May 27, 2009 -- Fresh from his year-long world tour performing to sell-out audiences, renowned mentalist Dr. Marc Salem beguiled the crowd of over 100 undergraduate students with his ‘mind-reading’ techniques at a student council-sponsored event on May 12. A Yeshiva College graduate, Salem’s uncanny abilities have landed him appearances on The O’Reilly Factor, The Montel Williams Show, The Maury Show, 60 Minutes and CNN. He has had two network television specials and is a regular guest on Court TV. Watch a video clip from his show at YU. But behind his popular acclaim is a highly advanced ability to read people’s physical language and detect lies honed over 30 years. Salem holds advanced degrees from New York University and the University of Pennsylvania and has been on the faculty of several major universities for close to two decades. He has used his unique skills to consult for police forces all over the globe as well as in the courtroom. “It is verbally impossible to lie,” Salem said as he continuously educated students about the techniques he was using to read minds in the crowd. He wowed the YU audience with his ability to read nonverbal cues. From among a group of five randomly selected students who were asked to draw sketches, Salem correctly identified which student drew each sketch, based on their responses. He performed several other seemingly psychic acts, such as identifying people’s personal belongings based on their tone of voice and pitch. The students were vividly entertained; but the performance was about more than an opportunity to de-stress as they approached the heat of final exams. The event was organized as a fund raiser for the David Rottenstreich z’’l Memorial Sefer Torah Fund established in the memory of the Yeshiva College student who succumbed to sudden illness on April 7. “Although Rotty would no longer be here in person, we could not let his spirit leave,” said YC sophomore Marc Zeffren, a close friend of David. “One of his most distinct qualities was his fantastic middos [character] and love for Torah. We therefore responded by starting a project that fit Rotty’s qualities perfectly.” Upon hearing about the campaign for a sefer Torah [Torah scroll] written in Rottenstreich’s memory, the student councils hit upon the idea of bringing Salem to campus. “We knew that his performance would bring some happiness to the students at a dark time as well as help the fund reach its goal,” Rafi Katz vice president of the Yeshiva Student Union, said. “When Marc Salem heard about this tragic news immediately after Pesach, he decreased his rate substantially and was steadfast in helping the YU community recuperate from its loss,” Katz said. The event raised over $1,600 for the campaign. To find out about Torah learning opportunities in David Rottenstreich’s memory or to donate to the sefer Torah fund, go to www.dovidchaim.blogspot.com.