yu masmid - class of 5771/2011

M A S M I D

Classof

5771/2011

The reading of all good books is like a conversation

with the finest minds of past centuries.

—René Descartes

Thanks to the tremendous e�orts of Shaul Seidler-Feller, Yonatan Cantor, and the

rest of their dynamic sta�, the graduating Class of 2011 is now able to have a

delightful, reflective, and wonderful conversation about its college experiences.

For perpetuating wisdom and promoting excellence, The Seforim Sale is proud to

sponsor this year’s Masmid, the first of, please God, many more to come.

—The Board of The Seforim Sale, 2011

Tzvi Feifel, Sam Ulrich, David Redlich, Sarah Siegel, and Ahuva Schwartz

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY MASMID2 2011

ContentsDedications.......................................................................................4

Letters...............................................................................................7

Administration, Faculty, and Staff................................................14

Seniors............................................................................................50

Clubs and Activities.......................................................................94

Athletics........................................................................................130

Reflections.....................................................................................150

Advertisements.............................................................................161

3YESHIVA UNIVERSITY MASMID2011

In Memoriam

Rabbi Dr. Aaron Levine

Rabbi Dr. Levine’s work on the interplay of Halakhah and

economics was surpassed only by his love for teaching, his

devotion to his students, and his Torah scholarship. As a faculty

member for over forty years and a true Torah u

personality, his passing leaves a large void in the Yeshiva

University community.

In Memoriam

Rabbi Dr. Aaron Levine, z”l




member for over forty years and a true Torah u

sing leaves a large void in the Yeshiva

University community.




member for over forty years and a true Torah u-Madda

sing leaves a large void in the Yeshiva


In Memoriam

Dean Norman Rosenfeld

From His Colleagues and Friends

Photograph: Yeshiva University Archives, PR Photographs, YC, Dean Rosenfeld & Students, 1980

In Memoriam

Dean Norman Rosenfeld, z”l

From His Colleagues and Friends

Yeshiva University Archives, PR Photographs, YC, Dean Rosenfeld & Students, 1980

l

Yeshiva University Archives, PR Photographs, YC, Dean Rosenfeld & Students, 1980


In Memoriam

David “Rotty

David Rottenstreich,

masmid and ba’al middos

very seriously. A kind and gentle person, he was beloved by

family and friends. David was

illness, on April 7

In Memoriam

Rotty” Rottenstreich, z

z”l, was born July 29, 1988. He was a

al middos who took his davening and learning


family and friends. David was niftar, at age 20, after a brief

illness, on April 7, 2009. He will truly be missed.

z”l

, 1988. He was a

and learning


20, after a brief

missed.


Editorial In his introduction to the Sefer Ein Ya’akov, the au-thor famously cites a Tannaitic dispute (which does not ap-pear in the standard versions of the midrashim available to us) about what constitutes a kelal gadol ba-Torah, an overarching theme of the Torah by which a Jew should lead his life. While Ben Zoma, understandably enough, picks the verse “Shema Yisra’el” and Ben Nanas “ve-ahavta le-re’akha kamokha,” R. Shim’on ben Pazi, seemingly inexplicably, chooses “et ha-keves ehad ta’aseh ba-boker,” the verse commanding the Isra-elites to sacrifice the tamid offering every morning and eve-ning. Why, of all the possible verses he could have selected, did he zero in on one which, on a basic level (ignoring con-siderations of u-neshallemah parim sefateinu), cannot even be fulfilled in the post-Temple era in which we live? In answer to this, many have suggested that R. Shim’on ben Pazi’s choice is a symbolic one. He does not mean to imply that the fundamental principle of Judaism is the sacrifice of a lamb every morning and evening in the Temple in Jerusalem. Rather, he understands the verse to be conveying the message that service of God has to be tamid, regular, just as the lambs were brought to the Altar on a regu-lar basis when the Temple stood. Religious devotion cannot be subjected to the same conditional principles by which hu-man beings often live their lives; it has to be consistent, day in and day out. The observant Jew must maintain his resolve and commitment, even in the face of those forces which would seek to disrupt his lifestyle or distract him from his religious duties. Living as we do in the environment of both a yeshi-vah and a college (or, more accurately, that most distinctive of combinations, a Yeshiva College [sorry SSSB guys]), we understand what it means to be a matmid, constantly de-voted to one’s studies and religious service. For three or four years, each of us has dedicated himself to an intensive dual curriculum demanding our unwavering commitment and requiring us to balance Torah u-Madda. Indeed, perhaps the greatest, most significant lesson this institution teaches its students is the supreme value of time and the responsibility we all have to make the most of it every day. Hatmadah is not just something that you do in a beit midrash; it is a way of life. Graduation is both sweet and solemn, an event which allows for a certain sense of satisfaction but also demands ac-tion and progress as one begins the next stage of one’s life. At this crucial juncture, it is important to be able to step back and reflect on all that we have accomplished in our short time on this campus as matmidim – the experiences we had, skills we developed, knowledge we gained, friendships we made – and bring it with us on the journey ahead. And that is where the Masmid comes in. This yearbook series, whose history stretches back all the way to 1929, has served generations of YU graduates as a collection of their fondest memories from

their time at this great institution. Its pages bear not only our own stories, but those of our classmates and friends – a mini-record of who we all were at this stage of our lives. I person-ally look forward to the day when I will be able to reminisce, together with my old buddies, about our time here together, using this yearbook as a kind of guide through the murky past; I hope the same is true for many of you as well. Because this issue of the Masmid is the first to ap-pear in seven years (the last one came out in 2004), we de-cided to draw a bit on past editions both for inspiration and for artwork. You may remember the ad campaign we started at the beginning of the Spring semester in which we posted the yearbook entries of famous personalities who graduated from YU. That theme carries over here, too: each section di-vider includes photographs or graphics that appeared in past Masmidim (if I may), which are meant to convey the sense that our shared experiences here connect us with generations gone by and hopefully generations to come. Which brings me to acknowledgements. This project could not have been carried out without the help and support of many individuals and groups. First, I would like to thank The Seforim Sale, Yeshiva Student Union, Yeshiva College Student Association, and Sy Syms School of Business Stu-dent Council for their generous financial assistance, as well as all of the parents, friends, and family of graduates who purchased advertisements in the back of the book, thereby allowing us to publish. Second, I owe my gratitude to the Of-fice of Student Affairs, which helped with certain logistical aspects of the project, and especially to the Office of Com-munications and Public Affairs (and, more specifically, Mr. Steven Schloss), which opened up its photo archive to us and provided many of the pictures featured within this book’s pages. Third, I should acknowledge all the Club Heads and other contributors who submitted either short written pieces or pictures (or both) for publication, making this very much a product of the students. And finally, to my devoted staff, whose hard work and dedication can be seen in the book before you; but especially to Yonatan Cantor and Tzvi Feifel who, despite their busy personal lives this semester, made the time to help put this project together. I hope you enjoy this yearbook as much as I do and that you come back to it many times in the future in nostalgic or reflective moments. But more importantly, may the les-sons you have learned here, experiences you have had here, and friends you have made here accompany and enrich you throughout the rest of your lives.

Shaul Seidler-FellerEditor-in-Chief, YU Masmid ‘11

May 5, 2011 / 2 Iyyar 5771The Heights, New York


NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY May 26, 2011 Dear Friends: Please accept my sincerest greetings as you gather to celebrate this year’s graduating class at Yeshiva University.

Today’s graduation brings your undergraduate experience to an end, but it is also the beginning of a new journey for each of you. This very important journey will help shape the rest of your lives, and during this journey, learning should continue to be the key focus. As students you were fortunate to receive Yeshiva University’s gift of the finest contemporary academic education with the timeless teachings of Torah. As an institution with a strong commitment to providing a high quality education, YU also takes pride in guiding its students in Jewish faith and traditions – serving as an institution of Torah, Mesorah, and Midos. In an era where our youth need our guidance more than ever, YU plays a critical role in guiding the next generation onto the derech yashor. Under the guidance of President Richard Joel, as well as the entire faculty, this year’s graduates can be proud of their accomplishments. As a proud graduate of Yeshiva University, I wish each and every graduate a successful and blessed future. You are fortunate to have such an outstanding institution that has faithfully served the Jewish community. Everyone associated with the school should be proud of the school’s record of achievement over the past century. I am pleased to have this opportunity to congratulate the 2011 graduating class for a job well done. Sincerely, SHELDON SILVER Speaker


T H E C I T Y O F N E W Y O R KO F F I C E O F T H E M A Y O RN E W Y O R K , N Y 1 0 0 0 7

May 26, 2011

Dear Graduates:

Congratulations on everything you have achieved at Yeshiva University. I am proud to join your family, friends, and everyone who supported you along the way in looking forward to what you will accomplish in the years ahead.

As you move on, remember to keep an open mind. Don’t worry if your career path doesn’t follow a straight line—mine didn’t! Work hard. Take risks. Most importantly, be sure to give back to your communities by volunteering. It’s a responsibility we all share, and now more than ever, the world needs your great energy and enthusiasm.

On behalf of all New Yorkers, best wishes for continued success.

Sincerely,

Michael R. Bloomberg

Mayor


1

The President

500 West 185th Street Belfer Hall 1200New York, NY 10033P: 212 960 5300F: 212 960 0016

Congratulations on completing your undergraduate experience at Yeshiva University!By growing academically and spiritually, by taking advantage of our phenomenal faculty and Roshei Yeshiva, by owning your Torah u-Madda instruction, you can now proceed with confidence, knowing that you are prepared to take the next step on your path to success. Whether you attend medical school or law school, the realm of business or the halls of academia, education, semikha, or blaze your own trail, the instruction you received at YU will prove invaluable for your future endeavors.

After finishing your last exams and papers, concluding your last courses and shiurim,and bidding farewell to your dedicated professors and rabbis, remember that your relationship with YU has not drawn to a close; it has opened a new chapter. You can still plug into our excitement and wisdom through YUTorah.org, our Sunday morning learning programs, and our frequent Yemei Iyun. Our campuses frequently serve as venues for events open to the wider community. And our professors and rabbis visit communities all over the world. Please take advantage of these opportunities.

Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein once said, “We are mandated by the Creator to put a spiritual imprint on the world.” Wherever your life’s journey takes you, always utilize the tools that you acquired at Yeshiva University to fulfill this goal and brighten our future. Though we will miss your presence on campus as students, we look forward to further engaging with you as the next leaders of the Jewish people.

B’hatzlacha.

Richard M. Joel

May 26, 2011

,


April 27, 2011


Administration,Faculty, and Staff

Rabbi Josh Joseph Vice President and

Chief of Staff

Dr. Morton Lowengrub Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Mr. Jeffrey Rosengarten Vice President for

Administrative Services

Dr. Lawrence H. Schiffman

Vice Provost for Undergraduate

Education

Rabbi Zevulun CharlopRIETS Dean Emeritusand Special Advisor on

Yeshiva Affairs

Mr. Richard M. JoelPresident

Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Chancellor

Dr. Pearl Berger Dean of Libraries

Rabbi Kenneth BranderDean of the Center for

the Jewish Future

Dr. Hillel Davis Vice President for

University Life

Dr. Herbert Dobrinsky Vice President for University Affairs

Upper Administration


Rabbi Daniel Rapp Associate Dean of IBC/

SBMP

Rabbi Zev Reichman Director of Mechinah/

JSS

Rabbi Yona Reiss Dean

Judaic Studies Administration

Rabbi Chaim Bronstein Administrator

Rabbi Chad Hopkovitz Coordinator for Mechinah/JSS

Rabbi Yosef Kalinsky Assistant Dean of IBC/

SBMP


Prof. Tova Lichtman

Rabbi Ely Allen Rabbi Etan M. Berman

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin

Rabbi Avidan Elkin

Rabbi Yitzchok Liberman

Mechinah Program/James Striar School


Rabbi Uri Orlian Prof. Harvey Sober Rabbi Michael Taubes

Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank

Rabbi Yehuda Willig Rabbi Benjamin Yudin

Not Pictured:Rabbi Reuven Fink Rabbi Baruch Price

Rabbi Benny RofehRabbi Nisson Shulman


Rabbi Benjamin Blech Rabbi Marc Dratch Prof. Hanoch Dubitsky

Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman Rabbi Meir Fulda Rabbi Meir Goldwicht

Isaac Breuer College and Stone Beit Midrash Program


Rabbi Ari Jacobson

Rabbi Dr. Bernard Rosensweig

Rabbi Allen Schwartz Rabbi Ezra Schwartz Rabbi Michael Shmidman

Prof. Harvey Sober Rabbi Yaakov Werblowsky

Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank

Rabbi Yehuda Willig

Rabbi Shmuel Maybruch Rabbi Dr. J. Mitchell Orlian

Rabbi Zvi Romm

Not Pictured:Rabbi Abraham Berman Rabbi Herber Bomzer

Prof. Malka DanishefskyRabbi Reuven Fink

Dr. Zvi Kaplan Rabbi Shmuel Marcus

Rabbi Avraham SarfatyRabbi Nisson Shulman


Rabbi Elchanan Adler Rabbi Eliyahu Ben-Haim Rabbi Yitzchok Cohen

Rabbi Meir Goldwicht Rabbi David M. Hirsch Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz

Mazer Yeshiva Program


Rabbi Michael Rosensweig

Rabbi Baruch Simon

Rabbi Mayer Twersky

Rabbi Aharon Kahn

Rabbi Yonason Sacks

Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky

Rabbi Jeremy Wieder

Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

Rabbi Daniel Stein

Rabbi Mordechai Willig

Rabbi Yaakov Neuberger

Rabbi Eliahu B. Shulman

Rabbi Dr. Moshe D. Tendler

Rabbi Gershon Yankelewitz

Rabbi HerschelReichman


Rabbi Gedalyah Berger

Rabbi Chaim Packer

Rabbi Shmuel Hain

Rabbi David Pahmer

Rabbi Zvi Harari

Rabbi Yechiel Weiner

Rabbi Asher Leshem

Rabbi Chaim Yanetz

Rabbi Ari Zahtz Coordinator

Masmidim Honors Program

Shoalim U’Meshivim

Rabbi Mayer TwerskyDirector


Dr. Barry L. Eichler Dean

Dr. Fredric Sugarman Associate Dean of

Student Affairs

Dr. Raji Viswanathan Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Dr. Brian Weiser Assistant Dean of

