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March 13, 2001

Report to Meeting of University Board Announcing Retirement from the Presidency (2001)

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Announcement by the President of the University (2001)

At last night’s meeting of the Board of Trustees I asked the Chairman of the Board to appoint a search committee for my successor as President of Yeshiva University and the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary so that I am able to step down in August 2002, or as soon thereafter as a successor can take office. A version of my remarks to the Trustees appears below. I express to all of you — vice presidents, deans, faculty, alumni, staff, students, supporters, and friends — my deep gratitude and enduring appreciation for the contributions and commitment of all who have been instrumental in positioning YU today at the pinnacle of its history. After a great deal of reflection and conversations with my family, close friends, colleagues, and supporters, I have decided that the 2001–2002 academic year will be my final year as President of Yeshiva University. I am announcing my intention so far in advance so that the Board may put into action an appropriate succession plan, with sufficient time to identify appropriate candidates for the dual presidency of YU and RIETS (Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary). While I hope the search process can be completed quickly — with my successor in place by August 2002 — I am prepared, if asked by the Board, to remain until a successor can take office, to assure a seamless transition. Yeshiva University and the YU Family have been my home for 56 years — 31 of them as a student and faculty member, and for a quarter of a century as President. Commitment and dedication to the mission and values of academic excellence and to the study and flourishing of the Jewish tradition are the distinguishing qualities of this institution. We are much more than a major university; we are an academic community with a heart and a world-class ethical foundation. There is much to be thankful for and to celebrate as we contemplate the position of YU today. We have advanced significantly on all fronts in the past 25 years and we are a vibrant commu…
Biographical Material

Article

President Norman Lamm Announces Retirement (2001)

Editor’s Note: Next summer, YU President Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm will officially retire from his post, but will still be directly involved in the educational process at the world–renowned institution. Below is a biographical sketch of the erudite scholar. Next week, Jewish Press editor Steve K. Walz will unveil a fascinating multi–part interview with Rabbi Dr. Lamm. Dr. Norman Lamm, elected president of Yeshiva University in August 1976, has brought to the office a sensitivity to the University’s strengths and needs gained as a former student and faculty member – and as a parent and distinguished alumnus – whose leadership and scholarship have earned him a position of prominence in the Jewish community. A rabbi, philosopher, teacher, and author, Dr. Lamm’s wide scope of scholarship, and ,interests range from religious philosophy to the areas of human rights׳ and-thqse,?king of solutions to modern problems in the light of Talmudic law. The first American-born president of Yeshiva Universi-ty, Dr. Lamm succeeded Dr. Samuel Belkin (1943-1975) and Dr..Bernard Revel (1915-1940). Yeshiva University, in New York City, is America’s oldest and largest university under Jewish auspices, tracing its origins to 1886. A Tradition Nurtured In America Dr. Norman Lamm has brought to the presidency the vigor of Jewish tradition nurtured on American soil. Born in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, N.Y., December 19, 1927, the son of Samuel and Pearl Baumol Lamm, he re-ceived his elementary and high school education at Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Vodaath. To further his Judaic scholarship and expand his own horizons through a liberal arts education, he entered Yeshi-va College, the liberal arts unit of Yeshiva University, in 1945, majoring in chemistry. The Israeli War of Indepen- dence in 1948 was to test his skills learned in the laboratory when, as a student, he was asked to work on a secret muni-tions project for the struggling state. The project was head-ed by Dr. Ernst D. Bergma…
Biographical Material

Correspondence

Letter about Retirement from YU Presidency (2001)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, I have composed this letter in my mind numerous times, though inevitably my most eloquent phrasing comes either late Friday night or in the middle of class. When I heard of your impending retirement my first thought was to write to you. In the following satisfaction over my brilliant idea I conveniently avoided a few details. As reality sunk in, the difficulty of the task I had set for myself only moments earlier began to dawn upon me. What would I write? How could I say everything that I meant to? The doubts continued to accumulate and a trip to the local Hallmark looked increasingly appealing. But somehow, my thoughts continuously returned to the letter that I had firmly decided not to write. I felt compelled to try, even if the only product I would be able to offer was the silent tribute of discarded papers attesting to my effort. I will strive, as my English teacher often says, “to Strunk it.” Pithy and precise will be my goals, though I may, in my quest to include everything, bore you with mundane details. If this occurs feel free to skip ahead to the more exciting aspects of the letter. It is strange because I am literally the queen of brevity. Circumlocution annoys me and I cannot stand the use of a paragraph when a sentence or a word would suffice. Yet suddenly I find I cannot say enough, so I apologize in advance for any extraneous information I may include. My journey began at the start of my junior year. Inquisitive by nature, I found something lacking in the religious viewpoints that were supported by my school. I was unable to accept their position without first understanding it, though my teachers often refused to tolerate what they viewed as criticism of their belief system. An avid reader, I looked through my father’s library in search of relevant literature. I studied the Rav, Heschel, Wiesel, Buber, and more. I enjoyed some more than others, but there were none that I could wholly accept. Torah U’Madda was different. I can’t real…
Biographical Material