RIETS hosted a Roshei Yeshiva reunion for students of Rabbi Aharon Kahn, Rabbi Yaakov Neuberger and Rabbi Michael Rosensweig at the Jacob and Dreizel Glueck Center for Jewish Study in March. Each rosh yeshiva spoke about Pesach-related topics. Rabbi Yona Reiss, the Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS, declared, “It is part of our Torah tradition for students to be mekabel penei rabbo—to visit their Rebbeim on holidays. For us, convening these reunion events, where our Yeshiva alumni can re-experience the presence of their rabbinic mentors, is a special ‘mini-holiday’ opportunity for Torah learning, inspiration and the rekindling of an everlasting relationship.”

Another learning opportunity coming up is Shavuot, a special holiday with a built-in nightlong learning session. This year, you can study Torah alongside some of YU’s most distinguished personalities at the RIETS Shavuot Yarchei Kallah, from May 25-May 28, which is also Memorial Day Weekend. The retreat will take place at the beautiful and recently-renovated Rye Town Hilton in Westchester, NY. YU President Richard M. Joel; Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, chancellor and RIETS rosh hayeshiva; Rabbi Yona Reiss; Rabbi Kenneth Brander, the David Mitzner Dean of CJF; Mindy Eisenman of YU Connects; Chaviva Levin, Yeshiva College professor of Jewish history; and other scholars will be on hand to deliver stimulating talks and shiurim and lead learning sessions. Aside from the “wonderful learning opportunity to celebrate z’man matan toraseinu [the time of the giving of our Torah] by learning with our roshei yeshiva,” says Rabbi Reiss, “the Gemora in Pesachim says that despite disagreement about certain other holidays, everybody agrees that the celebration of Shavuos requires an element of personal indulgence. This retreat is perfect for all those who want to indulge themselves in both terrific shiurim and a warm and welcoming recreational environment during the upcoming holiday.” Families are welcome, and there will be a teen program, day camp, and babysitting. The weekend will be catered by Chap-a-Nosh of Cedarhurst. To register, visit yu.edu/riets/shavuos or contact 646-592-402.

It’s a new world, and much of that world is online. As a result, the Office of Alumni Affairs has amped up its presence on the web, including an active Facebook page which we regularly update with news about YU alumni events, announcements of upcoming programs, contests with the chance to win YU swag, and videos and photos, including the popular photo feature “Toddler Tuesdays.” For many of our alumni, especially those living abroad, the YU Alumni Facebook page is an important touchstone. “As a YU alumnus living in Israel, YU's Facebook page is my lifeline to all things YU,” said Elie Klein '03SB. “Whether you live 6,000 miles away or in the same zip code, it's always nice to feel connected to the rest of the YU family.”

Aside from connecting to a valuable resource for YU news, why else should you follow the YU Alumni Facebook page? Simple: you might just win an iPad. With the mere click of the ‘Like’ button on the facebook.com/YUAlumni page, you are officially entered into our newest contest, which will randomly select a person from among our followers, both new and old, to win the incredibly popular Apple iPad (prize value is $600). The contest starts May 1 and ends May 31, so be sure to click “Like” and become a follower of our Facebook page to be eligible for your chance to win.

Attention sports fans! There are a number of sports-related programs happening at YU. On Sunday, May 6, Coach Johnny Halpert will be recognized for his 40 years as coach of the YU Macs men’s basketball team with a special tribute and naming of the basketball court in his honor. An endowed scholarship has been established at Yeshiva College in Coach Halpert's name to honor his significant contributions to Yeshiva University and the Maccabees. To support the Coach Jonathan Halpert Scholarship visit www.yu.edu/support/halpertfund.   A special thank you also goes out to the members of the event committee who helped organized the tribute: Daniel Aaron ’90YUHS, ’94YC; Eli Davidoff ’86YC; Albert Faber ’70YUHS, ’74YC; Rafi Halpert ’00YUHS, ’05SB; Yehuda Halpert ’93YUHS,’97YC, ’05R; Tzvi Himber ’91YC; Lance Hirt ’87YC; Lior Hod ’88YC; Mark Hoenig ’74YUHS, ’78YC; Aaron Kinderlehrer ’69YC; David Kufeld ’76YUHS, ’80YC; Steven Kupferman ’97YC; Jan Levine ’98YC; Martin Liebovitch ’11SB; David Neiss ’96YUHS, ’00SB; Stuart Poloner ’71YC; Robby Rosenbloom ’81YUHS, ’85YC; Shabsi Schreier ’81YUHS, ’85YC; David Shaulewicz ’09SB; Harvey Sheff ’82YC; Elliot Steinmetz ’02SB; Yudi Teichman ’89YC.

