an ideology that combines Zionism and religious Judaism, basing Zionism on the principles of Torah, Talmud et al. and authentic heritage philosophy in its attachment to Israel, promoting Jewish pride and by sending young American Jews to Israel.[1] The organization's stated mission is "providing opportunities for Jews of all backgrounds to discover their heritage." Its headquarters are in the Old City of Jerusalem Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם‎ (help·info), Yerushaláyim; Arabic: القُدس (audio) (help·info), al-Quds)[ii] is the capital[iii] of Israel and its largest city in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of 125.1 square kilometres (48.3 sq mi) if disputed East Jerusalem is included.[iv]. The government of Israel Israel officially the State of Israel ( מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל (help·info), Medinat Yisra'el; Arabic: دَوْلَةُ إِسْرَائِيلَ‎, Dawlat Isrā'īl), is a country in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and awarded it 40 percent of the land facing the Western Wall The Western Wall (Arabic: حائط البراق‎, translit.: Ḥā'iṭ Al-Burāq), sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall or simply the Kotel (lit. Wall; Ashkenazic pronunciation: Kosel), and as al-Buraaq Wall by Muslims, is an important Jewish religious site located in the Old City of Jerusalem. Just over half the wall, including its 17.

The organization has branches in 35 cities around the world. Each branch has independent governance and funding.

In Jerusalem, the Aish HaTorah yeshiva Yeshiva or yeshivah (pronounced /jəˈʃiːvə/; Hebrew: ישיבה, "sitting " ; pl. yeshivot or yeshivas), or metivta or mesivta (Aramaic: מתיבתא)) also frequently referred to as a Beth midrash, Talmudical Academy, Rabbinical Academy or Rabbinical School is an institution unique to classical Judaism for Torah study, the study of offers both beginners' drop-in classes and full-time, intensive study programs for Jewish men and women of all backgrounds and levels of knowledge. Areas of study include Hebrew Bible The Tanakh (IPA: [taˈnax] or [təˈnax]; also Tenakh or Tenak) is a name for the Bible used in Rabbinic Judaism, also known as the Masoretic Text. The name "Tanakh" is a Hebrew acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah ("Teaching," also known as the Five, Talmud The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of mainstream Judaism, Jewish history Jewish history is the history of the Jewish people, faith, and culture. Since Jewish history encompasses nearly six thousand years and hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes. Additional information can be found in the main articles listed below, and in the specific country histories listed in this, Jewish philosophy Jewish philosophy refers to the conjunction between serious study of philosophy and Jewish theology. In a broad sense, it refers to all philosophical activity carried out by Jews or in relation to the religion of Judaism. In the narrow sense, it is often used to refer to the views of the medieval Jewish scholastics, influenced by Aristotle to a and Hebrew language 1United States Census 2000 PHC-T-37. Ability to Speak English by Language Spoken at Home: 2000. Table 1a ulpan An ulpan is an institute or school for the intensive study of Hebrew. Ulpan is a Hebrew word meaning basically studio or teaching, instruction. A US-accredited college, the yeshiva offers degrees to college College is a term most often used today to denote degree awarding tertiary educational institution. More broadly, it can be the name of any group of colleagues, for example, an electoral college, a College of Arms or the College of Cardinals. Originally, it meant a group of persons living together, under a common set of rules (con- = " and university A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education. The word university is derived from the Latin universitas magistrorum et scholarium, roughly meaning "community of teachers and scholars" age students.

The rabbinic Rabbi is the term in Judaism for a religious teacher. The word rabbi derives from the Hebrew root word רַב, rav, which in biblical Hebrew means ‘great’ in many senses, including "revered." The word comes from the Semitic root R-B-B, and is cognate to Arabic ربّ rabb, meaning "lord" (generally used when talking about ordination Semicha , also semichut (Hebrew: סמיכות‎, "ordination"), or semicha lerabbanut (Hebrew: סמיכה לרבנות‎, "rabbinical ordination") is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it program combines classical Talmudic The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of mainstream Judaism training with intensive instruction in outreach and leadership skills. 250 men[citation needed] have graduated from its rabbinic program, assuming leadership and religious roles in many Jewish communities around the world.

