Articles by Talia Stern

“The Haggada’s Politics”: Let Freedom Ring?

By Talia Stern • Published: April 13, 2015 • Comment ()

On Sunday morning, March 22nd, over seven-hundred people filled the Lamport auditorium on the uptown Wilf Campus (with countless others across the world watching online via live stream videoing), eager for what promised to be a thought-provoking and significant event to begin. During “The Haggada’s Politics: From 2,000 Years Ago to Today”, Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik […]

My Time at YU: An Interview with President Barack Obama

By Talia Stern • Published: March 3, 2015 • Comment ()

To some, he’s the president. To others, he’s something else. President Barack Obama is many things. Country leader, father, son, husband, future grandfather and great-grandfather, among other important roles. Everyone knows very personal details of his life. For example, the country of his presidency. A lesser-known fact about President Obama, however, is that he spent […]

Thoughts Every Viewer Had During This Year’s Super Bowl Commercials

By Talia Stern • Published: February 11, 2015 • Comment ()
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The average cost of a 30-second Super Bowl commercial now runs at about $4 million (around $133,333.33 per second). And with over 100 million viewers glued to their TV screens, the cost is worthwhile for many major companies and businesses. As happens every year, this year’s Super Bowl contained a slew of different advertisements, some […]

Brr…It’s Cold in Here! Welcome to 34th Street, Coldstone!

By Talia Stern • Published: December 11, 2014 • Comment ()

Opened at the beginning of this year and newly certified kosher, Coldstone on 34th street (conveniently located two doors down from Brookdale) is a great place to relax and have a great time with friends (or go by yourself, too). The Observer staff sat down with Raymond Wong, franchisee and owner of the Tim Hortons/Coldstone […]

Accomplysh Website: A Platform for Academic Interaction

By Talia Stern • Published: November 13, 2014 • Comment ()

Anyone who’s ever tried it knows just how difficult it can be to turn a thought in your head into something practical and useful to society. With enough hard work, planning, and commitment, however, ideas can indeed manifest into reality. Such is the case for Albert Pinkhasov, YU alumnus (SYMS ’07) and founder of the […]

Secure at Stern: Being Proactive and Reactive on Campus

By Talia Stern • Published: October 1, 2014 • Comment ()

In a world where Jews are often targets for anti-Semitic hate crimes, a Jewish institution in midtown Manhattan requires extensive security measures—both apparent and unknown to the student body—to ensure safety on a day-to-day basis. Several security programs and protocols have surfaced in recent weeks as part of enhanced security implementation on both the Midtown […]

March’s Mystery: Flight 370

By Talia Stern • Published: April 9, 2014 • Comment ()

On the morning of March 8, 2014, Malaysian Airline’s Flight 370 departed from Kuala Lumpur, scheduled to arrive in Beijing. Three weeks later, however, the flight carrying 239 people is still nowhere to be found, and searchers are at a loss for an explanation. For the past few weeks, the world has engaged in a […]

Stern At Stern

By Talia Stern • Published: March 13, 2014 • Comment ()

You may have wondered: is having the last name “Stern” at Stern College an advantage, a nuisance, or just plain funny? If you’re one of the lucky ones to be blessed (or cursed?) with this phenomenon, you may find yourself wandering the Beren campus feeling disoriented and confused: why is everyone wearing sweatshirts with my […]

The Rise of Facebook’s College Chefs!: An Interview with Founder Kimberly Samet

By Talia Stern • Published: January 1, 2014 • Comment ()

Are you swamped with work and want to prepare something quickly for dinner but don’t know what to make? Are you staying in for Shabbat with your friends but suddenly realize that you have no recipe for a side dish to bring to your group meal? If the answer is yes to the questions above, […]

Thanksgiving: “I am in the West but my Heart is in the East”

By Talia Stern • Published: December 5, 2012 • Comment ()

This phrase, referring to our presence in Western countries but our desire to be living ‘east’ in Israel, has been embedded in the Zionist education I received throughout my childhood. Growing up I had two identities: I was American, but I was supposed to want to be Israeli too. I still feel like that many […]