The orthodox movement attempted to promote its opposition to “reform into a more positive program for historical Judaism” (The Characteristics of American Jews) of course did attempt to bounce back in several ways:

• American Hebrew Orthodox Congregations (1888) attempted to appoint Chief Rabbi of Association of the American Hebrew Orthodox Congregations: ultimately failed due to competition between chiefs over supervision and income of kashruth.
• In 1896, the Orthodox Group founded the Issac Elchanan Theological Seminary. This was the precedent for the eventual establishment of Yeshiva University in 1928. After 1915 it began expanding.
• In 1898, the Orthodox Congregational Union is formed. It is actually partially sponsored by the Conservative movement since it still preserved some Orthodox inclinations. However tensions arose and the Eastern European Orthodox Party seceded because it was not supportive of graduates of the Jewish Theological Seminary receiving the title: Rabbi of Israel. Orthodox group went on to develop Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada (Agudath ha-Rabbanim). Ultimately replaced by a more modern Orthodox organization in 1935: The Rabbinical Council of America
• Orthodox youth form Young Israel movement – to ward off Reform influence particularly from Stephen S. Wise (1911). Attempted to imbue the orthodox movement with more modern overtones; shaved their beards, listened to English sermons, and dressed in modern style
• 1881 – 8/200 Orthodox Synagogues. 1890 – 533 Synagogues, bulk of new ones were Orthodox
• Educational Developments: Some Orthodox Congregations would unite to establish Talmud Torah, or after school/Sunday Jewish program. Hebrew text and language were the main focus, not Yiddish. Teachers were often ill and poorly compensated. Families “sought to provide their children with a modicum of traditional Jewish education while the latter attended public school during the main hours of the day (Raphael 2003, p. 57)

Yeshiva University / Courtesy of http://www.yu.edu/