SEE US IN PRINT: November 2018 by The Boiling Point

SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL • Los Angeles, CA November 2018 • Kislev 5779 • Vol. 19, Issue 2 shalhevetboilingpoint.com

Deadly Woolsey Fire hits Jewish camps, schools, homes Teachers among 250,000 evacuated By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief

BP Photo by Shani Shaham INVOLVED: Mayor Eric Garcetti, campaigning for Democrat Katie Hill in Santa Clarita Oct. 28, told Boiling Point reporters that the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh the day before should not make Jewish teenagers live in fear. Related stories, pages 9 and 11.

Mayor Garcetti tells LA Jewish teens to build bridges to other groups in wake of Pittsburgh By Shani Shaham and Eva Brous-Light, Staff Writers It’s okay to feel the pain of what is happening, to feel it and cry. But remember to stand up afterward, get involved and build bridges. That was the message to Jewish teenagers from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, speaking to Boiling Point reporters while canvassing door-to-door in Santa Clarita one day after 11 worshipers were gunned down at Saturday morning services in their synagogue in Pittsburgh. Mayor Garcetti, who is Jewish himself, was campaigning in support of Democratic Congressional candidate Katie Hill. “It’s okay to be sad and to cry and to feel this moment,” Mayor Garcetti said. “It’s really important to take a beat and recognize the pain of what happened.” After that, he said, there is work to be done. “Teenagers should get involved in their communities and in politics,” said the mayor. “Get engaged, and build coalitions with people inside and outside of the Jewish community.” The massacre at the Tree of Life Congregation was the largest anti-Semitic terror attack in American history. But Mayor Garcetti said he does not think it is a harbinger of widespread attacks against Jews, similar to the ones in Europe before the Holocaust.

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Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, said earlier that week that it could be. “I’m afraid to say that we may be at the beginning of what has happened to Europe, the consistent anti-Semitic attacks,” said Rabbi Hier, writing in the New York Times. Asked whether he thought Jewish teens should be afraid of the America they are growing up in, Mayor Garcetti said no. “I choose not to live my life with fear, but to live with courage, and that is what I think Jewish teenagers should do in this moment,” Mayor Garcetti said. Much later in the day, he recalled his Boiling Point interview during a speech to a citywide interfaith vigil about Pittsburgh held at the Federal Building in Westwood. Los Angeles has the second-largest Jewish population in the United States. “I was asked by a high school student who was Jewish today, ‘What do we do right now, Mayor -- what would your advice be to my peers, to young Jews?’ the mayor said, referring to his Boiling Point interview. “And I would say do not be afraid,” he told about 700 people there, according to police estimates. “This is your country,” he said. “I would say do not retreat to our caves or to our tribes, but reach out to your fellow Jews, to the Muslims and Christians that are here, to African-Americans who feel pain this week, to people who have been attacked, and make sure that we say we will speak out loud and strong.” Staﬀ writer Sam Rubanowitz contributed to this story.

The Woolsey Fire ravaged Simi Valley, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, West Hills and Malibu, resulting in thousands of home evacuations, destroyed properties and displaced schools. Three Jewish summer camps were destroyed, and buildings were burned at the Ilan Ramon Jewish Day School in Agoura Hills and Mesivta of Los Angeles in Hidden Hills. More than 250,000 people were evacuated from their homes in the areas of Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Malibu, Topanga Canyon and elsewhere. Three people were killed in the fire, according to fire department reports. Mesivta of Los Angeles, a boys boarding yeshiva in Hidden Hills, was evacuated and a mobile home for staﬀ there burned down. The campus was right in the heart of the fire. “There were 40-foot flames outside of our school building that could have eaten up our school building pretty badly -- could’ve destroyed it, maybe more than that,” said Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman. “We had the hand of Hashem,” Rabbi Gottesman said in an interview with the Boiling Point. “Because [a] paramedic drove into the school to see what’s going on, saw that the 40-foot flames were eating our school building, and attached his hose to our fire hydrant and put out the fire.” Evacuated for 11 days beginning Nov. 8 -- first for the fire and then for a power outage -- the school used Adas Torah synagogue on Pico Boulevard for classes. Of the school’s 62 students, many were able to stay in their homes in the Pico area. Seven students who live outside of Los Angeles stayed with friends or with Rabbi Gottesman. The school plans to clear debris and buy a new mobile home to replace the one that burned, he said. While burned buildings -- and the burning of a whole town and overwhelming loss of life in Northern California’s Camp Fire -- dwarfed the suﬀering closer to home, members of the Shalhevet community evacuated from Agoura Hills and Calabasas experienced disruption and fear Continued on page 4

Poll shows almost all Shalhevet students believe in God By Nicholas Fields, Torah Editor For most Shalhevet students, belief in God is a given, and after they’ve been here for a while, they are likely to believe in God even more. That’s what an anonymous paper poll of 104 students -- taken on Oct. 26 during breakfast -- showed when students responded to questions about their belief in God. A few don’t believe, and others aren’t sure. Almost 87 percent of students said they believed in God, while 10 percent were not sure and 3 percent did not believe. Asked whether their time at Shalhevet had changed that, around 28 percent of students said they believed more now than when they arrived at Shalhevet, while 11 percent believe less. Sixty percent said their belief has stayed the same. Students described their reasons for believing in the comments section of the poll, and their answers varied. Most took advantage of the poll’s being anonymous and did not provide Continued on page 12

MIDTERM ELECTION COVERAGE Pages 8 and 9

The Boiling Point •November 2018 • Community

No babysitting: Health official says better safe than sorry as pertussis, dangerous to infants, strikes two students By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief

nuisance more than a real health threat,” Dr. Higashi said. “For a school to have one or two cases does not mean that everybody should be revaccinated [because] it’s not a high-risk population. But we do need to be careful and be mindful about being sick, and not coming to school when you are sick.” Because of the danger for babies, pregnant women are now re-vaccinated against pertussis -- a policy recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) since 2012. “All pregnant women need to get vaccinated in the third trimester, and anybody in the household, or who will be taking care of the baby,” Dr. Higashi said. “The idea is to get all those people vaccinated at least two weeks before the baby comes.”

This past month, there have been two cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, among Shalhevet students. While pertussis is not life-threatening for teenagers, there is another demographic at stake -- babies under the age of one -- a group many students at school babysit frequently. Babies who contract pertussis experience a much more serious illness. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about half of young babies with whooping cough end up in the hospital, and can get pneumonia. Some of them die. Dr. Julie Higashi, an infectious disease specialist with the LA County Health Department recommended that therefore, Shalhevet Senior Josh Sarir was the first student distudents not babysit children under the age of one until 21 days after the last case at school agnosed with pertussis. He missed a week of has been diagnosed. That means if there are no school and took antibiotics before his cough further cases, that means the outbreak will be was not contagious anymore. His return to school has been difficult, he said -- and he considered over Nov. 30. “You can be infectious even before you feel was told that his symptoms would last for the CAUTION: Dr. Higashi advises that students do not babysit even if they do not display symptoms, since babysitting is not ‘critical.’ sick,” Dr. Higashi said. “As far as pertussis goes, next three to six months. “It’s been not the easiest thing dealing The Health Department letter described the levels of infectiousness of organisms, pertussis there’s an initial phase that’s roughly seven to 10 with all the coughing during school because it’s symptoms, and stated over the next few weeks, is a droplet disease, meaning that it is contadays that’s like a normal cold.” gious to anyone who has been within five feet of Because pertussis symptoms can be hidden draining,” Josh said. “School itself and dealing a cough may not be just a cough. “Children who are coughing may not attend someone who has it. in the initial stage, student babysitters should with the coughing.” Josh is co-president of the Choirhawks, and school until their doctor sees them,” says the Mrs. Emerson said the administration is in monitor themselves for any cold-like sympsaid his illness has letter signed by Dr. Sheree Poitier, Chief Physi- contact with the Health Department to get rectoms -- especially if impacted more than cian 1 of the Los Angeles County Department ommendations for further measures to prevent they babysit for their just his immune sys- of Public Health. “Let your doctor know that future pertussis cases. She said that Shalhevet teachers, she said. If there are no further tem but his hobbies your child may have been exposed to pertussis.” can only recommend, but not cannot require, Seven Shalhevet cases, the outbreak will be and social life. It said that students should take antibiotics if that people update their vaccines. faculty members considered over Nov. 30. “In choir I can’t they were not up to date on pertussis vaccines or “Shalhevet recommends that all students have babies less than sing for three sec- had underlying medical conditions that could faculty staff and parents for that matter stay a year old, and some onds straight with- worsen with pertussis. current on their vaccinations,” she said. “We’re employ students as out getting a cough “People with pertussis may have coughing actively working with the Health Department, babysitters in their attack, and I can’t sing for at least this month attacks that last several seconds,” the letter said. we’re going to see what kind of thing they rechomes. “What I would advise is that those students and next month,” he said. “Hanging out with “As the person catches his or her breath at the ommend.” Staff writer Caleb Fishman contributed to this don’t babysit until the outbreak is over,” said friends after Shabbat is harder, because when end of the coughing attack, they may make a story. Dr. Higashi, who is the mother of junior Kiku it starts to get dark around 5 or 6 is when the “whoop” sound, vomit, or choke.” Dr. Higashi explained that of the various Shaw. “If they’re symptomatic, I would advise coughing gets bad, because I’ve been talking all them to get tested and treated. It’s not critical day.” Josh said he has found ways to cope with the that they babysit.” Treatment is with antibiotics, taken for just cough attacks. “In the morning, if the cough’s really irria few days even though symptoms of the illness tating me, I won’t talk during davening, and I last longer, she said. “Sometimes you might be infectious, and won’t talk during first period,” he said. Shalhevet teachers said they would follow you might be developing pertussis but not yet Dr. Higashi’s advice, although they do not use know that you’re truly ill,” she said. “If you’re asymtomatic” -- that is, without any symptoms student babysitters often anyway. They had not -- “and you’re a babysitter, I don’t think you been aware that students could be contagious even if they seemed to have only a cold, or if should babysit.” they were not yet sick. “Now that I know that, it seems like very Parents were alerted to the outbreak by sound advice for me not to have Shalhevet stuemails sent from school on Oct. 29, Nov. 5 and Nov. 8, and were urged to take students to the dents in my house for the next few weeks,” said Dean of Students Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg said, doctor if they showed symtoms. Checking out seemingly mild colds and whose youngest son is three months old. Rabbi Yagil Tsaidi’s son just turned one accoughs may seem extreme, but Dr. Higashi said it’s actually the best way to prevent the spread cording to the Hebrew calendar. He said his family would not use a Shalhevet babysitter of this disease. She said students with colds would be treat- again until the pertussis is fully cleared up. “It’s better to take the safe route,” Rabbi ed immediately with antibiotics if it seems likely they’ve had contact with one of the known per- Tsaidi said in an interview. tussis cases. Shalhevet Chief “The important thing is Operating Officer Ms. understanding whether or Sarah Emerson said the Under state law, not they’ve potentially had school has been in close contact with the two casall California high touch with the Health es, and making sure they’ve school students Department since the gotten vaccinated,” she said. must be vaccinated first case was diagnosed. “Because if they didn’t get against pertussis, “We did research vaccinated and we think because we were conbut the vaccines they did have contact, then cerned and we wanted they should get prophylaxwear off over time. to know what was going is” -- that is, antibiotics for on,” Mrs. Emerson said. prevention -- which means “A doctor explained to it doesn’t matter if they’re me that the vaccination symptomatic or not, they wasn’t great, so it’s not surprising that there just get medicated.” Under state law, all California high school could be breakthrough cases.” Ms. Emerson sent three emails to Shalhevet students must be vaccinated against pertussis, parents: on Oct. 29 alerting them of the first but the vaccines wear off over time. Dr. Higashi said that being revaccinated pertussis case; on Nov. 5 forwarding a letter would not help to contain an outbreak of per- from the Los Angeles Health Department intussis -- although it would for other illnesses -- forming parents of symptoms and steps to take; and in this case parents should focus more on and on Nov. 8 informing them of the second www.BibisBakeryCafe.com case, with the Health Department letter again watching for symptoms. 8928 W. Pico Blvd. LA, CA 90035 • 310.246.1788 “Pertussis for healthy teenagers is really a attached.

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The Boiling Point •November 2018 • Community

Call for emails to senators starts dispute over politics on Schoology School information system used for grades, attendance became a forum for -- and about -- civil discussion during hearings over the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court

My weekend as a wing whacker By Noah Masliah, Ninth Grade Recently Shalhevet hosted the Glouberman tournament (congrats to the boys) and they needed a mascot. I, not knowing what I was getting into, decided to take up the offer of being the mascot. It was fun for the first two or three games, but then it just got super tiring and not so fun. The mascot suit wasn’t exactly my size, so I had a bit of extra wing compared to the length of my arm. The suit was super-hot inside and pretty thick because it was made out of fake fur. But the wings being a bit long helped a bit, and if I flapped my wings it would make it a bit cooler. I decided to use the extra length of the wings to my advantage and to wing-whack some people with them. I would swing my arm in the same way that I would normally slap someone, but from farther than usual so the extra wing would hit them instead of my hand. I did it to a good number of people and it was pretty fun and harmless. The last game I was mascot for was the girls game on Friday afternoon. During that game, a friend and I were play-fighting. I playfully pushed him (it was a very light push) and to go along with it, he fell to the floor. Then I wing-whacked him, but depending on the angle you looked from, it looked like I punched him. Little did I know that another friend was filming it from the window overlooking the gym on the second floor. From there it looked like I punched him. They had several other videos too, but they were of me doing nothing interesting. Things got really interesting the Monday after Glouberman when my friend decided to release the video on the grade group chat, knowing that even though it was fake-fighting, people might believe it was real. People started accusing me of bullying, though some noticed that I hadn’t actually done anything. Things escalated pretty quickly when the case got to journalism class. The person who filmed the wing-whacking is in my journalism class, and he and I came into class arguing about it jokingly. Mrs. Keene heard this and saw it as a chance for a great lesson. Instead of doing a normal lesson, she asked someone in the class to show the video on the TV, then imagine that someone had given this video to the Boiling Point and the editors had to decide what to do about it. Mrs. Keene made us replay the video over and over again either in slow motion or at normal speed. Even though everyone knew it had been just playful and fake, for the purposes of the exercise they started arguing over whether I had actually hit him and pushed him. I obviously said it was fake, but if a real newspaper was evaluating a tape like this they could think I was just lying. I had to leave the room so they could treat me as just one source and take votes on whether to hypothetically “publish.” Aside from me, some other people were given roles as fake “witnesses.” I was outside for about 10 minutes and then came back and got “interviewed.” The results were shocking. Based partly on the fake witnesses, a majority of the class decided that I had hit and pushed my friend. The bell rang and the class ended. In conclusion, always be careful about what you are doing even if you don’t mean it or it is a joke, because you never know what someone else might think. You never know the other side of the story so be cautious. There are always two sides to a story and you must keep in mind the other side. And lastly, never be afraid to try something new. What’s the worst that could happen? Getting accused of being a wing-whacker isn’t that bad.

opinion Schoology was after Donald Trump won the presidential election in 2016, the survey found. Then-senior Ben Harel made a joking post wishing a happy birthday to his classmate Nathan Benyowitz. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHAN!!!! A sponsored post by Mr. DonSome have called the past two years the most divided time in Amerald Trump,” Ben wrote. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!!!!!” ican history. Last month, that division spilled onto Schoology -- ShalThis post, as well as the recent ones, are examples of posts that were hevet’s online system for everything from attendance and quiz grades interpreted as political regardless of whether or not that was intended. to club meetings, chesed opportunities and missing smartphones -- and Something different this time was the reaction of administration, some now are calling for political speech to be banned on the platform. which in the past has not become involved -- at least as far as the BoilIt started when one student posted a link for emailing senators uning Point could see from what is still posted now. It is possible that decided about how to vote on Brett Kavanaugh; that post received 16 other posts have been deleted, in which case the survey would not have comments of both support and disagreement, some praising the senafound them. tors’ eventual decisions. Ami Nelson called Ms. Walls’ comment hypocritical, saying that A few days later, another student celebrated a win by the flag footthe same thing could have been said about Jordana’s post -- which he ball team with a Schoology comment that both the team and Kavafelt was more overtly political and was not given any reprimand. naugh were celebrating victories; that comment was criticized by an “There were politically motivated Schoology posts on Friday that administrator, leading to more were explicit in their intentions controversy and some bad feelings. of expressing an ideology to the “Schoology is a platform to student body,” Ami wrote in inform students and faculty mema Schoology comment on his bers of events and assignments that post. “I do not think it is apare due,” said junior Joseph Klores propriate that the school should in an interview. “It lacks a public take sides and hold a double forum of debate and dialogue.” standard against two political Joseph was among those who positions.” objected to the original post about Ami was not among those emailing senators, But senior Jorwho had objected to Jordana’s dana Glouberman, who wrote the post, and did not think there post, says it was a valid use of the was anything wrong with it. schoology.com schoolwide information system. “My position on the [Ka“The Kavanaugh situation was ob- Misinterpreted: Jordana says her post was not intended to tell people how they should view the vanaugh] matter is immateriKavanuagh debate. viously a really big situation throughal,” he said in an interview later. out America and there were a lot of “There were explicitly politically different sides to it,” Jordana said later. “But it’s also something that motivated posts the Friday before where people were asking if they seemed kind of far away tand out of our hands, so I just wanted to prescould call senators to go against the nomination. I think because the ent the opportunity to people to try to do something about it if they administration interpreted [mine] as being a conservative post, they wanted to, and show people that they could take action if they choose sort of lashed out at it. to do so.” “The admin has to be more consistent,” he said. “If you are going to The current questions censor one thing, or one political position, even if it’s just completely about Schoology started inferred from your perspective and not intended, then you have to do Jordana said that Oct. 5, the day before the it across the board.” she wanted to offer Senate was to hold a vote Ms. Walls said that she made her comment not to take a political students a way to on Justice Kavanaugh’s constand, but because its “tone... “did not match the seriousness of the firmation to the Supreme take action. topic, and that’s why I commented.” Court. Jordana posted con“Had Ami said, ‘I want to wish congratulations to Justice Kavanatact information for senators ugh on his appointment,’ I wouldn’t have commented,” Ms. Walls said Joe Manchin, Democrat of in an interview. “It was because he equated it to a joke around the flag West Virginia, and Susan football team, it was something that I found distasteful.” Collins, Republican of Maine. Both were known to be undecided “The tone of it made light of a really serious issue for people on both about their votes, meaning their opinions could be changed. sides,” she added. “Whether or not you think this was about somebody “The news has reported that Democratic Senator Manchin and with very little evidence who could have their career derailed or you felt Senator Collins, who were originally on the fence, are planning to like it was making light of a sexual assault accusation.” approve confirmation,” Jordana posted in Student Activities, adding Joseph Klores said he did not like the tone of Jordana’s post. links to websites where they could be contacted. “If you would like to “It felt more like telling the student body to do something, rather encourage them to change their votes, please email them here.” than providing an option in support of a certain political belief,” said Reaction was diverse. Joseph, who supported Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation. “This is so important!!!!!!” said one. Jordana said she did not intend to tell people how to view the issue. “Or email them to compliment their decision,” said another. “My post was not meant to, and I don’t think it did, bash on certain “GREAT JOB DEMOCRATIC SENATORS MANCHIN AND political views but rather, obviously I shared my own and expected COLLINS!!!!!” said a third. people to share their own too,” said Jordana. “And I think it’s ok to Jordana said that she wanted to offer students a way to take action, do that.” not to start a political debate. The post prompted 16 comments and She said some of the rewas later called “politically motivated.” sponses to her post “could Then, on Oct. 7 -- just after the Senate voted to confirm Justice have been approached in a Kavanaugh -- senior Ami Nelson posted on Schoology after the flag The school has no more respectful way.” football team beat Valley Torah that day. plans to ban politiDean of Students RabAmi’s post said: “What do Brett Kavanaugh and the flag football bi Ari Schwarzberg said cal discussions on team have in common? We both got a dub this week!!” the school has no plans to Schoology for now. Less than an hour later, Dean of Academic Affairs Ms. Aviva Walls ban political discussions on Rabbi Schwarzberg commented, “This is in poor taste and while I wish the best to the flag Schoology for now. In fact, football team, I hope we could offer congratulations with a bit more says ‘High school he sees a benefit to it. civility. I know we are better than this.” That exchange prompted comis supposed to be “High school is supposed ments from Ms. Walls, Ami, and three other students. to be messy, in that we don’t messy.’ Ami said that though his post may have been interpreted as a mockexpect that ninth-graders ery of those who did not support Judge Kavanaugh, he meant it to and even 12th-graders know be lighthearted and draw attention to both the nomination and the how to do everything perfootball game. fectly,” said Rabbi Schwarzberg, who is also an adviser to the Agenda “I wasn’t trying to offend anyone,” Ami said in an interview. “I was Committee. trying to acknowledge that they were both going on. I didn’t mention “Certainly in the adult world, adults also don’t use everything peranything about the allegations against him, I wasn’t supporting him or fectly -- so let’s not be too cautious if there’s educational value in it,” doing anything like that, I was just making a joke about it.” he said. According to a Boiling Point survey of Schoology’s Just CommuSince the school is divided, he said, disagreement and hard feelings nity and Student Activities groups over the last three years, Schoology may not be avoidable. has not often been used for political views often, except for announcing “At the same time, I do think it is important to be sensitive to the political speakers -- like Ben Shapiro or Israel representatives -- brought needs of others, and there’s a risk of people going overboard,” Rabbi by student clubs, Schwarzberg said. “And the difficulty is that we’ll have some students and also some faculty that have different definitions of what is overUntil Jordana’s, the most recent post that expressed a political board.”