Aish.com, the organization's home on the internet, features endorsements from a range of celebrities, including Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. Forbes magazine places Spielberg's net worth at $3.1 billion. In 2006, the magazine Premiere listed him as the most powerful and influential figure in the motion picture industry. Time listed him as one of the 100 Most Important People of the Century. At the, Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (Russian: Михаи́л Серге́евич Горбачёв, pronounced [mʲɪxɐˈil sʲɪrˈɡʲeɪvʲɪtɕ ɡərbɐˈtɕof] ; born 2 March 1931) was the last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until 1991, and also the last head of state of the USSR, serving from 1988 and Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS is a retired British politician. She was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post.[2]. Aish HaTorah founder Noah Weinberg Noah Weinberg (February 16, 1930 – February 5, 2009) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, rosh yeshiva, and a father of today's baal teshuva movement with his establishment of a global network of educational and kiruv (outreach) programs for unaffiliated Jewish men and women. Primarily through the multifaceted activities of Jerusalem-based Aish HaTorah, was credited with taking a non-judgemental approach to outreach. He welcomed atheists and non-believers to the organization's yeshiva Yeshiva or yeshivah (pronounced /jəˈʃiːvə/; Hebrew: ישיבה, "sitting " ; pl. yeshivot or yeshivas), or metivta or mesivta (Aramaic: מתיבתא)) also frequently referred to as a Beth midrash, Talmudical Academy, Rabbinical Academy or Rabbinical School is an institution unique to classical Judaism for Torah study, the study of, saying he would make them better atheists.

Aish HaTorah has been described as right-wing, and Jeffrey Goldberg Jeffrey Mark Goldberg is an Israeli-American journalist. He is an author and a staff writer for The Atlantic, having previously worked for The New Yorker. Goldberg has written on foreign affairs, with a focus on the Middle East and Africa of The Atlantic Monthly The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston in 1857. Originally created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine, its current format is of a general editorial magazine. Written with content focusing on "foreign affairs, politics, and the economy [as well as] cultural trends," it is primarily aimed at a target audience of has described it as "just about the most fundamentalist movement in Judaism today".[3] Adam Shatz of the London Review of Books The LRB was founded in 1979 during the year-long lock-out at The Times. Its founding editors were Karl Miller, then professor of English at University College London, Mary-Kay Wilmers, formerly an editor at The Times Literary Supplement, and Susannah Clapp, a former editor at Jonathan Cape. For its first six months it appeared as an insert in the describes Aish HaTorah as having close ties to the Israeli settler Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured during the 1967 Six-Day War. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank, which is partially under Israeli military administration and partially under the control of the Palestinian National Authority, and in the Golan Heights, which are under Israeli movement.[4]

