‘I love YU’: An Interview With Yehoshua Fineberg

Yehoshua Fineberg (Makor ‘22) is a senior student at Yeshiva University's Makor College Experience Program. He will be in the program’s second graduating class. The Commentator interviewed him in order to highlight his unique experience in Yeshiva University. 

Could you tell me about your background? Some basic demographics and info? 

So I’m Yehoshua, I grew up in Cedarhurst, NY, Long Island. I'm actually from Lawrence but  I moved to Cedarhurst in 2002. I went to public school all through my life. I was a musician, I was athletic, and I loved playing the drums. I used to play in the marching band in high school. I played in the concert band, and I played in Disney World. I did Yachad at Camp Lavi and Morasha, and Yad B'yad, and did Camp Simcha. 

Did you ever learn in Yeshiva before YU?

I went to MAY, Mesivta Ateres Yaakov for two years. 

And then after that you went to YU? 

Ya. In 2018. 

How did you find out about YU?

This is the story: my uncle found this great program called the Makor college experience. The Makor college experience is a non-degree program for three years, the fourth year is optional, and what you do is learning, vocational experiences, and [judaic] studies.

Once your uncle told you about the program what did you do?

Then I came here for an interview with Dr. Glicksman. I was very excited, it was really amazing and then once I got my acceptance, I was besimcha. 

What did you do when you got accepted?

I was screaming from the top of my lungs. I jumped up and down and I screamed when I got accepted. And then once I came into the beis medrash with [fellow Makor students] Menachem Aron, Simcha Rosenbaum, Jacob Adler, I was so excited when I saw all my friends who I knew from the past come.

So this is your fourth year in Makor. Do you have plans for once you graduate?

I wanna work in a seforim store. 

Have you ever worked in one before?

I volunteered when I was in highschool at Judaica Plus in the Five Towns. 

What have you learned in your shiurim this year and the past three years? 

We learned Bava Kama, we learned Bava Metzia, we learned Pesachim, and Bava Basra. 

What did you learn today? 

We learned Pirkei Avos.

Can you tell me a chidush?

So basically what we learned was Moshe kibel Torah means Moshe received the Torah and he passed on the Torah from Har Sinai to each generation. And then he gave it over to the zekenim and neviim and Anshei Knesses Hagedola. So that teaches us that mesorah is something that’s passed on to each generation. 

What have you learned in your classes?

We’re learning psychology, how to have a conversation with people, how to behave like a mentsch. We take science, math, reading, vocational research, and music appreciation. 

What's your favorite class and why?

Psychology. It teaches us how to be like a mentsch.

Being that you've been here for a long time, what’s advice you’d give someone in the Yeshiva?

My advice would be to always be down to earth. Keep learning, keep davening, and learn Torah.

What do you do during your free time when not shtyging or in classes?

I read books. 

What type of books?

Wonder, Touched By A Story, Chassidus.

What Chassidus do you like?

Spinka. I like Spinka.

Why?

Because I grew up davening in a Spinka Chassidus Shul. Bes Yisroel in Cedarhurst. 

Your family is chassidish?

No.

Why did you daven there?

I like it. They don’t care.

What do you like about YU?

I like the YU events.

Like what?

Trivia night. Because I love interacting with people who come from different backgrounds. It's good to be involved in the outside world. See what the outside world is like because there’s so much other stuff outside the world besides learning in the beis medrash.

Is there anything you dislike about YU?

Nothing. 

So you mamish have no complaints?

No.

So you're just happy to be in Yeshiva? 

Ya.