The Annual Athletics Awards Banquet on Wednesday, May 9 in the Max Stern Athletic Center will honor athletes from YU’s 14 athletic teams for their hard work and sportsmanship throughout the season. Special recognition is given to student athletes who have played on a team for four years; the Henry Wittenberg and Red Saracheck awardees, the wrestler and basketball player whose leadership and teamwork best represented the legendary coaches; male and female athletes of the year; the Aaron Meyer awardee, the student athlete who demonstrates a real sense of selflessness and spirit to his or her team; and many more individual coach and player awards. According to John Czarnecki, YU assistant athletics director, “Every year, the athletics department looks forward to this opportunity to honor our student athletes and their achievements throughout the year. Our players and coaches work hard during the season, and the banquet is a night to relax and enjoy the camaraderie and friendships that have formed among all the teams throughout the season.” For more details about YU’s sports teams, alumni can visit www.yumacs.com, the University’s official website for intramural, recreational and varsity athletics. The Athletic Department isn’t the only way to enjoy sports with YU. The Office of Alumni Affairs will be hosting our third annual event at Citi Field. All YU graduates are invited to watch the Mets take on the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, September 9. Alumni who were members of the YU baseball team are invited to a “mini-reunion” at the game. Families are welcome and free YU swag will be given to anyone who attends the game. For more information, contact alumnievents@yu.edu.

Next month features two long-standing YU traditions – class reunions and Commencement. On Wednesday, May 23, the day program for Reunion 2012, celebrating alumni who graduated 25, 40 and 50 years ago, will begin in Rubin Hall on the Wilf Campus at 12:30pm and end at 4:30pm at the Falk Lounge on the Israel Henry Beren Campus. Students will lead tours of both campuses and give a sense of what life at YU is like today. After, there will be further comparison and discussion on the changes at YU in a session called “YU in Review: A Look at YU Then and Now” featuring current faculty and undergraduate students. Don’t worry – no note-taking is required and there will not be an exam on the material covered. In addition to the panel discussion and tours of campus, an induction ceremony into the Silver and Golden Shield Society will be held to welcome the members of the classes of ’62 and ’72 into the esteemed alumni society and reunion celebrants and guests will be invited to hear from prominent YU rabbeim as they give shiurim. At the end of the day, alumni will head downtown to Battery Park City where a gala dinner celebration at the Museum of Jewish Heritage will be held. President Richard M. Joel and other YU administrators and faculty will be in attendance to talk with reunion guests. Alumni from the Classes of ’62, ’72, and ’87 who are unable to attend are invited to send in photos, videos and a personalized submission to their reunion bio book. (Submissions to the bio book can be made HERE.) [flickrslideshow acct_name="yualumni" id="72157629360003582"] The next day, May 24, the Yeshiva University Undergraduate Commencement ceremony will take place at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ, from 10:00am-2:00pm. Alumni are invited to participate and join the procession in cap and gown alongside YU faculty and graduates and watch as the newest class of alumni joins the hallowed ranks. (To do so, alumni must pre-register and submit their cap-and-gown form HERE.) The 2012 Undergraduate Commencement keynote speaker will be Yehuda Avner, Israel’s former diplomat and advisor to four prime ministers, who received critical acclaim for his popular bestseller The Prime Ministers. Avner will receive an honorary degree, as will Eleazar Hirmes ’44YC, a community leader in the Five Towns and a devoted alumnus who, with his wife Greta, established the Rabbi Abraham P. and Rebbetzin Frieda K. Hirmes Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of his parents; and Professor Alan Willner ’82YC, who holds the Steven and Kathryn Sample Chair in Engineering at the University of Southern California and is a leader in the field of science and communications. The fourth honoree and Presidential Medallion recipient will be Stern College for Women Associate Dean Ethel Orlian ’57YUHS, ’61S. To learn more information about Reunion 2012, visit yu.edu/reunion or call 212-960-5412.