Student Academic Affairs

Yeshiva College Administration


Dr. Eric Goldman Dr. Barbara Mates Prof. Lin Snider

Prof. Carla Aurich Prof. Paul Glassman Dr. Christopher Buchenholz

Dr. Daniel Beliavsky

Art, Music, and Speech & Drama

Music

Not Pictured: Prof. Cris CristofaroProf. Jack McGrath

Not Pictured: Dr. Noyes Bartholomew (Chair)Prof. Jonathan Schapiro

Speech & Drama

Not Pictured:Dr. Alan HemingwayRabbi Dr. Bernard Rosenberg

Art


Dr. Alexander Kushnir Dr. Barry Potvin Rabbi Dr. Moshe D. Tendler

Dr. Neer Asherie Dr. Vincent J. Chiappetta Dr. Carl Feit Chair

Dr. Sumanta Goswami

Biology

Not Pictured:Dr. Zuram BudimilijaDr. Sondra Solomon


Dr. Lance D. Silverman Dr. Rosalyn Strauss Dr. Raji Viswanathan Chair

Dr. Gary Lee Warren

Chemistry

Dr. Jianfeng Jiang Dr. Kevin Kolack Dr. Michael Machczynski

Not Pictured:Dr. Suzanne Charnick Dr. Teresa JacquesDr. Lora Danley

Dr. Fabiola Barrios-Landeros

Dr. Bruce Hrnjez Mr. Joshua Ishal


Dr. Kira Adaricheva

Dr. Ben Duan Dr. Arnold Lebow

Dr. Michael Breban

Dr. Van E. Kelly

Dr. Morton Lowengrub

Dr. Wenxiong Chen

Dr. Thomas H. Otway Chair

Dr. Yuxi Zheng

Computer Science and Mathematics

Dr. Antonella Marini

Not Pictured: Dr. Linfen Cao Prof. Suiping Feng

Dr. Andreas H. HamelProf. Sigmund Handelman

Dr. Xiaomei Ji Prof. Wailun Lam

Dr. Marina LangloisMr. Robert Rand

Prof. Nolen Ryba Prof. Jesse Wolf


Prof. Omer Acikgoz

Rabbi Dr. Aaron Levine, z”l

Dr. Elias Grivoyannis

Dr. James R. Otteson

Dr. James KahnChair

Dr. Mehmet Sencicek

Economics

Not Pictured:Dr. Alessandro CitannaProf. Karen David


Dr. Lane Anderson

Dr. Lauren Fitzgerald Dr. Joan G. Haahr

Dr. Barbara Blatner

Prof. Dan Friedman

Dr. Joanne Jacobson

Prof. Amanda Bradley

Dr. Paula Geyh

Dr. David Lavinsky

English

Dr. Will Lee Dr. ChristopherMcGahan


Prof. Liesl Schwabe Dr. Hugh SheehyDr. Adam Z. Newton Chair

Dr. Gillian Steinberg

Dr. Richard L.Nochimson

Dr. Manfred Weidhorn

Not Pictured:Dr. Johanna Lane Prof. Lauren Spohrer

Dr. Norma Silbermintz Dr. Fredric Sugarman

Dr. Elizabeth StewartProf. Montana Wojczuk


Dr. Ellen Schrecker

Dr. Douglas Burgess

Dr. Reeva Simon

Dr. Jeffrey FreedmanChair

Dr. William Stenhouse

Dr. Hadassah Kosak

Dr. Joshua Zimmerman

History


Dr. Joseph Angel

Rabbi Shalom Carmy

Dr. Jill C. Katz

Dr. Shawn Zelig Aster Rabbi Hayyim Angel

Dr. Aaron Koller

Dr. Moshe J. Bernstein

Dr. Yaakov Elman

Dr. Ari Mermelstein

Dr. Shalom E. Holtz

Rabbi Dr. J. Mitchell Orlian

The Robert M. Beren Department of Jewish Studies

Bible

Dr. Elazar Hurvitz


Prof. Hanoch Dubitsky

Dr. Shmuel Schneider

Ms. Avital Fuss

Mr. Yair Shahak

Prof. Rachel Kra-Schaum

Prof. Sigal Shalom

Prof. Tova Lichtman

Dr. Hayim Tawil

Hebrew

Not Pictured:Prof. Malka Danishefsky Prof. Sarah Kasher-Bendet

Prof. Rachel KushnerProf. Aliza Schachter

Prof. Shlomo Wadler


Dr. David BergerChair

Dr. Jess Olson

Rabbi Shalom Carmy

Dr. Steven Fine

Dr. Ronnie Perelis

Dr. Jonathan Dauber

Dr. Debra Kaplan

Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter

Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz

Dr. Daniel Tsadik

Dr. Daniel Rynhold

Jewish History

Jewish Philosophy and Thought

Not Pictured:Dr. Chaviva LevinRabbi Dr. Bernard Rosensweig

Dr. Joshua Karlip


Dr. Louis H. Feldman

Dr. Richard White

Dr. Itay Zutra

Dr. Rachel MeschChair

Prof. Graciela Bazet-Broitman

Prof. Matthew Udkovich

Languages, Literatures, & Cultures

Classics French

Semitics Spanish

Yiddish

Not Pictured:Prof. Angelo Scipioni (Classics)Prof. Marcelo Broitman (Spanish)


Dr. Peter Achinstein

Dr. David JohnsonChair

Mr. Joe BednarshChair

Dr. Linda Brown

Dr. James R. Otteson

Mr. Él-Ad Eliovson Mr. Nicholas Fazio

Philosophy

Physical Education

Not Pictured:Mr. Levy Amar Mr. Freddy Cheng

Mr. Stanley Watson

Dr. Sol Roth

Mr. Dmitry KruppMr. Solomon Nadaf

Mr. David NeissMr. Michael Wolf


Dr. Neer Asherie

Dr. Gabriel Cwilich

Dr. Marc Bastuscheck

Dr. Mark Edelman

Dr. Sergey Buldyrev

Dr. Eli Lansey Dr. Fredy ZypmanChair

Physics

Not Pictured:Prof. Evgeny E. Kamenetskiy Dr. Amish Khalfan

Mr. Israel MandelDr. Sheldon Rosenberg


Prof. William Adler Dr. Bryan Daves

Dr. Silke Aisenbrey

Dr. Ruth A. Bevan

Dr. Elizabeth Radziszewski

Dr. Marc Garcelon

Dr. Evan Resnick

Dr. Yakov Lowinger Dr. Mareleyn Schneider

Political Science and SociologyPolitical Science

Sociology

Not Pictured:Dr. Michael Fisher

Dr. Joseph E. LudersChair


Dr. Norman T. Adler

Dr. Bruno Galantucci

Dr. Ariel Malka

Dr. Anna-Lisa Cohen

Dr. Stephen Glicksman

Dr. Ira Saiger

Dr. Gabriel CwilichChair

Dr. Edward Hoffman

Dr. Eliezer Schnall

Dr. Regine Galanti

Dr. Jenny Isaacs

Dr. Maury SilverProfessor Emeritus

Psychology

Not Pictured:Dr. Stephen Bacon Dr. Solomon KalksteinDr. Keith Benoff


Dr. Michael GinzbergDean

Dr. Brian MaruffiDirector of the

Ira Rennert Center for Entrepreneurship

Dr. Joel HochmanAssociate Dean of

Undergraduate Programs

Dr. Steven M. Nissenfeld Director of the Center

for Executive and Professional Education

Mr. Ira JaskollAssociate Dean for

Administration

Ms. Leah StromerAssistant Dean

Sy Syms School of Business Administration


Prof. David Kahn

Dr. Martin Leibowitz

Dr. Robert Greenberg

Dr. Joseph Kerstein Program Director, MS in Accounting

Dr. Moses PavaArea Head of Accounting

Dr. Murugappa Krishnan

Dr. Aliza Rotenstein

Accounting

Business Law

Not Pictured:Prof. Constance J. Crawford Prof. Daniel Feldman

Prof. David HornungDr. Leonard Schlangel


Dr. Joshua KrauszArea Head of Finance

Dr. Shu Han

Dr. John Malindretos

Prof. Yitzchak Rosenthal

Prof. Sidney Mehl

Prof. Claire Zakheim

Dr. Kiseok Nam

Prof. Robert Zwick

Finance

Information Systems

Not Pictured:Dr. Xiaojun He


Dr. Jonatan Jelen

Dr. Frederick PalumboArea Head of Marketing

and Management

Prof. Ellen R. Bayer

Dr. Brian Maruffi

Prof. Michael Strauss

Prof. Ariel Fishman

Dr. Steven Nissenfeld

Prof. Stuart Verstandig

Dr. Lisa Horvath-Rosh

Management

Not Pictured:Prof. Galit Ben-Joseph


Dr. Jesse Itzkowitz Dr. Daniel Laufer Dr. Frederick PalumboArea Head of Marketing

and Management

Dr. Avi GiloniArea Head of Information

and Decision Sciences

Marketing

Operations Management & Statistics

Not Pictured:Dr. Tamar Avnet Prof. William C. MayerDr. Myles I. Bassell Prof. Sheldon R. Wayman

Dr. Yasar Levent Kocaga


Rabbi Yosef Blau

Rabbi Ely Bacon

Rabbi YissacharKrakowski

Rabbi Josh Blass

Rabbi Shmuel Maybruch

Rabbi Eric Goldman

Rabbi Uri Orlian

Office of Student AffairsMashgiach Ruchani

Sganei Mashgichim


Mr. Stuart HalpernStudent Life Coordinator

Mr. Sean HirschhornAssistant Director of University Housing and Residence Life

Mr. David HimberDean of Students

Mr. Jonathan MantellDirector of University

Housing and Residence Life

Mr. Bradley KarasikAssociate Dean of

Students

Ms. Sonia VillarSecretary

Dr. Victor Schwartz University Dean of

Students

Office of University Housing and Residence Life


Seniors

Elie AbadySSSB, Accounting IBC

CJF Quest Leadership Program, Fencing Team, Debate Society

Moshe AbbeYC, Philosophy MYP

Debate Society (President), Fencing Team, Student Academic Affairs Committee

“To reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor.” —Oliver Wendell Holmes

Yehuda Leib AbberbockYC, Mathematics MYP

Yeshiva Masmidim Honors Program

“I can’t go back to yesterday – because I was a different person then.”—Lewis Carroll


Patrick Abitan

Alon AmarYC, Philosophy MYP

“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.”—Christopher Morley

Zachary Aryeh AmselSSSB, Finance MYP

Intramural Hockey (Captain), Charno Fund Manager

“The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.”—Gilbert K. Chesterton


Ari BernsteinYC, Philosophy MYP

YCSA (President)

“You only need to keep on losing; winning will come on its own.”—Ibrahim

Adam BermanYC, Psychology MYP

Literacy Program (Co-President), Heights Initiative, MYP Shiur Assistant

“Be happy, explore, and live life to the fullest!”—Anonymous

Aaron BerkowitzYC, English SBMP

The Commentator (Contributing Writer)

“I love being a writer. What I can’t stand is the paperwork.”—Peter De Vries


Elie BochnerYC, Mathematics MYP

Debate Society (President), Actuarial Science Club (President), Student Academic Affairs Committee

Raphael BlumenthalYC, Jewish Studies MYP

The Commentator, Writing Center (Tutor), Student Academic Affairs Committee

“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”—Groucho Marx

David BibianSSSB, Finance Mechinah/JSS

Bnai Zion Award for Excellence in Hebrew, SHAI Scholar for Sephardic Students, YC Hebrew Tutoring Coordiantor, Dean’s List

,לגמור המלאכה עליך לא :"]רבי טרפון[ היה אומר ט:ב אבות—."ממנה להבטל חורין בן אתה ולא

כל" רכיך ב ו:ג ימשל—".דעהו ד בר סוף" ל ד מע הכ רא האלקים את ,נש את י ו

ותיו מור מצ י ,ש ל זה כ יג:יב קהלת—".האדם כ

ה:ב אבות—."למקומו שתגיע עד חברך את תדין אל"

קלו אם ,הי ום" מעו ב ז:צה תהלים—."תש ו עוד אין" בד לה:ד דברים—".מל די :שוין געדענקט, קינדערלעך טײערע, קינדערלעך"

."הבטו א עמעצן טאן צו איז וועלט דער אין זאך גרעסטע "(קודש אש" דער) שפירא קלמן קלונימוס' ר—

חה" זר אי לכם ו מי יר מש ש דקה ש א צ פ ו מר נפיה כ ם ויצאתם ב ת לי ו פש עג ק כ ב ."מר

כ:ג מלאכי— צריכים אנו עליה אשר המרכזית הנקודה את ל"חז גילו"

,נראה ואינו רואה ה"הקב מה' והיא... עבודתנו את לבסס".[.י ברכות] 'נראית ואינה רואה הנשמה אף (יב' עמ, א חלק, שור עלי ספר) וולבה שלמה' ר—

עון אליו וי אמר" ד י ,ג יש אדני ב קוק ו נו י ה עמ למ ו

נו צאת ל מ אי ה זאת כ אתיו כל ו ל ר נפ רו אש לנו ספ רים הלא ,לאמר אבותינו צ קוק העלנו ממ ה י עת ונו טש קוק נ ננו י ת כף וי ין ב יג:ו שופטים—".מד

לוין אריה' ר—".עין כהרף' ה ישועת"


Simeon BotwinickYC, English and History MYP

The Commentator (Editor-in-Chief, 2010-2011), Writing Center (Tutor), YC Book Club, Volleyball Team

“Just once in a while, let us exalt the importance of ideas and information.”—Edward R. Murrow

Justin BralYC, Mathematics MYP

Tuvia BranderYC, Jewish Studies and Mathematics MYP

Gesher Journal (Executive Editor), Student Court (Chief Justice), Dean’s List, Torah Leadership Network (TLN) Board, Head RA

“Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are.”—President Barack Obama


Daniel BraunYC, Classics MYP

Mathematics and Economics Forum

“Atque in perpetuum, frater, ave atque vale.”—Catullus

Simon BrookimSSSB, Accounting and Finance IBC

Yonatan CantorYC, Economics MYP

2011 Masmid (Assistant Editor), Student Academic Affairs Committee, Koch Foundation Lecture Series (Assistant), YUPAC, Republican Club, Economics Society

“I intend to live forever, or die trying.”—Groucho Marx


Shlomo ClarkSSSB, Accounting MYP

“If it’s sanity you are after, there is no recipe like laughter.”—Henry Elliot

Yechiel CimentSSSB, Accounting SBMP

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”—Edmund Burke

Avishai ChelstYC, Chemistry MYP

Yachad

“You know you’re truly living when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”—Dr. Seuss

Not Pictured:Evan Chesir


Joseph DavisYC, Biology SBMP

Marlon DanilewitzYC, Biology MYP

Cross-Country Team, Heights Initiative, Center for Healthy Living (President)

Chaim CohenYC, Mathematics MYP

“What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.”—Eleanor Powell


Jonathan DruckmanYC, Jewish Studies SBMP

The Commentator (Copyeditor), Ultimate Frisbee Intramurals (Commisioner), 2011 Masmid (Writing Editor)

“[Hillel] would say: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”—Avot 1:14

Daniel EismanYC, Biology MYP

Nachi EngelhardtSSSB, Finance SBMP and IBC

Baseball Team, Senior Class Board (Vice President), RA, Sy Syms Tutor in Finance and Statistics, Dean’s List

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”—Benjamin Franklin


























Tzvi FeifelYC, Music MYP and IBC

The Seforim Sale (CEO), 2011 Masmid (Business Manager), YCDS, Fencing Team Starter (Sabre), Dean’s List

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”—Oscar Wilde

Drew FeldSSSB, Finance SBMP

Baseball Team, Dean’s List

Ari FeldmanYC, Mathematics MYP

Math Club (President)


Shaya FirstYC, Mathematics MYP

“The questions are in our hearts, and the answers are in the Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah.”—Rabbi Mayer Twersky

Zachary FirestoneSSSB, Accounting MYP

Saadia FiremanSSSB, Accounting MYP

SOY/JSC President (2011), Kol Hamevaser (Business Manager), Student Life Committee














