Rabbi Blau: A Women’s Tribute

When I attended my first SCDS (Stern College Dramatics Society) play in December 2022, I remember being surprised to see Rabbi Blau and Dr. Blau conspicuously sitting in the center of the second row. I didn’t yet know Rabbi Blau very well, but I didn’t think it was typical “YU rabbi” behavior to attend student events, especially events that weren’t overtly centered on Torah, and especially especially events that featured all-female casts performing on stage. The vague image of Rabbi Blau I had in my head was distant and elevated, like that of any senior rabbinic figure I had heard stories about and never really met. A few weeks later, when attending an event, I was surprised to spot Rabbi Blau on Beren campus, striding with purpose from the 1 Train toward Lexington Ave. By the time a friend at Stern mentioned a thought on the parasha that Rabbi Blau had shared with her, I knew better than to be surprised. When Rabbi Blau would indulgently field my questions and share his time with me after class in IBC, he would eventually apologize and excuse himself as he had arrangements to “head downtown” and spend some time with the Yeshiva students there.

While I had often heard anecdotes and reflections, stories and impactful Torah insights from Stern and GPATS students about Rabbi Blau’s contributions to their experience, I could not have predicted the outpouring of support and love I heard from alumnae when I shared that I was working on a piece in honor of Rabbi Blau’s aliyah.

Although no article can truly describe his impact, these reflections hopefully offer a sample of the ways Rabbi Blau has helped cultivate a spirit of Torah and ahavat Hashem on Beren campus. What follows is a “women’s tribute” to one of the few rabbinic figures who consistently invests in the spiritual and personal development of women at YU.

Davida Kollmar (SCW ‘13, GPATS ‘15):

“In a 2017 Lehrhaus article, Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz lamented that when a prominent former YU rosh yeshiva passed away, many rabbis spoke about how meaningful their personal connections with him were, but few women were able to say the same. If one were to look at the YU’s current rabbinic leaders, women would feel similarly. A notable exception to this is Rabbi Blau. Rabbi Blau spent a significant amount of time on the women’s campus, and it always felt like it was something he valued, rather than just checking a box. While he was there, it felt like he really got to know the students, who we are as people, our true selves. 

“As a current congregant at Mount Sinai Jewish Center, I also value seeing him there at davening on a regular basis, though I rarely see many other YU leaders, even those who live nearby. 

I work remotely for a company that’s based in a city where frum life is centered around the university. I mentioned to him in passing that I would likely be traveling there soon, and he commented that he knew the JLIC rabbi there. The next time I spoke to him, he told me that he had recently seen the JLIC rabbi, and had mentioned me and my upcoming visit to him. I really value that he went out of his way to look out for me based on an offhand comment.”

Ilana Bauman Waxman (GPATS ‘22):

“Rav Blau not only was a consistent presence in the women’s beit midrash, but he made an effort to go around to the chavrutot studying together to say ‘good morning’ with excitement and a warm smile. In the beit midrash, Rav Blau would frequently talk with students — not just answering questions that came up in chavruta study, but having open discussion with students about things that came up in their lives. I remember reaching out to Rav Blau to set a time for one such conversation, and when we spoke I left feeling heard, seen and understood. No topic was off the table to discuss with Rav Blau. Through his open mindedness, sensitivity and true care for people, Rav Blau carried his gadlut in a way that made him so approachable. 

“I have the privilege of also knowing Rav Blau outside of his role in YU. Witnessing him take pride in his family, the way his eyes light up when talking about his grandchildren and their various and differing accomplishments, is not only very special, but also models for me the type of person I want to be for my family and for the people around me.

“When I lived in Washington Heights, I would often see Rav Blau walking up ‘the hill’ to get to YU, and it gave me strength to be able to make my way up the hill too. Rav Blau, may you continue — with strength of body, mind, heart and soul — to reach great heights and to inspire and encourage others to do so too. Thank you for your presence and leadership, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming you and Dr. Blau to Israel!”

