How can they approve it or not if they haven’t tasted them yet? Once they taste them, the Cigars and Wine will bear a label Approved by Yeshiva Board!
But seriously – what exactly is so wrong with this, other than the general issur of smoking that so many people seem to not agree with? If a Yeshiva really wants big donations, they need to attract wealthy donors. A cotton-candy tasting event is not going to cut it. The “bessere menshin” think that they appreciate good wine and good cigars, and therefore this could have been a great idea.
Until some nudniks protested and brought them bad hype instead. This is an old story – Just because you don’t like an idea and wouldn’t show up yourself, why do you have to ruin it for everyone else? It isn’t exactly a chiyuv of LeHafrusha MeIssura.