The Cougar Chronicle Spring 2018

THE COUGAR CHRONICLE

June 2018

Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Volume XXVIII Issue 5

From Akiba to Eagles: Ari Roitman Loves What He Does Rosie Gertzman, Editor-in-Chief

Ari Roitman, a proud AkibaBarrack alum who graduated in ‘94, has since pursued a successful career in sports management, working first for the Phillies and currently the Eagles. Mr. Roitman has shared some insights into his life post-Akiba-Barrack and how the school was able to set him up for success. Most recently, Roitman spoke at the alumni’s “Young Professionals Networking Event” on May 10th, helping to inspire the younger generation to follow their dreams, just as he did. Ari Roitman, a Senior Vice President of Business for the Philadelphia Eagles, shared some of his thoughts with the Chronicle.

What is your job and what are your responsibilities?

My title is Senior Vice President Business and my job is to oversee a number of revenue streams for the Philadelphia Eagles.

To give you an idea of what some of those revenue streams are, I oversee our Corporate Partnership Department, our Premium Partnership Department, as well as our media monetization strategies.

Photo Credit: Jen Keifer

How, if at all, do you feel as though Akiba/Barrack set you up for success in the future? What, if any, clubs did you participate in at Akiba?

Akiba was instrumental in helping to mold me into who I am today. For all of us, the home is where it’s most important, but Akiba complemented that upbringing perfectly. Academically, Akiba prepared me not only for college but also for life in helping to develop vital skills that are relevant to this day. Akiba helped instill a tremendous sense of personal identity and pride that is with me always.

Regarding activities, I played three

IN THIS ISSUE

sports (soccer, basketball and tennis) each year with the exception of my junior year when I couldn’t play soccer or basketball due to my participation in our trip to Israel. Athletics were a huge part of my life at Akiba and we were fortunate to de-

What is your best memory from high school?

Spending the first semester of my junior year in Israel with most of my classmates is at the top of the list. After learning about Israel for my entire life and develop-

becca, and having our two boys, Benjamin and Ty. If you are looking for a non-family answer, I’d say helping the careers of many young people I’ve had the privilege of overseeing in the sports business and watching them grow.

As a business person, what is one piece of advice you would give your high school self?

The toughest thing for young people (myself included) to grasp and accept is that “it’s a long life.” By that I mean, success does not happen quickly for most people, and accepting and understanding that reality is key to managing your own expectations.

We all want to achieve our goals as quickly as tomorrow, but getting there takes time, patience and a ton of hard work. If you do things the right away, you’ll get there…but resist the urge to try to rush it.

What does it mean to you to work with the Eagles, having grown up in the greater Philadelphia area?

For me, achieving a career in sports was my primary goal.

Working for Major League Baseball for nine years, especially overlapping with the Phillies winning the 2008 World Series, was unreal. The opportunity to come home and work for the Eagles, however, is beyond anything I could have envisioned. The Eagles mean so much to Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley Ari Roitman and Head of School Mrs. Sharon Levin at a Young Professionals -- having a role in maintainNetworking Night ing and growing that connection is a humbling and awesome experience. It’s difficult liver a number of league titles across ing a deep connection, it was ex- to put into words the feelings asall three sports during my time there. tremely meaningful to experience sociated with winning a Super it all with Akiba and my friends. Bowl and bringing a parade to Where did you continue your edPhiladelphia. Said differently and What do you feel is your greatest in an effort to answer your quesucation after Akiba?

I attended Cornell University from accomplishment? tion directly, it means everything.

Marrying my beautiful wife, Re1994 – 1998.

Teachers’ summer break

Is Facebook private?

NASA comes to Barrack!

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June 2018

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Protesting Parkland Protests Rivkah Wyner, Israel Editor

On March 14th, 2018, the majority of students from the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy participated in the national school walk-

“Many felt very pressured to participate in order to avoid social alienation.” out to memorialize the Parkland shooting and demand stricter gun control legislation. Although the general opinions that exist in the Barrack community tend to correspond with the statements that the walkout stood for, there are always two sides to every coin. It is important to understand that participation in the walkout was not a super easy choice for everyone.

The students who did not participate were not in any way against the memorial aspect of the walkout; rather, they took issue with the political aspect of it. The intentions of the walkout were very clear,

and some of the calls on Congress that were made are not ones that everyone agrees with. Gun control is a debatable issue for a reason; there is not a clear solution. Furthermore, there were some students who were opposed to the walkout because Tamika Mallory and Linda Sansour, the two women who organized the national walkout and the Women’s March, happen to be extremely anti-Israel and anti-Semitic.

Students who did not want to take part in the walkout were put in an uncomfortable position, and many felt pressured to participate in order to avoid social alienation. Whether you agree or disagree with one’s opinion regarding this matter, no one should ever

have to feel self-conscious about holding a minority opinion regarding participation in an optional walkout. Barrack’s open endorsement and support of the walkout made some students feel obligated

ply to everyone, but every opinion held regarding these controversial issues needs to be respected.

The walkout clearly had many empowering and motivational messages, and it is wonderful that so many Barrack students used their voices to speak out about what they believe in. The Parkland shooting was one of too many tragedies that struck America through gun violence. Nevertheless, the walkout was more than just a memorial. It was a protest that not everyone agreed with. The stance should not be taken against the walkout itself, but against the environment that Barrack posed in reaction to it. After all, I did participate in to participate, even though it was the walkout, and it was a powan optional event. The viewpoints erful experience. However, the shared at the walkout do not ap- point is about respect, not politics.

The Importance of the Walkout Michal Loren, Arts and Entertainment Editor

On March 14th, 2018, the Jack M. lievably empowering, and watch- ment that day. Students and teachBarrack Hebrew Academy partook ing them follow through with the ers should not be dying in schools, in the student-organized National Enough Greater Philadelphia co- and we stood for that. Children School Walkout as both a memo- alition is so inspiring. The walkout should not have to pray that their rial to the victims of the Parkland was instrumental in promoting ac- parent comes home from work shooting and a protest supporting tivism and social awareness within alive every day. Parents should stricter gun control legislation. Led our community, not just for gun not have to worry that their child

by Sophia Shapiro ‘20 and Ruthie control but for anything a person is will return from school not on a Cohen ‘19, a majority of the stu- passionate about, as evidenced by bus, but in a body bag. Participatdent body, faculty, and staff walked the student-led assembly on April ing in an event centered around out of the double doors in the lobby 20th on the importance of voting. this idea executed entirely by the at exactly 10:00 AM. This act was Another reason that the walk- young people who are at risk was incredibly powerful as people of out at JBHA was so crucial was so important. Because it was not all ages stood together in a series of moments representative of a larger movement for the greater good of humanity.

Because the walkout was a month after the Stoneman Douglas shooting, when the event had begun to fade from public consciousness, it functioned as a necessary reminder of the constant action that must be taken to keep our schools Students expressing their beliefs at the March for Our Lives at Barrack and society safe.

As a student, seeing my peers take the lead and set that it was an integral part of the mandated by the school, there was off on a path to change was unbe- message sent to the federal govern- no pressure put on anyone who

disagreed to take part. Still, it had a moving effect on all participants; I was in tears by the end, and I re-

“The walkout was instrumental in promoting activism and social awareness within our community” member a teacher saying to me in a trembling voice, “I have kids, too” as we returned to class. Knowing that such influential adults in our lives stand behind us in this fight is invaluable, which we would not be aware of without the walkout.

The National School Walkout represented one of many integral moments to a movement that is currently rocking the country at our--the American children’s-hands. Being even a small fraction of that movement is so significant because every voice counts.

The walkout was representative of that: while we may have been just one of the hundreds of schools who held protests that day, our walkout was not inconsequential.

From the news coverage we acquired to the individual feelings of empowerment to the emotional impact the event had on everyone involved, the walkout was a vital positive that Barrack should have no regret about permitting.

CHRONICLE FEATURES

June 2018

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Even Teachers Enjoy Summer Break son-in-law, son, and his fiancee.

As of now, she is planning a trip to Alaska, either for this summer or the next. In the midst of all of her summer plans, she will be preparing for her son’s wedding, which

Photo Credit: Google Images

As the school year is coming to a close, both students and faculty are looking forward to a relaxing summer. It may be hard to believe, but teachers enjoy their summers, as well. While many students go to camp, travel, and hang out at the shore, teachers tend to do similar activities.

Some of the faculty have very interesting and exciting summer break plans. In addition to working, their agendas include visiting their children and spending time with loved ones.

For Mrs. Marlene Gefter, Chair of the Math Department at Barrack, most of her summer plans consist of administrative meetings in order to prepare for the upcoming school year; however, this is not what her entire summer consists of. She also likes to spend time in Cape May with her husband, and spend a week in the Hamptons with her family: her daughter,

Stefanie Rose, School News Editor

will take place this September.

While he might not be preparing for a wedding or going to the Hamptons and Cape May, Dr. Darin Katz, the Upper School Director at Barrack, also has some fun plans for his summer. At the end of June and in early July, he will be taking some time off from work to go for a much-

needed vacation to Jamaica with his wife; yes, even teachers need vacations. After returning, he will work for most of the summer alongside the rest of the senior administrators to prepare for the upcoming school year, with a focus on getting ready for the mid-cycle evaluation by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS). An additional plan includes spending a few weekends at the beach.

