Meet the Sarnas

Yehuda Sarna currently serves as the rabbi at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at New York University and JLIC Educator. As a major in English Literature at Yeshiva University, Yehuda co-founded Eimatai, a leadership training program for high school students, Mimaamakim: Journal of Jewish Art, and Nachalah: The Yeshiva University Journal for the Study of Bible.  While in rabbinical school at Yeshiva University, he worked under Rabbi Avi Weiss, renowned political activist and humanitarian, at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. He served as the head counselor of Camp Moshava in Canada (1999) and Wisconsin (2000), as well as a Jewish studies teacher at MTA – Yeshiva University High School for Boys (2000-2002).

After his ordination in 2002, Rabbi Sarna joined the Bronfman Center to work primarily with the growing Orthodox community, which has since tripled in size, becoming the largest such community at any private university. Together with Reform and Conservative rabbinic interns, Rabbi Sarna has worked to see those communities double in size over the same period. Together with student activists, Rabbi Sarna initiated one of the first public rallies in New York City towards awareness of the genocide in Darfur, pioneered a Muslim-Jewish Fellowship this past spring, and led a solidarity mission to Virginia Tech the day after the massacre.

Rabbi Sarna also serves as the assistant editor of Dine Israel: An Annual of Jewish Law (Tel Aviv University & Cardozo Law School); as a member of the Advisory Committee to the Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists; and as Rabbinic Mentor to alumni of Yeshiva Chovevei Torah currently working as Hillel rabbis.

Michelle Waldman Sarna is concurrently writing her dissertation in School Psychology at Fordham Graduate School of Education on emerging adulthood, religion, and emotional well-being.

Upon completing her BA in Psychology from Yeshiva University (1999), Michelle taught pre-school children with PDD at the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services Child Development Center and did coursework towards a M.A. in Bible at the Bernard Revel Graduate School (2000-2001). While at Fordham, Michelle received her M.S. in Preschool Psychology, Advanced Certificate in School Psychology and New York State Provisional Certification (2004).

In her years as JLIC Educator at NYU, Michelle has distinguished herself as an emotional resource for young ambitious women, eager to become professionally accomplished while maintaining their religious integrity. The New York Jewish Week featured her on the front page in an article entitled “The Rebbetzin Steps Out” (03/09/2007), using her as an example of the changing role of female Orthodox leadership.

Michelle and Rabbi Sarna live with their three children, Batya, Maayan and Moshe, in Greenwich Village.

In The News....

Articles by and about the Sarnas

We don’t proselytize on campuses, do we?

The Culture of Conversation

Parshat Shelach: Speaking by Listening

Enlisting Day School Grads in Outreach to “Cultural” Jews

mimaamakim.org (See “The Art of Judaism")

A Translucent Wire in the Sky (nytimes.com)

New Yorkers Don Orange, Maroon for Virginia Tech (nysun.com)

A Hard-Won Coexistence: Muslims & Jews at NYU

The Rebbetzin Steps Out The redefinition of a traditional role is quickening.

‘Israel Apartheid Week’ Begins, Reigniting Carter-Led Debate (nysun.com)