April 2015

LA

22

Firehawk s beat Y U

h’

17

thday Bas

d halacha

21

‘Bart’s Bir

Unintend

7

LGBTs an

uences ed conseq

Inside

The Boiling Point SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL ĂĄ - / ; 6/ ĂĄ April 2015 - Iyyar 5775 ĂĄ * ?C; 1 B ĂĄ =

=

Stairway to the future

Daniel Weslow is named new General Studies Principal

By Alexa Fishman, Editor-in-Chief Mr. Daniel Weslow, a longtime educator who was director of the Upper School at New lier headed New Heights Preparatory School in Northridge, has been chosen to take over as new General Studies Principal next fall.

Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal told the started part-time after Pesach, overlapping with General Studies Principal Mr. Roy Danovitch, who he is replacing. “There was an overwhelming sense from everyone who encountered Mr. Weslow that to go,� Rabbi Segal said in an interview after making his decision.“Mr. Weslow is what the faculty, students and school needs.� as an independent consultant on school cur-

BP Photo by Daniel Steinberg

GOING UP: A hard-hatted worker ascends the three-story spiral staircase that arcs upward from the lobby of Shalhevet’s new building, photographed on

Evolution of a title ensnares potential new hire

By Noah Rothman, Community Editor When Ms. Ramie Smith visited Shalhevet as a prospective teacher this past January, she met with students, teachers, parents and the board of Shalhevet. By all accounts, she was a hit. “I thought she really liked the school and the school seemed to really like her,� said senior Shana Chriki, who met with her and discussed a range of topics, including Israel programs.

But to the surprise of many, when Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal announced the of them. “Her values coincided with those of Shalhevet and it would be nice to have

c

a woman that girls can go to when they have halachic questions,� Shana told the Boiling Point. “I thought she was a really she wasn’t hired.

Ms. Smith is a graduate of Yeshiva University with a bachelor’s degree in English communications, and a focus in Women Studies. Among other positions, she has served as congregational intern at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac, Maryland, where she taught classes and worked with local Jewish teens.

She also is soon to complete four years of study at Yeshivat Maharat in New York – the same program as Alissa ThomasNewborn, currently Kehilla Intern at Bnai

David-Judea Congregation. That would West Coast where male and female stuto have a female Gemara teacher, Mrs. Atara Segal.

Rabbi Segal would not say what happened, but he agreed that Ms. Smith would have been a welcome addition to “We would have been happy to hire someone that graduated from there,� said would have been honored to hire her.�

Ms. Smith declined to be interviewed by the Boiling Point. But although no one

his doctoral dissertation in organizational leadership at Pepperdine University. He earlier taught history and coached middle school football at Crossroads School, which has a similar philosophy to New Roads.

In an interview, Mr. Weslow said that building relationships with the faculty and “I don’t want to come in and rush things,�

Mr. Weslow said in an interview. “I’m going to work on developing relationships and use the next few months to gear up for a strong school year.�

Mr. Weslow becomes the third Shalhevet administrator with ties to Crossroads, after English-History Academic Dean Ms. Melanie Berkey and Mr. Danovitch himself. Both attended Crossroads as students and maintained ties with administrators there.

Both New Roads and Crossroads were founded by Dr. Paul Cummins, who Mr. Danofor strong academics combined with an emphasis on student individuality and the liberal, performing and visual arts.

Shalhevet’s new “SAS� — Shalhevet Advanced Studies – courses, which are gradu-

Twice as many students say they cheat on Schoology as on paper

By Rose Lipner, Features Editor More than two years into Shalhevet’s use of Schoology— the online resource for teachers and students that has become the backbone of communication at the school— it turns out that the much-loved website facilitates something it was never intended to support: cheating.

In a Boiling Point survey of 97 students con-

ducted March 3, more than twice as many students reported cheating on Schoology as on paper tests, mainly through the illicit use of screenshots from exams given a previous period or day.

Forty-one percent of students said they have cheated on a Schoology assessment, the poll

In addition to the use of screenshots, students said they cheated by searching for answers on the

internet, switching screens to look at their notes, or live-messaging classmates during the exam itself.

Teachers who stand at the front of the room watching students for wandering eyes are unable to see what’s on iPad screens. But if they stand at the back to watch the screens, they can’t see students’ eyes to prevent their viewing neighbors’ answers. “The teacher usually stands in the front of the

The Boiling Point

2

April 2015

Community

Farewell to the JCC will to Nessah Synagogue

By Noah Rothman, Community Editor

Final exams this year will take place at Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills and not at the JCC, because the community center needs to have announced.

The last day of classes at the JCC will be Thursday, June 4. Friday, June 5, will be

Ms. Lewis said that since the option of Nessah Synagogue was available, there was no need to

JCC. “Not many Monday, June 7, according to Shalhevet Explaces can acecutive Director Robyn Lewis. commodate us Ms. Lewis said Shalhevet’s original lease of in terms of carthe JCC had ended June 5, but the school had pool, rooms, hoped to extend it a week in order to accomclose to everyone,” said Ms. “But the JCC has a lot happening, and the ONE MORE MOVE: Lewis. next week they start summer camp,” Ms. LewShe said is said in an interview. “They were doing us a June 5 would favor and letting us stay, but the truth is that be a pupil-free it wasn’t great for them. It would be better for day where students don’t have school and them if we were not there.” may spend the day studying at home — replacing Review Day, which will not be held and Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal informed this year. On Review Day students normally the faculty March 29 that Shalhevet property have the option of coming into school and must be out of the building by June 5. meeting with teachers.

Nessah is located The day before, Thursday at 142 South Rexford June 4, will be the customDrive, just south of ary day when each student Changing that place of prayer into Wilshire Boulevard all of his or her classes. and about two miles a place of testing for school is going has Finals will run Monday, June northwest of Shalheto be strange.

7, through Friday, June 11, as vet’s main campus, previously scheduled.

--Daniel Soroudi, 11th grade which is currently unAt Nessah, students will der construction. Achave access to three classcording to its website, rooms and a large room, all it is the largest traditional Persian Jewish conto be used for testing. An additional room is gregation in the United States. available to be used as a break room or pos“Nessah is where I go every week to pray,” sibly another classroom if needed, Ms. Lewis said junior Daniel Soroudi, whose family said. belongs to Nessah. “Changing that place of Nessah also has the ability to hold carpool, prayer into a place of testing for school is goand is already equipped with lots of nice desks ing to be strange.”

BP Photo by Jordan Levine

and chairs. The synagogue also has a sanctupray on site.

Ms. Lewis also described Nessah as having “much nicer bathrooms than the JCC.” ing spots available to them, and students and area.

Originally, the plan was for this year’s seschool in the new building.This timetable was later updated, with a hope that graduation could be held there.

But last month, board president Mr. Larry Gill said graduation would be held at Temple “We are exactly where we want be, midin an interview last month. “Moving date is cupancy issued by the city, but we anticipate over the summer.”

May Drama Production“Bart’s Birthday Bash” Thurs.

7

Zack Hirschhorn - Honorable Mention Ilan Bouskila - Honorable Mention

14

Thurs.

Tues.

Joe

Rosh Chodesh Sivan

Intelligence: Micah Gill - Honorable Mention Ethics: Avishai Rabin - Honorable Mention

22

Fri.

Erev Shavuot noon dismissal Mon.

25

Maayan Waldman - Gavel

Lag B’ Omer

Senior Poland-Israel trip

19

7-11

Rosie Wolkind -Honorable Mention Alec Fields - Gavel

Memorial Day and 2nd day of Shavuot

3

June Wed.

Choirhawks Spring Concert

Courtesy of Sigal Spitzer

Daniel Soroudi - Outstanding Delegate Rami Gruman - Honorable Mention Sam Hirschhorn- Honorable Mention

The Boiling Point

April 2015

The Year of Living

Community

3

‘Reusch Bucks’ Y

USL DANGERO

By Sigal Spitzer, Staff Columnist

Shalhevet’s Year of Living Dangerously will come to an abrupt stop with the inauguration of the new campus to start the 2015-16 school year. No more shlepping books and binders. No more heat wave sweat stains. No more teacher parking tickets. And no more senior citizen aerobic classes.

Because I’m 18, last week I got to tour the construction site, located on the north end of what used to be our school territory. Executive Director Robyn Lewis was my guide, and Daniel Steinberg – also 18 – took pictures, many of which you can see on the Boiling Point website. In this column, I would like to personally introduce each Firehawk to a breathtaking building equipped with a multi-purpose gym, two science labs, a theater, a Beit Midrash and a Beit Knesset, along with multiple student lounge spaces and an outdoor rooftop turf.

Nine-ten South Fairfax is awaiting 240 eager, yet diverse students, to maximize every square inch of the building by taking advantage of all its resources.

As expected, the new space is adorned with a glass kippa -- a shallow clear dome that sits atop the spiral warm, natural light down into the foyer and creates an almost magically welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. Moreover, beams that support the dome form a Jewish Star, representing God’s presence in both the secular and Judaic realms of our school. The kippa is a monumental image that will crown the school forever.

Inside, everything is dedicated to the students. the sports area to the many comfy couch corners around the building, there will always be a fun place for students to hang out. Also on the rooftop is an outdoor umbrella and table area.

Though the physical building is identical in square footage to the previous campus, it is still small enough that various grades will mingle during passing periods. With a round epicenter, it would be impossible for students not to interact en route to classes and activities – though the larger hallways will reduce the amount of forced physical contact and students pushing peers in order to be on time!

Another awesome statement the new building makes concerns the importance of the arts. While some high schools in Los Angeles are cutting art and music from the curriculum, Shalhevet continues to adjacent to the gym, is not huge, but it’s at least douto art and music. Roen will have a beautiful sunlit space to showcase student work and murals, as well as an outdoor area for easels and oil painting. Next door, Mrs. Keene will be teaching in the largest classroom in the school in order to accommodate the instruments, music stands and other materials required for Choir and Music Appreciation. Involvement in unconventional learning formats will be accentuated with a building that encourages out-of-the-classroom experiences.

And speaking of non-classrooms, although there are fewer classrooms in the new building than in the previous one on the same property, Rabbi Segal’s es. This philosophy will allow Judaic classes to meet in a Beit Midrash and secular literature discussions to occur in the hallways’ comfy corners. The new building promotes delving into academic pursuits in progressive and productive ways.

How could I forget about the gym itself, the spacial and visual “focal point” of the school? Indoor the beautiful regulation basketball court, which takes used for P.E. classes (sorry freshmen – no more free or other special events.

So yes, the year of living dangerously – my senior fall. At the moment, questions related to student parking, Town Hall and co-curricular meeting locations remain unanswered. But Shalhevet will continand hold onto the JCC spirit.

(The JCC spirit? When this dangerous year start-

By Elon Glouberman, Staff Writer During breakfast March 10, a wave of students poured into the JCC lobby, suddenly overcome with cravings for candy and chocolate.

“If you want chocolate and you have Reusch Bucks hit me, Rose, Natacha, or Ariella up!!” wrote Kayla Ablin on Schoology earlier that morning.

“Or buy from J.S.S (Josh, Sim,

the demand.”

Each wholesale group was given 120 pieces of candy to sell to the retailers. There were about

teams in each of the Economics classes, half BP Photo by Jordan Levine retail and half SWARM: Kayla Ablin, Aaron Cohen and Ariella Cohen JCC best prices guaranteed,” com- wholesale. bought and sold chocolate in the JCC lobby March 10. mented Yosef Arnan.

Soon, the The chocolate was real, but the project bebusiness enterprises had been set up came realistic

by History teacher Mr. William Re- in unexpected ways. Once the teams actually happens in real business, he usch for his Economics classes. His learned their way around the system, said, and better understand why. students were testing business strate- they started breaking the rules.

As a continuation of what the gies by selling candy to anyone who “Some people printed out Reusch students learned in the project, Mr. had “Reusch Bucks,” white or yellow Bucks,” said senior Josh Goldner, Reusch then helped students analyze bills with his picture on them, hand- a senior in a retail group who sold current economics using their newly ed out the day before. lollipops and chocolate. “And some gained skills.

Teams of wholesalers and retail- were even using real money to con“It was really exciting,” said sevince people to buy candy and give nior Mati Hurwitz. “We learned from Dum Dum lollipops to assorted them their Reusch bucks. how businesses become successful, Hershey’s chocolates. During any “It showed that kind of break, a lot of people panies use to sell products. I think it whether it was under these set- was a great overall learning experiat meals, davThe project became retings can become ence and it was great to have some ening or even alistic in unexpected ways. corrupt very eas- fun in competition at the same time.” in between Mr. Reusch agrees and hopes to ily,” Josh added.

Once the teams learned classes, stuMr. Reusch was run the project again – perhaps with dents swarmed their way around the sysaware of the situ- a new component. around each “I expected them to care that ation, but didn’t tem, they started breaking team, eagerly much, so the fact that they did was try to stop it. vying to buy the rules.

“After the awesome,” he said. “We can’t always their treats. project, one of the do projects, but when they are sucThere was questions I asked cessful it makes me want to do it also a competiwas what types of shady dealing was more. tion, and each group was given the going on,” Mr. Reusch said. “How “Next year,” he added, “I’ll probdoes that relate to the shady dealings ably have government agencies Reusch Bucks as they possibly could. that really go on in real life?’” watching over the other groups.”