The Chair of the Humanities department, Mr. Thomas McLaughlin, has multiple activities on his summer agenda. He is taking the summer off from his graduate studies in history at Villanova to spend time with his family. He and his family will be traveling to Vermont for an outdoor-themed, nature adventure; his sons, ages nine and six, are now old enough for more active trips. His oldest son, Ira,

will spend the second half of his summer at Ramah in the Poconos because he greatly enjoyed Taste of Ramah, the camp’s one-week overnight program. Though his son is extremely excited, he will be missed by his family. Mr. McLaughlin’s younger son, Adam, will enjoy various local day camps, and will have plenty of father-son time. Mr. McLaughlin will also be at Barrack throughout the summer, working with the administration team to prepare for next school year.

Summer is a time for enjoyment, and both teachers and students try to take advantage of the time they have off. Vacations and spending time with family are common activities that everyone does, student and teacher alike. Dr. Katz’s, Mrs. Gefter’s, and Mr. McLaughlin’s plans for the summer are only a few examples of what summer break is like for many teachers. It can be agreed that summer could be a time of relaxation and joy for all.

A Fresh Start for the Class of 2018 Stephanie Rose, School News Editor

Though there are many things that Maze is excited for, she did not pick her school strictly because of them. She wanted a medium-sized school with a campus near a city, but she wanted to go somewhere far away. She also wanted a place where the teachers would have a personal relationship with their students.

Another factor was that she wanted a school where she could obtain a prestigious education, but also have fun. Since Maze is going far away, she will miss being close to her friends and sister; it will be weird for her that she will not see them every day.

Since going to college immediately is not for everyone, there are many incredible gap year programs available. Charlie Gottlieb has decided to head to Israel. Next fall, he will be studying at Yeshivat Orayta in the Old City of Jerusalem.

He wanted to go to Israel because after attending the Muss program as a junior, he felt a longing to be back. While the experience Gottlieb will have will be one he hopes to cherish forever, the one thing he

will miss about not living at home is his dog. At the yeshiva, he is looking forward to the people he will meet. On his journey, he is also looking forward to the opportunity he will have to become closer to

Photo Credit: Barksdale Photography

The Class of 2018 all have exciting plans for the 2018-2019 school year.

Whether it be going straight to college, taking a gap year, or even joining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), they all will do something that they love. Gabriella Maze, Charlie Gottlieb, and Ariel Mashiah, seniors in the Class of 2018, all fall into one of these three categories. Maze has decided to go straight to college.

Gottlieb has decided to take a gap year program in Israel. Meanwhile, Mashiah will join the IDF in order to defend and protect the Jewish homeland, Israel. Though these seniors are taking different paths away from high school, they are choosing what is best for them and how they will be the most successful.

Next school year, Gabriella Maze will be attending Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is most excited for her college experience because her school is in a great location with music playing constantly, giving the area a nice vibe.

In addition to the music, she will be surrounded by beautiful artwork, amazing food, and, most importantly, beautiful weather. Tulane’s location has many unique qualities.

There are more festivals than there are days of the year, Mardi Gras being the biggest. The students show a lot of school spirit, which Maze loves; it is one of the top four schools with the happiest students in the world, according to The Princeton Review:The Best 382 Colleges.

The Class of 2018 Hashem (God) and Judaism. Gottlieb’s gap year program is different from other programs, like Kivunim or Nativ, because it is based in a yeshiva with an emphasis on Torah study and spirituality. After his studies at Yeshivat Orayta, he does not yet know what he will be doing or what the future holds for him; he will just live day by day.

Ariel Mashiah will be going to Israel to serve in the IDF. She had looked at a few colleges and thought to major in art, but then realized that college was not for her. The IDF was an option from the start, and her father told her that after her trip to Israel, she could decide wheth-

er that was the right path for her.

Mashiah knew that she wanted to join the IDF; since she has a strong connection with Judaism and God, and loves being Jewish, she felt that it was her obligation and responsibility to serve Israel. To join the IDF, one must make Aliyah (move to Israel). Mashiah is currently in the process of becoming an Israeli citizen in order to make Aliyah next fall. She will not know what her job will be in the army until she gets to Israel.

Upon her arrival, she will take a test to determine her character, then points will be calculated; the amount of points dictates one’s job.

She would like to become a basic training officer, where every three weeks she would receive a new group of 15 soldiers to teach everything they need to know about being in the army. Though Mashiah is not sure whether she wants to attend school after the army, she knows that she wants to earn higher ranks; she does not know what the future holds for her.

The Class of 2018 will surely be successful next fall in colleges, a gap year programs, or the IDF. Though they do not know what the future holds for them, they are each creating individual paths for themselves. Congratulations to the Class of 2018 -- this is just the beginning of their journey.

June 2018

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Sacramento Shooting and Protests Serena Levingston, Staff Writer

On March 18, 2018, police officers shot to death a man named Stephon Clark in his grandmother’s backyard. He was 22 years old, with a brother and two children, ages one and three. He had just been released from county jail the previous month, where he served time for robbery. His grandmother, Sequita Thompson, described, “The only thing that I heard was pow, pow, pow, pow…

I opened that curtain and he was dead.” After he was shot, his children kept asking, “Where’s Daddy, where’s Daddy?”, according to Salena Manni, the mother of Stephon Clark’s children.

The police had been looking for a man wearing black pants and a dark hoodie, who had been breaking car windows. A helicopter

“He was a part of our family. He was our rock.”

Photo Credit: https://www.sfchronicle.com

spotted Stephon Clark, who fit the description, and pointed him out to two policemen. The helicopter officers said they saw Clark breaking windows. Mr. Clark ran from the police to his grandparents’ backyard, where he then “turned and advanced towards the officers while holding an object which was extended in front of him,” according to a police statement. “The officers believed the suspect was pointing a firearm at them.”

The two officers fired their weapons at Mr. Clark multiple times, thinking they were being attacked. Later, his body was searched for weapons, and none were found. The object Clark had

Family and friends mourning Stephon Clark

been pointing at the policemen had been his cellphone, not a gun.

The policemen who shot Stephon Clark are now on paid administrative leave while the investigation is proceeding, led by district and city attorneys and the Office of Public Safety Accountability.

After the shooting, the protests began. Activists surrounded Golden 1 Center, the arena where the Sacramento Kings, the local basketball team, were playing that night. By blocking the entrance so that patrons could not enter, the protesters stood in solidarity against this incident of what they considered police brutality and the rise of similar incidents across the country. Soon after this, the Sacramento Kings warmed up for a game

in shirts that had Stephon Clark’s name on them to raise awareness.

They also allied with Black Lives Matter Sacramento and Build Black, a coalition in Sacramento supporting educational opportunities for underprivileged people, including Black men. In the NBA, players and coaches are encouraged to use their fame to fight for causes that they believe in, in contrast to the NFL, where players, like Colin Kaepernick, who protest police brutality against black people have faced serious backlash. The Sacramento Kings have now started an education fund for Mr. Clark’s children.

Additional protests occurred on the streets of downtown Sacramento, at the City Hall, and even

Protest sparked by the shooting of Stephon Clark

on Interstate 5 during rush hour.

One protester, Wanda Cleveland, was accidentally hit by a car from the sheriff’s department and was taken to the hospital for minor wounds.

As police brutality and generalized gun violence continue to be an issue around the country, it is important to remember that each person killed was a human being with a meaningful life that can never be restored. The survivors of the Parkland High School shooting in Florida have shown everyone just how important those lives are. Similarly, the mother of Stephon Clark’s children, Salena Manni, said that “[Stephon] was a part of our family. He was our rock.”

June 2018

A Stormy Situation

THE COUGAR CHRONICLE

Hillel Weitzman, Opinion Editor

If you have been keeping up with the news in the past few months, it has been hard to miss the name Stormy Daniels. In a case centered around an incident that took place in 2006, it is hard to understand why it is making headlines now.

This story began just months after the birth of Donald Trump’s son, Barron, in 2006. After meeting Trump at a golf club, Daniels was invited back to his hotel room for dinner, where they proceeded to have sexual intercourse, according to Daniels.

Ten years later, in the midst of Trump’s presidential campaign, rumors of the affair began to surface. In October of 2016, Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer, allegedly paid Daniels $130,000 which bound her not to publicly speak about the affair.

After this news originally broke

this past January, Michael Cohen denied the payment. Soon after, however, in February, Cohen announced that he did make the payment to Daniels. Subsequently, the

“Trump’s staff, now admitting to have paid Daniels, claims that even if a story is not true, it could still defame Trump’s name and negatively affect his campaign.”

Trump campaign said that Trump made the payment out of his own pocket and that the administration was unaware of it. Daniels, soon after, offered to return the $130,000 in order to be able to lawfully tell the story, but received no response

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272 South Bryn Mawr Avenue Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010

f r o m Trump.

Editor-in-Chief.........................Rosie Gertzman Tr u m p ’s ExecutiveEditor........................Elana Kopelman staff, now ManagingEditor.......................Hillel Weitzman admitting LayoutEditor.........................JoshuaGoldstein to having WorldNewsEditor...........................SaritHeld paid DanSchoolNewsEditors....................Devon Sandler iels, that ..............................................Stephanie Rose even if a OpinionEditor..........................Lily Grossinger story is Features&GamesEditor....................Shirin Kaye not true, it CenterspreadEditor....................Helen Rudoler could still Arts&EntertainmentEditor.............Michal Loren defame Art Editor.....................................Shirin Kaye Tr u m p ’s SportsEditor..............................Ethan Cramer name and IsraelEditor............................... Rivkah Wyner negatively PhotographyEditors....................Devon Sandler affect his .................................................Max Lederer campaign.

Editor-at-Large............................Molly LaVoe The Advisor..............................Mrs. JudithPransky Trump Administration has been extremely quiet he publicly condemned as being about this case in relation to the untrue. The case is still up in the sexual assault allegations against air, but things are not looking good him during the campaign, which for the Trump Administration.

