VOLUMEYU 8 NO. 5 ToYESHIVA UNIVERSITY • WINTER d 2003 ay Richard Joel’s Election Heralds New Era F ACULTY PROFILE ❑ Praised as superb administrator and innovator in promoting Jewish renaissance Carl Feit That attempt at cultivating headed the University’s alum- a Jewish renaissance meant jet- ni affairs office and was an tisoning what he termed “one- associate dean and professor at Reconciling size-fits-all” Judaism that for Benjamin N. Cardozo School Two Cultures: some seemed exclusive. of Law. His idea was to “let a thou- He succeeds Dr. Norman Science and Religion sand Jewish flowers blossom” Lamm, president of YU since and to “allow each student to 1976. Mr. Joel also will become page 4 build his or her own room in chief executive officer of Rabbi the House of Israel,” a formula Isaac Elchanan Theological experts claim engendered great- Seminary when he assumes er grassroots enthusiasm and office in June. activism on campuses through- Dr. Lamm was a major force out North America. in furthering the University’s ven as a student at There was also Mr. Joel’s guiding philosophy of Torah Yeshiva University’s high emphasis on programs to help Umadda—traditional religious Dean Bacon Keynotes OU Eschool, Richard M. Joel students better combat anti- learning combined with con- believed that Jewish learning Israel propaganda and activi- temporary Western research Convention and peoplehood could not ties and understand Israel’s in the sciences, humanities, flourish in a vacuum. Indeed, importance to Jewish identity. and arts. At his election, Mr. r. Karen Bacon made through a distinguished Jewish history at the Orthodox communal career that contin- DUnion (OU) Conven- ued last December with his tion held in December. The Dr. election as Yeshiva University’s Monique C. Katz Dean of Stern fourth president, he has pur- College for Women was the sued that principle with singu- first woman to deliver a lar fervor. keynote address at the biannu- During 14 years as presi- al convention of the most dent and international direc- prominent Orthodox organi- tor of Hillel, he rejuvenated zation in the United States. the struggling confederation The selection of Dean Bacon of campus Jewish outposts— reflected a concerted effort by expanding programs and the OU to give a greater role to branches, infusing students women in Orthodoxy. to resolve conflicts between with values such as tzedakah, “Women’s voices must be their lives as observant Jews and tikkun olam, increasing listened to at all levels of the and their interaction with participation in social action OU to confront and attack the the secular world. This con- activities, and forging links problems that face our com- flict, she noted, is a challenge with Jewish students world- munity,“ said Dr. Bacon. “If facing the modern Orthodox President Lamm welcomes his successor. wide, including Europe and not, we risk disregarding a per- community. the former Soviet Union. spective vital to finding effec- Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, His goal then, as now, was An attorney and former Joel said he looked forward to tive solutions.” the OU’s executive vice presi- to explore ways of making Bronx District Attorney, Joel’s building upon Dr. Lamm’s Women must play a partic- dent, and Harvey Blitz, presi- Jewish life meaningful, accessi- election is a homecoming of legacy, which emphasizes en- ularly significant role in family dent, responded that the ble, and stimulating to a new sorts. In addition to being a gagement in Jewish and secular issues, she said, emphasizing choice of Dr. Bacon to keynote generation of Jews. YU high school alumnus, he worlds. that the family unit is vulnerable. the convention underscores Dr. Lamm was successful in “Among the causes for this the intent of the OU to listen both spheres. He is credited growing crisis is the acknowl- better to the voices of women. TIMELINE: PAST YESHIVA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS with helping bring YU’s endow- edged stress on women whose “We are losing Jews faster ment to more than $900 mil- presence in the workplace does than ever before,” said Dean lion. An undergraduate school not obviate their major res- Bacon. “We must protect the Dr. Bernard Revel Dr. Samuel Belkin Dr. Norman Lamm of business was added during ponsibility for raising their core values of a modern 1915–1940 1943–1976 1976–2003 his tenure, and student enroll- families and caring for aging Orthodox lifestyle, and one of ment has climbed to 7,000. All parents.” the ways to achieve this is by Richard Joel the while, he has continued to Dr. Bacon also noted the ensuring the strength of the write extensively about Jewish pressures on adolescents and family.” ❑ 2003– college students who struggle continued on p. 3 AGE BEAUTY BRAINS BRAWN SCW’s First Louis Feldman: Ari Goldman: YU Basketball Dean of Classics Professor Marcia Robbins- Stars Achieve Students Seeks Beauty in Wilf Scholar-in- University