36n5

LT

The Lion’s Tale

|

Volume 36 Issue 5

|

March 15, 2019

|

CESJDS

the lion’s tale

TRUE COLORS pg. 6-7

Acceptance of LGBT community increasing across the country, JDS Junior’s post goes viral pg. 03

Pro/Con on Hebrew being required pg. 5

Driving school reviews pg. 8

news 02 the lion’s tale

News Briefs March 15 Regular dismissal resumes The Upper School will close at 3:45 p.m. and the Lower School will close at 3:30 p.m. on Fridays because Shabbat begins later.

March 21 Purim CESJDS’ annual Purim celebration will include the faculty’s Purim Spiel and festivities for the entire day.

Students are encouraged to dress up as a way to celebrate the holiday.

March 29 Professional day CESJDS will be closed for students so that faculty can finalize third quarter grades.

March 30 JDS Foco The junior class is organizing a high school formal dance at Ohr Kodesh Congregation from 9:15-11:15 p.m. for the second year in a row.

April 18 Passover break begins Classes will resume on April 29 after an 11-day break.

STEM WITH A PURPOSE Middle school elective promotes competition lincoln aftergood reporter

cluding problem-solving, proper research techniques and logistical skills.

“I think it is a really cool opportunity, especially competing against other schools. I really hope we win, especially against Berman,” Sporkin said.

Before beginning to build prototypes, however, participants were split into groups, each focused on solving different problems, such as natural disaster prevention and education.

“My group is focusing on people,” Sporkin said. “That could be helping people during flooding and saving them, or GPS tracking them when they are lost. It is a lot of fun and Mrs. Batson is really great and helpful.”

A competition to design devices for use during natural disasters led to a new course for eighth grade students called the Cadena Initiative elective.

CESJDS will compete regionally against Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy and put their prototypes on display on Sunday, April 7 at JDS. Whichever school wins the reEighth-graders discuss solutions in the new Cadena Initiative elective. In the gional competition run by Cadena class, students design prototypes to be used in natural disasters and compete Initiative can send its participating with other schools in the region for a chance for their designs to be implemented students to Mexico City, where they in real-world scenarios. will compete internationally for the posed to her by Batson. this…. It also aligns very well with chance to have their prototype used “I would love to see more day the theme for the eighth-grade year, in real disasters. schools involved in this,” Lipsky which is all about taking action Upper School STEM coordinasaid. “Jewish education and day and having an impact on the world tor Cassandra Batson, who schools are always commit- around you.” teaches the elective, said 17 ted to promoting a better Lipsky appreciates the way Batstudents in the course are beworld and improving the son is running the elective and haning very innovative in solving “Jewish education and day world around us.

The more dling the competition. She hopes to problems during the course. schools that can get involved, continue the class for several years “My favorite ideas are schools are always committed the better for humanity.” and thinks it is a great addition to where students are proposto promoting a better world and However, the class is the STEM curriculum. ing solutions to addressing only open for students in “Mrs. Batson, as our new STEM improving the world around us.” panic,” Batson said. “During eighth grade this year bedirector, has put her full energy... natural disasters, a lot of peo- middle school cause of team size limits and into looking at all of the opportuniple panic and they don’t know principal eliana lipsky to ensure that all partici- ties out there,” Lipsky said. “She has what to do, and so a lot of pants are academically pre- really done a wonderful job...decidmy students are starting with pared for the contest. ing what works for our school, what that saying, ‘Well, how can “When talking to Mrs. Batson, could be a good fit [and] where Once each group proposed its we simplify it or how can we meet their needs in this moment?’ So it ideas, the class began to build a one of the ideas was that we wanted she wanted to try her first year in is applicable to not just one natural prototype of whichever design they students who have gone through a involving our students. She really certain level of academics,” Lipsky understood this to be one of those liked the most. disaster, but many.”

Middle school principal Eliana said. “Science, math, coding, robot- places that could catapult our STEM Eighth-grader Talia Sporkin said that through this course, she Lipsky is glad she introduced the ics, engineering—they have had program to the next level.” has learned many new skills in- class as an elective after it was pro- those opportunities and they can think a little more broadly about

compiled by matthew rabinowitz

Check out the Lion’s Tale’s website for exclusive content

Josef Kay [left] and Jared Schreiber [right] sketch a design for a floating chair. Students in the class split into groups, each attempting to solve specific issues that might occur during natural disasters.

17

students enrolled in new Cadena elective

graphic by matthew rabinowitz

Eighth-grader Talia Sporkin looks at a computer image of her design. It is focused on disaster edcuation and solving a variety of problems that could occur during a natural disaster, such as a lack of storage and contaminated drinking water.

photos courtesy of cassandra batson

news

the lion’s tale

Junior’s Instagram post goes viral rebecca safra guest writer On Jan. 10, Hadara Bilsky texted her parents, asking if she could get a dog if she got one million likes on an Instagram post. Without hesitation, her parents agreed, not even imagining that it would come true six weeks later.

“I never thought in a million years she would get one million likes,” Hadara’s father Mark Bilsky said.

He thought that Hadara’s idea was funny and “typical Hadara” for always persisting.

According to Mark, Hadara has wanted a dog “for as long as she’s been able to talk,” but Mark and his wife felt it was too much responsibility for their family.

“The child will always say that they’ll take care of it, not to worry,” Mark said. “But my wife and I knew that the responsibility would be borne on us.”

Both of Hadara’s parents work and were unsure if they had the time to add another responsibility to their busy lives. Additionally, their family enjoys traveling, and makes her parents worried about

how having a dog would negatively impact this part of their lives.

Hadara never tried a method other than simply asking to persuade her parents to get a dog.

Hadara has a brother with special needs and always thought that a dog could be beneficial for him to have as a support companion.

“She knew what she wanted, and up until the Instagram [post], she didn’t have that much of a strategy,” Mark said.

Hadara took a screenshot of the text and posted it on her Instagram.

Hadara had seen similar posts on Instagram and wanted to “take a shot.”

“I know that Instagram gets a lot of attraction and a lot of kids my age use it. So I thought it would be a good method to get attention and get one million likes,” Hadara said.

Hadara said when she first posted the text, it began picking up likes very fast. It slowed down for about a week and a half and then once the post reached 850,000 likes, it began to pick up more quickly.

Celebrities including Ivanka Trump, Instagram account DC Food Porn and rookie football player Jonathan Allen all liked the post. Hada-

ra described the overall experience as particularly “riveting.”

Many people were liking the post and rooting for Hadara to get a dog. Senior Deena Karger from Gann Academy in Boston, Mass saw the post on her friends’ Instagram stories. Karger does not know Hadara, but her friends know her from Camp Ramah in New England, located in Palmer, Mass.

Karger liked, commented and reposted the screenshot of Bilsky’s text, as did her friends. She said that it was a fun opportunity and wanted to help Bilsky get a dog.

“I decided to repost it because I was extremely excited for [Hadara] and really wanted her to get this dog. There was really no problem in reposting it,” Karger said.

