SEE US IN PRINT: September 2018

SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL • Los Angeles, CA September 2018 • Tishrei 5779 • Vol. 19, Issue 1 shalhevetboilingpoint.com

Anti-gentrification protests challenge kosher restaurant in Boyle Heights

By Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor It would have been news anyway: last spring, a new kosher restaurant opened in Los Angeles -- not in Pico-Robertson or North Hollywood, but in Boyle Heights, just east of downtown and in the center of one of the largest majority-Latino communities in the United States.

But in mid-July, the story changed. Anti-gentrification protesters stood outside the restaurant complaining that the new Asher Caffe would cause rent and real estate prices in the neighborhood to rise. According to witnesses and live video posted by the protestors, they cursed, called the owner racist and chanted pro-Palestinian slogans.

“They were just out of control, very malicious and banging and throwing things,” said David Shalom, son the restaurant’s owner, Mr. Asher Shalom, and a student at Shalhevet from 2008 to 2010. “The next morning they threw feces at our doors.”

The restaurant experienced three rounds of protesting, all of which were led by a group called Defend Boyle Heights, who were unresponsive to emails and other methods of contact attempted by the Boiling Point. Other publications and media, including the Los Angeles Times and CBS Los Angeles, were also unable Continued on page 7

‘LA-BRON!’ Blockbuster deal thrills Laker fans

By Alex Rubel, Sports Editor When former Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, who is widely believed to be the best basketball player of his time, signed a 4-year contract worth $153.3 million with the Los Angeles Lakers in July, Shalhevet’s Laker fans were thrilled.

“In my perspective, it will restore the credibility and legitimacy of the Lakers,” said junior and Firehawk girls basketball star Kiku Shaw.

LeBron, a three-time NBA finals MVP who’s been nicknamed “King James,” comes to Los Angeles with ambitions to dethrone the reigning champion Golden State Warriors and to cement his career as a basketball superstar.

“Bringing LeBron to LA is game-changing,” said Kiku. “His reputation and the expectations LA fans have now gives off a positive tone. “ So far, however, the LeBron deal hasn’t attracted new fans at Continued on page 20

WHAT’S INSIDE...

9 LAINING

CLOSED: Shalhevet’s old student parking lot at the intersection of Fairfax Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard, seen above behind a fence and blue tarp, remains unavailable to students even though construction of the Vinz apartment complex, above center and right, has been finished for more than six months and is no longer using it for construction trailers. School officials expect the lot to open in October after being renovated and landscaped. Meanwhile, students have been given access to the parking lot at Tom Bergin’s Tavern. Stories on pages 1 and 4.

BP PHOTO BY NEIMA FAX

Bergin’s tavern comes to the rescue as reopening of student parking lot is delayed

By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor The parking lot of one of LA’s longest standing Irish pubs is now full of… Shalhevet students?

The famed Tom Bergin’s Tavern, where Mayor Eric Garcetti hosted a St, Patrick’s Day celebration in 2017, is closed now except for private events and St. Patrick’s Day. But its parking lot is right next door to Shalhevet and has now been leased by the school on weekdays for student use.

After a summer of negotiations, Tom Bergin’s opened its lot as of Sept. 12, the first dedicated place for students to park at school in four years.

But the lot is only open until 5 p.m. -- earlier than most co-curriculars end -- and the Agenda Committee decided that only seniors get spots.

According to Agenda Chair Talia Gill, once negotiations were finished, school said it was up to her to decide who would park there. She decided to follow the results of last year’s May 17 Town Hall, where a plurality voted for seniors to get priority over carpools and five other options.

Talia and senior class presidents Talia Abel and Tara Chriki then conducted a raffle during last month’s senior retreat. Winners have the spots for the three months until a long-term decision can be made or another raffle held.

Twenty-three out of 26 seniors who applied for spots received passes. Almost unanimously, they find their mornings more calm.

Senior Jonathan Fishman, who lives in Beverlywood, has more time to sleep.

“I don’t have to look for parking,”said Johnathan. “I’m able to sleep later, because finding

parking takes a while.”

Senior Donna Grunfled, who drives a carpool from Sherman Oaks that includes two sophomores and a junior, said it changes the mood of the drive. They can leave a few minutes later, but still try to be early to beat traffic.

“It’s just a lot less stressful knowing I can leave a couple minutes later, or I’ll be okay sitting in traffic because I don’t need to worry about finding a spot or getting a ticket,” said Donna.

While those with spots rejoiced, the three seniors who did not get parking spaces at Bergin’s -- Isaac Kahtan, Amir Maman and Adira Waldman -- are stuck still scrounging the neighborhood for spots.

“It’s really annoying,” said Isaac, who drives a carpool of five from Beverlywood every mornContinued on page 4

Ms. Segal is first female teacher to get Jewish title at school

By Clara Sandler, co-editor-in-chief Yoetzet Halacha Atara Segal is Shalhevet’s first female Judaic faculty member to have a title other than Ms. or Morah, but neither she nor her husband, Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal, think that the title change is a big deal -- apart from Rabbi Segal’s evident pride in his wife’s accomplishment.

“Get used to it!” Rabbi Segal said gleefully in the cafeteria last week when someone heard him refer to his wife as Yoetzet Segal.

“I think a lot of people are just calling her Yoetzet Segal,” he told the Boiling Point the next day, adding, “I’m using it on a personal level.”

Yoetzet Segal also downplayed the significance.

Torah, Page 9 Torah by heart Male and female students are laining professionally around town

14-15 CAMP

“I am not about titles, it doesn’t make a difference to me,” said Yoetzet Segal, who also is still happy to be called Ms. “I don’t spend a lot of time obsessing over or thinking about titles.”

