Thursday, April 06, 2006

The "Commie" Chickens Out

Yeshiva University's campus student newspaper, The Commentator, ("Commie" for us oldies), chickened out.

In their report of YU's week-long activities in Israel, the fracas caused by Rabbi Meir Goldwicht's faux pas, for which he was asked to apologize, was left out of the paper's report.

Here's the relevant section:-

The Semikhah ceremony came on the heels of the kickoff of the weeklong string of events across Israel starting on March 17. These included a yom iyun at the Gruss Institute's beit medrash earlier in the day and a widely-attended Shabbaton the day before at Jerusalem's Ramada Renaissance Hotel. The programming, which mainly comprised of panel discussions in topics involving the Yeshiva graduate schools, is a manifestation of President Joel's Administration's to further utilize the Jerusalem campus - both for alumni and current Yeshiva students' interests.

reported by Ben Ehrenkranz [who] is currently studying at Torat Shraga on the S. Dnaiel (sic!) Abraham Israel Program.


Well, I see freedom of expression and conscience is dead at my old alma mater.

So I sent the paper this letter:

Ben Ehrenkranz's report on the YU week in Israel activities left out one item: Rabbi Meir Goldwicht's apology for remarks he made at the Seudah Shlishit of the Shabbaton. Since almost 700 persons were present, I'm sure this qualifies as being in farhesia. I am not asking that sides be taken for or against the remarks or whether the content be detailed. But that the incident would be glossed over entirely indicates that freedom of expression seems to be a liberty The Commentator still needs to assure for itself.


You can send a letter, too.
Click here.

1 comment:

Batya said...

Goldrict seems to be the teflon rabbi of YU. His seudat shlishit "drasha," or chillul Hashem was the official party line of American (and all chutz l'aretz) Jewry.
As far as they're concerned, "his" quick apology sufficed to wipe it away as if it never happened.
It was rude to say it in front of us, but it's what they say to each other. How else can otherwise frum people stay in galut?