Dispelling rumors that student life on campus was all but dead, the collective undergraduate student body of Yeshiva University showed incredible signs of life in recent weeks. In the days proceeding and following the festive holiday of Chanukah, the undergraduate campuses were imbued with a hubbub that has seldom been visible in recent years.

Beginning with a pre-Chanukah Dougies shiur cosponsored by the Student Organization of Yeshiva and the Torah Activities Council featuring Rabbi Ephraim Kanarfogel and Rabbi Mordechai Willig and commencing with the opening night of the Yeshiva College Dramatics Society’s 69th production, The Shawshank Redemption, during the week of Chanukah provided an additional social and entertainment outlet for all members of the Yeshiva student body.

The freshman classes of Yeshiva College and Stern College for Women cosponsored a trip to a local comedy club in the city, while the Office of Placements and Career Services held a career exploration program for people interested in politics with such noted speakers as Rockland County Legislature and Yeshiva College alum Ryan Karben. On Wednesday, December 1, at 9:40 PM in the main bais medrash, Rav Lamm delivered the weekly Sichas Mussar to all present before maariv. After much publicity and hype, the Iranian club held their first event of the year and it was deemed an incredible success.

In a unanimously appreciated collaborative effort, SOY, TAC, BMPSC, JSSSC and IBCSC distributed convenient pamphlets with instructions and order of blessings for the chanukah candles. SOY aslo unveiled a brand new updated Roshei Yeshiva poster, available for a very minimal price.

The Office of Student Services and the undergraduate student councils invited the entire student body to spend an evening in New Jersey’s Continental Airlines Arena to watch the New Jersey Nets give the San Antonio Spurs a run for their money. A well attended riveting game was only one of two Nets losses at home this month.

For all those not fortunate enough to make it into New Jersey for the evening, SOY provided ample reason to stay in yeshiva by serving up a Massive Mishmar. On Thursday, December 2nd at 9 PM: Rav Michael Rosensweig delivered a shiur and at 10:30 PM: Rav Baruch Simon spoke torah in advance of the 12:30 AM arrival of Chinese food from Chopstix. Below the main bais medrash in the MTA cafeteria, a D’var Torah by R. Assaf Bednarsh was delivered.

The undergraduate Chess Club of Yeshiva University held an event in the 3rd floor lounge of the Schottenstein Center just adjacent to the Commentator office. On December 5th, the Yeshiva University Debate Society hosted their first home tournament of the year and the Stern College Political Science Society presented a lecture in the midtown Schottenstein Residence Hall.

The following evening, SOY and TAC held their annual Chanukah Chaggigot in the Main Bais Medrash and Kotch Auditorium respectively. The festive events brought a unity driven by excitement to the campuses as the participants danced the night away. Among the notables in attendance were Rav Lamm, Rav Kahn, Rav Parnes, Rav Simon, Rav Goldwicht, Rav Charlop, Rav Blau, and many others. That same Monday evening of the chagigot, SOY arranged a shiur by Rav Aharon Kahn in Lamport Auditorium at 8 PM and served donuts and soda throughout the evening.

On December 7, Scott Nadel President of the Stone Bais Medrash Program student council and his board conducted the first annual SBMP Chanukah Luncheon in Belfer Hall’s Weissberg Commons. Keynote speaker Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm delivered a spirited message that made his attendance greatly appreciated.. That evening Aton Holtzer and the Student Organization of Yeshiva held another in their series of nonstop events, a lecture by Rav Reichman in the rooms across from the bais medrash followed by servings of dougies.

December 8th showed how important the students of Yeshiva University are to the Jewish community and the outside community at large with the undergraduate student councils sponsoring and running a bone marrow drive in the Ivry Center and in Morgenstern Hall. This critical program registered hundreds of people into the global bone marrow registry that has saved countless lives by providing matches for transplants in critically ill patients. Yitz Motzen and Howie Felderman worked tirelessly for countless hours organizing the drive and then running around campus to ensure that everyone on campus gave of themselves for this noble cause.

