(Courtesy of Yeshiva University) On Dec. 4, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, presented the Hildesheimer Lecture to a packed audience in the Senate Room of the Humboldt University’s School of Law in Berlin. The annual lecture co-sponsored by Humboldt University and the Rabbinerseminar zu Berlin, has featured some of the most prominent Jewish thinkers of our time, with a dedicated focus to applying academic and Jewish thought to contemporary times. In his lecture, “Faith and Fellowship: A Historical and Legal Analysis,” Rabbi Berman explored the way in which the great medieval sages interpreted the talmudic model of the righteous gentile to shed light upon how Jewish values guide our responses to the challenging issues facing today’s society.
Two days before the Hildesheimer Lecture, on Dec. 2, Rabbi Berman delivered the keynote address at an international conference against antisemitism, hosted by the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.
His remarks underscored the values underpinning Yeshiva University’s global partnerships. “As we witness a resurgence of antisemitism, it is imperative that universities around the world rise as bastions of moral clarity,” Rabbi Berman stated during his Frankfurt address. “Yeshiva University stands with our allies—academic institutions, faith communities and leaders of conscience—to combat hatred, champion safety for Jewish students and inspire hope. Together, we must foster a future rooted in justice and mutual respect.”
At this critical moment in history, as both the Jewish people and the global community face rising antisemitism, Yeshiva University remains steadfast in its mission to champion positive, ethical values. German universities in particular stand at an influential place in the European Union which has already seen universities boycott Israel. Strengthening these international alliances serves a strategic need for world Jewry, and international universities like Humboldt University are strategic partners of Yeshiva University, sending contingents of students to YU’s Cardozo Law LL.M. program.
As part of the YU delegation, Rabbi Berman brought with him a select group of Yeshiva University undergraduate honors students to participate in high level meetings with German political and educational leadership. At the Bundestag, the delegation met with senior German Parliament Member Otto Fricke, and Former Federal Minister for Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger. They also engaged in productive conversations with Dr. Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner to combat antisemitism, Frankfurt University President Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke and Vice President of Humboldt University Niels Helle-Meyer.
Experiential education in leadership is a featured aspect of YU’s mission to ready its students to assume the mantle of leadership in the coming generation. For the Yeshiva University delegation, the time in Germany was more than just impactful speeches and meetings. It was a firsthand testament to the importance of strengthening the work across the globe to lead in the effort to combat antisemitism and promote moral clarity worldwide. As the flagship Jewish university, Yeshiva University educates its students to be a force for justice, hope and moral courage. Through partnerships with global leaders like those fostered in Germany, this movement continues to grow stronger, building a brighter future for all.
