Sponsored: Igniting Bochurim for Life - Baltimore's Own Yeshiva Gedolah Ohr Hatorah - Help Them TODAY, Taanis Esther!

By Yeshiva Ohr HaTorah
Posted on 03/09/17

Keep the light of Ohr Hatorah burning brightly! Help them raise $75,000 TODAY by contributing to their matching campaign at www.causematch.com/ohrhatorah. Remember, every dollar you give is tripled today! Begin your Purim giving by supporting those who carry the banner of Torah and help strengthen our community. Yeshiva Gedolah Ohr Hatorah is a 501(C)3 and can be reached at ygohrhatorah@gmail.com.

What is the magnet drawing Yeshiva bochurim from across the country to Baltimore? Where can a bochur find hatzlacha and feel a sense of accomplishment? What is the secret that cements the bond between Rebbe and Talmid so strongly? The answers lie in the foundation and purpose of Yeshiva Gedolah Ohr Hatorah.

Driven by a strong desire to see every bochur succeed, and convinced that every Talmid can succeed if given the proper tools, Rabbi Dovid Hoffman and Rabbi Moshe Aharon Rosenbaum founded Ohr Hatorah to ensure that every talmid maximizes his ability. Armed with the haskama and hadracha from the Hanhala at Ner Yisrael, and with the strong encouragement of Rabbi Yaakov Bender, they opened the doors of Yeshiva Gedolah Ohr Hatorah in Elul 2013.

Located above the Community Kollel on Labyrinth Road, the robust kol Torah soon filled the Bais Medrash despite beginning with just twelve bochurim. The geshmak created in their learning, and the warm family atmosphere that permeated the Yeshiva gave quick rise to its reputation as a destination for bochurim seriously looking to grow in their learning. The talmidim swiftly came to realize that the Yeshiva was more than a place to learn; it was their second home. With meticulous care and tremendous precision, ideas were incorporated and systems put in place to ensure that every need was taken care of to the fullest extent.  From the Bais Medrash to the Dining Hall to the dormitory, each part of the day was weighed and organized. A golden idea came to fruition as the Yeshiva moved a married dorm consular into an apartment in the dormitory with his family.

The second year of the Yeshiva’s existence brought freshness and new vitality along with additional bochurim. New programs, new incentives and most importantly, a new Maggid Shiur became part of the Ohr Hatorah family. Rabbi Benzion Lapidus moved back to Baltimore from Eretz Yisrael and immediately brought an infusion of simcha and warmth to the Bais Medrash. With three full shiurim to choose from, there was ample room for every talmid to find his niche.

Time has not diminished either the enthusiasm or the purpose of the Roshei Yeshiva. Not only are the Roshei Yeshiva continually proactive in the Bais Medrash assigning chavrusas, creating varying learning programs and ensuring that each talmid is learning to the best of his capability, but they oversee other subtle aspects of the talmidim’s growth too. From Shabbos seudos held in the Roshei Yeshiva’s homes, to setting up a gym room in the dormitory, every aspect of the talmidim’s chinuch is accounted for.

Now in its fourth year, Ohr Hatorah continues to expand and solidify its place in the Baltimore Community and the Yeshiva world. Shabbos meal invitations from community members to the talmidim are commonplace, and it is not unusual to see an Ohr Hatorah bochur pause between the dormitory and the Bais Medrash to assist a neighbor with their packages or some other need.

When the time of year allows, the Yeshiva’s Erev Shabbos early “Plag Mincha” is a hotspot for many. The Bais Medrash is regularly visited by neighbors and other community members looking for a Yeshiva davening or a place to learn. It is no surprise that Menahalim and Rebbeim alike seek out Ohr Hatorah for their students, or that parents from more than fifteen cities across the country have chosen to send their sons to this particular Yeshiva. A phone call to a Rebbe from former talmid currently learning in Eretz Yisrael to get hadracha is a regular occurrence, and as one talmid succinctly said “the two years I spent in Ohr Hatorah changed my life.”

Keep the light of Ohr Hatorah burning brightly! Help them raise $75,000 TODAY by contributing to their matching campaign at www.causematch.com/ohrhatorah. Remember, every dollar you give is tripled today! Begin your Purim giving by supporting those who carry the banner of Torah and help strengthen our community. Yeshiva Gedolah Ohr Hatorah is a 501(C)3 and can be reached at ygohrhatorah@gmail.com.