She also thinks the new one is too long to make her official title.

“Honestly it’s a little bit of a mouthful -- maybe if it were a shorter I would use it more,” she said.

However they downplay it, though, there is no doubt that Yoetzet Segal’s title is, for Shalhevet, historic. For reasons Rabbi Segal has explained several times in recent years -- and explained again in an interview this week -- titles for women in Orthodox Judaism are not simple.

“This has to do with our school being a very diverse school, but trying to maintain that diversity by also aligning ourselves with mainContinued on page 8

Features, Pages 14-15 New ways to be Jewish Sleepaway or just days, summer camps make Judaism feel different

18

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Arts and Culture, Page 18 Asian diffusion Hit movie reveals hidden diversity

2 The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Community Mr. Weslow now principal, Rabbi Block leads Judaic Studies Israel Education.

Mr. Weslow now uses the office that was forShalhevet’s administration still plans to op- merly Dr. Weissman’s.

Other changes involve the school’s Educaerate as a team, but Mr. Daniel Weslow has betional Leadership Team, which now includes come overall principal and Rabbi David Block has assumed responsibility for Judaic Studies, Rabbi Block and Yoetzet Halacha Ms. Atara among various changes and additions in place Segal as well as Mr. Weslow; Dean of Students Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg; Director of College this fall.

Mr. Weslow was General Studies Principal Counseling and Dean of Academic Affairs Ms. last fall, and Dr. Noam Weissman was overall Aviva Walls; Hebrew Department Chair Mrs. principal until leaving mid-year. Now, Mr. Mickey Rabinov; Math Department Chair and Weslow is principal and Rabbi Block has the Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. William Walton; Dean of Student Life Johnny title of Assistant Principal, Judaic Studies.

Rabbi Block is overseeing all Judaic, Israel Ravanshenas; and Director of Educational Supeducation and Hebrew language classes, along port Dr. Ashley Evins.

This year the team is focusing on fostering with davening and the school’s mashgiach Shalhevet’s values, Mr. Weslow said, in addition ruchani, or spiritual counselor, program.

He said he hoped to keep Judaic classes at a to running the school on a day-to-day basis.

He said the team was “charged with the eduhigh level and to make sure they were meaningcational vision and implementaful to all students. tion for the school.”

“I think we’re already We’re just ensuring that the The focus on school values good at that, but it’s someTorah that we learn is the was initiated last spring, Mr. thing we can improve on,” Weslow said. highest class, and the highest Rabbi Block said. “We’re “We did some great work just ensuring that the Torah classes that we run are of the with our faculty during profesthat we learn is the highest highest caliber and our stusional development meetings, class, and the highest classes dents are coming out saying ‘I and hopefully by January we’ll that we run are of the highbe engaging students and parents really experienced everything est caliber and our students in this conversation as well,” said are coming out saying ‘I rethat I could.’

Mr. Weslow. ally experienced everything -Rabbi David Block Rabbi Block is teaching three that I could.’” classes this year: 10th-grade Rabbi David Stein, who Advanced Talmud, 12th-grade now has an office in the new Tanakh and 12th-grade Advanced basement office suite, is still in Jewish Philosophy. charge of the school’s Lahav curriculum, which “It’s been really great,” Rabbi Block said. “I covers Talmud, Tanakh, Jewish Philosophy and

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief

BP Photo by Neima fax RELOCATION: Mr Weslow, now overall principal, has Dr. Weissman’s old office in the admin suite. enjoy working with really talented people, helping to craft and shape in anyway I can the division that we have here and the experience our students have here.”

As Principal, Mr. Weslow is now teaching one class instead of two classes and an advisory.

One less class gives him time to fulfill his other role as principal.

He’s not too concerned about the change in title.

“I’m fine with titles but I just don’t care,” Mr. Weslow said. “When I finish my doctorate, I don’t want to be called Doctor.”

But he’s excited about the changes so far and doesn’t mind the extra responsibility. And with all of this plus his hour to hour-and-a-half long commute depending on the day, he still tries to make time for his family and watch Suits, John Oliver and college football.

“I try my best to have some form of worklife balance,” said Mr. Weslow. “I love where I live -- my wife has a 10 minute commute, my oldest son walks to school, my two younger ones have a 15-minute drive to their school. I love being here; it’s worth the sacrifice of being in the car for two and a half hours a day.”

Calendar

Fairness imposes penalties for missing davening

September

By Jacob joseph lefkowitz brooks, Community editor

fri-sat, sept. 14-15 Freshman retreat

wed, Sept. 19 yom kippur (begins tuesday night, Sept 18)

Thurs, sept. 20 Picture day

sept. 24-30th Sukkot BREAK SUKKOT begins sunday night, Sept 23

October mon, oct. 1 Shmini atzeret tues, oct. 2 simchat torah thurs, oct.11 back to school night wed, oct. 31 glouberman tournament starts

MORE ON THE WEB: LIST: 2018-2019 Just Community representative election results LIST: Showtimes for ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ SLIDESHOW: New faculty offices MUSIC: Mac Miller hits and samples VIDEO: Meet your new teachers VIDEO: First day of school SAC welcome VIDEO: Shalhevet’s repenters VIDEO: Meet the new teachers VIDEO TUTORIAL: How to download school calendar Weekly Candlelighitng and Havdallah times

In response to a greater number of students ditching davening last year, the Fairness Committee wrote a stricter policy regarding davening attendance, and that policy will be continued indefinitely, according to Rabbi David Block, Assistant Principal Judaic Studies.

