News Brief: Pipe Bursts in Glueck During NYC Snow Storm; Zusha To Perform in February
Pipe Bursts in Glueck During NYC Snow Storm
On Jan. 25, at around 8:15 p.m., during night seder, the Glueck beit midrash on the Wilf Campus experienced a pipe failure.
The pipe burst originated from the second floor and flooded the tables below towards the back of the beit midrash. The tables were full of seforim, and almost all of them had sustained water damage.
“I was learning with my chavrusa on the second floor of Glueck when I heard a loud bang coming from a storage closet. Water started gushing out of the closet, and the beit midrash smelled like gas. My friend called security, and soon after, the fire alarms began ringing,” Ari Schick (YC ‘27) told The Commentator. “I ran downstairs to grab the remainder of my seforim and saw water pouring onto the desks in the main beit midrash.”
The FDNY was briefly on the scene, but left after determining that there was no danger. Following permission from security to enter, YU students rushed to the beit midrash to help. They first moved all affected seforim to the front of the room where it was dry, followed by removing wet tables and chairs. Students then moved to the second floor, forming a human chain and passing down wet items from the storage room, where the pipe burst had taken place. Students also helped remove damaged items from the basement.
“The guys were really impressive. They moved all the tables, chairs and seforim out of the backs of Glueck 1 and 2 … when help was needed with the basement, probably over 50 guys came back to save the seforim there too,” Dovid Engelsohn (SSSB ‘27), who was at the scene, told The Commentator.
According to the 2025 Glueck beit midrash map, the flooding affected students’ mekomot from Rabbi Lebowitz, Rabbi Michael Rosensweig and Rabbi Itamar Rosensweig’s shiurim.
The flooding occurred during a major storm in New York City, when temperatures dropped to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit and snowfall reached approximately 12 inches. The storm is expected to continue into Monday. In an email sent to all students, YU announced classes would be held via Zoom on Monday, with classes expected to continue in person on Tuesday.
Following the flood, students continued to learn in the Sephardic beit midrash.
“We have worked out with security to have Zysman open all day for an extra beis medrash,” Rabbi Josh Fagin wrote in the Torah Programs WhatsApp group chat. “Additionally, all the batei medrash in the dorms will be open!”
Zusha To Perform at YU
Hasidic band Zusha will perform at Yeshiva University on Feb. 16, Rosh Chodesh Adar. The concert, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., is organized by the Office of Student Life (OSL) and Student Council.
OSL Director Jonathan Schwab announced the event at YU’s Chanukah celebration at American Dream Mall. The concert will take place in Lamport Auditorium on the Wilf Campus. As of publication, 440 students from both campuses have registered for the event via CampusGroups. Tickets initially cost $15 but were later made free.
“We’re thrilled to work with students on the most exciting new ideas they have for furthering the atmosphere of meaningful and enjoyable fun on campus,” Schwab told The Commentator. “This concert promises to be the next of many such opportunities this year.”
Currently, tickets are available only to students, select faculty and staff and members of Yeshiva University High Schools, according to Schwab. He added that once undergraduate students have secured tickets, OSL will “evaluate how many seats we can open up to additional audiences, such as outside students or alumni.”
Zusha was founded in 2013 by Shlomo Gaisin, Elisha Mlotek and Zachary Goldschmiedt. The band blends Hasidic nigunim with folk, rock and jazz influences and has gained popularity among younger audiences in recent years. Popular songs include “Don’t Leave Me On My Own,” “Brighter” and “Burning to Be Light.”
“It is very exciting to have Zusha coming to YU,” Noam Schechter (YC ‘27) told The Commentator. “They have become a huge phenomenon in the Jewish world, and their music is really spreading among all types of people. This is a really great opportunity for YU students to connect and have a good time together — all in a real YU atmosphere.”
Photo Caption Glueck: Students rushing to save seforim from water damage
Photo Caption Zusha: A CampusGroups flyer promoting the concert
Photo Credit Glueck: Daniel Kohn
Photo Credit Zusha: Yeshiva University
