YESHIVA UNIVERSITY TODAY Summer 2002

VOLUME 8 NO. 3 YESHIVA UNIVERSITY • SUMMER 2002

www.yu.edu/news/publications

YUTodayIsrael Minister of EducationKeynotes Commencement

INS

IDE

The Honorable LimorLivnat, Israel Minister of Education, delivered

the keynote address andreceived an honorary degreefrom President Norman Lammat Yeshiva University’s 71stAnnual Commencement Exer-cises on Thursday, May 23.The exercises took place at The Theater in MadisonSquare Garden.

Dr. Lamm also bestowedhonorary degrees on Mr. Arthur Cohn, film producer; Dr. Bernadine Healy, physi-cian and former president and CEO of the American Red Cross; Mr. MalcolmHoenlein, executive vice chair-man of the Conference ofPresidents of Major AmericanJewish Organizations; and Mr.Michael Jesselson, a philan-thropist, communal leader,and businessman.

Minister Livnat has been aMember of Knesset (Israel’sparliament) since 1992, andserved as a member of theKnesset Education and CultureCommittee, as well as theLabor and Social AffairsCommittee. Upon becomingMinister of Education, shestated that she was committedto ensuring “that there is not

a single child in Israel whodoesn’t learn the basics ofJewish and Zionist knowledgeand values.”

At Commencement shehighlighted the value of her-itage that is unique to manand the particular value ofJewish heritage.

“We have a heritage. Andthis is the advantage of manover the other creatures of theworld. Heritage is knowledgeand heritage is values. In transmitting our heritage, wepreserve the continuity ofJewish existence,” she said.

“May our diploma on the wallserve as a constant reminder ofwho we are and who we muststrive to be, as individuals andas a people.”

Arthur Cohn, of Basel,Switzerland, is the only filmproducer in history to havewon six Academy Awards. Included in his repertoire ofrecognized works are The SkyAbove, The Mud Below; TheGarden of the Finzi Continis;and One Day in September, arecounting of the tragic eventsof the 1972 Summer Olympicsin Munich, Germany. Mr.Cohn has had retrospectives ofhis films presented at majorfilm festivals around the globe

and he is the only foreign pro-ducer ever honored with a staron Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Dr. Bernadine Healy be-came president and chief exec-utive officer of the AmericanRed Cross in 1999. During hertenure, she led the organiza-tion’s response to the Sept-ember 11 terrorist attacks andtook a courageous stand bypressing the International Federation of the Red Crossand Red Crescent to acceptIsrael’s Magen David Adominto full membership. She retired in December 2001 and

The Jay and Jeanie Schot-tenstein Honors Programat Yeshiva College cele-

brated a milestone on May 23when its first nine studentsgraduated at the YU Com-mencement ceremony.

The evening of May 22 represented another milestoneas well when the students,having completed all 11 require-ments for the Program and108 credits in residency, pre-sented their senior honors theses to newly appointedProgram director Dr. Will Lee,

and a gathering of deans, faculty, friends, and family.

The senior honors thesis is the crowning achievementwithin the Honors Programand represents the most in-depth intellectual experiencewithin Yeshiva College: a fullyear of research and writingunder the guidance of one ormore faculty mentors.

Each student immerses him-self in a topic all year with adegree of development impos-sible to achieve within a singleone-term course.

Two triple majors, manydouble majors, the YeshivaCollege valedictorian, winnersof speaking and writing con-tests, winners of 16 depart-mental and college awards,and many other achievementsare the fruition of this rigorousand rewarding experience.

The S. Daniel AbrahamHonors Program at Stern College for Women, founded inthe fall of 1999, graduated 16students in 2001/2002, in-cluding Shoshana Frankel Posy,

continue on p. 3

continued on p. 12, see box p. 4

Schottenstein, Abraham HonorsPrograms’ Students Mark Milestone

Israel Minister of Education Livnat is hooded at YU’s 71st Annual Commencement Exercises.

What in the world amI doing here?” We’veall found ourselves

alone in strange places askingthis very question. For KarenBacon, it was her first day as afreshman at Stern College forWomen in September 1960.

Dr. Bacon, who had neverbeen away from home, arrivedearly from Los Angeles, and nota soul was there to greet her atthe hotel that then served asthe college’s dorm. Only oneother student had shown up.

“The two of us were hangingon to each other, very fright-ened of this big city,” Karen

recalls. “I remember vividlywanting to go home.”

It’s hard to imagine this isthe same person who wouldbecome a research scientist,raise three children, lead arespected women’s college,and share a dinner table at theWhite House with the FirstLady of the United States andthe Prime Minister of Israel.

But if Dr. Bacon was a bitnaive in 1960, she was alsostrong and determined. “I knewmy parents had sacrificed a lot,both financially and emotion-ally, to send me away toschool,” she says. “I couldn’t seemyself calling them, saying, ‘I’mcoming home.’ So I toughed itout and, of course, it got bettervery rapidly.”

Indeed. Four years later, thetrembling teen from LA hadmorphed into the class vale-dictorian, a bride-to-be, and abudding scientist. And just 13years later, she would return toher alma mater as dean, play-ing a central role in develop-ing SCW as a prestigiouswomen’s college and serious

continued on p. 6

Karen Bacon: Academic RoleModel for Jewish Women

Living History

MOVING OUT

YU’s 71st AnnualCommencement seasonpages 8-10

MOVING ON

Seniors win prestigiousscholarshipspage 5

MOVING UP

From EMT to NYPD to Einstein MDpage 13

2 YUToday Summer 2002

Moshe Anisfeld, PhD, professor

of psychology at FGS, presented

a paper, “No Compelling Evidence

to Dispute Piaget’s Timetable of the

Development of Representational

Imitation in Infancy,” at an interna-

tional conference on imitation in

Royaumont Abbey, France.

Noyes Bartholomew, DMA, asso-

ciate professor of music, had a com-

position accepted for perform-

ance during the concert series of

the League of Composers/Inter-

national Society for Contemporary

Music. The performance of Lament

(for Two Children of Ben Luc) marked

the piece’s world premiere.

Pearl Berger, MLS, dean, University

libraries, took over as president of

the 1,100-member Association of

Jewish Libraries when it held

its 37th annual convention in Denver

in June. Previously, she held the

post of vice president. Associate

Professor of Speech and Drama

Peninnah Schram gave a story-

telling performance during the

convention’s Judaica Festival.

J. David Bleich, PhD, Herbert and

Florence Tenzer Professor of Law

and Ethics, CSL, spoke on “Physi-

cian Conscience Clauses,” Confe-

rence on Religious Values and Legal

Dilemmas in Bioethics, Fordham

University School of Law; “Law

and Morality in Judaism,” Faculty

of Law, Humboldt University, Ber-

lin, Germany; “The Stem Cell

Controversy from a Jewish Per-

spective,” Berliner Studien zum

Jüdischen Recht und Centrum

Judaicum, Berlin; and “Pränataler

Lebensschutz: Theologische, philo-

sophische und verfassungsrecht-

liche Aspekte,” Podiumsdiskussion

Humboldt University, Berlin.

Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, Joel and

Maria Finkle Visiting Israeli Rosh

Yeshiva, has been giving shiurim

on the Internet on the Arutz-7

website, www.a7.org, since Febru-

ary. The shiurim are held every

Sunday, 4–5 pm, and deal with

the weekly Torah portion, Jewish

events, and events in Israel. Rabbi

Goldwicht has a following among

regular listeners of Arutz-7 through-

out the tristate area. Arutz-7 claims

100,000 monthly impressions on

its homepage.

Robert J. Greenberg, JD, assis-

tant professor of business law at

SSSB, presented a paper, “Democ-

racy and Capitalism: Are They

Really Equal Opportunities Emplo-

yers?”, at the annual conference of

the Pacific Southwest Academy

of Legal Studies in Business, Palm

Springs, CA. Dr. Greenberg also

served as scholar-in-residence at

The Desert Synagogue in Palm

Springs, where he spoke on “Enron,

Corporate Social Responsibility, and

the Relationship Between the Indi-

vidual and the Community as Refle-

cted in Parshas Shekalim, Zachor,

Parah, and HaChodesh.”

Rabbi Joel A. Hochman, JD, SSSB

assistant professor of accounting,

taxation, and business law, deliv-

ered a talk to the Golden Age Club

of the Jewish Center of Kew

Gardens Hills, NY, on “Chasing

Your Dreams—It’s Never Too Late.”

Ira Jaskoll, MBA, SSSB associate

dean, was one of the subjects in an

article about the pros and cons of

exercising during middle age, in a

recent issue of Fortune magazine:

“Is It Time to Hang up Your Spikes?”

Dean Jaskoll won a bronze medal in

1999 at the Pan American Macca-

biah Games playing on the US

basketball team, and continues to

play regularly.

President Norman Lamm, PhD,was one of “Three Distinguished

Guests in Dialogue with Rabbi

William Berkowitz,” a series of live

dialogues created by Rabbi

Berkowitz with outstanding world

Jewish leaders, renowned personal-

ities, authorities, and scholars in the

fields of public affairs, the Middle

East, religion and philosophy, the

humanities, science, literature and

the arts. The evening, in April,

was held at the Leo and Julia

Forchheimer Auditorium at the

Center for Jewish History, home

of YU Museum.

Edith Lubetski, MLS, SCW head

librarian, was honored with an

Administrative Recognition plaque

by SCW students at the End of Year

Dessert and Awards Ceremony.

Meir Lubetski, PhD, adjunct asso-

ciate professor, recently published

Saul Lieberman (1898-1983),

Talmudic Scholar and Classicist. The

book includes a comprehensive

bibliography about Saul Lieberman

compiled by Elinor Grumet, refer-

ence librarian in SCW’s Hedi

Steinberg Library.

Alvin I. Schiff, Irving I. Stone

Distinguished Professor of Jewish

Education, AGS, lectured on

“Response to September 11—A

Judaic View,” Cong. Anshe Shalom,

Del Ray Beach, FL. He spoke on

“Applying the Concept of Gevurot

to Humankind and Nature” at the

80th birthday celebration of Yisrael

Back, director emeritus, Inter-

national Bible Contest, Jerusalem.

He authored an essay in Hebrew,

“Unity of Israel in the Bible and

Talmud,” Religious Zionism in Action,

in honor of Dr. Zerah Warhaftig,

Jerusalem, Mizrachi Hapoel Mizrachi

World Organization.

Shmuel Schneider, PhD, associate

professor of Hebrew, presented a

lecture, “Shabbat in Modern

Hebrew Literature,” at the Balti-

more Histadrut Ivrit of America

“Hebrew Week” conference in June.

Ellen Schrecker, PhD, professor of

history, was elected a Fellow of the

Society of American Historians in

recognition of the literary and scho-

larly distinction of her historical work.

Jeffrey S. Gurock, PhD, Libby M.

Klaperman Professor of Jewish Histo-

ry and academic assistant to the

president, was awarded the Lee Max

Friedman Medal for 2002 at the

Biennial Scholars Conference of the

American Jewish Historical Society.

The award is in recognition of his

distinguished service to the field and

as associate editor of American Jewish

History for more than 20 years.

Julius Berman, RIETS chairman and

YU board trustee, was elected

chairman of the Conference on

Jewish Material Claims Against

Germany (the “Claims Conference”).

The election took place shortly after

the death of Rabbi Israel Miller, vice

president emeritus and president of

the Conference for the past 20 years

(see p.3).

Sander Dulitz, assistant to the di-

rector of safety and security, was

chosen and assigned as the official

liaison to Community Planning Board

12, representing the offices of Council

Member Miguel Martinez.

Jake Lieberman, director of food

services, was invited to join the

NYPD in a special tour as a “Com-

manding Officer for a Day,” during

which he was made police captain

for a day by Commissioner Ray Kelly.

He was assigned to a housing devel-

opment in the East New York section

of Brooklyn. Lieberman (pictured left

with Com. Kelly) serves as a liaison

to the NYPD in Brooklyn.

Condolences toi

Norman Adler, YC dean, on the

loss of his brother, Michael.

