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 (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)