Karger liked the post when it had about 20,000 likes, but did not think that the post would reach one million. When the post had around 900,000 likes, Karger and her friends were updating each other about the post, and when the post reached one million likes, Karger felt “incredible.”

“I was just really happy that the world worked together to help [Bilsky] get a dog,” Karger said.

Along with many in the community, Mark was hoping the Instagram post would garner one million likes.

“I never thought she would get one million [likes], but I kind of wanted her to. Because I think having a dog would be neat,” Mark said.

“So secretly, I was kind of rooting for her. I really was.”

Currently, Hadara and her family are looking for a dog. Mark thinks that since Hadara is older now, she will be able to pitch in to care for the dog. Hadara wants a rescue dog that is “cute,” and her father says that they are going to get one that is “medium sized.” Additionally, Hadara wants to name her dog Delano after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt or Maxamillion to pay tribute to her one million likes.

Hadara said that she encourages others to try a similar strategy for something they are passionate about.

“It was pretty exciting how Instagram or social media is a way that people can share things, like their ideas and values, and how quick those things are able to spread,” Hadara said.

who went on the trip the other day], the follow-up conversation for the students that went on the field trip, was heightened awareness, [and] that while we focus so much on the disability that exists, it’s actually just one thing, one inability,” Hoffman said. “They are able to, they have the ability to do anything else and everything else that we do. In my mind, that was a really striking thought.”

Hoffman emphasized the importance of overcoming one’s differences and focusing on the qualities and traits that everyone shares. She said that in order to truly interact and share spaces, communities must look past the abilities or inabilities of others and focus on the things which have in common.

Hoffman also noted the culture of the deaf community that she had not noticed until she went to Gallaudet.

“Something that I learned from the [Signing] Starbucks … [was] in some ways, walking into that space, we were the ones with the disability,” Hoffman said. “We had to do what that space required of us.”

Freshman and active member of the Mental Health Awareness Club Emma Landy stressed the importance of talking about mental health as a part of JDAIM. “It’s really important to have conversations about things that not only affect us but people around us. I think that it’s really important that people are educated on mental health, especially this month, Jewish Disability Awareness Month,” Landy said.

During February, disabilities including mental health issues, are in the spotlight, however, Landy feels that mental health is often overlooked when talking about disabilities.

In order to raise awareness and acceptance of Jews with disabilities, events have recently taken place in the local community. Two of these events were a sensory-friendly Shabbat at the Washington Hebrew Congregation on March 1 and an inclusion forum at the Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, Va. on March 3.

Even predominately Jewish dis-

abilities and diseases are recognized during JDAIM, one such being TaySachs. Tay-Sachs is prominent in the Ashkenazi Jewish community, where children with the disease often do not live past three or four years old.

Diseases such as Tay-Sachs can become more common in certain Jewish communities because “people are selecting their marriage partners from a pool that’s fairly small, compared to the entire world,” sci-

03

photo courtesy of hadara bilsky Junior Hadara Bilsky thanks her followers for their support via Instagram story.

Her photo received one million likes six weeks after being posted.

Observing Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month kayla liss reporter February was Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), a month that has been dedicated to raising awareness about disabilities in the Jewish community. CESJDS recently had a Kabbalat Shabbat that focused on raising awareness with a presentation from a group of students that took a trip to Gallaudet University for the deaf on Feb. 4.

Since JDAIM’s establishment in 2009 by the Jewish Special Education International Consortium, events and programs have been planned during the month of February to raise awareness about disabilities in the Jewish community.

In light of JDAIM, nine high school students, led by Director of Jewish Life Stephanie Hoffman, took a trip to Gallaudet and the signing Starbucks in Washington, D.C. Students learned about the history of deaf education and accessibility in the United States.

“Something that came out of the conversation [with the students

ence department chair Kimberly Agzigian said. “If someone [has] a fairly rare disease—and Tay-Sachs is fairly rare—but you’re limited to this small population, and it’s within a family … all of a sudden you might have two people with this really rare disease that should not have met under normal circumstances.”

photo courtesy of noah simon Students who participated in the trip to Galluadet University for JDAIM presented at Kabbalat Shabbat on Feb. 22. They each shared their unique experiences of visiting the small college in Washington, D.C.

opinion

04 the lion’s tale

lion’s tale Taking concrete steps to fight antisemitism the

editors-in-chief sabrina bramson, alex landy managing editor, copy oren minsk in-depth and design editor daphne kaplan news editor matthew rabinowitz opinion editor izzy may features editors sally rogal, josie stein sports editor sophia miller style editor irit skulnik editorial cartoonist molly zatman reporters aaron adams, lincoln aftergood, tal arber, jessica gallo, mimi lemar, maya preuss, kayla liss, sam schwartz, carrie hirsch, jonathon morris, ivan endelman, naomi gould, mischa trainor, corinne zlotnitsky staff adviser jessica nassau adviser emerita susan zuckerman Editorial and Ethics Policy As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale is a public 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.

In the wake of recent alarming antisemitic and anti-Israel comments coming from political leaders across the political aisle in the United States, it is time for our Jewish community to finally take a stand and rise up against the tides of hatred. Doing our part to combat hate and ignorance in our region and country using concrete action is critical.

Let us first examine the facts that have drawn the attention and the ire of the national media and prominent public officials that encourage us to take collective action. In early February, Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, alleged that American politicians’ support for Israel is driven by Jewish political donations from lobbyist groups, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

In months and years past, previous antisemitic jokes and images have also been made and posted by two Republicans, President Trump and Representative Steve King of Iowa, pointing to greater issues relating to antisemitism on the other end of the political spectrum as well.

The deeply disturbing comments and tweets from all three elected officials and so many others

Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@gmail.com, mailed to The Lion’s Tale or brought to room 320.

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.

and having simple “conversations of understanding” to bridge our divides across religions, neighborhoods and schools.

We believe that JDS should also take part in a program organized by the ADL called No Place for Hate, which Winston Churchill High School currently takes part in, that urges “combating bias and bullying as a means to stop the escalation of hate” in schools, according to the ADL’s website. The program educates students and teachers on the dangers of spewing hateful comments and how to stand up against them when they are heard.

Taking steps like these is not difficult and encourages us all to take simple acts towards rooting out antisemitic, divisive and hateful acts and language from our society and politics. It is now our job as faith leaders, students and teachers at a Jewish school and members of synagogues, summer camps and youth groups, to rise up against those who threaten our people and our homeland, and to prevent such actions from occurring again.

These comments teach us to do our very best to reject the words, deeds and comments of those who pose a barrier to Jewish liberty and justice around the world using

community activism and action. We must now take unfortunate events like these and use them as an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to a higher purpose of eliminating hate for the common good using concrete action. It is time that we stand our ground as Jews and solidify our connections to the values that we hold –– and must continue to hold –– dearly, such as Ahavat Yisrael or love of Israel.

Now is our time to seize the moment in the darkest hour and do something as a united and proud Jewish community before it is out of our hands.

to school that day.

