At this year’s Langfan Family Constitutional Oratory Competition, Straus Scholar Yakov Sundel (YC '24) and incoming Straus Scholar Sruli Friedman (YC '26) took first place and an honorable mention, respectively. Hosted by the , the Langfan Oratory Competition has been challenging YU undergraduates since 2001 to argue the constitutionality of a host of disputable topics – from gerrymandering to the refusal to provide goods or services based on religious beliefs.
This year’s competition invited students to debate the pending U.S. Supreme Court Case Brackeen v. Haaland, which will decide the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. On March 19, 2023, student contestants presented their arguments before a panel of faculty members. Their presentations were judged based on the clarity of their respective arguments, research and overall delivery. A total of six cash prizes were awarded, with Sundel and Friedman winning both brackets for Wilf Campus.
To read more about this year’s Langfan prompt, click here. You can learn more about the Straus Center by signing up for our newsletter . Be sure to also like us on , follow us on and and connect with us on .
