Volume 28 Issue 4

Vol. 28 Issue 4

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Rockville, Md.

March 4, 2011

Inside NEWS Science Fair

IN DEPTH Class Levels

What really is the difference between CP, honors and scholars? CESJDS students and faculty discuss their opinions on having multiple class levels.

See Pages 8-9

See Graduation Insert

Racing to nowhere?

by Arielle Panitch News Editor

CHADASHOT Derech T’filah Minyan

The majority of middle school students partake in the Derech T’filah program. This involves training high school student behind-the-scenes.

See Page 12

SPORTS Ballerina Q&A

How much do you really know about junior Maya Lieber? A look inside her life with ballet shoes. See Page 16

INDEX News

2-3

Op Ed

4-5

Features

6-7

In Depth

8-9

Lion’s Blend

10

Chadashot 11-13 Sports

photo by Sarah Schecker

Eighth graders presented their work at the Weinberg Family Science Fair.

Project topics ranged from hovercraft efficiencies to yeast growth rates.

See Page 2

14-16

After premiering all across the nation, “Race to Nowhere” made its way to CESJDS on Feb. 1-2. The award-winning documentary, directed and produced by Vicki H. Abeles, addresses the issue of student stress in the U.S. After seeing the movie herself, Dean of Students Roslyn Landy felt strongly about showing and discussing the movie at JDS. “Since I had read a lot about the film, I

went to a screening at Churchill. I was impressed with the film not because it is “the gospel,” but because it showed a point of view, definitely an extreme one, but it allowed for discussion about the stress high school students feel,” Landy said.

The movie was shown to all the students at the Upper School as well as faculty and parents. The screening was followed

by discussions for all groups, in which people discussed the documentary itself as well as the steps JDS

giving her an opportunity that she has always desired. Starr previously attended CESJDS but is now home-schooled. She is the youngest contestant from the D.C. area to receive a golden ticket.

Starr began dancing and singing when she was 2 years old. By the time she was 7, she had already joined a musical theater troupe that performed at Disney World and the White House. She realized her passion for singing after watching her taped performance of “Castle on a Cloud.”

my idea of fun,” Weiss said.

That is not to say, however, that his decision was easy.

“My parents put extreme pressure for me to go, [and so did] a teacher and some friends,” Weiss said.

Similarly, Michael Azhdam had no interest in traveling to Israel. Instead, he will be spending the next few months working at Abercrombie & Fitch. Azhdam says his reason for not going on the trip is not wanting to participate in scheduled activities.

Instead, he wants to have some free time before starting college.

Sarah Segal, who has already been to Israel twice, had to make a decision between going with USY this past summer or with her grade. She chose the former.

“It was my own choice, and I felt no real pressure. While I wish I could have done both, I was not allowed. I think I will be happy either way,” Segal said.

But not going to Israel does not mean these next few months

see AMERICAN IDOL, page 10

see SENIORS, page 6

see EGYPT, page 2

photo courtesy of svpc.us

see STRESS, page 2

Seniors who stay find jobs

by Haley Cohen Features Editor

Typically, senior year for a CESJDS student involves prom and graduation in February and then three months in Poland and Israel.

However, this year as the Class of 2011 departs for its trip, 10 seniors will not be joining the

by Samantha Wiener Lion’s Blend Editor Friends and family gathered around the television on Feb. 5, as sophomore Ilanna Starr waved a golden ticket on screen. As a ticket winner, she competed in the American Idol finals against 300 other contestants who were chosen from thousands around the country.

For Starr, the ticket was a chance at Hollywood,

by Jesse Zweben Reporter Emily Grunewald, an ‘05 CESJDS graduate, safely left Egypt and landed in Israel on Jan. 31.

On Jan. 25, when the first protests broke out, Grunewald said she was not very nervous because they were only supposed to last one day. However, after she lost access to Facebook, Grunewald started to worry.

“I felt completely disconnected and began to worry that more things would be taken away [from] us and that our rights would seriously be violated,” Grunewald wrote to The Lion’s Tale in an e-mail. “Once the internet and mobile networks went down a couple of days later, I knew things were getting really bad, and I felt very nervous.”

During the riots, Grunewald said she had been staying with a family that protected her very well. While the fighting outside unnerved her, Grunewald wrote that she was “overwhelmed by the braveness of her friends and the other Egyptians who went down at night to protect their house and street with household weapons.”

This all changed, though, when she called the army during a drive-by shooting and help didn’t arrive for 25 minutes.

“I have never experienced living in a place where I felt completely unprotected, and that there was no reliable emergency service to call in the case of an emergency,” she said in her e-mail. “This is when I really started to contemplate leaving....”

After almost a year and a half of living in Egypt, Grunewald had to pick up and leave the country in a day.

In August 2009, after graduating from NYU, Grunewald moved to Egypt and began interning for an NGO (non-governmental organization). By April 10, she was working full time for Ashoka, an NGO responsible for supporting social entrepreneurs in Muslim countries. While working for Ashoka, Grunewald could utilize the many skills she learned in college as well as “understand the Middle East much better.”

rest of their class.

For different reasons, these students have made the decision not to take part in the trip.

Gregory Weiss is one of these students. The idea of spending so much time in Israel did not appeal to him.

“A structured trip to a country I have no connection to isn’t

Sophomore performs on American Idol

photo courtesy of americanidol.com

has taken and should continue to take in addressing stress.

“Race to Nowhere” received mixed reviews from students and faculty.

Jewish Text, Thought and Practice teacher Bracha Ravin was disappointed with the movie.

“I really wasn’t impressed by the movie. The message was not clear.

What did they want to say? That you can

Amidst unrest, alumna flees Egypt for Israel

N

ews

March 4, 2011

Page 2

Spotlight on science fair projects

by Daniel Liss Editor in Chief

photos by Alex Zissman

STRESS, from page 1

Eighth-graders Talia Gasko and Joseph Vogel were inspired to learn about the appeal of candy bar wrappers.

“Mr. Miller, [the science department chair], told us last year that when a candy bar company is making a candy wrapper, they look at the heat radiating off of a kid’s hand as they touch a candy bar,” Gasko said.

The two were interested in factors that make people grab certain candy bars over others.

They devised an experiment to determine whether wrapper color or smell had any effects on their friends’ preferences.

“First, kids filled out a survey about their favorite movies, sports and color. Then we showed them Hershey’s bars wrapped in different colors, and they picked one,” Vogel said. “We also had a scratch-andsniff aspect to the wrappers.”

The results showed a strong correlation between favorite color and preferred wrapper color. They also found that many students liked candy wrappers that smelled like coffee.

selves to meet,” Silverman said. “I apply a lot of pressure on myself.... I think a achieve with doing nothing? It’s not a lot of people at our school do that.”

Ravin believes that JDS has already movie for ambitious people. It’s geared taken many actions to reduce stress. towards mediocrity,” Ravin said.

“I think that JDS is very accommoPrincipal Michael Kay felt that the dating.

Nobody punishes you because conversation the movie sparked was you are late … you can always talk to a more important than the movie itself. teacher … or take an extension, you can “I didn’t personally agree with the always ask for help. perspective of the filmmaker on every On the other hand, sophomore Sarah issue,” he said. “But to me the most imFreedman finds JDS to be a very stressportant thing was not whether I would ful environment. agree or disagree with it or the quality “JDS is stressful for me because there of the film-making but the issues and is always the pressure to do better than questions that would be raised, and I what you’ve already done, even if you’ve think it did a good job of raising impordone exceedingly well then there’s altant questions.” ways the peer pressure and the pressure The administration has already takfrom teachers to do better than what en many steps to help make stress more you’ve already done, ” Freedman said. manageable. According to Kay, the goal Initially, the administration was only however is not to eliminate stress. planning on showing the film to parents “I think that [stress] always need to and faculty. be addressed “JDS is stressful for me “ W e … but I don’t knew we believe that a because there is always preswanted to person needs to sure to do better than what show the live a completely stress-free life, you’ve already done, even if film to the parents and but I do believe you’ve done exceedingly well.” to the facthat there are levels of stress — Sarah Freedman (‘13) ulty and we decided to that are more also show manageable and it to the students.

I’m not sure if that less manageable and that needs to be was the best decision or not, ” Landy taken into account. I think people need said.

“There were some middle-school the opportunity to learn mechanisms students who felt it was not approprifor coping with stress,” Kay said.

Eighth-grader Tessa Silverman feels ate for them. While one or two parents students tend to put pressure on them- thought it was too frightening for seventh and eighth graders, I believe our selves.

“I think [stress] is a problem at JDS middle schoolers are mature and are but not in terms of workload, rather in aware of what happens in the world. terms of expectations that we push our- Even though some of the topics in the

film were stressful, it opened up a conversation for students, faculty and parents to discuss important issues.”

Silverman agreed that the film was scary and felt that it was also irrelevant.

“Right now, all the work that we do [in middle school] just goes in circles, there’s no end goal. But once you get in high school you’re working really hard for something specific, like a goal that’s reachable if you push yourself hard enough and that definitely applies a lot more pressure,” Silverman said.

“I think it will have a long term effect…our thinking about how we approach certain issues within the

Alumna evacuates Egypt in wake of revolution EGYPT, from page 1 While in Egypt, Grunewald experienced both the positives and negatives of living in a society with such different people and customs.

Grunewald wrote, “I never enjoyed walking on the streets by myself because I would get a lot of unwanted attention from men.” Grunewald also wrote that since she “always had to be wary of who [she] was talking to, and [could] never be truly open about [her] identity.”

On the other hand, Grunewald stated that in Egypt she met some of the most amazing people she had ever come across and hopes to return to her life with them in Egypt once the country stabilizes itself.

Senior Workshops

school h a s been affected by the fact that we’ve shown this film and had these discussions. I think it really has had an impact on the way people think of life at the school and the decisions we make,” Kay said.

photo courtesy of sacramentoscoop.com

Eighth-grader Elinatan Nelson studied the relationship between magnet strength and temperature.

“When I researched magnets, I found that magnets are most powerful when their atoms are aligned so a charge can move through them. This is because this moving charge is what makes the magnetic field and makes them more effective,” Nelson said.

He used a variety of magnets to ensure that his earliest test would not impact his later test.

“I tested nine different magnets because each magnet can retain some of its properties from earlier tests,” Nelson said. “If you heated up a magnet many times, and then cooled it, it would be weaker than a magnet that was not heated up and then cooled.”

Based on his prior research, Nelson hypothesized that the magnets would be strongest when cooled.

“My tests showed ... for the temperatures that I used, that a hot magnet is weaker than a cold magnet,” Nelson said. “Also, after a certain [elevated] temperature, a magnet won’t be able to have a magnetic field anymore.”

A baking enthusiast, eighth-grader David Kulp had always been curious about how “specks” of yeast could so drastically change the shape and size of his culinary creations.

“When I was baking bread one day, I noticed that the machine was very warm, so I had assumed that heat must encourage yeast growth,” Kulp said. “But through my project, I found that this [assumption] was incorrect. In fact, room temperature is the best for yeast.”

The most exciting moment of the project, according to Kulp, was when his mercury thermometer broke.

“Soon after I began my boiling water trial, I heard a pop.

The thermometer had exploded, and the mercury had gone into the pot and it was smoking in the kitchen,” Kulp said.

“Understandably, we were afraid that the mercury may be toxic, so we called the [center for disease control] and the fire department,” Kulp said. “Two hours later, we were still airing out the kitchen and wearing masks … but everything turned out fine, and the mercury was [deposited] in a hazardous-waste bin.”

Even after their final day of school, the seniors returned to the building to attend the “Senior Workshops” program on Jan. 31.

The first workshop was an Israel-Poland orientation, which all students attending the trip were required to attend.

This was followed by a number of other workshops, taught by teachers and outside professionals.

Workshops: • Finances: History teacher Marc Dworin • Anti-semitism on campus-JH teacher Aileen Goldstein • “Life after JDS”-JTTP teacher Paul Blank • Diversity-OUDC • Healthy relationships-JCADA • Drugs and alcohol-Beth Kane Davidson • Sex ed-Diane Snyder Steren compiled by Dani Marx

Page 3

March 4, 2011

Prom: Dancing the night away

Sophomore awarded for service

by Samantha Kevy Reporter Sophomore Katie Hamelburg received the Violet Richardson Award for her work on homelessness awareness.

“I really can’t believe that there are people who live on the streets,” Hamelburg said.

The Violet Richardson award is given out to girls ages 1417 who have demonstrated strong leadership skills for a specific cause. Hamelburg decided to apply for this award because she has been recognized for her social action and community service work within USY. Her charity of choice was Emory Beacon of Light.

“The Emory Beacon of Light is a transitional housing facility.

have,” Hamelburg said.

Award winners get a cash prize, and their organizations get money as well.

After she received this award, Hamelburg became eligible to compete for the regional award, which is the next level of this award.

“I was really excited when I found out that I got it because I worked so hard on this application and to have my efforts recognized,” Hamelburg said.

photo courtesy of Katie Hamelburg

walking it out Sophomore Katie Hamelburg junior Jaime Benheim and alumna Michelle Kerbel (‘10) educated the student body during the 2009 Mini-Walk for the Homeless.

