Those words summarize the service the Jewish educational group Aish HaTorah provides to Jews around the world. Through their apolitical network of thirty-five educational centers spanning five continents as well as through their extensive website, Aish.com, they’re a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people each year who come to them seeking answers to the perplexing issues that face us all in this modern age. Remarkably, as a nonprofit organization, they accomplish this solely through the support of private donors such as Ira Riklis.
On their website alone, they’ve have more than 10,000 articles, spanning topics that include advice on careers, dating, parenting, spirituality, events in Israel. In short, they offer “wisdom for living” in the modern world. In addition to the high quality of their outreach efforts, one of the things that inspired Ira Riklis to become such a strong supporter is the fact that their goal is to give every Jew the opportunity to discover their heritage in an atmosphere of open inquiry and mutual respect. In doing so, they provide a refreshing oasis of openess in an increasingly polarized world.