YU’s Department of Economics has transformed over the past few years. The department, under the chairmanship of Professor James Kahn, has been steadily adding new resources, such as faculty, courses, and events. With the pending addition of three professors for the 2012-13 academic year, there will be seven new faculty members since 2009. The new hires for fall 2012 include William Hawkins, currently at the University of Rochester, who obtained his PhD from MIT in 2006, and Michael Richter, who is getting his PhD from New York University. Professor Hawkins was a student of the renowned Daron Acemoglu, who is among the 10 most cited economists in the world, and is an expert on labor market dynamics. Richter is a student of Ariel Rubinstein and Debraj Ray, Israeli and Indian-American economists respectively who work in game theory. Richter’s research is in decision theory and mechanism design. In addition to the transformation of undergraduate economics education at both Stern College for Women and Yeshiva College, the department is launching a new Master’s program in quantitative economics. This degree is geared to students with a solid preparation in mathematics and economics who want to pursue careers in either research or applied economics and finance. It will also enable YU undergraduates to take advanced classes that have been previously unavailable, as well as to stay on campus an additional year and obtain the Master’s degree. In February, the department hosted the 2011 winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, Tom Sargent of NYU, who gave a talk entitled “The United States Then, Europe Now” to a group of students, faculty, and alumni. Sargent’s presentation, held in the beautiful library of the YU High School for Boys, touched on parallels between the early history of the United States and the current challenges facing the European Union. It was preceded by a reception and dinner, and it was followed by a lively question and answer period. For YU alumnus JJ Hornblass ’91YC, attending the event as an economics graduate proved to be a valuable experience. “It was a highlight of my learning life,” said Hornblass. “I highly doubt I’ll ever again have the opportunity to hear the most recent Nobel Laureate in Economics speak not just on his discipline, but on his reflections on visiting the YU beit midrash. This is not the economics department that awarded me my undergraduate degree – and Jim Kahn deserves tremendous kudos for building a world-class learning environment.” In May, the annual Alexander Brody Distinguished Lecture in Economics will feature Ed Glaeser of Harvard University, who will speak on “Triumph of the City: Why Cities Are Our Best Hope for the Future.” Professor Glaeser is a world-renowned expert on urban economics, whose work has been featured on The Wall Street Journal and New York Times op-ed pages. The dinner talk will include an award ceremony for the top undergraduates in economics at YU. Professor Kahn, the Henry and Bertha Kressel University Professor of Economics and chair of the department, has been overseeing the departmental advances made in recent years. “The economics department at YU is continuing its rapid development into a world-class group of scholars and educators,” he said. “Having previously taught at universities like Yale and Columbia, I continue to encounter intelligent and motivated students in my role at Yeshiva University. I am proud to be a part of a university that continuously works to offer the best education possible to its students.” Economics alumni interested in learning more about or attending the upcoming May 2 Brody Lecture should click HERE or contact Illana Feiglin, director of alumni affairs, at feiglin@yu.edu.  YU graduates who majored (or minored!) in Economics and wish to be included on communications and invitations targeted towards this community should complete the brief online Economics alumni survey.

Pesach is April 6-14 this year, and whether you’re home, going away to a hotel program, or visiting family or friends for yom tov, YU has you covered with numerous resources for Pesach reading, learning, and divrei Torah to share at the sederim.