Sue Brody, public relations coordi-

nator, Philip and Rita Rosen Depart-

ment of Communications and Public

Affairs, AECOM, on the loss of her

mother, Mildred Oppenheimer.

Leon H. Charney, YU alumnus,

Guardian, and CSL board member,

on the loss of his brother, Herbert.

Dale Hochstein, director of MIS at

AECOM, on the loss of her father-

in-law, Arnold Hochstein.

Leon Jolson, on the loss of his wife,

Anya, both YU Guardians, with

whom he established a scholar-

ship at RIETS in memory of their

daughter, Dorothy.

Philip Ress, director of human

resources, on the untimely loss of

his nephew, William Monroe Ress.

Hedy Shulman, director of media

relations, CPA, on the loss of her

mother, Esther Simon.

We Mourni

Samuel Borenstein, a Founder

with his first wife, Blume, of Albert

Einstein College of Medicine who,

with his second wife, Lillian, was

a YU Guardian.

Pedro Gonzalez, assistant direc-

tor/project manager, facilities man-

agement. He had worked at YU

since 1982.

Edward Levy, EdD, professor of

music and chair of the music

department at SCW. He was an

accomplished composer whose

pieces were performed in New York

and Germany.

Charlotte K. Lindner, former direc-

tor of the D. Samuel Gottesman

Library at Albert Einstein College of

Medicine. She was chief cataloguer

at Einstein, 1961-74, then assistant

librarian. She became director in

1978 and retired in 1989.

Jean Nerken, a Guardian with her

late husband, Albert.

Joseph Noble, YU alumnus, Jewish

educator, and original secretary at

Teacher’s Institute.

Perez Posen, assistant professor

emeritus of physics, who taught for

many years at YC.

Martin Romerovski, a YU Guardian

with his wife, Rose. He was a for-

mer member, SCW Board of

Directors. He and his wife were also

Fellows of RIETS and YUHS.

Herbert H. Schiff, chairman and

chairman emeritus of the WSSW

Board of Governors. A YU honorary

trustee, he and his wife, Betty, are

Benefactors of YU.

Congratulationsi

Anthony Beukas, PhD, professor of

speech and drama, on the birth of

grandson Sean Michael to Michael

and Jennifer Beukas.

Stephen Lazar, EdD, AECOM

assistant dean, and wife Marlene

on the birth of grandson Charlie

Jay Lazar Aarons to parents Bari

and Phil.

Hedy Shulman, director of media

relations, CPA, on the graduation of

her son, Marc, from the clinical psy-

chology doctoral program at FGS.

Jeffrey Socol, senior associate direc-

tor, facilities management, and wife

Robyn on the birth of third child

Yitzchak Israel. Mazal tov also to

grandparents Dr. Sheldon Socol,

vice president for business affairs,

and wife Ginger.

continued on p. 3

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY

Robert M. Beren, ChairmanYU Board of Trustees

Dr. Norman LammPresident

Peter L. FerraraDirector of Communications and Public Affairs

Jay Schottenstein, Chairman, Board of Directors,Yeshiva College; Marjorie DienerBlenden, Chairman, Board of Directors, Stern College for Women; Bernard L. Madoff, Chairman, Board of Directors, Sy Syms School of Business; Robert A.Belfer, Chairperson, Board of Overseers, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; EarleI. Mack, Chairman, Board of Directors, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law;David I. Schachne, Chair, Board of Governors, Wurzweiler School of Social Work;Mordecai D. Katz, Chairman, Board of Directors, Bernard Revel Graduate Schoolof Jewish Studies; Jayne G. Beker, Chair, Board of Governors, Ferkauf GraduateSchool of Psychology; Moshael J. Straus, Chairman, Board of Directors, AzrieliGraduate School of Jewish Education and Administration; Julius Berman,Chairman, Board of Trustees, (affiliate) Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary; Erica Jesselson, Chairperson, Board of Directors, (affiliate) YeshivaUniversity Museum.

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY TODAY

Hedy ShulmanManaging Editor

June GlazerEditor

Doug DayhoffGraphic Designer

Jerry Bergman, Kelly Berman, Adam Cohen, Esther Finkle, Michelle Fogel, Norman Goldberg, Peter Robertson

Contributors

www.yu.edu/news/publications

Yeshiva University Today is published monthly during the academic year by theYeshiva University Department of Communications and Public Affiars, 401 FurstHall, 500 West 185th St., New York, NY 10033-3201 (212-960-5285). It is ditrib-uted free on campus to faculty, staff, and students. © Yeshiva University 2002

YUTodayV O L U M E 8 • N U M B E R 3

FA C U LT Y N E W S

P E O P L E

Rabbi Israel Miller, YUsenior vice presidentemeritus and one of the

nation’s outstanding Jewishcommunal leaders who cham-pioned Jewish causes and ad-vocated Jewish human rightsaround the globe, died in Marchin Jerusalem at age 83. Funeralservices were held in Israel.

A graduate of Yeshiva Collegein 1938 and of RIETS in 1941,he was a high-ranking admin-istrator at YU for more than 25

years. Rabbi Miller joined theUniversity administration in1968, was senior vice presidentof the University since 1979,and senior vice president emeri-tus since 1994. He was a mem-ber of the Board of GovernorsWurzweiler School of SocialWork and of the RIETS Boardof Trustees.

“Rabbi Miller’s portfoliowas diverse and influential.During his long and illustriouscareer he served his people, hiscountry, and his faith with distinction,” said PresidentNorman Lamm. “However, formost of his life, he was alwaysdevoted to his university whichhe served with wisdom andlove.”

Rabbi Miller’s communalcareer was intertwined withthat of YU and his associationwith the University spannedmore than 60 years. After he earned his bachelor’sdegree and ordination, hetaught applied rabbinics atRIETS and influenced count-less students. He received amaster’s degree from Col-umbia University in 1949.Rabbi Miller was awarded an

honorary Doctor of Divinitydegree from YU in 1967.

Rabbi Miller played a singu-lar role in modern Jewish com-munal life. A gentle, soft-spo-ken man, he was received bythe last six US presidents andnegotiated with foreign gov-ernments on behalf of worldJewry with his trademark gen-tility and grace. He was presi-dent of almost every majorJewish organization, mostrecently serving as presidentsince 1982 of the Conferenceof Jewish Material ClaimsAgainst Germany.

His tireless energies helpedachieve a landmark compensa-tion agreement for the crimi-nal theft that was part of thebarbarity of the Holocaust. Hewas chairman of the prestigiousConference of Presidents ofMajor American Jewish Organi-zations, the coordinating bodyof religious, secular, and Zionistgroups in the US.

Rabbi Miller’s special interestin Soviet Jewry found expres-sion in the three years of hisnational leadership of theAmerican Jewish Conferenceon Soviet Jewry. Earlier in his

career, in 1965, he led a dele-gation of the Rabbinical Councilof America to the Soviet Union,where he was accorded theprivilege of speaking from thepulpit in Moscow. This resultedin a front-page story and hisbeing designated “Man in theNews” in The New York Times,which dubbed him “Down-to-Earth Rabbi.”

In addition, he held leadingroles in many other organiza-tions, including: foundingpresident and honorary presi-dent of the American ZionistFederation; a founder of theJewish Community RelationsCouncil; chairman of the Amer-ican Zionist Council; member of the Board of Governors ofthe Jewish Agency and execu-tive of the World Zionist Orga-nization; vice president ofAIPAC; president of the Rab-binical Council of America; pre-sident of the Rabbinic Alumniof RIETS.

A native of Baltimore, MD,for more than 25 years RabbiMiller provided insightful andcompassionate guidance as spir-itual leader of KingsbridgeJewish Center in the Bronx, NY.

Rabbi Miller is survived byhis wife, Ruth, and four chil-dren, Rabbi David (and Miriam)Miller, associate director ofRIETS’ Caroline and JosephGruss Institute in Jerusalem;Rabbi Michael (and Phyllis)Miller, executive vice-presi-dent of the Jewish CommunityRelations Council of GreaterNew York; Deborah (andNorman) Kram of Brookline,MA, director of Maayan, aJewish Women’s Study Insti-tute; Judith (and Jay) Kalish ofJerusalem, an administrator atHebrew University; 19 grand-children, eight great-grand-children, and his brother,David, and sister, Dorothy,who reside in Netanya, Israel.

His funeral in Israel, held at YU’s Caroline and Joseph S. Gruss Institute in Jerusalem,and burial, in the YU sectionof the Eretz HaChayim ceme-tery near Beit Shemesh, wasattended by some 1,000 mourn-ers, including YC alumnus and US Ambassador DanielKurtzer, Israel’s Attorney GeneralElyakim Rubinstein, and Dep-uty Minister of Defense RabbiMichael Melchior.

Rabbi Israel Miller, Champion of Jewish Causes, Dies

Summer 2002 YUToday 3

Rabbi Marc Spivak, coordinator

of community programs through

new media for MSDCS, and wife

Debra on the birth of twins. Rabbi

Spivak made the pages of Jewish

Week when he acted as mohel (ritual

circumciser) for the two boys and

also for the son of his wife’s broth-

er and sister-in-law, Daniel Price

and Lea Rosenfeld. The triple brit

milah (circumcision) ceremony was

held at Weisberg Commons.

Jeffrey S. Gurock, PhD, Libby M.

Klaperman Professor of Jewish

History and academic assistant to

the president, his wife Pamela, Dr.

Jayne G. Beker, chairman of the

board of Ferkauf Graduate School of

Psychology and YU board member,

and Harvey Beker, on the birth of

their granddaughter, Audrey Sofia.

Dr. Richard Zerneck, director of

athletics and physical education,

and his wife, Barbara, on the birth

of grandson Joseph Zerneck.

Board NewsiThe following have been elected members of Yeshiva University boards:

• Board of Trustees, Yeshiva University: Fanya Gottesfeld-Heller, J. Ezra Merkin

• Board of Directors, Sy Syms School of Business: Michael C. Palitz• Board of Directors, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law:

Stephen Judlowe and Nathan Kacew• National Board of the Canadian Friends of YU: Samuel Z. Eltes,

chairman.

was appointed by PresidentGeorge W. Bush to the Pre-sident’s Council of Advisorson Science and Technology.

Malcolm I. Hoenlein hasbeen at the helm of the Con-ference of Presidents of MajorAmerican Jewish Organiza-tions since 1986. As spokesper-son of the American Jewishcommunity, Mr. Hoenlein hasrepresented the consensus ofthat constituency at the high-est levels of American govern-ment and around the globewherever Jewish interests areat stake. Also, he serves asadviser to many public officialsand is frequently consulted on

public policy issues. Michael Jesselson is pres-

ident of Jesselson CapitalCorporation, an investmentfirm, and a member of the Boardof Trustees of Yeshiva Univer-sity, the Board of Directors ofthe Yeshiva University Mu-seum, and the Board of Overse-ers of Albert Einstein Collegeof Medicine.

He is active in a wide rangeof Jewish philanthropic, cul-tural, and educational endeav-ors in the US and Israel, in-cluding as a director of thePartnership for Excellence inJewish Education, an organ-ization he helped establish withMichael Steinhardt and othermajor philanthropists and Jew-ish communal leaders in 1998

for the purpose of developingnew day schools throughout theUS for all branches of Judaism.

Immediately following com-mencement on May 23, whichhonored graduates of YU’sundergraduate schools andseveral graduate programs, sep-arate hooding ceremonies wereheld for recipients of degreesfrom Ferkauf Graduate Schoolof Psychology and WurzweilerSchool of Social Work.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine held its 44th Annu-al Commencement, Thursday,June 6; Benjamin N. CardozoSchool of Law held its 24thAnnual Commencement June 7.

(See commencement section, page 8-10.)

Israel Minister

continued from page 1

Dr. David Schnall, dean of Yeshiva University’s AzrieliGraduate School of Jewish Education and Administration,presents a Certificate of Achievement posthumously to Mr.Alan Hayman, father of Shoshana Greenbaum, who was murdered in the summer of 2001 in the Sbarro terror attackin Jerusalem. Ms. Greenbaum was in Israel to complete hercoursework for the Azrieli Block Program master’s degree.

