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Aish, formerly known as Aish HaTorah (Hebrew: אש התורה, lit. ‘Fire of the Torah‘), is a Jewish Orthodox educational organization. The focus of Aish is the spread of traditional Jewish religious teachings and culture to Jews around the globe, utilizing a significant online presence made up of its website, Aish.com, and various social media channels.

In addition to the educational organization, the organization’s main campus in Jerusalem also includes a yeshiva and a women’s seminary, as well as several other in-person programs. In the late 1990s, the Los Angeles branch of Aish pioneered the speed dating concept as a way to promote marriages between Jewish partners.

In 2001, as part of its outreach and advocacy, Aish set up the Hasbara Fellowships, an initiative designed to combat anti-Israel ideas on North American college campuses, in collaboration with the Israeli Foreign Ministry.[1]

History

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.[2][3] 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.[4] After Weinberg died in February 2009, his son, Rabbi Hillel Weinberg, served as interim dean for a few years.[5] In 2015, Rabbi Steven Burg was named CEO of the organization,[6] and, in 2019, Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits was named rosh yeshiva.[7]

Politics

The organization is ideologically conservative. Its officials have stated they oppose a full hand-over of the West Bank to the Palestinians.[8] In 2012, Aish HaTorah officials were linked to the Clarion Fund, publishers of the controversial film The Third Jihad, alleging a Muslim strategy to infiltrate and dominate America.[8]

Activities

See also: Hasbara Fellowships

Aish operates roughly 32 full-time branches on five continents, providing seminars, singles events, executive learning groups, Shabbat and Jewish holiday programs, and community-building. Its Jerusalem headquarters includes a high-tech main campus and outreach center featuring a rooftop vista overlooking the Temple Mount.[9]

The organization operates a website at Aish.com that attracts a global audience.[10] Among the services offered are live chat sessions with Rabbis who are available to answer questions.[11]

In the late 1998, Rabbi Yaakov Deyo, then Educational Director of the Los Angeles branch of Aish,[12] invented the speed dating concept.[13][14] Speed dating events under the auspices of Aish have continued to the present, designed to promote marriages between Jewish partners and thus continue the Jewish tradition.[14]

In 2001, the Israeli Foreign Ministry worked with Aish HaTorah to create the Hasbara Fellowships, an initiative designed to combat anti-Israel ideas on North American college campuses.[1]

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.[15]

Notable faculty

References

  1. ^ a b Stub, Zev (2024-12-31). “From posters to protests, pro-Israel US campus leaders take varying paths to shared goal”. The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  2. ^ Andrew Friedman (February 11, 2009). “The Fire Within: The Passion, Vision, and Teacity That Was Rav Noach Weimnerg ztz”l”. Mishpacha. pp. 16–24.
  3. ^ Goldberg, J.J. (2016-08-16). “Is Israel Trying To Turn American Jews Into Orthodox Right-Wingers?”. The Forward. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  4. ^ Nas Daily (2024-07-08). I had a conversation with a Jewish Rabbi. Retrieved 2024-07-11 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ Kahana, Shaul (May 21, 2019). “משגיח הישיבה התארס עם הרבנית מעפולה” [Yeshiva’s Mashgiach Engaged to a Rebbetzin from Afula]. Kikar HaShabbat (in Hebrew). Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  6. ^ Yudelson, Larry (June 18, 2015). “his place in jerusalem”. Jewish Standard. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  7. ^ Simmons, Shraga (August 14, 2019). “Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits to be Inaugurated as Rosh Yeshiva of Aish HaTorah”. Aish.com. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Powell, Michael (2012-01-23). “In Police Training, a Dark Film on U.S. Muslims”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  9. ^ Staff, JLNJ (2022-02-17). “US Ambassador To Israel Visits Aish”. The Jewish Link. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  10. ^ Wire, Aish/Jewlish (June 14, 2022). “Aish and Jewlish enter into a strategic partnership, making Aish the #1 global Jewish food media brand”. Jewish News Syndicate.
  11. ^ “DMing my rabbi: Aish’s live chats see spike 300% post-Oct. 7, antisemitism surge”. The Jerusalem Post. 2024-06-19. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  12. ^ Greenwald, Toby Klein (2021-10-18). “Torah Live Breathes New Life into Education”. Jewish Journal. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  13. ^ Kennedy, Pagan (2013-09-27). “Who Made Speed Dating? (Published 2013)”. The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  14. ^ a b Staff (2025-08-05). “Largest-ever Jewish virtual dating event timed to holiday of Tu B’Av”. JNS.org. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
  15. ^ Nathan-Kazis, Josh (26 June 2015). “$20M Charity Embezzlement Case Shows Power of Rabbinic Courts”. The Forward. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  16. ^ Landesman, Shmuel (5 December 2019). “Rabbi Chaim Malinowitz, Artscroll Editor And Rav, 67”. Jewish Press. Retrieved 16 December 2019.