Noam FriedmanYC, Psychology MYP

Student Academic Affairs Committee

Jacob FriedmanYC, Philosophy MYP

“Good Lord, is this the man? Is it really he? Why, he looks like a tax-collector!”—Johannes de Silentio

Aaron FishbeinSSSB, Business and Administration IBC

Real Estate Club (President)


Elliot FriedmanYC, History MYP

The Commentator, History Club

Joshua FriedmanSSSB, Accounting MYP

“If we look Jamaican, walk Jamaican, talk Jamaican, and is Jamaican, then we sure as hell better bobsled Jamaican.”—Sanka Coffie (“Cool Runnings”)

Raviv GailorYC, Sociology IBC

Canada Club, YUFHL (Co-Founder and Commissioner)


























Asaf Yosef GamzoSSSB, Accounting MYP

Real Estate Club, Accounting Club, Sephardic Shabbat Program

“Hashem Ozer 24/7.”—Schemouel Penya

Yeshayahu GinsburgYC, History MYP

Rubin Shul Gabbai

David GoldbergYC, History MYP


Tani GutermanYC, Psychology SBMP

2011 Masmid, Chessed Club (President), WYUR Radio Show Host (“The Dating Hock”)

“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”—Thomas Edison

Joshua GutenbergYC, Mathematics MYP

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”—Aristotle

Michael GreenbergYC, Psychology MYP

Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society (President), Meditation Club (Co-Founder and President), The Maccabeats (Founder, Baritone), ORA Fellow

“Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked.”—Viktor E. Frankl


Shimon IndigSSSB, Accounting MYP

“Sometimes, people focus so much on making a living that they forget to make a life.”—YU President Richard M. Joel

Natan HirschYC, Psychology MYP

Michi HaymanSSSB, International Business MYP

YUNMUN, RA, Mock Trial, Yachad

“Is not the mediocrity of our existence due to a deficiency in our ability of expression?”—André Breton

Not Pictured:Michael Horowitz


Nachum JoelYC, Psychology SBMP

The Maccabeats (High Tenor), Yeshiva College Dramatics Society

“To surrender dreams – this may be madness … and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”—Don Quixote (“Man of La Mancha”)

Michael JonesSSSB, Marketing IBC

Clement JournoSSSB, Finance MYP

Dean’s List


























Peter KahnYC, Biology and Philosophy MYP

Philosophy Club, Academic Integrity Committee (Co-President)

Daniel KallushYC, Psychology IBC

SOY Seforim Sale, Medical Ethics Society, STAND

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”—Winston Churchill

Roni KaplanYC, Psychology MYP

“Do or do not. There is no try.”—Yoda


Hillel KayeYC, Biology IBC

Fencing Team, Biology Majors Board

“Enjoy life. Think of all the women who passed up dessert on the Titanic.”—Anonymous

Benjamin KatzYC, Psychology MYP

Jerry KarpYC, Mathematics and Physics MYP

Undergraduate Student Research Presentations (Vice President), Honors Teaching Fellow, Dean’s List, The Commentator (Features Editor)

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.”—Albert Einstein


Avi Koslowsky

SSSB, MIS SBMP

Jacob KohnYC, Political Science IBC

YU Health and Fitness Club (Founder and President), Intramural Basketball, YAKUM, Political Science Club, Dean’s List (all semesters)

“At the peak of tremendous and victorious effort, while the blood is pounding in your head, all suddenly becomes quiet within you … There is no more precise moment in life than this, the white moment, and you will work hard for years, just to taste it again.”—Yuri Vlason

David KesselmanSSSB, Finance MYP

Baseball Team

“Everyone whose deeds are more than his wisdom, his wisdom endures; and everyone whose wisdom is more than his deeds, his wisdom does not endure.”—Avot 3:12


Adam KugelmanYC, Economics MYP

Soldiers in Exile (President), Israel Club (Head of Aliyah Programming)

“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack.”—Winston Churchill

Jonathan KushnerSSSB, Accounting MYP

YSU President (2010-2011)

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”—Michael Jordan

Avi LaskoSSSB, Business and Management IBC

MacsLive.com (President)

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”—Michael Jordan


Eli LebowiczYC, Psychology SBMP

YCSA Vice President, The Quipster (Co-Founder)

“I remember back when I was really into nostalgia.”—Demetri Martin

Martin LeibovichSSSB, Business Management Mechinah/JSS and SBMP

Dean’s List, Skyline Conference Sport Scholar Athlete of the Year (Winter/Spring 2010-2011), Point of Light at 2010 Hanukkah Dinner

“Things in life happen for a reason.”—Gaston Lilien

Dov LernerYC, English MYP

“Above all, we have inherited traditions.”—Virginia Woolf (The Waves, p. 41)


Jonathan MaelYC, English IBC

YUPAC, Student Life Commitee

“There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”—President Ronald Reagan

Raphael LipschitzSSSB, Business Management and Marketing IBC

Baseball Team

Mitchell LevineYC, Economics IBC

Pre-Law Society, Public Relations Club


David MandelSSSB, Finance MYP

Aaron MalitzkyYC, Economics MYP

Elyahu MalakanSSSB, Accounting IBC

SSSBSC Vice President (2010-2011), Yeshiva College Dramatics Society (Box Office Manager, 2009-2011), YSU Vice President (2009-2010), Sy Syms Peer Tutoring Program (Tutoring Coordinator), H2H Mentor, Dean’s List (all semesters), Harry R. Mancher Award for Excellence in Accounting



Yonatan MandelbaumYC, Psychology MYP

Dean’s List, Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society, Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges

Joel MarkinYC, Mathematics MYP

Steven MermelsteinYC, Economics MYP

Yeshiva Masmidim Honors Program, Writing Center (Tutor)

“Vinter Zman: my favorite time of year.”—Juice


























Jeremy MilesYC, History MYP

Yosef MillerYC, Economics MYP

“Kid, you’ll move mountains!…Today is your day!Your mountain is waiting.So…get on your way!”—Dr. Seuss

Samuel MondYC, Economics IBC

Volleyball Team


Steven PaletzYC, Political Science MYP

Student Life Committee (Chair), Masmid Student Service Award, Student Court (Justice), Canvassing Committee (Chair)

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”—Mahatma Gandhi

Joseph NovetskyYC, Chemistry MYP

Vladimir MushailovYC, Biology SBMP and IBC

Literacy Program

“No man is so foolish but he may not sometimes give another good counsel, and no man so wise that he may not easily err if he takes no other counsel than his own. He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.”—Hunter S. Thompson


Daniel PoliakYC, Biology MYP

Writing Center (Tutor), Intramural Basketball, Medical Ethics Society

“And let’s be clear: the future never has the nerve to be the present completely without first trying things out, and that trying things out is hope, memory of the future.”—Jorge Luis Borges

Or PikarySSSB, Accounting Mechinah/JSS

Sy Syms Alumni Award for Excellence in Service, Professor Solomon Wind Award for Excellence in Jewish Studies & Character, Senior Class Board President, Henry Kressel Research Scholar, Dean’s List (all semesters), H2H Mentor, Accounting Tutor, President of MIS Club (2009-2010)

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”—Albert Einstein

Ariel PelegYC, Chemistry MYP


Avi PomperYC, Psychology IBC

Medical Ethics Society, Blood Drive Volunteer/Coordinator, Sociology Club, Chessed Club, Canada Club, Active Minds at YU, Literacy Program, Tennis Team, Ultimate Frisbee Intramurals, Dean’s List (all semesters)

“I’m a firm believer in luck, and I’ve found that the harder I work, the luckier I get.”—Thomas Jefferson

Alexander PotasnickSSSB, MIS MYP

“It’s not how much or how little you have that makes you great or small, but how much or how little you are with what you have.”—Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (Horeb, vol. 1, p. 46)

Robert RandYC, Computer Science and Mathematics MYP

Undergraduate Student Research Presentations (President), Undergraduate Research Abstracts (Executive Editor), Adjunct Instructor of Computer Science, Honors Teaching Fellow

“I have not even the beginnings of a framework by which to partition mankind into good and evil, and I know not that I regret its absence.”—Rand


Yoni ReismanYC, Psychology MYP

CJF Quest Leadership Program

Mark RocklinSSSB, International Business SBMP

Business Leadership Club (Co-Founder and President), YUNMUN (Technical Coordinator), Soccer Team (Goalie)

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”—Maria Robinson

Dimitri Aryeh RosenbergSSSB, Finance IBC

Soccer Team, Dean’s List

“Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”—Vince Lombardi


YC, Mathematics and Physics MYP

Pre-Engineering Committee, Neuroscience Club

Aaron SchultzSSSB, Accounting MYP

The Mildred Schlessberg Accounting Society (Vice President), YUNMUN, The Maccabeats, MacsLive.com, Torah Leadership Network (TLN), NCSY, Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges, Dean’s List, Golding Scholarship

“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”—George Eliot

Roman Sandler

Michael Jared SandersYC, Economics and Sociology Mechinah/JSS

Economics Society (President), Ultimate Frisbee Intramurals (Commissioner), Tolerance Club, Tennis Team

“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”—Oscar Wilde


Matthew SchwartzYC, Psychology SBMP

Director of MTA Dormitory Life, Active Minds at YU (Advisor), Eimatai (Advisor)

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Build an institution that trains people to teach fishing, and you begin to effect real change in this world.”—Yossi Samet

Jeremy SchwartzSSSB, General Business SBMP

Baseball Team (4 year member, 3 as captain), 2008 Baseball Team Rookie of the Year, 2008 Baseball Team MVP, 2010 Silver Slugger Recipient, 2010 Coaches’ Award, The Commentator (Staff Writer), WYUR Radio Show Host

“Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character.”—Warren Bennis

Jonathan SchwabYC, English MYP

The Commentator (Senior Editor), 2011 Masmid (Writing Editor), Honors Program Student Council (Co-Chairman), YC Book Club (President), Writing Center (Tutor), Something Rich and Strange (Fiction Editor), YC Dramatics Society, Honors Teaching Fellow, President’s Circle Tutor

“The fact is that all writers create their precursors. Their work modifies our conception of the past, just as it is bound to modify the future.”—Jorge Luis Borges


Shaul Seidler-FellerYC, Jewish Studies MYP

2011 Masmid (Editor-in-Chief), Kol Hamevaser (Editor, 2008-2010), Beis Yitzchak (Assistant Editor, 2008), Yiddish Club (Founder and President, 2011), Student Organizer of Honors Program Academic Conference (2009, 2011), Medical Ethics Society (Volunteer), YC Writing Contest Winner

Jonathan SeligsohnYC, Mathematics MYP

Nethanel SerfatySSSB, Finance IBC

“The way a person wishes to go is the way he will be led.”—Makkot 10b














Morris J. ShalomSSSB, Accounting MYP

Peer Tutoring, Intramural Basketball League, Sephardic Minyan


Yaakov ShemeshYC, Biology MYP

Fencing Team, Sephardic Club, Hazzanut Club

Daniel ShermanYC, Sociology MYP

RA, Torah Letzion (Co-Director)













Not Pictured:Meir Shapiro


Michael SievYC, Biology MYP

WYUR (Station Manager), Medical Ethics Society, The Commentator, Writing Center (Tutor), Literacy Program

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”—Mark Twain

Jesse ShoreYC, Philosophy and Psychology MYP

Israel Club

Mordechai ShichtmanYC, Psychology MYP



























Avraham SpiegelSSSB, Accounting SBMP

Daniel SomechSSSB, International Business IBC

Basketball Team, Israel Club

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day … Number one is laugh … Number two is think … And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”—Jim Valvano

Etan SlomovicYC, Psychology MYP

Tennis Team, SAIPEC, Psychology Club, Literacy Program, Head RA

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”—Mark Twain


Andrew StahlerYC, Biology and History MYP

History Club

“To new beginnings.”—Yoel Dvorin

Samuel SteinerYC, English MYP

Something Rich and Strange (Editor-in-Chief), The Commentator (Features Editor), 2011 Arts Festival (President), YC Book Club

Jason Steinmetz


Jonathan SternYC, Biology MYP

Jonathan SternSSSB, Accounting and Finance IBC

SSSBSC President (2010-2011)

Raffi SturmYC, Biology SBMP

YUFHL (Commissioner), Canada Club (Treasurer)


Aryeh TwerskyYC, Psychology MYP

Psychology Club (President), Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society

“With every mistake, we must surely be learning.”—George Harrison

Joshua TeitcherYC, History MYP

Yaakov TaubesYC, History MYP

Glueck Beis Midrash Gabbai, SOY/JSC Secretary/Treasurer (2011), History Club

“Never go to bed angry. Stay up and fight.”—Phyllis Diller


Ariel UrkowitzYC, Economics and Jewish Studies MYP

YC Book Club (President, Vice President), 8:10 Morgenstern Minyan Gabbai

“Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.”—General Robert E. Lee

Eitan UlmerYC, English MYP

YC Book Club, Student Academic Affairs Committee, The Comentator

Nachum TwerskyYC, Sociology IBC

Baseball Team, Literacy Program, Political Science Club

“Sweat plus sacrifice equals success.”—Charlie Finley


Aryeh WassermanYC, Psychology MYP

Yeshiva Masmidim Honors Program, Alpha Psi Omega, Yeshiva College Dramatics Society, Head of Alumni Affairs 2010, The Y-Studs

Jason WeinblattSSSB, Accounting MYP

Baseball Team (2009)

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”—Ferris Bueller

Zachary Weiner


























Stephen ZeffrenSSSB, Business Management MYP

SOY Vice President (2008-2009), YSU President (2009-2010), Student Life Committee (2011)

Dani ZuckermanYC, Philosophy MYP


“If you don’t think, you’ll never know. Wow, that was profound! I should, like, tattoo that on my biceps.”—Jonathan Schapiro, Adjunct Professor of Music, Yeshiva College

Shlomo ZuckierYC, Jewish Studies and Philosophy MYP

Kol Hamevaser (Editor-in-Chief, 2010-2011), Gesher Journal (Editor-in-Chief), Honors Board (Co-Chairman), Philosophy Club (President), Beis Yitzchak (Editor), Student Academic Affairs Committee

“[Halakhic man’s] goal is not flight to another world that is wholly good, but rather bringing down that eternal world into the midst of our world.”—Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (Halakhic Man, p. 41)


Clubs and Activities

Kol Hamevaser: The Jewish Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva University Student Body functions as a forum for students, fac-ulty, and other community members to express their opinions on various issues that are important to the YU community. It

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Back Row (l to r): Moshe Peters, Chana Cooper, Talya Laufer, Dani Lent, Ariel Caplan, AJ Berkovitz, Shaul Seidler-Feller, Chesky KopelFront Row (l to r): Ilana Gadish (Associate Editor), Sarit Bendavid (Editor-in-Chief), Shlomo Zuckier (Editor-in-Chief), Jonathan Ziring (Associate Editor)

The Yeshiva University Masmid yearbook was reborn this year (after a six-year hiatus) as part of the vision of Shaul Seidler-Feller and Yonatan Cantor, who felt it important to in some way capture their college experiences and memories in a lasting visual format. They undertook an intensive campaign to convince both the administration and the student body of the value of such an endeavor and eventually succeeded in garnering sufficient interest in order to proceed with the project. Together with the rest of their staff, they put together an impressive product worthy of the long tradition of issues of the Masmid stretching back to 1929. It is their hope that the momentum that began building this year will continue into the future and inspire successive generations of graduating seniors to commit their memories to book form.