Is Your Facebook Private Profile as Private as You Thought?

Lily Grossinger, Opinion Editor

“Not only has privacy become a huge issue for Facebook as a company, but it has also made each of us re-examine if and how we want to share our private information on the myriad of online platforms where we spend much of our digital life.” spend much of our digital life. The development of this controversy started in the world of politics, with issues that came to light regarding President Trump and his campaign against Hillary Clinton.

Much of this major privacy upheaval, which has become the biggest crisis for Facebook in its 14 years of existence, evolved from the various investigations of President Trump and the possible influence of Russians during his campaign. In 2016, in the

development of their presidential run, the Trump campaign hired a British consulting and data mining firm called Cambridge Analytica, which was significantly focused on using American Facebook data to assist various US political election campaigns with whom it consulted. The unique business strategy and tactics Cambridge Analytica utilized have been exposed in recent months through active British government investigations and congressional hearings in the US. What has come to light is that Cambridge Analytica used a “Trojan horse” strategy (like the old war story that told of Greeks entering the City of Troy by constructing a big horse to hide their warriors) to have millions of Americans unwittingly answer surveys and provide information. The company then data-mined these peoples’ information, and exponentially extended it in order to gather scope to their millions of Facebook friends. Further, there has been much intrigue and questioning regarding Cambridge Analytica because they reportedly used Russian tech workers and Russian online technology “troll farms.”

Using these tactics, Cambridge Analytica was able to amass data on 81 million of us Americans, as if we are the City of Troy and Cambridge Analytica and its political candidate clients were the secret warriors invading our privacy and personal information.

The ability of companies to data mine our personal information without our knowledge is a huge issue, considering most of us millennials live some part of our life online. Thus, it has caught the attention of the US government and

Photo Credit: Google Images

Recently, Facebook-users have learned that there are many issues regarding the privacy of our personal data, making it easy for others to gain access to the information we post online. Not only has this become a huge issue for Facebook as a company, but it has also made each of us re-examine if and how we want to share our private information on the myriad of online platforms where we

regulators in Washington. Recently, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was called to Washington to publicly testify before Congressional committees to explain how our personal information could so easily be accessed by others, and what Facebook was doing in this critical area of privacy. Most importantly, people wanted to know what changes should occur within Facebook and the tech world to lessen the exposure of our private information and data. (And yes, Mr. Zuckerberg even wore a suit while testifying before Congress,

NOT his trademark hoodie.)

As a result of identifying these issues on the Facebook platform, the company has recently instituted new changes to enhance the privacy of its users. These new changes in Facebook’s operational guidelines are designed to give users the choice of whether we want to shield certain personal information from others who are not our Facebook friends.

The new changes also include Facebook auditing apps running on the website, which enhances overall privacy by giving Facebook users the opportunity to opt in/opt out of certain activities.

Overall, what started as an outgrowth of the US government’s investigation of President Trump’s campaign has mushroomed into a major online privacy investigation, exposing the failings of Facebook and other key tech companies we use every day. There is some optimism in Washington and technology circles that the resulting changes and regulations enhancing privacy will be a positive thing for all of us in this digital age. As for Cambridge Analytica, it recently filed for bankruptcy and is closing its doors.

June 2018

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STEAM Institute Takes Off Shirin Kaye, Features and Games Editor; Art Editor

Photo Credit: Sofwerx

On April 30th, 2018, twentysix students and five chaperones represented the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy STEAM department on a trip to SOFWERX

in Tampa, Florida. SOFWERX is an organization that creates innovative solutions to challenges that fighters in the United States Special Forces face every day.

The exciting experience began

with a flight to Tampa on Sunday afternoon. On Monday, at SOFWERX, employees shared the goals of their organization with our group, and showed some of their projects during a facility tour. Afterwards, students got to experience the action by observing the building of drones and remotes.

One location the group visited was the Makerspace, a room of similar size to Barrack’s STEAM Lab, but containing many more high-technology tools and ma-

chines for inventing things. Not only did it have multiple 3D printers, but also plasma cutters and laser cutters specialized for metal to make unique pieces for projects.

An industrial mechanic captured the students’ hearts by describing a project that he is working on that involves dogs that are trained to sniff out bombs. He is tasked with designing an oxygen mask to keep the dogs safe when they and their human jump out of an airplane.

Other projects that the students learned about, which were being designed, prototyped, and tested, included a drone carrying an explosive strong enough to kill a person, and an easy way to push fuel out of, and wrap, a heavy hose

without taxing soldiers’ strength.

A highlight for many was the hands-on part of the day, especially when students drove helicopters - in virtual reality. The flight simulator is designed to allow pilots to practice and plan special flight and landing strategies through wearing virtual reality goggles. The goggles allow the operator to feel as if he or she is truly in a helicopter. Because Barrack students are not trained pilots, they had a more difficult time flying the plane!

Overall, this STEAM trip was an excellent learning adventure.

The students and teachers returned with new knowledge, ideas, and paths that they may want to pursue in future projects and careers.

NASA Encourages Barrack Students to Shoot for the Moon Helen Rudoler, Centerspread Editor

avoid passiveness and aggressiveness whenever possible; women especially need to learn to vocalize their opinions, rather than letting louder male co-workers dominate and overshadow them. Dr. Rosenberg shared that she often feels self-doubt, thinking she was just “lucky” to have accomplished what she has; and she constantly has to remind herself that her own hard work was responsible, not luck or any kind of fluke.

Dunn and Rosenberg also spoke to the entire school about their roles at NASA. Rosenberg tests newly-returned astronauts for balance and movement, and is creating a program that simulates the confusion people experience when they do not know where in space their body is, a common symptom in astronauts. Dr. Dunn spent eight months in Hawaii, in a habitat on the slopes of Mauna Loa volcano, to study the constraints of a space

module during a timed mission for entists went into individual classa study on satisfaction and work- rooms to teach about hot topics ethic. Several theories exist about in space exploration, such as the probability of extraterrestrial life living in our solar system, the plausibility of traveling to Mars in the near future, and the benefits of human exploration of outer space.

Many Barrack students even networked with the scientists, asking advice about entering STEM fields and having private conversations about space exploration and women the morale trends, including in STEM. Ruby Benjamin, tenth a third quarter peak in happiness grade student, recalls that “It was when people realize they will soon incredible to hear these inspiraachieve their goal, or a peak in the tional women speak and to talk beginning before people’s excite- with them personally. Especially ment about a new mission wears with STEM being such a maleoff. She now works at a lab in dominated field, it was really NASA. important to hear Drs. Dunn and Throughout the day, the sci- Rosenberg speak”.

During the third trimester of senior year, each senior chooses a project to fulfill their required service hours. There are a variety of projects to choose from, including internships, school involvement, and working for non-profits. The Chronicle chose a few seniors to find out a bit about their projects.

Talia Koltun-Fromm is working with CeaseFirePA, a statewide organization working to take a stand against gun violence.

Through outreach, education, co-

Devora Solomon, Staff Writer alition building, and advocacy, in the school. They are teaching CeaseFirePA works to reduce gun students and teachers how to recviolence and gun tragedies in our ognize and deal with harassment communities. It also works to stop as it arises. They are also workthe flow of illegal guns into our ing to create a school policy that streets and keep guns out of the deals with sexual harassment and hands of people who should not appropriate punishments for parhave them. ticular situations.

Tori Berlin and Rachel OppenSammi Becker is interning for heimer are working along with Mr. Judge Charles Ehrlich at the Court Tow, a math teacher at Barrack, of Common Pleas in Philadelphia. and a few other select high school- She usually spends the morning ers, to develop awareness and ed- observing court cases and then ucation about sexual harassment continues her day helping around

Photo Credit: NASA

On Friday, May 4, Star Wars Day oddly enough, Barrack hosted two NASA scientists who spent the day lecturing to different groups of students and joining science classes. Dr. Jocelyn Dunn studies the effect of extended time spent in space on astronauts, and has been involved in researching ways to understand and improve their health, both mentally and physically. Dr. Marissa Rosenberg is a physicist also studying the effects of space on astronauts, with special attention to balance upon their return.

The scientists spoke to all the female students on the psychology of, and challenges for, women in STEM fields, and encouraged them to be confident in themselves and breach these male-dominant fields. They especially concentrated on sharing advice and personal experiences. The key is to be assertive in the workplace, and

Snippets of Senior Projects

the office by filing documents and doing other administrative work.

Adin Solomon and Jacob Parish are working at TECH Friere, a charter school in Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia. They are utilizing the abundance of technology that the school receives from donors to bring computer science and engineering courses to the students. They are also tutoring in math as needed and advise a club that is going to a statewide engineering competition.

CHRONICLE ISRAEL June 2018

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Flying to Israel with Friends Lily Grossinger, Opinion Editor

What could be better than taking time off from school to explore another country with your best friends? This was a reality for Barrack’s lucky eighth graders, who had the opportunity to travel to Israel for two weeks in March.

After the students learned about Israel in school for three years, the eighth-grade trip was the culmination of their studies and a celebration of the end of middle school. Current eighth grader Jordan Becker said that “even though it was my third time in Israel, it was a lot different and more fun being there with my friends.” His classmate Jacob Kopelman also said that “it wasn’t my first time in Israel, but being there with my grade was a completely different experience.” Any Barrack student

who has gone on either the eighth grade Israel trip or the Alexander Muss program can attest to this; being in Israel is surreal in itself, but being there with your friends makes it an even better experience.

