A taste of genuine Sephardic Jerusalem—and just as inclusive
How it all began
Ohel Shalom Torah Center was founded in 1987 as new young Sephardic community named Shaare Mizrah. Under the leadership of Rabbi Daniel J. Raccah, the young congregation grew. In 2005, eighteen years later, Shaare Mizrah purchased its own home and moved to a new facility which brought a new name: Ohel Shalom Torah Center. As the walls expanded, so did the attention and focus of the programming. Ohel Shalom has become more than a synagogue. Ohel Shalom is now an umbrella name for an organization with numerous community-wide programs.
Mesorah from Maran
HaRav Ovadia Yosef
Our Rabbi, Rav Daniel J. Raccah is a close US-located talmid of Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef. After studying in R’ Ovadia’s kollel over thirty years ago, he came to the US and maintained the closest of ties with Maran. Over the years, Maran has been our halachic guide, and a strong advocate for our shul. To this day, Maran’s halachic rulings are the bedrock of our Rav’s halachic rulings, which have been sought far beyond the boundaries of our shul and city, but across the US and the world.
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Rabbi Daniel J. Raccah
R A B B I
Our Rav, Rabbi Daniel J. Raccah, has served as the Rav of Ohel Shalom since 1987. He studied in Yeshivat Kol Torah, under Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, in Telshe Yeshiva-Cleveland and Telshe-Chicago. During his time in Israel, he grew very close to Maran HaRav Ovadia Yosef ztz”l. After his marriage, he studied in the esteemed Chazon Ovadia Kollel under Rav Ovadia and his son Rav Yitzchak, the present Rishon LiTzion, and received a Yoreh Yorah Yadin Yadin semicha (rabbinical ordination) from Maran HaRav Ovadia Yosef. He also learned in the Choshen Mishpat Kollel in Chicago, from which he received Yadin Yadin semicha. In 2006, Rabbi Raccah joined the CRC Bet Din under Rav Gedaliah Dov Schwartz, from whom he also received Yadin Yadin semicha. Rabbi Raccah is currently the Rav of Ohel Shalom Torah Center and Senior Dayan on the CRC Bet Din. Rabbi Raccah is a warm, embracing individual who is sought after for his Sephardic halachic opinions, advice, and guidance. He receives dozens of phone calls each week from people within our kehillah, Chicago, and across the world.
Rabbi Aharon Raccah
A S S I S T A N T R A B B I
Rav Aharon Raccah studied in Telshe Yeshiva Chicago through and including Bet Midrash, followed by the Yeshiva of Rav Dovid Soloveitchik and Beth Medrash Gavoha of Lakewood. After his marriage, he studied in the Kollel of Rav Yaakov Hillel located Arzeh, and then spent more than 3 years in the Jerusalem Kollel, under Rav Yitzchak Berkowitz, from whom he received semicha. During this time, he grew close to the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem (formerly Rishon L'Tzion of Israel), Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar and received Smicha from him as well. Also during this time, Rav Aharon expanded his knowledge in other areas. He learned shechita from Rav Chaim Pinto, an expert shochet for renowned hechsherim in Israel, and also studied chazzanut under the renown Chazan, Rabbi Moshe Chabusha. Rabbi Aharon is our humble, down-to-earth yet dynamic Assistant Rabbi. He is passionate about growth and learning opportunities for our members and delivers shiurim and oversees Torah programming.
Rabbi Yair Olstein
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
As we have previously shared, Rabbi Yair Olstein is a Chicago native, having grown up in and around HTC, the Skokie Yeshiva. Rabbi Olstein comes with tremendous experience in running a Kollel, as he was also instrumental in the founding of the Skokie Yeshiva Kollel by single-handedly researching, vetting, and recruiting the Avrechim for the Kollel and has also been a Rosh Chabura there. Rabbi Olstein joined us this past September to fully run and coordinate the Night Kollel in conjunction with the OSTC's Rabbis, which he has done an exemplary job doing. He has organized the Chavrutot, Shiurim, and programming, such as the Thursday night Chamin, the Tuesday Night Hostage Initiative, guest speakers, Chaburot, and such. B”H, Rabbi Olstein has now become the Menahel of our Kollel and our Executive Director!
Thu, November 21 2024 20 Cheshvan 5785