Ozar Hatorah was founded in 1947 by one of the greatest leaders of the Sephardic community, a renowned philanthropist and visionary, Isaac Shalom, of blessed memory.
While visiting the Middle East, Mr. Shalom A”H was appalled by the withering state of the Jews and the absence of Jewish education. He called the Jews that he saw there “the forgotten million.”
Realizing the urgent need for Jewish schools, he, along with Joseph Shamah A”H and Ezra Taboul A”H, established the Ozar Hatorah/N’ve Shalom network of schools in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and North Africa.
At the height of Ozar Hatorah/ N’ve Shalom’s existence, there were 25,000 students attending all over the Middle East.
Isaac Shalom’s three main goals were: 1) To ensure that children enrolled in Ozar Hatorah/N’ve Shalom schools would attain the highest level of educational achievement possible in their country; 2) To furnish these children with a premium Jewish education that would endow them with their heritage and promote a strong sense of Jewish identity; 3) To supplement the educational program by providing those in need with food, funds and other necessary services and material support.
As the turmoil of rapidly shifting political and social changes occurred, the schools were forced to close. As a result, the Jews of the Middle East and North Africa fled and immigrated to Israel, Canada and France. With the massive influx of Jews from North Africa, the Jewish population in France became the fourth largest in the world. Despite the fact that in the Islamic world the Jews kept their faith, when they immigrated to France, many of their children were more than eager to integrate into the powerful French culture.
Furthermore, with the benefit of free public school education, free meals and free books, the children became vulnerable and their faith was challenged—assimilation was inevitable.
In the mid 1960s, Jewish families in France and families emigrating from North Africa began to relinquish their faith and assimilation became widespread, peaking at 93%. Therefore, Ozar Hatorah shifted their main focus from the Middle East and Morocco to France. In 1964 Isaac Shalom opened a school in Lyon, France. In 1967 Rabbi Jean Paul Amoyelle left Morocco to open a school in Sarcelles, France. In 1971 with the help of his friends and under the direction of Rabbi Sassoon, Rabbi Amoyelle founded the Ozar Hatorah network in France. As a result, more and more families began practicing their faith and the revival of the Jewish community was restored. More synagogues were erected and kosher shops were opened. Ozar Hatorah became the pioneers of the development of Jewish education in France.
Under the direction of Rabbi Jean Paul Amoyelle, Ozar Hatorah has 23 boys and girls schools all over France with 5,000 students ranging in age from preschool through high school.
Ozar Hatorah is committed to continuing in the footsteps of Isaac Shalom, by combating assimilation and providing each student with a high quality education, in a warm and friendly environment. Their goal is to instill the importance of keeping the Jewish faith in each of their students, giving them a strong sense of their Jewish identity, teaching them derech eretz (proper behavior), and how to grow up to be better citizens, and to love Torah and Israel.
Ozar Hatorah organizes several trips which further enhance the student-teachers’ relationship: During mid-winter vacation they take the children on ski-Torah trips, which combine skiing during the day and Torah classes in the evening. This program is extremely successful and ensures that during their vacation the children have a blast while keeping the mitzvot. Every weekend, a shabbaton is organized from the various Ozar Hatorah schools, and during the summer vacation, Ozar Hatorah also organizes special fun Torah trips.
The Jewish population in France today is divided into three groups: 35% attend public schools, 33% attend Jewish schools and 32% of Jewish children attend Catholic schools.
There are two types of public schools: the ordinary ones and high-caliber ones. A large portion of the children who attend the ordinary public schools are there because they cannot afford to pay the tuition of the Jewish schools. The ones who attend the prestigious public schools are there for their reputation. The last group of students, who attend Catholic schools, are there because their parents do not want their children to endure anti-Semitism, yet are not ready to send them to Jewish schools.
Ozar Hatorah is working very diligently, through their Kiruv Youth Movement, trying to attract these lost Jewish souls and teach them about the importance of keeping the Jewish faith. On weekends, they have all kinds of extra curricular programs which produce great results.
In the past several years, as anti-Semitism in France has escalated, Jewish children attending public schools have been harassed daily and brutally attacked. As a result, request for enrollment in Ozar Hatorah schools increased, and classes filled to capacity. However, due to lack of space, Ozar Hatorah has been forced to reject hundreds of students. Once again, Ozar Hatorah was faced with saving Jewish children from assimilation, so Rabbi Amoyelle made a decision to build an additional floor at Ozar Hatorah’s school in Creteil. This extension is currently in construction. It should be completed very soon.
This addition will consist of 12 new classrooms, which will accommodate 250-300 new students from public school. The dining hall and kitchen in the lobby will be expanded as well.
Heartfelt thanks to Henry Shalom who has devoted countless hours raising and collecting funds to ensure that this project will materialize. Following in his brother’s footsteps, Henry became the president of Ozar Hatorah New York in July 2000.
Rabbi Biniamine Amoyelle A”H, served as Vice President for Ozar Hatorah NY from 1989 until his passing in July 1999.
Ozar Hatorah would like to pay special honor to three of its main pillars: Zev Wolfson, Paul Reichmann and Edmond Safra A”H.
Ozar Hatorah is indebted to the Shalom family and to all the wonderful supporters who gave so generously and have continued to help throughout the years. Special thanks to Harry Adjmi for initiating this article.
Ozar Hatorah belongs to the Syrian community. Isaac Shalom was a true visionary. He not only helped the local Jews; he traveled far to help tens of thousands of Jews, regardless of their origin, because he understood that a Jew is obligated to help save a fellow Jew from assimilation. Ozar Hatorah is working hard to continue the legacy of Isaac Shalom.
