Archival Compilation: YU, US Politics and the Presidency
The Commentator has existed since 1935, and is Yeshiva University’s longest-running paper of record. In our archives, readers will find various gems from Yeshiva’s history. Also of interest is the evolution of students’ political views through the decades. In this archival compilation, The Commentator presents various articles relating to U.S. politics and presidents from the prism of the Yeshiva student body, the majority of which are republished. You will find here student commentary on 14 presidential administrations, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Donald J. Trump.
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First Annual Questionnaire Finds Typical Senior “Slightly” Dissatisfied With Policies of Yeshiva
By: Commentator Staff | Features | May 20, 1935
“The Seniors revealed themselves to be decidedly “liberal” and pacifistic in their social outlook. All overwhelmingly condemned the present economic system and a majority felt that religion should assume the leadership in the transition to a new social order. A Socialist economy was favored by one-third, a Communist society by another third.”
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Composite “Lordly Senior” Endorses Commentator; Would Immediately Resign if Proferred Deanship
By: Commentator Staff | Features | May 20, 1936
“On the question of a presidential choice, the seniors were even more unanimous. A distinct reversal of the 1935 position was evidenced by the fact that Franklin D. Roosevelt polled all but five of the votes. One went to Earl Browder, and four to Norman Thomas. Last year the lead of Roosevelt over Norman Thomas was a bare six to five.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | November 4, 1936
“Seldom in the history of national elections has a president been opposed by so strong a combination of the forces of concentrated wealth… If, in spite of this powerful opposition, the people of the United States endorsed Roosevelt with a vote greater than what even the most optimistic expected, we cannot help but feel that democracy is still a vital factor.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | November 4, 1936
“We learn with deep sorrow and regret of the passing of the Republican Party, after a lingering illness.”
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Commentator Straw Ballot Shows Overwhelming Victory For Democratic Candidates In Election
By: A. Gerrymander | Features | November 9, 1938
“That Yeshivaites are definitely non-Republican is plainly shown by the scarcity of votes cast for the G.O.P. Only two Republican candidates received more than two votes, and one of them was of Jewish extraction.”
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By: Commentator Staff | News | May 4, 1939
“The President was far ahead in the choice for the highest rating, receiving ten votes to three for his nearest opponents. No member of the class considered the chief executive below the third interval.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | April 14, 1939
“We are confident, moreover, that Pres. Roosevelt, is truly a peace-loving citizen and has no designs of smoothing the way for our entry into war.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials| November 6, 1940
“The verdict of the people, then, and the approval implied in the circumstance of the election have given the New Deal what the President has termed ‘the vindication of the principles and policies on which we have fought this campaign.’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | April 19, 1945
“We cannot eulogize the president, for the mouthings of man are grossly inadequate. We can only regard him as a symbol, a spirit of surging and unbounding inspiration.”
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School Officials Echo Grief Of Nation At Death Of President Roosevelt
By: Commentator Staff | Features | April 19, 1945
“Our generation will be recorded in history as the most unfortunate because it produced a tyrant like Hitler, but at the same time as the most fortunate because it also produced a man like our late President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt who could meet the challenge of his time.” - Dr. Samuel Belkin
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By: Commentator Staff | Opinions | April 19, 1945
“The President understood that racialism and anti-Semitism must inevitably undermine the foundations of democracy and enduring peace.”
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Yeshiva Mourns Pres. Roosevelt; Speakers Pay Final Tribute to F.D.R.
By: Commentator Staff | News | April 19, 1945
“After commending the social legislation initiated by F.D.R. and the principles of international justice proclaimed by him in the Atlantic Charter, President Belkin spoke of his foresight in ‘warning the nation of the outcome of the paganism and barbarism that was spreading over the world. He asked not only for rights, but demanded justice for all men regardless of creed or race.’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | January 15, 1948
“In his broad setting of domestic objectives the President failed, nevertheless, to present a plan for implementing these ideals. The speech sounded more like a Utopian prospectus, or shallow campaign promises if you like, than a president reporting to his nation on the plans for the coming year.”
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By: Myron M. Fenster | Editorials | January 15, 1948
“Perhaps Mr. Truman has forgotten that this is an election year and that the long-suffering Jewish people do not soon forget.”
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Prexy Poll Finds Wallace Favorite; Truman Shut Out
By: Commentator Staff | Features | May 20, 1948
“Not a single vote was cast for Harry S. Truman, probable Democratic standard bearer this fall, and only thirty-two per cent of the students polled expressed a preference for the Democratic Party, as compared to fifty-five per cent for the Progressive Party.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | September 30, 1948
“It is a characteristic of American elections that there are only two candidates with any prospects of success. Support of a Liberal splinter-party candidate serves only to advance the political fortunes of the more conservative of the leading contenders, a purpose to which we can hardly subscribe.”
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By: Sol Poupko | Opinions | September 30, 1948
“Voting this year is, in my opinion, one of the gravest responsibilities — too grave to be trifled with. It is for this reason that I urge absence from the polls this year. Let us not interfere with a matter beyond our control.”
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The Election Results Come Rolling In; Liberals Ride Again; Wha’ Happen’?
By: N.M. Matlin | Opinions | November 11, 1948
“The smiling group of crocodile—tearing undertakers shoveling the last clod of earth on Liberalism’s grave have been neatly startled to find him standing smiling at their elbows, juggling the election in his left hand, and winking at the pale and thinning conservativism, already a shadow of its former self.”
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Synagogue Council Acclaims Truman
By: Commentator Staff | News | June 9, 1949
“‘President Truman’s consecration to liberal ideals will ever be an inspiration for all people seeking justice in the world,’ the Yeshiva University Synagogue Council said in a resolution adopted by the thirteenth annual convention, held at Yeshiva on Sunday, May 22.”
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Yeshiva Student Body Prefers Stevenson 16-1, Survey Shows
By: Commentator Staff | Features | October 19, 1952
“Governor Adlai E. Stevenson received 92.4 percent of the total votes cast by the student body of Yeshiva in a poll of student opinion on the national elections. He thus had an approximate 16-1 advantage over his political opponent, Dwight D. Eisenhower who received 5.6 per cent of the vote.”
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‘Stewardship’ Is The Fundamental Theme Of Candidate’s Major Campaign Speeches
By: Robert Hammer | Opinions | October 29, 1952
“The result of a Stevenson address has not been frantic capping and wild cheering, but rather a call to calm thinking and contemplation.”
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Stevenson to Receive Honorary Degree at Special Convocation
By: Commentator Staff | News | November 25, 1953
“Mr. Stevenson will be presented for the degree by Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein, professor of Homiletics and Sociology, and will be cited by Dr. Samuel Belkin, president of the University.”
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Keep “Free Mind” Says Stevenson at Y.U. Dinner
By: Commentator Staff | News | December 16, 1953
“Opening his speech with the traditional ‘shalom aleichem,’ Mr. Stevenson declared that in the name Yeshiva University ‘there is the happy suggestion that theology and science need be separated only by a hyphen.’”
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Editor, Prexies Stand By and Gape, As Adlai Is Made Yeshiva Alumnus
By: Sheldon Rudoff | Features | December 16, 1953
“Sam Hartstein, public relations director, must have noticed the anxiety on our faces and promptly ushered us up to Mr. Stevenson and introduced us to him as ‘a few ambitious young men, the leaders of the student government.’”
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Adlai Swamps Ike in College Poll; Wagner 12 to 5 Favorite Over Javits
By: Commentator Staff | Features | November 5, 1956
“Adlai E. Stevenson received 92 per cent of the total number of votes cast by the student body of Yeshiva College in a poll of student opinion on the presidential and senatorial elections.”
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Commentator Poll Puts Adlai Ahead
By: Commentator Staff | Features | March 7, 1960
“July’s Democratic Nominating Convention would be transformed into a virtual madhouse if it were up to Yeshiva College students to decide the outcome. Indications of this were revealed by The Commentator’s preferential poll in which Adlai E. Stevenson received 122 votes compared to Sen. John Kennedy’s 120.”
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Kennedy Poll Victor; “Interests” Play Role
By: Abraham Sofaer | Features | November 9, 1960
“Senator Kennedy has successfully wooed orthodox Jews that attend this school. Senator Kennedy received 318 votes to vice-president Nixon’s 50 votes.”
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Kennedy Extends Congratulations On Occasion Of Diamond Jubilee
By: Commentator Staff | News | October 18, 1961
“‘With the past seventy-five years as a foundation, the next seventy-five can only be an era of outstanding achievement for the University and for the nation,’ President Kennedy said. ‘The idea of a Yeshiva University City, is appealing, and I wish you every success.’”
