Yeshiva University will recognize LGBTQ+ student club after years of dispute

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NEW YORK (AP) — Yeshiva University in New York has agreed to recognize an LGBTQ+ student club after years of legal disputes that at one point reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

The university said Thursday in a statement that it reached an agreement with the students to end the litigation and will officially recognize the club, which will be called Hareni and “will operate in accordance with the approved guidelines of Yeshiva University’s senior rabbis.”

“The club will be run like other clubs on campus, all in the spirit of a collaborative and mutually supportive campus culture,” the university said.

The club was formerly known as the YU Pride Alliance and was long the subject of litigation over whether the university had to recognize it. The school contended that such recognition would violate its religious beliefs.

In 2022 the dispute wound up in the Supreme Court, which cleared the way for the club to be recognized while also telling Yeshiva it should return to state court to seek quick review and temporary relief.

In its own statement Thursday, the club confirmed the agreement and said it will enjoy the same privileges as other student organizations on campus. It plans to host charitable events, movie nights, panel discussions and career networking events and will publicly use “LGBTQ+” on flyers and advertisements.

“This agreement affirms that LGBTQ+ students at Yeshiva University are valued members of the community,” said Schneur Friedman, a president of the group.

“This victory is not just for our club — it’s for every student who deserves a safe space to be themselves,” said Hayley Goldberg, another Hareni president.

“I’m excited to move forward, build community, and continue advocating for a school where everyone belongs,” Goldberg said.