Oorah (organization)

Oorah, or sometimes Oorah Kiruv Rechokim, Hebrew for "awaken and bring in those who are far" (a reference to educating non-observant Jews), is an incorporated Orthodox Jewish kiruv (outreach) organization founded in 1980 "with the goal of awakening Jewish children and their families to their heritage."[1] It is a United States-based 501(C)3 non-profit organization.[2]

Oorah, Inc.
FounderRabbi Chaim Mintz
Headquarters
Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Websiteoorah.org

History

Oorah, Inc. was founded by Rabbi Chaim Mintz and is based in Lakewood. Day-to-day operations are overseen by his son, Rabbi Eliyohu Mintz of New Jersey.[3][4]

Programs

Oorah operates and/or funds 49 individual programs that target Jewish outreach (Kiruv) and learning, family support, personal growth, and relationship counseling. It promotes family support and development.[5][6] It runs summer camps for boys and girls, Jewish holiday enrichment, early, primary, and secondary educational support and enrichment, as examples.

Fundraising

Oorah employs a number of different fund-raising entities to keep its many programs running. They operate Kars4Kids (a car-donation program) and run an annual "Chinese auction", offering tickets for a variety of prizes at five dollars each. They have a mascot named Fiveish, a five dollar bill who has starred in YouTube videos in both animated and costume version.[7] As a bonus to purchasing auction tickets, donors received a DVD and or CD of that year's edition of the "Shmorg". After the 10th edition, the shmorg is no longer being produced, however many Shmorg videos are still available through Oorah's website and through YouTube.

In the summer of 2007, 31 undocumented workers doing work for a subcontractor at Oorah's summer camp were arrested in a raid by ICE and local law enforcement.[8] Camp director Eliyohu Mintz stated that the organization was not aware that the workers lacked employment authorization.[9]

In September 2010, a website for some of Oorah's camps was hacked.[10]

References
  1. "Oorah.org". Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  2. "Oorah.org - Tax exempt status". Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  3. "Leadership and team members at Oorah". Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  4. "Rabbi Chaim Mintz". Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  5. "Oorah Programs". Oorah. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  6. Oorah's self-published December 2008 news bulletin, pages 90-91
  7. "Dance the Fiveish". Youtube.
  8. Palmateer, Jake (July 12, 2007). "Neighbors surprised by ICE raid". The Daily Star. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  9. Immigration News Briefs. "Immigration News Briefs - NY: Raid at Upstate Summer Camp". Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  10. '"Oorah's Children's Camp Site Attacked by Radical Islamists on Anniversary of 9/11". The Yeshiva World. September 14, 2010.
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