“I’m teaching supply and deHe thought about what to do, then mand, the basic fundamental idea of decided to recognize and learn from economics,” Mr. Reusch said in an interview later, “[including] how to the assignment for those involved. control the supply and how to raise

By Benjamin Zaghi, Ninth Grade The JCC auditorium was quiet last Thursday as an elderly man spoke of a childhood spent criss-crossing the world.

He was not a tourist.

Dr. Henry Slucki, who was introduced to Shalhevet by the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, is a Holocaust morning of Yom Hashoah, the entire school gathered to remember the six million Jews who perished.

Mr. Stucki told the story of his escape from France to Spain, Poras a young Jewish child. He credited a his gentile landlords in France for saving his life. to students that it was important to develop empathy through narrative,” said Judaic Studies teacher Mrs. Ruthie Skaist.

16 program, which was a departure from previous years’ candlelighting ceremonies and visits from concentration camp survivors.

After the speaker, students were divided into groups by grade for two interactive activities.

Groups led by General Studies faculty interpreted a poem written by a survivor of the camps, while Judaic studies teachers discussed questions and responses between members of the Warsaw Ghetto and their rabbi switched, so everyone got to do both activities.

“I really liked how the school involved both the general studies and Judiac studies faculty in the group activity,” said junior Mati Davis. “It was cool to get those two perspectives on the Holocaust.”

Sophomore Nicole Miles enjoyed listening to an atypical survivor.

“This year’s Yom Hashoah assembly exposed the other side of the Holocaust by introducing us to ast survivor—a man that turned one of the harshest predicaments of life into something more positive,” said Nicole.

BP Photo by Exra Fax

MESSAGE: Students and Judaic Studies teacher Mrs. Ruthie Skaist, fourth from left, together analyzed a poem written by a Holocaust survivor.

Editor-in-Chief Alexa Fishman and Features Editor Rose Lipner contributed to this story. .

The Boiling Point

4

April 2015

Community

Bio class travels to UCSD to perform endoscopies on pigs

By Mati Davis, Arts & Culture Editor Have you ever wondered what it’s like to look inside a pig’s stomach? Seven Shalhevet juniors and two seniors joined students from YULA, B’nos Devorah and Yavneh and traveled by bus to UC San Diego Feb. ry Bowel Disease and perform endoscopies on pig stomachs.

The stomachs had been removed from the animals in advance. tling, but it was just the stomach, so it didn’t look like a pig,” said junior Rose Lipner.

“By the end of the endoscopies the pig stomach was sort of a separate entity, and didn’t really have any association with an animal.”

An endoscopy is a procedure in which a tube with a camera at the tip is inserted down the throat into the esophagus, and from there into small intestine to look for signs of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and other conditions.

Students took turns maneuvering the machine’s camera, with the image displayed on a

monitor above the table.

The bus ride south had been around two hours. At around noon, students arrived at

Center, where after much waiting the roughly 60 students high schoolers headed downstairs to a lab and were given yellow surgical scrubs and surgical gloves.

They left all belongings in a locker room.

Students were then led into a room with six surgery tables, each with a The students were then divided into six groups of approximately seven people per group and professional scientists led them through the endoscopy process.

Junior Daniella Banafshea especially enjoyed this part.

“I was able to learn about the illness and how to do a endoscopy,” said Daniella. “The most fascinating part was doing the endoscopy myself.”

BP Photo by Goldie Fields

GLOVED: Junior Yonah Feld and senior David Lorell look at a monitor as a scientist shows them what the inside of a pig’s stomach looks like during trip to a UCSD research center.

play a game, inserting small objects into the stomach and having the students take a special tool, used with the endoscope, to remove them.

The students were very nervous as they took the controller in their hand, trying to weave the endoscope through the veiny muscles of the pig stomach.

Once past the esophagus, the rest of the group cheered and encouraged the endoscoper.

“It was really cool to see what an actual stomach looked like even if it was just a pig,” said junior Kayla Ablin. “It

was also interesting that we got to use the same tools doctors use when they do endoscopes on humans.”

Before the endoscopy, the students attended a lecture on a the describe the effects of IBD. Later a professor from UCSD explained its causes.

“We got a lot more than we thought we were getting,” said junior Daniel Shoham.

“I originally thought we would just be learning how to perform an endoscopy, but I found it interesting to in addition learn more about IBD and Crohn’s disease”. stayed together throughout the program, eating lunch, answering questions in the lecture hall, and riding to and from the campus’s grassy area. All the Shalhevet students sat in a circle sharing stories and telling jokes.

Biology teacher Dr. Melissa Noel said

by Shalhevet’s building being under construction.

“We haven’t had the opportunity to do any labs this year, so this was the student’s opportunity to do hands-on work,” said Dr. Noel.

At approximately 4 p.m., everyone boarded the bus and rode for three hours back to Los Angeles.

“It was fun to do some hands-on work and really learn about endoscopy in a fun, interactive way,” said junior Yonah Feld.

whoosh of oohs and ahhs

By Noah Rothman, Community Editor Superheroes, referees, aliens, cheerleaders, minions, lifeguards, basketball players, and many more costumed characters eageron Shushan Purim March 6.

School started at 10 am that day because of the festivities the day before on Purim, ing cancelled. After just one 45-minute class, everyone headed for the JCC lobby tumes and participate in the talent show.

“The acts this year varied, but I’d say overall it was far superior to any of the past talent shows I’ve seen at Shalhevet,” said senior Josh Goldner, who co-emceed the event with fellow senior David Lorell.

Josh and David were reprising their comic role for the last time after many consecutive years stretching back to middle school.

This time they started with a 15-minute video about an alternate Shalhevet, where History teacher Dr. Michael

BP Photo by Jordan Levine

seems to take her seriously because she is short.

In the next act, senior Rachel Glouberman and junior Laly Chriki, for the second year in a row, sang a duet together accompanied by junior Jacob Dauer on piano.

This year they sang “Turning Tables” by Adele.

Next, juniors Daniel Soroudi and Eric Bazak duThe acts this year varied, but I’d ally performed the tonguesay overall it was far superior to twister rap “Alphabet Aerobics” by Blackalicious. any of the past talent shows I’ve This rap goes through evseen at Shalhevet. ery letter of the alphabet -- Josh Goldner, 12th Grade and makes a sentence out of only words with that letter. Daniel and Eric performed this challenging rap desks, Derek Orenshein mopped without error, and brought the the bathrooms, and former teach- house down.

After this act the whole audier Chris Buckley was locked away with David Lorell in a dungeon in torium went dark. All of a sudden on the stage, three balls lit up, the basement.

- and junior Mark Miller started ed and it was time for students to juggling to a whoosh of oohs and ahhs from the audience. Making Yoss had been selected as General Studies principal and had led the school into tyranny with students as his slaves.

With music from Prince of Egypt (“Deliver us!”) pounding in the background, students and teachers were shown carrying

were the Shalhevet Choirhawks, who performed a rendition of “Al Hanisim” with the Chanukah lyrics nes gadol haya sham (“a great miracle happened there”) changed to Esther v’Mordechai for the occasion.

Next junior Daniel Soroudi and freshman Ilan Bouskila, dressed as karatekas, performed a

juggling three balls, then quickly evolved his performance to include four.

Following this act, with the movie High School Musical started playing. Seniors and Firehawk basketball teammates Zev Marcus light-spotlight on them, started

in which they The sketch caused the auditokicked, punched, rium to busrst out into laughter. and fought each other. Neither of them really won, rather they ended the scene on an argument lip-syncing the song “Breaking that had absolutely nothing Free,” a duet between the main boy and girl protagonists in the to do with karate.

Senior Rina Katzovitz Then the lights came on and then performed original stand-up comedy. Rina the whole basketball team started joked about her height, dancing to the song “Get’cha Head the color of her hair, in the Game,” followed by “We’re and that fact that no one All in this Together,” where the

whole team performed a synchronized dance. The dance ended as the auditorium erupted in applause. show was a skit depicting a mock interview of candidates for Shalhevet’s new principal position, written by Josh Goldner.

On the committee were Dr. Michael Yoss, played by freshman Noah Mermelstein; Roen Salem, played

by Ruthie Skaist; a “random Ramaz singer” played by Rabbi David Stein, and Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal, played by junior Henry Wineburgh. Also parodied in the sketch was Dr. Yoss’s assistant, junior Mati Davis, played by Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg.

Principal candidates were Mrs. Atara Segal and Ms. Katya Malikov, played by themselves; Mr. Roy Danovitch played by Reb Noam Weissman; and former teacher and coach Mr. Chris Buckley, played by Daniel Steinberg. Mr. Buckley won the position.

The sketch caused the auditorium to burst out in laughter. Some of the jokes poked at Rabbi Segal’s “Kosher Korner” videos, Dr. Yoss’s temperament, Mrs. Malikov’s bluntness, and an epic mother-daughter

BP Photo by Jordan Levine

Class started again at 12:15, but no one seemed to really go to class. For the rest of the day, people seemed to just wander around and take pictures outside on the patio.

Dismissal was Friday usual time, at 2:00.

and her actual daughter, freshman Noa Segal.

After the talent show, students were invited into moon bounces. But most opted to going to the front patio of the JCC, where they took pictures of each other in costumes.

BP Photo by Ezra Faxc

The Boiling Point

April 2015

Community

5

BP Photo by Rachel Sentchuk

COLLISION: Juniors watch a simulation of a fatal car accident at Beverly Hills High as part of the “Every 15 Minutes” program, which warned students about distracted driving.

By Eric Bazak, Outside News Editor It started with a loud "boom" and then the cry of girls screaming for help. Screens were lifted to show two wrecked cars and two girls squirming on the street. A couple of the teenagers inside of the cars were slumped over lifelessly. There was a pack of Bud Light sitting on the roof of one of the vehicles.

This was the scene that the junior class viewed at Beverly Hills High School on Feb. 26. Sitting in bleachers with juniors from Beverly, they were watching a simulation of what can happen when drivers drink, text or are otherwise distracted.

Later in the program, speakers took a step out of the simulation, and described knew. It happens, apparently, every 15 minutes – giving the two-day program its name, Every 15 Minutes.

"The enactment was very overwhelming in itself because of all the commotion with the ambulances and the screaming," said Shalhevet junior Shirel Benji. "But what really hit me hard was when the speakers tual accidents spoke to us. It put everything in perspective for me."

Funded by the Beverly Hills Police Department, Every 15 Minutes aims to warn students about the potential repercussions

light moving only his eyes. Then he had to walk on a straight line while counting. Finally, he had to balance himself on one leg.

After he clearly failed all of those tests, the

friends had peer-pressured him to have a few drinks anyway.

After depicting the party, the video skips to when all of the teenagers wake up a few hours later, still intoxicated. The friends continue to pressure the driver and

Emily limped onto the stage to deliver her short message.

"This scene was very realistic," said Beverly Hills Fire Department Captain Joe

"Just put two hands on the wheel, your foot on the pedal, and go," Mason, one of the teenagers who later dies, tells him.

but the juniors were not. The vast majority of the grade attended an Oneg Friday night at the home of Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal, which wound up being an open discussion about binge drinking and making better decisions.

"I do believe that the program as well as the Shabbat Oneg will leave a lasting impression on the junior class," said School Counselor Rachel Hecht.

Shalhevet’s connection to the program was Lisa Schwartz, a member of the Every 15 Minutes’ Executive Board since its formation in 2008. She attended Bever-

destrians though. Most of the time you are going to have three or four people at most.

But the damage you see on the car, the screaming, the pain, and the agony, that is all very realistic."

Captain Matsch said he hoped that the havior and save lives. multiple incidents of people dying on the

to another driver who is texting. He turns his attention away from the wheel for one moment and it becomes too late for him to register the other car crashing into the front of his car, w i t h two girls lodged in between.

15 15 15 15

against driving distracted

alcohol and distracted driving. Through connections with Beverly families, Shalhevet had managed to be invited to the every-other-year presentation, which also involves the Beverly Hills Fire Department and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The event started when Shalhevet’s juniors arrived by bus and sat among Beverly students in the bleachers outside the view of the street in front of them. Then suddenly, loud speakers broadcasted the sound of a crash and the screens were quickly moved to show a detailed staging of a fatal car accident.

In the simulation, two girls crossing the street were hit by an intoxicated driver, which led to that car crashing into another driver, who had also been distracted by texting on his phone. medics stormed to the scene and rescued the surviving teens stuck inside the two damaged cars. One of the teenagers, “Mason,” had died on impact and top of him. Another, “P.J.,” was placed on a stretcher and taken to a hospital, where he was said to have died later.

Ten minutes further into the simulation, to a sobbing teenager – the driver -- sitting on the sidewalk. They asked if he had had anything to drink, but he could not remember. He agreed to take a series of tests.

scene and people dying after they get to the said in an interview.

"This program is a great opportunity to cision-making are. Simply texting or drinking and driving or anything where you are not being attentive on the road have grave The juniors returned to Beverly Hills the next day after lunch. This time, they entered a large auditorium, and directed the center. A mock funeral began when a man playing "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes led black-dressed, rose-carrying mourners to the stage.

Then, the lights dimmed and a large screen projected a video that the Beverly students and city of Beverly Hills

I have met the real Grim Reaper on the street many times. The Grim Reaper doesn’t care if you don’t do what you’re supposed to do.

