Woodmere residents Jonah Loskove, David Rubin, Naftali Shavelson, Marc Ziarno and Michael Fagin, and Shoshi Tuchman from Cedarhurst, have been named valedictorians of Yeshiva University’s Class of 2022. These impressive honors reflect their remarkable achievements in every facet of their academic career.
Loskove, valedictorian of the Sy Syms School of Business, is a finance major with a minor in English literature with plans to pursue a career in the business world. During his three years on campus, his extracurricular activities included being head of the Sy Syms Honors Student Committee, senior co-chair of the Wilf Student Life Committee and playing for the men’s tennis team. He also served as one of three portfolio managers to manage the Harold Charno Investment Fund, a student-run $140,000 scholarship aid endowment fund.
Shoshi Tuchman, also valedictorian of the Sy Syms School of Business, double majored in accounting and finance with a minor in economics. She will be starting full time at BKD CPAs and Advisors as an audit associate after graduation while also studying for the CPA exam.
During her years at YU, she was a teacher assistant for the Business Statistics and Business Communications courses and assistant COO and cashier at The Seforim Sale. She also served as campus ambassador for BKD and Becker (a CPA exam prep course) and was a member of YU’s Chessed Club, Finance Club and Accounting Society. In addition, she worked with many nonprofits, including Tomchei Shabbos, Camp HASC and the Super Soul Party.
Rubin, valedictorian of the Irving I. Stone Beis Medrash Program and majoring in political science, will be learning at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary RIETS and studying for the LSATs. Following RIETS, he plans to go to law school. He was the marketing director for the FinTech Society and The Clarion, YU’s political science journal, as well as a founding member and club officer of the YU branch of the Alexander Hamilton Society. He has been a student madrich [counselor] at YU for the past two years and is excited to continue in that role next year as well. He was also a student ambassador and a member of YU’s Torat Chessed mission to Vienna, helping the Ukrainian Jewish refugees who found safety there.
Shavelson, valedictorian of the Isaac Breuer College of Hebraic Studies, is majoring in media studies with a minor in architecture. He held many club positions while at YU, including senior opinions editor of The Commentator, founder and president of the Typography Club, photography section editor of the YU Journal of the Arts, and marketing and design consultant for The Seforim Sale. He also participated in the inaugural YU MassChallenge Israel internship program in Jerusalem last summer and served as a teaching assistant in a graphic design class last semester.
Ziarno, valedictorian of the James Striar School of General Jewish Studies, is majoring in finance with minors in management, marketing and real estate management. He looks forward to attending law school in the fall and pursuing a career in real estate law. He is currently the student body representative for the JSS program, and in addition to being selected as valedictorian, he has received awards, including the Manfred and Mignon Siegbert Fischel Memorial Award for character. He was also captain of YU’s men’s soccer team for four rewarding seasons and a member of the Real Estate Club.
Fagin, valedictorian of the Mazer Yeshiva Program, is majoring in political science and will be attending RIETS after graduation. He was a member of the Masmidim Honors program and the shiur assistant for Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS. He spent the past four summers in Israel as part of the NCSY Kollel, most recently serving as head madrich.
YU’s other undergraduate valedictorians include Debbie Cohen from Caracas, Venezuela (Stern College for Women), Dafna Levine from Teaneck, New Jersey (Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies), and Yehuda Goldberg (Yeshiva College) of Passaic, New Jersey.
Yeshiva University’s 91st Annual Commencement Ceremony will take place in person at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York, on Thursday, May 26, at 1 p.m. ET.
