Victorious at Cornell

On September 24, 1997, at a late-night meeting, the Yeshiva University Debate Society (YUDS) officially came into existence. Since its inception, the society’s members have accomplished much, building upon past victories and learning from their experiences. With four tournaments, two training sessions, and eleven victories under their belts, the society’s executive leadership decided at the end of last semester that the time was ripe for a real challenge; this challenge was to be a tournament at Cornell University. This February, fifteen students expended much time and effort in preparation for this event. The results were favorable with YU debaters garnering a first place victory in the competition.

YCSC and the Office of Student Services assisted in funding YU participation in the tournament.

The team spent an enjoyable shabbat at the Young Israel House of Cornell. "It was fantastic, the people there were so nice to us," remarked one member of the team. The team participated in regular shabbat services held at the Young Israel of Cornell and ate their shabbat meals at Cornell’s Kosher Dining Hall with a crowd of over one hundered-and-fifty Cornell students.

The topic of debate at the tournament was whether or not Western demand for Asian economic reforms as a condition for assistance is culturally imperialistic. Beginning with registration at 8:30 A.M. and ending with a playoff round at 5:30 P.M., the debaters were in for an endurance test. Tensions and stakes were running high as team members set out for their assigned debating rooms poised to take on their opponnets in the first round of competition.

The results of the tournament were impressive for the YU team. Elan Weinreb, the society’s Executive Officer, and Greg Samuels, an up and coming star of the debate team, faced off in a playoff style round to determine who would claim first prize. By a narrow margin, Weinreb emerged victorious. This did not overshadow the more than superb effort set forth by the till then undefeated Samuels, who claimed the tournament’s second prize. Weinreb also went on to win the first place award for speaking. Pinchas Shapiro was awarded second place for his speaking abilities and came in on the heels of Weinreb and Samuels taking third place overall. Yehudah Rosenblum took fifth place in debate and sixth place in speaking. Finally, Yariv Frenkel, the society’s Secretary, Steven Bernstein, the society’s Assistant Executive Officer, and Greg Samuels all placed in the top ten for speaking. When all was said and done, YUDS debaters received ten total prizes, an overwhelming fifty-five percent of the tournament awards, crushing its competition comprised of seasoned Ceda (a major international debate circuit) debaters.

When asked what his feelings were about the tournament, Elan Weinreb responded, "Baruch Hashem. Our performance at Cornell was an amazing victory for the society. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected such an outcome. However, were it not for the financial support of the YU administration, the overly generous hospitality of the Young Israel House of Cornell, and the guidance of our faculty advisor, Mr. Laurence Schwartz, our success would have been an impossibility. I must also commend all the dedication, perseverance, tenacity, and endurance of the society’s debaters and judges."

With two upcoming tournaments at Queens, YU’s first college debate tournament scheduled for the middle of this semester, and other events on the calendar, the society will have its hands full. The competition will be especially tough at these events because YUDS is no longer seen by its competition as a fledgling debate team but as a powerful threat.