-- Brad Cornelius, Beverly Hills police officer

pretend collision that occurred the previous day. The audience learned about the party that, in the scenario, the driver and his friends had attended the night before the crash. The driver had been assigned as designated driver for the night, but his

another person or yourself, or to prevent anyone from living their dreams," Emily said.

The video then switches to glimpses of the crash scene the day before, followed by a trial -- where the driver is charged with manslaughter and murder. Several testimonies are heard the driver for what happened.

The driver is sentenced to 36 years to life in prison for the deaths, plus an additional 6 years for ruining another teenvolleyball player. The video concludes with him in a prison cell. The enactment concluded with eulogies.

When it was over, Beverly Hills poPowerpoint from the perspective of having eral fatal accidents which were a result of distracted driving. the audience. "I have met the real Grim Reaper on the street many times. The around the corner waiting for you."

He then showed a slide of a damaged car which a texting teen had smashed, causing Emily, the 18-year-old girl inside that car, to become physically and cognitively damaged. He then showed the audience a video of Emily, who talked about how her life had been changed. that Emily was his daughter, and suddenly invited her onto the stage. On crutches,

mother of senior Adam

a fact that our message has not only sunk into our students, but has also changed their thinking and actions," said Mrs. Schwartz in an interview.

She said students she doesn’t know but who recognize her from the program walk up to her and tell her they are more likely to take Ubers or taxis, and that it is easier for them to resist peer pressure.

“They say they never realized that being distracted as a driver could be so dangerous, and they never realized that driving with someone who is could be as harmful and or devastating,” Mrs. Schwartz said.

"Texting while driving can be as deadly as drinking and driving or using drugs and driving," she said. "Being a passenger in a car when the driver has been involved with alcohol or drugs can be as bad."

She said Every 15 Minutes is now focusing on distracted driving in general, and that though the program’s name will stay the same, a death caused by a distracted driver in the United States now takes place every two or three minutes.

Shalhevet junior Jacob Dauer believes that the event helped him become a safer driver in general, and he hopes it will lead to Shalhevet students making safer decisions in the future.

"The event taught me to always be cautious at the wheel and always be cognizant "I think that the event along with the discussion we had on Friday night made a major impact on our grade for the better.

That was exactly what the event’s planners had in mind.

“This is going to save lives,” said Captain Matsch of the Beverly Hills Fire Deimpression on students, and hopefully they will make better decisions, because lives are at risk."

The Boiling Point

6

April 2015

Community

Diverse spaces will become building, set to open in July

By Alexa Fishman, Editor-in-Chief Construction on the new building is on time and is set science class in the same room as

rooms in the old

but Board Presi Gill said that no large changes have been made

BP Photo by Daniel Steinberg

PROGRESS:

told that furni

All of our spaces, including out Beit Midrash, will be multi-use spaces. In our view of Judaism, everything blends together, so you can have a science class in the same room as davening or a chesed project.

been bought.

There were also dents to hang out in—much Shalhevet build

– Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal

BP Photo by Daniel Steinberg

dows

on

the

THEATER: A view toward the two-story gym through the frame of the stage, which can be viewed from either the gym or side or the theater.

about the new science labs.

the new theater.

Daniel Weslow named General Studies Principal Continued from Page 1

He was really loved at New Roads, and he had such a positive effect on my school.

--Mica Nafshun-Bone, senior at New Roads High School “The commute is about

said.

Mr. Danovitch is leaving to attend grad roads to Shalhevet.

BP Photo by Jordan Levine

CHANGE

“There is no decision that is ever unani

The Boiling Point

April 2015

Community

Soviet-themed tribute brings unexpected heartbreak to teacher, then students, at Senior Prank

By Zev Kent, Staff Writer An otherwise harmless senior prank took a hurtful turn when 12th-graders paying tribute to Math teacher Mrs. Katia Malikov decorated her classroom with unexpectedly painful images of the Soviet Union where she grew up.

The rest of Senior Prank, which greeted students arriving on Wednesday morning, April 1, was deemed a successful April Fool’s joke. Most teachers and students laughed at the decorations, which the seniors had worked for hours during the night to put up in all the classrooms at the JCC. Some of the highlights were a TV playing “Kosher Korner” on a backwards loop with food therefore coming out However, all of the fun was ruined for the seniors when Mrs. Malikov, who declined to be interviewed for this article, walked into her room and saw what was inside.

“Mrs. Malikov was very excited when she saw the doorway,” said senior Josh Goldner. “But when she walked into camp and the parts that made fun of Russia’s darker history.”

The Soviet national anthem had been written out on the whiteboard in Russian and was being played in a loop over speakers. On one wall were pictures of famous Russian rulers and dictators, and intermixed with them were pictures of Mrs. Malikov. Additionally, there were posters preaching math. labor camp, highlighting the brutality of the Soviet Union and its leaders. In the room, seniors spoke in Russian accents about reason, logic, intellect and math while also threatening people with forced labor if they didn’t do their homework.

While many people thought this was a genius idea and the best part of Senior Prank, Mrs. Malikov didn’t think so and told the seniors why.

“She compared it to making fun of Hitler and the Hoby it. Obviously we never meant to hurt Mrs. Malikov and it was very upsetting to see her reaction to what was in-

BP Photo by Ezra Fax

PRANK tended as a funny prank.”

Josh Goldner said the seniors didn’t know enough about Russian history to realize what they were doing.

“I think it comes down to ignorance on all of our parts,” said Josh. The fake labor camp, he said, “was not one of our original ideas. We didn’t have that much information about the Gulag and we just went along with it without

By Jordan Fields, Staff Writer On a Wednesday in February, Daniel Schwartz was sitting in the principals’ ofshowed an Excel spreadsheet.

This has not been an unusual sight, since Daniel began working at Shalhevet special needs.

Born with cerebral palsy, a congenital Daniel has limited use of one arm and is blind in one eye. His job at school is to work and help supervise at lunch.

“He’s someone that I think the students and faculty will learn a lot from,” said Principal Reb Noam Weissman, who hired Daniel.

Every Wednesday and Thursday from 10 to 1, Daniel answers phones and helps with

7

really understanding what it was.”

Senior Rina Katzovitz, who was dents had spent the whole night on just that room and were very excited by the results. She said they kept adding to it as the night went on, getting more and more excited.

“The kids who were doing that room were so excited, because they honestly love and respect Ms. Malikov so much, and they were actually trying do create like a shrine to her, and I know that all of them were really crushed,” Rina said.

The Soviet “gulag” was an array of forced labor camps and prisons that the government created and where it held everyone from political prisoners and petty criminals MEMORIES: Above, students explore to those accused of telling, or even Soviet-themed decor in Ms. Malikov’s just hearing, anti-government state- math classroom April 1. Guard towers ments. Prisoners were sentenced to long terms after meaningless trials.

The conditions in these camps were horrible. In the worst camps whiteboard displayed the Soviet Anthem in Siberia, prisoners were forced -- in Russian. to mine gold until the temperature reached minus 50 degrees Celsius.

BP Photos by Josh Goldner they had to Soviet archives show that over a million people died in leave at midthese camps between 1934 and 1953, but most estimates put the number at between 1.6 and 10 million people.

Even in later years, when Mrs. Malikov was growing well. On the walls were warning signs, with decorations up, all citizens lived with the knowledge that they could and posters welcoming people to the new and improved be sent there at any time, for no reason. A neighbor who Shalhevet building. At the top, however, there was a sign didn’t like you could make an allegation against you to the that read: “Psych! You’re still in the JCC!” authorities, and you would be sent away for decades.

Despite this, some seniors say that Mrs. Malikov wasn’t with condoms (unopened) and pregnancy tests. Room 310 really mad at them. was plastered with pictures of Dr. Yoss and Dr. Noel.

“She explicitly told us that she was not angry with Across the hall, Room 301 was set up like the senior us,” said senior Adina Weinreb. “She was sad about our citizens’ aerobics class held in the auditorium, with an exignorance of other cultures, and about the millions of ercise video playing on the TV. Another room featured an people who died in the camps. She started crying as she Israeli cafe and another hosted a dance party. apologized for spoiling our senior prank, but she felt she Room 303 was dedicated to faculty that have left Shalcouldn’t ignore such a sensitive subject.” hevet over the years. Most had their pictures up on the While every aspect of senior prank had to be approved by the administration and both Security Chief Manny FerChris Buckley, who resigned in October, and a shrine to nandez and Executive Director Robyn Lewis, the guard tower and fake labor camp were last-minute additions and “I think they did very well for having to balance the probably not what the administration was expecting. prank while respecting the JCC facility,” said General Rina said administration had been told only that the Studies Principal Mr. Roy Danovitch, who was depicted as room would be a tribute to Ms. Malikov and Russia. running an illegal drug dispensary.

“They approved a room of Russia centering on Ms. Other highlights included a “kill list” belonging to PrinMalikov ruling Russia, with pictures of Soviet dictators,” cipal Noam Weissman, featuring students and teachers Rina said. “The fake labor camp and the towers were only he supposedly dislikes, and a room that featured Yik Yak thought of in the last half-hour of prank. posts, making fun of the scandal from earlier this year.

“While we sort of understood the severity of the gulag, One room’s whiteboard had inside jokes with Mrs. Kong it hadn’t totally hit us until Malikov walked in and we saw written all over it. Desks and chairs that had been taken her reaction,” she added. “She just got really upset.” out of the rooms were piled into the student support room.

The rest of prank was pretty typical, except for time None of the other faculty members were upset about limitations set by the JCC. Seniors stayed late preparing their rooms the way Mrs. Malikov was. The rest of the the rooms for the following day, when all of the students prank seemed to be enjoyed by the faculty and students. and faculty would get to see how the seniors made fun of “I didn’t think they would be able to do this much due to the JCC,” said sophomore Adam Taryle. “It was a very inside jokes. fun prank.”

This year, instead of preparing all through the night,

school. the lunch program “He has a lot and photocopyto say,” said Miing. He is assisted cah. “I imagine by his job coach, that many don’t Renita Verner, and approach him, reports to Muriel and that’s a real Ohana, Assistant to shame. the Head of School, “I approach and Lili Einalhori, him as I would the Registrar. Renanyone else. We ita shadows Daniel speak about his at school and assists new job at Shalhim with his work BP Photo by Ezra Fax hevet, his preas needed. vious jobs, and Daniel is a big HELPFUL: Daniel Schwartz converses with general things Laker fan and his sophomore Ephraim Drucker in the JCC foyer. that I would favorite player is speak about Kobe Bryant, but he also likes singing karaoke and enjoys with any of my friends.”

Prior to working at Shalhevet, Danbowling. His favorite show is the comedy iel was awarded the Safeway Community Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Junior Micah Gill is someone who con- Hero Award for his volunteer work in the community, according to Reb Weissman.

“Whenever you have the opportunity to hire someone who you think people can learn from, that’s the whole point of education,” said Reb Weissman. “He’s just a great guy. Our hope is for him to be here throughout the year.”

Reb Weissman is a friend of Daniel’s older brother, Shalhevet alumnus Jonathan Schwartz ’02, and has spent much time with him. He said he was impressed

by Daniel’s kindness and sensitivity and thought it would be a great idea for Daniel to join Shalhevet and spend time with the students.

To Reb Weissman’s knowledge, Shalhevet has not previously hired someone with specialized needs.

And though he doesn’t mind Excel, Daniel said being with students was his favorite part of the job.

“They seem great,” Daniel said.

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Opinion

8

Opinion

UNSIGNED EDITORIALS

No-brainer: Ban Schoology tests By the BP Editorial Board Looking over your classmate’s shoulder, writing notes on your hand, and keeping notes under your desk are outdated. The new way to cheat in Shalhevet is far more doable, and thus more dangerous to both students and teachers: Schoology cheating.

In a new poll conducted by Featwice as many students said they had cheated on Schoology tests as on paper -- even though fewer tests are given on Schoology, according to a separate poll of teachers. That suggests that a very high percentage of Schoology tests are being compromised, one way or another. teacher standing in the front of the room can’t see what’s happening on switch between apps without abandoning their exam; on a laptop, they can have multiple windows open

at once. Windows with class notes, web pages, even text messages and Facebook chats.

And then there are screen shots. copied to be sent later on to students who have not yet taken the test. The poll showed this was the most common type of cheating in school.

There is a very simple solution to this problem: Shalhevet should ban Schoology tests. This would eliminate the possibility of computer cheating and take students back to something not that ancient: taking tests with pencil on paper.

We understand why teachers want to give tests by computer.

Schoology instantly grades most questions and provides a report to the teachers on which questions the most students got right and got wrong. Once graded, they are automatically entered into the Schoology gradebooks used for report cards.

For students, Schoology tests

make it easier to quickly type longer answers to essay questions. ers don’t have accurate assessments of students’ abilities, not knowing who actually deserves his or her grade, and if students don’t really study because they know that exactly what question will be asked.

Some say it’s the responsibility of the students to be honest. If they choose to cheat, they just won’t benlong run. Others argue that because cheating is so prevalent, banning online tests will not help. After all, students still cheat on paper, too.

