Aish HaTorah

Aish, founded in Jerusalem in 1974 by Rabbi Noah Weinberg after leaving the Ohr Somayach yeshiva, which he had co-founded, aimed to educate young Jewish students, particularly travellers and volunteers, in the history and traditions of Orthodox Judaism.{{cite magazine |magazine=Mishpacha |date=February 11, 2009 |title=The Fire Within: The Passion, Vision, and Teacity That Was Rav Noach Weimnerg ztz"l|pages=16–24 |author=Andrew Friedman}}{{Cite web|url=http://forward.com/opinion/348004/is-new-israeli-initiative-trying-to-turn-american-jews-into-orthodox-right/|title=Is Israel Trying To Turn American Jews Into Orthodox Right-Wingers?|last=Goldberg|first=J.J.|date=2016-08-16|website=The Forward|access-date=2016-08-24}} It later expanded worldwide and established 30 branches; each is currently run as its own entity. Aish continues to promote an extensive array of relevant in-person courses and online educational material.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rdSEzwrp4U |title=I had a conversation with a Jewish Rabbi |date=2024-07-08 |last=Nas Daily |access-date=2024-07-11 |via=YouTube}} After Weinberg died in February 2009, his son, Rabbi Hillel Weinberg, served as interim dean for a few years.{{cite web |url=https://mobile.kikar.co.il/article/317606|title=משגיח הישיבה התארס עם הרבנית מעפולה|language=he|trans-title=Yeshiva's Mashgiach Engaged to a Rebbetzin from Afula |first=Shaul |last=Kahana |date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=October 29, 2019 |work=Kikar HaShabbat}} In 2015, Rabbi Steven Burg was named CEO of the organization,{{Cite news |last=Yudelson |first=Larry |date=June 18, 2015 |title=his place in jerusalem |url=https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/his-place-in-jerusalem/ |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=Jewish Standard}} and, in 2019, Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits was named rosh yeshiva.{{cite web |url= https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Rabbi-Yitzchak-Berkovits-to-be-Inaugurated-as-Rosh-Yeshiva-of-Aish-HaTorah.html|title= Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits to be Inaugurated as Rosh Yeshiva of Aish HaTorah|first=Shraga|last=Simmons|author-link=Shraga Simmons|date=August 14, 2019|access-date=October 17, 2019|work=Aish.com}}

Rabbi Weinberg developed the yeshiva’s philosophy by blending Lithuanian Jewish traditions with Hasidic philosophy. Educated in Lithuanian Jewish schools and as the grandson of the Slonimer Rebbe, he incorporated influences from both traditions. Additionally, he drew on various streams of Kabbalah, including those of Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and the Vilna Gaon, to enrich the yeshiva’s curriculum.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}}

The organization is ideologically conservative and its officials have stated they oppose a full hand-over of the West Bank to the Palestinians.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/nyregion/in-police-training-a-dark-film-on-us-muslims.html|title=In Police Training, a Dark Film on U.S. Muslims|last=Powell|first=Michael|date=2012-01-23|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-08-24}}

Aish operates roughly 30 full-time branches on five continents, providing seminars, singles events, executive learning groups, Shabbat and Jewish holiday programs, and community-building.

Aish.com

Aish has an interactive-online website at Aish.com{{Cite web |title=The Jewish Website |url=https://aish.com/ |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=Aish.com |language=en-US}} which hosts a wealth of articles on almost every topic in Judaism. Additionally, the website hosts live chat sessions with Rabbis{{Cite web |date=2024-06-19 |title=DMing my rabbi: Aish's live chats see spike 300% post-Oct. 7, antisemitism surge |url=https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-806821 |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}} who are available to answer any question. Aish has an online community of over 3 million followers across multiple social media platforms.{{Cite news |last=Wire |first=Aish/Jewlish |date=June 14, 2022 |title=Aish and Jewlish enter into a strategic partnership, making Aish the #1 global Jewish food media brand |url=https://www.jns.org/wire/aish-and-jewlish-enter-into-a-strategic-partnership-making-aish-the-1-global-jewish-food-media-brand/ |work=Jewish News Syndicate}}

Branches

There are 30 full-time branches on five continents,{{Cite web |title=Branches |url=https://about.aish.com/branches/ |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=Aish |language=en-US}} providing seminars, singles events, executive learning groups, Shabbat and Jewish holiday programs, educational classes, and community building. These branches are all their own separate entities and serve their own communities, but they operate under the same banner and share a similar history.

