HE OMMENTATOR T The Independent C Student Newspaper of Yeshiva University VOL. LXXXVI TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2020 ISSUE NO. 1 Senior VP Josh Joseph Leaving YU to Begin as EVP/COO at the OU BY JARED SCHARF Joseph received semikhah from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Semi- Editor’s Note: This article was originally nary and a Masters in Jewish Philosophy published online on June 6. from Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies in 1999. Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph will be stepping He began his 15-year career at YU in down from his post as Yeshiva University’s 2005 as the director of special projects for senior vice president to become executive the Center for the Jewish Future (CJF); a vice president (EVP) and chief operating year later, Joseph was appointed as vice officer (COO) at the Orthodox Union (OU) president and chief of staff and began his on Sept. 1, announced President Ari Ber- role as senior vice president seven years man via email to YU faculty and staff on later in 2013. He served under both Presi- July 1. dent Emeritus Richard Joel and President As senior vice president, Joseph had Berman. the “operating responsibility for the ad- “I was immediately taken by [Joseph’s] ministrative and academic aspects of the energy, ambition, his manner, and his University, ensuring strategic planning seeming dedication. He is a very layered and implementation of restructuring ini- personality with endless facets,” Joel told tiatives.” At the OU, Joseph will be “re- The Commentator about his early years sponsible for all aspects of OU programs with Joseph. and operations, other than OU Kosher,” "We became close, and I saw in him according to the OU’s announcement. wonderful qualities. We would often travel Remarking on this new transition, Jo- together on business, and I was able to be seph told the Commentator, “While I’m myself with him.” leaving the Yeshiva University family that “I often said I could trust him with my I’ve been a part of for the last 16 years, I’m life,” Joel added.“He was the one person, YESHIVA UNIVERSITY truly excited to be heading to a place that who would come into my office, close the Josh Joseph will step down from his position as Senior Vice President shares deeply rooted values for Jewish door, and say ‘What the heck are you do- community and leadership.” ing?’” spend a year working and learning at YU, suming professional leadership at the OU, “We could not be more pleased,”OU During those years, Joseph also worked and Joseph would offer weekly sessions a key institution central to our flourishing.” President Moshe Bane stated, commenting under former vice president of YU Rabbi developing their skills. When President Berman became YU’s on Joseph’s hire. “Rabbi Dr. Joseph is one Kenneth Brander at CJF, developing lead- “We saw Yeshiva as a movement and a fifth president in the fall of 2017, Joseph of North America’s foremost dynamic Jew- ership programming for students, and university, and Josh was a key part of that worked closely with him to address issues ish communal leaders who brings vision, together with Moshe Bellows, created a evolution,” said Joel. “His commitment around campus. leadership and a new energy to the role of series of leadership training courses. Addi- to Torah, G-d and the Jewish people has chief [operating] officer. We are thrilled to tionally, Joseph led a program of presiden- informed him, and has positioned him to Continued on Page 6 have him on our team.” tial fellows, 15 recent graduates who would continue making a great difference, by as- YU Celebrates 89th Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, Commencement Former YU President, Dies at 92 Ceremony Virtually pointed the Erna and Jakob Michael Professor of Jew- By SRULI FRUCHTER ish Philosophy in 1966 after earning a Ph.D. in that AND YOSEF LEMEL field of study from Rabbi Soloveitchik. By ELISHEVA KOHN A pulpit rabbi for nearly 25 years, Rabbi Lamm served in senior rabbinic positions in New York’s Editor’s Note: This article was originally published online on Editor’s Note: This article was originally published online on May 31. Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Kodimoh in June 15. Springfield, Mass. and finally the Jewish Center on Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, former president and the Upper West Side of Manhattan in 1958, serving The Yeshiva University community gathered online to virtu- chancellor of Yeshiva University, passed away on there until his appointment as YU president in 1976. ally honor the graduating Class of 2020 and celebrate its 89th Sunday, May 31. He was 92. Following the retirement and subsequent pass- Commencement Ceremony on the afternoon of Sunday, June 14. Born in 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, Rabbi Lamm Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Sel- attended Yeshiva Torah Vodaath through