And both Reb Noam and incomWeslow suggested that rather than banning Schoology tests, the school should investigate why so many students are cheating. to cheat, some are too lured by the temptation. In fact, more com-

monly, they don’t consider a class serious enough to study for if they have the option of cheating on the next exam.

Cheating is a habit that can continue into adulthood. Giving tests on Schoology increases temptation and thus increases cheating. We are often told that the best way to avoid a bad habit is not to start. school’s reach.

A ban on Schoology tests would be easy to enforce, would work instantly, and would let us keep everything that is good about Schoology, from homework listings and group messages to Rami Gruman’s provocations in Student Activities posts. All we have to lose is the temptation to do something really wrong.

So ban Schoology tests. It’s an answer that you don’t need to cheat

Titles are important, and women deserve them When Shalhevet brings in a prospective Judaic Studies teacher and everyone loves her, the assumption is that she will be hired—especially because Shalhevet is always looking to add more females to the Judaic faculty. And when Ramie Smith, soon to complete Yeshivat Maharat in New York, visited Shalhevet last January, she immediately clicked with students and faculty alike.

She was clearly knowledgeable about Jewish Law and Torah Study, and all agreed that she would be a valuable asset to the Shalhevet Community. hires for the 2015-16 school year on April 17, Ramie’s name was noticeably missing. The reason: according to multiple sources, Shalhevet was not willing to call her the title being used by all female graduates of her yeshiva. Appar-

THE BOILING POINT Editor-in-Chief Alexa Fishman

Executive Editor Goldie Fields

Community Editor Noah Rothman

Managing Editor Margo Feuer

Opinion Editor Maayan Waldman

Chief Layout Editor Michelle Hirschhorn

Sports Editor Mati Hurwitz

Layout Editor Noa Segal Michelle Greenberg Hannah Diamond

Torah Editor Alec Fields Features Editor Rose Lipner Outside News Editor Eric Bazak Arts & Culture Editor Mati Davis Faculty Advisor Mrs. Joelle Keene

Photography Editor Jordan Levine Advertising Editor Shoshi Miller Technology Artist Gabe Silverstein Website Editor-in-Chief Nicole Feder

ently Shalhevet was worried calling a teacher by that title could cause community members to view Shalhevet as a non-mainstream Orthodox high school. Shalhevet gave up an amazing hire to protect its reputation. with this decision and the school’s stance on the issue of female titles. Five years ago, Shalhevet appearance in the Los Angeles Orthodox com-

ing popularity, a new building and an incoming freshman class of over 60, the school really doesn’t need to worry about losing community support because it hired an educated woman with the title maharat.

Furthermore, multiple male Judaic studies teachers at Shalhevet have used the title “Reb,”

a variation of “rabbi,” even though they never received rabbinic ordination at all. Ms. Smith deserves the title that she soon will have earned by completing her four years of learning in Yeshivat Maharat. Shalhevet should be recognizing her hard work with the professional title that accompanies it.

At a school that encourages female students to learn Judaic studies just like male students, not conferring recognition for a woman’s learning ent message: that women who have spent just as much time studying as men, and studying the same material with the same love, fascination and awe for Torah, will not receive the same distinction.

Rabbi Segal says he is always open to reconsider. We hope he will before the next Ramie Smith comes along.

National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Finalist 2015, 2014, 2012 Online Pacemaker Finalist 2015

Know it when we do.

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

Simon J. Rockower Awards 2013, 2014

Gold Crown Award 2013, 2014, 2015

International First Place Award 2014, 2012, 2011 First Place Awards in Jewish Scholastic Journalism

Gold Circle Awards 2011-2014 Columbia Scholastic Press Association

National Award Winner 2007-2014

www. shalhevet boilingpoint. com

2014 and 2013

Letters to the Editor

When we know it, you’ll know it.

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Opinion

9

TWO BOILING POINTS OF VIEW:

Should Shalhevet grads go Greek?

Yes: A way to contribute and grow

No: A way to unlearn honor and midot

By Maya Golan, Tenth Grade

By Sigal Spitzer, Senior Columnist

partying on school nights. Twenty-one percent of parents believe that their daughters

-

apparently cause 70 to 90 percent of gang rapes on college campuses.

The broad illusion that sororities and fraternities guarantee a great college experimoney, the brand of clothing they wear and how many guys they surround themselves with. Fraternity boys go through brutal abuse just to join, and once they are members, they engage in immoral and promiscuous behavior toward women. from the teens to adulthood is delayed at best, and for some, permanently stunted as well.

Shalhevet is a Modern Orthodox school that stresses the importance of religion and faith in daily life. Shalhevet instills passion and curiosity, and it expects students to use these traits in universities and jobs and hopefully to pass them on to the next generation. All of this is undermined by the fraternity system that some will join in college. It is a terrible mistake, and Shalhevet graduates shouldn’t make it.

The statistics keep restating the point, and there are too many to be ignored. Numerous studies have found that men who join fraternities are three times more likely to rape, and that women in sororities are 74 percent more likely to experience rape. Alcohol abuse in fraternities and sororities is clearly a contributing factor to sexual violation and licentious behavior.

Ashley Marie Rolnik, a senior at Northwestern University, found that women who join sororities as an undergraduate are more likely to judge their body types from an outsider’s perspective, and that they also display higher levels of bulimic attitudes than those who are not part of Greek life.

Female graduates of Shalhevet are in fact joining sororities. Shalhevet stresses the importance of expressing yourself and creating a true identity. All of this can easily be destroyed in situations that cause a So why would a Shalhevet graduate even be interested?

Some argue that the student-run system in Greek life teaches college students how to be a part of organizations, and become leaders while accommodating their sisters

gossip.

Maybe because it is impossible to deny that drinkwithin the Greek system? Maybe because fraternities have caused at least one hazing death and hundreds of injuries every year for the past 43 years? about Greek Life does not include is a large and of single-gender communities within larger uni-

dents, including leadership training and lifelong relationships built on common goals, experiences and ideals. Not to mention the community and global services that the groups provide.

Shalhevet graduates are perfectly positioned Coming from a warm and intense community, they naturally seek an environment where they are guaranteed to feel accepted, where they are comfortable expressing concerns and opinions, and where universities, they will be thrown into the hundred-foot once. A fraternity or sorority makes it easier. students, they will naturally enhance the cohesiveness of groups of friends and form networks for co-curriculars. They are experienced study partners, having gone to high school with classmates who live in their neighborhoods, as they will on campus.

believe that the relationships students’ form in fraternities and sororities become lifelong ties that help in the business world.

These two things are probably

some other statistics: Fraternity men have made up 85 percent of U.S. Supreme Court justices since 1910, and 63 percent of all cabinet members since 1900. In business, 86 percent of Fortune 5000 executives were once a part of Greek Life, too. In college they held frater-

a vast bowl of cons.

Membership in fraternities and sororities is in fact a direct contradiction with the education Shalhevet alumni have obtained in our school. Shalhevet creates leaders with a sense of proper midot. Not only do fraternities and sororities create a bad name for college life and students, but the choices that their members make within them taint their honor -- sometimes permanently.

At the root, most people attend college to acquire an education and job skills while developing independence and maturity. Since sororities and fraternities are detracting from these very goals, it seems obvious that they should be banned, and universities should ban them.

-

and because of the limited number of students in each pledge class within each fraternity or sorority, young men and women sometimes hold multiple jobs. Just like Shalhevet!

It is no coincidence that cohorts of hard-working men and women dedicated to friendship, loyalty, knowledge and successful leadership, have roots in American fraternities.

As for the college years themselves, less publicized than the statistics about hazing, sex and drinking are many more about how due survey of 30,000 university graduates showed Greek life involvement correlated with 39 percent higher satisfaction at work and 90 percent more happiness with respondents’ lives. A University of Nebraska case study found students who enter fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. ley, claims it was the best decision of his college career. a new and challenging environment and continue to provide deep friendships, thoughtful advice, and constant support,” Ari said. “The selective media coverage of carelessness exhibited by some fraternities should not distort the value that the majority of fraternities bring to college campuses.”

Shalhevet is a small school, where there’s an instant yet continual sense of community, along with tons of individual attention so no one falls through the cracks.

Membership in fraternities and sororities is in fact a direct contradiction with the education Shalhevet alumni have obtained in our school.

unknown future that can be scary and lonesome. The Greek Life grads, who are not only at home in warm communities but are natural community leaders, ingrained with

Shalhevet students, when we arrive as freshmen on those campuses we’ve spent so many years striving to reach. We should not join fraternities into an environment that totally disregards these values. We should not do something that could so easily make our four precious years at Shalhevet, even in retrospect, spent in vain.

The debate involving Greek Life on college campuses usually highlights excessive drinking, abusive behavior

BP Photos By Jordan Levine

Fraternity men have made up 85 percent of U.S. Supreme Court justices since 1910, 63 percent of cabinet memebrs since 1900 and 86 percent of Fortune 5000 executives.

surroundings.

As Modern Orthodox Jews, we are not to exclude ourselves from the reality of colleges nor be shielded from the contemporary world. We must become a part of the Greek Life institu-

-

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Fea!res

10

Satire fin d s a home at the Fre ezing Point

By Nicole Soussana, Staff Writer

O

n Facebook one night last December, Josh Goldner, Henry Wineburgh, Daniel Steinberg, Jacob Toczek and Gabe Silverstein were brainstorming about Rabbi Segal’s release of the latest in his “Kosher Korner” video series.

Ideas were popping up at every second. Some were discarded, such as a plan to make a cooking video with non-kosher food and insisting it was kosher.

“We pretend like we’re doing a normal Kosher Korner...Play up how excited we are about all the kosher food,” wrote Daniel Steinberg.

“Extreme exclamations,” suggested Henry Wineburgh. “Make up ridiculous

ly or partly favorable view of the website.

Sixty-nine percent said they loved it and read it all the time.

“The Freezing Point adds to the communal feeling of the school because it feels like we have school-wide inside jokes,” said senior Anna Gordon.

“I think it could be funny,” said sophomore Sarit Ashkenazi, “but it’s occasionally inappropriate and not the right place to That is also apparently the view of Shalhevet’s administration. Josh and last year’s seniors decided from the beginning to give Rabbi Segal veto power over their articles – believing that they had to, Josh said -- and

caught him, but also, because of his actions, Mecca will not see rain for another century.”

Within half an hour of thefreezingpoint.blogspot.com the article’s posting, he The administration’s board of scisaid, he received a call from Principal Reb Noam Weissman, asking him to take it down and suggesttoddlers, used crayons to detering that he might want to skip the rest of the school mine which types of blue give off year and the senior Pooverly casual vibes. land-Israel trip.

--The Freezing Point , October 2014 Josh took the article down immediately.

“I like school,” Josh said. “I didn’t want to But it still pushes the envelope for humiss even one day or miss the trip, so I took mor’s sake. it down.”

“Our goal is sometimes just to be funny In an interview, Reb Weissman said the and make people laugh,” Josh said. problem was not with the article, but with the fact that it was Josh’s response to a senior Daniel Steinberg and like-minded punishment. juniors Henry Wineburgh, Jacob Toczek, “We all make mistakes, but then the and Gabe Silverstein along with freshman way to go about the mistake that you made Rami Gruman. is not to dig deeper by being angry and act“I love watching and reading satire, and ing in an angry way.” Reb Weissman said. I love making fun of the weird and ridicu“It was just not a good way for him to re- lous things that tend to happen at Shalhespond...It wasn’t the content.” vet,” said Henry.

P

thefreezingpoint.blogspot.com

Make up ridiculous French words for him to use...

Let’s go with a simple twist ending: It was non-kosher the whole time.

--Freezing Point story meeting

French words for him to use… Let’s go with a simple twist ending. It was non-kosher the whole time.”

Other ideas were tossed around and rejected. It was decided not to do a review of a non-kosher restaurant because that would be “too obvious a joke.” But many other concepts suggested that night made on line at freezingpoint.blogspot.com, Shalhevet’s comedy and satire site – or as it calls itself, “The Fake Source for Shalhevet News.”

T

he Freezing Point was launched more than a year ago by then-junior Josh Goldner with the help of then seniors Paul Merrit, David Ohana, Yan Kligerman and Benny Balazs, its goal being to publish parodies and satire of the Shalhevet community while giving its creators the chance to break out of established molds. new building, which had already been delayed about six months at the time.

“The demolition of the old building will can get the proper funding for the new school,” wrote Josh in his debut. “This will

Most Shalhevet students think that The Freezing Point is funny and unique.

“I like the Freezing Point because it’s non Asiss. “Not a lot of people have that in their school.”

-

he has used it several times.

One was in the “Kosher Korner” video, when Rabbi Segal asked the Freezing Point to make it clearer that the food they were eating on camera was, in fact, kosher.

The Freezing Point changed the video at (not kosher) Brooklyn Pizza, only food from Schnitzly’s – which is kosher -- was used in the video.

“He just wanted us to make it a bit more obvious that we were actually eating kosher food, which I think was reasonable” Josh said.

erhaps the school’s reaction was not entirely a surprise. Josh said he started the website to add a rebellious spirit to school events. By comparison, he said, Senior Ditch Day and Senior Prank are not the most spontaneous forms of rebellion because they require ap“There aren’t exactly forums to rebel,” he said. “This was the one thing where we could push back a bit.”

But when they started the project, they brought their idea to the administration for approval, assuming that they had to ask for permission.

