Torah Scholar Advises Against S.Z.O. Chapter (Vol. 25, Issue 4)

Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik has advised Student Council not to sponsor a Student Zionist Organization chapter at Yeshiva. Student Council had passed by a 10-4 margin a resolution chartering the chapter, after more than five hours of heated debate. Benjamin Hirsch ‘60, president of Student Council, pointed out that enactment of this resolution would pend a decision by Rabbi Soloveitchik, professor of Talmud in R.I.E.T.S. 

Rabbi Soloveitchik was approached by a S.C. committee consisting of Mr. Hirsch, Henry Book ‘60, Steven Riskin ‘60, and Joshua Levy ‘61. Rabbi Soloveitchik strongly advocated a religious Zionist organization at Yeshiva College. However, he suggested that this organization be founded within the Yeshiva framework rather than be associated with any non-religious organization. 

S.Z.O.A. Controversy 

For the past few years the question of affiliation with S.Z.O has been a great controversy in Student Council. Student Council had, by narrow decisions, maintained that since S.Z.O. is non-religious, its views don’t coincide with that of Yeshiva, and, consequently S.Z.O. has been voted down. 

Last year a Religious Zionist Club was formed instead of the proposed chapter. Joseph Lifschitz ‘61, last year’s R.Z.C. president, stated that as the club had not been successful in attracting student membership, it would request the formation of an S.Z.O. group. 

After deciding that S.C. should not decide on a basic philosophy for affiliation with national Jewish organizations, S.Z.O.’s chapter was approved.