In the academic year 2023-2024, the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought has been convening an extracurricular seminar series, “Writing as a Public Intellectual: An Advanced Mentorship Program.” The sessions, led by Straus Center Senior Scholar Dr. Tevi Troy, offer professional development opportunities for YU alumni, staff, and faculty, and they have been open to aspiring writers outside the YU community as well.

In the seminar series, Dr. Troy, who has published over 400 articles and written multiple books, presented his methods and advice for writing and pitching pieces, drawing upon his vast experience in writing.

Throughout the academic year, the seminar welcomed numerous prominent writers and editors who shared their advice to the group. Guest presenters in the fall included Dr. Abe Socher, editor of Jewish Review of Books, who discussed his editorial experiences and presented advice on how to review books effectively, and Dr. Liel Leibovitz, editor at large for Tablet Magazine, who offered his “Ten Commandments” for writing.

In the spring semester, the seminar featured guest presentations from Elliott Kaufman, letters editor at The Wall Street Journal, who unpacked the art of crafting and pitching a successful letter to the editor; Adam Kirsch, a prominent literary critic as well as features editor at The Wall Street Journal, who provided guidance on how to submit pieces for his section; and Alana Newhouse, editor-in-chief of Tablet, who discussed the history and mission of the magazine in the context of a rapidly evolving twenty-first century media landscape. The final session of the year will feature Robert A. George, a former congressional leadership aide and a columnist at the New York Post, The Daily News, and Bloomberg.

“It has been a pleasure to work with a group of YU-affiliated professionals who want to learn about the challenging but rewarding world of writing for publication,” Dr. Troy remarked. “I was excited to give them my insights from decades of experience in this world, and I’ve benefited along with them in learning from the tremendous guest speakers.”