elementa- "Norman Lamm was a defining ma Botman opened the ceremony, which began at 1 p.m., and ry and high school before attending Yeshiva College President Ari Berman addressed the graduates. Other speak- force in fashioning a Torah from 1945-1949, where he graduated summa cum ers included Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of laude as the class valedictorian with a bachelor’s de- the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth and Judaism of depth, texture and gree in chemistry. He continued to study advanced Moshael Strauss, chairman of YU; unlike previous years, this chemistry at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. year’s ceremony did not have a keynote speaker. The American color." During his time at Yeshiva College, Rabbi Lamm stud- ___ national anthem, followed by the Israeli national anthem, was ied Talmud under the tutelage of Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. recited by the Maccabeats. All eight valedictorians held brief President Emeritus Richard Joel Soloveitchik. speeches while photos and names of the graduating Class of Through the insistence of Rabbi Dr. Samuel Bel- 2020 appeared on the video. kin, his predecessor in the YU presidency, Rabbi The Commencement Ceremony also celebrated the first Lamm ultimately pursued a rabbinic career instead of ing of Rabbi Belkin, Rabbi Lamm was unanimously graduating class of the Makor College Experience at YU. “These one in chemistry and was ordained by the Rabbi Isaac appointed president of YU by the Board of Trustees. seven students and their families are the trailblazers,” Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) in 1951. His presidency saw a major fundraising campaign Rabbi Lamm joined the Yeshiva College faculty in Continued on Page 6 Continued on Page 5 1959 as a lecturer in Jewish Philosophy and was ap- NEWS | 5 FEATURES | 13 OPINIONS | 22 Minyanim return to Washington Heights YU rises to the occasion amid COVID-19 Crisis Graduating during Coronavirus 2 From the Editor's Desk Tuesday, July 14, 2020 THE COMMENTATOR FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK 2020-2021 Editor-in-Chief YOSEF LEMEL In Prospect: Yeshiva Is Yours to Build Managing Editor after graduation? with city and state officials.” ELISHEVA KOHN By YOSEF LEMEL These are legitimate questions that are Unsurprisingly, after the initial email unable to be answered at present, even students started to ask basic questions: Executive Editor Editor’s Note: This article was origi- by the university administration, however Will there be an online option for stu- YITZCHAK CARROLL nally published online on June 28, omniscient they seem to be. In place of dents who will not be able to be “physi- before Yeshiva University released a knowledge is a dark chasm of uncertainty. cally present?” When will the dormitories plan for Fall 2020. Given this reality, it would be unwise for open? Will there be a decrease in tuition me to call for specific policy reforms, as rates? Will the university accommodate News this is not a time for change but a “return the schedules of international students to Senior Editor Junior Editor Most inaugural editorials of new to normalcy.” I would, therefore, like to account for varying time zones? SRULI FRUCHTER ELAZAR ABRAHAMS Commentator volumes are optimistic use this forum to comment on two recent The Commentator inquired into the in nature. Generally, student journal- stories we covered and how they relate specifics of the university’s “plans.” At Features ists want to “start off the year on a good to The Commentator’s responsibility as that point, the provost provided clarifica- Senior Editor Junior Editors foot,” and as the semester rolls on, they Yeshiva’s undergraduate student paper. tion to us. She did not, however, send a start to “cynically” complain about the JACOB ROSENFELD MITCH GOULSON Students recently received an email clarification to the general student body, lack of transparency from the university TEMMI LATTIN although it was her responsibility to do administration, the lack of consultation so after causing much confusion. She with students about basic academic poli- Opinions At present, there is no did not explain why emails stating the cies and other such issues they may face. Senior Editor Junior Editor unfinalized “plans” were sent out. In fact, This inaugural editorial will not follow vision charted for the she later sent a second email on June 18 AHARON NISSEL JOSH LEICHTER that template; it will come off as bleak that repeated the contradictory state- and cynical with a light tinge of hope. immediate future of Yeshiva ment of the first. Cumulatively, this led to Business Candidness is important because, at pres- false rumors and an even more confused Senior Editor Junior Editor ent, there is no vision charted for the im- University; we are living in student body. EITAN LAVIAN YAAKOV METZ mediate future of Yeshiva University; we the most uncertain of times.