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Jews A Jew (Hebrew: יְהוּדִי‎, Yehudi ; יְהוּדִים, Yehudim (pl.); Ladino: ג׳ודיו, Djudio (sg.); ג׳ודיוס, Djudios (pl.); Yiddish: יִיד, Yid (sg.); יִידן, Yidn (pl.)) is a member of the Jewish people, an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish people and and Judaism Judaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts. Judaism presents itself as the covenantal relationship between the Children of Israel (later, the Jewish nation) and God. It is considered either the first or one of the first monotheistic
Who is a Jew? "Who is a Jew?" is a basic question about Jewish identity. The question has gained particular prominence in connection with several high-profile legal cases in Israel since the founding of the Jewish state in 1948 · Etymology The Jewish ethnonym in Hebrew is יהודים Yehudim which is the origin of the English word Jew. The Hebrew name is derived from the region name Judah (Yehudah יהודה). Originally the name referred to the territory alloted to the tribe descended from Judah the fourth son of the patriarch Jacob (Numbers). Judah was one of the twelve sons of · Culture Secular Jewish culture embraces several related phenomena; above all, it is the culture of secular communities of Jewish people, but it can also include the cultural contributions of individuals who identify as secular Jews, or even those of religious Jews working in cultural areas not generally considered to be connected to religion
Religion Judaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts. Judaism presents itself as the covenantal relationship between the Children of Israel (later, the Jewish nation) and God. It is considered either the first or one of the first monotheistic God in Judaism The conception of God in Judaism is monotheistic. The God of Israel was known by two principal names in the Bible. One is YHWH, which stands for the Hebrew letters yud-hay-vav-hay. This pronunciation with vowels is impossible to say aloud since it lacks consonants. This name is sometimes vocalized theoretically by scholars as Yahweh, and for (Names In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title. It represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relation of God to the Jewish people. To show the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for them, the scribes of sacred texts took pause before copying them, and used terms) Principles of faith Although Jews and religious leaders share a core of monotheistic principles, Judaism has no formal statement of principles of faith such as a creed that is recognized or accepted by all · Mitzvot Mitzvah is a word used in Judaism to refer to the 613 commandments given in the Torah and the seven rabbinic commandments instituted later for a total of 620. The term can also refer to the fulfilment of a mitzvah (613 The 613 Mitzvot are statements and principles of law and ethics contained in the Torah or Five Books of Moses. These principles of Biblical law are sometimes called commandments (mitzvot) or collectively as the "Law of Moses" (Torat Moshe, תורת משה), "Mosaic Law," or simply "the Law.") Halakha Halakha — also transliterated Halocho and Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish religious law, including biblical law (the 613 mitzvot) and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions. Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life. Hence, Halakha guides not · Shabbat Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from sundown Friday until the appearance of three stars in the sky Saturday night. The exact time, therefore, differs from week to week and from place to place, depending on the time of sunset at each location · Holidays A Jewish holiday or festival is a day or series of days observed by Jews as a holy or secular commemoration of an important event in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov (Yiddish: yontif) or chag ("festival") or ta'anit ("fast") Prayer Jewish services are the prayer recitations that form part of the observance of Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book · Tzedakah Tzedakah is a Hebrew word commonly translated as charity, though it is based on a root meaning justice (צדק, tzedek). In Judaism, tzedakah refers to the religious obligation to perform charity, and philanthropic acts, which Judaism emphasises are important parts of living a spiritual life; Jewish tradition argues that the second highest form of Brit Brit milah is a religious ceremony within Judaism to welcome infant Jewish boys into a covenant between God and the Children of Israel through ritual circumcision performed by a mohel ("circumciser"). This happens on the eighth day of the child's life unless health reasons or certain specific conditions pertaining to the date, time, and · Bar / Bat Mitzvah In Judaism, a Bar Mitzvah (Aramaic: בר מצוה, "one to whom the commandments apply"; if it were Hebrew it would be בן (ben) not בר (bar). בר is "son" in Aramaic, and בן (ben) is son in Hebrew.) or a Bat Mitzvah (בת מצוה, "one (f.) to whom the commandments apply;" Ashkenazi: Bas Mitzvah) (pl. B'nai Marriage In Jewish law , betrothal (Hebrew: shiddukhin‎) or engagement is defined as the mutual promise between a man and a woman to contract a marriage at some future time and the formulation of the terms on which it shall take place. The promise may be made by the intending parties or one made by their respective parents or other relatives on their · Bereavement Bereavement in Judaism is a combination of minhag (traditional custom) and mitzvah (good deeds or religious obligation) derived from Judaism's classical Torah and rabbinic texts. The details of observance and practice vary according to each Jewish community Philosophy Jewish philosophy refers to the conjunction between serious study of philosophy and Jewish theology. In a broad sense, it refers to all philosophical activity carried out by Jews or in relation to the religion of Judaism. In the narrow sense, it is often used to refer to the views of the medieval Jewish scholastics, influenced by Aristotle to a · Ethics Jewish ethics stands at the intersection of Judaism and the Western philosophical tradition of ethics. Like other types of religious ethics, the diverse literature of Jewish ethics primarily aims to answer a broad range of moral questions and, hence, may be classified as a normative ethics. For two millennia, Jewish thought has also grappled with · Kabbalah Kabbalah is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the mystical aspect of Judaism. It is a set of esoteric teachings that is meant to explain the relationship between an infinite, eternal and essentially unknowable Creator with the finite and mortal universe of His creation. In solving this paradox, Kabbalah seeks to define the nature Customs Minhag is an accepted tradition or group of traditions in Judaism. A related concept, Nusach (נוסח), refers to the traditional order and form of the prayers. Arabic: منهاج‎ minhāj also means custom or tradition, though not necessarily religious tradition · Synagogue A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer · Rabbi Rabbi is the term in Judaism for a religious teacher. The word rabbi derives from the Hebrew root word רַב, rav, which in biblical Hebrew means ‘great’ in many senses, including "revered." The word comes from the Semitic root R-B-B, and is cognate to Arabic ربّ rabb, meaning "lord" (generally used when talking about