This past month, our area was plagued with frigid and inclement weather, leaving school administrators with a big decision: was it too dangerous for students to arrive safely at school? Throughout that week, JDS students consistently refresh the MocoSnow Twitter Page, checking the hourly weather alerts and hoping for days off, delays or early dismissals from school. But because JDS doesn’t follow MCPS after the first day of a snow closure, they were repeatedly disappointed.

Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus received criticism about not canceling or delaying school.

Many asked why JDS is not entirely an independent school. According to Malkus, following MCPS is beneficial because as part of a local government, they consult directly with the National Weather Service.

MCPS additionally has numerous people travel and report road conditions in different parts of the county when anticipating snow, unlike JDS who has people drive around Rockville and Bethesda.

“At the end of the day, I don’t think we would want to go completely independent because we have to make decisions in the overall interest of our community,” Malkus said. “We know that no matter what decision we make, some people will be upset and some people will be happy about it, so we are doing the best we can.”

While I agree with Malkus that he needs to make the decision on behalf of the majority of the school, there are individuals who live farther from school and it is more difficult for them to drive to school.

This is especially true if those students have other siblings who attend other schools. There are also many student drivers who are not comfortable driving in snowy or icy conditions, but who may not be able to get a ride from a working parent.

Junior Naomi Jaray was one student who faced icy conditions on the aforementioned two hour delay day. With such inclement weather and a long trip to school, Jaray missed an entire day of

school, leading her to fall behind in a few classes. In order to ensure that no other students miss school at the expense of icy conditions, Jaray believes that following MCPS’ policies for both days would be beneficial for individuals near and far.

It is no secret that MCPS closes school when they might not need to and might close for precautionary reasons, but JDS does not close or delay nearly enough. Even though MCPS has had more closures than JDS and covers more areas of the county than JDS does, it is vital that JDS does account and take precautionary measures to ensure that all students and faculty can arrive safely to school, without the expense of missing classes, or school entirely, due to inclement weather.

MCPS accommodates for the needs of all of their faculty and students, and they have the resources to make the best judgment about travel safety. JDS should follow their lead.

cartoon by molly zatman

-The Lion’s Tale Time for JDS to follow MCPS weather policy

All other contents copyright of The Lion’s Tale. All rights reserved.

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 advertisements. The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisement for any reason.

show the far-reaching inclination of politicians today to spread hateful and erroneous rhetoric regarding Jews and Israel and their longstanding stereotypes.

Comments like these have been echoed by other national political figures and have even translated into restrictive laws in foreign countries, such as Poland, where mentioning Poland’s clear role in the Holocaust is illegal, according to Time.

Unfortunately, we have witnessed the devastating effects that these stereotypical and divisive comments have on the broader Jewish community in America. Take the recent tragedy in Pittsburgh, as well as the increase in antisemitic hate crimes, the painting of swastika symbols in high schools and synagogues and rampant rallies in our region, for example.

This begs the question: What can we do about the increase in antisemitic and hateful rhetoric and acts in America?

Organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League urge communities and schools to write to their members of Congress supporting bills that crack down on hate and terror crimes, to report hate crimes in our community when they occur,

daphne kaplan contributing editor Rolling over and checking my phone one icy morning on the second day of inclement weather, I refreshed my email to see a what I took as a passive-aggressive email in my inbox stating, “CESJDS to Remain on Two-Hour Delay.” Within seconds of reading that email, I was inundated with texts of frustration, disappointment and anger, perhaps solely because MCPS granted a day off. Despite it being slippery, I was fortunately able to drive off my street that morning, but I know some who were not able to make it

The Great Language Debate Yes, it should be a requirement

mimi lemar reporter Hebrew is an extremely difficult language to learn; it is mainly spoken in Israel and it has a completely different alphabet than English.

So, why should we take it?

Hebrew is an incredible language that connects us to everything Jewish from prayer to text to Israel. Being new to CESJDS this year, I do not know a ton of Hebrew yet, but of what I know, I feel a sense of accomplishment when using it in my daily life.

Director of Jewish Life Stephanie Hoffman said, “Having a foundation in [Hebrew], whatever level that is, opens up so many doors to other things within Judaism and Jewish life and Jewish learning.”

When learning Hebrew, I reveal so many things about myself as a member of the Jewish community, such as my strengths and weaknesses. For example, I’ve discovered my strength of recognizing the roots of words. In Hebrew, many words have the same roots and similar meanings, which makes it so much easier to recognize and learn.

Hebrew teacher Talya Edery said, “I’m so happy when I see a student when they really start to learn Hebrew and how they progress and learn and grow.”

It is incredible when you actually start to understand the Hebrew language.

If you have been taking it your whole life, you may not remember the magic you experienced when beginning to learn Hebrew. When I see a word on the wall of JDS and am able to read and understand it, it is magical.

When I can say a sentence in Hebrew that relates to a situation, it is magical.

When I overhear someone speaking in Hebrew and am able to understand bits and pieces of their conversation, it is magical.

Another reason to study Hebrew is to be able to interpret original texts on our own. I have begun studying the Tanakh in Biblical Literature class and we read the Tanakh, which has been translated from Hebrew.

Once I advance my Hebrew skills, I am excited to find out how much more I can learn from reading the Tanakh and having a different interpretation than whoever translated it.

“I think very much that every translation is an interpretation, so if we rely on somebody else’s translation instead of being able to access it on our own, then we were looking at somebody else’s interpretation,” Hoffman said.

There is an entire culture that you can only access

and fully understand by knowing Hebrew. Whether it is through the Hebrew songs that we sing at Zimriyah, the Hebrew prayers that many of us recite each morning in Zman Kodesh or by studying Tanakh, we learn Hebrew every day without knowing it.

Hoffman said, “It’s not only an academic language but it’s a living language.

When I’m in Israel, being able to to be a part of that culture in some way[s] is kind of amazing.”

Although Hebrew may not be everyone’s favorite class, it is so much more than a language; it is a culture. We are extremely fortunate and privileged to be able to learn and study Hebrew freely because many are not able to. We should be grateful for the magic we experience every day while speaking the language of our ancestors.

opinion

the lion’s tale 05

Should Hebrew be a required course at CESJDS? No, It should not be a requirement

sam schwartz reporter Hebrew has long been considered a core piece and staple of Jewish curriculum at CESJDS. Yet after the Jewish Community High School of the Bay in San Francisco and others in the United States shifted their opinion on requiring students to take a Hebrew language course, JDS should as well.

As a student who has personally struggled to grasp the language, I have questioned why understanding a language spoken by less than two percent of the world, according to Israel Hayom, is imperative to learn. The answer I typically receive is that if I travel to Israel, I will be able to communicate with locals. This was never satisfactory to me.

Sitting through Hebrew class has become increasingly frustrating, though not because the assignments within the class are difficult to complete. At pluralistic Jewish high schools, there tends to be a focus on providing a range of classes that assist students in finding their own idea of their Judaism.

While for some, the

Hebrew language provides a powerful connection to the development of their personal beliefs, for others the language is simply just a language. A Hebrew language course is undoubtedly helpful to many students, but for others who do not feel a personal connection to the language, other options should be available.

