Volume VI, Issue 6 Lag ba-Omer April 28, 2013 18 Iyyar 5773 Kol Hamevaser The Jewish Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva University Student Body Responses to Technology Issue, p. 3-5 The Presence of Narrative and the Poland Trip Holocaust & Gavriel Brown, p. 6 The Wartime Activites of R. Catastrophe Barukh Rabinowicz Akiva Weisinger, p. 7 A Late Twentieth-Century Pogrom, Made in the USA: What We Talk About When We Talk About the Crown Heights Riot Chesky Kopel, p. 10 An Interview with Simon Goldberg, p. 15 Eliezer Berkovits’ Post- Holocaust Theology Yoni Zisook, p. 16 “Nose be-Ol Im Havero”: A Burden Worth Carrying Mordechai Shichtman, p. 19 Creative Arts Section p. 21-23 www.kolhamevaser.com EDITORS-IN-CHIEF 1 & CATASTROPHE HOLOCAUST Gabrielle Hiller Kol Hamevaser Holocaust & Catastrophe The Jewish Thought Magazine of Editors’ Thoughts: “A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance” Chesky Kopel By: Gabrielle Hiller the Yeshiva University Student Body On April 7, 1959, the Knesset of the wished us to envision. The twenty-seventh celebrate on Lag ba-Omer, when the deaths grapple with the depths of our history, but ASSOCIATE EDITORS How Long Will You Limp Between Opinions?: On the Difference Between the State of Israel passed a law establishing of Nissan approximates the anniversary ceased. On Yom ha-Zikaron, we remember also fathom the heights to which we have Adam Friedmann Academy and the Yeshivah 3 the twenty-seventh of Nissan as the day on of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising,4 an event the soldiers who gave their lives to protect risen. Chumie Yagod Consider the difference between learning endeavors that begin with conclusions and those which to memorialize the six million Jews that represents an entirely different mes- and defend the State of Israel, and then murdered in the Holocaust. The concept of sage. In the words of Mordecai Anielewicz, transition immediately to joyful celebra- 1 Kohelet 3:4. Koren’s translation. KOL HAMEVASER KOL that end with them. a memorial day is not new to the Jews. Our commander-in-chief of the underground tion of our independence on Yom ha-Ats- 2 As cited by James E. Young, “When a COPY EDITOR Simcha Gross calendar is filled with days dedicated to re- Jewish Fighting Organization that orches- ma’ut. And, of course, on Yom ha-Zikaron Day Remembers: A Performative History Ze’ev Sudry membering our past. Thus, dedicating this trated the Uprising, “The dream of my life la-Sho’ah ve-la-Gevurah, we memorialize of ‘Yom ha-Shoah,’” History and Memory 2,2 In Defense of the “Shocking” and “Anti-Traditional”: A Response to Elliot Resnick 4 day “to remembrance of the catastrophe of has risen to become fact. Self-defense in the six million Jews who were murdered (Winter, 1990): 54-75, at p. 63. LAYOUT EDITOR the Jewish people caused by the Nazis and the Ghetto will have been a reality. Jewish during the Holocaust, and yet we also pay 3 Ibid. Resnick’s op-ed sounds like it’s describing some other institution. 2 Arieh Levi their aides” is meaningful, if not partic- armed resistance and revenge are facts. I proud tribute to the fighting martyrs. 4 Establishing Yom ha-Sho’ah on the four- Nathan Hyman ularly unexpected. It is the second half of have been a witness to the magnificent, he- Every morning in tefillah we quote Da- teenth of Nissan, the date of the start of the the dedication that really catches the eye: roic fighting of Jewish men and women of vid’s words to God: “You have changed for Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, was rejected due 5 STAFF WRITERS Yeshiva College, Please Tolerate Benei Torah 5 a day to also remember “the acts of Jewish battle.” Jews are not a passive people who me my lament into dancing; you undid my to its proximity to Pesah. See Young for heroism and resistance in that period.”3 On stand idly by in the face of injustice, pro- sackcloth and girded me with gladness.”6 more details on the subject. Gilad Barach In defense of stripping Intro to Bible of its requirement status. Gavriel Brown Yom ha-Zikaron la-Sho’ah ve-la-Gevurah, we claimed the heroes of the Uprising; rather, The history of the Jewish people is full of 5 Paul Mendes-Flohr and Jehuda Rein- Judah Diament not only mourn the victims, but also honor we are a nation that valiantly fights back, catastrophe. But it is also marked by our harz (eds.), The Jew in the Modern World: A Jacob Bernstein the heroes. even when all hope seems lost. transformations, by our continued ability Documentary History (New York, NY: Ox- Mati Engel The Presence of Narrative and the Poland Trip 6 What is the significance of this partic- In this time between Pesah and Shavu’ot, to not only survive, but also to flourish. De- ford