Texts Tanakh The Tanakh (IPA: [taˈnax] or [təˈnax]; also Tenakh or Tenak) is a name for the Bible used in Rabbinic Judaism, also known as the Masoretic Text. The name "Tanakh" is a Hebrew acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah ("Teaching," also known as the Five (Torah The term "Torah" , refers either to the Five Books of Moses (or Pentateuch) or to the entirety of Judaism's founding legal and ethical religious texts. When used with an indefinite article, "a Torah" usually refers to a "Sefer Torah" (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, "book of Torah") or Torah scroll, written on · Nevi'im Nevi'im is the second of the three major sections in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, between the Torah {teachings) and Ketuvim (writings) · Ketuvim Ketuvim is the third and final section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), after Torah (teachings) and Nevi'im (prophets). In English translations of the Hebrew Bible, this section is usually entitled "Writings" or "Hagiographa." The Ketuvim are believed to have been written under the Ruach HaKodesh, a level less than that of) Targum A targum is an Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) written or compiled from the Second Temple period until the early Middle Ages (late first millennium). The two major genres of Targum reflect two geographical and cultural centers of Jewish life during the period of their creation, namely the Land of Israel and Babylonia. Aramaic was Talmud The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of mainstream Judaism (Mishnah The Mishnah or Mishna is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism, and the first major redaction into written form of Jewish oral traditions, called the Oral Torah. The word "Mishnah" also means "Secondary" (derived from the adj. שני), and the Greek name Deuterosis means "repetition". It is thus named for being both the · Gemara The Gemara (from Aramaic גמרא gamar; literally, "[to] study" or "learning by tradition") is the part of the Talmud that contains rabbinical commentaries and analysis of the Mishnah. After the Mishnah was published by Rabbi Judah the Prince (c. 200 CE), the work was studied exhaustively by generation after generation of) Rabbinic Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. But the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds with the Hebrew term Sifrut Hazal . This more specific sense of "Rabbinic (Midrash Midrash is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact, but comparative (homiletic) method of exegesis (hermeneutic) of Biblical texts, which is one of four methods cumulatively called Pardes. The term midrash can also refer to a compilation of homiletic teachings (commentaries) on the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), in the form of legal and ritual (Halakhah) · Tosefta The Tosefta is a secondary compilation of the Jewish oral law from the period of the Mishnah) Mishneh Torah The Mishneh Torah , subtitled Sefer Yad ha-Chazaka (יד החזקה), is a code of Jewish religious law (Halakha) by one of the important Jewish authority Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, also known by the Hebrew abbreviation RaMBaM, usually written "Rambam" in English). The Mishneh Torah was compiled between 1170 and 1180, while he · Tur Arba'ah Turim , often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher (Spain, 1270 -c.1340, also referred to as "Ba'al ha-Turim", "Author of the Tur"). The four-part structure of the Tur and its division into chapters (simanim) were adopted by the later code Shulchan Aruch Shulchan Aruch The Shulchan Aruch (also Shulhan Aruch or Shulchan Arukh) is a codification, or written manual, of halacha (Jewish law), composed by Rabbi Yosef Karo in the 16th century. Together with its commentaries, it is considered the most authoritative compilation of halakha since the Talmud Zohar The Zohar is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. It is a mystical commentary on the Torah (the five books of Moses), written in medieval Aramaic. It contains a mystical discussion of the nature of God, the origin and structure of the universe, the nature of souls, sin, redemption, good and evil, and the · Tanya Tanya is a book more commonly known by its opening word although titled Likkutei Amarim (ליקוטי אמרים, Hebrew, "collection of statements"), an early work of Hasidic Judaism, written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad, in 1797 CE
Ethnicities Jewish ethnic divisions refers to a number of distinct communities within the world's ethnically Jewish population. Although considered one single self-identifying ethnicity, there are distinct ethnic divisions among Jews, most of which are primarily the result of geographic branching from an originating Israelite population, and subsequent Ashkenazi Sephardi Jews, Mizrahi Jews, and other Jewish ethnic divisions · Sephardi 1st row: Maimonides•Isaac Abrabanel•Baruch Spinoza•David Nieto•Daniel Mendoza•David Ricardo · Mizrahi Romaniote The Romaniotes or Romaniots are a Jewish population who have lived in the territory of today's Greece and neighboring areas with large Greek populations for more than 2,000 years. Their language is Greek and they derive their name from the old name for the people of the Byzantine Empire, Rhomaioi. Large communities were located in Thebes, Ioannina, · Italki Italian Jews can be used in a broad sense to mean all Jews living in Italy or in a narrower sense to mean the ancient community who use the Italian rite, as distinct from newer arrivals who use the Sephardi or Ashkenazi rite · Yemenite Yemenite Jews are those Jews who live, or whose recent ancestors lived, in Yemen (תֵּימָן, Standard Teman Tiberian Têmān; "far south"), on the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula. Virtually the entire Jewish population emigrated from Yemen between June 1949 and September 1950 in what was deemed Operation Magic Carpet. Most now African Since Biblical times, the Jewish people have had close ties with Africa, beginning with Abraham's sojourns in Egypt, and later the Israelite captivity under the Pharaohs. Some Jewish communities in Africa are among the oldest in the world, dating back more than 2700 years. African Jews have ethnic and religious diversity and richness. African · Beta Israel The Beta Israel is the Jewish community from Ethiopia, but with most now living in Israel. They are also known as Falasha (Amharic for "Exiles" or "Strangers") by non-Jewish Ethiopians, but the Jews consider the term derogatory · Bukharan Traditionally Bukhori, Russian and Hebrew spoken in addition · Georgian The Georgian Jews are from the nation of