Hebrew should be an optional course, as it is just one of many ways one can connect to their religious identity.

JDS strives to create a culture of acceptance and understanding of all forms of Judaism, yet I still struggle to identify with any of the Jewish communities within our school.

I feel that because I am neither observant nor have a personal connection to Israel and the Hebrew language, I have never found others who share similar understandings of what it means to be Jewish.

Hebrew had been touted as my key into a Jewish community, yet after eleven years, my struggle to learn the language has made me feel even further from finding a place to call home.

I came to assume that because I didn’t possess a spiritual connection to my religion and I didn’t gain anything but frustration out of the language, Judaism as a whole may not be for me.

Obviously, this could not have been the intention of a Jewish day school, so what was I missing?

My confusion in searching for a religious

identity led me to pursue conversations with other JDS students. I tried to initiate an open dialogue between some of my friends in an attempt to find some common ground.

I came to discover that not only did many of my classmates share pieces of my religious ideology, but many were also in agreement that Hebrew did not provide the bridge into Jewish culture that we had been told was intended.

Learning Hebrew is undoubtedly a source of religious pride for many JDS students, yet for others, the language has done more to alienate them than to draw them closer to finding their own identities.

I have always been told that if Hebrew does not bring me any spiritual value, I should look at the class as simply as a language course, like Spanish or French.

Yet if the school is able to recognize that Hebrew is, to some students, just another language course needed to graduate high school in the state of Maryland, why is it required?

The goal of the religious curriculum at our pluralistic school is to help students find a religious identity in whatever way they feel fits them, and while Hebrew can provide a clue into the identity of some, it is just one of many potential insights into our own individual spirituality.

Hebrew should be an option, not a requirement, at JDS.

in-depth

TRUE COLORS

06 the lion’s tale

Acceptance of LGBT community increasing across the country, JDS sabrina bramson and oren minsk editor-in-chief and managing editor, copy

T

he percentage of Americans who identify as LGBT has grown since 2013 and was 4.5 percent in 2017, according to a Gallup poll. This growth of the American LGBT community coincides with a growth of acceptance of homosexuality in America, which rose by 12 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to the Pew Research Center. As the United States becomes more accepting of the LGBTQ community, Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus believes that it is easier to achieve inclusion at CESJDS because he believes “the context that exists outside the school” directly impacts the school community.

Inclusion at CESJDS On Jan. 17, Malkus sent an email to the school community announcing that a student was transitioning genders. In the letter, he reaffirmed the school’s values of being made in the image of God, B’tzelem Elokim, and of loving your neighbor as yourself, V’ahavta L’reia-kha. Malkus believes that the school has an inclusive history and culture, as students who have thought about transitioning in the past have felt supported.

“The school has learned a lot about how we are inclusive,” Malkus said. “Not just to say we are inclusive or to have values that are inclusive, but what do we need to do to be inclusive. We’ve learned a lot over the years and that’s changed how we manifest being an inclusive community.”

The school installed a gender-neutral bathroom in 2016 to continue inclusive efforts, and has focused on the language they use; in applications, the school now asks for information about Parent 1 and Parent 2, rather than mother and father. However, the student handbook still references the pronouns “he/she,”

rather than “they” in referencing students, tions that specialize in that specific subject. which is generally a more accepting term.

For issues regarding the LGBT community, the Director of Human Resources Lori Belke schools confers with Keshet, a Jewish nonprofsent an email in February to all faculty allow- it organization that promotes LGBT inclusion ing them to include their preferred pronouns and integration. in their school email signature on. Faculty also “There have been a number of groups that learned about microaggressions they may be have raised awareness in the Jewish communicommitting from Operation Understanding ty and it certainly makes it easier for the school D.C. in a weekly faculty meeting last month. to be inclusive when we can go to other organi“Helping us think of those [microaggres- zations to get advice or consult with about how sions], be[ing] more cognizant of those and to do it,” Malkus said. also begin[ning] to address them … is transferIn addition to some efforts by the school able to all of our communities and to everyone to educate the student body on the LGBT comin this building to make it a safe and inclusive munity, students have taken action through place for all,” the high school high school Gay Straight guidance Alliance (GSA) “In the case of an individual student, we counselor club in years Melissa Gartpast. Howevwant to know what does that student ner said. er, following need and how do we have resources in In adthe departure place to meet their needs and where are dition to of the Class of educating 2019, the GSA we lacking.” faculty, high club has lost - guidance counselor rachel soifer school guidboth its presance counidents, Henry selor Rachel Sosland (‘19) Soifer says and Lily Daroff the school aims to educate students on inclu- (‘19), and many of its members, so it has temsion through programs, guest speakers or dis- porarily disbanded. cussions, but nothing has been implemented Co-advisor of the club and high school by the school in the past two years. Guidance teacher Grace McMillan hopes to revamp the recently sought out student interest in a panel high school club this year, but is happy with the of LGBTQ speakers. state of the middle school GSA club that allows “I am not sure that the school has been for discussion in a safe space and is advised by making a particular effort to educate people history teacher Deborah Feigenson. about LGBT stuff,” junior Marshall Pokras, who Another club that works to promote inclurecently came out as transgender, said. “I am sion and understanding of other communities also not really sure that given the population and cultures is the high school diversity club. of JDS, that it is particularly necessary …. Gen- However, the club has yet to present on the erally, I feel like most people at JDS are well ed- LGBT community. ucated about these matters.”

Before educating students on an issue, The Role of Guidance JDS always consults with outside organiza“[Guidance is] in a roll of a student advo-

cate, making sure that everyone, whether or not it is an LGBT issue, or any other particular issue, is fully included and has full access to every opportunity that the school has to offer,” Soifer said. Specifically, guidance helps all students with social-emotional needs, and for LGBT students, Soifer says inclusion is a “gigantic need.”

When necessary, guidance works with LGBT students to first address any social-emotional problems, just as they would with any student; like any other issue, guidance attempts to provide the student with resources and a solution if necessary.

Pokras thinks that the school has been “fairly good” at accommodating the needs of LGBT students such as herself, but still has much room for improvement.

Guidance is not always aware of issues until a student brings something up to guidance about it because they did not know they were lacking in that specific area.

“In the case of an individual student, we want to know what does that student need and how do we have resources in place to meet their needs and where are we lacking,” Soifer said.

While guidance wants to support the LGBT community and is transparent about being available to speak with students, they do not know who all of the LGBT students are.

Sexuality and gender identity are not discussed with all students because guidance respects everyone’s decision to keep such information public or private. Rather, guidance believes the best way to support students is to be open to and available for conversation.

Similarly, when Pokras was beginning to come out to the school community as transgender, guidance helped facilitate discussions with each of her teachers prior to coming out to her classmates.

