Yeshiva University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Yeshiva University

Motto	תורה ומדע (Hebrew)
Motto in English	Torah and secular knowledge
Type	Private university
Established	1886; 139 years ago (1886)
Accreditation	MSCHE
Religious affiliation	Modern Orthodox Judaism
Academic affiliations	NAICU
Endowment	$484 million (2022)
President	Ari Berman
Academic staff	4,714
Undergraduates	2,243
Postgraduates	2,688
Location	New York, New York , U.S. 40°51′02″N 73°55′47″W / 40.85056°N 73.92972°W / 40.85056; -73.92972
Campus	Urban, 300 acres (120 ha)
Newspaper	The YU Observer The Commentator
Colors	Yeshiva Blue      Yeshiva Black      Yeshiva Gray
Nickname	Maccabees Taubermans
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III – Skyline
Mascot	The Maccabee

Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City. It has four campuses and is connected to Modern Orthodox Judaism. The university's main idea is called Torah Umadda, which means "Torah and secular knowledge." This means students learn both traditional Jewish studies and regular school subjects.

The university has different schools for undergraduate students. These include Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, Katz School of Science and Health, and Sy Syms School of Business. While many students are Modern Orthodox Jewish, some students, especially in graduate programs like the Cardozo School of Law, are not Jewish.

Yeshiva University is an independent school. It is approved by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and other groups. This means it meets high standards for education.

History of Yeshiva University

David H. Zysman Hall, on the Wilf Campus, houses Yeshiva University High School for Boys and the former main beit midrash.

Yeshiva University started in 1886. It began as the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Manhattan. This was a school for young boys. It was founded by immigrants from Eastern Europe. The school taught Talmud (Jewish law and tradition) and some regular subjects, like English. A special school for rabbis was officially started in 1897.

In the 2020–2021 school year, about 2,250 undergraduate students and 2,700 graduate students attended Yeshiva University. The university also has high schools connected to it. These are Yeshiva University High School for Boys and Yeshiva University High School for Girls. It is also home to the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS).

In 2014, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education confirmed that the university was still approved. They asked for a report to show how student learning was being used to make teaching better. The university met these requirements in 2016.

University Presidents

• Bernard Revel 1915–40
• Samuel Belkin, 1943–75
• Norman Lamm, 1976–2003
• Richard M. Joel, 2003–17
• Ari Berman, 2017–present

Academics and Schools

245 Lexington Avenue is the campus hub for the Stern College for Women.

Yeshiva University has many different schools. These schools offer various programs for students.

Undergraduate Schools

• Yeshiva College (Yeshiva University)
• Stern College for Women
• Katz School of Science and Health
• Sy Syms School of Business

Graduate and Professional Schools

• Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
• Wurzweiler School of Social Work
• Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration
• Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies
• Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology

Affiliated Programs

• Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
• Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Yeshiva University High School for Boys
• Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls (YUHSG), also known as "Central." This school prepares students for college.
• Programs for becoming a rabbi or a cantor (a leader of prayer in a synagogue) are offered through the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and the Belz School of Jewish Music.

University Rankings

Yeshiva University is recognized as a good school. U.S. News & World Report ranked it 105th among National Universities in 2024.

In 2023, Forbes magazine ranked Yeshiva University highly. It was ranked 226th among "Top Colleges." It was also 118th among Private Colleges and 82nd in the Northeast region.

University Campuses

The main campus of Yeshiva University is called the Wilf Campus. It is located in the Washington Heights area of upper Manhattan. The university's main office is at 500 185th Street.

Yeshiva University has grown a lot since 1886. It now includes about twenty different colleges, schools, and centers. It also works with several hospitals. The university has campuses and buildings in different parts of Manhattan (like Washington Heights and Greenwich Village), the Bronx, Queens, and even in Israel.

The Yeshiva University Museum is a special museum at the university. It helps people learn about Jewish culture from all over the world and throughout history. It does this through different exhibits and books.

The university also has a building in Jerusalem, Israel. This building has a part of the rabbinical seminary. It also helps coordinate a program where first-year students can study in Israel. These students are still considered Yeshiva University undergraduates.