P E O P L Econtinued from page 2

Standing from left: YU Board of Trustees Vice Chairman Morry Weiss, Chairman Robert M. Beren,and YU Trustee Joseph Wilf. Seated with Dr. Lamm (from left), honorary degree recipients MichaelJesselson, Dr. Bernadine Healy, Minister Limor Livnat, Malcolm Hoenlein, and Arthur Cohn.

Rabbi Israel Miller

Joseph Sebeo, a YC sopho-more this year and nativeof Paris, France, won

the prestigious Barry M.

Goldwater Scholarship. Theson of an American father ofItalian origin and an Amer-ican mother who is a nativeof Russia, Mr. Sebeo grew upin France but is very much athome in New York City.

“I always planned to cometo the US to pursue my post-secondary and graduate stud-ies after graduating fromhigh school and obtainingmy French baccalaureate,”Mr. Sebeo said.

Mr. Sebeo is not only veryfamiliar with American cul-

ture, but throughout his form-ative years was immersed inmulticulturalism. He was en-rolled in an honors program inhigh school, an intensive cur-riculum requiring a six-month

research project, and his studieswere in both English andFrench.

“The reason I chose to go toYU is that I wanted to broadenmy knowledge of Jewish studiesin addition to building a verystrong science foundation formy future studies. I havelearned a lot in terms of Hebrewlanguage, Jewish philosophy andJewish literature,” he said.

A chemistry and biologymajor, Mr. Sebeo knew earlyon that he would pursue med-icine. During the summer of2001, after his freshman year,he did research at MontefioreHospital through a fellowshipfrom the Parkinson’s DiseaseFoundation. His research in-volved the potential therapeu-

tic benefits of non-steriodalanti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDS) on target cells inParkinson’s Disease.

Certain of his career goals,Mr. Sebeo intends to pursue aMD/PhD track. “My particularinterests are neurodegenera-tive diseases such as Parkin-son’s, Alzheimer’s and acuteneuronal death-like stroke aswell as autoimmune diseases.My hope is that if appropriatetherapeutic and preventivetreatment can be renderedbefore the appearance of clini-cal symptoms, many peoplewill be spared from developingthese diseases.”

“Joseph was the most out-standing student in my‘Principles of Biology’ classduring the 2000-2001 academ-ic year,” said Dr. Carl Feit, asso-ciate professor of biology. “The

work he did on the neuropro-tective effects of non-steriodalanti-inflammatory drugs ondopaminergic neurons is on alevel that I rarely see even inan upperclassman majoring inbiology.”

This summer Mr. Sebeo willbe a Roth Scholar for under-graduate summer research atAlbert Einstein College ofMedicine, a research programfor a select group of students.

The Barry M. GoldwaterScholarship and Excellence inEducation Foundation wasestablished in 1986 honoringSenator Barry M. Goldwaterand offers scholarships to out-standing American studentswho demonstrate interest in,and have potential for, careersin mathematics, the naturalsciences, and engineering.


UNDERGRADUATE

Joseph Sebeo Is Goldwater Recipient

Jay and Jeanie SchottensteinHonors Program Graduates

COMPLETED SPRING 2002:

Hillel Deutsch, “Subjects, Rebels,Citizens, Americans: The Progression from Complacency to Constitution.” Facultymentor: Dr. Ellen Schrecker, History

Yakov Fleischmann, “Defending the Lawof the Excluded Middle.” Faculty mentor:Dr. David Johnson, Philosophy

Avi Helfand, “The Judaic Social Contract:Talmudic Traditions, Modern Models, and Contemporary Conceptions.” Facultymentor: Dr. Shalom Carmy, Philosophy

Zvi Rosen, “The Boris Problem: Literaryand Operatic Approaches to BorisGodunov.” Faculty mentor: Dr. NoyesBartholomew, Music

Elie Rosenblatt, “Yiddish Melodies inSwing: The Adaptability of KlezmerMusic.” Faculty mentor: Dr. NoyesBartholomew, Music

Jonathan Spielman, “Parents and TheirAdolescent Children: Transmission ofJewish Identity Patterns.” Faculty mentor:Dr. Mervin Verbit, Sociology

Baruch Stein, “Spectroscopy of AtomicChains with Tunneling Microscopy.”Faculty mentor: Dr. Fredy Zypman,Physics

Eliyahu Stern, “Other Theologies: TheSocial Thought of Rabbi J. B. Soloveitchikand Emmanuel Levinas.” Faculty mentors:Dr. Ruth Bevan, David W. Petegorsky,Professor of Political Science, andDr. Yaakov Elman, Jewish studies

Jacob Yunger, “Numerical Simulations of Wave Propagations in DisorderedSystems.” Faculty mentor: Dr. GabrielCwilich, Physics

SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION SUMMER 2002:

Philip Green, “The Effects of Angle Strainon Transition Metal Carbene AlkyneBenzannulation.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Wayne Schnatter, Chemistry

Shlomo Koyfman, “Legal Exegesis in theDead Sea Scrolls and Its Significance inJewish Intellectual History.” Faculty mentor:Dr. Moshe Bernstein, Jewish studies

Natan Krohn, “Abolitionist Movements in England in Relation to the FrenchRevolution.” Faculty mentors: Dr. JeffreyFreedman, History, and Dr. Will Lee,English

Elliot Stern, “Revelation in JewishThought; An Analysis of NormativeApproaches.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Shalom Carmy, Philosophy

The S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program Graduates

COMPLETED SPRING 2002:

Nechama Mina Shoshani, “Freedom in Slavery in Isaac Bashevis Singer's TheSlave.” Faculty mentor: Prof. LaurelHatvary, English. Second reader:Dr . Carole Silver, English

COMPLETED JANUARY 2002:

Ayelet Pruzansky, “Tensions in theArgument from Religious Experience.”Faculty mentor: Dr. David Shatz,Philosophy. Second reader, Dr. CharlesRaffel, Philosophy

Meira Reinstein, “Iyov Lefi Peshuto:Rashbam's Commentary on Job.” Facultymentor: Dr. Mordechai Cohen, Jewishstudies. Second reader: Prof. NaomiGrunhaus, Jewish studies.

Nina Taub, “The Shaping of AmericanValues.” Mentor: Dr. Ellen Schrecker,History. Second reader: Dr. HadassahKosak, History.

COMPLETED MAY 2002:

Ruth Ephron, “A BiopsychosocialApproach to Addiction.” Faculty mentor:Dr. Joshua Bacon, Psychology. Secondreader: Dr. Terry DiLorenzo, Psychology

Lisa Helprin, “The Convergence of theLegal and the Superlegal as it Relates tothe Field of Advertising.” Faculty mentor:Dr. Marcel Isaac Perlman, Psychology.Second reader: Dr. Charles Raffel,Philosophy.

Yael Horowitz, “Modernism inArchitecture and Design: Success orFailure?” Faculty mentor: Prof. SusanGardner, Art.

Michelle Humi, “Long Term Sequelae of Treatments of Pediatric Brain Tumors.”Faculty mentor: Dr. Terry DiLorenzo,Psychology. Second reader: Dr. JoshuaBacon, Psychology.

Chava Kahn, “Prions: Protein Misfolding,Disease and Therapy.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Chaya Rapp, Chemistry. Second reader,Dr. Harriet Zuckerbraun, Biology.

Tziporah (Lea) Kapustin, “On the Effectof Sin: A Study of the Personality ofKayin.” Faculty mentor: Dr. ShalomCarmy, Jewish studies. Second reader: Dr. Mordechai Cohen, Jewish studies.

Bracha Kenigsberg, “Stem Cells: Science,Ethics, and Public Policy Coverage.”Faculty mentor: Dr. Harvey Babich,Biology. Second reader: Dr. BrendaLoewy, Biology.

Adina Levine, “Signing On or SigningOff: How E-mail Communication isHarming Social Interaction.” FacultyMentor: Prof. Laurel Hatvary, English.Second reader: Dr. Carole Silver, English.

Shoshana Frankel Posy, “Navigating the Human Genome.” Faculty mentor:Dr. Brenda Loewy, Biology. Second reader, Dr. Chaya Rapp, Chemistry.

Meira Russ, “The Student NonviolentCoordinating Committee: Its Foundingand Activities, April-December 1960.”Faculty mentor: Dr. Ellen Schrecker,History. Second reader: Dr. HadassahKosak, History.

Yehudit Weinberger, "The Science ofCloning: Medical and LegalRamifications." Faculty mentor: Dr Harvey Babich, Biology. Secondreader: Dr. Chaya Rapp, Chemistry.

Aliza Weinstein, "Tracing FailedCommunication in Literature: Parents and Children." Faculty mentor: Dr. CaroleSilver, English. Second reader:Prof. Laurel Hatvary, English.

YC sophomore Joseph Sebeo

Stern student Francine Osoriomerged separate aspectsof her life when she be-

came one of 25 students nat-ionwide to win the MostPromising Minority StudentsAward from the American Advertising Federation inFebruary.

A graduating senior at SternCollege for Women majoringin English communications,

she focused on advertising andtook courses in marketing atSy Syms School of Business.Three of her courses weretaught by Dr. Deborah Cohn,assistant professor of market-ing and faculty adviser to theAmerican Advertising Federa-tion’s SSSB College chapter,who nominated Francine forthe prestigious award.

“The process of applying

for the award definitely syn-thesized my classroom experi-ences at Stern and Sy Syms,”said Francine.

It also united two otherimportant components—herheritage as a Hispanic womanand as a Jew.

“My parents were bothborn in Colombia and emi-grated to the US during theirteens. They made sure my

brother and I spoke Spanish,and being able to converse inEnglish, Spanish, and Hebrewhas enabled me to relate tomany more people.”

Criteria for award nomina-tion include membership in aminority group, academicachievement, and experienceworking in advertising and/ormarketing. Francine worked forVerizon Wireless last summerwhere she conducted marketresearch for a new Verizon pro-gram and helped launch it

through a direct marketingcampaign.

The award ceremony washeld at The Waldorf-Astoria inManhattan. It was preceded bytwo days of workshops and ajob fair sponsored by the Ame-rican Advertising Federationand several major corporations.

“I felt it was really anhonor to represent YU as aminority student. It’s an areain which the school does notnormally find representa-tion,” she said.

Francine Osorio Wins Diversity Award

Student Profiles

Schottenstein, Abraham Honors Programs’ Students Mark Milestone


Dr. Ephraim Kanarfogel,chairman of the RebeccaIvry Department of Je-

wish Studies at Stern Collegefor Women and a widely recog-nized authority on medievalJewish history and rabbinic literature, was invested as theE. Billi Ivry Professor of JewishHistory at a ceremony at Je-rome and Geraldine Schotten-stein Residence Hall in March.

E. Billi Ivry, a member ofthe Board of Trustees of YUand secretary of the Board ofDirectors of SCW, endowedthe professorial chair, the firstfor a full-time SCW facultymember. Previously, she en-

dowed SCW’s Rebecca IvryDepartment of Jewish Studiesas well as the beit midrash andstudent center at its newestdormitory building.

Dr. Kanarfogel is the authorof Peering Through the Lattices:Mystical, Magical and PietisticDimensions in the TosafistPeriod, published by WayneState University Press, forwhich he received this year’sYC Alumni Association SamuelBelkin Literary Award. In 1992he authored the NationalJewish Book Award-winningJewish Education and Society inthe High Middle Ages, forwhich he also earned the

Belkin Literary Award, makinghim the only author thus farto receive that honor twice.

Dr. Kanarfogel has served aschairman of the Jewish studiesdepartment since 1984. He wasappointed to the rank of fullprofessor in 1996. Ms. Ivry, aUniversity Benefactor, was elected to YU’s Board ofTrustees in 1987. That year,she was elected to the SCWBoard. She has served on theBenjamin N. Cardozo Schoolof Law Board of Directors since1985, and is a member of theBoard of Directors of the BernardRevel Graduate School ofJewish Studies.

