The Flame - January 2015

1 The Flame October ‘09



Golda Och Academy - West Orange, New Jersey January 2015 Volume XXXIV Issue 4

Sen1or5: “Goodbye, G.O.A.” Jonathan Wingens‘15 and Hannah Cohen ‘15 Dear G.O.A., A year from now, we’ll all be gone and you’ll miss us because the juniors will be the school’s new role models. We could stop here, because, you know, ‘nough said, but we’ve never been the type of grade to disappoint the administration.

We’d like to begin by dispelling a few false rumors. Throughout our time at Solomon Schechter Day School/Golda Och Academy, we have always somehow found ourselves carrying the moniker “the boring grade” or, G-d forbid, the worst name of them all – “the studious grade.” Well, let us tell you a thing or two about the class of 2015, a.k.a. sen1or5.

From our inauspicious beginnings cleaning up goat urine in a kindergarten classroom and witnessing some of our dearest friends engulfed in flames – if any of you have seen Sion react to a matchbox, you know what we’re talking about – to our later involvement in an international criminal conspiracy (#na’eleven), our grade has been anything but boring. We scared not one, not two, not three, but four science teachers to the extent that they had to flee the school – one even went as far as India to escape our wrath. We made the school rethink its water fountain policy and consider lockdown drills when we were made to sing “Ve’ahavto.” As if that’s not evidence enough, HB 06-1’s time capsule carried such deep secrets that it mysteriously disappeared somewhere under the building. It is in that spirit that we, although it will be of little comfort to Morah Besner’s sixth grade class, open up our verbal time capsule.

It all started on the blue couch in the year 2002.

Jacob M.S., Noah Boy, Noa Girl, Jordan, and others set in motion the beginning of what would come to be the most important grade in the history of the school.

Second grade was characterized by an all out war. Chasing around the playground and hiding behind desks were commonplace in this theater of combat, also known by its regional name, “Mrs. Aronoff’s room.” Yes, this year was the era of boys versus girls.

In fifth grade, Israel turned 60 and we moved up. AOL Instant Messenger became cool and our conversations turned into repetitions of, “hey, hey, what’s up?, nm u?, same, cool.” Oh also, “kewl” became a thing along with “skool,” “g2g,” and a count of how many different ways our away statuses could tell people not to talk to us; unless you had a crush, in which case messaging was acceptable regardless of AIM status.

Then there was middle school. It was awkward.

There is honestly no reason to reminisce.

Ninth grade rolled around and our grade experienced a population boom with 38 kids ready to face

the rollercoaster that high school promised to be.

We took massive steps in eliminating our grade’s long-standing mechitza, engaging in actual crossgender interaction, even forming a “partnership of like,” our version of a relationship. Our rowdiness led Dr. Frank to speak to us with words we didn’t understand, and Ms. Jaffe with assertions that left us shaking in our na’ot.

Tenth grade was the year we finally learned social skills. We started talking to people older than us, and history took an interesting turn as Germany invaded Finland. It was also the year of the mass exodus – see you on Neshama, Gili – and STS Fridays. In the Twilight Zone, we miraculously won every sporting event at the all high school shabbaton, yet still managed to lose as a result of our “bad behavior.”

As you all know, junior year is the year to re-

ally get into your extracurriculars, and we sure did. With four highly qualified presidents running Community Clothing Club, and JMS releasing Current Events Club propaganda weekly, there was no shortage of college application material.

At the same time, it took Eric’s robotics team all of one year to become the most successful club in the school. Business Club came back with a bang, rivaling the membership of the Jewish Sports Society. We took over school clubs faster than we could analyze the causes and consequences of the Red (Pizza) Scare ‘14. Oh, and of course, we finally discovered there was a grade below us.

Then, senior year hit us like a train. Or maybe that was just senior seminar.

Whatever the case, it seemed like our so called “senioritis” was worse than swine ‘09, prompting many insistences from teachers that, as sophomore Zach Colton-Max put it, “it’s time to get serious.”

Don’t worry though, those discussions never caused more than a five percent increase in attendance. Time really flew – because we slept through most of our first period classes – and before we knew it, January, our final month of school, was coming to a close.

Cue nostalgic music.

As the last curtains descend and we take our final bows, we can’t help but realize that this school has given us so much more than we could ever appreciate as students. It gave us the best of times, and it gave us the worst of times. It gave us wisdom when we insisted on foolishness. It gave us belief but left room for doubt. It gave us a place that even Siri recognizes as our second home. It gave us light when all seemed dark. Most of all, it gave us our family.

And for that, we are sincerely grateful.

Signing off, The Class of 2015

Fighting For Feminism

by Aviva Kamens ‘17

A Banner Year For Science Olympiad

by Kim Robins ‘17

Boys and Girls Ballin’ On the Court

by Matt Nadel ‘17

The Interview Sparks Global Controversy

by Kim Robins ‘17

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2 The Flame January ‘15

OP-ED

The Ineffectiveness of Midterms The Dominion of Video Games Daniel Cohen ‘17

Kim Robins ‘17

Midterms are a common enemy at Golda Och Academy. For many students, they are a source of stress, anxiety and excessive groaning, as opposed to a good review of material covered in class. This hatred, however, is often misunderstood by parents and teachers.

Midterms are supposed to be a cumulative review of everything covered in a semester. Teachers are supposed to spend as much as a week reviewing pertinent material in class before the midterm. Why, then, are we so stressed about studying? In theory, if midterms are just review, we shouldn’t have to study at all. Just taking the class and paying attention should give us all of the practice that we need. The point of a class is to learn and retain, not to cram before a test. The fact that cramming is so essential to midterms highlights a flawed curriculum. Right now, students have to cram in order to prepare themselves for a test that they should already be prepared for. Even in subjects like History that are more chronological as opposed to cumulative, a greater effort should be made to review important material throughout the class. That way, students are always prepared for massive tests like midterms, and feel that they are learning as opposed to memorizing at the last minute.