The policy, which was announced last spring by current Fairness chairs Jordana Glouberman and Jonathan Fishman, was discussed but not voted on at a Town Hall May 10. It mandates increasingly severe consequences each time a student is caught ditching davening, and punishments are greater if lying is involved.

“A number of students had been caught skipping davening and, when approached by faculty, were then being dishonest,” wrote the Fairness Committee in an email response to Boiling Point questions after the new policy was announced. “The Committee convened and proposed a remedy to this school-wide issue.”

The new policy is the first time the Fairness Committee has been formally asked to solve a schoolwide discipline problem with a policy not considered by the Just Community. Dress code, parking enforcement, administration discipline for off-campus behavior and other perennial issues have been the subject of Town Halls often since the founding of the school. Many have been resolved, at least temporarily, by student vote.

Last spring, however, administrators asked the Fairness Committee to work on the davening issue. Led by Fairness adviser Dr. Keith Harris, the committee announced their new policy at Town Hall, saying it had already been accepted by the administration. The policy is not posted in the online Student Handbook or on Schoology.

Under the new policy, if a student is caught skipping davening a first time and admits it, he or she receives a warning, and administration is notified.

“The administration is aware of that student until the end of the semester,” the policy states, according to Fairness’ email to the Boiling Point.

If a student caught the first time lies about it, or is caught for a second time, he or she receives an “out-of-school suspension that is not on the record and [must write] a reflection paper about what the Just Community means to the individual,” the email says.

The third time, the student receives an “out-of-school suspension that is on the record and [writes] a second reflection paper.” An outof-school suspension on record is reported to colleges during the application process.

Other provisions state that students are allowed to contest their punishment; that cases will be deliberated by Fairness; and that students cannot be punished retroactively.

According to the Fairness Committee email, which was not signed by any one person, there have been no reported cases yet.

Dr. Jerry Friedman, who founded Shalhevet with the idea that it would allow students to make as many community decisions as possible, said that Town Hall, not the Fairness Committee was not meant to create policy.

“The Fairness Committee was to deal with individuals who came

to the Fairness Committee feeling something was unjust,” said Dr. Friedman, who helped students write the school’s original Just Community Constitution in 2002.

“The rules and regulations come from the general community,” Dr. Friedman said in an interview. “That means the Town Hall, where it would be brought up in full with both sides expressing opinions and then coming to a vote. And that’s where the rules and regulations should come from. They should not be coming from the Fairness Committee.”

But current Fairness Committee leaders wrote last spring that it was their role as elected representatives to forge policy they believe to be beneficial to students.

“The Just Community is a representative government,” said the committee in its statement. “The Fairness Committee, as an arm of the Just Community, suggests policy based on the deliberations of the members of the committee. Additionally, the Committee considered the sense of immediacy of the situation when making its decisions.”

Agenda Chair Talia Gill disagreed.

“With as much respect to the Fairness Committee and recognizing that they are super important to the Just Community, I’ve never known Shalhevet to be a representative government,” said Talia. “I thought we were a school were democratic ideals.”

She said she would like to help come up with guidelines for Fairness making policies.

“I don’t blame them for making a policy out of the blue, because in Agenda we have very clear guidelines over how to pass a proposal,” said Talia. “We know that it has to go through Town Hall first.

“Fairness doesn’t have those guidelines. So I definitely would be in favor of instituting clear guidelines for how Fairness is supposed to get things done. But I don’t blame them for how they’re doing it now because they have no other direction.”

BP Photo by Alyssa Wallack TIGHTEN: Sophomores prayed during an all-school Shacharit in the gym. A new policy sets three levels of consequences for students who ditch.

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Community

Learning values and flinging toy chickens, 65 freshmen become oriented to Shalhevet

show. Each student had the opportunity to meet new people, express team spirit and get to know new classmates and teachers.

The class of 2022 was welcomed to ShalheThey then returned to Shalhevet where they vet last week with everything from deep discusmet with their advisors and advisory groups in sions of school values to tossing plastic chickens the gym. They also walked to each class on their at the beach, as welcoming activities were exschedule, rehearsing what they would experipanded this year from two days to four. ence on the first day of school. There was also a In addition to the usual two required orienlarge game of jenga. tation days of learning to read their schedules, On the second day of orientation the stumeeting teachers and finding out about Shalhedents gathered in the gym, where Rabbi Ari vet culture, this year’s incoming freshmen were Schwarzberg spoke to them about dress code, invited to an optional program called “Summer the “Shalhevet way,” do’s and don’ts and several Bridge,” held Aug. 20 and 21. Out of 65 freshkey values and messages for which men, roughly 50 attended at Shalhevet stands. These included least one out of the voluntary Common Good, Dialogue, Joy, days.

Engagement, and the idea of reachLed by a mixed group of ing out of your comfort zone and staff and seniors, it focused on to try things that one wouldn’t othbalancing students’ work life erwise consider. and social life, organization “Learning is done for the sake strategies, how to communiof learning and for the sake of cate with teachers and goal-setgrowth,” Rabbi Schwarzberg said. ting, Seniors Honor Fuchs One of the values discussed was and Nathaniel Sadeghi, who the idea of learning for its own sake led some of the exercises and -- in Hebrew, Torah lishmah. Rabbi shared personal stories of their Schwarzberg said it isn’t just about experiences at Shalhevet. completing your homework and Student reaction was overturning it in, or memorizing the whelmingly positive. material and spitting it back in an ”I was expecting intiessay. mate icebreaker games,” said Rather, he said, it is about takninth-grader Amanda WanBP Photo by Neima Fax ing concepts, morals and ideas non. “But, within the first five that are taught within the Shalminutes at the beach, I saw peo- TEAM-BUILDING: On-campus activities liked Jenga encouraged teamwork and collaboration. hevet walls and applying them to ple launching chickens towards your day-to-day life, whether through targets and pizzas being thrown prayer, social interaction, school or elsewhere. es and made their way to Santa Monica beach, through hula hoops.