Rabbi Segal said the group could post articles as long as each article was approved, responds to administration requests after law grants wide freedoms to student publications, including satirical ones.

Josh mentioned that the Freezing Point also self-censors, not wanting to “cross the line” into inappropriateness, and this

M

ore recently, the group

told by the administration to take down a story from its site. This one was a satirical take on a punishment that seven students -- including Josh himself -- had received for ditching davening (prayer).

According to Josh, the punishment was two weeks of “Toranut” -privileges. For the Freezing Point, he dent who had been caught ditching prayers at his school. does not believe in the Muslim concept of Allah and rather accepts modern nity in songs and hymns asking and thanking Allah for rain and sustenance,” Josh wrote in the article.

“In defense of the punishment itself, not only was the man ‘Pitter Pattering’ (the Muslim term for walking) when authorities

allowed boys to wear jeans to school, junior Henry made fun of the fact that the rules allowed only certain shades of blue.

“The administration’s board of scientific analysts, led by both Rabbi Stein’s and Rabbi Schwarzberg’s toddlers, used crayons to determine which types of blue give

O

verall, the Freezing Point team believes it has succeeded in using the outlet not just to entertain, but to bring about positive changes in Shalhevet.

Josh believes that by making jokes about school issues, the administration has noticed problems and made improvements – for example, in favoritism and unequal dress code enforcement, which the blog spent a lot of time on last year. form of a website and not printed on paper, which means it is free to produce and needs no administration funding. There are no plans to print it, Josh said.

According to Josh, the biggest challenge the Freezing Point faces is organization.

The Freezing Point operates without deadlines. Josh said that become more orga-

thefreezingpoint.blogspot.com

The demolition of the old building will only commence in 2026, when Shalhevet can get proper funding for the new school.

--The Freezing Point,

December 2013

At times they hold their tongue for obvious reasons.

For example, last year the Shalhevet soccer team lost to a team of special needs students, and the Freezing Point did not post an article on the matter because it would be passing the line of parody.

He also hopes that the Freezing Point will continue to run after he graduates, with Henry Wineburgh or Jacob Toczek at the helm.

And perhaps – even – some girls.

“Girls have asked

and I’ve asked girls as well,” he said. “It’s just never ended up working out for whatever reason. Either they never got around to writing an article or didn’t want to take the leap to be the “I’m still totally open to it and hope a

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Fea!res

COLOR WAR:

11

Yom Ha’aTZmaut Edition BP Photos by Ezra Fax

COMPETE: Top left, the Blue Team, Palmach, falls to the White Team, Etzel, in a basketball game. Above, senior David Lorell and junior Henry Wineburgh performed a satrical skit about faculty dynamics, written by members of the Blue Team.

Vs

Blue White DANCE: Left, the boys of the Blue team perform part of a boys vs. girls dance-off. At right, the White Team dance’s to Flo Rida’s “GDFR.” The Blue Team won Color War in the end.

JUDGES: Top center, SAC chairs Rachel Glouberman and Sigal Spitzer announce the winners of Color War. Center left, senior Margo Feuer competes in “Hungry Hungry Hippo,” a new event this year. Directly above, freshman Noa Segal presents the White Team’s masterpiece, a piece of art that combined with the Eztel logo, Hebrew phrases and the face of Menachem Begin.

The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Fea!res

12

In BP Poll, twice as many Schoology tests as on pap the tests, saying the proble Continued from Page 1 class, which makes it easy for us to switch between screens without their knowledge,” said a freshman we’ll call Jared who, like everyone else willing to discuss cheating, would only do so anonymously. tiful in the poll, taken anonymously on paper gave space at the bottom for cheating techPoint interviewed students to learn details.

One junior said when he logs onto Schoology on his iPad to take a test, he leaves his notes open on another screen, then just clicks the home button twice to access them during the assessment. At other times, he leaves the Schoology application to search for answers on Google. scribed was people who take the test earlier sending screenshots to their peers who will take

that allows them to easily post comments on student work – though they seemed aware cheating was a problem.

“Schoology tests

used the pictures to study. had asked us for pictures of the test and we wanted to help our friends,” said an anonymous sophomore boy who participated.

“We didn’t think it was a big deal because the test was harder than expected, and not many people had paid attention during class.”

Shalhevet Boiling Point Student Cheatology Poll Is it okay to cheat?

Thur Apr 16 at 9:20 PM

Like Comment

Never

will return the favor when they can.

“When the test is on Schoology, my friends take screen shots of it,” said a junior we’ll call

Shalhevet Boiling Point Student Cheatology Poll Do you think there is more cheating on tests or quizzes on Schoology or on paper?

Thur Apr 16 at 9:20 PM

19

71

Students

Students

-

Schoology

Paper

33

54

learned what had happened from the administration. She responded by switching her next test to paper.

a

would do the right thing and not cheat, but that was a wrong assumption.” that exam grade for one class and reduce its weighting for the other.

s

the more online tools college students were allowed to use to complete an assignment, the more likely they were to cheat.

Grades 9, 10 and 11 and next year will be used by everyone.

ply too much to monitor, and locking each individual iPad takes way too long.”

-

educationally useful but minimize the dis-

help avert it.

One was to have students

locks students into a particular app for a set amount of time. internet access to all sites except for School-

ported that most of their assessments are on Schoology – not paper -- particularly in Judaic Studies courses.

Another possibility would be to just ban program for everything else it does, including attendance, homework, messaging and inclass projects. man believes Schoology assessments should not be banned— cheating or not.

Gemara tests.”

Students said math tests, on the other hand, are usually on paper, perhaps because math teachers want students to show their work. sessments praised its conve-

Weiss-

led

19 teachers pol 2015

Name arch Date M JCC Period

A-

r Poll

gy vs. Pape

: Schoolo acher Stats

Te

uizzes

or q r give tests e v e u o y o 1. D gy? on Schoolo

/

10

No

Yes

9

es

sts or quizz

ver give te 2. Do you e on paper?

19

Yes

No

0

more do you give , 2 # d n a 1 per? # 3. If yes to ology or pa o h c S n o s izze test and qu

Schoology

4

on re cheating o m is re e ink th zes?

4. Do you th ts and quiz s te y g lo o o h paper or Sc

Schoology

Paper

10

11

Paper

1

for your it’s possible k in th u o y logy test?

5. Do on a Schoo t a e h c to students

/

14

No

Yes

1

your ossible for p ’s it k in th er test?

6. Do you at to a pap e h c to ts n stude

16

Yes

with ways to do it.”

Not to say that cheating is on line— 20 percent of Shalheve they cheat on paper by looking mate’s work.

exams are the safer bet against c is why 47 percent of teachers they don’t give tests on Schoolog

test that students won’t go onli itor them all at once.” same policy

paper and pen.”

Sixty-two percent of student that cheating on Schoology is ea ing on paper.

female student who had tried it. switch from Schoology to your n a much lower chance you will g

year.

of 26 responded.

search showing that cheating is greater when the test is online.

According to a 2012 New York

ccording to Schoology’s online support forum, Schoology users at other schools have also voiced concerns about online cheating.

me from using Schoology for all testing,” said

teachers, 52 percent said they had given as-

Students

Students

Schwarzberg also gives Schoology tests.

-

if not using Schoology will totally eliminate the problem.”

she said that defeated the purpose of the

Like Comment

of the day, cheating is a choice that harms the individual’s education.”

Judaic Studies

Sometimes

er and looked at their notes for answers.

With a click of the “send” button, students can forward information that gives others a

for teachers to use,”

away with it doesn’t solve the pr vet’s students are intelligent an

No

3

man in an interview regarding the student survey results. happening.

“We need to pinpoint the thing that’s causing this to happen, and then limit that said.

Next General

year’s Studies

Shalhevet Boilin Student Cheatology

Have you ever visited other sit windows on the internet while a Schoology test or quiz?

Thur Apr 16 at 9:20 PM

Like Commen

Never

Som

80

Stud

Students

a

1

lthough cheating is n on paper, teachers sti its potential threat: ers, spread students

tem, there’s not much teachers vent online cheating.

And of course, many studen for personal and moral reasons.

hevet students said they’d never

ple who cheat get a better grade

al and you can’t cheat on life,”

they do.”

Cheating poses obstacles fo

agreed. think banning Schoology assessments is the answer,” said an

interview. sation piece, but doing

ucate students that, ethically sp the way they should live their li

– and Schoology isn’t going awa – for the time being, students w vent cheating will have to rely only they have: their own moral

The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Fea!res

13

Shalhevet students said they had cheated on per exams. Administration has no plan to ban em is moral, not technological.

roblem. Shalhend creative, and

nly possible onet students said g at their class-

cheating, which responded that gy.

ine and look up -

-

ts polled agreed asier than cheat-

“You can easily notes and there’s get caught.”

Generation Cheat

Login

Sign Up

Shalhevet Boiling Point Student Cheatology Poll

alent in all parts of the country, grade levels and academic talent. mit to having cheated, according to a 2010 survey by the

Have you ever gained access to a Schoology test through other methods?

Mon Apr 20 at 12:21 PM

Like Comment

16 Students Screen shots taken by students in other classes Mon Apr 20 at 3:02 PM

And it’s not just failing students who resort to stealing others’ work. Cheating is also growing in top colleges and universities, where scandals make national news.

-

14 Students Text message before or during exam

though they were explicitly told to work alone. Sixty of these students were expelled.

11 Students Teacher accidentally opened access too soon or kept it open too long

Stanford scandal in which about 20 percent of the students ern Orthodox high school— paid another person to take

into the district’s computer system to change grades and access exams.

As for everywhere else, just because no one’s been caught doesn’t mean no one is cheating.

Mon Apr 20 at 9:02 PM

Tues Apr 21 at 10:24 AM

Shalhevet Boiling Point Student Cheatology Poll based on your own experience, why is cheating necessary for you?

Sun Apr 19 at 8:33 AM

Like Comment

28 Students Sun Apr 19 at 10:39 AM

ng Point Poll

tes or taking

nt

metimes

17

dents

not as common ill guard against they use dividthroughout the

s can do to pre-

nts do not cheat

r cheated at all.

e than me, even

” said freshman

it goes to show that cheating is now part of our culture.

14 Students Pressure from parents Sun Apr 19 at 11:06 AM

ever cheated on an exam, compared to the national average of 59 percent. hancing students’ moral development. to a point – toward students and the pressures they face.

-

-

“We’re dealing with human nature and excessive competition. We established Shalhevet to see if we could mitigate that problem as much as we can.” because tests aren’t fair, they didn’t study or because it seems harmless.

“When you cheat,” he said, “you might get into a top college, but this one act has actually stopped your peers from getting into that school just because they followed the rules.”

not in the technology, it’s how we’re raising our students.”

Still, technology seems to be playing a role. At Shalhevet, more than twice as many students say they’ve cheated on Schoology exams as on paper. blamed technology in an e-mail about the university’s cheating scandal last week.

“With the ease of technology and widespread sharing that is now part of a collaborative culture, students need to recognize and be reminded that it is dishonest to ap-

8 Students Sun Apr 19 at 1:45 PM

Shalhevet Boiling Point Student Cheatology Poll Have you ever looked at your notes or other hidden materials while taking a test or quiz on paper?

Thur Apr 16 at 9:20 PM

79 Students Never Thurs Apr 16 at 10:10 PM

19 Students Sometimes Fri Apr 17 at 6:06 AM

1 Student

for their own cheating, they were much less tolerant of others’.

peaking, it is not ives.”

boy. “Some of those students who get into prestigious colleges are the people who may be leading our country or

Shalhevet Boiling Point Student Cheatology Poll Have you ever looked at your notes on your iPad or laptop while taking a Schoology test or quiz?

ay any time soon who want to preon the one tool l compasses.

tion about how schools can teach teenagers to be moral.

“We need to work more on saying: how fair is it that when you’re cheating, you’re really stopping someone else you’re cheating and it doesn’t bother you, then we really have a problem.”

--Rose Lipner, Features Editor

Like Comment

78 Students Never Thurs Apr 16 at 10:10 PM

22 Students Sometimes Fri Apr 17 at 6:06 AM

1 Student

cheaters?”

Often

Fri Apr 17 at 12:15 PM

Thur Apr 16 at 9:20 PM

or students and

Like Comment

Often

Fri Apr 17 at 12:15 PM BP Poll of 97 Students, March 2015

Page Design by Michelle Hirschhorn and Margo Feuer

14

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Fea!res

15

Outside News

THE BOILING POINT

APRIL 2015

UC San Diego building $5 million Kosher-Halal

By Eric Bazak, Outside News Editor lack of kosher options where the dorms

Could simple expressions like “pass the falafel” build peace between Muslims and Jews on California college campuses?