Sheindl Berger (SCW ‘24, GPATS ‘26): 

“Rabbi Blau brings such a special presence to the Beren campus beis medrash. He represents commitment to the edification of Jewish women and their right to learn Torah. Every person in the room is important to him and her learning valuable in his eyes. To have a talmid chakham of his stature and character sitting at the next table has been inspiring. Thank you, Rabbi Blau, for showing me that you care about my learning, just like any other young Jewish person’s. I appreciate your ‘good morning’s and your dedication to showing up for us. You prove that, despite all odds, there is an element of Yeshiva University faculty that truly cares about our talmud Torah in midtown. There is no one else like you and we will miss you.”

Eliana Diamond (SCW ‘25):

“Rabbi Blau’s commitment to this campus has been so meaningful in my time at Stern. One less-known fact about Rabbi Blau is that he and his wife, Dr. Blau, make sure to attend the Stern College Dramatics Society’s play every year. As an actor in the play, it was such a kavod to have them in the audience, and when I tried to thank Rabbi Blau for showing his support for Jewish women’s theater, he humbly replied, “We go every year,” as if it’s a given that the head mashgiach ruchani would attend the undergraduate women’s performance.

“I also recall learning Kol Dodi Dofek with Rabbi Blau during his club hour chabura. I was particularly struck by his formulation of the Rav’s distinction between the two covenants Bnei Yisrael entered with HaShem, once when leaving Mitzrayim, and again at Har Sinai. Learning from such a talmid chacham and one of the Rav’s students was truly invaluable. I cannot imagine Stern without Rabbi Blau’s warm “good morning” greetings, his presence in the beit midrash, his Torah and his eitza. Thank you, Rabbi Blau!” 

Leora Muskat (SCW ‘25):

“Rabbi Blau’s unwavering presence in the Stern beit midrash since my first year has profoundly shaped my learning each day. His dedication to our beit midrash has been a source of strength and inspiration, motivating me to devote myself to Torah study. While the Stern beit midrash will deeply miss him, his steadfast support for women’s talmud Torah will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

Daniella Weil (SSSB ‘26):

“Learning Torah weekly for the past (almost) two years with Rav Yosef Blau has been a privilege and an honor. I am beyond grateful to have learned Torah of the Rav z”l with such a dedicated and passionate talmid of the Rav z”l. What I enjoyed most about Rav Blau’s chabura was the opportunity to hear his insights and stories about what we were learning and life in general.

“One message that I learned from Rav Blau just a few weeks ago was the idea that ‘if you’re too vanilla, you don’t impact anybody.’ Though he said this in jest during our discussion, it deeply impacted me. In a large community, it’s easy to want to conform and blend in. Why stick out if you don’t have to? Rabbi Blau responds that no matter what community one may find themselves in, they should go the extra mile and make a personal contribution to help change their community for the better. And who better teach the idea of standing out to do good and being true to yourself than Rav Blau?

“Rav Blau has been a pioneer in teaching women Torah, advocating for injustices and standing up for those who can’t for themselves. At the ceremony this past week honoring Rav and Dr. Blau’s aliyah, one of the big takeaways was that whenever Rav Blau sees something that needs to be fixed, he jumps straight to it without hesitation. For him, standing up for what is right is instinctive — whether or not it aligns with the ‘normal’ or conventional path. 

“For instance, Rav Blau comes and sits in the Stern beis midrash twice a week for morning seder, actively showing how important women’s Torah learning is. Rav Blau is far from ‘vanilla,’ and the tremendous impact he has had on the Yeshiva University community over the past 48 years is proof of that. I am incredibly sad to know that next week, our chabura will not be taking place. Yet, our collective sadness is overshadowed by happiness for Rav and Dr. Blau on their upcoming aliyah. I wish them both tremendous hatzlacha, bracha and health in their upcoming adventure!”

