Faculty News Blog

Tufts to Speak on Judaism and Baseball at 92nd Street Y

skier — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:00:11 +0000

Robert M. Tufts, an adjunct instructor at Yeshiva University, will participate in a panel discussion of Israel, America and baseball at the 92nd Street Y on May 13 at 8:15 pm. One of only six major league players to convert to Judaism during his career, Tufts will be joined by Jeffrey Lyons and author Larry Ruttman to discuss Ruttman’s new book, American Jews and America’s Game, which features 50 in-depth interviews with Jews who impacted the sport. Moderated by Alan Dershowitz, the panel will discuss, among other topics, the all-time greats—Sandy Koufax, Hank Greenberg, Al Rosen and Ken Holtzman (the all-time wins leader among Jewish pitchers); little-known players, like Barney Pelty (“The Yiddish Curver”); powerful front-office types, such as the late Marvin Miller and today’s commissioner, Bud Selig; and whether we’re now in a “Golden Age” of Jewish ballplayers, with stars like Ryan “Hebrew Hammer” Braun, Ian Kinsler and Kevin Youkilis.

Lichtenstein Honored at Etzion Foundation Annual Dinner

skier — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:02:20 +0000

In celebration of his 80th birthday, Rabbi Dr. Aharon Lichtenstein, the Rabbi Henoch Sarah D. Berman Chair in Talmud at Yeshiva University and a rosh yeshiva at YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, was honored at the Etzion Foundation’s Annual Dinner on March 10 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The event was a tribute to his influence on Torah scholarship and leaders. More than 90 rabbis also dedicated their shabbat drashot or shiurim to Lichtenstein’s Torah study in honor of his birthday.

Goswami Publishes Article in Three Scientific Journals

skier — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:01:07 +0000

Dr. Sumanta Goswami, associate professor of biology at Yeshiva College, recently published an article in three high-impact scientific journals. The article, “Impairment of BRCA1-Related DNA Double-Strand Break Repair Leads to Ovarian Aging in Mice and Humans,” describes a study that found alterations in the genes associated with breast cancer can also cause infertility and was featured on the cover of Science Translational Medicine (Volume 5, Issue 172) as well as in Science (Volume 339) and Nature (Volume 494).

Angel Publishes Book Surveying Prophets and Holy Writings

skier — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:59:10 +0000

Dr. Hayyim Angel, adjunct instructor of bible at Yeshiva University’s Yeshiva College, recently published a book surveying the Prophets and Holy Writings. Titled Vision from the Prophet and Counsel from the Elders (OU Press 2013), the book analyzes a representative aspect of each book and draws on peshat [the plain meaning of the text], the Talmud, the midrash [traditional commentaries], and modern scholarship to express a view of Scripture that is creative as well as subtle and nuanced.

Pava Participates in Cooperative Roundtable on Corporate Responsibility

skier — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:57:21 +0000

On February 14-15, Dr. Moses Pava, dean and Alvin H. Einbender Chair of Ethics at Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business, was part of a cooperative group comprising business school deans and other leaders in law and the non-profit world that convened at New York University Stern to engage in dialogue about what business schools should teach future leaders about corporate political participation. The business of “K” street—effective lobbying, how to run a Political Action Committee and more—impacts and intersects with the capital markets, with Wall Street and with business.

This collaborative roundtable was sponsored by Baruch College and the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research; Wharton; Columbia University; NYU’s Stern School of Business and School of Law; and the Center for Corporate Accountability. The deans and participating thought leaders debated what business schools should teach and how they should teach it.

Pava also recently published an article about the ethics of taxation, “Subjects or Partners: A New Metaphor,” in Sh’ma.

Glanz Receives Leadership in Education Award

skier — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:15:52 +0000

Dr. Jeffrey Glanz, the Silverstein Chair in Professional Ethics and Values and professor of education at Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, will be presented with a Leadership in Education Award for his contributions to the field of education by the Association for International Conferences as well as deliver a keynote address at AIC’s inaugural conference, “The International Conference on Education, Sustainable Development, Leadership and Policy” at Columbia University from April 17-April 19.

Holz Receives $25,000 Pilot Award

skier — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:40:31 +0000

Dr. Marina Holz, assistant professor of biology at Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women, has been granted a one-year Pilot Award from the LAM Foundation to study a rare disease that most commonly strikes women of childbearing age and results in the destruction of the lungs. The $25,000 grant will enable Holz and her students at Stern College to research both the molecular causes of lymphangioleiomyomatosis, or LAM, and new therapy strategies that may be more effective than current treatment options.

“Stern is the perfect location to study LAM because our students, being women, are greatly inspired and motivated to help other women,” Holz said.

She will also present her research at the LAM Foundation International Research Conference, which will take place in Cincinnati from April 12-14.

Cwilich Moderates Scientific American Panel Discussion

skier — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:41:46 +0000

Dr. Gabriel Cwilich, director of the Jay and Jeannie Schottenstein Honors Program and associate professor of physics at Yeshiva College, moderated a panel discussion posted as part of Scientific American‘s “Science Talk” podcasts. The discussion, titled “Inside Isaac: A Discussion of Newton,” focused on an off-Broadway play about Isaac Newton, “Isaac’s Eye,” written by Lucas Hnath. Cwilich served as scientific adviser to the play, which is in the midst of a two-month run at the Ensemble Studio Theater. The discussion featured Hnath as well as two historians of science: Matthew Jones at Columbia University and Matthew Stanley at New York University.

Novel Based on Book by Jeffrey Freedman Published

skier — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:45:48 +0000

A German novel based on a book by Dr. Jeffrey Freedman, associate professor of history at Yeshiva University, was recently published by Cosmos Verlag. Freedman’s book, A Poisoned Chalice (Princeton University Press 2002), uses original archival material to reconstruct a long-forgotten criminal case – the poisoning of the communion wine in the main cathedral of Zurich in 1776. The novel, titled Das Gesicht and written by Swiss-German author Dominik Bernet, follows Freedman’s book closely while questioning the relation between history and literature, fact and fantasy.

Pollack Publishes Article in Law Review Journal

skier — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 19:34:53 +0000

An article co-written by Dr. Daniel Pollack, professor at YU’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work, will appear in an upcoming issue of Temple Political and Civil Rights Law Review. The article, which Pollack co-authored with Khaya Eisenberg and Amanda Sundarsingh, seeks to determine whether a history of foster care involvement should serve as a legitimate mitigating circumstance for a defendant in criminal trial by exploring the effects of abusive, neglect and other traumatic experiences which have been linked to the development of a number of emotional/mental, social/behavioral, and relational problems, including—but not limited to—anxiety, depression, substance abuse and attachment issues.