Aish HaTorah

Aish HaTorah (Hebrew: אש התורה‎‎, Esh HaTorah, "Fire of the Torah") is a Jewish Orthodox organization and yeshiva.

Aish HaTorah was established in Jerusalem by Rabbi Noah Weinberg in 1974, after he left the Ohr Somayach yeshiva, which he had previously co-founded. The organization worked to proselytize young Jewish travelers and volunteers in favor of Orthodox Judaism. It later expanded worldwide, and continues promotes its extensive adult education classes.

In December 2013, Aish HaTorah of New York filed suit against its former chief financial officer Jacob Fetman to enforce a Beth Din of America ruling that Fetman had stolen $20 million in funds from the organization.

Aish HaTorah describes itself as blending the traditions of the Lithuanian yeshivas with the doctrines of Hasidism. Weinberg himself was a product of Lithuanian schools but he was also a grandson of the Slonimer Rebbe. His teachings reflect influences of both schools as well as certain facets of the Kabbalah of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, the Vilna Gaon and others.

Aish HaTorah describes itself as pro-Israel and encourages Jewish people to visit Israel and connect to the land and its history. The organization's stated mission is "providing opportunities for Jews of all backgrounds to discover their heritage."

The organization is politically conservative and its officials have stated they oppose a full return of the West Bank to the Palestinians.Jeffrey Goldberg has called the organization's philosophy as coming from a "sterile, sexist and revanchist brand of Judaism."

The name Aish HaTorah, literally "Fire [of] the Torah", was inspired by the Talmudic story of Rabbi Akiva, the once illiterate 40-year-old shepherd who subsequently became the most famous sage of the Mishnah. Elie Wiesel said, "Aish HaTorah means to me the passion of teaching, the passion of learning. The study of Torah, the source of Jewish values, is the way to Jewish survival."

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