Message From Our President
Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Friends,
I am pleased to present to you this Guide to our plans for the upcoming fall semester and reopening of our campuses. In form and in content, this coming semester will be like no other. We will live differently, work differently and learn differently. But in its very difference rests its enormous power.
The mission of Yeshiva University is to enrich the moral, intellectual and spiritual development of each of our students, empowering them with the knowledge and abilities to become people of impact and leaders of tomorrow. Next year’s studies will be especially instrumental in shaping the course of our students’ lives. Character is formed and developed in times of deep adversity. This is the kind of teachable moment that Yeshiva University was made for. As such, we have developed an educational plan for next year that features a high-quality student experience and prioritizes personal growth during this Coronavirus era. Our students will be able to work through the difficulties, issues and opportunities posed by our COVID-19 era with our stellar rabbis and faculty, as well as their close friends and peers at Yeshiva.
To develop our plans for the fall, we have convened a Scenario Planning Task Force made up of representatives across the major areas of our campus. Their planning has been guided by the latest medical information, government directives, direct input from our rabbis, faculty and students, and best practices from industry and university leaders across the country. I am deeply thankful to our task force members and all who supported them for their tireless work in addressing the myriad details involved in bringing students back to campus and restarting our educational enterprise.
In concert with the recommendations from our task force, I am announcing today that our fall semester will reflect a hybrid model. It will allow many students to return in a careful way by incorporating online and virtual learning with on-campus classroom instruction. It also enables students who prefer to not be on campus to have a rich student experience by continuing their studies online and benefitting from a full range of online student services and extracurricular programs.
In bringing our students back to campus, safety is our first priority. Many aspects of campus life will change for this coming semester. Gatherings will be limited, larger courses will move completely online. Throughout campus everyone will need to adhere to our medical guidelines, including social distancing, wearing facemasks, and our testing and contact tracing policies. Due to our focus on minimizing risk, our undergraduate students will begin the first few weeks of the fall semester online and move onto the campus after the Jewish holidays. This schedule will limit the amount of back and forth travel for our students by concentrating the on-campus component of the fall semester to one consecutive segment.
Throughout our planning, we have used the analogy of a dimmer switch. Reopening our campuses will not be a simple binary, like an on/off light switch, but more like a dimmer in which we have the flexibility to scale backwards and forwards to properly respond as the health situation evolves. It is very possible that some plans could change, depending upon the progression of the virus and/or applicable state and local government guidance.
Before our semester begins, we will provide more updates reflecting our most current guidance. Please check our website, yu.edu/fall2020 for regular updates. We understand that even after reading through this guide, you might have many additional questions, so we will be posting an extensive FAQ section online as well. Additionally, we will also be holding community calls for faculty, students, staff and parents over the next couple of months.
Planning for the future during this moment has certainly been humbling. This Coronavirus has reminded us time and time again of the lessons from our Jewish tradition that we are not in full control of our circumstances. But our tradition also teaches us that we are in control of our response to our circumstances. Next semester will present significant challenges and changes. There will be some compromises and minor inconveniences--not every issue has a perfect solution. But faith and fortitude, mutual cooperation and resilience are essential life lessons that are accentuated during this period. And if we all commit to respond with graciousness, kindness, and love, we can transform new campus realities into profound life lessons for our future.
Deeply rooted in our Jewish values and forward focused in preparing for the careers and competencies of the future, we journey together with you, our Yeshiva University community, through these uncharted waters. Next year will be a formative year in the lives of our students, and together we will rise to the moment so that our students will emerge stronger and better prepared to be leaders of the world of tomorrow.
Best Wishes,
Ari Berman
If Lawrence Askowitz ’87YC, co-chair of the Yeshiva University Wall Street Group, has his way, that community will only become stronger.
With more than 30 years of capital markets and mergers and acquisitions experience, Lawrence, Managing Director at Bank Street, has had a career that’s flourished at Lazard, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank. During the course of his career, he has originated, structured and executed more than $200 billion of financial and strategic transactions for many of the leading companies in the telecom, media and technology (TMT) sector, and has gained extensive board of directors experience in the telecommunications industry, including at 180 Connect, Horizon PCS and Lumos Networks.
Among his impressive endeavors, Lawrence has helped the YU Wall Street networking group take flight. According to this alumnus, these groups offer a proven track record for success.
How does the YU Wall Street Group support students looking to find positions in the financial fields?
I don’t think of the YU Wall Street Group as a network for people who are just trying to get jobs, although I’m happy that participants are able to use it this way when needed. I would guess that job-seekers account for less than five percent of the attendees and another five percent are students. The overwhelming majority of people are happy at their jobs and at the top of their careers, and come to our events because they find the topics fascinating. By attending these great events, they have a natural way of reconnecting with the university in a very positive atmosphere. All we ask in exchange is to mentor a student and give them a chance at an internship and job opening.
So it’s about networking?
Absolutely that’s a part of it, but it’s not just networking to find jobs. It’s also about networking to advance your career. You may meet an attorney with expertise in a field you need, or a venture capitalist who needs a banker for a portfolio company, or a hedge fund manager looking for an independent board member for an investment. Participants discover all kinds of networks.
Research has shown that there’s a lot to be said about “whom you know.” Do you agree?
Networking isn’t just about meeting that one person who has a job to fill. It’s about creating an ecosystem where participants better understand the excellence of YU’s program and the quality of its students so that they’re eager to bring those students onto their teams. As an example, I was able to get a managing director from a top-tier fund to attend one of our events which was focused on his core business. He had graduated from YU 20 years ago and no longer had a connection to the University. He was incredibly impressed by the high-profile speakers and the successful alumni in attendance. After that, he reached out to the career center and is now poised to hire a YU student.
So it’s a win-win situation?
Actually, I think our networking groups create a win-win-win-win situation. It’s a win for the panelists, who recognize that they’re speaking to a network of top professionals. It’s a win for the people in our group who are excited to learn from these expert panelists and meet great people in their field. It’s a win for students, who may find mentors and future employers because these groups create an excitement about YU. And it’s a win for YU, because as people appreciate this ecosystem we’ve produced, they’re more inclined to send their kids to YU and to provide support themselves. It also reconnects people with their alma mater. It’s mutually beneficial all around. What could be better than that?
Interested in joining one of YU’s professional networking groups? Visit 
