8 Highlights of Oholei Torah over Past Year

As we complete the eight day of Chanukah, Oholei Torah’s executive director, Rabbi Joseph Rosenfeld, shared with us 8 highlights of Oholei Torah over the year of 2015:

1) Renovations in the High School/Mesivta

Over the summer months, renovations took place on in the Mesivta on Troy Avenue. Bright airy classrooms and hallways, brand new modern facilities and fresh paint job greeted the students on the first day of school.

The renovations were sponsored by a group of parents from that division and design and execution was arranged by the PTA. The project was overseen by Hershmeilich Rosenfeld.

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2) New School Leadership Appointments

In continuation with constantly improving our school staff and faculty and meeting the needs of the students and administration. The current year we hired many key leaders in the following positions:

Rabbi Ephraim Oster -Assistant Dean for Talmudical Seminary
Rabbi Tzali Laufer -Assistant Principal for Mesivta
Rabbi Chaim Yisroel Wilhelm – Principal for Mechina/ Junior High
Rabbi Sender Wilschanski – Principal for Grades 3 & 4

In our administration offices we expanded with
Rabbi Sholom Goldstein – Executive Directors Assistant
Rabbi Hershel Lasry – Transportation Coordinator

“As the school year is well under way, positive feedback has been well received” said Rabbi Rosenfeld, Executive Director. “I see that these leaders, together with the Oholei Torah faculty are capable and qualified of taking the education of our students to the next level”

3) Children Rally and Kinusei Hakhel

In following the Rebbe’s request that the Hakhel year, Oholei Torah has already initiated already such gatherings and will be doing so throughout the year.

A most unique and deep thought message of the connection of Hakhel and Oholei Torah was written by the Rebbe in a letter from 5748 which can be seen below.

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4) New Summer Overnight Camp Grounds

In the Spring of 2015, Oholei Torah purchased 120 acre property in Upstate Kingston, New York, for our very own summer overnight camp.

Under the leadership of Rabbi Sholom Goldstein, a most successful summer was held this past year. Plans are now in place to increase the amount of campers for the upcoming year. Priority will be given to Oholei Torah students who otherwise would not be able to attend an overnight camp.

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5) Gymnasium Renovations

A complete renovation of the 100 year old gymnasium of the former Jewish Brooklyn Center is at this point near completion. The gym will now have central Air Condintioning, new lighting, bright windows, new floor and state of the art equipment all in a brand new designed gym room.

The level of construction is of the highest form and takes such projects to a whole new level for the entire school.

The Project is being sponsored by R’ Yospeh Yitzchok and Batsheva Popack. The renovations are in its final stages, and all anticipate the opening very soon.

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6) Yiddish Basics

Going back to basics, is the motto for the new Yiddish curriculum. in the Kindergarten division, Morah Chana Brod, a veteran yiddish teacher, has been hired to oversee the teaching of Yiddish through conversations, stories and song. In teh younger elementary grades, a weekly Yiddish paper is prepared helping the students grasp Yiddish words, which they engage in their conversations in the classrooms.

7) Structural Work

Since Oholei Torah acquired the Landmark building, The Brooklyn Jewish Center in 1982, extensive renovations and structural improvement have been done well upward than 3 million dollars, one of the most recent projects took place over the course of the summer with the complete rebuilding of the foundation pillars and iron beam work of the front of the promenade patio overlooking Eastern Parkway.

Together with that, the front garden area was also rebuilt and we look forward to the new landscape design which will be put in, in the Spring of 2016.

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8) 60th Year Campaign

Oholei Torah is the very first school founded by the Rebbe in 1956, has seen tremendous growth from a fledging small cheder to a massive flagship school of 1850 students.

In honor of this momentous milestone Oholei Torah will be celebrating in a most prominent manner. Beginning in the previous year with a tribute gala for staff and faculty, Oholei Torah is now about to launch a yearlong campaign where we hope to reach our Alumni, parents, and supporters to lead us to a new era of expansion.

The Shnas Hashishim campaign, coordinated by Rabbi Nosson Blumes, Director of Development, will be highlighted with a gala celebration dinner in May of 2017.

 

2 Comments

  • kol hakovod

    Wow, and they still manage to pay their teachers!!
    Good for them. Time for a different school to learn from them. Oh and last time I checked the people in charge of OT did not purchase new homes or new bungalows for their kids….