Dr. Kanarfogel Invested as IvryProfessor of Jewish History

UNDERGRADUATE

Three Stern College forWomen students pre-sented posters at the

223rd national meeting of theAmerican Chemical Society,held in Orlando, FL, in April.

Seniors Rachel Nivasch, a chemistry major, and BrachaKenigsberg, a biology major;and pre-engineering major (in a joint program withColumbia University) ShiraFrankel, a junior, were winnersof the annual SCW postercompetition, coordinated byDr. Harvey Babich, professor ofbiology, and Dr. Lea Blau, pro-fessor of chemistry and chair,division of natural sciencesand mathematics at SCW.

The students depicted top-ics based on research they par-ticipated in during last sum-mer.

Ms. Nivasch, who last sum-mer worked at The WeizmannInstitute in Israel, modeled theprotein interferon alpha recep-tor 2. Ms. Kenigsberg, who didresearch at Albert EinsteinCollege of Medicine, analyzedimmune responses to recombi-nant BCG expressing a humantumor associated antigen. Ms.Frankel investigated the kinet-ics and reaction mechanism

in nickel oxide reduction byhydrogen at Brookhaven Nat-ional Laboratory.

Additionally, senior ElenaSedletscaia, a bio-chem major,and junior Anna Sedletscaia, abiology major, contributed po-sters, though they did notattend the conference. How-ever, highlights of their work,along with those of the confer-ence attendees, were includedin a compendium of abstractspublished by the ACS.

Dr. Blau also presented aposter at the ACS meeting, on“Twenty Years of Bonding: TheChemistry Club and the ACS.”Dr. Blau serves as adviser of theSCW chemistry club. Theposter illustrated its activitiesand the attendance over theyears of students at ACS na-tional meetings. During theApril gathering, the club wasrecognized with a plaque forcommendable achievement.

At the conference, the students attended lectures bytop scientists and were able tomeet and see how otherundergraduates work. Also,they had the opportunity toexplain their work to profes-sionals interested in theirfields of work.

SCW Students at NationalScience Conference

Shoshana Frankel Posy, acomputational biologymajor and SCW covale-

dictorian, is the winner of aHoward Hughes Medical In-stitute Predoctoral Fellowship.

The prestigious scholarshipis awarded annually to 81graduates and provides anannual stipend of $21,500 forfive years. An additional$2,500 for expenses and a trav-el budget for participation inconferences is also offered.

Ms. Frankel Posy will attendColumbia University in thefall, where she will begin anintegrated program in bio-physical studies – a combina-tion of basic biologicalresearch, chemistry, and com-puter science.

She will earn a PhD whenshe completes the programand plans to be involved ingenome analysis, either at theuniversity level or in the pri-vate sector.

Yitz Brilliant, who graduat-ed summa cum laude from

Yeshiva College, has beenawarded the Jack Kent CookeFoundation Graduate Scholar-ship – the most generous grad-uate scholarship in the US. Hewill receive $50,000 a year forsix years.

Fifty scholars were selectedfrom a total of 675 applicantsfor the scholarship. They arethe first cohort to have beenselected for this magnanimousaward.

To be eligible for the JackKent Cooke Graduate Scholar-ship, a college senior has to bea resident of, be attending acollege or university in, orplan to attend a graduateschool in the greater Wash-ington region (Maryland,Virginia, and the District ofColumbia).

A speech and drama majorwith a concentration in film,Mr. Brilliant was president andfounder of the FilmmakingClub at YC.

In third grade he decidedthat his ambition was to be a

filmmaker and in eighth gradehe produced a gangster flick,“Vendetta.”

At 14, he started his ownbusiness, Brilliant Productions,which he continues to run,shooting videos of bar/batmitzvas and designing invita-tions.

An avid artist as well as a

passionate filmmaker, Mr.Brilliant anticipates a side-career as a graphic designer.Currently he is taking severalundergraduate classes in film-

making at the School of VisualArts in New York City. Heplans to live in Israel and pro-duce Jewish historical featurefilms and documentaries.

YC, SCW Seniors EarnPrestigious Scholarships

Shoshana Frankel Posy SCW ’02, Howard HughesMedical Institute Predoctoral Fellowship

Yitz Brilliant YC ’02, Jack Kent Cooke GraduateScholarship

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected as Roth Institute Scholars for Undergraduate Summer Research at the

Albert Einstein College of Medicine:

Brian Barr, Caryn Gamms, Julia Josovitz,

Gary Lelonek, David Rosenbaum, Meryl Sava,

Joseph Sebeo, Anna Sedlectcaia


place of Jewish study. Dr. Bacon is now in her 25th

year as leader of Stern College—a remarkable record of long-evity, considering that theaverage tenure of an academicdean in the United States is lessthan six years. More impor-tant, she has become, in thewords of YU President NormanLamm, “a role model forobservant women and womenin general.”

Behind every great womanIt is often said that behind

every great man is a greatwoman. Then, what is behinda great woman? A great mother,if Karen Bacon is any example.

Dr. Bacon was born inBrooklyn, the second of threechildren of Morris and EstherKermaier. When she was still atoddler, her parents moved toa small town in California andthen to Los Angeles, whereMorris, a pharmacist, set uphis own shop. Esther was oftenat his side, somehow also find-ing time to run an observanthousehold and contribute tothe community. “My motherwas an inspiration,” says Dr.Bacon. “She took on enormousresponsibility. It was quite aneducation for me.”

Since pharmaceuticals werethe family trade, discussions atthe dinner table frequentlycentered on science, a subjectthat Dr. Bacon grew to love. Atop student, she could haveattended almost any women’scollege, yet she was drawn toStern because of its commit-ment to Torah Umadda.

Which brought her to thatterrifying day in the Big BadApple. But it wasn’t so terribleafter all. Later that day, Dr.Bacon was invited uptown fordinner with her older brother,

a student at Yeshiva College.“He had a friend who satdown to eat with us,” she says,“and that gentleman becamemy husband.”

Marriage would have towait awhile, however. For thenext four years, Dr. Bacon con-centrated on her studies, maj-oring in biology. It was thenthat she got a taste of big-timeresearch, participating in a fac-ulty project funded by theNational Science Foundation.

Advanced study in sciencewas the next logical step. “Ireally didn’t plan ahead,” sheadmits. “But it wasn’t odd tome as a woman to have acareer because I had seen mymother working all those years.The faculty believed in me andassumed that I was going toapply to graduate school. Soall the pieces fit into place.”

Attending Stern “was thebest decision I ever made in mylife,” she reflects. “It reinforcedmy values. It gave depth to myown Jewish experience. It gaveme a strong intellectual found-ation. And it connected me toa network of people that is ab-solutely astounding.”

A marriage of equalsDr. Bacon married straight

out of college, yet not for a mo-ment did her marriage hamperher career. “My husband hasalways been very egalitarianand very supportive of mycareer,” she says.

“We’ve done everything to-gether.” In fact, they appliedto the same graduate schoolsand jointly decided on attend-ing UCLA because it suitedboth of them academically. Hestudied clinical psychologywhile she studied microbiolo-gy. Toward the end of theirstay in Los Angeles they start-ed a family.

Another shared decisionbrought them both to jobs atthe University of Indiana in

the early 1970s. Life was goodin the Midwest, but New Yorkbeckoned with its rich Jewishculture and its career opportu-nities.

So after three years inIndiana, the Bacons movedonce again, this time withthree children in tow. He tooka position with the Bronx VAMedical Center, she withYeshiva University, and bothhave been with the same insti-tutions ever since.

Stern’s new deanIn 1977, after two years as a

biology instructor at YeshivaCollege, Dr. Bacon was invitedto join a search committee forStern’s next dean. Soon after,she was asked to take the postherself.

Dr. Bacon inherited a col-lege that was very differentfrom the one she had attend-ed. There was a new academicbuilding, a new dormitory,and twice as many enrollees.

Also, the atmosphere oncampus had greatly relaxed.“Back in my day, the dormito-ry was heavily regulated, andyou had to be in by ten or youwould be locked out,” says thedean.

“Somehow this was sup-posed to be for our safety.” Dr.Bacon herself missed the cur-few once, because of a wed-ding, and had to spend thenight in a seedy hotel. “Ipushed a dresser in front of thedoor because I was convincedsomeone was going to come inand decapitate me,” she sayswith a laugh.

The curriculum had alsogrown in her absence, but itstill placed too little emphasison Jewish studies, in Dr.Bacon’s view. “Stern College wascreated to extend the conceptof Torah Umadda to women’seducation,” she says.

“That’s our contribution tothe constellation of colleges in

the US. But the Torah curricu-lum wasn’t the strongest partof the school; it didn’t chal-lenge the students sufficiently.To me, that was in urgent needof remedy.”

In the years that followed,Dr. Bacon worked to strength-en existing courses in Jewishstudies, add new ones, andhire more scholars in the field.Students were also encouragedto study in Israel.

Empowering womenJudging by the College’s

steadily increasing enrollment,currently at 1,000 with anadditional 400 women at SySyms School of Business,Stern’s mission to meld thesacred and the secular is working.According to the dean, studentsrecognize that a Stern educa-tion enables them to follow anobservant lifestyle, raise fami-lies, and enter the workforce.

A recent survey, targetingthe Class of 1990, revealed thatvirtually all Stern graduateshave jobs—in law, medicine,social work, teaching, physicaltherapy, and so on— and 85percent of them hold a gradu-ate degree in one field oranother.

Not surprisingly, the questto “have it all” is stressful.“Everybody talks about it now,not just observant women,”Dr. Bacon acknowledges.“Observant women carry thisload especially because theobservant lifestyle puts somuch emphasis on family andtradition and community serv-ice. It’s an enormous amountto put on a plate.

“I believe they are educatedfor it. I just hope they have thestamina and the emotionalstrength to pull it off. On theother hand, when it is donewell, and you find some kindof balance in your life, it is alife of true fulfillment and con-tribution to society.”

Although Stern’s approachto women’s education is notexactly in tune with main-stream feminism, Dr. Baconbelieves it is no less empower-ing. “There are a lot of women’sissues covered in our coursesin Jewish studies as well as ingeneral studies, but we don’tput a label on it,” she says.“This place is about womenunderstanding who they are,where they are going, andhelping them to get there.”

Consciousness raisingIt has been decades now

since Dr. Bacon has worked ina laboratory, which she misses.“But I miss not being in theclassroom probably evenmore,” she says. While she lovesrunning Stern, she admits shecould easily forgo the politick-ing that necessarily comeswith the job.

Still, she adds, “I can’t imag-ine working elsewhere. Thatisn't to say I can’t imagine whatI could do when I retire—Icould come up with a lot ofinteresting things, but rightnow, this is my life.”

(That and her family, ofcourse, who have close ties toYeshiva, too. All three of herchildren, as well as a son-in-lawand a daughter-in-law, haveattended one of YU’s schools.)

Looking ahead, Dr. Baconplans to focus more on devel-opment activities at the School.“No university can financeitself with student tuitionalone,” she says.

“And for me, a major goalis to raise consciousnessamong alumnae, as well aspeople generally, thatwomen’s education is stillimportant, no matter whatopportunities are out there,and that the Torah Umaddacurriculum is absolutely essen-tial to the continuity of theJewish people. I believe thatwith my heart and soul.”

Karen Bacon

continued from page 1


Despite daily headlinesthat depict Muslims andJews living in colliding

worlds, there have been timesin history when those worldscoexisted and even contri-buted to one another intellec-tually.

Such was the case duringthe early Middle Ages, when avibrant Judeo-Arabic traditionof learning produced flourish-ing cultural contacts, accord-ing to Dr. Mordechai Z. Cohen,associate professor of Bible atYeshiva College, Stern Collegefor Women, and Bernard RevelGraduate School of JewishStudies.

During the spring semester,Dr. Cohen was on leave fromYU to be a fellow at the Centerfor Advanced Judaic Studies ofthe University of Pennsylvania.He was one of 15 scholars re-searching medieval Jewish bib-lical interpretation in itsMuslim and Christian culturalcontexts.