Another flaw in the setup of midterms is that they count for 10 percent of the semester grade. Some teachers’ favorite thing to say is that “10 percent isn’t that much.” Unfortunately, you can’t make us take a math midterm and then expect us not to figure out that 10 percent is actually quite significant.

10 percent is a full letter grade; a student could potentially drop from an A to a B, which stands out like a sore thumb on a transcript.

Even in less extreme cases, a midterm grade between a B- and C+ could drop a student out of an Honors class, a D+ or D could result in academic probation, or render one ineligible for “the A letter,” our school’s version of an Honor Roll. The stress of making the most of this 10 percent affects students not only during midterm season, but throughout the rest of the semester as well. They become neurotic about their averages and test scores, struggling to prepare for the unknown. Come the midterm, they don’t want their grades to be jeopardized by one difficult test.

Lastly, isn’t it strange that we only have midterms in five classes when we supposedly take eight core classes? Hebrew and Judaics electives, despite being just as important as the rest of our core classes, are missing from our midterm schedules.

When asked about the lack of a midterm for these courses, Mr. Shapiro explained, “there was a Hebrew midterm for many years, but the NETA curriculum is designed more for unit tests and not for longer [assessments like midterms and finals].

“That’s why we decided to move away from Hebrew exams when we did,” he added.

The concept of midterms is a vital one. I’m not going to deny that we need a cumulative review that counts for more than a normal test; however, the execution of midterms is troublesome: it creates stress for students throughout the semester and creates a false hierarchy of classes.

It’s time to reconsider how we can apply the concept of midterms to something that is more effective and less anxiety-ridden for students, teachers, parents, and the school as a whole.

Aviva Kamens ‘17

Newer and more creative video games continue to appear on the public market all the time. These games feature complex plotlines, player control over the story, and most importantly, immersion that allows a player to enter the universe of the game. Movies, as good-looking as they are, are unable to produce any sort of story variation. As the visual appeal and special effects of video games have become good enough to rival those of movies, this interactivity has become a deciding factor. Video games are beginning to overtake traditional movies in terms of their artistic expression.

Movies are bound by a constraint that videogames are free of: time. For example, the extended cut of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King has a total runtime of four hours and 23 minutes. In contrast, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, a game set in the same universe, has a basic storyline that is estimated to take up to 27 hours to complete. Free of movie-style limits, video games can use this time to develop the story and the characters themselves. Compressing these sorts of narratives to typical movie runtimes would not allow for even half of their key points to be included.

The core argument for the superiority of video games is their interactivity.

Interactivity is the entire reason that video games exist: they allow the player to become someone else or to do impossible things. Movie interactivity is virtually nonexistent, since the scenes cannot be re-recorded and re-edited to fit new scenarios. Video games have various levels of interactivity. The Time Crisis series has minimal interactivity, while the Final Fantasy games are a step above, allowing the player to customize their experience through selectable items and equipment. The highest level of interactivity is the point where the player’s decisions affect the story, such as the Mass Effect series.

Players’ decisions can result in an ally’s survival or death or an opponent’s defeat or victory.Movies have attempted the same with 3D, high definition, and high-frame-resolution screenings, but these simply make the world appear more realistic without adding any interaction to it. They may also have extended cuts that add small details, but still never change the plot in any sizeable way. Video games force the player to make the story his shaping his own destiny instead of merely living someone else’s.

It has to be recognized that many video games do not reach these sorts of masterful levels. Games like Forza Motorsport and Mario Party, while they are fun to play, do not have much substance in the way of artistic quality; however, the general trend in video games has shifted towards being artistic, immersive, and theatrical. Movies also have an uglier side: films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D and the Fast and Furious franchise go little beyond jump scares, fancy cars and explosions. Both sides have their faults, those parts of the industry that enthusiasts are somewhat less than proud of.

Video games have begun to overtake movies in terms of their quality.

Without time constraints, video games are able to develop plots and characters. Interactivity is solely a feature of video games, and one that movies can never duplicate. Victory is on the horizon for the video game industry as the games’ technology and artistry advances beyond the scope of movies.

Fighting For Feminism

The word “feminism” can be defined as “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.”

Does that surprise you? If it does, it’s probably because the modern definitions and connotations of feminism stray vastly from the original. Many modern-day feminists have become radical; they have twisted and changed the practices of feminism to fit their beliefs. Feminists are thought of as man-haters and are seen as too extreme. The feminists who aren’t as extreme are being swallowed up and drowned by their extremist counterparts.

One of my biggest problems with modern feminism is that feminists seem to have mixed up the definitions of “fair” and “equal.” What is fair for a working woman is not always fair for a working man. Some feminists, for example, believe that women should not take maternity leave after having a child. Now, I’ve never been pregnant, but

I’ve heard enough stories from my parents’ friends to know that being pregnant takes a toll on your body. It’s not something that is necessarily easy to recover from. A woman needs to take maternity leave in order to recover and to bond with her child.

Then there are feminists on the other extreme, who believe that women should not be paid the same amount as men. They believe that since a woman can take time off for maternity leave and to raise a family, she has less working experience and should be paid less than a man in the same position. If a woman were truly less experienced than a man, the two would not be competing for the same position; however, if a man and a woman have identical responsibilities, they deserve equal pay.

Unfortunately, feminism has become synonymous with man-hating. This summer, my camp reevaluated “The Brotherhood,” an intense pseudo

fraternity consisting of three mostly male sports teams. Instead of approaching the problem by disbanding the Brotherhood, camp formed an equivalent Sisterhood. Instead of trying to unify the girls and the boys, our counselors created an even greater rift. This is why extreme feminism doesn’t work: instead of empowering the girls to join the boys, it encouraged them to gang up against the boys. It even goes against the definition of feminism. How does a separation of boys and girls contribute to the equality of men and women?

