Lion's Tale 42n6

LT

THE LION’S TALE

THE READING

RECESSION

With fewer people reaching for books, here’s how to fall back in love with literature, page-by-page

DEAR READERS,

Welcome to our last edition before summer. With the end of the school year fast approaching, this production week was particularly exhilarating. Nonetheless, we are exceedingly happy with the final product, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

This edition’s production was a special one, with almost half of our staff absent on the first day, winning the softball championships at Gallaudet University. With all three captains of the team, Eliana Wolf, Tali Loeffler and Mia Forseter, on The Lion’s Tale staff, their win really feels like a win for all of us, and we celebrated with them from the PubHub when we heard the exciting news of their win.

These pages are filled with a mix of light-hearted and serious topics, ranging from a guide for where to get the best matcha in the area to a condemnation of the legislation to take away D.C.’s Home Rule. We are confident that anyone reading this edition finds something that piques their interest.

For this edition’s in-depth, we chose to focus on the United States reading crisis, a passion of ours as student journalists. We are so proud to now see the in-depth come to fruition. Because of our devotion to The Lion’s Tale, literacy is so important to us, and we feel honored to raise awareness about the decline in reading and provide advice for fellow students to return to reading.

We hope you all have a great summer. The Lion’s Tale staff will be here a week before the rest of the students to get our next edition ready, so we will see you in the fall. Until then, pick up a good book this break. We promise it will be worth your while.

Sincerely,

Editors-in-Chief

04 Tariffs hit home

New economic policies impact on JDS

05 Memory makers Student start-up expands

06 On the hunt

Search continues for new head of school

07 Future freshmen

Incoming ninth grade tops 100 students

16

Scout’s honor

Students partake in Israeli youth group

17 A dedicated dean

18

Roz Landy’s impact on the community

More than music

The history of Shir Madness

11

Keep it classic

Banning books is wrong

Pluralism pros

Religious diversity enhances JDS

Science silenced

Trump administration defunds research

Hands off D.C. Washington should uphold home rule

IN-DEPTH

12 The reading recession

As literacy levels drop nationwide, here’s how to fall back in love with books, one page at a time

21 20

22

23

Stress less

How to stay calm before finals

Smash sesh

A visit to a rage room eases stress

Matcha madness

Baking a better future

CORRECTIONS FROM 42N5:

Page 2: Picture corresponding to page 18 article is incorrect. Page 14: Photos taken by Sadaf Zadeh

Page 16: Picture of Asher Kotok, not Daniel Bassat

Sunflower Bakery is spreading joy

Leading the pack

Guide on where to find green tea 25

Sixth grade student ranks high in tennis

Softball strikes back

Biology teacher coaches middle school

Spring sports summed up

Recap of the recent athletic season

PAGE

Clockwise from top left: Photos by Brielle Bassin, Dimensions; Rob Zucker, used with permission; Anna Polon, LT.

Jordana Dauber’s favorite book is “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker

THE LION’S TALE STAFF

Vivi Ducker’s favorite book is “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Sadaf Zadeh’s favorite book is “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein

Tali Loeffler’s favorite book is “Girl in the Blue Coat” by Monica Hesse

THE BEST OF lionstale.org NEWS

Lag B’Omer field trips

Editors-in-Chief

Vivi Ducker & Eliana Wolf

Managing Editor, Copy

Maiya Blumenthal

Managing Editor, Web

Sophie Schwartz

In-Depth Editor

Sadaf Zadeh

News Editors

Eliana Abrams & Penelope Terl Features Editors

Jordana Dauber & Anna Polon

Opinion Editors

Lindsey Shapiro & Maiya Blumenthal (interim) Arts and Entertainment Editors

Leora Blumenthal & Jonah Mellen

Sports Editors

Tali Loeffler & Mia Forseter

Reporters

Leora Blumenthal’s favorite book is “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” by Dai Sijie

Jonah Mellen’s favorite book is “Blood Meridian” by Cormac McCarthy P h o tos

Sophie Schwartz’s favorite book is “Educated” by Tara Westover

Ephraim Blair, Zoe Cohen, David Federowicz, Jackson Gill, Kira Koplow, Sophia Leinwand, Eli Loeffler, Lena Lourenco, Dalya Lurie, Liat Netter, Gila Safra, Adam Salomon, Isaiah Segal-Geetter, Aviv Stein, Lior Zucker

Staff Adviser

Jessica Nassau Adviser Emerita

Susan Zuckerman

OPINION

U.S. democracy is under threat

Jonah Mellen, A&E Editor

A&E

Lana Del Rey’s new album

SPORTS

Doubles tennis tournament

Tali Loeffler, Sports Editor

FEATURES

Teachers’ summer plans

Jessica Nassau’s favorite book is “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf

Adam Salomon & Dalya Lurie, Reporters

Lena Lourenco, Reporter

As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale (LT) 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 LT editorial board. The LT staff welcomes letters to the editor and guest

Zoe Cohen, Reporter

EDITORIAL AND ETHICS POLICY

columns, 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. All other contents copyright of LT. All rights reserved. Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@gmail.com, mailed to LT or brought to room 320.

The LT magazine and website 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 Publica-

tions. AI is not permitted for any generation of content or brainstorming, including but not limited to the following: writing articles or headlines, spread designs, photography, letter to the editor, audio or video. The only AI usage permitted by LT is for the purpose of transcribing interviews.

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

TARIFFS HIT HOME

New economic

policies may impact the

JDS community

Maiya Bluementhal ManagingEditor,Copy

From smartphones to coffee prices, the cost of goods in America is being reconfigured by an economic tool most Americans haven’t seen since the end of World War II: tariffs. Tariffs are taxes on exported products that, according to Derek Scissors, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, are intended to encourage domestic production.

On April 2, the Trump administration announced its plan to reverse the U.S. practice of open international trade, and implement a 10% tax on all imports from other countries, with higher rates for specific countries, according to PBS News. The tariffs took effect on April 5, with many Americans uncertain about their impact.

“These [tariffs] are hard to predict,” History Department Chair Carl Atwood said. “… There’s a lot of factors that have gone into the rise of American service industries and the decline of American manufacturing industries, and it’s hard to say that only tariff policy will make the changes that the administration states as being their goals.”

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania anticipate national revenue to increase by over $5.2 trillion in the next ten years due to the tariffs. However many economists have reported negative short term impacts on individuals, small businesses and the national economy due to anticipated increased prices and consequential decreased spending.

While prices on imported goods from all countries are expected to increase, Scissors highlights that the biggest area of concern are the Chinese tariffs. After the implementation of tariffs in early April, China responded by raising its import taxes as well, leading to extremely high tariffs from both countries. The United States had a 145% total tariff on Chinese imports from April 9 to May 11. However, after negotiations on May 11, China and the

United States agreed to lower U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports to 30% for 90 days starting May 14.

This tariff is higher than the baseline 10% tariff on other countries and will raise prices of Chinese imported goods, which make up 16% of American imports according to Reuters. Specifically, China is a large importer of a lot of technology. China imports 98% of lighting and 40% of smartphones imported to America, in addition to large amounts of clothing, baby products and other household goods, according to Reuters.

“You will notice some clothing is no longer on shelves, and you’ll notice how the clothing is more expensive,” Scissors said. “Much more subtle is that China also makes things that American companies use in their own production …In the extreme case where Chinese inputs to production also disappear, you could have companies in the area that say, ‘Sorry, I have to close down.’”

CESJDS Chief Financial and Operating Officer (CFO) Elanit Jakabovics said that JDS hasn’t seen

Cell Phones

Apple Phones are largely produced in China, which now faces a 30% tariff

Clothes

One of the big lessons or best practices, I would say, is just being there for our families.” “ “

much of an impact on supplies yet, but has planned accordingly for if it does happen.

For example, in anticipation of increased technology prices, the JDS technology department has made all of next year’s purchases earlier than usual. In the case of increased prices of goods, the school hopes to minimize the impact on families by avoiding changes in areas such as tuition or lunch costs. Additionally, just as they did when JDS parents experienced sudden federal job losses, the school hopes to work with families if any changes impact their financial position.

“One of the big lessons or best practices, I would say, is just being there for our families,” Jakabovics said. “...If they reach out to us, we work with them, and we really want to hold their hand and walk through this experience together with them. Because we don’t want families to pull their kids out of JDS and have to go to other schools.”

All information as of May 12 - Elanit Jakabovics CESJDS CFO

TARIFFS IN A BACKPACK

The bulk of U.S. clothing are imported from outside countries, which face a minimum of 10% tariffs

There is currently a 25% tariff on all auto imports Chocolate

80% U.S. chocolate is imported from Latin America, which now faces a 10% tariff

Information from CBS News as of May 12 Photos by Eliana Abrams, LT.

MEMORY MAKERS

Student start-up expands after winning $1000 grant

Isaiah Segal-Geetter Reporter

Since receiving an $1,000 grant in February by winning the CESJDS Sharon and Jacob Benus (z”l) Social Entrepreneurship Program’s “Shark Tank”-style competition, Golden Memoir, formerly known as Storybridge, has been working to expand their business. They aim to assert themselves as a competitive member of their industry: biographies specifically for the elderly.

Golden Memoir’s team consists of juniors Leo Steindecker, Coby Schlactus, Daniel Jacobson and senior Yedidyah Milner-Gillers, who all participated in the Social Entrepreneurship Program earlier this year. Their product uses an AI system that writes memoirs based on interviews with older family members. They are using their new money to invest in their product.

The team has already spent some of the grant money helping their company become more efficient and by increasing their presence in the industry. For example, they bought a domain name under goldenmemoirs.ai that can be used to request their interview service and contact the leaders of the company.

“We’re just working on more interviews, more business, making sure we know how we want it to work [and] making sure we can beat down the system,” Schlactus

said. “We need to understand how long different parts will take and make it more organized so we’re able to scale it.”

It has been hard for the Golden Memoir team to dedicate time to the business as school takes up a lot of their time, according to Steindecker. They have made six sales so far, mostly to family members, and are trying to find ways to expand their business without taking up too much of their time during a busy school year.

One of Golden Memoir’s priorities has been increasing sales and gaining recognition, according to Steindecker. The company plans to achieve this through innovating their company with more advanced AI systems and programs that they cannot afford to implement until they have a set stream of money.

Even though the Social Entrepreneurship Program has concluded, the school still plays an active role in guiding the students. Assistant Athletic Director and Social Entrepreneurship Coordinator Matthew Landy and entrepreneur Henrik Scheel, the sponsor of the program and one of their mentors, are still actively providing advice, even though the students have the final say in all decisions.