Students at the University of Califor-

have three kosher sandwiches that are not even tasty and require two meal

UCSD has announced plans to open up a joint Kosher and Halal dining hall in the fall of 2016, after the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and the Muslim Student Association (MSA) collaborated

ever, it is nice to be able to eat with my friends who are not Jewish, and if we

The project, expected to cost about $5 million according to a “request for proposals” published by the university

ing Executive Director of the Hillel at tions at the university, such as deliveries by Got Kosher and the food at Hillel House, which is located just east

“There was a major void and we said Zev Hurwitz, Shalhevet class of 2011, who spearheaded the project as Executive Vice President of UJS, along The two leaders told the UJS board in late 2013 that they were going to

Courtesy of Zev Hurwitz

“The whole campaign stems from COOPERATING: UJS members Zev Hurwitz and Jonah Saidian and Hibah Khan and Yasin two parts,” said Zev, who is the brother Ahmed of the Muslim Students Association led a Town Hall meeting at UCSD in November. ering the need, what it is that observant with them and said this does not have to encountered no real resistance to the projstudents on campus are lacking, and being one of those observant students helped is something we need day to day and we dollar investment for the university, there drive me in the search for part two, which is what is the solution and how could we us unanimous support and said they’re all There are other college campuses where Jewish students at UCSD have long had to pay for the dining hall service, but obs e r v a n t Jews have been unable to

Hibah Khan, a member of the MSA who also worked on the proposal, said she wanted to be a part of the project to prevent future Muslim students from facing

--Zev Hurwitz Courtesy of Zev Hurwitz

eat the food As a freshman in 2012, Zev successfully petitioned the school for pre-packaged kosher meals they could buy with their dinFoods, will continue to be used until the Getting approval for a new dining hall UCSD had conducted a survey asking what response, UJS started a letter-writing campaign that drew the attention of the UCSD Muslims, meanwhile, had been facing a Muslims had to limit themselves to the vegetarian options at the dining halls because the meat didn’t meet the standards of MusRealizing that the two groups were coping with the same problem, the UJS asked the MSA to collaborate on a written proposal that would serve both groups’ inter“Working with the Muslim association was a strong opportunity to showcase joint

“This was personally important to me

Aviva Walls, Shalhevet Director of College Counseling, thinks there will be more Shalhevet applications to UCSD as a result

on campus, but he hopes it can strengthen

The new dining hall at UCSD would make that campus more kosher-friendly campses have active Hillel houses and some availability of kosher food, but no successfully for a year to start a joint who took part in the discussions, the talks dining hall ended in the summer of 2013, though talks for a Kosher dining hall con-

Halal, which means “permissible” in Arabic, sets several restrictions on food and

meat that was ko-

laws of kashrut, it forbids swine, and both -

suitable for the stu-

Kashrut, halal also forbids consumption of

chapter of MSA,”

to create the station, and the building will also include a prayer room open to all students, according to UTSanDiego, a daily Zev, who graduated from UCSD this year and is now working for the American

At UCSD, though, Jewish students apparently have just a year to wait for a kosher dining hall – and the deal may have Zev said the project was not meant to

it would be nice to help other people out who would go through the same struggles

The proposal for the new dining hall was approved unanimously by UCSD’s Associated Student Council in May 2014, and -

hiring a mashgiach (kashrut supervisor) and buying kosher meat are ones other dining halls do not have and could

Jewish and Muslim students use the same

from Shalhevet to increase probably to

If we see each other as peers in the same school who are eating in the same dining hall, we can have a civil conversation.

We are students first, and being on a progressive campus, we should be able to talk about these things like adults.

dining hall has not been added because the university is not convinced there is enough demand to ensure they would

spring of 2013, UCSD’s Students for Justice in Palestine passed a resolution calling for divestment from companies doing business rael Apartheid” week to UCSD, an event movement, which advocates divestment “We are kidding ourselves if we think there is absolutely no tension between Jewish and Muslim students these days,” things, but it is how we manifest those difpeers in the same school who are eating in the same dining hall, we can have a civil ing on a progressive campus, we should be

Now that we have contact, hopefully other projects will come about we can collaborate on that too.

stop working toward a joint kosher-haMainly, halal meat has no restriction on the equipment it can be cooked on, while According to Shalhevet alumna Ariela kosher options there are limited – and ex-

--Hibah Khan

Hibah also hopes the dining hall experience will lead to a better relationship beCourtesy of Hibah Khan

“This project helped expose the two we have contact, hopefully other projects will come about we can collaborate on

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Outside News

16

BP Photo by Goldie Fields

BP Illustration By Michaela Bieda

TableTalk News to help you shmooze

Israeli election is won

by Netanyahu after all

By Jordan Fields, Staff Writer

LIVE: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed AIPAC conference March 2. Seventeen students from Shalhevet were there.

Students hear Bibi in D.C. and JCC

By Mark Miller, Staff Writer

nior Joseph Schnitzer thought missing class to hear it was

administration to show the speech live in the Auditorium,

said Joe, “it is a necessity to miss class for such an imporistration loved the idea because it was a historical speech

ing a contentious campaign that was followed

The entire school gathered in the auditorium in time for

leaders of the new Zionist Union, of Hamahane

students were on their phones, studying, or talking, but this

According to the Central Election Committee of the 20th Knesset, the prime minister’s conser-

were in Washington, DC, watching the speech live on huge

people of not? All amazing questions, and we wanted the Danovitch could recall another time that class was canceled -

percent of the vote, representing 30 seats in the and became educated about spe-

“He went up there not to tell the administration what to do but to inform the general public,” said Will nian deal that he views as a threat to

he addressed the conference the December after his ruling coalition broke apart

Senior Anna Gordon thought the Prime Minister’s motivation was po-

16,000 people gathered in the same room so support the Jewish booming applause when he was introduced, and an even louder

States Congress, invited by Republican Speaker cized aspects of a proposed international nuclear

in the room was cheering him on

he spoke right before the elections,” BP Photo by Noah Rothman

CONTROVERSIAL: Students watch Netanyahu’s speech to congress at schoolwide assembly.

-

of replacing in international negotiations the current sanc-

-

nium enrichment program and an inspections regime in reation Treaty -- which allows countries to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes -- many countries suspect that

gave the Zionist Union party a four-seat lead

richment activities in 2006, the P5+1 -- comprised of the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France, China, and

Minister must control 61 of the Knesset’s 120

fair to keep expecting everyone to pool so many resources -

The prime minister’s objections aside, a preliminary

Union party seemed to have the most momentum, and many predicted that Prime Minister

-

could ever be stopped from obtaining nuclear weapons, regardless of the

year, the experience strengthened their existing beliefs of

convention, but emphasized that the convention taught her

politician who has the ability to vote to pass this deal or not Supporters of the deal also say that countries like China who have been enforciwng the sanctions might be tiring -

were somewhat repetitive, but that for the most part the experience was quite exciting allowed him to make connec-

17

THE BOILING POINT

Arts & Culture

APRIL 2015

No stage? No problem. Drama invites audience ’

By Maayan Waldman, Opinion Editor

viewed from the back seat.

“There is no limit to what you can do,” Ms. Chase said.

In fact, Jamie Brandli, this year’s playwriting instructor, was one of the writers of The Car Plays, at the famous La Jolla Playhouse near San Diego. Audience members

Ms. Brandli helped the students formulate script ideas and checks in about every two weeks to help develop the stories. Ms. Chase is always around and helps more often.

All the students have had to do major rewrites.

“The more you do it, the better it becomes,” said Ariel Cohen. “I think it will actually be very professional.”

Another challenge is having to create a scene that only lasts 10-minutes.

Previous one-acts have been both longer and shorter, depending on the writer and the story.

Producers and directors are also scenes will go on at the same time students, and each scene has its own student or professional producer, a student writer, and two student acproduction,” a subset of “immertors. The mini-groups meet weekly sive theater,” which is a genre of for 90 minutes. theater that takes place anywhere Mati Davis said the directors also that is not a theater. It’s something receive some guidance. In an intervery new for both the Drama club view, he quoted Ms. Chase as often and the audience, brought about saying, “Don’t sculpt, garden.” In by the lack of a theater space durother words, the directors are taught ing construction of Shalhevet’s new not to form the play, but to let it take building. shape on its own, with comments from not only writers, but actors and from what people are used to,” said directors as well.

BP Photo by Jordan Levine Drama director Ms. Emily Chase.

In all, about 20 students are in“It’s also a way to embrace our re- STAGE: Spring one-acts, in various rooms of this home in Beverly Hills, open next Thursday, May 7. volved in Bart’s Birthday Bash. Some ality this year.” are involved two ways (for example, The home belongs to Shirin director and actor), but there is no and Howard Fialkov, Shalhevet board members who are experienced 10-minute plays performed in the front seat, double casting because the scenes will all be performed at the same time. Every few weeks they meet as a full cast to practices before hand. According to Ms. Chase, audience For the writers, the process of creating the annual get notes from Ms. Chase and Ms. Brandli. members will be escorted in groups of about 15 to watch spring One-Acts has been turned upside-down. In most And while there’s plenty of building going on this year at Shalhevet on Fairfax, one thing Drama won’t have to do this year is build sets. The play is being written according script is written based on the set. revolving around a grandfather’s The writers are freshmen Ariel ing to furniture will stay the same.

Scene changes will involve 100-year-old birthday party – Cohen, Sam Hirschhorn and Zack “The logistics will be interesting,” Ms. Chase said, “but giving the production its name, Hirschhorn, sophomores Tania Bohbot the audience moving from we’re smart and we have both a student and professional Bart’s Birthday Bash. and Liora Rabizadeh, and junior Mati stage manager.” one room to another.

Davis. Most are writing a play for the Bart’s Birthday Bash will run May 7, 10 and 11 at the Fialkov home in Beverly Hills. For tickets, go to shalheof day-to-day action, and has beSome of the writers are acting also, vet.org. and click on the link at the bottom of the home come very popular recently. which helps them with the scripts. page.

“Seeing the process through an actor’s perspective way stations, malls after hours, or even in a series of cars, helps me with my writing skills,” said Liora Rabizadeh, a Traditional theaters, it seems, are too mainstream for Shalhevet Drama. In lieu of renting a theater space as it did last fall for Biloxi Blues, the department will present its annual student-written one-acts inside a private home in Beverly Hills.

The rooms of the home will be the stage. Scene changes will involve the audience moving from one room to another. And every audience member will see the same

By Mati Davis, Arts & Culture Editor Shailene Woodley, playing a woman on the run, looks the leader of the government in the eye, runs at her, crashes through a glass window and suddenly the building around her explodes into tiny fragments as she falls onto the concrete 1,000 feet below — and lives. Though visually exciting, Insurgent, the second in the Divergent series based on the young-adult to the point of ridiculousness.

Based around a young heroine with a group of close friends battling an evil regime, these Hunger Games courage, but in the end even she remains pretty much the same.

Also, the story doesn’t quite cohere.

The plot holes in this movie are as numerous as potholes in downtown LA: people survive bullets shot straight through their chests, a character survives a fall from a skyscraper onto concrete, and characters who are key to the plot disappear after

one minute of screen time.

Shailene Woodley plays a soft-voiced, whiny, pouty heroine, clumsily named Tris, who has a penchant for a muscular man, devoid of emotion, with an equally insipid name: Four. Together they run,

The plot holes in this movie are as numerous as potholes in downtown LA. run and run through Hollywood’s best their destination, they run again.

The patchwork of a plot is loosely held together by a plethora of unrealistic who were stronger and much more experienced than she, and the added cliche of With notable exceptions, the acting was unconvincing, unless you enjoy

the dull murmuring of Theo James (Four). Exceptions were Kate Winslet and Miles Teller.

Kate Winslet, as the pragmatic and cruel leader of the government, cleverly balances the emotional and callous aspects of being a leader.

Miles Teller whimsically provides and good-hearted. The rest of the characters melt into the background.

CGI but the more enhanced scenes looked somewhat realistic.

The resolution of the movie was very abrupt and it’s unclear if another in the series can be made. ate suspense for the next one. But Insurgent ends so predictably that it’s hard to imaging stomaching a sequel. Instead of listening to Shailene Woodley’s piercing face cry yet again, see the next Hunger Games.

Facebook.com/Insurgent

The Boiling Point

18

April 2015

Arts & Cul!re

Unity meets competition as girls’ choirs sing at YULA

By Maayan Waldman, Opinion Editor In an emotional performance that broke new ground for the group, the Lady Choirhawks took second place at the second annual “Neima: Sing It Forward” girls choir competition, sponsored by YULA Girls High School.

The evening combined unity with competitiveness, as a panel of three judges. YULA won the competition with 238 points, compared with 235 for Shalhevet and 183 for Bnos Devorah High School. Shalhevet won last year.

Each group sang three songs, and each group brought its own style and groove. YULA had a new name for its choir – YULA Tiferet – and sang with spirit and smiles.

Jewish themes, along with an a capella setting of Yedid Nefesh by the yeshiva group Lev Tahor. At the end of their last song, they struck a theater-like pose on the stage as the home crowd cheered.

Bnos Devorah sang “Melech Malchai Hamlachim” by Eyal Golan, in perfect Israeli-accented Hebrew. The group also sang the Maccabeats’ “Lecha Dodi,” and “Through Heaven’s Eyes,” from the American musical Prince of Egypt. The last, a very challenging piece to sing without accompaniment, featured diverse soloists with ringing voices, all of whom moved to the front when it came their turn as the rest of the group fell back in smooth choreography.

It was the 22nd night of the Omer, so there were no instruments, and Shalhevet’s girls – used to singing with boys – sang the tenor and bass lines themselves. This in-

I think we reached our potential and we all had a really good time.