“I’m really happy that we got the chance to “This gave us the chance to connect without where they played games for two hours.

“I was really nervous to suddenly be placed get to meet new people, some of our teachers, feeling the social pressure of high school,” she in a new environment filled with new kids that and get a feel for the school environment,” said added.

I didn’t know,” said freshman Zoe Amzalag. Zoe. “I now feel less stressed out and a lot more Freshman Henry Fried appreciated the stu“Although I noticed some familiar faces, it was prepared for high school.” dent input.

The Summer Bridge program was run by “Being able to hear things from the per- awkward and and a little bit uncomfortable to Educational Support staff Ms. Ashley Evins, walk up to them and start talking to them.” spective of students who have been in my shoes Ms. Jen Hurvitz and Ms. Valencia Wilson; At the beach, they gathered on the sand helped me feel less anxious about the academic where they were divided into eight teams for a Guidance Counselors Ms. Gabriela Marcus and part of high school,” said Henry.

On the following days, Aug. 22 and 23, game based on Survivor, the famous reality TV Ms. Esther R’bibo.

By Talia Tizabi, Ninth Grade

Will I really change?

By Naomi Ornstein, ninth grade Aug. 29, my first day as a student at Shalhevet High School. My first day of an ongoing four-year journey.

The feeling of being the youngest in a school was something I hadn’t felt in a while. Walking the halls that day brought back memories of being new to school on my first day of kindergarten.

For the previous four years, I had only looked at Shalhevet as my older brother’s school, a place where I knew he felt at home. That Wednesday, at time I felt as if I was still in my older brother’s shadow, and having a junior scream out “Oh my God, that’s Daniel Ornstein in a wig!” as I walked into davening merely reinforced that feeling. However, I knew that as school went on, I would establish my own presence and identity.

Knowing that these next four years would shape my own future and solidify my identity was scary. And knowing how much I was going to change over the next four years was even scarier.

I spoke to a senior at Shalhevet the other day about everything from classes to friendships. I took in everything she said but there was one thing she told me that I couldn’t get out of my head. “As a freshman I would have never guessed I would end up being friends with the people I consider my best friends today, it’s crazy how much my friend group has changed.”

I couldn’t believe it. My initial thought was that I loved my friends and I knew for a fact that I wanted to stay close to them throughout high school.

After giving it a lot of thought, I realized that the main reason I was scared was that I knew things would change.

Change is a frightening thing. Our brain is used to our routine in which we do the same things over and over again, and when our routine changes our brain has to adjust as well.

I then realized that accepting change would be way easier than resisting it, and that not only would my surroundings change, but so would I. I am going to mature in many ways, and am going to develop new thoughts and opinions about both myself and others, and in the end it doesn’t matter if I have the same opinions or friends as I did freshman year. What matters will be that I have tried new things and taken advantage of all the incredible opportunities in front of me.

IN THIS ISSUE: Community, Pages 1 - 4 Outside News, Pages 5 - 7 Torah, Pages 8 - 9 New Teachers, Pages 10 - 12 Features, Pages 13 - 15 Opinion, Pages 16 - 17 Arts, Pages 18 - 19 Sports, Page 20

3

mandatory orientation was held at Shalhevet, and the beach was involved once again.. The students were introduced to the Shalhevet community as a whole, including the building, lockers, procedures, values and some of the faculty and staff.

On the first day, they gathered in the Beit Midrash, many seeming to sit alongside friends they knew from middle school. The day began with davening at followed by a breakfast on the patio.

After that, they were joined by several staff members and returning students boarded bus-

Summer construction: New colors, better acoustics and a space for non-profits at school

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-In-Chief Artwork lines the basement hallway, red accents paint the pipes, and new offices mean more teachers now have space of their own.

Summer at Shalhevet meant this construction and more, beginning just as classes ended.

“Even during finals, we had already started in places that we wouldn’t be making noise, like the basement,” said Chief Operating Officer Ms. Sarah Emerson. “All over the school, we’re looking to brighten and to beautify.”

Not all the changes were cosmetic -- the third-floor large Beit Midrash, known for constant echoes, had acoustic paneling installed to improve acoustics. But red or blue accents now color pillars, pipes and some walls in many rooms, and many new offices have been built.

Tech director Nick Parsons has a newly built office in what was a wide second-floor hallway, and the basement has a new office suite, which houses a program for Jewish nonprofit organizations including the LaHav curriculum.

In a development that Ms. Emerson described as the most significant, acoustical paneling was installed on the ceiling and some walls in Room 305 -- the large Beit Midrash -- along with new carpeting on the floor.

Junior Maya Tochner had classes last year and the year before.

“When someone in front of you would talk, you couldn’t hear anybody in front of them, and it was really hard to hear people,” Maya said.

“But now it’s noticeably quieter, not in people’s voices, but you don’t hear echoes and you don’t hear every time a pencil drops on the floor.”

Ms. Emerson said the room -- which is the largest meeting space in the building except for the gym -would now be better for large groups.

“It’s not something BP Photo by Neima Fax that you necessarily notice when you walk SPACE: Technology Director Nick Parsons has a newly built office that used to be part of a in, but it definitely has wider hallway. Five teachers also got their own offices for the first time this year. improved the quality of fully get involved with these nonprofits and sound,” Ms. Emerson said.