Modern-day feminism is still largely undefined.

We still don’t know exactly how our modern wave of feminism will be remembered. I hope that it will be for the better, like the work feminists have done toward equal pay and their combatment of rape culture. I’m hoping that, someday, the positives of feminism will outweigh the negatives.

But right now, I’m not so sure if that will occur.

3 The Flame January Flame October ‘15 ‘09

SCHECHTERLIFE 

A Banner Year For Science Olympiad

Kim Robins ‘17

Golda Och Academy is famous for its impressive Arts department, division-winning sports teams, intensive Judaics program, and Olympic scientists. Yes, you read that right – Olympic scientists! As G.O.A.’s STEM programs are gaining more and more momentum, the Science Olympiad team, an offshoot of the Science Enrichment club, continues to compete and is looking better than ever.

On January 15, 24 students from the middle and high school Science Enrichment Clubs took a trip to New Jersey Institute of Technology for the regional competition of the Science Olympiad. Along with its seven middle school participants, the group included freshmen Dina Doctoroff, Nesya Nelkin, Uri Meltzer and Lara Brown, sophomores Daniel Cohen, Emma Weiss and team Vice President Kim Robins, juniors Max Bruch, Jordan Broder, Josh Randman, Ben Soudry and Alex Rothschild, and seniors Sion Aronoff, Daniel Berkowitz, Noah Pearlstein, Eric Weiss and Steven Langer.

The trip was chaperoned by Dr. Jeng, who runs the school’s Science Enrichment programs, and by STEM Coordinator Dr. Kalmanovich.

The Science Olympiad is an international competition, in which teams of middle and high school students compete in any or all of 20 events.

These events, which change every year, test the competitors’ skills in science, math and engineering. The events are incredibly varied, and can include anything from building a Rube-Goldberg machine to designing an experiment to taking a test in astronomy. The Olympiad has two different age groups: Division B, for grades 6 through 9, and Division C, for grades 9 through 12. Each age group has slightly different events.

Like most international competitions, the Olympiad is divided into regional, state and national levels. The top six schools out of the 20 who compete in each region – the schools who have the best scores in the most events – move on to the state competition, and the top schools from States move on to Nationals.

This was a banner year for the G.O.A. Science Olympiad team, now in its fourth year of existence. Our school’s Olympians competed in a total of 14 events, eight in Division B and six in Division C. Participation was at a record high, with students competing in almost twice as many events as they did in 2013-14. Though the team did not score enough cumulative points to qualify for the State competition, our school medaled in six events, also a team record. Ben Sourdy and Alex Rothschild took first place in their event, Scrambler, for the second year in a row.

“It was great to see the growth of Science Olympiad this year,” said Soudry, the President of the Science Enrichment Club. “We had both a record number of participants, and record enthusiasm across all of the events.

Thanks to Dr. Jeng for his support and inspiration.”

Under the leadership of Soudry and Robins, the Science Enrichment Club is already getting ready for the future. Current members of the club are using their experiences from this year’s Olympiad to get a better idea of what to expect and how to prepare for their competitions. During the off season, the club plans to work on recruitment and education beyond the scope of the Science Olympiad, all part of its larger goal of engaging the student body in STEM. Golda Och Academy can proudly say that it has raised a group of scientists: smart, motivated students who love to learn and love to compete. The Science Olympiad team will use this year’s success to grow, improve, and maybe even make it to States next year!

Corrections: The Epic-ness of Spirit Week Flame Staff The Flame staff recognizes that a teacher was offended by a comment made in the Spirit Week article in December’s issue. It was by no means intended to be malicious, and the entire staff of The Flame sincerely apologizes for this lapse in judgment.

14 Signs That Your Mom Works At Your School

Noa Shapiro ‘15

1. Every teacher knows you before you’ve entered the middle school 2. Because they’ve known your mom for what seems like forever 3. So your mom finds out when you get a bad grade before you do.

4. Your teachers have more inside jokes with your mom than with you.

5. Parent conferences are just your teachers and your mom chilling.

6. You always have an office to go to when you need to escape.

7. You share a common bond with all staff kids.

8. Students tend to try to use you as a way to get to your mom 9. And it’s really hard to explain to people that you and your mom are, in fact, different people.

10. But at least you always have someone to carpool with.

11. At the end of the day, having your mom just one or two floors away has its perks 12. Because whenever you’re hungry she has snacks.

13. And she’s always willing to hear you vent in the middle of the day.

14. And most importantly, she signs permission slips and hands them in without you having to say anything.

Oh My Gosh, You Guys!: Legally Blonde Was a Hit!

Hannah Sessler ‘16

Between January 8 and 11, Maurice Levin Theater at the Leon and Toby Cooperman JCC in West Orange played host to Golda Och Academy’s production of the musical, Legally Blonde.

The story follows Elle Woods, portrayed by senior Ilana Schimmel, the bold and blonde president of the Delta Nu sorority at UCLA. When the show opens, Elle is on the verge of getting engaged to her boyfriend, Warner (sophomore Zach Colton-Max), but is dumped. Warner is heading off to Harvard Law School in the fall and tells Elle that he needs somebody serious. Elle takes this as a challenge and hits the books. Her hard work and dedication pay off and she gets into Harvard. Upon arriving in Boston, Elle discovers that Warner is now dating Vivienne, a “constipated polo shirt with a mousey brown bob,” who was portrayed by junior Talia Ramer. Elle sees this, decides to become a brunette and meets Paulette (junior Hannah Sessler), an eccentric-yet-lovable hair stylist, who convinces Elle to stay true to her blonde self.

After an embarrassing Halloween experience with her classmates, Elle meets Emmett (sophomore Josh Schuman), a scruffy Harvard alum who encourages her to get a chip on her shoulder and study hard; after all, she’s more than just a pretty face. Once again, Elle’s determination pays off and she gets an internship alongside Warner and Vivienne to defend exercise queen, Brooke Wyndam (senior Yaël Cohen), who is on trial for murder. Together, the interns work together, win the case and prove Brooke’s innocence. At the end of the play, Elle graduates from law school as valedictorian and proposes to Emmett.

