About
The Company
Imagine that we were fortunate enough to have the teachings of Hillel, Maimonides, Isaac Luria, or Buber recorded—the nuances of their speech, their enthusiasm, and emphasis on certain phrases and ideas. Imagine being able to benefit from their pedagogical skill wherever we are and whenever we can.
Our Learning Company LLC ("OLC") brings today’s greatest Jewish teachers, authors, scholars and thought leaders to the ears and eyes of adult learners and educators of all faiths and denominations wherever they are, whenever they can learn, and however they learn best. Founded by technology and business veteran entrepreneur Sergiu S. Simmel, OLC's vision is to engage teachers and learners in dialog and recreate a legacy of Jewish oral teaching that cuts across all Jewish denominations & practices. OLC is poised to be the dominant producer and publisher of learning resources of best quality, both in scholarship & in pedagogy, addressing the needs of learners and educators from novices to experts.
OLC’s seeds were planted in the early 2000's when Mr. Simmel became involved in Jewish learning, served on the board of an emerging Jewish learning organization. The Boston area provided him with access to some of the best Jewish teachers in the world. His entrepreneurial experience and talent allowed him to quickly realize the substantial market need yet the narrow reach by this world-class cadre of teachers across the adult Jewish market and beyond.
Our first product, published in late 2005, is an audio coursebook™ that combines, in a portable package, both studio-quality audio material and innovative printed support. The first author, Brandeis Professor Reuven Kimelman, was chosen for his impeccable and worldwide reputation as a superb scholar and a master teacher committed to Jewish unity. The first title, focused on The Hidden Poetry of the Jewish Prayerbook, was followed in 2006 by an introductory-level title on The Moral Meaning of the Bible (Volumes 1 & 2). The same material is also being published as teeBooks™, Transcripts with Enhancements eBooks with embedded multiple media.
Both titles have been received with highly enthusiastic reviews by scholars, educators and learners alike. OLC continues to receive highly positive feedback from customers who share the substan-tial impact our audio courses are having on their lives. Our products have received endorsements from Jewish leaders across the entire spectrum, from the Bostoner Rebbe to the President of the Hebrew Union College, from world-class academics to leaders of major adult Jewish learning institutions such as Hebrew College and Melton Schools and from influential community leaders.
In the autumn of 2007, OLC directed its focus towards virtual learning events and series as a means to both implement its vision and to market and promote the Jewish learning products it produces. To date, OLC’s 40+ virtual learning events (tele-webinars) have engaged over 3,800 learners worldwide. The largest event so far brought together 920 registrants! On average, we attract 156 registrants per event. Additionally, we have reached an estimated 3,000+ educators and learners through our physically distributed products.
To date, OLC has reached its markets through a wide range of e-marketing techniques, including direct email, podcasting, social networking, Web postings, group memberships, public calendars and boards, OLC’s affiliate program (The B’al Peh Affiliate Marketing Program), and other “guerilla marketing” tactics. One core strategy has been to target educators and their respective institutions, as a natural and respected distribution channel to reach adult learners affiliated with institutions ranging from synagogues to vertical Jewish organizations and special interest groups.
The People
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