The heart of our work is a deep love for every child as if they were our own
Thanks to you, Migdal Ohr is constantly building and expanding to bring the absolute best to Israel’s youth at-risk
Migdal Ohr is a place where we transform heartbreak into triumph, not just for one child but for thousands of children and alumni.
AFMO Director of Development
Explore our Programs
Foster families raising children in a warm and loving home on campus
Imagine six siblings whose parents were tragically killed in a car accident or a group of Jewish children found fending for themselves in a basement... Who will care for them? What kind of institution has everything that they need?
With great sensitivity, Rabbi Grossman has created the Mishpachton Family Dorms on the Migdal Ohr campus. Each dorm is a loving home where one couple raises 12 children, caring for them as their parents would.
Supported by therapists, teachers, and recreational therapists, these foster parents have the support they need to help children heal from trauma and thrive in their new lives.
Migdal Ohr is home to 15 schools and 8 day care centers all created to inspire a child’s true potential
Some highlights from our programs
Day Care Centers
For Infants and Toddlers
Migdal Ohr has 8 different day care centers for hundreds of infants and toddlers who have been orphaned or neglected from a young age. Each baby is raised by loving caregivers who delight in seeing them grow and develop. In addition to their daily care, we oversee all of their medical needs and continue to see them through to school and beyond.
Machshava
Elementary School
Machshava is a gifted and talented school for children from immigrant backgrounds with an advanced program focused on STEM, music, and the arts. The school has a choir, dance troupe, and drama program. Our flagship music program is called “Sulamot” and is run in a partnership with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra.
Metivta
School for Boys
Metivta is a boys elementary through high school offering an excellent education for boys from underprivileged and troubled homes. Teachers in the serve as role models and parent figures, helped boys build confidence in themselves and gaining skills that will help them to become successful adults.
Orot B’Emek
School for Girls
Orot B’Emek is a girls elementary and middle school for underprivileged children who do not have a strong Jewish background from home. The school places a focus on STEM and Jewish education providing transportation and three meals a day to students who come from lower income surrounding areas. The school also has a music and drama program with an aviary, critter corner, and hydroponic garden.
Programs for Children with Special Needs
Recently, Migdal Ohr expanded to include programs for children with special needs. These programs engage specialists and different modalities to stimulate children and provide a safe, nurturing environment suited for their needs. Our “Cooking Up a Future” program has also expanded to include a cohort of special needs students studying for careers in the culinary arts and the hospitality industry.
Gan Yavneh
College for Orthodox Students
Rabbi Grossman has opened multiple high-tech and professional training programs for the orthodox community. These were among the first vocational programs in Israel to understand the sensitivities of this demographic and to help orthodox men join the workforce. Today, thousands of families earn a livelihood with the education they received at Migdal Ohr.
Mazal is the mother of 3, grandmother of 5, and adopted grandmother of hundreds of children. Every week, the children of Migdal Ohr receive their lovingly laundered, folded, ironed clean clothes from her.
Mazal says, "I love each child as if they are my own and pray for them while doing my job. I pray that they feel loved and happy here. I pray that they get what they need and find a family here.
They should grow up to become wonderful adults! Each child deserves the entire world!"
Mazal is the mother of 3, grandmother of 5, and adopted grandmother of hundreds of children. Every week, the children of Migdal Ohr receive their lovingly laundered, folded, ironed clean clothes from her.
Mazal says, "I love each child as if they are my own and pray for them while doing my job. I pray that they feel loved and happy here. I pray that they get what they need and find a family here.
They should grow up to become wonderful adults! Each child deserves the entire world!
Alon Metzer has been teaching for eight years and is a beloved teacher at Migdal Ohr’s Machshava Elementary School - one of 15 schools on the campus. Alon introduces students to science and fosters their love of math and problem solving.
He says, "To be a great teacher, you have to have a personal connection with your students. I put all my energy into getting to know the kids. I learn their talents to help them shine in class. Many come from difficult backgrounds and it’s my job to make the classroom a loving, safe place for them.”
Ora has come to work every day for the last 30 years with a smile that lights up the room. She is a mother to 60 children and 5 of her own. “It would shatter your heart to hear their stories,” she says. “There are babies abandoned by parents on drugs, discovered in neglected homes, or given by families who can’t take care of them.
“I love these children like my own. I laugh when they laugh and cry when they cry. My heart breaks that one day they will learn about their families but I am hopeful when I see the way that others have grown up. Somehow, they are able to defy the odds and create the families that they wish they had!”
Moshe was one of the founding members of Zoharim. Before Migdal Ohr, he was sleeping in abandoned buildings or cars, not knowing where his next meal would come from.
