THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF STERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN AND SY SYMS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS The Yeshiva University OBSERVER WWW.YUOBSERVER.ORG VOLUME LXIII ISSUE I September 2017/ ELUL 5777 YU Launches Makor College Experience Program for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Sarah Casteel News Editor education, or have been granted some kind of state-funded training and building general life skills. This includes exploring Beginning in the fall of 2017, services for individuals with intellectual or developmental specific job fields in the classroom, real-life experience through Yeshiva University, in partnership with the Makor Disability disabilities in the past. Finally, applicants are required to job placements on campus, and academic advisors. The Services (formerly Women’s League Community Residences), have attended a high school program for students with such advisors will work with the students to determine an individual has launched its first year of the Makor College Experience disabilities. career path and to further develop career-building skills to help Program. A truly unprecedented and specifically designed them get there. In terms of life skills, the students will learn program, the Makor College Experience is a three-year, non- Each of the three years of the program has a specific focus. important skills such as cooking, traveling and budgeting. degree program for young men with intellectual disabilities. The first year will offer pre-vocational and job readiness The program is the first college dual curriculum for this type skills, interview training, workplace etiquette and budgeting. In addition to the secular education and various life skills of students. Participants will not only enjoy the specialized The second year is focused on “career exploration and incorporated into the program, Makor will offer a strong and education of the program itself, but a new and exciting experiences.” There will be opportunities to experience and meaningful Torah element as well. Participants will be assigned opportunity to become a part of the YU community. try out various jobs, as well as chances to be employed around a chavrusa and will spend their mornings in the various batei The program is geared towards young men with intellectual the YU campus and at local vendors and organizations. At the midrash on the Wilf Campus. “At Makor, we believe that disabilities between the ages of 18-25 who are looking to end of the second year, students will declare a major. They may when the students have a natural enjoyment in their Torah further their education after finishing high school. While choose from majors such as office and business skills, retail and learning, this inspiration will carry over to be their success in other young men tend to go to Israel and then college, this food services, communal work or human services. The third our program,” says Rabbi Feintuch, Rebbe and Educational community of individuals is inhibited from such opportunities year will focus on “supported employment.” The program Coordinator of the program. The chavrusas, minyanim and due to various complications that come along with their often offers mentors to help the students with their specific job plans, other Judaic events in which these students will participate are less independent lifestyles. This program is combatting the as well as helping them to create and build resumes. Finally, also incredible and substantial opportunities to connect with roadblocks that people with intellectual disabilities face by program faculty will reach out to YU alumni to help find job the rest of the YU community. offering a specifically designed program tailored to their needs. placements for the graduates. The social aspect of the program is anticipated to be In order to be eligible for the program, applicants must be The Makor Program helps its students to take their education profoundly meaningful both to the Makor students and the diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability. beyond high school, and into the next stage of life, in a variety other YU students. Beginning with the relationships formed They must also have some kind of history of receiving special of areas. Thus, the curriculum offers a significant focus on job in learning and davening, and extending to the many other cont’d p3 YU Center for Israel Studies Administrative Changes to Receives $1 Million Grant the Office of Student Life from Tzili Charney Leah Klahr Miriam Pearl Klahr Features Editor Managing Editor and philanthropist, continues her and Moreover, this change is actually a return Yeshiva University’s Leon’s mission of striving to help others, In June Dr. Nissel, to a system that has existed in the past and Center for Israel Studies was founded and create a vision of peace for Israel and University Dean of Student Life met is part of a greater move to restructure in 2007 with the mission of “deepening Palestine. She works as a costume