Celebrates Ancient History Residence History 100 Years page 6 page 8 page 10 page 9 INSIDE www.yu.edu/news/publications 2 YUToday Winter 2003 F ACULTY NEWS We Mourni Condolences Toi Noyes Bartholomew, DMA, as- Martin Leibowitz, PhD, assistant He also presented “By the Sweat of sociate professor of music, com- professor of accounting, was named Your Brow: Reflections on Work and Hon. Walter Annenberg, Pearl Berger, dean, University posed Lament (for two children occupant of the Joseph Kerzner the Workplace in Classic Jewish AECOM honorary Board member, libraries, on the loss of her mother, of Ben Luc) for solo cello. The com- Chair in Accounting at SSSB. Thought” at the Board of Jewish YU and AECOM Benefactor. Named Tova Rabinowitz. position was performed by cellist Education Annual Shiur. to the AECOM Board in 1954, a Jeffrey Solow at the Ester Boyer Yamin Levy, MS, instructor of year before the school opened, he Jerry Bergman, director, devel- School of Music of Temple University. Bible and Sephardic Student advis- Peninnah Schram, MA, associ- was also an honorary alumnus of YU. opment communications, and wife er, was the keynote speaker at the ate professor of speech and drama, Ellen on the loss of his mother, Ilse. J. David Bleich, PhD, Herbert and annual Pregnancy and Infant Loss reviewed Fables of a Jewish Aesop, Zvi Kolitz, former YU Jewish stud- Florence Tenzer Professor of Jewish Awareness Conference, North Shore translated by Moses Hadas, in ies instructor, honorary degree Harvey Blau, CSL Board member, Law and Ethics, CSL, published University Hospital. He spoke on Jewish Book World, fall 2002. recipient, scholar, author, film and on the loss of his mother, Rose. “Stem Cell Research,” Tradition. “Understanding the Scope of theatrical producer. He was best Harvey and Arlene Blau are YU Also, he was interviewed on Court Pregnancy and Infant Loss.” He is Hayim Tawil, PhD, instructor of known for “Yossel Rakover Speaks Guardians and CSL Fellows. TV about the Fred Neulander mur- the author of Confronting the Loss Hebrew, published articles in the to God,” a work of fiction written in der trial. of a Baby: A Personal and Jewish Journal of Semitic Studies (vol. 47, the voice of one of the last survivors Lawrence Ruben, CSL Board Perspective. no. 2, 2002); and the Journal of the of the Warsaw Ghetto who con- member, on the loss of his wife, Chaim Feuerman, EdD, Golda American Oriental Society (vol. 122, fronts God on the eve of his death. Selma. The Rubens are Guardians of Koschitzky Chair in Jewish Education, Edith Lubetski, MS, SCW head no. 1, January-March 2002). YU. Condolences also to her broth- AGS, presented “Motivate, Evaluate, librarian, chaired a session on “20th Melvin Roman, PhD, professor, er, Robert Belfer, AECOM Board Communicate, Elevate: Getting Century Research” at the European Moshe Tendler, PhD, Rabbi Isaac psychiatry and behavioral sciences chairperson. Educators to Teach up a Storm Association for Jewish Studies 7th and Bella Tendler Professor of who was director of group and Without Blowing Away,” at the Congress, Amsterdam. Jewish Medical Ethics, wrote a family research in the psychiatry Herbert Smilowitz, RIETS Board Torah Umesorah Annual National series of articles on organ donation department at Einstein. vice chairman and major supporter Mid-Winter Conference. He also Lata McGinn, PhD, associate clin- exclusively for “On the Beat,” the of RIETS, on the loss of his brother, spoke at the Long Branch, NJ, ical professor, psychiatry and New York Organ Donor Network Rabbi Bernard Siegfried, YH Bernard. Cong. Brothers of Israel Shabbaton behavioral sciences, AECOM, was newsletter. ’83, YC ’87, RIETS ’94, instructor of on “Evaluating Contemporary Op- quoted in articles that appeared in physics and mathematics, MSTA. Norman Stark, RIETS trustee, on tions in Yeshiva Education to Meet Parents magazine ("Is it Panic or just Condolences to his wife, Hadassah. the loss of his mother, Hanna. the Needs of an Open Society.” Stress?” Aug. 2000), Shape maga- PEOPLE Helene and Norman Stark are RIETS zine (“No Plans for Children" Dec. Pearl Unger, a Benefactor with Fellows and supporters of several Joshua A. Fishman, PhD, 2002), and Employee magazine Jacob Lieberman, AA, associate her husband, Milton. They estab- projects at YU. Distinguished University Research ("Commerzbank: The Return director, Food Services, was a fea- lished the Milton and Pearl Unger Professor Emeritus of Social Work, 'Home'" 2002). tured speaker at Kosherfest 2002, Department of Jewish Studies at Hilda Tejada, secretary, presi- was a plenary speaker at the an international kosher food and MSTA, where they endowed a dent’s office, on the loss of her sis- Second International Symposium Daniel Pollack, MSW, JD, WSSW food service trade show. major scholarship fund to enable ter, Yolanda Chaskin. on Bilingualism, Universidade de associate professor, spoke at the deserving and needy students to Vigo, Galicia, Spain.