Volume 31 Issue 3

Holidays Collide

Happy

Page 07

Thanksgivukkah The Lion's Tale

O

Volume 31 Issue 3

O

November 26, 2013

O

cesjds

02

college admissions

Admit 60 - 75% Admit 50 - 59%

1 - 6 students 6 - 14 students

Admit 40 - 49% 15 - 31 students Admit 30 - 39%

More than 50 students

University of Pittsburgh

University of Wisconsin

Amherst College

Penn State

Admit 10 - 29%

Hofstra University Muhlenberg College

University of Michigan

University of Pennsylvania

University of Delaware

Admit <10%

Stanford University

Binghamton University

University of Colorado at Boulder

Case Western Reserve University University Indiana of Virginia University

Washington University in St. Louis

College of Charleston

University of Alabama University of Texas at Austin

Rice University

University of Miami

Towson University

University of Maryland

JDS seniors have reached the point in their high school careers where they are making a major decision: where to apply to college. Shown are the 23 most popular colleges to which seniors applied this year through early decision and early action.

infographic by Malka Himelhoch and Nina Simpkins

Rates may decline, but spirits stay high by margalitzimand reporter

An email notification just popped up on your screen. Today you hear from your dream school.

Your heart races, your hands tremble. Did you get in?

With admission rates dropping to record lows this year, the answer is increasingly “no.”

According to Time magazine, the Ivy League collectively admitted 9.3 percent of its applicants in 2012.

Five of them (Cornell, Dartmouth and Penn being the exceptions) currently have overall admission rates in the single digits, as do MIT, Stanford and the University of Chicago.

Stanford’s rate decreased to 5.7 percent, almost an entire percentage point lower than last year’s and currently the nation’s lowest.

This overall decrease is occuring because of increased applications to competative schools.

This year, 17 CESJDS seniors applied early decision or early action to Ivy League schools. Additionally, four applied to MIT, two applied to Stanford and seven applied to the University of Chicago.

“When Harvard is admitting [5.9] percent of its applicants, you can probably be sure – I would guess probably 95 percent of those applicants are well qualified to be applying – that it’s going to be competitive no matter who you are,” Director of College Guidance Susan Rexford said.

At JDS, admission statistics are not quite as severe. Rexford pointed out that often over half of the JDS students who apply to a given school are accepted, despite that school’s total admission rate.

“The fact that this crapshoot has become a little harder to play does not matter to me,” senior Eitan Armon, who applied early to an Ivy League school, wrote in an email.

“The dip in admissions percentage is marginal. It has, is and will likely be extremely difficult to get into Ivy League schools. It is the reality of the situation.”

Armon cited several reasons for applying to his choice school, including specific programs, Jewish life and social life.

“They seemed to balance the rigor of studies and having fun well, which is something I look forward to doing wherever I attend school,” Armon wrote.

Senior Hilary Druckman is concerned about decreasing admission rates but chose not to let them discourage her from applying to a distinguished school.

“There’s an excitement to it,” Druckman said. “You might as well take the shot. It’s not going to cost you so much if you’re willing to put in the time to write the essays for it, and if you can get in, a lot of these schools are incredible, so it’s worth it to take that chance.”

Counselors help students face the possibility of rejection by providing them with more options.

They suggest applying to “competitive,” “possible” and “foundational” schools.

“It’s a balance,” Rexford said.

“We want them to dream and to aim high, but at the same time we need them to be realistic.”

Rexford believes this balance has kept the decrease in college acceptance rates from affecting the number of JDS students applying to prestigious schools.

Senior Noah Mayerson sup-

ports a balanced outlook.

“Part of human nature is taking a chance, no matter the likelihood of it actually happening,” Mayerson wrote in an email.

“I think it’s great for people to have high aspirations, but the danger comes when applicants put all their proverbial eggs in one basket ...

The great thing about the college process is that there are so many fantastic schools out there and for most students there is more than one school that would be a great fit.”

Once submitted, the application process is out of the students’ control. The only thing left is to wait to see if those dream schools come through.

“It will be hard to face rejection, but then you can move on,” Druckman said. “And maybe you’ll get in. Maybe.”

test prep

03

Tutored to the top by yonatangreenberg and jonahshrock reporters

Stanley Kaplan’s dream has come true. In the 1930s, Kaplan conceived the idea of creating a service that would prepare students for standardized tests. Today, studying for standardized tests is widely regarded as a necessity.

A recent Lion’s Tale poll revealed that 82 percent of the 119 upperclassmen surveyed have studied for the SAT and/or ACT using at least a prep book, and 71 percent hired a private tutor.

Most colleges use standardized tests to gauge each student’s readiness for college. However, critics of the SAT and ACT point to numbers like these and argue that the tests favor the wealthy, who can afford to spend thousands of dollars on preparatory classes and tutors.

Research conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) in 2009 suggested that the benefits of SAT and ACT prep are significantly exaggerated by test prep companies. According to the study, “the average effects of commercial coaching programs are small” and “students should be counseled to

consider less costly forms of test preparation available by using books or the Internet.”

But the study also said that “if money and time are no object,” top students may find expensive SAT and ACT preparation worth the high cost.

A CESJDS alumna from the Class of 2012 said that, in part due to financial reasons, she neither used a tutor nor attended preparatory classes. She said that being surrounded by peers who could afford tutors and classes was frustrating.

“All my friends had private tutors and they were all getting three more points on the ACT and I knew that if I had a tutor I would be getting a drastically better score,” the student said.

Senior Jeffrey Blackman said he thinks students are rarely able to succeed on the tests using only their prior knowledge and by “just being smart.”

In the majority of cases, he said, “there’s a certain cost, so if you fulfill that cost and you prep for [the tests] then you will get a good score.”

Eighty percent of students surveyed believe that taking SAT/ACT classes or studying with a private

tutor grants a significant advantage over those who do not have access to such resources. In an ideal world, Blackman would not study for the SAT with a tutor, he said, because doing so contributes to test corruption. At the same time, he “found a tutor really helpful.”

“I’m just a little bolt in the machine and I just have to go along with it,” Blackman said. “Maybe later on in life I will be able to change the entire college process, but as of now I just have to go with the flow and realize that’s the way things are and do my best to succeed.”

According to Director of College Guidance Susan Rexford, the entire college process has begun to change. Over the past 10 years colleges have been placing less emphasis on the SAT and ACT scores of applicants, primarily out of concern for the biases of the tests.

According to Fair Test, an organization that “works to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing,” almost 850 colleges do not require applicants to take the SAT or ACT, including American University, Brandeis University, Wake Forest University, Bates College and Smith College.