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief, and Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor

The Boiling Point •November 2018 • Community

A civil Town Hall discussion mostly defends Kavanaugh or can’t do,” Ari said. Sophomore Noa Silberstein said the confirmation process had A recent Town Hall discussing been so divisive due a lack of “conthe confirmation of Judge Brett Kavacrete evidence.” naugh to the Supreme Court turned “No matter what political side out to be a serious and dignified conyou’re on, we can never know versation, and the contentious debate whether or not [Kavanaugh] did that some expected failed to materithat,” Noa said. alize since most speakers took KavaJunior Noah Hertzberg pointnaugh’s side. ed to “missing pieces” in Dr. Ford’s Announced several days ahead accounts of the sexual assault, of time, the Oct. 17 discussion had which he said hurt her credibility. spurred considerable buzz around He noted that she didn’t remember school, coming less than two weeks how she’d gotten home from the after his politically divisive confirmaevent that night, for example, or tion Oct. 6 by a 50-48 vote in the during what year it had occurred. Senate. “There are so many gaps, it’s That vote came after several hard to assume that what she is weeks of hearings, culminating in saying is correct,” Noah said. a week-long FBI investigation into Other students believed that allegations that he had attempted to Dr. Ford’s allegation was enough sexually assault a fellow student, Dr. to morally disqualify Kavanaugh Christine Blasey Ford, while they from becoming a Supreme were in high school about 36 years Court justice -- one of only BP Photo by Zoey Botnick ago. His confirmation hearings nine people out of the estimatCONTROVERSY: Town Hall Oct. 17 started with a student-made video about Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings. The discussion afterward was respectful. were marked by bitterness and even ed U.S. population of 330 milshouting by pro-Kavanaugh Republion. Junior Evan Rubel said Sulicans in the committee room and preme Court nominees should by anti-Kavanaugh demonstrators him on the Supreme Court,” Molly said. be held to a much higher than normal standard. in Senate gallery. “The character and dignity required to be a Supreme Court jusJustice Kavanaugh’s supporters at Town Hall said there was not Conversely, freshman Barbara Seruya said that she didn’t think enough evidence to derail his confirmation. They noted that no Dr. Ford would lie about her allegations since she believed it would tice is so above any accusation like this,” said Evan, who said that made Kavanaugh unfit for the position. witnesses came forward who had seen the sexual assault that Dr. mean jeopardizing her career and family’s name in the process. Speakers who outright expressed their support of Kavanaugh’s Ford alleged, although the nominee did admit he may have attend“Why would somebody lie about something this big?” Barbara confirmation outnumbered those who were against it by an almost ed parties where heavy drinking and that kind of behavior may have said. two-to-one ratio. taken took place. Anticipating a divisive conversation, planners of the event spoke

By Alex Rubel, Sports Editor

“It’s just one word against another,” said sophomore Kate Orlans“In America, we ki, who said she did not believe Dr. Ford’s testimodon’t believe peony was sufficient to prove ple based on who that an encounter between they are. We don’t them had taken place. believe only womKate also spoke against en or only men. We the idea that a woman making such an allegation believe based on should be believed just beevidence.” cause she’s a woman. - Kate Orlanski, “In America, we don’t 10th grade believe people based on who they are,” she said. “We don’t believe only women or only men. We believe based on evidence.” Like Kate, a large majority of speakers who spoke at Town Hall said they supported Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Others speakers cited Dr. Ford’s accusation -- and her believability at the hearing, in their view -- as adequate to prevent Kavanaugh’s confirmation on moral grounds. Sophomore Molly Litvak said that although no one can prove definitively whether the allegations were true, Dr. Ford could have been motivated to lie by ideological opposition to Justice Kavanaugh. “A bunch of people who were against him already didn’t want

both on Schoology and at Town Hall about the need to be reBut most of the people who spoke in Dr. Ford’s favor were facspectful of others’ opinions. History and government teacher ulty and staff members. English teacher Ms. Naamit Nagel suggestMr. William Reusch gave a brief introduction at the beginning of ed that Dr. Ford was unable to recall certain details of the encounTown Hall to frame how the rest should go. ter due to its having been traumatic. “When somebody experiences Mr. Reusch said the Town Hall shouldn’t be used as a competrauma, parts of the brain actually do shut down,” Ms. Nagel said. tition, but rather to hear other perspectives. Dean of Academic Affairs Ms. Aviva Walls said the nature of “This isn’t a debate,” Mr. Reusch said. “This is an opportunity sexual assault cases makes them difficult to prove. to grow and understand this specific event better.” “It’s very hard to prove sexual assault, because there are usually He also said that this Town Hall could be used a model for just two people in the room,” Ms. Walls said. future Town Halls on contentious issues. But, she said, by comparing the Kavanaugh case to a job in“We are a community trying to understand the world in a more profound way,” Mr. Reusch said. “...If we are successful in terview -- and not a criminal trial-- an allegation could have been enough to undermine Kavanaugh’s growing our own understanding, we can follow a similar confirmation. path in any and all contentious issues.” “Whether or not he gets that job Following Mr. Reusch’s speech, a four-minute video “The character and interview can be based on a credible produced by juniors David Edwards and Jacob Lefkowdignity required to accusation, rather than proof, that itz Brooks was played to provide facts about the Kavanaanything actually particularly hapbe a Supreme Court ugh confirmation. But the video didn’t give a full picture, pened,” Ms. Walls said. justice is so above omitting Dr. Ford’s assertion that the future judge had been When the discussion was over, drunk at the time, and his admission that he drank while in any accusation like Agenda Chair Talia Gill posted a high school. this,” survey on Schoology as an outlet for After the video the floor was opened up for comments. -- Evan Rubel, 11th students who didn’t speak at Town The first person called upon by Agenda Chair Talia Gill Grade Hall or those who “feared repercuswas senior Ari Reder. He said that although he found Dr. sions” if they did. Ford’s testimony very compelling, more evidence was needed to prevent Judge Kavanaugh’s ascent to the high court. “An accusation isn’t enough to restrict what someone can

Working at school a passion for New Director of Development By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-In-Chief Bored during a free period? New Director of Development Cheryl Wolf has candy on her desk and wants students to come and talk with her. Ms. Wolf has taken up a new post as Director of Development, making her responsible for raising funds for the school for scholarships and the Poland-Israel Experience, among other things. Ms. Wolf, who wants students to call her Cheryl, received her Bachelor’s degree from California State University Northridge, where she majored in Child Development and minored in Administration. She has two children, ages 18 and 21. Previously she worked in the development department for the treatment center Beit T’shuva for three years, and earlier was her kids’ pre-school PTA president at Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks. “I was looking for a change to expand my career,” said Ms. Wolf, who also has worked as a pre-school and religious school teacher. “I love working with kids and adolescents and

I saw this posting, and it was getting me back into a school environment which is my true passion.” This year, Shalhevet’s fundraising goal is $1.3 million. Most of that is raised from the annual campaign, but among Ms. Wolf’s initiatives is an intergenerational women’s luncheon where A Girl’s Lounge founder Shelley Zalis will speak. A boutique is also planned. Last year, the school raised close to $1 million dollars, Ms. Wolf said. “We are blessed because so many people believe in our amazing school that people just come forward and want to give,” she said. Outside of school, Ms. Wolf loves to travel just about anywhere; her favorite place to go is New York and she has not been to Israel yet. “It devastates me, I need to go,” she said. She also likes to hang out with her family and just started knitting. And Ms. Wolf really wants to get to know the students. “I have candy on my desk and I want kids to come in,” she said.

BP Photo by Neima Fax

DEVELOPMENT: Ms. Cheryl Wolf plans to introduce an intergenerational women’s luncheon.

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Community

Student parking lot waits while pavement ‘cures’ behind new fence

Visiting team vans were allowed to park in the lot for the Steve Glouberman Basketball tournament as the pavement cured. By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor If you looked at the planned student parking lot during the Steve Glouberman basketball tournament, you might have seen white vans in its newly paved and painted spaces. They were transporting visiting teams to and from neighborhood host homes where they were staying. But Shalhevet students will need to wait until at least late The lot was paved November for their long-awaited return to the school’s origiand painted Oct. 25 nal student lot across the street, and 26 and needs school officials said last week. to cure for a month The lot, which sits on the from then before northwest corner of Fairfax Aveit can be used. A nue and San Vicente Boulevard, was originally projected to be new black iron ready for students after the Sukwaist-high fence kot break, which ended Sept. was also added. 30. Students have not been able to park there since 2014, when construction on the new building and adjacent Vinz apartment complex began. According to Facilities Manager Lili Einalhori, the lot was paved and painted Oct. 25 and 26 and needs to cure for a month

from then before it can be used. A new black iron waist-high fence was also added, replacing the old chain link fence. The school also decided to seal the lot to protect it, Ms. Einalhori said, contributing to the wait. Once the elapsed time is over, the paving company will seal the pavement. Visiting teams for the annual Steve Glouberman Basketball Tournament, which Shalhevet hosted from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, could park in the lot. “We asked the company if we can park cars on the lot for the tournament and they said yes,” wrote Ms. Einalhori in an email response to Boiling Point BP Photo by Neima Fax questions. She said they said that Waiting: The lot’s new asphalt surface will need to ‘cure’ for at least a month before students can park on it. would not damage the surface. Shalhevet Chief Operating to park in the lot until it is available for student use. Officer Ms. Sarah Emerson said last week that the school does not have any plans to allow anyone else

Woolsey Fire affects homes, Jewish schools & camps and basketball continued from page 1 -memories.” Basketball and football coach Ryan Coleman was evacuated on Sunday, Nov. 11 for three days. He and his three children stayed at his parents’ house in Woodland Hills -- along with two other families. Coach Coleman said he was more annoyed than scared by the ordeal, but found some humor in it, too. “When you tell a seven-, nine- and 11-year-old to grab the five or 10 most important things to them, it turns out to be a comedy show,” Coach Coleman said. “The seven-year-old brought all dolls; the nine-year-old son brought two basketballs, his favorite basketball shoes, his Playstation and his headset; and my 11-year-old daughter brought all clothes. “I told them to bring toiletries and my son came out with five rolls of toilet paper,” he added. He knows two families whose homes in Malibu burned down. “It’s hard, it’s super devastating,” he said. “It’s crazy to have that many people lose their homes and be displaced. We’re thankful that it didn’t affect us outside of having to leave our home.” Trying to help out, Shalhevet opened its gym to the basketball team of Calabasas High School, which practiced at Shalhevet on Nov. 12 and 13 while its home gym was closed. Calabasas High is 26 miles from Shalhevet, but Coach Coleman is their basketball team’s Head of Business Operations and strength trainer, and runs their club basketball team. “Even though it’s kind of a trek from Calabasas, we’re really thankful that we have a place to practice because our season starts in two or three days and we have no gym at home,” said Calabasas senior Andrew Treiger, who was evacuated but whose house suffered no damage in the fire. Calabasas High School also escaped the blaze. “Luckily we’re all safe, thank God,” Andrew said.”It’s good that we’re all safe, but it’s a tragedy what happened to our community.” Additionally, at least one day school and two camps reporting significant damage in the blaze. The Ilan Ramon Jewish Day School in Agoura Hills; Camps Hess Kramer and Gindling Hilltop in

Calendar November Thurs-Fri Nov 22-23 Thanksgiving Break

Thurs-Sun Nov 29 – Dec 2 10th grade chesed trip to Las Vegas

December Sun-Mon December 2-10 Chanukah Mon-Sun December 10-16 Shalhevet drama presents ‘Radium Girls’

Tues December 18 Fast Day: Asarah B’Tevet THURS DECEMBER 20 Blood Drive

Mon-Tues Dec 24 – Jan 1 Winter Break and New Years

Malibu; and the Shalom Institute, home to Camp JCA Shalom in Malibu; all suffered minor or extensive damage. The fire at Ilan Ramon Jewish Day School, a progressive Jewish elementary school, was caught on KCBS Channel 2 news, which broadcast live as the school’s computer lab, server room and administrative building went up in flames, along with a kindergarten bathroom, storage facilities and gaga pit. According to Head of School Mr. Yuri Hronsky, Ilan Ramon has not held classes or been able to go back to their campus and is working out of Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks. Classes will resume at Temple Etz Chaim Nov. 25, he said. cbsla.com “We’re not able to be on campus SCHOOL: The Ilan Ramon Jewish Day School, a K-5 progressive school in Agoura Hills, was in flames Friday afternoon. News reporters until the fire remediation is done,” on the scene said separate buildings in the back of the school were still intact at 3:30 pm., but that firefighters were busy with homes. said Mr. Hronsky, “so that will take a couple weeks for them to deal lenges and trauma, from the personal of being evacuated from their with the smoke, remove the debris, clean the classrooms and make homes to watching the school go up in smoke on live television. It’s sure everything is safe. good to be back together and for them to see each other.” “We have to make sure that before any single child comes back to The school has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for recampus, we have to make sure it’s properly cleaned.” building, which raised over $50,000 in its first 10 days. Still, it could have been worse, he said. Camps Hess Kramer and Gindling Hilltop, also in Malibu, share “The amazing thing is that the classrooms survived,” he said. a campus as they are both affiliated with Wilshire Boulevard Temple. “They just need to be cleaned. Yes, the kids go to the computer lab, The campus suffered significant damage. but we’ll figure that out.” “We’re not at the rebuilding stage yet,” said Erica Feinman, the Mr. Hronsky said evacuating from their homes was stressful for camps’ assistant director, in an interview. “Right now we are really his students, who range in age from kindergarten to grade 5. just trying to make sure that the community is okay and we have a “A huge percentage of our school was evacuated,” Mr. Hronsky place to have camp this summer.” said. “The kids have gone through a lot of different types of chalThey are in communication with boarding schools, college campuses, and boys’ and girls’ scout camps, she said. “We are two camps so we are looking for somewhere with capacity for 500 people, which is a big ask for some of these locations,” Ms. Feinman said. “But we’ve got a list and we’re making connections and trying to be really creative in what we can make this summer ShalhevetBoilingPoint.com look like.” The Shalom Institute, home to Camp JCA Shalom -- and where SLIDESHOW: Glouberman Tournament Moshava Alevy (formerly Moshava Malibu and Moshava California) first started before moving to a permanent campus in Running SLIDESHOW: Canvassing for candidates in midterms Springs -- also suffered critical damage. “It is significant and devastating,” said a statement on the Shalom VIDEO: Jacob Ben Ezra dunk at Glouberman Institute’s website. “We now know that nearly all of camp’s buildings were destroyed.” LINK: Watch Glouberman livestreams online Spokesmen for the Shalom Institute could not be reached for comment. TEXT: Health Department letter regarding Kadima Academy and de Toledo High School were evacuated Whooping Cough but did not suffer any damage. According to cbsnews.com, as of Nov. 19, there are 1,452 structures destroyed, 337 damaged properties and 3 confirmed deaths as GIF: Original GIF of MacOS Mojave a result of the fire. The fires are 91 percent contained, with full containment expectMUSIC: Sample songs by K-Pop’s BTS ed by Nov. 22, even those who lost nothing have plenty of reminders around them for the time being. “I see all the fire around me,” Morah Michal said. “All the mounLINK: Link to Political Schoology Comments tains are all black until the rain will come.”

MORE ON THE WEB:

VIDEO: Video of Kavanaugh Town Hall

Outside News

NOVEMBER 2018

Michigan profs open new front in academic boycott of Isræl Boycott ‘includes writing letters of recommendations for students planning to study there,’ professors say; two Israel-bound students By Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor

thousands of signatures. wanted him to be. The university did discipline him, however, by not giving him a merit raise in the 2018-19 school year, and denying him an upcoming sabbatical leave he had planned, or any sabbatical for the next two years. “We know it’s very hard for a professor to get fired once they are on tenure, so we think what they did to him was good,” Mrs. Ingber said. “They’re watching out, so we were happy with what the school did.” The situation involving Jake Secker happened around a month later. Jake wrote to Ms. Lucy Peterson, a Jewish graduate student instructor of political science at University of Michigan, on Oct. 1 asking for a letter of recommendation to study abroad. Ms. Peterson agreed to write it the same day. “Totally, I’d be delighted,” she responded. However, after Jake told her he was applying to Tel Aviv University, she changed her mind. Although she declined to be interviewed by the Boiling Point, she wrote an Op-Ed for the Michigan Daily about her decision. “I chose to articulate my reasoning to this student rather than hide behind other reasons,” Ms. Peterson explained in the piece. “I made this choice in the spirit of honest and deeply personal intellectual exchange. I take my role as an educator at this institution very seriously.”