Painting the Jewish tradi-tion of biblical interpretationin broad strokes, Dr. Cohenexplains that, “In the tenthcentury, Sa’adia Gaon pio-neered a method that culmi-nated in the twelfth century inthe works of Abraham Ibn Ezraand Maimonides.”

He explained that authorsin that tradition, which came tobe known as the SephardicSchool, were well versed in

Arabic philosophy, linguistics,and poetry.

The 11th and 12th cen-turies, Cohen adds, “also wit-nessed the flowering of anexegetical school in northernFrance in the work of Rashiand his grandson, Rashbam.”

These authors, who becamepopular in the Ashkenazic tra-dition, interacted with the sur-rounding Christian cultureand engaged in debates withtheir neighbors over the truemeaning of Scripture.

In an earlier phase of Dr.Cohen’s research, he focusedon the former school andshowed that Jewish scholarsused Arabic methods of liter-ary analysis to enrich theirunderstanding of Scripture.

He outlined his thesis in anarticle, “The Best of Poetry:Literary Approaches to the Biblein the Spanish Peshat Tradi-tion,” that appeared in TheTorah U-Madda Journal, (Vol. 6,1995–6), a Yeshiva University

publication.Now well into the next

phase of his research, he isstudying how the divergentJewish traditions merged inthe 13th century. David Kimhiand Nahmanides, two leadinginterpreters who represent thisnext stage of the tradition,were proud inheritors of theSephardic heritage, but werealso open to the intellectualcurrents of the northern Frenchschool.

In addition, they lived inChristian, rather than Muslimlands, which gave them anoutlook different than that ofpredecessors such as AbrahamIbn Ezra and Maimonides.

“My research has given megreater insight into how thebiblical interpreters whosecommentaries appear in theMiqra’ot Gedolot [Hebrew tradi-tional edition of the Bible withMedieval rabbinic commen-taries] and who have been hal-lowed by Jewish tradition,

interacted with one anotherand the cultures around them.

“This subject plays a largerole in my most popular cours-es at YU, and I find that mystudents are eager to gain anew appreciation for theRishonim, the classical com-mentators they have studiedsince grade school, by viewingthem within their culturalcontexts.”

An alumnus of YeshivaCollege, Revel, and RIETS,Cohen began teaching at YUin 1988 and was chosen by YCstudents to receive the 1995Outstanding Professor of theYear award.

Still a popular teacher, hesays that in his classes he aimsto make Bible “real and rele-vant,” but that “my success asa teacher is a reflection of mystudents, who are truly moti-vated. My job is to properlyguide them to develop newskills and explore new avenuesof thought.”

Yonatan Ellman, recipient of the Norman Palefski MemorialAward to the Most Outstanding Male Graduating Scholar-Athlete, comes from a family of wrestlers.

The finance major from Atlanta began wrestling while a stu-dent at Yeshiva High School of Atlanta where his father, GeorgeEllman, was assistant wrestling coach. At YU, Yonatan was amember of the wrestling team for three years—serving two yearsas captain—and was guided by his uncle, Neil Ellman, YU’s headwrestling coach. Currently, Yonatan coaches the wrestling teamat Torah Academy of Bergen County and he previously coachedMSTA’s team.

In addition to the Palefski Memorial Award, he received theCoach’s Award in Wrestling and, on the academic front, theAward for Excellence in Judaic Studies from the Irving I. StoneBeit Midrash Program. Yonatan intends to pursue a career infinance or corporate management but would like to continuecoaching and competing. He said, “One of the most importantlessons I learned from wrestling is that you can achieve anythingif you really push yourself.”

When Muslim-Jewish Relations Flourished

Scholar-Athlete Carries onFamily Tradition

Personalities such asGoldman Sachs founderMarcus Goldman, finan-

cier Bernard Baruch, and econ-omist Edwin Robert Seligmanmay be key players in the his-tory of business and finance.

But what can they pass onto the next generation offinancial leaders? For a studentin Sy Syms School of Business,plenty.

This spring semester, SySyms School of Businessoffered its first course underthe aegis of the Dr. HenryKaufman Chair in Businessand Financial History. Thecourse, “Historical Develop-ment of Modern Finance,”examined the historical devel-opment of financial institu-tions and markets from theMiddle Ages to the present.

Special focus was given tokey Jewish individuals andfinancial institutions such asBernard Baruch, Alex Brown,Goldman Sachs, LehmanLoeb, Rothschild, Schiff andWarburg.

Dr. Kaufman’s experienceand reputation on Wall Streetfor accurate economic andfinancial analysis have madehim one of the most sought-after consultants in the indus-try. He has served as chief eco-nomist of Salomon Brothers,and is president of HenryKaufman & Company.

“Dr. Kaufman’s gift is espe-cially significant because of hisstature and distinguishedcareer in the economic andfinancial community,” said Dr.Charles Snow, Sy Syms Schooldean.

“By enabling us to offerbusiness and financial historycourses, the Kaufman Chair willbroaden the knowledge andperspective of our students,and add a new dimension toall our business concentra-tions, including accounting,finance, management infor-mation systems, and marketing.”

The course was taught byDr. Joseph Tovey, a formerpetroleum industry analyst forseveral prominent Wall Streetfirms, a planner for Mobil OilCorporation, and a tax special-ist with Lybrand, Ross. Dr.

Tovey received a PhD fromNYU graduate school of busi-ness and an MBA in taxation.

“When we were putting thecourse together, we looked forsomeone who possessed threemain qualifications: academiccredentials, knowledge of thehistorical conditions of thevarious institutions and theability to relate them to contri-butions by Jewish institutionsand individuals, and alsosomeone who had practicalexperience in finance,” ex-plained Dean Snow.

“Dr. Tovey fits the descrip-tion because he has an aca-demic background, knowledgeof secular and Jewish contribu-tions to the world of businessand finance, and thirty-fiveyears of practical experience.”

The course featured presen-tations by several businessleaders, including ArthurSheer, president of Sheer AssetManagement, Inc., who spokeon asset management, andMorris Feder, president ofWorldwide Cargo, Inc., whodiscussed how the evolutionof the financial world wasaided by the railroad and ship-ping industry.

Dean Snow said the addi-tion of speakers in the courseoffered a new perspective onvarious aspects of business andhow their experiences relate tofinancial history.

Wall Street Legends Come to Life in New Syms Course

Yonatan Ellman with YC’s Dean Norman Adler and UniversityDean of Students David Himber

Dr. Mordechai Z. Cohen, associate professor of Bible

Dr. Henry Kaufman, famedeconomist and financial analyst

The Dr. Henry Kaufman Chair in Business and Financial History


COMMENCEMENT

Yeshiva College

Stern College for Women

Sy Syms School of Business Undergrad Triplets

HIGHLIGHTS OF

Yeshiva University Valedictorians L–R: David Nachbar, Adam Rapp, Danielle Harris, Yoel Samuel, Shoshana Frankel, Hoorbod Delshadfar, Rachelle Weinstein, Michael Helfand,Sarit Zauderer, Jonathan Meisels

Yeshiva University sweep: The Feldman family of Toronto celebrates the graduation of Dov (center)from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business. Brothers Ari (left) and Josh (right) are alsoalumni of Sy Syms, and their father, Eliot, is an alumnus of Yeshiva College and YU’s affiliated RabbiIsaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Ann Feldman is an alumna of YU’s Stern College for Women.

Rosman triplets: L-R: Tzachi, YC; Racheli, SCW; and Eli Rosman, YC

Summer 2002 YUToday 9COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT 2002

Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Wurzweiler School of Social Work

Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

President Norman Lamm; Honorable Adolfo Carrion, Bronx Boro President; Dr. Dominick Purpura,Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean

Dr. Renee Moadel, AECOM ‘96 hooding her sister, Dr. Nina Moadel

Elena Mahgerefteh

Dr. Fred Foley hooding Jodie Ambrosino and her daughterDarren Skinner, PhD, and daughter

Profiles in Excellence

With an overall GPA of 3.99 andnumerous Yeshiva College awardsunder his belt, Michael (Avi)

Helfand obviously enjoys intellectual chal-lenges. This year’s YC valedictorian had earnedthe required number of credits to graduate lastyear, but stayed on to complete the College’sprestigious Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein HonorsProgram.

A triple major in history, political science,and philosophy who won graduation awards inall three fields, this high-achieving seniorsimultaneously committed himself to Talmudicstudy in Yeshiva Program/Mazer School of

Talmudic Studies. Regularly burning oil far pastmidnight continues to pay off: he was acceptedto study towards a PhD in political science atYale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Michael, president of the YC History Cluband editor in his junior year of its journal,Chronos, plans to become an academic when hecompletes his studies. He also has an eye onpursuing semikhah (ordination) at Rabbi IsaacElchanan Theological Seminary. “Either I’llteach in a college when I’m done with gradschool, or I’ll panhandle,” he jokes. We have afeeling it’ll be the former.

Dee Dee Weberman is well on her way toreaching her career goals. The Sy SymsSchool of Business finance major had

already secured a job after graduation early in thesemester, as an operations analyst at SempraEnergy Trading in Stamford, CT.

For Dee Dee, college has always been aboutequipping herself for a career in the real worldof finance. She was president of the Max SternInvestment Club, where participating studentsinvest in a portfolio similar to a mutual fund,which gave her practical research experience.

She has interned every summer, building her

confidence and gaining practical experience. Her last internship, at Sony, resulted in her

staying on and being promoted to lead a smallaccounting division. She spent the past year anda half commuting between her 20-hour-a-weekjob and classes on the Midtown Campus.Besides having guts and energy, Dee Dee says ithelps to be “organized and responsible, and togo above what is expected of you.

“Then you are given added responsibilities,”she says, “and that’s what makes the internshipworthwhile.”

Osayame Osemwegie, a Nigerian studentat Wurzweiler School of Social Work,received the National Association of

Social Workers Award at Commencement thisyear. Ms. Osemwegie practiced as an attorney inLagos before she came to New York in 1991.Here she worked as an elementary schoolteacher in the public school system, but herdesire to help her students with problems theyencountered at home pushed her into socialwork. “I love helping people—sometimes to myown detriment!” she says.

She has been working for the New York CityAdministration for Children’s Services (ACS) for

the past eight years, most recently as a supervi-sor in pre-placement services at The Children’sCenter in Manhattan.

Strong interactive skills have helped Ms.Osemwegie get through to the many troubledyoungsters she has worked with in her fieldplacement at ACS’s Division of Foster Care andPreventive Services in Brooklyn.

Studying social work has given Ms.Osemwegie a broader professional context inwhich to apply her skills. “I wanted to get myMSW so that I could serve my clients better. Ithelps to put a name to what I have been doing,”she says.

Ms. Levine, 19, is on the brink of decid-ing on a career, and she has manypossibilities. During her three years at

SCW, the journalism major and American studiesminor heartily involved herself in two extracur-ricular activities that have guided her choices.

Ms. Levine worked for The Observer, SCW'sstudent newspaper, serving as editor-in-chiefduring her senior year. She also established theMock Trial Club at the College, which partici-pated in tournaments with other universities.“These activities incorporated my two passionsin life—to work as a journalist and to become alawyer,” she says. For now, she has decided topursue law. Ms. Levine has been accepted to an

impressive array of institutions including YU’sBenjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Harvard,Columbia, and New York University.

She may, however, take some time off tostudy in YU’s Graduate Program for Women inAdvanced Talmudic Studies, or finish theBA/MA program she is currently enrolled in atAzrieli Graduate School of Jewish Educationand Administration. She also taught a course atthe Hebrew Academy of Nassau County whereshe attended high school. “I truly feel that SternCollege for Women has prepared me to face thechallenges of choosing a career through itsclassroom education and extracurricular offer-ings,” she says.