Studying for the SAT and ACT has not always been common. Stan-

ley Kaplan’s idea of standardized test preparation was initially met with great opposition by College Board, the organization that administers the SAT. Their claim was that due to its nature, one could not study for the SAT. Perhaps telling of the shift since then, College Board is currently one of the biggest SAT prep providers.

Unlike College Board, which is a nonprofit organization, Kaplan Inc. is a business. Kaplan program manager Tina Craun spoke to JDS’s tenth grade at an assembly in September before the PSAT exam.

She said that Kaplan’s status as a for-profit company puts it in a unique position. On the one hand, a business’s goal is to make money.

But on the other hand, Craun said, the company has a responsibility to ensure “that students regardless of financial status can take advantage of [test prep resources].”

Craun said that students of schools that are partnered with Kaplan, such as JDS, can take some of Kaplan’s online programs for free. Additionally, students who receive financial aid at those schools are eligible for Kaplan scholarships.

However, Kaplan tends to only offer partnerships to schools with

affluent students. According to Craun, Kaplan’s hope is that once these students are exposed to Kaplan’s methods, they will be likely to sign up for more expensive and thorough programs.

Schools with less affluent populations have the option of purchasing Kaplan classes for a discounted rate and offering them to students at whatever price they deem fit, Craun said.

Rexford said one of the biggest advantages of tutors and prep classes is the structure they provide for the students. According to her, it is possible to adequately prepare using inexpensive prep books and free online resources, but it requires the student to have much more initiative and self-motivation.

However, it might not be that simple. The 2012 alumna said she had trouble studying independently because in order to improve, she had to critique her own methods.

“It was really hard because I needed to study math but I’m bad at math,” the alumna said. “Studying [by] myself wasn’t really effective.”

Face the facts GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE Survey of 119 juniors and seniors conducted by The Lion’s Tale.

04

opinion the

lion’s tale print editors editors-in-chief

ari charnoff, dore feith managing

stu krantz

copy

aaron boxerman, dina rabinovitz

design

jeremy etelson, jonathan reem news

malka himelhoch, nina simpkins chadashot

matthew foldi, shira ungar

features

alison kraner, yael krifcher entertainment

eitan snyder, hannah wexler in depth

maddie dworkin, haley lerner

sports

brian schonfeld, jesse zweben

graphic

r’ay fodor photo

david kulp

social media

yosi vogel

business

alec schrager, allie wiener

web editors web editors-in-chief

alexander flum, jeremy kaplan

web copy

cole aronson, jonathan orbach web section editors

evan kravitz, matt litman & adina pollak

senior reporters kobi fodor, matthew halpern, gefen kabik & danny waksman

reporters

mijal altmann, robbie belson, michael berkowitz, harris block, cole cooper, naomi cohen-shields, isaac dubrawsky, emma enig, yonatan greenberg, emma hofman, sj hyman, yonah hyman, hannah nechin, josh paretzky, gaby pilarski, mark reichel, jeremy schooler, uri schwartz, jonah shrock, carol silber, gabi swagel, alysse weinberg, margalit zimand

staff adviser claire burke

adviser emerita susan zuckerman The Lion’s Tale Editorial and Ethics Policy As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale is a forum for student opinion and expression. All content is determined by students. 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.

Signed columns reflect the opinion of the writer; staff editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of The Lion’s Tale editorial board. The Lion’s Tale staff welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, all of which must be signed. The staff reserves the right to refuse any material and may edit letters or columns for length, clarity, libel, obscenity and/ or disruptiveness.

Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@gmail.com, mailed to The Lion’s Tale, or brought to room 328.

The Lion’s Tale is funded by The Simon Hirshman Endowment for the Upper School Newspaper and The Kuttner-Levenson Endowment for the Upper School Cultural Arts and Student Publications, and community advertisement. The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisement for any reason.

The staff will adhere to the ethics policies of The Society of Professional Journalists and the National Scholastic Press Association. The adviser will be held to the Journalism Education Association’s Adviser Code of Ethics.

Staff editorial

No subject left behind

“When am I going to use this in the real world?” is a question of bafflement heard far too often in humanities and social science subjects, including English, History, and JTTP. Students generally enjoy such classes on an intellectual level, whereas in science and math — STEM classes (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) — students recognize the abundance not only of real-world applications of the subject matter, but also of lucrative job opportunities in those fields.

As students advance through the Upper School and become more focused on their futures, the applications of empirical subjects become more obvious, which makes the empirical classes themselves more tantalizing for students. Classes like Computer Science and Genetics, where tangible applications of the curriculum are not only incorporated into the lessons but are integral parts of them, understandably offer increased appeal to students.

It seems to us that the administration compounds the emphasis on STEM courses. Students are able and encouraged to take two

full-year science classes starting in tenth grade. Many choose to take Physics and Genetics one year, for example, leaving them with ample time to explore the department’s other classes. No such option exists for English and History classes.

While students are required to take an English distribution course, such as Creative Writing or Shakespeare, this option is only available in 11th and 12th grades and the classes are only one semester, as opposed to the full year of science courses. Taking two history classes is only an option in twelth grade, and those, too, are only a semester long.

Of course, there is no guarantee that students would take two English or History courses in tenth or eleventh grade were the option made available to them.

However, it might still be worth providing them the opportunity; in the current program, students are unable to explore a deeper interest in the topics until much later.

According to Assistant Principal and Director of Studies Robert Snee, JDS is both STEMand STEAM-aware (STEAM is

STEM with “Arts” added). The humanities, it seems, are sometimes forgotten.

Students can and do acquire critical thinking skills in other non-STEM classes. Those not set on a STEM path are disadvantaged by the lack of humanities options for younger students.

Teachers of the humanities and social sciences need to be more proactive in helping their students secure internships and extra-curriculars that make them attractive candidates to colleges.

Often, it is difficult for a student interested in a humanities major to demonstrate excellence in the subject outside of his work in JDS’s curriculum. Teachers ought to follow the example of Science Department Chair Kimberly Agzigian and contact colleges to find out what they look for in applicants — and then help their students attain those qualities.

Part of that effort is assisting students in finding research and employment opportunities that will further their education outside of the classroom. Agzigian recommends students for internships in the D.C. area, most notably at the National Institutes

of Health (NIH). Each year, several students, including some on The Lion’s Tale staff, spend weeks assisting in research projects as a result of Agzigian’s efforts.

Similar opportunities exist in other fields. Considering our proximity to the nation’s capital, it shouldn’t be hard for teachers to arrange high school internships in think tanks or in government offices. Perhaps over the next several years JDS can even create a special internship program for top humanities students with another institution.

Just as how we are subject to JDS rules 24/7, our educations also do not, and should not, stop when the last bell rings.