“Overall, the bonds that the eighth graders formed on their trip— both with Israel and with each other—will surely last a lifetime.”

The limited phone usage on the trip enabled students to get to know their peers on a deeper level. Becker felt that his time in Israel brought him even closer to his grade because he “got to talk to a

lot of new people that [he] doesn’t have classes with in school.” In just two weeks, the eighth graders saw a majority of Israel’s significant landmarks. They hiked, swam in the Dead Sea, rode camels, visited the Kotel, and even did a bike tour of Tel Aviv. On March 7th, while the rest of the Barrack community slept in, due to a twohour delayed school opening from one of the many nor-easter storms, the eighth graders awoke at 4:30 am to climb Masada at sunrise!

Becker said that his favorite part of the trip was “hiking in the Golan Heights because [he] got to hang out with his friends while looking out at a beautiful view.”

While he also enjoyed taking part in these adventurous activities, classmate Michael Astorino said

that he “also liked having down time and relaxing on the beach” in Tel Aviv.

The JBHA Class of 2022 made the most out of every situation — even when their flight home was delayed for five hours!

In fact, eighth grader Jacob Erlbaum said that being stuck in the airport was one of the most memorable parts of the trip because it gave him more time to “hang out with [his] friends… and watch March Madness.” Becker and Kopelman agreed that their two-week trip “made [them] even more excited for Muss in 11th grade.”

Overall, the bonds that the eighth graders formed on their trip—both with Israel and with each other— will surely last a lifetime.

The Scourge of BDS at NYU and Barnard Rivkah Wyner, Israel Editor

Over the past month, there have been multiple clashes between BDS activists and pro-Israel students on the campuses of New York University and Barnard College. More than 50 student groups at NYU signed on to a pledge to

“The term ‘apartheid’ has been misappropriated and applied by anti-Israel activists and journalists to the Israeli government.” boycott “Israeli goods and goods manufactured in the Occupied Territories” and a petition that the university administration do the same. The petition also calls upon the students and administration to boycott and/or stop funding all pro-Israel student groups on campus, as well as “academic institutions and conferences sponsored by the State of IsPhoto Credit: Google Images

Apartheid and BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) are two contemporary expressions that are highly relevant in the Jewish community today. Apartheid is a national or social policy that singles out entire communities for ostracism. They suffer official and social discrimination that affects every aspect of their lives. The word “apartheid” entered into the English language during the late 1940’s to the early 1990’s, when the South African government devised and maintained an ongoing legal, economic and social oppression of its black citizens. Over the past 15 years or so, the term “apartheid” has been misappropriated and applied by anti-Israel activists and journalists to the Israeli government’s treatment of nonJews, especially Palestinians.

Boycotts, divestments, and sanctions target companies, manufacturers, and merchants of nations that are accused of apartheid and other human rights violations.

These are economic pressures that are placed on the so-called ‘sinning’ entity in the hope that it will eliminate the discriminatory policies. In an effort to pressure the Israeli government to “put an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories”, there have been multiple attempts on college campuses to get the university administrations to divest their assets from companies that do business with Israel.

rael.”

And on April 18, 2018, on the very eve of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, marking Israel’s 70th birthday, an anti-Israeli divestment referendum was passed at Barnard by a vote of 64%. Despite tireless efforts among Columbia University’s and Barnard’s pro-Israel advocates, two-thirds of Barnard College’s student body voted in favor of this anti-Israel referendum that was initiated by a student group known as CUAD (Columbia University Apartheid Divest). With backing from SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine) and JVP (Jewish Voices for Peace), this referendum requests that the Student Government Association (SGA) write a letter to Barnard’s administration,

urging them to divest from eight companies that “profit from or engage in the State of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.”

The BDS movement that has manifested itself at Barnard and NYU rejects creative and productive solutions for peace and progress by silencing the voices of those who strive towards a just solution. It deliberately isolates and marginalizes the voices of many Israeli and other Jewish students on campus by denying valid narratives and perspectives about Israel and its existence. Despite these setbacks, it is imperative for pro-Israel groups on college campuses to continue to fight against attempts to silence them and to continue to stand up for Israel.

ISRAEL AND THE MEDIA A Controversial Program at Barrack Hillel Weitzman, Managing Editor

logue between the students and faculty leaders of the program, Rabbi Lev invited a speaker from Jewish Voices for Peace, a group representing the more left-wing side of the issue. C8 is about “Israel engagement,” Rabbi Lev explained in an interview, “not advocacy.”

Rabbi Lev felt a responsibility

to continue students’ involvement with Israel after the three months spent there Junior year. By inviting speakers from all sides of issue, he is doing a great job in keeping the juniors engaged with Israel, while presenting as much as possible about what that could mean.

Photo Credit: The Times of Israel

The C8 Israel program has been Now, the Israel program for the a hot and controversial topic in eleventh grade is in its third year, this year’s eleventh grade. The and this year’s class has had some program was first implemented in confusion about, and criticism of, the course’s intention. Originally, “Israel engagement,” many juniors had thought the course Rabbi Lev mentioned in would teach Israel education, almost a continuation of what was learned an interview, “not in core class on Muss, which was a advocacy.”

Jewish and Israeli history class.

After the school had in2015, after the eleventh grade class vited speakers from the ZOA, returned from the Muss Israel ex- AIPAC, and ADL it became perience. The class felt that their quite clear to many students Israeli education was cut short. that it was more of an Israel adThey wanted to continue it, even it vocacy education program than meant only meeting once per cycle. an Israel education program.

Muss had educated them on the With students representculture of Israel, but they wanted ing all sides of the spectrum to be more equipped with how to regarding Israeli politics, Rabbi defend Israel should they have to Lev and Dr. Katz understood in a few years on college campuses. the viewpoint of students who “They wanted to know what thought they were receivthey could do other than celebrate,” ing a one-sided education on Rabbi Lev said when talking about how to perceive the politics in the establishment of the program. Israel. As a result of the dia-

Pro-Israel in Practice Shirin Kaye, Features and Games & Art Editor

Photo Credit: onenewsnow.com

When scanning the front page of a newspaper, there usually are articles about the President’s latest actions, refugees around the world, and terrorist attacks. Israel is not a popular subject in those headlines, unless it was the target of, or was involved in, a recent act of violence. Unbeknownst to the public, many things occur every day in the Jewish state that have significant impacts on its citizens, the Jewish people at large, and the world.

At Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Israel education and identity is taught and highly valued. In the eighth and ninth grades, units on the rise of Zionism and formation of the State of Israel have been integrated in recent years into the Jewish Studies and History curricula. In eighth grade, students have the option of deepening their spiritual and cultural connections to the country by spending two weeks in Israel. In eleventh grade, students

may attend the Alexander Muss High School in Israel program to experience daily life in the Holy Land and learn its history. At least once every week, members of the school’s leadership bring the community together in celebrations for Jewish and Israeli holidays, whether it be dance parties before Shabbat or Israeli food and songs for Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, or even a meaningful day of remembrance for Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Becci Spivak, JLI-er (Jewish Leadership Initiative) and co-president

cluding Lunch and Learn sessions, plain to them its significance to in which guests are invited from dif- the Jewish people. This way, teachferent organizations to speak about ing Israel’s religious and political histories “builds a foundation on “At Jack M. Barrack which to discuss modern conflict.”

Barrack clearly supports the JewHebrew Academy, Israel ish state’s right to exist, reflecting education and identity is this in its programming, and there are reasons to justify these actions. taught and highly It is crucial to maintain a positive valued.” view towards Israel because there are many worldwide movements and their connection to Israel and views groups against it. As Spivak pointed on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. out, one role of a Jewish school is She also acknowledges that the He- to teach about Israel from the Jewbrew department plays a key role ish perspective. She noted specific in Israel educa- programs that encourage students tion at Barrack by to hear varying perspectives on the teaching culture, Israel conflict. Guest speakers from as well as lan- a variety of backgrounds are invited guage, through once per cycle to the eleventh grade Israeli current to discuss their individual views events lessons. on Israel. Additionally, during the There is a last two years, the school hosted a strong link be- group of Israeli Muslim and Jewtween Jewish re- ish students as part of the Sparks of ligious values and Change program to encourage diacurrent events re- logue between the religions, allowgarding Israel. El- ing students to understand other isheva Malomet, views and make their religion seem eleventh grader less foreign. Malomet added that, as and co-president a pluralistic school, it is important to of Tanakh Club, develop an understanding of Israel’s of Israel Club, shared that Israel believes that, in a Jewish school, conflicts in order to have “nuanced Club plans a variety of activities to the teachers must instill in their discussions” where every student’s boost the school’s Israeli spirit, in- students a love for Israel and ex- opinion is heard and respected.

Education Builds Context and Breeds Understanding Helen Rudoler, Centerspread Editor

only democracy in its region and offers women equality on the same standard as all Western countries.

The Israeli government does not strive to oppress the Palestinian people; their situation is a complicated and unfortunate combination of many factors. While the media

“Educate Jewish American teenagers, so that they can move on to advocate for Israel in college, in their lives, in journalism, and even in the government.” concentrates on the exile of Palestinians in 1948, they often ignore the refusal of the surrounding Arab countries to grant Palestinians citizenship, thus making them permanent refugees. They also ignore the reality of many Palestinians who voluntarily left Israel in 1948, at the urging of the surrounding Arab countries, in order to join in their attacks on the new state. Palestinians

Based on previous comparable refugee situations, their grandchildren will not be considered refugees. Yet, roughly five million descendants of the original Palestinian refugees are still considered eligible for refugee aid from the UN. According to a study conducted by Abba Eban Institute of International Diplomacy at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, the UNWRA spends roughly four times as much money per person on Palestinian refugees than refugees from other countries, according to its annual financial report released in 2016.

