By Hayley Goldberg, Staff Writer
Fifty days. That’s how long our existence was recognized by Yeshiva University. And then — it wasn’t.
This past March, Hareni was officially recognized as an LGBTQ+ student club after a long settlement process. And just as quickly, it was canceled. In what felt like a sudden and harsh decision, a space that stood for support, visibility and dignity for LGBTQ+ students at YU was made to disappear.
But erasing a club does not erase the people in it.
We are still here.
Hareni was never just a club. It was a declaration — “Hareni,” meaning “I hereby.” The name itself reflected something powerful: a conscious choice to stand up and be counted. “I hereby affirm who I am. I hereby take up space. I hereby refuse to be invisible.” In a campus environment where being LGBTQ+ can feel isolating, Hareni was a place to declare one’s existence with pride and purpose.
Overnight, a once underground community was given a name and became a space many relied on. Within hours of the settlement, new members reached out to the leaders of the club with messages of support and thanks for all the work that was put into creating a welcoming environment. People who once feared speaking out finally felt safe enough to make their presence known. Then, all too soon their safe haven was stripped from them, and with it, the message was conveyed that their presence was once again unwelcome.
Hareni’s removal is more than a bureaucratic decision. It sends a message that LGBTQ+ students are invisible, unworthy of a seat at the table or incompatible with YU’s values. But we know the truth. We have always been a part of this campus — in classrooms, chaburot, minyanim and student leadership. The club’s cancellation cannot erase our experiences, our dignity or our resilience.
Erasing Hareni will not erase us.
We are not going anywhere.
We’re still showing up for our friends. We’re still learning Torah. We’re still going on Shabbatonim, applying for internships, davening in the beit midrash and celebrating each other’s milestones. We’re still building community, one conversation, one hug, one day at a time. We’re still marching. We’re still living proudly Jewish and proudly LGBTQ+ lives.
Jewish history is filled with moments when we were told we did not belong, when our voices were silenced and when our communities were forced underground. Yet again and again we persisted. Hareni is part of that same story, a reminder that no matter how many times we are erased, we will always return, carrying both our Jewish and our LGBTQ+ identities with pride.
To the students who feel erased or pushed out: you’re not alone. To those unsure how to reconcile their identities: there’s space for all of you. And to the administration: we see what you’ve done — but we’re still here, and we won’t be silent.
Hareni means “I hereby.” So let this be our declaration:
We hereby affirm our place in this community.
We hereby refuse to be erased.
Hareni is here.
Photo Credit: Unsplash