Brief Reads Freshman arts trip

The Class of 2014 saw tap dancer Savion Glover perform at the Strathmore Hall on Feb. 16 after school. The arts trip exposed students to dance, Arts Director David Solomon said.

“When I was in high school, with the exception of my sister’s dance concert, I never attended a dance concert before, so it was really good to give an opportunity to students,” Solomon said.

At 7:30 p.m., the freshmen got on a school bus to the Strathmore Hall in Bethesda for the 8 p.m. show.

Several students seemed disenchanted with their dance concert experience. Freshman Evan Satinsky thought the concert went on too long, as did freshman Joshua Bloch.

“It was way too long. He just kept going and going and going.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap,” Bloch said.

“I had seen Savion Glover before … and I had seen him [be] very acrobatic and be very flashy.

This was a very different type of concert for him,” Solomon said.

“He was much more contained. It was a very quiet concert, so it was very atypical of Savion Glover.

Middle school events

Middle-school students paraded around the school in costume Jan. 24-28 in celebration of middle-school spirit week. Another middle-school event, movie night, was held Jan. 25 and con-

sisted of a showing of Toy Story III and a Knesset snack sale.

Both events had to be rescheduled due to snow days. Two of spirit week’s five days were canceled, and movie night was postponed a week because of snow.

The storms, however, did not take away from the fun.

According to eighth-grader and Knesset member Rachel Silverman, “[Movie night] was a huge success. People really liked it.”

Spirit week, too, was a big hit with the seventh and eighth graders. Silverman said that the Knesset was “probably going to have another [spirit week] because everyone enjoyed it, and it was a fun thing to do.”

Some costume themes included “crazy hair day” and “twin day.”

School store goes healthy

The school store is going healthy after an initiative started by junior Tamar Gasko to sell healthy snacks.After winter break, the school store began to sell yogurt in order to promote a healthy diet throughout the school while continuing to make money for the school store.

“I think it’s a really great idea,” Gasko said, “and I really like that it gives kids the option of having healthy food because now kids can make a choice.”

According to Gasko, the response has been wonderful.

“I didn’t really know how it was going to go,” Gasko said, “but it has been really popular, and kids are actually asking for the healthy snacks, and it’s been amazing.”

The snacks have, as Gasko said, become very popular.

“It gives healthier snack options, and the food is as good as anything else, so it’s great.” eighthgrader Yale Friedman said.

“It’s a healthier alternative to the other snacks and is delicious as well,” freshman Nitsan Scharf said.

Since the program is so new, Gasko and the rest of the schoolstore staff rely on feedback from the students in order to decide what to do next.

“Ideas are always welcome,” Gasko said. photo

by Ale x Zissm an

Students flooded through the doors of Woodmont Country Club on Feb. 3.The Class of 2011’s prom began with a grade dinner. Seniors Ilia Esrig and Olivia Tomares planned the evening’s events.

“There was some arguing about having the dinner at first, but we eventually found the majority of people were in favor of it, and in the end everyone saw that it absolutely was the right thing to do,” Esrig said.

The dinner turned out to be a highlight of the evening.

“My favorite part was actually the dinner because it [was] nice seeing everyone all dressed up and together ... everyone looked great,” said senior Nathan Orenstein.

Following dinner the prom attendees boarded party buses to take them from dinner at Woodmont to dancing at K-Street Lounge in D.C. Once they had arrived at Woodmont, the students got right to partying.

“My most memorable moment was walking into the venue and realizing how perfect this night was going to be and seeing how happy and excited everyone was to be there.… I felt very accomplished,” said Esrig.

“Everyone was dancing together, as opposed to most years, where people dance alone with their dates, but this year everyone danced together,” senior Asher Mayerson said.

The students danced non-stop from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

“Prom absolutely, 100 percent, exceeded my expectations,” said Esrig.

After winding down with a slow dance, the students boarded the party buses once more and arrived at the Potomac Community Center at 1 a.m. to be greeted by a paparazzi of beaming parents and administrators on a red carpet. Once they had replaced their gowns and tuxedos with sweat pants and t-shirts, the students were ready for the second part of the evening: after-prom.

“The best part was the moon bounce and the toilet seat racing” said Mayerson. The activities went on until 5 a.m.

“After crazy English assignments I can really stay up as late as I want.... JDS really prepared me for after-prom, that’s for sure,” Orenstein said.

“Our prom was special because we did everything together. From the grade dinner to after-prom, it was nice to see that everyone was together, and it was a great way to end 13 years of being together as a grade,” said Mayerson.

photo courtesy of Blanton Studios

by Emily Dworkin Chadashot Editor

It provides housing, a food pantry, and they provide different services to help people get back on their feet,” Hamelburg said.

She worked to make her peers aware of the local homelessness.

Within the JDS community, she planned the annual Mini-Walk for the Homeless and the Rosh Chodesh assembly about homelessness in October.

“People today take for granted the things that everybody should

S

new

Mid-year evaluations

This year, the school implemented a new type of course evaluation. In addition to class surveys, students took mid-year surveys.

The survey, for both students

and parents, went up on the school website in early January.

However, the administration said they felt that those who responded were only those who had strong opinions, and they wanted a broader representation of the community.

On Feb.1, there was scheduled time for students to take the survey.

Eighth-grader Talia Gasko had taken the survey before the scheduled time in school, but most of her classmates had not.

She felt that the time in class was worthwhile.

“A lot of kids that did it [the survey] in class had no clue what it was. I think for some people [taking the survey in class] was an efficient use of time,” Gasko said, “but some people didn’t take it seriously.”

Junior Alex Halpern appreciated the way the survey was written.

“I thought [the questions] were fine.... They were good because they were open to interpretation … so it was good in that way,” Halpern said.

Principal Michael Kay said that overall, the survey was successful.

“It was a goldmine of opinion and information. Number one, it was very affirming, we got a clear sense of what we need to improve and what we’re doing well,” he said.

Compiled by: Avichai Ozur Bass, Jacob Schaperow, Elana Schrager, and Eitan Snyder

O

pinion

Editors In chief Daniel Liss Eitan Sayag Managing Editor Dani Marx Copy Editor Jacob Schaperow News Editors Briana Felsen Arielle Panitch In Depth Editors Ranana Dine Meryl Kravitz Chadashot Editors Emily Dworkin Shira Becker Features Editors Haley Cohen Rebecca Rubin Sports Editors Jonathan Block Josh Singer Lion’s Blend Editors Elana Schrager Samantha Wiener Photo Editor Alex Zissman Graphics Editor Noah Zweben Assistant Copy Editors Abigail Birnbaum Jacob Dorn Senior Reporters Michael Greenberg Emily Shoyer Scott Goldstein Sydney Solomon Reporters Jeremy Etelson Penina Graubart Matt Halpern Samantha Kevy Gabriella Mendick Avichai Ozur Bass Eitan Snyder David Solkowitz Alex Tritell Jesse Zweben Photographer Sam Hofman Staff Adviser Megan Fromm Adviser Emeritus Susan Zuckerman The Lion’s Tale is a forum for student expression. Its purpose is to inform the CESJDS community and to express the views of its staff and readers. The staff has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of its news.

Editorials reflect the opinion of a majority of the LT board. The Lion’s Tale encour­ages its readers to write letters to the editor and reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. All letters must be typed and signed. Letters may be e-mailed to lionstale@cesjds.org.

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School 11710 Hunters Lane Rockville, MD 20852 phone: 301.881.1404 www.lionstale.org

Want to voice your opinion about topics in our school community?

Do you have something to say about this issue of the Lion's Tale?

Get your thoughts down on paper and write a letter to the editor!

Your letter may be published in the next issue of the Lion’s Tale and will be read by students, parents, teachers, and administrators! Get your opinions heard! Email your letter to lionstale@cesjds.org.

March 4, 2011

Page 4

’Race to Nowhere’ sparks discussion The film “Race to Nowhere” examined students’ lives that are packed with homework and activities, leaving little room for downtime, play time or family time. As parents, faculty and students piled into the theater for a school-wide viewing of the film, they saw the effects of having overburdened schedules and the inconvenient reality of the schooling system in the United States. The film illustrated how students are on a “race to nowhere”— working to get into Ivy League schools that only accept a small percentage of students— at the expense of doing what they love. But how much does this apply to JDS? It is no secret that students at JDS strive to be well-rounded; students excel in academics, sports, the arts and community service—the list goes on and on. Aspects of the film directly reflected how many students feel on a day-to-day basis, leaving some students asking “Why did they show this film to us? Thanks, but I already know how stressed I am.” The film shed light on the complexities of the situation: educators are worried that students are not learning the skills they need, parents are trying to do what is best for their kids and students are working tirelessly. While these struggles are present at JDS, we believe that the school does a good job at managing the pressures placed on students. Teachers go out of their way to help students be less stressed and are always willing to meet

to review material. There are also many resources such as the Writing Center, Math Lab and teacher office hours. Administrators have made decisions that help lift some of the pressure off of students. We have extension passes, a block scheduling system and club period, all aspects of our school that are meant to reduce students’ stress levels.

The film also addressed how students in the U.S. are not learning the analytical and critical thinking skills required to excel in college and as adults. After only preparing for a test in high school, many students have not developed the skills they need for the workforce. Nationally, American students are not leading competition on international tests. The film argues that this may be because they are cramming material for tests and merely memorizing information. While there are classes at JDS where students do in fact prepare only for the next test, the school does a good job teaching us the analytical skills we need.

From analyzing Jewish texts since we were in the seventh grade to writing term papers junior year, JDS students graduate knowing how to ask questions and think on a creative and an innovative level.

Experiencing stress in high school is inevitable. However, it appears that compared to the schools featured in the documentary, JDS does a much better job at both managing the pressure put on stu-

Liss’n Up Kudos to Tech Department

by Daniel Liss Editor in Chief Last year, Director of Information Technology David Ritzmann stated in an article that he wanted his department to be so effective that it would be “invisible” to the average student. In other words, he wanted technology to be so seamlessly integrated into the curriculum and work so well that students would just come to expect that technology at CESJDS works.

Perhaps Ritzmann has too successfully achieved his goal; the technology department has not only grown “invisible” to criticism, but to the praise it is due as well. With each of its initiatives, the department contributes significantly to the communication and infrastructure of our community.

The technology department played an instrumental role in JDS’ rebranding effort this summer. Despite being told by a number of outside sources that a total transformation of the school’s virtual persona could not be tackled in such a short time, the department succeeded in unveiling a total redesign of the school pages in time for the new school year. The department tastefully managed the transition from old website to new. As faculty, parents and students adjusted to the new

layout, the department offered a virtual tour and numerous tutorials on how to use the new site. The department even kept access to the old website open for a number of months after the new site went live, a feature which proved especially useful to me as I wrote a term paper about the school’s rebranding efforts.

The new e-mail addresses that the department distributed to students just weeks ago have already proved invaluable on a number of occasions. Having a simple and reliable vehicle for communicating with peers is particularly helpful for collaborating on projects.

Gone are the days when I would carry home small scraps of paper scrawled with the e-mails of the other students in my group for a Jewish History presentation.

Come college application season, I am sure admissions officers will appreciate our new professional and more memorable e-mail addresses.

I look forward to the department’s next project: parent/student portals to PowerSchool, the school’s attendance and grade recording system. The new portals promise to greatly improve teacher-parent communications.

dents and teaching students the thinking skills they need to excel. However, more can be done to alleviate stress. After the movie screen went black in the theater, the questions that remained were “Now what?” and “Where do we begin?”

While JDS may not face circumstances as extreme as those in the film, the documentary opened up opportunity for discussion.

We encourage teachers to be knowledgeable about the role of homework in intellectual development and understand when it is, and is not, helpful. Before giving out an assignment, think: “What role is this serving?” Parents should reduce the pressure they put on their children and make the college search about the “best fit” rather than the “best.” Administrators should continue acknowledging the sources of stress and make adjustments when needed.

Finally, students should choose activities and classes that they enjoy. Students ought to appreciate the countless number of clubs and activities that are offered and pick the ones they truly are passionate about. While the film made it appear as if students are helpless, students are the ones who can choose which activities they participate in and which classes they sign up for. While it is important to work hard, it is even more important to be healthy both physically and mentally. Together, as a community, we can end this race to nowhere.

Say what?

Focusing in on Torah L’Shma

by Eitan Sayag Editor in Chief

No, I will not take physics.

Despite being told that physics is an important asset when applying to colleges and I should take the course for that reason, I am adamant in my stance. I will take what I am interested in, not what colleges are interested in.

I will not be Mr. College Credit.

There is a pervasive attitude in our community that we should participate in certain activities or take certain honors- or scholars-level courses because it will increase our GPA and “look good for college.”

I have heard students remark, “I’m only doing it for college,” or “I hate the class, but I need to take it if I want to go to a good school.” This is a misguided attitude. A student should choose elective courses or activities that are interesting. He or she should find meaning and enjoyment in academic challenges.

The first of the six Jewish values in the school’s mission statement is Torah L’Shmah. The school’s website explains it as “to become lifelong learners inspired by a love of ‘learning for the sake of learning’ … which places a priority on critical, independent and creative thought and expression.”

By allowing colleges to dictate how they spend their time, students lose the ability to be truly “independent” and cultivate their unique interests.