Seniors Yaël Cohen and Ilana Schimmel were very emotional about their final performance. In a note to the cast and crew, Schimmel said, “I love you all so much thank you for making my last first show at G.O.A. amazing and a night to remember.”

Cohen echoed Schimmel’s comments: “Thanks for an amazing last show, you guys!! It’s been so wonderful working with such a fantastic group of people over the last four years!”

To all of our seniors and the rest of the Legally Blonde cast, thank you for sharing your talent with us.

4 The Flame January ‘15

SPORTS

Boys and Girls Ballin’ On the Court Matt Nadel ‘17

As the boys and girls varsity basketball seasons move into their second halves, it’s time to relive the first half.

Under legendary coach Sandy Pyonin, the boy’s varsity basketball team, as of January 21, is in the middle of the pack in the Super Essex Conference’s Freedom Division. The team’s record stands at 4-4, trailing division-leading Caldwell (8-3). Prior to dropping their most recent contest, 42-36, on January 20 against Christ the King (7-5), the Roadrunners squeaked past McNair, 49-44. After trailing 29-24 at the half, the Roadrunners bounced back and held on to their slim lead as the final seconds expired.

Juniors Max Bruch and Noah Susskind, and senior Noah Pearlstein each scored in double figures in the win, while senior Harris Mevorah recorded three blocks. Bruch leads the team in field goals made with 29, while Susskind

is the top marksman from long range with nine three-pointers.

Although the girls varsity team has not yet won a game, they are improving with each game. Although the team is 0-7, last in the Super Essex Conference’s Independence Division, a recent game against Benedictine, came down to the wire. The Lady Roadrunners entered the fourth quarter down by just four points in front of a home crowd.

They cut the lead to one in the closing minutes, but lost the game 42-41.

Despite their record, the Lady Roadrunners feature some standout performers. Sophomore Leia Kessler has scored 31 points on the season and senior Jordan Schenker has 10.

As these two teams progress further into the season, hopefully they can move up in the standings to at least above .500 each. But if not, at least they’re having the time of their lives playing the game they all love.

Super Bowl XLIX: Seahawks Destined to Repeat Matt Nadel ‘17

The AFC and NFC Championship games have been played and Super Bowl XLIX’s stage is now set for a clash of former champions.

Representing the AFC will be the New England Patriots, who beat the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game, 45-7. Representing the NFC in the 49th Super Bowl will be the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. They punched their ticket to the big game after capping off an incredible comeback against the Green Bay Packers with a 28-22 overtime victory.

Seattle and New England were both the top teams in their respective conferences, and thus, deciding a final league champion is a difficult puzzle to solve.

Both teams have great offenses, but for different reasons. The Tom Brady-led Patriots rely on their exceptional aerial attack with the passing game. This season, the future Hall of Famer passed for 4,109 yards with 33 touchdown passes. New England receiver Julian Edelman caught 92 passes for 972 yards, while Pro Bowl tight end, Rob Gronkowski caught 82 balls for 1,124 yards and 12 scores.

The Patriots’ passing attack ranked ninth this year in the NFL, while the Russell Wilson-led Seahawks passing game ranked 27th. Seattle, however, really specialized in the rushing game.

Quarterback Russell Wilson ranked 16th on the 2014 NFL rushing list for individual players with 849 yards

Roadrunnin’Wild: Junior Max Bruch (left) skies above Immaculate Conception HS defenders while senior Jordan Schenker (right) nails a jumper against Arts HS.

Wrestling with the Possibility of G.O.A. Wrestling Jonathan Lavitsky ‘16

on the ground and running back Marshawn Lynch ranked fourth with 1,306 yards. As a team, Seattle rushed for 172.6 yards per game this year, ranked first in the NFL by more than 25 yards. New England, meanwhile, is coming into the Super Bowl with the 18th best rushing game in the NFL, with 107.9 rushing yards a game.

Seattle can run the ball with extreme efficiency, but undoubtedly their best strength is their defense.

They ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed (4,274) and points allowed (254). The Seahawks’ Legion of Boom, the nickname for Seattle’s cornerbacks and safeties, features three Pro Bowlers: cornerback Richard Sherman, free safety Earl Thomas, and strong safety Kam Chancellor.

The Patriots defense, on the other hand, is ranked 13th among the NFL in 2014 in total yards allowed (5,506) and eighth in points allowed (313).

New England’s defense has some playmakers, including Pro Bowler shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis; however, they don’t match up to the pure awesomeness of Seattle’s punishing defense.

This game could be close until the end or a blowout. It could be high or low-scoring, nothing is for sure. This game is very unpredictable, and yet, a prediction is forthcoming: Seahawks win, 24-21.

Get your umbrellas out Seattle. In a couple of weeks it will be raining confetti.

Recently, some in the G.O.A. community have expressed interest in starting a high school wrestling team. While a wrestling team may sound foreign at first, eventually, it seems rather sensible.

Wrestling is unique from all other sports because it provides young athletes with an optimal opportunity to test their individual physical abilities, while simultaneously providing a sense of unrivaled self-satisfaction in the end. Sophomore Jake Helfand, who is leading the charge for the creation of a G.O.A. wrestling team, has had real-life experience with this.

“Throughout my life, physical activities such as karate, boxing and wrestling have been very important to me,” Helfand said. “They have helped me grow strong and build confidence in knowing that I can defend myself in most situations.

Despite his admitted limited exposure to wrestling, Helfand acknowledged that wrestling has been demanding, yet rewarding.

“Although wrestling is a team sport,” he said, “the one-on-one challenge of trying to best your adversary is very rewarding.”