Unlike most acts of Israel boycotting on college campuses, which are led by student groups, two students at University of Michigan were denied letter of recommendation letters to study abroad in Israel, and academics were the ones responsible. The students, Jake Secker and Abigail Ingber, are both juniors at the University of Michigan. Abigail, who attended Watchung Hills, a public high school in New Jersey, initially sent an email in August requesting a recommendation letter to study abroad. After a few back-and-forth emails involving the deadline for the letter, Professor John Cheney-Lippold emailed her after having received the form, saying he couldn’t write the letter because he was involved in a boycott against Israel. “When Abby got the email, we have a family group chat on text, and she wrote ‘Oh my God!’ and sent a picture of the letter,” said Abigail’s mother, Mrs. Sharon Ingber, in an interview with The Boiling Point. “We were just shocked.” Professor Cheney-Lippold, who is an Associate Professor of Digital Studies, is a member of the American Studies Association, a national academic organization that endorses BDS. The organization’s resolution does not, however, require professors to refrain from writing students letters of recommendation to Israeli institutions. “Our resolution understands boycott as limited to a refusal on the part of the Association in its oﬃcial capacities to enter into formal collaborations with Israeli academic institutions,” ASA’s endorsement statement says, “or with scholars who are expressly serving as representatives or ambassadors of those institutions, or on The denial of the letters was not behalf of the Israeli government, until Israel ceases to violate human the only recent anti-Israel occurrence rights and international law.” in their council statement. Professor Cheney-Lippold told the Boiling Point that he was at the university. On Oct. 4, a guest not talking to news media at the moment. But in his letter to Abby lecturer at the Penny Stamps School for Art and Design screened an image that compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Ingber Sept. 5 he explained his reasoning. “I am very sorry, but I only scanned your first email a couple to Adolf Hitler, saying both were “guilty of genocide.” Last year, on Nov. 15, 2017, the university’s student governweeks ago and missed out on a key detail,” he wrote to Abby in the letter, a screenshot of which was made available to the Boiling Point ment passed a resolution calling for the university to consider and investigate the idea of divesting from companies that do business by the Ingber family. with Israel. However, the majority of University “As you may know, many university deof Michigan’s Board of Regents signed a statepartments have pledged an academic boyment expressing opposition to the resolution cott against Israel in support of Palestinians You don’t necessarily one month after it was passed. living in Palestine. This boycott includes feel it on campus on a Shalhevet alumna Nicole Feder ‘15, currentwriting letters of recommendation for studay-to-day basis, but ly a junior at University of Michigan, said hese dents planning to study there.” it’s definitely something incidents have made the students more aware of anti-israel rhetoric, but have not changed the that we think about and Although Abigail did end up getting overall atmosphere for Jewish students. the letter she needed, according to her work to combat. “At first students were kinda shocked by mom, she had to get it from someone else, --Nicole Feder, what has been going on,” said Nicole. “You don’t though they declined to say who. UMich junior necessarily feel it on campus on a day-to-day baThe issue has brought up complex quessis, but it's definitely something that we think tions about academic freedom, which is the about and work to combat.” idea that the political, religious or other beAccording to Nicole, on Oct. 11, the univerliefs of both students and professors should sity’ pro-Israel community joined together and wore blue and white be protected. Prof. Cheney-Lippold has tenure -- a designation given to pro- to demonstrate opposition to the denied recommendation letters fessors or teachers that makes their appointments virtually perma- and guest lecturer. She also said groups are hosting diﬀerent events nent -- and he therefore cannot be fired, though many students as well to “show Israel in a positive light.” Ms. Aviva Walls, Director of College Counseling and Academic and even a change.org petition. Change.org said the petition has Guidance, says that she wouldn’t recommend University of Michi-

gan any less to Shalhevet seniors --- but that she would mention the incidents to students who made clear they prefer colleges without large BDS activity. Still, she thinks it’s important for there to be educated students on such campuses to fight anti-Israel and anti-semitic rhetoric. “The reason why there was such a huge response was because the student who was denied the letter made a big deal out of it,” Ms. Walls said. “Had it been a student who had less information or education, that student might have felt bad about wanting to attend an Israeli institution rather than fight and say what the professor did was wrong. I think it’s important for Jewish students to be in those places.” According to Ms. Walls, there are somewhat fewer Shalhevet students applying to University of Michigan this year than normal, but she said it was probably normal variation and most likely not a result of the anti-Israel rhetoric. Shalhevet senior Ari Reder said he believes the professors should have been able to withdraw from writing the letters. “It’s definitely unfortunate that people are anti-Israel and everything like that, but I think people are entitled to their own opinions,” said Ari. “Our constitution says freedom of your opinion, so I guess if he has something against Israel then it’s unfortunate, but I think if he really doesn’t want to write the letter he shouldn’t be obligated to.” Lily Drazin, another senior at Shalhevet, has a sister at University of Michigan and considers her family big supporters of the school. “I definitely think she’s gotten more defensive of the school and I definitely think that was hard for her to experience,” Lily said, describing her sister Jenn, who graduated from Shalhevet in 2014. “She’s still keeping her head high and she still loves everything about the school.” Lily said she thinks incidents such as this should be taken into account when applying to colleges, but that in this circumstance it doesn’t aﬀect her support for the school. “Anti-semitism exists on college campuses -- it happens,” she said. “I would say that our support for Michigan is still there because the school as a whole is still a great educational institution that has given thousands of students, including my sister, an amazing college experience and one professor's opinion shouldn’t undermine that.” MICHIGAN: Above, Prof. John Cheney-Lippold, left, first said he’d write a reference for sophomore Abigail Ingber, right, then cited his department’s BDS policy to deny it. Below, the University of Michigan’s Haven Hall, where the American Culture Department has its offices. The department adopted a BDS statement but does not require professors to follow its recommendations.

cse.umich.edu

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Outside News

MEANWHILE...

SEPTEMBER 5

India’s government lifts ban on gay sex Hurricane Florence death toll rises to 32 as North Carolina flooding continues.

Co-founders of instagram Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger announced that they would be stepping down from their role in the company.

OCTOBER Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist working

for the Washington Post, is killed by Saudi agents in Istanbul in the Saudi embassy. Saudi officials eventually admit responsibility. Brazil elects a new

president, Jair Bolsonaro of the Social Liberal party.

November U.S. midterm election 6

results in Republicans increasing their majority in the Senate and Democrats taking control of the House.

After almost two years in his post, Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigns at President Trump’s request.

12 people are shot 8

and killed at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousands Oaks; gunman then takes his own life

Over 300 rockets from Gaza are launched at Israel, killing 12 in Gaza and one in Israel. About 60 of the rockets were stopped by the Iron Dome system.

Rabbi opens new Chabad House in Pensacola just in time to help with hurricane

Chabad Jewish Center Pensacola SAFE: Rabbi Mendel Danow attached covered the windows of the Chabad Jewish Center Pensacola with metal siding to protect from the winds of Hurricane Michael.

By Bayley Sandler and Kate Orlanski, Staff Writers

through that Wednesday afternoon. No one lost any trees in Pensacola itself, he said, though there were many branches littering the ground during the aftermath. Rabbi Mendel Danow had arrived in Pensacola, Fla., just two days be“There was definitely rain and wind and some trees got a little bit… fore Hurricane Michael would destroy parts of the state less than a three- some damage, some branches were flying,” he said, “but thank God it hour drive from where he was setting up a new Chabad house. wasn’t so terrible.” And even though they had not yet unpacked, he and his wife Nechama However, during Hurricane Michael an estimated $300 million of ignored warnings to leave until the storm had passed. Georgia’s cotton crop and $600 million in pecans were lost. Along with “We moved there in order to be there to service the community, and the millions of dollars lost in the agricultural industry, roughly 100 chickwe weren’t going to leave,” Rabbi Danow said in an interview with the en houses were lost to the wind speed, causing the death of two million Boiling Point. “On the contrary, we wanted to stay there, because we were chickens. in contact with people.” The storm wound up destroying coastal towns such as Mexico Beach Hurricane Michael became the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane and Panama City, leaving the area in shambles. to date, with winds that reached speeds of 155 miles per hour -- making it Rabbi Danow said Hurricane Michael also caused many he came into a Category 5 storm, the strongest hurricane to ever contact with to ask him the question of why: why is God hit Florida’s “panhandle” -- the northwest part of the causing these extreme bouts of weather that could have “We got a little bit of a bigstate that hugs the Gulf of Mexico. long-term damage to Jews and the world as a whole? Across the Panhandle, 120,000 people were or- ger house to be able to host He did his best to answer. dered to evacuate Oct. 7, and another 375,000 in people.” “God as the creator of the world,” he said he told Georgia a few days later. As of Oct. 28, 45 people --Rabbi Mendel Danow them. “He is the creator and He obviously knew what is had died in the U.S. and hundreds more were unacthe best thing for this world, and we are just creations and counted for, according to news reports. mere mortals. Rabbi and Mrs. Danow moved to Pensacola to “We are finite and God is infinite, and for us to be able open a new Chabad House near Florida State University. Within hours of to understand and explain God’s ways is not within our capacity, and so arriving, he said, they began making phone calls to make sure that the few therefore we don’t have the say in the matter to explain why so many casupeople they had come into contact with were prepared. alties take place, why people lost their lives in such a terrible catastrophe. Ten people came to stay with them -- and their kitchen had not even And so therefore we cannot explain it in a rational way.” been kashered yet. The couple were happy to help. Hurriane Michael first hit the coast of Florida on Oct 10, and then “We got a little bit of a bigger house to be able to host people,” Rabbi traveled north towards Georgia. It earned the title of fourth-strongest Danow said. landfalling hurricane in United States history, after hurricanes Labor Day In that way, Pensacola turned out to be a perfect location: close enough in 1935, Camille in 1969 and Andrew in 1992. that evacuees could get there, but not close enough to see the heavy damage The storm originated in the Caribbean Sea, and grew into a hurricane sustained further south. Their 10 guests had fled from various other cities. in about a week. It then made landfall in Florida before traveling further “We had just moved into our house we didn’t even have barely any fur- north. Governor Rick Scott of Florida declared a state of emergency in 35 niture,” he said. “We just made our kitchen kosher while they were there, counties, with President Trump making the same announcement shortly and we were preparing food and [putting[ everything together, even though after. we just came there literally two days before. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for cities along the Florida coas on “There wasn’t too much time to sit around and think,” he added. Oct. 8, and the storm was over by Oct. 11. Welcoming people into their home, he said, was a mission given to It was not the welcome to Florida that Rabbi and Mrs. Danow had them by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson z”l. expected. “The mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael, of loving your fellow Jew, of loving your “But we made it through and we’re here to tell the tale,” he said. “Bafellow just as yourself,” he said. “And this is the basis for the whole Torah ruch Hashem.” and everything is founded on that.” He said the storm lasted throughout all of Tuesday and then continued

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is stepping down fend America, and I’ll always do that,” Ms. Haley said in a video posted widely in news After almost two years in her post, Unit- media. “ I’ll never truly step aside from deed States ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Ha- fending our country. But I will tell you that I ley announced her resignation last month, think it’s time.” During her two years there, Mrs. Haley leaving Americans wondering what her next criticized the U.N. for bias against move would be both Israel and the U.S. She also and who would fill pulled America out of the U.N. her shoes. Human Rights Council, after callAlthough her ing it a “cesspool of political bias.” resignation went In August 2017, she got the public on Oct.9, U.N Security Council to agree on Haley said she sanctions on North Korea, includwould serve until ing a total ban on North Korean the end of 2018. exports. In July 2018, she helped She sent her resestablish a resolution on a U.N ignation letter to arms embargo on South Sudan. President Trump a Prior to being confirmed as week earlier, then the 29th U.N. Ambassador -- by sat alongside him whitehouse.gov a 96-4 senate vote Jan. 24, 2017 -in the Oval Oﬃce to Ambassador Haley had served as the announce it. first female governor of South Caro“It was a blessing to go into the lina, the second Indian-American governor in U.N. with body armor on every day and de-

By Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor

the United States, and a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 2016, she was listed among the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine. As governor, Ms. Haley signed a bill hoping to stop the South Carolina eﬀorts of the BDS movement, which advocates for boycott, divestment and sanctioning from people and institutions connected with Israel. After her resignation announcement, the Israeli Ambassador to the U.N Danny Danon released a statement thanking her. “Thank you for representing the values common to Israel and the United States,” it read. President Trump praised her, saying, “We’re all happy for you in one way, but we hate to lose you. Hopefully you’ll be coming back in some way.” The president said he would announce the next ambassador two to three weeks after her resignation, although her replacement is yet to be announced.

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Outside News

‘Fall back, spring ahead’ could end as voters approve Prop. 7 Proposition would let state switch to year-round Daylight Saving Time, but only if Congress changes federal law first If the Legislature chooses to put California on Standard Time cipal for Judaic Studies. “Right now on a Sunday, for example, if you’re out with the family or whatever it is, you have to stop and all year, the process will now be simple, requiring only a two-thirds At 2 a.m. on Nov. 4 -- two days before Election Day -- Califor- daven Mincha in the winter months much earlier than you would vote to make the change. If it wants to put California on year-round DST, however, it would require federal approval. nia and 47 other states turned back their clocks one hour, return- have to otherwise.” Ms. Gonzalez Fletcher wrote that the Legislature would then Also, Shabbat starts and ends later on Daylight Saving Time. ing to Standard Time after almost eight months of Daylight Saving “petition the federal government to allow this change.” Rabbi Block said that he enjoys when Shabbat ends later. Time (DST). “The biggest challenge I foresee is that the federal government “I think it’s really nice to have like an extra hour for shalosh Five months from now, on the second Sunday in March, resihas to approve this change,” she wrote. “We are planning on workseudos,” — Shabbat’s third meal — “an extra hour to kind of be dents of the same 48 states will turn their clocks an hour forward, ing closely with our allies and across the aisle to with family,” Rabbi Block said. “Shabbeginning another seven-and-a-half-month period of Daylight Savget this done.” bos is a pretty special time and we only ing Time. “Seventy percent of all Year-round Daylight Saving Time would The California State Legislature wants to put an end to these get it for one day a week. And to have mean that even during the winter months, the it a little bit longer — to have a litpedestrians killed in trafback-and-forth changes, and instead, keep the state on Daylight clocks would remain an hour ahead as they are tle bit more time off of your phone, Saving Time for good. On Nov. 6, Californians decided that they fic accidents occur when the rest of the year, instead of being timed so do, too -- or at least they want to be able to, should they decide to away from distraction to spend it with it’s dark. We just can’t that 12 noon is the halfway point between sunfriends and family — I think that’s a in the future. rise and sunset. really valuable, valuable thing.” ” ignore those numbers. Because of the way state and federal laws are written now, legThe sun would rise an hour later than on Another way Shalhevet students islative approval in California is not enough to make this happen. - Ed Clendaniel, Standard Time, every day. Instead, the first step in keeping Daylight Saving Time all year long would experience year-round DayOpinion Editor, San Jose At Shalhevet, Dr. William Walton, the Diwas passing this year’s Proposition 7, the Permanent Daylight Sav- light Saving Time would be in their Mercury News rector of Curriculum and Instruction and Math commutes. There would be times of ing Time Measure, approved by a margin of 60 to 40 percent. department chair, favored the measure year when sunrise would occur just At the moment, federal law allows states to choose from two “It would just be great if they either decided options: enact a DST period between the second Sunday of March before 8 a.m. for Daylight Savings Time all year round, or no Opponents of the measure believe and the first Sunday in November, or opt out of the seasonal time Daylight Savings Time all year round, and stop changes and choose to stay on Standard Time year-round, as Ari- this would lead to more car and pedeschanging the clocks,” Dr. Walton said. “Doesn’t matter to me, but trian accidents, since more of these occur in the dark than in the zona and Hawaii have done. It does not, however allow states to light. On Standard Time, Los Angeles sunrise is just pick one, and go with it.” choose to stay on DST year-round. Front desk receptionist Daniella Silva worried that year-round never later than 7. So in order for the Legislature to DST would make travel times confusing. The San Jose Mercury News opposed Prop 7, “Shabbos is a pretty institute DST all year, federal law “We’re gonna be out of sync with the rest of the country,” said largely because of this later sunrise. In a phone inwould have to be changed as well. special time and we terview with the Boiling Point, Mercury News Edi- Ms. Silva. “The entire country’s gonna be on one set of time and California Assembly members only get it for one day a we’re gonna be on our own little set of time. torial Page Editor Ed Clendaniel explained why. Kansen Chu (D-San Jose) and Loweek. And to have it a “I’m just worried about how we’re going to end up calculating “Proposition 7 would mean that students rena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diairport times, train times, if people choose to travel, how will they in schools would have to walk to school at night little bit longer ... I think ego) co-wrote Assembly Bill 807, during when it’s dark, and that’s very dangerous,” be able to kind of figure things out.” the bill on which Prop 7 is based. that’s a really valuable, Noah Hertzberg, a Shalhevet Junior who lives in the San FerMr. Clendaniel said. “Biannual time changes convaluable thing.” nando Valley, says that even though he’d be waking up and going “National Highway Traffic Safety Administratribute to an increase in heart atto school in the dark, he has “zero opinion” on the possible switch tion reports that 20 percent of the total number of Rabbi David Block, tacks, strokes, deadly vehicle accipedestrians killed in traffic crashes are children up to year-round DST. Judaic Studies dents, and workplace accidents,” “I don’t care, it doesn’t affect me,” said Noah. “If you wake up to 14 years old – 20 percent,” said Mr. Clendaniel. wrote Assemblywoman Gonzalez in the dark, then you wake up in the dark.” “And that 70 percent of all pedestrians killed Fletcher in an email response to in traffic accidents occur when it’s dark,” he conquestions from the Boiling Point. tinued. “We just can’t ignore those numbers. I “Ending time changes or switching to year-round DST will get rid of the outsized negative mean, I’m a parent myself and there’s few things that are more important to parents than the safety of their children, and the impact on public safety in California.” Proponents also argued that the clock changes cause higher en- idea of sending children to school in the dark is just a bad idea. “There’s always unintended consequences for propositions ergy consumption — though Daylight Saving Time was instituted partly to save electricity, by having people sleep during the parts of like this that people don’t think about,” he added.

By Sam Rubanowitz, Staff writer

the morning when it’s dark — and interrupt sleep patterns, especially for sleep-sensitive children. The Los Angeles Times endorsed Prop. 7. “Studies have found that this semi-annual time shift disrupts the human circadian cycle,” leading to various health problems, the paper wrote in an editorial backing it..

There’s also a religious angle: Prop. 7 would make Shabbat start and end later all year, instead of just during the warmer months. Mincha — afternoon prayers — would be an hour later too. “I like it when [Mincha] is later because it doesn’t kind of hit your day in the middle,” said Rabbi David Block, Assistant Prin-

California’s current system is also based on a proposition – Proposition 12 of 1949, also known as the Daylight Saving Time Act, which established a DST period even before it was put into federal law across the country in 1966. But Prop 12 prevented the California legislature from making any changes to the state’s Daylight Saving period. Prop 7has now repealed Prop 12, restoring power to the Legislature and giving it “the ability to choose either time year-round,. “The State Legislature will then decide if California will have either standard time or daylight savings time all year round,” Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher wrote.

