Karben Enjoying His Victory

On November 4, 1997, former YU student and Executive Editor of the Commentator, Ryan Karben was elected to the Rockland County Legislature. Currently a second year law student and a Harwin Fisk Stone Scholar at Columbia University, Karben ran against seven other candidates vying for the four open positions on the Legislature. After running a successful campaign, Karben received 61% of the total votes, giving him the most votes ever received for this office.

Karben began his political career while he was still a student at Yeshiva University. At the young age of 18, he was appointed to a seven year position on the Planning Board of Ramapo. Because of youth, Karben was under constant scrutiny by his peers and electorate and therefore felt added incentive to prove himself and his ideas.

During Karben's five years of service, he focused on restoring those rights of his community which he felt had been slighted. Karben instituted laws that governed the cleanliness of day care centers, renewing the citizen's Bill of Rights, and providing congregate care to senior citizens. In addition, Karben pushed for bills aimed at creating zoning laws for adult book stores and governing the developing of land.

Karben ascribes this outlook to his experience at YU. While in Yeshiva College, Karben felt most influenced by the charismatic personality of his Rebbe, MYP Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Meir Goldwicht and through the helpful insights of Yeshiva University President Rabbi Norman Lamm. Karben stated that, "Rabbi Lamm taught me that a leader does not close himself off from the public. A good leader will always have an open door, or a listed phone number. Also, because I had to raise nearly sixty thousand dollars for this election, Rabbi Lamm gave me many hints as to the technicalities of fund raising."

During his enrollment in Yeshiva College, Karben served as the Executive Editor of The Commentator and chairman of the Student Affairs Committee. However, throughout his four years at YU, he was best known for his near-legendary antics. An unnamed student commenting on Karben's wild parties, reminisced about how "one year he crammed nearly one hundred people in his Morg room for a Hanukah party." According to Karben, during his four years on campus, he received education which was on par with those received by his colleagues who graduated from top universities. Karben also stated that his involvement in politics enhanced his academic career.

During his last year in YU, Karben ran unsuccessfully for Rockland County Legislature. Despite this setback, Karben remarked that "many of my most memorable moments came from my senior year when I was running for Legislature. Many nights I stayed up late in my room dialing for dollars [fund raising]."

Karben stated that the primary lesson, which he learned from Yeshiva College and Rabbi Lamm, is that the infrastructure of the Jewish community is very complex. He explained that YU ingrained into him the belief that we should all have great respect for those who devote their lives to help maintain the Jewish community.

As a young Jewish leader, Karben encourages students at Yeshiva College to get involved with political parties. Karben warned, "We can't maintain ourselves as an insulated community. We must vote. We have a religious mandate to help correct the world's ills."

Karben stressed that he believes that people should not become single issue voters as he pointed out, "Israel, however important, is only one issue." He emphasized that the Jewish community has a variety of needs and problems that must be dealt with, for instance, religious observance becoming more difficult within the work place.

However, Karben also noted that life as a politician could be difficult. "Being in the public eye is demanding. Those who want a power surge should stick their finger in a socket. The time and devotion for this job is underestimated and undervalued." Currently, Karben is not sure how high up the political ladder he wishes to climb, but, he added, "That is my wife's determination."