The Masmid

Back Row (l to r): Jonathan Druckman (Writing Editor/Historian), Sam Ulrich (Photographer), Jonathan Schwab (Writing Editor/Procrastinator), Tani Guterman (Stam a Yid), Pesach Baral (Layout Editor)Front Row (l to r): Rafi Miller (Graphic Designer/Lifesaver), Tzvi Feifel (Business Manager/Model), Tal Levi (Layout Editor, sort of), Shaul Seidler-Feller (Editor-in-Chief/Dictator), Yonatan Cantor (Assistant Editor/Optimist), Aryeh Twersky (Menial Laborer)

attempts to facilitate the religious and intellec-tual growth of its readership as well as of the young scholars and leaders who contribute to the publication. Kol Hamevaser has expanded in the past year beyond its monthly print publica-tion, successfully organizing Shabbatonim, lec-tures, and reading groups on campus.


The 2010-2011 school year was a happy one for The Commentator, the official undergraduate newspaper of Yeshiva College and the Sy Syms School of Business. As the newspaper of record for the world of YU celebrated its 75th birthday, The Com-mentator continued its coverage of campus events and news.

To keep the paper spritely in its 75th year, The Commentator introduced several changes to its own operations, including: the introduction of the History section, which presented stories from Commentators past, such as reports on the Yom Kippur War while it was happening, the introduction of the Writing Center, accounts of YU students from the Great Depression, the story of how one student single-handedly abolished a flawed standardized test, Civil Rights protests led by YU students, and the incredible story of how Mussolini’s ambassador saved YU; the introduction of “The Scene,” which provided articles about the social world of YU, such as accounts of women who venture uptown to study in the library, explanations of courtship rituals, discussions of the proper wooing seasons, and easy-to-make dorm recipes that require nothing more than a sand-wich maker; the introduction of Footnotes, the official blog of The Commentator, to provide daily news coverage of campus events and happenings; a revamping of the www.yucommentator.com website; the purchasing of new computers and layout programs; the acquisition of Minerva, patron goddess of journalism and protector of The Commentator.

The editorial staff of The Commentator also wrote editorials for every edition, weighing in on such issues as: nec-essary improvements to the summer-on-campus experience; the problem of shiur being scheduled when secular classes are not and the Caf is closed; the opportunities and dangers of censorship; the case for staying four years on campus; the question of who truly deserves the title “Rosh Yeshiva;” the importance of looking beyond just MYP; better ways for administrators to communicate with students; and the need for a more flexible Judaic Studies morning program.

Back Row (l to r): Micah Stein (Features), Eitan Ulmer (News), Chanan Margolis (Sports), Elie Friedman (History), Gabi Weinberg (Layout)Front Row (l to r): Benjamin Abramowitz (Managing Editor), Simeon Botwinick (Editor-in-Chief), Jonathan Schwab (Senior Editor)Not Pictured: Alan Dawidowicz (News), Nathaniel Jaret (Arts and Culture), Adam Zimilover (History), Talia Kaufman (The Scene), Sammy Steiner (Features), Ariel Peleg (Features), Noah Jacobson (Opinions), Ezra Seligsohn (Layout)


The Yeshiva College

The Anderson Trial

As one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs at YU, the Yeshiva College Dramatics Society (YCDS) perfectly epitomizes the idea that a group of diverse people can be united under a common goal. Indeed, the versatile members of YCDS represent an eclectic potpourri of Judaic Studies programs, majors, and even native languages, and it is this diversity that nurtures the dynamic work environment which allows the club to produce one successful show after another. YCDS members carry out

The 2010 Fall production of “The Andersonville Trial” de-picts the trial of Henry Wirz, chief officer of the notorious Confederate Andersonville prison during the American Civil War, a place where over 14,000 Union soldiers died of malnutrition, disease, and exposure. With tendentious dia-logue and outstanding acting, the play challenged audience members to question their preconceived notions of moral-ity and eloquently posed the blunt question: “Would you do any different in this situation?” Many of the YCDS mem-bers, as well as attendees, commented on the striking par-allel between “The Andersonville Trial” and the infamous Nuremburg Trials. Although YCDS dramas tend to attract a smaller audience relative to the Spring comedy productions, “Andersonville” was a resounding success, drawing larger crowds each successive night it was performed. Anderson-ville was well received, with many audience members com-menting on how it was a “fresh take” on court case genre in theater.

Back Row (l to r): Samuel Mirsky, Eli Shavalian, Tzvi Feifel, Ariel Meiri, Noam Weinberger, Arye Fohrman, Ben ScheinerFront Row (l to r): Doni Mandel, Tani Isaac


Dramatics Society Presents

Picasso At the Lapin AgileThe Spring 2011 production of “Picasso at the Lapin Ag-ile” perfectly demonstrates the level of esteem in which the YU community holds its dramatics society. Written by the comic genius Steve Martin, the play tells the story of a ficti-tious meeting between Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a Parisian bar in 1904. Together with an ensemble cast of quirky characters, and through a variety of absurdly hi-larious circumstances, the two geniuses explore various as-pects of human nature together. While most YCDS shows are well received by the public, “Picasso at the Lapin Ag-ile” achieved an almost unprecedented level of box office success by packing the house almost every night and even completely selling out the closing night performance. Ad-ditionally, the show received rave reviews from a number of school newspapers. Indeed, “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” perfectly rounded off the end of an exhilarating academic year and left audience members and YCDS members alike anxiously awaiting the next production.

a variety of jobs including, marketing the show, selling tickets, designing programs, organizing receptions, constructing the set, acquiring properties and costumes, operating the lighting and sound systems, researching the historical aspects of the play, directing, and, of course, acting. Under the expert tutelage of Professor Lin Snider, YCDS’s Director Extraor-dinaire, all of these various components come together to produce one of the most anticipated highlights of the semester.

Top Row (l to r): Benjamin Shai, David Mikofsky, Tani Isaac, Arye Fohrman, Noam WeinbergerMiddle Row (l to r): Jonathan Schwab, Netanel Schwartz, Tzvi Feifel, Yehuda Safier, Samuel Mirsky, Evan Schwarzbaum, Doni MandelBottom Row (l to r): Binyamin WeinreichAt Left: Shimon Gutstein


The MaccabeatsFounded in 2007, the Maccabeats spent a few years climbing out of relative obscurity, until “Candlelight,” their Chanukkah music video, catapulted them to an unexpected stardom. They were covered by everyone from The Jerusalem Post to CNN and began receiving invitations to perform worldwide. Their popularity brought a sense of Jewish pride to millions of people and school pride to Yeshiva University.

Top Row (l to r): David Block (Low Tenor), Chanina Abramowitz (High Tenor), Buri Rosenberg (Bass), Immanuel Shalev (Associate Director, Bass), Josh Jay (Baritone), Meir Shapiro (Baritone, Beatboxer), Yona Saperstein (High Tenor)Middle Row (l to r): Jeffrey Ritholtz (Low Tenor), Ari Lewis (Low Tenor), Noey Jacobson (Low Tenor), Michael Greenberg (Founder, Baritone)Bottom Row (l to r): Yonatan Shefa (High Tenor), Chaim Horowitz (Director, Bass), Mordy Prus (Bari-tone, Beatboxer)Not Pictured: Nachum Joel (High Tenor)


(l to r:) Elliot Kalson (Secretary/Treasurer), Or Pikary (President), Nachi Engelhardt (Vice President)

Senior Class BoardThe Senior Class Board consisted of three elected officers from the senior class. They were responsible for planning a number of events throughout the year, including the Senior Class Shabbaton with President Joel and the Senior Class Dinner.

They also founded the first annual Senior Gift Campaign at YU, raising money from the Senior Class to support schol-arships for future YU students.

The Y-Studs, a cappella brain-child of Mordy Weinstein, Ari Gartenberg, and Nate Jaret, first banded together in the Fall 2010 semester with the hopes of bringing their vocal passions to the YU commu-nity. They debuted at the Guin-ness record-breaking Dreidel Palooza and have performed for shuls, charity events, and subway goers alike – even or-chestrating (pun-intended) an engagement proposal in the process! (OK, fine, the groom is in the group).

Wearing jeans and singing a healthy balance of totally Torah songs, totally Madda songs, and those in-betweens as well (Naomi Shemer would be proud), The Y-Studs will continue to serve the YU com-munity as the Other White Meat on campus.

(l to r:) Nate Jaret, Mordy Weinstein, Jesse Shore, Hillel Landman, Aryeh Wasserman, Asher Lindenbaum, David Marks, Ari GartenbergNot Pictured: Michael Ribalt, Zvi Friedman

The Y-Studs


The representative organ for the undergraduate male students of Yeshiva University is the Yeshiva Student Union. YSU co-

ordinates and communicates with the administration and faculty of Yeshiva University, and with similar groups in other institutions, in order to further the interests of the students here.

This year, YSU has sponsored or co-sponsored the following events: YU’s first Mini Golf/Open, the YU Chanukkah Concert, the Platt Brothers, the Cholent Cook-Off, Midnight Calmness (formerly “Midnight Madness”), and Yom Ha’atzmaut.

Additionally, the Union has met numer-ous times with different administrators to resolve a number of issues relating to the Yeshiva, Yeshiva College, and Sy Syms, and the quality of life here on campus.

Student

The Yeshiva College Student Association has done so much for the YU community this year like … um … all the pizza and sushi available at Club Hour events.

Also, we hired the workers in the Office of the Registrar to click “Rewatch” on the Mac-cabeats’ “Candlelight” video until they got four million views.

We thought for a while of running a program called Grogger Palooza in search of some-thing that could be even more annoying than a Dreidel Palooza.

Sorry we couldn’t give out lawn chairs this year.

Anyway, it’s been fun.

YCSA

(l to r:) Jesse Katz (Vice President), Yoni Kushner (President), Jonathan Weitzman (Treasurer), Ben Silver (Secretary)

(l to r:) Eli Lebowicz (Vice President), Aaron Greenstein (President), Raphael Shorser (Secretary/Treasurer)

YSU


The year 5771 marked one of the most active for the Student Organization of Yeshiva/Jewish Studies Council. Despite the tragic loss of the Seforim Sale, one of its biggest public events, SOY/JSC managed to make an impact on all of the programs by consistently arranging and sponsoring shiurim and lectures, and, of course, providing a steady flow of cholent on Thursday nights whenever needed. SOY/JSC also sponsored Rosh Chodesh breakfasts with enough bagels for anyone who wanted, as well as shiur pizza parties for all morning programs so that guys could better bond with their rabbeim (and watch them eat pizza). One of the biggest events run by SOY/JSC this year

SOY/JSC

The Sy Syms School of Business Student Council has run sev-eral successful events and programs this year, especially the Wall Street Connection Series, which consisted of an incredible program featuring finance professionals at the top of their fields. After attending lectures delivered by keynote speakers and individualized breakout sessions, students had the oppor-tunity to socialize and, more importantly, network with fellow YU alumni. In addition, as is customary, the SSSBSC was able to arrange for subsidized Wall Street Journal subscriptions for undergradu-

ate students. The Student Council also hosted its an-nual Shabbaton at Stern and coordinated a Sy Syms Peer Tutoring Program, which matches students in need of help with their Syms classes to fellow qualified stu-dents who have completed those courses. And, of course, it supported and promot-ed the many events hosted by the various clubs under the SSSBSC umbrella.

Government

(l to r:) Zach Mammon (Secretary/Treasurer), Jonathan Stern (President), Elyahu Malakan (Vice President). Not Pictured: Jason Bloom (Former Secretary/Treasurer)

(l to r:) Abraham Silbergleit (SBMP President), Sasha Semach (JSS/Mechina President), Saadia Fireman (SOY President), Yaniv Lautman (SOY Vice President). Not Pictured: Yitzchok Abed (IBC President), Yaakov Taubes (SOY Secretary)

SSSBSC

was the Chanukkah Chagigah, at which bochrim danced with friends and rabbeim for hours to great live music (and there was, of course, plenty of cholent and wings). SOY/JSC made sure every day of Chanukkah had something special, whether it was a mass candle lighting, a special shiur in the beis medresh, or a mesibah at someone’s house. Purim was also exciting this year, with over four singers from the Shloimie Dachs orchestra and one of the best Purim shpiels ever! More than anything else, this year was one in which SOY/JSC worked together with the entire student body and the other respective student councils both here and at Stern. We wish much hatzlachah to next year’s board and hope they will ensure the Yeshiva remains the awesome, Torah-based place that it is.


The Chessed Club is dedicated to helping others, especially those who are disad-vantaged or disabled. We try to raise awareness of how important chessed and helping your fellow Jew are through fundraisers, events, fun, and action. In our

time at YU alone, we have run three Comedy Night fundraisers for Camp HASC, raising over $10,000, three Adar carnivals

YSU Clubs

The Health and Fitness Club was formed because of a per-vasive feeling that YU lacked a club focused on the physical wellness of the student body that also promoted the inter-ests of those students involved in physical fitness. The club’s activities include, but are not limited to, running, marathon and triathlon participation and training, strength/weight training, sports, aerobics, yoga, and sports nutrition. Further-more, for those students not yet involved in such activities, this club offers opportunities to explore the world of health and wellness surrounded by their peers. The club also gives

Health and Fitness Club

(l to r:) Michael Ahdout (PR/Business Associate), Tal Levi (PR/Business Associate), Meir Shapiro (Operations Manager), Zvi Wiesenfeld (Vice President), Tani Guterman (President), Benny Smith (Secretary), Eitan Gold (Treasurer), Micha Stiebel (Consultant)

(l to r:) Zevi Rosenblum, Eli Feld, Harold Markowitz, Jacob Kohn (President), Yoni Mond

voice to those YU students who have comments, ideas, and com-plaints concerning the wellness of the student body, such as pos-sible cafeteria options or issues concerning the athletics center.

Chessed Clubfor Yachad, and several cloth-ing drives, food packing events, and money-raising game nights. Anyone can help, and we love to have a great time for a great cause. The power of kindness is infectious and amazing.


This year was Yeshiva University’s greatest mock trial year on record. Ten ambitious young men and women de-cided to pursue a rigorous few months reviewing medical documents and sworn affidavits, writing opening and closing statements, as well as direct and cross examinations, and compet-ing against top-tier universities na-tionwide. Led by Captains Adam Fink and Rachel Golian, the team managed to rack up an impressive 5-3 record, outranking teams from such schools as Cornell, Dartmouth, and Brown. This allowed them to advance to the opening round championship for the very first time in Yeshiva’s history.

Mock Trial

The Yeshiva University Medical Ethics Society (MES) is a student-run organization with the goal of promoting education and awareness of medical ethics at YU. In addition to increasing sensitivity to ethical issues in medicine that are relevant to the global community, MES is especially focused on problems of medical ethics as they relate to Halachah. During the 2010-2011 academic year, MES hosted “A Beautiful Mind: Jewish Approaches to Mental Health,” an interdisciplinary conference attracting over five hundred rabbis, professionals, laymen, and students. In addition, MES ran a groundbreaking conference entitled “Genomics and Jewish Identity,” the first program of its kind to discuss the correlation between population genetics and Judaism. Additionally, MES ran MES Week, a week of events pertaining to Jewish medical ethics, increasing awareness of important issues. Finally, MES organized its annual BAM! (Bone Marrow Awareness Month) drives, Einstein Shabbaton, and several lectures throughout the year.

