Dear Friends,

We're at an interesting point in the year. We've recently been inundated with "Occasions of Opportunity" in the way of the Career Fair, which was successful thanks to the overwhelming turnout, and the Club Fair (at which I believe there was a club for each letter of the Alphabet), also successful because of the many interests represented. Now, we must enter the grand doors that have been opened to us. Success will not come easy, but with work and perseverance, we'll continue to pave the road for a fantastic year. The pitfalls that we now must look out for are not the most obvious ones.

Charles MacArthur, a playwright, had once been brought to Hollywood to do a screenplay, but was finding it difficult to write visual jokes. He asked Charlie Chaplin for advice.

"What's the problem?" asked Chaplin.

"How, for example, could I make a fat lady, walking down Fifth Avenue, slip on a banana peel and still get a laugh? It's been done a million times," said MacArthur. "What's the best way to GET the laugh? Do I show first the banana peel, then the fat lady approaching, then she slips? Or do I show the fat lady first, then the banana peel, and THEN she slips?"

Chaplin responded, "Neither," without a moment's hesitation. "You show the fat lady approaching," he said. "Then you show the banana peel; then you show the fat lady and the banana peel together; then she steps OVER the banana peel and disappears down a manhole."

Our administration is here to help us watch out for these, less obvious hazards. Dean Dr. Nulman, Dean Mr. Himber, and Mr. Andrew Leibowitz compose the Office of Student Services, one of the greatest resources on campus. Together with Dr. Chaim Nissel and Rabbi Marc Spivak, along with the Resident Advisors, we, as students and campus residents, have our bases covered.

As I hope became clear at the Club Fair, YCSC is here to give you the extracurricular opportunities that you wish for. I can tell you we'll certainly try to accommodate every club as much as we can. There are other events throughout the year that we organize, and you'll be hearing about those soon…

The most recent such event is the upcoming Chanukah Concert, a "Woodstock of Jewish music," featuring Avrohom Fried, Dedi, and Shloimie Dachs. Every year we have record turnout, and with this year's lineup, be sure to pick up your tickets as they become available. Without the dedicated work of Naftali Olivestone and Dov Brandstatter, who worked tirelessly to pull together the fantastic bill of singers, the anticipated concert would never have gotten off the ground.

Stay tuned for more events and gatherings… As for AM 530? We're working on bringing you better sound (the programming is already in place!)… You know what they say: Give us [a little time], we'll give you the world!

Before closing, I'd like to ask for any suggestions and ideas… please feel free to approach me around campus, or e-mail me with serious suggestions, pleease!

I look forward to hearing from you,