-- Sarah Lipman, YULA Choir co-captain

cluded the complicated parts for “Al Hanissim” by Mike Boxer, which the entire choir learned in February to sing with Ramaz. Junior Ariella Cohen once again rocked the

energetic solo. The group also sang “Pitchu Li” by Ramacapella.

In the middle of their set, the Shalhevet girls introduced a new arrangement of Sarit Haddad’s “Shema Yisrael” by junior and Choirhawk vice president time the Choirhawks had performed an arrangement by a student.

Shirel also sang solo through the entire song, with the rest of the girls in rich harmony behind her, and brought the audience to tears.

“While Shirel was singing, I looked around and I saw three women crying,” said freshman alto Sivan Platt. “It was beautiful and it made me feel really good

their energy level, if they had intricate harmonizing, are they keeping beats, and if they were staying on key.” for the competition. YULA was the only choir to see it beforehand, but Mrs. Tombosky told the Boiling Point that wasn’t deliberate.

“I’m sure if [Shalhevet and Bnos Devorah] would have asked, they would have been able to see it,” Mrs. Tombosky said.

Before the results were announced, the atmosphere in YULA Girls’ auditorium was not

at Regionals on the television show Glee. After Bnos Devorah was announced as winning third place, the room was hushed and girls grabbed one another waiting to hear who would win.

After the announcement, the winners cheered and screamed.

The score was deterBP Photo by Maayam Waldman “I think we reached our pomined by three judges who tential and we all had a really gave each school a rating of SING: The girls of the Shalhevet choir perform at the up to 10 points in 10 dif- “Neima: Sing It Forward” competition at YULA Girls High good time,” YULA co-captain Sarah Lipman said. ferent categories on their School April 26. They lost to YULA by three points.

Mrs. Tomosky told the Boilscoring sheets. YULA’s ing Point that she worked with choir director, Mrs. Chava Tombosky, created the list, which included categories for each girl individually and with the group as a whole to harmony, clarity, intonation (pitch), blend, stage presence, prepare for the contest. stage positioning and energy. said, “but we also worked on performance and of course Margy Horowitz, founder of the Jewish Women’s Reper- their vocals.”

Unity through music was an important theme of the tory Company and a director of Halleli and Mrs. Aliza Greenbaum, an occupational therapist who evening, and Mrs. Julia Sebban, mother of Shalhevet juwas asked by YULA at the last minute when another judge nior and Choirhawk Asher Sebban, gave a dvar Torah on this point before the performance started. could not attend.

Ticket sales from the event raised $1,350 for Tomchei “The most important thing for me was ‘Can I understand the words,’” said Mrs.Horowitz. “I also looked for Shabbos.

19

Torah THE BOILING POINT

APRIL 2015

The rabbi on my wall: A legacy of HaRav Aharon Lichtenstein

By Mati Hurwitz, Sports Editor

In the middle of a wall covered with posters of John Wooden, Peyton Manning, and Andrew Luck hangs a small printedout letter from Yeshivat Har Etizon, “The Gush.” Scripted at the bottom left corner of the page is the signature of the true Gadol Hador, HaRav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l.

While I always planned on decorating my room according to my favorite sports decision to give my admission letter from one of the most prestigious Torah centers in the world a central place, simply because of who wrote it.

HaRav Aharon, who died April 20, has long been known as one of the past century. His legacy is founded on his extensive knowledge for Torah, his PhD in English Literature from Harvard, his hesder ideology, and his charming personality and humility.

However, I want to zone in on what he himself may have prized most over his three generations of education: teaching, and spreading Torah, to his thousands of talmidim.

From what I’ve heard from Rabbi Stein, who attended the yeshiva for two

Haretzion.org years, along with a few other friends who went ZIONISM: Mourners at the funeral of Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Aharon Lichtenstein April 21 in Gush Etzion there, I know that HaRav Aharon was so mission is to enroll in a hesder program, reading By His Light and Leaves of Faith real in connecting to the students. Aside which involves learning in yeshiva for a – his two most famous books -- for a from his obvious passion for teaching and sum of time as well as training and posJewish Philosophy class project, I felt like his innovative philosophy – which ShalHaRav Aharon was speaking to my soul. hevet’s hashkafa stems heavily from – he authorities discourage young religious I passionately believe in the Shalhevet was genuinely friendly and caring towards curriculum and pushing back against all his talmidim, his students.

Rav Lichtenstein taught that it was ideal conventional beliefs and viewing a halOne of my friends told me HaRav to balance your religiosity with nationalakhic issue from all lenses. The literature Aharon walked up to him every day ity. His main proof for this was the Jewish scholar spoke to me as he discussed “an before davening and said, “Hi Jonah.” At obligation to protect one another and to ethic independent of halakha,” which bril-

While reading his two most famous books for a Jewish Philosophy class project, I felt like HaRav Aharon was speaking to my soul. in awe when the greatest sage of our generation approached him. As the year went on, my buddy’s nerves calmed as he recognized HaRav Aharon’s approachability. Stories like these contributed to my passion for attending Gush.

In addition, I truly identify with his ideology and Talmudic approach. While

liantly proved how Judaism embodies natural laws of morality that at time may supersede halakhic dilemmas. If my yeshiva decision hadn’t been made already, this powerful writing did.

Then there is his open-mindedness and tolerance. HaRav Aharon likely wouldn’t tell you that it’s okay to not follow Jewish Law, but he would never judge you. I have friends that are from all sorts of religious backgrounds, but I look at them as friends before halakha breakers. HaRav Aharon’s mind was so pure that he would never even in his mind label you as a non-religious Jew. This tolerance for all sects of Jews was evident in his passion for Medinat Yisrael.

HaRav Aharon thought the best way for

defend God’s gift of Israel with glory.

For the record, I received two admission letters from Gush. One was the

But the second was a personalized pdf from the Gadol Hador, himself. Rav Moshe Taragin, who will likely be my teacher next fall, emailed the incoming Gush students on the day of HaRav Aharon’s passing. Rav Taragin told us that Rav Lichtenstein made a point to individualize those letters and send them out when given the option to do so.

I really hope that I will be able to embody his legacy at Gush and throughout my whole life, and that even though he’s gone, I can truly learn to love him like a Manning or a Wooden.

Evolution of a title ensnares potential new faculty hire Continued from Page 1 was willing to speak for the record, multiple sources throughout the Pico-Robertson community have told The but turned it down because she would not have been called maharat – the professional designation being used by all other graduates of the yeshiva. Their curriculum is virtually the same as that of men who receive rabbinic smicha, or ordination.

Rabbi Segal and Rabba Sara Hurwitz, the dean of Yeshivat Maharat, would not discuss Ms. Smith, citing the But if the title was the problem, her situation was part of an evolving tangle not so much over what women can do in Orthodox Judaism, but what they can be called.

Maharat is a Hebrew anagram which stands for manhiga, hilchanit, Toranit, which means spiritual leader, teacher of Torah, expert in halacha. Yeshivat Maharat has graduJune. All graduates so far have called themselves maharat.

“Every single student has a title that we think is imHurwitz. “We work with organizations to come up with a also trying to stay aligned with where the community is politically.” where they are called maharat, she said. No other title has so far been given to a graduate.

Maharat Ruth Balinksy Friedman, a member of the yegregation Ohev Shalom: the National Synagogue in Wash“I believe that my title is important because it conveys to the community that I have completed the necessary amount of study and training to serve as a member of the clergy,” said Maharat Friedman in a telephone interview.

“My training and responsibilities are on the same level as those of what a male rabbi would have, and we serve similar functions. This is important not only to giver proper recognition for the training, but also to convey that women and men should both be respected equally for their

work.

“Just as we would not refer to our female doctors only our female clergy without a title that recognizes their accomplishments.”

Shalhevet Judaic Studies teacher Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg said that for some, the title itself – not the training or

is associated with Nishmat, a school in Katamon, Israel, on women’s higher learning and leadership. The term has received recognition throughout the Modern Orthodox community.

“You have yoetzet halacha and that was a new title, and for a lot of complex reasons that was accepted, and you had rabba, which got pushback,” said Rabbi Segal.

Rabba, which is a feminine version of the word rabbi,

“I think the issue of the title maharat in the Modern Orthodox world is that it is still a politically charged title, smicha with that title to Rabba and Yeshivat Maharat is still not widely accepted across Hurwitz, and was greeted with lots of controversy. the Orthodox world,” Rabbi Schwarzberg said.

Rabbi Avi Shafran, the spokesman for Agudath Israel “For Shalhevet to recognize someone and give the name maharat could be something that could cause Shalhevet of America, spoke strongly against the title maharat in an interview with the Boiling Point. as an institution to be seen as “The maharat title is universally less mainstream than it actuand correctly understood as a ruse, ally is.” instituted when the original rabRabbi Segal agreed with Rabbi Schwarzberg that it is leader was roundly condemned,” said a fairly new title, and said he Rabbi Shafran. did not know what a mahaRabbi Schwarzberg said the situarat who taught at Shalhevet tion is still evolving. would be called. yeshivatmaharat.org “This is part of the growing pains He compared maharat to LEADERS: Maharat Rachel Kohl of the Orthodox community,” said other titles for women in poRabbi Schwarzberg. “Whenever a sitions of Orthodox Jewish Finegold,left,works at Congregation Shaar community goes about change, peoleadership, such as rabba and Hashomayim in Montreal. Maharat Ruth Balinyoetzet halacha – a relatively sky Friedman, right, works at Congregation Ohev needs to be gradual and shouldn’t new designation given to Sholom: The National Synagogue in Washington, become the reason for greater sepawomen empowered to make D.C. All graduates of Yeshivat Maharat have ration within the community.” rulings on issues involving found positions where they can use their title.

Rabbi Segal added that his posiwomen’s changing status of tions on contemporary issues evolve. ritual purity.

“I never put my decisions in stone,” Rabbi Segal stated.

Women trained as yoetzot are now making decisions once assigned only to rabbis, and a yoetzet halacha visits Los Angeles from Israel every few months and is available nilly because some people complain or don’t like my decisions. In any decision I have ever made, if someone says by phone an internet.

“The community makes those decisions about whether to me will you reconsider, my answer is always yeah, I am a title is appropriate,” Rabbi Segal said, “You need look no happy to reconsider.

“There’s always a heavy calculus and I am always willfurther than yoetzet halacha to see that there are new titles, and those titles can become accepted within our commu- ing to reevaluate whether the school has changed, the community has changed, or the world has changed.” nity.”

The term yoetzet halacha, meaning halachic advisor,

The Boiling Point

20

April 2015

Torah

OUT OUTOF OFTHE THE SHADOWS SHADOWS

Ancient tradition meets modern sensibility

By Alec Fields, Torah Editor

W

ith society’s increasingly tolerant attitudes towards rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and those who are changing genders, Modern Orthodox rabbis have been grappling with the role of LGBT Jews within the community in light of halachic proscriptions against hoM o s t Modern Orthodox rabbis say that homosexual Jews can have any role they want within the faith, and should be treated like any other Jew. Jews who are religiously observant and want to live halachic lives, the halachic prohibition itself presents a probtheir faith and religiosity.

“There was a long time in which I had a complicated relationship with prayer and with God and with Judaism as a whole because it seemed to me like there wasn’t a place for me in Judaism,” said Shalhevet alumna Jenny Newman ‘11. “I’m queer, which makes it kind of questionable that I should be able to exist according to Jewish law.”

The halacha in question is based on the verse in Vayikra, Chapter 18, verse 22, that says: “You shall not lie

to read the verse.

“The Hebrew can actually be interpreted several ways,” said Jenny, who is still observant and considers herself

calls for death, is not for a relationship between two men.”

Rabbi Kanefsky said that interpretation does not change the prohibition either.

lie with another man in the same bed as a woman, at the same temporal location (i.e. threesomes).

“Or it could mean As the Orthodox community we are right that a man cannot have now caught between two values that are of sex with another man the utmost importance to us. One value while married,” said Jenacts are not excused from the general, much more pressing edict against adultery. That last one seems more logical to me - especially since nothing about queer sexuality is

is upholding and respecting the dignity of every member of our community, and the other is upholding and respecting the halachic tradition that we have received.

-- Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, B’nai David Congregation

any other point.”

That view, it turns out, was also suggested by Rav Judah HaChassid, the 12th-century Italian kabbalist and author of Sefer HaChassid, according to Rabbi Kanefsky.

“In that sense [it] has validity as interpretation, or precsame time, it does not change the prohibition.”

This is because of the way that halachic processing works, Rabbi Kanefsky said.

“In halachic processing, the connection between the

abomination.”

Rabbis at Shalhevet and in the Pico-Robertson community agree that the prohibition seems clear.

“In my opinion, one cannot deny that the Jewish law prohibits homosexual relations,” said Rabbi Kalman Topp of Beth Jacob Congregation in Bever-

interpretive right, to suggest that what the Torah is forbidding is violent or nonconsensual homosexual sex, a, it’s not clear that’s true from the context, and b., this hasn’t been the way the verse has been interpreted through thousands of years of interpretation,” Rabbi Kanefsky said.

D

of opinion on the Halacha, everyone interviewed by the Boiling Point agreed with Jenny that there is room for LGBTs in Judaism, and that they should be treated like everybody else.

“I think that they do have a place in the Orthodox community, in the Jewish world,” said Rabbi Topp. “I would Both Rabbi Topp and Rabbi Kanefsky would allow LGBT Jews to be members of their shuls, to be counted in a minyan, to receive aliyot, and to participate in all of the shul’s spiritual activities.