This causes a lack of motivation and the student’s inability to reach his or her full potential as a person. Passion is needed for success in any pursuit.

As a student in some upper-level classes and an active participant in student groups, clubs and obviously,

the Lion’s Tale, I am by no means advocating that students stop joining activities that “look good for college,” whatever that means. I believe that you should spend your time doing what you want to do to feed your curiosity about the world, not what the college wants you to do.

About a month ago, we watched a documentary about stress in high school and the pressure to get into “good” colleges called “Race to Nowhere” (see STRESS, page 1). Though college is important, it is not worth losing sleep over. We should not be obsessing over building our resumes today because it might benefit us in the future. Enjoy today, do everything possible to learn about the world and advance your skills in your area of choosing, and tomorrow will be just fine.

College does not determine your life. When I see freshman and sophomores talking about colleges or studying for the SATs (yes, I have seen this), it upsets me. You should not be dealing with these issues yet. I visited my first college over President’s Day weekend, and that is considered late for many of my friends—who started visiting schools in September and at the end of sophomore year. High school life should not revolve around college life.

So, the next time I am told that I should take physics because it “looks good for college,” I will refer to this column and remind whoever is telling me of Torah L’Shma, not Torah L’College.

March 4, 2011

Page 5

N

opinio

Lion’s Tale editors share their opinions about stress Watching “Race to Nowhere,” I felt bad that I was not as stressed as the movie seemed to think I should be. At times the movie seemed to try to describe me —academically driven and over-scheduled to the max. And yet, I have never felt stressed the way the kids in the move were presented to be. Partly that is because the movie presented a series of extremes, but also, I have to give credit to the support system that JDS has put in place. Any time that I feel overwhelmed by a tough math concept or an English essay, I know I can easily meet with a teacher, or I can go to one of our gazillion labs. I also have extension passes at my fingertips. One girl in “Race to Nowhere” said that because a teacher was unwilling to meet with her, she failed her math class and later dropped out of high school. The teachers at JDS would never do that; they would always meet with you to make sure nothing that drastic ever happened. For that I think we all have to be really thankful.

— Ranana Dine

I think that while the movie was interesting, it was more targeted towards parents and teachers than students. As a junior, I definitely feel a lot of pressure and stress from school.

But for me, watching a movie about other stressed kids did nothing to help my own stress. If anything, hearing about the pressures of getting into college made me more stressed, especially because the movie focused on Ivy League schools. However, I think the school had the best of intentions by showing the film to students, and I do think it's great that they're at least acknowledging how serious stress can be. —Haley Cohen I felt that “Race to Nowhere” sparked countless discussions to nowhere, if you will. Kids in private school, specifically at JDS, don’t get the same experiences as kids in public school; I feel like the stress level in public school is much higher than it is at JDS. —Josh Singer

To the Editor

The morning announcements have been part of our lives since kindergarten. Remember? Every morning, like clockwork, a cheerful “Boker Tov JDS!” would greet us, and we’d all cock our heads in our small red plastic chairs and listen to the voice coming from the ceiling.

Fast forward 10 years. The announcements still exist, but with one major difference— no one really listens anymore. Instead, kids take the two minutes of free time to talk, and classrooms are often so full of noise that teachers don’t even attempt to ask for quiet.

Why don’t we feel the need to listen? I’ve heard many responses to this question, but they all say the same thing— no one cares.

The announcements are the same every day. Same sports notifications, art contests, college representative visits, early dismissals and lunch meetings— who needs to hear them again? Students seek out what they want to know; it’s not worth their time to listen to things that aren’t relevant to them when they could be using the unstructured time to socialize.

But there is a reason that the announcements exist, and that is to inform the school community of goings on inside and outside of school. The school puts in great effort to achieve this through the announcements, the TV

While I think that some of the points made in "Race to Nowhere" had validity, I think there are some things that need to be taken into account before we all jump on the "no homework" bandwagon. A homework assignment does not necessarily need to take three hours. A teacher could assign a project to a class and one student might spend 30 minutes on the assignment and another could spend 3 hours on it.

The second student may get a better grade, but it is probably not going to make a significant difference.

The student that spent three hours on the assignment may genuinely love the subject, and he may be really proud of his work. In this case, it is a good thing to spend lots of time on a homework assignment. But if the student just put the time in because he feels he needs to get an A, then perhaps the extra time was misart by Noah Zweben spent and could have been used to pursue something he feels passionately about. Students need to accept that they can't be good at everything, and they should only put the extra effort in when it comes to their passions. — Jacob Schaperow I thought that it was nice that the students were shown the movie.

It made me feel good that many of the stresses that we encounter every day are being recognized by adults. However, I feel that some of the stories in the movie were exaggerated and were not applicable to our supportive community at JDS. In addition, the film did not address a nation-wide epidemic that plagues students all over the country—procrastination. I was disappointed that the film left out such an important part of students’ lives. —Elana Schrager

monitors, and the new website. Though these methods of communication are not always effective, they are there for us to take advantage of.

That being said, I’d like to pose a question to the school community. What can be done to further engage students in the morning announcements?

One suggestion that I particularly like is to introduce some unpredictability into the announcements. Having “guest speakers” is one option; I loved when Mr. Abel read poetry, as did many of my friends- it was entertaining and different every day. Another option is to inject some humor into the otherwise redundant announcements. The witty alliterations like “Have a Watermelon Wednesday!” are amusing, but some laugh-out-loud humor would spice things up. For example, when Ms. Ball and Daniel Neuberg unleashed their humor over the loud speaker one morning…just because they wanted to… well, that was hysterical. We should take advantage of our school comedians more often, both teachers and students alike.

So tomorrow morning when the announcements come on, try and remember those good, small-red-plastic-chair days and see what comes to mind.

Tamar Gasko

Junior

Check out our new Facebook page and post on our wall! Search the Lion’s Tale.

F

eatures

Page 6

March 4, 2011

Students want more emphasis on sex education

by Rebecca Rubin Features Editor Glancing into the sophomore human development classroom, students are filled with curiosity and interest. While the topic of sex is being covered, the room is filled with raised hands.

Every CESJDS student is required to take human development once during his or her four years in high school.

The majority of students meet this requirement during sophomore year. The course covers the topics ranging from mind-body connection, relationships, sex and sexuality, drugs and alcohol and exercising and eating.

Sophomore Elana Oser, who took human development last semester, felt that because not everyone felt comfortable, the class did not go into such detail about the subject of sex. “A lot of students in my class claimed to already know the material, therefore not a lot of

people were open to ask questions, and further the discussion. However we had a day where we asked questions anonymously, which is when we learned a lot,” Oser said.

Junior Jordan Brandt, who took human development last year, agrees that sex was not a highly discussed topic. “[The section on sex] was not very extensive. We talked about eating more, but sex was not that big of a topic,” Brandt said.

The topic of sex in previous years has been saved for the last three weeks of the semester. However, human development teacher Tamsyn Ryan-McLaren said that due to lack of time, this section has sometimes not been given the amount of time needed to fully discuss and cover everything in detail.

Ryan-McLaren said she makes sure that there is enough time for students to ask as many questions as needed even when there is not enough time to cover the full curriculum.

“The sex and the drug and alcohol units, I make sure that we

cover everything and everyone gets a chance to ask what they want to ask,” Ryan-McLaren said.

Brandt notes that there are times when the class is very productive.

However, she said there are some moments when the teachers and the kids are very casual.

“I think that the gym teachers are fun, and we joke around in class... I just think that it should be a more serious class,” Brandt said.

However, junior Andrew Yanovski feels that the amount of “chill time” in class does not distract the class from learning.

“I think that the fact that we have time to chill with our teachers really strengthens our relationships and makes it easier to learn about different subjects that might have been awkward before,” Yanovski said.

Many students said they feel that the main highlights from the class are the hands-on activities.

“It’s hard to sit still in my seat for an hour of constant lecturing by my teachers,” said Galitzer. “But in hu-

man development we always learn in different ways which makes the class so much easier to learn and more enjoyable”.

The Physical Education Department is currently working on improving the health course to make it more beneficial for students.

“We are still going to cover the same information, just we are going to incorporate more important topics earlier in the semester to make sure that we cover everything that is needed and make some things more in depth,” RyanMcLaren said.

photo by Alex Zissman

a healthy class Sophomores Sydney Exler and Gabriella Mendick listen attentively as human development teacher Tamsyn Ryan-McLaren teaches ways to stay healthy. Ryan-McLaren said she hopes to focus more on sex in the future.

Seniors not joining second semester Israel trip often take jobs SENIORS, from page 1 will be carefree.

These students will still be just as busy as their classmates in Israel.

Weiss has a long list of what he hopes to get done over the next three months.

“I am going to teach myself Java, recover

from an injury and train for college sports.

Also, hopefully I will intern at the FDA,” he said.

Brooke Friedman plans to use the time to focus on pursuing a career in broadcast journalism.

“I decided not to go on the trip in order

to try and get an internship during the time that I would have off,” she said. Currently, Friedman is waiting to hear back from the different radio stations and newspapers that she applied to.

Friedman says that the choice was entirely her own, and she did not feel pressure from

teachers or anyone else to go on the trip.

Friedman, who has never been to Israel, says she hopes to go one day.

However, her trip is being put off to the future.

Page 7

March 4, 2011

‘Write that perfect letter!’

New arts director David Solomon takes risks with year’s production of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

by Penina Graubart and Gabriella Mendick Reporters Efforts made to improve the arts programming at the school were demonstrated in this year’s high-school winter musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Performed on Jan. 13, 14 and 16, the comedy provoked many laughs and much enjoyment. Many members of the CESJDS community traveled to the school to see the show, and the shows were sold out.

“I thought it was very well done. You could see how much photo courtesy of Danny Krifcher work each and every cast member the winning foot William Barfée, played by Danny Schwaber, steals the put into it. It was so well thought stage with his amusing magic foot. out. I was constantly laughing the entire time,” sophomore Elana tants in the spelling bee.

Dagony [a Hebrew teacher] was Oser said.

This comedic show follows the hilarious. Overall, it was just a reRather than sticking to somestory of six unusual spelling bee ally good play,” junior Sara Barth thing classic and safe, Arts Direccontestants and their desire to win said. tor David Solomon took a risk in the bee. The play contained flashA challenging aspect of the selecting a more modern show. backs of the contestants’ pasts and show was the amount of time ac“Too many times, I see schools showed their struggles and the tors spent on the stage. There was go through the same cycle of hardships in their lives. There was very little backstage time. popular, safe plays or musicals, so a balance of comedy and serious“It’s probably the funniest show I really appreciate that he picked ness in the show.

JDS has done since I’ve been here, something that’s new. I’d really like Audience participation created but it was definitely the most exto see more of that in the future, a different and unpredictable show hausting. Performing an hourus performing less known and/or every night. and-a-half show with only five more recent works,” junior Zach“It was amazing. It was re- minutes backstage, two people ary Pinkham said. ally funny, I really liked how they were on stage the whole time, actuPinkham played Leaf Coneybrought audience members onto ally, left a lot of us really tired after bear, a funky and socially awkward the stage. [On opening night] Mrs. the show,” Pinkham said. teen, one of the main six contes-

Getting to know Michele Zemsky

by Haley Cohen and Sydney Solomon Features Editor and Senior Reporter

A: Seven years. I have always worked in the library. I am a librarian by trade.

Q: What is your favorite part about your job?

Q: What is your favorite book?

A: I can’t choose one favorite book. I’ve always loved books. Growing up, I was always reading. Every book affects me. When I read “Good Earth,” I wanted to be Chinese. When I read the “Nun Story,” I wanted to be a nun.

Q: What book would you recommend to a student looking for an interesting read?

A: I would recommend “The Help” because it gives a slice of life in America the African Americans worked for people in the South.

Q: When you’re not working, what do you like to do?

A: Well, I love to read. I also love to dance. I have grown to like watching documentaries on television. I love travel. I’ve been to Israel, Europe and Canada.

What is your opinion on the dress code?

S

by Sydney Solomon Senior Reporter

David Dabrow- junior I think dress code is important because otherwise you have girls walking around in very immodest clothing. I think the JDS dress code is very reasonable, especially for a Jewish school. In a lot of Jewish schools, the skirts have to come down to the knee or below, and you have to wear collared shirts at the [Hebrew] Academy.

I remember walking into the photo by Alex Zissman Academy once and they were like, ‘no blue jeans.’ And I was like, no blue jeans? OMG! So honestly, I don’t understand the gripe about dress code. Also, I normally wear a kippah, so the kippah rule doesn’t bother me, either.

Estelle Ostroff- sophomore I don’t think there should be a dress code because it restricts my identity and restricts my creativity as an individual.

While I think uniforms are cute, I like little plaid skirts and little knee high socks, I don’t think we should have uniforms.

I do not believe in the kippah rule because kids should decide whether they want to wear a kippah or not. You have photo by Alex Zissman to create your own religious identity, it’s part of becoming your own individual Jew. But people don’t really enforce the dress code anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.

Rina Bardin- freshman

Q: How long have you been working at JDS?