Prop. 12 passes, giving more space to hens, pigs and calves Producers standard of cage-free guidelines. She said one square foot is definitely enough space, since the Should ethics aﬀect what you eat? For years, Californian animal rights activists have been advocating hens would no longer be in cages. “This isn’t just a square foot, this will mean cage-free,” Ms. Welgan explained. “The hens will now for state-wide cage-free eggs. They moved closer to this goal with the passage of Proposition 12 in the have the ability to roam around. Right now, hens are crammed in battery cages so small they’re the size midterm elections, approved statewide by a margin of 62 to 38 percent. Proposition 12’s new provisions will prohibit the selling of food from animals that have been con- of our microwaves.” The new law also specifies that after 2021, producers will either fined in small areas in cages, with new guidelines for egg-laying hens, have to give hens one square foot or one-and-a-half square feet of breeding pigs, and calves raised for veal. space. Currently, hens are given 116 square inches. A square foot And egg-laying hens whose eggs are either raised or sold in Calicontains 144. fornia must be raised cage-free beginning in 2022 at the latest. Shalhevet students seemed to support the measure. Freshman The measure was strongly backed by the Humane Society of the Barbara Seruya agrees that one square foot is not enough. United States, along with 32 other organizations and the TV host “Even though hens are simply animals that people eat, giving Ellen Degeneres. a hen a square foot of room to live until they are killed is just “A vote yes on Prop 12 will prevent cruel and inhumane confinemind-blowing,” Barbara said. “Why is it so hard to let chickens ment of mother pigs, baby veal calves, and egg-laying hens in these have extra space? It is just absurd because they are so small and filthy, tiny cages so small they can barely move,” said HSUS’s Ashley their lives are so short, but people just cannot seem to care.” Welgan in an interview. Prop. 12, she said, would be better than nothing. Supporters advocated on the basis of animal rights -- but so did “It seems like both sides are flawed,” Barbara said, “but I five opponent organizations, led by Californians Against Cruelty, would have to agree with Prop. 12 because it seems like this is the Cages, and Fraud, sponsored by the Humane Farming Association best there is.” (HFA). Aside from preventing animal cruelty, supporters claim that The opponents argued that one square foot -- the amount of space it will also provide better health for humans. According to The that would be allotted to hens under Prop. 12 passed -- is still not Humane Society, salmonella is more prevalent among caged eggs. enough room, and they didn’t like the fact that the act would legalize BP Illustration by Sarah Navon Humans’ financial health is another matter. Both sides agree small cages until 2022. that the price of eggs will go up, though they disagree as to how They also worried that the plan would fail. A proposition passed in 2008 -- which Prop. 12 aiimed to improve -- was also led by the Humane Society and promised to ban egg industry cages much. “Changes in housing systems, which come with significant costs that increase food prices, should by 2015. However, according to the Association of California Egg Farmers, it only changed the cages. be driven by consumer purchasing decisions, not the agenda of any activist group,” said Jim Monroe of Opponents argued that Prop. 12 would fail as well. Ms. Welgan of the Humane Society disagreed, saying that the proposition follows the United Egg the National Pork Producers Council on the website Ballotpedia.

By Molly Litvak, Outside News EDITOR

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Outside News

Working to tip an election, one front door at a time Thousands of canvassers, including Shalhevet students, joined campaigns during the midterm election season By SHANI SHAHAM AND EVA BROUS-LIGHT, Staff Writers

BP photo by Maia Lefferman

northern parts of the San Fernando Valley. Representative Hill won her race against incumbent Rep. Steve Richard Ceseroni, a 69-year-old former Knight, but it was such a close race, Marine, was returning home to his ranchthat it wasn’t decided until Nov. 10, style house in Santa Clarita from church on two days after the election. Rep. Oct. 28 when someone he recognized ap-elect Hill had 52.6 percent of the proached him in his driveway. votes, and Mr. Knight had 47.4 “Why is the mayor of Los Angeles in my percent. Mrs. Hill won by 6,026 driveway?” said Mr. Ceseroni, who served in votes. the Sheriff’s Department for 37 years before About 200 people showed up to retiring. the Katie Hill headquarters to canSure enough, it was Mayor Eric Garcetti, where vass on Oct. 28, and the headquarwho, like thousands of other Americans, was there was ters were packed from wall to wall. spending this Sunday canvassing, just two about 15 peoVolunteers had come from all over weeks before the midterm elections. ple. Maia canSouthern California, having woken Canvassing is the word used to define a vassed for the up early to try to influence the tight time-honored form of political activism-- in entire day, race. particular, informing voters about a candivisiting Standing or leaning on walls as date running for office, finding out whether about they listened to instructions, they they favor or oppose him or her, and making 5 0 were told to remind residents about a record of it so people who work on turnout the importance of their votes, and will help them get to the polls. to make sure everyone finds his or Usually it is done by knocking on doors her way to the polls on Election BP Photo by Maia Lefferman and explaining to whoever lives there what Day. makes a candidate worth voting for. Other FAMILY: Canvassers for Democratic candidate Kyrsten Sinema went door-to-door in Pheonix, Arizona. She is now senator-elect. Volunteers then spent the day kinds of canvassing involve texting and calling walking around unfamiliar neighvoters to inform them about a certain issue on borhoods, knocking on doors and the ballot or candidate. speaking to strangers about why Mr. Ceseroni immediately noticed that the Mayor was holding houses. Ms. Hill deserved their votes. They told residents that she was pasa Katie Hill clipboard and wearing a Katie Hill pin. Still beaming “There were a lot of people that we literally convinced to vote, sionate about safety and security, access to health care, and rebuildthat the Mayor of Los Angeles was standing at his door, he respect- and to vote for our candidate,” said Maia in an interview with the ing the middle class. fully told Mr. Garcetti that he would not be voting for her. Boiling Point. Joel Snyder, a high school government teacher from Los An“We’ve had a few people come to When she knocked on doors, she said that resigeles, was there to model for his students how to get involved and our door canvassing for Katie Hill,” dents mostly reacted well, and were willing to have how to engage themselves in what is going on around them. Mr. Ceseroni said. “We say, ‘We’re Reconversations with her. “It’s not just about the His regular Sunday includes a late breakfast with his family and publicans, bye!’” “It’s really inspiring that you actually have a an afternoon spent hanging out with his kids. literal votes that you “Okay sir, have a nice day,” said chance to share your ideas with people and that “I think there are two things to canvassing,” said Mr. Snyder in Mayor Garcetti. change, but it’s about people want to hear them,” she said, “and knowing an interview. ”The first is to get people to vote for your candidate Also canvassing that weekend was that other people share the same passions as you.” the process of being a and get the vote out, which is great, and the second is what I would Shalhevet junior Maia Lefferman, who Ms. Synema beat her opponent Republican call internal efficacy -- so to feel like you are involved, to be part of part of a community…. went with her family to volunteer for Martha McSally in one of the closest Senate races the community of people who are here, and to be part of something and to figure out how Democratic Senate candidate Kyrsten in the country, suggesting that every single vote bigger than yourself. Sinema in Arizona. Sophomores Sivcounted. The win helped Democrats counter Reto build bridges with “It’s not just about the literal votes that you change,” he said, an Karz and Kate Orlanski, also canpublican Senate gains in North Dakota and Mispeople who maybe “but it’s about the process of being a part of a community….and to vassing, made phone calls from their souri. don’t seem that similar homes for Republican Ron Bassilian, Some canto me.” running for Congress against incumvassers who did bent Rep. Karen Bass in the district go door to door that encompasses Pico-Robertson. to canvass, used - Mr. Joel Snyder, The Democratic and Republican their thumbs canvasser parties fought this year over issues to text. Texting ranging from immigration and health and making care, to who should serve on the Suphone calls can preme Court, and the election -- expected to be extremely close help limit the suspicion voters -- would determine control of the House of Representatives and often get from having strangers U.S. Senate. knocking at their doors. “My Sundays are not very eventful,” said Maia. “I usually do Last year, Sivan Karz wanted homework and hang out with friends. But that Sunday, I wasn’t to get more politically involved just going to sit around while our democracy was being threatened. in her community. She had preI had to take action.” viously attended political events, Maia went to the Arizona Democratic headquarters in Phoenix, like the Republican Jewish Coalition California Bash, but she wanted to do more. One day, Sivan Karz and Kate OrlansBP Photo by Shani Shaham ki visited their middle school at which they spoke to their CONGREGATE: Some 200 volunteers met up at Katie Hill’s headquarters nine days before Election Day. former history teacher about their crave for political action. “We wanted to get more figure out how to build bridges with people who maybe don’t seem involved, and he told us about telephone canvassing for a Rethat similar to me.” publican candidate who is Jewish and Israeli,” said Sivan. Chava Danielson, a volunteer from Los Angeles was there, and She and Kate started by contacting Ron Bassilian, the Resaid she’d been canvassing since she was a little girl. She continues publican candidate for Congress in California’s 37th Congresto canvass for every election. sional district. He told them all about his campaign so that they “[Canvassing is] convincing people that their votes matter, that would be able to answer any questions that voters might have. participating matters, and that is usually the hardest thing to conOver email, he sent them a list of names and phone numbers vince people,” Ms. Danielson said. to start calling. “I truly believe that the face to face human interaction calms the “The first time we called, I was nervous,” Sivan said. “The anger and tensity and falseness that are in billboards and tv ads and first few people we contacted immediately asked to be taken off indirect communication, and I just think there’s no substitute for the contact list. But when people did finally ask to hear more, it the human face-to-face.” felt really refreshing.” Mayor Garcetti started his day there, too, and offered a short Sivan began dialing numbers whenever she had a spare speech to the crowded room about how canvassing was even more moment. Instead of doing her homework or hanging out with important in light of the Pittsburgh shooting, which had happened friends, Sivan used her time to inform voters about Ron Bassilthe day before. ian and help him win the primary election in June. “We are here because we love this country,” Mayor Garcetti said. Eight or more Congressional seats in California were con“Most politicians say that this is the most important election, but sidered “flippable” this year, meaning that Democratic challengthey are on the ballot. I am not on the ballot in this election, and ers hoped to defeat Republican incumbents. I can tell you, credibly, that this is the most important election.” One of those candidates was Katie Hill, in California’s 25th ADVOCATE: Above, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti canvassed for He then, like the other volunteers, hit the road. Congressional district, which includes the northern parts of Los Katie Hill, who won the 25th district House against Republican Steve Angeles County and the eastern parts of Ventura County, and Knight. At top, canvassers in Phoenix carried yard signs to boost the cities of Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Palmdale and support for Kyrsten Sinema.

BP photo by Shani Shaham

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Outside News

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Faiths and viewpoints come together at Westwood vigil for Pittsburgh shooting victims By Sam Rubanowitz, Staff Writer On a wide expanse of grass on the south side of Wilshire Boulevard, beyond the noise and traffic of the street, there was a stillness in the air as Jews and non-Jews alike stood holding candles on Sunday night, Oct. 28 in honor of the 11 Jewish lives lost at a synagogue in Pittsburgh the day before, on Saturday morning, Oct. 27. According to police at the scene, about 700 people attended the candlelight vigil, which was held outside the Federal Building in Westwood from 6 p.m. until around 7:30, to remember the victims of the shooting in the Tree of Life synagogue. American flags lining the edges of the building’s lawn all flew at half staff after an order from President Donald Trump regarding flags at all U.S. federal buildings. “I thought it was meaningful,” said Shalhevet art teacher Ms. Roen Salem, who attended the vigil with her husband. “It was nice, with the singing and the interfaith, getting other people in the community to speak, and the community was welcoming and appreciative of them.” The crowd was comprised of a mingling of faiths, with Jews, Muslims, Christians, and at least one Sikh and one Buddhist monk in attendance. Muslim men and women prayed on the side, kneeling and bowing their heads to the ground. The time was divided among speakers and music. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is Jewish himself, was among the first to speak to the continually growing crowd: “Tonight, Jews and Christians and Muslims

and people of every faith and even of no faith come together at this moment to light a candle with neighbors, to make a connection,” Mayor Garcetti said, as people listened quietly and some nodded in agreement. “We’re told to be silent and just to remember, but tonight we will not be silent,” he said. “If we are silent, let it be deafening.” He read the names of the 11 Pittsburgh victims, adding to them the victims of a racially motivated shooting of two African-Americans in Louisville, Ky., the week before. “Somebody looked for African-Americans in a church to kill, and when he couldn’t go in there went into a grocery store and shot Maurice Stalard, and in the parking lot Vicki Lee Jones,” the mayor said. “When our elders are mowed down, when our people are killed as a baby is being named, when our first responders who come to protect us are shot alongside, as we are told that we need to beef up our security, as we are told that it could have been worse, as we are told that we shouldn’t talk about guns or mental health or anti-semitism,” he said, “as one killing erases bombs sent around this country and this killing erases the memory of two African-Americans shot just two days before, we will not be silent.” He said Americans should not give up. “”We say we will stop the scapegoating, stop the conspiracies, stop the violence, the hatred,” he told the crowd. “Not in this America.” A community prayer vigil and tehillim have been scheduled for tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills. Other speakers included Rabbi Jason Weiner, chaplain of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Aziza

Hasan, director of the Muslim-Jewish organization NewGround; and Rabbi Sharon Brous of Ikar synagogue, mother of Shalhevet freshman Eva Brous-Light. A guitarist led songs, including “One Day” by Matisyahu and the traditional “Oseh Shalom” and “Hinei Ma Tov.” Members of the crowd came for various reasons and with varying views. Los Angeles resident John Joanino, 26, who works for a nonprofit focused on racial equality, said he felt angry and disheartened when he first heard about the shooting. “We have to stand up against anti-semitism, and, yeah, and you know, beloved community members losing their lives because of anti-semitism and hate,” Mr. Joanino said. “It’s not okay, anywhere.” He also said he wasn’t surprised that the shooting had occurred. “It’s truly tragic that it feels like these are happening over and over again,” he said. “You know, every community, Jewish, black, all these hate crimes back to back. We have to be the ones to stop it.” Others were surprised. One was Yigal Fatirian, who owns a sportswear company and came to the vigil “to show that even in times of darkness, we’re all united as people.” “Just goes to show that we need to come together even more as people,” Mr. Fatirian said. “Doesn’t matter religion, race, color, you know, none of this matters, just coming together and showing peace and love. At the end of the day we’re all more alike than different, so it’s important to remember that.” Daniel Waknine of the San Fernando Valley said he had come to the vigil to comfort himself. He said people should “enforce the positive, and the closeness, and welcoming everybody.” Meanwhile, religious diversity was not the only difference among vigil attendees. Marsha Steinberg of

BDS-LA for Justice in Palestine she “felt horrible” for the victim wished people would be equally for people she considers victims Israel’s policies. “I wish the Jewish community would feel sensitized to Israel’ crimes,” Ms. Steinberg said. “I h when this crowd would never sh up for any Palestinian children b shot.” An attendee named Fred Sch who held an anti-Trump sign, p the blame for the shooting on th president. “I blame Trump,” said Mr. Sc tz. “He caused this by whipping the right.” Marina Del Rey resident Eli Weisman, 38, thought other soc elements were responsible. “You’re talking about an extr that we don’t even know,” Mr. W never seen anything like that. I t rid of them… They’re hiding in mewhere, it’s only a few of them there’s not a lot of them.” As the event came to a close, formed around a guitar player an in unison. The 11 victims were Joyce Fi Gottfried, 65; Rose Mallinger, 9 66; Cecil Rosenthal, 59; David R nice Simon, 84; Sylvan Simon, 8 Melvin Wax, 88; and Irving You Bernice Simon, 84; Sylvan Simo 71; Melvin Wax, 88; and Irving

REMEMBRANCE: Shalhevet honored the victims of Pittsburgh’s shooting with singing and Tehillim. Above, a candles was lit for each person killed as students and teachers sat on the floor of the gym.

Photos opposite page by Maia Lefferman Photos this page by Carin Arbib (top) and Neima fax (bottom) Page design by Maya Miro

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Outside News

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UNITE: The vigil on Wilshire Boulevard brought around 700 individuals together and featured speakers including Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Psalms and slow singing soften a day of broken hearts after shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor Everyone had heard about how they died on the news. But on Monday morning, the Shalhevet community took time to appreciate the victims of the mass synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh as kedoshim — holy ones. On Saturday, Oct. 27, the Jewish world was shocked as word spread of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. A citywide vigil was held Sunday night in Westwood, as in other cities around the U.S. Monday was the first day back at school. Responding to the tragedy, first period classes were replaced by a schoolwide gathering in the gym at 8 a.m. Instead of sitting on chairs as at Town Hall, all 256 Shalhevet students sat on the floor to reflect and honor the 11 victims.. After starting off talkative, the tightly bunched-up crowd became almost silent as speeches began. Many students wore blue, “to honor the memory of the victims, and stand together in solidarity against anti-semitism,” as requested by senior Kira Faerstein of the fashion club on Schoology the night before. The ceremony started with a speech by Yoetzet Atara Segal emphasising hatmadah, perseverance. Referring to news reports, she said that the victims were people who always came early to shul and were willing to help others, and that all members of the Shalhevet community shou-

ld follow their example. “Throughout the ceremony this morning,” Yoetzet Segal said, “as we reflect on what’s happening, let’s take into the rest of our days, let’s take into the rest of our lives this idea of constantly being there.” Judaic Studies teacher Rabbi Abraham Lieberman spoke of the responsibility of everyone to improve the world. “It starts literally b’einenu” — among ourselves — “how we deal with each other, how we deal with our family, how we deal with broken hearts and people who need help,” said Rabbi Lieberman. As he was mentioning the connection between the week’s Torah portion — parshat Chayei Sarah, where Abraham buries Sarah — and the burial of the Saturday’s victims, he caught himself. “We should try not to refer to them as victims,” said Rabbi Lieberman. “They’re kedoshim. They’re holy people. Any Jew no matter what stature… a Jew that is killed because they are a Jew, that is a kedosh.” Rabbi David Stein led the group in the recitation of tehillim (psalms) 20, 121 and 130, and students looked down at the sheets of text noting each word. Then Choirhawks gave a slow and restrained performance of Acheinu, which was followed by the whole room singing the song in unison. Then, to honor each victim individually, juniors Gaby

Lasry and Caroline Edry spoke the victims’ names as 11 students each lit a candle. The candles were moved into the foyer for the rest of the day for everyone to see. Rabbi Block then led the room in a slow shira –slow songs sung in unison — beginning with a guitar-accompanied version of Matisyahu’s “One Day” — quite different from the rousing Koolulam version of the song which was sung on the roof last year with drums, guitars and the whole school singing harmony. Instead, Rabbi Block sat on the floor like the students, and simply played his guitar. The room sang all the words, including verses that had been left out last spring: It’s not about win or lose We all lose when they feed on the souls of the innocent Blood drenched pavement Keep on moving though the waters stay raging The next song was “Esa Einai” — “I’ll lift my eyes to the mountains.” With 11 candles flickering on the table behind them, it wasn’t quite as loud as the usual slow shira, either. But it evoked the sadness and anger of the day, as well as the desire to rise stronger from the latest tragedy.

