Yeshiva University (YU) announced that it is discontinuating the Hareni toeiva student club, saying that it has operated in a manner inconsistent with the university’s religious mission and the terms of a recent settlement agreement. The decision was outlined in a statement from the Roshei Yeshiva of YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), who directed the Office of Student Life to suspend the club’s activities. The Hareni club was established following a March settlement that resolved a nearly four-year legal dispute with the YU Pride Alliance, a student group advocating for official recognition of an LGBTQ+ club. The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, challenged YU’s initial refusal to grant club status to the Pride Alliance, citing the university’s commitment to Orthodox Jewish principles. After escalating to the U.S. Supreme Court, the settlement permitted the formation of Hareni, a club intended to support students “striving to live authentic, uncompromising halachic lives” under the oversight of YU’s rabbinic leadership. According to the Roshei Yeshiva, the settlement required Hareni to adhere to guidelines aligned with traditional Orthodox Jewish values. However, the university determined that the club’s recent activities and statements suggested it was functioning as a pride club, which the Roshei Yeshiva stated was “antithetical to the Torah values of our yeshiva” and in violation of the settlement’s terms. The statement concluded that such a club could not continue at YU, emphasizing the university’s commitment to guiding students in accordance with halacha. The decision follows months of debate within and beyond YU’s campus. The settlement had initially been presented as a compromise, with YU President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman clarifying that Hareni was distinct from a pride club and built on a 2022 proposal for a halachically compliant student group. However, Hareni’s leadership described the club as a step toward greater LGBTQ+ inclusion, highlighting its ability to use “LGBTQ+” in public communications. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)