What We Do

ORT is the only global Jewish educational network that provides hundreds of thousands of students with a premier education specializing in 21st century technology that prepares them for advancement and life-long success. For more than 140 years, ORT has offered access to educational programs in under-resourced communities. Today, ORT also serves as a foundational Jewish institution in diaspora Jewish communities around the world.

In more than 40 countries throughout the former Soviet Union, Europe, Latin America, and beyond, ORT schools support thousands of educators who teach core STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) subjects and facilitate Jewish experiences so that students and families can participate in a vibrant Jewish life. In these communities, small and large, we ensure that Jewish traditions continue to thrive.

In Israel, where our efforts focus on communities in the geographic and economic periphery, young people from low-income backgrounds benefit from ORT’s high-level STEM education and a variety of after-school programs that introduce them to new subjects such as robotics and cybersecurity. ORT impacts more than just classroom education; it also provides students with vital emotional support, private tutoring, and a place where they gain confidence in themselves so they can explore all the possibilities for their future. Without ORT, many of these children could not succeed.

In South Africa, Cuba, Greece and Ghana, ORT’s International Cooperation projects serve struggling communities, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, by providing skills training and resources that lead to social mobility and economic security.

The benefits of ORT’s global network are many. ORT schools and programs give smaller or more remote Jewish communities the ability to connect and collaborate with their colleagues throughout the world. From teacher training to  curriculum sharing and opportunities for students to study with peers in other countries, our programs enrich learning experiences while solidifying a sense of Jewish peoplehood.

ORT continually assesses its programs to be relevant in whatever the current environment is in a particular geographic region. Evolving educational methodologies and technological advances are also essential components of ORT programs. By being nimble, ORT remains at the forefront of education that prepares people to lead successful, meaningful lives.