designer with the three Beren Campus Student OSL. At the Beren Campus, Sarah Sheps Yeshiva University’s longstanding for Habima Theater in Israel, the Cameri Presidents to discuss changes for the will serve as Program Manager, Talia relationship with the State of Israel.” Theater of Tel Aviv, the Jewish Repertory upcoming year. Tami Adelson, long time Molotsky as Student Life Coordinator and This summer, Tzili Charney donated a $1 Theater, and the National Yiddish Theater Director of the Beren Campus Office of Yaelle Kassai will be this year’s Stanton million grant to the Center in the honor Folksbiene in New York. In 2014, she Student Life or OSL had recently left, and campus fellow. All three women are Stern of her late husband, Leon Charney. Leon founded the Leon Charney Resolution they were informed that she would not College alumnae and offer a unique insider Charney, who graduated from Yeshiva Center in Hakfar Hayarok, Israel which be directly replaced. Instead, Rabbi Josh perspective into the university. Meanwhile, College in 1960, was a prominent lawyer, works to advance peace education and Weisberg, former director of the Wilf Natan Bienstock and Tzvi Levitin, Wilf author, and Jewish activist, who served as an resolution. The Resolution Center also campus OSL, has become Senior Director Campus Student Life Coordinator and advisor to President Jimmy Carter, Prime advances Tzili Charney’s project of of Student Life for both campuses. Stanton Fellow respectively, will work Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and President facilitating communication between Israeli at the men’s campus along with Linda Ezer Weizman. He also worked with Prime and Palestinian families. Charney was The decision was made after various Stone, Director of Student Events for both Minister Golda Meir on Israel’s initiative awarded an honorary degree from YU in conversations with students that campuses. Though she will spend most of to help Soviet Jews immigrate to Israel. 2017. highlighted some of OSL’s weaknesses. her time at Wilf, Linda will come to the Charney aided President Jimmy Carter Dr. Steven Fine, Director of Yeshiva Rabbi Brander, Vice President of Beren Campus once a week to train the in assembling the documents leading to University’s Center for Israel Studies University and Community Life, praised newer staff members. Josh Weisberg will the Camp David Accords. As a prominent expressed the magnitude of Tzili Charney’s Rabbi Weisberg as being talented in split his time between the two campuses. philanthropist, he funded the Cardiology gift to the center. Fine explained, “Tzili multiple areas ranging from implementing For now his hours on each campus are not Wing at NYU Langone Medical Center, really understands our mission here. We’re top-down student life programming, set, with the plan being that he will go where and established the school of Marine not AIPAC, and we’re not the YU Israel enabling bottom-up student led initiatives he is needed. Rabbi Brander has stated that Sciences at the University of Haifa. In Club. Tzili’s gift enables us to go deeper, and interacting with students facing various the effectiveness of this approach will be 2005, Leon Charney received an honorary to look Israel’s legal system and culture in types of crises. He believes that having him assessed a month into the school year. degree from YU. the eye, and say, ‘Who are you? What are on both campuses will improve the student Tzili Charney, renowned artist, activist, experience for everyone. cont’d p8 cont’d p4 Editorial September 2017/ Elul 5777• Page 2 The Yeshiva University Dr. Berman Calls for Introspection - Take up the Charge Observer Mindy Schwartz Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief In his short Mindy Schwartz time as president, Dr. Berman has Managing Editor clearly placed a large Miriam Pearl Klahr emphasis on defining the univeristy, News Editor answering the worn- Sarah Casteel weary questions: What is YU? What Features Editor does it mean to be Leah Klahr a university and to be–as YU claims–the Opinions Editor flagship of Modern Orthodoxy? Kira Paley In a letter written to Web & Social Media students the week Manager before the investiture Shira Feen Dr. Berman wrote, “...In our rapidly changing world it is essential that YU know itself. We ending his speech on Sunday by Layout Editor must forthrightly articulate the values for which we urging everyone, including students, that “now is the time to get involved” in the future Shira Perton stand…we must identify and be passionate about YU’s of YU. grand purpose in the context of the Jewish community Business Managers and broader society.” But as students we should not just wait around to be engaged with - we must be proactive Sabrina Benmoha in engaging in these issues ourselves. We should take ownership over the issues facing Sarah Porgess He began taking up this charge in his speech at the this university and we should empower ourselves to discuss them and take action when formal investiture event on September 10th in which necessary.