A: I love the kids. I like seeing them in different circumstances. One day a senior who already graduated came to visit, and he was chatting with other kids. So, I went over [to discipline him], and he hugged me. It was so sweet. As a librarian, you have to get along with everybody.

feature

photo by Haley Cohen

browsing through books Librarian Michele Zemsky helps junior Jordan Tuwiner find information for a research project. “If she was not here, I don’t think I’d be able to get my research done,” Tuwiner said.

Q: What is your biggest challenge as a librarian?

A: Making it [the library] an inviting place so I can help as many students or staff or teachers with their different needs, whether it’s research, finding a great book or finding a website.

Q: How do you help students find books they need?

A: Going to the catalog is the most important way to find a book. Also, our knowledge plays an important role because we sometimes know different chapters in a book that may not come up when searching the catalog.

I actually don’t really care about dress code. I think that the dress code is fine. But I don’t think they should worry about girls wearing leggings. But it’s really not a big deal. Either way, I don’t think the dress code affects what I wear that much. It’s not like I get up in the morning, and when I get dressed I’m thinking about the dress code.

I guess when it gets hot outphoto by Alex Zissman side, and I want to wear shorts or something but I can’t, I have to wear jeans like all year long. And I think this year, the school is a lot more lenient when it comes to dress code anyways.

Reuben Cohen- sophomore The kinds of stuff I like seeing girls wear are not allowed in dress code, so that’s why I am against it. But that’s really the only reason why I don’t like the girls’ dress code. I also disagree with the guys having to wear kippot because I think it should be whatever people’s personal beliefs are.

I think that if people do not want to wear kippot then they photo by Alex Zissman shouldn’t be forced to because it’s a religious and personal decision. But I support school uniforms because I would love an excuse to wear suits every day. Tie shopping is so much fun!

I

n depth

Page 8

March 4, 2011

CP, honors, S scholars...

What does it all mean?

Reporting and writing by Ranana Dine and Meryl Kravitz In Depth Editors

ince 2003, most generalstudies classes in the CESJDS high school curriculum have operated on a three-tiered system.

Students are divided into “scholars,” “honors” and “college prep” (CP) classes based on academic performance and interest in the subject.

This system is used primarily by the Science, English, Hebrew and History departments. The Math Department uses the same system with the addition of an accelerated level between CP and honors.

However, even within these departments there is some variation.

Beyond these five general subjects, there is a totally different system. Generally, in Judaic classes, Jewish history and foreign language classes, there is an honors and a CP level. Sometimes, Judaic classes are offered in Hebrew, creating a scholars level. Arts and physical education electives are

only taught on one level.

In middle school, classes are not offered at as many levels as in high school. Math is tracked in three levels corresponding to CP, honors and scholars. Judaic classes are also offered on a honors and CP level.

Most other classes are offered at a single level.

The school’s complex system of tiered classes affects schedules and social groups, as students grouped together in scholars classes see each other in period after period.

Students often work toward a goal of moving up levels in a class. The school also gives out a weighted GPA in which an A in an honors or scholars class receives a “5” instead of the typical “4” given for an A in a CP class. A student’s weighted GPA and transcript, which lists their class level, play a large role in influencing college acceptance.

JDS plans to change its system of

tiered classes ing freshmen though detai yet to be relea students alrea ors and scho will not find a within their o but their sibl ing the high likely experie new system.

Next issue, will explore t depth. Until pares to chan The Lion’s Tal the current s perceptions. W faculty their o tem and track Here are s swers.

Cole Aronson, freshman - Do

you think that having multiple levels is beneficial?

One way to measure the success of a school is to see whether it can provide a healthy, success-inducing and cohesive learning environment for students with different learning abilities.

A tiered system puts students with similar learning needs in the same classes. It makes it easier for teachers to tailor their styles to fit their students’ preferences and abilities, since they are catering to a narrower set of student learning preferences and abilities. If students with similar strengths

and abilities are together, it enabl easily from one another. A tiered healthy sense of competition. If t work and good grades, and does n need more support, then everyon propriately, and no one will be le administration should not chang order that the school and its stud

Ofer Kimchi, junior - Do you see mu

class levels as having larger social affe Many students in scholars level classes are in more than one, and since there is (usually) only one scholars class per course, students in these classes end up being in many classes with the same people, often year after year. Clearly, the more time kids spend together at school, the greater the chances of friendships forming and developing. However, there is by no means a separa-

tion between the different class ily be found throughout grades ments. I think the whole notio is certainly not due to any pre the fact that friendships form m dents in the same classes wh

Reuben Silberman, math teacher -

As a teacher, what effects do you see c having multiple level classes?

photo illustrations by Alex Zissman

In my years at JDS I’ve observed a lack of confidence in some of the students in the “lower” levels, and diminished motivation can result. On the other hand, it’s not uncommon for scholars students to have poor math confidence, which seems silly. For the most part, though, students placed in levels that provide a moderate but overcome-able challenge have increased self-confidence, better performance and a higher daily happiness level in class.

It’s common for students This is appropriate, as long best learning environment— dents (and their parents) rent low grades are a result challenged” and that their a higher level. Experience h true very often—but that’s no

Page 9

March 4, 2011

s starting with incomn in the fall of 2011, ls of the plan have ased. High-school ady in CP, honolars classes any changes own classes, lings enterschool will ence a whole

, The Lion’s Tale the new system in then, as JDS prenge its tiered system, le wanted to reflect on system and students’ We asked students and opinion on the sysking in general. some of their an-

les them to learn more system also facilitates a the system rewards hard not punish students who ne will be challenged apeft behind. The CESJDS ge its tiered system, in dents remain successful.

ultiple ects?

ses – friendships can easregardless of class placeon of a scholars “clique” etentiousness but due to more easily between stuho see each other often.

coming from

to change levels in math. as the goal is finding the —not resumé-building. Stuoften speculate that curt of “not being sufficiently scores would improve in has shown this not to be ot to say it’s never the case.

in dept

H

Sarah Freedman, sophomore - Do you see multiple class levels as having larger social affects?

There are certain stereotypes that go along with each level placement. Yet it has gotten to the point where many students are left too drained from schoolwork to even think about seeing friends on the weekends. I only see my friends in (mostly) scholars classes either during class or briefly before the minyan bell rings. While these

students represent only the extreme example, there are others in honors working very hard to get to the same level as the “scholars” students. It has come to the point where I rarely see my friends out of a school environment due to the pressure placed by the different levels to do well, leaving me both socially and academically stressed for time.

Susan Rexford, director of college

guidance - How important is being in high level classes for college?

As we often tell students when discussing the college process, the transcript is the most important document for colleges to consider. From the transcript, colleges can see and assess the rigor and level of difficulty of coursework as well as how students have performed in their particular curriculum. In many ways this becomes a balancing act.

Students should be encouraged to take the most demanding cur-

riculum they can handle; at the same time, getting strong grades is important as well.

Our school profile, which is sent with each transcript to college, outlines the levels of instruction offered at CESJDS, so colleges can evaluate our applicants within the context of what the school offers and what each student has chosen for a curriculum.

There is no right or wrong curriculum, but the curriculum that is best and most challenging for each student.

Roslyn Landy, dean of

students - What is JDS’ philosophy on tracking classes?

Because each student grows, physically, emotionally and intellectually, at different rates, what is right for one student academically one year, may not be appropriate for another student until the next year or two. For the 35 years that I have been at CESJDS, the Upper School has always had two levels, college prep and honors. The levels were designed to allow those students ready for more challenging and independent work

to take a more advanced course while others would take a course that would offer students additional teacher guidance and skill building.

We have always allowed flexibility in changing levels so that students who develop readiness to work well in the advanced level are able to move in any year. In 2003-2004, we expanded the program in certain departments to three levels, adding a scholars class. At that time, our goal was to offer more students the opportunity to take a more challenging course.

Amanda Mendelson, junior - Do you think having multiple levels is beneficial?

Separate levels based on academic excellence is beneficial at JDS. Levels separate students and help teachers cater to students’ specific needs. Although I think that separate levels are important, I do not think that being in the highest level for each class is a necessity. Each student has different needs and capabilities. I am a dancer who dances six days a week for about three hours a day. Dance takes up a huge amount of my time, and therefore I would not be able to handle the rigorous curriculum of taking

all honors and scholars classes. There are just not enough hours in the day for me to succeed at these high levels when dance is such a huge part of my life. The amount of dance classes I take, cuts into the time most others have to study. If there was no leveling at JDS, it might be harder for me to continue dancing and keep my grades up in school. Leveling allows me to do well in my classes and participate in the time consuming extracurricular I love to do.

The Class of 2011 was compared to the characters in the “Wizard of Oz” by Dean of Students Roslyn Landy in her graduation speech. She honored the class by listing students’ achievements.

Landy told them that in contrast to the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man, they have tremendous brains, courage and heart. Landy assigns every graduating class a theme that characterizes the class.

Since this year’s graduates’ journey through CESJDS was similar to that of Dorothy’s along the Yellow Brick Road, she gave them each a sign that reads “Follow the Yellow Brick Road.”

“You possess all of those traits necessary to continue on your journey,” Landy said as she presented her gift.

Who?

After 13 demanding years as students, the 114 members of the Class of 2011 graduated.

In front of their families, friends and teachers who gathered to celebrate with them, the seniors presented their annual cantata.

Graduate Dov Block described the cantata as an essay prompt. “‘Summarize 13 years of your life in 45 minutes or less,’” he said. “Clearly this is not an easy feat. So naturally, in trying to figure out how to most effectively and concisely describe the Class of 2011, we resorted to

by Eitan Sayag Editor in Chief

A highlight of the graduation was the teacher presentation, starring Principal Michael Kay as Will Schuester and math teacher Victoria Ball as Sue Sylvester from the hit TV show “Glee.” The faculty sang rewritten versions of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” The lyrics were about the class’ experiences at JDS. To thank the teachers, the class is redecorating their lounge.

“We wanted to display our gratitude in a way that benefited each and every teacher and administrator,” graduate Tamar Bardin said. “We want them to have a space where they can hang out, relax and stock up on caffeine so that their students can continue benefiting from their endless energy.”

What?

story-telling methods that we learned when we were younger.”

Fellow graduate Laura Avigan explained that the chosen format of the cantata was a book report.

“These were the six questions we had to answer in book reports and news article summaries, the famous 5 W’s and an H: who, what, when, where, why and how,” Avigan said. “We are here to try and answer these questions in order to give a glimpse into the history and future of the Class of 2011.”

In honor of the graduated seniors, The Lion’s Tale is following the same format to report on the graduation ceremony.

On Sunday, Feb. 13 at 2 p.m.

Jewish Text, Thought and Practice teacher Paul Blank played “Pomp and Circumstance” on the piano as the faculty, followed by the graduates, entered the sanctuary. Attendees sang the national anthems. Board President David Topol welcomed everyone and introduced David Smith, Charles E. Smith’s grandson and father of graduate Alexandra. Smith spoke about how technology affects people’s lives. The seniors presented their cantata. Head of School Jonathan Cannon gave a D’var Torah, a commentary on the week’s Torah portion, emphasizing group cohesion and power in numbers.

Graduation concluded when Kay read the names of the graduates as they received their diplomas.

When?

In the main sanctuary of Washington Hebrew Congregation in Northwest D.C. the members of the Class of 2011 received their diplomas from Cannon and Assistant Head of School and Chief Operating Officer Susan Brinn Siegel. The venue was chosen because of the seating capacity. The urban location caused a problem for people who drove to the ceremony. Due to limited parking at the synagogue, the surrounding streets were lined with parked cars of people attending graduation.

The school provided buses from the Upper School to Washington Hebrew free of charge for people who did not want to make the commute or deal with parking. After the ceremony, the buses took the riders back to the school.

Where?

As the seniors threw their blue caps in the air, parents brushed away tears. With the support of their families, they grew up and graduated. Seniors in the a cappella choir sang “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray to the parents.

“It is time for us to drift away, but we will never forget your teachings and wisdom,” graduate Joshua Rosenberg said.

The song includes the lyrics, “Thanks for the joy you’ve given me/ I want you to know that I believe in your song/ And rhythm, and rhyme, and harmony/ You helped me along, you’re makin’ me strong.”

Most students will continue their education in college. Other students will be enlisting in the American or Israeli armed forces.

Why?

photo by Zoe Orenstein

school’s out! The Class of 2011 throws their caps in the air as the graduation ceremony concludes.

A committee of 15-20 volunteers organized, wrote and planned the cantata and the various other student presentations for the ceremony. The Graduation Planning Committee was headed by graduate Galit Krifcher.

The grade brainstormed during their shabbaton on Nov. 12-13.

The other aspects of the graduation ceremony were organized by Landy and the faculty.

The class had three graduation rehearsals of the scheduled four.

Landy canceled the Wednesday rehearsal as a reward for their cooperation on the previous two days. All seniors were given the opportunity to speak at graduation if they wanted to.

How?

The Wizards of Oz have completed their journey

Graduation Special

As I sit here writing my final column for The Lion’s Tale, I feel a great sense of pride that I was able to have been one of the editors in chief of this paper and how during the last of my 13 years at JDS I was able to represent it through my leadership of a public forum via The Lion’s Tale.

In looking back and reflecting as a senior, I decided to go back to my roots. On our “senior skip day” I decided to go back to kindergarten. I went to Mrs. Schnitzer’s kindergarten class, the same one I attended myself 13 years ago, and sat in to see if there was any truth to the old adage, “all I ever learned, I learned in kindergarten.”