In the basement, a suite made up of three hopefully learn what it takes to develop a Jewish offices and a conference room is housing a new nonprofit.”

Yoetzet Halacha Atara Segal, who also serves “co-working” program being run by former as Israel Guidance director, and Hebrew lanHebrew teacher Ms. Shoshana Robinson. The guage chair Mrs. Mickey Rabinov are sharing program hopes to integrate Jewish nonprofit organizations into student culture by offering the office where Mr. Weslow’s office used to be in the second-floor administrative suite. them office space at school.

Rabbi Block is now next door, whereMs. In addition to Ms. Robinson, Judaic Studies Aviva Walls used last year. Ms. Walls now works teacher Rabbi David Stein has his office there for the LaHav curriculum, which was created at from the third floor college counseling office along with new college counselor and SAS PsyShalhevet and is now in use around the world.

Also there is an organization called Yesh chology teacher Mr. Eli Shavalian.

Also on the third floor, Room 307, which Tikvah, co-founded by Mrs. Gila Block, wife of Assistant Principal Rabbi David Block, who has was previously a small classroom, has been dithe suite’s third office. According to its website, vided into two offices: one for SAC Director Yesh Tikvah’s goals are to help couples strug- and Judaic Studies teacher Ms. Ilana Wilner gling with infertility and to raise awareness of and one for Dean of Student Life Dr. Jonny the problem throughout the Jewish community. Ravanshenas, who worked in a first floor office “We now have a space for these nonprofit last year.

In Dr. Ravanshenas’ old office now is new organizations that align with Shalhevet’s misDevelopment Director Ms. Cheryl Wolf. sion and values to work and grow,” Ms. EmFor a slideshow and more on construction, erson said. “It’s not just for the benefit of the nonprofits, but also for our students to hope- please visit shalhevetboilingpoint.com.com.

4

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Community

Shalhevet student parking: a winding history

Parking Lot First Opened

Rabbi Segal Announces reconstruction of Building and sale of 2/3 of the lot

Shalhevet and alliance residential win construction permits. Parking lot will be used by Alliance Residential until both buildings are finished

Demolition begins, school moves to JCC

Shalhevet new building opens

Vinz apartment complex opens, alliance vacates student lot

Non-binding vote at Town Hall decides on senior priority for spaces

Carthay Circle HPOZ approves landscaping plan for student lot. Tom Bergin’s lot opens; old student lot likely to open after Chagim

BP Graphics by Zev Kupferman and Talia Cohen

Reopening of old student parking lot delayed

By Jacob joseph lefkowitz brooks, Community editor Long-awaited access to the old student parking lot at Fairfax and San Vicente will most likely be delayed until after the chagim, school officials announced Aug. 23, dashing the hopes of student drivers, carpoolers and long-distance commuters less than a week before the first day of school.

According to an email sent only to parents, the school was waiting for written approval from the Carthay Circle Historic Prevention Overlay Zone (HPOZ) board -- part of the Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources -- and completion of the fence and plantings that the board okayed on Aug. 16.

“We just received final approval” to use the lot across the street from campus, PrinBp Photo By Neima Fax cipal Mr. Daniel Weslow wrote in the email.

But at the end of August, approval had OLD: The parking lot, which students used until four years ago, is being renovated with a new fence and shrubbery. still not been received in writing. It was finally Meanwhile, Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal said there are also sent Sept. 8, and installation of a new fence and five to 10 teachers who can’t get into the on-campus faculty lot, and shrubbery is set to begin soon.

Located at the northwest corner of the intersection closest to that spots need to be reserved there for guests as well.

Some thought the Tom Bergin’s lot could be used for those, school, the old student lot was used only by Shalhevet students since they’re so close to school. But Rabbi Segal said he’d rather give from the time the school moved into its old building until the sumstudents the Bergin’s parking so that fewer students would have to mer of 2014, when Shalhevet moved temporarily into the Westside cross busy Fairfax Avenue.

Jewish Community Center as work on the new building began.

“I’d like to believe that students follow all of our requests and are Shalhevet Chief Operating Officer Ms. Sarah Emerson said the not crossing where they shouldn’t be,” Rabbi Segal said. “But I’ve HPOZ board, which meets twice a month, approved the school’s seen and know that students sometimes make poor decisions about proposal for the fence and shrubbery on Aug. 16. that when they’re running late for a class, or they But the city planning department wanted to be don’t see oncoming traffic.” sure the work conformed with HPOZ standards, That would mean spots could be reserved in which had not been set in advance. Mr. Jonathan There was concern among the old student lot -- ironically -- for teachers.

Kaplan, the city staff member of the HPOZ board, Until the Aug. 23 email was sent out, stucommunity members that responded in an email Sept. 7. dents had been anticipating a back-to-school end the fence and landscaping “There was concern among community memto several years of either scrounging for metered bers that the fence and landscaping the school was the school was proposing parking on surrounding streets or paying $15 for proposing should conform with HPOZ standards should conform with HPOZ all day at the Peterson Automotive Museum at in its height, design and materials,” Mr. Kaplan Fairfax and Wilshire, two long blocks north of standards in its height, wrote. the school.

“The HPOZ process was especially important design and materials.

Opening the lot at Tom Bergin’s ended our in this case, as the conditions of approval that led -Jonathan Kaplan, Carthay years of improvising that was originally expected to the project did not specify any of these elements.

