Aish Campus Leadership Program at The Ohio State University offers Jewish college students the opportunity to increase their Jewish knowledge, identity and pride by participating in an 8 week seminar that meets once a week in which major aspects of Judaism are explored in depth. Participants who successfully complete the seminar receive a $400 stipend. Rabbi Dan Olgin, who runs the program, is also available to meet with students on Tuesdays to discuss any Jewish topic or just to talk. Aish Campus runs a number of other campus programs such as Shabbatonim, Discovery Programs and special film presentations. Aish Campus also runs a variety of trips over winter and summer vacation to Israel, London, New York, Toronto and California.
Rabbi Daniel Olgin is the director of the Ohio State University Aish Campus Leaders Program. Rabbi Olgin grew up in University Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. He attended Cleveland Heights High School and upon graduation in 1981 he attended The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Growing up a marginally affiliated Conservative Jew, Daniel had his spiritual reawakening while in college with a roommate from Tennessee who had "never seen one of those Jewish people before", who also wanted to know if Jews really have horns.
Becoming a student leader and activist at Hillel, Daniel continued to grow in his Judaism while pursuing a Jewish Studies major at Ohio State. He served as President of the Jewish Student Activities Board of Hillel his senior year. Daniel worked for one year as the Outreach Coordinator at Hillel, and upon graduation attended Yeshiva Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem.
Daniel worked for many years with NCSY as both a chapter and regional adviser. He spent time learning in the pre-semicha program at Yeshiva University in New York.
He has a Masters Degree in Jewish Studies and Education from the Cleveland Fellows Program of the Siegel College of Jewish Studies. Daniel spent time learning at Yeshiva Bircas HaTorah in the Old City of Jerusalem and attended the Ohr Lagolah Leadership Training Program of Tannenbaum College - Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem. He received his rabbinic ordination from HaRav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg of the Rabbinic Court of Jerusalem and has a Teachers Certificate from the Ministry of Education of the State of Israel.
Rabbi Olgin has served as a day school teacher, a congregational rabbi and has been involved in Anti-Missionary activities.
Rabbi Olgin enjoys music, playing with his kids, science fiction, the outdoors and meditation.
He is married to Rivky Millet of Brooklyn and they are the parents of six children. The Olgins reside in University Heights.
Rabbi Olgin is with Aish HaTorah of Cleveland and has been running the Ohio State Aish Campus Leaders Program since September of 2005. He especially loves being able to teach Torah on the campus where he became Torah observant.
Rabbi Daniel Olgin
216-789-6364
danielolgin@sbcglobal.net