The Dan Family Aish World Center

The Jerusalem headquarters includes a high-tech main campus and outreach center, that features a rooftop vista overlooking the Temple Mount.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=JLNJ |date=2022-02-17 |title=US Ambassador To Israel Visits Aish |url=https://jewishlink.news/us-ambassador-to-israel-visits-aish/ |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=The Jewish Link |language=en}}

The Jerusalem Yeshiva

{{See|Yeshiva#Curriculum}}

In Jerusalem, the Aish yeshiva offers both beginners' "drop-in classes" and full-time, intensive study programs for Jewish men and women of all backgrounds and levels of knowledge. The offering extends through a 4-year semikhah (rabbinic ordination) program; previously, participants were tested by the posek Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.(2 February 2017) [https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/520518/aish-hatorahs-amazing-semicha-program.html "Aish Hatorah's Amazing Semicha Program"], theyeshivaworld.com. Retrieved 20 January 2020.

[http://israel.aish.com/smicha/programDescription.asp "About Aish Smicha"], israel.aish.com. Retrieved 20 January 2020

Discovery Seminar

Aish HaTorah runs the Discovery Seminar. The four-hour seminar reviews Jewish history, Jewish philosophy, and Jewish philosophy questions.{{cite web |last=Simmons |first=Shraga |date=29 November 2009 |title=Premier Educational Programs Amidst an Architectural Marvel |url=http://www.aish.com/ci/s/78061807.html |access-date=23 December 2011 |work=News article |publisher=Aish.com |archive-date=26 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126105454/http://www.aish.com/ci/s/78061807.html |url-status=dead }} The Discovery Seminar aims to imbue participants with a newfound connection to Judaism, discovering its depth, beauty, and practical significance in their daily lives.

Essentials Program

Essentials classes is a series of ongoing drop-in classes that explore critical topics such as God, religion, relationships, Jewish history, and philosophy. With teachers and educators, each session offers diverse perspectives. These classes are offered at the Aish World Center in Jerusalem.{{Cite web |last=Coopersmith |first=Nehemiah |date=July 11, 2024 |title=Aish Essentials |url=https://aish.com/aish-essentials/ |access-date=July 11, 2024 |website=Aish.com |language=en-US}}

Hasbara Fellowships

{{Main|Hasbara Fellowships}}

The Israeli Foreign Ministry worked with Aish HaTorah to combat anti-Israel ideas on college campuses via 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 over 100 college campuses.

In December 2013, Aish HaTorah of New York filed suit against its former chief financial officer Jacob Fetman to enforce a Beth Din ruling that Fetman had stolen $20 million in funds from the organization.{{Cite news|url=http://forward.com/news/310895/when-rabbis-rule-secular-courts-listen/|title=$20M Charity Embezzlement Case Shows Power of Rabbinic Courts|last=Nathan-Kazis|first=Josh|date=26 June 2015|website=The Forward|access-date=2 July 2019}}

• Noah Weinberg (1930 – 2009), founder
• Chaim Malinowitz (1952 – 2019){{cite news |last=Landesman|first=Shmuel|date=5 December 2019|title=Rabbi Chaim Malinowitz, Artscroll Editor And Rav, 67 |url=https://www.jewishpress.com/review/in-print-review/rabbi-chaim-malinowitz-artscroll-editor-and-rav-67/2019/12/05/|work=Jewish Press |access-date=16 December 2019}}
• Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO
• Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Rosh Yeshiva

{{Reflist}}

• {{official|https://aish.com/|name=Aish official website}}

{{AishHaTorah}}

{{Orthodox yeshivas in Israel and the West Bank}}

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