The next logical step is to wonder why the Palestinians receive so much Western press covering their condition, when they support terrorism and repeatedly terrorize Israeli citizens, while people in comparable and worse situations all over the world have to fight for Western recognition. The lives of the Palestinian refugees are certainly not up to Western standards of humanitarianism. Many are living in severe poverty or are forced to go through border checks to get to their jobs

Photo Credit: The Times of Israel

When it comes to Israel in the news, the key word to consider is context.

Stories about the IDF harassment of Palestinians appear plentifully, and they are generally true. However, people tend to see Israel’s countermeasures without taking the time to understand the context. Missiles are frequently shot into Israel from Gaza by Hamas, a terrorist organization, but these rarely make headlines. The IDF takes measures to protect Israeli citizens from imminent threats, sometimes resulting in harm to protesting Palestinians in order to maintain national security. It is necessary for the Western public to be exposed to more education from Israel’s perspective if the issue is to be approached without bias and misinformation. One could argue that it is an integral responsibility of Jewish institutions to be at the forefront of this education.

That is not to say that Israel never does wrong; there are certainly failings in the Israeli government and security decisions, as there are, and always will be, in a democratic nation. Meanwhile, as Palestinian supporters call out social rights violations, Israel does everything it can to provide aid to them and is the most socially progressive country in the region.

Israeli Arabs have rights equal to those of Israeli Jews and occupy positions in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

Any social aid, including special needs care, education, and medical provisions, provided by the Israeli government to Jews is just as readily available to Arab citizens. Furthermore, Israel provides aid to the Palestinians. Israel sends medical help to Palestinians who aren’t cared for under the Palestinian Authority. It also spends significant resources to help rebuild the Gaza strip, support the Palestinian economy, and educate Palestinian workers in business and agriculture.

As far as social justice, Israel is the

Israeli aid headed to Gaza. are the only group who are still considered refugees despite being generations removed from the actual exile. While this classification is undoubtedly the result of many complexities, it cannot be ignored that it conveniently perpetuates negative press towards Israel. Dire refugee crises are still unresolved in South Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, and more. Currently, over sixty million refugees and displaced persons are living in extreme conditions.

in Israel every morning. However, the attention they are given and the martyrdom that is ascribed to them are out of proportion to the situation. Clearly, Israel does not always make the correct judgment calls, but it deserves credit for what it strives to balance. Israel is in the extremely difficult position of trying to respect Palestinian rights while protecting Israeli citizens and defending its integrity as a democratic Jewish state. A large share of the

cause of Palestinian poverty must be laid at the doorstep of their leadership that uses a great deal of aid money to finance terrorism. And a major reason for border checks is to prevent suicide bombers and other terrorists from entering Israel.

The answer for the media bias is a lack of understanding and education among the Western press and a double standard set against the Jewish state. The only way to resolve the bias so that there can be a fair representation of Israeli and Palestinian responsibility in the conflict is to educate. In a Jewish environment, this education is readily available, and even arguably tilted too far toward Israeli innocence. Most self identifying Jews hear about the constant bomb threats, and many have experienced the regularity of missile sirens while visiting Israel. In a place such as Barrack, kids grow up understanding Israel’s side of the story and do not have to rely solely on the media’s representation of the conflict.

Unfortunately, for most people this education and understanding is not readily available; it must be sought after.

It is much more likely for the casual news consumer to hear that Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian, without knowing that the Palestinian in question was illegally crossing the border and posing an immediate threat to Israeli families living a stone’s throw away from the border.

It is easy to condemn Israel for employing racial profiling at its borders to prevent Palestinian entry, without acknowledging the threat which violent and radical Palestinians pose to Israelis on a daily basis. The only remedy is to make such information prominent, and the first step is to educate Jewish American teenagers, so that they can move on to advocate for Israel in college, in their lives, in journalism, and even in the government.

Israel Continued

On the Alexander Muss High School in Israel program, MUSS, the world truly is our classroom. Each day’s class is entirely different. One day we may be sitting on the beach, while the next we are learning on top of Masada. Students have the opportunity to travel to every place we learn about. We are no longer learning from a textbook but living the history. The biblical stories we have heard about for centuries are now able to come alive. We are able to put a face to the places and people that have contributed to our survival. Students visit Ben Gurion’s home in Sderot. We learn that Ben Gurion wasn’t only the first Defense Minister and Prime Minister of Israel, but also a humble man who believed in living and working the land. Being able to go to the places where many of Israel’s heroes lived allows us to see them in a different light and formulate our own opinions of them.

MUSS also gives an unbiased education about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The teachers make sure to tell the students the facts and allow us to create our own opinions.

MUSS Magic

The Cougar Chronicle page 10

Molly LaVoe, Editor-at-Large

There are also many trips to Israel’s borders to speak with people that may or may not share the same views as the students. MUSS challenges students’ views and makes us think outside of our comfort zone which later makes us more confident. MUSS forces students to form our own opinions and figure out how we wish to support Israel throughout our lives.

On MUSS, our views are neither right nor wrong -- all that matters is that we know how to advocate for ourselves and our beliefs.

MUSS gives students opportunities to not only learn about the land, but themselves as well.

Students learn what matters most to them. It isn’t just about hiking up the mountain, it’s about the thoughts that cross their minds as they encounter obstacles along the way. They get to learn what it means to believe in themselves and keep climbing, no matter what the conditions are surrounding them.

Living in Israel for three months with forty-five other young adults is an experience like no other.

Photo Credit: Ruthie Cohen

June 2018

Also, having a teacher who isn’t just their teacher but also one of their closest friends, becomes an education students are not accus-

The core teachers see their students at the best and worst times. They see them when they wake up and when they go to sleep. They make sure their rooms are clean and genuinely act as their role models.

Students have the chance to explore the meaning behind the famous places in Israel. There are many trips to the Wailing Wall where we not only get to focus on our individual prayer but on the people around us. We see people from all different backgrounds, beliefs, families, and traditions who all come together to pray peacefully at the wall. No person is alike, but at that moment we all are united.

Throughout these our young lives, we have been taught how lucky we are to be Jewish teenagers despite everything that has happened to our people. We are prepared to love IsRosie Gertzman and Molly LaVoe rael and embrace our Jewish identiimmersing in the culture of the Holy ties. However, it is not until students Land, praying side by side with peoget to visit all these places that we ple of all different backgrounds. fully comprehend how important it is for us to tell the Jewish peotomed to, but something that al- ples’ story for generations to come. lows them to academically thrive.

Ramah Camps and Israel Elena Eisenstadt, Staff Writer

hind closed doors with institutions.”

However, once the invitation was accepted, the activists participated in a ninety-minute conversation in which Rabbi Cohen reassured them that “all Ramah camps are educating communities, and are open to staff members and curriculum materials expressing the full spectrum of opinion on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”

But, what is Ramah’s general approach to Israel education? Rabbi Joe Menashe, the Executive Director of Camp Ramah in California, explains that in the broader Ramah world there is an umbrella of basic principles and values, which are then prioritized and brought out in distinct ways by different Ramah camps. These basic values consist of the idea that “Ramah is in love with, and seeks to educate in a nuanced and mature way about, Israel.” However, according to both Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Menashe, these programs about discovering Israel through new lenses vary based on the age of each camper.

According to the current curriculum, younger children learn a simplistic ’‫”הפיה לארשי‬, meaning “beautiful Israel”, view of the country, while teenage campers are taught about more of the conflicts surrounding Israel.

In contrast, IfNotNow believes that Israel education, for all ages and at all stages, should include discussion about controversial issues. In conjunction with this ideal, IfNotNow promotes the use of the preK through 12th grade curriculum

named Reframing Israel, which provides resources and discussion topics on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A Ramah Wisconsin Alumnus recounts learning extensively about Jewish values, and defending Israel “furiously without question.” But this rendered the alumna confused by the same organization that taught her to love Israel “unconditionally” in the first place.

Despite Ramah’s openness “to staff members and curriculum materials expressing the full spectrum of opinion on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict”, many counselors with IfNotNow report having never once discussed or heard about the Israeli Occupation of the West Bank dur-

Photo Credit: Google Images

On April 19th, Barrack celebrated Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. Teachers gave students the task of illustrating in pictures their interpretation of this year’s theme: Explore the past; cherish the present; envision the future. So students drew comics filled with delectable falafels, the Israeli flag billowing in the wind, and the Western Wall, coloring Jerusalem gold.

On March 22nd, a different Jewish community also grappled with JBHA’s theme of exploring the past, cherishing the present, and envisioning the future, albeit in a more contentious manner. A group of fifteen alumni from the highly popular Jewish Camp Ramah gathered in New York City to meet with Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, Executive Director of the National Ramah Commission, along with other members of the Ramah leadership team, to discuss why and how Ramah teaches about Israel. Earlier in the year, many Ramah alumni had joined with an organization called “IfNotNow” to protest what they thought to be problematic issues with Ramah’s Israel education, reporting on many testimonies from IfNotNow’s campaign #younevertoldme. IfNotNow is a Jewish civil rights organization that focuses on challenging Jewish American support of Israeli occupation of the West Bank. After IfNotNow held a Speak-out and Teach-in outside of Ramah’s headquarters in NYC, Rabbi Cohen’s request to meet with the protesters was declined, as it did not align with IfNotNow’s principle of refusing to “negotiate be-

ing their summers. An anonymous alumnus reported on the you-never-told-me website of being told by other leaders at camp that fostering discussions about controversial topics about Israel was not suitable for a camp, “for fear that they would ruin” the environment’s ambiance.

