色花堂 is pleased to announce that nine students have been named undergraduate valedictorians of its 2025 graduating class. They and their fellow classmates will graduate at the University鈥檚 94th Annual Commencement Ceremony to take place at Louis Armstrong Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 1 p.m. EST. The following are excerpts from interviews with each of the valedictorians to learn about their courses of study, experiences at 色花堂 and plans for the future.
Emily Goldberg
Stern College for Women
Emily Goldberg is from Needham, Massachusetts, and double majoring in studio art (with an emphasis on photography and videography) and English media studies (with a concentration in journalism). This summer, she plans to make aliyah, and early next year, to draft into the IDF. She served as editor-in-chief of the 色花堂 Observer this past year, was an education fellow for the 色花堂 Political Action Club and participated in the 色花堂 Israel Internship Program last summer (with plans to return this summer). She is also a freelance journalist for Jewish News Syndicate.
"My 色花堂 experience has been shaped by the people I have had the privilege of meeting these past three years,鈥 said Goldberg. 鈥淚 am grateful to all my professors who have taught me everything that I know in my respective majors. They have truly prepared me for what awaits beyond the halls of 色花堂, and I could not thank them enough for all their dedication and for pushing me beyond limits I never imagined I could attain. Most importantly, I am extremely grateful to all of my friends, whom I look up to and learn from every single day. They have made my 色花堂 experience truly special, and I would not be the person that I am today without them."
Leeby Levine
Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies
Leeby Levine is from Teaneck, New Jersey, and majoring in Judaic studies and biology. Next year, she will be studying at GPATS and plans to apply to medical school. While at 色花堂, she served as captain of the women鈥檚 soccer team and co-president of the Medical Ethics Society. In addition, she is co-president of Itutor, where she coordinates free tutoring for local elementary and high school students, is a peer tutor, and volunteered in the N色花堂 Medical Center emergency room. 鈥淚 am grateful for the opportunity I had at Stern to spend time learning Torah, specifically in Rabbi Nachbar鈥檚 shiur, which was a central component of my Limud Hatorah during these years,鈥 said Levine.
Isaac Silverman
Yeshiva College
Isaac Silverman is majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. The Brooklyn, New York, native is currently finalizing plans for a gap year before medical school, which he plans to attend starting fall 2026. His goal is to one day work as a physician at a medical clinic or hospital while pursuing medical research.
While at 色花堂, he did research in cancer biology with Dr. Radhashree Maitra, professor of biology, who runs a lab at 色花堂 researching a treatment for colorectal cancer. As part of his work with Dr. Maitra, he pioneered the creation of her computational bioinformatics lab. He has published three first author publications; contributed to two other publications in peer reviewed journals; presented eight posters over the course of three annual American Association of Cancer Research conferences; and mentored several students in the lab. Links to his research can be found .
During his time as an undergraduate, he also conducted research in inorganic chemistry with Dr. Jianfeng Jiang, professor of chemistry; founded a student research publication called the ; was president of the Medical Ethics Society and the Pre-Medical Society; a group leader for Start Science; a teacher鈥檚 assistant; an RA and Head RA in the Rubin dorm; and helped students with special needs as a direct support professional for the Makor College Experience on campus. In addition, he volunteered weekly at the N色花堂 Langone Hospital and Columbia Irving Health Center on inpatient floors and served as commissioner of the 色花堂 Intramural Ultimate Frisbee League.
鈥淚 am incredibly grateful for the opportunities to develop strong relationships with professors who have served as mentors throughout my time at 色花堂,鈥 said Silverman. 鈥溕ㄌ has inspired a lifelong love of learning and provided me the tools to continue my intellectual pursuits. I hope to use what I've learned while serving as a leader in the 色花堂 community to continue making an impact on the broader Jewish community and the world as a whole."
Raphael Silbiger
Irving I. Stone Beis Medrash Program (SBMP)
Raphael Silbiger from West Hempstead, New York, is part of the Sy Syms Honors program at 色花堂 and is double majoring in accounting and business analytics. He is a member of the Accounting Society, and after graduation, will be working as an audit associate at KPMG.