MES

Back Row (l to r): Daniel Altaras, Michi Hayman, Buri Rosenberg, Ethan Wasserman, Adam Fink (Captain)Front Row (l to r): Dina Wecker, Talya Laufer, Rachel Golian (Captain), Rachel Weiss, Sari Ladaew

Top Row (l to r): Adam Tepler (Advertising Coordinator), Jillian Login (Advertising Coordinator), Ben Recca (Vice President)Middle Row (l to r): Kaylee Kampf (Secretary), Daniel Elefant (Volunteers Coordinator), Yoni Stern (Technical Administrator), Shimon Farber (Facilities Coordinator), Harry Portman (Audiovisual Coordinator), Rachel Blinick (Treasurer), Yael Hirth (Vice President), Shoshana Blechner (Volunteers Coordinator)Bottom Row (l to r): Sam Weprin (Executive Director), Adiel Munk (President), Jennie Kraut (President), Avital Bauman (Executive Director)


The Sci-Fi Club was founded in Fall 2010 to be a sanctuary for all those students out there who had certain interests in common, such as science fiction, fantasy, comic books, and anything else under the Sailor Moon (get it?). It was created for those people who simply

want to have some fun and at the same time meet fellow students who find science fiction and similar genres of entertain-ment just as compelling as they do. This year, we have not only shown movies such as “Back to the Future” and “Iron Man 1” to large audiences, but we have also organized a club trip to see the premiere of “Tron Legacy 3D” and hope to expand our events in the future (a Stern branch is in the works). When people look back on their college years and all the fun clubs that

SHINE is an exciting develop-ing program in which Yeshiva University men and women travel beyond the limits of New York City to join other great college campuses with small Jewish populations for Shab-bat. SHINE participants interact with their newly-made friends by schmoozing over a Shabbat meal, singing Shabbat songs, sharing illuminating words on the weekly Torah portion, chill-ing after the Friday night meal, and much more. They also often get a tour and a feel for campus-es other than their own through the program.

This year, SHINE has shared Shabbat with students at American University, University of Hartford, and Temple University, among others.

SHINE

(l to r:) Tal Levi, Baruch Karp, Rotem Elias (Co-President/Founder), Yitzchok Frankel, Eitan Levine, David Rabbani (Co-President/Founder)

Yaakov Lasson (President) at Philadelphia Shabbaton with Temple University students

were around, we know that they will remember the Sci-Fi Club as the “weird” or “nerdy” club that they never associ-ated themselves with. But we’ll know and they’ll know that they were right there watching the movies in the back of the room at all of our events. Or at least wishing they didn’t have night seder at the same time as most of our events.

Sci-Fi Club


Soldiers in Exile is Yeshiva University’s IDF veteran’s club. The club currently has fifteen-twenty members, ranging in military rank from corporal to captain. The purpose of the club is twofold: it provides an environment for fellow veterans to meet each other, hang out, and exchange experiences and also brings in speakers to discuss relevant topics regarding the IDF, lone soldiers, and the security situation in Israel.

Soldiers in Exile

This year was the second year of the Shiva Min-yan Association (SMA), a club encouraging YU students to volunteer their time and help mourn-ers gather a quorum of at least ten men during their week of shiva. With over eighty student volunteers, the SMA was able to assist numer-ous families this year, from Riverdale to Mid-town Manhattan, who would not have otherwise had a minyan. Over a dozen congregations from around New York City are currently participating in the program by sending us shiva calls which we then forward to our members who can volun-teer to attend if their schedule permits.

Shiva Minyan Association

Benjamin Muller (Founder and President)

Back Row (l to r): Benzi Stepansky, Chanan Margolis, Ilan Tokayer, Jacob Finkle, Moshe Genet, Daniel Rosenberg, Aryeh GenetFront Row (l to r): Matthew Schwartz (Vice President), Adam Kugelman (President), Daniel GreenNot Pictured: Michael Horwitz, Yehoshua Konig, Ariel Koschitzky, Noam Tokayer, Uri Westrich


The voice of the Yeshiva Univer-sity undergraduate student body, WYUR broadcasts a variety of shows from its uptown station. The DJs hail from YC, Sy Syms, and Stern, and the shows run the gamut from Torah to sports to politics. YU’s premiere radio sta-tion has been around since the 1960s. Now in its second genera-tion, WYUR is live, online, and wildly popular. You can listen live at www.wyur.net.

WYUR

The Songwriting Club met weekly this year in the Heights Lounge, where we discovered the pro-cess that professional songwriters – such as Diane Warren, the most successful songwriter of all time – use to draft amazing music time and again. By analyzing a wide variety of hits, like “Billie Jean,” “American Woman,” and “Waiting for Tonight,” we saw how all genres of music share certain com-monalities, and we took apart those commonali-ties to understand each element of the songwrit-ing process. Now, our favorite songs are our own!

Co-Presidents: Zamir Pearsall, Shlomit Friedman

Songwriting Club

The Ultimate Frisbee league has had a lot of fun this year. This season’s teams are especially well matched and the playoffs promise to be full of drama, rapture, exhilaration, fury, vengeance, frustration, and, ultimately, jubilation. The Most Improved Player Award goes to Tuvia Tendler. The Best Non-Playing Commissioner Award goes to Michael Jared Sanders. Benjamin Pomper was Rookie of the Year. Finally, the annual Best Old-Guy-Never-Going-to-Leave-Yeshiva Award goes to Avi Cohen.

Commissioner: Michael Jared SandersCaptains: Pesach Baral, Joshua Fink, Yeshayahu Ginsburg, Daniel Sultan

UltimateFrisbee League

(l to r:) Eitan Levine, Yehuda Silbermintz, Max Oppenheimer, Yizrael Katz, Noam Weinberger Not Pictured: Mordechai Siev, Yoni Stern


Active Minds at Yeshiva University is a program of Active Minds, Inc., that exists as a student-run mental health aware-ness, education, and advocacy organi-zation on over eighty college campuses nationwide. It is the only peer-to-peer organization dedicated to mental health awareness among college students. To-gether with the YU Counseling Center, this year we ran various events on men-tal health issues that sometimes arise for college students at YU. We co-sponsored an event on obsessive-compulsive disor-der (OCD) as it manifests in the Jewish community and hosted a panel on the effects of psychostimulants and other study aides, particularly those used by college students. At the end of the year, we hosted a panel featuring current YU students and alumni discussing their own experiences with mental illness.

Active Minds at YUYCSC Clubs

The YC Chemistry Club, a student chapter of the American Chemical Society, is one of the most active clubs on campus. This year, we hosted the author of the organic chemistry textbook used at YC, Dr. Maitland Jones, in addition to a panel discussion addressing the neurological effects of study aides such as Adderall and caffeine. We held an interdisciplinary poster competi-tion for YC and Stern students and invited the past president of the American Chemical Society, Dr. Joseph Francisco, to speak and help with the judging. We also organized seven 1.5-hour lessons for eighth-grade students at a local, underserved ele-

mentary school in topics rang-ing from Biology to Engineer-ing. We even had NY1 cable TV cover one of the events. And whether it’s blowing up Mentos in diet coke, gummy bears in molten potassium perchlorate, or chemistry text-books in – well – fire, students always have a positive reaction to our projects.

Chemistry Club

(l to r:) Yair Sapirstein, Menachem Spira, Pesach Baral, David Sweet, Ari Cuperfain (President)

(l to r): Tovah Silbermann, Arye Fohrman (Co-Presidents)


The Yeshiva University Computer Science Club was founded with the mission of providing opportunities for stu-dents to engage in the field of computer science through guest lectures, programming competi-tions, and student pre-sentations. We have had a number of successful events this year, includ-ing presentations from employees of Google and IBM, a lecture about arti-ficial intelligence, and an excellent series of student presentations about vari-ous practical computer skills, such as the use of

Computer Science Club

(l to r:) Toviah Moldwin (President), Yoni Teitz, Eli Putterman, Yitzchok Pinkesz, Tzvi Goldfeder, Ita Goldfeder, Chaya HuberNot Pictured: Sarit Bassal, Ariel Krakowski

The Yeshiva University Debate Society participated in five competitive Public Forum Debate League (PFDL) tournaments over the course of the season against two-year and four-year colleges similar to YU in caliber. We reached the championship round at each one of these tournaments and won over sixty percent of our individual debates. Co-Presidents Elie Bochner and Rachel Golian lead the team to an unprecedented level of success against the ironclad strongholds of the PFDL, such

as SUNY Rockland (Rock-land Community College) and PCCC (Passaic County Community College). Rising prodigies, such as Tzvi Gold-feder (Vice President) and Yair Saperstein, hope to continue the Debate Society’s long-last-ing legacy in the years to come.

Debate Society

Back Row (l to r): Tzvi Goldfeder, Aaron Kor, Pinchas Rubin, Moshe Soloveichik, Alan Warner, Feivel Lindenbaum, Aryeh Tiefenbrunn, Elie Bochner (President), Yair SapersteinFront Row (l to r): Jason Bloom, Alexander Porcelain

HTML and Photoshop. The club has accomplished a great deal over the past year, and it is our intention to continue to enrich and educate the student body about the fascinating world of computer science.


The Yeshiva University Lit-eracy Program coordinates the tutoring jobs of more than sixty-five YU tutors at two local public schools. Our goal is to foster litera-cy in our local community and provide tangible assis-tance that will make a last-ing impact. We believe in the power of education and hope to instill that value in our students. This has been the most successful year for our program since its found-ing and we hope that the Lit-eracy Program continues to remain a key component of the university’s commitment to community service and social action.

Literacy Program

(l to r): Ari Goldberg, Adam Berman (Co-Presidents)

The Jacob Hecht Pre-Law Society has been very active on campus this year, targeting students at diverse stages of the law school research/application process, working together with the Pre-Law Ad-vising Office, and organizing activities to enlighten the student body about the legal profession and the various oppor-tunities available to JD degree recipients. The club hosted a wide range of events, including visits by law school admis-sions officers from Cardozo, Columbia, Fordham, Hofstra, St. John’s, and UCLA; personal statement writing workshops; presentations by prominent think tanks; and lectures by lawyers from different fields on the legal spectrum. Members of the society learned about how to be suc-cessful in the law school admissions pro-cess, explore what law school is about, and succeed as attorneys at law.

Jacob Hecht Pre-Law Society


The Student Holocaust Education Movement (SHEM) is a student-based and -run group which of-fers the younger genera-tion dynamic, interactive platforms on which to en-gage and grapple with the lessons of the Holocaust as an innovative approach to genocide prevention. SHEM began this academ-ic year with a film screen-ing and panel discussion, organized in collaboration with Cardozo Law School, about Rudolf Israel Kasztner, the Jew who

SHEM

Back Row (l to r): Simon Goldberg (President), Yisrael Katz (Events Coordinator), Eliezer Seidenfeld (Events Coordinator), Sara Malka Berger (Events Coordinator), Mindy Sojcher (Vice President), Sam Ulrich (Vice President), Briana Mizrahi (Publicity Coordinator), Miriam Weiss (Education Director); Front Row (l to r) : Holly Hampton (Outreach Coordinator), Karen Blumenfrucht (Events Coordinator), Yonina Fogel (Creative Director)Not Pictured: Tzvi Solomon (Outreach Coordinator)

negotiated with the Nazis and gained widespread recognition for his role in securing the departure of the famous “Kasztner train.” Around the an-niversary of Kristallnacht, SHEM organized a ceremony at Stern featuring Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum, world-renowned scholar and educator, as well as an exhibit on the November 1938 pogroms. In December, SHEM led over thirty undergraduate students on the university’s second annual mission trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Wash-ington, D.C. The Spring semester kicked off with a groundbreaking sympo-sium on Holocaust memory and documentation, highlighted by scholars, educators, and survivors who presented the community with practical skills to safeguard history for posterity in an environment of learning. And the year culminated with SHEM hosting a special Yom HaShoah ceremony in Lamport Auditorium under the theme “Maintaining Humanity,” featuring world-renown author, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis.

SHEM at the United Statues Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.


Undergraduate Student Research Presentations (USRP) acts as a central hub for scientific research at YU. In addition to the student presentations that form our raison d’être, we feature scientific presentations by faculty and outside research-ers throughout the year. This year, we hosted an exciting talk about the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM), Hon-ors thesis presentations on science and society, and a presentation on IBM’s Watson and on the horizons of machine learning and natural lan-guage processing. On top of featuring research talks at YU, USRP aims to help students conduct their own research. Towards this end, it has hosted talks by professors and career development professionals on pursu-ing scientific internships around the world and giving scientific presentations. Its website, www.yuresearch.com, maintains a list of opportunities in the sciences as well as a directory of students who have completed internships and a forum to facilitate networking. The site regularly features articles and videos about groundbreaking discoveries and scientific events, in addition to videos of USRP presentations. USRP also publishes Yeshiva University Undergraduate Research Abstract, together with editors from Stern Col-lege, which provides a window into the many interesting avenues of re-search being pursued by YU students.

USRP

(l to r:) Menachem Spira (Vice President), Jerry Karp (Vice President), Robert Rand (President), Dr. Neer Asherie (Faculty Advisor), Eli Grunblatt (Secretary)Not Pictured: Yossi Steinberger (Past President)

The purpose of the Yeshiva University Yiddish Club is to promote student awareness and knowledge of Yiddish language and culture in a friendly, interactive environment. In its first year, the club met weekly, under the guidance of Dr. Itay Zutra, to discuss Yiddish literature, watch Yiddish films, and play games in Yiddish as a group. The club also hosted a number of

guest lecturers who spoke on various Yiddish-related topics, including Dr. Paul (Hershl) Glasser, Dr. Josh-ua Karlip, Mr. Ben Sadock, and Mr. Boris Sandler. The club hopes to expand its activities in the com-ing years as it continues to foster student interest in this powerful and uniquely Jewish language.

Yiddish Club

(l to r:) Dr. Itay Zutra (Fac-ulty Advisor), Yitzchak Ratner, Yaelle Frohlich, Yitzchok PinkeszNot Pictured: Shaul Se-idler-Feller (Founder and President)


In its first year, the Yeshiva College Philosophy Club has already succeeded in promoting and cultivating philosophical discourse on campus. Throughout the year, we have hosted numerous lectures presented by our very own college faculty. Students have en-gaged in heated and thought-provoking discussions on a variety of topics, including the philosophy of ethics, education, politics, and more. These are just the first steps in our continued effort to stimulate debate, discussion, and meaningful discourse right here at YC.

President: Shlomo Zuckier

Philosophy Club

The Hazzanut Club brings students together several times throughout the semester to sing Sephardic pizmonim and bakkashot. We occasionally enjoy singing along to and learning from guest musicians who play Middle Eastern instruments.