“I’ve told them that if they have any questions or concerns or anything with continuing to grow their brand please come to me or

Henrik,” Landy said. “But that is entirely up to them and their decision as a group … I’ve tried to make myself as available as possible to them, to assist them in anything.”

They are currently investing in products to maximize efficiency, including a new premium AI service that can help Golden Memoir’s transcripts and final product be as clear and thorough as possible. Additionally, after many prototypes, the company realized they needed a formatting tool that lets them arrange pages in a way that is suitable for printing.

“We have also bought a service called Atticus, which allows us to format, so once we have the biography, like all the pictures... it does most of the formatting for us,” Steindecker said.

Schlactus said that, above all, the most important goal of the company is helping people and learning from this opportunity. He said the whole group has learned a lot about business since beginning this program.

“I thought the whole oppor tunity in [the] entrepreneurship program is really awesome and new and I’m happy JDS branched out and created that because I think it’s very beneficial and I’m glad it’s going to be continued,” Schlactus said.

Senior Yedidya Milner-Gillers and juniors Leo Steindecker, Coby Schlactus and Daniel Jacobson present their idea at “Shark Tank”style competition. Photo by Lindsey Shapiro, LT.

Ephraim Blair Reporter

ON THE HUNT

Search continues to fill Head of School position

After 13 years as Head of School of CESJDS, current Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus will be leaving at the end of the 202526 school year. To select Malkus’ replacement, the Board of Directors has assembled an eight-member search committee of current and former parents. The official job description says the new Head of School will bring in the “next era of educational and institutional excellence” to JDS.

Danielle Juda, a co-vice president of the Board and mother of three JDS students is the chair of the Head of School Search Committee. Juda said the committee is working closely with DRG Talent, a recruitment firm that specializes in aiding schools and nonprofits through the executive search process to make the vetting and selection process easier.

To kick start the process, DRG administered an anonymous survey in late January to ask for community input, which Juda said received 160 responses. The Board also hosted information sessions in February, where they updated parents on the search process and asked for further input.

“I’m proud to say that we did multiple sessions with parents at the Lower School and Upper School, and we did sessions with faculty members and administrators,” Juda said. “We feel that we captured a nice subset of people from our community, and we feel that we really heard from so many voices and stakeholders within our community.”

High School Assistant Principal Aileen Goldstein (‘96) is an alumna, faculty member and parent to a current second grade student. Although she does not have an official role on the search committee, Goldstein said she has an interest in what the next Head of School will focus on.

Specifically, Goldstein said she wants a Head of School “who

IN THE LIONS DEN

Sadie Brown

“I’d look for someone who is understanding.”

Sophomore Max Olin

“I want someone who listens to the students.”

Junior Micah Goldrich

“I think they should be dedicated to the community.”

Sophomore Liana Lesser

“I want someone who continues to emphasize pluralism.”

puts students first,” builds community, communicates well and has sound judgment. Above all, she said she wants someone who can balance the competing interests of parents, donors, students, faculty members and alumni.

“There are some commonalities of what I want [as an alumna, mother and faculty member], but each part of that brings a different part of my heart,” Goldstein said. “...You need somebody who’s willing to make hard decisions because you can’t please everybody all the time, and the hardest decisions are often the most important for the school.”

Currently, DRG hosts the job application and description on its website. The search committee identified four key areas of responsibility: “institutional leadership,” “education and Jewish vision,” “fundraising and community engagement” and “financial management.” This includes the allocation of almost $40 million in expenses reported in the 2023 IRS 990 form, per ProPublica.

grown so much since then: many more students, faculty and parents in addition to two buildings and greater financial demands, all of which make the job for the Head of School far more challenging.”

“You need somebody who’s willing to make hard decisions ... And the hardest decisions are often the most important for the school.”

- Assistant Principal Aileen Goldstein (‘96)

Juda said that the timeline for the selection process is not fully finalized because it is still early, and there have not yet been many applicants. However, she expects the search committee to begin interviewing candidates this summer. In the meantime, they will continue to keep the community informed with periodic updates via email and on the school’s website, with more information this fall. Having worked with multiple Heads of School, Landy said she trusts the process. She also said that the Head of School has to be someone who can keep their composure, remain poised under pressure and who can successfully lead the school with a clear educational vision.

Dean of Students Roz Landy has worked in various capacities, including nine years on-and-off acting as Upper School Principal. During her 48 years at JDS, she said she has witnessed the nature of the Head of School position change as the school has grown significantly despite challenges. Such challenges during Landy’s time at JDS include the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the 2008 Financial Crisis and the Oct. 7 attacks and subsequent war.

“In 1977, when I started at JDS, we were so much smaller, a ‘mom-and-pop school,’ all in one building,” Landy said. “We have

“The challenge for a Head of School is that, in addition to the day-to-day operations, the educational and budget demands, there are always unanticipated surprises,” Landy said. “During each Head of School tenure, there have been emergencies … that require the Head of School to be a thoughtful, calm and confident leader, and we have been fortunate to have that in Rabbi Malkus.”

Freshman

FUTURE FRESHMEN

Kira Koplow Reporter

For the first time in over a decade, the freshman class will exceed 100 students, according to Director of Upper School Admissions Wendi Kaplan. Nearly 40 new students will join the class of 2029 as they enter high school.

Currently, high school grades are between 60-85 students, meaning the incoming freshman class will be about 25% bigger than other high school grades. Kaplan thinks that one main reason for the influx is the rise of antisemitism seen in Montgomery County since Oct. 7.

“Jewish families who are not currently in Jewish day school, after October 7, they’re really looking for community and a place where they can find a Jewish identity,” Kaplan said.

Additionally, the rising freshman class already has many family connections to the school. According to Kaplan, over 15 students have older siblings attending CESJDS, and a few new freshmen also have parents who are alumni.

Incoming freshman Gabey Silverberg, sibling to Matan Silverberg (23’) and senior Josie Silverberg, says that he is nervous to join such a big grade, especially coming from Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School, which has an

Incoming class tops 100 students

eighth grade of 53 students. However, Silverberg is hopeful that this will let him branch out.

“I’m excited because I’ll be able to meet a ton of new people,” Silverberg said. “And I’m not going in with a lot of kids I know from Milton, so I’m hoping that there’s kids from other schools that I’ll be able to be friends with.”

According to Kaplan, Milton is usually a big feeder into JDS because it ends after eighth grade. Kaplan says that close to 20 students are joining JDS from Milton, which makes up around half of the incoming students, with the other half coming from various public and private schools.

Due to the size of the incoming freshman class, teachers and administrators have to adjust the number of classes they teach. Kaplan says that the school is still figuring out what changes will have to be made in order to accommodate the increase. Additionally, the freshman orientation will be adjusted accordingly.

The orientation is typically a couple of days before the start of the school year to introduce the freshmen to each other. However, this year there may be two new additions, including a tour of the school and a meet-and-greet with teachers. These new activities will go along with the usual workshops and bonding activities.

“We’re being really thoughtful and mindful about what orientation activities look like, both for the orientation day and throughout the first few months of school, so that we can really build an intentional community for the class,” High School Assistant Principal Aileen Goldstein said.

According to Goldstein, another change for the incoming freshman class is the number of sections for each class. Currently, there are four or five sections for each subject, but next year, the number will be raised to six to accommodate the incoming freshmen. For Silverberg, there can be cons to having such a large grade at a smaller private school.

“I think it’ll make it a little harder for the grade to feel united as a kehillah, because there’s a ton of people, and it’ll be hard to know everyone’s names,” Silverberg said.

However, high school biology teacher and ninth grade dean Melissa Andrew is excited to connect with more students this fall. She loves to see rising levels of enrollment and hopes that the school continues to grow.

“I am very proud of JDS, and I think it’s great that more people are coming to our school because they hear how wonderful it is,” Andrew said.

Photos by Penelope Terl, LT.

KEEP IT CLASSIC

Books have the power to help students tackle uncomfortable societal issues

While books bring us solace, the best pieces of literature not only comfort us, but also challenge us. Yet across the country, schools are removing classic literature for doing exactly what it is supposed to do: make us think. If we ban books that confront difficult truths, how do we expect students to navigate the world beyond the classroom?

Over the past four years, book banning has become a national phenomenon. According to Pen America, during the 2023-2024 school year, there was a near 200% surge in school book bans with 10,000 book bans affecting over 4,000 titles.

Both the political left and right are leading campaigns to pull books out of the curriculum which ensures that children will not be exposed to complex topics necessary for building critical thinking skills.

Many of these book banning campaigns have targeted classic books, claiming that they deal with topics that are not appropriate for schools, such as racism and sexually explicit content. These classic books have been literary staples in American curricula and are examples of strong literature.

“Their Eyes Were Watching God.” “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” These are not dangerous books. They are mirrors of social

BANNED CLASSICS

issues. Warnings. Invitations to think. Literary staples that were once used to build critical thinking are now being vilified for their candid portrayals of racism, mental health, abuse and inequality. These are the very themes that make the books worth reading.

According to the American Literary Association, 72% of pressure groups and government entities endorse book banning, which shows just how prevalent this issue is, especially on a national scale.

At CESJDS, books are not banned; rather, they are taught, analyzed and discussed to bring awareness to the topics that are covered. Our classrooms and Media Center remain places where students are able to engage with challenging literature and wrestle with difficult questions. We are fortunate to be a part of an institution that values open dialogue and intellectual freedom.

That is not something to take for granted — it is something to advocate for in other institutions.

When we read classic literature in school, we are not just learning how to analyze a plot or identify a theme. We are learning how to evaluate historical context, grapple with moral complexity and form our own opinions, which students at other schools do not get the chance to do. These

are skills that shape thoughtful, informed citizens. If we avoid hard conversations in the classroom, we won’t know how to make the world a better place.

The impulse to protect children by removing difficult content may seem well-intended, but it does more harm than good. Society is far from perfect and students need to build resilience early and learn about difficult topics. Literature offers a safe place to explore uncomfortable truths and gain insight into human experience. Classic books are essential for education. Instead of banning books, we should encourage students to read them and talk about them. Teach students why the topics in these books are complicated or uncomfortable, instead of ignoring them all together.

The solution to discomfort is not silence; it’s conversation. In a world where so many voices are silenced and dismissed, our commitment to literary freedom is more important than ever.

-

The Lion’s Tale

Information from ala.org. Photos by Lindsey Shapiro, LT.

