Yeshiva University - Masmid Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 19 text:

Which brings us back to tradition and change, what YU is all about. Doing what it can to preserve the Jewish tradition by trying to meet the changing needs ot American — and world — Jewry. Of course things change; that is the way of the world. But the objective re- mains the same; as Joseph Kaminetsky, the tirst editor ot AiASAlID wrote: Fe have striven these years to reach a common goal, to realize the same idea; the harmonization of secular learning with our Jewish culture. The student ' s appearance might be different from fifty years ago. He may dress dif- ferently, listen to different music, and use Vitalis Dry-Control instead of Bryl Cream, but he still attends Jewish study classes in the morning and secular college courses in the afternoon; trying, as per the dream of Dr. Bernard Revel, to synthesize the two.

Page 18 text:

n Does YU do that? A reputation for academic ex- cellence is certainly requisite for such a purpose. The national average for acceptance to Law School is 30% and to Medical School is 35%. YU ' s placement record is well above 80% in each. That would certainly reflect a high educational standard. The reputations of the af- filiated graduate schools also enhance the prestige of Yeshiva, and thereby serve the vital interests of the American Jewish community. Serving those vital interests, in its own way, is again what Yeshiva University is all about. As times change so does the Jewish community and its needs, and Yeshiva must always remain tuned in to those needs. In the 1940 ' s Yeshiva was able to help Jews escape the hor- rors of Hitler ' s Europe; papers and teaching positions were supplied, and students enrolled. Later on, YU helped in the fight to establish the State of Israel. And today YU is constantly in the center of Jewish affairs. Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin on a trip to Washington once commented that it was one of the few occasions on which an Israeli leader did not travel to Washington via Yeshiva University. YU has become more than just a school. It has become a voice of leadership for the American Jewish community, as well as a breeding ground for future Jewish leaders. There is a Department of Communal Services, which among other things, sponsors Yeshiva Seminars, programs designed to reach out to non- religious youths and bring them back into the fold of Judaism, to make them once again part of the tradition.

Page 20 text:

Dear Mom and Dad ... Tm just writing to tell you that I arrived safely in New York. School began last week and everything is in full swing. I guess since I have some free time now I may as well write a full letter — especially since this will probably be the only one of the year . . . Not much has changed here smce last year The buildings are still standing give or take a few bncks On the bright side the neighborhood hasn t gotten much worse. The bad news is that I don ' t thmk the neighborhood can get much worse ... I can ' t really complain since I ' m in the Morgenstern Dormitory this year. The benefits here over Rubin Hall are that we have decent dressers in every room, study lounges on every floor, and seperations between the showers. My floor doesn ' t have shower curtains yet, but at least its a step in the right direction. {The separations, that is). Next year maybe I ' ll run for president of some club so 1 can get a suite on the se- cond floor — they have private bathrooms. Do you think people laugh when they find out that having a bathroom is a symbol of stature at YU? . . . ... I hear some guys even study in these lounges. It ' s nice when there ' s a Simcha — such as a guy getting into med school or a floor getting together on Rosh Chodesh and they have a party in the lounge. These are only the small Simchas . . . € - clljC(;LilM(; IS CATCHING! . . . Being on the third floor, we have the extra advantage of not only a lounge but also a Media Centre. It ' s nothing great but it ' s good to have because often enough the lounges are taken. Some clubs meet in the lounges. Sometimes stu- dent newspapers have their layouts there. On the fourth floor they even have the IVDU ES HASHEM B ' MHERA Minyan for MAARIV . . . ... If a guy gets engaged then that ' s a major Simcha dnd he has a surprise party in the lounge on the main floor. They ' re usually in the earl) ' evening because by U O ' clock everyone in the school must watch M A S H reruns. Real problems arise on film nights. I think that ' s why they begin after midnight . . .