By Gabriella Gomperts, Features Editor
David Smigel (YC ‘27), from Scarsdale, NY, is a prospective psychology major in his first semester at YU. He enjoys writing, seeing it as a creative outlet and as a way to express ideas with his community and start a discussion surrounding the issues he cares about. He’s passionate about Judaism, Torah learning and Israel advocacy.
What does writing mean to you?
Writing has always been a creative outlet for me. It helps me process my thoughts and broaden my perspective far more than thinking alone. It’s a means of spreading ideas and communicating with a wider audience. When a big revelation hits me, I don’t feel content keeping it to myself. I’d much rather put it out there and offer an opportunity to see things from my perspective, while also testing whether my thoughts hold water.
I’ve been writing since I was a kid. My journalism started with me typing up basic newsletters and passing them around my grade’s table in our middle school cafeteria. In high school, I helped found my school’s newspaper as an editor and I’ve since been published in several separate publications. It can be terrifying putting your words out there, completely out of your control and open to scrutiny, but it’s something that I find to be a strong point of connection with my community and an exciting opportunity to create an impact.
What do you hope to accomplish with writing?
I see journalism as a means of driving a broader conversation, it’s about drawing attention to what I find to be big issues and starting a dialogue concerning them. I hope that people can be inspired by my writing to make legitimate strides for change and to think critically about the world around them by widening their horizons. I’m always amazed to see how much more in-depth my thoughts can be once I start putting them to paper. Oftentimes when I finish typing and check to see what I’ve written, I wind up with something wildly different from my initial impressions. It can be helpful in understanding myself coherently. I always seek to point toward a more hopeful tomorrow and drive people to make their voices heard.
What’s your favorite class you have taken at YU and why?
Though it’s only my first semester, I’ve enjoyed my Cognitive Psychology course. The subject matter is just fascinating to me and our professor manages to keep it fresh and engaging. I’ve spent entire nights rambling to my friends about topics discussed in class lectures. Knowing what motivates us and the way we think can really change your perspective of yourself and those around you. Seeing others through this lens makes it easier to put myself in their place and understand them.
Why did you choose to attend Yeshiva University?
Above all, I chose YU for the community. There’s nothing more key to leading a Jewish life than being connected to your people and your roots. I feel comfortable and confident in the environment YU creates, while also having Jewish learning built into the structure of my day to strengthen my foundations.
What did you do this past summer?
This summer I went to Camp Stone for the first time and worked there as a madrich (counselor) for boys entering sixth grade. It was a really rewarding experience, albeit exhausting at the same time.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully, I’ll have declared a major by then! Not sure I’ll be sticking around the states, though, if you catch my drift.
What is the most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life?
Last year, two friends and I took a bus to the Gush and spent a full day there herding goats through the mountains. It was really an experience. You can learn a lot about yourself doing things like that. Also, in my senior year of high school, I took a road trip with some friends from New Jersey down to the Shenandoah River.
Which article that you’ve written are you most proud of?
I’ve only been published in the YU Observer twice so far, but I’m a big fan of my most recent piece on our community’s engagement in political discourse and people’s tendency to lose themselves in it. It was probably the most overtly political piece I’m willing to write and something I feel very strongly about. I’m presently working on a feature that I’m excited about which should be releasing in the next month or two.
Photo Caption: David Smigel began writing for the YU Observer in fall 2024
Photo Credit: David Smigel