(Courtesy of YU) On June 14, over 1,800 students from Yeshiva University’s undergraduate and graduate schools will receive their degrees at YU’s 89th Commencement Exercises, this year to be held virtually in light of the pandemic. Eight undergraduate students will be honored as valedictorians for their outstanding academic achievements.
As they enter this new and exciting stage in their lives, they will bring with them the dynamic and fulfilling Jewish, academic, extra-curricular and social experiences they received throughout their undergraduate years at YU.
Elisheva Cohen, majoring in Jewish education with a minor in biology, has been selected as valedictorian of both Stern College for Women and the Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies. Among the many activities in which she was involved were the Beit Midrash Committee, co-coordinator of the Beren Bekiut program and as a volunteer for Ezras Nashim, Stern College’s EMT group. “I have had a very positive and meaningful experience at Yeshiva University that extended from the classroom and beyond,” she said.
Next year, the native of Stamford, plans to study in Israel to gain a deeper knowledge of Torah and cultivate the skills to be a master teacher. “I want to learn in order to give back and spread a love of God, Torah and the Jewish People.”
CJ Glicksman of Teaneck, valedictorian of Yeshiva College, is graduating with a double major in philosophy and music. During his busy three years on campus, he has worked with undergraduate and graduate students as a peer tutor, a tutor in the writing center and as resident adviser of Rubin floor 7. He was also vice president of the Yeshiva College Student Association. In addition, he has been participating in the MafTeach Chinuch Fellowship at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration.
“I have pushed myself to use the opportunities given to me in order to learn and grow to the greatest extent possible,” said Glicksman. “I am unbelievably proud to be a graduate of Yeshiva College and am so grateful for the past few years I’ve had at YU.”
Next year, he plans to work at SAR High School in Riverdale, as a Beit Midrash Fellow, during which he hopes “to gain a better sense of how I might enjoy teaching and decide whether to subsequently pursue a degree at one of YU’s graduate schools as well as semicha [rabbinical ordination].”
Natan Siegel of Silver Spring, Maryland, is valedictorian of the Mazer School of Talmudic Studies, graduating with a major in mathematical economics. He is grateful for the knowledge and guidance he received from his rebbeim, in particular Rav Michael Rosensweig, a rosh yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS).
One of his favorite experiences at YU was staying on campus for Shabbos. “The atmosphere, complete with passionate singing and davening, learning from our amazing roshei yeshiva and spending quality time with my fellow students, always gave me the boost I needed to start another week,” said Siegel.
Siegel is grateful to his parents, his rebbeim at Yeshivat Hakotel, where he studied during his gap year in Israel, and to Yeshiva University for providing him the guidance, inspiration and tools to study Torah with diligence and sophistication. He plans on continuing his studies next year at RIETS, where “I will continue to learn from the extraordinary roshei yeshiva of this institution and hope to be able to maximize my time learning and growing together with my peers.”
Avidan Rudansky, from Mamaroneck, is valedictorian of the Isaac Breuer College of Hebraic Studies with a major in biology and a minor in finance. “YU is more than just a college—it is a community,” he observed. “From the rabbis and professors to the students and coaches, I was always in a learning and growing environment.”
The diversity of students and course offerings at YU allowed him the opportunity to explore other areas of interest. Although a biology major, he discovered a passion for venture capital and entrepreneurship, and as a member of YU’s tennis team, he was able to form lifelong bonds with students and coaches who shared his passion and drive.
“As I enter the next chapter of my life, I hope I can bring the knowledge, lessons and morals I was fortunate to learn at YU into the real world and contribute positively to society. If I could help change, inspire or uplift even one person’s life, whether that be religiously, educationally, professionally, socially or economically, that would truly be something I’d be extremely proud of.”
Los Angeles native Chananya (Nani) Shapiro is valedictorian of the Irving I. Stone Beit Midrash Program and a business management major with plans to pursue a career in marketing.
One of his primary goals in the coming year is to continue the close relationships he had with his rebbeim, among them Rav Moshe Tzvi Weinberg, mashgiach ruchani (spiritual guidance counselor), and Rav Azriel Kuschnir, sgan mashgiach ruchani. “Being from out of town, it was hard to be away from home for so long,” said Shapiro. “But the warm relationships I formed with my Rebbes really made me feel like I had a home away from home.”