The Boiling Point • November 2018• Torah

Torah

NOVEMBER 2018

Poll shows most students believe in God, search for meaning BP Drawing By Ari Sassover ronment,” he said. “What I realized was that I wasn’t like that and ritual mitzvot. Continued from page 1 Shalhevet administrators were pleased with the poll results, I’m not blaming those people but I just don’t want to be like them.” Noa Kligfeld disagreed. For most Shalhevet students, belief in God is a given, and after while adding that relationships with God are evolving and vary for “Of course growing up in a Jewish setting helps you find a conthey’ve been here for a while, they are likely to believe in God even each student. nection to God, but I don’t think it’s brainwashing,” Noa said. “I “I certainly see it as an affirmation of what we are doing here,” more. That’s what an anonymous paper poll of 104 students, taken Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal said in an interview. “It makes me think that when you grow up in a setting where you learn about on Oct. 26 during breakfast, showed when students responded very happy to hear that for the most part Shalhevet is moving stu- God and hear about it, it makes it easier to form your own connection.” dents in a really great direction. to questions about their belief in “But I am also aware that you’re all God. A few don’t believe, and oth“God inspires me to be a Rabbi David Block, Assistant Prin14 through 18 and it’s a long journey ers aren’t sure. “Not sure if God is cipal for Judaic Studies, said it’s normal and I’d like to prepare you for that relabetter person.” Almost 87 percent of students one thing. I don’t for students to have different views of tionship with God when you’re 40 also said they believed in God, while think we know God from one another at different times. -Anonymous Shalhevet student and when you’re 60.” 10 percent were not sure and 3 “From an educational perspective, we He also said that while the poll what God really is.” percent did not believe. Asked obviously as a Modern Orthodox school showed Shalhevet’s role in developing whether their time at Shalhevet believe that deepening our relationship students’ faith, other factors contribute -Anonymous 9th grader had changed that, around 28 perwith God is a value,” Rabbi Block said. “I am not saying that you too. who is now considering cent of students said they believed “I think Shalhevet and the way we act is playing a role, need to believe in God to practice Orthodoxy or to believe in God believing more now than when they arrived and [the poll] certainly would seem to support that,” Rabbi to be Jewish, but I’m saying that the theology of Orthodoxy puts at Shalhevet, while 11 percent beSegal said. “But I’m sure there are also lots of factors like God at its center.” lieve less. Sixty percent said their He said he is proud of the poll results. camps and shuls and people’s home lives and the students belief has stayed the same. “Hearing that something we do worked is really valuable,” he Students described their reasons for believing in the comments themselves.” said, “I would venture to guess that if you were to poll those stusection of the poll, and their answers varied. Most took advantage Asked what affected their beliefs in God the most, 41 students dents, the way in which their relationship with God deepened is of the poll’s being anonymous and did not provide their names said Judaic studies classes, 14 said world events, 29 said home life probably different for each student.” voluntarily at the end. According to the poll, Judaic Studies classes and world events and 20 responded ‘other.’ “Just seems obvious to me,” wrote one person. helped form some students’ belief in God. So did different Senior Noa Kligfeld experiences a “God inspires me to be a better person,” wrote another. kinds of religious experiences. ”God is a higher power that we cannot understand fully because relationship with God every day. Kira Faerstain has attended Camp Ramah for two sum“I think that God is like a built-in “I can’t push we as humans cannot see the ultimate truth or the bigger picture,” mers. therapist,” Noa said in an interview, wrote a third. myself to believe “I wasn’t used to davening with boys and girls all together Three students said they did not believe, and of those, one was “who I talk with about my day and something of and watching girls lain, but after going through it and bewilling to be interviewed, though he wished to keep his identity what is going on, my life and somewhich I have no ing a part of it, it just felt like a family and everyone was so times when I am davening I meditate private. connected,” said Kira. “It was a lot different from Modern about my life and it’s like imagining evidence.” He said he couldn’t believe because there is no proof. Orthodox. It was a new experience that really impacted me in “I can’t push myself to believe something of which I have no me talking to someone.” way that I never thought possible.” Senior Kira Faerstain connects by -Anonymous 11thevidence,” he said. Rabbi Segal said that he wants Shalhevet to help students praying in English instead of Hebrew. grader who does Another who didn’t give his or her name said the events of the prepare for a relationship with God for later in life. Equally “I daven in English and I also say a not believe in God world were random. important to students’ belief in God is their search for con“God doesn’t exist,” that person said. “I believe that the world is lot of things to myself instead of with nection. the minyan and I just really like it that ruled by circumstance. There is no higher power.” “If you told me lots of students don’t believe in God, I’d way,” Kira said. One freshman who answered the poll did not believe in God only be sad because when you believe in God and you feel like you When polled, 67 of the 104 responders agreed with the statecan have that relationship, I think it adds meaning to your life,” ment that God created the world and gave Jews the Torah, 15 agreed when coming into Shalhevet, but is considering the possibility. “Not sure if God is one thing. I don’t think we know what God he said. “I think we get lots of students who believe deeply in the that God created the world but the people wrote the Torah inspired search for truth and answers. As long as you’re engaged in the quesby God, 59 said that God created the world and cares about all really is,” he or she wrote in the comments section on the poll. The 11th grader who doesn’t believe in God said that some tion, to me that’s the most important thing. ” people, and 29 thought that God inspires them to be better people. Co-Editor-in-Chief Clara Sandler and staff writer Caleb Fishman Forty said that God inspires them to follow mitzvot (command- people’s belief was due to indoctrination and was not genuine. “They accept things for the way they are, not something that contributed to this story. ments). And out of everyone polled, not a single one agreed with the statement that God created the world but does not care about they truly believe in just because they were raised in a certain envi-

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday full of laughter, family and delicious food. We are grateful for our dedicated readers! Love,

The Boiling Point • November 2018• Torah

13 Rabbanit Henkin says senior girls will change Jewish life opportunities for women in Orthodoxy, the next generation will control what comes next. She urged the female students present to engage in Torah learning and make it a priority in their lives. “If the talmidot chachachim of the next generation don’t come from you, then where are they going to come from?” she said. “I’m enabling your generation to do what it’s doing, but this is something which you, as observant Jewish women, and the men who are going to provide support, need to articulate the custom.” For those who worry that such changes challenge actual Jewish law, or halacha, Rabbanit Henkin made practical distinctions between law and custom. She said that while one is stagnant, the other is malleable -- and that women’s roles are in the latter category. “This is not halacha,” Rabbanit Henkin said. “Customs have to do with the color of Jewish life. “We deal with halacha -- we deal with that which is clear -- but there’s also another part of

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief

In the 12th century, there was no holiday of Simchat Torah. In the 14th century, it was celebrated in part by pre-barmitzvah-age children lighting bonfires from stolen parts of their sukkot -- a minhag, or custom, which quickly faded out of practice. And by the 16th century, Simchat Torah celebrations were similar to today’s. Throughout all that time, there were no changes at all in the religious roles of Jewish women. But Rabbanit Chana Henkin, leader of the famed Nishmat women’s seminary in Israel, said that some specifics of women’s roles are minhag, too -- and are changing now, in the 21st century. Rabbanit Henkin, who spoke to the 12th-grade Advanced Tanakh class last Tuesday, said that today’s changes will be remembered and will shape the future. “In another 200 years when someone’s delivering this shiur,” Rabbanit Henkin said, “and they’re looking at these points in which there were changes, they’re gonna say in the 12th century here’s what it was, and in the 14th century BP Photo By Jordana Glouberman here’s what it moved on to, and in the 16th century here’s MEETING: Rabbanit Henkin is the leader of Israel’s Nishmat institute, which trained Yoetzet Halacha Atara Segal. Jewish life which is extremely important, which is cuswhat it moved on to. toms,” she continued. “Customs have a way of appearcourses to U.S.-based students enrolled in the program, and visit “And I think that person’s going to say that in the 21st cening sometimes to stay, and as you saw with the [Simchat Torah] local Orthodox high schools, where she encouraged female students tury something happened, because there was a sociological change bonfire, sometimes they’re here not to stay.” to take their Jewish roles seriously. in Jewish life.” One shift in custom that she said expands women’s opportuni“Here’s what I want to say to the young women sitting here,” A major advance in women’s Jewish learning in the late 20th Rabbanit Henkin said. “I want to tell you that we need you. We ties involves blowing the shofar, which women do at Nishmat. century led to results that are being “There’s no reason that a woman shouldn’t be allowed to blow need you within the Torah world.” Rabbanit Henkin told the seen now, she said. the shofar instead of a man,” she said. “You can’t have a makhloket,” class that she’d found the potential for a progression in women’s Why now? ‘I want to tell roles in studying the fluidity of ancient minhag. Another example or religious dispute, “for that, unless you say women shouldn’t do “Because women began getting you that we that lest it be a slippery slope because they’ll think that they can was a 14th-century custom of singing songs over Sifrei Torah. advanced Torah education,” she said, then do other things. “Each place according to its own minhag,” she said. “Do you need you. We “and because women began saying, I “But I don’t live in a world of being fearful of slippery slopes. I know why it was so important for me to read this?” Rabbanit don’t want a role in which I am a specneed you within Henkin asked her audience of 30. “It’s important to see that cus- fear more not involving women.” tator, I want to feel a part of this, this the Torah world.’ She said her goal was not that women’s and men’s roles should toms change within Jewish life, that things change within Jewish holiday belongs no less to me.” --Rabbanit Henkin be the same, but that women be enabled to live lives in which highlife.” The class is normally taught Rabbanit Henkin most recently published a book of she’elot level Torah learning is an everyday part of their lives, and something by Yoetzet Halacha Atara Seand t’shuvot, or questions and responses, called Sefer Nishmat Ha- to which they can contribute. gal, who in preparing stud What she discovered in her own bayit, written entirely by women. The book features halachic ents for her visit described Rabbanit learning -- including examples like questions and answers and seen as a source of guidance for both Henkin as “one of the top three most the evolution of Simchat Torah -- afmen and women in making religious decisions. “I don’t live in a important women in Orthodox Judaism.” firmed her belief that this was posNishmat’s platfom for receiving questions is on its Yoetzet Located in Jerusalem, Nishmat is best known for creating and world of being sible. developing the new role of the yoetzet halacha, or Jewish legal ad- Halacha website, which receives questions from Jews worldwide fearful of slip“I’m not in favor of radical equalviser, which trains women to answer the most advanced halachic on the intersection of women’s health and sexuality with Jewish pery slopes. I ity,” she said. “I’m in favor of every questions about health- and marital-related Jewish observance. This law. It has gotten over 300,000 questions to date. person as a person, every gender as a Rabbanit Henkin began her work after noticing an absence of fear more not means observant women can ask a trained woman about these isgender, maximizing themselves as ovwomen’s voices in discussions of laws relating to Jewish families. sues, instead of having to visit an Orthodox rabbi. involving dei Hashem” - servants of God. “When we started out, there were no women addressing quesBut it also offers a gap year program, shorter programs for nonwomen.” “I want you to make Torah learnIsraelis, and institutes for post-IDF and national service Israeli tions about family or women’s health, and I said to myself, ‘how ing a part of your life where your necan this be? The time has come,’” she said. “Hasn’t the world nowomen and Israelis of Ethiopian descent. -- Rabbanit Henkin shama,” or soul, ”says: in terms of my ticed that today we have women who are rocket scientists, Nobel Ms. Segal completed her training at Nishmat last summer. Thirpriorities, this is a top.” Prize winners? What do we [in Orthodox Judaism] think women ty students were present for the talk during Block E in Room 304. Yoetzet Segal said Rabbanit Henkin was visiting the U.S. to are?” Rabbanit Henkin said that though she has worked to increase consult with people regarding the Yoetzet Halacha program, teach

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Opinion

EDITORIALS

Pittsburgh, Parkland and your bar mitzvah By The Boiling Point Editorial Board Shock, horror, confusion, despair. When we hear news of mass shooting, and these days that’s regularly, we become numb. Numb because we still cannot understand why someone did something so horrible. Numb because we cannot believe that it happened again. Numb because darkness continues to suck out light from our world, making it harder to feel. The two most recent shootings hit particularly close to home. One was just 38 miles away from our school and one was a deliberate attack against people like us. And they come less than a year after one hit a high school not that different from ours. What are we supposed to do with all of this? And with the near certainty that that Thousand Oaks was not the last time something that horrible will happen? There’s something in all of our backgrounds that holds an answer. When we became b’nai mitzvah, we took responsibility upon ourselves to keep the mitzvot. At the young ages of 12 and 13, we were designated and celebrated as full-fledged adults, with the same obligations under Jewish law as our parents and grandparents. Now, our ages range from 14 to 18 years old. We’re between two and six years older than we were when we accepted the responsibilities of Judaism.

Now, we should similarly take our place in the secular world and care. We should read the news. We should be people who ask a lot of questions at the Shabbat table so we can understand the complicated topic being discussed. We should start caring about the outside world if we do not already. To know what to do, what to say or how to contribute, we need to be informed about what’s going on. Let’s use Parkland as an example. Students there used their voices to advocate for a solution and brought thousands of people out to vote with that cause in mind. People ages 18 to 29 made up 13 percent of voters this year nationwide, according to The Atlantic. This is an 18 percent increase compared to the 11% turnout of the same age group in the 2014 midterms. When these tragedies strike, we too should use our voices, to advocate and to pray. And in between, we can be learning, planning and taking a stand like the adults we pledged to be when we gave our bar and bat mitzvah speeches in middle school. Let’s not wait for something else to happen to get involved. Each of us should take it upon him or herself to find a cause and work to make a diﬀerence. That’s the best -- and the most Jewish-- response to shock, horror, confusion and despair.

Unity and equality through the Glouberman tournament By The Boiling Point Editorial Board There’s something in the air during the five days of Glouberman, when the East Coast yeshiva league -- formally known as the Metropolitan Yeshiva High School League -- invades the West Coast. An indescribable energy fills the school as Shalhevet hosts more than 200 kids and their coaches for a basketball tournament at the beginning of November. The tournament remembers Steve Glouberman z”l, whose love of Shalhevet and basketball inspired beautiful Jewish bonding over his beloved sport. And it is wonderful. Congratulations to everyone who made this year’s games such a wild success. For one, they took place on the same weekend as the Cooper Invitational Tournament, held at Cooper Yeshiva H.S. in Memphis, Tenn. That meant that in all, 35 teams got to participate in basketball that brought Jews together that weekend -- strong teams, weak teams and everyone in between. Steve Glouberman would have been proud. The Shalhevet boys’ team did not face terribly diﬃcult competition this year at Glouberman, blowing out every game it played in, some by 40 points or more. They are, however, ranked only No. 2 by Jewish Hoops of America, behind Magen David of Brooklyn, N.Y. Magen David won the Cooper tournament this year. So Sarachek will be the chance for the victors of Glouberman and Cooper to face oﬀ. Perhaps most significant, Glouberman again took a stand for co-education as the only Jewish basketball tournament that’s co-ed. There are the boys’ tour-

The Boiling Point

Co-Editors-in-Chief Lucy Fried and Clara Sandler

Sweepstakes Awards, 2016, 2018 Blue and Gold Comprehensive Writing Award 2016

Awards in Jewish Scholastic Journalism 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018

Simon J. Rockower Awards 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Art and Design Director Zev Kupferman

Outside News Editor Molly Litvak

Layout Editors Ellie Orlanski Sarah Feuer Aaron Schlacht Maya Miro Jake Wainberg Ella Toczek Bayley Sandler

Opinion Editor Nomi Willis

International First Place Award 2011-2016

Story of the Year Awards 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 All-American 2009, 2012, 2014

Community Editor Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks

Torah Editor Nicholas Fields

National Award Winners 2007-2018

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naments in Memphis and New York, and there is the girls-only tournament hosted by RASG every year in Florida. At Glouberman there were more girls teams than boys teams this year. All the girls teams played seriously, and we congratulate especially the SAR team that won. Once again the Steve Glouberman Tournament proved that a Jewish girl can be passionate about, talented at and involved in competitive sports while also adhering to standards of Jewish observance and the values those standards reflect. This is a kiddush Hashem, and something of which all of us should be proud. Like everything, Glouberman has room for improvement. The gym is too small and seating was handled awkwardly, and too last-minute to seem fair. The tournament is too big. There are too many games for such a short period of time; SAR played after Shalhevet on Saturday night, and their game ended at 1:45 a.m. Sunday morning. This meant that they had to play their championship game less than 12 hours later, and while we’re sure the Firehawks would have won anyway, the game would have seemed more fair. The late hour was also unfair to the SAR and TABC coaches, to the hosts who had to stay up late to make sure their kids got home safely, and to the fans who wanted to support their teams. Still, the tournament was a smashing success. With a little improvement, who knows? Maybe it could become the most popular Jewish basketball tournament. Maybe even more anticipated -- and defining -- than Sarachek.

Features Editor Tobey Lee

Gold Crown Award 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Gold Circle Awards 2011-2018 Columbia Scholastic Press Association

Arts & Culture Editor Abby Blumofe Sports Editor Alex Rubel Faculty Adviser Mrs. Joelle Keene

Chief Photo Editor Neima Fax Photo Editors Zoey Botnick Alyssa Wallack Website Editor-in-Chief Gilad Spitzer

THE BOILING POINT is the student-produced newspaper of Shalhevet High School and a public forum for the students and the community. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the members of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Co-Editors-in-Chief, Web Editor, Community Editor and Faculty Advisor. We welcome submissions for signed editorials from members of the Shalhevet Community, and the final decision about printing them is made by the Editorial Board. Letters to the Editor may be submitted via e-mail to shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. THE BOILING POINT reserves the right to edit letters and opinion submissions and all become the property of THE BOILING POINT. Signed opinion articles and advertisements in THE BOILING POINT do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or THE BOILING POINT as a whole. To advertise, please contact the Advertising Editor at beckershayna@gmail.com Corrections: The Boiling Point encourages readers to inform the newspaper of any possible factual errors found in print or online by emailing us as at shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. When appropriate, we will fix the story online, and correct the error on Page 2 or on this page in the next print edition. Policies on conflict of interest and the use of anonymous sources can be viewed at shalhevetboilingpoint.com under the “Policies” tab.