Wednesday in the evening there was a Russian Chanukah Chagigah and a SOY Kiruv program at Mt. Sinai Shul in Washington Heights.

Just one day after the successful SBMP luncheon, Fred Kreizman, Jonathan Finklestein and the entire board of the undergraduate student council of the James Striar School held their annual Chanukah Luncheon in Belfer Hall’s Weissberg Commons with keynote speaker Rabbi Dr. Michael Schmidman. That same afternoon, the TAC Adopt-A-Bubbie Program held a chesed event in the Midtown Center.

Thursday, Rosh Chodesh Tevet, December 9 after the 7:40 AM minyan in the main bais medrash SOY served up their monthly Bagel Breakfast for Rosh Chodesh. After a day of no classes on the uptown campus, the undergraduate student councils hosted Yeshiva University’s annual Chanukah Concert. Produced by Naftali Olivestone and cosponsored by J&R Music World, the worlds best home entertainment, music and largest computer mega-store, the concert was an incredible success, selling out and filling the room to a capacity crowd. For hours Lamport auditorium rocked with the best of Jewish pop music.

On Motzie Shabbos, December 11th, Dr. Anthony S. Beukas and the Yeshiva College Dramatics Society took center stage in what will go down in YCDS history as one of the best productions of all time. Performed in the Schottenstein Theater, The Shawshank Redemption drew capacity crowds night after night as audiences sat awestruck at the technical mastery of this screenplay adapted to stage production. Extra seating and standing room did not provide ample space for the sellout crowds as the managers were forced to turn people away at the door.

On December 12th, TAC hosted a lecture in Koch Auditorium and the following day the Speech Pathology Club of Stern College for Women had an evening speaker. On the 14th Shlomit Zauderer and the TAC board hosted yet another Shiur in Koch Auditorium. Also on Tuesday, the 14th at 9 PM Rav Ari Berman delivered a joint SOY/BMP Shiur in the Morg Shul, followed of course by Dougie’s. YUCS, the computer science clubs, held several workshop classes on web design and how to purchase a computer.

December 20th saw the coming of the much anticipated Uptown Dorm Talks featuring Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm. With an attendance that dwarfed the numbers for his orientation shiur four months earlier, this session’s controversial topics and internal publicity packed Morg lounge as Rabbi Lamm addressed the crowd and fielded questions masterfully for two hours.. That very evening on the midtown campus, TAC hosted yet another lecture in the Midtown Center. Also on the 20 was the final Academic Colloquia Lecture Series of the semester, given by Dr. Mareleyn Schneider, Professor of Sociology.

On Thursday, December 23 at 8 PM, SOY held another Torah Talks with guest speaker Rabbi Reuven (Kevi) Taragin.

During this time there were other notable events such as the lecture hosted by the Yeshiva College Dean’s office on the dismantlement of the Israeli settlements given by Dr. Naomi Weinberger and a special lecture on Jewish-Christian Relations in Apocalyptic Times, the Dangers and Opportunities that was given by Richard Landes, Ph.D. Director of the Center for Millenial Studies Boston University. Numerous Dean’s roundtable discussions and coffee hours were held as was the Kukin chemistry lecture in Belfer Hall. Dr. Ruth Bevan also hosted a number of post hour "video lectures" with her Russian Politics class. The Torah Umadda lecture series conducted a number of sessions of this few week time span and students should keep their eyes open for future lectures.

Also on campus during these weeks was a shabbos with Hanoch teller, the world renowned maggid. Only to be topped last shabbos by the on campus attendance of Rav Herschel Schechter. Look forward to the first shabbos back after winter break when the students of Yeshiva will be privileged to spend shabbos with the esteemed University President, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm.

One thing is clear: there is no shortage of campus activities to be involved in. The campus these past few weeks was engulfed in student life, voice and action. The beginning of next semester that will supposedly see the return of WYUR and Hamevaser, an Inasense concert, the induction of many new and exciting classes, the Yeshiva University arts Festival, the SOY Seforim Sale, more opportunities to work with the feisty University newspaper, the Commentator, and the yearbook.