President Berman Comments on Klein@9, Discusses Women’s Role on Wilf Campus

In a recent interview with The Commentator, President Ari Berman offered his opinion with respect to the role of women on the Wilf Campus and in Yeshiva University as a whole. Regarding last year’s controversy where a Stern College student was silenced after giving a dvar Torah in a Wilf Campus community minyan, Berman remarked that the situation was perplexing.

“There’s no question that we want our students, both men and women, to not just learn Torah but spread Torah as much as possible,” said Berman. “We encourage everyone to take their Torah and to teach it.” He also explained that “Yeshiva University is certainly for women giving divrei Torah.”

To Berman, a solution for the unresolved issue should come from the students themselves. While women are still banned from giving divrei Torah at the community minyan on Shabbat, Berman believes that channels for similar opportunities for women on the Wilf Campus already exist.

“If there is an interest from students in trying to find an appropriate vehicle that would help bring together our community in which women can also give divrei Torah, I am pretty sure that they can figure something out,” said Berman, who added that working with the proper administration could help bring this to fruition.

“It would be really surprising to me if that couldn’t happen,” he added.

Berman also discussed the disparity between the men’s and women’s learning programs on the Beren and Wilf campuses. Specifically, he mentioned his goals for more advanced learning programs on the Beren Campus.

Though there is not currently a concentrated effort to create a shiur-style morning program on the Beren Campus, Berman mentioned that increasing opportunities for women’s learning is important to him.

“There’s no other time in which Jewish women have the opportunities and the access that they have today,” said Berman. “And we want to strengthen, encourage, support and grow that as much as possible.”

Specifically, Berman mentioned expanding the Graduate Program In Advanced Talmudic Studies For Women (GPATS) and bringing in more high-level professors for undergraduate Torah studies.

“We are very interested and excited about the prospects of growing learning at the Beren Campus,” Berman said.

Photo Caption: Klein Beit Midrash
Photo Credit: The Commentator