Not only do LGBTs have a place in Judaism, but both Rabbi Topp and Rabbi Kanefsky tell others to treat LGBT with dignity and respect.

“It does not matter who someone is, the obway and work towards their inclusion in the community is independently important,” said Jenny Newman would like Orthodox communities to go a step further, accepting transgender Jews as well and viewing them as they see themselves.

tradition, needs to be in the context of marriage and is between a man and a woman.”

Shalhevet Talmud teacher Rabbi David Stein differentiated between the Torah prohibition against homosexual acts with being gay, which he said in and of itself is not proscribed.

“It is not prohibited to be gay, but Judaism does articulate a prohibition against certain homosexual dispute about the fact that there exists a prohibition against homosexual sexual conduct.”

Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky of Bnai David-Judea Congregation said this sets up a tension between competing values.

and violent sexual encounter [that] call[s] forth screaming

person’s religion should be something that brings them love and respect, not just one more arena where they have to experience fear and shame and hide who they are.”

That question seemed to stump the commuon whether or not a transgender man could be sky said he didn’t know.

-

BP Photo Illustration by Gabe Silverstein

TRADITION:

caught between two values that are of the utmost importance to us,” said Rabbi Kanefsky. “One value is upholding and respecting the dignity of every member of our community, and the other is upholding and respecting the halachic tradition that we have received.”

“Halacha does not permit homosexual sex, it simply authority to undo thousands of years of halachic history and precedent.”

B

-

reason for a law and the actual parameters for the law is not so exact,” said Rabbi Kanefsky. “The prohibition comes in absolute terms even though the reason only applies in certain circumstances.”

L

ike Jenny, openly gay Rabbi Steven Greenberg of the Shalom Hartman Institute also says Judaism permits

a single interpretation of a verse, but rather each verse is viewed in the context of other verses, the situation and ter 27, verse 21, to support his view. That verse states:

A sexual relationship, according to Jewish tradition, needs to be in the context of marriage and is between a man and a woman.

- Rabbi Kalman Topp, Beth Jacob Congregation

The chapter contains identical curses for many other prohibited sexual relations, but does not mention homothe text is cursing only violent, nonconsensual sexual acts.

“The reason Torah doesn’t mention sex with a male, in all the curses here, is that … it’s not about violence

A

ll of the rabbis interviewed by the Boiling Point agreed that the funda-

Rabbi Judah Mischel, a frequent guest teacher at Shalhevet who is known as “Rav Judah” at school. quirements to be part of the Jewish community,” said Rav far as a person’s lifestyle, orientation or disposition, what they’re struggling with in their private life, Hashem is the Judge.”

The law in Vayikra, Rav Judah said, can sound “very harsh, and it can sound very absolute.” ic and sensitive and also stay true to our moral code and to what we understand to be divinely established norms.”

Most importantly, the Torah’s laws concerning prohibited sexual relations are not the only laws involved.

“In a healthy, God-centric community there is no room for self-righteousness, ignorance or intolerance,” rah is neighbor as yourself.”

The Boiling Point

April 2015

Torah

21

Rabbi Steven Greenberg:Twice the power of love BP Photo by Jordan Levine

INTERVIEW: Rabbi Steven Greenberg, right, told the BP that gay teens should be optimistic. “The most important thing to know is that God loves you and the Jewish community is getting better,” he said.

By Noah Rothman, Community Editor The Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University has ordained thousands of rabbis since its founding in 1896. Rabbi Steven Greenberg of Boston is no

Los Angeles last fall. “Then you come out to close family members, than parents, then you come out publicly.

“I was already a rabbi. For me it meant taking responsibility for all the gay kids out there. I could no longer call myself a rabbi if I wasn’t a rabbi for them.”

Orthodox rabbi in the world.

Rabbi Greenberg grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He by what he is doing and some have spoken out vehemently went to Yeshiva University and Yeshivat Har Etzion in against him. A hundred Orthodox rabbis signed a scathGush Etzion, one of the most well respected in the world, headed until last week by HaRav Aharon Lichteinstein z”l. commitment ceremony in 2011.

Rabbi Greenberg now works Some of the negativity is in reaction to as a faculty member for the his forays into the media. In 2001, Rabbi Shalom Hartman Institute of TremFor me it meant taking North America. He lives in bling Before God, about the struggles Orresponsibility for all the gay Boston with his husband Stethodox Jews experience growing up and ven Goldstein and their fourkids out there. I could no concealing a secret. year-old daughter, Amalia.

Then, in 2004, Rabbi Greenberg wrote longer call myself a rabbi if I It was at Yeshivat Har an award-winning book titled Wrestling Etzion, also known as “Gush,” wasn’t a rabbi for them. with God & Men: Homosexuality in the that Rabbi Greenberg suspect-- Rabbi Steven Greenberg Jewish Tradition, which won the Koret “When I was 20, I was at Gush and I recognized that I was strongly attracted to another student,” said Rabbi Greenberg. “I told the Rav that I am pulled to both men and women. He responded to me, ‘My dear one, you have twice the power of love. Use it carefully.’”

Rabbi Greenberg received smicha in 1983. In 1999, he he openly admitted to being gay and came out in an interview in the Israeli newspaper Maariv.

“I was already out to family and friends,” Rabbi Greenberg told the Boiling Point in an interview at Starbucks in

award which is an award for excellence in Jewish prose.

Rabbi Avi Shafran, spokesman for Agu-

“What Rabbi Greenberg apparently believes is that elements of the Jewish religious tradition are negotiable, that the Torah, like a Hollywood script, can be sent back for a rewrite,” said Rabbi Shafran in a reaction post titled, “Dissembling Before God – The Agudath Israel Response.”

“That approach can be called many things, but ‘Orthodox’ is not among them.”

Other attacks have been up close and personal. Rabbi

Greenberg described a time when a religious Jew confronted him in New York City.

“I had just come out two weeks prior,” Rabbi Greenberg said. “I was walking in New York and a man started screaming at me, ‘You public homo, you sicko-disgusting, go back to the bars and clubs where you belong.’ me,” he said. “He was looking at some monster that didn’t exist. I didn’t need to be defensive or fearful or hurt or angry -- I need to help him see better.”

He replied more forcefully than usual, he said.

“I responded, ‘I am afraid that I will be your worst nightmare. While I don’t go to clubs, I go to shul, a lot.

I have lots of gay friends and we will push our baby carriages into your shul and we will not leave.”

There has been much progress in attitudes toward homosexuality in the intervening years. But Rabbi Greenberg said it can still be quite a struggle, and teens who think they may be gay should be prepared.

“There is no way all environments will be safe, so learn to be resilient,” Rabbi Greenberg said, “and what that means is that when people say homophobic remarks to you, they are speaking to monsters in their head. You are not the monstrous person.”

And he had this advice for students who might be gay at Shalhevet.

“The most important thing to know is that God loves you and the Jewish community is getting better,” said Rabbi Greenberg. “You will have a great life, relax, get through high school and things will be alright, don’t be too frightened by the future. I promise you that there will be Orthodox communities proud to have you as members.”

Jenny Newman ’11: Coming out

By Alec Fields, Torah Editor

mates at Shalhevet thought spreading the rumor that I was a lesbian was one of the most insulting things they could come up with,” Jenny said. “People were making snide comments about me taking a girl to prom, and how that would be something I would totally do -- and God forbid a lesbian show up at prom.”

Courtsey of Jenny Newman

Many Jews at Shalhevet and around the world struggle with Judaism and connecting to God. But for one Shalhevet alumna, the path has been even harder.

Shalhevet graduate Jenny Newman is a lesbian, though she refers to herself as “queer.” A senior at American University who will attend Georgetown University Law School next fall, Jenny has worked tance from my peers, and from my former hard to reconcile the tension between her teachers, who have all at some point said faith and her sexual orientation.

“The problem is that Judaism doesn’t have a perspective on ho“People were making snide comments mosexuality,” said Jenny in an inabout me taking a girl to prom, terview. “I knew that it would be something that distanced me from and how that would be something I my peers and my history and my would totally do -- and God forbid a culture, because the Jewish Modern Orthodox culture had struggled with lesbian show up at prom. accepting its homosexual congre--Jenny Newman, ‘11 gants.”

As a high school student, Jenny recognized that she was not straight but was unsure of her sexual orientation.

Shalhevet’s sex education lectures never ignorant things about homosexuality.” touched on it.

Only in college did she learn to embrace Active in Mock Trial, she also wrote her sexuality. During her freshman year at and performed in plays, and that she was gay. the chamber orchestra. But her fellow students made comments that were hurtful.

“My class-

“Everything suddenly became a lot less complicated,” Jenny said. “It became a lot easier to be who I was without worrying that people were gonna judge me for it or assume some things about me. It made existing feel like it was suddenly a lot less burdensome.”

Last year, she came out on Facebook -on National Coming Out Day, Oct. 11. To

her surprise, Jenny’s Shalhevet classmates were more tolerant than she had feared.

“The last people I came out to were the close circle of friends I had in high school,” Jenny said. “It was a lot less stressful than I thought it would be.”

Jenny is still religious, and considers herself Modern Orthodox. Even though Jewish laws can be construed to prohibit homosexuality, Jenny maintains her own interpretation of the laws.

“I’ve heard laws about homosexuality the most sensical of which is that the edict against homosexuality serves more as a reminder that one can’t commit adultery even if it’s with someone who’s a member of the same sex.”

Jenny has also considered homosexuality within the context of other prohibitions in the Torah.

“The laws far and above discuss things like cruelty to animals as being abhorrent, discuss things like causing people embarrassment to be abhorrent,” she said.

Her belief about the law stems from her conviction that God cannot hate her.

“If Hashem could truly hate any person that He is responsible for, simply on the merits of who they are, then I give up, and I can’t believe that of the universe, and so I don’t,” said Jenny. “I can’t wrap my mind around the conceptualization that there is something broken about me fundamentally because of who I am and so I have decided that that can’t be a thing.”

And so she has stayed religious.

“I would still consider myself to be Modern Orthodox,” said Jenny.

“I am fairly openly Jewish, I keep kosher. I maintain a fairly regular schedule of praying on my own.”

Shalhevet, she said, was not too helpful in her struggle.

“Shalhevet never really talks about what it means to be gay, or even bisexual, or to be transsexual, and it’s as though that doesn’t even exist,” said Jenny. “It’s always going to be hard when most of the people around you treat your right to marry someone you love and build a family together as a matter of debate, as though you’re less of a person, less of a citizen, than they are.”

Rabbi Judah Mischel, a frequent guest teacher at Shalhevet who taught the boys’ sex ed. classes this year, recommended students struggling with questions of sexual identity speak to their parents, school counselor Rachel Hecht or a member of the Judaic Studies faculty.

Jenny thought school could do more.

“I would hope that Shalhevet teachers and administration continue to be sensitive to the issues that students address,” she said, “and to provide a welcoming community and family environment in which they can feel accepted being who they are regardless of who that is, and that it doesn’t pass judgment on them for that,” said Jenny. r ue Fe orn o h g ar ch M Hirs y e g e n b ell P a sig Mich de d an

22

Sports THE BOILING POINT

APRIL 2015

STRIKE: Jeremy Glouberman’s pitching performance was backed by hits, runs and defense from his team.

BP Photo by Mati Hurwitz

Glouberman pitches a shutout as Shalhevet beats

By Mati Hurwitz, Sports Editor

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Every year I’ve been at Shalhevet we’ve lost to YULA. It’s good to finally get the W against them.

-

-

-

-- Max Helfand, co-captain

-

We’re a good unit - we all like each other and nobody dislikes anyone on the team.

-

-

-- Jeremy Glouberman, co-captain

-

-

-

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Sports

Injury to Simcha Halpert hurts Sarachek run

23

By Sigal Spitzer, Senior Staff Writer

BP Photo by Ezra Fax

TIMEOUT: Coach Colin Jamerson, center, instructs Firehawks during Game 1 at YU March 19.

The team developed a new formule to win: give it to the little brother.

BP Photo by Ezra Fax

Sports Editor Mati Hurwitz contributed to this story.

SHOT: Junior Joe Schnitzer pops a three during loss to HAFTR Hawks of Long Island.

Need help writing your college essay?

Want to perfect your supplementary essays?

Looking to improve your writing skills?

Lynn Rohatiner 310.562.7778 zalissue@gmail.com

The Boiling Point • April 2015 • Sports

24

Lady Firehawks crowned national (Jewish) champs

By Mati Hurwitz, Sports Editor The Lady Firehawks decided to skip the CIF Division

It was a long, hard-fought journey to get to the top of the mountain.

--Coach Ronnie “Flava” Winbush Courtsey of Sigal Spitzer

PARTY: Above, the girls basketball team celebrates its championship weekend in Miami Beach in February. Below left, Sigal Spitzer and Nicole Newman raise their championship trophies. movement.

were vital to the win.

small.

star Na

hevet faced its only competitive opponent in and won the title last year.

her career.

Even the opposition was in awe of the Lady Firehawk

Our motto is to keep everything simple... to play basketball.

--Sigal Spitzer, 12th Grade players.

Court

esy of

Sigal S pitzer

moment.

added.