The Fall 2023 semester kicked off with exciting orientation activities at both undergraduate campuses, with move-in, shiurim, meeting rebbeim and faculty, information sessions, shows, panel discussions, a concert, and meeting new and old friends. Below is a recap of the programming. On the Beren Campus Discover Your Potential - Torat Adam: That was the theme of Fall 2023 Orientation for the 300 new students who joined the Yeshiva University family. Coordinated by the Office of Student Life, from Tuesday, August 22 through Sunday, August 27, each incoming student from Stern College for Women, the Sy Syms School of Business and the Katz School was treated to an immersive and uniquely tailored program that introduced them to the many pathways one may take at Yeshiva University.    The week began with move-in for new students on Tuesday, August 22. Spearheaded by the Office of Residence Life, new students were greeted by friendly faces of staff, resident advisors, student orientation leaders, as well as rabbis and spiritual guides. Following the move-in process, dinner was served to all parents and staff with words of welcome by Dr. Sara Asher, the dean of students.  The full Orientation program began on Wednesday, August 23. Following shacharit and shofar blowing, students were given the opportunity to build their own schedules to fit their needs and interests. Whether they wanted to learn about clubs and student activities, understand how to "hack” the cafeteria, meet with an academic advisor or take in the various Torah programs the university offers, the day was packed with sessions and opportunities for students to meet and engage with staff, rabbis and, most importantly, their peers. Students also enjoyed a lunch with the staff of the Office of Torah and Spiritual Life, including Associate Dean of Torah Studies Shoshana Schechter But while YU students are known for working hard, they also play hard. On Wednesday evening, each student picked from a selection of off-campus trips to connect with old friends, meet new faces and take in New York City. The trips included a Yankees game, Broadway performances of Six and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Top Golf and the American Dream Mall.  Thursday, August 24 saw another day of sessions, including lunch with Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University. The day concluded with dinner and a panel discussion – “From College to Calling:  Making Your Personal Passion Your Profession” – at the Tempura NYC in Midtown Manhattan. Moderated by Aliza Abrams Konig, senior program director at the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership, the panel included psychiatrist Dr. Esther Rollhaus, jewelry designer Rachel Shnay, filmmaker Leah Gottfried and photographer Abbie Sophia.  The fun continued on Friday, with trips to the U.S. Open in Queens, as well as showings of the film Golda and Blue Beetle. Students concluded the week with some pre-Shabbat cholent and kugel, as they began their preparations to welcome in the Shabbat.  Shabbat began with a campus-wide Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday night. Following davening, the students ate Friday night dinner all together, where they heard divrei Torah, sang zmirot and enjoyed a delicious meal. After dinner, Rabbi Dr. Berman and Dean Schechter hosted an oneg and distributed copies of Rabbi Dr. Berman's book, The Final Exam: Letters to Our Students. Following the oneg, Dr. Shaina Trapedo, assistant professor in English at Stern College for Women and resident scholar and recruitment officer at the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, moderated a student panel. On Shabbat day, following shacharit, students enjoyed a Sephardic-style kiddush. The afternoon featured a staff panel -- "What Working at Yeshiva University Means to Me" -- with Dean Schechter, Dr. Yael Muskat, director of the Counseling Center and dean of mental health and wellness, Mrs. Rachel Ciment, director of spiritual guidance and Dr. Jonathan Schwab, director of the Office of Student Life, and was moderated by Alana Reichenberg, senior program manager at the Office of Student Life. Campus couples Rabbi Azi and Ellie Fine and Rabbi Avrumi and Michal Schonbrun also delivered the inaugural Pirkei Avos shiur, an initiative that will continue throughout the year. Later in the day, following mincha and seudat shlishit, students closed out shabbat with zmirot, maariv, havdalah led by Rabbi Dr. Berman and an ice cream party. Sunday, August 27 finished off Orientation with a welcome back barbeque for all students – new and returning – as well as a Joey Newcomb concert!  