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America Too Weak In Foreign Affairs
By: Aryeh Botwinick | Opinions | November 15, 1962
“Possessing the self-confidence of youth and armed with Richard Neustadt’s manual for new Presidents, Presidential Power, Mr. Kennedy was forced to yield to the pressure of circumstances before he could learn from experience how to assert strong aggressive leadership.”
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Letter to the Editor: Ignorance Illuminated
By: Thomas Blass | Opinions | December 4, 1962
“The very fact that President Kennedy ordered only a naval blockade instead of sending in the marines, indicates that the fear of creating a bad image in the eyes of the world is still a large factor in determining foreign policy.”
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Students Vote for Morgenthau; Uphold Kennedy
By: Steve Prystowsky | Features | November 15, 1962
“President Kennedy’s naval blockade received 91% of the student’s vote in the college.”
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Lasky, Kennedy, Who Is Pith, Who Is Man, Who Is Myth?
By: Jerry Bernstein | Opinions | November 20, 1963
“Mr. Lasky’s basic theme is that Kennedy has been yielding all along his career to every pressure, and that he has bought his way into politics on his father’s money, caring nothing for principles or for those who stood in the way of his ambitions.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | December 4, 1963
“Though death is mighty and dreadful it cannot kill an idea, it cannot kill a hope. A bullet can kill a man, it cannot kill a democracy. Nor can death triumph over the ideals that President Kennedy died for. These only we can kill.”
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Student Poll Shows Majority Favoring Wide Victories for Johnson and Keating
By: Don Davis | Features | October 21, 1964
“In the case of the presidential election, the Yeshiva students followed the national prediction that the ‘Jewish vote’ would go to President Johnson by majorities as high as 90%.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | October 21, 1964
“Running against President Johnson is a man surrounded by an air of doubt and confusion. Senator Goldwater is known for his philosophy of simplicity; but, paradoxically, he has not been able to organize his beliefs and state them clearly.”
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By: Douglas Wertheimer | Opinions | November 5, 1964
“I suspect that in Yeshiva’s intellectual atmosphere many students are being led, like donkeys, by their noses. Conformity seems to have become the vogue.”
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Barry Ponders Reasons For Defeat; Doesn’t Consider Looking In Mirror
By: Larry Grossman | Opinions | December 10, 1964
“Barry Goldwater is in the process of investigating why he lost the election. I don’t imagine that he'll consider looking in the mirror.”
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YU Washington Delegation Presents Vietnam Petition
By: Commentator Staff | News | February 18, 1966
“As loyal Americans and loyal Jews steeped in the traditions of Orthodox Jewry we feel duty bound to express support for the policy of the administration in Vietnam. It is essential that the President be backed by national unity so that all aggressors or would-be aggressors, be they the Communist North Vietnamese, the Red Chinese, or the Nasserites of Egypt will be duly warned that the US can make their ‘wars of liberation’ extremely unprofitable.”
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By: Laurence Kaplan | Opinions | February 18, 1966
“That 700 students and faculty members could at that time so uncritically support the war in Vietnam, as not to even call for either a cessation of the bombing or a strengthened effort on the part of the US to help implement negotiations, is frightening.”
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Letter to the Editor: Viet Nam
By: Henry Grinberg | Opinions | March 17, 1966
“I am sorry to say that I have had direct experience with war; it is a vile and despairing form of human expression. Yet, I am confident that our students mean what they say and that they would not wish others to be put in hazard for their convictions. Hence I assume that all those who signed the White House petition will inevitably enlist for service in Vietnam — not necessarily as combatants.”
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Letter to the Editor: Viet-Nam
By: Heshy Rosenbaum | Opinions | March 31, 1966
“I was saddened to read that 800 students (an overwhelming majority of the population at Yeshiva) are in complete accord on such a complex and controversial topic as Vietnam. The particular position that was taken is irrelevant, but the near-unanimity is not. This consensus of extreme proportions indicates an intellectual malaise at Yeshiva that can only be mourned.”
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Letter to the Editor: Viet-Nam
By: Albert A. Klein | Opinions | March 31, 1966
“What am I concerned about is the acquiescence of those who should be more informed, of those who should be supporting, not defeating, the right of self-determination and non-intervention. The immediate reality is to stop the bloodshed. We can negotiate with the Viet Cong or, for those who refuse to legitimize the untenable interventionist position of the United States, we can get out now. I am not concerned about America losing face, as Norman Thomas has passionately pleaded, but as a human being and an American, I am deeply worried that she is losing her soul.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorial | April 4, 1968
“Lyndon Baines Johnson is generally found to be a poor President. Although his ability in domestic-affairs is generally viewed as good, most students object to his foreign policy… We can only note with pleasure the graceful exit of Mr. Johnson from the department of the presidency and wish him well in all future endeavors.”
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“Where To Elect There Is But One”
By: Joseph Kaplan | Opinions | April 4, 1968
“One cannot sit idly by and watch Lyndon Johnson become President again and continue his present policies. The time for action is now, for action now will help determine the future as a future of peace… Our only hope is a change in November, and Nixon or Wallace will certainly effect no constructive change. Eugene McCarthy has the maturity, experience, knowledge, intelligence, and courage that no other candidate has, and these would serve him well as President.”
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YC Students Favor McCarthy for Pres.
By: Commentator Staff | Features | May 2, 1968
“Sen. Eugene McCarthy received the largest number of votes, with, over one third of the ballots cast going to him, the first Democrat to effectively oppose Pres. Johnson.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | October 31, 1968
“The Commentator, on the basis of an evaluation of each candidate, his promises and possibilities, supports the election of Hubert H. Humphrey as President of the United States.”
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Humphrey Hints at Disagreements Over Tactical Strategy in Vietnam
By: Bernard Firestone | Features | October 31, 1968
“Although Vice-President Hubert Humphrey’s popularity among college students is not overwhelming, Mr. Humphrey has obviously not given up on the Yeshiva College community as evidenced by a recent, comprehensive letter to The Commentator from the Vice-President in response to questions posed, to him several weeks ago.”
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Vietnam War Involvement Blasted During YC Moratorium Proceedings
By: Joe Belitsky and Mark Spanglet | News | October 30, 1969
“In Rabbi Lichtenstein’s opinion, the Moratorium was to be a time of national tshuvah in which Americans could call upon their government to reevaluate its position in line with moral dictates. While not advocating immediate and unilateral withdrawal from Vietnam, he insisted that United States efforts must be directed toward peace rather than toward an intensification of the war.”
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Students Rally Against War At YC and In Capitol Area
By: Avvy Fox | News | November 26, 1969
“Rabbi Walter Wurzburger, visiting professor of philosophy at Yeshiva College, spoke on ‘A Jewish Religious Perspective on the War in Vietnam.’ ‘As a religious Jew one cannot divorce himself from the problem,’ he said… He emphasized that if a Jew is convinced that the war is wrong then it is his moral obligation to speak against it. The fear of communism in Vietnam cannot justify the war. Explaining that just as Johnson stole Goldwater’s foreign policy, Nixon stole Johnson's. He declared, “This is no longer the Johnson War but the Nixon War.’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | April 2, 1970
“As Jews and as Zionists, we are of course distressed at President Nixon’s failure to grant Israel’s request for additional Phantom and Skyhawk jets. If this refusal represents a reduction in the U.S. commitment to Israel and her right to exist, then we condemn without reservation this immoral and possibly tragic betrayal of trust on the part of the present administration.”
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Referendum Passes By Large Margin As YC Protests Cambodian Action
By: Sheldon Toibb | News | May 27, 1970
“The wording of the original referendum was broad enough to permit protesting for reasons other than Cambodia or Kent State, but Rav Soloveitchik demanded that the referendum be limited to these causes in order to prevent students from becoming involved in the Black Panther and New Left protest movements. In light of President Nixon’s reevaluation of U.S. Mideast policy he hoped that the Mideast issue would be deleted. By a poll vote council approved the Rav's requests.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | May 27, 1970
“The analogy is unjustified. United States’ interference in Cambodia should be condemned because it is immoral and illegal for the United States to be waging a war in Indochina. It was to aid this war effort that we took a unilateral action and sent our troops into Cambodia. The Cambodian government did not request our presence.”
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Horseman, Pass By In The Wasteland
By: Isaac Gewirtz | Opinions | May 27, 1970
“Nixon cannot, and probably never will be able to understand why students are against the napalming and defoliation of Vietnam. Since when has morality played a role in politics?”
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From the Editor’s Desk: Checkers Lives
By: Andrew Geller | Editorials | November 3, 1970
“There may be little reason for hope, but maybe the voters will rouse themselves long enough to see through this attempt to railroad them into voting for Nixon's choices. Maybe enough of the silent majority will decide not to place control of the country entirely in the hands of one man.”
