Jun 7, 2017 By: yunews
Four Classes of Alumni Look Back and Look Forward Together at Anniversary Events
On May 7, the and Stern College of Women classes of 1957, 1967 and 1977 gathered in the Weissberg Commons to celebrate their 60th, 50th and 40th reunions.
Alumni and their guests began the day by attending the Abraham Arbesfeld Kollel Yom Rishon and Millie Arbesfeld Midreshet Yom Rishon in the Shenk Shul at the Schottenstein Center. There they heard shiurim [lectures] delivered by Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, vice president of university and community life, and Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, university professor of Jewish history and Jewish thought.
Afterwards, they went on a guided tour of the campus. Ernest Miller 鈥67YC, attending with his wife Vivian, was glad to be back 鈥渢o see old friends and catch up on great memories,鈥 while Susan Amin 鈥67S, Rochelle (Sperling) Graubard 鈥67S and Toby (Engel) Schlussel 鈥67S spoke about how much they loved Stern and the lifelong connections they built there, and they all agreed when Schlussel stated that 鈥渁t Stern, we were a sisterhood of women.鈥
Joel Schreiber 鈥57YC, '60R, 鈥60BR, the current chairman of the Board of Trustees for the , recalled how his father suggested he attend 黑料社 All, saying 鈥渒now how to learn Judaism now, learn about business later.鈥 He acknowledged that his father was right because receiving his three degrees from YU 鈥渁ffected everything about my life and my values in a positive way.鈥
Lenore (Wolfson) Richter 鈥67S, 鈥69F, who met her husband Glenn while a student at Stern College, related how her experiences there oriented her towards a life of service. She was a teacher in the New York City public school system for 34 years and was active in many other service efforts, such as working with families from the Former Soviet Union. 鈥淚 owe Stern College a big thank you," she said.
One of the elements that made the reunion event notable was a live video feed that connected the alumni living in Israel with their compatriots sitting in Weissberg Commons. Former President Richard M. Joel was able to address the people in Israel and new president Rabbi Ari Berman, in Israel, addressed the gathering on the Wilf Campus; alumni knew that while thousands of miles separated them, technology had brought them together for a joint celebration.
President Joel recited many of the University鈥檚 accomplishments to demonstrate that 鈥渢he place is alive and dedicated to an integrated life based in the Torah鈥 and that YU has always stood for 鈥渟eeing as God sees and doing as God does.鈥
Rabbi Berman noted that the University owed President Joel a huge debt of gratitude for all he had accomplished over his tenure. 鈥淭hese accomplishments provide a firm foundation for the YU of tomorrow.鈥
After several touching reminiscences by both alumni and alumnae, the evening ended with a song composed by Joel Schreiber in 1956 that won a student council contest to compose an alma mater for Yeshiva College. Called 鈥淕olden Domes鈥 (in reference to the rooftops of Zysman Hall), the lyrics celebrate that 鈥渨here e鈥檙e your [YU] sons under heaven reside / They shall strive for both G-d and Man.鈥
The class of 1992 met on May 28 for their 25th reunion at Prime at the Bentley on East 62nd Street. Simcha Axelrod 鈥88YUHS, 鈥91YC, 鈥94SB enthusiastically recounted all the YU connections in his family as a way of celebrating this reunion: his father, Dr. Morton Axelrod, 鈥53YUHS, 鈥57YC, 鈥61E; his wife, Chani 鈥92S; and his niece, Kayla (a 2017 valedictorian for the Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies). He also noted that his son, Ariel, is a Yeshiva College sophomore.
Susan (Schlussel) Meyers 鈥92S and Lisa Edelstein 鈥89YUHS, 鈥93S were two members of a four-roommate suite who have kept in contact for the past quarter-century, while Yoel Lichenstein 鈥92YC was excited at having the chance to reconnect with others he had not seen in a long time.
Rabbi Berman joined the festivities to offer a few words, noting that 鈥渋t is real pleasure to be among so many people committed to YU鈥 and thanked them for keeping the University the dynamic place that it is. He also asked for advice from those assembled, which led to a lively discussion about the need for more opportunities for men and woman to interact socially.
