It is a pleasure to be with you on this first Annual Chanukah Banquet since my coming to Springfield. All this past year – eleven months – has been a series of “firsts”: first High Holidays, Purim, Simchat Torah, and so forth. This is the last of my “firsts,” for in a very short time I will have completed my first cycle in Kodimoh. Ordinarily, it would be inappropriate to hold a Kodimoh Festival – a purely congregational celebration – on Chanukah. Ein me’arvin simchah be‑simchah – we do not mingle one celebration with another, so as not to detract from either (as with weddings on Chol HaMoed or Purim). But today, both Kodimoh’s personal and Israel’s national Chanukah festivals coincide in essence: Lo va‑chayil ve‑lo va‑koach, ki im be‑ruchi, amar Hashem Tzeva’ot – not by might nor by power, but by My spirit, said the Lord of Hosts. And what is all this, if not a festivity in honor of our purpose, which is the ruach, the spirit of Torah and Judaism. The program of Kodimoh – in its ritual, educational, administrative, and auxiliary aspects – is the story of the implementation of that ruach, that Divine‑like spirituality, in all phases of our congregational life. All that has been done – and all that will be done – is geared to the premise that the primary function of a synagogue is the advancement of ruach Hashem Tzeva’ot, the spirit of Torah in the lives of those whom Kodimoh serves. I have been asked to present, in outline, both a review of the past year and a preview of what we expect in the coming year, God willing. But I shall not make a clean‑cut division between last year and next. At present we are in a state of flux – of continuing activity and progress. A great Hebrew poet once said something that in English would be rendered, “Today by tomorrow will be yesterday.” Let us look upon Kodimoh’s program as a continuous and unbroken implementation of ruach Hashem, the spirit of Torah. In the realm of ritual: High Holidays featured a pre‑Selichot social, reverent…

YU not only institution, also idea and symbol. Synthesis. The modern Orthodox Jew as expression of this educational philosophy. Not a comfortable proposition. Synthesis, living in two worlds at same time, always has concommigant tension. Therefore, never complete success. Tension revealed in famous story of early Rosh Yeshivah, who walking through the then new halls of Yeshiva College one morning greeted other faculty members who passed by: Good morning. Dr. Churgin, Dr. Revel, Dr. Mirsky, Dr. Belkin... then said to an student nearby: "Vos iz dos, a Yeshiva oder a hospital?"Origins: Medieval Spain Yeshiva of Rabbi Reines. Idea of Rav Kook on the sacred and profane having mutual roots in theholy of holies , and function of holy to sanctify profane, and all profane as the not — yet — holy. S.R. Hirsch — as follows, shortly.YU began as high school ( 1886) worked up to thirteen schools plus four high schools (in addition to the present one on tha Pacific Coast); more than 6,660 students, 1200 faculty.But more than double curriculum. Three great ninteenth century interpretations of a principle of Judaism are incorporated in Yeshiva. The principle is from Perek: the study of Torah is beautiful with derekh eretz.S.R. Hirsch — the educational — cultural interpretation.R. Hayyin of Volozhin — the intellectual - metaphysical interpretation.The Hasidic interpretation, which is the practical-existential.S.R.H. — Incorporated in student studying in Yeshiva and at same time, Yeshiva College, Stern College, the high schools.Hayyim of Volozhin — incorporated in Riets, and Kollel.Hasidic, with emphasis on out-going, practical effects of education, in schools such as TIM, TIW, Medical School, Social Work.Emphasize J.S.P. personal stories about Jeff Tillman and his questions about tfillin in afternoon.Thus too: CSD — educational servicing of synagoggues such as educational servicing NCSY youth groups, place rabbis.Has transformed American Judaism. Imagine American Jewry without YU.No…

Rabbi Lamm explores the role of Yeshiva University in framing an approach to contemporary secular culture.