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Letter to the Editor: Accusation
By: Eliot Lauer | Opinions | November 17, 1970
“That the Ohio Grand Jury did not buckle to pressures of youthful demonstrators, a generally critical media, and the almost universal display of sentimentality is to their credit. As students, we view with disgust and fear the shootings at Kent State. But though the guard reacted strongly, we must admit that they did not react maliciously!”
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Guests Hear Nixon’s Address As Belkin Pleads For Funds
By: Commentator Staff | News | December 16, 1970
“President Nixon, noting the theme of the event, the twenty-fifth anniversary of Yeshiva’s being granted university status, said, ‘It is particularly appropriate that this celebration be held during the holiday that is called the “Festival of Lights,” since the mission of this fine institution has been to enlighten the youth of our country and brighten the future of our society.’”
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Nixon Comments on Youth, Soviet Jewry and Vietnam
By: Edward Burns | Features | March 3, 1971
“I know that there are those who reject politics, who scorn the political life, and I can assure you that politics attracts its share of bad people, but so do all the other professions. This does not reflect on the political system, for politics is a process, not an end in itself, and the process can be as good or as bad as the people that are a part of it.” — Richard Nixon
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | September 16, 1971
“Once again, despite the Soviet arms buildup in Egypt, the Nixon Administration is postponing its decision on resuming military sales to Israel. This step is part of the administration’s ‘even-handed’ policy which, it thinks, will encourage the renewal of peace negotiations in the Middle East.”
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Jackson Addresses Conclave; Praises Soviet Jew Efforts
By: Joseph Stechler | News | October 27, 1971
“Senator Jackson, a likely candidate for the Presidency of the United States, emphasized in his remarks that the persecuted Jews of the Soviet Union ‘are the genuine heroes of our time’ due to their unrelenting struggles for freedom of emigration. He called on President Nixon and the State Department to ‘utilize all available channels, formal and informal’ to end the maltreatment of Russian Jewry, and to allow unrestricted emigration.”
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Yeshiva Students Enter Political Arena; ‘Students For Jackson’ Club Established
By: Samuel Shafner | Features | February 10, 1972
“The club, with Allan at its head, is expanding slowly. All are unsalaried volunteers representing a fairly well-distributed cross-section of the student body. They take directives from Mr. Lazarus, the head coordinator of Students for Jackson in New York. From his office, the club gets buttons and stickers, which it sells to support its small budget.”
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By: Lenny Davis | Opinions | March 8, 1972
“President Nixon owes no obligation to the U.S. Jewish community for his ascendancy to the presidency, and if he is elected next year he will have no obligations then, either Jewish money and votes are for Democrats, plain and simple.”
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By: Commentator Staff | Features | October 25, 1972
“In the 1972 presidential election, for whom do you plan to vote for?
Nixon — 50.8%
McGovern — 22.2%”
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Prime Chuck: “Objective Neutrals”
By: Chuck Bernstein | Opinions | October 20, 1972
“A majority for Nixon should surprise nobody. But the fact that over 25% of the student body is either undecided or not voting can give us greater insight into the true political feelings of the Jewish college student.”
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By: Joseph Stechler | Opinions | October 25, 1972
“Of course, President Nixon is not a saint. Yet, despite his minimal support from Jewish citizens in the 1968 election, he has given Israel more military and economic aid than all the previous administrations combined.”
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By: Edward Burns | Opinions | October 25, 1972
“Nixon’s refusal to provide Congressionally approved aid programs to Israel in 1969 was a black mark on his administration. His refusal to sell phantom jets to Israel during his first three years in the White House generated an intolerable defense crisis.”
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Nixon Asks For Jewish Support; Cites Cases of Jewish Import
By: Nixon HQ | Opinions | October 25, 1972
“It is clear that the major danger to the continued existence of the state of Israel is not the Arab states per se but the Soviet Union which backs them. It is in this area that the continued administration of President Nixon is crucial to the security of Israel.”
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McGovern Clarifies His Position On Israel, Jewish-Related Topics
By: George McGovern | Opinions | October 25, 1972
“Let us choose life together, and let us rededicate ourselves to the task of making our nation one again true to the principles of justice and freedom, mercy and brotherhood.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | November 9, 1972
“Those Jewish leaders — self-appointed or not — who worked for the President must now turn around and demand their due. Most basic is that channels into the White House guaranteeing a strong input of Jewish viewpoints be established in a manner that cannot later be easily sabotaged.”
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Notes From The Underground: Divided We Fall
By: Marvin Goldstein | Opinions | November 9, 1972
“People have become more racist and more hateful. This has not occurred by chance. Rather, the President’s policy has been to encourage these emotions, to set off race against race, class against class.”
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Comment On: The Election And Israel
By: Lenny Davis | Opinions | November 9, 1972
“These two Nixon traits — a possible sense of invulnerability because of his landslide win and policy inconsistency — should alarm everyone concerned for Israel’s security to diligently watch for change in U.S. Middle East policy.”
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Letter to the Editor: The Real Majority
By: Marty Kerzer | Opinions | February 28, 1973
“Forty-nine of the fifty states expressed their confidence in President Nixon. This large majority of Americans could not be classified as racists or as perpetuating our downfall.”
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From the Editor’s Desk: The 50.8% Dilemma
By: Norman Blumenthal | Editorials | September 19, 1973
“The Yeshiva student may be inclined to raise his sides past Watergate where it concerns Israel’s safety which is so fatefully dependent on the political action of American Jewry. For as long as the world deals unethically with Israel can we afford to give such ethical considerations, as regards Watergate, the paramount importance they deserve?”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | November 5, 1973
“President Nixon and the Congress risked detente and gambled with oil in order to send critically-needed aid to Israel… The Commentator urges every student to write letters of support to President Nixon and senators and representatives thanking them for their unswerving support and urging them to continue in the same manner in the future.”
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Dr. J. Dunner Explains His Opinions On World
By: Allan Schwartz | Features | November 5, 1973
“As a personal friend of President Nixon, Dr. Dunner describes him as a ‘very cold man. He is not easily approached and isolates himself very much. He doesn’t have a human warmth. That is his most unfortunate characteristic and it gives people the wrong impression.’”
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Perspective: Impeachment Dilemma
By: Steve Mandelsburg | Opinions | November 28, 1973
“If it were possible to dispose of Mr. Nixon silently without undergoing an impeachment proceeding and without fearing for Israel's interests, that option would be preferable. But, since that denouement will never come about, Richard Nixon is here to stay.”
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Cum Grano Salis: Bankers, Generals, and Jews
By: Barry Saltzman | Features | December 19, 1974
“The angry outcry of American Jewish leaders was such that President Gerald Ford summoned General Brown to the White House for a good old fashioned Grand Rapids tongue lashing. National security forbids disclosure of what actually transpired at that meeting, but I for one shall always wonder…”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | November 12, 1975
“At this critical moment in New York’s history, when direct federal assistance is not only needed but expected, our president, in a politically motivated move, has conspicuously disregarded the plight of New York City. What is particularly disheartening is the fact that President Ford whose executive legitimacy depended on Congressional approval, is now attempting to override the duly elected Congress, which represents the will of the people.”
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Top Dem. Candidates Take Stand On Issues — Jackson Stresses More Israeli Aid
By: Jackson Campaign| Opinions | March 31, 1976
“Henry Jackson has always been Israel's leading supporter and as President he will continue to be a staunch friend of Israel. The PLO is a terrorist organization. They began by massacring Jews in Munich, Kiryat Shmonah, and Maalot and are now murdering Christians in Lebanon. Israel should not be asked to negotiate with this group of madmen and murderers.”
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Top Dem. Candidates Take Stand On Issues — Carter Advocates Strong Military
By: Carter Campaign | Opinions | March 31, 1976
“Governor Carter believes that we must offer the Israelis whatever is necessary, economically and militarily, in order to maintain the defense and security of Israel. Governor Carter believes that neither the United States nor Israel should carry on discussions with the PLO until the PLO has recognized Israel’s right to exist in peace.”
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Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, many issues from 1976-78, including the one that would have presumably focused on the 1976 presidential election went missing. If anyone has a copy of a 1976 issue of The Commentator from October or November, please email lemel@mail.yu.edu.
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Carter Conducts Conference of College Newspaper Editors
By: Commentator Staff | Features | April 5, 1978
“I do praise you, Mr. President, for your strong initiative on behalf of peace in this troubled area. But I do hope, Sir, that you will make a thorough self-examination and also that your actions will not be dictated by the pressures of oil, power and big business, but rather by that which is right and just.”
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By: A.J. Edelheit | Opinions | April 5, 1978
“Aren’t you, Sir, in fact creating a ghetto for the Israeli citizen and aren’t you infringing on his civil rights?”
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By: Eli Chomsky | News | May 17, 1978
“Mr. Carter pointedly remarked that ‘for 30 years we have stood at the side of the proud and independent nation of Israel. I can say without reservation as the President of the United States of America that we will continue to do so not just for another 30 years, but forever.’”