Illustration by Leah Fagin

PLURALISM PROS

JDS BY THE NUMBERS

53% of students identify as Conservative 24% of students identify as Modern Orthodox 9% of students identify as Reform 12% of students identify as “just Jewish” 2% of students identify as “unaffiliated”

Information from the JDS website

Penelope Terl News Editor

When I first came to CESJDS, I was nervous I would feel excluded because of the way I practice Judaism. I’m not very religiously observant, and I didn’t know how I would fit in with people from so many Jewish backgrounds. After five years at JDS, I can say that my nerves were unfounded, as JDS’ pluralism makes the school a space for everyone.

JDS is a pluralistic Jewish day school, meaning the school values “a principled commitment to the diversity of Jewish backgrounds, beliefs and practices of our community,” according to the JDS website. Although I think that is an ambitious goal, I’ve been able to see how it is manifested at JDS firsthand through my everyday experiences at school and with my friends.

As a pluralistic Jewish day school, JDS is one of the only high schools of its kind. While there are other Jewish schools in the surrounding area, many are affiliated with a specific denomination. JDS is unique as it brings Jews from all across the spectrum, Orthodox to Reform, together into one community.

According to the JDS website, as of 2024, the JDS community is 24% Orthodox, 53% Conservative and 9% Reform. Additionally, 12% identify as “other” and 2%

Religious diversity enhances the JDS community

as “just Jewish.” In a world where religious differences often divide people, pluralism helps us build a community based on mutual respect and love for Judaism.

One way that JDS demonstrates its value of pluralism is through its many Zman Kodesh (ZK) options, which range from davening ZKs, such as Sephardic Minyan to non-davening ZKs such as journaling. This pluralism allows me to be less or more observant of Judaism than my friends without fear of judgment.

Additionally, having these options helps me explore how I want to practice my Judaism in ways that a strictly denominational school would not. Before coming to JDS, I rarely davened at all. Now, although I still don’t pray habitually, my ZK, Derekh Tefilah, davens a few times a week which allows me to do as much or as little as I want. At JDS, I feel that no minyan path is seen as better or more authentic than the other. Rather, all are considered different ways to express one’s Jewish identity.

Pluralism also creates opportunities for civil debates and discussions about different ways to practice Judaism. Judaism has an incredibly broad spectrum of observance levels, and going to a school with people from a variety of denominations helps people from all sides of the religious spectrum understand the other ways people practice the religion.

Whether it’s in a Jewish text class or just in a lunchtime conversation, I’ve had many opportunities to learn about a tradition or custom that I wasn’t familiar with. For example, since coming

to JDS, I’ve learned more from my friends about tzniut, the Jewish concept of modesty, and how it differs from how I observe Judaism. These discussions help my peers and me learn more about different denominations of Judaism and strengthen our ability to listen to perspectives different from us, which is an important life skill.

Pluralism is especially highlighted on grade Shabbatons. My roommates and I had to discuss and compromise about things such as turning on our room’s lights on Shabbat or what minyanim we were each going to attend. This makes the Shabbaton not just a fun trip with my friends, but an experience where I learn more about different forms of Judaism. That said, pluralism isn’t always easy. Even at a place like JDS where pluralism is a core value, it does not necessarily come naturally. It takes patience and effort to be open-minded. It requires everyone to try to understand and learn about each other’s practices in order to foster acceptance and inclusivity. Pluralism thrives when we ask questions, learn new things and challenge our assumptions and prejudices about others. I feel grateful to be at a school where there is not just one way to be Jewish. Although it may not always be the first thing on everyone’s mind amidst classes and extracurriculars, I encourage everyone to realize how unique JDS is in this way, and to take these opportunities to learn more about other people’s practices and Judaism itself.

WHAT THE LIONS THINK

“It really influences a lot of the ways we work and a lot of the ways we interact with community.”

Eighth Grader Ren Baranofsky

“[Pluralism is] a breeding environment for varying ideas.”

Sophomore Julian Kahn

“There’s a lot of pluralism in terms of certain aspects of the school, and not in terms of other aspects.”

Junior Lucy Ginsburg

Photos by Lindsey Shapiro, LT.

SCIENCE SILENCED

Jackson Gill Reporter

The Trump administration is recklessly undermining U.S. medical research and innovation with recent threats to defund the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This attack will, without a doubt, put the nation’s health at serious risk.

According to the New York Times, the Trump administration cut NIH grants for major universities in an attempt to curb national spending. This means the NIH will no longer be able to supply universities with crucial funding for conducting biomedical science research. The cuts are estimated to cost universities roughly four billion dollars annually in resources necessary for scientific research.

According to Dr. David J. Skorton, president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the terminated overhead grants serve as the backbone for college research. They cover the cost of high-quality experimental utilities such as lab equipment, building maintenance, power and even support staff.

Cutting these funds will have severe consequences, the most glaring of which would be slowing down the rate universities can produce research. This would subsequently slow down scientific progress as a whole.

For example, Johns Hopkins University is the leading American school in medical research spending. However, according to the school, they have taken one of the hardest blows from federal funding cuts: $800 million in United States Agency for International Development grants awarded to Johns Hopkins have been terminated.

BY THE NUMBERS

$4 billion in overhead cuts 15% loss of total university scientific resources 694 grants terminated by the Trump Administration 400k Support staff jobs at risk

Information from The New York Times, Reuters, The National Institute of Health, The U.S Department of Education, as of May 13.

The Trump administration must stop defunding scientific research

Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and COVID-19 are just a few of the fields currently under intensive study at Johns Hopkins. The intended budget cuts would significantly slow progress in all of them. The effects of this are not to be understated–the future of American health is at stake.

According to the National Science Board, academic research and development make up roughly 60% of the nation’s total scientific and biomedical efforts. If the government does not adequately support this major research, Americans will be forced to wait longer for cures and breakthroughs in important medical fields. How can we afford to let life-saving progress be inhibited?

The cuts will also affect local economies. Over 400,000 jobs are supported by the NIH grants; removing that backing would leave less money to pay employee salaries.

This would not only leave universities majorly understaffed, but would also result in a significant loss of job opportunities across the country.

Another concerning prospect of the cuts is competition from other countries. In 2023, China extended 1.2 trillion yuan (roughly 165 billion USD) towards scientific and

technological research, a 7.8% increase from the year prior. That number has continued to rise since, according to the National Bureau of Statistics of China.

It is imperative that the United States dominates the medical industry in order to strengthen the national economy. Cutting grants that pay for major university research would set us behind foreign competitors.

When the United States fails to innovate, it opens the door for foreign nations to be first in identifying breakthroughs and in creating products to build on their discoveries. Americans cannot expect the state of the medical industry to improve if its scientists and doctors are being robbed of the resources necessary for their growth.

Ensuring America remains a beacon of scientific and technological strength means providing scientists with the tools they need and continuing to promote professional research practices. The Trump administration’s proposed grant cuts threaten this goal.

Protesters gather in Washington, D.C. on March 7 as part of the “Stand Up for Science” rallies.

People of all age groups are threatened by budget cuts. Photos from Creative Commons.

The National Archive building in Washington, D.C.. Photo from archives.gov/dc.

HANDS OFF D.C.

Washington should uphold its right to home rule

Democracies depend on the principle of self-governance, one of the great strengths of the United States and a value that we uphold; we believe in people’s capacity to govern themselves.

On Feb. 6, 2025, Republican Senator Mike Lee and Republican Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee, backed by President Donald Trump, introduced a bill to repeal the Home Rule Act of 1973 as they claimed the repeal would lead to effective management of crime and homelessness. The Home Rule Act established a council of 13 members, headed by the Washington, D.C. mayor, to govern the district.

This council allows D.C. to create laws, seek congressional approval and manage its budget. Stripping D.C. of the right to self-governance would undermine this principle. These congressional leaders seek to strip D.C. of the right to selfgovernance. If successful, the end of home rule would not only be a disaster for D.C., but would be a blemish on democracy as a whole.

D.C. was established as the nation’s capital on July 16, 1790 as a neutral zone ruled by appointed commissioners. By the 20th century, the city had changed. Its population size demanded a dedicated local government. The number of

people living in D.C. has steadily increased, indicating a flourishing population. The city added 15,000 residents in 2023 alone, topping over 700,000 residents in 2024, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser of D.C.

Since the ratification of the Home Rule Act, D.C. has been able to thrive, provide for its citizens and become the revered city that it is today. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2018, D.C.’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita was significantly higher than any other U.S. state, displaying its well-performing economy.

Some argue that repealing the Home Rule Act would help D.C. manage crime. In reality, the D.C. council’s work has efficiently and specifically worked toward combating that issue. According to the Department of Justice, crime has hit a 30-year low in D.C., clearly demonstrating that D.C. can address its own concerns.

In fact, despite its intentions to better manage crime, repealing the act would have a negative impact on crime rates. This is because D.C. has control over its local law enforcement and when repealed, it would be the federal government’s discretion. For example, D.C.’s ability to borrow money would be abolished, leading to issues involving locally overseen tasks. These include trash pickup, road maintenance and the construction of new schools and sports arenas, which bring people into the city for learning and entertainment.

D.C. GDP OVER TIME

President Trump has mentioned his belief that the government should “take over Washington, D.C. — make it safe,” according to Reuters. Specifically, President Trump thinks that there is significant work to be done in D.C. to remove homeless people and beautify the city in its entirety.

The U.S. capital is considered by some to be one of the most influential democratic cities in the world, and now, it may be infringed upon by the federal government. President Trump’s focus on D.C. and the federal executive’s authority over it could mark the sign of presidential expansion and seizure of control.

There is always room for improvement in the capital city, however, there is no indication in the new bill that there are specific measures to improve homelessness, beautification or other issues. President Trump has made statements to this effect, but we have yet to see a clear plan in writing.

In terms of democracy, the city of D.C. was established to grant citizens control over local affairs, but not direct congressional representation as a state. President Trump’s agenda of expanding federal governance into the city directly contradicts the principles of our democracy. The right to home rule should remain as it represents the spirit of democracy within our country.

Eli Loeffler Reporter

- in depth -

In a world where scrolling has replaced reading, the simple act of sitting down with a book is becoming increasingly rare. The American bookworm might be an endangered species, with just under a third of Americans having read a book in the past year, according to a study by the Pew Research Center.

America is in the midst of a reading crisis: an ongoing decline in how people engage with reading for pleasure, according to the Stern Center for Language and Learning.

This nationwide decline in reading is present at CESJDS. In a survey of 119 JDS high school students conducted by the Lion’s Tale, 31.1% reported reading less than one book per month, and 85.7% reported wanting to read more than they do currently.