More than just science and math can help students in the real world. With further concentration in literature and history, students will continue to learn how to approach complex issues in ethical and appropriate manners, not just through mathematical calculations. No matter what subject a student is interested in, he should have every opportunity made available to him.

-The Lion’s Tale

Realizing true adversity at Siyum The Class of 2014’s Siyum theme selected by the Siyum student committee is nofel v’kam: fall and rise, or overcoming adversity.

Instead of taking this theme as an invitation to engage in self-pity, this year’s graduates by dorefeith should express gratitude for editor-in-chief our community’s general good fortune and should recognize the severe adversity that challenges so many other communities in America and around the world.

To be sure, there are individuals within our community who have dealt with terrible difficulties. In recent months our school has mourned the loss of a recent graduate and good friend and my grade has prayed for the recovery of a classmate from severe illness. In general, however, the students and families of

the Class of 2014 have many blessings to count.

Compared to most people, including fellow Americans, we are extremely well-off: we have food to eat every day, live in warm homes, and attend an excellent private school in a safe part of the world.

Class of 2014 students should not interpret nofel v’kam to mean that we as a grade deserve credit for overcoming adversity. Rather, we should see it as a spur to become aware of those who have truly hard lives. And we don’t need to go far to find such people.

Driving to school I often come across as many as five men and women standing, looking destitute and forlorn, on the sidewalks with cardboard signs. Some are there day after day. I also drive by the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. Within the iron gates are military service members who have lost limbs or have been paralyzed and are

For more tales from the lion’s den, visit:

LionsTale.org photo of the turkey on front page provided by Tim Sackton via Creative Commons

now learning to walk again with prosthetics, machines, and lots of help.

We can sympathetically consider our fellow Americans, as I’ve mentioned. We can appreciate our fellow Jews who, as Holocaust survivors, Israeli military personnel or otherwise, have suffered for being Jews but have overcome their challenges. We can also learn about other fellow human beings who are dealing bravely with devastating problems.

Just think of the many victims of this month’s Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines who have to rebuild their lives but are now without food, water and shelter.

When we talk of our Siyum theme, we should be opening our eyes and hearts to the world and asking ourselves how we help others. We should not be thinking that a hundred suburban kids in America deserve to congratulate themselves for conquering “adversity.”

05

opinion

Remembering Gilad Nissim (1993-2013) Everyday each one of us wakes up and participates in a day full of so many small, fleeting moments that we will never be able to relive. We by benshemony rarely think about senior how precious life is and how quickly and unexpectedly it can be torn away from us.

Gilad Nissim woke up one morning and participated in his own day until a medical disorder unbeknownst to him put him in a coma.

Gilad held on and fought for months until Nov. 17, when I learned that he had slipped away from this world.

It all happened so fast. I grew up with Gilad, my father grew up with his father; we were like family.

Even when Gilad went off to college, I always looked forward to seeing him during holidays and whenever he came home. I always expected him to be there when our families would meet. And yet one day Gilad did not come home and a couple months later he was gone from my life forever.

Why? That one simple word echoes through my head every time I think about how such a young boy was taken from this world without warning. For months I struggled with that one word and for every waking minute after Gilad’s passing I screamed at myself for an answer. It never came.

There was no explanation until

Tuesday morning. I came to minyan expecting a nice service of around 50 people and a few words for Gilad.

I was leading the service yet I could not help but look behind me every minute or so to see masses of people pouring into the cafeteria. A massive room suddenly seemed so small and personal. A quiet service turned into 200 souls weeping for one.

At that moment I understood what Gilad meant for so many people. I realized that in his short yet meaningful life, Gilad had managed to reach out and touch so many people. Gilad was one of the most welcoming, warm and accepting people I have ever known and probably will ever know in my life. The extent to which he practiced these values did not dawn on me until Tuesday. The sheer amount of students, alumni, teachers and faculty that came to remember a great man shows volumes as to what Gilad was all about.

Those 30 minutes of service were some of the most powerful and moving minutes of my life. The tears shed were of pain and sorrow and the prayers uttered were of conviction and passion.

Gilad himself could not have been more proud.

Gilad was so many things to so many people: a friend, a brother, a son, a leader and most of all someone who made an impact.

Farewell my friend, you will always be with me and watching over me because as much as the body may fade, your soul never will.

Editor’s Note: This column is adapted from Hilary Druckman’s speech delivered Nov. 19.

Even though Gilad is gone, he has left me with so much. He has left me with countless memoby hilarydruckman ries, usually involving senior smiles and laughter. He has also left me with some lessons, which I want to share with you.

First, Gilad has taught me that being friendly goes a long way. My first memory of Gilad was when I was just a few years old, and he was in my seat. Because I always sat next to my brother on the bus ride home from camp JCC, what was he doing there? He promptly scooted in to make room for me, too. He then began talking to me, and playing with my balloon animal. I didn’t talk to him because I thought he was a stranger. Quickly, though, that changed. After coming to my house all of the time, I got to know him quite well. And soon the bus rides together turned into Gilad driving me to the bus stop. And playing with the balloon animal on the ride there turned into a chance to give me advice about school, college, and life.

The second lesson is about acceptance. Part of the reason Gilad was so welcoming and friendly was because he accepted everyone, no matter who they were. In fact, part of the reason he had such a big impact on me was because he didn’t just look at me as a little sister — I was another friend. That stemmed from an acceptance of himself. I can always picture this one scene, at the dinner table, where Gilad exclaimed, ”it’s OK to be weird! I’m weird!” He pursued whatever made him happiest and found joy in being who he was. That very

LT file photo

Gilad Nissim (‘12), Dec. 28, 1993 — Nov. 17, 2013.

acceptance is what allowed him to move with such humor and virtue throughout life.

The last lesson is one that I did not want to learn. Gilad taught me that life is too short. No one deserves to have his or her life cut off so early.

What I would give to have him say, ‘sup Hildawg’ one more time. Gilad was amazing. The biggest impact he had was really on my brother. He was the best friend Nate always relied on. I saw how much he did for Nate, and to me that meant the world. We will all feel his loss, but hopefully we will also always feel a bit of his presence.

Let teachers teach: why college applications should not affect classes In response to Cole Aronson’s plea for teachers to “Cut seniors some slack (until Nov. 1)” (Opinion, Oct. 18, 2013): To the editor, In considering the senior academic experience at JDS, I think it important to remember that the role of a teacher is not to get students into college, but rather to prepare students for college. I absolutely resonate with Mr. Aronson’s stress and anxiety as concerns the college application process. That said, senior teachers would be doing a disservice unto their students if they were simply to give them a “free pass” for the month of October.

For starters, in sending grades off to colleges, JDS hopes to convey information about students’ demonstrated academic skillsets.

