Dr. Steven Wengrover's Blog

A Brief History of Yeshiva University, by Steven Wengrover, MD September 24, 2012

Emerging from the distinct communities of Jews fleeing the repressive anti-Semitic policies of the Russian Empire, Yeshiva University traces its origins back to the late 19th century. Many Jews coming to the United States from Russia and Eastern Europe settled in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. To preserve their heritage, some of the immigrants opened Etz Chaim, a small Jewish school set up to provide Jewish boys with religious instruction as well as a solid secular education in fulfillment of state requirements.

The school’s popularity grew, and more and more people expressed a desire to establish an institute for advanced Jewish studies. In 1897, the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, named after Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Spektor of Lithuania, graduated its first class of students, who had come from Etz Chaim. Often switching locations, the new school eventually became the first yeshiva (an institute for higher Talmudic studies) in North America based on the Eastern European model.

In its 117-year history, Yeshiva University has had only four presidents, each with a unique vision but all contributing to the continued expansion of the institute’s programs, activities, and projects. While retaining its obvious ties to Judaism, Yeshiva University is an internationally known institute that produces quality research in many areas of science, medicine, and the humanities and involves itself in the broader community.

Special mention should be made of one of the crown jewels of Yeshiva University’s schools: the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Established in 1955, the year of its namesake’s death, the college quickly emerged as a world-renowned center of medical research and education. Albert Einstein College of Medicine receives funding from the National Institutes of Health to conduct biomedical research, publishes its own scientific journals, and participates in global efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. The college is nonsectarian and welcomes students without regard for race, creed, or ethnic background.

About the Author: Dr. Steven Wengrover earned his Doctor of Medicine from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City in 1979. A specialist in diagnostic radiology and internal medicine, Dr. Wengrover has worked in various hospitals, clinics, and private practice over the course of his 30-year career. Dr. Steven Wengrover received his certification from the American College of Radiology.