SOY Executive Board Elections Held

Gewirtz to Serve as President of Newly Modified Board

SOY Presidential candidates Amichai Erdfarb (left) and Michael Gewirtz (right)

On Wednesday, April 29, elections for the 1998-1999 Student Organization of Yeshiva Executive Board were held. The positions which were filled included that of the president, vice president, vice president for business affairs, secretary, and treasurer. The elections capped a week of fervent campaigning by the candidates.

The polling station in the lounge of the Morgenstern Residence Hall opened at 12:00 PM to a lunch time flood of voters. SOY, which represents all students in the Mazer Yeshiva Program as well as the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) including the semikha program, is the second largest student organization at Yeshiva University. Votes were accepted until 5:00 PM.

The most heated of the races was that for the office of the president. By the end of the day, Michael Gewirtz had emerged as the new SOY president after defeating his opponent Amichai Erdfarb. Gewirtz will succeed Menachem Luftglass at the helm of SOY. Gewirtz was pleased with his victory and wished to "thank everyone who voted for me." He emphasized that "I, in cooperation with the rest of the Board, will do my best to make next year a productive one in the ongoing improvement of the Yeshiva. We are really looking forward to serving the Yeshiva students' interests." In addition, Gewirtz disclosed the fact that plans are already being made to improve the batei midrashim by reorganizing and adding seforim for the fall semester.

The position of the vice president, formerly held by a single officer, has this year been divided into two separate offices in order to lessen the pressure on both the president and he who would be the sole vice president. The first is vice president. The primary responsibility of the holder of this office will be to assist the president in running the organization's general affairs. Four candidates sought this office and the victor, Mark Weissman, will be the first student to hold this position.

The other vice presidential office is vice president for business affairs. The major task facing the holder of this office is running the seforim sale, SOY's most ambitious annual endeavor. There was less student interest in this office. In the end, Chaim Loike ran unopposed for and won this post.

The office which was most highly sought after was that of the secretary. Six candidates vied for this position. Eliezer Schnall specifically targeted the oft forgotten semikha constituency to defeat his five opponents.

Aviad Goldwicht will round out the 1998-1999 SOY Executive Board as treasurer.

Head of the SOY Canvassing Committee Dov Greenbaum commented, "Even though there were many candidates, I believe everything went smoothly. I was very pleased with the turnout of the student body and I am sure that next year's Board will do an excellent job."