Yeshivat Frisch seniors had the opportunity to hear from a panel of three Yeshiva University professors—a philosopher, a therapist and an expert in Jewish mysticism—discuss the concept of “Reinventing the Self” on Monday. Panelists included Dr. Daniel Rynhold (Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies), Dr. Debbie Akerman (Wurzweiler School of Social Work) and Dr. Chaya Sima Koenigsberg (Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought). The professors spoke about diverse topics within the chosen theme: Rynhold spoke about the philosophical concept of repentance, Ackerman discussed the disease of substance abuse and the communal response to it, while Koenigsburg connected themes from Bereishit and the story of Amalek to the idea of change.

Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, senior advisor to the provost at YU and coordinator of the panel, noted at the start of the event that the topic was appropriate for the season, with the Yamim Noraim still fresh in our systems and in light of our current immersion in Sefer Bereishit—in which mankind must reinvent their lives outside of Eden, and Noah’s family post-flood.