He says, “After years of rejection, I found love. Those were some sweet days. In the village the youth were glowing. Finally, they had a place." Today, thanks to you, Moshe is the father of a baby boy and is active in his community. He gives talks about his experiences to teachers and groups hoping that they can learn from what he went through.
Geulah is a bubbly first grader whose parents came to Israel from Eritrea 10 years ago. Geulah loves dinosaurs and her favorite color is green. She told us that she’s most excited about music and learning to play an instrument!
She is one of hundreds of immigrant children that you have helped to educate and integrate into Israeli society. You have helped to create a community for Geulah’s family where their heritage is celebrated. Because of you, she is getting a Jewish education to go on and be anything she can dream of!
Michael came to Migdal Ohr deeply scarred by the stress of living in poverty. When he arrived, he was malnourished and defensive. However, the caring staff would not give up on him. Michae began to do well in school and enjoyed playing soccer.
He also exhibited a real passion for woodshop. Today, Michael's teachers tell us that he has "golden hands" and is always looking for ways to be helpful. Because of your support, he is thriving at Migdal Ohr and has a bright future ahead of him.
Chaim Dan's parents died in a tragic car accident in Ukraine when he was just 5 years old. At 14, Rabbi Grossman brought him to live at Migdal Ohr where he grew up surrounded by love and encouragement. After ten years as an officer in the IDF, Chaim Dan came home but this time as the Program Director of the Zoharim Youth Village.
For the past 7 years, Chaim Dan has been living on campus and working with at-risk teens. He says that Migdal Ohr gave him a chance at life and that he owes his family, career, and future to the support of kind donors like you.
David came to the Zoharim Youth Village as a sophomore. His home had become a hostile and challenging place to live. David says that the Youth Village was a breath of fresh air where everyone focused on building him up and helping him find his calling.
David graduated with a high school diploma and an expanded toolbox for life. Today, he is an engineering student at Ariel University. Thanks to you, David has a future. There is no other place like Zoharim and it exists because of your generosity!
Eva and Diana are twins who came to Migdal Ohr from the former Soviet Union. The Machshava School that they go to was founded by Rabbi Grossman to help immigrant children learn about their Jewish heritage and thrive in Israeli society.
From a young age, the girls preferred to play with toy cars and wanted to take up remote race car driving. Rabbi Grossman encouraged them! In fact, Eva and Diana recently brought home gold and silver medals in Israel's national junior racing competition! They are proof that, with your help, there is no limit to how far (and how fast) our young people can go!
Anat came to Migdal Ohr after dropping out of school. She had a strong mistrust of adults from a difficult childhood of abuse. At Migdal Ohr, Anat found non-judgemental, genuine adults who wanted to help her find her direction in life.
She joined Migdal Ohr's Cooking Up a Future (Mevashlim L’Atid) and prepared for a career in hospitality. Today, Anat works as a chef at Kibbutz Lavi. Thanks to Migdal Ohr, and donors like you, she has broken out of the cycle of poverty and is living the kind of life that she always dreamed of!
Avigail found her way to the Afikei Ohr Youth Village after living on the streets. She was estranged from her family and struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. At Afikei Ohr, Avigail connected to peers, teachers, and therapists who didn't judge her and who helped her to heal.
Avigail developed a green thumb tending to the hydroponic gardens and fields of Migdal Ohr. She also decided that she wants to pursue a degree in business after her year of national service. If not for you, who knows where Avigail would be? She is so grateful that she found a place to call home at a time when she needed it most.
Alex came to Israel from Russia and found himself lost in the yeshiva system. One day, he Googled “How to become a Commander in the IDF.” That search changed his life. Thanks to the support he got at Migdal Ohr’s Zoharim Boys Youth Village, Alex found direction—and now he’s one of thousands of alumni leading Israel with pride.
Siblings Anna and Yasha came to Israel from Ukraine, they did not know where they would integrate and continue their studies.
Fortunately, Migdal Ohr has decades of experience integrating and working with immigrant children! Anna and Yasha were met with open arms and began learning Hebrew. A major part of and to become part of Israeli society. We also want them to feel connected to their Jewish Ukrainian heritage and to feel confident teaching their classmates about the lives they had in Ukraine before coming to Israel.
We are most excited to give these children a chance to learn about their Jewish heritage - something they never had exposure to in Ukraine and that is an opportunity now that they are here.
Here, teens find unconditional acceptance and get a new start
Afikei Ohr
Girls Youth Village
The Afikei Ohr Girls Youth Village in Migdal HaEmek is home to 100 teenage girls at-risk. Many of the girls who have dropped out of school or spent time on the streets where they encountered drugs, alcohol, and crime. Here, they find unconditional acceptance and a family that welcomes them with open arms.
