Purim Chagiga Takes to the Streets
Facilities Closes Doors, Keeping Roshei
HaYeshiva,
By Jamie S. Hirsch
Undergraduates and alumni joined together in celebration on
Monday, February 25th, at the annual Student Organization of Yeshiva Purim
Chagiga. Although most students
hailed the event as a tremendous success, the record-breaking crowd prohibited
people from gaining entry into the crammed Bais Medrash, leaving some students
wondering whether a change of venue was in order.
According to SOY President Ilan Rosenrauch, this year
featured “the best Chagiga ever. Its
record-breaking attendance proves that it was a tremendous success, which also
unified the entire University.” Rosenrauch
pointed to the Megillah reading in the Schottenstein Center and the
“break-fast” in Weissberg Commons as debuting improvements.
He also noted that the shpiel, which returned after a short hiatus, was
well received, along with perennial entertainers, Neshoma Orchestras.
However, University Dean of Students David Himber was wary
of dubbing the Chagiga a success, labeling it simply “okay,” due to
“issues that arose” as a result of the capacity crowd.
“The Zysman Hall Bais Medrash reached [maximum] capacity, and
Facilities Management as well as Security made the decision not to allow
additional people into the building; this agitated a number of people who were
trying to get in,” he explained.
At approximately 10:30 PM, Security Operations Coordinator
Commander Ernest McNamee prohibited all entry to Zysman Hall, claiming that it
was a fire hazard. Himber quickly
noted, though, that although he attempted to admit the rabbis, “they refused,
preferring instead to stay with their students.”
But uncertainty surrounds the actual number of
participants. “There were
certainly not 445 people in the Bais Medrash when security decided to prohibit
traffic into the building,” asserted a Sy Syms alumnus.
“Security probably saw a lot of people in the hallway, felt
intimidated, and then closed the entire building.”
Jordan Hirsch, the Neshoma Orchestra bandleader and trumpet
player as well as a veteran Purim Chagiga entertainer, also failed to understand
Security’s motivation for blocking entry. “Every year the crowd is about the same size, and they
always exceed the fire code,” he claimed.
Approximately 45 minutes after the access was denied, a
heated dispute erupted between Associate Director of Facilities Management
Jeffery Socol and Mashgiach Ruchani Rabbi Yosef Blau. “The approach taken [in handling the crowd] was not one
that I agreed with,” contended Blau. “The
room was too packed, and instead of attempting to circulate the people, the
decision was made to prevent many from entering.”
Members of University Security and Facilities Management
declined to comment on the matter.
In sync with Blau’s assertion, though, Yeshiva College
Student Council Secretary Jason Koslowe believes that rather than searching for
methods of forestalling student activities, Security and Facilities Management
should be aiming to enhance them. “Both Security and Facilities Management
need to rethink their general enmity towards the student body; they need to
realize that they are here to serve the students.”
Following the argument, a group of students and Rabbis
broke into spontaneous dancing on Amsterdam Avenue.
Shortly thereafter, the Bais Medrash throng joined their counterparts,
continuing their revelry.
Acting upon the requests of several students, Hirsch
announced that the band was moving outside as well. Once outside, Socol demanded that Hirsch cease playing
immediately. “When Socol told me
to stop playing, I answered that the students wanted me to continue and that I
am not under contract with the University,” recounted Hirsch.
“I told him that my contract was with SOY, and I was therefore
obligated to listen to the boys.”
At that point, the NYPD arrived at the scene and blocked
off the street. However, it remains
unclear whether their objective was to protect students or remove them.
“Although no one knows for certain, there seems to be a consensus that
Jeff Socol was upset because things weren’t going as planned,” one insider
explained. “The behavior of the
guys was threatening to him and he wanted to assert his authority by calling the
police and having students forcibly removed.”
After leading the outdoor revelry until approximately
midnight, the Roshei HaYeshiva motioned the crowd to Zysman Hall.
“It was an amazing sight,” declared a Yeshiva College junior.
“The Rabbis pointed to the main building and all of the sudden it was
like a sea of students just flowing into the Bais [Medrash].”
Himber insisted that although he was clueless as to who
alerted the police, he believes that it was done for student safety.
“We’re living in crazy times, and to have hundreds of students on
Amsterdam Avenue at night without police protection would be a concern,” he
opined.
According to SOY vice-President Elisha Olivestone, “both
the NYPD and Security were extremely accommodating in closing the street and
allowing us to dance outside.”
For the concluding Purim shpiel, everyone was allowed into
the building, much to the bewilderment of Blau. “It’s confusing that during the dancing the Bais was too
full, but during the shpiel it wasn’t,” he said.
“If anything, there is more space during the dancing when people are
circulating, whereas during the shpiel no one is walking around.”
In recent years, the demand at major events, such as the
Purim Chagiga, has grown considerably, and Yeshiva administrators now concur
that there is no facility large enough to accommodate the crowds.
Additionally, many people believe that it is integral to the spirit of
the Purim Chagiga that it be held specifically in the Bais Medrash.
“The Bais is important because it is an event at Yeshiva, for Yeshiva,
by Yeshiva,” asserted Blau.
“For future Chagigas,” Himber remarked, “we must plan
for numbers larger than the Bais Medrash can hold.
Student leaders and the Office of Facilities Management will have to
discuss the different possible options available.”
Possible venues for future major events include the Max
Stern Athletic Center, which has a maximum capacity of 1120 persons.
However, Blau noted, “the gym is not a feasible or viable option.
We tried it about 10 years ago, and due to several problems involving the
floor, it was a disaster.”
When questioned about staging the Chagiga in the street,
both Himber and Blau said that the option will have to undergo consideration,
but it has yet to be discussed.
In spite of all the tension, most people in attendance
confirmed the success of the Chagiga. “It
was just great, and in retrospect, it all worked out very nicely,” a Yeshiva
College sophomore commented. “In
fact, if the dancing is outside every year, then more people will be able to
participate, which would be just awesome.”
Moreover, a number of students felt that the nicest aspect of the Chagiga was the open-air dancing. “The dancing in the street was gorgeous, and very spiritual,” enthused Rosenrauch. Sy Syms junior Elliot Galler exclaimed, “the entire Chagiga was really great, but the best part was undoubtedly the dancing outside.”