On the Wilf Campus Discover Your Potential - Torat Adam: That was the theme of Fall 2023 Orientation for the 300 new students who joined the Yeshiva University family. Coordinated by the Office of Student Life, from Tuesday, August 22 through Sunday, August 27, each incoming student from Yeshiva College, the Sy Syms School of Business and the Katz School was treated to an immersive and uniquely tailored program that introduced them to the many pathways one may take at Yeshiva University.   The week began with move-in for new students on Tuesday, August 22. Spearheaded by the Office of Residence Life, new students were greeted by friendly faces of staff, resident advisors, student orientation leaders, as well as rabbis and spiritual guides. Following the move-in process, dinner was served to all parents and staff with words of welcome by Dr. Jonathan Schwab, director of student life.   The full Orientation program began on Wednesday, August 23. Following shacharit and a shiur with Rabbi Daniel Rapp of the Irving I. Stone Beis Medrash Program (SBMP), students were given the opportunity to build their own schedules to fit their needs and interests. Whether they wanted to learn about clubs and student activities, understand how to "hack” the cafeteria, meet with an academic advisor or take in the various Torah programs the university offers, the day was packed with sessions and opportunities for students to meet and engage with staff, rabbis and, most importantly, their peers.  But while YU students are known for working hard, they also play hard. On Wednesday evening, each student picked from a selection of off-campus trips to connect with old friends, meet new faces and take in New York City. The trips included a Yankees game, a Broadway performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, axe throwing, Top Golf and the American Dream Mall.   Thursday, August 24 saw another day of sessions, including an introduction to Undergraduate Torah Studies (UTS), which featured remarks by Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, Rabbi Dr. J.J. Schacter, senior scholar at the Center for the Jewish Future, and Rabbi Yosef Kalinsky, dean of UTS. The day concluded with dinner and a panel discussion – “Publishing, Podcasting and Promoting: How to Tell Your Story Through Jewish Digital Media” – at the Radio Hotel, just down the street from the Wilf Campus. Moderated by Dr. Schwab, the panel included Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the Deep Shtetl newsletter, Rabbi Dr. Dovid Bashevkin, founder of 18Forty and an instructor at the Isaac Breuer College of Hebraic Studies (IBC), and Yaakov Langer, founder of Living Lchaim.   The fun continued on Friday, with trips to the U.S. Open in Queens, as well as showings of the films Golda and Blue Beetle. Students concluded the week with some pre-Shabbat cholent and kugel, as they began their preparations to welcome in the Shabbat.    Shabbat began with a campus-wide Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday night with musical guest and YU alumnus Tani Polansky. Following davening, the students ate Friday night dinner all together, where they heard divrei Torah, sang zmirot and enjoyed a delicious meal. After dinner, Rabbi Beny Rofeh, director of IBC, moderated a student panel on “What Does It Mean to be a College Student”, while Rabbi Josh Blass, mashgiach, Rabbi Baruch Simon, rosh yeshiva, and Polansky hosted a festive oneg.   On Shabbat day, following shacharit, students enjoyed a Sephardic-style kiddush with Rabb Dan Cohen, the Edmond J. Safra Sephardic S'gan Mashgiach, followed by shiurim with Rabbi Rapp and Sam Gelman, senior program manager at the office of student life. Students then split up into groups and enjoyed shabbat lunch at various YU staff members homes, including Stephanie Sugarman, assistant director of the office of student life, Rabbi Cohen, Rabbi Yosef Kalinsky, Rabbi Rapp, Rabbi Rofeh and Rabbi Simon. Later in the day, following mincha, seudat shlishit  and maariv, students closed out shabbat with a musical havdalah with and ice cream party.    Sunday, August 27 finished off Orientation with a welcome back barbeque for all students – new and returning – as well as a Joey Newcomb concert!   To learn more about the Office of Student Life, visit our website and follow us on Instagram.