“I had one-on-one conversations with each of my teachers with a guidance counsel-

Hello

Hello

in-depth

the lion’s tale 07

Hello

Address me as:

Address me as:

Address me as:

92% of LGBT youth have been insulted based on their sexuality

4 in 10 LGBT youth state that their community is not accepting towards LGBT members

64% of LGBT youth say that they’re out to their classmates

Please Use:

He, Him, His

Please Use:

Hello

Xe, Xem, Xyrs

Hello

Address me as:

Address me as:

26% of LGBT youth feel safe in their classrooms.

There are over 12,000 LGBT teenagers living in the U.S

Please Use:

Please Use:

Ze, Hir, Hirs

Please Use:

Per, Pers, Perself

She, Her, Hers

Hello

Address me as: 75% of LGBT youth say that their peers don’t mind their sexuality Please Per, Pers, Perself Use: Please Use:

They, Them, Theirs

Statistics from Human Right’s Campaign’s (HRC) 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report and HRC’s “Growing up LGBT in America”

or present to sort of explain things, let them ask questions, put everything on the table so that nobody was shocked when I made the announcement in each of my classes,” Pokras said. “They’ve been great with helping me to organize and put a structure to all of this very chaotic stuff.”

Model U.N. The JDS Model United Nations (UN) club has attended the Yeshiva University National Model United Nations conference (YUNMUN) for the past four years. However, the club did not attend this year’s YUNMUN from Feb. 10 to 12 following the publication of an article in The Commentator, the independent student newspaper of Yeshiva University.

According to the article, the admissions office, which runs the conference, rejected a participant’s topic paper that focused on the international persecution of “sexual minorities” because they thought discussing issues regarding LGBT community would be “triggering” for attendees. The Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Yeshiva University said the issue of LGBT rights around the world did not require a conversation.

When Malkus came across this article, he

expressed his concern with this decision to the admissions office, as it went against JDS’ values, according to history teacher and JDS model UN club organizer Michael Connell. Ultimately, Malkus decided that the school should not attend YUNMUN this year.

Although students and parents involved were disappointed with the decision, as YUNMUN is a very competitive conference, junior and Model UN club member Josie Levine understands why Malkus made the decision to not attend.

“It was frustrating because we only go to so many conferences a year and it’s sad to not be able to go to another one, but I understand why Rabbi Malkus did it [made the decision not to attend] because we have to uphold the values of the school,” Levine said.

Levine explained that she was disappointed that she couldn’t attend YUNMUN because at most Model U.N. conferences, the JDS club has to request kosher meals and find their own times to pray on Shabbat, while YUNMUN is a Jewish Model U.N. conference and is, therefore, more accommodating to the team’s religious needs.

However, Levine was also disappointed with the YU admissions office because she be-

lieves that the point of Model U.N. is to discuss topics which might be uncomfortable for certain students to better understand the policies and practices in countries around the world.

“I think that there could have been much better ways to handle the situation,” Levine said.

PVAC A change was made to the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference handbook in November, stating that an athlete will compete on the team of the gender with which they are registered at their school. The Grace Brethren Christian School in Clinton, Md. planned to leave the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference following the winter season due to logistical challenges, but left a season earlier following the amendment to the league handbook.

According to Director of Athletics Becky Silberman, the new rule change has become standard in high school leagues around the country, and Grace Brethren’s values did not align with those of the PVAC. “[Grace Brethren] leaving is their decision. You need to reflect what your school’s values and beliefs are,” Silberman said. “In terms of the policy change, I think it is needed.

We want sports to be a welcoming environment; especially in our league, we want to be able to participate where they feel they should be participating.”

Sophomore Samara Himmelfarb supports the amendment because she thinks that being on a sports team is an important aspect of many people’s lives and that transgender students should be able to enjoy athletics like any other student.

“People who are [transitioning genders] have genuine intentions and we shouldn’t be prohibiting them from exercising the right to be who they are or do what they want for any reason, especially when it won’t have any kind of profound effect on the league or other participants,” Himmelfarb said.

features

08 the lion’s tale

Teens take the wheel jessica gallo reporter When junior Emma Ash drove to school by herself for the first time, she felt a whirlwind of emotions. She was scared about merging on the highway, but felt exhilarated as she tried out her new skill independently in her daily routine for the first time.

Learning to drive is something most kids, including Ash, look forward to for years. Teenage driving comes with lots of nerves from teens and their parents, but brings an important life skill and sense of independence to teenagers in their everyday lives.

Jewish text department chair and CESJDS parent Aviva Gershman supports students learning to drive and being able to drive themselves to school. However, she believes it is important for students to keep their parents and driving instructors involved in the process of learning the rules of the road and helping them determine what works for them as new drivers.

“I absolutely support students driving themselves to school the way I would any other life skill,” Gershman said. “You have a combination

of teachers who teach you these skills and your parents who have a sense of what you can handle, when you can handle it and what’s good for you.”

Gershman feels that her fears are as any parents would be when letting her son drive alone.

“What if they don’t see a stop sign? What if they are going a little too quickly and hit somebody?”

Gershman said.

JDS allows students to drive to school themselves to school as long as they follow the parking policy.

In order to park in the school lot, students must have a parking tag that they receive upon submitting a form registering themselves with the school with their license and car details. Students must have the tag in their car when it is parked in the lot and are expected to be smart, safe drivers in the parking lot.

“We expect students to drive safely, carefully, slowly [because] there are a lot of students walking around, even young children oftentimes,” Dean of Students Roslyn Landy said.

Having a driver’s license gives students a new type of independence to go where they please. It also gives them time to themselves to listen to music and relax before and after a long day.

“I really don’t enjoy driving, but

I think it’s something that gives me so much independence and freedom,” Ash said. “I love listening to music and spending time with myself, even though it [driving] is really annoying.”

Maryland law requires all new drivers to take a drivers education class consisting of 10 three-hour sessions to receive their learner’s permit anytime after 15 and nine months and then complete three two-hour behind-the-wheel sessions as part of the driver’s education course. The driver must also log at least 60 hours of supervised driving upon receiving their permit. Once the driver has had their permit for at least nine months, they are allowed to take the test to receive their provisional license.

When teens start the process, they sometimes worry about driving without their parents, like sophomore Maya Arie. She has had her learner’s permit for a month and is a bit apprehensive about driving without her parents when she gets her driver’s license. “[I am worried about driving alone] because my parents are with me a lot and help me with directions, like what to do when other cars are approaching and that kind of thing,” Arie said.

But as Ash learned, as scary as it is getting into a small car accident, it

isn’t the end of the world, especially if there are no injuries and the damage is as minor as a license plate.

“I have gotten in an accident,” Ash said. “I was terrified for a little while, but I got over it and I’m more careful now and it helped me grow as a driver.”

While Gershman thinks that driving can be beneficial to both teens and their families, she knows that sometimes waiting until you are ready is best. According to Gershman, getting a drivers license shouldn’t be a competition with

peers, but rather something that a teen learns when they are ready.

“Just like any other life skill, the opportunity to drive and get your license isn’t going anywhere,” Gershman said. “If you don’t feel like you’re ready, wait. It’s not a race you need to be in with your fellow students.”

photo by jessica gallo Junior Emma Ash perfects her parking when she arrives at school in the morning.

