Meet Our Rabbi & Staff
Rabbi Zvi Engel
Rabbi
Ortorahrav@gmail.com
Office: (847) 679-3645 EXT. 4
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 several 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, and 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.
Levi Zeffren
Executive Director
exec@ortorah.org
Office: (847) 679-3645 EXT. 3
Levi Zeffren joined Congregation Or Torah as Executive Director in 2025.
Since 2007, Levi has had diverse experience working in and with nonprofits, always with an eye towards improvements and efficiency.
Originally from St. Louis, Levi spent a year in Yeshiva at Derech Etz Chaim, followed by a year in Machon Lev- The Jerusalem College of Technology. After returning to the US to finish college, he began working for Long Island NCSY as Regional Director of Jr. NCSY. In 2007, Levi moved to Chicago and began working for Midwest NCSY, where he held multiple positions over the following 11 years, gaining significant experience in event management, experiential education, and nonprofit operations.
In 2018, Levi began working as a Development Director at Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School, where he focused on donor engagement and the administration of the Illinois "Invest in Kids" tax credit scholarship program. In 2020, Levi took a position as a Development Officer at Arie Crown Hebrew Day School, where he worked closely with the PTA, parents, and the administration on donor and parent engagement. He also did significant work on Arie Crown's Capital Campaign and overhauling the Student Information System.
Most recently, Levi worked as a Senior Associate Consultant, where he worked with clients on event planning, capital campaigns, feasibility studies, creating annual campaigns, fundraising and operational assessments, and solicitation and stewardship plans.
Levi has been glad to call Skokie home since 2010, where he and his wife, Alissa, have been raising their four children.
Levi brings a wealth of knowledge to his work at Or Torah and a constant drive to improve systems and operations.
Olivia Amram
Office and Operations Administrator
Office@ortorah.org
Office: (847) 679-3645 EXT. 2
Olivia was born and raised in Rogers Park, Chicago. She attended Solomon Schechter for grammar school and Ida Crown for High School. After high school, she spent a year abroad at Bar Ilan University 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 of 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. She was the primary point of contact for all businesses. She dealt directly with all vendors and clients. Olivia took the time to get to know each of her clients personally. She can wear multiple hats and enjoys learning about new trends and staying up-to-date with community events.
Olivia is the backbone of Or Torah, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. She is intimately involved in the day-to-day operations of the building as well as events and programs. With her experience and warmth, she brings an incredible personability to everything she does, making everyone she interacts with feel truly cared for.
Carlos Vasquez
Custodian
Bio coming soon.