New, More Spacious Sephardic Beit Midrash Nearly Completed

Yeshiva University has nearly completed construction of a new Sephardic Beit Midrash built over the summer. The new Beit Midrash will be located in the space taken up by the old Morg Lounge on the ground floor of Wilf Campus’ Morgenstern Residence Hall, near its old, smaller location. 

The Beit Midrash’s relocation is due to spacial issues, university spokesperson Hanan Eisenman told The Commentator in a statement later published on YUNews, with the current location unable to accommodate many students. The administration hopes that the new space will “create a more welcoming and expansive environment” for the growing Sephardic student body. Construction is expected to be completed sometime in the fall semester.

"Sephardic programs at YU are on the rise and this new Sephardic Beit Midrash will greatly enhance our efforts,” Sephardic Mashgiach Rabbi Dan Cohen, said in a statement shared by The Commentator and YUNews. “We are very excited to move into this new space and offer a highly meaningful experience to our students.”

The Morgenstern Hall student lounge, which will be moved into the area currently occupied by the Beit Midrash, will also be receiving an upgrade. The space will be expanded into what is currently the lobby and include new furniture with stool seating facing out the front windows onto Amsterdam Avenue. These upgrades are designed to create “a unique ambiance” in the lounge to better serve students, Eisenman told The Commentator, and were made with input from students as well as resident advisors.. 

Eisenman also expressed hope that although the new Beit Midrash was designed with Sephardic students in mind, all students would be able to benefit from the change.

“Sephardic Rabbinic leadership and student leaders have been involved and consulted at each step of this project. They are excited to share the new space with their fellow Sephardim, as well as the many others, especially the residents of Morgenstern Hall. All students on campus, Sephardic or Ashkenazi, are welcome and encouraged to use the new space to learn Torah, Daven and grow spiritually.”

Sephardic students are also excited for the opening of the new Beit Midrash.

“We are ecstatic about the new beit midrash as this will surely enhance our events given the growing Sephardic population at YU,” the YU Sephardic Club told The Commentator. “We have the utmost hakarat hatov to YU as this step not only makes us feel welcomed but also appreciated for our efforts. We look forward to this coming year!”

_________

Photo Caption: The ground floor of Morgenstern Residence Hall is receiving a redesign with a new Sephardic Beit Midrash and lounge area.

Photo Credit: The Commentator