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Commentator Interview: Herman Badillo
By: Commentator Staff | Features | February 20, 1980
“I'm not supporting President Carter, and I think if President Carter gets the Democratic nomination, he will lose. The basic problem is that young people, blacks, and Hispanics, among others are very much turned off against President Carter, and therefore, I think a Republican candidate would win.”
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By: David Kober | Opinions | March 12, 1980
“Throughout his four year term — marked by one of the greatest political crises in the history of this country — this peanut farmer, with an intellect to match, has all but avoided crucial issues that demand action. Our pathetic Chief Executive has taken on the job of pollster instead of President. He studies public opinion before, after, and during every decision, to make sure he doesn’t alienate any potential 1980 balloteers.”
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Norman Mailer Speaks On Behalf Of Kennedy; Noted Author Defends Candidate’s Reputation
By: Joseph Sturm | News | March 26, 1980
“In the brief question and answer period following the speech, Mr. Mailer was pressed by a student on the subject of Chappaquiddick. In particular, the student wondered why, if the Senator has truly undergone so much self-analysis, has he not offered a satisfactory full disclosure of the events of that night. Mr. Mailer proposed the hypothesis that Mr. Kennedy might have been ‘temporarily deranged’ that night, forcing him to act in an irrational manner. To this day, says Mailer, Kennedy has not been able to come to terms with that temporary mental derangement.”
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Support Of Premier Menachem Begin Is Expressed In Washington Demonstration
By: Commentator Staff | News | April 23, 1980
“Rabbi Berman, of Lake Success, NY, delivered a closing benediction after which Shlomo Thailer spoke. Saying that ‘there are no Palestinian people,’ he questioned the claims of the so-called Palestinians in Israeli territory and recommended that President Carter allow for the establishment of a PLO state in Plains, Georgia.”
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The Iran Operation: Declassified
By: David Kober | Opinions | May 14, 1980
“President Carter: ‘... We've got the greatest army in the world! You think they need a month of training to get past a few teenagers with rifles? I want it done this week. Have the team run through it a few times, and then airlift them out of here. It’s perfect. They won't be expecting it because I said I wouldn't act till mid-May. And I can tell everyone that I waited so long for sanctions because I was setting up this attack.’”
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A Personal Letter From Jimmy Carter
By David Kober | Features | October 15, 1980
“On the issue of draft registration, I want you to know that it is not just a political move to restore my image as a strong executive. I honestly believe that mobilizing our 19 and 20 year olds will strike fear into the hearts of the Russians.”
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Yeshiva Students Heckle President Carter During Address At Queens Jewish Center
By: Leonard Guttman | News | October 29, 1980
“Mr. Carter, his face turning red and his smile tightening, commented that, although even a minority has a right to speak up, it should listen to what he had to say.”
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Out of the Inkwell: Freedom of Choice
By: Louis Tuchman | News | October 29, 1980
“The re-election of an incumbent is a vote of approval, an acceptance of his past performance as appropriate, satisfactory, and sometimes laudatory. President Carter does not deserve this approval nor should he be afforded the free rein associated with a second term.”
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A Personal Message From Ronald Reagan
By: David Kober | Features | October 29, 1980
“This country is in trouble… Let me reshape it into something beautiful, pure, and yet powerful. Let me fulfill America’s destiny (Music swells to a peak.) Let me make America great again!! (Singers: “The Time is Now ... For Reagan.”)”
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By: Lieb Domnitch | Opinions | October 29, 1980
“Israel would be facing possible strangulation by a president who, if re-elected, would in his next term no longer accommodate the essential Jewish vote.”
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By: Yitzhak Twersky | Opinions | October 29, 1980
“Regarding issues in which Jews take a special interest, specifically American policy towards Israel, the Carter administration, to say the least, has been insensitive. Governor Reagan, on the other hand, is known to be a strong supporter of Israel, as one could have noted from reading his column, written yet before his bid for the presidency.”
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By: The Joseph Dunner Political Science Society | Features | October 29, 1980
“Recently a poll was conducted of approximately 250 Yeshiva: College students, by the Joseph Dunner Political Science Society, discussing topics in the November 4th presidential election.”
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Commentator Interview: Dr. Krakowski
By: Commentator Staff | Features | October 29, 1980
“ If Carter gets back in office, it would be a catastrophe. If anyone can be accused of being dangerous when it comes to war, it should be Carter. He is much more dangerous because he has no resolve and does not do anything.”
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By: Harold Rosen | Opinions | October 29, 1980
“If 7 million letters of protest would have flooded the White House after Secretary of State Muskie abstained in the Security Council vote calling on all nations to move their embassies out of Jerusalem, you could be sure that America would be more reluctant to pull a stunt like that in the future.”
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By: Jay Lerman | Opinions | October 29, 1980
“Signs posting slogans in support of Reagan and in denunciation of President Carter abound everywhere in the dorm. Many Yeshiva students have undertaken to campaign strenuously for the G.O.P. ticket, while many others have attended demonstrations heckling Carter.”
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By: Leonard Guttman | Opinions | October 29, 1980
“ How can we vote for Mr. Reagan, a man who stands against most of the things Jimmy stands for? How could we vote for a man who would offend our good friends Fidel and Leonid?... How can we vote for a man who would offend the Arabs by calling the P.L.O. merely a terrorist organization which does not represent anyone except a few bloodthirsty leaders? I think the choice is clear.”
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By: Commentator Staff | Features | October 29, 1980
“Shalom Lamm — EMC — Senior: The choice is between a proven disaster and a potential catastrophe and I vote catastrophe.”
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By: Isaac Present | Features | October 29, 1980
“Yoda believe strongly in ethnic and feminine protection. If elected, Yoda will appoint Miss Piggy to Supreme Court.”
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By: Avraham Schneider | Opinions | October 29, 1980
“If you vote with a Jewish conscience this November, you are indeed in a quandry.”
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By: Dov Fisch | Opinions | October 29, 1980
“No, I do not regret voting for Carter in 1976. It was a risk that had to be taken. I entrusted him with my mandate. He failed me and my people. This time, I vote for Reagan.”
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Letter to the Editor: Shameful
By: Dr. Steven Bayme | Opinions | November 12, 1980
“The nature of a democratic election requires the free expression of different points of view… When the President of the United States is heckled in so crude and vile a fashion, the sin is only magnified.”
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By: Larry Domnitch | Opinions | November 12, 1980
“While most of the Jewish establishment was either blindly supporting the President or too cowardly and apathetic to confront him and take a strong stand against him, it was the small handful of Yeshiva students whose a’havat yisroel and mesirat nefesh compelled them to spearhead the Jewish anti-Carter movement in New York.”
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By: David Kober | Features | April 15, 1981
“HAIG: ‘I don’t know, I suppose on one hand we could press the button and obliterate half of the world, but if I took the responsibility, it would probably kill my chances for the Presidency in ’84, What do you think, George?’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | October 6, 1981
“During the month of October, the Reagan administration will formally notify Congress of its proposal to supply Saudi Arabia with advanced armaments… We urge the students to continue pressing the Reagan Administration on this crucial issue.”
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By: Ya’akov Beilin | News | October 6, 1981
“An emergency meeting was called tonight, regarding the proposed sale of the A.W.A.C.S. by President Reagan to Saudia Arabia. The meeting was called by Rabbi ‘Avi Weiss, in conjunction with Y.C.S.C.”
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From the Editor’s Desk: Perfidy and Paranoia
By: Joseph Sturm | Editorials | November 11, 1981
“Ronald Reagan left the indisputable impression that he was a strong Israel supporter — in all implications of the term… Yet the increasing contrast between his campaign rhetoric and his presidential actions cannot but leave one transfixed as to the extent of Ronald Reagan’s perfidy and hypocrisy.”
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By: David Kober | Features | November 25, 1981
“Some weeks ago, President Reagan was interviewed by the editor of a magazine known as “Pacific Monthly.” The President was under the impression that the entire conversation was off the record. It wasn’t.”
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By: David Kober | Features | December 10, 1981
“Kennydius: (Through clenched teeth.) Emperor, what about your expenditure of forty million sesterces to build new bridges for our legions?
Reaganus: That money is totally justified. Armies need good facilities for transportation. Edwardes, you should know better than anyone what a bridge can mean to a man’s career.
(Laughter builds again, louder than before.)”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | March 24, 1982
“President Reagan’s budget cuts, if enacted, will greatly affect the lives of all students… Writing letters to Congressmen in an attempt to sway the government against Reaganomics is one measure that can be taken. The university too should exert its power and influence on this matter.”
