It’s doubtful that you’ll meet someone with deeper roots at Yeshiva University and a greater passion for baseball than Jeremy Renna of Highland Park, NJ.
Renna graduated from the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva in 1997 and met his wife Tova, Sy Syms ‘98, at a friend’s Shabbos table on the Upper West Side. Renna has been teaching a business communications course at Sy Syms since spring 2021, after previously serving as a guest lecturer in the business school from 2012—2020. As guest lecturer, he spoke on the topic “How can you be frum in the non-frum world of business?”
Renna draws on his considerable experience in the business world in his teaching. He worked for 20 years at Macy’s department store, in finance, store design, vendor collaboration and leased businesses. More recently, he works as a retail consultant in Anner Consulting, founded in 2020, where he helps brands get access to retailers.
In November Renna was appointed by YU Athletic Director Greg Fox as the head coach of the Maccabees, the YU Men’s Baseball team, after serving in that role in an interim capacity for two months.
Renna’s work with the YU baseball team will capitalize on his considerable experience as a coach.
In 2018, Renna co-founded (with Rob Kaplan-Sherman) the Highland Park Owls, a local travel team for students 16 and under. The Owls have won five consecutive championships. He also coaches the Jewish Educational Center’s high school boys’ baseball team, the Thunder, which went to the playoffs in 2023.
Renna is excited to work with a “stellar staff” in his role at YU: Pitching Coach Rob Kaplan-Sherman, Hitting Coach Chaim Rosenberg and Quality Control Coach Eric Amkraut. He shared with The Jewish Link his philosophy on rebuilding the team, after a disappointing 2024 season: “The rebuilding of the psyche of the team and internally recruiting are essential to the team’s success.”
He thanked the Yeshiva University administration for giving him the flexibility to try new methods for scheduling team practices and building team spirit.
As a few examples, he related that the 2025 team members participate in an active group chat with him on WhatsApp and are planning a team Shabbaton in early February. He has also appointed a team leadership council, so students can quickly identify and share any concerns with him.
Renna is also encouraged by the partnership Yeshiva has established with Team Israel, which provides support in coaching and recruitment.
The YU Maccabees season starts on February 16 and will consist of Friday and Sunday doubleheaders through the spring and early summer, as they play other teams in the Skyline Conference in the New York Metro Area. Renna is poised to build a ‘chavaya’ (experience) that will raise team members’ spirits and scoring on the baseball field.
The Jewish Link looks forward to reporting the upcoming victories of the YU Men’s Baseball Team in 2025 and beyond.
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County Editor of The Jewish Link. He welcomes reader feedback and can be reached at [email protected]. Harry knows from personal experience that Jeremy Renna is a uniquely engaging, mission driven, and gracious leader and he wishes Jeremy much success in this new role.