Georgia, in the Caucasus. Georgian Jews are one of the oldest communities in Georgia, tracing their migration into the country during the Babylonian captivity in 6th century BC • Mountain Mountain Jews, Juvuro, Juhuro, are Jews of the eastern Caucasus, mainly of Azerbaijan and Dagestan. They are also known as Caucasus Jews, Caucasian Jews, or more uncommonly East Caucasian Jews, because the majority of these Jews settled the eastern part of Caucasus, though there were also historical settlements in Northwest Caucasus · Chinese Jews and Judaism in China have had a long history. Jewish settlers are documented in China as early as the 7th or 8th century CE, but may have arrived during the mid Han Dynasty, or even as early as 231 BCE. Relatively isolated communities developed through the Tang and Song Dynasties all the way through the Qing Dynasty (19th cent.), most notably Indian Indian Jews are a religious minority of India. Judaism was one of the first non-Dharmic religions to arrive in India in recorded history. The better-established ancient communities have assimilated a large number of local traditions through cultural diffusion. The Jewish population in India is hard to estimate since each Jewish community is · Khazars The Khazars were a semi-nomadic Turkic people who dominated the Pontic steppe and the North Caucasus from the 7th to the 10th century CE. The name 'Khazar' seems to be tied to a Turkic verb form meaning "wandering" · Karaim • Samaritans The Samaritans are a religious group of the Levant. Religiously, they are the adherents to Samaritanism, a parallel but separate religion to Judaism or any of its historical forms. Based on the Samaritan Torah, Samaritans claim their worship is the true religion of the ancient Israelites prior to the Babylonian Exile, preserved by those who • Crypto-Jews Crypto-Judaism is the secret adherence to Judaism while publicly professing to be of another faith; people who practice crypto-Judaism are referred to as "crypto-Jews". The term crypto-Jew is also used to describe descendants who maintain some Jewish traditions of their ancestors, often secretly, and while publicly adhering to other
Population Jewish population refers to the number of Jews in the world. Precise figures are difficult to calculate because the definition of "Who is a Jew" remains a source of controversy Jews by country · Rabbis Rabbi is the term in Judaism for a religious teacher. The word rabbi derives from the Hebrew root word רַב, rav, which in biblical Hebrew means ‘great’ in many senses, including "revered." The word comes from the Semitic root R-B-B, and is cognate to Arabic ربّ rabb, meaning "lord" (generally used when talking about Population comparisons Jewish population centers have shifted tremendously over time, due to the constant streams of Jewish refugees created by expulsions, persecution, and officially sanctioned killing of Jews in various places at various times. The 20th century saw a large shift in Jewish populations, due mostly to persecution in Eastern Europe followed by the Israel The History of the Jews in the Land of Israel begins with the ancient Israelites , who settled in the land of Israel. The Israelites traced their common lineage to the biblical patriarch Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. Jewish tradition holds that the Israelites were the descendants of Jacob's twelve sons (one of which was named Judah), who · United States The history of the Jews in the United States has been influenced by waves of immigration primarily from Europe, inspired by the social and economic opportunities of the United States of America. Early immigration to the United States occurred when many Jews left Spain to avoid the Spanish Inquisition. Emigration was strongly fueled by periods of · Russia The vast territories of the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest Jewish population in the world. Within these territories the Jewish community flourished and developed many of modern Judaism's most distinctive theological and cultural traditions, while also facing periods of intense antisemitic discriminatory policies and persecutions. In Iraq Iraqi Jews are Jews born in Iraq or of Iraqi heritage. The history of the Jews in Iraq is documented from the time of the Babylonian captivity c. 800 BCE. Iraqi Jews constitute one of the world's oldest and most historically significant Jewish communities · Spain Spanish Jews once constituted one of the largest and most prosperous Jewish communities under Muslim and Christian rule in Spain, before they were expelled in 1492. Today, a few thousand Jews live in Spain, but the descendants of Spanish Jews, the Sephardic Jews, still make up around a tenth of the global Jewish population.The Jews of Spain speak · Portugal The history of the Jews in Portugal is directly related to Sephardi history, a Jewish ethnic division that represents communities who have originated in the Iberian Peninsula · Italy The first attested Jews in Italy were the ambassadors sent to Rome by Judah Maccabee in 161 BC, Jason son of Eleazar and Eupolemus son of John. According to I Maccabees they signed a treaty with the Roman Senate, although modern scholars like A.N. Sherwin-White argue that this embassy did not happen Poland The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium. Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in Europe and served as the center for Jewish culture, ranging from a long period of religious tolerance and prosperity among the country's Jewish population, to its nearly complete genocidal destruction by Nazi · Germany Jews have lived in Germany, or "Ashkenaz", at least since the early 4th century, through both periods of tolerance and spasms of antisemitic violence, culminating in the Holocaust and the near-destruction of the Jewish community in Germany and much of Europe, the subsequent division of Germany and reunification, and post-unification · Bosnia The Jewish community of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich and varied history, surviving World War II and the Yugoslav Wars, after having been been born as a result of the Spanish Inquisition, and having been almost destroyed by the Holocaust Latin America · France England · Netherlands · Canada Australia · Hungary · India Turkey · Greece · Africa Iran · China · Pakistan · Romania · Lists of Jews
Denominations Orthodox · Conservative Reform · Reconstructionist Liberal · Karaite · Humanistic Renewal · Alternative
Languages Hebrew · Yiddish Judeo-Persian · Ladino Judeo-Aramaic · Judeo-Arabic
History Timeline · Leaders Ancient · Temple Babylonian exile Jerusalem (in Judaism · Timeline) Hasmoneans · Sanhedrin Schisms · Pharisees Jewish-Roman wars Christianity and Judaism Islam and Judaism Diaspora · Middle Ages Sabbateans · Hasidism · Haskalah Emancipation · Holocaust · Aliyah Israel (history) Arab conflict · Land of Israel Baal teshuva · Persecution Antisemitism (history)
Politics Zionism (Labor · Revisionist Religious · General) The Bund · World Agudath Israel Jewish feminism · Israeli politics Jewish left · Jewish right