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Opinion

TWO BOILING POINTS OF VIEW:

Is Schoology a place for politics? No: It’s too hard to decide what’s okay

Yes: It’s a helpful introduction to ideas

By Zach Helfand, 11th grade

By Rena Harkham, 10th grade

Schoology is a great resource that, for the most part, the school uses very effectively and appropriately. It’s great for everything from keeping classes organized to making announcements to the whole school. But Schoology should not be used as an outlet for people to share their political views. There have been a few posts recently that have brought this issue into focus. While I don’t think there was anything the school could have done to preemptively stop this, I do believe that the school not only has the right to, but absolutely should limit or censor what is posted on Schoology. We are in a time where the vast majority of the student body uses some form of social media. If a person wants to convey messages or share a particular stance on an issue, they should feel free to use mainstream, public social media as an outlet. But using Schoology -- to reach the whole school, friends and non-friends alike -- is wrong. The reasons are simple. For one, we pride ourselves as being a place that is diverse in opinion, and as being open to hearing the other side. These posts bring out the worst in the students, whether they are unproductive comments of approval or cynical comments trying to disprove someone’s beliefs in three sentences. Too short to allow for a conversation or meaningful exchange of ideas, more likely they present clever but mindless arguments, with neither side likely to change its opinion as much as feel insulted. Additionally, Shalhevet tries not to brand itself as associated with either political party. There is almost an assumption that if the school allows a post to remain on Schoology, it means Shalhevet itself is accepting its content. But there could be many reasons to let something stay up or to take it down. If the administration allows a certain post that clearly comes from one political side to stay up, are they endorsing that? If they take it down, are they making a statement? It puts the administration in a tough spot, and contradicts the principle of an impartial school. One might argue that banning political comments from Schoology would be censoring people, or restricting them in some way. I am not denying this, rather justifying it. There have been several instances of Schoology posts being forcibly removed, and everybody at the school knows we don’t have free rein to post whatever we want. These posts have mainly been satirical content that the school finds to be inappropriate for Schoology. I am not trying to equate a political statement with a sarcastic joke made in bad taste; I am just showing that since nobody actually has the ability to post completely freely on Schoology -- nor should they -- the school has already stood against the idea that people should be able to say whatever they want. Complete freedom already doesn’t exist there. For example, a few weeks ago, in the midst of the Kavanaugh hearings, there was a student Schoology post directed to the entire school urging people to message members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote against confirming him. That post, which contained contact information for the senators, was not taken down. But it was inappropriate because it clearly leaned to the left in the political spectrum. Comments on the post only made it worse. First, a few people commented supportive things, such as “This is so important!!!!!” and “please email!” Then came the opposition. Numerous students who held the other side of the argument began pushing back against the post. Mindless debate broke out, none of it face to face -- all on Schoology. Then, not long after, a different student posted a satirical joke about Kavanaugh. It was met with harsh comments as well, but this time from a member of the faculty. The school has no need for this, nor should we allow it to continue. This is not to say that people should stop sharing their ideas. There’s a whole world of social media not associated with our school where that can happen. Just about every student is capable of sharing opinions or urging their peers to take a certain course of action without the use of Schoology, a school-sponsored outlet. I also do see a distinction between posting to a private group on Schoology and posting to the whole school; depending on the nature of the group, it could potentially make sense. For example, while it would surely make no sense for me to post my reasons for or against a politician to the Schoology group of a sports team, a group such as the Young Americans For Freedom (the only political-type club I can think of in the school) would receive that very differently. Schoology is the wrong place for advertising your beliefs. No matter what your political view is, there will be at least one person in opposition to it within the school. There’s no need for us to allow Schoology to become a place where people feel personally offended. If we were more careful and didn’t treat Schoology so loosely, it would be a much better resource for us and we wouldn’t have to worry about these inappropriate posts. With Schoology limited to announcements and assignments -- or political chat in political groups - we can engage in healthy conversation about other matters elsewhere, either in person or online.

I went on Schoology looking for my Talmud homework, but instead I found myself falling down a rabbit hole of politics, and reasons why Brett Kavanaugh shouldn’t have been appointed to the Supreme Court. Politics are a contentious topic among the Shalhevet students and teachers, and the latest expression of these tensions is in various political posts on Schoology. Schoology is a great way for students to organize their homework assignments and spread important announcements. It should also be a place where students feel free to share their opinions. One thing I love about Shalhevet is how it opens up my mind by introducing new ideas and presenting new perspectives, while giving me space to formulate my own opinions. People want to spread their opinions where others will see them, and at Shalhevet, Schoology is that place. In fact, Schoology is actually the best way for political topics to be talked about, because it can be used as an extension of our Town Hall discussions. Students who run out of time, haven’t really formed an opinion yet during Town Hall itself, or don’t feel comfortable speaking yet can use Schoology as a place to continue the conversation online to convey their opinions and restart the discussion. And high school is a great place to start creating deeper opinions on things like religion, politics and current affairs. Being exposed to these different opinions helps us formulate our own, and prevents us from falling mindlessly into the crowd later on in our lives. Some may say that politics should not be discussed on Schoology because arguments could get heated, or that Schoology should just be a place for assignments and announcements. I’d argue that it’s quite the opposite. As a Just Community, we are all part of one Shalhevet kehilla, and we know that at the end of the day our intention is merely to share. Schoology is already a place where students discuss topics such as their love of Israel, chesed (service) opportunities and clubs, whether fashion, astrology or cooking. If we ban politics, what’s next -- should we stop discussing food? Others may argue that Schoology is a more personal version of social media apps like Instagram and Facebook, and that those are the proper platforms for political debate. Though Schoology is filled with people we interact with on a daily basis, there are still some people who I don’t interact with daily, making Schoology the perfect place to hear or gain more insight on opinions that I otherwise might not hear. Moreover, on social media we tend to look at (or be shown) only the side of things we want to see. Schoology gives us the opportunity to hear the other side of the story. Before I came to Shalhevet, I was completely oblivious to the world of politics. Town Hall and Schoology helped open my mind to form new opinions and ideas, introducing me to new things like joining Model Congress and staying more in touch with current events. I am grateful for this. Since Shalhevet is a place where we can all share our worldviews, Schoology should be too. Otherwise our own opinions can close off views of the world that are important for us to see -- views held by people right here at our own school. Looking for my Talmud homework that night when I came across the Kavanaugh controversy, and as I thought about what to make of this, I remembered one of the iconic quotes of Beit Hillel: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?...If not now, when?” If I am not learning about these topics now, when will I? If I don’t know who I am now, when will I? That is why it is necessary for us to talk about these important topics now, because if we don’t learn how to do this now -- how to think and how to respectfully argue -- then when will we? Schoology needs to be a free and open place to exchange ideas, just as Shalhevet is.

BP Photos by Neima Fax BP Design by Zev Kupferman

Editors’ Note: BP defines a video policy for Town Hall In our online story of the Oct. 17 Town Hall, which centered the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, The Boiling Point published video footage of student speakers. One student was uncomfortable seeing video of his comment and requested it be taken down, which Editorial Board agreed to do. The student was concerned that it would be embarrassing to a fellow student he’d used in a hypothetical example. We regret that we embarrassed any student -- we did not intend to do so -- and so this raised questions about our responsibilities in covering the unique environment of Town Hall in

video format. We believe it is crucial that community members know what to expect, and to be transparent in our policies and our values. Editors therefore met and established a policy going forward, which can be viewed on our website at shalhevetboilingpoint.com. The new policy, posted under the “Policies” menu at the top right of the home page, states that The Boiling Point will record student speeches as necessary but will ask permission from the student before publishing them in video format, except for circumstances where it is critical to a story.

As Town Hall is a core part of Shalhevet, we must be prepared to cover it in our efforts to report the news to our readers. However, we recognize that we are not a separate entity from Shalhevet High School and we do not want students to feel uncomfortable sharing their opinions at Town Hall. With these two obligations in mind, one to preserving journalistic integrity and one to our community, we have set a policy we can stand behind as a balance of the two.

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture

NOVEMBER 2018

‘Radium Girls’ playwright meets Shalhevet actors via Skype call clude greed and wealth. Among “Plays aren’t written,” said the woman on the TV screen in the the maladies the women exWildfire Theater Oct. 18. perienced were “They are crafted.” The author and playwright Ms. D.W. Gregory, who was ad- anemia, bone dressing Shalhevet’s Drama ensemble via a Skype call about her play fractures, and Radium Girls, as they worked together to craft the performances necrosis of the jaw -- a condischool will see next month. Ms. Gregory was invited by Drama director Ms. Emily Chase tion known as to speak to the actors -- from afar, since she lives in Maryland -- so radium jaw. Ms. Gregthey could get a better understanding of the play, which will be ory shared presented at school Dec. 10 - 16. that her script BP Photo by Neima Fax The after-school call lasted about 45 minutes, during which time Ms. Gregory answered questions about the play’s characters, was based on CHAT: D.W. Gregory answered questions during a 45-minute long-distance visit with members of the Drama Ensemble. its tone, its shortened version, and what she has learned by watch- a book called Radium Girls: ing people perform it. She said going to rehearsals teaches you a lot about the script One thing clarified was that Ms. Gregory intended for the play Women and Industrial Health Reform, by Claudia Clark, which was first published you have written. During rehearsal, if a character said a line differto be at least partly humorous, though it explores a serious topic. ently than she imagined it to be said, but it sounded more natural, “Right before I got published I attended several productions be- in 1997. Ms. Gregory said she did additional research of her own. She wrote the version Shalhevet is working on after several high she would change the script itself. cause I was still working on the script.” Ms. Gregory replied. “A lot school teachers asked her to shorten her original play Skype presented some problems that an in-person visit with the of discoveries that came out of the first proso they could use it with their students. Those teach- playwright would have avoided. Ms. Gregory’s microphone would duction for me were seeing how sections of ers wrote versions of their own, but they weren’t writ- periodically stop working for a few seconds, and at one point Ms. ‘The humor is the play that were not intended to be funny ing it the way she had envisioned. The shorter version Gregory’s voice and face faded in and out, making it very difficult were made into that.” important. Don’t came out a few years ago. to hear anything being said. Freshman Noah Maslia asked Ms. Gregobe afraid of that.’ “I got tired of having to sift through people’s cutBut the actors considered the interruptions minor. ry whether she was going for a darker or hap- D.W. Gregory tings, so I decided that I would just write my own “Getting to meet the playwright helped the cast better underpier tone. Both, she replied. boiled-down version.” Ms. Gregory said. stand what she had envisioned when creating the script,” said senior “There is a lot of humor in the play,” Ms. The leads in Shalhevet’s production are being Donna Grunfeld “In knowing this, we were also able to get a better Gregory said, referring to several particular played by seniors Daniel Medevoy, as Mr. Roeder, the chief advisor idea of how our respective characters would act.” scenes. “Don’t be afraid of that. The humor is important.” Daniel Medovoy, the lead in the play said that “The interview Set in New Jersey during the 1920’s, Radium Girls is based on and employer of the radium girls; and Hannah Merritt as Grace a true story of young factory women who were given no protective Fryer, a dial painter who fights for her day in court after becom- with the playwright was very helpful for me to understand the dyclothing while using toxic radium-laced paint to paint the dials on ing ill from radium poisoning. Students have been rehearsing since namics of the characters.” Ms. Gregory wished all of the drama students luck in their upwatches. They were told the radium they were working with was September. After answering the actors’ questions, Ms. Gregory shared some coming performance, and told Ms. Chase that they could be in harmless, but eventually the women become ill, and began to camtips about how to write a play. touch through email if need be. paign against the company. “When I write a script, I envision certain things happening in The play will be performed free for students during the school It portrays the disastrous effects of the situation, including the point of view of the men in charge of the company and their careless the scene, but don’t exactly know how it is going to play out until day, and in additional paid performances at night for parents. attitude toward the situation; other issues tackled along the way in- you do it and see it happening,” said Ms. Gregory.

By Abby Blumofe, Arts and Culture Editor

Bewildered by Yiddish folk music, Town Hall still rocks out to klezmer As they soon learned, the performers -- Janice Mautner, violinist, and Melinda West on accordion -- were from a band called Enveloped in music from a dancing accordion player and Mostly Kosher, and they were playing klezmer music, a folk style jumping violinist, Shalhevet students seemed bewildered at the most closely associated with the now-decimated Jewish communistart of Town Hall on Oct. 24. Most sat grinning. Some even got ties of Europe. In other words, this was Jewish music, though it was completeup and danced, or took videos. By the middle of the first song, the crowd appeared to have ly foreign to most of the students in the room. And that is why gone from confusion and laughter to total bliss, though they didn’t English teacher Ms. Na’amit Nagel brought them to Shalhevet. In know quite why. During the second tune, 10 boys danced the talks at lunchtime and to her SAS Jewish Literature class, the musicians said klezmer music captures an essence of Jewish culture of hora, lifting students back and forth on a chair. the past -- albeit in a much more 21st-century type of way. A t Town Hall and again in class during G block, the pair performed samples of their music for students most of whom said they’d never heard it -- even though it is from Eastern Europe, where many of their families lived in previous generations. Klezmer music, the instrumental music of Ashkenazi Jews that’s known for sounding like the human voice, originated in Europe and moved with Jewish immigrants to New York, especially when in the early 20th century. Like the Yiddish language, it has enjoyed a revival recently as World Music both blends and highlights styles from all over the world. The band members played many classic tunes, including “Dona, Dona,” “Misirlou,” “Hava Nagila,” all recognizable from bar and bat mitzvahs. Ms. Mautner, whose twisting moves while playing looked more like hip-hop or yoga than folk BP Photo by Neima Fax

By Liad Machmali, Staff Writer

BAND: Accordianist Melinda West and violinist Janice Mautner played for students.

dancing, described klezmer music as “more than just Fiddler on the Roof ,” and said the genre now has gone global. “Misirlou,” for example, is heard in the song “Pump It” by The Black-Eyed Peas, she said, and was featured in the 1994 Indie film, Pulp Fiction. Especially relevant to today’s music, she said, is klezmer’s fluid, improvised style, and its flexible instrumentation can adjust any melody for millenials today. Also, klezmer is partly made up as it goes along. “It’s not like you’re playing a Mozart quartet,” Ms. Mautner said, “where everything is finite, [and] you know when the start is, you know when the finish is. “This is messy, sloppy music,” she said. “You saw there right at the end [Melinda] started playing another chord, and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, let’s do that.’ That’s what I love about this.” The performers said they strived to capture all diﬀerent styles of music, including jazz and hip hop, in their performances while still staying connected to the traditional roots of klezmer, mostly through melody. They said bands like Mostly Kosher are now are actively trying to give teenagers a sense of their cultural heritage, showing them that Yiddish culture can be cool. Ms. Nagel said that she had brought the artists in to make Yiddish culture accessible to all the diﬀerent types of learners in her class -- the visualists, the musicians -- since not everyone is a literature person. “Having some sort of musical component,” Ms. Nagel said, “really gives the students the ability to build a stronger sense of the world and that time, in which Yiddish literature truly thrived.”

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Arts & Culture

South Korean boy band BTS speaks for, and to, a generation especially strong on the subject of mental health. “If we don’t talk about these issues, who will?, Suga said in one interview. “Our Role models are necessary in the chaos of our parents? Adults? So isn’t it up to us? That’s everyday lives, a stool we step on to constantly the kind of conversations we have [in the reassure ourselves of success and happiness. But band]: Who knows best and can talk about what does it really mean to be a giver or receiver the difficulty our generation faces? It’s us.” of inspiration in a world of negativity, consistent But with all of this, BTS is still considfear and sexualized media? ered a mystery by those who question what What we see on screen influences and changes emotions a Korean-centered band can evoke us. It consists mostly of caked up, self-centered for English-speaking fans. Underneath the and chaotic stars whose popularity is due to their surface, their lyrics are thought-provoking, mistakes in a culture that thrives on drama. Music vulnerable, and painfully honest. They tackle is often a construct of who can expose who, of subjects ranging from depression and anxiety the Gucci dripping out of people’s pockets, and of to generational divides, and many more. pushing political agendas onto the public to start RM’s recent indie mixtape, Mono, poetically battles rather than conversation. It teaches youth addresses the pain of failure. that these are the things needed to obtain in order It so hard falling short to get what they want. If you don’t experience it, it cannot be But things are beginning to change. BTS, a known seven-member boy band from South Korea, is My ideals and [what is] reality among the most popular bands in the world but Are so very far has a new and drastically different approach to But still, by crossing that bridge influence and power. With moving (and often I want to reach myself controversial) lyrics and a driving passion to (uhgood) comfort their fans, the K-pop group has spread a youtube.com It is this poignant self reflection, this multitude of positive messages across the globe. unwavering honesty and depth, that makes INSPIRATION: Members of the leading K-Pop group BTS addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Though K-pop -- Korean Pop music -- is often fans so protective and passionate. considered “shallow” and “childlike,” BTS creates Last month, Kim Nam-Joon, BTS’s music with freedom and uniqueness in a culture spokesperson and leader, gave a historic of robot-like pop idols and the cold harshness of “Save Me,” a catchy pop-EDM tune; and the contemporary R&B speech as the first K-pop group to address the United Nations. On being caged into a lifestyle chosen for them. “Spring Day,” which talks about the pain of losing loved ones and worldwide television with his members behind him, Nam-Joon BTS became the first K-pop act to hit No. 1 on the Billboard growing up. reflected humbly on his childhood dreams, passionately encourag200 chart and sells out world tours in minutes. It has surpassed The band’s music videos are cinematically stunning. In “Save ing his audience to “speak themselves.” artists Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande at the Billboard Music Me” and many other songs, the “I want to hear your voice and I want to hear your convicAwards two years in a row, claiming a well-deserved spot as the boys showcase in-sync dance tion,” he said, looking carefully around the room with bright eyes. Top Social Artist. moves that are widely considered “No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin color, your Despite -- or perhaps explaining -- its popularity, BTS has the best in K-pop, incorporatgender identity, just speak yournever been a group to blindly follow social norms and keep silent. ing style, energy and symbolism. self. Find your name and find At first, the band was hip-hop centered, debuting with “No More “Dope” stands at the top of its With moving (and often your voice by speaking yourself.” Dream” in 2013 -- a song that called out South Korean society, league, intricate, flawless and jawFor our generation, I think it controversial) lyrics and a describing the pressures that it inflicts upon students, who pull dropping -- not to mention it’s is important for us to hear this all-nighters to fight to the top of the food chain. unbelievably catchy. driving passion to comfort the most, to be inspired to grow What is you that you dreamed of? If BTS is not dancing, it’s in our strengths through whom their fans, the K-pop group Who do you see in your mirror, I gotta say telling detailed and emotional or what we love. We should do Go your own way has spread a multitude of stories that take your breath away. the same, spreading messages Even if you live a day The band is also well known for its sense of positive messages across such as these across the globe. Do something humor and brotherhood, whether it be in After all, we are the people Put weakness away the globe. the office or off-camera. who carry on our shoulders the The group went on to explore a wider range of genres, from Southern Korea is currently labeled as weight of this future. old-school hip-hop tracks such as “Boy In Luv” and “Spinebreaka country of conservatives and perfectionFor our generation, it is er” to Skrillex-esque pop songs such as “I Need U” and the sensual ists; K-pop stars have an unspoken rule of important for us to hear this the most, to be inspired to grow in “House of Cards.” It isn’t afraid to mix old sounds with more political disengagement and unachievable perfection that BTS our strengths and shape who we are. through who and what we modern tones; “Ddaeng,” for example, works as a hater-targeted has long since broken, openly stating its support of feminism and love. After all, we are the people who carry on our shoulders the trap diss track using traditional Korean instruments. LGBT rights. Suga and RM are the group’s most vocal members, weight of this future. Their most famous songs are “Butterfly,” an acoustic ballad;

By Adina Ackerman, Staff writer

“

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FLASHY: Korean band BTS is known for catchy lyrics and exciting videos.