After and hour and a half of watching and interacting with these excited 5-year-olds, I realized something … the adage was true. Everything I ever

by Danny Schwaber Editor in Chief

learned, I learned in kindergarten. Ok, so maybe not everything, but the foundation started there.

These kids were playing and learning together in groups, learning from their teachers and from each other, learning to respect and listen to one another and to develop their own voices as part of a greater group voice. I realized sitting there that this educational model has permeated all of my years at JDS. Sitting in that room, I thought about how I had been in their shoes. In 1998, I sat in one of those miniature chairs with curiosity in my eyes while the foundation of the journalist and person I would be was instilled in my mind. I didn’t know it yet, but everything I took in would grow and help me to eventually to be the editor in chief of The Lion’s Tale, and to take pride in (hopefully) doing my part to make The Lion’s Tale a better paper.

As I looked around the room seeing those kids, I realized years from now one of these kids could become the editor in chief of the paper, and boy, am I excited to see how good The Lion’s Tale will become.

Aaah. The senior column. A space for reminiscing and regretting. The past three and a half years, 10 and a half since I arrived in second grade, have been up, down, sideways and backwards. It’s ridiculous how quickly they passed. They’re not gone, they’re still in me, I breathe them and dream them.

When adults talked to me about graduating, they always asked if I feel any different. I don’t. The Saturday after the last of day of school was like every other day. The world operated no differently. I woke up, I ate breakfast like any other day. Same with graduation. Change is gradual: physically, mentally, emotionally.

by Adam Weiberger Editor in Chief

Tamar Bardin, co-president of the Class of 2011, said it best in our graduation video.

All the big moments at JDS, like color war and Zimriah, aren’t that great. Yeah, they’re fun and the days you will best remember, but they aren’t the essence of high school or JDS. When you graduate you do lose those days, but you lose something much more profound. The sense of community and belonging.

The everyday moments are the most important. When someone makes a joke in class. When you finish that English paper at 1:00 a.m. When you score that goal on the soccer field. That’s what you lose. You don’t see that same kid on the way to 5th period in the halls. You don’t hear Gail say “good morning” to you. We want high school to finish so fast. There is a lot of work. But don’t fall into the trap of looking too far ahead, worrying about your future too much. Stop.

Life is happening now, vibrating throughout the halls of JDS.

Senior staffers reflect on The Lion’s Tale

In the process of lollygagging around on the Internet in search of inspiration for my “senior column,” I found an article titled “Ghosts, Dessert Carts, and Cancer Porn,” on the website www.deadspin.com. The article was framed in a question-answer format and included detailed ramblings by the author, Drew Magary, in response to questions posed by the readers of Magary’s previous work.

At first it appeared that diatribes about the proper way to apply deodorant while wearing a shirt and how much purgatory must ‘suck’ were not going to assist me in my search for a senior column topic, but as I read the article closer, I noticed

by Nathan Forman Senior Reporter

consistent formatting and grammatical inaccuracies, which reminded me of one aspect that has made my Lion’s Tale experience so wonderful.

I will leave the reminiscence of entire CESJDS experiences to my other senior colleagues. In my column, I want only to talk about one nuanced position: the copy editor. Yes, I am here to embellish the copy editor, a position which I have never held on Lion’s Tale staff. It is true that in the past the copy editor has had little to do with the layout of the actual paper, but in my Lion’s Tale experience they have been present, friendly and valuable during production.

My opportunity to interact with the copy editors has stemmed from the notion ‘the more the merrier’ when reviewing articles for errors. The friendliness of the three copy editors with whom I’ve shared experiences, Steinberg, Waksman and Schaperow, is admirable. The copy editor is the unsung hero of Lion’s Tale.

A few years ago I was channel surfing and watched pieces of “Anger Management,” a 2003 movie starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson.

I never got around to watching the whole thing (has anyone ever watched an entire movie on basic cable?), but there was one scene that has stuck in my mind ever since.

In it, Sandler’s character is welcomed into Nicholson’s anger-management class with a simple question: “Who are you?”

Sandler tries to answer the question with a description of his job, and then a list of his hobbies, but each time Nicholson tells him that he’s not answering the question. He’s not really saying anything about who he is.

What struck me about this sequence was the point that it makes about how much we define ourselves by what we do. Unlike Nicholson, however, I don’t see this as a bad thing. Wasn’t it Albus Dumbledore who taught us that in the end, it’s our actions and decisions that define us? I think

by Josh Boxerman Managing Editor

that this applies to navigating high school just as much as it does to defeating Lord Voldemort.

When people asked me about myself, my automatic answer was that I was a CESJDS student, and that I played baseball, ran cross country, debated, and wrote for The Lion’s Tale. And honestly, I think that actually does give you a pretty decent picture of who I am.

Finding things to do that fit our personalities is what high school is all about. The best advice I can give incoming Lion’s Tale staffers (or any younger student, for that matter) is to find your niche. Whether it’s a club or sport, or a particular position on it, once you’ve found your place you’ll have the kind of focus and direction that you need to be happy and successful.

That’s what happened with me when I became managing editor of The Lion’s Tale.

It wasn’t always easy or fun, but the reward of knowing that I was doing something that fit me far outweighed the negatives.

Quick shout outs to Danny and Adam, the other two members of the triumvirate, and Dani, the new managing editor. If you want to make her life easier, you know what to do. Write some letters to the editor!

internet more in order to get stories out

by Brooke Friedman to JDS students and the JDS community Senior Reporter in addition to having printed newspapers.

I have written for Like I wrote in my column, The Next Step The Lion’s Tale for in JDS News: An Online Video Experience, the past two years. I think that The Lion’s Tale staff should In this short time I branch out and incorporate broadcasting cannot believe how into JDS. I am excited to see what the staff much this paper has will do in the next few years. changed and how As I depart from this paper, I have demuch I have grown as a journalist. Being cided to become a professional journala part of this paper has taught me how to ist. In college, I plan to study journalism, search for the true story and that every particularly broadcast journalism, as I story has more than one side. I enjoyed aspire to become a lead anchorwoman or conducting interviews, writing articles, sportscaster. editing articles, writing my column, BabTo my fellow journalists and Dr. bling Brooke, and learning how to use Fromm, I will miss working with all of Photoshop and InDesign. you on production nights. However, I For next year, I hope that The Lion’s know that all of you will continue to put Tale staff has an opportunity to use the out a compelling paper.

photo by Jerry Eisner

graphic courtesy of wordle.net

courage This word cloud reflects the common themes used in Dean of Students Roslyn Landy’s graduation speech. The size of a word corresponds to the number of times each word was spoken.

photos by Eitan Sayag

L

ion’s blend

Page 10

March 4, 2011

A ‘Burn Book’-worthy review

by Elana Schrager Lion’s Blend Editor

Art by John Watkins-Chow

ABC Family premiered “Mean Girls 2” on Jan. 26.

It delivered everything I expect from a made-for-TV movie — an over the top plot, flat actors and a happy ending, where the good people get to be friends, and the bad people do penance for their sins.

The girls — no, all The the characters — were as flat as “Flat Stanley” when he got mailed to his relatives in an envelope. Meaghan Martin stars as tomboy Jo Mitchell, who has never had a boyfriend — or a BFF for that matter — and enjoys fixing sports car engines with her widowed father. Jennifer Stone, best known for playing Harper Finkle on the Disney Channel series “The Wizards of Waverly Place,” co-stars as Abby Hanover, an art lover and known loser, whose parents who have more money than they know what to do with. Maiara Walsh, pre-

2

viously seen as Meena Paroom on the Disney Channel show “Cory in the House,” is Mandi Weatherly. She is the leading Plastic, or popular girl, and has a huge inferiority complex. Her sidekicks are Chastity Meyer (Claire Holt), a tall, promiscuous blonde, and Hope Plotkin (Nicole Anderson), a small hypochondriac brunette.

Once I got over Martin’s apparently veneer-enhanced smile, I enjoyed parts of her performance. Although she was not

seen. Her non-sequiturs were not funny, and she tried way too hard to be stupid.

Anderson attempted to create a complex character, with a good side and a bad side, but failed as she sank deeper and deeper into the awful plots of the mean girls.

The most disturbing thing about the movie was that the girls were too mean.

Where “Mean Girls” took the drama of high school and made it funny, “Mean Girls 2” took the already over-the-top antics of the girls from the original and girls were not simply mean, they were malicious. made them ridiculous, able to bring any depth to her poorly writ- stupid and incredibly hurtful. In one scene, ten character, and her voice-over was not Mandi pours fake sweetener (one packet at as believable as Lindsay Lohan’s, she man- a time) and coffee down the engine that Jo’s aged to make her character a tad likable, dad had been working on for months, the an accomplishment not to be ignored in a payment from which would have helped movie that is a overflowing with selfishness them to pay their rent, buy food and allow and bad writing.

Jo to go to college. The girls were not simStone’s Hanover is a much simpler char- ply mean, they were malicious. acter than Martin’s Jo, but she delivered a No matter how hard I tried to like it, stronger performance than Martin. Her no matter how much I opened my mind, character developed from being a coward- I could not enjoy this movie. By creating ly loser without any friends to a strong girl characters and a plot that were shadows of able to stand up for herself. Subtly, over the those in “Mean Girls,” and calling it “Mean course of the movie, she changed, unlike Girls 2,” the team behind “Mean Girls 2” Martin’s Jo, who one day was nice, the next set themselves up for failure. They wasted was not and then was nice again. any chance that the movie had of being difIt was the mean girls I had trouble with. ferent from its predecessor. If “Mean Girls” Walsh could not get over her annoying, is one of the “Plastics” of the teen-movie spoiled, Disney-Channel-princess per- industry, then “Mean Girls 2” will forever sona, and the whole movie suffered for it. be relegated to being its dumb blonde sideHer co-stars followed her lead. Holt’s per- kick. formance was one of the worst I have ever

Ilanna’s road to Starr-dom AMERICAN IDOL, from page 1

Starr has had thoughts about auditioning since Charles. After she finished singing, she rememAmerican Idol first aired eight years ago. bers judge Randy “My friends have always joked with Jackson looking at her and saying, me about auditioning, but I was al“Gosh, I really love that. You just have ways too young, but in my heart and that old soul in a 15-year-old. God, in my mind it was always something you are just one of those kids with I wanted to do,” Starr said. natural talent.” Judge Jennifer Lopez In June of last year, the asked her to sing something a bit show’s executives lowered more contemporary. In response, the minimum age from Starr sang “Terrified” by Kara Dio16 to 15, making her deGuardi. Starr recalls all three saycision to audition “pretty ing simultaneously, “You’re gospontaneous.” Starr audiing to Hollywood!” tioned in Austin, Texas in Starr thanked them, tryAugust. ing to keep her composure Starr was out of bed at 3:30 while thinking, “What just a.m. and in line by 4:40 a.m. to happened?” Before she left join the crowd of 7,500 people waiting the room, she was handed to get a wristband and for the doors to a golden ticket. As she walked open at 7:00 a.m. Starr was one of the out, she waved the ticket in the 327 contestants from across the counair and her brother and father try that made it to Hollywood. smothered her with hugs.

Starr spent the hours focused Since her appearance, her soon her goal to make it past the early cial networking life has been “insane.” rounds. After the preliminary rounds, “I have never been so overwhelmed on she went to face the judges. the Internet, I must have gotten 200 wall “It felt almost fake.... The logo posts and I right now have over 600 likes on is everywhere, and then there are Facebook,” Starr said in early February. She these celebrities sitting there and it’s now has over 700 likes on Facebook. surreal. I was just in awe how much Although Starr did not make it bework goes into creating this producyond Hollywood week, she remains tion. It’s amazing and fascinating,” optimistic about her future in music.

Starr said.

She will continue singing and plans Former Aerosmith frontman and on putting together a holiday show new American Idol judge Steven this coming winter. Starr’s music Tyler read her full name, ‘Ilanna is available on YouTube. Starr has Roth Starr,’ and she responded, “I received over 4,000 views on her guess it kinda sounds like IlanYouTube channel.

Photo by Alex Zissman na ‘Rock-Star.’ He said ‘I “I’d love to audition for like it, rock on. Do you Idol again. It was a wondersing rock?’ And I [Starr] a singing sensation Starr rocks out dur- ful eye-opening experience politely said, ‘No, but I ing a Lion’s Tale photo shoot. She sang a that I will never forget for the selection of songs in her repertoire, rang- rest of my life. I learned so still appreciate rock.’”

Starr sang “Hallelujah ing from “Knock You Down” by Keri Hil- much about myself and what I Love Her So” by Ray son to “Terrified” by Kara DioGuardi. I’m capable of, and I look

Comic caption contest

Art by Noah Zweben

Have a clever idea for a caption for the picture printed here?

Send your ideas in to the The Lion’s Tale through e-mail (lionstale@ cesjds.org), or a letter or respond on the new Lion’s Tale Facebook group. The captions will be judged by Lion’s Tale staff, and the winning caption will be printed in the next issue of The Lion’s Tale.

Please submit your full name and grade in addition to your caption.