She is among the first students at school, usually ariving at 7:30 a.m.

DRIVER’S EDUCATION: WHICH PROGRAM IS RIGHT FOR YOU? I Drive Smart

Silver Spring Driving Academy

Greg’s Driving School

Price: $629

Price: $300

Price: $350

Location: Rockville, Md.

Location: Wheaton, Md.

Location: Silver Spring, Md.

Classroom and in-car instruction from current and retired police officers.

“Although three hours of learning in a small basement-like room might not sound fun, in my experience of the program, each time there has been a different teacher who has found a way to engage students in conversations and make the time in class an enjoyable experience and improve the atmosphere all around.”

- Reporter Tal Arber

Classroom and in-car instruction from certified instructors.

“My experience, however, was very poor as I was extremely bored throughout the extent of the course, like counting the minutes bored. I felt as though one of my teachers was very unexcited about the subject matter, and it showed through his teaching. The other teacher was much better as she brought in real life scenarios, but my boredom did not improve greatly.”

- Contributing Editor Irit Skulnik

Classroom and in-car instruction from certified instructors.

“From a financial standpoint, Greg’s makes the most sense. My instructor was very friendly and provided examples from her own life to make the content less static and help students relate.

However, the classroom was in a somewhat depressing basement and the course, through no fault of the school, was mind-numbingly boring at times.”

- Reporter Jonathan Morris

features

the lion’s tale 09

Double duty FOR davison mischa trainor reporter

photo courtesy of mattie watson English teacher and college counselor Alison Davison sits down with a student to discuss his course requirements for graduating.

Whether she is showcasing different cultures in World Literature or helping out a student with the college process, English teacher and college counselor Alison Davison is always making an impact on juniors and seniors as she teaches and counsels. She has a deeply rooted motivation behind her job because of the connection she has to the value of Jewish education.

“I think I am a better teacher at a Jewish day school because I was a student at a Jewish day school [and] because I know what it’s like to balance Judaic studies and secular studies and take eight or nine courses,” Davison said. “I loved the fact that I could shift context all the time between studying Tanakh and Talmud, and then reading ‘The Great Gatsby’ and making connections between the two.”

After finishing graduate school and a brief stint of teaching at Georgetown University, Davison was hired as an English teacher at CESJDS in 2011. She started out teaching ninth grade ECP English and elev-

enth grade advanced English.

JDS in 2017 as an English teacher for help with English, the college pro“It was a steep learning curve. senior courses and has remained at cess and more.

JDS has [a] totally different English the school ever since.

“She was always there to help curriculum than any high school I “I really missed it; it feels like whenever I need[ed] any help with had ever experienced,” Davison said. family here,” Davison said. “I went my college essays or with English,” “And I just had so much collabora- to a Jewish day school growing up. Max Portnoy (‘19) said. “I don’t tion in the department.”

I love how it’s both a place to work, know what I would have done withWhile Davison appreciated the but you also have friends and col- out her.” support from her colleagues, she leagues who just get you.”

As a World Literature teacher, enjoyed teaching the college counselor and students even more. mother of a toddler, The following year, she Davison has a lot on “I loved the fact that I could shift context spoke at the 2013 senior her plate. She enjoys class’ Siyum, a class that finding a balance all the time between studying Tanakh has always remained between all of her and Talmud, and then reading ‘The special to her. responsibilities and Great Gatsby’ and making connections After teaching at passions. In her limJDS from 2011 to 2013, ited amount of spare between the two.”

Davison left to be the time, she enjoys hik- english teacher and director of the writing ing and reading, specollege counselor allison davison program at Montgomcifically historical ficery College. Davison tion about American was only there for three expats in the 1920s. months because she did not find it Davison knew that coming back Davison has the opportunity to as exciting as teaching. Since JDS to JDS was the right decision when both see the students she works with had already hired a replacement, she was on maternity leave. She re- grow academically and figure out Davison was hired as a long term ceived a care package that contained their future. She has the opportunity substitute at Bullis for a teacher on bibs with lions, the JDS mascot, on to have a great discussion with her maternity leave. In 2014, she was them from the PTA, and she couldn’t students in class and then see them given a permanent position there as wait for her baby to wear it, even later and talk about their future. an English teacher, and later as a col- though it wouldn’t fit for a while.

“It is sort of the ideal situation,” lege counselor. Davison returned to Students rely on Davison for Davison said. “It’s my dream job.”

Like storytelling? Like design?

Like photography?

Find Your Place in Publications Register for Yearbook or Journalism 1 and join the team!

10

sports

the lion’s tale

Statistics from ScholarshipStats.com

30

10.3%

average hours spent practicing for NCAA division I rowers

of male high school rowers competing at any college level

5,660

2,926

female college rowers

male college rowers

39

18.3%

average scholarships awarded per women’s NCAA team

of female high school rowers competing at any college level

River Race

photo courtesy of raya schwartz

compiled by sophia miller and naomi gould

Freshman Raya Schwartz practices her technique on the rowing machine. Schwartz is attempting to start a crew team at CESJDS after participating on a team outside of school.

Student makes pitch for new crew team at JDS naomi gould reporter Freshman Raya Schwartz describes the rhythm of synchronized oars, the sound of water lapping against her boat and the smack of the wind in her face so vividly that one can almost feel that they are there with her. And someday, other CESJDS students might be able to, if Schwartz achieves her dream of bringing a crew team to JDS. Approximately four months ago, Schwartz and her mother went to Director of Athletics Becky Silberman with a proposal to begin a novice crew team. Since then, further discussions have occurred, but still remain hypothetical.

Since the beginning of the school year, Schwartz has competed on a crew team outside of school called the Washington Rowing School (WRS). She practices from 5:30 to 7:30 almost every morning because swimming on both a recreational and the school swim team occupies her evenings. Both the sport itself and the cohesive teamwork required have led Schwartz to fall in love with crew.

“When you really get into that groove and start following each other, it’s amazing to see and feel how fast you go … It’s just a great feeling,” Schwartz said.

In crew, alternatively referred to as rowing, different teams will

compete both in time trials and sideby-side races. In the former, teams do not race simultaneously and their race times are compared, while the latter has teams go head-to-head to cross the finish line first.

Crew also exists at the college level, opening up the opportunity for scholarships to be offered to students, which both Silberman and Schwartz said is a potentially appealing aspect to many students.

Rowing in the Montgomery County Public School system is con-

tice with WRS’ boats, water access on the Potomac River and indoor facilities. The goal would be to also compete in WMIRA, but under JDS’ name. However, if there are not enough interested students, JDS will be teaming up with Roosevelt High School to form a composite team and race under WRS’ name.

Similar to how the former ice hockey team ran in the past, the team would not be funded by the athletic department. Silberman says that JDS will make the bus arrangements and hire the coach, but each athlete would have to “When you really get into that pay an additiongroove and start following each al fee. Schwartz other, it’s amazing to see and feel anticipates that this cost would how fast you go ... It’s just a great be around $600 feeling.” - freshman raya schwartz per student per year.