Many public schools have trasitioned to using chapters and passages in their curriculum, rather than entire novels. The EdWeek Research Center, found that fewer than 17 percent of educators nationally relied primarily on whole texts to teach reading.

JDS, however, leans more toward full books. JDS students read roughly 21 books throughout their high school career. The conistent reading of full books like this improves students’ literacy among other benefits.

According to the results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), published in a New York Times article, the number of eighth-grade students with “below basic” reading skills on the exam is the highest it has been in three decades, at 33%.

For some, making it this far into this article might seem unimaginable. Here’s why:

Causes of the reading crisis:

The reading crisis stems from a combination of cultural, technological and behavioral shifts over recentdecades. One of the most frequently cited causes is the rapid growth of digital technology and social media.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are contributing to declining attention spans, especially among children and adolescents. The shift toward rapid short-form consumption reduces attention spans and makes it harder for people to commit to reading a book in its entirety.

“There’s such a large growth in the use of technology,” High School Learning Specialist and Sophomore dean Brett Kugler said. “You’re not training your brain to take that longer chunk of time.”

In the same survey conducted by the Lion’s Tale, 49.6% of the 119 students reported “not having enough time” as the primary reason that they don’t read more.

“I feel like I spend most of my time doing homework, and no longer have time to read for pleasure anymore,” sophomore Liana Lesser said. “And I wish I had more time to read because it makes me happy.”

Another contributing factor is the sheer number of entertainment options. According to Statista, U.S. adults spend an average of eight hours a day on digital media, much of it frag mented across multiple apps and devices. With smartphones accessible at all times, people turn to them rather than books, for entertainment, connection and information.

“The prevalence of social media and smartphones and screen devices distracts,” Media Specialist Mirele Kessous said. “It is a distraction. I’m not say ing it’s a bad distraction, but it is a distraction.”

According to the Census Bu reau, the number of U.S. book stores dropped from 12,151 in 1998 to 6,045 in 2019, more than a 50% reduction. The de cline in physical bookstores has limited opportunities for people to casually discover new books. This trend also marks a broad er societal shift with people less willing to spend money and time looking for books.

With fewer bookstores, communities lose a vital space where readers can browse

As literacy levels drop nationwide, here’s how to fall back in love with books, one page at a time.

THE READING RECESSION

Eliana Abrams News Editor

Vivi Ducker Editor-in-Chief

Mia Forseter Sports Editor

and build a reading habit. Gayle Weiswasser, Co-owner of Bethesda’s Wonderland Books, opened her store because she felt a gap was left behind in Bethesda after major chains closed.

“There hasn’t been a bookstore here since Barnes and Noble closed … and it just seemed really ripe for a bookstore,” Weiswasser said. “We had a suspicion that there was a big void there that could be filled.”

Impacts:

One of the biggest impacts of the reading crisis is children’s inability to develop crucial cognitive skills. A study done by the University of Cambridge compared children who had been reading for pleasure for three to ten years to children who did not read for fun.

The children who read for fun were found to perform better in school and on cognitive tests such as verbal learning, memory and speech development.

According to National University, reading helps with empathy development, communication, vocabulary expansion, brain strength and reading stamina. Also, according to Forbes, reading more fiction helps with building skills such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence and memory.

“It’s incredibly important to read outside of the classroom, because you really do afford yourself the chance to read things that are interesting to you and to broaden your horizons,” Kugler said.

As a result of the reading crisis, students have begun to lose the attention and desire to read full-length books.

According to a survey of 300 teachers by Education Weekly, only 17% of third to eighth-grade teachers said that they teach full novels, and a quarter said that books are no longer the center of their curriculum.

“I’ve heard stories about college professors who have students who’ve never read a book in its entirety,” Kessous said. “Or they’ll assign a book, and the kids freak out because they’re not used to that level of sustained focus.”

LIONS’ STATS

18% of students are more likely to use an audiobook than read a physical book 86% of students want to read more frequently than they do

1-2 is the number of books that most students read per month, including school books 50% of students report reading less because they have no time

Similarly, English Department Chair Melissa Fisanich has noticed that students’ patience to read longer books has decreased.

“There are fewer students who are voracious readers,” Fisanich said. “… Students have a harder time when we’re reading high school things, or a Shakespeare book, or a harder book like “Frankenstein,” when they read an unfamiliar word, they actually have a hard time knowing how to decode that word.”

Getting back into reading:

While the reading crisis is a growing concern, flexible and personalized approaches to reading can help teens make up for lost skills. The key to rebuilding a love for reading is making it accessible and enjoyable.

Reading seems like a simple task for some, but once a teen stops reading regularly, it can be hard to pick up a book again. According to middle school English teacher David Carrington, it is important for teens to rebuild habits of reading consistently.

“If we start building our ‘reading muscle,’ it’ll get stronger and stronger,” Carrington said. “Once you build up that reading muscle, you’re much more likely to keep reading.”

The first step to getting back into reading is finding something enjoyable to read. Without the right book, reading can feel like a chore. Find the genre or book that piques one’s interests.

“The best way to inspire a love of reading is to let people read what they love,” Weiswasser said. “If that means graphic novels, let them read graphic novels … Don’t judge or restrict what people are reading. Curiosity is a powerful entry point, and once someone discovers what excites them, they’ll keep reading.”

For those unsure where to start, social media can help point the way. Specialized apps like GoodReads can also be very helpful in finding reading material.

Survey of 119 JDS high school students

“Book communities on Instagram and TikTok are full of people passionately discussing what they’re reading,” Weiswasser said. “That kind of excitement is contagious.”

One example of online book communities is “BookTok” on TikTok. BookTok is a subcommunity of the app dedicated to discussing and recommending books. Browsing BookTok can make it easier to find books based on individual interest.

Pleasure reading shouldn’t feel like a chore or a burden. Rather, it should be a mental escape and an opportunity for adventure.

“Reading is like eating,” Kessous said. “Not everyone likes the same foods, but everyone finds something they love. If a book doesn’t grab you after 25 to 50 pages, put it down and find another. There is a book out there for you.”

Reading physical books is not the only way to keep reading. Tools like audiobooks, magazines and blogs are all means to gaining some of the same benefits that reading provides, according to Fisanich.

“If reading for you is listening to something being read out loud, that counts as reading,” Fisanich said. “If you’re listening to it and you have the book open and you can stop and annotate, I count that as reading.”

If the price of books is a limiting factor to reading, many resources can be helpful in finding cheap books. One is Libby, an app that allows users to borrow ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from their public library when they upload a library card, according to their website. The Levitt Family Media Center and local public libraries are also strong resources for students.

According to Carrington, it’s not important what you read. It is, however, important to just choose to read.

“You do not have to crack open a physical book. If you love sports, cooking or some hobby, find the people writing about that and read, read, read.” Carrington said.

- in depth -

SELF-HELP

The self-help genre is a powerful resource for anyone seeking personal growth, motivation or meaningful change.

There are a few standout titles that are perfect for anyone who wants to start reading selfhelp books. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear presents a clear, scientific framework for making small changes that compound into significant results. Easy strategies show that everyday decisions can shape long-term outcomes, and that anyone can make a big change in their own lives.

In contrast, David Goggins’ “Can’t Hurt Me” shares a raw, compelling story of personal transformation through grit and mental toughness. His journey from hardship to elite military performance is not only inspiring but also an entertaining story. “Can’t Hurt Me” combines aspects of a memoir

with real-world advice on how to improve quality of life.

Another book that breaks down exactly how to build good routines is “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg. Duhigg delves into the science behind habits, combining scientific research and evidence with real life examples and anecdotes. The book emphasizes that understanding exactly how habits help individuals improve themselves.

“The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt argues that the shift from play-based to phonebased childhoods has led to many mental health issues among young people. Haidt explores how factors such as increased loneliness, social comparison and attention fragmentation have impacted young-people’s well being. Haidt calls for restrictions on screen time and increased education surrounding digital health. The book teaches how to have healthy digital practices and educates on a major problem of young generations.

FANTASY

Offering readers a chance to explore other worlds, the fantasy genre provides readers with a sense of escapism and adventure.

One book worth reading is “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo, following a crew of outcasts on a seemingly impossible mission. The high-stakes of the novel creates an air of suspense that encourages anyone to keep reading.

For an eerie read, “The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black explores the life of a human, Jude, living in a non-human world. The book explains the trials and discrimination Jude faces living in a world not suited for her. Additionally, a large appeal of the novel is the enemies-to-lovers romance trope within the novel.

Another highly acclaimed novel is “Cinderella is Dead” by Kalynn Bayron. This story takes a twist on the classic fairytale of Cinderella. Set two centuries after Cinderella dies, this story of rebellion is perfect for those who are fans of the fairytale.

One of the lesser-known series of renowned author Rick Riordan, the “Kane Chronicles” series, teaches readers about Egyptian mythology. The “Kane Chronicles” takes place in the same fantastical universe as Riordan’s popular “Percy Jackson” series. The series highlights the sibling dynamic after brother, Carter, and sister, Sadie, reunite after a long period of separation. Over the course of the novel, the siblings’ bond with each other and with the Egyptian gods deepens.

WHAT TO READ

Book genres to get the pages turning

Photo by Sadaf Zadeh, LT.

ISRAELI BOOKS

Elana Ernst Guest Writer

I believe that stories help us see parts of ourselves reflected in people who are completely different from us. This year though, I was drawn to Israeli fiction particularly, to books that directly explored the heavy, beautiful realities of the place I love. Like many of us, I obsessively refresh The Times of Israel website, where the hardest parts of Israeli life are constantly broadcasted. In contrast, to read books that capture the everyday lives of Israelis—which extend beyond the horrors of war, even amidst it— has been unspeakably comforting to me.

MYSTERY

The mystery genre captivates with its blend of suspense and tension, perfect for anyone who craves entertainment.

Agatha Christie, often referred to as the “Queen of Mystery,” exemplifies the timeless appeal of the genre. Her classics like “Murder on the Orient Express” and “The A.B.C. Murders” keep readers entertained and invite them to play detective themselves. Christie wrote 66 mystery novels, giving readers plenty of options to pick from.

Modern mysteries like Holly Jackson’s “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” keep the genre fresh and exciting. The book follows a relatable teenager protagonist who investigates a closed murder case in her small town. Jackson has turned “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” into a four-book series, captivating readers by expanding the character’s depth.

The setting in mysteries is almost as important as the mystery itself, as a good setting is the backbone of the mystery itself.

One book with a setting that sets it up for success is “The Maid” by Nita Prose. “The Maid” takes place in an upscale hotel in London, providing the perfect backdrop for a suspenseful murder mystery.

