Speech
Address by Dr. Lamm at the Occasion of the 77th Annual Hanukkah Dinner (2001)
I am overwhelmed by the extravagant introduction by the officers of our University Board of Trustees. The praise has been so extravagant, the encomia so dazzling, the presentation so persuasive, that I thank you for enabling me to draw inspiration – from myself... But, don’t worry about my getting a swelled head as a result, because I always recall something that happened just about 25 years ago. I was elected in August 1976 and in September, after school started I decided to mingle with the students. So, I proceeded to have lunch in the cafeteria. Now, in the cafeteria in those days there were three price levels, the lowest for students, then faculty, then outsiders. I took my tray, placed my lunch on it, and presented myself to the cashier. She looked at me and said, “You’re not a student, are you?” I said, “No.” “Are you member of the faculty?” I said, “No.” “Oh, then you’re an outsider.” I said, “No.” At which she loudly exclaimed, “So you’re a nobody.” It would be both foolish and arrogant of me to accept all the credit for these achievements. The support of countless individuals, working together, deserves credit for our improved status: cooperative governing boards, understanding faculties, hard working administrators, sophisticated and successful Investment Committee people, diligent fundraisers and many, many others. As for my own role, I am – to use a Twelfth Century metaphor – a dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants, namely, my distinguished predecessors, Dr. Bernard Revel and Dr. Samuel Belkin zikhronam liverakha, whose immense contributions to Yeshiva University, to Jewish education, to general higher education, to the scientific and medical communities, to the law community and especially to the Torah community – indeed, to all of society – should never be forgotten. In thanking them and all of you for your many expressions of kindness, I welcome you to this happy Annual Hanukkah Dinner. In so doing, permit me to mention that Yeshiva placed an ad …