Contents

History

Aish HaTorah was established in Jerusalem by the late Rabbi Noah Weinberg in 1974, after he broke away from the Ohr Somayach yeshiva which he had previously co-founded. He died in February 2009 in Jerusalem at the age of 78. [5]

Philosophically, Aish HaTorah follows the traditions of the Ashekenazi Lithuanian yeshivas, as compared to Hasidic Judaism.[citation needed]

Educational philosophy

Meaning of name

The name Aish HaTorah, literally "Fire [of] the Torah", was inspired by the Talmudic story of Rabbi Akiva, the once illiterate 40-year-old shepherd who subsequently became the most famous sage of the Mishnah. One day he came across a stone that had been hollowed out by a constant drip of water. 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." [While the comparison to fire is reflected in the yeshiva's name ("aish" means fire), the simile in this story is that of water and the Torah, which is frequent in the Talmud).] Rabbi Akiva committed himself to study the Torah.

Elie Weisel 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." [7]

Organizational goals

Aish HaTorah's self-declared objective is to revitalize the Jewish people by providing opportunities for Jews of all backgrounds to discover their heritage in an atmosphere of open inquiry and mutual respect.

Worldwide, Aish HaTorah operates about 35 full-time branches on five continents, providing seminars, singles events, executive learning groups, Shabbat and holiday programs, and community building.

In Jerusalem, it has built a high-tech main campus and outreach center that features a rooftop vista overlooking the Temple Mount, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre, which will house a dramatic film presentation of the Jewish contribution to humanity. Scheduled to open in 2009, the outreach center anticipates one million visitors annually. Also recently opened is a branch of the yeshiva in Passaic New Jersey.

