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 is connected to Modern Orthodox Judaism. The university has four campuses across the city.

Its main schools for undergraduate students are Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, Katz School of Science and Health, and Sy Syms School of Business. These schools offer a special learning plan. It combines a regular academic education with the study of the Torah. This idea is called Torah Umadda, which means "Torah and secular knowledge."

Most students at the university are Modern Orthodox Jewish. All undergraduate students are Jewish. However, many graduate students are not Jewish, except for those studying to become rabbis. Yeshiva University is an independent school. It is approved by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

University History and Growth

Yeshiva University started as the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in 1886. This was a small elementary school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It was founded by immigrants from Eastern Europe. The school taught Talmud and some regular subjects, like English. The part of the school that trained rabbis began in 1897.

In 1976, the university faced money problems. Some schools and programs had to be combined or closed. The Belfer Graduate School of Science, for example, closed in 1978. After the university's finances became stable, new parts were added. The Sy Syms School of Business opened in 1988 for both men and women.

Many undergraduate students now spend their first year studying in Israel. This has become a common practice. A special program was set up so they can get credit for this year at Yeshiva. The rabbinical seminary also has a campus in Jerusalem. Many rabbinic students also study there for a year.

Over the years, the number of students grew a lot. Yeshiva University now has over 2000 undergraduate students. Besides its undergraduate schools, it has graduate schools for Jewish studies, social work, psychology, and law. There are more than fifteen schools in total. The university also has programs with other schools in New York and beyond. The Yeshiva University Museum is part of the Center for Jewish History in downtown Manhattan.

In 2014, the university's financial rating was lowered. To raise money and save costs, Yeshiva University sold some buildings. It also transferred control of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine to Montefiore Medical Center.

In 2012, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education warned the university. They needed to show more proof that their teaching and student learning were up to standard. By 2016, the university met these requirements and kept its accreditation.

In 2016, the university planned to give almost half of its large fund to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. This was part of a new partnership with Montefiore Health System.

In the 2020–2021 school year, Yeshiva University had about 2,250 undergraduate students. It also had 2,700 graduate students. The university also includes high schools for boys and girls. It also has the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). In 2007, it gave out 1,822 degrees. The university also runs community service projects in New York, Jewish communities, the United States, and Canada.

University Presidents

• Bernard Revel (1915–1940)
• Samuel Belkin (1943–1975)
• Norman Lamm (1976–2003)
• Richard M. Joel (2003–2017)
• Ari Berman (2017–present)

Academic Programs

The university offers many different study programs. These are organized into various schools.

University Schools

• Yeshiva College for Men
• Stern College for Women
• Sy Syms School of Business

Graduate and Professional Schools

• Katz School of Science and Health
• 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 Schools

• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Yeshiva University High School for Boys
• Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls
• Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
• Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music

University Rankings

In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Yeshiva University 98th among National Universities.

In 2023, Forbes ranked Yeshiva University 226th among "Top colleges." It was also ranked 118th among Private Colleges. The university was 143rd in Research Universities and 82nd in the Northeast. Globally, QS World University Rankings placed it 369th in the world.

University Campuses

The main campus of Yeshiva University is called Wilf Campus. It is in the Washington Heights area of upper Manhattan. The university's main office is located at 500 185th St. A plan from 1928 to build a large campus was stopped by the Great Depression. Building continued later, and the university bought existing buildings nearby.

Since 1886, Yeshiva University has grown a lot. It now includes about twenty colleges, schools, and centers. It also has several hospitals and healthcare places. The university has campuses and buildings in Manhattan (Washington Heights, Murray Hill, Greenwich Village), the Bronx, Queens, and Israel.

The Yeshiva University Museum is a teaching museum. It is the cultural part of Yeshiva University. It opened in 1973. The museum shows Jewish culture from around the world and throughout history. It does this through exhibitions and publications.

