The yeshiva world is discovering that in order to obtain a good profession, one needs a college degree from a reputable school. Yeshiva students want to be able to transfer as many yeshiva credits as possible, study during times that do not conflict with their learning, be offered a modest tuition with financial aid, and take real classes, not online, for men only, off campus.
To address this need, Fairleigh Dickinson University established, a number of years ago, the FDU-Yeshiva Program. Students from all over the metropolitan New York region began to flock to this unique program. Over the years, hundreds of yeshiva students have attended the program, graduated and gone on to attend some of the top graduate and professional schools including Harvard Law School, University of Pennsylvania Law School and the FDU MS in Accounting program. Students are able to transfer 72 yeshiva credits from Israel and/or the U.S, as well as 18 academic credits from CLEP, AP, or other challenge exams and/or credit from other colleges. This program only requires the student to take 30 FDU credits.
What makes this program unique and exciting is that the tuition has now been reduced by 50 percent and government financial aid is also available.
The classes are offered in Teaneck at The Jewish Center of Teaneck and at Bnai Yeshurun. Classes are offered during the intensive Sukkot z’man and a post-Yom Tov session. For something new, strictly kosher food will be available to the students.
The goal is to help the student complete their college education as quickly as possible. The students may major in Business with plans to add other majors. Plans are in the works to expand the program to other New Jersey cities and to expand to a women’s program, The FDU-Seminary Program, which is coming soon.
Yeshiva students who still wish to start the program this fall can still do so since classes will start after Yom Kippur, for the Sukkot z’man, and after Sukkot for the regular classes.
Ira Jaskoll is the new Director of the FDU-Yeshiva Program and adjunct professor in the Silberman College of Business at FDU. He also is a Professor of Sports Management, and Marketing at Lander College/Touro College. He was the founding Associate Dean of the Sy Syms School of Business of Yeshiva University, founding Dean of the a Bramson ORT College, and faculty member in Rutgers Business School. Prof. Jaskoll consults in Jewish Marketing, developing the first Kosher Fantasy Camp with the New York Yankees, and Jewish Heritage Days with the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Rockland Boulders baseball teams. He can be reached at [email protected].
By Ira Jaskoll
