1987-1988 Rothberg Yearbook

Alternatives to Tourism
Goldsmith Building
A small, unintimidating building perched high atop Mount Scopus, Goldsmith (or Goldschmidt,
depending on which language you’re speaking) was our home away from home. That this one
little building could serve so many purposes to so many people is a tribute to the genius of Israeli
engineering.
Adorned with colorful posters plastering its walls, both inside and out—“Hiking trip orientation
tonight at 9:00 pm. Everyone must attend!” or “Joseph Cast: Dress rehearsal tomorrow night”
or “Need help with your Hebrew? Experienced tutor available”—Goldsmith was the nexus of
the information network for overseas students. If one wanted to know what was happening, they
need only walk up the stairs, past the earring and bracelet market, and through those gates, and
all questions were answered. That is, if you were able to squeeze your way through the hundreds
of people that seemed to crowd the entrance and narrow hallways. And if you were able to pass
the stringent security check.
The Goldsmith Library, where day and night a class called Social Hour 101 was held, the
cafeteria, and the ever available staff of OSA all serve to broaden the scope of Goldsmith’s
functions. A communications center as sophisticated as any on Mount Scopus, Goldsmith
boasts both mailboxes and generally functioning telephones. The Goldsmith building is an
administrative powerhouse, where decisions reached in low whispers over bottomless files shake
Mount Scopus to its very fundament. Goldsmith’s permanent Activities Fair in the front
courtyard kept many a student from slipping into apathy and ignorance. OYPers, FYPers,
Freshmen, and Mechinistim all found their niche in Goldsmith’s warm, accepting halls.
But Goldsmith was more than just an information service, a social center, a post office, food
dispensation establishment, and administrative bastion. The Goldsmith building had another
use. Try real hard to remember what that one was. Oh, yes. We had classes there, too!
Laurie Goldberg