By Aiden Harow, Senior Features Editor
Large and recognizable institutions are historically resistant to change.
I mean, why would they? They’ve reached prominence and prestige by following a proven formula, affording them the privilege of asking society to conform to their standards rather than the other way around. After decades, and sometimes centuries, of pronounced public success, iconic institutions achieve a kind of untouchable status, causing any criticism short of a major scandal to more or less bounce off or get swept under the rug. They trundle along in their old ways, adapting only when the competitive environment requires it, looking at the world through glasses tinted in their very own one-of-a-kind shade of rose.
For a long time, I assumed Yeshiva University was the same. After all, YU is steeped in almost a century of tradition, built upon the doctrines of some of the most prominent rabbinical figures in American history. YU has long been at the forefront of the Modern Orthodox movement, churning out successful academics, doctors, lawyers, executives and rabbis, all of whom received an education rooted in “Torah UMadda” and have collectively shaped American Jewry into what it is today.
Why would such an institution, an institution with an essentially captive market that has a profound, almost exclusive influence over the community to which it caters, feel the need to listen to any feedback, let alone that of the students it serves?
When I wrote the article “Out of Town, Out of Luck,” I really did feel like I was writing “into the void.” I was trying to take on an issue that a petition with over six hundred names and an outpouring of frustration from parents and students alike couldn’t solve. The administration was set in its decision to keep classes in-person on October 7, 8 and 9, and there wasn’t anything I or anyone else could do about it.
When I published the piece, I half heartedly shared it on my WhatsApp status, hoping the few people that didn’t ignore it would at least identify with it or be entertained by it. What I never expected, however, was the absolute firestorm that followed and the administration’s reaction to it.
Within a few days, it felt like the whole school was buzzing with energy, determined to make a push for change. By writing openly and honestly (albeit a little sarcastically), I had helped the non-local chunk of the student body that is so often disenfranchised feel heard, and did my small part to shift the discourse from expressing frustration to planning next steps. The student government led by Presidents Sam Weinberg (YC ‘25) and Shalhevet Cohen (SSSB ‘25) took notice, sending out a form for out-of-towners to express their disgruntlement that garnered over one hundred and seventy responses. The sheer volume of responses and the frustration they revealed led to the creation of the Committee for the Representation of Non-Local Students, whose job it would be to represent the out-of-town community on an official basis.
In our first official action, we arranged a meeting with the deans to discuss the YU student experience and what could be done to improve it. It went wonderfully, with passionate, spirited discourse from both sides prompting a number of amazing ideas. The deans were incredibly helpful, assisting us in refining some of the rough outlines we created and often confiding that many of the issues we are aiming to address have long been on their minds as well. While there are still details left to iron out, I can confidently say that, because of the thoughtful collaboration between our deans and the highly motivated students on the committee, great things are coming, not just for out-of-towners, but for YU as a whole.
While my role is still ever-evolving and I have so much left to learn, I have been able to glean a couple of lessons from this experience. The first is a newfound appreciation for leaders of institutions, especially those that represent large constituencies.
I have only had a small taste of what it is like to attempt to balance the wants and needs of a large group of people while also trying to stick to a predetermined strategic agenda, and I can say definitively that it is really, really hard. The deans of YU are good, competent people who genuinely want the best for YU and its students, and make their decisions with that desire in mind. While those decisions may not always be ideal in the eyes of the student body, respectful and open dialogue will always accomplish more than venting frustration and anger, and I encourage everyone to make our new committee the recipient of your feedback and concerns rather than the deans themselves. I promise to do whatever I can to make your voices heard in a way that is most conducive to continued communication and collaboration.
The second lesson is the importance of making your voice heard, standing up for what you believe in, and taking an active role in the future of whatever group you are a part of. In order for YU to reach its potential as an institution, it needs the input of motivated, driven students that are invested in its success and are willing to put themselves out there to push for what they believe is important.
I never could have anticipated the progress that would be made on the out-of-town issue in such a short time, all because of a strongly worded article and a few students getting together and deciding to make a difference. For too long, apathy has plagued the YU community in a number of areas, and for too long, the YU community has been content to wallow in disgruntled, discontent passivity. If there’s something you want to see change at YU, make some noise. YU is already great, but it has the potential to be so much more.
Invest in YU’s future as well as your own. Buy into the direction of our Yeshiva, University, or whatever it means to you, and help leave a lasting impact that will redefine decades of stereotypes and stigma.
It makes me so happy to have been able to write this article with a more optimistic tone. I look forward to doing all I can to improve the student experience at YU, and am excited to see more students do the same.