Shapiro was involved in many campus activities, including the Breslov Club and trips to the Ohel in Queens where the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, is buried. He also helped organize the YU trip to Uman in Central Ukraine for Rosh Hashanah this past year with 20 students taking part, and arranged trips to Boro Park in Brooklyn to give fellow students the opportunity to experience a different side of Judaism.
“I really enjoyed my time at YU and am sad to see it come to an end,” he said. “I learned so much from all my rebbeim, including how to be a Ben Torah as I now enter the working world.”
Lior Brik, from Zichron Yaakov, Israel, is valedictorian of the James Striar School (JSS), majoring in computer science (data science track) and minoring in math. He is thankful for having been part of JSS, where “I learned how to be a better human being and was given many tools for daily life.”
During his time at YU, he developed a love of learning Gemara and the fascinating discussions that followed, and he will always be grateful to his JSS rebbeim for taking in a student far from home. “Each one of them is a rock star!” he said.
He is deeply appreciative of many of his rebbeim and teachers, including Rabbi Yonason Shippel, director of JSS, for his constant guidance, and the computer science professors who greatly influenced his YU experience, such as Judah Diament, chair of the computer science department. A leader on the men’s tennis team, Brik is also grateful to his coach, Jon Rubinstein, his assistant coaches and YU Athletics “for making the dream of a 12-year-old kid from Israel come true.”
Brik feels that a big part of who he is today is due to YU. “Using the lessons I learned while at YU about life, sports, friendship and computer science from good people who know the right and good way, I feel like I can now grow to be the best version of myself and do good things for the world.”
Shayna Doretsky from Plainview, is the valedictorian of the Sy Syms School of Business, with a major in accounting and a double minor in finance and information decision sciences.
During her time at YU, she participated in exciting clubs, been challenged by and learned from brilliant professors, and made wonderful friends. She spent much of her time participating in extracurricular activities such as the Beren Campus Student Council, the Israel Club, the Langfan Constitutional Oratorical Competition and the Accounting Society.
Doretsky says she will always appreciate her professors at YU “for their commitment and dedication to their students’ successes and their own respective fields,” among them Professor Nechama Price, director of Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program for Advanced Talmud Studies and senior lecturer of Judaic Studies and Bible, and many of her professors at Sy Syms: Dr. Sharon Poczter, chair, strategy and entrepreneurship department and associate professor; Sidney Mehl, senior lecturer in finance; Dr. Aliza Rotenstein, associate professor of accounting; and Dr. Noam Shamir, visiting associate professor of information and decision sciences.
She is grateful for the friendships she has made and looks forward to incorporating daily Torah learning into her schedule as she begins working at EY (Ernst & Young) next fall. “I am extremely thankful for my experience, and I wanted to particularly thank Hashem, my supportive family, my brilliant and encouraging teachers throughout the years, my extraordinary peers and the generous donors who have made my education possible,” she said.
Yona Rom from Toronto, Canada, is valedictorian of the Sy Syms School of Business with a double major in finance and accounting. He expressed a deep appreciation for all the positive experiences he had during his four years at YU, the lifelong friendships he formed and also the many opportunities he was given to get involved in chesed projects to give back to the community. Rom makes specific mention of the dynamic faculty and rebbeim at YU, saying, “I have been exposed to role models who embody real principles of success, integrity, altruism and a commitment to a Torah life, and for this I am so grateful.”
Rom says he will always be thankful to the exceptional and dedicated members of the alumni community of the university and attributes much of his success to the advice and mentoring he received from them. He plans to use this guidance after graduation as he pursues a career in the business world and looks forward to providing meaningful support and counsel to other students in the future.
He will always remember his experience at YU as a positive and valuable one. “I know I will look back at my four years at YU as some of the best of my life,” Rom said. “All I have learned there, in theory in the classroom and in practice through my internship experiences, as well as the many personal connections I have made, will stand me in good stead as I embark on the next chapter of my life.”
It’s clear the graduates will look back at their YU experience as one of religious growth and being prepared to be successful in their chosen careers. The administration, teachers and students of YU are immensely proud of these exceptional students and wish them much success in the future.
