Introduces $1 million matching grant in honor of Rabbi Zevulun Charlop to support elite Torah scholars

Celebrating a passionate commitment to Torah and the Jewish people, YU RIETS will ordain 135 new rabbis on Sunday, June 16, in the Nathan Lamport Auditorium at Zysman Hall. The triannual event since 1903 is a testament to YU’s commitment to the future of the Jewish people, educating the next generation of stellar rabbinic leaders. 

“As we welcome, with great joy, our newest cohort of rabbis, we publicly celebrate their impressive achievements and what they represent to the future of the Jewish people. After years of study and dedication, our graduates are prepared to lead with vision, clarity, and a profound sense of purpose,” said Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of YU. “Especially today with so many challenges facing the Jewish people throughout this country and beyond, we need Rabbis who are deeply rooted in their Torah knowledge, able to engage their communities and students with empathy and compassion, and are articulate ambassadors of our values and defenders of the Jewish people to the world. It is from here that the future of the Jewish community stands.” 

Torah study at Yeshiva University will be further strengthened through a new $1 million matching grant in memory of Rabbi Zevulun Charlop zt”l — dean emeritus of RIETS, who served as dean for 35 years and was one of the architects of Yeshiva University as it is today. 

Created in recognition of Rabbi Charlop’s contribution to the RIETS community, where he shepherded countless talmidim (or, as he would say, "metzuyanim") on their path to becoming rabbis, the Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Metzuyanim Fund will strengthen and further advanced Talmud Torah in the yeshiva by supporting promising students and budding talmidei chachamim. Its initial project will be establishing a cohort of elite students in the Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel who will be the Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Metzuyanim Scholars. These students will study under the tutelage of YU Rosh Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel Rabbi Hershel Schachter, one of the world’s leading rabbinical scholars and legal authorities, with an enhanced curriculum and extra monthly stipend. 

Donations to the fund of up to $1 million will be matched, offering the opportunity for donors to double their impact to support these RIETS scholars. 

“Under Rabbi Charlop’s leadership, the whole Yeshiva changed,” said Rabbi Hershel Schachter. “We all owe him a great debt of gratitude. It is most appropriate to honor him and his memory by generously participating in this new fund for the Yeshiva which will benefit the outstanding students - the Metzuyanim - of today, as this was an important cause which strongly motivated Rabbi Charlop over the course of so many years.” 

“The future of our community tomorrow is based on the caliber of Torah scholars we educate today,” said Rabbi Berman. “We ask all who believe that advanced Torah study is the key to our future, and who are thankful to Rabbi Charlop, to please contribute to this effort.” 

Nearly 1,000 friends, family and alumni are expected to join the graduates in a ceremony that will celebrate the scholarship of RIETS and the rabbinic leaders of tomorrow.  

Philanthropist Irwin Shapiro z"l will posthumously receive the Etz Chaim award — the highest honor given to a lay leader. Mr. Shapiro was an active member of the YU and RIETS Board, and an extraordinarily devoted student of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt”l. In addition, Rabbi Chaim Bronstein, the beloved RIETS administrator for 42 years, will receive the Amud HaYeshiva award for his devotion to our Yeshiva.

Featured at the Chag HaSemikhah will be guest speaker Rabbi Doron Perez, Executive Chairman of the Mizrachi World Movement, who has long been a voice of emunah and courage for our community, especially this year after Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7.  

Since the first class was ordained in 1903, RIETS has been graduating world-class rabbis who lead by example, spreading the values of YU across our communities, our country, and our world. 

You can view the Convocation livestream on June 16 starting at 1 p.m. at yu.edu/chag

Donations can be made to the Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Metzuyanim Fund at yu.edu/MetzuyanimFund