March 4, 2011

Page 11

Israel trip

by Emily Dworkin Chadashot Editor

The Class of 2011 is currently reflecting and sightseeing across the ocean in Poland. After embarking Feb. 27 on the long-awaited senior trip. First, students arrived in Warsaw, Poland and will visit the concentration camps in Poland and Prague. They arrive in Israel on March 8 and return home on May 31.

The Israel portion of the trip will be staffed by Alexander MUSS, a non-profit Israel program for highschool students. During 11 weeks in the country, the senior class will take in everything Israel has to offer.

“They will travel the length and breadth of the country,” trip coordinator Aileen Goldstein said.

“Over the course of their time in Israel, they will hike from the Mediterranean to the Kinneret, visit all the major cities like Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Tsfat ... hike all the major regions, visit

Druze villages and kibbutzim, moshavim towns and participate in an archaeological dig.”

Not only will the students be exploring Israel’s geography, but they will also be learning about its religious and historical significance to the Jewish people in an attempt to experience what they learned at JDS. “They’ll travel following the chronological history of Israel,” Goldstein said. “[First] they go to the oldest sites in Israel, one of the high places where Ba’al [higher power] is believed to be, then they will hike down Mt. Gilboah, and on the way they’re going to study Saul and his final battle because that’s where it happened. On Friday, they’re going to go into Jerusalem and spend the morning in the city of David and hike through Hezekiah’s tunnel.”

“I’m most excited for the students who have never been to Israel before and to see their faces... when

Seniors prepare for their highly anticipated three-month journey through Israel and Poland

they land and... when we go into Jerusalem for Shabbat,” Goldstein said.

“Also I’m excited for them to have the opportunity to really engage with what they’ve been studying for six or 13 years on a daily basis, whether through interactions with Israelis or being to places they’ve learned about. It’s so cool.” photo courtesy cesjds.org For the secarriving in warsaw Seniors Rebecca Siegel, Miriam Thorne, Emily Griminger, Miriam Duffy and ond portion of Orly Farber arrived in Warsaw, Poland on Feb. 28 to begin their three-month journey. their time in Israel, the seniors provides programs and vol- we have a role to play. This times because my sister lives will be engaging in a threeunteer services on Jewish is our time to give back and there, but this trip is differweek volunteer period. heritage] or volunteering explore the concept that’s ent because this is with my They are given the choice in Kvar Chassidim, a youth one of the school’s precepts, friends, our whole grade, on of either working on a kibvillage. which is Tikkun Olam,” what everyone has dubbed butz, volunteering in Tsfat “The goal of [the volun- Goldstein said. as the trip of a lifetime,” sewith Livnot U’lehibanot [an teer period] is twofold. One, It is the goal of the nior Evan Szymkowicz said. organization in Israel that that the students should school as well as the staff “This is not a normal vacalive within and among from Alexander MUSS to tion. It’s all of us together, Israelis and experience provide JDS students with all in one group for the last Israeli culture first-hand. a unique experience during time ever in a country that The second is we’re part their time in Israel. we all have ties to.” of the Jewish people, and “I’ve been to Israel six

Class of 2011 celebrates Siyum

Students and teachers dicuss Jewish identities

by Emily Shoyer Senior Reporter

photo by Sarah Schecker

words of reflection Marissa Cytryn speaks to parents and faculty about the Class of 2011 and the dedication of its memers. Meanwhile, students wait in line to speak.

by Ranana Dine In Depth Editor The Class of 2011 celebrated Siyum, or completion ceremony, at B’nai Israel Congregation in Rockville on Friday, Feb. 11.

Teachers, administrators, parents, family members and other CESJDS students joined the senior class to celebrate.

The Siyum 2011 committee, which consisted of seniors, chose the concept of Ner Tamid, or eternal flame, to center the ceremony around.

“The planners of Siyum, though, zeroed in on Ner Tamid, the idea, because in a sense, it perfectly epitomizes the ‘Class of 2011 experience,’” senior Emily Greenblatt said during the ceremony. “To us, Ner Tamid symbolizes the passion, dedication and determination that our grade seems to put into everything we do.”

During Siyum, math teacher Victoria Ball addressed the seniors, telling them to always choose the path where their passion lies.

Principal Michael Kay gave a D’var Torah connecting the anniversary of Moshe’s death and birth with the fact that that week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, did not mention Moshe’s name even once. From this concept, Kay derived the lesson that one can have an immense impact without necessarily stamping one’s own name on everything.

The seniors also presented the Judaic learning that they had done on the concept of Ner Tamid, giving a short Torah study during the ceremony. Siyum wrapped up with a presentation of awards [given to specific seniors] based on the principles of the JDS mission statement.

The Upper School had a two-and-a-halfhour delay to accommodate students and teachers who attended Siyum.

In a school where all denominations and affiliations are blended together in one environment, different kinds of Jews walk the halls. A Jew can be defined in many different ways, and each person identifies himself/herself as a Jew in contrasting ways. There are many questions to be asked when concerning Jewish identity.

Students at CESJDS all look at Judaism in different ways, but most identify with one kind of affiliation: Conservative, Orthodox, Reform, Reconstructionist or none at all.

"I identify myself as a Modern Orthodox Jew because I participate in the rituals and the traditional practices," sophomore Alex Ingber said.

Other students identify more with other factions of Judaism.

"I identify with Judaism by going to this school and going to Camp Ramah, but that is pretty much it," freshman Janie Macklin said.

Sophomore Andrea Wilk looks at Judaism in yet a different way.

"I think that being Jewish is about how I was raised and how I grew up."

Wilk said. "I don't think that it's because of my own decision to become

a Jew—it is just the way my life has worked out." Wilk identifies herself as a cultural Jew. "I identify as a cultural Jew. I don't believe in the traditional religions stuff because I [am] more into the community aspect of Judaism and how there are Jews all over the world, and we are all connected but not through ritual,” she said.

The meaning of a cultural Jew is still different for each person.

"I think this is the difference: if I gave incontrovertible evidence that God had not written the Torah, I think that a religious Jew would stop following the Torah,” freshman Cole Aronson said. "But a cultural Jew would go on with their lives."

For many who identify as religious Jews, they identify with the traditions, rituals and observances.

"I think I [am] a religious, Orthodox Jew, which means that I observe Shabbat and do not use electricity," freshman Ayal Subar said.

Jewish history teacher Sara Coxe said, “I identify as a cultural Jew, but because I believe in the science of Judaism. I think it really depends. A person can identify with Reform Judaism and still be observant, although they still do not believe in [traditional] laws, they still are observant."

March 4, 2011

Page 12 Skewed views of Israel: a problem that needs to be solved

At a recent Junior State of America (JSA) convention, I was astonished that what started as a debate about West Bank settlements spiraled into an Israel hate-fest.

“Israelis are murdering the Palestinians!

There is genocide going on in Israel,” I remember hearing.

It is difficult to fathom how misinformed my fellow teenagers are about the Arab-Israeli conflict. How can they have no recollection of all the peace accords broken by Palestinian Authority?

Nevertheless, hearing these peers’ views got me thinking about my own opinions, which many of them claimed were extreme.

I recollect hearing at the convention that the Israeli government is responsible for the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and that Israel is an apartheid state deserving of international boycott.

Although I give these claims weight, I cannot ignore the fact Israel’s Arab minority possesses all political, economic and religious rights of citizenship. Due to Israel’s presence in Jerusalem, for the first time in history there is freedom of religion for all faiths. Has anyone considered that no Jew can visit Islam’s holiest sites in Saudi Arabia?

Many of my peers hold Israel to a standard that is incommensurate with its position next to theocratic/dictator neighbors.

It would make sense to blame Israel if the Palestinians chose a path of civil disobedience like Gandhi advocated, but instead they chose terrorism.

An example of this occurred in August 2010 when four Israelis, including a pregnant woman, were murdered by terrorists as they drove near Kiryat Arba in the West Bank.

Hamas took full credit for the attack.

It puzzles me how the terror of the Palestinians was so unrecognized and whitewashed during that JSA debate.

Senior Michael Weinberg, the con speaker at this particular debate, stated that the media plays an enormous role in the distorted views of Israel because it portrays just one side of an issue, rather then looking at an event without bias. I admit, we need to recognize that Israel must do something about the plight of the Palestinians, but any solution must guarantee the continued existence of the Jewish state.

The misinformation on Israel is too easily consumed by the uninformed public.

Although there is room to challenge Israel’s actions at times, there is much more room to question Palestinian actions.

What can be done to halt the spread of perverted views of Israel?

As JDS students we should use our knowledge to defend Israel. It is up to us to educate the misinformed public on the issues at hand so they will have the ability to form educated opinions about Israel. We can achieve this by hosting public forums, sponsoring Israeli film festivals and getting together with some Muslim schools to try and bridge understanding.

Regardless of your feelings about the situation between Israel and the Palestinians, the following words said by Netanyahu will hopefully change your mind: “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.”

by Jeremy Etelson Reporter Approximately $5,500 has been raised by Club Israel with the help of middle school knesset and the high-school grade governments to support the restoration of the Carmel Forest after the fire.

The Knesset has been raising money by selling “Shvat-ograms,” which were messages that could be purchased during the month of Shvat and sent to students or staff.

The ninth-grade government has been raising money by selling snacks at middle-

school sporting events and will donate some of their profits to the fundraiser.

The 10th-grade government will be raising money by selling baked goods.

The date of this bake sale is still undetermined.

The 11th-grade government has been donating two weeks’ worth of money made from doughnut sales to the cause.

In addition, several seniors played music at the entrance to the school in the mornings to raise money.

Club Israel did not keep track of individual grade government’s progress with fund-

raising but set a $5,000 fundraising goal.

“I think we far exceeded what we had hoped we’d be able to raise. Our primary goal was to create awareness in the community and draw everyone together on a common cause around Israel and the outpouring was absolutely tremendous and far beyond what we would have expected,” Club Israel adviser Aileen Goldstein said.

The money that was raised will be used to plant 1,000 trees in Northern Israel in the Carmel Forest.

Image courtesy http://couchtocourse.files.wordpress.com

by Shira Becker Chadashot Editor

Community plants 1,000 trees

Arab-Israeli Conflict class visits theater intending to find out what happened to their child.

“It was a metaphor for a greater issue of PalestinJuniors in the 6th- and ian refugees, ” Jewish Text, 8th-period Arab-Israeli Thought and Practice conflict classes took a field teacher Paul Blank said. trip to see the play, “Return Blank said that the play to Haifa” at the DCJCC on was difficult to relate to the Jan. 28. bigger picture that it was Spoken in both Aratrying to get across. bic and Hebrew, the play “The premises of the follows the story of a Palshow was so ludicrous that estinian couple (Ishmail it almost made a mockery and Safiyeh) who had left of what is a very serious istheir home during the sue, ” Blank said.

1948 Arab Israeli War and photo by Stan Barouh (http://dctheatrescene.com) Some students found it the Polish, Holocaustconflicting family tension On stage, a Palestinian father re- enlightening. surviving couple (Jakob unites with his Israeli-raised son, Dov. “I found it interesting and Sarah) who moved to see the points of view of into the home. The Polish how the war of 1948 affectcouple soon discovered their own. Twenty years later, the Palesed both Israelis and Arabs, ” junior Talia Ishmail and Safiyeh’s baby who had been tinian couple returned to their old home, Byck said. left behind in the chaos and raised him as

by Samantha Kevy Reporter

Founder of Centropa visits sophomores

by Gabriella Mendick Reporter Edward Serotta, the director of Centropa, visited the school to deliver a presentation to the sophomore class on Feb. 14.

Based in Budapest and Vienna, Centropa, the Central European Center for Research and Documentation, is an organization that uses technology to record the stories of Jews from Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the Balkans in order to preserve and transmit information about their history.

Serotta’s presentation was given specifically to tenth graders because of its relevance to their Modern Jewish History II class in which they learn about the Holocaust.

JDS hosted Centropa’s traveling exhibit on Sephardic Jews for a couple of weeks.

The exhibit consisted of many individuals’ stories from seven different countries in which Sephardic Jews lived.

Tenth grade Modern Jewish History II honors classes had just completed a proj-

ect about the exhibit in which they wrote a guide to a portion of the exhibit about a specific country and a specific theme.

Serotta spoke about the organization as a whole and then specifically about Sephardic Jews in Europe.

Afterwards he showed a video that documented the Jewish experience in the Balkans during the breakup of Yugoslavia.

To close the presentation, Serotta asked for feedback and questions from the students.

“I thought that the video he showed us was very interesting and well-made.

He got us involved and asked for opinions which photo by Alex Zissman was also good,” sophocentropa founder lectures Edward Serotta speaks to the more Annie Schtevie said. sophomore class about Sephardic Jews in Europe.

While many students enjoyed the presentation, you could assume it would with the Centropa exhibit others were more critical.

“I think that while the vid- be about the Holocaust. And gives the sophomore class.

“From what I have heard,+ eo was educational, I didn’t I think that it needed more find it really all that helpful background to be relevant,” they [the sophomores] really liked the assembly with Mr. to learning about Sephardic sophomore Sam Swire said.

Cynthia Peterman teaches Serotta. I received really great Jews during the Holocaust.

