In Retrospect: On Gratitude and Spinning Wheels
I am embarrassed to admit this, but if you asked me why I chose YU, I would tell you the truth. I spun a wheel. Since then, I promised myself to never again make decisions like this in my life. But there I was, an indecisive high school senior, sitting at my desk with wheelofnames open on my phone. I typed in two university names, clicked spin and watched the two semicircles blur until the wheel lulled to a stop, anticlimactically landing on… Yeshiva University.
Despite the immediate confetti that burst onto my phone screen, my first semester on campus did not feel all that celebratory. While I was navigating this new institution, new classes, new professors and new faces, I wasn’t sure where I fit into the mix. That semester teemed with worries and questions. Did I make the wrong decision? What if the wheel landed elsewhere?
Looking back, I am so grateful it didn’t. These past three years have shaped the person I am today in more ways than I can count, and I have so many people to thank for that, but I will start with the obvious: This newspaper.
I started writing for The Commentator because I like to write, but I continued because I loved the people. Hannah, thank you for bringing me into this world of college journalism, for sitting with me when I approached you with an article idea and providing feedback. I am so lucky to call you a mentor and a friend. Sruli, no matter how busy he must be, always made time to answer my questions and offer advice and guidance. Thank you both for believing in me. I am also grateful for the encouragement from Yekusiel and Rivka, whose words meant so much to me.
Certainly, what I will cherish most from the paper are the people I met through it. From meeting the Stern librarians, to student musicians, to our own writers and editors, I have learned so much from each person I have interviewed, chatted with or who came to me with an article idea that they wanted to pursue. This paper also enabled me to find my own voice and develop it. It forced me to remain curious about this institution with all of its quirks and charms. The range of student opinions challenged me to explore other perspectives I might not have considered and think critically about them. I am thankful for all the ways in which this position has pushed me beyond my comfort zone and enabled me to grow.
Next, I would like to extend my sincere hakarat hatov to Rabbi David Nachbar, whom I have had the immense privilege of learning from. Had I not joined your shiur, I fear I might have been “up the creek without a paddle.” Thank you for teaching me how to approach learning: with patience, discipline and attention, to each word and and to each letter.
On that note, thank you to all of my shiur-mates who have made every morning the highlight of my day, and especially to my chavrusas, Rebecca and Aliza. Learning with each of you has enriched my Talmud Torah and my life overall.
I am also grateful for all of the exceptional professors whose classrooms I have been privileged to sit in, and I am especially thankful to the entire English department for enabling me to discover and delve into my passions for literature and creative writing. I couldn’t name everyone, but I would be remiss to not shout out the professors who have pushed and challenged me to become a better reader, writer, thinker and person overall, while sharing their wisdom with me. Thank you to Professors Ann Peters, Matt Miller, Seamus O’Malley and David Shatz. Thank you also to the phenomenal Judaics teachers I have had. To Professor Nechama Price, Rabbi Saul Berman and Rabbi Shlomo Zuckier, thank you each for teaching with such passion and dedication. It was a gift to be your student.
I must make a special shoutout to Dean Rebecca Cypess whose love and commitment to this school is so apparent. Thank you for your support and for taking the time to answer our inquiries (of which there were many).
The transformation of Stern becoming home to me was in a major way facilitated by the amazing work that our campus leaders do. Thank you to Rabbi Azi and Rebbetzin Ellie Fine and to Rabbi Yosef and Rebbetzin Gitty Tropp for providing religiously meaningful programming and for making Stern feel like home for so many students.
A tremendous debt of gratitude is owed to all of my friends who have been there for me these past few years, and especially to Aviva and Kiki for their constant listening ears and sound advice regarding this paper and everything else.
Most of all, I could not have done this without my parents. Ima and Tati, thank you for your unconditional love and support, of which I could only hope to return a fraction of. I also must recognize my siblings who are the greatest blessings in my life. Thank you (all of you!) for everything.
Nothing of significance happens alone, and the immense pride I feel in what the Commie has accomplished this year is due to our phenomenal editorial board.
To Daniel Kohn and Elza Koslowe, I have the utmost confidence in the heights that you are sure to bring this paper to. Daniel, your journalistic eye and leadership skills, as well as your excitement and vision for next year’s paper, will serve issue 92 well. Elza, your creativity, writing skills and genuine love for the Commie and its rich history are sure to equip you with the ability to shape its future for the better.
Daniel Brauner, your enthusiasm and reporting skills are admirable and I am sure that you will continue to be an excellent Commentator role model for future writers and editors. Ellie Weisberg, you brought a contagious joy to this paper and it has been a pleasure to work with you. I wish you success in your future role as BCSG president, through which I know you will contribute invaluably to the Stern community. Nissim Farhy, your involvement and insight as a thinker and writer proved to be indispensable to our paper.
The opinions section is a platform for our peers to voice their perspectives and concerns, an integral aspect of the paper. I am proud of and inspired by Rebecca Guzman and Breindy Berger who have done an exceptional job leading this section as thoughtful and brilliant editors. There is always a section that runs so well it functions on its own, and it is because of them that students were consistently able to share their thoughts and opinions with this community.
Two years ago, Liev Markovich revived The Commentator’s Arts and Culture section, and in its second year back, the section has proven to be a great success and a prominent piece in this paper’s puzzle. Liev, you have done a phenomenal job at bringing your vision into reality. Kayla Kramer, thank you for enabling that reality to flourish with your constant commitment and passion for this section and for the Commie overall. I am confident that under Daniella Karp’s leadership, A&C will continue to thrive.
The business section, led by Mo Berlin and Yosef Khorramian, was a highlight of our paper this year. I am especially appreciative for how incredibly Yosef managed our website and social media. Yehudis Kundin, who will take over his role next year, has done a great job so far, and I am sure she will continue to enable the paper to run smoothly and be accessible to our readers.
Thank you greatly to Leah Reichlin and her stellar layout team — Dean Greenbaum, Michal Reid and Chani Kaminetzky — who have consistently demonstrated a level of professionalism and strong work ethic that is far beyond what one would expect from college students. A huge thank you to Leora Schramm for her contributions to the paper, through memes, views on campus and the like, and to Rafael Poticha who joined as our business manager with enthusiasm and commitment.
Eli Rockoff, Daniella Karp and Rena Hecht have been essential to our team this year. Their close attention to detail in copy editing and in our PDFs is impressive. Thank you each for your diligence and for ensuring that each issue met the highest standard.
Above all else, I owe a tremendous thank you to our managing editor Rikki, whom I could not have imagined issue 91 without. It was a privilege to work alongside you and get to learn from your approach to journalism and writing. I could not have done this without you, your unwavering support and your clear judgement calls when it came to making tough decisions. I look forward to reading your future work and seeing all the amazing things you are sure to achieve.
Change is always challenging and goodbyes are acutely painful. To quote Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” And I do feel exceptionally lucky. But I also know that this experience and this goodbye have nothing to do with luck, or chance or coincide, and I am so grateful to Hashem for guiding my footsteps to bring me here — hamechin mitzadei gaver.
In the end, I know that it was never about when the wheel stopped turning or what it landed on; it was about my choice to not spin it again.
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