Michael Helfand—Yeshiva College

Osayame Osemwegie—Wurzweiler School of Social Work

Adina Levine—Stern College for Women

Dee Dee Weberman—Sy Syms School of Business


COMMENCEMENT

Faculty and administrators joined more than 1,000 YU students at the largest Israel Day Parade onrecord in NYC.

Adeadly mix of politics,violence, and quests forpower formed the basis

of “The Politics of Terrorism,” anew course at Yeshiva Collegeoffered by the political sciencedepartment this spring.

Taught by Dr. Veena Thadani,assistant professor at YC, thecourse explored terrorismthrough different historicaland political contexts, tracingits changes throughout theages from early religious andpolitical roots to modern apoca-lyptic expressions.

The course was a directresponse to the world-chang-ing events of September 11,suggested by Dr. Ruth Bevan,David W. Petegorsky Professorof Political Science. Dr. Thadani,whose academic background isin international politics, notedthat the course did not focusdirectly on Osama bin Ladenand Al Qaeda, but looked atthe changing phenomenon ofterrorism throughout the world.

“The course examined howterrorism has changed de-pending on where, when, forwhat purpose, and with whatstrategy it has occurred,” saidDr. Thadani.

“The study of terrorism is ahistorical, political, and socio-logical interdisciplinary analy-sis of dissenting oppositionalgroups striving for some polit-ical objective. Since terroristgroups have political objec-tives, it is therefore importantto study them to understandwhat their goals are and whythey choose terrorism as ameans to promote those goals.”

Old and new expressions ofterrorism used throughout theworld were discussed, includ-ing state-sponsored terrorism,millenarian (relating to the

coming of a new millennium)and apocalyptic terrorism, cy-berterrorism, narcoterrorism(involving narcotics and crim-inal gangs), and terrorism byfringe groups such as animalwelfare, ecological, and envi-ronmental policy advocates.

The class was broken upinto teams and assigned a par-ticular terrorist group from dif-ferent regions of the world,which students presented tothe class. Terrorist groupsincluded Aum Shinrikyo inJapan, Shining Path in Peru,Buddhist groups in the Chinaand Tibet region, Hezbollahand Hamas in the Middle East,Mau Mau in Africa, and RedArmy Faction in Europe.

Student reaction to theclass was extremely positive.“Terrorism is one of the majorissues that shape the globe inthe twenty-first century,” saidHillel Deutsch, this spring aYC senior and political sciencemajor.

“It is a threat to life inIsrael, and is becoming a factorof American life. If we don’tknow the cause, purpose, andmethods of terrorism, we willnot know how to stop it.”

Oren Goldhaber, a juniorpolitical science major, agreed.“It is important for everyoneto understand the history andgeopolitics of terrorism.”

One of the key changes interrorism, Dr. Thadani pointedout, is that it is no longer con-sidered only a domestic threat.“There is no longer just onegroup dissenting, provoking,and attacking its own govern-ment,” she said. “The interna-tionalization of terrorist groupshas now made terrorism aglobal issue.”

Putting Terrorism Underthe Microscope Some 2,400 students from

YU’s undergraduate schoolsand affiliated high schools

participated in the April 15 rallyin Washington, DC, to showtheir support for Israel.

Fifty-three buses organizedby students transported faculty,staff, alumni, friends, and familymembers. They departed forthe nation’s capital from theWilf and Midtown Campusesin the early morning.

En route, faculty and stu-dents gave shiurim appropriateto the mood of the day to helpsupport participants’ sense ofpurpose.

President and Mrs. Lammwere among the bus contin-gent. Dr. Lamm said the daywas “an awe-inspiring event,made even more so by thephysically demanding natureof the day. Our students weremagnificent in their industry,dedication, and sense of use-fulness to all people at therally. They are an inspirationand source of enormous pridefor Yeshiva University.”

YC senior Reuven Brand, anorganizer of Operation TorahShield II, a student mission toIsrael during intersession toshow solidarity with Israel,was the final speaker at therally, which had an estimatedcrowd of 800,000 from aroundthe country.

YU’s participation wasreported by local and nationalTV and print news, includingCBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, WPIX,NY1, and the Associated Press.President Lamm and seniorsMichael Davis and ShmuliSinger were interviewed. All

the major broadcast news web-sites carried front-page storiesciting YU’s participation in therally.

At the rally, more than 100

students carried large dona-tion buckets, each bearing aphoto and story of an Israelicitizen killed by terrorists inrecent attacks. They collectedmore than $35,000 for theIsrael Emergency SolidarityFund, which distributes fundsand services to victims of ter-rorism in Israel.

This collection was in addi-tion to the recent $5,000raised by students on YU cam-

puses and matched dollar-for-dollar by Student Organi-zation of Yeshiva and the SternCollege Torah ActivitiesCouncil (for a total gift of

$10,000). Ten families of vic-tims of terrorism in Israel, cho-sen by the students, eachreceived $1,000 for Passover.

An additional $9,000 wasraised by students at a tehillim(psalms) rally held in Man-hattan’s Financial District aweek after the Washingtonrally, bringing the total raisedby students to $54,000, whichthey also donated to the IsraelEmergency Solidarity Fund.

Students Mobilize for Israel

Dr. Veena Thadani, assistant professor of political science

Agroup of YU students launched a nationwide newspaper project called “Kol Haneshama”(“Every Soul,” Psalm 150) to memorialize Israeli terror victims. The projectfeatures a full page of photos and personal biographies of Israeli victims. The inserts

have been running in more than 20 newspapers nationwide since March and reach approxi-mately 1 million readers.

Coordinated by undergraduates Naphtali Weisz and Judah Elbaum, the project originatedduring Operation Torah Shield II, when the 200 YU students who participated in the mission to Israel wanted to channel their experience into a project that would have a lasting impact.

Also, many students have pledged at least 1% of their gross summer earnings to help support victims in Israel of Palestinian violence.

Reuven Brand YC ‘02, addressed the record gathering inWashington, DC April 15.


The Langfan family, whoin 1999 established aprize competition for

oratory at Benjamin N. Car-dozo School of Law, extendedthe competition this year toinclude Yeshiva College, SternCollege for Women, and SySyms School of Business.

The competition took placeon April 24 for MidtownCampus students and May 1for Wilf Campus students. Dr.Nada Beth Glick,director ofacademic advisement, under-graduate men, who coordinat-ed the May 1 event, consultedwith the coordinators ofCardozo’s program on issues oftopic, length, and format “toensure that our program wasbased on the model that lawstudents use.”

While Cardozo and YeshivaCollege held separate competi-tions this year, they jointlyagreed on a topic,“Government Aid to ReligiousSchools and the Role of theFirst Amendment Today,”which the schools felt wouldbe suitable for both law stu-dents and undergraduates.

The nine judges includedMichael Hecht, MSTA deanand YC pre-law adviser;Bernard Revel Graduate Schoolof Jewish Studies’ Dr. ArthurHyman; Dr. William Lee, Jayand Jeanie SchottensteinHonors Program director atYC; and YC and CSL alumnusMenashe Shapiro.

Participating students eachmade their presentations infront of three judges, and sixfinalists were selected for thefinal round.

The three prizes of $1,400,$700, and $400 were awardedto Hillel Deutsch, Alan Gold-smith, and Moshe Goodman,respectively.

At the Midtown Campusevent, students spoke on thetopic of “Drug Testing of HighSchool Students,” and the topprize was split between AbbyMalen and Adina Levine.

Students were encouragedto base their research on constitutional evidence andSupreme Court cases, and theparticipants showed a widerange of experience with oralpresentation.

“The judges were very im-pressed with the level of pre-paration by the participants,”said Dr. Glick.

“I enjoyed the challenge ofrhetoric and presenting anargument for a case that isrelevant to the American andJewish community, and specifi-cally to us as YU students,”said Hillel Deutsch, graduat-ing YC senior, outgoing presi-

dent of the YU Debate Society,and the top YC competitionwinner.

This past semester, the YUdebate team took top honors inCornell University’s fifth annualopen invitational impromptudebate tournament. YU debatersdefeated entrants from Cornell,Yale University, Queens College,Osborne, New School Univ-ersity, and Rockland Com-

munity College to clinch thetop three overall places in thecompetition, and took a total of7 of the top 10 places. Team cap-tain Hillel Deutsch was namedbest debater for overall record(4-0) and speaker points (89 outof a possible 90). Avi Holczercame in second, and third placewas taken by Miriam Bardi, thefirst rookie debater at SCW to goundefeated for three rounds.

Langfan Family Oratory Competition Extended to Undergraduates

Pictured from left: Mr. Deutsch, Dr. Glick, Mr. Goodman, and Mr. Goldschmidt at the competition.

Rabbi Chanoch Yeres(YH’73,YC’76,WSSW’80RIETS’80) is educational

coordinator of the Yeshiva Uni-versity Israel Alumni’s (YUIA)Jewish Heritage Program for theHearing-Impaired.

A psychologist, he has beenhelping hearing-impaired resi-dents of the sometimes be-sieged Jerusalem suburb of Gilo,which faces the Arab village ofBeit Jala, cope with the emo-tional stress of living throughtrying times.

Supported by allocationsfrom the Jewish Agency forIsrael, the program provides

essential practical and psycho-logical support, includinginstallation of special flashinglights that warn of gunfire inthe homes of hearing-impairedresidents of Gilo, vibratingbeepers that display text mes-sages with instructions on whatto do in an emergency, andvideo telephones that enablethe hearing impaired to “see”the person calling and com-municate in sign language.

“The deaf person sees peo-ple in states of hysteria or run-ning in the streets and he orshe doesn’t know what isgoing on, doesn’t know where

family members are and hasno way to contact anyone. Weprovide them with the tools toget vital information in realtime,” Rabbi Yeres said.

“Our support helps thesefamilies overcome their fearsand learn to go about their nor-mal lives. Our programs literallyare lifesavers for the deaf andhearing impaired,” he said.

In addition, YUIA spon-sored a two-part family work-shop on dealing with stress forthe hearing impaired, offeringpractical solutions to dealingwith danger.

Spotlight on Alumni: Helping Deaf inIsrael to Cope


Honors Programcontinued from page 1

SCW valedictorian. Each of thegraduates completed a mini-mum of seven honors courses,researched and wrote a SeniorProject under the direction ofa faculty mentor, and partici-pated each semester in a widerange of required extracurricu-lar events.

The Senior Project repre-sents the culmination of eachhonors student’s academiccareer at Stern College. Work

on the project begins duringthe second semester of the stu-dent’s junior year and contin-ues throughout the entire sen-ior year. Working one-on-onewith her mentor, each studentuses the three semesters to delveinto a specific area of researchwithin the area of her major.The results have been extremelyimpressive.

This year’s graduates wereawarded 17 departmental and college awards and includededitors of a wide range of YUpublications, including The

Observer, Hamevaser, and DerechHa Teva. Graduates who will becontinuing their education inthe fall of 2002 will be study-ing at, among other places,Harvard Law School, FerkaufGraduate School of Psychology,and Columbia UniversityGraduate School (computa-tional biology), Hofstra Uni-versity (clinical psychology),and YU’s Bernard Revel Grad-uate School of Jewish Studies.(See page 4 for senior honor theses and project titles).

Scholar Awards

Benefactor Benjamin Teitel with Amy Bergman (left) andKaren Weiss, SCW students who were named Esther TeitelScholars this year, in memory of Mr. Teitel’s wife.

Jack Rudin (third from left, back row), a Benefactor of theUniversity and its Albert Einstein College of Medicine, withJack and Susan Rudin Educational Scholars.

Going beyond the call ofduty comes naturallyto Brian McNulty, a

third-year medical student atAlbert Einstein College ofMedicine. A volunteer firemanin his hometown of Bethpage,NY, since age 15, Mr. McNultyhas dedicated his life to help-ing his fellow man.

After earning his emer-gency medical technicianlicense, he became an AMT(advanced medical technician),which is an intermediate para-medic. He then joined the NewYork City Emergency MedicalService and after only a fewdays was advised to take theparamedic exam since he hadalready gained a good deal ofexperience during his volun-teer service.

