Yeshiva University Students Establish New Literary Journal, Law Review
Yeshiva University students are establishing two new campus publications this academic year. One, The Maccabee Review, a digital literary journal which publishes students’ creative works, has already published an issue online, and the second, the YU Undergraduate Law Review, is currently creating a board.
Started last semester, the Maccabee Review describes itself on its website as “the first digital, student-led literary journal of Yeshiva University,” which aims to serve as a space for students to “reflect on love, grief, humanity, Judaism, and more.” The seven-member board is led by Rebecca Guzman (SCW ‘26), the Review’s editor in chief, and Managing Editor Rivka Krause (SCW ‘24). The Law Review is led by Editor in Chief Sam Weinberg (YC ‘25) and Managing Editor Kayla Kramer (SCW ‘26).
“We’re so proud to serve as the first digital, student-led literary journal of Yeshiva University,” Guzman shared with The Commentator. “The Maccabee Review would not be possible without the hard work of our amazing editorial board, writers, and artists.”
On the Review’s website, one can find photos taken of everyday life in Manhattan, as well as other creative works, such as poetry and short literary pieces.
“I saw an email sent out about YU’s new literary magazine, the Maccabee Review, and decided to submit one of my poems to help support the new student publication,” David Yagudayev (YC ‘25), a student who has published with the Maccabee review, told The Commentator. “I hope that the Maccabee Review continues to grow and help foster creative writing amongst YU students.”
Although the journal currently operates digitally, where it garnered more than 500 visits last month, Guzman told The Commentator that the board is “entertaining the idea of printing copies for both campuses' libraries.”
The Review’s first issue was published online Dec. 26. The deadline for submissions for the next Maccabee Review issue is March 13, with the issue intended to be published by the first day of finals.
Presently, the Law Review is in the process of setting up its board, with the plan being to have four vice-presidential positions. The board already has between 30 to 35 members. The board members will be grouped into different categories corresponding to various areas of the law. Although publishing for the Law Review’s first issue is underway, those interested in submitting articles for future issues will be able to submit outlines of perspectives articles, about half of which will be selected to be developed into proper articles.
Weinberg anticipates there will be two issues published in the spring semester, but that number is liable to change depending on how well-paced things are and the quality of output. Although currently the plan is to release the journal digitally, Weinberg was hopeful the journal could move to a print format in the future.
“I think for starters, it's gonna be online,” he told The Commentator. “Hopefully moving forward, we have a way to mass-print it, in a way. I think that would be greatly appreciated, not just by the writers, but by the wider YU community, not just pre-Law. But for now, our game plan is to start online.”
“As a member of the YU pre-law community, I felt we would benefit from having a publication which asks for both detailed research and expression of logical and articulate legal formulations and reasoning,” Weinberg said. “The vision of the YU Undergraduate Law Review is to be the home of such work, and we are so excited to be a student-led organization with these goals in mind.”
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Photo Caption: New student-led publications in YU
Photo Credit: The Commentator
