Kol Hamevaser is the monthly Jewish thought magazine of the Yeshiva University student body. Our primary contributors are undergraduates, although we include input from RIETS Roshei Yeshivah, YU Professors, and outside scholars. In addition to our print magazine, we sponsor special events that include speakers, discussion groups, conferences, and shabbatonim.

Kol Hamevaser was established in 2007-2008 by Mattan Erder, Gilah Kletenik, and David Lasher. It hearkens back to Hamevaser, a newspaper established in the 1960s by the Student Organization of Yeshiva (SOY) to compete with The Commentator. It later became a Jewish thought magazine, publishing its issues about twice a year until it was discontinued in 2002.

Today, Kol Hamevaser is dedicated to sparking discussion of Jewish issues on the Yeshiva University campus and beyond. The magazine hopes to facilitate the religious and intellectual growth of its readership. It provides opportunities for young scholars to grow in their intellectual pursuits and mature into confident Jewish leaders.

Meet Our Staff

Editors-in-Chief

Chesky KopelChesky, the editor-in-chief on the Wilf Campus, was born and raised in Long Island, NY, and is now a Yeshiva College junior studying History and English Literature. His path to Kol Hamevaser includes a love for writing, for Jewish thought, and for chutzpah. You can also find him writing other things, cycling, talking about music, trying to be part of countercultures, and variously loving or hating political approaches to the achievement of social justice and peaceful coexistence.

Chana ZuckierChana is the editor-in-chief on the Beren Campus. A fourth year senior, Chana is majoring in Physics, minoring in both Philosophy and Jewish Studies and also participates in GPATS, Stern’s Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies. She plans on attending law school to pursue her interest in Constitutional and Comparative Law.

Associate Editors

Ariel CaplanAriel, the associate editor on the Wilf Campus, is a fourth-year student in MYP majoring in Rav Rosensweig; a minor in Masmidim has been completed, and semicha begun. An alumnus of RPRY, TABC, and Yeshivat Sha’alvim, but with an ever-growing sphere of Gush friends, Ariel burst into the Kol Hamevaser scene in 2009 with a letter to the editor accusing the publication of heresy. Once you get to know him, though, Ariel is just a nice guy who may or may not be an insidious infiltrator from Brisk-Yerushalayim. In his spare time, Ariel plays a Biology major in YC who relishes the opportunity to dash the dreams of pre-meds through the magic of competitive grading. A student of Beit Levi and Bio Lab, Ariel believes that the two worlds are both contradictory and complementary, and will likely throttle anyone who suggests otherwise.

Gabrielle HillerGabrielle, the associate editor on the Beren Campus, grew up in Fair Lawn, NJ. After spending some amazing years in Ma’ayanot and Midreshet Lindenbaum, she is currently in her second year in Stern College. Gabrielle is majoring in Jewish Studies with a concentration in Jewish Education, and a focus in Tanakh and “JUDS” (aka Rabbi Kahn), but would really love to double-major in Jewish Education and History and minor in Music, if that were possible. But it’s not. Unless she spent many, many years at Stern. Gabrielle is an avid fan of Rashi who, she thinks, is often misunderstood, and she loves Zumba, reading, and baking.

Staff Writers

	Gilad BarachGilad is either a sophomore or a junior in YC, depending on who wants to know. He plans to major in Math and Physics, despite (or, perhaps, because of) his love/hate relationship with contemporary physics (it’s complicated). Gilad enjoys learning and sharing Torah, and is especially fond of taunting his chavrutot by mentioning something interesting and off-topic, only to stop midway and insist on resuming the learning. He also professes knowledge of arcane books of Tanakh (such as Nakh), as may be expected from a Gush guy.
	Adam FriedmannAdam Friedmann is a second-year YC student majoring in Computer Science. He hails from Toronto, Canada and spent two years at Yesodei Hatorah (the other-other yeshiva in Beit Shemesh). His principle occupation is Torah study though his interests include music (both playing and listening), writing, and philosophy. He lives in the Muss dorm with his roommate and a legion of highly trained attack ants which incessantly climb onto his furniture and try to eat things.
	Kira JoelKira is a Stern College senior earning a Bachelor’s degree in Physics. Kira came to Stern following a year of learning in the Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz. A masterful sous chef and an avid viewer of the Food Network, Kira’s interests range from basketball to European paintings. She is a dedicated member of the Bavli ba-Erev club at Stern for the second year running.
	Moshe KarpA Teaneck native, Moshe is now enjoying his seventh year on the beautiful Washington Heights campus of Yeshiva University. No, he is not a super super super super senior, he’s just a regular senior who first went to MTA. Contrary to popular belief, he spent two wonderful years in between high school and college at Yeshivat Sha’alvim. Now he spends his time learning Torah, working on his BA/MA in Jewish Studies and minor in Political Science, and trying to figure out why he decided to become a Met and Jet fan.
	Davida KollmarA Stern junior, Davida is majoring in Physics because she loves learning about how the world works and to see God’s hand in the world around her. A proud Nishmat Shana Ba’Aretz graduate, she feels fortunate to be able to consider the Beit Midrash her third home behind her house in Edison, NJ and her dorm room. Davida’s hobbies include reading, learning just about anything, and writing her puzzle column for The Observer.
	Talya LauferTalya is a Stern College junior, majoring in Chemistry and Judaic Studies. After studying for a year at the Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz, Talya completed a year of Israeli national service. A bibliophile whose interests range from theology to the literary arts to the natural sciences, Talya also encounters the mundane as a mountain biker and a celebrated Scrabble player.
	Elana RaskasElana Raskas is from New Rochelle, NY. She attended SAR high school, followed by Migdal Oz in Israel for a year, and is currently a Stern junior. She is majoring in English Literature and Jewish Studies, so Kol Hamevaser kind of makes sense.
	Tammie SendersTammie was born in the Midwestern hub of Cleveland, OH. It was there that she attended Fuchs Mizrachi School and first became interested in her favorite subjects: history and Judaic studies. She continued on to study for a year at Midreshet Lindenbaum and is now a Stern College junior pursuing a major in History. Tammie enjoys reading, writing, swimming, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family.

Webmaster

Rafi MillerRafi is a third-generation native of the Chicago area. The Cubs still have yet to win a World Series since the Miller family arrived. Rafi attended Ida Crown Jewish Academy and Yeshivat Hakotel, and is now in his fourth year at YU, majoring in Mathematics and Physics. He currently runs the websites of The Commentator, The Beacon, and Kol Hamevaser. He enjoys web design, as it happens.