Deva (Schlass) Zwelling 鈥92S, 鈥94W and Benjamin Waltuch 鈥88YUHS, 鈥92SB (who traveled from Chicago and Israel, respectively, to be at the event) ended the evening with fond reminiscences about their lives on and off the campuses, with Waltuch saying that 鈥渨e need to say thank to YU for all of the opportunities it has afforded us in our lives.鈥
For more pictures of the four reunions, see the and the .
Joel Schreiber 鈥57YC, '60R, 鈥60BR, the current chairman of the Board of Trustees for the , recalled how his father suggested he attend 黑料社 All, saying 鈥渒now how to learn Judaism now, learn about business later.鈥 He acknowledged that his father was right because receiving his three degrees from YU 鈥渁ffected everything about my life and my values in a positive way.鈥
Lenore (Wolfson) Richter 鈥67S, 鈥69F, who met her husband Glenn while a student at Stern College, related how her experiences there oriented her towards a life of service. She was a teacher in the New York City public school system for 34 years and was active in many other service efforts, such as working with families from the Former Soviet Union. 鈥淚 owe Stern College a big thank you," she said.
One of the elements that made the reunion event notable was a live video feed that connected the alumni living in Israel with their compatriots sitting in Weissberg Commons. Former President Richard M. Joel was able to address the people in Israel and new president Rabbi Ari Berman, in Israel, addressed the gathering on the Wilf Campus; alumni knew that while thousands of miles separated them, technology had brought them together for a joint celebration.
President Joel recited many of the University鈥檚 accomplishments to demonstrate that 鈥渢he place is alive and dedicated to an integrated life based in the Torah鈥 and that YU has always stood for 鈥渟eeing as God sees and doing as God does.鈥
Rabbi Berman noted that the University owed President Joel a huge debt of gratitude for all he had accomplished over his tenure. 鈥淭hese accomplishments provide a firm foundation for the YU of tomorrow.鈥
After several touching reminiscences by both alumni and alumnae, the evening ended with a song composed by Joel Schreiber in 1956 that won a student council contest to compose an alma mater for Yeshiva College. Called 鈥淕olden Domes鈥 (in reference to the rooftops of Zysman Hall), the lyrics celebrate that 鈥渨here e鈥檙e your [YU] sons under heaven reside / They shall strive for both G-d and Man.鈥
The class of 1992 met on May 28 for their 25th reunion at Prime at the Bentley on East 62nd Street. Simcha Axelrod 鈥88YUHS, 鈥91YC, 鈥94SB enthusiastically recounted all the YU connections in his family as a way of celebrating this reunion: his father, Dr. Morton Axelrod, 鈥53YUHS, 鈥57YC, 鈥61E; his wife, Chani 鈥92S; and his niece, Kayla (a 2017 valedictorian for the Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies). He also noted that his son, Ariel, is a Yeshiva College sophomore.
Susan (Schlussel) Meyers 鈥92S and Lisa Edelstein 鈥89YUHS, 鈥93S were two members of a four-roommate suite who have kept in contact for the past quarter-century, while Yoel Lichenstein 鈥92YC was excited at having the chance to reconnect with others he had not seen in a long time.
Rabbi Berman joined the festivities to offer a few words, noting that 鈥渋t is real pleasure to be among so many people committed to YU鈥 and thanked them for keeping the University the dynamic place that it is. He also asked for advice from those assembled, which led to a lively discussion about the need for more opportunities for men and woman to interact socially.
Deva (Schlass) Zwelling 鈥92S, 鈥94W and Benjamin Waltuch 鈥88YUHS, 鈥92SB (who traveled from Chicago and Israel, respectively, to be at the event) ended the evening with fond reminiscences about their lives on and off the campuses, with Waltuch saying that 鈥渨e need to say thank to YU for all of the opportunities it has afforded us in our lives.鈥
For more pictures of the four reunions, see the and the .