For senior teachers to deliberately lighten the workload during the first quarter would threaten the integrity of a JDS transcript. If we wish for JDS to maintain a reputation of prestige, it is important that the presence of an “A” on a student transcript be meaningful — that it be reflective of successful completion of genuinely rigorous coursework. A first quarter rife with easy assignments and easy “A”s might lower student stress levels — but it would also lower the esteem

colleges have for a JDS education.

Secondarily, the single most valuable skill any student can bring with him to college is the ability to prioritize, organize, and balance competing obligations and interests. In college — and in life — there will always be responsibilities big and small. Major concerns (like college applications) can become all-consuming — but the student who is best-prepared for college is the student who can thoughtfully carve out time for all his responsibilities. I would hope that, in college, JDS alumni are students who can keep up with their classwork and can lead

campus organizations. I would hope for them to lead balanced lives — even when facing massive responsibilities like preparing for the MCAT or completing a thesis. And I would hope for them to become the sort of adults who find time for their families and communities, even when facing major stresses at work. Life never gets “easy” — and, alas, it doesn’t stop when a major test or assignment is due. Success, in large part, is a function of one’s ability to keep things organized and in perspective.

Senior teachers at JDS have but five months during which to create

an enriching experience for their students. When we assign tests and papers, it is not with malice in mind — but instead with an earnest desire to prepare our students for future success. I recognize that October was a stressful month for many — but I genuinely believe all students to be better-off for having made it through. Kudos unto all students who have completed their applications — and may you enjoy a spectacularly un-stressful spring semester.

-Victoria Ball

Teacher of psychology and mathematics

06

disaster relief

Typhoon Haiyan devastates Philippines Israel one of the first responders, JDS assists by carolsilber reporter

In the midst of the rubble, the only standing structure in sight was a green tent underneath a billowing Israeli flag. Its colors waved brightly against the clear blue sky that had been dark with storm clouds just days earlier.

Three days after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, five officers from the Israeli Defence Force’s Homefront Command and Medical Corps and a representative of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs landed in the Philippine capital of Manila. The group’s mission was to assess the situation and determine how they could assist.

Later that day, Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency and disaster relief service, met with the Australian Red Cross to figure out the most effective way to provide aid to the Philippines.

On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the IDF rescue mission group set up a field hospital in the city of Daanbantayan, joining 28 other countries who also sent aid. The IDF group consisted of 147 doctors and other officials from their Medical Corps and brought 100 tons of supplies.

The next day, IDF spokesman Peter Lerner announced the birth of the first baby born in the field hospital. The grateful parents named the newborn “Israel.”

“It’s saying thank you to the Israel people who helped me in giving birth,” the mother said, in a video the IDF posted on YouTube.

“Thank you so much.”

Hebrew Department Chair Yaffa Dagony said that Israel can be very effective in aiding countries affected by natural disasters.

“Israel can be outstanding and help in different ways,” Dagony said. “Israel has had a lot of wars and disasters and so they unfortunately are very skillful in helping other countries.”

Dagony noted that in 2010, when Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake, Israel responded quickly and efficiently.

She said that in Haiti, Israeli personnel helped remove bodies from buildings. Due to experience with bombings and terrorist attacks in Israel, they were equipped to deal with the damage caused by the storm.

Dagony believes that it is important that Israel provide aid to other countries in their times of need in order to reflect a positive image of itself to the world.

“It’s not only the bad stuff: that people kill, that there is a war,” Dagony said. “[Israel] can also go and reach out to other countries when something like this happens.”

Dagony feels that it is also important that CESJDS contributes to the relief effort.

“Although it’s not Israel and it’s not Jewish, it’s a huge disaster,” Dagony said. “I think it might be a good idea to help, not only to help them but to show our school population that we want to take care of our fellow man.”

Juniors Molly Silverberg and Yosi Vogel, leaders of the Social Action Minyan, are organizing a fundraiser that will benefit the victims of the typhoon.

“We started the fundraiser because we felt that the Social Action Minyan was a very good outlet to help make an impact on those affected by the typhoon,” Silverberg said.

In the days following the typhoon, Vogel and Silverberg stood in the front of school with a donations box. The collected money will be sent to the Red Cross.

“Since the Red Cross are the main first responders on sight, they make estimates of exactly what supplies are needed for disaster cleanup and recovery,” Silverberg said. “They then use the funds collected to purchase [needed supplies].”

Many students, such as freshman Joel Vardon, have been enthusiastic about supporting this cause.

“Being a Jew, I should support cultures around me, so therefore I would help people in need,” Vardon said.

To donate to the Social Action Minyan’s collection box, contact Yosi Vogel or Molly Silverberg, or donate directly in the red box at the front of the school. photo provided by NASA Goddard Photo and Video

gelt and gravy

07

art provided by Paul Blank

Thanksgivukkah: a tale of two holidays Hanukkah and Thanksgiving share a night for first time ever by mijalaltmann reporter

Lighting a menorah, eating latkes, spinning dreidels, and … carving a turkey?

This year, the first day of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving fall on the same day.

While in the past, Hannukah has coincided with the fourth Thursday in November, this has not happened since Thanksgiving was declared a federal holiday in 1863.

This means that this is the first time that Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will occur on the same day. This event will not be repeated again until the year 79811, making it a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Jewish Americans have started calling this year’s joint holiday “Thanksgivukkah,” a term coined

by an unknown Boston area resident.

Jewish Americans have also started to make quirky plans for the merging of the holidays, including “menurkeys,” turkey-shaped menorahs, and baking sufganiyot stuffed with cranberry sauce.

CESJDS usually celebrates Hanukkah by having seniors honor their teachers by lighting a menorah with them. Director of Jewish Life Miriam Stein said that the Hanukkah ceremony will take place as usual this year, as will the Thanksgiving ceremony, which usually takes place the Friday before Thanksgiving.

There are mixed opinions about celebrating Thanksgiving and Hannukah together.

“I’m super pumped for Thanksgivukkah,” junior Rebecca Cohen

said. “The food will be amazing.

You can go Black Friday shopping on Hanukkah and you can buy really cheap presents. It’s [going to] be great.”

Cohen did not feel that the traditions of Thanksgiving would detract from the traditions of Hanukkah.

“I don’t really keep those [Hanukkah] traditions so I’m fine with the two merging,” Cohen said.

Stein, too, is excited about the holidays falling on the same day.

“I think it’s awesome ... when two holidays that seemingly don’t have anything to do with one another come together,” Stein said. “We don’t always have the opportunity to see our family on Hanukkah and this year we do.”

By contrast, sophomore Sivan Shilo does not like that the holidays

are on the same night this year.