The potential rewards are not without their drawbacks and obstacles, however, which the school need to overcome before forming a team. Wrestling equipment, for instance, can be quite expensive, as a single wrestling mat can run in the hundreds of dollars.

Another issue would be the conflict of seasons. As a winter sport, many students that have shown interest swim or play basketball.

One obstacle, however, that the school may not worry about is coaching. Rabbi Gindea, who wrestled in high school, loves the idea of a G.O.A. wrestling team, has offered to help coach it and along with Helfand is more than willing to discuss the possibilities with interested students.

“I think we should definitely do it,” Gindea said. “I think it would be great, and a big asset to the school.”

5 The Flame January Flame October ‘15 ‘09

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

Kim Robins‘17

The Interview Sparks Global Controversy

Six parts political farce, one part action-adventure, and quite a few parts cheesy and immature comedy­— that seems to be the consensus about Sony’s latest movie, The Interview.

In the movie, Dave Skylark and Aaron Rapoport, played by the familiar team of James Franco and Seth Rogen, respectively, run Skylark Tonight, a celebrity tabloid talk show. When the two travel to Pyongyang, North Korea in order to interview Kim Jong-Un, the CIA recruits them to assassinate the dictator instead. The movie is meant to be a satire on the situation in Communist North Korea and on its oppressive leader. It has been popular in America and some other countries, with a record number of On Demand downloads and about $37 million grossed in just a few weeks; however, its reception in North Korea and neighboring nations has been far less than happy.

The Interview was a source of major controversy even before its official release. The movie’s production studio, under Sony’s jurisdiction, was hacked on November 24 by a North Korean group called Guardians of Peace. They released confidential information about workers and clients and demanded that all media related to the movie be taken off of the web.

In the following weeks, terrorists threatened movie theater owners not to show the film. On December 17, Sony cancelled the movie’s theatrical release since major cinema chains refused to screen it. Still, The Interview was screened by 330 independent theaters and was available On Demand beginning on Christmas Eve. Understandably, the movie sparked immediate outrage in North Korea upon its release. Democratic activists from China, a country whose citizens mock Kim Jong-Un despite strong political ties between it and North Korea, smuggled digital copies of the movie across the border into North Korea. A few North Koreans took it upon themselves to watch it, despite fear of punishment or imprisonment by the government. The reaction was overwhelmingly negative: even those who oppose Kim Jong-Un’s leadership were offended by the way The Interview depicts their country, a portrayal which includes poor North Korean accents and inaccurate translations of common political slogans.

“They cursed at the movie,” said Chung Kwang-il, a democracy activist in South Korea. “They were angry it depicted North Koreans as a bunch of idiots.”

The Interview presents Kim Jong-Un himself in a particularly critical light, going as far as accusing him of deliberately starving his people. North Koreans say that these kinds of claims expose a lack of understanding of the country’s core issues and make their leader seem “like a child.” They view is at blatant disrespect toward their nation and its values.

Informants inside North Korea have reported that the government is tightening security along the border with China, hoping to curb the spread of The Interview’s anti-regime messages before they spark the North Korean population to rebel.

“It’s certain death if [North Koreans] were caught with this film,” the informants said.

The movie has also ignited some minor international conflict between the U.S. and North Korea. North Korea denies that it hacked Sony, and has even accused the U.S. of hacking into North Korean computer networks.

The deteriorating relationship between the two countries may threaten future diplomacy, as well as negotiations over the Korean Peninsula and other land. Several critics have noted that the movie was not intended to insult; rather, it was a product of exaggerated American film.

“That [kind of thing] doesn’t happen in Pyongyang, and people who were not used to American-style comedy would find it insulting,” said Kim Heung-kwang, a North Korean defector. “But it’s largely fear of punishment, rather than such faults, that keeps people from watching the movie.

So I think it may spread once the crackdown subsides in a month or two.”

This innocent intent, however, no longer seems to matter. Democratic activists already have plans to literally shower North Korea with DVDs and digital copies of the movie, in the hope that negative messages will cause the country’s oppressive government to break down.

“I’m pretty sure that the reason that The Interview was made was to get Kim Jong-Un angry so that we could laugh at his reaction,” 8th grader Nina Robins joked.

In fact, she may not have been entirely wrong. The Interview’s seemingly playful jab at North Korean society has created a massive, worldwide rift in the relationship between government and media, and may lead to even bigger international issues in the coming months.

AP Photo/Ed Araquel

Review: Into the Woods

Sam Zimmerman‘17

A musical is not an easy thing to pull off on the big screen, especially when adapted from the stage. Into the Woods is as difficult as they come; however, with acclaimed sources such as RogerEbert.com calling it, “a siren’s song caressing... needy eardrums,” Disney’s new take on the classic 1987 Broadway show has taken the silver screen by storm.

Into the Woods revolves around The Baker, played by James Corden, and his Wife, played by Emily Blunt, a poor couple who desperately want to have a child. Unfortunately for them, their house is cursed by the Witch, played by Meryl Streep, who lives next door, as the baker’s father once stole magic beans from her vegetable garden. In order to reverse the curse and conceive a child, the Baker and his Wife are told to collect a cape as red as blood, a cow as white as milk, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. These items can be found in the tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) and the Beanstalk and Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford) – characters the Baker and his Wife encounter throughout the movie. As repayment for his fathers wrongdoings, the Witch also took a baby who has grown up hidden away in a tall tower and is now the beautiful Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy). All sorts of perils lurk in the trees, from Johnny Depp’s hungry wolf to a rampaging giantess played by Frances de la Tour.

Each cast member is well cast, from the young actors to the veterans we’ve seen on screen many times before. Kendrick, does a sublime job as Cinderella, injecting her character full of humor and wit with a voice to match.

Tuneful – fans of Stephen Sondheim’s famous score will recognize all their favorite tunes – and witty, this story will appeal to audiences who likes their fairy stories on a bit of the dark side. With moments that range from brilliant, and bewitching, to hilarious and touching ones, Into the Woods is a whirlwind of song and emotion and is now nominated for three Academy Awards, including an 18th nomination for Streep.