“I didn’t have the money to pay for the tolls to go toEinstein to take the paramedicexam and I had to hook upwith another person in myclass,” Mr. McNulty said. “Myinterview went very well andsix months later I entered theInstitute of Emergency Med-icine at AECOM.”

After six years of service as aNYC paramedic, Mr. McNultydecided that he had to look foranother line of work to in-crease his earnings and he

entered the NYC Police Aca-demy in 1986.

“Being a police officerallowed me to continue help-ing people and put my previ-ous training to good use.”

An unusually self-effacing

man, Mr. McNulty is certified inan array of specialties, includ-ing extrication, underwater res-cue, rope rescue, and the han-dling of hazardous materials.He is also OSHA-certified as aconfined space attendant andentrant.

This unusual credential

means he is trained to assist atlocations like Ground Zero,where the rescue or recoveryof individuals is perilous. Inaddition, he is a NY State radi-ological monitor, which quali-fies him to assist in situations

such as nuclear spills.Following a shooting epi-

sode in which he was injuredin the line of duty, Mr. McNultyretired from the police force in1993.

“After getting my life to-gether and recovering from myinjury, I went back to school in

1995 and finished my under-graduate work at SUNY StonyBrook in 1999 with a degree inbiology. Most policemen be-come involved with securitywork after they retire or becomeelectricians or engineers.

“Being a doctor was some-thing I always wanted to doand it was a natural progres-sion from my previous train-ing. Twenty years have passedsince that first time on theEinstein campus and yet I real-ly felt at home when I cameback as a medical student.”

Undertaking medical schoolat age 38, with three daugh-ters, might present a dauntingchallenge. However, Mr. Mc-Nulty approached this with hischaracteristic sanguine atti-tude.

“Juggling school and familyhas been my greatest challengebut we’ve done very well. Thefirst year was the most tryingbecause I tried to be home asmuch as possible for familyreasons, which detracted frommy study time.

I have an apartment oncampus and now I commuteon weekends and two or threetimes a week. Fortunately, mywife, Barbara, has been verysupportive. I write my papers inlonghand, fax them to her,

and she emails them back tome. We believe in short termsacrifices for long term goals.”

AECOM has built a reputa-tion for attracting a diversestudent body in terms of eth-nicity and age. This policy fos-ters an environment that iscomfortable and reassuring forthe atypical student and en-hances the quality and depthof the student body.

Mr. McNulty is undecidedas to whether to pursue familyor emergency medicine. He isconsidering a program at LongIsland Jewish Medical Centerthat merges internal medicinewith emergency medicine butthe pace of a private practice isenticing.

Still an active member inthe East Farmingdale FireVolunteer Department whenhe is at home, Mr. McNultywill always be performingemergency medicine and help-ing those in need regardless ofhis ultimate career choice.

He also hopes that his jour-ney will serve as an examplefor fellow policemen to followtheir dreams after they retirefrom the police force. Mr.McNulty is a true inspirationfor anyone who has a dreamwaiting to be realized.

Brian McNulty: From EMT to NYPD to Einstein MD

Sleeping and DreamingDisorders” and “The DaddyDilemma” were among

the diverse topics of a FerkaufGraduate School of Psych-ology alumni association spon-sored event, “Ferkauf Today:Learning from Each Other.”

The May 19 gathering, a day-long series of academic semi-nars featuring faculty membersand prominent alumni, wasdesigned to allow alumni toreconnect with each other aswell as offer psychology pro-fessionals interesting lectureson timely topics.

The event was open to Fer-kauf alumni and current Ferkaufstudents.

The program began withbreakfast and orientation, andincluded two classes per timeslot for participants to choosefrom. It concluded with re-marks by the alumni associa-tion copresidents, FerkaufDean Lawrence J. Siegal, PhD,and keynote address, “Shocksand Aftershocks: The Cont-inuing Significance of StanleyMilgram’s Obedience Studies,”by Thomas Blass, PhD ’69.

“I wanted to see what the

school was like ten years after Igraduated, and it was also anopportunity for me to givesomething back,” said SusanSilver Bartell, PsyD ’91, whospoke on a father’s relation-ship to his children and re-cently published two books onthe subject, Stepliving for Teensand Mommy or Daddy: WhoseSide Am I On?.

Approximately 50 alumniand faculty attended the event,and many expressed interestin attending similar alumnievents in the future. “It wasimportant for me to come tosupport the alumni associa-tion, and it’s always good toupdate your knowledge,” saidEllen Klausner, PhD ’93.

“Events like these give usthe opportunity to shareknowledge with fellow alumniworking in the psychologyfield, and it allows our alumnito play an active role inFerkauf, and reconnect withthe School,” said Dean Siegal.

In April, a group of Wurz-weiler School of Social Workalumni returned to the Schoolas “teachers” while manymore came back as students

for “Learn From the ManyFaces of Social Work,” Wurz-weiler’s first daylong academicprogram, specifically for alum-ni. It was attended by 65alumni.

The gathering consisted offour “classes” covering varioussocial work topics, given byexpert alumni and Wurzweilerfaculty members.

The program was designedso that alumni affairs stafferscould meet alumni and get toknow their special skills, andto offer them an opportunityto enhance their professionalknowledge, says Adam M.Greenwald, director of alumniaffairs for Wurzweiler.

The classes emphasized thediversity of the alumni popu-lation and the types of workthey do. They dealt with faithand spirituality, ethics in nurs-ing homes, communal prac-tice, and social work from anurban perspective. The Honor-able Vito J. Lopez WSSW ’70,New York State Assemblyman,53rd Assembly District, gavethe keynote address about“Social Work and Politics.”

FGS, WSSW Reunion Days: Sharing Knowledge and Experience

The Honorable Vito J. Lopez WSSW '70 keynotes WSSW reunion.

Mary Ellen Carty ‘97FGS and Sherry Gaines Cutler ‘97 address fellow alumni.


Brian McNulty follows his dream at Einstein.

• Anna Velcich, MD, and Leonard Augenlicht, MD, of AlbertEinstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, arethe lead authors of research, published in the journal Science,providing information that could be employed in the prognosisand prevention of colorectal cancer. A decisive experiment hasrevealed that a particular gene and the protein it encodes areintimately involved in the development of the disease. The workalso produced the first mouse model for rectal cancer.

• Richard Kitsis, MD, associate professor of cell biology, is amonginvestigators nationwide searching for the link between cellmortality and human disease. Researching “cell suicide,” a natu-ral biological process that sometimes goes haywire, he is nowtesting a compound that could inhibit key steps in the “suicide”program, thus perhaps reducing tissue damage after heart attacks.

• The American Association of Anatomists recently presented itsprestigious Henry Gray Laureate to Dr. Peter Satir, professor ofanatomy and structural biology at Einstein. The award, which isthe highest honor accorded by the association, is given annual-ly to recognize the contributions to, and achievements in, theanatomical sciences. Dr. Satir was cited for his work in elucidat-ing the structural basis of ciliary movements.

• Through its Academic Medicine and Managed Care Forum,Aetna and the Aetna Foundation awarded researchers at Einsteina Quality Care Research Fund grant of $330,000 to supportresearch evaluating the impact of a skills-based educationalintervention for primary care physicians designed to improvethe ways asthma care is administered. Robert Morrow, MD, isproject director; Michael Mulvihill, MD, is principal investigator.

• Thomas Rohan, MD, PhD, has been appointed chairman of theDepartment of Epidemiology and Social Medicine at Einsteinand Montefiore Medical Center and associate director of theCancer Control and Epidemiology Program at the EinsteinCancer Center. Roman Perez-Soler, MD, has been appointeddirector of the Division of Medical Oncology at Einstein andassociate director for clinical research at the Einstein CancerCenter.

Einstein Roundup

Dr. Haym Soloveitchik, amember of the facultyat Bernard Revel Grad-

uate School of Jewish Studieswho is a leading figure inJewish academic scholarship,recently became The MerkinFamily Professor of JewishHistory and Literature at theSchool.

The first occupant of theChair, his investiture by Pres-ident Norman Lamm tookplace at the Fifth Avenue Syn-agogue, where Lauren and J.Ezra Merkin sponsored theinaugural lecture by Dr. Solo-veitchik. It was followed by areception for members, friends,and guests of the Merkin family.

Following opening remarksby Mordecai D. Katz, RevelBoard chairman, Dr. Lamm paidtribute to the Merkin familyfor its leadership and philan-thropic support. He then intro-duced Dr. Soloveitchik, Uni-versity Professor and distin-guished Talmudist and histori-an, who spoke on “Halakhah,Taboo, and the Origin of JewishMoney Lending.”

Dr. Soloveitchik received aBA from Harvard University,was ordained at RIETS, andearned a doctorate in Jewishhistory from Hebrew Univ-ersity. He is an expert in Jewishmedieval history and is theauthor of several books andnumerous scholarly articles.

Dr. Soloveitchik’s late father,the revered Rabbi Joseph B.Soloveitchik, was the initialoccupant of the Leib MerkinDistinguished Professorial Chairin Talmud and Jewish Phil-osophy at RIETS. The LeibMerkin chair was endowed byEzra Merkin’s late father,Hermann Merkin, who servedas vice chairman of the Uni-versity for many years.

In addition, in recognitionof a gift by Hermann andUrsula Merkin, the Isaac BreuerCollege for Hebraic Studieswas named in memory of Dr.Isaac Breuer, the father ofUrsula Merkin.

J. Ezra and Lauren Merkinhave been at the forefront ofleadership and support of the

Jewish community for manyyears. Mr. Merkin, recentlyelected to the YU Board ofTrustees has been a member ofthe board of RIETS since 1984.

He serves as chairman ofthe Investment Committees ofboth Yeshiva University andUJA/Federation of New York.

In addition, he serves aspresident of Fifth Avenue Syn-agogue and as vice chairmanof the Ramaz School. He is agraduate of Columbia Collegeand Harvard Law School.

His wife, the former LaurenKorngold, is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and theWharton School. Mrs. Merkinserves as a trustee of the AviChai Foundation.

Dr. Soloveitchik Named Merkin Professor

The Azrieli GraduateSchool of Jewish Educa-tion and Administration

is offering a summer seminarenrichment program forYeshiva University high schoolteachers to develop new cur-ricula in Jewish thought andphilosophy.

Dr. David Shatz, professorof philosophy at Stern Collegefor Women, directs the program.

“This is an exciting initia-tive that is modeled on theannual seminars offered by theNational Endowment for theHumanities,” said Dr. DavidSchnall, Azrieli dean.

“It goes well beyond, how-ever, in its attempt to empow-er high school teachers andallow them to develop theirown curricula.”

Two teams of teachers areparticipants—five from YU’sgirls’ high school and fourfrom its boys’ high school. Theprogram spans two weeks andrequires teachers to spend sixhours each day working inclasses and on group projects.

Additionally, participants mayearn credit toward a graduatedegree at Azrieli.

“Directing this seminar isan exciting proposition,” Dr.Shatz said. “There's a real needfor Jewish thought at the highschool level. Exposure to thisaspect of our tradition is essen-tial to helping students thinkabout religious issues in a seri-ous, disciplined way. Un-fortunately, the area is oftenneglected.”

As part of the program, Dr.Shatz conducts interactive ses-sions and leads discussions ontopics including “Faith andReason,” “Science and Judaism,”“Jewish Law and Morality,”and “Religious Zionism andthe Jewish Philosophy ofHistory.”

“The program is excitingbecause our teachers will notonly be learning inspiringmaterial, but material that isdesigned specifically to inspireour students,” said RochelleBrand, principal of Samuel H.Wang Yeshiva University High

School for Girls. “The venturefurther solidifies the ongoingunique relationship betweenthe University and its highschools.”

Dr. Jeremiah Unterman,director of the Association ofModern Orthodox DaySchools and Yeshiva HighSchools (AMODS), said thatAzrieli will offer workshops forteachers from other schools todemonstrate the program andits effectiveness.

“Through the participationof Dr. Unterman, this effortwill develop models for excel-lence that can be adapted byJewish schools throughout thecountry,” said Dean Schnall.