Center HPOZ board staff to be just two. When Alliance Residential purThere was also concern that trees and landscaping chased two-thirds of Shalhevet’s old location -should be compatible with the district.” which encompassed everything from the north According to Mr. Kaplan, in July, Rabbi Segal end of the current building to the corner of San worked the city to plan a fence and landscape design that appealed Vicente on the south -- it was agreed the student lot could be used to both Shalhevet and the HPOZ guidelines. for construction trailers during what was expected to be a single “Though the Board unanimously approved it, the question of the allowable height of the fence and landscaping according the Los year of construction of the Vinz.

In exchange for using the lot for its trailers during construction, Angeles Municipal Code had still not been determined,” wrote Mr. Alliance agreed to return it to Shalhevet in better shape than it reKaplan. In an email response to Boiling Point questions. “So before ceived it, according to Ms. Emerson. an approval for the project could be issued, the applicant (Shalhevet With the completed Vinz and its apartments for rent, students High School) needed to find out what that allowable height was.”

Mr. Kaplan said that information was provided by Rabbi Segal were getting excited to finally have an easily accessible place to park.

“Because I’m from the Valley, there’s often a lot of traffic and it’s on Sept. 6 and the final written approval was issued by the HPOZ quite unpredictable at certain times,” said senior Donna Grunfeld, board the next day.

Meanwhile, parking for students has opened at Tom Bergin’s who lives in Sherman Oaks. “And if I don’t find a parking spot Tavern, the school’s immediate neighbor to the north on Fairfax across the street, which is free, then I run the risk of getting a ticket by parking on San Vicente.”

Avenue. (See related story, page 1.)

She said Mondays had been a particular problem because of area Alliance Residential, which used the student lot during construction of the Vinz apartment complex next to school, is now parking restrictions for street-cleaning.

“I think having a parking lot would make Mondays a lot easier,” taking the reins on the project and has begun construction. Ms. Donna said. “Parking is literally impossible on Mondays.”

Emerson believes that the work on the site may still take until after Currently, the lot is empty, surrounded by a chain-link fence Sukkot, which ends Oct. 2, or possibly later. with overgrown weeds and uneven asphalt with cracks in it. When Mr. Weslow did not disagree.

“I used ‘imminent’ in a broad sense,” Mr. Weslow said last last used, it had 23 spaces, according to Boiling Point archives, and was just an easy walk across the street from Shalhevet. month. After four years, another few weeks is relatively soon.

With construction of the Vinz, a 200-foot left hand turn lane Ms. Emerson also said school officials have yet to come to a decision on questions including whether there will be security and was added to Fairfax, which would take away a few spots.

Rabbi Segal said that at the moment, the administration is not what time the lot will open and close. looking at making its own decision on who can park where.

She said the school made an extra effort to get a deal done Tom “We’re just trying to get a sense overall of how many spots we Bergin’s to accommodate students during the delay.

Once the old student lot is available, the Agenda Committee need,” Rabbi Segal said Aug. 24. “I think we’ll give that information and the Just Community would begin discussing a long-term deci- to the Agenda Committee and ask them.” sion for both lots, Mr. Weslow said.

Bergin’s tavern parking lot opens for seniors, first at school in 4 years continued from page 1 ing. “I come early to go to Sephardic minyan every morning. And it’s frustrating because there are kids who just drive themselves every day back and forth when my route is more beneficial to everybody else and they take up a spot that I could potentially use.”

Talia says she wanted to stick with the results previously voted on by the Just Community for the temporary decision.

Because Isaac comes to school so early -- he arrives at 6:45 a.m. -- he usually can find a spot on Fairfax. The Minyan will start later once Yom Kippur passes and Selichot is over. But if he did

“If I didn’t go to Sephardic Minyan at 6:45 every morning, there’s no chance I’d find parking every day and I’d probably have to go to Peterson and pay $20.”

Adira has also noticed the lack of competition for on-street parking spots.

“At first I was really upset about it,” said Adira. “Last year, I would get to the light on San Vicente usually by 7:50, but would always end up late to first period because it took so much time to find a parking spot, park, and walk several blocks to school.

“So far this year it hasn’t been terrible. Since

most seniors have spots, there’s a lot more room on San Vicente, especially spots closer to school. I’m glad there’s another raffle in a couple months though.”

While parking does make life easier for seniors, the rules for parking at Bergin’s are strict.

Students are only allowed to park in the lot from 8 am. Until 5 p.m. from Mondays through Fridays. Students going to Hashkama can park earlier on weekdays.

But if they park in the lot at any other time -- or if they stay past 5 p.m. for co-curriculars -- they will be towed, said Mr. Weslow.

Tom Bergin’s was originally opened in 1936 as The Horseshoe Tavern. It moved south to its current location in 1949.

The pub has recently gone through financial struggles and has had to shrink its time open to only special events.

It was a change to have good news about student parking. Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal is not worried that the lot’s history and associations will influence students.

“Given how perfect Shalhevet students are, I’m not even sure they will notice it’s a bar,” Rabbi Segal joked.

5

Outside News SEPTEMBER 2018

MEANWHILE...

By MOLLY LITVAK, outside news editor

JULY 9th

President Trump nominates Judge Brett Kavanaugh, of the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, to replace veteran Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy who announced his retirement June 27.

Worldwide phenomenon “Bird” electric scooter rental company is valued at $2 billion.

Last of 12 members of a Thai youth soccer team is rescued from a cave 10th

in Mae Sai, Thailand, after being

Brazil museum fire burns history from centuries The 200-year-old National Museum of Brazil was burned to a crisp on Sunday, Sep. 2, after a fire which all of its contents including research labs and decades of research, preservation and scholarship.

There were no injuries but almost all of the 20 million items housed in the museums were destroyed.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but according to Brazil Culture Minister Sergio Sa Leitao, it may have been a paper hot air balloon landing on the roof of the museum.