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By: David Kober | Features | March 24, 1982
“The highly advanced computers identify the seagulls immediately — as twenty-three small, but extremely powerful Soviet SS-20 nuclear missiles. Before the diagnosis can be rechecked by technicians, a retaliatory strike is automatically initiated. Every available American ICBM is targeted for and launched toward Moscow.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | September 23, 1982
“Public support of the Reagan ‘peace initiative’ by B'nai B'rith and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) can only be described as disturbing and irresponsible because of its blatant disregard for the stated policy of the Israeli government.”
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By: Mordechai Twersky | News | September 23, 1982
“Speaking before a crowd of some 300 persons at Yeshiva University, Jewish leader Julius Berman said today that President Reagan is the ‘strongest’ friend that Israel has in Washington.”
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Rhetoric Will Get You Everywhere
By: Larry Greenman | Opinions | November 4, 1982
“Reagan's bread and butter politics have been his uncanny ability to squirm out of a tight corner and present every major daily newspaper with a smiling promise that ‘the recovery is just around the corner.’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | December 14, 1983
“While obviously long overdue in its recognition of Israel's importance, the Reagan Administration should nevertheless be commended for finally recognizing Israel’s vital role in US foreign policy.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | March 1, 1984
“Former Vice President Walter E. Mondale, currently the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, has been vague in formulating his views on the complex Middle Eastern situation and on U.S.-Israeli relations.”
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By: Avi Moskowitz | Opinions | April 11, 1984
“At a recent rally for his reelection, Mr. Reagan, who does not go to church called for ‘the God who loves us’ to be welcomed back into our children’s classrooms, after having been ‘expelled by the Supreme Court.’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | May 24, 1984
“More surprising than the recent exposure of Reverend Jesse Jackson's religious prejudices is the lack of reaction by Democratic candidates and the Jewish leadership.”
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Students Enthusiastic, But Will They Vote?
By: Jeff Kern | News | November 6, 1984
“The student poll revealed that sixty four percent of those questioned supported President Reagan.”
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By: Commentator Staff | Features | November 6, 1984
“WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ELECTED IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN?”
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Reagan’s America: Is It Really What We Want?
By: Peter Marcus | Opinions | November 6, 1984
“Remember, we are the next generations of Democrats. We must not be taken in with Ronald Reagan the ‘nice guy’, but remember that Reagan is also Reagan ‘the politician’ a politician whose brand of politics is very dangerous to us all.”
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By: Rabbi Walter Wurzberger | Opinions | November 6, 1984
“Whether or not we agree with President Reagan’s position that morality is inseparable from religion, there can be no doubt that religious beliefs affect the nature of our moral perceptions. It would be the height of absurdity to reject moral opinions simply because they were formed within the matrix of theological belief.”
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By: David Schonbrun | Opinions | November 6, 1984
“The awesome power of a presidency held by a man who does not have to answer to his electorate is a scary reality. Let us not elect a second term president until we are sure that he is a trustworthy ally of our interests.”
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Financial Assistance and the ‘84 Election
By: Eric Segal | Opinions | November 6, 1984
“With presidential elections nearing, however, we would be wise to scrutinize the candidates opinions on issues that affect our lives”
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Editor’s Desk: No Sympathy for the Devil
By: David Schwarcz | Editorials | May 8, 1985
“As President Reagan’s visit to Bitburg “encourages pride in German nationalism”, we must firmly denounce German nationalism, recognizing it as the root of great evil.”
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Bush Addresses Chanuka Dinner Record Amount Raised
By: Joshua Kaplan | News | January 6, 1986
“In his address during the convocation that preceded the dinner, Vice-President Bush denounced international terrorism as evil, and expressed concern for anti-semitism, both in the US and abroad. ‘The Soviet Union has joined other nations in using the United Nations as a forum for anti-semitism,’ said Mr. Bush, citing the ‘Zionism is Racism’ resolution as an example of the tactics used to oust Israel from the United Nations.”
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Some of Their Best Friends are Anti-Semites
By: Peter Marcus | Opinions | September 29, 1986
“The Reagan administration's cavalier attitude toward the less fortunate in our society is no secret. This attitude was largely ignored by many of the Yeshiva College voters who casted their ballots for Reagan. These ‘new’ Republicans proudly stated their support for ‘’dear Ronnie.’”
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Reagan Receives Honorary Degree
By: Gabe Sosne | News | December 31, 1986
“In November, President Reagan, in a letter to the University, declared that Yeshiva University ‘has maintained a tradition of excellence and creativity. Its history - representing as it does both freedom of secular inquiry and freedom of religion - is the story of America.’”
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By: Joshua Annenberg | Opinions| October 29, 1987
“Alexander Haig’s practical experience in international affairs, his competence in government, and background in economics duly qualify him to be our next President.”
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By: Daniel Barenholtz | News | December 15, 1987
“Presidential hopefuls figured prominently amongst the American politicians who spoke. Candidate Vice-President Bush delivered what many considered to be the finest speech of the day. Many Interpreted this as a conciliatory move towards the Jewish public which regards Bush as anti-Israel.”
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By: Moshe Weber | Features | December 15, 1987
“Just as in his seven years of office President Reagan has not raised taxes, Mr. Bush does not plan to raise tax rates to make up the deficit.”
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By: Eric Zaiman | Opinions | May 17, 1988
“What therefore is clear is that a dangerous double standard is at work in this election. While it is permissible for the Dukakis campaign to criticize Senator Joseph Biden for clearly plagiarizing material from British politician Neil Kinnock, it is prohibited for anyone to criticize Jesse Jackson for his positions on issues of national import.”
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By: Dov J. Pinchot | Opinions | October 25, 1988
“The Republicans want to see the country return to the way it used to be — a country run by the people, not by the Federal government.”
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By: Benham Dayanim | Opinions | October 25, 1988
“Michael Dukakis offers the intelligent, concerned voter, whether liberal or moderate, an alternative to another four years of environmental and economic neglect, legislated morality, and patchwork, directionless foreign policy.”
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The Commentator “On-Site Survey”
By: Commentator Staff | Features | October 25, 1988
“Do you support Bush/Quayle or Dukakis/Bentsen?
Bush/Quayle — 70%
Dukakis/Bentsen — 8%”
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Candidates Offer Plan On College Education
By: Barry Kaye | Features | October 25, 1988
“On Nov. 8, the way in which our future college bills will be paid will be decided by the voters.”
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Rabbinical Involvement in Politics: Right or Wrong?
By: A. Jeff Ifrah | Features | February 21, 1989
“Rabbi Soloveichik revealed that he voted for Michael Dukakis in the recent presidential elections, but wishes to mention that he did so not because of the Jewish issues involved, but because of the American issues. He asserted that he voted ‘as an American.’”
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Iraq — Echoes of Vietnam in the Middle East: A Global Perspective
By: Avi Lopin | Opinions | October 31, 1990
“Immediately after Hussein's Aug. 2nd invasion, Bush responded by intervening militarily. Bush explained his actions to the public as ‘a fight for a country's freedom and independence’ as well as avoiding a future international economic disaster. Bush rarely spoke the truth that he feared that unless he intervened, a shrewd and ruthless madman would gain control of 40% of the world's proven oil reserves and acquire nuclear capability to protect his gains. This would jeopardize America's prominence in world affairs and politics.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | October 5, 1992
“Concerned and informed Administrators -- fellow voters under the Constitution of The United States of America -- should allow a three hour break in classes on Election day. The current oversight in the academic calendar effectively limits us from exercising our rights.”
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American Jews and the President: A Record of Dedication
By: Matthew Brooks | Opinions | October 5, 1992
“When looked at objectively, George Bush has a proven record of accomplishments, and his administration should receive the praise it deserves. That is why I will vote for George Bush.”
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Faces in the Crowd: A Sampling of Views From Around Our Campus
By: Commentator Staff | Features | October 5, 1992
“Sam Maryles, Junior, Chicago, IL - The most important issue of the upcoming election will be the tradeoff between Bush's being able to outline a potentially successful economic plan versus Clinton's ability to prove to everyone that he can lead our nation.”
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American Jews and the Democratic Ticket: A Convergence of Interests
By: Steve Grossman | Opinions | October 5, 1992
“While Iraq was gassing its own people, threatening to incinerate Israel, and harboring known terrorists, George Bush was busy showering Hussein with loan guarantees and technology sales that helped him build up his nuclear, biological, and chemical arsenals.”
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By: Ethan J. Ciment | Opinions | October 5, 1992
“Twelve years of Reagan and Bush Administrations are responsible for the dire straits in which the American people finds itself today.”
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College Republicans Bash Clinton on TV
By: Ari Rosenstein | News | January 5, 1993
“‘The event was intended to energize the students and to increase awareness for the College Republicans in YU,’ Stier commented. ‘It was also aimed to encourage the active involvement of students in the upcoming Rudolph Giuliani New York mayoral campaign.’”
