Helping Jewish students excel in STEM fields since 1880

A group of World ORT alumni gathered at the Toronto home of Pablo Reich for the first time. 
 
From Argentina to Israel, Uruguay to Canada, they came together to reunite as graduates of ORT schools.
 
Established in 1880 in St. Petersburg, Russia, ORT is the largest Jewish vocational and training organization.  Currently ORT operates in 37 countries with approximately 300,000 students. 
 
Pablo Reich, himself a graduate of an ORT school in Argentina, hosted the event at his home in north Toronto. 
 
He says, “Going to university wasn’t an option for many Jewish children so the ORT environment provided a technical education.  Now ORT Argentina is a popular school offering STEM training to both Jewish and non-Jewish students.”
 
Elly Gotz is a prominent Toronto businessman, ORT alumnus from Kovno, Lithuania and a Holocaust survivor. 
 
As Elly explains, there were no schools to attend in the ghetto. The Jewish management asked permission from the Nazis to start a trade school.
 
He learned metalwork while others were trained in locksmithing, welding, cutting and drilling.
 
“I loved it,” he says.  “I didn’t have to think about how I was going to die, I was busy and at 15 years old I was made a teacher and training other students.” 
 
After the war, Elly attended an ORT school to learn electronics, which eventually led him to become an electrical engineer.
 
He says that some of his fellow ORT students and classmates have gone on to illustrious careers including a professor, dental technician and acclaimed businessman.  All credit ORT for their success.
 
According to Lindy Meshwork, Executive Director of ORT Toronto, next steps for ORT in Canada are fundraising as well as raising awareness for their programs. 
 
On October 19 a Battle of the Air Bands will be held at the MOD Club in downtown Toronto, while in the spring of 2019 a large gala will be held to raise funds for ORT as well as Jewish day schools. 
 
For more information on ORT, please visit www.ort-toronto.org