Presidents: Michael Cohen and Josh Behar

Hazzanut Club

The Yeshiva College Actuarial Science Club was started by Elie Bochner (President) in Fall 2010 to help him land an entry-level actuarial job. Much to Bochner’s surprise, around thirty YU students re-sponded to his ystud saying that they were inter-ested in joining the new club and wanted to learn more about the actuarial profession. After Bochner told the new members about what actuaries actu-ally do and how many tests you must pass to be-come a credentialed actuary, the club dwindled to approximately three members. Yet, despite its small size, the club successfully helped create (i.e. provid-ed the department head with emotional support) a pre-actuarial track for YC’s Math major, which will help pre-actuarial students obtain their Math major without taking the dreaded Advanced Calculus I/II sequence.

Founder and President: Elie BochnerVice President: Yosef Gottesman

Actuarial Science Club

The Economics Society has hosted discussions about career paths available to Economics ma-jors, helped students prepare for their major field achievement test, sponsored trips exploring the worlds of finance and economics, and provided stu-dents with a forum through which they could make suggestions to improve the Economics department. Our main events this year included a tour of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Finan-cial District and a Careers in Economics panel dis-cussion co-sponsored by the Career Development Center.

President: Michael Jared SandersBoard: Lawrence Albert, Micah Stein, Doniel Stiefel, Daniel Winchester, Joey Wizenfeld

Economics Society


The Psychology Club’s mission is to bring the fine points of psychology to the student body. We or-ganize events to provide information and insight about psychology careers and graduate school, as well as mental health topics relevant to the college and Jewish communities within and outside of YU. We try to bring psychology to life through lectures, fun events, and Shabbatonim.

President: Aryeh Twersky

Psychology Club

Psi Chi is the international honors society in psy-chology. This year, the Yeshiva Psi Chi chapter or-ganized an event that educated undergraduate and rabbinic students about religious manifestations of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Special thanks go to faculty advisor, Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Schnall.

President: Michael Greenberg

Psi Chi Honors Society

The Pre-Dent Society is a group of active and en-thusiastic aspiring dentists. We share a common passion – teeth! We all look forward to attending dental school following our time at YU and work together in order to fulfill that dream. We bring in dentists from within the Jewish community to speak about their experiences in the field, as well as administrators from different dental schools to inform the society of new requirements or make recommendations about how to gain acceptance from the best dental schools in the country. We had many successful events this past year and are already planning many more for the Fall 2011 se-mester.

President: Noam Greenbaum

Pre-Dent Society


The Yeshiva Chapter of the Financial Man-agement Association (FMA) is part of an in-ternational organization that offers students a wealth of financial information via newslet-ters and events. On campus, our chapter runs many events, showing informational movies, hosting speakers, and providing opportunities for networking. We give our students the abili-ty to become FMA members and connect with other professionals. We also offer students the chance to attend the annual FMA leaders con-ference in New York City. This year, our club hosted a speaker from Edelman Financial Ser-vices who addressed students on their person-al finance.

FMA

(l to r:) Donny Charlap, Ariella Rechthand, Sam Cohen, Noah Pottash (President)

The Mildred Shlessberg Accounting Society orga-nizes informational and networking accounting events meant to educate the student body about the opportunities in the accounting industry and pro-vide them a platform to meet and connect with ac-counting professionals. Our society has heard from a number of professionals this year, including rep-resentatives from Grant Thornton, EisnerAmper LLP, and Becker Professional Education, to name a few. Speakers discussed resume building, interview tips, and what to expect from the CPA exam and the accounting industry as a whole.

Mildred Shlessberg Accounting Society

(l to r:) Shai Peyser, Leeor Cohen (Co-Presidents)

SSSBSC Clubs


The mission of the Real Estate Club is to provide young men and women interested in the real estate industry with network-ing opportunities for internships and full-time employment. Over the past several years, the club has built up a strong repu-tation among Sy Syms students. Through its memorable events, the club allows students to experience and learn from top industry professionals. Past events have included such notable business leaders as Ralph Herzka of Meridian Capital Group, Jared Kushner of Kushner Companies and The New York Observer, and David R. Greenbaum of Vornado Realty Trust.

Real Estate Club

(l to r:) Gavriel Magilnick (Director of Operations), Aaron Fishbein (President), Adam Silverstein (Director of Public Relations), Benjamin Sandel (Vice President)

Tamid Israel Investment Group, a student-run organization that connects students with the Israeli economy, began this aca-demic year at Yeshiva and has so far hosted a venture capitalist guest speaker and sent four delegates on a two-day networking trip to the Israel/US Venture Summit. Tamid members provide consulting services for two Israeli start-up companies and have already begun working on a calendar of educational seminars for next year.

President: Mark Donath


EventsYom Ha’atzmaut 2010

Salute to Israel Parade 2010


2010/2011Chanukkah Chagigah

Chanukkah Concert


Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar Visits YU

Dreidel Palooza


The SOY Seforim Sale

SHEM Symposium on Holocaust Memory


Nefesh B’Nefesh Visits YU

Simcha Deliveries


Purim Chagigah


Cholent Cook-Off


The Kalever Rebbe Visits YU

Yom HaShoah


Student Life

Relaxing after a hard day’s work

KBY guys doing their KBY thing

Posing for the camera


The Fourth Floor Einsteinzadehs of tomorrow

Paying atten-tion during class

“I wonder if people will still buy from us now that we’re no longer associated with SOY”


Malakan taking over the presidency Rav Schachter with an unidentified aboriginal

“When I was back at Yale Law, Law Review Board – Yale Law, Law Review Board – I was in the Yale

Law Law Review Board a capella group.”“Five times a day? Five times a day? Do you really

have to pray five times a day?”


“Hey, want to go on aliyyah together?”“What, do I look desperate to you?”

Doesn’t it strike you as odd that a program aimed at improving one’s writing can’t even spell properly?

Gotta love Yoram

Hard at work on the next issue of The Commentator

It’s tough being a Philosophy major at YU...


Athletics

BaseballThe 2010/2011 Baseball Team completed its sixth year with a record of 4-24. The four wins tie a single season record set in 2009. The 2010/2011 season marked the first year in which the Macs competed in both the CUNY and Sky-line Conferences. Three of Yeshiva’s wins came in the CUNY Conference as the Macs finished with a 3-7 record and missed the playoffs by just one game.

The rookie class of 2011 was one of the best rookie classes seen since the pro-gram’s creation, which promises success for the team in the future.

The Team is graduating nine seniors this year who served as the staple points in building the baseball program into a serious, competitive, and enjoyable experi-ence for student athletes. Their dedication and hard work will be missed and is greatly appreciated by the YU Athletics Department.


Back Row (l to r): Head Coach Philip Kahn, Drew Feld, Nachum Twersky, Joel Feigenbaum, David Kesselman (C), Binyamin Cooper (C), Brian Ladenheim, Alexander Lerer, Elie Baratz, Jeremy Levinson, Jeremy Schwartz (C), Assistant Coach Logan Mauzy, Assistant Coach Nick CanzanoFront Row (l to r): Seth Fein (C), Zachary Weiner, Zev Rosenblum, Elie Langbaum, Gabriel Feld, Jonathan Berger, Zachary StoneNot Pictured: Yoseph Ciment, Jamie Engelhardt, Yaniv Lautman, Adam Volk

StatisticsOverall record: 4-24Home: 1-9Away: 3-15Conference: 1-15Non-Conference: 3-9

Category Leaders:Batting average: Yaniv Lautman .303Runs scored: Gabriel Feld 10 Stolen bases: Zachary Stone 10Runs batted in: Gabriel Feld 10


Back Row (l to r): Coach Roni Rozenblat, Coach Carlos Morales, Chen Sina, Gil Bash, Chen Biron (C), Ohad Babo, Dovie Hoffman, Shlomo Weissberg, Mazyar Kashan, Yoni Eckmann, Daniel Somech, Simon Brookim, Head Coach Dr. Jonathan HalpertFront Row (l to r): Niv Zinder, Richard Offenbacher, Omer Haim (C), Jonathan Furer, Raphy Abergel, Eitan Selevan, David Schmelzer, Noah Botwinick, Jeremy Pressman (C)


BasketballThough the 2010/2011 Men’s Basketball Team struggled through what many termed a “rebuilding year,” the Macs were able to end the season on a high note, winning three of their last four contests. The highlight of the season came in a hard-fought home win over arch-rival Mt. St. Vincent back on January 24th. This year, the Macs are graduating three seniors: Simon Brookim, Jeremy Pressman, and Daniel Somech.

StatisticsOverall record: 7-18Home: 3-9Away: 4-7Neutral: 0-2Conference: 7-13Non-Conference: 0-5

Team Statistics:Points per game: 65.93-pt field goals made per game: 4.6Free throw percentage: .694Steals per game: 6.4


It was a historic year for the 2010/2011 Men’s Cross-Country Team. Starting with the first race of the season, the all-time fastest individual time for the 8K was broken with a time of 29:48. This record would later be broken again, and the current YU all-time fastest 8K time stands at 28:37.

While individual achievements are commendable, this was, more importantly, a year of team-work. Fueled by seven new runners, the team went on to dominate and win its first ever Hudson Valley Men’s Athletics Conference (HVMAC) Championships; YU had four runners among the top ten finishers. The new all-time fastest team time (first five runners to finish) for any YU Cross-Country team is 2:29:19.

To top it off, Coach Stan Watson was selected as the Coach of the Year at the HVMAC.

Cross-Country


Cross-Country

Back Row (l to r): Head Coach Stan Watson, Natan Koloski, David Sweet (C), Benjamin Joslin (C), Samuel Cohen, Jonathan Mond, Zachary JerusalemFront Row (l to r): Yehuda Safier, Marlon Danilewitz, Oliver Sax, Adam WeissNot Pictured: Assistant Coach Jacob Benesch


Back Row (l to r): Ariel Baruch, Evan Abitbol, Joshua Krisch, Jared Anstandig, Jonathan Adler, Hillel Kaye, Alan Leidner, Zachary Mammon, Kevin Geller, Yitzchok FrankelFront Row (l to r): Joseph Rothenberg, Jordan Feld, Assistant Coach John Wilhelm, Head Coach Peter Rosas, Assistant Coach Dmitry Krupp, Ari FeldmanNot Pictured: Elie Abady, Isaac Dayan, Brian Goodman, Yitzchak Honick


FencingThe 2010/2011 season for the Men’s Fencing Team was filled with NCAA and MACFA tournaments against some of the nation’s best collegiate fencers. It kicked off at the annual Temple Open at Temple University: Team Captain Jordan Feld (Sabre) took an amazing twenty-ninth place in his weapon category; Hillel Kaye (Épée) impressively placed forty-second with his weapon; and Evan Abitbol (Foil), up against ranked op-ponents, placed seventy-eighth.

In February, YU was invited to participate in the inaugural United States Squad Championships, fencing against top universities from across the country.

The Macs finished their season strong, sending their five qualifying fenc-ers to the 2011 NCAA Regional Fencing Championships, hosted by Sa-cred Heart at Vassar College. Representing Yeshiva for Sabre, Kevin Geller took twenty-sixth place, as did Yitzchok Frankel. For Épée, Hillel Kaye ranked thirtieth, Jared Anstandig placed thirty-fifth, and Ari Feld-man took thirty-sixth.

Peter Rosas (Sabre/Head Coach), Dmitry Krupp (Épée Coach), and John Wilhelm (Foil Coach), no doubt proud of their fencers this year, look for-ward to another successful season next year.


GolfThe 2010/2011 Golf Team finished the season with a tournament win. In the Yeshiva University Invitational, held at Lawrence Country Club, the Macs took the first place overall team score. In the Skyline Conference Champi-onships, although the team placed sixth overall, much effort was put into the second day of the tournament, on which the team shot twenty strokes lower than the previous day’s round, the biggest reduction in strokes among any of the teams playing.


Back Row (l to r): Ronald Rosenbaum, Adam Silverstein, Steven Rithholtz, Etai Fishbein, Head Coach Robbie SilvermanFront Row (l to r): David Bernstein, Jason Kirshner, Ariel Abittan, Ben SimoffNot Pictured: Dave Gibber, Michael Litwack (C), Eli Sipzner, Shail Sturn


Back Row (l to r): Ben Feldman, Achiya Yaffe (C), Kyle Borenstein, Barak Zigdon, Elezir Nuvakhov, Aryeh Rosenberg, Nethanel Serfaty, Roni Magendzo (C), Justin Gordon, Nate Japhet, Daniel de Sola Marks, Aryeh Genet, Head Coach Tony ElmoreFront Row (l to r): Alex Czyzewski, Tal Scher, Jeremy Seftel, Joseph Itkis, Mark Rocklin, Joseph Blechner, Moshe Azizollahoff, Moshe Genet, Brian Weiner, Shai BarelNot Pictured: Jon Hagler, Zachary Stern, Yaniv Lautman, Jonathan Abda, Daniel Benchimol, Assistant Coach Phil Ishmael, Assistant Coach Shua Pransky


SoccerTwo weeks before the start of the school year, the Men’s Soccer Team was busy training in upstate New York for ten hours a day in what some people refer to as “boot camp.” Having recently acquired Daniel Benchi-mol (a D-1 recruit from Colombia), being protected by a two-time top-ranked defensive line, and having 2010 all-conference striker Zachary Stern, as well as eleven seniors, return to start off the 2010/2011 season, the Macs posed a formidable threat to all. Pumped with excitement and under the leadership of three-time Coach’s Award winner Captain Achiya Yaffe, Benchimol and teammate Elezir Nuvakhov each started off the sea-son dominating the score sheet, averaging a goal a game for the first few games. YU battled against Purchase University, one of the NCAA elite teams, in a legendary double-overtime tie.

Victory looked promising for the Yeshiva stars until the treacherous fourth game of the season against Farmingdale State University, when Benshi-mol suffered a traumatic, season-ending injury and was forced to remain off the field. Then, at the next game against Sage University, Nuvakhov dislocated his shoulder and was kept out indefinitely. Having sustained these losses, Yaffe realized that he needed to call for a Shabbaton to unify the Team and boost its confidence to play the remaining games as one. In the following match, Stern, Yeshiva’s season-high scorer, scored two goals, leading YU to a 2-1 overtime victory against Hudson Valley’s fin-est, Sarah Lawrence. The Team came together on its senior night perfor-mance, demolishing St. Joseph’s 9-0 and giving almost every senior on the team an opportunity to score a goal. Although marred by some tough injuries, the season was, more importantly, characterized by courage, de-termination, and camaraderie. With the departure of all eleven seniors, next year’s team will start afresh with a new line of YU Soccer players.

StatisticsOverall record: 1-12-1Home: 0-7-0Away: 1-5-1Conference: 0-9-1Non-Conference: 1-3-0

Team Statistics:Goals scored average: 1.33Shots per game: 11.1Shots on goal percentage: .622 Assists: 10


TennisComing off of two consecutive semi-final appearances, the Men’s Tennis Team entered the 2010/2011 season primed for another strong run at the Skyline Conference title. New Head Coach Jeff Menaker brought a change in structure and philosophy, with a focus on strength and conditioning, along with an emphasis on doubles play - both Team weaknesses in the past.

With perennial first-team, all-Skyline member Zach Charles and Senior Captain Joseph Itkis anchoring the top of the lineup, the return of veterans Benjie Rosenberg and Ephraim Leiderman, and the acquisition of a strong group of rookies, expectations ran high for the Macs. Unfortunately, after two tough 5-4 losses, the team found itself at a 6-5 overall record and therefore out of the playoff picture.