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Pre-Health Students Consider Clinton’s Health Plan
By: Ryan S. Karben | Features | October 27, 1993
“YC Sophomore Ben Levy says that no matter what Clinton says, ‘the plan is socialized medicine. And socialized medicine means socialized medical schools and debt for the rest of my life.’ … Senior Aryeh Ciment calls the plan ‘good for America’ and hopes that its passage will end the current system which, he asserts, ‘caters to the upper classes.’ Biology major Elie Needle agrees that ‘something radical needs to be done.’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | November 1, 1994
“Surely, the University should seek out a big name to attract contributors to continue YU’s vital work, but that search carries with it the responsibility to select individuals worthy of the honor. Bob Dole does not meet that standard.”
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Controversial Posters in Dorm Taken Down
By: Ephraim Liebtag | News | November 15, 1994
“When questioned on the matter, Fine responded… ‘I do want to make it clear that the signs were not put up to anger the administration, but rather to raise the issue of the selection of Rabin and Dole on the campus.’”
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Dole, Wexner, & Rabin To Speak at Chanukah Dinner On Sunday
By: Commentator Staff | News | November 30, 1994
“The Republican leader of the US Senate, Robert J. Dole and Leslie H. Wexner, the internationally-renowned philanthropist and business leader, will address the 70th Annual Chanukkah Dinner and Convocation of Yeshiva University being held this Sunday evening, December 4 at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan.”
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Dole Pledges Support for Israel at Channukah Dinner
By: Moshe I. Kinderlehrer | News | December 14, 1994
“Speaking softly to the packed room, Dole utilized the podium to pledge continued US support for Israel in the incoming Republican-led Congress. Drawing much applause, Dole noted, ‘Simply put, we have no closer ally than Israel… And there can be no doubt US assistance to Israel has advanced our shared interests and values in a region unfortunately not noted for freedom and democracy.’”
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By: Nachum Lamm | News | November 15, 1995
“Vice President Al Gore and Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone will be the featured speakers at Yeshiva University’s 71st annual Chanukah dinner. Gore will also be awarded an honorary doctorate at the dinner, to be held Sunday, December third, at The Waldorf-Astoria hotel in midtown Manhattan.”
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Gore Presses For US Troops in Bosnia at YU Chanukah Dinner
By: Meir S. Zeitchik | News | December 5, 1995
“Wearing a white knitted kippah, [Gore] stressed the critical role the US must play in sending troops to Bosnia, ‘Europe cannot do it alone,’ he said, his voice rising emotionally. ‘Europe did not do it the last time when ethnic cleansing began in Germany and it led to ethnic cleansing in Europe, and the Holocaust.’”
“In a bit of self-deprecating humor, [Gore] poked fun at his image as a stiff and uninspiring politician with lines like ‘Al Gore is so boring his Secret Service code name is... Al Gore,’ and ‘It’s no secret I ran for president in 1988, although it seemed like one to most people.’”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | October 22, 1996
“Apathy that results from unfamiliarity is inexcusable. Voting is an activity that should be embraced, not ignored simply because the process itself is foreign.”
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The Road To The White House: A Student’s Guide To The Issues Underlying Campaign ‘96
By: Adam Moses | Features | October 22, 1996
“One such professor, Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler, was disappointed with President Clinton’s handling of Israel's recent ‘tunnel crisis’. Rabbi Tendler feels that Clinton should have clarified to reporters that the Arab rioting was unrelated to the archaeological excavations, and merely an excuse for their actions. The fact that Clinton knew this, yet did not mention it in his address shows ‘a lack of integrity, and proves to me that Clinton is not a true friend of Israel.’”
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Why Jews Should Vote for Dole: College Republicans Address the Issues
By: Elliot Ganchrow | Opinions | October 22, 1996
“In 1995 Bob Dole introduced legislation in Congress demanding that the American Embassy be moved to Jerusalem, with construction on the new building to be finished no later than May 1999. Although huge majorities in both Houses passed the bill, Bill Clinton refused to sign it, thus allowing it to become law without his approval.”
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By: Josh Abraham | Opinions | November 3, 1998
“Sen. Lieberman was the first Democrat to break party lines and reproach the President for his prurient behavior. His speech on the Senate floor was hailed as masterful and the President respectfully accepted Sen. Lieberman's rebuke, Sen. Lieberman's decision to excoriate the President must have been difficult. Nevertheless, the Senator opted to engage the scandal, not as a member of a powerless minority, but rather from the moral high ground. Such is the task of a member of the chosen people.”
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From the Editor-in-Chief: Bill, Monica, and Modern Jewish Resistance
By: Adam Moses | Editorials | November 17, 1988
“We identify with Monica, of, as one eminent MYP Rosh Yeshiva dubbed her, ‘that little Jewish shiksala.’ Frankly, she simply looks Jewish. We all know at least twenty Jewish women who are virtually indistinguishable from Monica… We also identify with Bill. The man dons a yarmulke and invokes Jewish theological themes in speeches more frequently than any Israeli Prime Minister has.”
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By: Josh Abraham | Opinions | December 22, 1998
“It is patently obvious that under the surface of President Clinton's peace deal enthusiasm — those ‘sleepless nights’ that he carefully choreographed and spoke about with equally staged relief at the signing ceremony — lies an agenda of personal gain. President Clinton's tenacious initiative in the peace process is a clear attempt to forge some sort of meaningful legacy and to score public opinion points at the end of a substantively bland and scandal-ridden Presidency.”
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Stern College Dean Attends White House Dinner
By: Pinchas Shapiro | News | September 16, 1999
“Seated at a table with Hillary Clinton and Ehud Barak, Dr. Bacon and her son were surrounded by an impressive dinner company. Throughout the meal, the discussion ranged from the general and mundane to the technicalities of the peace process. ‘People tend to forget,’ commented Bacon, ‘that these are real people.’”
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Editor’s Note: There are many articles missing from 2000 to 2011, due to the fact that The Commentator archives from that era have not been digitized. However, some articles from the web archives, which are presented here, are available.
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By: Commentator Staff | Features | September 20, 2004
"If they think Americanly, they will vote for George Bush. If they think Jewishly, they will vote for George Bush. If they think morally, they will vote for George Bush. If they think Israel-wise, they will vote for George Bush.” - Dennis Prager
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Yeshiva Students Among Attendees at the Republican National Convention
By: Amiel Mandel | News | September 20, 2004
“A registered Democrat, Casper admits he is voting for Bush, stating, ‘his policies on Israel are the main reason. Thus far he has allowed Israel to defend itself against terror without condemnation.’”
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By: Shuey Jacobi | Opinions | October 26, 2004
“I find myself asking why do we care about the opinions of any of the politically active celebrities? Why do we value any of their opinions over anyone else’s?”
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John Kerry: Better for Israel, Better for Jewish Voters
By: Avraham Sinensky | Opinions | October 26, 2004
“I will vote for John Kerry because of his steadfast support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, and because John Kerry will better serve the interests of the pro-Israel community than George W. Bush.”
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By: Rafi Miller | Opinions | November 16, 2011
“There is plenty about Mr. Obama’s Middle East policy that we can criticize. I doubt that these criticisms outweigh his concrete accomplishments. But at the very least, with US-Israel cooperation at an all-time high, we ought to be grateful when gratitude is due.”
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The Not-So-Pro-Israel President
By: N/A | Opinions | November 27, 2011
“President Obama’s entire attitude comes from a childish outlook on foreign policy in general, and the Middle East in particular. Taking an "evenhanded" approach, the President repeatedly fails to see the difference between thriving, democratic allies and oppressive, deceitful dictatorships.”
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By: Akiva Berger | Opinions | September 11, 2012
“President Obama dreams of a European social welfare state in which more and more Americans are dependent on government assistance. We must keep in mind that America, unlike modern-day Europe, was built on the promise of equality of opportunity, not equality of outcomes.”
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Four More Years Can Go a Long Way
By: Jacob Blackman | Opinions | September 11, 2012
“Four more years would allow Obama to see his initiatives through and ensure their completion. Most notably, in his second term, Obama would continue to pressure Iran to end its nuclear program.”
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Why I’m Orthodox and Pro-Obama
By: Jonah Keyak | Opinions | October 30, 2012
“What scares me most about a potential Romney Administration is that he would not hesitate to allow the government to implement his religious beliefs.”
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The Rumble in Rubin: YU Student Presidential Debate Prepares Students for Upcoming Election
By: Ben Kohane | News | October 30, 2012
“Showcasing the best of Yeshiva University’s Republican and Democrat clubs, the debaters discussed contemporary issues, serving as a preview for the actual Presidential candidates that squared off later in the evening.”
