Activism in the Wake of October 7: A Student’s Journey JACQUELINE ENGLANOFF ’24 Stern College for Women S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program Global Fellow at the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Program for International Affairs
and further amplified during his time at YU. He also has long-term, big-picture aspi- rations for his future in the real estate world. “I hope to create a lasting impact by creating innovative buildings and commu- nities,” he said. “I believe that there is a sig- nificant lack of places where people want to live and I want to change that. That in- cludes creating homes and public spaces that are enjoyable to look at and to live in and visit.” Already a student leader at YU as co- chair of the Sy Syms Honors Business Com- mittee, where he works with the adminis- tration to enhance the program, he plans to be a leader in the broader community— though not necessarily in the traditional sense. “I believe everyone, including myself, has a duty to positively influence the com- munity, even without holding formal lead- ership roles,” he said. Price’s transformative experiences at YU include participating in the summer in- ternship program, where he worked for a small software startup. Subsequently, through YU’s Torat Tzion program, he spent a semester living on YU’s Israel cam- pus. “It was an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in the country and its peo- ple,” he reflected. Price particularly values YU’s faculty, the industry professors who taught many of his classes at Syms. “They have a lot of ex- perience and provide us with valuable guidance on a daily basis,” he said. With friends on college campuses across the country, Price is well aware of the antisemitism they face and is grateful for the University’s supportive environ- ment. “Even if it’s not overt, there’s an un- dercurrent of unease on many campuses.” He highlights YU’s unique stance: “Here, we proudly fly the Israeli flag year-round, making it a safe space to display our Jewish identity.” Indeed, what sets YU apart, and what makes Price constantly proud to be a stu- dent there, is its emphasis on values, both personal and professional. “Our classes, like Jewish business law, relate to life outside of class. We’re encouraged to not just get a ca- reer, but to be leaders in the community. YU has helped me prepare for that life.”
Almost immediately, and with some guidance, they got busy. In November, Englanoff led a group of 150 YU students to lobby mem- bers of Congress to support Israel, and another trip is planned for later this year. “I realize how much our actions do matter.” And she and her fellow members of YUPAC—among the biggest clubs on campus—continue ramping it up, encouraging pro-Israel involvement among students; creating “News for the Jews,” a WhatsApp group that has grown to nearly 1,000 members; and establishing a voter registration campaign. And they’ve embraced a fundamental principle of Jewish values: expressing gratitude to government members who steadfastly support Israel. A Global Fellow at the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Program for In- ternational Affairs with a focus on the Middle East, Englanoff grew up in a home that was filled with both a love for the Jewish home- land and a culture of activism. Originally from Baghdad, her grand- parents escaped the 1941 Farhud—a violent pogrom against the city’s Jewish community—and resettled in Israel, where much of Englanoff’s family still resides. Subsequently they, along with En- glanoff’s mother, moved to the U.S. “I was taught that Israel is our homeland, our haven, and we must fight for it and protect it.” All too aware of the situation on many college campuses—and hearing firsthand accounts from friends—Englanoff feels especially thankful to be part of Yeshiva University. “YU is a safe harbor. I don’t have to worry that the person sitting next to me in English class secretly wants to see the end of Israel and the destruction of my people. Some of my friends don’t have that luxury.” And Englanoff continues to grow her understanding of the Mid- dle East through the Schneier Fellowship. Inspired by her Honors class in Israeli National Security, she is focusing her thesis on the proxy, nuclear and cyber threats that Iran poses to Israel. Yet, her most profound act of support for Israel goes beyond ac- ademia—she’s planning to move there next year. “For me, the most important action I can take is by making aliya —making Israel my physical home, instead of just my spiritual home.” As a passionate member of the pro-Israel movement, Englanoff has observed a powerful sense of unity emerge from challenging times. She has watched as Jews from all walks of life, who may dis- agree on many issues, come together. And that, in itself, is inspiring. “Our people are unique in that we step up to the plate. We are fam- ily, and we must never forget it.”
Building on a Foundation of TorahValues DAVID PRICE ’24 Sy Syms School of Business Sy Syms Honors Committee Co-Chair
A t 23, David Price—a finance and accounting major at Sy Syms School of Business—is a man on the move. On any given day, you might spot Price all over the city: on the YU campus, heading a meeting of the Sy Syms Honors Commit- tee; on the baseball field pitching for the Maccabees; in finance class, learning about sustainable investing; at work in Midtown as a commercial real estate analyst; in Cen- tral Park, playing softball; sitting on a park bench, cell phone in hand, researching ideas for potential businesses; and on Fri- day night, hosting Shabbat dinners. “In many ways, David embodies the Sy Syms student,” said Dr. Noam Wasserman, dean of the Sy Syms School of Business. “He’s multidimensional and motivated, while being grounded in Torah values. He
draws on his diverse strengths to contrib- ute to YU and to the broader community, making him well prepared to lead, person- ally and professionally.” Indeed, everything Price does, he does with an eye toward the Jewish community, and his place in it—a value YU helped de- velop in him. “I learned to integrate my identity as a Jew with my role in the broad- er world,” he said. YU serves as a bridge between the Jewish community and the larger society, shaping my worldview in the process.” Price, set to graduate in May, currently works at Kesh Capital while completing his final YU classes in the evenings. As a Jewish professional, he keenly recognizes the im- pact he can have on those around him, a perspective instilled by his upbringing in Passaic, NJ, as the second of eight children,
I n a way, Jacqueline Englanoff has been preparing for Oct. 7— and the wave of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment that has followed—since grade school. Co-president of the Yeshiva University Political Action Club (YUPAC), Englanoff began fundraising for Israeli causes in sixth grade, and her activism and passion on behalf of the Jewish state have been gathering steam ever since. And yet, despite extensive experience lobbying Congress, host- ing pro-Israel events and advocating for Jewish causes, following the Hamas terror attacks she and the other members of YUPAC were momentarily stunned into silence. “It was overwhelming,” she said. “We thought, ‘What do we do now?’ We had taken a lot for granted. It was a real wake-up call.” It was also where the rubber hit the road.
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YU Today | Education and Leadership to Empower Our Next Generation
YU Today | Education and Leadership to Empower Our Next Generation
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