The fire started at 7:30 p.m. local time when the museum was closed. For hours afterwards, firefighters were working to put out the flames, according to The New York Times, which also mentioned that the museum had no fire suppression system and that budget cuts had reduced maintenance service.

Located in Rio De Janeiro, the museum was the oldest scientific institution in Brazil and in its collection was the oldest human fos-

BP Drawing By Sam Rubanowitz sil in Latin America, known as Luzia. The day after the fire, about 500 Brazilians gathered at the gate of the museum and protested the budget cuts made to the museum, which they believed led to the fire, according to BBC. -- By Nicholas Fields, Torah Editor

trapped for 17 days in a maze of mostly underwater tunnels that

To save the oceans: No more plastic straws?

were filling up as the rainy season began. All players and their coach were successfully rescued, but one rescuer died in multi-national effort to save them.

Scoring its second-ever World Cup 15th

victory, France beat Croatia 4-2 in soccer the day after Bastille Day, the national holiday of France.

AUGUST Israel air forces kill seven ISIS mil2nd

itants approaching the Israel-Syria border, less than 218 yards away, in Syria’s Golan Heights. The terrorists belonged to the Islamic State group’s Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade. Jordanian troops were also faced with ISIS militants approaching their Jordan/ Syria border, and they also killed a number of them.

U.S. Senator, two-time Republican

presidential candidate and Vietnam 25th war hero John McCain of Arizona dies from brain cancer at age 81.

He was eulogized Sept. 2 by former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

In a double upset, Trump-endorsed 28th

Ron DeSantis won the Republican primary, while Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum won the Democratic primary to become the first-ever African-American governor nominee in that state. As of now, Gillum has slight lead over DeSantis, but it is still too close yet to call.

Pepsico buys Israel-based SodaStream for $3.2 billion On Aug. 20, another Israeli company came off the shelves, as SodaStream sold to U.S.-based PepsiCo in a deal valued at $3.2 billion. Following the sale, PepsiCo stated that it would allow the home soda-making company to retain its independent brand and operations in Israel.

It was the latest in a series of multi-billion-dollar deals for Israel, including most notably the sale of Mobileye, the automotive technology company, to Intel last year for $15.3 billion. Israel’s diverse economy is the strongest in the Middle East and surpasses countries globally with much larger populations; in 2012, it had the third-most companies represented on the NASDAQ of any country in the world, trailing only the US and China, according to (nasdaq.com) SodaStream markets itself as a healthier, environmentally friendly make-at-home soda alternative, reducing aluminum and plastic waste.

But SodaStream’s journey to success was not as bubbly as other Israeli companies’. Controversy arose when the company began manufacturing in a town called Mishor Adumim, which is located in the West Bank. Company CEO Daniel Birnbaum said he intended to build bridges between Israelis and Palestinians with his factory over the Green Line.

Shortly after the factory’s opening, however, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) held several walks to call attention to its boycott of SodaStream, and in 2015 the company relocated the factory to the Negev, in southern Israel. According to news reports, around 500 Palestinian employees lost their jobs.

It may be time to start carrying around a reusable straw.

More and more cities and restaurants have declared a ban on plastic straws in hope of reducing pollution.

Starting with Seattle, which imposed a city-ban of plastic straws in all bars and restaurants on July 1, many cities in the U.S have already enacted legislation to ban the item. New York City, California and Hawaii have pending straw-ban rulings. In fact, Seattle not only banned plastic straws but plastic utensils as well.

Additionally, many restaurants have made their own regulations, and Starbucks even committed to ban plastic straws in all stores by the year 2020.

According to the New York Times, studies in market research firms say the number of daily plastic straw uses in America is between 170 million and 390 million a day.

According to Business Insider, the movement to ban plastic straws might have begun in 2015 with a turtle. A graduate student was researching turtles in Costa Rica when she found something unusual on one of the animals. Her initial thought was that it was a parasite, but it was discovered to be a plastic straw dug into his nose. That drew attention to the question how plastic pollution might be affecting marine life.

However, plastic pollution from the U.S. may not be an especially big a contributor to the problem. According to the American Council on Science and Health, using a study from the Environmental Science and Technology Journal, Asia and Africa account for 88 to 95 percent of plastic pollution in the ocean. According to Science Magazine, America accounts for .28% of mismanaged plastic waste per year.

What will these popular sippers be replaced by? At Starbucks, your drink will either come with a strawless lid or with a paper straw. Other restaurants are hopping on the bandwagon as well. According to The Last Plastic Straw, which advocates alternatives, another is made of bamboo.

However, CNBC has reported that distributors say paper straws cost much more to manufacture.

“Paper straws cost about 2½ cents, compared with a halfcent for plastic straws,” said Adam Merran, CEO of PacknWood.com, told the business network.

Starbucks has not yet announced if its stores’ new lids will cause an increase in the price of their drinks.

-- Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor

-- Jackson Resin, 10th Grade BP Drawing By Caroline Edry

6 The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Outside News From fact-checks to Facebook, Shalhevet alum helps IDF tell its story Rachel Lester ‘12, in IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, has designed English-language graphics and videos to supplement news media in the West Another challenge, she said, is the speed of Imagine you’re watching gruesome raw footage of people run- social media. She said ning with weapons, setting fire to wide swathes of land and threat- she spends so much fact-checking, ening harm. Now imagine you are in charge of trying to send these time going through the deimages out to audiences all over, but you know that most likely, in tails and confirming most of the world they will never be seen.