Rabbi Cohen understands Ramah’s environment differently, explaining that “Ramah, being in a camp setting where everyone is friendly and respectful, allows for people comfortably to voice their opinions

without ample judgment.” While Rabbi Menashe professes “not being able to speak to any individual’s personal experience within the Ramah journey and tell them what they did and didn’t feel,” he also believes that Ramah’s diversity of staff among Shlichim and American counselors can lead to meaningful and complex discussions about Israel.

As we celebrate Israel’s 70th anniversary, the conflict over Israel education at Ramah illustrates the work that the Jewish community needs to do to continue to bridge a growing gap between Israel and the diaspora.

Instead of coming to conclusions about which narrative accurately reflects the execution of Israel education at Ramah, I feel that we must expose the underlying issue. Many young Jews have declared that their hankering for knowledge about Israel and its controversies has risen much more rapidly than, they feel, Ramah’s willingness to teach about it. While these testimonials do not reflect the opinions of all Ramah campers, it is imperative to talk openly about them especially at Barrack, where so many students attend Ramah camps, making the organization such a potent part of our community. Therefore, it is the responsibility of influential organizations, such as Ramah and JBHA, to keep up with this rapid rate of interest by opening and sustaining more and frequent conversations about Israel’s flaws, as well as its strengths.

This, I believe, is the only way we’ll truly learn to explore the past, cherish the present, and envision the future.

June 2018

The Cougar Chronicle page 11

Corruption Charges Continue To Loom Over Netanyahu

public knowledge; Netanyahu ad- maker. He is said to be planning their findings, he took to the media dressed Israel and the world in a to meet with Netanyahu’s lawyers, to deny the accusations and call press conference in which he de- which could take months to plan. out others for not doing their jobs, fended himself and said that he One of Netanyahu’s major similar to actions American polihad no intention of stepping down accomplishments was his encour- ticians have been known to do. from his position. He informed agement for the elections to be Other party leaders in his coalition the public expressed disinterest in that he does forcing him out. Finance “everything Minister Moshe Kahlon with only one said that he would not thing in mind remove himself from the -- the good of coalition, and he added the country.” that he would wait unHe went on til Mandelblit comes to say that out with his decision his ultimate before even considergoal is to ing leaving the coaliprotect Istion. Other party leaders, rael and help such as Naftali Bennett it progress, and Avigdor LieberIsrael Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing a crowd and he beman, shared a similar lieves that none of his actions based on personality of the indi- hesitance to disrupt the govhave caused him to deviate from vidual leader, rather than the party ernment in such a major way. this original goal. Despite the po- he is affiliated with, as it had been Despite the accusations, lice investigations, he denies all in the past. He was elected even Netanyahu shows no indicaof the accusations. Israel’s Attor- after being dismissed by his own tions of resigning or of accepting ney General Avichai Mandelblit is party, Likud, almost 25 years ago. the charges. Netanyahu has alnow being tasked with examining He succeeded partly because of his ways done what he thinks is best the recommendations by the po- American-inspired media strate- for the State of Israel and mainlice and other state prosecutors. gies, rather than Israeli ones. Im- tains that he will continue to do Mandelblit is the final decision mediately after the police released so, regardless of public opinion.

Photo Credit: The Times of Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu, often referred to as Bibi, has become a symbol for modern-day Israel.

He was elected as Prime Minister of Israel in 2009 and is currently serving his third term. He is beloved and respected by many, but recently, much of that love has transformed into doubt and dislike. The Israeli police have, so far, launched two investigations into the Prime Minister. Both investigations looked into accusations of Netanyahu accepting gifts in exchange for favors. On February 13, 2018, following the investigations, the police recommended that he face prosecution on two charges. The first of the charges, Case 1000, is a gifts-forfavors charge. The second charge, Case 2000, is for backroom dealing with Arnon Mozes, a publisher of a popular newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, who was asked

by Netanyahu for positive media attention. In the last ten years, Netanyahu has been accused of accepting more than $300,000.

Shortly after the accusations, the investigations became

Devora Solomon, Staff Writer

Tips & Tricks for Muss Elana Kopelman, Executive Editor

As for packing, my advice is to start early -- even two weeks in advance. It is really important to precisely count out all of the clothes you are bringing and to label everything. Expect that every piece of clothing that you bring will come home stained, or not even make it home at all.

Photo Credit: AMHSI

Dear Incoming Juniors, For those of you going to Israel in the fall, as summer approaches, your excitement for Muss is probably growing. You most likely do not know what to expect, so it is completely normal to also feel a bit nervous.

I am here to give you some pointers about what to pack, about your first few days, and to get you even more excited for what might be the best experience of your lives!

First of all, I will repeat what every single Barrack student who went on Muss has already said: your life does not depend on whom your roommates are. It may seem like a massive deal right now, but I promise you that your life will carry on even if you are paired with someone you think you dislike. And I predict that by the end of three months of living together, you will find more in common with each other than you would have originally expected. Additionally, there are plenty of tiyulim, trips, on which you can experience living with other roommates.

Just go into it with an open mind.

I also suggest that you buy a five-pack of cheap white t-shirts for hikes and tiyulim. You can never have enough white tees.

Additionally, if your family is planning to come visit you, you should leave out a pile of clothes before you go for them

to bring. That way, you can swap out your over-worn, dirty clothes for fresh, clean ones.

As an over-packer myself, my advice is to bring as much as you can possibly fit, without going over the weight limit. In my experience, I always found myself needing more athletic shorts and t-shirts that I did not care about. If you are only bringing one suitcase, stuff it until you cannot fit another sock.

If you are bringing two suitcases, stuff both of them until you cannot fit another sock.

I’ll admit it — the weight limit is tough. ElAl will truly charge you for a bag more than one pound above the fifty-pound weight limit. To combat this restriction, you should buy toiletries (like shampoo and conditioner) and school supplies once you arrive in Israel. Use that extra space in your bags for protein bars — they really come in handy on tiyulim.

My biggest advice is to try to get some sleep on the plane.

You will be spending the next three months with your classmates, so there is really no need

to stay up the whole flight chatting with them. Really take advantage of the twelve hour ride to sleep, because you will not be getting more than six hours a night for the next three months.

The first day of Muss was probably the hardest. I remember being hot and sticky, and I kept falling asleep even when I was standing up. Just remember to be optimistic — once you get through that first day, the rest of Muss goes uphill. Also remember to pay attention to the campus tour that day; it took me a week to learn how not to get lost.

All in all, the adjustment from one country to another is really not that difficult. Like I said, the most important thing you can do is to go in with an open mind.

You will have an unbelievable time on Muss, no matter what, so do not set your expectations before you go. Just enjoy the summer and keep looking forward to what could be the most amazing experience you will ever have.

Your pal,

Elana Kopelman,

Class of 2019

June 2018

CHRONICLE ARTS

The Cougar Chronicle page 12

Cappies Critics and Nominees Rivkah Wyner, Israel Editor

Photo Credit: Google Images

On May 13th, the JBHA Drama Department opened its production of Hello, Dolly!, a musical set in 1890. The story follows the

show’s namesake, Dolly Gallagher Levi (Emma Dorsch ‘18 and Sarah Eckstein Indik ‘19), on a journey to take Horace Vandergelder (Daniel Nahamo ‘19), the miserly owner

of Vandergelder’s Hay and Feed, as her second husband. He has two mistreated employees: 33-year-old Cornelius Hackl (Charlie Gottlieb ‘18) and 17-year-old Barnaby Tucker (Jack Zweben ‘19). They escape from the store to New York in hopes of finding love, and they end up in the hat shop of Mrs. Irene Molloy (Madelyn Simon ‘18 and Rivkah Wyner ‘20). Cornelius falls in love with Irene, and Barnaby with her apprentice, Minnie Fay (Ruthie Davis ‘19 and Maya Patent ‘20).

Horace also has a 17-year-old niece, Ermengarde (Michal Loren ‘19 and Rebecca Spivak ‘19), who is in love with the painter, Ambrose Kemper (Max Weinstein ‘19). Dolly enters them

in a polka contest at the Harmonia Gardens, an upscale restaurant in New York City. There, Dolly engineers Horace to meet and be disgusted by Ernestina Money (Rebecca Rome ‘19), an actress, so he

“The Cappies experience is a wonderful addition to the Barrack Drama Department that gives students the opportunity to attend and review shows in addition to performing in shows at school.” will fall in love with Dolly instead.

Irene, Cornelius, Minnie, and Barnaby also attend dinner there that night. The younger couples dance in the polka contest that devolves into chaos. Dolly finally

convinces Horace to marry her, he gives Cornelius and Barnaby independence from his store, and Ermengarde and Ambrose are given permission to get married.

After countless hours of rehearsals, costume fittings, and hard work, the cast played out this spectacle of love and adventure four times on the St. Joe’s Bluett Theatre stage. From jumps and lifts and heavy costumes to onehanded cartwheels and deceptive harmonies, the cast truly mastered all challenges thrown in their direction. After 30 hours of practice onstage, all within one week, and months of practice in the Dining Commons, the show was ready to be performed. In the end, the fast-paced romantic comedy illuminated faces and brightened theatregoers’ evenings. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the show!

All About the 2018 Drama Trip Rivkah Wyner, Israel Editor

Every year, Drama Department Head, Dewey Oriente, along with Tony Oriente, takes the students in the Drama Department on an incredible trip to New York City.