I get that wasn’t the focus, Honors Modern Jewish His- feedback from students,” Pebut it seems to me that with tory II, and said that she likes terman said. all the posters around school the opportunity involvement

March 4, 2011

Page 13

A look at the Derech T’filah minyan program

by Gabriella Mendick Reporter Derech T’filah, the middle school minyan program, was created in the 2008-2009 school year in an effort to reintroduce middle-school students to daily prayer. Derech T’filah gives middle-school students the opportunity to participate in a minyan in which students learn prayer skills and become more familiar with the morning service.

“The goal of Derech T’filah, as I see it, is that students are really learning davening skills and also exploring questions about davening,” Derech T’filah coordinator Ilana Lipman said.

Though there are multiple minyans for both seventh and eighth grade, all of the eighth-grade minyans join together on Thursdays. All the seventh-grade minyans come together on Mondays and Thursdays.

The majority of the minyans are structured so that they have programming or time to work on skills twice a week and prayer three days a week.

Derech T’filah is not specifically associated with any denomination of Judaism. However, members do not pray with a mechitza, women are counted in a minyan and they use the Siddur Sim Shalom, a

Conservative prayerbook.

The minyans are lead by a teacher supervisor as well as high school ozerim, or minyan helpers. Last year, Principal Michael Kay launched a new minyan program to train minyan helpers. A selection of participants in this program, comprising freshmen and sophomores, spent the first semester training to become minyan helpers and were assigned to middle-school minyans for the second semester. The remainder of the freshmen and sophomores will remain in the training program and may have the option of becoming minyan helpers in years to come. This year, the training program was lead by Kay and Director of Programs and Jewish Life Miriam Stein.

“We have a well-trained group of people going out into the trenches,” Stein said, referring this semester’s crop of minyan helpers.

Some students feel that the Derech T’filah program does not satisfy their needs.

“I don’t like that the teachers force us to pray when we aren’t in the mood. They should give us more options in middle school. Like how they have in high school like a yoga minyan, so we can get a chance

Honors text class reintroduced

by Elana Handelman Reporter The honors Jewish text class, formerly known as Unanswered Questions, now called Modern Jewish Philosophy: Revelation and Law, has been reintroduced to the 11thgrade curriculum this semester. The core focus of the class is to try to answer the puzzling question of who wrote the Bible.

Junior Ranana Dine lobbied extensively for the creation of the class.

“Since this class had been offered in the past, I had been looking forward to taking it this year,” she said. “It is really fascinating to discuss what I believe and what other people’s opinions are. Having the chance to talk about this topic is really important in high school.”

Dine talked about the process she went through in order to make the class a reality.

“I wanted to have a chance to learn Jewish text, but there were very few Jewish text classes being offered this semester,” she said.

Much of her time at the beginning of the school year was spent collecting names of other students interested.

She then collaborated with Jewish Text, Thought and Practice teacher Grace McMillan, who now teaches the class, in order to choose an intriguing topic. Dine knew that she wanted a serious Jewish text class, and the curriculum of Unanswered Questions seemed like the perfect fit.

McMillan explained that the expectations for the new class would be similar to the expectations in other honors Jewish text classes.

“One expectation is that the students will be self motivating,” she said. “There is also a lot emphasis on the importance of the text, and of course there is the analytical element.”

She explained that although the honors class will have discussion in English, both the amount and the depth of the text are major factors.

Dine said she is excited about the future of the class.

“Seeing how massively popular this subject was, I hope it will be offered again,” she said. “I don’t think the structure should change much, but maybe the administration’s willingness to create a new class. Overall, I’m really happy that the class was made and that the school was willing to rearrange our schedules when needed.”

to connect to God in any way we want to so many minyanim in Derech T’filah that instead of the way our teacher or leaders do feel that there is a real community and think we should,” eighth-grader Rachael a real connection. That in itself is a tremenSchindler said. dous success.”

Eighth-grader Abigail Israel has found things to like about Derech T’filah.

“I like how we play fun games while learning, and it’s a good time to get to know older students, so it unifies the school,” Israel said.

Other students leading a minyan Jaime in Derech T’filah Benheim leads her eighthsee minyan as a re- grade minyan during mornlaxing part of their ing prayer services. She is one stressful school day. of many minyan helpers that “It’s a good time lead the Derech T’filah minto wake up before yan program. your classes,” seventh-grader Harris Block said.

Derech T’filah’s coordinator sees how prayer can be a challenge.

“T’filah is a problem everywhere. ‘What does this mean to me? What is the kavanah?’” Lipman said.

“Minyan is really challenging, and I think the fact that we have photo by Alex Zissman

Non-Jewish teachers share experiences Compiled by Emily Shoyer Senior Reporter

Carleton Cunningham History Teacher Teaching at a Jewish school has been a very enriching experience for me. As the son of an Episcopal priest, religion has been a significant part of my life for as long as I can remember. In college and graduate school I also did a fair amount of study on the history of Christianity, but my experience of Judaism was very limited in the context in which I grew up. Teaching at JDS has taught me a great deal about Jewish ritual, faith and practice.

An indelible memory for me was during

Victoria Ball Math Teacher I didn’t come to JDS specifically because it was a Jewish school, but when I interviewed here, I found the school had similar sense of energy and community to that at JPDS [where she used to teach], and that’s what made me want to work here. I really like learning new things and experiencing new cultures, and working at JDS allows me to do that on a daily basis. Judaics and secular studies are more separate at JDS than they are at JPDS, and that disappoints me sometimes. I really wish there were more

Jim Webner English Teacher In terms of things I have always enjoyed, I have always enjoyed going on shabbatons.

I have enjoyed this community because it is a specifically diverse Jewish community, and we see the more orthodox and liberal students working together, I remember on the senior shabbaton Ms. Ball and I wanted to have a dance party and there was debate about whether we could

the senior trip to Eastern Europe last year.

On the morning of Shabbat, I accompanied a relatively small group of the Orthodox boys to the 16th-century Remu’h synagogue in Krakow, Poland. Even though I didn’t understand the Hebrew, it was an incredibly moving religious experience. I was so proud of the senior boys as each one was invited by the rabbi to participate in various parts of the service. I only wished that their parents could have seen them through my eyes because I’m certain that they would have shared my sense of respect and admiration for their sons as they saw, in that rich, historic setting, the young men that they had become. I will never forget that.

opportunities for all faculty, Jew and nonJew alike, to participate in Jewish customs.

It’s just so fun and meaningful to participate in events as a full school community.

My favorite days at JDS are those where the whole community participates in Jewish life together. Purim is great. And who doesn’t love beating willow branches on the basketball court?!

I really find meaning in the traditions of Judaism and have sought to learn more over the past several years. Most notably, I’ve taken Hebrew lessons, which I’ve really enjoyed.

play music from an electronic device. When one of the more observant students excused herself because of this, we felt horrible because we enjoyed her company. So we provided our own music by singing and had a Shabbat dance party all together.

I have enjoyed seeing students come up with solutions like that because it shows how much you guys care about each other.

Sports

March 4, 2011

Page 14

GVB bids final farewell to seniors As their season ends, graduating players reflect on their year

by Emily Shoyer Senior Reporter

Bardin has played on the team for four years. She has played on basketball teams at JDS for seven years.

“I loved playing basketball for JDS because I got to represent my school everywhere I went,” Bardin said. “I am all for school spirit and playing on a JDS team was the best way to show my pride.”

Eisen has played for GVB for two years.

She also played on the girls middle school basketball team in her early years in the Upper School.

great leaders and great teammates. Most importantly, they were a great group of girls.”

Many of the senior players, including Bardin, will miss the time they spent on the team and their time at JDS. “I’ll miss the intensity and passion of being on a team. I’ll never get to play in this kind of atmosphere again,” Bardin said. “While I am excited to move on and do entirely new things, it is a little scary to leave what I’ve known for 12 years. I am very appreciative of my time spent growing up at JDS and I will

Some graduating players on the girls varsity basketball team have played on CESJDS basketball teams for 4 years. Others have played on the team for 6 years.

Now, after a 56-22 loss to Grace Brethren on Feb. 24 in the semi-finals, the seniors’ last season has come to a close.

“The loss was upsetting but we still had a great season and it’s been an amazing couple of years for me,” said Eisen.

There are six seniors on the girls varsity basketball team, all coached

by Nicholas Rich. The team ended with a 9-7 record. The seniors on this year’s team are Ariella Eisen, Tamar Bardin, Rachel Milner, Naomi Goldstein, Emily Griminger and Hannah Cohen.

After going on a fivegame winning streak, the team had a lot of confidence going into the playoffs.

Rich said he looked forward to the playoffs.

“Our goal [was] to finish off with a six-game winning streak,” Rich said. “To win the playoffs and win the tournament.”

With the season over and the seniors having played in their final high school basketball game photo by Alex Zissman ever, the seniors will end talking it over Senior Naomi Goldstein talks strategy in a huddle with her teammates. Goldstein was one both their basketball and of the team’s leaders this season along with fellow seniors Ariella Eisen and Rachel Milner. high school careers.

The seniors reflected on the experiences “I always appreciated the sense of sports- certainly miss it.” they had during their last season.

Their departure was not filled completely “This season has been my favorite so far,” manship that came along with being on a Bardin said. “I have had so much fun with all team at JDS,” Eisen said. “Everyone is kind to with tears. Players said they learned great one another and kind to their opponents as skills from their time on the team that they the girls on the team and we [did] well.” well.” can and will use for the rest of their lives.

Eisen feels similar to Bardin.

In light of the seniors’ departure to Poland “This experience has taught me the im“This season has been very intense and heartfelt,” Eisen said. “From the very begin- and Israel, the coach reminisced on the role portance of working together, feeding off of the strengths of your peers and teammates ning, we strove to work and cooperate as one the seniors played for the team this season.

“They were great leaders from the begin- and learning [how] to overcome the differteam, a single unit. We have grown very close and enjoy each other’s company both on, and ning and they paved the road for where this ences that may initially separate you,” Eisen program wanted to go,” Rich said. “They were said. off the court.”

Major improvements for VW as season ends with 7-3 record

by Alex Tritell Reporter The past varsity wrestling season has been represented by many wrestlers breaking through for the rest of the team. With a new generation of young wrestlers, a new head coach and a restored sense of dedication, the team has made some improvements.

Leading the team is a group of upperclassmen who lend experience and a helping hand to the younger athletes. The veteran athletes remember their first days on the wrestling team and how things have changed since then.

Captain and senior Nathan Azhdam described his first year

as: “tough work with a small fraction of the original team that started the season and with little to no recognition.”

Now in its fifth year as a team, wrestling is well-known and rapidly gaining support.

Azhdam thinks that if the team continues to get the support that it does now, its performance can only get better in the future.

He believes that with roughly 15 middle-school students on the team, there will be a strong base for the team in the seasons to come.

“Wrestling will soon become one of the feature sports for JDS and audible through the hallways, in the coming years becoming the equivalent or surpassing

the popularity of teams such as varsity basketball,” junior Daniel Neuberg, also a captain, said.

The wrestlers hope that the team will be able to compete with some of the top teams in the region. They got a taste of highclass wrestling when they attended their first big tournament, the Damascus Holiday Tournament, during winter break. The venue featured wrestlers from 16 other schools in the area.

This year, the team jumped from wrestling an average of four matches in a season to wrestling 10. These matches provided the veteran wrestlers with opportunities to sharpen their skills and the novices to try the moves in real match scenarios and learn

from them. Neuberg said the increased number of matches also inspired athletic competitiveness.

New coach Jordan Lipp hopes to further his accomplishments in wrestling, this time from the coaching perspective. “[He] brought a whole new level of intensity and attitude to the team,” Azhdam said about Lipp. The wrestlers trusted him that their hard work and grueling practices would help them in the long run.

They saw the result of their hard work when they ended the season with a record of 7-3— the team’s strongest winning record in CESJDS wrestling history.

BMSB blue and gold come together

by Matt Halpern Reporter In a season filled with changes, the boys middle school blue and gold basketball teams still managed to come out on top and end with winning records.

The blue team lost in the second round of the PVAC tournament to Grace Brethren Christian School and finished with an overall record of 8-5 and a 5-5 record in the PVAC, including playoffs.

The gold team finished its season with a 3-1 record.

Each team had to overcome changes; the blue team had to cope with a sudden coaching change, and the gold team had to share the blue team’s new coach.

“The blue team handled the change well. They were very open and optimistic.

They enjoyed working with Coach Burns and continued to work as a team to make the season a success,” coach Steven Forestieri said. “We had an excellent season.

The team really progressed since I started working with them, and they showed a lot of team play. Offensively and defensively everyone contributed.”

“I was surprised about the coaching change. I thought it was going to be harder to get used to. I didn’t know how the season would end and what our record would be,” blue-team player eighth-grader Guy Heifetz said. “We made a good transition because we won most of our games. The practices weren’t as hard as Coach Burns’ practices.”

While some players worried that having a single coach lead two teams might be problematic, others kept a positive attitude.

“In one way it’s helped us a lot because now we get to practice with the blue team and they have better players, so we get to learn from them,” gold-team member seventh-grader Daniel Levy said.

“When [Matthew] Feldman [departed] and Coach Burns moved up [to junior varsity], Coach Forestieri had to juggle between the blue and gold team,” gold-team player seventh-grader Devir Bitton said.