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By: N/A | Opinions | November 15, 2012
“Obama has legitimate reasons for doing what he does. He is not an evil socialist with an irrational hatred of Israel and hard-working people. He is simply a man who is trying, according to his ideals, to make the world a better place.”
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By: Penina Schneider | Opinions | February 14, 2013
“Obama’s nomination of Chuck Hagel is as serious a concern for American Jewry and Israel as anything we have confronted on the political scene in decades. This is a president who has unmasked his antipathy for America as a world super power, for a strong defense, and for the coveted relationship Israel has shared with the United States for so long.”
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By: Joshua Skootsky | Opinions | February 14, 2013
“Willam Kristol, a prominent Republican, can’t stand the idea of Democrats in general—or Obama specifically—getting any ‘credit for bipartisanship.’ Furthermore, they can’t imagine what kind of Republican would want to work with the Democrats.”
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President Carter’s Latest Failure
By: Jesse Shore | Opinions | May 9, 2013
“The student group decided to honor President Jimmy Carter with this year's International Advocate for Peace Award (IAPA). Carter has a bad reputation amongst Israel supporters seeking a viable peace with the Palestinians.”
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Are the Clintons Foreign Agents?
Avishai (Jacob) Cohen | Opinions | March 22, 2015
“It is not unreasonable to suggest that the Clinton Foundation qualifies as ‘quasi-political’ given its activities and how it is funded.”
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By: The Commentator Editorial Board | Editorials | September 7, 2015
“Administrators should not implore students to adopt certain political views. The beautiful atmosphere that this University prides itself on stems from its students’ ability to freely form their own views.”
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Hail to the Chief: What Donald Trump Teaches Us About the Presidency
By: Hilla Katz-Lichtenstein | Opinions | September 7, 2015
“Enter Mr. Donald Trump. The man with “no time for political correctness”. Many have speculated as to how a businessman with a not-so-cheery disposition suddenly became the frontrunner for the Republican primaries.”
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By: Jonathan Livi | Opinions | September 7, 2015
“[Hillary] lacks all the qualities that have newly become fashionable. She is a politician, she is inauthentic, she has no charisma, and she clearly can’t relate to the vast majority of the American people. If that is not enough, she is now ensnared in a scandal that accentuates all of these qualities.”
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Yes, Painful Political Truths, and Historical Context
By: Anonymous | Opinions | September 7, 2015
“Is it at all possible that a certain level of hysteria is being whipped up by Republicans who would like to drive a wedge through the Democratic Jewish voting bloc by politicizing the previously bipartisan support for Israel?”
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The Real Reason We Shouldn’t Like the Iran Deal
By: Joey Chesir | Opinions | September 7, 2015
“Ultimately, Obama is acting in accordance with what he believes is best for the United States. While it may appear that he is totally incorrect, Obama’s decisions should be criticized, not his intentions.”
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By: Joey Chesir | Opinions | October 19, 2015
“Trump shouldn’t be president because he is an uninformed bully who has yet to prove he knows a single thing about politics, what the president actually has to deal with on a day-to-day basis.”
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Students and Politics: In the Same Sentence?
By: Ari Tepler | Opinions | October 19, 2015
“As students, we represent the future of the American public and we have to reignite the unique American spirit which favors great strides in political participation. Find a candidate that closely resembles your vision and join their student coalition.”
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By: Avraham Eisenberg | Opinions | November 29, 2015
“Fine-tuning debates, as the Republican establishment now wants, can only go so far. Ensuring the moderators are friendly (and the temperature adequate) does nothing to address the fundamental problems with the structure of debates.”
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By: Daniel Luxenberg | Opinions | November 29, 2015
“The party that prides itself on its ‘open-mindedness’ and ‘respect,’ I feel, has been guilting the more conservative youth, calling for them to ‘change their views,’ or risk being labeled as bigots.”
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What History Teaches About Donald Trump
By: Yadin Teitz | Opinions | December 27, 2015
“Trump has recently chosen to center his campaign on racial discrimination and the disenfranchisement of minorities. This, too, is an age-old technique of gaining support.”
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Thoughts On Sanders: Judaism and the Culture of Capitalism
By: Yitzchak Fried | Opinions | February 28, 2016
“Judaism has an ambiguous relationship with capitalist freedom.”
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By: Benjamin Koslowe | Opinions | February 28, 2016
“When the political system creates an apparent divide between black and white, it is easy to become obstinate about ever changing one’s views. The other camp is seen as the Dark Side, seeking to destroy the Galactic Republic and all that is good.”
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Jewish Self-Interests Must Not Trump Basic Values of Humanity
By: Judah Kerbel | Opinions | March 27, 2016
“To my utter shock (I have been naïve before), however, I heard the eruption of applause and saw standing ovations on the screens outside the arena as Trump pandered to the crowd, despite his disclaimer that he did not come to pander.”
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By: Donald J. Trump (Daniel Luxenberg) | Opinions | March 27, 2016
“Some of the writers for this paper- they’re young and weak. They are liars. A lot of them lie. I don’t lie to you, because the administration can’t control me.”
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Land of the Trump, Home of the Kaepernick
By: Molly Meisels | Opinions | September 18, 2016
“Trump and Kaepernick aren’t really that different. They are two men with seemingly similar values, protesting a government they seem to despise. Both of them are displaying harsh disapprovals of our democracy. They both want to ‘Make America Great Again’.”
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A Guide to Political Incorrectness, and Why Trump Doesn’t Get It
By: Zach Sterman | Opinions | September 18, 2016
“On the right Trump has succeeded in igniting latent frustration within the Republican constituency, transforming people’s irritation with the restraints of PC into a belief that Trump’s boorish and abrasive behavior is acceptable, or even preferable as a method of political discourse.”
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Poll: Plurality of YU Students Support Trump, 27% Support Clinton
By: Avi Strauss | News | September 18, 2016
“Donald Trump has the support of 37% of YU undergraduate students, a poll conducted by The Commentator from September 8-11 shows as compared to 27% percent for Hillary Clinton.”
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Make Commentator Polls Correct Again: Serious Flaws in Poll Showing Trump Favorite Among Students
By: Avraham Wein | Opinions | September 20, 2016
“The Commentator should not be so quick to attribute such opinions to the YU community if it does not have sufficient basis for doing so. I hope the newspaper will be more wary in both conducting and interpreting future polls.”
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Government Meddling in the Economy is Wrong For America, Mrs. Clinton
By: Joey Salvin | Opinions | November 6, 2016
“In exploring one issue of the 2016 Election, mainly taxes and economic regulation, a Clinton administration bears significant risks to the American people. With the type of crony capitalism and ‘calling on favors’ routine that she continues to demonstrate, the inefficiencies of big government as a tool for unfair regulations and taxes will harm those worst off in society.”
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Trump’s Taxes and America’s Precarious Community
By: Yitzchak Fried | Opinions | November 6, 2016
“According to Trump, as a business owner, not paying your income taxes isn’t immoral. It’s smart.”
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Despite Political Differences, Students Gather for Election Party
By: Samuel Gelman (Houston) | News | November 9, 2016
“Aside from the occasional “lock her up” chant, the event stayed relatively civil, with both candidates receiving cheers from supporters and boos from detractors when winning a state… One Trump supporter even came with a shofar to blow upon the expected announcement of Trump’s victory.”
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Alabama and the Confederate Flag: An Interview with Nate Trudeau
By: Yitzchak Fried | Features | November 22, 2016
“‘I am not okay with racism at all. I accept everyone for who they are, whatever their race or sexual orientation. And there is racism in the orthodox community that has to be dealt with. But I am not one of those people.’”
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By: Doron Levine | Editorials | November 27, 2016
“A student wears a Confederate flag to an election party, and the administration strongly denounces this display as non-Halachic. But violations of traditional Jewish norms are, while not the norm, far from uncommon at our university.”
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Breaking Rules and a Successful Brand: How Trump Won the Presidency
By: Elliot Fuchs | Opinions | November 27, 2016
““Make America Great Again” was a genius marketing move, and, therefore, a genius political one. His confidence when exuding that message resonated with voters because they didn’t make a distinction between making a country great and making a business great.”
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The Confederate Flag You Never Knew
By: Uri Segelman | Opinions | November 27, 2016
“The simplicity with which this issue is discussed is a travesty, and it was a true shame to see such simplicity and close-mindedness displayed by YU’s administration.”
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Scars and Bars: A Confederate Flag On Campus
By: Molly Meisels | Opinions | November 27, 2016
“The flag, known as ‘the stars and bars’, is a blatant symbol of racism, slavery and white supremacy. It belongs to the same camp as the Ku Klux Klan and their white hoods, as the Nazi Party and their swastikas.”