Rabbi Lamm is honored by Yeshiva University. Order of speakers: Dean David Mirsky; National Anthem - Cantor Paul Glasser; Invocation - Rabbi Max Schreier VP Student Affairs - Dr. Israel Miller; Miriam Kopelman; Dr. Lawrence Eisenberg; New York State Education Commissioner - Ewald B. Nyquist; US Representative - Herbert Tenzer; Jack D. Weiler; Max J Etra; Max Stern; Rabbi Doctor Norman Lamm; Benediction - Rabbi Maurice Lamm; Hatikvah - Cantor Paul Glasser.

1. Stanley Stern said nice things about me. I'd like to say, publicly, how proud I am of Stanley... not only in person, but symbol – of war + young. Vigorous public-spirited + comm'y-mixed leadership... Parsha... His parents. Please don't suspect חיישינן לגומלין – reciprocity of flattery. ST – Zeide – אין וועל שלווגרן דין טאטע, או דושלאג מיינעם... Not at all... genuine apprec'n – would like thank all you to com'g ....... 2. This evening not a eulogy... inappropriate חנוכה celebration

Rabbi Lamm is formally installed as president of Yeshiva University at the institution’s installation ceremony.

Mr. Parker, distinguished guests at the dais, ladies and gentlemen. I am very grateful to you, Mr. Parker, for your introduction. I am reaching the end of that period when I can be introduced as a “new President." I think at the next Einstein affair, I shall probably qualify as an old President. I would like to add my congratulations to those already expressed by the Chairman to new members of the Board and to all members, professional and lay, of the Albert Einstein family. In an age when democracy is misinterpreted as that which sinks to the lowest common denominator, when "equality of opportunity" is misinterpreted as a kind of imposed but fictitious equality of talent, Einstein stands out as a brilliant exception. Its faculty and its student body constitute a genuine meritocracy in which you can get ahead only if you deserve it. Its lay leadership represents to my mind an authentic aristocracy of service, where only if you serve are you deserving of recognition and where you serve because you feel an inner compulsion to put your talent and your substance at the service of your fellowmen. So, to the entire Albert Einstein family here gathered, and to those who aren’t here as well, my warmest felicitations. Permit me a few words about the mission of this school in which we are all involved. In the past twenty-two years we have undergone a change of focus that speaks volumes about the whole nature of our enterprise and also tells us a great deal about sociological changes in the American community. One of the main purposes for founding a medical school under Jewish auspices was because many Jews could not find their way into the medical fraternity — neither as students nor as faculty — without great difficulty. We were guests who were tolerated — and sometimes not tolerated The Jewish community felt that the time had come when we had to have the kind of school where people would be accepted on merit alone — because they are of value to medicine and science and edu…

Rabbi Lamm speaks at the dedication of the Yeshiva University Beit Midrash.

At this time of jubilee reunion, instead of being satisfied with reviewing the past and indulging in self-gratulation over what we have accomplished in American and world Jewry and in the community at large, it is more constructive for us to turn to the future and speak about what we are planning for the years to come. It simply is too much to plan for the next 50 years, but we can and have planned for the next decade, for the 1980s. A vibrant institution must always plan, must always revise, must always reorganize. It may not, cannot, dare not stand still. And even if we do not accept this as a general institutional virtue, it is, under the present circumstances, an absolute necessity. American higher education, as we all know, has come upon very difficult times, and Yeshiva University has not escaped this “plague of the generation.” If anything, our situation is more serious because of our dual undergraduate program where, in effect, we give two educations for the price of one – or less. The key to the survival of this institution is financial stability. There are times when the “bottom line” must go to the top of the agenda. At such times we are called upon to be realistic, which means, in this context, to appreciate that we cannot do everything. This is truly regrettable; I wish that I could respond affirmatively every time an alumnus or a community leader or student calls me with a great idea. But if I responded affirmatively to all, we would get nothing done. What we must do is establish priorities – priorities that express and reflect our institutional goals and our institutional mission. You all know full well the mission of Yeshiva University, and it requires no iteration or elaboration by me at this time. Our mission is Torah U’Mada, “synthesis,” the full and total commitment to the study of Torah – the entire scope of Jewish studies – and the concomitant commitment to education, culture, and research. We hope that somehow in the hearts and minds of our s…

Rabbi Lamm addresses new rabbis at the Chag HaSemicha 5741.