Aish HaTorah translates as “Fire of Torah.” And the “fire” at the heart of the organization which bears this name is the passion of teaching and learning about the Torah—the Jewish holy book. From its headquarters near the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the organization operates an international network of educational centers.
They have programs in more than one hundred cities on five continents. And their website, which offers everything to remembrances of the Holocaust to humor to practical advice for everyday life—has versions in five languages. The breadth and depth of their offerings have made Ira Riklis a long-time supporter of the group.
But above and beyond all that, what impresses Ira Riklis is the organization’s non-judgmental approach. While they are strictly Orthodox in their beliefs, they do not try to impose those views on others. Rather, their educational philosophy is that Judaism is not all or nothing; it is a journey where every step counts, to be pursued according to one’s own pace and interest.