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By: Dan Luxenberg | Opinions | November 27, 2016
“President-elect Trump’s divisive rhetoric is legitimately scaring many minorities, and we as Jews should be especially empathetic; a significant part of our history consists of leaders campaigning on ridding their countries of Jews.”
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Racism in the Orthodox Community
By: Rabbi Jeremy Wieder | Opinions | November 27, 2016
“Let me make this very clear: the President-Elect of this country has made many racist statements. There’s no question about that… I assume that no person, no decent human being who voted for him, voted for him because of his racist statements. They voted for him… in spite of them.”
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By: Molly Meisels | Opinions | November 27, 2016
“Due to Trump’s anti-immigrant campaign and nativist undertones, many Americans who have harbored xenophobic feelings for some time have begun voicing their opinions.”
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Shortchanging History and Marginalizing Students
By: Anonymous | Opinions | November 27, 2016
“The Confederate flag, likewise, has different meanings to different people… The flag doesn’t represent implicit slavery or racism where I come from; it represents Southern pride and a part of our past.”
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By: Benjamin Koslowe | Opinions | December 3, 2016
“Morg Lounge may have been packed with people, but the YU community is much bigger… Wherever we were, none of us chanted ‘Lock her up’ at any point.”
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By: Ben Atwood | Opinions | December 18, 2016
“It was early Wednesday morning on November ninth, and the American people had elected Donald Trump into office. Cheers, singing, simkhah (joyous) dancing could be seen and heard in the streets and hallways of Yeshiva University’s Wilf campus by students who had either waited out the night or were stirred awake in their rooms by the festivities.”
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Why We, As Orthodox Jews, Need to Oppose Racism
By: Rabbi Yosef Blau | Opinions | December 18, 2016
“Fifty years ago a commitment to human rights and opposition to any discrimination based on race, gender, or religion was a goal that Orthodox (and non-Orthodox) Jews fully supported.”
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Why Donald Trump Is the Media’s Biggest Beneficiary
By: Joey Chesir | Opinions | December 18, 2016
“Whenever the media labeled Trump’s actions as ‘offensive’, they either directly or unwittingly fed into the notion of Trump being ‘politically incorrect’, which Trump obviously capitalized on.”
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Why We Publish What We Publish
By: Avi Strauss | Opinions | December 18, 2016
“Although the progressive tendency to over-classify opposing opinions as ‘hate speech’ may be popular with some readers, it is not the prevailing view of The Commentator. If it makes those people uncomfortable that our newspaper will not reliably print opinion pieces that conform to their own preconceived notions, then they should get used to the discomfort.”
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A Letter to the Students of YU About the Immigration Crisis
Gabriel Cwilich | Opinions | February 1, 2017
“I was surprised, and in some sense disappointed, that your newspaper, which supposedly reflects the concerns of the student population, does not carry even one single line about the crisis unleashed by the ill-conceived and cruel Executive Order on Immigration from President Trump, which represents a shocking departure from America's core values of compassion and kindness.”
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By: Shaul Elson | Opinions | February 5, 2017
“Yeshiva has not spoken enough. If Yeshiva University is truly interested in claiming an ethical leadership role in the Jewish community and beyond, it must publicly condemn this policy and other manifestations of Islamophobia with far more forceful and empathetic language.”
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By: Samuel Gelman (Houston) | Opinions | February 5, 2017
“The reason Donald Trump is sitting in the White House is because the average American voter is an ignorant and irrational voter.”
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How to be a Winner: Comparing Trump to your Favorite Television Characters
By: Elliot Fuchs | Opinions | April 23, 2017
“When you declare yourself a winner, and truly believe it to be the case, your confidence becomes top notch and you win more often. Confidence puts you at the doorstep of success even prior to any engagement in the endeavor you are about to embark upon.”
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By: Matthew Haller | Opinions | September 17, 2017
“The semantic question of whether Trump is an outright ‘racist’ is of less concern than the practical reality: that white supremacists believe that they currently have an ally in the Oval Office.”
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By: Yosef Friedlander | Opinions | October 1, 2017
“Trump makes a comment and more players take a knee. Trump retaliates with additional childish tweets and teams stoke the fire by skipping the anthem completely. These protests are beginning to resemble a playground squabble more than anything else.”
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By: Molly Meisels | Opinions | October 22, 2017
“ Sports will remain political as long as it is a viable platform for players to voice vital opinions. It is their right, and not Trump, nor anyone else can take that right away from them.”
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The Road to Heaven or Hell? A Brief Critique of President Trump’s Infrastructure Plan
By: Ilan Hirschfield | Opinions | December 3, 2017
“While the strategy to fix the country’s ailing infrastructural system is reasonable enough, I disagree with part of it due to Mr. Trump’s lack of vision in anticipating said portion’s potential pitfalls and obstacles.”
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If I Recognize Thee, O Jerusalem
By: David Aaronson | Opinions | December 24, 2017
“Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that he would begin the process of relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.”
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Letter to the Editor: Josh Greenberger
By: Josh Greenberger | Opinions | January 4, 2018
“Olson makes the fallacious argument that ‘the decision by the Trump administration has likely inflicted a mortal injury to the possibility’ of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”
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Why Elections Matter — So Go Vote
By: Yitzchak Carroll | Opinions | October 28, 2018
“Right here, in New York State, imperative issues hang in the balance, to be determined by the results of November’s elections... But thankfully, we have a say in the results — and now, more than ever, it is critical for us to leverage our voices and votes to ensure just that.”
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By: Avi Hirsch and Benjamin Koslowe | News | October 28, 2018
“‘A majority of YU students lean Republican,’ reflected Rachel Zakharov, the President of the YU College Republicans, ‘and for the first time in a long time we have a unique opportunity to make a difference and Yeshiva University is central to that role.’”
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Commentator Midterm Election Poll: A Detailed Analysis
By: Avi Hirsch and Benjamin Koslowe | Features | October 28, 2018
“Our poll found that Syms-Men students tend to be more Republican than the other colleges, followed by YC, with Stern being the most Democratic overall.”
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Trump’s America First Policy Puts Israel in Danger
By: Eliyahu Spivack | Opinions | February 3, 2019
“Given all the danger Trump has put Israel in by unilaterally withdrawing from Syria, I don’t understand why the pro-Israel community isn’t outraged.”
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By: Zachary Greenberg | Opinions | February 3, 2019
“While there needs to be increased border security to prevent illegal immigrants from bringing in drugs to the U.S. and harming U.S. citizens, the U.S. government didn’t need to shut down to achieve this goal.”
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By: Avraham Walkenfeld | Opinions | February 17, 2019
“The wall can lower crime rates across the country. But the Democrats say the wall is immoral, and the Democrats know best.”
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Upholding Integrity Means Applying Standards to Both Sides
By: Daniel Melool | Opinions | November 24, 2019
“We all must set a clear standard for how we judge politicians and apply that standard to all sides. This is the next step in the return to normalcy that America must take in order to be a bastion of liberty and justice for all.”
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Why YU Should Give Students Off on Election Day
By: Temmi Lattin | Opinions | November 24, 2019
“I believe that YU as an institution can and should take a stand and make it substantially easier for students to vote with one simple decision: giving the day off for students who live close enough to travel to their county’s voting location.”
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The Political and Religious Imperative to Vote
By: Akiva Levy | Opinions | September 17, 2020
“Whether political or religious, we all have an obligation to vote.”
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By: Elazar Abrahams | Opinions | September 25, 2020
“President Trump’s pick to fill the empty seat will likely be in favor of gutting crucial laws that protect things like healthcare access and voting rights. It’s a sad reality.”
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The Left’s Dishonest Attacks Following Ginsburg’s Death
By: Natan Ehrenreich | Opinions | September 25, 2020
“In a year marred not only by tragedy but by extreme controversy, it just might be that the coronavirus, the George Floyd protests, Donald Trump and Joe Biden will all have to take a backseat to what is shaping up to be the nastiest political fight of the decade. It's time to buckle up.”
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By: Levi Boshnack | Opinions | October 18, 2020
“I’ve concluded that voting for a candidate because he or she is not the other choice is how we got to a point where a billionaire real estate mogul and gameshow host turned conservative populist is running against a nearly 80-year-old former vice president and senator whose biggest selling point is not being the other guy.”
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Is This Level of Political Polarization Unprecedented?
By: Mitch Goulson | Opinions | October 18, 2020
“While the election process certainly feels more polarizing than usual, this level of political polarization is not unprecedented, particularly in an election year.”
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Mail-In Ballots: A Convenience, Not a Hindrance
By: Sarah Brill | Opinions | October 18, 2020
“Voting by mail is a necessity during these times.”
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Where Do You Stand, Senator Harris?
By: Zachary Greenberg | Opinions | October 18, 2020
“Biden would be within his legal right to expand the Court, but it is clear that it would be done solely to tilt the balance of the judiciary in his favor.”