Tony wrote to the Cougar Chronicle that he has “been involved with the Drama trip for the past 11 years (and Dewey much longer than that). The students are given the opportunity to do a Broadway musical workshop...with a duo of Broadway professionals, as well as see Broadway theatrical productions and experience the excitement [and] the heartbeat of New York City.” Tony loves the Drama trip, because “whether or not a student decides to continue on with a career (or interest) in pursuing theater, this trip is beneficial to all students as it exercises discipline, professionalism, coordination, learning at a fast pace, a creative outlet, [and leads to] a great understanding of how much work goes into the theatrical process.”

This year, the selected shows were Once on This Island for the matinee and Come From Away in the evening. “The shows… [are se`

lected] based upon availability and group/student pricing. Once we have a group of Broadway shows listed, we then create an online poll for the students to vote for which shows they would like to see,” explains Tony.

Once on This Island is a quirky and enthralling show that draws in its audience in the most literal way. Before the show begins, audience members are delighted and slightly stunned when they are offered the opportunity to feed and pet the live chicken and goat that are casually being toted about by the actors. The show is presented as a story told to a small child, but the story is by no means simple and light. The narrative follows a peasant girl, Ti Moune, who falls in love with the son of a noble family whom she finds injured in the sand. She makes a deal with the God of Death, Papa Ge, to save his life, which serves as the basis for the show’s love-shallovercome-death theme. Notably among the cast of the revival are Lea Salonga, the singing voice of Disney princesses Mulan and Jas-

Answers to crossword on page 16:

1. Giraffe 2. Bear 3. Lion 4. Fish

mine, and Alex Newell of Glee.

The revival has been nominated for several Tony Awards. Many students from Barrack adored and were moved by the fantastic cast and heartbreaking story.

Come From Away is a show that steals the very heart of its audience, and leaves them teary, uplifted, and still chuckling. It features humor, catchy music, an amazing story, high quality of production, and most prominently, fantastic stage direction. Come From Away won a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical. Without losing the audience for a second, the actors seamlessly transform the stage from a plane, to a coffee shop, to a school, to a bus, to a bar, and to a dozen other places, all with just a dozen chairs and a couple of tables. It tells the story of an island town, Gander, in Newfoundland, where thousands of people were landed in an emergency when the airspaces were closed immediately after September 11, 2001. Gander, or “the Rock”, is bursting with quirky

5. Cougar 6. Jaguar 7. Great Dane 8. Elephant

9. Zebra 10. Horse

and kind characters who open their homes and resources to the confused “plane people” from all over the world. The playwrights interviewed real people who were landed in Gander, as well as the involved Gander natives, to fuel the narrative and give the show a realistically human backbone. It is a refreshing take on a horrible day, highlighting the kindness and humanity which can arise even during a tragedy. The story follows several different people whose lives changed drastically over the high-stress, panic-driven days. Featured are a love story, the story of the first female pilot to captain an American Airlines plane, a woman who befriends a Gander native to cope with her concern about her son, a firefighter in NYC, an Egyptian man who becomes the target of everyone’s fears after the terrorist attack in New York, and several more. The show strikes the perfect balance between real emotion and light humor, topped off with fantastic musical numbers, and amounting to an incredible experience.

June 2018

The Cougar Chronicle page 13

Hello, Dolly! Dazzles the Stage

On May 13th, the JBHA Drama Department opened its production of Hello, Dolly!, a musical set in 1890. The story follows the show’s namesake, Dolly Gallagher Levi (Emma Dorsch ‘18 and Sarah Eckstein Indik ‘19), on a journey to take Horace Vandergelder (Daniel Nahamo ‘19), the miserly owner of Vandergelder’s Hay and Feed, as her second husband. He has two mistreated employees: 33-year-old Cornelius Hackl (Charlie Gottlieb ‘18) and 17-year-old Barnaby Tucker (Jack Zweben ‘19). They escape from the store to New York in hopes of finding love, and they end up in the hat shop of Mrs. Irene Molloy (Madelyn Simon ‘18

Michal Loren, Arts and Entertainment Editor

and Rivkah Wyner ‘20). Cornelius ‘19), who is in love with the paintfalls in love with Irene, and Barn- er, Ambrose Kemper (Max Weinaby with her apprentice, Minnie stein ‘19). Dolly enters them in a polka contest at the Harmo“After countless hours of nia Gardens, an upscale restaurant in New York City. There, Dolly rehearsals, costume engineers Horace to meet and be fittings, and hard work, disgusted by Ernestina Money the cast played out this (Rebecca Rome ‘19), an actress, so he will fall in love with Dolly spectacle of love and instead. Irene, Cornelius, Minadventure four times nie, and Barnaby also attend dinon the St. Joe’s Bluett ner there that night. The younger couples dance in the polka contest Theatre stage.” that devolves into chaos. Dolly fiFay (Ruthie Davis ‘19 and Maya nally convinces Horace to marry Patent ‘20). her, he gives Cornelius and Barn Horace also has a 17-year- aby independence from his store, old niece, Ermengarde (Michal and Ermengarde and Ambrose are Loren ‘19 and Rebecca Spivak given permission to get married.

After countless hours of rehearsals, costume fittings, and hard work, the cast played out this spectacle of love and adventure four times on the St. Joe’s Bluett Theatre stage. From jumps and lifts and heavy costumes to onehanded cartwheels and deceptive harmonies, the cast truly mastered all challenges thrown in their direction. After 30 hours of practice onstage, all within one week, and months of practice in the Dining Commons, the show was ready to be performed. In the end, the fast-paced romantic comedy illuminated faces and brightened theatregoers’ evenings. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the show!

Photo Credits: JBHA Photography

June 2018

The Cougar Chronicle page 14

Philly Sports are H-O-T!!!

Photo Credit: Google Images

Philadelphia sports teams are HOT. There’s no better way to describe it. Philadelphia has recently re-amped its “winning culture” that hasn’t been seen since the 2008 World Series. It all began with the hungry Eagles that were

picked by all the analyst to lose to the New England Patriots in the

Ethan Cramer, Sports Editor; Zach Gershman, Staff Writer Super Bowl. Not only did the Ea- they lost 0. Philly did not stop gles take this personally, making there. Both the Sixers and Flyers themselves known as the “under- made the playoffs. In the begindogs”, the whole city did as well. ning of the NHL and the NBA Soon after analysts and the “After the Super Bowl, world counted the Eagles out, Lane Johnson whipped out the both the Flyers and dog mask after the 15-10 victory Sixers played 8 games. over the Atlanta Falcons. EvIn those 8 games, eryone in the city embraced this underdog mentality, coining the they lost 0.” phrase, “hungry dogs run faster”.

The Eagles used this mentality to seasons, both the Flyers and the go on and trump New England in Sixers were not expected to make the Super Bowl. You would think the playoffs. They proved those the city would want to chill for a analysts wrong, just like the Ealittle… no? Not quite. gles did. In the playoffs the Sixers The 76ers and Flyers wanted moved on to Round 2 and finally a piece of the fun. After the Super some of the world started catching Bowl, both the Flyers and Sixers on to Philly’s winning culture. Alplayed 8 games. In those 8 games though the team lost to Boston in

the 5th game of the second round, they proved themselves to be a force to reckon with. In addition, as of June 1st, Phillies are only a half a game out of playoffs and they have incredible players in their farm system. Scott Kingery is the future. He recently signed a new deal to be a Phillie for the long term and they have young players making an immediate impact, including JP Crawford, Rhys Hoskins and Kingery. Phillies also recently acquired a former Cy Young winner, Jake Arrieta, who is doing great things for them.

Lastly, Villanova has won the NCAA tournament 2 out of 3 years with Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges entering draft.

Barrack’s Newest Addition: a Cheerleading Team Max Lederer, Photography Editor

Barrack’s motto encourages students to “envision the future”, and there could be something big for the future of Barrack sports. A Barrack cheerleading team may be in the works for the 2018-2019 school year.

There are plans to create this cheer team. Sophomore Sarah Scheinmann, designated leader of the team, is interested in starting it because she feels it is a fun way to show school spirit. Also, for people that have background and experience in dance, cheerleading, or gymnastics, a cheer team

would be something to which they could apply their skills and enjoy.

She also thinks that it would be a great addition to the Barrack Athletics Department. Scheinmann has a strong background in gymnastics, and many of her friends from gymnastics cheer for their schools; they have started cheerleading teams in their own schools and she is following in their footsteps.

Cheerleading team practice would start at the beginning of next school year. Membersare fundraising in order to hire an offi-

cial coach and purchase uniforms.

Many students are interested In addition to cheering at the bas- in this team, and they are anxiously waiting to join. With Mrs. Kim Gillo, physical education and “As Barrack’s motto health teacher at Barrack, willstates to ‘envision the ing to coach and advise the team, Barrack cheer may play a signififuture’, there could cant role in the future of Barrack be something big for sports. Sarah Scheinmann has the future of Barrack many goals for the team including improvement, success, and dissports.” playing talent to the school. Good luck to this newest addition to the ketball games, the team will also Barrack Athletics Department! compete in several different competitions.

TKF, Our Athlete of the Issue Elana Kopelman, Executive Editor

Photo Credit: Talia Koltun-Fromm

Talia Koltun-Fromm, class 11- season athlete, Talia was cap- ball Team, and the Varsity Girls’ it is hard for her to choose a faof 2018, is this month’s Athlete of tain of the Varsity Girls’ Soccer Lacrosse Team during her senior vorite sport. At the end of the day, the Issue. In addition to being an Team, the Varsity Girls’ BasketTKF explains, her top sport would probably be basketball because “An eleven- season it is a fast- paced, high- scoring, athlete, Talia was game. Plus, Talia adds, basketball captain of the Varsity comes easiest to her.

