Recent Straus Scholars graduate Josh Shapiro (YC ’25) spent his summer moving between Washington policy seminars, comparative religious arbitration research and advanced legal theory—an intensive capstone to his undergraduate humanities education before heading to Israel to write for startups. 

Most students consider themselves busy if they land one meaningful summer experience. Josh Shapiro stacked three and managed to thread them together into a coherent vision of law, religion and public life. ​ 

Over eight educational weeks, Josh Shapiro, a recent graduate of the Straus Scholars program, participated in the American Enterprise Institute Summer Honors Program in Washington, D.C.; served as a research assistant to Professor Chaim Saiman (Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law) for a forthcoming book on Beth Din and religious arbitration in America; and assisted Moshe Jaffe, an Israeli attorney (Jaffe-Koginsky Law Firm) and legal scholar on a study of proportionality doctrine in comparative law. ​ 

“I loved my political science and legal theory classes as an undergrad,” Josh reflected, “and this summer was a chance to see how those ideas actually operate in the real world—not just as theory, but through real cases, institutions, and legal systems.” 

AEI Summer Honors: Reading the Founders to Read the Headlines 

At AEI, Josh studied with Professor John Yoo in a seminar on the Constitution. Days were structured around close reading of foundational texts—The Federalist Papers, Jefferson’s letters, Lincoln’s speeches—paired with contemporary controversies before the Supreme Court or within the Executive Branch. The primary questions examined were (1) How should one interpret the constitution? (2) What are the different branches of government responsible for? and (3) How far do the powers of the executive extend? At times, the classroom collided directly with breaking news. 

During a moot court exercise on presidential authority and birthright citizenship, Professor Yoo excused himself mid-session to appear on live television as the Supreme Court released its ruling in the very case the group had been debating. 

AEI’s program also featured high-level briefings from national figures, such as Kenneth Pollack—an expert on Iran's nuclear enrichment program who spoke about the American attack the week prior—and Lynne Chaney on her new book on the Virginian presidents of the Founding Era (which Josh has been glued to since). He even posed a question to the U.S. Solicitor General about emerging uses of AI in government. “I came in thinking politics was partisan theater,” he reflected. “Reading the Founders and then watching these issues unfold profoundly changed my perspective. I had a new prism through which I could evaluate the headlines, namely a Constitutional one.” 

Legal Research with Prof. Chaim Saiman and Moshe Jaffe 

Josh’s second major commitment grew directly out of a Straus Center event, where Professor Chaim Saiman spoke last spring. Encouraged to follow up, Josh introduced himself—and was soon offered to assist Professor Saiman on a new project examining how Jewish religious courts (batei din) operate within the American legal system, and how that compares to other faith-based arbitration frameworks. 

Josh was knee-deep in heavy-duty research, using resources like Westlaw; reading and summarizing law review literature; and building an annotated bibliography of cases and scholarship on religious arbitration, enforcement and limits under U.S. law. 

“I became fascinated by the way a Beit Din ruling can be enforced by a secular court,” Josh said. “If parties voluntarily enter arbitration, the American court will often enforce the outcome of the Beit Din—even when the underlying religious law points in a direction different from state law.” The exposure to primary legal materials, arbitration statutes and comparative religious practice “was a crash course in the legal system beyond the classroom,” he added. 

The third thread of the summer pulled Josh into the world of proportionality analysis. Working with Moshe Jaffe, an Israeli attorney and legal researcher, Josh helped review cases in which courts circumnavigate the stricto sensu balancing test of proportionality when adjudicating tax law. The task demanded precision editing and comparative judgment and refined Josh’s sense of how legal doctrine functions in practice. 

Extending a Humanities Education Beyond the Classroom 

Josh sees the summer not simply as professional preparation, but as a final opportunity to extend his undergraduate humanities education into real-world settings. Across seminars, research projects, and case studies, he encountered the same questions that animated his coursework at Straus—now embedded in live institutions and legal systems. 

“A few years ago, I might not have had language for what drew me to these questions,” Josh reflected. “Through Straus—reading great books, engaging visiting scholars and being encouraged to pursue opportunities beyond the syllabus—I discovered how deeply I care about American history, legal interpretation and the Jewish intellectual tradition.” 

He singled out the Straus Impact Office’s steady stream of opportunities. “Jonathan Green kept sending things my way and nudging me to advocate for myself. Without that, I never would have followed up with Professor Saiman—and that turned into one of the most valuable parts of my summer.” 

For current Straus Scholars and YU students in general, Josh’s advice is simple: say yes, follow up and be curious across disciplines. “You never know which seminar, speaker or side conversation will open the next door.”

To learn more about the Straus Scholars program, click here. 

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