“You have your Hanukkah traditions, and then you have your Thanksgiving traditions,” Shilo said. “Mixing them does not work.

You have your Thanksgiving turkey, and then your Hanukkah latkes. It just doesn’t go. I’d rather have them completely separate.”

Shilo thought that it might be odd to receive Hanukkah gifts on Thanksgiving.

“Going Black Friday shopping on Hanukkah? It feels strange,” Shilo said.

JTTP teacher Aviva Gershman prefers this situation to Hannukah and Christmas overlapping, a more common occurrence.

“I kind of like that Hanukkah is lining up with Thanksgiving better,” Gershman said. “Christmas is this overwhelming, dominating

kind of thing, and us as Jews get all caught up in this commercialism of that whole season and that tends to become the focus of Hanukkah. Now, with Hanukkah being detached [from] Christmas, we can focus more on the actual meaning behind Hanukkah.”

Sophomore Jacobo Ostroff feels that it might be odd to merge the two holidays, but it could also end up being a unique experience.

“Since these two holidays are major ones for Jewish Americans, they might end up both getting a little watered down.” Ostroff said.

“However, if we succeed in making them both special, that would be really interesting to experience. I’m interested to see how it turns out.”

The Lion’s Tale’s eats

Step-by-step: Eytan Apter’s Sweet Potato Fries Having to cook for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah is a new experience for me as this has not happened and will not happen for a long time, but thankfully I have a recipe that will satisfy the cravings of Thanksgiving food lovers’ and Hanukkah food lovers’ taste buds. Hanukkah is a time to indulge in all things fried, and to me Thanksgiving is all about sweet potatoes (mostly in pie form). Sweet potato fries are the perfect Hanukkah/Thanksgiving food. - Eytan Apter, History teacher

What you need:

2 tablespoons of olive oil Sea salt, cinnamon or seasoned salt to taste 4 sweet potatos, peeled

How to do it: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

photo by Shira Ungar

Take a large baking tray and put a thin layer of olive oil that covers the surface.

Place in oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Cut sweet potatoes into french fries cuts (the thicker, the more time needed in the oven).

Lightly glaze the sweet potato fries with olive oil.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and seasoned salt (or sea salt).

Carefully open the oven (remember, there is hot oil there) and place the fries on the baking tray (note: oil stains on clothing can be removed with one part dish soap and two parts hydrogen peroxide).

7. Bake for 15 minutes and then flip the fries.

8. Cook for another 30 minutes (depending on size of cuts).

9. For “crispier” fries, broil for two minutes on each side.

10. Enjoy with family or friends and have a wonderful once in a lifetime dual holiday treat.

Girl s vs. Boy

08

in depth

by sjhyman reporter

Many CESJDS students acknowledge the differences between the way girls and boys behave in the classroom whether it be organization skills or class participation.

However, few notice how these differences change their interactions with their teachers and peers.

“No, [gender stereotypes haven’t affected my experience] at JDS,” freshman Josh Abramowitz said. “I think [they have] in life in general, but not at school.”

While often unnoticed, the gender divide has a profound effect in the classroom. For example, a significant gap exists between the genders with regard to their confidence in expressing themselves in class. According to a survey of 200 JDS students, 72 percent of male students said that they feel confident raising their hands, while only 44 percent of female students feel comfortable doing so.

This differing level of confidence translates to the classroom in several ways, most prominently in the level of female student participation.

“Something that’s pretty well-validated in educational research is that boys end up getting more attention in class on average,” Math and Psychology teacher

Victoria Ball said. “In large part, this is because males tend to call out and female students are more hesitant to participate. If [girls] think they might be wrong, they are more likely to not answer whereas males are more likely to answer even if it might be wrong. This means that the male’s ideas are heard more in the classroom.”

This speculation parallels a study conducted by the South Carolina Department of Education that found that single-gender classes boosted students’ confidence and their frequency in participation.

Junior Sophie Kader has experienced this in some of her male-dominated classes.

“For some girls it might be harder [to ask questions in male-dominated classes] because the boys are much louder and some of [the girls] are not as aggressive with shouting out so they wait to be called on and sometimes they don’t get their turn,” Kader said.

According to a study conducted by the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University, female students also participate less in the classroom because they tend to be interrupted more than their male counterparts. The study showed that after a female student was interrupted, it took significantly longer for the student to contribute to the conversation again.

Although students notice this timidity among their female classmates, some find that when a teacher poses a question to the class, girls will answer more frequently than boys will.

“Girls [tend] to answer more questions because they want people to know that they understand,” seventh-grader Jessica Lehman said.

That perspective, however, is not shared by everyone.

English teacher Katharine Armstrong finds that gender imbalances in class cut both ways.

“When there are a lot of girls and not as many boys, I see that their confidence sometimes suffers for it because if you’re in the majority, no matter how those lines are drawn, you tend to have less confidence.”

Math teacher William Kaplan finds that other factors play a part in classroom dynamics.

“I would say that there isn’t a

Organized

Honors classes Survey results from 200 students Female

49% 33% 23%

28%

42%

66%

25%

Male

0-3

4-6

6+

71%

ys

in depth

09

Influence of gender on academic performance

hard and fast rule, that [the classroom environment] depends on the particular personalities and the particular balance of the class, along with the gender balance,” Kaplan said.

Having a significant majority of one gender also affects the tone of the classes.

“In my experience, the more boys

that are in the classroom the rowdier it tends to get,” Armstrong said.

“Sometimes that can be a wonderful thing and sometimes it’s not. What I do find [is] that

when there are a lot of boys in the classroom and only a few girls, the girls don’t seem to feel as free to speak, perhaps because they feel outnumbered. The tenor of the jokes can become a little less refined.”

Students and teachers agree that the biggest difference between girls and boys is the manner in which they go about doing their work. When it comes to organization, there appears to be a gender difference.

“Females tend to be more organized,” Armstrong said. “They also tend to favor tactile activities like taking physical notes and highlighting more.”

However, according to the students surveyed by The Lion’s Tale, 71 percent of female students consider themselves to be organized people while only 66 percent of male students say the same.

Another example of this trend, and one of the most obvious differences between the genders, is handwriting.

“The single biggest gender difference, that any teacher in the school can tell you is handwriting,” Ball said. “I think the perfectionist thing comes in to the extent to which that it’s trained into the girls. There’s definitely a societal expectation for girls to be neat so I think that girls over the course of their lives have more encouragement to be clean and tidy.”

54 percent of female students and 62 percent of male student prefer math and science over English and history. However, many students find that the classes that most frequently have a decisive majority of one gender are their math and science courses. Nowhere is the gender gap more decisive than in the Scholars-level math classes.

