Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman Elected President of YU by Doron Levine a Quadruple Alumnus of YU, Rabbi Dr
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NOVEMBER 28, 2016 TheHow to be an accountant OMMENTATORKey Career Guidance For The Independent Student Newspaper of Yeshiva College, Sy Syms School of Business, and Yeshiva University Volume LXXXI C Issue 3 Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman Elected President of YU By Doron Levine A quadruple alumnus of YU, Rabbi Dr. On November 15, the Yeshiva Uni- Berman graduated from MTA in 1987. He President-Elect Rabbi Berman versity Board of Trustees voted to elect graduated magna cum laude from Yeshi- Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman to succeed Richard va College in 1991 and then received his Discusses Vision and Goals for YU Joel as Yeshiva University’s president. ordination from RIETS and his masters By Doron Levine, Avi Strauss, generation needs to be defined.” Even Rabbi Dr. Berman will become YU’s fifth in Jewish philosophy from the Bernard as he paid homage to his predecessors, president, joining the ranks of Rabbi Dr. Revel Graduate School. Rabbi Dr. Ber- and Yitzchak Fried As he launches his transition into the he emphasized the need to move for- Bernard Revel, Rabbi Dr. Samuel Belkin, man taught Talmud in YU’s Stone Beit ward and keep YU relevant to the mod- Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, and Mr. Rich- Midrash Program and served as first the YU presidency, Rabbi Berman is begin- ning to develop his vision and goals for ern age. “The messages of all our past ard Joel. The vote took place during the assistant rabbi and then the head rabbi presidents continue to nourish us, but afternoon of the 15th in the Gottesman of The Jewish Center of Manhattan. He the university. Reflecting on YU’s mis- sion statement and guiding principles we need to think about what YU means Board Room on the fifth floor of the YU left his post at The Jewish Center when today.” Not afraid to project a grand vi- Beren Campus building sion, he said, “we’re in located at 215 Lexing- a moment in history ton Avenue. The result where we can embark, of the vote was revealed and we will embark, on to The Commentator by one of the great Jewish Trustees as they exited endeavors of our gen- the building and was an- eration: to transform nounced the next day by Yeshiva University.” He Chairman of the Board added that this is “one Moshael Straus. Rabbi of the exciting parts of Berman will take over this position.” as president on July 1, When asked to ex- 2017. plicate the relationship The Board of Rabbi between the secular and Isaac Elchanan Theolog- religious aspects of YU, ical Seminary convened Rabbi Berman said that for a meeting soon af- our goal should be to ter the YU Board meet- unify all elements of the ing was adjourned and institution. “Our ideal voted similarly, electing situation,” he said, “is to Rabbi Berman to the move YU in a direction twin position of Presi- where all of its parts are dent of RIETS. How- moving in the same di- ever, Rabbi Berman will rection.” Unwilling to not hold the position of pay superficial lip ser- “Rosh HaYeshiva” of vice to modern values, RIETS. President Joel’s Rabbi Berman argued predecessors all held that we need to exam- this position in con- ine “the underlying as- junction with the presi- sumptions of moderni- dency, but, due to Presi- ty” and to ask, “do they dent Joel’s lack of rab- complement or clash binic credentials, Rabbi with tradition?” When Lamm retained the Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman meets students in the Glueck Beit Midrash the day after his election. pushed for more details position of Rosh HaYes- on his specific vision, hiva even after President Joel took over. he moved to Israel in 2008, and recently on the day after his election, Rabbi Ber- man explained that “Torah Umadda is Rabbi Berman cautioned against being The bifurcation of the position which be- completed a PhD in Jewish thought from too hasty. “Listen,” he said, “this is the gan with President Joel will continue un- Hebrew University under the guidance of our banner; it gives us distinction; it’s our guiding principle. YU is about in- first day, so I’m not giving you a defined tegrating the world around us into our plan. I’m not getting into office for many “HE IS THE ULTIMATE BEN YESHIVA. HE WAS AND IS A Torah lives.” He recognized his place in months.” TALMID OF SEVERAL OF OUR ROSHEI YESHIVA. HE HAS WINNING WAYS. HE SPEAKS BEAUTIFULLY. HE’S A TALMID “WE NEED TO EXPLAIN THE VALUE OF YU TODAY CHACHAM. AND I’M VERY EXCITED ABOUT HIS BEING NEXT.” IF WE WANT TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND IF WE -PRESIDENT RICHARD JOEL WANT TO BROADEN OUR DONOR BASE.” the unique history of YU: “We’re trying der President-Elect Berman. Though he Dr. Moshe Halbertal. He resides in Neve Under Rabbi Berman, YU will once will not be Rosh HaYeshiva, as president Daniel with his wife and five children. to create the YU of tomorrow, but it has to be built on the past. This is an august again be led by a rabbi-scholar who will of RIETS Rabbi Berman will be involved Was the outcome of the presidential hopefully be capable of helping YU to in the selection of future Roshei Yeshiva. vote a foregone conclusion? One YU ad- institution with an important history, and we’re building on that.” clarify and project its fundamental val- Rabbi Hy Arbesfeld, a benefactor of ministrator, though reticent to speak to ues. Rabbi Berman said that he believes Yeshiva University and its programs and the press, heavily implied that Rabbi Dr. But he also emphasized that our uni- versity’s mission is not fossilized. “Ye- that our community needs to engage in a member of the Board of RIETS, said Berman’s appointment was anticipated a conversation about values, and that he was “very pleased that our new presi- and expected by those close to the pro- shiva is in a position where it needs to constantly reenvision itself because the he envisions an inclusive conversation dent will be Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, whom cess. Trustees have been less forthcom- which expands beyond students who at- I know very well from his days of being world around us is constantly changing,” rabbi at the Jewish Center.” SEE BERMAN, he said. “Torah Umadda is the guiding SEE VISION, CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 light, but what exactly it means in every CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 WWW.YUCOMMENTATOR.ORG 2 Editorial Monday, November 28, 2016 - 27 Cheshvan 5777 The DITORIAL DORON LEVINE E Editor-in-Chief TZVI LEVITIN A Letter to Rabbi Berman Managing Editor DAVID AVI STRAUSS Dear Rabbi Berman, us what makes the current student body tick. We respect good RUBINSTEIN Senior Opinions Editor leadership and appreciate those who listen. Senior News Editor YITZCHAK FRIED Over the past few months, you have met with the elites and As the editors of the student newspaper, it is our job to cre- EITAN LIPSKY the bigwigs, the university stakeholders who run this institu- ate a forum for campus discussions and a medium for commu- Junior Opinions Editor Junior News Editor tion on the macro level. You have conferred with board mem- nication between faculty, administrators, and students. The bers and administrators, and presumably developed some im- newspaper’s relationship with the administration and the pres- pressions of the university that they run. ident over the past few years has varied – it has been strained But now it’s time for you to meet us. The students. We are a at times and peaceful at others, sometimes antagonistic and ADAM KRAMER HILLEL FIELD Senior Features Editor patchwork, a collection of young adults more diverse than we other times symbiotic. This is because a school and its student Senior Business Editor might appear. We are inspired and disaffected, wealthy and in- newspaper are separate organizations with distinct noble goals ETAN NEIMAN BENJAMIN digent, athletic and awkward, diligent and dilatory, frum and – they are neither natural allies nor natural enemies. The Com- Junior Business Editor KOSLOWE krum. We are math whizzes and aspiring poets, foreigners and mentator is independently funded and independently managed Junior Features Editor New Yorkers, Gemara learners and atheists, staunch Zionists for this very reason. So our diverse group of students will con- and complacent Americans, future doctors and more future tinue to express their assorted views in the newspaper, both SHIRA FEEN doctors. We can be amiable, and, no doubt, we can be disagree- complimentary and critical, and we cannot promise that you Senior Layout Editor able at times. And now we are your students. Though the el- will love everything we publish. But despite our differences, egant office that you will soon occupy might be safely tucked please don’t forget what we share in common. No matter what Layout Editors away on the twelfth floor of Belfer, your job begins and ends we write, remember that we all value the welfare and success of down here with us, in the libraries and lounges, in the cafete- an institution that we love. STEVEN KOHANE rias and classrooms. Perspective is in order. This is, no doubt, an historic mo- In the coming months, as you begin to spend more time on ment for YU, but the institution is bigger than any one group of Staff Writers campus and familiarize yourself with day-to-day life at YU, we students and any one president. Yeshiva University is the life- EVAN AXELROD ask you to make a serious effort to get to know us, the students.