Message From the Editor-In-Chief

There's a Jewish kid sitting at home waiting for a phone call. He's really not a happy camper at this particular moment, because in his hand he holds a thin manila envelope that has shattered his dream. Inside the envelope is a single sheet of Yeshiva University letterhead, beginning with the words "We regret to inform you...." He crumples the rejection letter in his hand as the ache begins to set in. Who is going to call him and explain why?

Message From The YCSC President

Well it has been a while since I have written to you. A lot has happened since then and I would like to bring you up to date on it all. Firstly, we are very happy to announce that the TV Lounge in Rubin Lobby will now be open 24 hours a day. Additionally, the Sephardic Beit Midrash will now be cool in the summer with the instillation of two air conditioning units.

Diversity, Religion and the Office of the Dean

Dean Michael Hecht, Assistant Dean of Yeshiva College for the last fourteen years, is leaving his post to take over the helm of MTA. Rabbi Hecht, for those of you who somehow don't know, is a well-respected educator and an exemplar of Torah U'Madda. He has served as both a High School Rebbe and advisor to the Pre-Law students at YC, as well as teaching a number of law courses in the College. He has long argued that Yeshiva students have a unique advantage in the field of law precisely because of their exposure to and involvement with the study of Talmud. His presence in the YC Dean's office will surely be missed as he takes his leave for MTA next fall.

Yom Ha'atzmaut, Tradition and Divine Intervention

Of all the practices that characterize Orthodox Judaism, perhaps the most enthusiastically performed is the celebration of various religious festivals throughout the year. The weekly Shabbos, the monthly Rosh Chodesh, and the three annual Pilgrimage Festivals are several highlights of a Jewish calendar punctuated with days of special significance. Though each one has its own specific identity and message, all of the holidays share the common purpose of enhancing our appreciation for G-d's sovereignty and strengthening our dedication towards fulfilling His will. Given these goals and the historical precedents we have for what is considered a spiritual holiday, it is difficult to understand how the fifth of Iyar, the date that marks the anniversary of Israel's declaration of its independence, would qualify as a member of this category.

The Pupil: The Balkan Bomb Bonanza

The trouble with our current foreign policy in the Balkans was summed up neatly by Wesley K. Clark, NATO's Supreme Commander. At the onset of the bombing, General Clark, beaming with American haughtiness, said that the Serbs had never seen a force comparable to the combined military strength of NATO and implied that American might and moral superiority would be sufficient to cause the Serbs to bow to NATO's whims. Yet NATO's bombing campaign against the Serbian people is an ill-conceived incursion that is ultimately doomed to result in an ignominious and embarrassing failure.

Finally

Some of my friends are doing the coolest stuff in college. Some are at Penn, some at Columbia, some at Brandeis, and as one would imagine, there's a lot to do in these colleges to keep oneself busy