Established in January 1999 / Shevat 5759, the congregation chose the name Ohr HaTorah, which means “The Light of Torah”. Torah, of course, denotes the first five books of the Bible. But in a broader sense, Torah also means the whole breadth of Jewish law and moral philosophy. The founding members resolved to create a congregation whose special mission is to make the light of Torah learning and growth available to Jews of all levels of experience and observance.

Congregation Ohr HaTorah follows Orthodox Jewish practice but not all of the members are Orthodox. The programs and services of the synagogue are suited to any Jew who is interested in spiritual growth through learning traditional Judaism.