Like mystery with a hint of revenge? The books “The Plot” and “The Sequel” by Jean Hanff Korelitz follow a once-successful novelist who steals a story idea from a student. Once that book becomes a bestseller, the blackmailing begins. These two books have twists and turns that make them hard to put down.

With twists, secrets and suspense at every turn, mysteries invite readers to solve the puzzle alongside the characters, ensuring a captivating experience.

“To The End of the Land” by David Grossman is a heartbreaking and moving exploration of war, trauma and relationships.

While Ofer, Ora’s son, fights in a major military offensive in the West Bank, Ora is accompanied by her former best friend, Avram, on a backpacking trip. On the trails of Northern Israel, Ora recounts her own life story and the childhood of Ofer, who she is convinced will fall in battle. Grossman’s prose is piercing, his characters are what make “To The End of the Land” unique; they are haunting, imperfect, and extraordinarily real.

Much in the spirit of “Tevye the Dairyman” by Shalom Aleichem, “Hilltop” by Asaf Gavron is a book about the often ridicu-

lous—and usually hilarious—lives of people who live in a small, illegal West Bank outpost. The book presents often overlooked realities of the settler movement, delving into political and personal tensions. Extremely funny and occasionally a little tragic, “Hilltop” is both deep and comical.

“Jerusalem Beach” by Iddo Gefen is a collection of short stories about the lives of Israelis. From the grandfather who decides to enlist in the geratric unit of the IDF, to the young boy who is trying to catch time with his hands, Gefen’s stories are experimental, profoundly human and beautifully written.

Elana Ernst was named Montgomery County Youth Poet Laureate in 2022.

- featuresSCOUT’S HONOR

On a Sunday afternoon, junior Liem Elgrably guided a group of Israeli elementary school students in a Tzofim activity designed to teach personal space. Liem felt proud that her leadership in Tzofim helped the kids learn boundaries while also providing a good time.

Founded in 1995 as Friends of Israel Scouts, Tzofim North America is a youth movement for Jewish teens from Israel. Tzofim has 28 Shvatim, or chapters, throughout the United States, and offers a gap year along with multiple summer programs. Many students at CESJDS are Israeli, and Tzofim, which translates to English as “scouts,” is a way for Israeli-American youth to connect with their heritage and connect with other Israeli kids their age.

“[I love] that I got to meet so many people, especially because I am Israeli and I feel like I connect with them a lot,” Liem said. “I feel like I wouldn’t have been able to meet so many Israelis if I wasn’t in Tzofim.”

Liem has been involved with Tzofim for six years. For the past two, she has enjoyed working as a counselor for younger Israeli campers. Last year, she was a counselor for fourth-grade students, and this year she took on a new role as head of all the fifthgrade counselors in her chapter.

It feels like a family … We all know each other and became friends. We kind of raised our kids together through the years. - Parent Natalie Elgrably “ “

Tzofim participate in a one year memorial of Oct. 7. They shared stories and experiences, and each received a yellow balloon to release outside. Photo by Liem Elgrably, used with permission.

Students participate in youth group for Israelis living in North America

Every Tuesday, the counselors meet to plan activities for their kids, who range from third grade students to freshmen. On Sundays, all Tzofim meet at the Bender JCC of Greater Washington to participate in the activities, which follow different themes each week. The themes are often, but not always, connected to Israel or recent Jewish holidays.

“I really am connected to the kids,” Liem said. “Especially because even if I was a counselor last year and now I’m not, I still see the kids all the time and keep in touch with them.”

In addition to weekly meetings, the Tzofim have three camping trips a year, which they call Machaneh. There is one winter, one summer and one spring trip.

These are held at YMCA Camp Letts in Edgewater, Maryland, and New Jersey Federation of Young Men’s Hebrew Associations and Young Women’s Hebrew Associations in Lakewood, Pennsylvania.

There is also a spring trip where the Tzofim go camping in the woods at Camp Running and Dancing Bear in Monkton, Maryland. On the trips, counselors spend the day leading programming for the kids, and at night the counselors have opportunities to bond and run their own activities.

Eighth grade student Liya Stayer has been doing Tzofim for three years. Stayer feels she has found a vibrant Israeli community

through Tzofim, and her favorite part of her experience has been Machaneh. One of her favorite memories from a camping trip was getting to spend time in the lake with her friends.

“Most of my friends were going back to Israel … so it was a super memorable [camping trip],” Stayer said.

According to Liem’s mother, Natalie Elgrably, one of the most important values Tzofim teaches her kids is independence. This is because Tzofim’s communication and responsibilities are placed entirely on the counselors.

Natalie has three children in Tzofim, and feels it has deepened her kids’ connection to Israel and Israeli culture.

“They get to connect much more with Israel,” Natalie said. “They celebrate the holidays a lot more than they do in school, and in more detail.”

Not only does Tzofim provide a community for the kids, but it also gives the parents a community. Natalie feels extremely connected to all the parents, especially those who she has known for a long time.

“It feels like a family,” Natalie said. “We’ve been there for so many years … [so] we all know each other and became friends. We kind of raised our kids together through the years.”

Leora Blumenthal Arts & Entertainment Editor

A DEDICATED DEAN

Lindsey Shapiro OpinionEditor

From starting at CESJDS as a reading specialist, to becoming a college guidance counselor, to her current role as Dean of Students, Roz Landy has been a part of the JDS community for 48 years. According to The Hechinger Report, around 50% of teachers leave the profession after five years, showing how Landy has withstood the test of time.

Landy’s day to day job at JDS is filled with administrative meetings and hundreds of emails. According to Landy, what keeps her going is the time that she spends talking with her colleagues and students, who know that she is always there as a support system to talk about anything from college stress to hobbies.

“The teenagers energize me,” Landy said. “I love helping students and working with colleagues; my relationships with people in this building is a true joy. JDS is a wonderful community and it has been a huge, and very important, part of my life for over 48 years. The administrative work is not so much fun, but it is always part of the job. It’s the people that make the job so special.”

Landy wakes up every morning between 5:30 and 6 a.m. and listens to the news on Washington’s Top News in the shower. She then gets in the car for her 25-minute drive to school, where she listens to ‘50s, ‘60s or ‘70s music on SiriusXM, to completely wake up for the day ahead.

Landy arrives to school at around 7 a.m. and is in charge of writing the events of the day on a whiteboard in the front of the cardo. Then, she either greets students during her morning duty or catches up on emails before the school day begins.

According to junior Ellie Strisik, Landy has made a large impression on many students and is always has a listening ear for any student.

“She just makes me feel seen and valued and I think every-

LEARNING

LANDY

Favorite movie: “Imitation of Life”

Favorite cuisine: Indian

Number of Grandchildren: 7

Favorite JDS sport to watch: Basketball

Favorite places to vacation: Israel & Europe

Dream vacation: Japan

Roz Landy’s impact on the community

one can really see that she really wants the best for people,” Strisik said. “She just uplifts people, and encourages me, especially to believe in myself and be proud of myself and who I am. She has had a huge impact on my life and my time at JDS so far, and I hope that she knows how much she is valued in our community, not just by me, but by everyone.”

Another part of Landy’s job is her role in the guidance department. Landy has always had a passion for building connections with students and helping them feel their best, which is why she has also been working as a guidance counselor for the majority of her time at JDS.

“My favorite job, of all the ones I’ve held, will always be serving as a guidance counselor, because it allows me to work with the students and that is why I went into education,” Landy said.

Landy feels that her role in the guidance department, along with her work with students, has helped her to manage difficult sit uations and help students man age tough events in their lives.

In addition to the large im pact Landy has made on many students over her past 48 years at JDS, she has also made an im pression on the teachers she has worked with during that time.

“[Landy is] incredibly sup portive,” Director of the Center for Health and Wellness Melissa Gartner said.

“She’s encouraging. I feel like she’s inspiring. I feel like Mrs. Landy is wise. I admire her. I admire her devotion to her students. I admire who she is as a dean, but also who she is as a friend.”

Another quality Gartner appreciates about Landy is that Landy always ensures that whenever she meets with someone, they have her complete attention in the conversation.

After the school day is over, Landy stays at school until any time between 4:30 and 10

p.m., depending on whether she has any meetings, school events to attend or is the administrator on duty.

After a long day at school, Landy makes an effort to walk on the treadmill every night. She then cooks dinner, her favorite being salmon. She ends her night by 10:30 p.m. and settles into bed to play her favorite word game, Wordscapes, before going to sleep.

While Landy’s days are busy, according to Gartner Landy’s hard work and dedication is felt by everyone in the JDS community.

“I think she’s really at the heart of it all,” Gartner said. “You can feel her impact in every aspect, every corner of the building. She doesn’t just talk about our school’s mission and values. I think she lives them in the way that she lives her life in and out of the building, the way she treats each of us with kindness and with respect and understanding and genuine care. I think she sets the tone for everything we do.”

Landy delivers a speech to the seniors at the high school siyum.

Photo by Freed Photography, used with permission.

- features -

MORE THAN MUSIC

As past members of Shir Madness join current members onstage to sing their signature song “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper, the a cappella group builds on the long and elaborate history of Shir Madness that dates back to 1994.

Jewish text teacher Paul Blank founded Shir Madness in 1994 when he noticed that out of all the extracurricular offerings at CESJDS, there was no a cappella group. In response, Blank put together a small choir to sing Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikva,” for an assembly.

Blank was enthusiastic to take the lead in starting an a cappella club. He had previous experience with vocal performance, since he was a member of Columbia University’s a cappella group.

At that time, he named the group of five original student members the “JDS A Cappella Group.” Almost immediately after starting the club, he faced many challenges regarding practices.

“Rehearsal time is always complicated, because everyone has different schedules,” Blank said. “... It’s also really hard trying to come up with new songs to perform because you need to be really creative to find a powerful

SINGER SPOTLIGHT

GREATEST HITS

Shir Madness performances through the years

“Nachamu” June 2009

“Tsena, Tsena” January 2011

“Darkeinu” January 2013

“Zechor” July 2020

“Viva La Vida” January 2025

Check them out here:

song.”

The JDS A Cappella Group sang during every school assembly. They also had special performances at venues such as Capital One Area, Arlington National Cemetery and various local synagogues. In 1998, as a way of commemorating the departure of key seniors who helped start the club, the JDS A Cappella Group released an album called “How Are You,” which was composed of 20 different a cappella songs.

