Key Facts
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About
Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish research university located in New York City, United States, offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Founded in the late 19th century as a yeshiva (Jewish seminary), it has evolved into a comprehensive institution with four campuses serving undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. The university is a hub for Modern Orthodox Judaism, emphasizing a dual curriculum rooted in the Modern–Centrist–Orthodox Judaism philosophy of Torah Umadda, integrating secular academic education with the study of Torah through its various schools, including the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS).
Its undergraduate schools include Yeshiva College for men, Stern College for Women—where Weiss taught—and the Sy Syms School of Business, which offers programs in liberal arts, sciences, business, and Jewish studies. The Sy Syms School of Business, developed under leaders like Michael Schiff, is recognized as a prominent business program in New York City. Graduate and professional schools include the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the Cardozo School of Law—which shares the university’s private nonprofit status and Jewish educational mission—as well as schools of social work, psychology, and education. These schools foster an environment combining intellectual rigor with Jewish values and community service.
Yeshiva University supports vibrant student life with organizations such as the Yeshiva University Women's Organization, established in 1924, and initiatives like College EDge, START Science, and humanitarian missions aimed at preparing students for meaningful lives of purpose and service. The university also places a strong emphasis on Jewish medical ethics, exemplified by the student-run Medical Ethics Society founded in 2005 with support from the Center for the Jewish Future. Recognized for its contributions, Yeshiva University has received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters and continues to bridge traditional Jewish learning with modern academic pursuits, influencing networks of Jewish education, ethics, and community leadership globally.