Philanthropist George Rohr Visits Mayanot in Jerusalem

Philanthropist George Rohr visited the Mayanot World Center in Jerusalem for a special dedication breakfast in the Mayanot Library.

The Mayanot community had the honor of welcoming renowned philanthropist Mr. George Rohr for a special dedication breakfast in the Mayanot Library. The gathering allowed teachers, staff, and students to express their deepest appreciation for everything George and Pamela Rohr have done for Mayanot and Jewish communities around the world.

The Rohr family played a leading role in establishing and renovating the newly completed Mayanot World Center. George and Pamela Rohr’s partnership has helped create a home where students can learn, ask questions, and deepen their connection to Torah, Chassidus, and Jewish life.

Spanning five stories and more than 3,500 square meters, the Mayanot World Center serves as a home for Torah learning, community, and Jewish growth. The building includes the Beit Midrash, classrooms, library, student residences, dining facilities, and spaces supporting programs ranging from post-high school learning and college programs to Birthright extension, executive education, Israel advocacy, and lone soldier support. 

Each year, more than 400 students from around the world study at Mayanot across the men’s and women’s programs, while thousands more participate in Birthright and other educational initiatives. For many students, the journey to Mayanot begins through Chabad on Campus, where they first discover a deeper connection to Jewish life and continue that journey through Torah learning in Jerusalem. Together with a global alumni network of more than 5,500 graduates in 190 communities worldwide, the Center continues to expand Mayanot’s mission of inspiring lifelong connections to Torah, Chassidus, and Jewish life.

Throughout the morning, students shared personal stories about their journeys to Mayanot, while teachers and educators reflected on what makes Mayanot unique: a place where students ask questions, challenge themselves, and build a genuine connection to Torah and Chassidus.

Mr. Rohr captured the spirit of the gathering when he shared, “I can’t tell you what a joy it is to be standing here, looking around the room, and just feeling the energy and being here, and listening to you guys. We’re investing in a future that we ourselves are not going to inhabit.”

“Baruch Hashem, today we have not just an incredible neshama, an incredible student body, but also we have an incredible guf, an incredible building,” said Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, Executive Director of Mayanot, as he thanked Mr. Rohr with heartfelt words. “Baruch Hashem, you’ve been part of both.”

One student, Kalman Francis, shared how his journey to Mayanot began high in the Himalayas, where he first heard about the yeshiva through Chabad of Kathmandu. His story reminded everyone that the light of Mayanot continues to reach across the world.

Rabbi Yisroel Noach Wichnin, Rosh Yeshiva of Mayanot, reflected on that same idea, sharing, “People come into the city from different directions and tell me, ‘I can see Mayanot from my window. It’s lit up.’ IY”H, we’re lighting a light [of holiness and G-dliness] that will shine eternally.”

As always, the morning concluded the Mayanot way, with a lively farbrengen. Students, faculty, and Mr. Rohr joined together in song, celebrating the warmth, joy, and sense of community that define Mayanot.

Rabbi Shlomo Gestetner, Dean of Mayanot, reflected on what makes Mayanot unique, saying, “Teachers and Shluchim give everything to ensure that students become the best version of themselves: to become talmidei chachamim, chassidim, and Jews who care. Really, that’s what Mayanot is about. To learn Torah, to learn how to daven and connect in an inner way, and to bring the inside to the outside.”

The morning celebrated far more than a beautiful building. It celebrated a partnership rooted in a shared vision of shlichus, paving the way for the future of the Jewish people. Because of George and Pamela Rohr’s generosity, students from around the world continue to find a home at Mayanot, deepen their connection to Torah and Chassidus, and carry that inspiration into Jewish communities across the globe.

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