December 8, 1942- 7,000 Jews of Minsk executed by the Nazis.
November 16, 1945- The charter of Yeshiva College (later Yeshiva University) was amended by the New York State Board of Regents, making it the first American university under Jewish auspices. Through the first half of the 20th century, many American universities maintained a regional quota system, whereby spaces for Jewish students was often limited. (This was, however, better than the situation in the Middle Ages, when universities were entirely closed to Jewish students.) Yeshiva University helped alleviate that strain, and today is regarded as one of America's leading academic institutions, offering advanced degrees in rabbinics, business, medicine, law, and Jewish education.