“If you go to a top level math class, the Scholars math class has always been very, very heavily male,” Ball said. “I’m sure that there are many factors that play into that, but one of which is that women are not always comfortable in spaces that are very heavily male. I can see, as a female, not being motivated to stay in that class.”

Another reason for a lack of female students in Scholars math classes may be the way girls think and interact act with the world around them.

“There was once this well-validated fact that women, apparently, have a harder time visualizing 3-D relationships than men do,” Ball said. “… On the whole, women are a little bit more relationship-oriented than men and care more about their relationships with other people and there is an extent to which a lot of quantitative jobs can be pretty solitary.”

According to the students surveyed,

Competitive in general:

80% 62%

with other gender:

29%

48%

Enjoys English 61% male

46% Female

Enjoys Math 39% male

54% Female

10

maintaining the school

A look behind the scenes Getting to know the maintenance workers by urischwartz and alysseweinberg reporters

Editor’s Note: Sources marked with a star were interviewed in Spanish and have been translated by the interviewer.

The gears are always turning.

The wheels and cogs spin seamlessly. The maintenance workers at CESJDS keep the school running like a well-oiled machine.

The men and women that serve as facilities and maintenance workers in the school may stay behind the scenes, but they play a pivotal role in keeping our school up and functioning.

Many of these employees originate from Hispanic backgrounds and left their homes to live in America.

According to Director of Facilities Israel Moskowitz, all daytime JDS workers are well qualified for the job.

“The applicants must have a command of the English language, have HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] certification, have experience with electrical [and] plumbing. [They should also] have a fix-all kind of attitude,” Moskowitz said.

Jesus Portillo has worked at JDS for 15 years, fixing “anything [that] is wrong.” He was born in San Isidro Cabañas, El Salvador, and learned of JDS through a relative, who was already employed by the school.

“I started to talk to him and ask him to let me know when they needed anyone, and in 1999 I started to work here,” Portillo said.

Outside of school, Portillo enjoys getting together with friends and watching Spanish soccer leagues. His favorite teams include Barcelona and Real Madrid.

One of his priorities is maintaining a connection both to his religion and to his heritage.

“On Sunday I attend Mass in a Catholic Church in Silver Spring,” Portillo said. “Sometimes they also have to collect money for fundraising [and I help]. That’s the way I keep my heritage.”

Like Portillo, Luis Molina*, a

As part of his daily routine, Jesus Portillo mans the cross walk each morning to ensure that students and faculty get into school safely. “I enjoy it here. I like the people and I like the students,” Portillo said.

janitor hired by PMM companies, the janitorial service contracted by JDS, hails from Ahuachapán, El Salvador. He came to the United States in 2000. Molina works the evening shifts cleaning the school and can be found gudiing a machine that looks like a small zamboni.

He immigrated on his own 13 years ago and later on brought his wife. Last year, he brought his two children to Maryland, and he devotes his hours outside of school to spending time with them and making up for the years he missed.

He hopes to secure U.S. citizenship in 2016.

Molina appreciates the JDS community and enjoys the company of the students, even though he is not able to communicate with them much. “[Although I have not had much interaction with them] since I don’t speak much English, I smile

at them and say ‘hi,’” Molina said.

“Everything is good.”

Julio Porja, who cleans the floors during the evening shift, feels welcome and comfortable with his job.

He arrived to the United States with his family and got a job through his sister, who used to work for PMM companies.

Outside of his job at JDS, Porja dedicates his time to his family.

“I have a nephew,” Porja said. “[I keep in touch with my Hispanic background] through mostly family and friends. We go on vacations.”

Many of the maintenance workers expressed their satisfaction with the JDS community, their lives in the United States, and the way they have retained their culture.

“I’m happy to work in JDS and I want to be here all my life,” Portillo said.

Julio Porja has lived in the United States for 14 years and just began his job at JDS. Aside from cleaning the hallways during the evening shift, he spends time with family in the area.

Luis Molina began working at JDS about two months ago and spends his evenings vacuuming the floors and hallways to keep the school clean. photos by Alison Kraner and Alysse Weinberg

11

art by R’ay Fodor

slam it down

With over 1 million YouTube hits on their poem, “Monster,” senior Hannah Halpern and the DC Youth Slam Poetry Team are scary good by emmahofman reporter

The DC Youth Slam Poetry Team gathered around a computer to watch the view counter go up.

On Nov. 13, CESJDS senior Hannah Halpern and her teammates knew that 1 million people had seen their video — had seen them perform.

The video of Halpern and her slam poetry team reciting their spoken word poem, “Monster,” now

has over 1 million views on YouTube. The performance, which was featured on The Huffington Post and Upworthy, discusses the social standard of women’s costumes on Halloween and how every girl should be able to wear whatever she wants.

Halpern was surprised with the video’s sudden popularity.

“I didn’t expect [the video] to go that viral,” Halpern said. “I saw

all my friends posting about it and was like, ‘Hey it’s my friends supporting me!’ [But] I didn’t realize there would be a million people watching it.”

After her video’s success, Halpern recited a slam poem from her collection during Kabbalat Shabbat. She announced the creation of a school slam poetry team and received hearty applause from the community.

photo provided byHannah Halpern

Senior Hannah Halpern (far left) and her teammates, Amina Iro, Reina Privado and Asha Gardner, rehearse “Monster” to perform at Brave New Voices, an international poetry competition. Apart from the competition, the team works on monthly open mic nights and weekly workshops.

Halpern participates in many out-of-school extracurriculars such as the American Red Cross Youth Movement and the Habonim Dror movement, but Halpern’s main hobby and passion is writing and performing slam poetry with the DC Youth Slam Poetry Team.

The team is an ethnically, religiously and socioeconomically diverse group of high-schoolers that represents Washington, D.C., at national slam poetry competitions. They also perform locally and are in the midst of compiling their own collection of poems to be published.

Being committed to a team outside of school can be a challenge. Leading up to competition, Halpern is expected to dedicate six hours a day to the poetry team.

“I seem to accidentally put poetry events before everything relating to school or social events, which I do regret at times,” Halpern said.

Despite the time commitment, Halpern’s friends are huge advocates for her poetry.

Senior Samantha Gruhin expressed her support for Halpern’s poetry.

“I think [her poetry] is awesome,” Gruhin said. “[Hannah] has always been an incredible writer and I think it’s so great she has finally found a vessel to express herself.”

Not only does Halpern love slam poetry as a mode of expres-

sion, but it also sets her apart from her peers.

“I love doing it because it’s so easy to accept conformity, looking and believing the same as the people surrounding you,” Halpern said. “It’s hard, especially as a teenager, to push for diversity, for difference, for something unique and new.”