Blank stopped leading the group in 1998 once the five original singers graduated. Two of them, Eric Feder ‘98 and Jordana Ravick ‘98 ended up getting married, having become close friends through their shared interest in the cappella group. A few years later, current co-director and high school math teacher Karen Pang took over as adviser for the group. Pang was very excited about leading the JDS A Cappella group because of her own singing roots.

“I love to sing,” Pang said. “I sang in choirs my entire life growing up, and when I started teaching here, I was like, ‘where’s the choir?’ So that made me inspired to build back up the JDS A Cappella Group.”

The introduction of the name “Shir Madness” came in 2009

when members thought a rebrand from the generic name was necessary. In Hebrew, Shir means song, which relates to the idea of the group to be singing in harmony. Since then, the name Shir Madness, a play on the term “sheer madness,” has stuck.

During every JDS Spring Concert, Shir Madness performs “True Colors.” This tradition dates back to 2000 when Pang and Shir Madness performed “True Colors” for the spring concert.

After that spring concert, Pang found the song so heartwarming and charming that she decided Shir Madness would perform “True Colors” as a tradition during every spring concert. Former Shir Madness singers and graduated seniors return to JDS just to sing “True Colors” with their old friends.

Pang temporarily took a break from the school in 2013, which led to several different directors over the following years. In 2023, JDS hired music teacher and Musical Director Sammy Grob, who now directs Shir Madness alongside Pang. Pang was glad that the school kept the choir alive during the years she was absent.

“It’s really exciting to know that when I left the school there would be someone to keep the

Cohen was a student leader of Shir Madness. Now in the IDF, she continues to post song covers in both Hebrew and English on her social media.

SHIRI COHEN

‘24

David Federowicz Reporter

Photos from Freed Photography, used with permission.

tradition going,” Pang said. “... To know that Shir Madness kept going shows that it’s a significant institution by itself.”

Junior and student leader of Shir Madness Maya Greenblum has been a member for three years and has noticed that the club has recently become more inclusive by accepting more members in auditions. At one point, two additional groups, Choral and Harmonia, were created to include more singers, though those groups have since folded.

Choral was a choir that included both Shir Madness members and younger high school singers who wanted the opportunity to be a part of a choir with more experienced singers. Founded by former Shir Madness director Aaron Dunn, Harmonia was a choir made up of students who were not selected to be a part of Shir Madness, but still wanted to join a choir.

Middle school students are not allowed to try out for Shir Madness. The criteria to make Shir Madness includes being able to maintain harmony alone and read sheet music.

Shir Madness’ repertoire is broad, as members perform songs that span from low-tempo Jewish prayers to upbeat pop songs. Some more modern songs that they have

The history of a cappella group Shir Madness

^ JDS has a rich history of a cappella. Groups have performed at Yom Hazikaron ceremonies, school assemblies and many more events.

Photos from Karen Pang, used with permission and by Anna Polon, LT.

performed include “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay and “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson. Some Hebrew and Jewish songs they have sung include “Al HaNissim” and “Nachamu.”

Over the years, Shir Madness has continued to perform at events outside of school, including a Baltimore Orioles game, the Shloshim Oct. 7 Memorial Ceremony and the Kolot HaYam Music Festival in New York.

Greenblum thinks that the members’ commitment to Shir Madness makes the club especially unique. She is also very glad that the club encourages members to be confident when singing.

“Every kid in the group is seriously committed to learning the music even though they don’t actually know about the technicalities,” Greenblum said. “They’re so committed that when it comes to performance time, we put our best out there … It makes me proud to be in a group where we can be in the best spot we can be in because of our hard work.”

Sporkin attends Berklee College of Music and posts both original music and covers on her Instagram and TikTok, which have 21,000 and nearly 42,000 followers, respectively.

TALIA SPORKIN ‘23

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Concert Program

On Sept. 18, 2002, the JDS a cappella group sang the national anthem at Oriole Park at Camden Yards when the Baltimore Orioles played the Toronto Blue Jays. To remember the occasion, the members of the choir signed a Major League baseball.

“Hannukapella” 2006 took place at the Upper School Campus on Dec. 20. This program included the different choirs who sang songs including “Oseh Shalom,” “Unwritten” and

Audition Flyer

“Does singing make you happy?” This flyer advertises the choir auditions.

Participants were required to sing a song they prepared, scales to determine their range, and a song they learned together.

After the group sang at an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ceremony for Yom Hazikaron in 2010, the IDF sent them this thank you note for participating, wishing them success in the future.

Baseball Souvenir

Photos by Anna Polon, LT.

LESS STRESS

How to stay calm before finals

Sadaf Zadeh In-depthEditor

Finals week is one of the most stressful weeks of the school year, with important exams worth 10% of the year’s grade occurring back-to-back. In the midst of the pressure, it’s crucial to take care of one’s mental, physical and emotional well-being to help finals go as smoothly as possible. Here are some tips for de-stressing during finals season.

Keep Up With Hobbies

It can be hard to find time to do enjoyable things during finals season. Activities like reading a good book or watching a show are great ways to take a brain break. I also recommend spending time with family and friends to avoid feeling isolated. Balancing study sessions with fun activities can lead to better concentration and a more positive attitude.

Human interaction and quality time can be really refreshing, especially after reviewing material for an extended period of time. According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the benefits of spending time with loved ones are boosted happiness, lowered stress and an avoidance of bad habits.

3

Stay Rested

2

Exercise

Preparing for finals typically involves countless hours of sitting at a desk and staring at a screen. While a swivel in a desk chair can be fun for a few minutes, the reality is that it’s not enough movement. Physical activity is a great way to release some energy and clear the mind during this high-pressure time. According to Open Universities Australia, even 20 minutes of exercise before studying can improve the ability to concentrate. There are many ways to get active during preparation for finals week and between test days. Whether it be going for a run on a path or a treadmill, playing a sport with a friend or simply taking a stroll through the neighborhood, there are endless options to get blood flowing to increase productivity.

It is often difficult to close the computer or put down study material to go to bed, knowing that there is so much information to study. Despite this, according to the Sleep Foundation, students need to be well-rested in order to achieve maximum performance on tests. However, this doesn’t just mean getting eight hours of sleep the night before an exam. It is important to be on a consistent sleep schedule a few weeks before finals to create consistent habits.

In addition to prioritizing sleep, general rest is a good way to recharge the mind for increased productivity. Do not be afraid to take naps in between study sessions. According to University College London, even brief naps of 5-15 minutes can instantly improve how people perform mentally.

4

Stay organized

Organization is key to being prepared for finals. Without organization, work and studying will feel unmanageable. It is important to get organized for finals early on by pulling together notes for distinct classes and units to see what content needs to be studied the most before exams.

Keeping an organized schedule is also crucial for successful studying. Start planning a study calendar to avoid a buildup of material and set aside time every night to review at least one subject for at least a month prior to finals. Additionally, Learning Specialist and sophomore dean Brett Kugler has built a study schedule and holds study sessions for all students who are interested in getting organized.

Photos by Leora Blumenthal, LT.

SMASH SESH

A visit to a rage room eases stress

Lior Zucker Reporter

In a world where stress and tension are a student’s constant companion, finding ways to unwind and let off steam is more important than ever. One way to do so is through rage rooms. I recently went to the Unity Rage Room in Gaithersburg to find out more about this new trend. Unity Rage is a great place to go to relieve stress, while also having a fun time.

Unity Rage offers two rage room experiences. There is the Starter Rage, costing $65 per person, in which a group of up to four people shares a crate with ten small items and one big item to smash. They also offer a similar experience called Rage-Aroma, which offers more items, leading to more time in the room. RageAroma costs $85 per person. I chose the Starter Rage because of the cheaper price.

Before I entered the room, the staff gave me a pair of gloves and goggles. When I walked in, I immediately noticed the car that we would get to smash. I was given a choice of which items I would use to destroy the objects. The items included bats, sledgehammers, pickaxes, lacrosse sticks and even a golf club. I picked the sledgehammer because I thought it would do the

most damage to the car, especially to its windshield. After we picked our items, two of my friends and I began to smash.

I started by smashing the car, which they replace every three days. It only took me a few seconds to demolish the window and doors. Afterwards, I broke the smaller items that the staff member had provided, which included light bulbs, glass bottles and plates. I personally found throwing a glass bottle up in the air and smashing it with a bat to be very satisfying.

Although it was only a 20-minute session, I quickly got tired. I think that the price for the Starter Rage was too high for that short amount of time. However, after just those 20 minutes of destroying objects, I immediately felt more relaxed.

Another interesting offering at Unity Rage is a paint splatter activity, where one can express their creativity through splatter art. The Paint splatter activity costs $49.99 for 25 minutes.

One thing that concerned me throughout my experience were the safety procedures. The only safety I had were my goggles and gloves, and then I was allowed to start. The staff only had a short safety briefing, and didn’t give us any safety rules, such as telling us to stay away from each

SMASH METER

4

“Extremely Satisfying”

other while we were swinging our tools. Additionally, while they recommended we wear an outer-protective layer, it wasn’t mandatory, even while glass was flying around. I think they should have been more strict.

I was happy with my experience with the Starter Rage experience, however, if a big group is looking to go together, I would choose the Rage-Aroma option because it offers more items to smash.

“Very

“Better than screaming in a pillow”

1 3 2

“Nothing too special”

Unity Rage is an awesome place to go with friends and family to blow off steam and unwind. Despite the high cost, it is sure to provide an unforgettable experience, and I highly recommend paying a visit.

Unity Rage Room

7605 Airpark Rd. Gaithersburg

Wednesday-Friday, 3-11 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 12-11 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, closed https://unityrageroom.com

Photos by Leora Blumenthal, LT.

At Unity Rage Room, freshman Lior Zucker’s favorite experience was smashing the car, which brought instant stress relief. Photo by Rob Zucker, used with permission.

- arts & entertainment -

MATCHA MADNESS

The green tea from Japan, matcha, is going viral and is in cafes everywhere. Due to its popularity, matcha has evolved and now comes in many different flavors. Here is a guide to the best local matcha.

KYO MATCHA

33 Maryland Ave. Unit A, Rockville

A relaxing cafe option in Rockville Town Square is Kyo Matcha. Not only do they sell matcha lattes, but also matchaflavored slushies, ice cream and cakes. Additionally, they have many matcha flavors, such as strawberry, brown sugar and more. The cost is $7 per latte, making it the most expensive matcha option.

The regular matcha latte had a sweet and creamy taste. It did not taste like a regular herbal matcha, which I enjoyed. The flavor in the strawberry matcha was very strong, and I was surprised to find strawberry pieces inside. Both drinks were delicious, and Kyo Matcha is my favorite matcha option of all the cafes.