Student Life at YU

Student Publications

Students at Yeshiva University have their own newspapers. The Commentator is the undergraduate university newspaper. The Observer is the newspaper for Stern College. Law students at Cardozo also write and publish five law journals.

There are many other student publications. They cover various topics, both school-related and religious. The student radio station is called WYUR. It is currently an online-only station.

LGBTQ flags at YU's Cardozo School of Law (2022)

Yeshiva University has been involved in discussions about student clubs. Since 2021, there have been talks about officially recognizing a club for LGBTQ+ students and their friends.

Undergraduate Clubs and Activities

Students at Yeshiva University can join many clubs. The Yeshiva University Dramatics Society (YCDS) puts on a play every semester. The Heights Initiative is a student group that helps with programs in the Washington Heights community.

Student Government is run by several groups like YSU and SYMS. These groups also organize fun events. They put on an annual Hanukkah Concert and a carnival for Israeli Independence Day.

The Yeshiva University Medical Ethics Society (MES) is a student group. It was started in 2005. This group helps students learn about Jewish medical ethics. They also host events for genetic testing. This helps fight certain genetic diseases that are common in the Jewish community.

Athletics and Sports Teams

Yeshiva University has many sports teams. They are part of the NCAA Division III. The teams are called "The Maccabees." Sports include men's baseball, basketball, golf, volleyball, wrestling. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, fencing, soccer, tennis, and volleyball.

Because students have a dual curriculum, many sports teams practice at night. Some even practice as late as 11:00 PM. A few teams, like the men's basketball team, practice early in the morning, sometimes at 6:00 AM.

Sometimes, teams travel for weekend tournaments. When they do, athletes might stay with local families. This has happened in places like Boston and Hollywood, Florida. Students from many different countries play on Yeshiva University's sports teams.

Baseball Team

Two players from the Yeshiva Maccabees Baseball team were chosen by professional teams. They played in the Israeli Baseball League. Pitcher Aryeh Rosenbaum won a championship with his team in the league's first year.

Basketball Team

Yeshiva's Men's Basketball team is often a strong contender in playoffs. They had successful periods in the 1990s and around 2020. Banners in the Max Stern Athletic Center celebrate these seasons. In 2018, the team won the Skyline Conference title. This earned them their first-ever spot in the NCAA tournament. This brought them a lot of attention from the media. The current coach is Elliot Steinmetz.

In the 2019–20 season, the men's basketball team won the Skyline Conference championship. They made it to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second time in three years. They won their first two games, reaching the "Sweet Sixteen" (third round). However, the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.

The team had a 36-game winning streak going into the 2021–22 season. This was the longest winning streak in NCAA men's basketball at the time. They were ranked #2 nationally. The team's winning streak grew to 44 games. They became the #1 ranked team in the D3hoops.com poll in November 2021. This was the first time any Yeshiva team was ranked #1 nationally. The team's 50th straight win was recognized by ESPN and NBA Twitter accounts. This was the longest winning streak in NCAA Men's Division III Basketball. The winning streak ended on December 30, 2021.

Fencing Team

The fencing team, known as the "Taubermen," is one of Yeshiva University's most successful teams. They are named after their coach, Professor Arthur Tauber. He coached the team from 1949 to 1985. Olympic gold medalist Henry Wittenberg also coached the wrestling team at one point.

Tennis Team

In 2014, the Men's Tennis team won the Skyline Conference championship. This was the first time any Yeshiva team made it to the NCAA tournament. In 2015, they won the championship again and went to the NCAA National Tournament. They even made it to the second round. The Men's Tennis team continued their success, winning the Skyline Conference championship for five years in a row (2014-2018). This led to five straight appearances in the NCAA National Tournament.

Other Sports

Since 2010, the Men's Cross Country and Men's Volleyball teams have won many championships. Many Yeshiva athletes have gained national attention. For example, Sam Cohen won an individual championship and academic honors. The Women's Basketball and Women's Fencing teams have also received attention.

Notable Alumni

Notable Staff

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Yeshiva para niños