Yeshiva University (YU) has officially recognized “Hareni,” a toeiva student club, after years of legal wrangling. The decision, finalized following a contentious battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, perhaps puts the final stroke on the school’s surrender to secular ideology—and a blatant rejection of the Torah principles that YU once claimed to champion.
For decades, YU positioned itself as a stalwart defender of Orthodox Judaism, proudly resisting pressures to conform to progressive societal trends. It steadfastly opposed recognizing the YU Pride Alliance, arguing that such a move would violate its deeply held religious convictions. Yet, after exhausting its legal options, the university has caved, granting official status to “Hareni.” The administration’s feeble justification—that the club will function under the oversight of senior rabbis—does little to mask the reality: YU has abandoned its moral backbone to appease external forces.
In a stunning capitulation, Yeshiva University (YU) has officially recognized an LGBTQ+ student club, bringing an end to a protracted legal battle but solidifying its descent into a Torah-compromised institution. The newly sanctioned club, now called “Hareni”, will operate under the university’s banner, an unthinkable development for an institution that once prided itself on maintaining a Torah-observant identity.
The legal battle, which began in 2021, saw YU embroiled in a lawsuit filed by four students and alumni who claimed the university had illegally discriminated against them by rejecting their club’s application multiple times. The case escalated to the New York Supreme Court, where YU was ordered to recognize the Pride Alliance in a ruling that was upheld on appeal. After failing to secure intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court, YU finally surrendered—choosing not to uphold Torah values, but instead to bow before the altar of progressive ideology.
YU’s joint statement with the plaintiffs framed the settlement as a “collaborative” step, stating that the Hareni club would operate under the “approved guidelines” of the university’s senior rabbis. However, arguing that the very existence of such a club violates the eternal values of Torah and halacha – whether it’s under “approved guidelines” or not.
The decision represents more than just an isolated incident at YU—it sets a dangerous precedent for other Orthodox institutions. If the flagship Modern Orthodox university can be forced to abandon Torah principles, it could have devastating downstream consequences.
Over the years, YU’s stance on the toeiva issue has been riddled with contradictions. In 2022, the administration attempted to create “Kol Yisrael Areivim”, an LGBTQ club “grounded in halacha,” but it failed to materialize. Later, a separate club called “Anachnu” was negotiated but was ultimately shelved following October 7th. Now, Hareni has emerged as the culmination of this ideological erosion.
YU’s surrender has been met with celebration from progressive activists, with plaintiffs in the lawsuit hailing the settlement as “proof that Torah and LGBTQ identity are not in conflict.” But for those who actually live by Torah, the conflict is obvious, and this latest move confirms YU’s departure from its claim of being a Torah-based institution.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW OF RAV MORDECHAI GIFTER TALKING ABOUT THE TOEIVA IN YU BACK IN 1988
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22 Responses
No words. I was at that speech that the Rosh Yeshivah ZTL gave. So sad there is no one today that can stand up for our values who people will listen to. Listen to the words “we must do something” “we can’t just brush it off”. All those years later the same words apply.
Would you say the same thing about anyone who voted in the WZO elections?
I hope and pray that every single person that went through that tuma, renounces it .
They need to realize, something they’re not going to see, that this is not acceptable!
As someone in the mental health…
Before everyone starts screaming I beg of you to a moment to think.
Parents: Create a safe space for your children at home. I’m personally aware of many situations where older Bochurim have been holding in this painful secret their entire lives. Why?? Because this is a topic they hear their own parents laughing about. Leading to depression and anxiety that is currently difficult to deal with.
I’m in no way condoning anything against the Torah, but the Metzius of a person is part of who they are. So much suffering is involved here.
I know someone will mention conversion therapy, that has been proven to be a traumatic experience and a total lie. Anyone going through it is lead is lead to believe they aren’t trying hard enough because it just isn’t working.
All I’m asking is for the compassion the people I know of so badly want. It can be your own child too.
It might even save a life…
If this gets posted then thank you YWN.
The problem is not so much the gays cause everybody with a human mind understands that it is nothing but beastiality, doesn’t take a “Gemara head” for that, the real problem is the issue of kedusha and “spilling seed in vain” we know that kids don’t understand that and also the elders with them, but the Rabbi of the modern Orthodox community, don’t seem to speak about the sin of “spilling seed in vain”and kedusha, it’s not just a gifilte fish, but it definitely isn’t something to be proud about
This is worthy of tearing kriah. It is better for the entire institution to shut down than “rabbinically approve” such an abomination. Shame on them. This is only opening the door to allow this horrible destruction into the Jewish world. We must fight against this with every last bit of energy!
Sad but not surprised in the least. A public university getting government funds is not free to operate how they wish. It’s not a secret that half of the students are from any walks of life and not exactly Yeshiva material, this is the conclusion of what happens when you accept everyone. I don’t see them coming knocking on TOURO or Mirrer yeshivas door trying to open Abomination clubs. You are who you accept
This is very scary.
`We all know that Manhattan has a lot of bad people ( a lot of scary bullies) on the streets.
I am 100% convinced that the reason why YU till now we did not hear any major stories because our dear Father in heaven, the Almighty He was protecting the students from harm, He was watching over the Yeshiva and He made sure that the evil people won’t come close to the campus.
This is pure common sense.
Now we are asking Hashem to please take a hike and leave this campus ASAP.
אם השם לא ישמור עיר שוא שקד שומר
It’s not a matter of accepting govt. funds or not – they had no other choice. When the Supreme Court decided that they had to accept these miscreants, what could YU have done? Shut down the university? Maybe they should have indeed made that sacrifice.
By the way. How is YU get able to only accept males? If they can do that why can’t they upgrade to only accept heterosexual males?