Halpern’s exposure to slam poetry also introduced her to people different from herself religiously and ethnically, which has given her a new outlook on her position in society.

“When you are forced into a position of being a minority, it is such a humbling and eye-opening experience,” Halpern said. “I don’t think I look at nearly anything the same anymore. My privilege in society as a white, financially well-off person is so much more evident to me than ever before.”

Halpern believes that slam poetry has qualities that no other form of expression can reflect.

“I love it because it is a form of healing,” Halpern said. “It is the ability to save yourself from your own demons. Not only that, but once your poetry goes from written to performance, it becomes a form of healing for the audience. Someone sitting in that crowd needed to hear that poem for some reason: maybe they share a similar story, or they needed a resolution to a situation they’re dealing with and your poem gave that to them.”

12

musical

“I am I, Don Quixote, the Lord of La Mancha” High school cast performs a classic story by emmaenig reporter

After months of rehearsing, the cast of the high school musical will perform their rendition of the critically acclaimed and award-winning musical “Man of La Mancha,” opening Thursday, Dec. 12.

“Man of La Mancha,” a musical adaptation of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, takes place during the Spanish inquisition when Cervantes is thrown into a dungeon and tells his fellow prisoners the story of Don Quixote.

“Believe it or not, ‘Man of La Mancha’ is my favorite musical of all time,” Director of Arts Education

David Solomon said. “It’s a show I’ve wanted to do for quite some time and this year seemed like the right year to do it. It’s not an easy show, and requires a lot of dedication on the part of the cast and crew. As the theater program has grown, so has the level of commitment, so we are ready to tackle this show.”

Though this is Solomon’s fourth year directing the high

school musical, he feels that this year’s production will be different from the others.

“There’s something about the show that is so inspiring, so funny, so heartbreaking,” Solomon said. “It really runs the gamut of emotions. The past three shows have been absolute comedies. This one is funny, but it’s also very serious so it’s certainly a very meaty show.”

In previous years, the high school

musicals have also been fairly contemporary, set in the 20th century, while “Man of La Mancha” is a more classical musical, taking place in the 15th century. Working from the original script, some cast members were forced to adjust to new theater techniques.

“This musical, unlike those done in previous years, is far less comical and much more dramatic,” said junior Yosi Vogel, who plays the role of Juan, one of the muleteers. “For the actors who have participated in previous musicals, it was hard to get accustomed to this style, but we worked together as a cast to ensure that this musical was as successful as those in the past.”

Senior Jane Macklin, playing the role of Antonia, added that she had to work to become comfortable with this musical because of the era.

“It takes place in a much different time period than we’ve done before,” Macklin said. “Usually we focus on early 1900s and that’s the [earliest] we’ve pretty much gone back.”

While many students opt for acting on stage, others choose to work behind the scenes to help bring the musical to life. There are students in the wings working on stage crew, choreographing the show, controlling the lights, stage managers, taking actors’ photos, and even creating art displays for the lobby.

“The cast is slightly larger than last year’s cast,” Solomon said. “There is something very intimate about having a small cast. There’s also a level of excitement and enthusiasm that comes with having a lot of people in the room. It can feel like one big party, which is great.”

Even while rehearsing, the cast and crew manage to have fun together.

“We always laugh,” Macklin said.

“Anything we say during practice just ends up being really funny and although [Solomon and the cast] take the musical really seriously, we definitely get a kick out of everything we do during rehearsal.”

To junior Sarah Hirsch, playing the role of

“There’s something about the show that is so inspiring, so funny, so heartbreaking. It really runs the gamut of emotions. The past three shows have been absolute comedies. This one is funny but it’s also very serious so it’s certainly a very meaty show.”

-Director of Arts Education David Solomon

musical

13

Junior Yosi Vogel, seniors Joshua Bloch and Jonathan Silverman, and junior Sarah Hirsch rehearse the high school musical, “Man of la Mancha,” which marks a change for CESJDS drama productions. “This musical ... is far less comical and much more dramatic,” Vogel said.

Aldonza, rehearsal is not only a time to work, but also a time to bond with other people who share common interests.

“To us, [rehearsal] is a lot of fun and it’s a place where we can all embrace our love for theater with other people who like it too,” Hirsch said.

Solomon understands that many JDS students have never seen

“Man of La Mancha” and hopes that they will enjoy watching the show as much as he and the cast have enjoyed performing it.

“Hopefully [the students] will have a similar experience to what I did when I was in ninth grade and first discovered this show, which was that I absolutely loved it,” Solomon said.

Despite the challenges, Hirsch is confident that anyone who sees the musical will not be disappointed.

“Even though it’s a bit more difficult than usual, I think that it’s going to be completely worth it and it’s going to turn out fantastic,” Hirsch said.

“We always laugh. Anything we say during practice just ends up being really funny and although [Solomon and the cast] take the musical really seriously, we definitely get a kick out of everything we do during rehearsal.”

-senior Jane Macklin

14

ice ice baby

Hockey skates back

Students and parents rebuild program by evankravitz online sports editor

CESJDS hockey is back. After two years without a team, student hockey players and parents have organized a school team that will play competitively for the 2014-2015 season.

According to alumnus Daniel Weiss (‘12), JDS had an immensely popular ice hockey team from 2008 to 2011.

“Hockey was very popular during my freshman year the first year of the team’s existence,” Weiss wrote in an email, referring to his tenure on the old team. “The senior class got really into it and they loved going to games.”

The Lions won the Capital Conference championship of the Maryland Student Hockey League (MSHL) in 2009.

Due to difficulties filling the roster and filling leadership positions the team was unable to play a team to participate in the 2011 season, but they still practiced. Unable to solve their problems, the JDS hockey program came to an end, upsetting many school players.

“After [the sport] ended, I was a little bit disheartened,” senior Andrew Siegal, who was a sophomore when the team disbanded, said.

“I wanted to play on a high school team and I didn’t get the opportunity to do so.”

Hockey’s popularity among students never died at JDS. After playing for Winston Churchill High School’s 2013 Maryland State championship team, junior Moses Milchberg came to JDS hoping to continue playing high school hockey. Taking advantage of hockey’s popularity at JDS, Milchberg went on to create a Facebook group with all the school’s players in it. The group was at first just meant to be a place for all JDS hockey players to converse in one place about the sport and to organize informal practice sessions, called “stick and pucks.”

“I brought everyone together,” Milchberg said. “I wanted to have

Top: photo provided by Danny Krifcher Bottom: LT file photos

a high school team because I love hockey.”

Some players were not satisfied with just having “stick and pucks”; they wanted to take JDS hockey to the next level. With the help of volunteer manager Jon Missner, freshman Alex Missner’s father, JDS hockey started to take shape. Missner currently organizes practices for the team and coordinates ice time.

