OU TORAH INITIATIVES

OU TORAH INITIATIVES

LIFELONG TORAH LEARNING FOR ALL

Torah Initiatives comprises a broad array of innovative and impactful Torah programming.

With the vision of a community where every Jewish adult makes limmud haTorah a central part of their life, Torah Initiatives is increasing accessibility to high quality, sophisticated, and vibrant Torah. Diverse approaches and formats provide study opportunities for those from every community and affiliation to further develop their relationship with G-d through Torah.

“I joined Semichas Chaver over one year ago. I had not been a part of formal learning for many years and was worried that I wouldn’t have the proper background for a formal shiur. But the shiurim are so well organized, relevant, and interesting, that I was able to follow along and grow from week to week.”

–Zev Davidovics, Chabura: Efrat

26,000+

VISITORS TO CHAG AT HOME ONLINE HIGH HOLIDAY RESOURCE CENTER

20,000+

WEEKLY VISITS TO THE ALL DAF APP AND WEBSITE

70

SEMICHAS CHAVER PROGRAM LOCATIONS ON FIVE CONTINENTS

45,600,000

HOURS LEARNED ONLINE ANNUALLY ACROSS OU TORAH PLATFORMS Rabbi Shalom Rosner opens the 14th cycle of Daf Yomi with an inaugural shiur on Brachos 2.

ALL DAF: BRINGING THE DAF TO EVERYONE

The start of the new Daf Yomi cycle saw a sharp increase in Daf Yomi learning. And as COVID-19 altered learning schedules and lives, many people who lost their regular shiur to lockdown found a welcoming home on All Daf. Since its launch in January, All Daf followers have grown to over 25,000 regular users and the app has become the de facto go-to Daf Yomi tool. Our featured speakers include some of the most listened-to English language Daf Yomi teachers in the world. Compelling supplementary Daf Yomi resources—like Jewish history on the daf, Zichru memorization tools, and videos showing the creation and maintenance of reallife eruvin—deepen a learner’s connection to the Gemara.

A project of The OU

Daf Yomi Initiative

Bringing eruvin to life provides a view of the practical application of halacha, which includes constructing eruvin on telephone poles.

In the short time since the OU released All Daf, it has become the community standard Daf Yomi platform, which includes an app and website.

I was injured in a terrorist attack in 2001. Since then, I have been paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair. It is important for my health to spend time standing every day. So I do my ‘standing time’ while listening to the Daf Yomi. This is my second cycle—the first cycle I studied the Daf with Rabbi Moshe Elefant and most recently, I learned with Rabbi Shalom Rosner. Most people probably learn the Daf while sitting down. Forced to sit in a wheelchair all day, I am grateful to be able to do the Daf standing up! –Steve Bloomberg, Karnei Shomron, Israel ”

CREATING ACCESSIBLE LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Torah Study for Seniors

While COVID-19 caused the closure of the popular in-person Beit Midrash of Teaneck (BMT) program—created to meet the social, intellectual, and spiritual needs of retirees through intensive, user-friendly, text-based Torah study—a new virtual community created a surge in learning.

Chag at Home

Between Shavuot and the Yamim Noraim, Chag at Home gave those stuck in their homes a first-rate learning experience over Yom Tov. Individuals and organizations could create customized packages with guided learning sheets for all levels including children and families. Initially conceived as a crisis response to the coronavirus, the popularity of this model has made it an enduring all-holiday learning platform.

Fastest-Growing Halacha Learning Program in the World

The OU’s Semichas Chaver Program (SCP), founded by Rav Elyada Goldwicht, has remained open virtually, maintaining its tight-knit local magic across the globe. This halacha study program, developed to make learning a passionate and practical experience, includes six months of intense weekly learning, followed by a comprehensive exam and siyum celebrating the completion of the learned halachot. Wives, children, and families are included, making the program a family experience. SCP continues to grow despite lockdowns, with over 70 chapters on five continents.

Chag at Home study guides have been accessed over 100,000 times since its launch on Shavuot.

YOUR ULTIMATE HIGH HOLIDAY TOOLKIT

“

You saved Shavuos for me and my family.

–DOVID A., ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

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Make Your Seder More Than B’Seder

On Passover this year many celebrated alone, some conducting their own seders for the very first time. As with many aspects of holiday observance during the COVID-19 pandemic, some questions were asked for the first time. This program was one of several designed to help all those who suddenly found themselves making a seder for one.

Torah Yerushalayim— Virtual Yom Iyun

Over 2,500 viewers from around the world watched online shiurim during this year’s three-day virtual event leading up to Yom Kippur. The event featured 50 of the world’s top rabbinic scholars, educators, and Jewish communal leaders and was dedicated to the memory of David & Norma Fund Z”L by their children.

Torah Initiatives | Financials

FUNDING SOURCES

Total Funding: $1,458,000

9%

4%

28% 59%

59% 28% 9% 4% OU Contribution | $852,000 Dedications | $411,000 Event Revenue| $137,000 Donations | $58,000

EXPENSES

Total Spend: $1,458,000

4%

4% 27%

39% 34%

39% 34%

23% 23% 4% Event Expenses | $571,000 Daf Yomi Initiative | $491,000 Personnel | $340,000 Other | $57,000

The financial information here includes the total communal impact of OU programs worldwide. In addition, the OU provides significant support for all of its programs through facilities, management, and administrative services—e.g., IT, Finance, HR, and Communications. Those expenses are not reflected in the program’s financials.