What is Or Vishua Yeshiva and where is it located?
Or Vishua (Yeshivat Or Vishua) is a hesder yeshiva and high yeshiva in Haifa, Israel, founded in the year 2000 by Rav Dr. Eliyahu Rahamim Zini. It is located at Pierbarg Street 8, P.O. Box 3488, Haifa 31034, adjacent to the Technion campus. It serves about 130 students across four tracks: Hesder, Avrechim Kollel, Mechina and Olim Integration.
Who founded Or Vishua and who runs it today?
Rav Dr. Eliyahu Rahamim Zini, born in Algeria into a Sephardic rabbinic family, founded Or Vishua in 2000 and continues as Rosh Yeshiva. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from the Technion, did post-doctoral research at the Weizmann Institute, and has served as Rabbi of the Technion since 1980. Faculty rabbis include Rav Hananel Zini, Rabbi Dov Yatziv, Rav Yedidya Zini and Rabbi Gabriel.
What are Or Vishua's four programs?
- Hesder Program — 60 bochurim. Five-year combined Torah study and IDF combat service.
- Avrechim Kollel — 20 married scholars. Advanced Torah study and community-leadership roles.
- Mechina Track — 20 students. One-year intensive pre-military preparation.
- Olim Integration — 30 new immigrants from France, North Africa, South America, the Former Soviet Union, the US and Canada, with Hebrew ulpan, cultural mentorship and IDF preparation.
Is a donation to Or Vishua tax-deductible in the United States?
Yes. Or Vishua holds Section 46 status in Israel (equivalent to US 501(c)(3)) and partners with Israel Gives' US 501(c)(3) entity, America Gives (228 Park Avenue South, New York). Donations through secured.israelgives.org/en/pay/InvestInOrVishuaIsrael automatically generate a US-deductible tax receipt by email.
Can donors in Canada, the UK, Australia or France give tax-effectively?
Yes. Equivalent partner entities exist for each:
- Canada: Canada Charity Partners (Quebec)
- UK: UK Gives (London, Gift Aid eligible)
- Australia: Australia Gives Ltd (Victoria)
- France & EU: Fonds de Dotation IG (Paris)
Use the same donation page; receipts are issued in the donor's local currency and tax framework.
What are the three named projects Or Vishua is fundraising for in 2026?
1. Safe Room for the Ganim. A dedicated mamad/miklat for the 150 children in Or Vishua's five Ganim, given Northern Israel's continued rocket and drone exposure.
2. Miluim Childcare Subsidy. Childcare for families whose fathers are serving in IDF Reserve duty since October 7, 2023.
3. French Mechina. A pre-military preparation program for 40 Diaspora 18-year-olds (France, Latin America, FSU) preparing for IDF service and Aliyah.
All three are eligible for named-gift designation per the V4 partnership tier structure.
What is the institutional ask?
Or Vishua's V4 partnership deck describes a $300,000 stabilization ask over three years ($100K per year) to return operations to profitability and build a sustainable US donor base, plus a $5,000,000+ Building & Endowment Vision ask supporting the five-year growth path to about 520 students. Internal three-year scenarios show that $300K of new funding moves 2028 reserves to 14.4 months and $600K moves them to 20.4 months.
How financially efficient is Or Vishua?
- Program spending: 84% of budget (target > 65%)
- Administrative overhead: 11% (target < 15%)
- Fundraising cost: 5% (target < 10%)
- Current ratio: 3.0x (target > 2.0x)
- Net assets (2025): $4.97M
- Cash reserves: $864K (10 months of operating expenses)
- Debt-to-assets: 7.8%
Do Or Vishua students serve in the IDF?
Yes. 100% of eligible students served during the recent war, many in combat units of Golani, Givati and the Armored Corps. All returned to Torah learning. 95% of graduates remain in Israel and maintain community connections; 40% advance to teaching, mentoring or leadership roles.
What makes Or Vishua's community model unique in Haifa?
Or Vishua is the only Haifa yeshiva running parallel Ashkenazi and Sephardic minyanim under one roof, with joint Shabbat Kiddush, Simchat Torah hakafot and Yamim Noraim. Around the yeshiva sit five Ganim with 150 children, a Talmud Torah, a Women's Seminary with shiduchim network, weekly shiurim in Hebrew, French, Spanish and English, plus Merkaz Klita and Technion partnerships.
Are gifts of appreciated stock, donor-advised funds or estate gifts accepted?
Yes. Or Vishua accepts gifts of appreciated securities, distributions from US donor-advised funds (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, Jewish Communal Fund and others) routed via Israel Gives' US partner America Gives, and bequests/estate gifts. Contact Yuri Kruman, Director of Development, at yuri.kruman@gmail.com or +1-347-415-0265 to coordinate.
Can I sponsor a specific student or chavruta?
Yes. Annual cost-per-student ranges from approximately $5,000 (Israeli student gap) to $22,000 (Mechina full sponsorship), with avrechim family sponsorship running $50,000–$60,000 per year. The development office can match donors with specific students or chavrutot, including reporting on the student's progress with appropriate privacy controls.
How do I get in touch?
Donor relations: Yuri Kruman, Director of Development
yuri.kruman@gmail.com ·
+1-347-415-0265 (US) ·
+972-55-500-3016 (Israel)
General inquiries: secretary@orvishua.org.il · +972-4-812-1048
Hebrew website: orvishua.org.il · French Torah video archive: orvishua.info