Internet presence

Aish HaTorah's website, Aish.com [1], features articles, videos and audio segments on spirituality, parenting, dating, weekly Torah portion, Holocaust studies, an "Ask the Rabbi" service, and political articles. Aish.com is the largest Jewish educational website with 270,000 unique email subscribers and 2.6 million monthly visits.

The site operates a 24-hour live webcam that faces the Western Wall, which has registered 25 million visits [2]. There are also spin-off sites in Hebrew [3], Spanish [4], Portuguese, French [5] and Russian [6]. It also has an Aish Audio site with recordings of classes and lectures about Judaism.

Seminars

Aish HaTorah runs the Discovery Seminar, which uses methods such as the Bible Code to explore the authenticity of Judaism and its relevance to modern times. The four-hour seminar presents an overview of the entire gamut of Jewish history, philosophy, and attempts to answers questions such as, "Why Be Jewish?" "Does God Exist?" and "Is Torah True?"

The seminar has been given in hundreds of cities throughout the world, at university campuses, Jewish Community Centers, and Reform, Conservative and Orthodox synagogues. More than 100,000 people worldwide have attended the seminars, including guest hosts Ed Asner, Kirk Douglas, Elliot Gould, Joel Grey and Jason Alexander.

The seminar has been adapted for presentation to Jewish day schools, yeshivas, and Beth Jacob schools as "Project Chazon."

Films

In 2005 Aish HaTorah produced a documentary film, Inspired, which chronicles the lives of selected baalei teshuvah ("returnees to Jewish observance"). Aish HaTorah believes that the high rate of intermarriage between Jews and non-Jews has diluted the Jewish people’s vitality. Inspired was produced to encourage more observant Jews to share their positive Jewish religious experiences of Jewish life with non-observant Jews, as a way to strengthen the baal teshuva movement and revitalize Jewish life.

Dating

Designed to help Jewish singles meet each other, Aish HaTorah's SpeedDating is popular in North America.

Audio Center

The Aish HaTorah Audio Center is a collection of recorded Jewish lectures, with over 5,000 titles on every subject in Judaism. Hundreds of Torah tape lending libraries have been established in cities with large Jewish populations, with MP3 downloads available online at Aish Audio's website. [7] Many of Aish Audio's Jewish classes are also available as mp3 downloads at the Classic Sinai website. [8]

Conferences

Aish HaTorah stresses volunteer leadership involvement, and thousands of active partners teach, organize, promote and fundraise. Its annual Partners Conference attracts hundreds of lay leaders who come together to exchange ideas and glean inspiration for expanding activities. The annual "Power of One Award" honors an Aish HaTorah partner who, it claims, personifies the goal of realizing his or her potential in the service of the Jewish people.

Learning programs

Aish HaTorah's Executive Learning Program is geared towards successful Jewish men and women of all ages to participate in individually-designed personal study programs.

Aish New York has the largest group within the Executive Learning Program with over 40 participants. Board members include Seth Horowitz, CEO, of Everlast Worldwide, Neil Cole, CEO of Iconix Brands, Julie Greenwald, President of Atlantic Records and Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR. [8]

Philanthropic fund

The Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah has brought important political, business and entertainment leaders on private missions to Israel to increase their support for the Jewish state. The Theodor Herzl Mission, co-sponsored by the Mayor of Jerusalem, has brought international leaders to Israel such as Lady Margaret Thatcher, U.S. Senator John Kerry, Jeane Kirkpatrick and Elie Weisel.

Essentials program

The "Essentials" introductory program, for Jewish men ages 18–29, offers an understanding of the core concepts of Jewish thought. The educational goals of "Essentials" are to examine the relevance of being Jewish in today's world, define major tenets of Jewish thought from a rational perspective, and explore major themes and practices in Jewish spirituality. Students can participate for one class, a day, a week, or a month. Students live and study in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City.

Women's programs

Aish HaTorah also operates three women’s programs in Jerusalem for university and professional women from all backgrounds.

Professional women may also take short-term, customized learning programs at Aish HaTorah's Executive Learning Center on its Old City campus.

Hasbara Fellowships

Main article: Hasbara Fellowships

When the Israeli Foreign Ministry sought to combat anti-Israel ideas on college campuses, it called on Aish HaTorah to develop the Hasbara Fellowships. This program has flown hundreds of student leaders to Israel for intensive training in pro-Israel activism training. In North America, Hasbara Fellowships guides and funds pro-Israel activities on 80 college campuses.

