Meet Our Rabbi & Staff
Rabbi Zvi Engel
Rabbi of Congregation Or Torah
Ortorahrav@gmail.com
Office: (847) 679-3645 ext 222
Rabbi Zvi Engel is the Rabbi of Congregation Or Torah in Skokie, IL. In addition to his pastoral, educational, and organizational responsibilities, Rabbi Engel currently serves as the president of the Rabbinical Council of America. He is a former President of the Chicago Rabbinical Council. His affiliations include AIPAC and the Jewish United Fund of Greater Metropolitan Chicago. Before arriving in Skokie in September 2008, Rabbi Engel served as the Rabbi of Congregation Ahavath Achim in Fairfield, CT for five years.
Born and raised in Montreal, Rabbi Engel studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion, holds a B.A. in English Literature from Yeshiva University, and received his rabbinical ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), an affiliate of Yeshiva University, in 2002. Beyond enjoying the benefits of strong mentors within his own family and of various teachers, Rabbi Engel credits a number of formative experiences with shaping his approach to the rabbinate, including working with Jewish youth in Australia, Belarus, Canada, Israel, Poland, Ukraine, and the United States. Over the years, he served as the leader of various programs, such as: Yeshiva University’s Counterpoint, OU-NCSY’s JOLT Program, as as a regional coordinator for OU’s Yachad/ Re’im Program for Jewish People with special needs.
Combining an abiding love for the Jewish People with a passion for learning and teaching Torah, Rabbi Engel strives to connect with people of all ages within the congregation and the wider community. Rabbi Engel and his wife, Laurie, are the proud parents of four children. To learn with Rabbi Engel online through a sampling of various presentations (shiurim and drashot) at Congregation Or Torah, please visit https://www.ortorah.org/online-learning1.html . To subscribe to Rabbi Engel’s Podcast, please click here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ us/podcast/rabbi-zvi-engel/id1234332040 .
Office and Operations Administrator at Congregation Or Torah
Office@ortorah.org
Office: (847) 679-3645
Olivia was born and raised in Chicago, Rogers Park. She attended Solomon Schechter for grammar school and Ida Crown for High School. After high school she did one year abroad at Bar Ilan in Israel. When she returned to Chicago she attended Le Cordon Bleu and obtained a degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Business Management. Olivia worked in the hospitality industry for many years after graduating from culinary school before she decided to make a career shift into operations and office management.
Olivia has over 17 years experience as an office and operations administrator. Her background in hospitality management lends to her love for people, attention to detail, and exemplary client relations. She has dedicated more than half of her professional career to setting up, executing, and maintaining the core operations of several different types of businesses. These range from healthcare to real-estate to startups.
Olivia was the go-to contact for all businesses. She dealt directly with all vendors and clients. Olivia really takes the time to get to know all her clients personally. Olivia can wear many hats and enjoys learning new trends and keeping up with current events in the community.
Olivia and her husband, Adi, live in Park Ridge with their two children: Josephine Rose, 3 and Julian Ayal, 1.
Olivia is ecstatic at the opportunity to be a part of the Or Torah team and we are excited to have her on board.