The Ohr Chodosh Vision
Candidates
The needs of our people are myriad, but in every generation there are noble talmidei chochomim who devote themselves to the Klal. After years of building themselves in the great batei midrashim, they seek a special place to prepare for positions of responsibility in rabbanus, chinuch, and kiruv. They are strong and inspired, and they seek challenge.
The Community
The Torah world is undergoing unprecedented growth, not only quantitatively, but qualitatively. Satellite communities are sprouting outside of our largest kehillos. Young couples seek new, affordable domiciles – places they can afford to live while concentrating on their Torah and their families. Yeshivos and Beis Yaakov’s are bursting at the seams. Many cities with significant populations of unaffiliated Jews have no or minimal Jewish outreach infrastructures. All these phenomena demand high level Torah leadership – individuals who are not only comfortable in Shas and Poskim, but who have shimush in psak, background in chinuch and psychology, experience working in communities, familiarity with non-profit structures, expertise delivering shiurim in the range of settings, and most importantly creativity, vision, and idealism.
The Curriculum
Ohr Chodosh provides a post-kollel, four-year immersion in Shas and Poskim. Avreichim are tested repeatedly on over 900 daf gemara, receive shimush and guidance in darchei psak, pass the written and Oral Semicha examinations in Issur V’Heter, Hilchos Shabbos, and Hilchos Niddah, and they take private smicha examinations from the most prestigious poskim and batei din in Eretz Yisroel. The curriculum includes limud b’iyun in Nefesh HaChayim, Daas Tevunos, Kisvei Rav Yisroel Salanter v’Talmidav, Maamrei Rav Yerucham Levovitz of Mir and Kisvei Rav Shlomo Wolbe. Throughout their four years at Ohr Chodosh, avreichim participate in a classical mussar vaad, give regular chaburos in Chumash and Mussar, and teach at other yeshivos in Yerushalayim. All avreichim participate in year-long courses in Chinuch and Sholom Bayis, and several times each year the Ohr Chodosh conducts seminars in CBT and other psychological interventions and support systems.
Placement
The committee of rabbinic and lay leaders who founded Ohr Chodosh share an impassioned commitment to providing Klal Yisroel with highly professional, inspired, and responsible leadership. They work with colleagues in communities around the world to unite lay leaders in search of talent with the rabbis who precisely fit their needs.