“Reestablishing the JDS hockey team will provide tremendous spirit and excitement around both JDS and hockey,” Missner wrote in an email.

“I am delighted to work hard in

order to help bring this to fruition.”

Lower School Math and Science Department Chair Jared Givarz was recruited to coach the team. He was assistant coach of the team that made it to the championships. He was also the head coach during the 2011 season.

JDS parent Jeffrey Weiss managed the hockey team from 2008 until 2011, when his son Daniel was the goalie, and has now passed that baton onto Missner. “[Weiss] is a good friend of mine,” Missner wrote. “He is advising me on all aspects of the team so I can do the necessary work to get it together.”

This year, however, the team

was late to join the MSHL and will consequently not be able to participate in the league. Nevertheless, the team is guaranteed a spot in the MSHL for the 2014-2015 season.

“We hope that by keeping the CESJDS team, even if we aren’t in a league, we can keep enough interest and momentum to start up a more complete team in the coming years,” Givarz wrote in an email.

“Thus far, we have been playing at Cabin John Ice Rink and Wheaton Ice Rink. When we start a competitive team with regular practices and games, we will need to identify our ‘home ice.’”

Determined to get back in the rink, the team is currently sched-

uling scrimmages against local schools.

“We just wanted to play some league hockey and get serious about getting the team ready for next year,” freshman Jared Horwitz said.

As a member of the school’s Board of Directors, Missner was able to jumpstart the process of getting hockey to be recognized by JDS. However, the school will not fund the team, except to stipend payment to the coaching staff.

The Lions are not willing to let financial issues stop them. Players will be designing shirts to sell and raise money.

Missner added that high school hockey teams are rarely funded by schools and that it is not uncommon to have parents and players collecting money for the team. He added that the solution to funding problems is still tentative.

Givarz and Missner are currently taking the team-building process slowly, but are optimistic about the end result.

“The school has always supported JDS Hockey,” Givarz wrote.

“Once we are ready to begin a competitive team, I have no doubt that we will all come together to make JDS Hockey a success.”

Horwitz agrees.

“I feel that once we are able to put a complete team together, JDS will see hockey as any other school sport and will help to fund us,” Horwitz said. “We will probably have to show that we really do have all of the pieces of the team before JDS starts paying for ice time.”

Some players can already envision a hockey championship banner in the gym next to the one from the 2009 team.

“We have a lot of young talent coming up from the younger grades,” junior Adin Adler said. “I could see a championship in the next few years, assuming we actually get a team together.”

the upcoming season

15

Varsity winter sports previews Boys Basketball

Girls Basketball

Wrestling

by alexflum

by alexflum

by brianschonfeld and evankravitz

online editor-in-chief

Entering the season plagued by injuries, the boys varsity basketball team knows that nothing is going to be handed to it.

Despite these setbacks, the team has rebounded. It has participated in two national Jewish basketball tournaments: the Cooper Invitational Tournament in Memphis, Tenn., and the Yeshiva Basketball Tournament in Silver Spring, Md., winning the latter.

Throughout the injuries and early successes, the Lions have remained confident in their PVAC championship hopes.

“We only lost two players from last year [and have] nine seniors and a great amount of new talent from ninth and tenth grade, so I think that we’re as good, if not better, than what we were last year,” senior Adir Hakakian said. “We know what it feels like to not win a championship. I think that we’re going to go out there with a lot of motivation and effort to get that feeling of victory, specifically in the championship.”

online editor-in-chief

sports editor and online sports editor

Following a disappointing season in which they lost in the first round of the playoffs, the girls varsity basketball team hopes to rebound with a successful 2013-2014 outing.

New coach Rebecca Silberman, who coached the girls JV team last year, has taken over the team after the departure of former coach Nicholas Rich. Silberman will look to bring success to a new-look roster.

Scheduling has been the Lady Lions’ biggest challenge thus far.

“It’s hard to get everyone to come to practice all the time, but when [we] do, that’s when [we] really get work done,” senior and co-captain Rina Bardin said.

Due to the departure of seven seniors, the team will need to step up their efforts to lead the girls varsity basketball team to success.

“Last year we really focused on the championship,” Bardin said. “Throughout the entire season we should just focus on the games that are in front of us and consider those as goals instead of the championship as one big entity.”

The wrestling team is looking to remain competitive this season after losing state-ranked wrestler Max Smith (‘13) and head coach Jordan Lipp.

Scott Dorn, who has been involved in wrestling for 25 years, will replace Lipp as coach this year. After a successful high school wrestling career, he wrestled for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he became an all-American wrestler. Dorn went on to coach wrestling around the country for several years after graduating college.

Senior Dean Bregman is optimistic about his final season.

“I’m looking forward to working hard,” Bregman said.

“I’m going to try to win every match and give it my all.”

The team will look to fill the void left by Smith and other players. This year, the more experienced players will spend some time each practice training some of the new team members.

“Every year we continue to improve,” junior Eli Seemann said. “We work as a team, we work together. … I think it’s going to be a good year.”

the hardest year

16

Mythbusters m

m

“I was expecting that junior year would require me to stay up until four in the morning every night and [that there would] just be an insane amount of work ...

“I thought [the iSearch] would be really easy as long as you have a good idea ...

Junior year edition ... but I have actually been doing more things outside of school this year than I did last year. I think there is just an outlook that you have to have; I’m not saying that you should put school second, but you also have to realize that you do have a social life and sometimes put homework aside at least for a while”

f

—junior Hannah Jacobs

... but it turns out to be a lot of work just to get the information”

f

—junior Gabriela Morrell Zucker

m

“What I’ve been told is it’s going to be the hardest year, most intense you’re going to get ... an intense amount of work every night ...

... and in reality it’s work every night but it’s not as intense as I’ve been hearing and it’s actually a lot of fun”

f

—junior Eli Seeman

m

m

“I’ve been told that there is a lot of work and that is true. I don’t really have time to do much except school work ...

“I am graduating early, so I need to do all my senior stuff during my junior year. I expected it to be even harder than the expectation for junior year ...

... but at least so far, it hasn’t been as bad as people make it out to be. I still do have time to talk with my friends and hang out on Saturdays, so I still do have a social life and that’s good”

f

—junior Sophie Kader

... but it turned out to be really easy. I am not really stressed at all. I go to sleep at ten every night because I don’t have that much work. The amount is much less than I expected. I have learned not to completely stress over things, so it’s fine”

Next issue: senior year

—junior Noa Zarka compiled by Emma Hofman, Alison Kraner, Yael Krifcher, Mark Reichel and Alec Schrager

f