Hasbara Fellowships groups have met with Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon, Yitzchak Rabin, Binyamin Netanyahu, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Shamir, and other prominent leaders from across the political spectrum. Over 1000 people have participated in the fellowships since the program's founding in 1980.

Hasbara Fellowships are also known as "Jerusalem fellowships".

Jerusalem Road Trips

Aish HaTorah partnered with the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity to run an official Israel trip for their undergraduate members. This three week trip combines Jewish education and touring Israel along with adventurous activities.

Honest Reporting

Main article: Honest Reporting

HonestReporting.com was established with the assistance of Aish HaTorah, and has existed as an independent organization since 2001. It is the largest organization[citation needed] in the world fighting what it describes as anti-Israel media bias. HonestReporting scrutinizes news agencies worldwide, and then alerts its 150,000 subscribers to respond to the media directly.

The Clarion Fund

Main article: The Clarion Fund

The relationship Aish HaTorah has with The Clarion Fund and the Islamic terrorism documentary the Clarion Fund is distributing has proved to be controversial.[10]

"The Clarion Fund, established in 2006, has refused to disclose its financing sources for either film or to make its producers available for media interviews."[10]

It has been reported that there exist a number of informal linkages between Aish HaTorah and the Clarion Fund, including:

The Clarion Fund has denied any formal links with Aish HaTorah. The Jewish Week reported that "Clarion’s spokesperson, Gregory Ross — listed as an Aish HaTorah international fundraiser on a June 2007 federal election contribution form — denies any formal connection between its activities and Aish."[10]

Islamic terrorism documentaries

Main article: Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West

"Formal or informal," Sarah Posner (of the Jewish Week) reports, "the ties between Aish HaTorah and the production of the films appear to date back to the launch of the media watchdog group Honest Reporting by the founder and former executive director of the Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah, Irwin Katsof, in 2001."[10]

According to The Jewish Week[10], Honest Reporting "released Obsession in 2005, as well as a previous film, Relentless: The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East, in 2003. The group now denies any involvement in the production of Obsession. But its Web site promoted it as an Honest Reporting project in 2005, the year it was first released."

Posner reports that Raphael Shore, the producer of all three Islam-related documentaries, is the twin brother of Ephraim Shore. Ephraim Shore "heads Aish’s operations in Israel" and "is listed on Honest Reporting’s 2006 tax forms as the group’s president."[10]

Criticism from American Jewish community

Aish HaTorah has been criticized by members of the American Jewish community over its close links with The Clarion Fund.[10] Rabbi Jack Moline of Agudas Achim Congregation, a Conservative synagogue in Alexandria, Virginia described "Obsession", a film distributed by the Clarion Fund as "the protocols of the learned elders of Saudi Arabia." On the matter of the shared staff between Aish HaTorah and the Clarion Fund, Rabbi Jack Moline was quoted saying "It is distressing to me that they [Aish HaTorah] would continue to have someone who has promulgated such awful, awful stuff sitting on their board or staff.”[10]

References

  1. ^ Evans, Will Clarion Responds, As New Details Emerge About "Radical Islam" DVD, URL:http://www.npr.org/blogs/secretmoney/2008/09/new_details_emerge_about_radic.html. Accessed: 2008-10-03. (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5bIjeosJf)
  2. ^ http://wwrn.org/article.php?idd=30203
  3. ^ Ben Harris, "Rabbi Noah Weinberg, founder of Aish HaTorah, dies", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 6 February 2009, accessed 15 February 2009.
  4. ^ Adam Shatz, "Short Cuts", London Review of Books, 9 October 2008, accessed 23 October 2008.
  5. ^ http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129789
  6. ^ The Rosh Yeshivah and the Shliach by By Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz on Chabad.org
  7. ^ Aish haTorah's pamphlet
  8. ^ http://www.aishny.com/businessleadership.asp
  9. ^ eyaht.com
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Sarah Posner. Aish HaTorah’s New ‘Obsession’. The Jewish Week. October 29, 2008.
  11. ^ a b http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43983

External links

Aish HaTorah
Projects Aish.com · Discovery Seminars · Films · Speed Dating · Audio · Conferences · Learning programs · Philanthropy
Israel Programs Essentials · Women's programs · Jerusalem Fellowships · Hasbara Fellowships · Jerusalem road trips · HonestReporting
Films Relentless

Categories: Aish HaTorah | Baalei teshuva institutions

 

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