A story of the dangers of getting what you wish for, of the importance of sharing your flaws and your pain, and of the bravery in choosing reality over fantasy, Into the Woods turns a Broadway classic into a stellar movie, that is action-packed, filled with laughs and will definitely leave you singing.

Corrections: Big Hero 6

Flame Staff

Due to an editorial oversight, December’s Big Hero 6 article was erroneously attributed to Alex Biegelman. The article’s author should have been attributed to Sam Zimmerman. The Flame staff apologizes for the confusion.

6 The Flame January ‘15

ISRAEL

Gender Equality in Israel

The Unknown Islamic Reformer Rafael Jones ‘16

Hayley Nagelberg ‘15 Many Americans are familiar with the Women’s Rights Movement; but we are less familiar with the Women’s Rights Movement in Israel.

In 1951, the Women’s Equal Rights Law was passed in Israel, which primarily addressed the role of women in families. During the 1990s, the Knesset created a committee dedicated to women’s issues and today, the Authority for the Advancement on the Status of Women is a formal part of the prime minister’s office. In 2000, Israel passed an amendment to the Military Service Law, affirming that “the right of women to serve in any role in the IDF is equal to the right of men.”

Despite these advances, tension surrounding women’s rights in Israel still exists, largely because of friction between religious and secular Jews. Despite the tensions, women’s employment rates have been climbing steadily in religious circles. According to a November 2014 report by the Central Bureau of Statistics, the employment rate for Haredi women is approximately 80 percent, which is up nearly 30 percent since 2000, whereas the national average employment rate for women is 75.3 percent. Due to social security cuts since 2003, Haredi women have been forced to go to work in order to make ends meet, as a large portion of Haredi men study full-time. Multiple higher learning centers for Haredi women were also established, giving them new opportunities for employment.

On another front, December saw the announcement of a new plan, Decision #2331, which changes the focus from promoting the status of women to gender equality. This document cites gender gaps as one of the largest issues facing Israeli society. Among the goals of this plan is to increase women’s personal and financial security through the help of women’s organizations, scholars in relevant fields, and government agencies.

In 2000, the UN Security Council dopted Resolution #1325, which encourages the “participation of women in all efforts to present and resolve violent conflicts and provides for their protection during wartime.” In 2005, Israel was the first country to enact some of these international codes as official legislation, but has yet to join the roughly 50 countries actually using National Action Plans toward realizing the resolution’s goals. The Center for the Advancement of Women in the Public Sphere at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute and the Women’s Media Center have spearheaded a movement to effectuate these changes using a modern understanding of gender equality.

The women’s rights issue is clearly a significant challenge, and it is one that Israel wants to overcome. Israeli citizens generally believe that attaining gender equality will help women attain a feeling of human security that can be useful in resolving the conflicts that Israel faces with its neighbors. With the current political uncertainty in the Knesset, women’s rights are in an even more precarious position. It will be up to the new government to ensure that these goals are achieved.

On the first day of 2015, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, made a bold new year’s resolution at Al- Azhar University in Cairo, the oldest and principal center of learning in the Sunni world.

President Sisi declared to Islamic educational leaders that “we are in need for an Islamic revolution.” He continued by asserting that “It’s inconceivable that the thinking that we hold most sacred should cause the entire [Islamic world] to be a source of anxiety, danger, killing and destruction for the rest of the world. Impossible!” Although the president’s speech was not widely covered by mainstream western new sources, it is imperative to note that Sisi’s courage and candor is of major symbolic importance to the Arab world.

Sisi was elected President last June after millions of Egyptians called for the overthrow of his controversial predecessor Mohammed Morsi, the country’s first elected leader and a member of the radical Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood. As president, Morsi attempted to consolidate his power and was the leader during many public killings by the Muslim Brotherhood. Sisi imprisoned Morsi and thousands of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and has made a great effort to reach out to minorities in Egypt, which is a departure from Egyptian leadership tendencies.

On January 7, Sisi became the first Egyptian president to attend the Coptic Christian mass. He made a short speech and said, “We will build our country together. We will accommodate each other. We will love each other.” This is an extremely profound statement coming from a president AP Photo/Egypt State Television of a country that, under the Islamic Brotherhood, was known for burning Coptic Churches and encouraging Christians to flee the country.

Western administrations constantly call upon Muslim leaders to condemn radical Islam. Yet, when Sisi does just this, it is largely ignored. For instance, last year, Secretary of State John Kerry visited President Sisi in Cairo and called for him to “uphold universal rights and freedoms of all Egyptians.” Kerry, however, has fallen silent now that Sisi is reaching out to formerly oppressed Egyptian minorities, such as Coptic Christians.

B.D.S.: A Cloak for a New Form of Anti-Semitism

Arielle Solomon ‘16

Under the multi-layered humanitarian façade of the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (B.D.S.) movement, hate, anti-Semitism, and anti-Israel fervor may be found. B.D.S. is a global campaign bearing the slogan “freedom, justice, equality,” and uses political and economic pressure to coerce Israel into complying with its goals. The B.D.S. movement calls for the end of the Israeli “occupation” of Palestinian claimed lands, wants Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to be granted equal rights, and promotes the “right of return” for Palestinian refugees.

Roger Cohen, a New York Times op-ed columnist, wrote about the movement’s objectives, “The third, combined with the second, equals the end of Israel as a Jewish state. This is the hidden agenda of B.D.S., its unacceptable subterfuge: beguile, disguise and suffocate.” In short, the B.D.S. movement does not just want to regain the lands lost following the Six Day War, but it wants to dismantle the Jewish state altogether.

