On Sunday, June 21, 2026, the Zahava and Moshael J. Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought hosted its annual high school seminar, Jewish and Western Texts in Conversation, at the Moise Safra Center on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Each year, this selective program invites current high school juniors and seniors to spend a day learning at the collegiate level with Straus Center faculty, engaging with classmates across separate men’s and women’s tracks, and exploring foundational texts and ideas at the intersection of Torah and Western Thought.
This year’s program exposed over fifty students to the organizational structure of Straus Center courses, consisting of lectures on Torah and Literature with Dr. Shaina Trapedo, Torah and Philosophy with Rabbi Dr. Dov Lerner, and Torah and Art with a guided tour of the Met with Straus Center Director, Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik. The full-day seminar also featured the Straus Center’s hallmark initiative, “Two Texts, Three Questions,†in which students engage in close reading and discussion of the relationship between Torah and science, political thought, poetry, and narrative. Other curated activities included meals with Straus faculty, an interview preparedness workshop, and networking opportunities designed to build lasting connections among prospective Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» students.
Both cohorts enjoyed lively panel discussions featuring current and former Straus Scholars, who shared their experiences in the program and answered questions from the high school participants. Panelists discussed their favorite courses, reading groups, and trips, as well as the fellowships and internships they have pursued through the Straus Scholars Program.
The Zahava and Moshael J. Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, directed by Rabbi Dr. Meir Solovechik, empowers Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» students to become Orthodox intellectual leaders who are well-versed in both sacred texts of the Jewish tradition and enduring works within the Western canon. The annual high school seminar offers a chance for high school juniors and seniors to explore an intellectually engaging program and learn more about the unique community of Straus Scholars at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³».
