Yechezkal Freunldich, Senior Science & Technology Editor
In recent years, universities like NYU, Rutgers and Columbia have become flashpoints for antisemitism, with Jewish students and professors facing protests, verbal abuse and being physically blocked and barred from campus facilities. A 325-page report on antisemitism in higher education environments, specifically at Columbia and Barnard, showed a disturbingly acute spike of hate crimes against Jews on campus. Additionally, New York University failed to address hate incidents reported by Jewish students from 2017 – 2019. It is no surprise then that young adults are looking elsewhere to forward their academic education.
Out of the 5,999 Colleges in the United States, Yeshiva University is the ideal choice for Jews. It is the epitome of a Jewish environment, providing a religious inculcation in tandem with a secular education, both essential for the development of the student and the preparation for their future.
As a Chabad Jew who grew up in Brooklyn, I did not know of YU until I applied. I didn’t know anyone who had attended YU; I only heard about YU when a friend of mine switched out of my highschool to enroll in Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy (MTA). So, when I entered college, I didn’t know anyone. Not a soul. I didn’t know what yeshiva program to enroll in. I didn’t know what classes I had to take. But the YU faculty really helped out.
The social solitude I felt during my first day, my first few weeks actually, was extreme. Orientation, meeting my roommate, the BBQ, and walking into classes for the first time, I knew no one. Growing up in a niche community, with the same friends, the same classmates all throughout elementary, middle and highschool left me feeling unsteady and out of place in this new environment. For the first time, I would attend the events without recognizing any familiar faces and smiles, no group of friends to chat with as we joked around; sometimes, I would simply stand there, observing the campus grounds, watching as people recognized familiar faces and friend groups. I would make small talk with people I never spoke with again, a few introductions, but mostly, I would just attend in silence, alone.
While my initial experience at YU was solitary, I strongly believe that YU is an ideal environment for students, whether they arrive with a group of friends or knowing no one. Many students come to YU already familiar with their classmates, allowing them to continue their close relationships in a setting that encourages both academic and religious growth. For those who come without knowing anyone, the university’s supportive atmosphere quickly bridges that gap. YU provides all the tools necessary for new students to integrate seamlessly into campus life. The culture of openness and camaraderie – whether through organized events, classmates of a similar career path, or spontaneous conversations in the cafeteria – all makes YU a place where friendships can form naturally, regardless of a student’s starting point.
I remember taking the First Year Seminar: a zero credit, 5-week seminar run by Avi Feder, Director of Resident Life, catered to students who come to YU straight from highschool, which was extremely insightful and comforting for me. Feder invited a guest speaker to every class, each discussing various topics essential for students to know in school; for example, the school psychologist came to explain the importance of proper sleep and how to deal with the mental strain of overwhelming work and a member of the Learning Success Center , discussed how to properly organize assignments and study. While I integrated the various tips and strategies given at the seminar, one thing I took to heart, that I really implemented to my daily life on campus, was to talk to random students and sit down at a random table for dinner and introduce myself.
When I first enacted this idea, although I was eagerly anticipating the opportunity of meeting new people, it was eminently duanting. While no one outright denied me from sitting down with them, there were times when the experience was uncomfortable, where the fraught silence brought about by foreign conversation turned meals into awkward encounters.
These meals taught me to avoid crowded tables; while wanting to converse with new people, I found that bustling tables are filled with people who went to the same school or are in the same major or morning shiur. It made it hard to join the conversations or laugh at the jokes – the passionate conversations from the students about unfamiliar concepts or experiences left me to sit in silence, unable to contribute.
That aside, it is an exhilarating experience to know other people’s backgrounds, where they grew up, their passions and hobbies and their future goals. Through these conversations, I was able to meet people of different b upbringings: students majoring in music theory who grew up in Queens, students from New Jersey aspiring to be rabbanim, or international students who transferred to YU for a Jewish education. Befriending these students, people whom I never would have known otherwise if not for the extempore conversations, gave me an understanding of the diversity that unites YU.
Being Chabad, I was very nervous coming to YU. Knowing no one of Chabad origin on campus, I was worried that I would have trouble fitting in, worried that I would not be accommodated properly. The Chabad presence at YU is miniscule, which is very understandable. A lot of the Chabad community spends their early adult years in yeshiva and then they get married, not having time or interest in higher education. While I had some uncomfortable experiences in YU, and a few people who showed clear animosity towards my Chabad identity, most were accepting, polite, even curious about Chabad costumes and education. I remember talking to people about Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin and engaging in friendly debates towards the coexistence of science and halacha. When engaging in these conversations, I learned that while there is a spectrum to specific ideals and ways to approach the context of the Torah, the underlying values are the same.
These values are used as a tether to connect all people, to allow us to understand and relate to each other, to unite us as one. As Jews in these dark times. The unity I have seen on campus is exhilarating and refreshing, seeing people of different backgrounds coming together simply because we are all Jewish; this is the uniqueness of YU.