Both Yeshivat Or Chaim and Ulpanat Orot identify with the religious Zionist movement, but are referred to as a secular Zionist school, and Bnei Akiva. Students are encouraged to regard Israel as the center of their spiritual life, their religious life, and to spend the year after graduating learning in Israel at a religious seminary. Yeshivat Or Chaim is the only Bnei Akiva yeshiva located outside of Israel.
Curriculum
Both schools have a dual curriculum of hebrew and secular studies for grades 9 through 12. Secular classes are held in English, and Hebrew studies classes are taught in both English and Hebrew. The day ends at approximately 5:30pm for boys, and 5:15pm for girls.
Additional programs
Chessed Program: B'nei Akiva Schools has been running a charity program since the beginning of its establishment, named after "Chesed"; from the Hebrew "kindness. Activities have included "Pink Day", involving charity and wearing pink, for the sake of breast cancer awareness.
Athletics
All Bnei Akiva Schools teams go by the team name "Knights". Or Chaim has a varsity and junior varsity basketball team that plays in the TDCAA. The Ulpana Knights play in the private school league and compete in basketball and volleyball. Ulpana also offers one-day soccer and tennis tournaments to compete representing the Knights or competing in single or double games, respectively. Or Chaim also has a soccer team, a cross country squad and runs basketball intramurals during lunchtime, which is organized by the convenor. During the 2015–2016, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years the schools had sent a team to run the Jerusalem marathon for the organization SHALVA. Starting in the 2018–2019 school year the schools will be sending a team to run in the Jerusalem marathon to fundraise for Tikva, to rehabilitate injured soldiers.
Post High School
Following four years at Bnei Akiva Schools, some students attend Yeshivot and Seminaries in Israel for a gap year. Some of these institutions include Yeshivat Torat Shraga, Yeshivat Torah V'Avodah, Yeshivat HaKotel, Yeshivat Har Etzion, Yeshivat Sha'arei Mevaseret Tzion, Yeshivat Orayta, Yeshivat Reishit and Yeshivat Lev HaTorah. The school strongly encourages graduates to attend the IDF in Israel.
