On the Absence of Israel

This summer's military escalation in Israel has no doubt left many Yeshiva undergrads seeking fresh news and searching for ways to help out their fellow Jews entrenched in the seemingly endless conflict. The Commentator's staff certainly shares their sentiments and outcries.

But at the same time, it may be noted that in-depth news analyses, editorials, and student opinion (excluding personal vignettes and experiences) concerning the turmoil in the Middle East are absent from this edition and all others forthcoming.

This should not be interpreted as a disregard for the welfare of the State of Israel by The Commentator, but simply as an acknowledgement that we are a paper dedicated to raising awareness of all things occurring within Yeshiva and its greater community. Despite its importance, Israel remains outside of our domain. We encourage the Israel club, the Political Science Society, and any other relevant student organization to increase awareness of Israel's constantly changing condition by securing qualified speakers, organizing colloquia to increase discussion, creating charity drives to assist those Israelis most affected by the military escalation, and arranging missions to Israel to help her economy and exhibit Yeshiva's solidarity with her citizens.

If something brought up at one of these Yeshiva functions is found distasteful, confusing, or stupendous, our opinions section is the perfect forum for expressing these sentiments within a Yeshiva context. There is no reason for expounding upon, for example, the pitfalls or practicalities of last summer's disengagement from Gaza in our pages, as it has little to do with Yeshiva. But, if a hypothetical guest lecturer addressed the disengagement in a peculiar fashion, that could warrant a submission by a student asking why such an address was delivered, and a piece presenting a justification from those who invited him would be appropriate. Such dialogue is more than welcome in The Commentator.

The importance of the State of Israel is without measure for our community and Judaism as a whole, but under most circumstances it has little to do with Yeshiva and, therefore, little to do with The Commentator. We do not wish to become home to unsolicited rants and banter that do not affect Yeshiva.