“Bringing leading scholarssuch as Dr. Shatz under theumbrella of Azrieli assures thesuccess of these endeavors andfurther promotes interdivi-sional collaboration, utilizingthe rich resources available atour campus. Azrieli is proud toserve as the engine for this col-laboration,” he added.

Azrieli Initiates Jewish Thought andPhilosophy Program for YUHS Teachers


Arecent gift from EvelynGruss Lipper, MD, hon-ors the memory of her

parents and extends their legacy of philanthropic leader-ship in education and med-ical science.

Throughout their lives,Joseph S. and Caroline Grusstouched the University in countless ways with their generosity and support. Now,thanks to a gift from the GrussLipper Foundation to AlbertEinstein College of Medicine,the 18,500 square-foot Carolineand Joseph S. Gruss MagneticResonance Research Centerhas been built on the Jack andPearl Resnick Campus in the Bronx.

Dr. Lipper, an Einsteinalumna (class of ’71) and pedi-atrician, is director of childdevelopment at New YorkHospital-Weill Cornell MedicalCenter. She previously servedas director of the PrematureFollow-Up Program atAECOM's Rose F. KennedyCenter for Research in MentalRetardation and Develop-mental Disabilities.

Housed within the newresearch center will be some ofthe most sophisticated high-field magnets ever developedfor basic research and clinical

studies. The center will signifi-cantly advance the school’sexisting research strengths,including ongoing investiga-tions in diabetes, cancer, liverdiseases, sickle cell diseases,human genetics, and the work-ings of the human brain.

Dr. Lipper's gift to name theresearch center also relates toher own professional activitiesand interests. “In my clinicaland research work with chil-dren, we are constantly seek-ing to better understand howthe brain functions,” she says. “MRI technology plays a vitalrole in this area.”

Dr. Hoby Hetherington isone of the outstanding medicalscientists who have found a research home at the newfacility. The center’s director,he is an internationally recog-nized expert in magnetic resonance who has pioneeredthe application of MRI techni-cal advances and techniquesin clinical research. Dr. JulliePan, associate director of the center, has utilized thetechnology in fundamentalstudies of multiple sclerosis,epilepsy, and normal brainmetabolism. Both she and Dr.Hetherington recently came toEinstein from BrookhavenNational Laboratory.

MRI Research Center at Einstein

From left: Lauren and J. Ezra Merkin with Dr. Haym Soloveitchikand President Lamm

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PA IDYESHIVA UNIVERSITY

500 WEST 185TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10033 SUMMER 2002

YUTodayA PUBLICATION OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY

When Bernard RevelGraduate School ofJewish Studies open-

ed its doors in 1937, it offeredan innovative program inadvanced Judaic studies forOrthodox rabbis and academi-cians, who were its original stu-dents and who were destinedto make their mark on theAmerican Jewish scene. Thistradition of innovation contin-ues today with a newly brand-ed PhD program in Jewish stud-ies that has recently beenapproved by the New YorkState Education Department.

The new doctoral programoffers concentrations in Bible,medieval Jewish history, mod-ern Jewish history, medievalJewish philosophy, and Tal-mudic studies, and replacescurrent, separate PhD programsin these fields. This change is areflection of the changing faceof academic Jewish studies pro-grams across the country thatare moving from specializedfields to a broader, interdiscipli-nary approach.

“This new academic direc-tion will give students an in-

depth knowledge of a specificdiscipline, while at the sametime provide them withenough knowledge in otherfields of Jewish studies to makethem effective teachers andbetter researchers,” said Dr.Arthur Hyman, distinguishedservice professor of philoso-phy and BRGJS dean. “Thechange will ensure greaterbreadth in the training of doc-toral students and enhanceintegration among the variousfields of concentration,” headded.

The New York State Edu-cation Department formed aselect committee of outsideprofessors to review the cur-rent state of the academic pro-grams in the School. Afterspending two days there, thecommittee highly recommend-ed the PhD program change.Also commended by the com-mittee was the School’s facul-ty, student enthusiasm, theadvisement program, and theexcellent library facilities andresources.

The new doctoral programis also in line with the overall

expansion and developmentthe School has seen since Dr.Hyman was appointed dean in1991. Nine years ago, enroll-ment was 80 students, almostexclusively from Yeshiva Col-lege and Stern College forWomen; now it has approxi-mately 125 students from a range of schools, includingPrinceton, Columbia, Barnard,and Yale. The number ofwomen enrolled has alsoincreased substantially, andcurrently makes up about 40%of the student population.

Additionally, a generousscholarship and fellowshipprogram has been instrumen-tal in attracting more students.Revel Board of DirectorsChairman Mordecai D. Katz,together with the Board, hasbeen successful in securingfinancial support, especiallyfellowships. In 1991, onlyseven students received schol-arships, which provide tuitionassistance and fellowships.Approximately 45 studentscurrently benefit from theseawards.

Revel’s faculty, which cur-

rently numbers nine full-timeand five visiting professors, aregraduates from prestigiousJewish studies PhD programsaround the nation. All theRevel faculty are active inscholarly work, publishingbooks and articles, speaking atnational and internationalconferences, and receivingawards of recognition.

The Revel School is anenterprise of intensive scholar-ship. Its mission—to encour-

age and nurture Judaic schol-arship among teachers, acade-micians, rabbis, and lay per-sons—is essential to impartingknowledge of Jewish history,philosophy, and sacred textsto ensure Jewish continuity.The School also trains menand women as teachers andresearchers in Jewish studiesand prepares them for posi-tions as specialized teachers inJewish day schools and yeshiv-ot throughout the nation.

New Broadened PhD program in Jewish Studies at Revel

Dean Arthur Hyman teaching medieval Jewish philosophy.

Walter Wurzburger,PhD, adjunct pro-fessor of philosophy

at YU, died April 16 at the ageof 82. He taught philosophy atStern College for Women and

Yeshiva College from1967 until earlier thisyear, when he stoppedteaching because of illhealth.

The YU communityheld a memorial serv-ice in the Lipschutz-Gutwirth Study Halland Shul in the Leahand Joseph Rubin Res-idence Hall May 13. Asefer torah (Torah scroll)is being donated by hisfriends, YU GuardiansRochelle and EdwardBerkowitz and theirchildren, who were pre-sent at the memorial.

With a BA fromYeshiva College in1943 and semikhah(ordination) from RIETSin 1944, he earned an

MA and PhD in philosophyfrom Harvard University. In1987, he received an honoraryDoctor of Divinity degree atYU’s Centennial Commence-ment. Most recently he wasrabbi of Congregation ShaarayTefila in Lawrence, NY, untilhe retired in 1994. Before thathe served at pulpits in Bostonand Canada.

A respected rabbi, PresidentNorman Lamm once calledhim a “prodigious intellectualand moral activist whose lead-ership has been inspiring togenerations of rabbinic andlay leaders of Jewish life.” Dr.Wurzburger was a distinguishedmember of Rabbi Joseph B.Soloveitchik’s first generationof students and was a closefriend of the Rav and his familyfor many years.

He was outspoken abouthis belief that Modern Ortho-doxy should engage with con-

temporary society. “He was avery good teacher…the intel-lectual of the Modern Ortho-dox rabbinate,” said Dr. Lamm.

Dr. Wurzburger served aspresident of the RabbinicalCouncil of America, thenation’s largest Orthodox rab-binical group, and of theSynagogue Council of America,a now-defunct organizationthat represented Orthodox,Conservative, and ReformJudaism. In 1983, he was pre-sented with the NationalRabbinic Leadership Awardfrom the Union of OrthodoxJewish Congregations ofAmerica.

He was also a member ofthe International Jewish Com-mittee on Interreligious Con-sultations, the major Jewishgroup that is in dialogue withthe Vatican.

Dr. Wurzburger immigratedto the United States in 1938

from Munich, shortly afterKristallnacht. A prolific authorwhose work has appeared innumerous religious and secularpublications and scholarlyjournals, Dr. Wurzburger wasthe editor for 26 years of theOrthodox journal Tradition,and co-editor with Dr. Lammof A Treasury of Tradition(Jewish Publication Society,1994). He is the author ofEthics of Responsibility: Plural-istic Approaches to CovenantalEthics (Jewish PublicationSociety, 1994) and God is ProofEnough (Devora Publishing,2000).

He is survived by his wife,Naomi; three sons, Dr. Ben-jamin of Jerusalem, Joshua ofManhattan, and Myron ‘73Yof Hewlett, NY; and onegrandchild.

Walter Wurzburger, Philosophy Professor and Rabbi, Dies

Students attending anyone of the undergraduateor graduate schools on

the Wilf Campus may think ofWashington Heights as theirhome away from home. Butfor many Yeshiva Universitystudents, faculty, and staffwho live around the WilfCampus year-round, Washing-ton Heights is not only ahome, but also an attractive,thriving Jewish community.

The community has growntremendously over the pastdecade in large part due to asuccessful effort by YU to cre-ate a viable environment foryoung University and RIETS-affiliated couples and families.Rabbi Daniel Rapp, assistant tothe dean of undergraduateJewish and instructor in Bible,has lived near the WilfCampus for seven years withhis wife, Chaya, and has seendramatic changes not only inthe area’s quality of life, butalso in the number of peopleliving there.

“I remember in 1995 thecommunity had twenty-fivecouples, and nine of them hadchildren,” said Rabbi Rapp.Now there are approximately

90 couples and families livingin the area. There is also aneruv (enclosure permittingJews to carry on the Sabbath),a playground between YUapartment buildings, andmany more kosher food stores,he said.

YU’s Independent HousingProgram (IHP) provides apart-ments for many of the YU andRIETS-affiliated couples andfamilies in the area, who areattracted to the program bythe reasonable apartment rentsand convenience to Universityfacilities, a yeshiva, and trans-portation. IHP owns and oper-ates apartments in the WilfCampus area, from 188th to182nd streets. And, as morepeople consider living in theWilf Campus area, the rate ofapplications to IHP keepsincreasing.

Shira and Jason Freuden-berger, who are studying atFerkauf Graduate School ofPsychology and RIETS, respec-tively, have been living in thearea for nearly a year in In-dependent Housing. They likethe convenience and commu-nity atmosphere.

“This a very close-knit com-

munity and many facilities areavailable,” said Shira. “I canuse the YU library to study atnight, and Jason likes livingright across the street from theRIETS building. Members ofthe community also organizeevents for everyone, whichbrings people together.”

Undergraduate and highschool students living in cam-pus dormitories are often in-vited to nearby homes forShabbat, creating a stabilizingenvironment for students,especially out-of-towners.

“When students go to com-munity members’ homes inthe area for Shabbat, it givestheir parents a more comfort-able feeling about sendingthem here,” said Rabbi Rapp.

Additionally, the increasein kosher food stores andrestaurants in WashingtonHeights, especially in the WilfCampus area, in recent yearshas attracted people and hasgiven the area a competitiveedge comparable to otheryoung communities in NewYork and New Jersey. Withinthe past two years, the WilfCampus area has gained a café,a sandwich shop, a minimar-

ket, and an expanded bakery/dairy restaurant.

“We wanted to open a cafébecause it gives YU studentsand faculty, young couples,and community members aplace to sit down and gettogether,” said Steve Martinek,former Sy Syms student andowner and manager of Kaffeine,a kosher dairy café on 184thStreet and Amsterdam Avenue.

“Keeping kosher in Wash-

ington Heights can be incon-venient for couples and fami-lies,” said Shmuel Alkolombre,SSSB alumnus and owner of anew kosher minimarket onAmsterdam Avenue. Mr. Alko-lombre, who remembers trekkingacross Washington Heights tobuy kosher groceries as a stu-dent, wants his store “to caterto those who live around herebecause it’s a necessity in anyJewish community.”

Turning a Campus into a Community

Kaffeine owners Arik Lifshitz, Steve Martinek, and David Batalion


Rabbi Walter Wurzburger inspired generations of rabbinic and lay leaders of Jewish life.

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY TODAY Summer 2002

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