SUNDAY MORNING

11869 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda

With its only location in Pike and Rose, Sunday Morning Bake House is a great cafe-style option for matcha. However, it is usually crowded, making it somewhat difficult to find seating.

The bakery currently has a seasonal honey matcha available and a matchaflavored croissant. The croissant is delicious, with vibrant matcha filling and matcha powder sprinkled on top.

The honey matcha is the only matcha drink available. At $6 for 16oz, it is a reasonable price for its size. The honey flavor was not very distinct, but it made the matcha much sweeter. It had a very creamy taste and was super smooth. Overall, Sunday Morning is an excellent option for not only a matcha drink but also for matcha-flavored food.

A guide on where to find the best green tea

Zoe Cohen Reporter

STARBUCKS MAMAN TATTE

The perfect spot for matcha with a cute cafe atmosphere in downtown Bethesda is Maman, which offers both, a to-go or sit-down option. After sitting down, it took a while to order but the drinks arrived quickly afterwards. I ordered their regular iced matcha, but they also serve a lemon lavender iced matcha as their seasonal flavor for spring.

The matcha typically comes with oat milk, but can be changed upon request. At first sip, the taste was very herbal and needed to be mixed and sweetened. After adding the sweetener, the matcha was delicious and smooth. At $6.50 for a small, I found it to be a perfect size. However, it is a little pricey. Overall, the matcha needed a sweetener, but regardless, Maman is an adorable cafe setting for a quick matcha stop.

Starbucks is an accessible place to grab matcha anywhere, due to its many locations. Their regular matcha costs $5.45, with a $1.25 for matcha cold foam, which I recommend. The foam is delicious with a light and airy taste.

In addition to their regular matcha, Starbucks’ matcha features lavender cold foam with an upcharge. When I ordered, the drink arrived greenish-grey and looked unappetizing. Despite the appearance, I am a huge fan of strong the lavender flavoring. I have been looking forward to the drink’s return to the menu all year and it did not disappoint.

The cafe chain Tatte recently opened a location in Rockville in addition to their Bethesda location. It has a classy and lively atmosphere, but is usually busy, making it challenging to find seating. They have three matcha items: a regular matcha latte, orange matcha soda and sparkling matcha lemonade.

Their regular matcha comes with whole milk by default, but can be changed if preferred. The smallest size, 12 oz, costs $4.50, making it a cheap matcha option. The matcha had a very herbal and somewhat bitter taste. Even after adding a sweetener, I still found the drink bland. Although it is a good earthy matcha option, it was not my favorite because I prefer a sweeter matcha.

1. Sift matcha powder

up water

11860 Grand Park Ave, North Bethesda

7140 Bethesda Ln, Bethesda

12232 Rockville Pike, Rockville

Photos by Zoe Cohen, LT

BAKING A BETTER FUTURE

Sunflower Bakery spreads joy with food, charitable work

Sophie Schwartz ManagingEditor,Web

Sunflower Bakery is more than just a place to find delicious baked goods; it’s a training center where individuals with learning differences gain real-world experience and hands-on skills in baking and hospitality. Each cookie, cake and loaf is part of a larger mission to create meaningful career pathways and promote an inclusive workforce where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Sunflower Bakery came from the shared vision of Sara Portman Milner, grandmother of senior Yedidya Milner-Gillers, and Laurie Wexler, who recognized a critical gap in employment opportunities for individuals with learning differences.

With Milner’s background in special education and Wexler’s shared passion for inclusive workforce development, they envisioned a bakery that would not only produce delicious goods but also serve as a training ground for individuals with learning differences. They began working out of Temple Beth Ami’s kitchen in 2009, and quickly saw both a demand for their baked goods and the transformative impact of their training.

Over time, Sunflower Bakery grew to include a production kitchen, training programs and Café Sunflower. The production kitchen, located in Rockville, is where trainees learn baking and pastry arts in a professional kitchen. Café Sunflower, located in North Bethesda, functions as a real café, giving hands-on experience in customer service and hospitality by interacting with customers in a live setting. The

goal of these programs is to provide individuals with the skills to be hired in the workforce.

“We never dreamed that this year we would be where we are now,” Milner said. “We were very strategic and never bit off more than we could chew, and just went one step at a time.”

One must be 18 in order to sign up to be a part of the six month career training programs, but there is no set age limit. There is a training program specifically for students ages 16 through 21. Junior Ella Longman is one of several students at CESJDS who have helped students at the teen training sessions. She volunteered once a week for 12 weeks.

“I really enjoyed the experience because I built really nice connections with these kids, and it also felt like I was doing something impactful,” Longman said.

Sunflower Bakery is entirely kosher and pareve. While not all the products are nut-free, they clearly label whether items contain allergens.

Some of my favorite products are their cookies. From snickerdoodle to oatmeal raisin, the options are endless. One of my favorites is the Mini Unicorn Cookies, which are $12 for a dozen cookies. They are perfectly soft vanilla sugar cookies topped with a smooth buttercream and a crunchy layer of rainbow sprinkles.

For anyone looking to buy more than one type of cookie, a platter is available, which has an arrangement of different cookies and bars. These range from $35144, depending on the size and number of baked goods provided. Whether it is a birthday or an anniversary, Sunflower Bakery has cakes for every occasion. Two

of my favorites are the red velvet and Sera Sera Cake, which range from $36-193 depending on the size. The red velvet cake has a rich base and a luscious cream cheese frosting, surrounded by red watercolor and cake crumbs. For indecisive people like me, the Sera Sera Cake is perfect as it is a mix of chocolate and vanilla cake and frosting.

If one is looking for a smaller treat, Sunflower Bakery offers a wide array of cupcakes costing around $12 per dozen. They have chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, Star of David, razzle dazzle, creamfilled and so much more. Like the cookies, platters of these can also be ordered, ranging from $33-80.

For Shabbat, customers can order challah at Sunflower Bakery. My favorite is the Almond Round Cream Challah ($8.50), which tastes like a mix between challah and a delicious almond croissant. The classic Braided Challah ($6.00) is also a great option, as it is soft, tender and full of flavor.

Orders online can be placed for pick up either at the Bakeshop or Cafe locations. Home delivery is available for a fee or there is free delivery to one of the weekly community drop-off locations. In order to receive the order, it must be placed by 12 a.m. two days before the preferred pick-up or delivery date.

$3.25 for one, $33 for 12. (Nut-free)

$1.95 for one, $30 for a pound. (Nut-free)

$2.25 for one, $11 for 12. (Nut-free)

Whether looking for the perfect birthday cake, a dozen cookies to brighten someone’s day or a meaningful volunteer opportunity, Sunflower Bakery offers something truly special. Every time a customer indulges, they know that they are making a difference with each delicious bite.

$3.35 for one, $18 for 12. (Vegan, Nut -Free)

Photos by Jonah Mellen, LT

Blueberry Lemon Muffin

Crinkle

Blondies

Razzle Dazzle Cupcake

- sportsLEADING THE PACK

Sixth grade student ranked third in state, first in JDS in tennis

Anna Polon Features Editor

It is not often that middle school and high school students play sports on the same team. How ever, because of CESJDS’ shared Upper School campus, a rare sit uation has emerged on the boys’ varsity tennis team: sixth-grade student Gabriel Fastovsky is the number one singles player on the JDS varsity tennis team.

Gabriel started playing tennis before he turned four. His old er sister played, and after Ga briel damaged the walls while playing with rackets in the house, his mother, Sofiya Fastovsky, Gabriel decided to sign him up for tennis lessons with a private coach. According to Sofiya, Despite being young, Gabriel sur prised his coach with his potential. He stayed with his first coach for six years.

At age six Ga briel started play ing at the Junior Tennis Champions Center, a training fa cility in College Park, Maryland where he played for four years. According to Sofiya through out his time there he gained friend ships, skills and a love for the sport.

“All of those kids are very com petitive,” Sofiya said. “They all love tennis. The more he played, the more kids he met, the more he loved it, and

tennis introduced him to a lot of great skills in life, not only for sports. It’s friendship, it’s commitment, it’s responsibility, competitiveness, making decisions right

Gabriel currently plays at Montgomery TennisPlex, a club where he participates in group lessons. He is ranked third in Maryland for boys in the class of 2031 and is a four-star recruit, according to the Tennis Recruiting Network. As of May 5, his highest national ranking in 2025 was 164th for the class of 2031. When Gabriel started middle school, he assumed that there would be a tennis team, and he decided to join it. Boys varsity tennis head coach Alexander Kirsch heard about him before he came to the campus.

According to Kirsch, Gabriel played consistently from the beginning of the season, which Kirsch believes is due to his playing year-round.

“I could tell from how he plays that his footwork is very good, and that’s coached over time,” Kirsch said. “He swings very confidently and freely [and he has] really good technique on a serve, which is able to generate a lot of power and he has a really high swing

According to junior and captain Josh Dori, this season was their strongest season he has been a part of. The team had the most successful start in recent history, and Dori said that “everything was turning in the right direction.”

While the team eventually broke their winning streak, Dori saw both mental and physical improvement during the season. As the number one singles player on the JDS team, Gabriel went 5-2 in the regular PVAC season this spring, and 6-3 overall. He enjoyed playing with older players.

“I like Coach Kirsch,” Gabriel said. “My teammates are nice; it’s also fun being around high schoolers.”

Gabriel has gotten the opportunity to face off against and practice with Dori, and Kirsch said that it was great to see one of the oldest players and the youngest player playing together.

“He [isn’t] just a great player, he’s a good teammate,” Dori said. “Since joining the team, he felt very comfortable, and I thought he fit into our team perfectly.”

In the future, Gabriel hopes to get a college scholarship for tennis. Currently, he practices nearly every day for two to three hours, learns from multiple coaches and plays in out-of-state tournaments almost every weekend.

Kirsch hopes that Gabriel will continue to accomplish his goals, both individually and for the team, but thinks that it’s important not to put too much pressure on him. Kirsch wants him to be healthy and enjoy the time he spends playing the sport.

“You always have to put in perspective just how old he is,” Kirsch said. “He’s still 12 years old, studying for his bar mitzvah.”

Photo by Brielle Bassin, Dimensions.

As she practices her swing, Andrew prepares for her at bat in a high school game.

Having played both pitcher and catcher on her team, Andrew takes her final photo as a Lady Falcon in her senior season.

Clinton

Andrew stands in front of her home field in her freshman season.