beautytap.com

prweb.com

youtube.com

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Arts & Culture

Viewing refugees through a wider lens in ‘Dalya’s Other Country’ Local screening of film about a Syrian family was part of HIAS National Refugee Shabbat, which led shooter to choose target in Pittsburgh By Jacob Joesph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor In 2018, people only are urged to help to those in extreme conditions. The word “refugee” evokes images of desperately malnourished children or parents with all their possessions in sacks over their shoulders. But in reality, war touches all kinds of people, and the refugee population ranges across all socio-economic statuses of people, any of whom may be forced to leave their homeland. Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, an estimated 13 million Syrians have been left without a home. Some have found refuge in other countries, while six million remain displaced inside Syria. Dalya’s Other Country is a one-hour-and-14-minute documentary directed and co-produced by Julia Meltzer. It was screened at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood Oct. 11 as part of the HIAS National Refugee Shabbat, arranged by B’nai DavidJudea Congregation, a local synagogue. HIAS, which is short for Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, is a 130-year-old national organization that helps refugees. All proceeds from the screening were donated to the organization. Just two weeks later, this connection between Jews and refugees was turned grotesquely upside-down by a gunman in Pittsburgh, Penn. As part of the National Refugee Shabbat, Tree of Life Synagogue had participated in the HIAS event as well; shooter Robert Bowers saw this and posted on gab.com, a right-wing website: “hias [sic.] likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.” This past Saturday morning, Bowers opened fire in that synagogue, killing 11. The film, which is not currently in theaters, does not focus on Syrian immigrants in the most desperate of situations. Rather, it provides insight into the diﬃculty into being forced away from your home to a foreign country and having to grow up in a place that’s far away and unfamiliar, and knowing you never go back. Fortuitously for the Shalhevet students in the audience, the documentary focuses on a high school student, Dalya Zeno, and her family, who were forced to leave their Syrian home town of Aleppo, which before the war was the most populous city in Syria and a massive cultural center Now, massive districts lie in rubble, some being reconstructed. Dalya and her mother Rudayna moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to join her brother Mustafa, who attended college in the US and is a co-producer of the film. It spans the four years of Dalya’s time in a Catholic all-girls high school here in Los Angeles. The family is also intermittently joined by her father, Mohammed Hassan, who has a strained relationship with his wife but loves his daughter. The film takes the audience through the milestones of Dalya’s journey from shy freshman to confident senior. She goes to dances, deals with stress from classes, and applies to college -- all while wearing a hijab and being the only Muslim in her school. And while she does need to learn a new language and meet new people, her immigration experience does not have too many road bumps. For her parents however, it is a whole diﬀerent challenge. Dalya’s father mainly lives in Turkey because of his job selling olive oil, but the reason he lives apart from his family is because years ago he married another woman while still married to Rudayna, a practice allowed yet uncommon in Syria. Much of Rudayna’s struggle comes from being a single

dalyasothercountry.com TEEN: Dalya Zeno, second from right, attended a Catholic, all-girls private high school after immigrating from Syria in 2011. mother and only knowing a culture where a woman is dependent on her husband for family life. She learns to become independent over the course of the film. Her heroic journey includes having to apply to take online classes and spending time every week working on a degree so she can eventually teach Arabic. She does have difficulties making friends. The movie leaves unclear whether that is because she is a foreigner or because she is Muslim. This furthers the point that the problems of families like the Zenos are solved not just with money. The seemingly infinite cultural divides that many immigrants and refugees perceive are most apparent for Dalya’s father Mohammed Hassan. In the middle of the film, he comes to LA to visit his family. Quickly, he realizes that America is not for him. He maintains an orthodox keeping of his religion which has a limited role for women. Moments when he discusses his opinions can be difficult for an American audience, but Ms. Meltzer believes it is important to show, as she stated in an interview. “I wanted to present his perspective openly and hopefully as non judgemental as possible which was hard because I don’t agree with it,” Ms. Meltzer told The Boiling Point. “But I think what kept me kind of grounded was that I needed to show how this love that he felt for Dalya and the love that Dalya has for her father which for me was palpable. “I hope that people can see him as a complex character,” she continued. “People like him are not ‘oh, it’s the bearded Saudi guy,’ which is terrible. No, he really cares for his children.” Ms. Meltzer said that her goal was not to represent the entire refugee population, but rather to present an aspect of the population that is often overlooked. “There are lots of different ways that Syrians become refugees, and the story that has dominated the media has been the one of showing people who are dramatically, severely affected who are living in refugee camps and have crossed the Mediterranean in a raft,” Ms. Meltzer said.

“I think that this is people’s perception who Syrians are that they are poor and they have nothing. My hope is that showing a family who are more middle class and have something, shows that there is a variety of experiences in people’s lives in Syria.” This film should absolutely not be part of a fundraising eﬀort for Syrian refugees. The Zeno family is not in need of charity. The all have American citizenship,and are middle class. They have a sustainable income from Mohammed Hasan, who sends them money from Turkey, and some also from Mustafa’s work as a cultural advisor in film and part time Arabic teacher at YULA, a Jewish High School. This may have seemed confusing to some of the audience. But Dalya’s Other Country is expressly not “poverty porn,” film or images that use poor people’s suﬀering to gain donations or to get an audience to care. These images can successful in their goal, yet end up contributing to toxic stereotypes. Labels like “refugee” evoke a specific idea of who needs society’s help. And this film works to break that stereotype and instead give a meaningful depiction of the lives of a family of real refugees. In a time when foreigners, especially refugees and immigrants from the Middle East, face so much hatred, every film that can lead the public to being more sensitive is ever the more important. And while Dalya’s Other Country does not represent all members of this group, it is a greater piece of the puzzle in the search for acceptance. How painfully ironic, then, that Jews’ instinctive and eternal embrace of the stranger would lead to the very bloodshed and anti-semitism that once pushed them to leave their homes. In this time of violence and hatred, instead of pushing away those who need it most, Dalya’s Other Country invites us to look deeper and see their varied needs -- as the individual human beings who they are.

Basement Upgrade LIVELY: Student art has blossomed in the basement, turning a previously dull area into a vibrant space full of color. The building’s subterranean floor now better compliments the rich atmosphere of above ground, which already includes the painting-lined spiral staircase and large mural on the roof.

Photo Essay by Lucy Fried

BP Photos by Neima Fax

-- Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor

Features

DARK: The new dark mode changes your screen's background picture as day transitions into night.

NOVEMBER 2018

MacOS Mojave: A desert's beauty, and features to match BY SAM RUBANOWITZ, STAFF WRITER As diehard Apple fans know, each version of Mac software since 2013 is named after a place in California. The newest Mac software, macOS Mojave (version 10.14), named after the Mojave Desert in southeastern California, was released Sept. 24. Avid users, including myself, rushed to down-

edly release more in the future. Stacks “It’s an organized mess,” you might say. Except it’s not. Your desktop is cluttered with files from years back and you can never find what you need. With Stacks, a new desktop addition in Mojave, your desktop automatically organizes itself: files are all grouped and “stacked” into separate expandable piles based on the arrangement of your choosing. Recents The dock now has a new section: Recents, located in the right side of the dock next to the Trash. Recents provides quick access to your most recently used apps that are not already pinned to

Full File Metadata The Finder’s preview pane, located on the right hand side of the Finder window, now displays all of a file’s metadata. Metadata refers to data about a file, including what kind of file it is, how large it is and, if it was downloaded from a website, what site it was downloaded from, along with the dates the file was created, opened and modified. For photographs, metadata includes the device make and model on which the photo was taken, along with the exposure time, white balance of the photo and more.

the dock -- so you don’t have to search for the app yourself. Some say that it overcrowds an already busy dock, but so far, it hasn’t bothered me. If you want to turn it off, you can, by going into System Preferences > Dock, and clicking the box next to “show recent applications in dock.”

Screenshotting With Mojave, you can now do more with screenshots than ever before. There is a new Screenshot utility, which can be toggled by pressing Shift-Command-5. Pressing this keyboard shortcut brings up a menu at the bottom of

SNAPSHOT: New feature lets you choose parts of photo to screenshot.

load this new software -- and for good reason. It brings a host of new features to the Mac, most of which have greatly improved the user experience. Here are some of Mojave’s most notable additions. This article continues on the web at shalhevetboilingpoint.com/mojave. Dark Mode The Mojave desert, Apple officials said when they introduced the new operating system, "is beautiful during the day, but what really captured our imagination was the beauty of the desert at night.” And one of Mojave’s most impressive features is based on this concept of the night: it is called Dark Mode. Developers have attempted to implement dark modes on Mac in the past, but they were never fully developed and were extremely unstable. Apple has finally made it mainstream. Once activated, Dark Mode transforms the menu bar and almost every macOS application ≠≠≠classic Light mode seem outdated and

The Finder Apple was clearly focused on improving file efficiency in macOS Mojave, because the Finder received several convenient and necessary upgrades, with Gallery View, Quick Actions, a new and improved Quick Look, and more easy-to-see file data than ever before. Gallery View Gallery View is the Finder’s newest file viewing option, which allows you to easily and visually recognize your files without having to open them. With Gallery View, a preview of the selected file will take up most of the Finder window, and you can navigate through the rest

FAST: Quick Actions lets users to edit files without even having to open the application.

unattractive. The colors in apps like Finder, App Store and System Preferences are stunningly illuminated against the black backgrounds of their applications. Dark mode is easy on the eyes, and its polished look is hard to leave behind once you get used to it. Dynamic Desktop Dynamic Desktop uses your Mac’s location to determine the time of day and adjusts the desktop picture to match the sunlight levels of that time. There are currently two dynamic desktop pictures you can choose from, the Mojave desert and a plain sky-based gradient, but Apple will undoubt-

window. You can mark up images using Preview’s drawing and editing tools, and trim audio and video files -- all without having to open a file’s particular application. To invoke Quick Look, simply select a file and press the spacebar. Quick Actions are extensions of Mojave’s improved Quick Look -- they are small buttons at the bottom right of the Finder window that allow you to make changes to your file without even opening it. With Quick Actions, you can rotate videos and images, markup images and PDFs, trim videos and audio files, and create PDFs from groups of files -- all from the Finder.

of the folder’s files by scrolling through the file thumbnails at the bottom of the window. Quick Look and Quick Actions Quick Look used to just be a convenient feature to preview your file without having to open it in the application -- but with macOS Mojave, it has become much more. Quick Look now allows you to edit files straight from the preview

Ask Siri for Passwords With macOS Mojave, you can also ask Siri to show you any password previously saved in Safari. Asking Siri something like “show me the password for Amazon” will bring up the passwords section in Safari preferences. You will then have to enter your Mac password (or instead authenticate using Touch ID if your Mac has a fingerprint sensor), and your login credentials for Amazon will be revealed. Website Icons Google Chrome had this feature for a while, but Apple has finally brought it to Safari: website icons, or favicons. Favicons are small website logos displayed next to the website name in a browser tab. With favicons now available in Safari, it is easy to recognize a website’s tab among the many that I usually have open. You can turn on this feature by going into Safari Preferences > Tabs > and clicking the box next to “show website icons in tabs.” Verification Codes from Messages Safari can also recognize verification codes sent to your Mac through the Messages app. When a website sends a verification code to your phone, whether it be to confirm your identity or reset a password, Safari will recognize this message via the Messages app, and prompt you to autofill the code in the website. I love this new feature, as it saves me the hassle of having to copy and paste the code from inside the Messages app.

BP Illustration by Sam Rubanowitz

LEFT TO RIGHT: Icons of 4 new apps in macOS Mojave: News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos. the screen with options to screenshot the entire screen, a selected window, or a selected portion of the screen. It also gives you the option to screen record, which you previously only were able to do through QuickTime or a third-party app. You can either record the entire screen or a selected portion of the screen, but unfortunately there is no option to record a specific window. There is also an “options” button where you can specify where your screenshots are saved to, set a screenshotting timer, and more. Once you take your screenshot or screen recording, a small thumbnail will appear at the bottom right of the screen, which you can either drag to a document or click on to easily edit and markup in a Quick Look-style window. Automatic Passwords Admit it -- even though everyone warns against it, you use the same password for every website. This poses a major security problem, which Safari now provides a fix for. When signing up for a website, Safari will automatically generate a strong, randomized password and prompt you if you would like to use it. If you choose to do so, it will store that password in iCloud and autofill on all your Apple devices every time you log in.

Security Data security and user privacy are greatly improved in Mojave, giving users the power to decide what information goes where. Applications now require user confirmation if they want to gain access and control certain aspects of your Mac, including the microphone, camera, calendar, photos, and files belonging to other applications. Websites now have less ability to track you as you browse the web. As you browse the web, websites can see a host of information about you. All of this information creates a “fingerprint” with which websites can identify and track you. “Safari now thwarts this by only sharing a simplified system profile,” according to Apple’s website. The company says this makes your computer seem more identical to others, so it is harder for websites to identify who you are and track you. Safari 12 also protects you against websites with embedded widgets or social media Like or Share buttons, which have the ability to track you across the web as you browse -- even if you don’t click on them. BP Photo Illustrations by Sam Rubanowitz Page design by Lucy Fried and Tobey Lee

NEW: Recent applications appear in the dock even if you haven't set them to be there all the time.

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Sports

Sports

NOVEMBER 2018

Same number of wins, newfound ‘sisterhood’ for Volleyball team court after serves. Players can only rotate after serves, and rotation is done based off of what’s best for each play. Shani said the Growth, improvement and “sisterhood” were three big new coach wanted to be sure everyone imwins of this year’s girls volleyball season, players say. proved. They also won exactly three games -- the same number “It’s all focused on improving your skill as last year -- making their record 3-4 on the season, comlevel, and she’s not just playing the seniors pared to 3-11 in 2017. because they’re the seniors,” said Shani. The season ended well, with a scrimmage victory over “She’s playing players that are actually like Wish Charter of Playa Del Rey on Oct.18 after about six improving and working hard, and showweeks of games and practices. The team finished 3-4 on the ing everything they’ve got on the court.” season, compared to 3-11 last year. During the season, at the end of each But players said this year was more about creating a game Coach Castellanos reflected with family and becoming better players than winning and losthe girls, asking them what went well and ing. what did not. “We’re just all so close right now -- we just didn’t have “I don’t need everybody to be everythat last year,” said sophomore Shani Menna, who like evthing is something I really try to push on eryone else on the team learned how to play every position them,” she said. “I don’t need you to be on the court. a superhero, I don’t need you to save the “Last year, we didn’t have this sense of sisterhood that day.” our new coach always encourages us to have, and like really In addition, players said, the Athletic be together all the time.” Department helped the team by provid“Our coach came into the season being like ‘You guys ing new volleyballs, new uniforms, and are family… you are sisters now,’” said sophomore Hannah opening the gym for the team to practice Benji. “Someone does something wrong, we shake it off during Sukkot break. and we go into the next play together as a family.” Senior Jennifer Javaheri, who played The new coach, Ms. Angelica Castellanos, who previBP Photo by Neima Fax right side hitter and middle blocker, said ously coached at YULA, is an avid volleyball player and is the Athletic Department focused more on well versed in the sport, according to Athletic Coordinator TEAMWORK: Freshman Jessica Melamed serves the ball as her fellow Firehawk teamthe volleyball team this year. mates get in position during the Firehawk victory over Wish Charter on Oct. 18 Coach Jeff Remer. “I think we just got more attention,” Unlike many other coaches, “Coach Jelly,” as the said Jennifer. “Jeff has just been really girls call her, thinks that becoming better isn’t necessarily good about making sure that like somehow we’ll get clinics throughout the year and just like progress achieved by playing more. “I’m trying to move them away from the paradigm of the more time you play the better the player even more than we have.” Though the girls still won fewer games than they lost, they enjoyed turning a corner toward the you are,” Coach Castellanos said in an interview. “What I’m trying to push them towards is what are future. your strengths, what your weaknesses.” “It was actually an amazing season,” said Hannah Benji. “It was kind of a growing experience for The basics of volleyball are bump, set, and spike. A bump is when a player hits the ball up vertically by putting their hands together and using their forearms. A set is when a player spreads their hands everyone on the team, we all just kind of started from scratch and threw away everything we knew over the ball and lifts it up in the air. A spike is when a players hit the ball to the other side of the court. before.” Also important is rotation, meaning the team members rotate through various positions on the

By Tobey Lee, Features Editor

World Series loss saddens most – but not all – Shalhevet baseball fans fans in attendance. put balls in play when they needed to, especially with two outs.” “The Red Sox fans were screaming louder because they were Jonah cited the Dodgers’ failures at bat as they main reason for more excited than the Dodger fans,” Neima said. their loss. As a team, they hit a meager .180 in the series, though The drought continues. But for Dodger fans--at least in hindsight-- there’s less to be With the Dodgers coming fresh out of a critical, 5-1 Game 7 many of them had regular-season averages of .250 or more. The Red Sox’s team batting average wasn’t much better -- only excited about. victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, Shalhevet’s Strategically speaking, the Dodgers, especially manager Dave .222 in the World Series. Yet they managed to score almost double Dodger fans had high hopes of a World Series win by the boys in Roberts, were heavily criticized for the number of runs the Dodgers did. blue. some of the decisions made. Already Sophomore Ze’ev Remer last week thought the But now, disappointment looms large after their team was dedown two games to one after Game feated by the Boston Red Sox, four games to one, after a Game 5 Dodgers would win the World Series, but that it ‘There are 30 teams in 3, many deemed a Game 4 win cruwould only happen in Game 7. Reflecting on the loss of 5-1 at Dodger Stadium Oct. 28. the league, and only cial for their hopes to win the World loss, he blamed a lack of teamwork, and the Dodgers’ It’s the second year in a row that the Dodgers advanced to the one team comes up Series. trying too hard to hit home runs instead of moving World Series but were unable to win it all. top. The fact that this Up 4-0 at the end of the Game 4’s Many students had expected the Dodgers to win this time, fi- runners along base by base with inside-the-park hits. sixth inning, it seemed the Dodgers “They played for themselves selfishly,” Ze’ev year it was my team, it nally ending their three-decade World Series drought. would cruise to a victory and tie the said,“They didn’t play as a team.” But most said the Red Sox simply played better baseball. was amazing and really series at 2-2. But their lead soon evapHe referred to the Dodgers’ inability to put the “The Red Sox outplayed us,” said junior Jonah Tochner. “They special. orated. ball in play, especially with runners -Yakir Kanefsky, On the first pitch he saw in the in scoring position. The Dodgers had 12th grade, Redsox fan 7th, with two outs and two men on more strikeouts than walks and hits base, Red Sox pinch-hitter Mitch combined. Moreland crushed a three-run blast to Much happier with the results were the school’s small but spirited cadre of Red Sox fans. to right field. And then in the top of the eighth, Steve Pearce tied While they aren’t nearly as numerous as Dodger fans the game at 4-4 with a solo shot of his own. He was later named at Shalhevet, there wore red and cheered Boston at World Series MVP. Making matters worse, in a rare occurrence this postseason, the school throughout the series. One of them was senior Yakir Kanefsky, who said Dodger bullpen fell apart. They gave up five additional runs in the he was proud of his team for winning so quickly -- ninth inning of that game. Although L.A. managed to score two winning it all before Games 6 and 7 of the series, runs in the bottom of the ninth, the damage was done. The Dodgers lost 9-6, putting Boston ahead 3-1 in the series. which would have been played in Boston. Roberts’ decision to pull Rich Hill after six-and-a-half innings “There are 30 teams in the league, and only one team comes up top,” Yakir said. “The fact that this that night was heavily criticized by fans, especially since the bullyear it was my team, it was amazing and really spe- pen’s lackluster performance cost the Dodgers the game and likely the World Series. cial.” But Jonah Tochner thinks Roberts has become a scapegoat, “It’s a good age to be a Red Sox fan,” he added. bearing the blame for the team’s poor overall performance. Junior Neima Fax was at the final game Sunday BP Photo by Neima Fax “We’re looking for somebody to blame,” Jonah said. at Dodger Stadium, with her Red Sox-boosting dad Jonah also said that although Roberts should be held accountand Dodger fan mother. AFTERMATH: The Red Sox celebrated their World Series win on the field after their able for his poor decisions in the World Series, overall he’s done a She said it almost felt like a Red Sox home game Game 5 victory at Dodger Stadium Oct. 29. The stands above them, which had been a sea of Dodger blue, had mostly emptied out--except for the Boston fans who remained. because of the huge presence of loud, diehard Boston lot of good for the franchise.

