YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Z”L, the president emeritus of Yeshiva University. He was 92. Sadly, Rabbi Lamm lost his wife just one month ago to COVID-19.
The Niftar held a Ph.D. in Jewish philosophy and was the third President of Yeshiva University, the first to be born in the United States. He was a Talmid of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik who ordained him at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, Yeshiva University’s rabbinical school in 1951.
In his youth, Rabbi Lamm attended Mesivta Torah Vodaath in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. At Yeshiva College, the men’s undergraduate school of Yeshiva University, he obtained a degree in chemistry in 1949, at which he excelled. He was the secular studies valedictorian of his class. He also attended a secular postgraduate college, the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. He considered a career in science, but was persuaded by Rabbi Dr. Samuel Belkin, the second President of Yeshiva University (successor of Rabbi Dr. Bernard Revel), to join the faculty at Yeshiva University.
His grandfather was Hagaon HaRav Yehoshua Baumol A”L (1880–1948) who authored the Responsa – Emek Halakha. In that work, Rabbi Baumol cited several insights from his young grandson, and even included responsa to Lamm’s questions.
He spent almost 25 years as a pulpit rabbi. He was appointed rabbi of the West Side Jewish Center (Congregation Beth Israel) in 1952, became assistant rabbi at the Jewish Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in 1958, then rabbi of the Jewish Center from 1959 to 1976.
He obtained his Ph.D. in 1966, and was elected President of Yeshiva University in August, 1976. When he took over the institution he helped save it from looming bankruptcy and raised its endowments as well as its academic rating.
Rabbi Lamm stepped down as President in 2003, and was succeeded by Richard Joel.
Upon his retirement as president, he was given the position of Chancellor of Yeshiva University, and he maintained his title as Rosh HaYeshiva (“head of the yeshiva”) of Yeshiva University’s rabbinical school, RIETS.
Boruch Dayan HaEmmes…
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7 Responses
i believe he majored in biology
Listen to a speech from Rav Gifter ZT”L given on Chol Hamoed Pesach 5758.
You will learn about the colorful life of Dr. Lamm.
Has anyone asked the dozens of high school student who were molested on his watch for a comment, or are we going to brush that under the carpet as well?
In the immortal words of HaRav Hagoan R Mordechai Gifter, “You are a disgrace to my alma mater!”
an intellectual giant who towered over most of his contemporaries. your title A”L after his grandfather’s name is beyond disgraceful. every yotz un plotz in the hareidi world gets a ztl
He had such a regal bearing – a hadras panim – from a long gone era of living ideals – his royal temperament and even keeled majestic appearance changed perceptions and ultimately the reality of modern orthodoxy
jewish1, YU reformed a decade and one half ago while Charedi rabbis asked about whether actual penetration occurred and actively defended molesters even NOW.
Huhhh, look at Telz, a forsaken institution, and look at the thriving advanced centers of learning at YU / RIETS that R. Lamm ztl established. The Hashgacha decided like R. Lamm, it would seem to me and anyone objective.