Gladiadar Brings Mortal Combat to Yeshiva

By Jeremy Mazurek

After a two-month hiatus, five-foot-high banners plastered the Wilf Campus cafeteria once again, as Yeshiva College Student Council President Lou Shapp was in full force, revving up the student body for his newest school-wide event.  In honor of Purim, Shapp organized Gladiadar, a conjunction of the word “Gladiator” and the Jewish month “Adar,” which would prove to surpass Chanukasino, Nervus Circus and Carnival’omer as the most widely attended Shapp extravaganza this year.

The concept was conceived in the mind of YCSC President Lou Shapp over the winter break.  While in Chicago, Shapp spoke with a handful of classmates and envisioned a night geared to “battling” and to physical feats.  “I thought long and hard about how to plan such an event [and for what occasion] it would be fitting,” Shapp said. “Most of all, I wanted a name that would be contagious and infectious. Then I just came up with it, Gladiadar – it was perfect.”

Gladiadar was scheduled for Thursday night, February 28th.  The event began with an emperors’ style dinner.  Despite the five dollar cost to students, many opted for, and enjoyed, the special meal of Caesar Shwarma, Roman Fried Potatoes, and the Battling Beverage.  The meal was paid for by the Yeshiva University Food Services Department and the Yeshiva College Student Council, which also funded the remainder of the evening.  Unlike most YCSC-sponsored events, however, this did not offer free food.  According to Shapp, “Because of the large crowd, there would be no way to afford food for everyone.  To be more cost and student effective, we decided to pay for only part of the meal.”

Undeterred by the uncharacteristic fee for food, students were eager to battle it out when the doors opened at 8:00 PM.  According to security estimates, there were close to 250 students who had participated at some point throughout the evening.  Upon entering the gym, the sight was unbelievable.  As one participant recalled, “I couldn’t believe my eyes.  It felt like I entered a wonderland.” 

The gym was converted into a grand sports complex.  Others described it as “a human arcade.”  The standard lights were shut off, and special disco-type lights were brought in.  Under the direction of Yeshiva College senior Aaron Keigher, the lights were synchronized to the music emanating from the amplifiers.  YC senior Michael Kopstick was the DJ and announcer for the evening.  “He kept everyone involved, and really kept the night moving.  He really deserves hakaras hatov,” explained Shapp.  “The music just kept going.  It was so loud in there, you could barely hear,” exclaimed Yeshiva College sophomore Noach Cohen.

What made this event unique from the previous YCSC events was the diverse student body that attended.  For obvious reasons, Gladiadar was not co-ed, although two girls were reportedly spotted climbing the obstacle course in skirts.  The intense program stretched from 8 PM until midnight, not stopping once to rest.  As Shapp explained, “The fact that there were no girls there helped this event.  Clearly this was geared to a male crowd.  Even the guys from the Bais Medrash were able to come after night seder and participate.” 

The gymnasium was packed to maximum capacity with all types of games and athletic challenges.  There was a human obstacle course and sumo wrestling, in which opponents dressed up in special sumo gear and clashed at the “battle of the bulge.”  There was a bouncy-boxing ring at which people took jabs at their friends and enemies.  The raging bull was a crowd favorite, although it left many limping away, vowing never to join the rodeo. 

The gym also contained a large inflated bungee chord course, in which students attached to bungees gave it their all to put the basketball in the hoop, or fight the pain to run the football to the fifty yard-line.  The traditional basketball and football tosses were setup as well, along with the Speed-Pitch, where students could take a shot at throwing their best fastball.  “I threw a perfect strike right down the middle,” exclaimed YC junior Mitch Appleson, although he wouldn’t disclose the actual speed of the pitch.  One of the favorite events of the evening was the jousting challenge.  Two students squared off, each on their own pedestal, taking jabs at one another with foam covered poles.  The person who caused his opponent to fall was declared the winner.  Often, a single contender remained at the same post, until a mightier gladiator managed to knock him off. 

Toward the end of the night, the semifinal round was held.  It consisted of four challengers, two sets of two opponents competing to make it to the finals.  The physical challenge of choice was the bungee chord sports challenge.  The two students who advanced to the finals, after successfully securing the football to the fifty yard-line, were Avrum Leeder and Cohen.  It was then time to decide the true Gladiadar at the jousting event. 

Cohen, the smaller yet more agile of the two, succumbed quickly to Leeder’s powerful jabs.  It was then decided to allow Josh Becker, the second runner up of the bungee challenge, to oppose Leeder in the final joust.  After a long battle and a concomitant give and take of “oohs and aahs,” the match ended in a tie.  Although no single Gladiadar was declared, the two were awarded equal honors.  After the night was over, Cohen explained, “It was a little disappointing that they didn’t choose the obstacle course as the deciding challenge.  It would’ve tested more athleticism and agility, but I had a great time tonight, and that’s all that matters.”