SOFTBALL STRIKES BACK

Biology teacher coaches middle school to an undefeated season

Eliana Wolf Editor-in-Chief

As she sent her players out onto the field, the middle school softball team’s new coach, freshman grade dean and high school biology teacher Melissa Andrew, felt confident in her team. It was the first game she coached as the CESJDS middle school softball coach and the first game the team had won in two years.

The middle school softball team led their conference this year as the one seed with a final record of 5-0. The team won the championship on May 12, the first time they won in 10 years. With team prayers before the game and walkup songs for every player at bat, the team maintains enthusiastic spirit and traditions throughout their undefeated season.

While many factors go into a successful team, players, such as eighth grade student and captain Sadie Hosid, noted that Andrew has worked to reinvent the team as the spirited and competitive group that they are now.

Andrew started her softball career as a catcher in kindergarten and continued to play on school and recreational teams throughout her school years. In high school at Clinton Massie High School in Ohio, Andrew played as a varsity catcher and pitcher in a fast-pitch (windmill) league, and played summer softball in a recreational slow-pitch league. In college at The Ohio State University, Andrew continued to play softball as an infielder at the intramural level in slow-pitch leagues.

“I remember practicing with my dad,” Andrew said. “ ... I just loved it. I loved the dirt. I loved being with a team.”

While living in Ohio before coming to JDS to teach biology, Andrew coached a middle school fast-pitch team. Because of her experience in coaching, Director of Athletics Becky Silberman reached out to her and asked if Andrew would be interested in coaching the middle school team,

as the previous coach did not commit to another season. After determining the time commitment and the schedule, Andrew agreed to be the new coach.

“[I thought] it’ll give me a way to do some exercise and get to hang out with kids who are coming into ninth grade, and the thing that I quickly found is that I love it so much,” Andrew said. “I didn’t know how I’d feel about it, but I love it.”

Hosid said that Andrew requires players to wear softball pants at games to appear more professional, while in previous years, shorts were permitted. Hosid believes this change has contributed to the team’s success.

Andrew expects hustle out of her players and has facilitated conditioning drills for the team. Additionally, Hosid said that Andrew “inspires everyone to be leaders” and is invested in each individual player’s success.

“Coach Andrew has really just allowed all the team members to flourish,” Hosid said. “We have so much fun at practice and at games, and ever since we had our first win, we’ve been on a streak, and we’ve been on a high.”

Hosid is not the only one who believes that Andrew’s coaching has led to success on the team. Varsity softball head coach and English teacher Thomas Worden also has noticed just how influential Andrew is to her players.

“She will bring a firm hand to the game, but I don’t hear her yelling at kids out there,” Worden said. “Stuff goes wrong. She just lets it go and it’s really tough sometimes to be positive, [but Andrew has] the patience with young people that is going to get her far.”

Despite her overwhelmingly positive experience, Andrew has found some challenges with coaching, such as managing the substitutions on her team and keeping up with the updated rules of the game since she last coached.

“I know that there’s a learning curve there,” Andrew said. “It’s

funny, I think one of the funny things is that when you play, you don’t think about your mechanics so much unless the coach points it out to you. And now, being in the position of being the coach that has to point out mechanics can be difficult, like you’re doing something not right, but I have to think about what it is that you’re not doing right.”

Looking ahead, Andrew is focused on working with the players in the off-season to continue their skills, with a possible clinic over the summer and practice in the fall for the spring season.

“

[I thought] it’ll give me a way to do some exercise and get to hang out with kids who are coming into ninth grade, and the thing that I quickly found is that I love it so much.”

- Head coach

Melissa Andrew

“

While Andrew had a goal of winning the championship, her experience this season has also been “a way to connect with her younger self,” and she gets energized by the players’ enthusiasm to play softball. She hopes to stay involved in the team in future seasons and continue to support and coach the players.

“Having a female coach and a coach who has played the game to the extent that Mrs. Andrew has played the game … [makes her] better than she thinks she is,” Worden said. “I knew she was going to be great because she is just the right person to interact with those [players]; she’s going to have such a great relationship [with the players]. She’s built a strong culture in that middle school [team].”

At

Massie High School,

Photos from Melissa Andrew, used with permission.

SPRING SPORTS SUMMED UP

Tali Loeffler & Jordana Dauber

SportsEditor&FeaturesEditor

The Lions ended the spring season with three teams advancing to playoff championships in the PVAC. Here is a rundown of how everyone finished:

SOFTBALL

After two PVAC Championships in a row, expectations for the varsity softball team were high. The team went undefeated in the regular season with a record of 6-0.

Before the playoffs began, the team headed to East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania for the 4G NCSY softball tournament, where they lost in the semifinals. According to junior Jennifer Kelner, the tournament was a great bonding experience for the team.

“I think this has been a transformative year for our team,” Kelner said. “... We’ve seen some more challenging games this year, and it’s been good for us. It reminded us that we still have to work hard and play hard.”

While the Lions swept Don Bosco Cristo Ray 12-0 in the quarterfinals, the semifinal game against Model Sec ondary School for the Deaf was much closer. The Li ons led most of the game, but going into the bottom of the sev enth inning, the game was tied 11-11. The Lions

scored the winning run when junior and captain Mia Forseter stole home on a wild pitch. In the championship game against Sandy Springs Friends School, the Lions won 12-2, mercying their opponents in the fifth inning. In the top of the third inning, Forseter pitched her 100th strikeout of the season.

“It felt really bittersweet to win,” Kelner said. “Because on the one hand I knew that it was going to be my last game played with the JDS team, but on the other hand it was a really great way to go out.”

BASEBALL

With a record of 5-2, the varsity baseball team finished as the three seed in the regular season. The team’s final game of the regular season against the Melvin J. Berman Cougars was a close match, but ended with the Lions on top 3-2. According to junior and captain Caden Mont, the Lions felt confident heading into the quarterfinals against the Cougars on May 7 but ended up losing by one run.

According to Mont, the abrupt end to the season was tough for many players, especial

“As soon as the game end ed, it just all hit me that it was really the last game of my high school career,” Mont said. “ ... It was very emo -

tional. I let some tears shed.”

As a smaller team with only ten players, the Lions created a tight-knit dynamic that helped them throughout their season. Despite the season’s unsatisfying end, Mont appreciated being part of this team.

“Even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, we still grew as a team and had fun together and played the sport we love,” Mont said.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

With a record of 2-11, the boys varsity volleyball team didn’t make playoffs after reaching the championship game the past two years. According to junior and captain Grady Goldstein, while the team didn’t perform as well in games, they had productive practices where they focused on player development.

With few returning players and many new ones, the team’s focus was on improvement and development for future seasons.

“It was a nice group of guys and I really liked everyone,” Goldstein said. “Everyone had their own personality, and it was just enjoyable to be around so many different kids from differ-

BOYS TENNIS

The boys tennis team ended their regular

Photos by Brielle Bassin,

Junior Lucy Ginsburg

Sixth grade student Gabriel Fastovsky

season with a 7-3 record. The entire team advanced to semifinals in the postseason, but only the number two doubles players, sophomore Micheal Rubinstein and eighth grade student Ethan Dvir made it to the finals.

Due to inclement weather, the team had to adjust the sched uling for matches and the cham pionship ended up taking place later than expected.

Sophomore Jonah Anker, the number two singles player for the Lions, ended his season as the number three seed for sin gles in the league.

“I’d say that I gained a lot of general tennis skill along with strategy of the

game, I think that my serve got a lot better,” Anker said. “Since this year I had a much larger role on the team than last year, I had to dedicate more time and focus more in practice on improving. ”

TRACK & FIELD

With a new head coach and many new members, the track and field season had a new focus on short distance races and other field events.

Many JDS records were broken this year, including freshman Abby Feffer with a 29-2 in shot put and junior Isaac Yourman in the 800 meter race with

a time of 2:03. Eighth grade student Adam Nesher also broke the PVAC and JDS Meet Record in the Long Jump with a mark of 17-9.5.

Despite only having nine ath letes, the varsity girls track team finished fourth, the highest JDS women’s team finish in almost ten years.

“It’s especially amazing that we got fourth con sidering we have such a small team,” sophomore and captain Eve Sharp said. “Everyone stepped up and gave it their all. They didn’t rely on their teammates to pick up their slack and did everything they could.”

Far left: Sophomore Yarden Wilkenfield tags out a runner in the varsity softball championship game. This season the Lions won their third championship in three years.

Photo by Adam Hirsch, used with permission.

Middle left: Junior and track co-captain Isaac Yourman races the 800 meter at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy track. Yourman currently holds the JDS record for the 800 meter race. Photo by Eve Sharp, Dimensions.

Center: Sophomore Caleb Berman spikes the volleyball in the Lions game against DCI. Photo by Jocelyn Fisher, Dimensions.

Top right: The varsity baseball team celebrates a hit in their 10-4 victory over the Washington

Freshman Logan Druxman

Junior Grady Goldstein

SUMMER BY THE SENSES

The best activities in the area for the coming months

TOUCH

SEE

There is no place better than the National Mall to watch the July 4 fireworks. With the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial in view, the unique location adds an extra patriotic feel to the 20-minute show. I recommend grabbing a soft serve ice cream outside the Washington Monument after the show to top the night off.

JULY 4 FIREWORKS

BETHESDA FARMERS MARKET

Summer is the time for ripe fruits and vegetables and the Bethesda Farmers Market offers a wonderful variety. The market is an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday morning, and the market is open from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for the whole summer.

TASTE

Eliana Wolf Editor-in-Chief

THE BILLY GOAT TRAIL

With three sections of varying difficulty levels, the Billy Goat Trail along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Great Falls is an excellent summer day activity for anyone looking for an adventure. The trails offer rock-scrambling, beautiful scenery and overlooks with fantastic views of the Potomac River. I recommend the River Trail for families, as it is a more relaxed hike with a lovely view.

HILLWOOD GARDENS AND ESTATE

SMELL

Hillwood Gardens are an expansive 25 acres of greenery in Northwest D.C. There is a permanent rose garden and Japanese-style garden in addition to seasonal gardens with flowers in bloom. One special quality of this location is that there is a cafe that offers high tea, a worthwhile experience for any visitor this summer.

This outdoor theater is a popular spot for anyone interested in a high quality concert at an aesthetic outdoor venue. There are concerts almost every night in the summer, and lawn tickets are a reasonable price, making it affordable for students to go with friends and family. Some known artists playing there this summer are Ringo Starr, the National Symphony Orchestra and the Goo Goo Dolls.

WOLF TRAP CONCERT

Photo from Rawpixel.

Photo by Andrea Wolf, used with permission.

Photo by Tali Loeffler, LT.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

Photo by Eliana Abrams, LT.