Pesach To-Go 5722, one of the several yom tov compilations of holiday-related articles YU puts out each year, includes more than 60 pages of articles on Pesach from YU faculty such as Rabbi Yona Reiss, the Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS, who writes on “The Freedom of Family”; Mrs. Yael Leibowitz, Stern College professor of bible, who writes on “Moshe Rabbenu: Enough Said”; Mrs. Nechama Price, Stern College professor of Jewish studies and bible, on “Splitting the Sea: Take Two”; Rabbi Eric Goldman, RIETS sgan masgiach, on “Maror: Finding Meaning in Life”; and Rabbi Reuven Taragin, a former Wexner fellow, on “The Pesach Haggadah: Developing an Experiential Commemoration.” Their unique perspectives and intellectual discussion will provide hours of reading for downtime and study on Pesach and make for stimulating discussion at the seder or other Pesach meals. The packet also includes a section on hagaddah discussion for the entire family, helping make Pesach and the sederim more interactive and enjoyable for the younger children. If that’s not enough, there are also thousands of inspirational shiurim on all aspects of Pesach, including halacha, Jewish thought, history, and other topics available online at yutorah.org/pesach. If you are a rabbi, a host of materials have been posted to rabbanan.org, the Center for the Jewish Future’s password-protected site and blog for our community of rabbis, which includes Pesach shiurim outlines to work from in preparation for the upcoming yom tov. YU has also hosted many pre-Pesach shiurim, including the RoshYeshiva Reunion on Inyanei Pesach with Rabbis Aharon Kahn, Yaakov Neuberger, and Michael Rosensweig on March 22. The March 29 Dr.Samuel Belkin z”l Memorial lecture with Rabbi Hershel Schachter, rosh yeshiva, focused on “Innovation and Halacha: Machine vs. Hand Shmurah Matzah” and the Office of Alumni Affair’s Spring Lecture Series session on March 22 featured Dr. Ari Mermelstein speaking on “The Pesach Seder and Rabbinic Responses to the Destruction of the Second Temple.” Visit yutorah.org to find recordings of these and other associated lectures.

The Nahshon Society, a select group of approximately 150 recent YU graduates looking to remain actively involved with the University, was created in 2009 by YU’s Department of Institutional Advancement. Since then, this group of enthusiastic and committed alumni has participated in many conversations on University life, offering their suggestions on how to enhance the student experienced and ensure that alumni remain engaged in the YU community.

On February 7, Nahshon members, as well as a small number of YU juniors and seniors, participated in a unique networking event at Bloomberg, L.P. in Manhattan where they were treated to a “behind the scenes” look at Bloomberg’s impressive facilities, with its distinctive architecture and stunning panoramic views of Manhattan.  J. Michael Gower, vice president for business affairs and chief financial officer at YU, gave a presentation on the financial state of the University and took questions from participants, who are interested in the state of the University. Nahshon’s upcoming spring meeting on March 21 will feature a unique round table discussion with Karen Bacon, the Monique C. Katz dean of Stern College for Women, Barry Eichler, Yeshiva College dean, and Moses Pava, the Alvin H.Einbender chair in business ethics and director of the Syms School of Business. They will discuss the future of the undergraduate schools of Yeshiva University, including the changes now underway.  Dean Bacon said, “I look forward to speaking to the Nahshon Society about the exciting new academic projects and developments at Stern College. Through the exchange of information with such a committed group of alumni, we forge an important partnership for the benefit of the University.”

This meeting is also a milestone for the group, as it will serve as the final program for the 2009 Nahshon Society cohort – the inaugural class of Nahshon Society members. Josh Sladowsky ’09SB, a trader at J.P Morgan and co-founder of the Nahshon Society, said, “The February event at Bloomberg Headquarters was great and set the tone for the upcoming Spring meeting as the first class of Nahshon prepares to conclude its three years of service. It will be a culminating moment when we get to see the University’s young leadership begin to emerge from this collective journey, and to witness the strong connection that has been developed between the Nahshon members and their alma mater. I think everyone has learned a lot from their time with Nahshon, and I believe they will continue to be invested in YU as a result of this experience.” While the majority of cohort spots in the Nahshon Society are filled by invitation, a select number of spots for graduating seniors from the forthcoming class of 2012 will be available to those who wish to submit an application. Candidates should have excellent academic credentials and leadership level involvement in student and communal affairs. For more information, contact nahshonsociety@yu.edu.

Just because the Superbowl is over doesn’t mean the sports fun has to end. It’s officially March Madness at YU, featuring our annual Wittenberg and Sarachek Tournaments.