“During practice, it tempted us to goof off when coach Forestieri was practicing with the blue team.”

The blue team went 4-1 with Forestieri at the helm and soon after beat the Field School in the first round of the playoff tournament. They went on to lose the next day at Grace Brethren.

Despite the loss, Forestieri described the season as successful for both teams.

photo by Sam Hofman

driving the lane Seventh-grader Barak Amige drives to the basket. This season was his first time playing basketball for JDS.

March 4, 2011

Page 15

VH seniors depart from seasons of great memories

Boys, girls JV basketball wraps up

by Emily Shoyer Senior Reporter The esteemed red, white and blue PVAC championship banner is what every team competes for, it is the reason players put out 100-percent effort every game, every day of the week. This season, both the junior varsity girls and boys basketball teams wanted nothing less than to see that mighty banner flying high in the Upper School gymnasium at the end of the season.

However, the boys lost in the semifinals, and the girls season ended 4-4 overall with no playoffs this year.

The girls junior varsity team consists of 14 sophomores and freshmen and is coached by teacher Brian Westerman. photo by Alex Zissman The boys junior varsity team, coached

by Cory Burns, went 8-2. swish Freshman Kobi Fodor takes a shot from inside the perimeter in a game Players said spending so much time against Grace Brethren. The BJVB team had a record of 3-0 against Grace Brethtogether has helped them to become a ren throughout the season. stronger team.

“We play more as a team now, and hopefully when] our hard work will pay ter a 29-15 win.

“I remember the Hebrew Academy we know more plays,” Walfish said. “We off.”

Girls junior varsity basketball head game,” Bardin said. “Even though we have very good chemistry on the court.” coach Brian Westerman said he feels that lost, it was such an intense game and I Freshman Kobi Fodor agreed. had a good time while we were playing.”

“We have improved as a team and as his team’s season went very well.

“Our goals are going to be to take our “It was such a close game with the a family as the season has progressed,” girls program to a new level. [We want] worst calls I have ever seen,” sophomore Fodor said.

“We have a great team, a great coach to begin practicing even more,” Wester- Natalie Eyob said. “It somehow brought our whole team together.” and an even better attitude,” sophomore man said.

Freshman Rina Bardin feels like the Coach Westerman said he feels even Jonathan Galitzer said. “We are looking to go all the way, championship or bust.” team has become more unified this sea- stronger about the effect that the game son. had on the players.

The BJVB win against the Cov“After the Hebrew Academy enant Life School was especially “I feel like our team has gotten Game, we went from being a meaningful to the team. team to being a family,” Wester“We just played Covenant Life, really close.” and they had beat us at the first —Rina Bardin man said.

“Unfortunately, some of the game of the season,” Walfish said.

“I feel like our team has gotten really other teams in our conference didn’t “But now that we have improved a lot, close,” freshman Rina Bardin said. “Wes- think there was going to be enough we managed to beat them by 10.”

“We went out there knowing we had terman gave us all super lame nicknames teams this year,” Westerman said. ”So a to win,” Galitzer said. “We came through that we love to make fun of and everyone lot of them dropped out before the seagets along really well.” son started. Hebrew Academy was the by playing hard as a team.”

Although the team feels that the sea- only other team in our conference this The boys junior varsity team lost in the semi-finals of the PVAC tournament son went well, one main issue was the season.”

“We had a lot of success. We didn’t this season, but nevertheless believe that shortage of games.

“I think that we did not get a chance just grow as basketball players, but we their hard work got them so far in the to show our skills due to the lack of grew as people,” he said. “Together, Evplayoffs.

Achieves More.

“At the beginning of the season, we game[s] scheduled,” sophomore Jill eryone That’s what ‘team’ stands were working hard on learning to play Griminger said.

The game against Hebrew Academy for.” with each other,” sophomore Michael Gould said. “Going into the playoffs [is was the most meaningful to the team af-

BVB, from page 16 the score to 14-13, Field School.

Of the two non-seniors, “[junior Alex] Halpern will probably be the main leader next year,” Buckle said.

“He’s probably the most vocal, while Danny’s a quiet guy, but he’s probably our best offensive player.”

Early in the second quarter, the Lions were out in front for the first time in the game, 15-14. At the end of the half, the score was 23-20, Lions.

In the second half, JDS hit the ground running.

Midway through the third quarter, a JDS player threw a hit that left a Field player on the ground for a few moments.

The call was a flagrant foul. Field hit both free throws.

After turning the ball over, they made a steal, a lay up and were down 39-36. JDS called a timeout on their next possession.

The teams traded baskets for around two minutes— JDS up by five,

by three, by five, by three. Then JDS began to get fouled— they were up by five, by three, by five again.

After the 15-second mark, however, the pattern changed. Field turned the ball over to JDS who had a chance to take a seven point lead; Field fouled, but JDS missed both free throws.

With nine seconds remaining, Field had the ball, down by five. When they missed a shot, Barry Shapiro ran the clock out, and the team was victorious in their final regular season home game. throwin’ it up Senior Barry Shapiro finishes with finesse. His JDS career ended this year after six seasons of JDS basketball.

photo by Sam Hofman

With a different lineup came troubles, and Field took a small lead. With about three and a half minutes to go in the first quarter, the team brought in its traditional lineup: team captain and point guard Barry Shapiro, smallforward Joshua Rosenberg, center Solomon Shapiro, shooting-guard Daniel Kravitz, and powerforward Neville Brodie.

A chant could be heard from the stands: “Kravitz, Kravitz, Kravitz,” they yelled after the team’s youngest player.

Brodie talked about his commitment to basketball.

“I can say that I put a lot more effort into basketball than I did into school work, and none of my teachers have influenced my life as much as my previous head basketball coach has,” he said.

With Barry Shapiro at the lead, the Lions started to come back. Kravitz hit a three-pointer with three seconds remaining in the first quarter, bringing

S

sport

by Scott Goldstein Senior Reporter In the game of hockey, receiving the esteemed captain’s “C” is not only an honor, but it is a tradition.

Typically given to veteran players, the “C” signifies not only a player’s tremendous skill on the ice, but it also represents his ability to motivate and lead his teammates off the ice. It is a symbol of pride and respect given to a player by his team and coaching staff. While CESJDS does not embroider letters onto its players’ jerseys, leadership is nevertheless a strong presence on its varsity hockey team.

This season, the team’s three captains were seniors Brandon Varone and Avi Silvermetz and junior Daniel Weiss. However, “[circumstances] caused the leadership to fall on the remaining seniors,” said senior Evan Szymkowicz. “Each senior has a different personality that serves itself.”

Some of the senior players lead by being examples on the ice.

“Seniors Johnny Reich, Matt Blank and Brandon Varone are huge leaders on the ice,” junior Matthew Goodman said. “They block shots [and] throw hits.

They do things that make the younger guys play harder.”

“We play our hardest and give 100 percent all the time,” Weiss agreed. “We need to show the freshmen and sophomores what they are going to have to do in a couple of years when we’re gone.”

The team also has its expressive leaders.

“This season I’ve worked to become a bigger vocal presence on the ice so that I would become an even stronger leader,” senior Matthew Blank said. “On a team with all the distractions we’ve had (referring to a coaching change mid-season), we needed a strong leader who could unify the locker room.”

Silvermetz has also tried to lead the team verbally.

“I talk a little in the locker room. If we’re losing, I try and motivate the guys,” he said.

Some players are on travel teams together, others go to hockey camps over the summer. Another popular way of getting “ice time” outside of JDS is “Stick N’ Puck.”

“Stick N’ Puck is when a rink opens up for people to come on with their gear to play on their own,” Szymkowicz said. “Whenever there is a day off from school, someone usually checks the schedule and texts it out to the team. Anyone that can get there tries to come.”

Perhaps the most important ingredient for the team’s chemistry is familiarity — it allows players to know how their teammates will play in different situations. Most of the players have been playing with each other since the team’s inaugural season.

Many think back to their playoff win against Gonzaga College High School as the best moment on the team.

“I remember my heart pounding the entire time. I remember the team dog-piling Danny [Weiss] at our end of the ice, after the shoot-out win,” said Szymkowicz. “That’s how much everyone loved that game.”

Even though the team struggled to attain a 2-7 record this season, missing the playoffs, they still point to the hockey team as one of their best experiences at JDS. “Being a part of the team, with the incredible fan support and team chemistry that we had has to be my greatest hockey experience,” Blank said.

“To play hockey under school jerseys, wearing school colors makes you feel really good. It gives you real motivation,” Silvermetz said.

SP RTS

March 4, 2011

BVB falls short in playoffs

Spring Tryout Information MST, MSB, MSS 3/7, 3/8, 3/10

Queen Anne’s 62, JDS 57

4:00-5:30 p.m.

Jacob Dorn Senior Reporter From the way JDS powered through the competition in their regular season, the dream of a championship seemed within grasp.

However, the Lions fell in an upset quarter-final game to Queen Anne’s 62-57 on Feb. 22.

A week earlier, the championship game seemed close at hand. Halfway through the first quarter against the Field School on Feb. 17, the Lions were down by five. Even though the Lions had already clinched the second seed in-conference, they would keep fighting. After all, it was senior night.

About a half hour before the game’s 6:00 p.m. scheduled start time, the boys varsity basketball team joined together to talk privately. This was to be their final regular season home game — the only remaining home game of the season. The Lions entered 12-10 overall, but in fact, they were much better than their record might indicate; the Lions were 10-3 in-conference.

The team’s non-conference losses came as a result of tough scheduling by former Head Coach Matthew Feldman. “[Former] Coach Feldman set up a lot of hard out-of-league games to challenge us, and it really doesn’t matter for our record.

It’s just good practice for in-conference games, which are what’s most important,” small-forward senior Joshua Rosenberg said.

DOWN DOWN the DOWN RunDOWN

photo by Alex Zissman

over and under Senior Joshua Rosenberg drives to the basket against the Covenant Life School. Covenant Life was one of JDS’ toughest rivals this season.

With 20 minutes to go before the Field School game, Vernon Buckle, the former JV coach who replaced Feldman as Head Coach, joined the players in a science classroom to talk about the game plan. With 15 minutes to go, he left the room.

Before games, Buckle lets his players “just chill out, relax, you know, get their mind right,” he said. “[I have them] try to use imagery, you know, see themselves, see their shots going in the basket, see themselves rebounding, see themselves winning.”

With two minutes to go, the team did a call-and-response. At 5:59 p.m., the team ran into the gym accompanied by a rap soundtrack.

They ran around their

half of the gym twice and then began the lay up drill they always do before games.

Three minutes into warm-ups, cheers began in the crowds, and the players became visibly more excited. The loudspeakers blasted “Blue WHT Yellow,” a song written by their coach about JDS basketball, a parody of Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow.”

The game began at 6:20 p.m. In the place of the team’s normal starters were five seniors: Michael Schoenfeld, Adam Goldfarb, Elan Loya, Kevin Brooks and Aryeh Kalender. This would be the final regular season home game of their high school careers.

See BVB, page 15

Photos by Alex Zissman

All students must have a current sport physical examination form signed by a physician, a current medical release form signed by the parent, and JDS Student Athlete Contract signed by the student and parent. All forms are available on the school athletic website.

If you have any questions please contact: Mike Riley

Director of Athletics 301-692-4990 mriley@cesjds.org

Upcoming Games BVB, BVT, BMB 3/21, 3/22, 3/24

GMSB wraps up season

by Jeremy Etelson Reporter

Photo by Josh Singer

w o n k o t Get

Maya L

Sport: Ballet Class: 2012

ieber

Q: What is a typical day in the life of a ballerina?

A: First I go to school, then I have ballet at 4:15 p.m. in

Q: Does your family support this dream?

A: Dancing makes me happy, and my parents have

Q: Why do you do ballet?

A: When I was younger I didn’t know what I wanted to

Q:

Silver Spring every day, and that’s until 5:45 p.m. Some days I will also take a class at 7:15 p.m.

be. But now I want to be a professional dancer. Unfortunately, I know this isn’t realistic with the amount of school work that I get and the other commitments that I have.

always been supportive. They would always be there for me no matter what I ended up wanting to do with my life.

With this passion for dancing, why haven’t you tried attending a perfoming arts school?

A:

I really couldn’t ever imagine leaving the JDS environment and going to a different high school all of a sudden, especially when my dancing career could end at any moment.

The girls middle school blue basketball team ended this season with a 1-8 record.

“We had a tough season when it came to records, but that definitely does not show how we played this year,” blue team coach Christina Landis said. “The girls fought hard until the last minute every game. I am so proud as a coach. They got better every game, and that's all I care about.”

According to eighth-grader Sarah Schecker, the team could improve on offensive skills such as rebounding and shooting. She also feels that the team could work on communication.

Some players on the gold team are playing basketball for the first time.

“Some girls just tried out because they wanted to try it,” gold team co-captain seventh-grader Daphne Lerner said.

According to gold team Head Coach Benjamin Foote, the girls could improve on rebounding and dribbling. “[We] struggle to have a productive offense, but it’s balanced with a tenacious defense,” Foote said.

The gold team finished with a 2-2 record.

“We’ve come a long way. We’re much better than we were at the beginning of the season,” Foote said.