The university has a building in Jerusalem, Israel. It is in the Bayit VeGan neighborhood. This building has a branch of the rabbinical seminary. It also has an office for the S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program. Through this program, first-year students studying in certain Israeli Yeshivot are considered Yeshiva University undergraduates.

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  David H. Zysman Hall, on Yeshiva's Wilf Campus, is home to the former main beis midrash (Torah study hall)

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

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  David H. Zysman Hall, on the Wilf Campus

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  Gottesman Library

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  Belfer Hall

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  Schottenstein Center

Student Life and Activities

Student Publications

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 publications on various topics. These are made by student groups and academic clubs. The student radio station is WYUR, and it is an online-only station.

Undergraduate Clubs and Activities

Student groups include the Yeshiva University Dramatics Society (YCDS). This group puts on a play each semester. The Heights Initiative is a student-run group. It helps with outreach programs in the Washington Heights community. Student Government is managed by groups like YSU and SYMS. These groups also organize community events. Examples include the 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. Its goal is to teach about Jewish medical ethics. They host lectures on campus. They also hold genetic testing events. These events help fight genetic diseases common in the Jewish community.

University Athletics

Yeshiva athletics wordmark

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

Because of the university's dual curriculum, most sports teams practice at night. Some even practice as late as 11:00 pm. A few teams practice early in the morning, before classes start at 9:00 am. For example, the men's basketball team often practices at 6:00 am.

Teams have played in weekend tournaments outside New York City. Athletes sometimes stay with local families. This happened in Boston for basketball and fencing. It also happened in Hollywood, Florida, for the baseball team in 2008. Some international students play NCAA sports. The school has had players from many different countries.

Baseball Team Highlights

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. From 2023 to 2025, the Maccabees had a long losing streak. On April 8, 2025, Yeshiva ended their streak with a 9–5 win over Lehman College.

Basketball Team Highlights

Yeshiva's Men's Basketball team often competes in the playoffs. The team was very successful in the early and late 1990s, and again in the early 2020s. Banners in the Max Stern Athletic Center celebrate these successful seasons. In the 2007–08 season, a Yeshiva player was named Rookie of the Year for the Skyline Conference.

In 2018, the team won the Skyline Conference title. This was their first time earning a spot in the NCAA tournament. This win received a lot of media attention. The current head coach is Elliot Steinmetz, who started in 2014. He has been very good at finding talented athletes. Yeshiva's unique position in the Orthodox Jewish world helps them find players globally.

In the 2019–20 season, the men's basketball team lost only one game. They went on to win the Skyline Conference championship. This was their second time in three years making the NCAA Division III Tournament. They won the first two rounds, reaching the "Sweet Sixteen" (3rd round) for the first time. The NCAA tournament was then canceled due to COVID-19.

After a short 7–0 season in 2020–21, the Maccabees started the 2021–22 season with a 36-game winning streak. This was the longest winning streak in NCAA men's basketball at the time. They were ranked #2 in preseason polls. During this streak, media outlets like ESPN and CNN featured the team. On November 29, 2021, the Maccabees reached 44 wins in a row. They became the #1 ranked team in the D3hoops.com poll. This was the first time any Yeshiva team topped a national poll. The team was recognized by ESPN and NBA Twitter for their 50th straight win. This was the longest winning streak in NCAA Men's Division III Basketball.

On December 30, 2021, the men's basketball team's winning streak ended.

Fencing Team Highlights

One of the most successful teams in Yeshiva University's history is the fencing team. They are known as the "Taubermen." This name comes from 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 time.

Tennis Team Highlights

In 2014, the Men's Tennis team won the Skyline Conference championship. This was the first time any team from the school went to the NCAA tournament. In 2015, the Men's Tennis team won the Skyline Conference again. They went back to the NCAA National Tournament and reached the second round. They lost to the defending champions, Amherst College. The Men's Tennis team won the Skyline Conference for a third year in a row in 2016. They continued this success, making five straight NCAA National Tournament appearances by 2018.

Other Sports Achievements

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

Notable Alumni

Notable Staff

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Yeshiva para niños