Ofra is a religious community-style yishuv with a population of 3,500, located in the Binyamin Regional Council. It is just off of Highway 60. Ofra is about 20 km north of Jerusalem, with an altitude of about 850 meters above sea level. The yishuv was established in 1975 and named after the ancient Jewish town in the portion of the tribe of Binyamin, as mentioned in the book of Joshua, Chapter 18.
The yishuv expanded and grew over time, and is currently home to 700 families. Emphasis has been placed on aesthetic development, a uniform construction format and public landscaping. Ofra is an attractive location for young couples, many of whom are second generation members of the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria. During periods when there were waves of immigration from Ethiopia, the Former Soviet Union, India and France, many immigrants were successfully absorbed by the community. Ofra is a captivating mosaic of philosophical thinkers and practical personalities. There are several businesses in the yishuv, extensive municipal services, a strong security system, and dozens of schools, Jewish institutions, research centers, cultural initiatives and chessed programs.
There are 2 daycares and 7 kindergartens in Ofra, as well as 3 elementary schools, a middle school, a regional religious high school for girls. There are two centers Jewish studies – Midrasha B’Eretz Binyamin and Midreshet Shuva, and the Mishpetei Aretz Kollel.
There is also a field school, a cave research center, a mikveh, a library, a post office, health clinics of the HMOs Clalit and Maccabi, a supermarket, a fruits and vegetables store, a branch of the National Insurance Institute, Yad Sarah, a gas station, a fire department, 3 synagogues, the Lev Binyamin special needs organization, Bnei Akiva, a senior citizens club, an art gallery, an indoor sports court, a swimming pool, industrial zone, agricultural areas, a shopping area, a garage, and a natural amphitheater.
Ofra has an organized system of enrichment classes that includes sports, art, nature and music for children, soccer teams and chess. A Talmud Torah program attracts about 250 children in the afternoon. There is a fully-equipped youth center, an adoptive family assigned to each grade of teenage adolescents and a youth coordinator. In addition to the regularly held Torah classes for men, women and adolescents, different Torah personalities are invited to Ofra as guest lecturers, and once a month, there is a regional Beit Midrash for Tanach studies. Cultural events for children, adults and families include theater and music performances, lectures, tours, fairs and workshops.