Charles, a junior, battled his way to 2-4 singles and 3-3 doubles records at the #1 spot, despite a chronic injury to his hitting hand. Itkis showed improvement in his second year at the #2 spot with 7-4 singles and 6-4 doubles records. Rosenberg returned after a year’s absence to post a 3-4 record at #3 singles, while Leiderman had another stellar year at #6 with a 7-2 singles record. Rookies Ben Pomper (4-5 singles, 5-4 doubles) and Jeremy Seftel (6-2 singles, 4-5 doubles) were both impressive at the #4 and #5 spots, respectively. Junior Eddie Ashkenazie also returned for his second year to post a strong 6-4 record as a doubles specialist.

The Macs hope to get most of their starting lineup back for next year and will continue to build for a strong run under Coach Menaker.

StatisticsOverall record: 6-5Region: 0-2Home: 4-3Away: 2-2Conference: 4-4Non-Conference: 2-1


Back Row (l to r): Benjie Rosenberg, Zach Charles, Ben Pomper, Michael Sanders, Joseph Itkis (C), Jonathan Stern, Coach Jeff MenakerFront Row (l to r): Ephraim Leiderman, Etan Slomovic, Jeremy Seftel, Irving Levine, Eddie AshkenazieNot Pictured: Avi Bagley, Josh Nass


Back Row (l to r): Jonah Wilkof, Elchanan Margolis, Naftali Rosenthal, Jack Voystock (C), Raphael Herskovitz, Moshe Cohen, Samuel Mond, Head Coach Arnold RossFront Row (l to r): Jonas Pickholtz, David Wagner, Meir Graff, Kevin KatzNot Pictured: Eitan Finkelstein, Justin Gordon, Gavriel Magilnick, Assistant Coach Roxanne Prendergast, Jared Rechnitz, Oliver Sax


VolleyballThe 2010/2011 season constituted a “building year” for the Men’s Vol-leyball Team. Having acquired a number of new players and under the guidance of a coach still getting used to his team, the Macs unfortunately did not make the Hudson Valley Men’s Athletic Conference (HVMAC) Championships, losing to Cooper Union.

Still, many team members won awards for their outstanding performances. Jared Rechnitz won Rookie of the Week, Meir Graff won Player of the Week, and star player Rafi Herskovitz won MVP. Having trained inten-sively this year and built up its skills significantly, the Team hopes to have a more solid foundation come next season.

StatisticsOverall record: 12-12Home: 7-5Away: 4-5 Neutral: 1-2Conference: 3-9Non-Conference: 9-3

Team Statistics:Kills per game: 7.8Assists per game: 6.8Aces per game: 1.6Digs per game: 9.1 Blocks per game: 1.2


Back Row (l to r): Coach Neil Ellman, Boris Shulkin, Eli Fuld, Benjamin Meth (C), Ron Simchi (C), Gregory Kupsin, Jacob NovikovFront Row (l to r): Daniel Fidrya, Joseph Wasserman, Boris Tuman, Ramin Ahdoot, Amichai LevyNot Pictured: Assistant Coach Carlos Dolmo, Assistant Coach Victor Kupchynsky


WrestlingThe 2010/2011 season marked another year of hard work and dedication for YU’s Wrestling Team.

With Team Captains Ron Simchi and Benjamin Meth, and under the guid-ance and watchful eye of their beloved Coach Ellman, the Macs were able to put up some impressive wins against tough NCAA competition. Junior Ron Simchi (149 lbs.), taking on some of the nation’s best Division III competition, led the team in wins with an inspiring 5–6 record. Gregory Kupsin (174 lbs.), a junior and Israel’s Greco-Roman wrestling national champion, suffered a shoulder injury toward the beginning of the season and had to sit out for most matches. Prior to his injury, Gregory sported a dominant 3–1 record. Junior Eli Fuld (165 lbs.) picked up three wins on the season, and freshman Ramin Ahdoot (133 lbs.) picked up four.

In the heavyweight division, freshman Jacob Navikov, a newcomer to the sport of wrestling, won the first match of his career by pin against a much larger opponent from Stevens Institute of Technology.


Reflections

YU News Briefs

2007-2008: Kol Hamevaser: The Jewish Thought Maga-zine of the Yeshiva University Student Body debuts for the purpose of discussing Jewish issues seriously in YU and beyond; YUConnects shidduch service begins operation; Dr. James Otteson appointed head of Hon-ors Program, removed by year’s end, results in contro-versy; Dr. Michael Ginzberg, previously at the business schools of the University of Delaware and Case Western Reserve University, appointed Dean of Sy Syms School of Business; Rabbi Yona Reiss, YC and RIETS alumnus, appointed Dean of RIETS beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, replacing Rabbi Zevulun Charlop, who had served in that position for thirty-seven years.

2008-2009: Ethics and Kashrut Panel, organized by TEIQU, held at YU in wake of Agriprocessors (Rubash-kin’s) scandal; Dr. James Kugel, renowned scholar of Midrash, speaks at Stern, backlash follows; Bernard Madoff $50 billion Ponzi scheme uncovered, YU hit hard; YC first-year student David Rottenstreich passes away the day before Pesach, memorial and fundraiser for sefer Torah in his memory held at YU; President Joel unilaterally introduces zero-tolerance cheating policy, yet to be implemented; Dr. Gabriel Cwilich, associate interim director of Honors Program, appointed head of Honors Program starting in 2009-2010.

2009-10: YC Dean David Srolovitz and Director of Undergraduate Academic Advisement Dr. Thea Volpe depart, Barry Eichler apppointed interim Dean of YC; Rabbi Reuven Feinstein gives shiur at YU on principles of teshuvah in weeks before Rosh Hashanah; Jacob and Dreizel Glueck Center, YU’s first new building in twenty years, opens; Prof. Gabriela Shalev, Israeli am-bassador to the United Nations, speaks at YU about infamous UN-commissioned Goldstone Report; Dr. Efraim Zuroff, director of Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem, speaks at YU on his efforts to bring Nazi criminals to justice; Panel on homosexuality in the Or-thodox community held, results in widespread back-lash and controversy; Hebrew department restructured, Dr. Shawn Zelig Aster assumes leadership position and curriculum review; Rabba Sara Hurwitz speaks at Stern College on women’s leadership in the Jewish world; first Chag HaSemikhah in four years, more than 200 rabbinical students ordained; Sy Syms, founder of dis-count clothier SYMS Corp. and major YU benefactor, passes away at 83; Dr. Norman Rosenfeld, YC alumnus and former YC Dean, passes away; 245 Lexington Ave. dedicated following donation by Ronald P. Stanton;

Through the Years...


Rabbi Dr. Bernard Lander, YC and RIETS alumnus and founder of Touro College, passes away at 94; Stern College student Jane Kitaevich receives Carnegie Fel-lowship for Political Science, YC student Ari Lamm receives Fulbright Fellowship for Hebrew and Judaic Studies; Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks receives in-augural Lamm Prize, gives lectures and shiurim at YU; Maccabeats release first CD, “Voices From the Heights;” Budget cuts result in departure of teachers, among oth-er cutbacks.

2010-2011: Dr. Stephen Pimpare (Political Science), denied tenure in summer 2009, and Dr. John Hogan (Art History) leave YU, despite popularity; Creation, or emergence of previously-unknown, “Censorship” or Academic Advisory Committee, results in controversy; Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, visits and gives shiur at YU; Maccabeats release Cha-nukkah “Candlelight” single to wide acclaim and me-dia coverage; Dreidel Palooza held to raise money for undergraduate scholarships, breaks Guinness World Record for most dreidels spun simultaneously; Dr. Lawrence H. Schiffman hired as Vice Provost for Un-dergraduate Education at Yeshiva to create a unified undergraduate faculty, improve the student experience; SOY Seforim Sale becomes Seforim Sale; The Beacon, online newspaper with staff from YC, Stern College, and SSSB, debuts; Ilan Tokayer, recent YU graduate, passes away; More budget cuts, particularly for YU athletics; Rabbi Dr. Aaron Levine, long-time professor of Eco-nomics at YC, passes away over Pesach; Decision made to restructure undergraduate housing and YC curricu-lum, as well as faculty, for next year (Rubin to house first-year students, Morgenstern upperclassmen, Muss will be less expensive than Rubin and Morgenstern, and Independent Housing Program to close).

World and Jewish Community News Briefs

2007: Israel releases $100 million in frozen assets to PA President Mahmoud Abbas; Viktor Yushchenko, who won the presidential revote after the first vote, marred by allegations of corruption, led to sustained protests (the original Orange Revolution), dissolved the Ukrai-nian Parliament in an effort to gain power (the Second Orange Revolution); Final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, released, becomes fastest-selling book in history; Massive 8.0 earthquake strikes Peru, killing 512 and injuring more than 1,500; Israel destroys Syrian nuclear reactor in airstrike.

2008: Merkaz HaRav terrorist attack kills eight students and wound eleven more, sparks global learning effort in their memory; Global financial crisis leads to eco-nomic recession; Dmitry Medvedev becomes President of Russia, succeeding Vladimir Putin; Federal authori-ties raid Agriprocessors (Rubashkin’s) plant in Postville, Iowa, leading to shutdown of plant and criminal charges against members of Rubashkin family; Pakistani terror-ist attacks in Mumbai, India, kill more than 150 people, including a Chabad couple and their guests, and injured at least 308; Rabbi Dr. Emanuel Rackman, lawyer, con-gregational rabbi, and former YU provost, passes away at 98; Israel begins Operation Cast Lead in Gaza Strip after years of Hamas rocket fire into southern Israel.


2009: Operation Cast Lead continues through Janu-ary 18, infamous UN Goldstone Report commisioned thereafter to investigate Israel’s actions during war; Barack Obama sworn in as forty-fourth president of the United States and first African American president in American history; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reelected president of Iran in elections widely considered fraudu-lent, sparks widespread civilian protests, put down by Iranian Revolutionary Guard; Sara Hurwitz ordained by Rabbi Avi Weiss as “Maharat” (Manhigah Hilchatit Ruchanit Toranit); Yeshivat Maharat, first institution to grant Jewish women rabbinical training and ordination, and Yeshivat Hadar, first egalitarian yeshivah outside of Israel, open.

2010: 7.0 Earthquake strikes Haiti, killing more than 230,000 people, injuring and displacing hundreds of thousands more, and decimating country’s infrastruc-ture; The Jewish Review of Books founded for quarterly discussion of Jewish ideas; JTS, HUC tighten belts to prevent dissolution during financial crisis; BP oil plat-form explodes, causing spill of millions of barrels of oil in Gulf of Mexico – one of worst environmental disas-ters in US history; Israel confronts flotilla attempting to break Gaza blockade, results in deaths of nine onboard, bad PR for Israel; Peter Beinart writes scathing critique of American Jewish establishment’s Zionism; Rabbi Ye-huda Amital, co-Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivat Har Etzion, passes away at 85; WikiLeaks leaks ~77,000 classified documents regarding war in Afghanistan, ~400,000 about war in Iraq; Fire ravages northern Israel, claiming at least forty-four lives and causing widespread damage.

2011: Revolutions sweep Arab world, Egyptian Presi-dent Hosni Mubarak resigns, Libyan Colonel Muam-mar Qaddafi forced into hiding; 9.0 earthquake and tsunami strike Japan, causing devastation, including 13,000 deaths and dangerous nuclear radiation leak; Rabbi Richard Jacobs chosen to succeed Rabbi Eric Yof-fie as head of Reform Movement after latter’s sixteen-year term; Richard Goldstone publishes mea culpa in The Wall Street Journal retracting many of Goldstone Report’s claims; Osama bin Laden killed by US forces in raid on his compound in Pakistan after ten-year search.


The four years during which we studied here at Yeshiva were chock-full of events which have become both cherished moments and infamous recollections. First, the face of the campus shifted radically during this time period, primarily in Fall 2009, with the opening of the Glueck Center along with the redesigned Nagel Atrium and the Heights Lounge and the closing (only partially) of 185th Street. But there were other minor changes that took place as well: new laboratories on Belfer’s upper floors, the Honors Lounge in the Furst Basement, and a flurry of redesigned office spaces in Furst, Rubin, and both Laurel Hill Terrace locations all provided fresh areas for us to study and work.

And these spatial improvements were hardly the only changes our campus saw: a bevy of talented fac-ulty joined Yeshiva during our time here, highlighted by department chairs who reorganized or reenergized their departments. Dean Srolovitz, who had been here for only a year before we arrived, left abruptly but was replaced with the respected and accomplished Dean Eichler. Rabbi Yona Reiss, the Dean of RIETS, also joined Yeshiva as we sat and learned in the Beit Midrash. Not all of the changes we oversaw were rosy, though: the political entanglements and campus infighting that led to the quick departure of Director of the Honors Pro-gram James Otteson marked a dark moment in our YU careers.

Of course, Yeshiva could be characterized as much by the changes wrought as by singular events that took place. Most unfortunate was the tremendous dam-age to both Yeshiva’s finances and reputation inflicted by Bernie Madoff ’s $52 billion Ponzi scheme. This, along with the horrifying downturn in the economy which we watched nervously, concerned about our job prospects, led to a noticeable round of belt-tightening and retight-ening.

Other important occurrences were much more constrained to the bounds of our university or the Mod-ern Orthodox community: the divisiveness over the is-sue of homosexuality was highlighted by the Fall 2009

“Being Gay in the Orthodox World” panel, which, prob-ably more than anything else, will be the most infamous event of our time here.

But the most memorable changes and events, at least for me, were those originated by the students. The Medical Ethics Society, a fledgling student group, grew under our watch into a massive organization whose yearly conference is a much-anticipated event attended by hundreds. The Yemei Iyun and Honors Program Jewish Studies Conferences, also organized by students, could be similarly described. The Student Life Committee became the go-to organization for making small but incredibly important changes to life on cam-pus, and the Student Academic Affairs Committee, re-introduced and rejuvenated, did the same for academic issues. But only time will tell the true value of the above groups to future classes of YU students. Let us hope that they are able to build upon that which our class has ac-complished in our time here to make YU an even better institution of higher education than it already is.