The anti-Semitic ambiguity of the B.D.S. movement represents a larger trend. Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Pres

idents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said, “Seventy years ago, you went after, ‘Kill the Jews’ — here you say, ‘Kill the Jewish state.’ That somehow is kosher. The politically correct way to be anti-Semitic is not to say, ‘I hate the Jews,’ but to say, ‘I hate Israel.”’

Of course there is inequality in Israel, as in all countries; however, Israel is singled out for human rights misconduct not because Israel performs the most grievous of violations, but because Israel is the Jewish state. In May 2014, the Anti-Defamation League published the largest-ever report on worldwide anti-Semitic attitudes and found that areas featuring high levels of anti-Israel sentiment also feature high levels of anti-Semitism. For instance, 93 percent of respondents from Gaza and the West Bank expressed anti-Semitic views, earning the dubious distinction of being the two most anti-Semitic places surveyed.

Furthermore, the B.D.S. movement’s presence on North American college campuses shows its hateful and anti-Semitic mentality. For example, this past March, the University of Michigan’s student government voted to disapprove divestment measures

against Israel, prompting pro-B.D.S. students to stage protests. According to the Washington Free Beacon and The Algemeiner, Jews and pro-Israel students allegedly received death threats and were called racial epithets such as “kikes” and “dirty Jews” by B.D.S. supporters. Although these acts are considered hate crimes, University of Michigan officials failed to condemn the acts.

Summer 2014’s war between Israel and Gaza created ideal conditions for the B.D.S. movement to garner support across the world, especially in Europe. The New York Times reported that,“Europe’s old demon returned this summer. ‘Death to the Jews!’ shouted protesters at pro-Palestinian rallies in Belgium and France. ‘Gas the Jews!’ yelled marchers at a similar protest in Germany.” In France, rioters burned a Jewish owned pharmacy, threw a firebomb that slightly damaging a small synagogue, and tried to attack the Grand Synagogues of Sarcelles, but were blocked by riot police officers.

Abraham Foxman, national director of the AntiDefamation League, concluded that “The Gaza war did not create anti-Semitism. It legitimized it, it gave it a platform, it gave it an excuse.”

7 The Flame January Flame October ‘15 ‘09

FEATURES 

Jessica Antiles: Swimming for Israel, GOA in her Heart Kim Robins ‘17 Senior Jessica Antiles has long been a star swimmer for our school, propelling us to victories on the county, division and state levels. She has set championship records in the 200-yard Individual Medley, the 50-yard Freestyle, and the 100-yard Breaststroke. She swims for a top-level club team, has been named one of the top high school swimmers in the state, and was recruited by Columbia University – but now, she’s about to go global.

While this year’s senior class sets out on internships and Neshama, Antiles will also be going to Israel, but in a different capacity: she will be training in the hopes of qualifying for Israel’s national swim team.

“Since my freshman year, I have been aware that I would probably have to miss the amazing senior trip to Israel because of my commitment to swimming,” Antiles reflected. “But in the back of my mind, I hoped there might be a way for me to

join my classmates. I sent [the Israeli Swimming Association] all of my times in my best events, and they told me that I had a chance of making the National team. They also told me that it would it be possible for me to train with a top swim club in Israel during Neshama.”

This will not be Antiles’ first time swimming for an Israeli club. This past August, she swam in Israel’s National Swim Championships as a representative of Hapoel Jerusalem. She spent almost three weeks training with the team prior to the meet.

“The team took me in with open arms,” she said, “and by the end of the meet, I felt like I was a part of their family. I cannot wait to see them again.”

Despite the conflict that raged in Israel during Operation Protective Edge, Antiles was happy there.

“My mom and I were in Israel as rockets were being fired from Gaza, and yet it was one of the

Sincerely, Sydney

DEAR SYDNEY: I’m an eleventh grader at GOA, and I’m working harder than ever. I knew this year would be tough, but I kept spirits high because my favorite thing is this year: prom! Ever since I got to the Upper School I’ve been dreaming about this night. I love getting dressed up and dancing with my friends, but the time leading up to this amazing night has been very stressful. Though I luckily have the date issue covered, there are so many more things I need to do! I have to find a dress, shoes, accessories, makeup, and a hairstyle. The hours on Pinterest are eating away at my social time, and something that was supposed to be fun has become such a chore. How can I reduce my preprom stress?

— PERTURBED PROMMIE DEAR PERTURBED PROMMIE: I know prom is very stressful, but remember that the purpose of prom is for you to have fun! As anxiety-inducing as it may be, it is only as tough as you make it. What you look like at prom is completely up to you, and you shouldn’t feel pressured. There are thousands of dresses out there, so while that’s overwhelming, it also means there are lots of options. Take your friends out to the mall and shop together so you can all catch up and be productive at the same time. I know you want the night to be perfect, but when you’re rocking out on the dance floor you’ll forget about what your makeup looks like. Just make a list and confront every new challenge as it arises.

Don’t ruin a fun-filled experience by stressing about it too much before. Happy prepping!

— SINCERELY, SYDNEY

F

DEAR SYDNEY: I have always struggled with my tendency to procrastinate when it comes to doing my homework. Every night, I get home with the intention of starting my work as soon as I set foot in my house, yet I consistently find myself starting homework at 9 p.m. I am always astounded by how quickly the time has passed during my “short” television or BuzzFeed break. As a high school student, my workload has definitely increased, and my old tactics are coming back to bite me. Because of my poor work habits, I am staying up later than I would like doing work, and my sleep is being compromised. I know that I cannot continue with this system, or else I will find myself piled under hours of delayed homework. How can I help myself stop procrastinating and get my work done?

— PERSISTENT PROCRASTINATOR DEAR PERSISTENT PROCRASTINATOR: I understand your struggle, and I am sure that many others are facing the same troubles.

After opening a website, it can be very difficult to get back to work; however, it can be tough to end your almost eight-hour school day and go straight into more work. I find it most effective to have a snack and do a quick workout right after school, refraining from checking the websites you know will lure you in for hours.

