Ben Kelsen

Candidate for SOY President

The most important things that people should keep in mind when choosing a president for SOY is the candidate's experience with, his dedication to, and his commitment to SOY and YU. SOY is a vital part of the YU community, involved in all aspects of life at YU.

I have been at YU for eight years now, starting in 1991 upon my return from Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh. After graduating from YC in 1994, I went on to YU's Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, during which time I also continued learning in RIETS. After earning my Juris Doctor from Cardozo in 1997, I returned to RIETS full time to finish my semikha studies.

During all of this time I have been active in SOY. I have been involved in the Seforim Sale for all of my eight years at YU, four of these years as a member of the Board of Directors and all eight years as an ordering and inventory manager. I helped run the Hachnosas Sefer Torah projects in memory of both The Rav, zt"l, and HaRav Dovid Lifshitz, zt"l. I was Chairman of the Special Projects Committee of SOY for four years. I was also Executive Editor of Enayim L'Torah and have worked extensively with many of the Roshei Yeshiva, shlit"a, on a variety of projects and programs. (For a more complete list of my activities these last few years, or to make a suggestion, check out my web site at http://www.yucs.org/~benish/home.htm/ )

All of these activities, done because I have an immense feeling of affection for SOY, RIETS, and YU as a whole, gives me the experience and understanding to run SOY, I believe, most effectively.

It is true that a candidate for the presidency should have a history of organizing and running successful events, programs, and projects for SOY in order to be able to competently administer SOY, but what of the candidate's vision for the future?

This is an important question. My goals are as follows: If elected, I would work towards increasing the amount of "extra" shiurim and sichot. I would like to hold these events in the Shenk Shul, so that those who wish to remain in the Main Beis Medrash need not be disturbed. We have at YU a wealth of talmidei chachomim from whom we can all learn. I would like to see a greater exposure to the various rabbeim we are fortunate to have available to us. I would like to see RIETS have a greater presence on the internet, in the form of both written text as well as lectures and shiurim available in audio format. I would like to see SOY publishing more works of interest and necessity to the Jewish community, such as updating and reprinting "The Kashrus Handbook" and collections of shiurim from our rabbeim. I would, if elected, increase the availability of software programs such as the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project and the Judaic Archives to the student body by placing computers in close proximity to the batei medrash. I would also like to see a greater student input in the various happenings in YU. A university's prime resource is its students and, as such, we should have a greater say in the decisions that affect us. For this we need a president who has a proven track record in dealing with the administration in its various forms, be it with the deans' offices, student services, or supporting services and facilities management.

This election should not be a popularity contest. A candidate should be someone in for the long haul, not just as a final activity to fill up their last year at YU, or, even worse, to simply have another entry on their resume. I believe that I am that person and it would be my great honor and pleasure to serve the student body as President of SOY. If elected, I would use everything that I have available to me to work for the best interests of the students of RIETS. I hope that you will permit me the opportunity to do so.