University Press, 1995), 675. Kimberly Hay The author recounts his trip to Poland and argues for an expansion of the narrative portrayed ular date? When remembering the Holo- we cannot help but consider the unique spite our deep mourning, as a people, we 6 Tehillim 30:12. Artscroll’s translation. Miriam Khukhashvili caust, it is natural to picture hordes of help- nature of the way Jews respond to tragedy. are able to rise and rejoice, not only once, on such trips to include the diversity of Jewish life in Europe. less Jews, like sheep being sent to slaugh- We enter into a period of mourning over but time and time again. Please join us in Davida Kollmar Gavriel Brown ter. But that was not the image the Knesset the loss of R. Akiva’s students, and then this issue of Kol Hamevaser as we not only Dovi Nadel Elana Raskas The Wartime Activities of R. Barukh Rabinowicz 7 Sarah Robinson Some have accused R. Barukh of passivity during the Holocaust. Here’s why they’re wrong. Mevaser ve-Omer: Responses to Technology Issue Atara Siegel Akiva Weisinger Rachel Weber How Long Will You Limp Between Opinions?:1 On the Difference Between the Academy and the Penina Wein A Late-Twentieth Century Pogrom, Made in the USA: What We Talk About Yeshivah Akiva Weisinger When We Talk About the Crown Heights Riot 10 By: Simcha Gross A tragedy to which we don’t relate? What are the facts and historical impact DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS of the Crown Heights Riot on the American Jewish community? In his recent Kol Hamevaser op-ed, “Shut posed to truth. If my beliefs are naïve or we should not be naïve in thinking that terns and vanished social structures 2 Joshua Joseph Freundel Chesky Kopel Down the Bible Department,” Elliot Res- based on ignorance, I am fully in favor of scholars are always able to divorce them- shows how differently various human Yaelle Lasson nick argued that Yeshiva University should reconstructing my Judaism on a more solid selves from their own agendas and from groups have tried to cope with the close its Bible department because the pro- basis.” Let us leave aside, for the moment, historical context, but that is the beauty of world around them. Broadening our An Interview with Simon Goldberg 15 fessors there “destroyed my core beliefs the irony of someone not opposed to truth a set methodology: It enables one to iden- humanity and extending our sensibil- ADVERTISING MANAGER Simon Goldberg, YC ’12, talks about his views on and role in Holocaust without replacing it with anything.” Mr. calling to discontinue teaching that truth, tify those places where the methodology ities by recognizing sameness and dif- Harel Kopelman education and commemoration. Resnick lists amongst his dispelled be- and instead try to understand Mr. Res- is not followed for some reason or other. ference throughout the recorded past liefs Mosaic authorship of every word of nick’s proposal. Mr. Resnick never defines The benefit of a methodology, then, is that is therefore an important reason for Staff the Bible, the Sinaitic origins of the Oral precisely what he means by “reconstruct- studying history… For we can only WEBMASTER Torah, and the idea that (biblical) Hebrew ing” Judaism “on a more solid basis,” but Mr. Resnick never defines know ourselves by knowing how we Rafi Miller Eliezer Berkovits’ Post-Holocaust Theology 16 is a divinely created language which, ac- from his remarks it seems he seeks new resemble and how we differ from oth- cordingly, contains “hidden wisdom.” Mr. justifications for the same lifestyle he had precisely what he means ers. A thorough investigation of Eliezer Berkovits’ philosophy of Judaism Resnick’s objection is not so much against before learning the “truth.” In other words, by “reconstructing” and the Holocaust. ABOUT KOL HAMEVASER the academic conclusions, but against de- Mr. Resnick is in full support of the truth, Judaism “on a more In other words, scholarship is the oppo- Kol Hamevaser, the Jewish Thought magazine of the Yeshiva Yoni Zisook stroying the faith of impressionable “frum provided that it allows him to keep doing site of confirmation. It is precisely meant to University student body, is dedicated to sparking discussion of teenagers” without then providing them exactly what he did before learning it. solid basis,” but from highlight both the differences and similar- Jewish issues on the Yeshiva University campus and beyond. The with “ideas for how to reorient their Juda- This betrays a total misunderstanding his remarks it seems he ities between ourselves and our forebears magazine hopes to facilitate the religious and intellectual growth “Nose be-Ol Im Havero”: A Burden Worth Carrying 19 ism accordingly.” of the methods and purpose of academia.