R e c e n t l y, sidered a “club sport,” meaning the Dean of Students Roz Landy sent teams receive no financial assistance out an interest survey to which only from the county. Currently, only five 22 students responded, however, public schools (Bethesda-Chevy Schwartz said that more interested Chase, Walt Whitman, Walter John- peers have approached her in the son, Montgomery Blair and Winston hallways. Silberman thinks that this Churchill), in addition to multiple may be problematic, as kids on the private schools, including Gonzaga basketball team have expressed inand Holton-Arms, participate in the terest. This introduces the possibillocal league, the Washington Metro- ity that other sports teams may lose politan Interscholastic Rowing Asso- members since there are few athletciation (WMIRA). ically-inclined students who are not The potential JDS team would already on a team. also be a club sport and would prac“Part of the problem is a lot of

the students who expressed interest I think don’t recognize how real and how big the commitment is,” Silberman said.

Crew would take place both in the fall and spring, with indoor workouts in the winter. Each week, one practice would be spent doing strength training at a gym or at school, and the rest would be on the water. In addition to a Sunday practice, Schwartz plans to have the team meet three to four times a week either before or after school, the former possibly requiring a special “crew minyan.”

This would allow students to avoid waking up early to make it to school by Zman Kodesh. Rather, with the school’s permission, Schwartz would like to have the team be able to arrive at 8:30, after morning practices. Schwartz says that, just as multiple Drisha minyans have students express themselves through art, rowers can express themselves through sports and have meaningful discussions on the bus.

In Schwartz’s experience, working out brings the team closer together, an aspect she hopes to bring to JDS. “We practice working together, and we practice getting stronger, and that builds a very strong community,” Schwartz said.

Freshman Dalia Siegel, who is interested in rowing, said that her cousin participates on a crew team

and highly recommended it. Being a part of a community seemed to be a common thread among the interested students since Siegel is also excited about the idea of expanding and strengthening her circle of peers.

“It would be cool to get to know people that I wouldn’t necessarily get to know otherwise,” Siegel said.

Schwartz started a “Learn to Row” week on March 3 to allow students to get a better understanding of what the sport is and what the schedule would be like before making the commitment. Schwartz was the only JDS student present, however, seven students from Roosevelt High School attended. However, Schwartz hopes that more JDS students will come during the week, stressing that the more students who are interested, the more opportunities there will be in the fall.

Though it remains in the early stages of proposals, Silberman seemed interested in making this team a possibility because she wants JDS to have as many sports as possible in order to provide everyone with an opportunity.

“If people want to participate, I want there to be an option for them,” Silberman said. “I want JDS to be an appealing option, and if someone doesn’t want to be at JDS because they don’t have a sport that’s available, I want to try and make it possible.”

MACCABI GAMES IN MEXICO CITY matthew rabinowitz contributing editor Junior Ally Knapp qualified to represent the U.S. in the 14th Pan American Maccabi Games in Mexico City this summer from July 5-15.

Sophomore Abby Alter also qualified to attend the Games, but is no longer able to participate due to a recent knee injury.

The games are for Jews of all ages from both North and South America who want to compete at the national level in their chosen sport.

In addition to playing games, participants will participate in educational, cultural and social activities, as well as tours.

Knapp, who is on the CESJDS’ varsity girls soccer team, will be playing for Team USA’s Junior Soccer team along with other American Jewish girls. In addition to having gained experience with the Lions, Knapp has been playing on DC Stoddert Soccer’s intensive travel teams for six years.

After watching her older siblings play for Team USA in Chile, Knapp realized how much she wanted to participate in the Pan American Maccabi Games herself.

“I’m just really excited,” Knapp said. “I love sports and I love Juda-

photo courtesy of ally knapp Junior Ally Knapp dribbles the ball around her opponent in a game.

ism, and it’s a combination of two things that I really love. I’m just excited to be with a bunch of people who share both of those passions …”

Unlike the more commonly known JCC Maccabi Games, there are no tryouts for the Pan American Maccabi Games, which are run by Maccabi USA. Instead, Knapp had to get in contact with Team USA’s coach, answer a series of questions, provide information regarding their

soccer experience and get recommendations from their coaches in order to participate.

Silberman, who has coached basketball in previous JCC Maccabi Games and Maccabi USA’s international games in Israel, is trying to ensure that JDS athletes are involved in various Maccabi games because of the unique bonding, practice and educational opportunities that they provide.

Varsity girls soccer head coach Jay Matula, who recommended Knapp for the event, hopes that she continues to develop their soccer skills as the Pan American Maccabi Games near.

“I will do my best to challenge ... and assist in developing [her] knowledge and skill whenever possible,” Matula said in an email interview.

However, the Pan American Maccabi Games are not only a learning and growing experience for the players, but also an opportunity for JDS to prove itself as an athletically capable school.

“It really is cool because a lot of times people here are like ‘Ah, we’re just a small Jewish day school, what do we know about sports?’ But then they see how good they really can be in the grand scheme of things,” Silberman said.

Going into the softball season last year, then-eighth grader Ellie Hasenberg felt plenty of emotions including nervousness and exhilaration. Hasenberg put in even more effort to avoid being cut because she did not know that there weren’t going to be cuts.

Before every athletic season begins, tryouts are held in order for new athletes to join the teams. Typically sports tryouts are three days, but coaches can make an independent decision to start practice right away or add additional tryout days.

This year, both varsity soccer teams and girls varsity basketball did not need all three days, so the last day was turned into a regular practice to start off the season.

With so many athletes trying out for boys high school basketball, which has limited space, the first day is generally just devoted to deciding which players should play for varsity. Usually,

only one day is needed for this decision because there are several returning athletes, and coaches already have an idea who they want on their roster from the earlier tournament held in Memphis, Tenn. The last two days are spent deciding who makes the junior varsity team and who is cut from both teams.

During tryouts, coaches look out for many different traits in an athlete.

Not only do they keep an eye on each athlete’s physical skills, but also on how they work with others on a team.

“What I always look for in regard to tryouts is effort, coachability. Obviously those fundamental skills and basic basketball knowledge and IQ,” JV boys basketball coach Brian Westerman said.

Sophomore and varsity basketball player Brian Epstein joined the team this year after switching schools from Walter Johnson High School. However, he did not play on a basketball team there. “[Being a new player,] I had to work a little harder to prove myself as

worthy of being on the team, so I had to work a little harder than a lot of the other people but it worked out pretty well,” Epstein said.

Some JDS teams do not make cuts due to lack of people trying out, such as varsity softball.

“It feels better, it’s more relaxed, you can enjoy yourself more so it’s more about focusing on your game than really worrying about if you’re gonna make it or not,” Hasenberg said.

During varsity softball tryouts, English department chair and varsity softball coach Thomas Worden splits the athletes into different sections with rotations in order to see everyone’s individual skills. Last year, there were no cuts, but with more players trying out this year, Worden may need to cut some athletes.

Similarly, returning athletes are more relaxed when trying out because players often create relationships with their coaches during previous seasons.