The problem of this issue, is the very title of this article “nail in the coffin “.
The nail in YUs coffin has been knocked in long ago. If only it had been treated so by the WHOLE of Orthodox Jewry. Many (coolheaded) Rabbanim, Roshei Yeshiva held that all those affiliated with this Makom Tomei in any way should be ostracised being that they’re part of the Chillul Hashem by choosing to remain there.
Instead, people still continued to go to “his” Shiur because he’s a Talmudic genius. “He” (another one) was/is an accepted Rov in Flatbush because he’s a “Talmud Chochom”. Fanatical Yeshivish people may do a Shidduchim with him because he has money to support…
וכהנא וכהנא
This coffin has long been buried.
The judge who initially forced them to recognize the Toieva was called Judge Kotler (Lynn)… talk about Yad Hashem. In her ruling, she said it best:
“Yeshiva University’s religious character is secondary to it’s primary educational purpose…the court finds that the defendant Yeshiva University is not a ‘religious corporation’ “.
It helps you understand the wisdom of the Gedolim, like Reb Elchonon HYD, who forbade even entering YU for a minyan.
I couldn’t care was being tolerant thinks:- I ONLY care what קריאת-התורה ליום-הכיפורים למנחה states:- תועבה TAU’EIVO!!!!! Here the buck ends.
The article says ‘The decision represents more than just an isolated incident at YU—it sets a dangerous precedent for other Orthodox institutions.’
This is what they want you to believe, but it’s false. Religious freedoms protect all institutions, YU is simply too far gone to be called religious!
It’s not only the modern orthodox caved in to this evil immoral issue, it’s the Chareidim as well. In Israel they allow the Jerusalem gay parade each year even though the Chareidi population is one third and Arabs one third. And when Rabbi chayim kanefsky ztl asked twenty years ago to bring out a hundred thousand protesters they ignored him. Only a few thousand came out and at that time the police chief said had there been a hundred thousand protesters they would not have allowed the gays to march. It would have been a security risk. In New York we elect pro immoral candidates whoever can give us more money. We saw it even in past elections upstate. So don’t scream at the modern orthodox when you yourself are guilty.
I think the tone of this article is a tad unfair. The toeiva activists relentlessly targeted YU and backed them into a corner. Unfortunately, American courts sided against YU, backing them into that ever-tightening corner even further. YU fought hard, but they reached the end of the rope.
Indeed, the precedent is catastrophic. But, can someone tell me what choices they had at this point? What should they have done?
If your answer is that they should have shuttered their doors – then you must then grapple with the question that follows: Is it really worth condemning thousands of sincere and frum jewish students to the dangerous world of non-Jewish colleges, over the insincere recognition of 1 pathetic club consisting of a handful of losers?
Wow, it looks like naive YWN editors have unwittingly become propagandists for the pride alliance. What actually happened is the exact opposite of the headline. The pride alliance caved completely, accepted YU’s offer from years ago, and presented it as if YU caved, hoping the left wing media would take the bait. Dunno about the left wing media, but they sure they hooked YWN. 1) Get the facts. 2) Delete this editorial. 3) Beg mechila.
What you likely know and did not mention is that the arrangement going forward will be guided by two senior RY. I assume you did not speak to either of them but gave us a lecture from 35+ years ago. When will find out the complete story and publish based on that?
Please take the loshon hara off this site.
Why is YWN blocking comments on this article?
i am no yu boy , but to be fair and honest, they made a supreme effort & spent tons of money on lawyers for 4 years trying to avoid this recognition and went all the way up the court system. at some point they basicly lost the battle & had to weigh sechoroh keneged hefsaida
in practical terms it doesnt really mean much, the avg bochur in yu will not see or feel any difference based on this ruling…ay you ask what about the principal of the matter?
so the rambam & raaved argue if ” TOCHACHAH” is principal oriented or goal oriented, as in all of shulchan aruch there is only one paragraph on giving mussar ,by hil yom kipur keshem shemitzva lomar…as in shitas harambam , the raavad holds its principal oriented regardless of the end tachlis a few examples…lubavitch rebbe never got involved in any toeva polotics… when aguda honored joe lieberman rav miller zatzl called rav pam … agudah honoring joe he is pro…this & that ..rav shlomo zalmen zatzl held that the shabbos protests & street closures in yerushalayim just made the frye cars drive more by being detoured….
an expalanation of rav miller zatzl hashkofoh on toeyva was that it effects us in 2 ways
1. hashem is a sonei zimah and therefore it blocks the shefa from coming down and secondly compared it to pollution that its in the air we breathe and has a hashpoh like asthma on kedushas yisroel he also felt that it was a a kitrug if the catholics are mocheh and we are silent keshitas haravad that we stand up for principal regardless of how much an effect it has in the end
the tayanas against YU of the previous dor are not todays battle,
YU has been chazer-treif all along. HaGaon HaRav Elchonon Wasserman ztvk’l why’d wrote already back in 1940, with the Ksav Yad of his letter readily available today, that it is better to die at the hands of the Nazis than to be physically “saved” by YU which will then kill you spiritually.
Rav Ahron Kotler ztvk’l refused to ever even enter the YU building. When one of his to talmid’s levaya was in YU, Rav Ahron remained standing outside on the street.
As you hear from Rav Mordechai Gifter ztvk’l, YU was kissing up with the homosexuals at least as early as the 1980s, already. In the 1990s they also had a major scandal when they already then allowed a homosexual club on their campus be officially recognized. And again around 2000.
These are only a tiny sample of YU’s consistent, constant and repeated anti-Torah stances, and outright apikorsus, over the last 90 years.
Every decade their decadence gets worse and worse.
Ujm
You are a pitiful example of someone that thinks they’re standing up for hashems honor when in truth you’re degrading it