By Alex Rubel, Sports Editor

SPECIAL SECTION

HOME TEAM HEAVEN

MVPs: Left, Asher Dauer leaps for a layup early in Game 3 against the Frisch Cougars. Below, Zack Muller escapes a defender. The two would share MVP honors at the tournament's end.

BP Photos by Neima Fax

By Alex Rubel, Sports Editor For the first time in school history, the Shalhevet Firehawk boys team won the championship of the tournament their own school hosts and founded, defeating the SAR Sting of Riverdale, N.Y., 6423 before an ecstatic crowd Nov. 4 in the Reich Family Gymnasium. The girls team, which finished third this year, had won the championship in 2015. But for the boys, 2018 was the year they made Shalhevet history. With members of the Glouberman family in attendance and the gym packed full of roaring Firehawk fans, the team’s journey to the finals culminated in a blowout victory, capping an undefeated weekend with its fourth straight double-digit win. In addition, for only the second time in tournament history, the MVP award was given to two players -- Firehawk guard Zack Muller and forward Asher Dauer, who were named co-MVPs. Zack, whose 20 points in the championship game made him the Firehawks’ lead scorer, said he was proud to share it with Asher. “He’s my brother,” Zack said after receiving his trophy. “We left it all out on the floor this weekend.” Asher scored just six points on Sunday and on Friday, and eight in Game 2 against eight against TABC. But in the seeding game on the first night of the tournament, Zack was out with an illness and Asher scored 15 points as Shalhevet defeated Valley Torah, Wednesday night Oct. 31. In Game 2, with Zack back in action, the second-highest scorer was sophomore Ze’ev Remer, with nine points against TABC of Teaneck, N.J. Muller scored 19 points in that game. After the awards ceremony, Asher said he was surprised to hear his name called out as the crowd cheered loudly from the stands. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity I had to win it,” he said. Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal said the MVP was chosen partly by Mrs. Flora Glouberman, after whose late husband Steve Glouberman z”l the tournament is named. “We’ve never had such a hard time picking an MVP,” Rabbi Segal said in an interview after the tournament. “And Flora said, ‘Why

don’t you just give two?’...And so that’s how it happened.” The championship game wasn’t even close. The Firehawks closed out the the first quarter with a 16-4 lead over the two-seeded SAR Sting, and maintained a 34-13 lead going into halftime. Nevertheless, the home team had dominated every game it played, with the possible exception of Game 2, which ended in a mere 11-point victory over TABC, 48-37. After that win, Shalhevet boys varsity Coach Ryan Coleman was nevertheless livid with his players, criticizing their poor offensive and defensive execution on the court. “We continued to play like were a JV team.” Coach Coleman said after the TABC game. “...I don’t think we’re doing anything well at this point. His assessment following the Firehawks’ championship victory was the opposite -- he said it was almost perfect. Coach Coleman said that since the team was in the process of putting new players into the mix, it really hadn’t had a chance to work together effectively. It started to gel in the championship, he said -- and the first CIF season game likely won’t be played until January or February of next year. “I think the continuity and cohesiveness are a lot better,” Coach Coleman said Nov. 4. “Our players are playing for each other.”

To get to the championships, the Firehawks first worked their way up through the playoffs, defeating the Frisch Cougars 53-29 in the quarterfinals, and the Ramaz Rams 61-38 in the semis. The Sting, in contrast, had lost a close game in the tournament, 53-56 to Ramaz in Game 1. They would later bounce back, beating the Valley Torah Wolfpack 37-35 in Game 2, the RASG Warriors 51-43 on the quarterfinals, and TABC, 34-33, in the semifinals. Three of those games were very close, compared to the Firehawks’ comfortable victories throughout. SAR’s Coach Raffi Halpert said that fatigue played a factor in their defeat in the Championship game. Shalhevet’s semi-final game against Ramaz had ended Saturday just before midnight. But the Sting played its semi-final game, against TABC, very late Saturday night -- actually early Sunday morning. The SAR-TABC game started just after midnight and ended at approximately 2 A.M. “I think we really [didn’t have] our legs under us after finishing at 2 or 3 A.M. last night,” Coach Halpert said. “But the Firehawks played great… and they deserved it.” While both teams were tired from the late finish, the home team had a major advantage-- the home crowd. Even as the Firehawks’ lead widened -- and the win seemed obvious -- the home crowd still cheered loudly all the way until the referee’s final whistle. The energy was carried over from the excitement following the Firehawk victory against Ramaz the night before. During that semi-final game, the already boisterous crowd went berserk after junior Jacob Benezra made the first -- and only -- slam dunk of the tournament on a fastbreak in the towards the end of fourth quarter. With Sting defenders in close pursuit, the six-foot fall Jacob made a fantastic leap, then held onto the rim for a few seconds after slamming the ball downward through the net. “I couldn’t even hear myself after afterwards because the crowd went crazy,” Jacob said in an interview after the game.

The Boiling Point • November 2018 • Special Report

Leading lights “ “

Winning this tournament was huge for me because Steve is my godfather and for the past three years we have failed to bring home the championship, so this year I, along with the team, was determined to win.

“

– Zack Muller #1, Shalhevet, senior

We play in other tournaments with very good nonJewish teams - some of these teams have players with division one college basketball scholarships. It’s nice to get to play against and hang out with Jewish ball players from around the country and also have a legitimate shot at winning.

11.4 PPG

“

18.2 PPG

11.8 PPG

“

Not only do we play multiple games, we have a lot of free time and are able enjoy the beautiful weather in Los Angeles.

Legend ALL TOURNAMENT MVP/ALL-STAR MENSCH

“

– Judah Oppenheimer #31, SAR, senior

Our team did not play our best basketball but it is a preseason tournament and we will be ready to see all the teams again in Sarachek.

“

– Max Zakheim #0, Frisch, junior

The highlight of the tournament was beating HAFTR because they beat us in the playoffs last year.

10.25 PPG

“

– Asher Dauer #33, Shalhevet, senior

– Spencer Rubinstein #22, Ramaz, senior

“

16 PPG

– Adira Orbach #24, SAR, senior

Our team did well because our coach tells us to set the tempo of the game early which gives us the best mindset going into the games.

14.2 PPG

– Daniella Rothschild #44, Frisch, sophomore

I think our defense was strong due to a lot of conditioning before hand. On the offensive end we struggled to hit our outside shots which led to us not doing as well as we wanted to in the tournament.

14.75 PPG

– Maital Hiller #14, Shalhevet, junior

Although we are disappointed that we didn’t take home the trophy, we still had a lot of fun competing. We have a very young team this year and we struggled with a lack of game experience and rebounding.

10.3 PPG

– Lizzy Adler #21, KYHS, junior

I don’t believe we performed to our highest capacity because we have only 8 players, and we don’t have players with height on our team. The other teams were very skilled, and had more players which made it easier for them to keep up.

12.8 PPG

– Jessie Kornblum #15, HAFTR, junior

And the awards are in! SAR – Samantha Horowitz Frisch – Daniella Rothschild RASG – Kayla Sedighim Shalhevet – Kiku Shaw Ramaz – Becky Tauber

SAR – Judah Oppenheimer Shalhevet – Noah Rossi Ramaz – Spencer Rubenstein TABC – Jonathan Haberman RASG – Jacob Stein

Page design, graphics and reporting by Zev Kupferman and Aaron Schlacht

TABC – Akiva Hain Frisch – Allison Zimmerman

In a thrilling matchup to determine who would advance to the semifinal round, the KYHS Storm beat the Ramaz Rams of NYC by just 1 point.

In the first game of the playoffs, the Shalhevet Firehwaks demolished the RASG Warriors from Miami Florida.

602 FOULS

BY ALEX RUBEL, SPORTS EDITOR Shalhevet’s very own Firehawk boys brought the school its first-ever Glouberman Tournament boys championship title, though the Firehawk girls will have to try again next year after falling short of their of their second-ever championship and finishing in third place. The annual Steve Glouberman Basketball Tournament, now in its fourth year, honors the memory of Steve Glouberman z”l, father of Shalhevet alumni Leah ‘13 and twins Jeremy and Rachel ‘15. For many Shalhevet students -- players and fans alike -- it is the highlight of the school year. Right in their own gym, they get to experience five action-packed days of good-natured competition between the Firehawk basketball teams and 13 Jewish high schools from across the country. Cheers were loud and excitement palpable as the Firehawk boys pulled off a stunning 64-23 championship victory against the SAR Sting from Riverdale, NY., on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 4. It was the culmination of their perfect 5-0 record in the tournament. “We were more determined to win it this year,” said coMVP Zack Muller, believing that to have been the decisive factor this year as opposed to last year when they were defeated by the Valley Torah Wolfpack in the semi-final round of the tournament. But the Firehawk girls were defeated -- by none other than the SAR Sting -- 55-27, in the semi-final game the night before. The Sting girls’ team ended up winning it all, advancing to the championship game after their semifinal win against the Firehawks to face the Frisch Cougars of Paramus, N.J. And in a similarly dominant fashion, the Sting beat the Cougars 57-39 in the championship game the next day. This year was the first time SAR had attended the tournament. Another great perk for SAR was that their tournament victory came at the expense of Frisch -- their rival school. “Nothing is better than beating Frisch,” said SAR girls coach Tali Zelenetz. “It’s always a good feeling.” This year’s Glouberman Tournament featured 19 teams

SAR – Adira Orbach Shalhevet – Zack Muller / Asher Dauer

4 STATES

In Glouberman’s 4th year, Firehawk boys and SAR girls dominate

[I loved] spending Shabbos with the whole team together. It was a bonding experience and a chill time.

The SAR Sting, who were the ultimate winners of the girls tournament, held the YULA girls to just 6 points in their 2nd game.

Continues on G4

In the Firehaws triumph over the Ramaz Rams, from NYC in the semifinal game, Jacob Benezra “flew like an angel” as the Firehawks advanced to the championship game.

WOLFPACK SHALHEVET FRISCH

RAMAZ HAFTR

Boys

3 DIFFERENT AWARDS

RASG SAR MTA TABC RASG SHALHEVET SAR YULA

Girls

83 JUNIORS

From close calls to big blowouts

[Bracketted]

1 SHABBOS

2 MVPS

1 DUNK

12 ANNOUNCERS

24 SOPHOMORES

108 SENIORS

3 STAT KEEPERS

87 PPG 1 WEBSITE

THE STEVE GLOUBERMAN TOURNAMENT

70 HOSTS

43 GAMES

BY THE NUMBERS

3 DIFFERENT AWARDS

15.5 PPG

4TH ANNUAL

10 ALL-TOURNAMENT PLAYERS

4 NIGHTS

2 MENTCHS

3758 POINTS

13 SCHOOLS

2 PRESEASON GAMES 14 AWARDED

2 GYMS

19 TEAMS

5 DAYS

4TH YEAR

18 FRESHMEN

4 FINALISTS

166 VOLUNTEERS

3 EVENTS

KYHS RAMAZ

HAFTR FRISCH KUSHNER

The SAR Sting prevailed over the TABC Storm in a semi-final game played till 1:30am. Less than 12 hours later, the Sting fell to the Firehawks in the championship.

In Game 1, the HAFTR Hawks unexpectedly beat the Frisch Cougars in a nail-bitting showdown, 69-68.

Final four

SHALHEVET RAMAZ

SHALHEVET SAR SAR TABC Firehawk Guard and last year’s Sarachek MVP Zack Muller was named coMVP of the Glouberman Tournament.

SHALHEVET SAR SAR FRISCH

SAR’s leading scorer guard Judah Oppenheimer led his team with 8 points as they fell to the Firehawks in the championship.

KYHS FRISCH * NYHS NYHS

* These teams did not qualify for the playoffs

The SAR Sting won it all, but they wouldn’t have gotten there without guard Sophia Reich, who scored 22 points in the semi-finals.

Frisch guard Daniella Rothschild led her team with 13 points in their loss to rival Cougars in the championship game.

The Boiling Point • November 2018• Glouberman

Girls championship run halted after defeat in semi-finals

By Caleb Fishman, Staff Writer A disappointing loss in the semi-final round of the 4th annual Steve Glouberman Basketball Tournament ended up silencing the loud and optimistic Firehawk crowd as the SAR Sting from Riverdale, N.Y., routed the Firehawk girls 55-27 on their own court. The game, which determined which team would advance to the tournament championship, was played in the Shalhevet gym Saturday night, Nov. 3. Firehawk players were disappointed in the team’s performance that night. “We were fouling and making careless mistakes with our ball possession and they were capitalizing on all their opportunities,” said Kiku Shaw, star guard and Shalhevet junior. “The first few minutes of the game we were unable to get points,” Going into the semi-final game, Shalhevet was undefeated in the tournament, seemingly unstoppable through their first three contests. But even though they lost by a large margin, players said the defeat wasn’t so surprising. Co-captain and forward Talia Abel said that the Firehawks’ earlier victories came against weak competition, whereas SAR posed a bigger challenge, partly because their players were taller. “SAR was on our level if not better than us,” Talia said. Before the semi-final loss, the Firehawks -- at least on paper-- had played flawless basketball.

Throughout the first three games of the tournament, the Firehawks defense had held their opponents to an average of less than 20 points a game, holding the Yula Girls Panthers to 14 points, the Kushner Cobras to 16 points, and the RASG Warriors to 28 points, respectively. Additionally, Shalhevet was averaging 52 points per game scored coming into the semi-final match against SAR. But straight off of the opening tip-off, SAR was dominating, with a 7-0 run to start the game, shutting down Firehawk top scorers Kiku and star Firehawk point guard Maital Hiller. Maital finally ended SAR’s run with a steal and layup with 4:50 remaining in the 1st quarter. By halftime of that game, SAR was winning 26-13. Firehawk coach Jeff Remer said the reason they were losing was inconsistent shooting. “At that point in time we had missed eight layups,” said Coach Remer. “We make seven of them, that’s 14 points, we’re up by a point in the game.” Unable to score or slow down SAR, the Firehawks were trailing 41-18 at the end of the third quarter. This downward trend for Shalhevet continued throughout the rest of the game, only scoring nine points in the 4th quarter, and led to their eventual loss 55-27 and elimination from the Glouberman Tournament. Players said the blame lies on the team, not on certain players or

BP Photo by sabrina Jahan the coach, Jeff Remer. “People will blame him because they don’t want to take responsibility for their playing,” said Talia. “But I definitely don’t think it was his fault.” In addition to offensive and defensive woes, players said their press defense, which had been huge for the Firehawks in previous games, failed against the more skilled SAR Sting. As an example, Maital said players like SAR guard and Glouberman girls MVP Adira Orbach kept breaking through small holes. “Our shots weren’t hitting,” said Maital. “We tried pressing against the SAR Sting and they kept breaking through our press and scored a lot of easy fast breakaway layups. As a team, we should have decided to stop pressing and play a box-and-one.” Offensively, Shalhevet wasn’t in the game. They went from scoring 60 points the game before to only having 27 during the semi-final. An important factor in their underwhelming offensive play was the SAR defense. “Defense was huge,” said Coach Tali of SAR. “We were really able to shut down Shalhevet’s top scorers.” Led by Samantha Horowitz, Sophia Reich, and Adira Orbach, the Sting went on to beat the Frisch Cougars in the championship game of the tournament 57-39 to win their first ever Glouberman championship.

BP Photo by sabrina Jahan BP Photo by Zoey Botnick BP Photo by Zoey Botnick ENERGY: Left, the Firehawk home crowd in the Shalhevet gym was a powerful force that helped drive both Firehawk teams to Glouberman success. Center, Firehawk guard Kiku Shaw barrels towards the net as Sting guard Sophia Reich gets in position to defend. The Firehawks struggled to score against the taller SAR team. Right, the girls perform a team cheer during a timeout in their game against the rival YULA Panthers. They ultimately defeated YULA 44-14.

in glouberman's fourth year, firehawk boys and SAR girls dominate in five crowded days Continued from continued from page G2 -- 10 girls and nine boys -- from 13 schools from across the country, compared to six girls teams and 12 boys teams last year. To boost school spirit and energy heading into the Glouberman Tournament, Shalhevet’s administration decided to host a “tailgate”-style barbecue prior to the opening game on Oct. 31. Around 100 Firehawk fans stayed for the party on the rooftop turf after school and enjoyed food, music and schoolwide unity. “It’s not just about the basketball teams, but about bringing the school together,” said Dean of

Students Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, a chaperone for the event. “The tailgate is about pride, energy, and spirit.” It was mission accomplished, based on the energy in the gym for Shalhevet vs Valley Torah game that followed at 6 p.m. Even with Sarachek MVP and future Glouberman co-MVP Zack Muller being unavailable for the game due to illness, the Firehawk boys beat the Wolfpack -- last year’s winners of the boys Glouberman tournament -- 55-41, led by 15 points from forward Asher Dauer. The fiery atmosphere in the gym continued on into the next game at 7:30 p.m. as the Firehawk

girls took on rival YULA Panthers. Shalhevet guard Maital Hiller led her team with 11 points to beat the YULA Girls 44 -14. The general consensus among Firehawk fans was that the tailgate party had helped. “It got everyone in the mood to have fun,” said freshman Amanda Wannon. Also building up ruach -- spirit -- for the tournament, in the week leading up to the games a group of students had made colorful posters, which plastered most of the walls of the gym. Some bore nicknames of Firehawk players, and others showed names and logos of visiting teams.

Sophomore Gila Marcus said the purpose of the posters was to show the school’s support for the entire tournament. “We’re not just playing against [other teams],” Gila said. “But we’re actually coming together as a community to show our support for the Glouberman Tournament in how we honor the legacy of Steve Glouberman.” Winners of the Steve Glouberman Tournament Mensch award were Frisch forward Allison Zimmerman from the girls’ tournament and TABC guard Akiva Hain from the boys’ tournament.