This year’s 17th annual Henry Wittenberg Wrestling Invitational took place in late February and included 200 students from the wrestling teams of the Davis Renov Stahler High School, the Frisch School, Fuchs Mizrachi of Cleveland, Ida Crown Jewish Academy of Chicago (ICJA), Kushner Yeshiva High School, Maimonides School of Boston, Yeshiva University High School for Boys (YUHSB), The New Community Jewish High School of Los Angeles, North Shore Hebrew Academy, JEC, SAR, Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC), Yeshiva Atlanta, and Yeshiva Derech Hatorah. ICJA repeated as tournament winners, earning the Chicago school victories in four of the last five tournaments. The Dominator Award and Most Outstanding Wrestler Award went to Yoni Sunshine from Fuchs Mizrachi. The Champion of Champions Award went to Dovid Greenfield of TABC and the Rookie Team Award went to SAR Coach Roni Simchi. All of the wrestlers participated in a Shabbaton officiated by Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff, Stern College for Women Jewish studies professor. The tournament is named for YU's former wrestling coach and legendary Olympic medalist, Henry Wittenberg, who founded the school's wrestling program in 1955 and was the team's first coach. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 91. From March 22- 26, YU will hold its annual Red Sarachek Tournament, one of the country’s most prestigious events for Jewish high school basketball teams. Twenty Jewish high schools from around the country will gather at YU’s Wilf Campus to play in the tournament, divided into four tiers, each with its own champion. Alumni are invited to attend the tournament and are encouraged to stop by our ‘tailgate’ on Sunday, March 25. The alumni table will be located in Rubin Hall lobby where alumni can pick up free giveaways and show their YU pride. YU also proudly highlights the recent achievements of its female college athletes, who excel in balancing adual academic curriculum with a busy sports training and game schedule. Rebecca Yoshor of the Macs’ women’s basketball team was selected as the Hudson Valley Women’s Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week for two consecutive weeks in November, and then the Player of the Week in December. In February, she was named to the All-Conference Team. “I am honored to have been named to the all-conference team, especially since this was my first year on the team,” said Yoshor. “I feel very lucky to have been welcomed onto such a solid team with such amazing players and an encouraging coaching staff.” The women’s basketball team recently won its second game of the season, after defeating Vaughn College 68-21 on February 12. The game marked the annual senior day game, where three seniors were recognized at halftime: Mercedes Cohen, Fiona Guedalia, and Eli Goldenberg. YU volleyball player and junior Sarit Zukowsky was selected to the Hudson Valley Women’s Athletic Conference’s All-Conference team, Yeshiva’s only representative on the 10-person team.

The women’s soccer team was this year’s recipient of the NISOA (National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association) New York Metro Chapter Sportsmanship Award. The award is given to a 4-year men’s program, women’s program, and one junior college program. The men's award went to York College, and Queensborough was awarded the Junior College honor. John Czarnecki, assistant athletic director and sports information director, declared, “The hard work and dedication that our student-athletes show on a daily basis is inspiring to all who have the opportunity to witness it. Their individual and team accomplishments are a testament to the amount of time these women spend working hard in the classroom and on the field of competition. Our department is proud to be a part of their student-athlete experience here at Yeshiva University.”

