Wearing a yellow hostage pin, Rabbi Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, delivered a benediction today at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, in which he prayed to God to “guide our schools and campuses which have been experiencing such unrest.” 

Referring to the implementation of a cease-fire and hostage-release deal agreed to by Israel and Hamas that started on Sunday, Berman said, “We are so thankful for the three young women who yesterday returned home and pray that the next four years bring peace to Israel and throughout the Middle East.”  

“Hear the cry of the hostages, both American and Israeli, whose pain our president so acutely feels,” he continued. 

“Hear the cry of the hostages, both American and Israeli, whose pain our president so acutely feels."

Watch more of Yeshiva University Rabbi Ari Berman's inaugural benediction below and read our story here: https://t.co/AUNiJ3Id2V pic.twitter.com/oNMzPXoKTS

— Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) January 20, 2025

Berman became the second Orthodox rabbi to ever give a prayer at a presidential inaugural, following the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Rabbi Marvin Hier at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017. 

A Yeshiva University spokesperson told Jewish Insider ahead of the inauguration that “at a time of great disruption on college campuses, Rabbi Berman will be the only university president delivering remarks during the ceremony and will speak to the aspirations of faith-based and values-driven universities across the nation.” 

The benediction also featured prayers from Senior Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of the 180 Church in Detroit and Rev. Father Frank Mann of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. It did not include controversial Imam Husham Al-Husainy, who was removed from the schedule.