Amalia Klapper (SCW ‘15):

“I graduated in 2015, and I’ve always been deeply grateful for Rabbi Blau’s consistent presence in the beit midrash. He wasn’t just a figure who would pass by occasionally; he truly invested himself in the lives of his students. Whether he was greeting me with a warm “hi,” asking about my family or engaging in the tangents of our chevruta discussions, it was clear that he cared about us as individuals and about our learning. His interactions were never fleeting but meaningful, making every conversation feel genuine and enriching.

“One aspect that stood out to me was Rabbi Blau’s unwavering commitment to being present in the beit midrash, especially when it came to supporting the women’s learning at YU. As far as I know, he wasn’t asked or encouraged to come down to Lexington Avenue to spend time with us — he simply did it. In contrast, when other roshei yeshiva visited, it often felt more like a scheduled appearance, but Rabbi Blau’s presence felt personal and spontaneous, a true demonstration of his investment in our growth.

“His dedication to being there, day in and day out, made me feel not just like a student, but a valued member of the larger Torah community at YU. It wasn’t just about the lessons in the texts; it was about the atmosphere of care and genuine concern for our intellectual and spiritual development. Rabbi Blau’s presence was a constant reminder that Torah learning was not confined to a classroom or a specific group of students, but was a living, breathing part of our everyday lives, and that made me feel embraced as part of a much larger community.

“Mazal tov to you and your family on your next adventure in Eretz Yisrael!”

Adina (Cohen) Averick (SCW ‘19):

“Rabbi Blau was always a presence in the beit midrash throughout my time in Stern. Not only was he friendly, making time to come over and check in frequently, Rabbi Blau was also an amazing resource. Once, I was working on a paper and was struggling with a source. Rabbi Blau took the time to explain my specific question and then also took interest in the general topic of my paper adding insights that I would not have otherwise known. I have tremendous hakaras hatov to Rabbi Blau not only for that circumstance but for more generally making a statement that my talmud Torah matters and that I should have access to rabbanim who can guide me in my learning outside of the confines of class.”

Rivka Bennun Kay (SCW ‘24):

“I met Rav Blau in one of my first weeks as a student at Stern. What started out as a sit-down every so often turned into a weekly meeting with Rebbe. Rav Blau was staunchly committed to ensuring there would be a Torah presence in the beit midrash at Stern, and became a close mentor and guide of mine. At times when things were frustrating at YU, or when it felt like the rabbinic sector of YU was impartial or unaware of what was happening at Stern, Rav Blau was a lone voice of support — he was often alone, but his voice was strong. He made students feel seen and cared about. Developing a relationship with Rav Blau and being able to call him Rebbe has been a huge privilege. I’m honored and overjoyed that he is joining us in Israel, but I know his presence will be sorely missed in the Beren beit midrash. Rebbe, we all owe you a tremendous hakarat hatov for everything you have done for the women of Yeshiva University for the past several years.”

Sara (Schatz) Greenfield (SCW ‘20, GPATS ‘22):

“Anyone who spent any time in the Stern beit midrash knew Rav Blau simply because he would greet every individual student each day with a smile. Rain or shine, he would make the trek from Washington Heights to the Stern beit midrash. His presence made a tremendous difference. Admittedly, I became close with Rav Blau by accident in my first semester at Stern. One of my first articles with the YU Observer was about the announcement regarding a new Torah Studies dean position at Stern (now Dean Shoshana Schechter). Rav Blau heard I was writing this and reached out to me to chat. We ended up speaking for three hours about the evolution of women’s Torah learning in YU, which sparked many similar conversations we would have in the future. In my third year at GPATS, when I was asked to teach a course to the undergraduates, Rav Blau helped me with my curriculum and served as a major source of encouragement during a time when I felt a lot of imposter syndrome. I never knew why he wanted to help so much, but looking back I believe it’s because he was proud to see young women like us teaching Torah courses that used to only be taught by men. His dedication to women’s Torah scholarship will always remain in the hearts of his students at Stern College.”

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Photo Credit: Yeshiva University

Photo Caption: Stern beit midrash