2008 Woodie Awards
A Message from the YSU President
Shmulik Rosenberg
Issue date: 8/31/05 Section: Opinion
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Having been given the privilege of represening the student body on the Wilf Campus, on behalf of the Yeshiva Student Union, I am honored to officially welcome both new and returning students to Yeshiva University. I spent a large part of my own summer creating new and innovative programming to enhance our experience at Yeshiva.
As we embark on a new academic year, we prepare for a new beginning; clean slates, open minds and hearts. We are anxious to start and continue our collegiate experience. We are, however, witnessing the heart-wrenching situation in which our brethren in Eretz Yisrael are experiencing. As we all know, families have been removed from homes that they have called their own for over 35 years; homes that they fought and died for. As I spent part of the summer in Israel, I was able to observe these events as they unfolded and, to a limited extent, understand the pain and suffering of not only those who had left their homes, but of all Israelis. I have reached but only one conclusion: whether we agree or disagree with each other, we must still respect and value each other.
I witnessed the hundreds of thousands of orange-dressed, young men and women, adults and children alike, standing and demonstrating against the government's decision. As I viewed these events, I pondered the endurance of Am Yisrael. I wondered if we could, once again, remain a united people in our fight for the continued existence of the State of Israel.
The events occurring in Israel serve to remind us of the issues existing within our own community at Yeshiva. Helen Keller once said: "The highest result of education is tolerance." Though we are all quite different, we are nonetheless all part of Yeshiva University and should unite to become a single community. Our different backgrounds and experiences only signify the uniqueness of our student body.
We can enhance our own community simply by greeting one another nicely and pleasantly and accord the appropriate respect that each and every student deserves. It is proper derech eretz to embrace each individual besever panim yafot, with a smile and a positive attitude. As Jews we are required to set examples for those around us; a basic 'hello' or 'thank-you' is enough to make a good impression on those we encounter.
We are at the beginning of a new and exciting year. I hope to create numerous events to help facilitate and promote unity amongst us. My board, consisting of Vice President Shalom Weiss, Treasurer Alan Kleinerman and Secretary Yosef Herzog, is looking for ideas and suggestions in order to best serve you and the entire student body. It is our goal to be able to further advance campus life and build a united community. I look forward to hearing your feedback throughout the year to strengthen our programming and your experience. You can reach me at ysupres@yu.edu.
As Shlomo Hamelech says in Kohelet (3:3) "Et Lifrotz, V'et Livnot" - "A time to wreck and a time to build." We have seen our cities lay in ruin, now it is time to plant the seeds of our personal and communal future. Please join with me as we enhance the Yeshiva student community over the upcoming year, together as one.
Shmulik Rosenberg is the Yeshiva Student Union president.
As we embark on a new academic year, we prepare for a new beginning; clean slates, open minds and hearts. We are anxious to start and continue our collegiate experience. We are, however, witnessing the heart-wrenching situation in which our brethren in Eretz Yisrael are experiencing. As we all know, families have been removed from homes that they have called their own for over 35 years; homes that they fought and died for. As I spent part of the summer in Israel, I was able to observe these events as they unfolded and, to a limited extent, understand the pain and suffering of not only those who had left their homes, but of all Israelis. I have reached but only one conclusion: whether we agree or disagree with each other, we must still respect and value each other.
I witnessed the hundreds of thousands of orange-dressed, young men and women, adults and children alike, standing and demonstrating against the government's decision. As I viewed these events, I pondered the endurance of Am Yisrael. I wondered if we could, once again, remain a united people in our fight for the continued existence of the State of Israel.
The events occurring in Israel serve to remind us of the issues existing within our own community at Yeshiva. Helen Keller once said: "The highest result of education is tolerance." Though we are all quite different, we are nonetheless all part of Yeshiva University and should unite to become a single community. Our different backgrounds and experiences only signify the uniqueness of our student body.
We can enhance our own community simply by greeting one another nicely and pleasantly and accord the appropriate respect that each and every student deserves. It is proper derech eretz to embrace each individual besever panim yafot, with a smile and a positive attitude. As Jews we are required to set examples for those around us; a basic 'hello' or 'thank-you' is enough to make a good impression on those we encounter.
We are at the beginning of a new and exciting year. I hope to create numerous events to help facilitate and promote unity amongst us. My board, consisting of Vice President Shalom Weiss, Treasurer Alan Kleinerman and Secretary Yosef Herzog, is looking for ideas and suggestions in order to best serve you and the entire student body. It is our goal to be able to further advance campus life and build a united community. I look forward to hearing your feedback throughout the year to strengthen our programming and your experience. You can reach me at ysupres@yu.edu.
As Shlomo Hamelech says in Kohelet (3:3) "Et Lifrotz, V'et Livnot" - "A time to wreck and a time to build." We have seen our cities lay in ruin, now it is time to plant the seeds of our personal and communal future. Please join with me as we enhance the Yeshiva student community over the upcoming year, together as one.
Shmulik Rosenberg is the Yeshiva Student Union president.