On Monday, November 10, 2025, the Zahava and Moshael J. Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, in conjunction with the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program, hosted Rabbi Dr. Zev Eleff in conversation with Straus Center Senior Scholar Dr. Tevi Troy. Part of the Presidency from the Jewish Perspective series, the two analyzed the concept of “greatness” and U.S. presidents, using Rabbi Dr. Eleff’s most recent book, The Greatest of All Time: A History of an American Obsession, as a launch pad for the discussion.
Rabbi Dr. Eleff, president of Gratz College and a graduate of both Yeshiva College and Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), opened the conversation by arguing that “the idea of greatness is a scarce resource,” and has only become more scarce as technology – from the Kodak camera to the iPhone and social media – has advanced. With an “inflation on fame, we need to create a new scarce resource” to maintain a unified national culture and narrative. He noted that this is a particularly American phenomenon, with 120 of the world’s 140 halls of fame being located in the United States.
“Presidents are a way of validating greatness,” Rabbi Dr. Eleff continued. From Gerald Ford inviting Muhammad Ali to the White House to Calvin Coolidge welcoming Charles Lindbergh to Eleanor Roosevelt elevating Mickey Mouse, the executive branch plays a large part in determining who is deemed great.
On the topic of the executive, Rabbi Dr. Eleff then turned to Mount Rushmore. Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln were obvious choices, but Teddy Roosevelt was a more curious selection. While he was popular, Rabbi Dr. Eleff noted that the memorial’s sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, was a big fan of Roosevelt, and hinted that Borglum’s affinity for the Trust Buster got him on the mountain. But regardless of who should or should not be on the mountain, Rabbi Dr. Eleff pointed out the memorial has taken on a life of its own, being used in casual parlance – “who is on your Mount Rushmore” – as shorthand for delineating greatness.
Rabbi Dr. Eleff concluded the conversation by talking about the future of “greatness” in a postmodern world. “I don't think greatness is going to go away. What's splintering is the consensus around it,” he noted. “But that already started in the 70s; that idea of a wholesome, unified idea that Americans need. That's a shame, because greatness, as peculiar as it is, is just a nifty way to have a conversation, but if we're not having the same conversation, then it'll be less useful.”
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