Therapists and staff support all of the girls’ needs while creating unique opportunities for them to practice entrepreneurship, creativity, and get their academics on track to graduate high school.
The campus includes greenhouses, fish hatchery, art studio, wood shop, and cooking school where the girls have the freedom to explore their passions and a chance to get their lives back on track.
Zoharim
Boys Youth Village
The Zoharim Boys Youth Village is set on 30 acres in the scenic Judean hills outside of Jerusalem. It is home to 100 Orthodox boys at-risk who are looking for a way to rebuild their lives and become more integrated into Israeli society.
The youth village focuses on empowerment, education, and helping teens to find their unique path in life. On the campus there are equestrian stables, a goat farm, hydroponic greenhouses, vineyards a carpentry workshop, and a gym, among many other amenities.
In addition to catching up with their high school studies, young men can choose to prepare for IDF service through the Esther and Nathan Miller Preparatory Program.
We are constantly launching new programs to help children achieve their potential
Agricultural Therapy Greenhouses and Vineyards
We’ve invested in greenhouses, vineyards, orchards, and gardens as part of an agricultural therapy program across our campuses. Out in nature, children have the opportunity to plant, water, and harvest the fruits of their labor with time to slow down and take in the fresh air and beautiful views. Migdal Ohr even has a partnership with the Dalton Winery making wines from grapes grown at the Zoharim Youth Village.
Cooking Up a Future
Culinary Institute
Cooking Up a Future (Mevashlim L’Atid) is a partnership between Migdal Ohr, Israel’s Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Education. The program trains students to work in the culinary arts, tourism, and hospitality industries. In our state-of-the-art industrial kitchens, instructors teach everything from food safety to preparation presentation, budgeting, and business management. The final portion entails interning in a professional kitchen before finally receiving a certificate in Food Science and Hospitality.
Chag Saveah
Holiday Food Drives
Twice a year, before Rosh Hashanah and Pesach, Migdal Ohr operates two large-scale national food drives providing food for 25,000 families and children in need. Originally started by a group of Migdal Ohr students, these campaigns are known across Israel for helping the most vulnerable citizens prepare for the holidays with dignity. During the COVID pandemic, the Government asked Migdal Ohr to mobilize their distribution chain to deliver 40,000 packages to homebound and needy residents every week.
Bayit Yehudit
Bridal Fund and Salon
Migdal Ohr’s “Bayit Yehudit Fund” accompanies orphaned or underprivileged brides and grooms to the chuppah with dignity and a warm embrace. Each couple receives modest funds to pay for their wedding, as well as their first month of rent, appliances, home essentials, and anything else they need to get settled. Bayit Yehudit also operates a beautiful bridal gemach with everything that a young bridge needs to feel like a queen on her wedding day - at no cost to her.
Magen Israel
Emergency War Relief
After the massacres of Oct 7th, Rabbi Grossman mobilized “Operation Magen Israel” to shelter 4,000 families and individuals from the Gaza border communities in Jerusalem, support IDF soldiers, and comfort the wounded in Israel’s hospitals. Since then, we have created a Fund for Victims and Orphans of Oct 7th and supported families directly affected by the massacres.
Prisoner Rehabilitation Program
Rabbi Grossman has received the honorary title of “Father of the Prisoners” from the Israeli Government for his groundbreaking work in the prison system. In 1974 he started “Shaked – Rehabilitation Through Religion” which now operates in all of Israeli prisons. Shaked gives inmates, mostly jailed for drugs and robbery, a chance to study Torah in a prison kollel for 3-4 hours a day. At the same time, rabbis mentor the families of these inmates to prepare a support system for after their release. Participants have a third of their sentences reduced for good behavior. The program has one of the lowest recidivism rates (20%) of any initiative in the world!
Our youth group, Ohr Yisraeli, has 160 branches that empower teens from the North to the South of Israel
Ohr Yisraeli branches serve over 8,000 teens with regular Torah classes, programs, and chesed events. The groups visit hospitals and army bases to lift people’s spirits and help mark the holidays.
While teens may be tempted to spend time on the streets, Ohr Yisraeli offers a positive outlet with a great peer group and mentors who are looking out for them! During the summer and school breaks, Ohr Yisraeli groups take teens on dozens of trips as recreational outlets and opportunities to bond.
During the COVID pandemic and after Oct 7th, teens have been involved in organizing relief efforts, delivering food packages, and caring for the needy in their communities.
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