Yeshiva University, 2007-2011by: Jonathan Schwab


Do You Remember……catching security guards falling asleep at their posts?…the randomness of the guards’ requests for ID?…waving your credit card coolly at the guards when asked for ID and getting away with it?…successfully sneaking alcohol past the guards before Purim, despite their more-than-usual attentiveness to what actually came into the buildings?…the complete lack of privacy in the dorms?…the number of dead cockroaches you found on the steps leading up to Muss?…the interesting smells emanating from certain floors in Rubin late at night?…Mr. Wohlgelernter (the old guy from the Library)’s late-night garbage-checking escapades in the dorms?…sleeping in the air-conditioned lounges during Sep-tember and May because the dorms were absolutely in-tolerable?…the monkeys banging around in the radiator pipes during the winter (particularly in Muss)?…late-night hocks in Muss Lounge or the halls of Morg?…watching the Maccabeats’ “Candlelight” video every night for a week straight after it came out?…setting your bedtime later and later each semester you stayed on campus?…trying but failing to find the perfect formula for mini-mizing sleep time and maximizing productivity?…the number of times you actually got seven or more hours of sleep on a school night?…falling asleep at random times in random places – es-pecially during davening?…all those times you woke up late and had to march through the Glueck Beis, in front of everyone, to get your tefillin?…the first time you davened at the 8:30 Morg Lounge minyan and how liberating it felt?…the breakaway minyan which separated from Rabbi Reichman’s 8:30 minyan in Rubin Shul on Rosh Ch-odesh?…the proportion of people davening straight (towards the Aron) vs. diagonally in the Old Main Beis?…the pre-Ma’ariv traffic jam at the single, solitary wash-ing station by the Old Main Beis?…“Hashem Elokeichem … … … Emes”?…getting really excited about the 9:00 Nusach Sefarad minyan on Shabbos when you first got to YU, only to find out how excruciatingly painful it is to sit through

when you actually went?…never having wireless access in Furst, especially dur-ing your most boring classes?…having complete wireless access in the Glueck Beis, of all places?…the unspoken rules governing the use of the Furst Hall urinals?…having to walk up fourteen flights of stairs in Belfer because of the 3:00 PM elevator traffic jam?…not being accepted as a Writing Center tutor because you never used the Writing Center before?…the amazing feeling you got every week after classes ended on Thursday and you had no more school until…Sunday?…how we always managed to have classes on snow days and during “Reading Week”?…having to visit four different offices just to get the sig-natures you needed to register for a particular course?…the excitement you felt when you managed to register for Rabbi Angel’s Tanach or Dean Sugarman’s English classes?…when Rabbi Kahn and Rabbi Wieder gave shiur side-by-side in Zysman?…trying to avoid eye contact with that professor on the street whom you owe work from two semesters ago?…the number of times you actually received attention from one of the Sganei Mashgichim?…accidentally wishing Jewish (but not visibly so) pro-fessors a “Merry Christmas”?…pulling a huge amount of shtik in order to graduate on time?…when you could use the Amsterdam entrance to the Library?…trying to concentrate while working in the Library?…the supreme quietness of the Fourth Floor of the Li-brary (at least as opposed to the rest of the floors) and the one time some members of the Stollel managed to break it (see it on YouTube)?…always managing to figure out a way to store all your files on the Library computers, despite the “limited” storage space?…last-minute cramming for your Orgo test?…finding out what it feels like to want to commit hara kiri during midterms?…the amount of coffee and Coke you consumed during finals?


…wanting to shoot the person who designed the tiny desks used during finals?…the amount of free food that was available at events pre-Madoff? Think of “Meet the RA Night” and all those other unnecessary food extravaganzas.…when we had floor parties on a regular basis?…the amount of food at the Super Bowl parties in Morg Lounge? …the glory days of the hefker bin next to the Old Main Beis?…when Midnight Madness during finals was actually madness (before they made it somewhat orderly)?…the markup on prices of food in the Caf?…tishing with Rabbi Carmy and Dr. Bernstein in the Caf?…trying to figure out whether the young woman sitting across from your friend in the Caf was his sister, cousin, or date?…befriending all the servers in the Caf just so you could get that extra piece of chicken from them at dinner?…starving on Chinese Night in the Caf?…2:00 AM Golan runs (tartei mashma)?…always using the secret passageway connecting the Caf and Belfer (despite the sign which claimed “No Pas-sageway”)? Seriously, did they think that would be hon-ored?…when Shabbos in the Caf cost only $10 and the Caf Card worked during June Zman?…feeling absolute jubilation at the sight of deli roll on a Friday night in the Caf?…the amazing time everyone had on YUnite in 2007, the last time it was organized?…getting cabin fever after staying in YU for four Shab-bosim in a row and having to get out?…having to figure out a clever solution each year around Chanukkah time to the problem of how to be yotzei lighting the menorah in the dorms?…when the annual Purim chagigos for both the men and women were held uptown?…judging how frum your friends were by the presence or absence of Sefirah beards on their faces?…the use of cars in the Heights not (chas ve-shalom) for transportation but for blasting loud, annoying Hispanic music at late hours on a summer night when you’d like to have shut the windows but couldn’t because of the insufferable heat?…fearing for your life every time you walked out of the 181st St. subway station late at night?…the shady Sneaker Store and ice cream truck, not to mention the bodegas all along Amsterdam?

…the amazing amount of hassagas gevul going on on Amsterdam right across from the yeshivah?…when you first discovered that there was “another side” to the Heights?…meeting your ex on the Shidduch Shuttle (awk-ward…)?…the crazy old guy who would visit campus biannu-ally with a sandwich board and pamphlets predicting the end of the world?…being assaulted by the Breslover Chasid who came to campus periodically to give out “free” pamphlets on topics you would never be interested in reading about (at least not from a Breslover perspective)?…Thursday night learning with the Chabad bochrim who took over the Main Beis?…the crazy Russian lady in the Office of the Registrar?…Marco, Chichi, and the Jamaican guy from the Caf?…Desta Todros from the Office of Academic Advising?…Deborah Jardine from the YC Dean’s Office?…the shady CJF trips to random developing countries and all the fun stuff that happened there?…the number of times President Joel actually answered a student’s question at the Town Hall Meetings?…feeling guilty about taking money for learning during the Motzaei Shabbos Kollel?…laughing the first time you heard that the CDC was meant for career development, not disease control?…the aftermath of the “Gay Panel” and Rabbi Twersky’s address to the yeshivah about it?…when the Kol Hamevaser issue on “Kedoshim Tihyu” was recalled?…how many times The Commentator and The Executive actually came out this year?…the excitement of starting a new zman or semester of school and seeing all your friends again?…the friends you made, things you learned, and good times you had during your three-four years here?


My time at YU has gone by so quickly, it’s hard to believe that it’s already over. I apologize for the dis-organization of this piece, but considering some of the classes I’ve had here, I’d say it’s rather apropos.

I came to YU in the Fall of 2008. Believe it or not, coming to YU was my first time ever being in New York. I remember being amazed by these foreign creatures I was not familiar with, creatures that completely blocked your path on the sidewalk, acting as if you weren’t there. And I’m not just talking about the in-towners … I’m talking about New York pigeons, which have a certain level of chutzpah that pigeons in the rest of the world just don’t have.

I remember one of my first questions about YU was why anybody would want to live in a dorm building called “morgue.”

Slowly, I realized that one of the major goals of every YU student is to try to obtain as much free food as possible. No matter how stuffed you may be, if there’s free food being given out, you will make sure to be there. Personally, I even get upset when I hear about having missed an opportunity to get free food. My friend told me the other day, “Eli, did you hear they were giving out chicken wings last night?”“Shoooooot!” You could honestly send out a ystud advertising an event in sup-port of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but if you tell people there will be free food and girls, you are guaranteed a huge crowd.

There are days in YU when it’s just too hard to get out of bed. But there is one day when all of YU is brimming with positivity: Yom Ha’atzmaut. It’s a day without classes, a day of free food, a day where girls come in droves to the Wilf Campus, and the first two reasons don’t really matter in light of the third.

I have been present for some major changes on the Wilf Campus in my time, including:

- The construction of the Glueck Center and Heights Lounge, which greatly increased the potential for Torah learning as well as chilling.- The Office of Academic Advising getting blue Dum-Dums.- The “Sneaker Store” closing down for some odd rea-son.- Morg Mart dropping its prices from $7.50 to $7.- Dougie Doug’s transforming into a new entity known as Chop Chop.

What I’ve learned over the course of my time here:

- You should figure out who you are going to take while you’re still in Israel: The YU Israel Program has representatives come to your yeshivah or seminary to basically confuse you. You’re handed a million sheets of paper with words like “requirements,” “core,” and “hu-manities” written all over them. You have no clue what they mean, nor which teachers you should avoid tak-ing. Some teachers are amazing, and some will give you a “B” because you wore a blue shirt one day. Having a good first semester can shape the rest of your YU expe-rience.

- Someone will always be asking for a ride to the Five Towns: It seems like every night, someone just bursts out, “Anyone going to the Five Towns?” Not really sure where the Five Towns are in relation to Washington Heights by car. I just know that you take the LIRR to get there.

- The workers in the Office of the Registrar are better at Minesweeper than the best computer nerds in the world: Some services at YU may need a bit of tweaking.

Reflectionsby: Eli Lebowicz


- Been to the YU Museum – yes, YU has a museum.

- Went to the Writing Center not just for free food – I actually got a lot of help from them fixing papers. It’s free, people.

- Got asked by security for my ID while walking OUT of a building – true story. Enough said.

- Gone to Stern for Shabbos – if this were a secular uni-versity, that wouldn’t be a big deal, but since it’s YU, ap-parently it is.

- Sent a ystud – seeing as these e-mails are disregarded more than traveling is in the NBA, this one’s not that impressive.

- Asked Dean Sugarman for a favor – it’s a rite of passage to ask the go-to guy when you need something done.

- Talked to President Joel – and it wasn’t even at a Town Hall Meeting.

- Learned in every single beis medresh on campus – this one comes as a surprise to me as well.

Here are some things that will remain on my bucket list:

- Lived in IHP – I was too comfortable with the dorms to leave. Oh well.

- Worked as an RA – I probably should have done this one since I stay in YU for Shabbos a lot anyway. Plus, I know how to put up pictures of myself and other ran-dom signs.

- Acted in a YCDS play – if rehearsal weren’t every night for like six years, I would have done it for sure.

- Played for a sports team – granted, most of me wanted to be on a team for all the free stuff, but another part of me just wanted to play volleyball or baseball. (By the way, I totally would’ve made it on both.)

Well, appreciate YU while you’re here because it will go by so fast. I’ll hopefully be sitting there on May 26 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ, wherever that is, wondering how my experience in college will help shape the rest of my life.

- Never eat Golan past 2:00 AM: As “How I Met Your Mother” taught us, nothing good happens after 2:00 AM, especially when it comes to greasy shawarma. Just wait until breakfast. Trust me.

- In-towners, open invitations are meaningless: This may touch too close to home, but out-of-towners don’t go home that often, so not sure what that’s like. There is a whole 40% of the student population here that doesn’t live in New York or New Jersey. Ever wonder what those students do for Shabbos? Didn’t think so. Yes, YU has meals and davening and a Shabbos program going on. But it’s nice to go to a house once in a while, if only to just sleep somewhere else that’s not your dorm room. Now, many people have told me that they extend open invitations to in-towners. Some of the offers are truly sincere, and some are done to fulfill the obligation of ex-tending an invitation. I assure you that it does not make it feel any less like mooching if WE HAVE TO ASK YOU if we can come for Shabbos. Please, if you have the means, we’d love a home-cooked meal once in a while.

Utilize the pool, gym, and workout room: I am cur-rently one of the only eight people on campus who uses the pool. What good is having this advantage over Stern if guys aren’t going to use it? I do not play basketball in the YU gym because I’m amazing at it and I don’t want to embarrass everyone else.

Get involved in activities and have some unique expe-riences: I didn’t realize how much I have accomplished and done here until I started making a list of it all. So here’s the list of some of the things that I have done on my fake bucket list (thanks to Schwab for the idea); some are more exciting than others:

- Worked at the Seforim Sale (solely for the seforim, I assure you).

- Started a YU magazine (TheQuipster.org) which sati-rizes day-to-day shenanigans that go on around here.

- Written for The Commentator (not just the Purim is-sue).

- Taken a foreign language other than Hebrew – donde es la biblioteca?

- Had my own radio show – yes, YU has a radio station.


Looking back on my time spent here in YC, it’s truly hard to believe that we are all graduating and closing this chapter of the book of our lives. I remember walk-ing in on the first day feeling quite overwhelmed. Be-sides for the fact that The Heights seems about 1% Jew-ish and that it’s “the hood” of all of Manhattan, it is quite easy to get lost in the “YU experience” as a fresh-back. I look back and think of all the challenges and frustra-tions we endured together, as well as the interesting things that came about during our brief tenure here. For one, who could forget our good friend Madoff who quite literally made-off with tons of our money? What’s that you say? YU wants to raise tuition? Again? No problem – thank our good friend Bernie for that one.When forced to do so, we will admit that he was the reason behind the reshuffling of the whole YU experi-ence, including budget cuts and heightened Caf prices. Yes, it is quite possible to go broke on your Caf card well before the semester ends, right? Well, maybe it only happens to some of us.Remember the Maccabeats? Those guys brought you the now-infamous “Candlelight” – a freakishly catchy tune from the workings of Taio Cruz. And no, I do not think he sued the Maccabeats. YET.They also brought us the wonderfully uplifting “One Day” in which they portray themselves as an all-boys group just trying to have fun in the ghetto that is The Heights. Little did we know that most of them started right alongside us in YU three years ago and only now got famous. How can that be? The Stern girls will deny it and say they were supporters all along, but we at YC can pretend we never heard of them until now. What’s most interesting to me is the spinoff and compe-tition the Maccabeats inspired – or fueled. The Y-Studs? The Maccabasements? The Maccacheats? The names themselves tell you what we are dealing with. On a personal note, I myself established a club during my time here. The YU Chessed Club brought us three comedy competitions and Adar chagigot with the spe-cial needs community, among other things.And then there are the clubs for anything you could ever want? Do you like Economics? Math? Russia? Spain? Flowers? Yeah, we got that. Jake and Amir made a guest appearance thanks to the SSSB guys (and girls). Though the event was short in time, it more than made up for itself with awesomeness

and a quirky ukelele song. The Chanukkah concert got progressively better each year – from the Yeshiva Boys Choir and Lipa to Moshav and… THE MACCABEATS, who were, of course, the main show, as every girl in Stern will tell you [they did NOT come for Moshav or Matisyahu, they promise].How about having this yearbook for the first time in seven years? Very nice achievement.The creation of the Heights Lounge was epic, until the Superbowl party was taken away from it and brought back to the Morg, quite literally. Have no fear, though: we still have NAGEL BAGEL, though many times when I was there, there were actually no bagels in sight. Hmmm…Who can forget the death of Dougie Doug’s and the birth of Chop Chop? Glueck itself became a beautiful building, easily spotta-ble especially with its Batman-esque YU shield glowing at night to fight off crime and corruption in the Gotham that is The Heights.The year that the Purim chagigah became split was a new low in my time in YU. The reputation for YU and its men-only activities now became even worse. Don’t worry, though: the SHIDDUCH SHUTTLE is still in service and takes new customers every 15 minutes. In addition, a classic move was the deletion of a gym requirement. Actually, wait! I loved gym! My favorite class in all of YU! Why’d they get rid of it? Sadly, now everyone needs to take only one semester with Stan the Man.Did the Sneakers Store really sell sneakers? Unclear. Can you really buy an enchilada from the stands on Amster-dam? I wouldn’t try. What really goes on in that club that pounds music at 2:30 in the morning right outside of Rubin? I don’t even want to know.A last thought to consider is the budding of YUCon-nects. When I entered YU, I never dreamed of touching the site with a ten foot pole, but now I am actually on it, and it makes for great material, if nothing else. Truth-fully, it is a remarkable idea, and many a Stern girl – and some guys (though they will never admit it) – are on the site. Check it out and you’ll see… Thanks for listening – it’s been great. See you in another lifetime, brother.

What I Learned from My Time at YUby: Tani Guterman


yu masmid - class of 5771/2011

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