"STUDY WELL FOR "BUT ALSO, LIKE, FINALS, CHILL OUT. EVERYONE!" HE OMMENTATOR YOU'LL BE FINE!!" T The Independent C Student Newspaper of Yeshiva University VOL. LXXXIV MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2018 ISSUE NO. 7 Future of Paprika Restaurant Uncertain to keep track of payments through the YU By Sarah Russman One Card website. News of Paprika’s potential closure un- This past week, Paprika restaurant put settled students. “I could not believe that up a “for sale” sign on their front window. they were about to close the only restaurant Paprika is an Israeli-style restaurant located that reminds me of my mom’s food,” said next door to Brookdale Residence Hall on Anaelle Ezekie (SCW ‘21). “I was in total the Beren Campus and is one of the many shock.” restaurants on the student meal plan. David Zaken, Paprika’s owner, expressed his uncertainty over the future of the res- “I spend most of my taurant in an email to The Commentator. restaurant money at Paprika “We might sell and move or we might find an investor and stay. It’s been the first year because their food is so fresh for this restaurant and it’s not easy to run,” he wrote. YU Dining Services Director Sam and good. It’s a huge sign that Chasan, explained that Paprika has not in- formed the University of any changes, and is somewhat in your face, kind Dining Services is awaiting future updates. of screaming ‘help us.’” This past spring, YU had some question- ___ able problems with Paprika in regards to Talia Kupferman (SCW ’20) overcharging students. Four Beren Students reported being overcharged between the months of January and March. This resulted in Paprika being taken off of the student Talia Kupferman (SCW ‘20) added that meal plan for about a week. When Paprika she was very confused and disappointed was approached, they promised to be more by the sign. “I spend most of my restau- careful with payments in the future, and the rant money at Paprika because their food restaurant was restored to the OMNI pro- is so fresh and good,” she said. “It’s a huge sign that is somewhat in your face, kind of gram. In addition, Chasan advised students A ‘For Sale’ Sign Displayed in the Window of Paprika SHOSHI GINSBURG - screaming ‘help us.’” STERN COLLEGE: IN THE KNOW President Berman Comments A Comprehensive Analysis of YU on Klein@9, Discusses Undergraduate Student Leaders Women’s Role on Wilf Campus Honors Council members were not considered, Torah and to teach it.” He also explained By Samuel Gelman (Houston, TX) as they predominantly contribute to strictly By Shoshy Ciment that “Yeshiva University is certainly for and Yardena Katz academic campus culture. Other campus pub- women giving divrei Torah.” lications were not considered independent In a recent interview with The To Berman, a solution for the un- When one thinks of the leaders of Yeshiva categories due to their size, specificity and nu- Commentator (see page 5), President resolved issue should come from the University, many names may come to mind: ance. However, they were included as clubs, and Ari Berman offered his opinion with students themselves. While women are President Ari Berman; Rabbi Menachem Penner; editors-in-chief of each publication were asked respect to the role of women on the still banned from giving divrei Torah Dean Karen Bacon; the list goes on and on. Yet, to fill out the survey. Wilf Campus and in Yeshiva University at the community minyan on Shabbat, there is another group of leaders at YU with The survey asked for basic demographic in- as a whole. Regarding last year’s con- Berman believes that channels for simi- which many of us interact with on a much more formation: age, campus, hometown, college, troversy where a Stern College student lar opportunities for women on the Wilf intimate and practical basis than any dean or major, minor, year on campus, leadership was silenced after giving a dvar Torah Campus already exist. rabbi: our fellow students. position(s) and for Wilf students, morning pro- Between Oct. and Dec. 2018, The gram. The survey also asked if student leaders Commentator conducted a survey of under- took a gap year(s). For those that did, students “If there is an interest from students in trying to find an graduate student leaders to examine trends and were asked how many gap years they took and patterns among this small group of students. which institution(s) they attended. The cat- appropriate vehicle that would help bring together our While the definition of “student leader” may egory of academic minor was disregarded as community in which women can also give divrei Torah, I mean something different to everyone, for the too many students either did not have one or purpose of this survey, The Commentator de- were undeclared. A total of 178 students re- am pretty sure that they can figure something out.” fined “student leaders” as those that directly sponded to the survey, making up 8.5 percent ___ contribute to non-academic campus culture. of the undergraduate student body currently President Ari Berman In this article, the term “student leader” thus on campus, according to the Fall 2018 YU Fact refers exclusively to student council members, Book (provided by YU’s Office of Institutional Student Life Committee members, Wilf Campus Research and Assessment). in a Wilf Campus community minyan, “If there is an interest from students resident advisors (RAs) and head resident advi- Of the 178 students who completed the sur- Berman remarked that the situation in trying to find an appropriate vehicle sors (HRAs), Beren Campus RAs, Commentator vey, 51 percent (91 respondents) attend classes was perplexing. that would help bring together our com- editors, Observer editors and club presidents. on Wilf Campus, while 49 percent (87 respon- “There’s no question that we want munity in which women can also give Unlike their Wilf Campus HRA counter- dents) attend classes on Beren Campus. All data our students, both men and women, to divrei Torah, I am pretty sure that they parts, Beren Campus Graduate Advisor (GA) pertains to the Fall 2018 semester. not just learn Torah but spread Torah equivalents were not surveyed as they are not as much as possible,” said Berman. Continued on Page 4 undergraduate students. Shiur and teacher’s Continued on Page 14 “We encourage everyone to take their assistants, Writing Center and peer tutors and NEWS | 5 FEATURES | 10 OPINIONS | 18 BUSINESS | 19 Faculty Unease, Women on Wilf and LGBTQ YC Honors Program Yeshiva College Offers Too Few Brexit: What Is It? Why Is It Events: An Interview with President Ari Berman Fall 2018 Update Honors Courses Important? Where Does It Stand? 2 From the Editor’s Desk Monday, December 31, 2018 THE COMMENTATOR 2018-2019 Editor-in-Chief BENJAMIN KOSLOWE FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Managing Editor SHOSHY CIMENT News Senior Editor Junior Editor YOSSI ZIMILOVER YITZCHAK CARROLL Features Senior Editor Junior Editor A Defense of Critical Journalism SAMUEL GELMAN DENA KATZ Opinions critiques head-on, though, it seems pru- things, which leads to real change. Such Senior Editor Junior Editors By Benjamin Koslowe dent to briefly state The Commentator’s articles inevitably cause bad publicity for CHANA WEINBERG JACOB STONE, editorial ethos. This ethos has been ex- the university in the short run, but, when MICHAEL WEINER With this current newspaper issue hit- pressed as recently as last semester, as a real change eventually occurs, the ar- ting shelves, The Commentator has offi- well as countless times over the decades ticles ultimately wind up as net positives. Business cially covered eighty-four fall semesters of of this newspaper’s history, but it is im- The importance of a serious student Senior Editor Junior Editor Yeshiva University news. Commonplace portant enough that it bears repeating. newspaper that delivers a check on power AKIVA FRISHMAN AARON KARESH for editorials in such issues is to analyze The Commentator aims to serve three cannot be overemphasized. Even in the the quantity and quality of the articles main functions. As a student newspaper, age of the internet and Facebook, there Layout that were published, as well as to reflect editors and writers seek out and inves- is hardly any other venue aside from an Senior Editor Junior Editor tigate interesting and important news independent student newspaper that can upon notable themes that surfaced among AVI HIRSCH RACHEL LOFFMAN Commentator readership. This edito- stories that relate, in some broad sense, effectively ensure that the broader world rial, which will attempt to respond to to Yeshiva University. Student writers re- may learn about the goings-on in the one particular critique, shall prove to be port on these stories with articles that are institution. The fact that student writers Social Media Manager no exception. dispassionate, truthful and as objective as are unpaid, motivated purely by ideology, ELISHEVA KOHN This Fall 2018 semester saw the suc- possible. The Commentator also offers a only strengthens the case. cess, for the first time in over a decade, platform to the undergraduate student A tour through Commentator archives of seven print issues. The issues includ- body to voice their opinions. Finally, the indicates that there have been countless Business Managers ed over 180 articles written by over 80 newspaper serves, when necessary, as a instances of YU — whether by offices or Senior Manager Junior Manager check on the university. by individual administrators, and whether unique student writers. There have been SAMUEL KATZ JOSH CHESNER close to a dozen data-driven pieces, many important news updates and interesting investigations that have garnered thou- The importance of a serious student newspaper that delivers Programmer sands of readers on campus and online, a check on power cannot be overemphasized.