Rabbi and Rebbetzin Schonbrun to Leave Beren Campus, Teach Torah in Philadelphia
Beren Campus couple Rabbi Avrumi and Rebbetzin Michal Schonbrun (YC ‘19, SCW ‘19) will be leaving Yeshiva University after this academic year to teach Torah in the Philadelphia area, the couple announced in a letter sent to the Beren Campus community by the Office of Torah and Spiritual Life.
“Yeshiva University has been a wellspring of our avodas Hashem for the past decade,” the Schonbruns wrote in the letter. “Our Rabbeim and teachers at YU have been a formative part of our growth as ovdei Hashem. They have ingrained in us a deep set of Torah values and have left an indelible mark on us and how we view the world.”
The Schonbruns have served as Beren Campus rabbi and rebbetzin for the past three years, working alongside Rabbi Azriel (YC ‘19) and Ellie (SCW ‘20) Fine.
“It’s been an incredible opportunity to work with them,” Rabbi Fine told The Commentator “They’re both incredibly insightful people, and thoughtful. Both are role models of people who live their lives expressing the values of the Torah, both for students through their teaching and for us through the perspectives that they bring to all the components of what we try to do and plan and initiate here.”
The Torah environment on the Beren Campus has developed significantly under the leadership of the Schonbruns.
“Our goal is to help facilitate and provide opportunities for investment in people’s avodas Hashem and their religious growth,” Rebbetzin Schonbrun told The Commentator. “More broadly, the role is to care about each student, and for each student to feel like there’s somebody who knows them, who wants to know what’s going on in their life, who’s there for them if they need anything — that there’s someone who’s there to take care of them.”
The Schonbruns’ care is especially felt during Shabbos, Rivka Inger (SCW ‘25) told The Commentator.
“I’ve felt most personally impacted by Rabbi and Rebbetzin Schonbrun’s enormous commitment to YU through their Shabbat presence,” Inger said. “They’ve always had amazing shiurim and Torah programming prepared to really elevate the day, and have overall contributed to the homey vibe which can be found on the Beren Campus over Shabbat.”
The Schonbrun’s have headed various Shabbat initiatives on Beren, such as challah bakes, Torah classes, Shabbat meals and formal onegs, with the goal of enhancing the Shabbat atmosphere on campus. In addition, the Schonbruns are an active presence in the Stern Beit Midrash, where they provide weekly Torah classes and make themselves available to answer students’ questions.
“I especially appreciated the weekly chaburas, and that [they] were always happy to answer questions and provide support for us,” Vered Gottlieb (SCW ‘25) told The Commentator. “We miss [them] and I wish [them] the best in [their] future endeavors.”
For students, relationship-building has been one of the most impactful aspects of the Schonbruns presence on the Beren Campus. In an event held on May 5 honoring the Schonbruns for their dedication to the Stern community, many students expressed gratitude for the relationships that they cultivated with the Schonbruns.
“The most demanding and thus the most impactful because of the time and effort invested, has been the development and cultivation of relationships with the Beren Campus students and in particular through the medium of Torah and individual conversations,” Rabbi Schonbrun told The Commentator. “Students pointing to and identifying with the Beren Campus as a primary source of their spiritual growth and a critical juncture in their spiritual journey speaks volumes as to what makes this institution so special.”
“Relationships are really meaningful and centrally important to us,” Rebbetzin Schonbrun told The Commentator. “It’s been really special to be able to cultivate those deep connections with so many people. We really cherish those connections and relationships.”
Photo Caption: Rabbi Avrumi and Rebbetzin Michal Schonbrun
Photo Credit: Rabbi Avrumi and Rebbetzin Michal Schonbrun