Regional programming takes center stage this semester, with events in Atlanta, Florida, Maryland, Westchester and Los Angeles. YU professionals from the Institute for University-School Partnership visited Atlanta, GA, for the North American Jewish Day School Conference in January. The Shabbat of January 13-14, Dr. Scott Goldberg, the director of the Institute, spoke at the Young Israel of Toco Hills and hosted a Q&A session addressing the challenges day schools are facing today and innovative solutions to those challenges. On January 25, YU alumni in South Florida came together at Euro Café in Boca Raton to discuss how to build the local YU alumni network. Graduates from the 1950s through 2010 discussed the value of their YU connections, and how they can leverage those connections to help each other, as well as current and future students. Plans are also underway for professional networking events in Hollywood and Miami, and a YU send-off is being planned for students from South Florida heading to YU in August. If you would like to be involved in these events, or if you have ideas for other ways to strengthen your alumni connection to YU, please email alumni@yu.edu. Rabbi Kenneth Brander, the David Mitzner Dean of the Center for the Jewish Future, was the scholar-in-residence at Kemp Mill Synagogue in Silver Spring, MD the Shabbat of February 17. Rabbi Brander spoke about the future of modern orthodoxy, noting the movement’s key challenges. He also addressed the topics of Jewish leadership and reproductive issues. Alumni were invited to a special motzei Shabbat event at the home of Andrea and Nick Muzin ’97YC, ’01E. Laura Goldman ’90SB, who co-chaired the event with Lisa Mellman ’89S, led a discussion of YU ‘Then and Now’ in which alumni from as early as the ’50s shared stories of their time on campus, which were contrasted with the present-day experience, represented by current Stern College for Women student Atara Siegel. Rabbi Brander described what’s new at YU and answered questions from the alumni who asked about the enhancement of the undergraduate education, which includes the addition of many new full-time faculty members in the past five years. Alumni were also interested in the changes in the Career Development Center and the expansion of professional opportunities available to students. Rabbi Brander also emphasized the impressive experiential learning opportunities that hundreds of students participate in each year through service learning trips to Israel, Mexico, Nicaragua and across the United States. An event for Westchester area alumni is being planned for late spring led by Rachel Berger ’88S, ’91C and Ellie Goldenberg ’03SB. To help with this event email birch@yu.edu. Finally, this spring, YU graduates living in Los Angeles, CA, will be able to participate in the third annual alumni event. More details will be available in future alumni eNewsletters; YU graduates who are interested in serving on the host committee should contact Illana Feiglin, director of alumni affairs, at feiglin@yu.edu for more information.

On Monday, March 12, the YU Professionals Real Estate Group will present “The Redevelopment of the World Trade Center Site,” featuring Larry Silverstein in conversation with Michael Stoler at Silverstein Properties.  Larry Silverstein is one of New York City’s premier real estate developers and oversees Silverstein Properties, Inc. (SPI), a privately-held, full-service real estate development, investment and management firm. Silverstein, president and CEO, founded the company in 1957. SPI manages more than 35 million square feet of office, residential, hotel, and retail properties in the United States.

In July 2001, Silverstein completed the largest real estate transaction in New York City history when he signed a 99-year lease on the 10.6 million square foot World Trade Center for $3.25 billion, only to see it destroyed in terrorist attacks six weeks later on September 11, 2001. He is currently rebuilding the office component of the World Trade Center site, a $7-billion project that will consume the balance of his working life. Michael Stoler, president of New York Real Estate TV, LLC, and a managing director at Madison Realty Capital, a private equity firm, is the host and executive producer of “The Stoler Report – Real Estate Trends in the Tri-State Region,” now in its eleventh season. Stoler also serves as host and executive producer of “Building New York-New York Life Stories,” which is in its seventh season, and as a real estate commentator on 1010 WINS radio with “The Michael Stoler Real Estate Report” which premiered in 2007 and airs on the weekends. The YU Professionals Real Estate Group is the newest of YU’s professional networking groups, which also include the Wall Street Group and the Accounting and Financial Planning Network. YU professional networking groups bring together industry-related professionals for seminars on the most pressing issues of the day in their fields, providing an excellent networking venue for alumni in the field. The March 12 event will include a reception following Silverstein’s talk, sponsored by Meridian Capital Group.  Marc Kwestel ’87YC, co-chair of the YU Professionals Real Estate Group, stated, “We are excited to host this unique event with Larry Silverstein, one of New York City’s premier real estate developers. Mr. Silverstein’s tireless work to rebuild the World Trade Center is a topic close to everyone’s hearts, not just those interested in real estate. On behalf of my co-chair Bruce Schanzer ’91YC, ’93C, I would like to thank Mr. Silverstein for hosting this YU Professionals Real Estate Group event and for everything he is doing for New York City.” The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. with registration, followed by the program at 5:00 p.m. and the reception at 6:00 p.m. This event is now sold out but alumni interested in the YU Professionals Real Estate Group can email yurealestategroup@yu.edu for more information.