Community Magazine December 2013

Judaic Studies Department Nothing can match the beautiful sight of YOH students learning Torah from their Rebbes, be it at the optional seder before Shaharit , during class, or at Thursday night Mishmar . The joy and satisfaction which they derive from their Torah subjects is simply remarkable. It begins with the optional seder before tefillah , where different groups of boys from all classes are spread out in the Medrash learning with the rabbis, and continues immediately after tefillah with the famous Humash/Rashi seder using the acclaimed Rashi Companion authored by Rabbi Yaakov S. Marcus, Rosh Yeshiva of Or Hatorah. This Humash/Rashi seder has been so successful that it has been copied by schools across the country. Many schools throughout the community and the U.S. are now using the Rashi Companion series, an Or Hatorah publication, to provide 7-12th graders with proficiency in Humash and Rashi’s commentary. Three Or Hatorah alumni – Yom Tob Safdie, Salim Mineh and Ezra Eliahou – have taken the project to another level by writing the Teachers Edition to Beresheet, Vayikra and Devarim, an ambitious venture which they undertook just one year after graduating high school. The Teachers Edition on Shemot is currently being written by another Or Hatorah alumnus who is now learning in Israel. Or Hatorah’s outstanding cadre of rabbis provide each and every student with the yeshiva’s trademark warmth and care, and ensure that every class – Gemara, Humash, Halachah, Mishnah, Mussar, Be’ur Tefila, and others – are taught on a rigorous level, ensuring that all students receive the highest quality Torah education. The yeshiva’s new Torah Studies resource room provides personal assistance for students needing a little extra help, allowing them to study one-on-one with a rabbi several times a week. Not surprisingly, Or Hatorah alumni can be found delivering high-level classes in Gemara at several community shuls, and the yeshivot in Israel are always looking forward to the arrival of Or Hatorah alumni, recognizing their high standards of learning and commitment. Each year, Rabbi Marcus, Rosh Yeshiva, returns from his annual visits to Eretz Yisrael with glowing reports from the rabbis about Or Hatorah alumni. In addition to his visits to the yeshivot, Rabbi Marcus would also frequently visit Hacham Ovadia Yosef zt”l to receive guidance on a range of educational issues. A lively spirit of genuine simhah permeates the school, creating the perfect environment for learning and religious growth. This spirit is especially felt every Friday before Rosh Hodesh, when the students enjoy live music, refreshments, singing and dancing, a beautiful display of warmth, joy, friendship and camaraderie. Yeshivat Or Hatorah is pleased to invite 8th grade students to apply for the 2014-15 freshman class by calling (718) 645-4645. Yeshivat Or Hatorah High School is located at 2119 Homecrest Avenue in Brooklyn, New York 11229. A lively spirit of genuine simhah permeates the school, creating the perfect environment for learning and religious growth. Rabbi Yaakov S. Marcus, Rosh Yeshiva, visiting with Hacham Ovadia Yosef zt”l in 2012. The Rashi Companion - authored by the Rosh Yeshiva of Or Hatorah, Rabbi Yaakov S. Marcus. 46 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE