Bruriah’s inaugural speaker series offered the class of 2018 the chance to hear from a variety of speakers from the Jewish world. Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff opened the series in the fall. He is on the Judaic studies faculty, and the assistant director of admissions, at Stern College for Women at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Dov Emerson, former principal of YULA and currently on the administration of MTA, discussed “Happiness in the Age of Instagram,” a topic on which he published an article. Rabbi Reuven Ibragimov, director of RAJE asked, “Is Truth an Absolute Value?” The students discussed “Looking Out for Number One,” v’ahavta lereiacha kamocha with Rabbi Anthony Manning, co-director of Midreshet Tehillah, and Rabbi Ari Sytner, director, Department of Community Initiatives at Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future enthralled the students with his story of donating a kidney.

Other speakers include Doron Greenspan; Rabbi Chaim Jachter, rabbi of Shaarei Orah in Teaneck; Rabbi Kagan, principal of Midreshet Tehillah; Rabbi Josh Kahn, principal of MTA; Rabbi Label Lam, principal of Ateres Naava; Rabbi Steven Miodownik, principal of RPRY; Dena Schoonmaker, Michlala, who focused on uprooting hakpada, internalized anger; and Devorah Starr, faculty member of Midreshet Harova. Rebecca Skaist, grade adviser for the seniors said “The benefits of senior seminar are that our 85 seniors are learning together as a grade and are hearing relevant themes about bein adam l’chaveiro, which are issues that seniors are involved in.”