An Inside Look into YU Israel: Updates and Unforeseen Challenges
Rumors have abounded about YU Israel over the past several months. The program paused its acceptance of new students due to several issues. However, it is still running for current students, albeit with some changes.
The YU Israel program, launched in January 2024, gives students an opportunity to earn a degree at YU in conjunction with either Bar Ilan University (BIU) or Tel Aviv University (TAU). In addition to university classes taught in English, YU Israel has two batei midrash, one for men and one for women.
“The goal was to combine Yeshiva University’s signature beit midrash environment and Torah based student life with a specially designed academic curriculum,” Debra Pine, Assistant Dean at the Sy Syms School of Business, told The Commentator. “This unique four-year undergraduate program — taught in English — allows students to remain in Israel while earning a YU bachelor’s degree, preparing them for success and leadership in an increasingly competitive global job market.”
But problems arose with this promising program.
Many students entered the program under the impression that they would leave with two degrees: one from YU, and one from either BIU or TAU. This impression was corroborated by other sources. According to an article published in January 2024 by Israel Hayom, “YU in Israel will culminate in two high-level degrees that prepare students to enter an ever-more-competitive global job market.”
Instead, students will graduate with only a degree from YU, a source familiar with the program told The Commentator. Students were not aware until after joining the program that this had been the plan all along. When students found out and protested, the compromise was a certificate of completion from the Israeli universities, but as of now it appears that students will leave with only a YU degree.
Issues arose in the academic sphere as well. A student from the BIU program explained that her experience was relatively smooth, barring some miscommunications about exam dates. The TAU program, in contrast, had more difficulties. The classes were coed, which students had not been made aware of beforehand. The solution for this was taking classes over Zoom. Additionally, students faced issues with not taking enough credits. Students’ courses are completely decided for them, and this past spring, students in the TAU program were not registered to take enough credits to graduate on time.
The lack of resolving these issues may have been because students in YU Israel did not have representation in YU proper to advocate on their behalf until around May 2025.
Recently, though, leadership has changed, and with it there seems to be a plan in place for YU Israel. Pine, an academic advisor and assistant dean of Sy Syms School of Business, joined the YU Israel team this past spring and is leading the academic and operational aspects of the program. Rabbi Avi Feder, the new director of student affairs for YU Israel, is in charge of launching a new extracurricular program for YU Israel students, Pine told The Commentator.
The program has seen other changes as well. The women’s program relocated to a Nefesh B’Nefesh residence for housing and to the YU-Mizrachi Beit Midrash for learning, where the team of teachers is led by Mrs. Barbara Vidomlanski. The men’s program remains at YU’s Gruss Institute and is led by Director of Torah Studies Rabbi Eli Wagner.
On May 30, 2025, Pine sent a document to YU Israel students titled “YUI Roadmap Q&A,” explaining plans for the program, followed by a Zoom meeting for current students in the beginning of June. Pine explained the plan, including a one-year hiatus from accepting new students. The roadmap outlined two potential plans for current students to choose from to finish their degree. Plan A included asynchronous classes in summer 2026; asynchronous, live online, and in-person classes in fall 2026; and an expected graduation date of January 2027. Plan B involved students transitioning to in-person classes in New York beginning in fall 2026, with an expected graduation date of May 2027. Information was also included about summer 2025, during which students could take up to three classes included in their tuition.
This presents a change from the original plan, which required students to spend a summer semester on campus in New York. The roadmap document explains that “In response to students’ preferences to remain in Israel, we recrafted the summer 2026 session to be fully online.”
Pine laid out a timeline that matches Plan A in an email to The Commentator. Pine told The Commentator that “The program will wrap up in January 2027, providing each student with a seamless pathway to fulfilling all their degree requirements.”
Whether this program’s conclusion in January 2027 means the end of YU Israel altogether or if there will be further graduation dates for future students remains unclear. Regarding this question Pine told The Commentator to “Please stay tuned for information about future programs in Israel.”
Despite the issues, students have had positive experiences with the program. “I absolutely loved my experience, the teachers and classes, [and] friends that I made … the experiences that we shared are so unique and will always be special,” a former YU Israel student told The Commentator. Another student expressed tremendous hakarat hatov for YU Israel, explaining that without the program paving the way for her, she would no longer be in Israel.
While certain aspects remain unclear, YU Israel is moving forward with purpose, at least until January 2027. As Pine said, “Our vision remains the same: to give students who want to remain in Israel for their undergraduate studies the opportunity to do so while staying fully connected to the YU mission, academic standards and community.”
Photo Caption: YU’s Gruss Campus in Jerusalem
Photo Credit: Yeshiva University