TKF will be attending Girls’ Soccer Team, Washington University in St. Louthe Varsity Girls’ is next year. When asked about Basketball Team, and sports in college, Talia responded: the Varsity Girls’ “I’m hoping to play a club sport in Lacrosse Team during college, probably either lacrosse or basketball, but it could be socher senior year.” cer, too — who knows!”

Sports have allowed Talia year. She was a dominant player in to “be more confident in [herself] all three sports for all four of her and to become a leader.” She will high school years. definitely be missed — not only

It is hard for her to choose by the general JBHA community, a favorite sport because she says but also by so many of the girls’ she “Because [Talia] “loves being varsity sports teams!

Talia leading the Cougars to the 2017 Soccer Championship in each season while [she’s] in it.,”

June 2018

Features Continued

The Cougar Chronicle page 15

The Great Gefter Rosie Gertzman, Editor-in-Chief

at Barrack. I love discussing math I always enjoyed math. I was a and methods for teaching with math major in college and received them, sharing a master’s deall I have gree in mathlearned ematics. But I throughout didn’t expect the years to be a teacher and learnuntil I taught ing from my first class them. I also as a teaching love getting assistant at to know so Villanova Unimany of the versity while students in getting my the school master’s, and and helping immediately 1. How long have you worked at them reach fell in love Akiba/Barrack? their goals with teaching.

This is my 26th year at Akiba/ in their math Barrack. education.

4. How is teaching at 2. What is your favorite part of 3.

What Barrack difbeing a department head? was your ferent from As Chair of the Math Depart- inspiration teaching anyment, I get to work closely with to become a teacher? Why math where else you have ever taught? the amazing math teachers here specifically?

I have enjoyed every teaching Photo Credit: Rosie Gertzman

Mrs. Marlene Gefter, Chairman of the Math Department, is one of the most compassionate, dedicated, and intelligent teachers at Barrack. Mrs. Gefter currently teaches 11th grade Honors Calculus and 12th grade AP Calculus BC -- the most difficult math course offered at Barrack. Always willing to go the extra mile for each of her students, Mrs. Gefter is one of the many reasons students “love where they learn.” Get to know our June Teacher-of-the-Month a little better by reading on!

Israel Continued

experience I’ve had, at Phoenixville Area High School, Villanova University and then Akiba/ Barrack; but Akiba/Barrack has been the most rewarding. I have loved the strong relationships that I have made with my students and other faculty members through the years. I have loved teaching students in middle school or ninth grade and then teaching them again as juniors or seniors and seeing how they have matured and how much mathematics they have learned! I know it is trite to say we are the Akiba/Barrack family, but I do feel very close with the faculty and students I work with every day.

5. What is one fun/unknown fact about yourself?

I met my husband in 10th grade English class at Lower Merion High School.

Barrack’s Bustling Israeli Birthday Party Mira Greenspan, Staff Writer

On the 5th of the Jewish month of Iyar, Jews worldwide celebrate another year passing since Israel’s independence, gained on May 14, 1948. This year, Israel’s 70th birthday, was an extravagant celebration, here, at Jack M Barrack Hebrew Academy. Planned by the enthusiastic Israel Club members, Guidance Counselor Mrs. Meryl Sussman, and Hebrew teacher Morah Hedva Tzabbar, the day came together magically. Throughout the day, students could choose from activities like krav maga (Is-

raeli martial arts), Israeli cooking, and folk dancing. Students also had choices of outdoor games, Israeli trivia, and discussions. During lunch, the celebration exploded. Between the massive spread of delicious food and the DJ playing everyone’s favorite Israeli songs, every person in the room felt the joy that Israel brings.

The morning featured the Torch Ceremony that honors people who impact Israel in positive ways.

This year, rather than the usual 12 torches representing the 12

Biblical Tribes, there were seven to honor the seven decades of Israel’s existence. There was an honoree that corresponded to each torch, including grandparents of Stella Berger ‘22 for their deep connections to the Technion -- Israel’s Institute of Technology; two Barrack students, Ariel Mashiah and Lihi Cohen, joining the Israeli Defense Force after graduation; and the outgoing Israel Club officers, Noah Glickman, Eli Gordon, and Julia Opher. The ceremony highlighted each one of the honorees’ love for Israel. In addition, a small student choir sang a beautiful and joyful rendition of “Hallelujah”, by the Milk and Honey group.

For the remainder of the morning, students from each grade were split up and sent to different activities.

The wide range of activities gave stuPictured (left to right) are Sydney Milkman, Kailee Bar-Nadav, Mia Erlbaum, and Jordyn dents the opporMeltzer celebrating Israel’s birthday. tunity to explore

different aspects of Israeli culture.

The day reached its climax with lunch. Students and staff had the chance to enjoy a wide variety of different Israeli food, including schnitzel and ‘chips’ (AKA French fries). Rita’s Water Ice was also sold so that students could wash down their food with a nice cooling dessert. The students enjoyed the food in the lavishly decorated Dining Commons, avidly prepared by the Israel Club members. The DC screamed Israel, and included many different spots for picture taking. Israeli music was blasted throughout the DC by our DJ, Rak Dan, which got almost everybody in the room on their feet, dancing with pure joy. Along with the dancing, students had the option to get awesome face paint and henna designs by a professional artist.

All in all, Yom Ha’Atzmaut 2018/5778 was a huge success for the Barrack community. Every student, teacher, and administrator had a smile on their face throughout the day. The hardworking Israel Club members and staff put forth their 110 percent for the funfilled day so that everyone could revel in Israel’s independence!

CHRONICLE GAMES

June 2018

Cougar and His Friends

The Cougar Chronicle page 16

Across 4. In the Spanish language, the name of this animal changes when it is alive and when it is food.

5. Barrack sports’ mascot 6. Also a car manufacturer 8. Famous for its good memory 9. Is it white with black stripes, or black with white stripes 10. Featured in the Kentucky Derby

Shirin Kaye, Features and Games Editor, Art Editor

Down 1. It can be kosher, but people have not been able to eat it since no easy way has been found to slaughter it

by Jewish law 2. “Lions, and tigers, and ____ [in the singular form], oh my!”

3. The king of the jungle 7. This canine breed is really tall (2 words)

School News Continued

Super Spring Sports Season For Barrack Hillel Weitzman, Managing Editor

Barrack had a very impressive and successful spring sports season this year. From game-winning walk-off bunts in the playoffs to a team’s first championship, Barrack spring sports has plenty to be proud of this year.

The Varsity Baseball Team had a winning season, finishing with a regular season record of 6-5. The team had an impressive TCISL Semi Finals 7-6 win over Renaissance, thanks to a suicide squeeze bunt walk-off by freshman Ilan Gordon. The team lost to Perkiomen in the TCISL Championship and to Kings Christian in the PJAA Semi Finals, but overall had a very

successful season.

The Varsity Softball Team, unfortunately, finished the season with a record of 0-8. Their record does not represent the hard work and skill the team possesses though. With great young players such as Dayna Felger (‘22), the team is bound for greatness in the future.

The Varsity Boys Tennis Team had a very successful spring season.

Finishing the regular season with a record of 7-4, they proved that, although young, they are a force to reckon with. The team finished the season incredibly, winning the PJAA Championship. Overall, very impressive season for the team, and

great potential for the future.

The Varsity Golf Team had a very solid season, as well, with a record of 2-4. Although the team finished with a losing record, they have made great strides since recent years and look to have a bright future with their young roster.

The Track Team made a mark this spring. Breaking school records in a multitude of events with no seniors on the roster, this team is destined for greatness. With Michael Kalman (‘20) in the long-distance running, Andrew Kramer in the sprints (‘19), Jory Hirschman on the hurdles (21’), and Jake Fuiman (‘19) on the field, this team has a lot

to look forward to.

Last but definitely not least, the Barrack Lacrosse Team had a season for the ages! In only their second year as a varsity team, they made a splash with a 7-0 regular season league record. The team finished it off by winning the championship over Delaware Valley Friends 8-5.

Led by senior captains Ben Wilson and Gabe Bryant, the team has a lot to proud of, and a bright future as well.

Overall, Barrack sports had a very impressive spring season. Great job spring sports athletes!

The Final Piece: An Update on DECA Max Lederer, Photography Editor ; Devon Sandler, Photography Editor and School News Editor

Students from Barrack and many other high schools across Pennsylvania, attended the DECA State Competition, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The top six competitors in each category of the State Competition advanced to the national round of DECA, called the International Career Development Conference, or ICDC. This year, ICDC was held in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Mercedes Benz Stadium.

Students competed in more than 100 categories, all of which related to business. Categories included retail merchandising, principles of business management and administration, and accounting. At JBHA, Math teacher Mrs. Patricia Platt and Science teacher Mr. Ben Goldstein oversee DECA, however, neither of them was able to attend the ICDC.

Gabe Miller (‘20) was the only student eligible to represent Barrack. He had achieved an almost perfect score in the state competition, which earned him a place at the nationals. The state competition had been rigorous with 14 schools competing, and more than 2500 students state-wide. Gabe had placed first in the category of Principles of Finance. At the nationals, with more than 8,000 students participating, he earned a Certificate of Achievement for his terrific performance. His scores are the highest ever achieved by a Barrack student! Congratulations to Gabe, and we look forward to another great year of DECA in the 2018-2019 school year!

Gabe Miller (‘20), recipient of Certificate of Achievement at the national round of DECA