After being here at Stern for four semesters and having taken twelve different Judaic teachers, I have found only three that I would consider taking again. If you ask me, that’s a pretty sad ratio.
Was this a situation I expected from choosing the nation’s leading Modern Orthodox institution as my venue for higher education? Obviously not. Like many others, I chose Stern for the unique opportunity it would afford me: the chance to continue my Jewish education beyond high school in a university setting. I did not, obviously, choose it to be caught in a situation forced to abandon certain Judaic classes that I truly gain from. The fact that I have found myself in this predicament shows that despite Stern’s reputation as a place for high-level Jewish learning, there remains a lot to be desired. The quality of the professors should be top notch, and the classes they teach should demand critical thinking. Additionally, the variety of classes offered should be in a diverse area of topics within the required categories (Bible, Judaic Studies/Halacha, Jewish History, and Jewish Philosophy). They should cover relevant topics on contemporary issues and also blend classical texts to create a Judaic curriculum that embodies the notion of Torah U’Maddah. All of these aspects create high-education, and they’ve been lacking.
Though this is troubling, a larger question remains: what is Torah U’Maddah really? It’s actually the fusion of two courses of academic study: the secular and the Judaic. That means a dual curriculum, and that means that there are a whole host of credit requirements that need to be fulfilled. These involve classes for one’s major, general education/core classes, and maybe even a minor. But if you’ve chosen to go to Stern, you know what you’re getting yourself in to in terms of a full course load.
Part of going to a small university is specialized courses targeted at groups of students, and the Judaic program is no exception. Here Judaic classes are divided into five tracks, consisting of beginner; lower intermediate; intermediate; upper intermediate; and advanced. Students are placed into a level upon entering school and then may adjust their placement after testing the classes out. Externally, this seems ideal. Each student’s needs are catered to and no child is left behind.
At this point, it may seem that since there are so many classes that you need to take, and therefore so many classes offered, that you would actually experience somewhat of a positive struggle each semester when planning out your schedule. But in a small school with only 1,000 students and about twenty Judaic faculty members, how many classes can really be offered within each level? And of the total classes offered, how many can be offered per category (Bible, JUDS, or other)? The answer is, a very limited amount.
And now let’s revisit the first problem: filling all of those other requirements. While I can only speak for myself, I think many students tend to prioritize the secular courses over the Judaic courses. There are several reasons for this. One is that at a small school like Stern/Syms, it’s possible that a class you need for your major may only be offered every three semesters, because some classes are offered based on instructor availability and student demand. Therein lies my problem: even if you have found Judaic teachers that you like, their classes may conflict with your schedule—and if a class for your major is only being offered in the fall for the next two years, you better take it if you want to graduate on time. So girls like myself find themselves trapped in less stimulating courses—not intentionally—but effectively cut off from meaningful higher Jewish education.
Perhaps an ideal solution to this problem would be to provide options to Stern students similar to those available uptown to the boys. Some of the Judaic tracks offered at YC require that students take all Judaics in a morning/afternoon block, leaving the secular studies for the evening. This means not sacrificing one class for another, and being able to participate in shiurim with teachers that the students relate to and can gain from. This may not really be possible at Stern due to the fewer amount of instructors, and lack of student interest in a program like this, but should still be considered.
In a recent conversation with some members of the administration, including Academic Advisement, I presented my problem and how it discourages me as a Stern student. The response was as follows: we cannot guarantee that you will have a semester with Judaics that will challenge and stimulate you, because they simply may not fit with your schedule. You may need to take the professors on the lower end. But we know the good instructors are there.
I will never deny that there are some fantastic, qualified, demanding Judaic teachers here at Stern. But as a student at Stern College of Yeshiva University, the paradigm of Torah learning combined with a secular education, I, and by proxy the rest of the student body, deserve a far more confident and reassuring response.