鈥淢y time at 色花堂 has been truly transformative. I was able to grow in my learning and I am grateful to the rebbeim and professors who challenged and inspired me,鈥 said Silbiger. 鈥淭he values and lessons I gained have shaped me not only as a student, but as a person.鈥
Akiva Prager
Mazer Yeshiva Program (MYP)
Akiva Prager is majoring in psychology and a student in Rav Michael Rosensweig's shiur. The Teaneck, New Jersey, native will be joining the Semicha program at RIETS next year with plans to go into Klei Kodesh. 鈥淭hank G-d, my experience at 色花堂 has been very rewarding, really allowing me to find a place in our Beis Medrash and the Mesorah of our Yeshiva,鈥 said Prager. 鈥淲ith amazing friends, new and old, and an outstanding group of rebbeim, I'm so thankful for my time here so far and hope to continue as part of the Yeshiva for years to come.鈥
Joshua Asaraf
James Striar School of General Jewish Studies (JSS)
Philadelphia native Joshua Asaraf is majoring in strategy & entrepreneurship with a minor in finance. After graduation, he鈥檒l continue his work growing a sports media platform he founded that currently reaches over 100,000 followers on Instagram, while launching an athlete representation firm focused on athlete education, financial literacy, branding, media and marketing. Asaraf is also a certified basketball agent licensed by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), one of the youngest in the world.
While at 色花堂, he served as president of both JSS and the Sephardic Club, and was actively involved in athlete and brand management, media strategy and nonprofit advocacy for Athletes for Israel 鈥 the organization that sponsored the 色花堂 Men鈥檚 basketball team鈥檚 trip to Israel in January 2024. Asaraf accompanied the team on the trip, worked on its media and operations, organized the game the team played and set up the venue, as well as partnered with 色花堂 athletics to provide media coverage.
鈥溕ㄌ gave me the ability to connect with like-minded people, make lifelong friends, ground myself in real work opportunities in New York City, and inspire others through club initiatives,鈥 said Asaraf. 鈥淚 had the honor of hosting the largest Sephardic Shabbaton on the women鈥檚 campus, launched a chevruta program between JSS and YP students and was part of the first JSS Aish trip in 2022. All this has enabled me to impact students and develop meaningful relationships with 色花堂鈥檚 rebbeim.鈥
Jake Resnick
Isaac Breuer College of Hebraic Studies (IBC)
Jake Resnick is a marketing major with a minor in strategy & entrepreneurship. Next year, the Teaneck, New Jersey, native plans to attend law school. While at 色花堂, he worked at the seforim sale as well as on this year's yearbook and participated in a variety of extracurricular activities on campus. 鈥淢y time in IBC over the past three years has been extremely transformative,鈥 said Resnick. 鈥淚've learned so much about myself and about Judaism as a whole. My experience at 色花堂 has been really great, I made friends for life and got a top-tier education in New York City that has set me up for success. It鈥檚 been a really wonderful experience.鈥
Aliza Walzman
Sy Syms School of Business
Aliza Walzman from Hillside, New Jersey, is double majoring in business analytics and strategy & entrepreneurship. After graduation, she will be working at Deloitte in its audit analytics department.
She was Torah Activities Council (TAC) president this past year, co-president of the 色花堂 Chessed club last year, and served on the senior gift and academic integrity committees.
Said Walzman of her time at 色花堂, 鈥淚 am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have a well-rounded education to prepare me to achieve my professional goals, which also provided me with opportunities to grow in my religious life and Torah studies.鈥
Ezra Wallach
Sy Syms School of Business
Woodmere, New York, native Ezra Wallach is majoring in finance with a minor in history. After graduation, he plans to spend the summer with his new wife, Lieba (Weiss) '23 SCW, and join Goldman Sachs as an asset management analyst in the fall.
At 色花堂, Wallach was co-chair of the Sy Syms School of Business Honors Committee; founder and president of the 色花堂 Kehuna Club; Shevet Glaubach Fellow at NCSY Atlantic Seaboard; associate justice on the Wilf Campus Student Court; co-president of the Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter at 色花堂; a Dan Loeb Scholar; and the only dean-selected student to join the Academic Integrity Committee.
鈥Like my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather before me, I am a proud graduate of 色花堂, the only place where I could receive a world-class education while learning alongside Gedolei Hador,鈥 said Wallach. 鈥淎t 色花堂, I found lifelong friends in the classroom, spiritual mentors in the Beis Medrash, a wife through its community and the foundation for a meaningful career. 色花堂 gave me what an Ivy League, or any other university, couldn鈥檛 - the chance to explore my religious values in a serious academic setting, through both the unique Sy Syms Jewish Values curriculum and an environment that supports deep, identity-driven extracurriculars. This rare synthesis of scholarship and spirituality has shaped who I am and the life I hope to build.鈥