By following this routine, you will have taken a break between work cycles, and your mind will be fresh and ready to restart. I also would recommend creating a work schedule for yourself for each night, so you can ensure that everything will be completed by its due date. If your troubles persist, talk to your guidance counselor about organization tactics. Good luck!

— SINCERELY, SYDNEY

Co-Editors in Chief: Leia Kessler & Hannah Sessler Layout/Website Editor: Zach Colton-Max Layout/Website Editor Assistant: Aaron Pearlstein Op-Ed Editor: Kim Robins Sports Editor: Matt Nadel SchechterLife Editor: Jacob Gutstein

The Flame Staff

best experiences of my life. I was proud to be there, especially at that moment, representing Israel as a swimmer in the National Championships.”

In the end, she came home with victories in the overall competitions for 17-18 year old girls and for women.

Antiles officially made aliyah on December 22 and will begin training soon. In order to qualify for the National team, she needs to cut a few seconds off of her best times, which is no easy task for an already elite swimmer.

“I am going to have to work hard,” she acknowledged. “I will not be able to spend much time with my grade during Neshama, but I am hopeful that I will be able to see them at least once a week for Shabbat. Hopefully when they are nearby I will be able to meet with them during the day. I am absolutely thrilled to be able to be with my classmates, who I truly love. B”H, I feel so blessed to have this amazing opportunity.”

Spotlight on a Senior: Jon Wingens

Senior year is something all high schoolers look forward to. It’s a time when all your hard work finally pays off, you get to relax a bit, take advantage of senioritis, and you look back on all of the memories and accomplishments from over the duration of your high school career. For former Flame editor Jon Wingens, high school has been an amazing experience. We got the chance to ask him a couple of questions about what his high school, and more specifically, what his senior year experience has been like.

The Flame: How does it feel to be a senior?

Jon: It is so unbelievable that we only have just a little bit longer in the building that some of us have called home for up to seven years. Also, open campus is exactly as great as all you underclassmen think it is.

TF: Are you excited to be going on Neshama?

Jon: Yeah, I’ve been craving Moshikos since we left Jerusalem after Na’ale.

TF: When you graduate, what are you going to miss most?

Jon: Sure, I’m going to miss the dress code and the new lunch program, but most of all I’m really going to miss the tight-knit community that this school has provided for me for so long. I hope we all find that on college campuses.

TF: Which teacher are you going to miss most and why?

Jon: Of course I’m going to miss all my teachers equally!

TF: Do you have any advice for next year’s seniors?

Jon: As tempting as it may seem to not do anything, keep getting your work done on time (or at least close to the due date)! Colleges and your parents still care.

TF: If you could describe your GOA experience in one word what would it be?

Jon: sen1or5!

A&E Editor: Aviva Kamens Features Editor: Rachel Kramer Israel Editor (Culture): Arielle Solomon Israel Editor (Politics): Rafael Jones Photographers: Alex Brodsky, Josh Schuman Faculty Advisor: Mr. Hefetz

8 The Flame January ‘15

BACKBURNER

G.O.A. Faculty Remember Their Prom Experiences February is known as the month of love across the world and especially at G.O.A. because of that one special day a year you get to spend with the person you love… prom! During the month of February and the lead up to prom, you can feel the romance as you walk through the halls.

As the final “promposals” take place and final decisions on prom dresses are made, students are filled with excitement for the big night. As everyone knows, prom can be a big deal for juniors and seniors, and is often something you are remember for years to come. In anticipation for prom, we decided to ask some of the teachers what their prom was like.

Mrs. Ulric: Oh wow. There are no pictures of my junior prom dress, which is probably for the best. It was a Carmen Miranda dress. It was a black sheath dress with a single stripe and a ruffled, flower print with big ruffles on my shoulders. I had a fun prom! Junior year I went with a friend and senior year I went with my high school boyfriend.

Rabbi Waldman: I didn’t go. I went to an all girls school. It was on a Friday night and I didn’t care enough to go.

Mrs. Steinberg: Oh wow. Seriously? My dress was light blue, very Juliet-esque. But my prom was very boring.

Mrs. Antiles: We don’t have prom in Venezuela.

I was deprived of my prom experience.

Mr. Gerstle: I wore a suit and the theme of my prom was stairway to heaven. I didn’t actuMr. Londino: I wore a tux. I went with a girlally go to my high school prom though, but I participated in Jewish youth groups and went to friend. It was interesting. My date wasn’t happy prom with a couple girls I knew from there. It with me because she thought I wasn’t paying enough attention to her. was a lot of fun!

Dr. Jeng: I never went to prom in high school because in Taiwan high school prom is not a big deal. In college I went to a student-held prom and it was great. I liked dancing and a lot of things that were happening.

Mr. Dobson: Instead of going with the girl I had a crush on, I punked out and didn’t ask her, so I got set up with a friend’s friend. We didn’t click and I ended up spending the night with the girl I actually wanted to ask. My prom was good, but I feel bad for her date.

Mr. Hefetz: My friends and I refer to it as “The Miracle on the Hudson.” I was too nervous to ask my senior-year crush; she was way out of my league and probably way out of most people’s league. On the morning of prom, her date bailed on her and she asked me, via AIM, to be her date. After the obligatory prolonged celebration, I used my art skills to pick her up a corsage, knowing white complements every color. Her dress was white, so that was money. The chaperones and teachers couldn’t believe I was her date. One school aid gave me a congratulatory “My Man!” coupled with a pound and my Psychology teacher just smiled and said, “Jonathan.

Nice!” Best. Night. Ever.

10 Romantic Movies to Watch this Month 1. The Notebook 2. Pretty Women 3. Gone With the Wind 4. The Wedding Singer 5. Dirty Dancing 6. Titanic 7. You’ve Got Mail 8. Love, Actually 9. 10 Things I Hate About You 10. When Harry Met Sally