Coaches are more at ease when they have many returning athletes because

11

Winter Season Sports Recap Boys Varsity Basketball (12-4) Semifinal Loss @St. Anselms 64-50 Girls Varsity Basketball (11-5) Semifinal Loss @ Sandy Spring 75-68 Boys JV Basketball (7-4) Semifinal Loss @ Hebrew Academy 61-51 MS Boys Basketball (7-3) Semifinal Loss vs. St. Anselms MS Girls Basketball (6-4) Semifinal Loss @ Sandy Spring 36-26 Boys Varsity Basketball (12-4) Semifinal Loss @ St. Anselms 64-50

Upcoming Sports Games Boys Varsity Baseball @ Model March 26 4 p.m.

ATHLETES DON’T KNOW UNTIL THEY TRY(OUT) maya preuss reporter

sports

the lion’s tale

they know what to expect, while they don’t know how the season will turn out with newcomers.

For Westerman, the worst part of being a coach of such a popular sport is that he needs to make several cuts since many students try out.

“Knowing that unfortunately not being able to keep everybody is one of the most crushing things I have to do as a coach, something I don’t like doing,” Westerman said. “It’s hard to prepare for and it’s one of those things I wish I didn’t have to go through, but unfortunately with basketball, it has to be done.”

Girls Varsity Softball @ Model March 26 4 p.m.

Track Meet @ Hebrew Academy March 26 4:15 p.m.

Girls Varsity Softball vs.

Hebrew Academy March 28 5 p.m.

compiled by sophia miller

style

12 the lion’s tale

Basemnt brings new beats corinne zlotnitsky reporter Sophomore Aiden Kirsh, Jagger Balkin (‘19) and Jordan Schneider (‘19) often found inspiration and produced rap music in Schneider’s basement, throughout the majority of the 2018-2019 first semester.

Several CESJDS students pursue the production of rap music, either as a hobby or a potential career both with other students and on their own. The Basemnt, comprised of Balkin, Schneider and Kirsh, is one popular group of rappers at JDS. Schneider, also known as DJ Jordy, makes the background music, or beat, for the group and participates in the rapping, as well. The Basemnt spent around eight hours a week recording in Schneider’s home studio together, and they enjoy collaborating with one another. After coming out with their song “Double Cup” towards the beginning of the year, The Basemnt started to gain popularity amongst JDS students. They will continue to create music once Schneider

Results taken from a survey of 41 JDS students

and Balkin return from Israel.

“I rap with others because for me, it’s only fun when you are doing it with your friends and just having a great time together,” Balkin said.

Balkin and Schneider have been making music together for three

The Basemnt has made seven songs, all on SoundCloud and produced by Schneider. Schneider’s style of production is unique because he “has two sides: a sadder, depressing style, and trap/EDM,” which he has developed over the past eight years.

According to Kirsh, the group raps “I rap with others because for about “fashion, monme, it’s only fun when you are ey” and other inspiradoing it with your friends and just tions, all of which are trends among other having a great time together.” rap artists. Usually, - jagger balkin (‘19) the students enter the studio when something particular has years, and use their creativity and happened and they want to express freestyling skills to guide their music and voice their thoughts through production. Prior to moving to Mary- rap music. When they don’t feel inland from Florida last year, Kirsh had spired by their daily lives, the group been creating music with Sound- members draw upon each other for Cloud, a free online music applica- inspiration. tion where all artists can share their Schneider has spent his whole music. When he met Schneider and high school career focusing on makBalkin, Kirsh started to record mu- ing beats in the hopes of turning sic with them, and they later formed it into a career, and, due to all of The Basemnt. his hard work, he practically has.

59% of students’

10% of students’

7% of students’

12% of students’

10% of students listen

2% of students’

favorite music is pop

56% of students listen to music produced by JDS students

Schneider now DJs for several clubs create it, but everyone can replicate and gets paid to create beats for oth- it, so it’s very inclusive in that style er SoundCloud artists and to record like it takes really creative and, in them in his studio. many cases, ingenious people to be According to music teacher Aar- able to originate a rap,” Dunn said. on Dunn, rap is an inclusive type of “But then once it’s created it’s realmusic that allows different types of ly enjoyable for people to be able to musicians to express themselves. learn it and then taking it and feel “Singing is very intimidating like they’re able to partake in a muto a lot of people, so when you take sic experience.” out the actual vocal prowess of it, [it] allows people to feel like they can be a part of the musical experience,” Dunn said.

The Basemnt’s approach to rapping is similar to other popular rappers’ approach, as they are creative and have similar music to rappers such as Migos or Lil Pump. In fact, Balkin was inspired to rap by both Lil Pump and Schneider and believed that if his photo provided by jordan schenider classmate was producThe Basemnt has released seven songs that they ing music, he could too.

“Not everyone can recorded in Jordan Schneider’s (‘19) basement.

favorite music is rap

favorite music is rock

to SoundCloud rappers

favorite music is Country

favorite music is Israeli Music

"Thank U, Next:” When albums empower josie stein contributing editor Ariana Grande’s newest album sends a message of newfound independence after a year of internationally-publicized personal hardship.

Released on Feb. 8, the album marks a new beginning for the pop star’s unique musical sound and individual growth.

Grande’s announcement of her newest project, “Thank U, Next,” came as a surprise to many, as she released her long-awaited album “Sweetener” just five months prior. One month after “Sweetener” was released, Mac Miller, Grande’s ex-boyfriend, passed away from a

drug overdose.

Social media was quick to blame Grande for Miller’s death, citing her tumultuous breakup with the rapper for sending him into a depression.

Known for keeping a close relationship with her fans, Grande took these accusations regarding Miller’s death to heart.

Come November, despite her freshly broken engagement with comedian Pete Davidson in the midst of mourning the loss of Miller, Grande released her chart-topping single “Thank U, Next,” chronicling her past failed relationships.

Soon after, Grande released two other singles, “Imagine” and “7 Rings,” showcasing a softer and more

confident sound. This upbeat style is continued throughout “Thank U, Next,” with empowering messages of independence exemplified in songs like “NASA.” One of the strongest songs from the album is “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored,” in which Grande sings about wanting a man who is taken and tries to convince him to choose her. While this seems manipulative on the surface level, this track breaks away from the stereotypical love song where a girl is longing for a boy who does not share the same feelings. Instead, this catchy melody serves as a love song to herself and boosts her self-worth, a sentiment that young women need

now more than ever.

Aside from empowering anthems, Grande digs deeper and opens up in “Ghostin,” discussing her emotional turmoil following her breakups with refreshing honesty.

While the songs “Needy” and “Makeup” are fairly mundane and ordinary musical compositions, the more catchy singles from the album make up for this disparity.

While a few songs on “Thank U, Next” are getting heavy rotation on the radio, it is definitely worth taking the time to hear all 12 tracks. Whether it is empowerment, reflection or just a catchy hook, Grande’s accessibility and pure vocal prowess are qualities that we can all enjoy.

photo courtesy of creative commons