Rachel Lester, Shalhevet class of 2012 and now serving as a pri- with her officers that vate in the Spokesperson’s Unit of the Israel Defense Forces, faces the world has already been informed by oththis struggle all the time. It’s her job.

The problem was particularly acute during last spring’s Gaza up- er sources that may or rising. Although she’s fluent in Hebrew, Rachel was working on the may not go through every detail in the English-language social media desk.

“I was really frustrated sitting at my computer watching all this manner that she and footage, knowing that most people [outside of Israel] will never see her unit do.

“There’s a lot of it because it’s not going to make the news,” Rachel said in an inirony in the fact that terview while she was in Los Angeles on leave during the summer. fewer people believe “Seeing the rioters with weapons … seeing the ones cut through the fence and then get caught on our side of the border,” she con- our side because we tinued, “and go through interrogation and say, ‘Yeah we were sent take too long making sure it’s completely acby Hamas, we don’t want to be here.’”

After high school, Rachel attended Stern College of Yeshiva curate before we put it Photo By Samantha Sharpe University for a year and then transferred to USC, where she ma- out,” said Rachel.

Rachel thinks Shaljored in Cognitive Studies and minored in Digital Studies. While SUNRISE: IDF Private Rachel Lester posed with her camera at the end of the Nahal Beret March up Masada last summer. at Shalhevet, she was active in Boiling Point, choir, softball and hevet and her jobs at The Boiling Point preyearbook. cluding her senior trip at Shalhevet, Birthright and volunteering for After graduating from college, she made aliyah, worked with pared her for this role. two months in 2014 as a civilian in the army.

She remembered the intensity of newspaper production nights, the Stand With Us and participated in ulpan (intensive Hebrew lanWith the help of these trips and her high school education, she myriad details of layout, and the need for all stories to be on time, guage training) until joining the IDF last Nov. 22. thought her Hebrew was pretty decent and didn’t realize how much The Spokespersons Unit’s main job is to report on what IDF fact-checked and thorough -- along with combining co-curriculars she was lacking until taking IDF basic training -- where she imsoldiers are doing and sharing that information with the rest of with schoolwork. proved by “a million levels.” But since she works in international “I really can’t emphasize enough how if I didn’t go to Shalhevet the world. For example, during the recent Gaza protests leading to media, she spends the majority of her time speaking English on a Nakba Day, the unit tried to articulate exactly what was going on I’d be such a different person and that person would not survive day-to-day basis. and how IDF soldiers are responding. Rachel’s job is video editor in the army,” she said. “Production night [at The Boiling Point] Still, being an American in the army is a challenge. is what the army is like everyday. The stress management that you and graphic designer.

“American culture and Israeli culture are very different,” she learn as a high schooler, that’s what it’s really like in my job.”

However, she’s not really sure it is possible. According to Rachel, said.

“Being an American in the army means thinking with a brain Boiling Point faculty advisor Mrs. Joelle Keene said Rachel is no one outside the country can actually understand the logistics of you’re not used to.” the only BP staffer ever to have won national prizes for both writing the recent protests.

She said working in the real world and in the israeli army entails “It’s a battle that’s impossible to fight -- it’s like explaining color and page design. She said Rachel was was multi-talented, and at replacing your norms with the norms around you -- including the various times served as Features Editor, Chief Layout Editor and to a colorblind person,” Rachel said. “North American audiences norm of democracy and student decision-making she remembers don’t understand terrorism, to say that there are 30,000 people on Managing Editor, among other positions.

Mrs. Keene said Rachel was an original thinker who helped well from high school. the border, many of them armed and successfully infiltrating, [that] Nevertheless, Rachel’s transition wasn’t that difficult. Unlike move the paper forward and was always looking for they have kites that are burning many who may wait months and months to join the army, she new work to do. land…

“She was extraordinarily hard-working, moral made aliyah in July and was in the IDF in November. She was in “Most of those things are and focused,” said Mrs. Keene. “For her to have the basic training with mostly international people who had also made concepts that North Americans talent and excitement about stories and the imagina- aliyah recently, so she wasn’t the only non-Israeli in her group. She can’t even imagine, so to say that tion for layout that she had, and then be able to use never felt like she didn’t know what she was doing. the army is responding to threats In fact, something that surprised her about being in the army them both in the service of a complex situation like that people can’t even imagine is is how much of an impact she’s been able to have as such a new the situation in Israel, is a gift to the Jewish people.” not going to make an impact.” soldier.

According to her, she finished basic training on a Tuesday, Art teacher Roen Salem remembers Rachel’s maarrived at her post on a Wednesday, and saw her first graphic posted turity.

According to Rachel, the “We all enjoyed her,” Ms. Salem said. “She worldwide on Facebook Wednesday night. purpose behind the protests was seemed very mature for her age compared to other for the Palestinians to take back An average day during a calm period means getting to her kids. I noticed a big smile all the time.” their what they consider their station in central Tel Aviv at 9 a.m., joining a morning meeting And although Shalhevet may have helped in preland after 70 years of Israel’s exisparing her for the army, other things contributed to to discuss what the day will bring -- contacting representatives in tence there. Members of Hamas, Rachel’s desire to enlist. One of the most influential different units, for example,to find something interesting to film, or Palestinians sent by them, was at a conference for the group Christians United or a ceremony or event. Sometimes she edits a video from footage would go to the Gaza border sefor Israel, when she was entering her senior year at someone has sent her. curity fence every Friday up unAnd in spite of the difficulties she faced, she believes videos she USC. She happened to meet a fellow Jew who was til May 19, Nakba Day -- “day edited about the Gaza protests had some success. in charge of the event, guiding the IDF soldiers that of the catastrophe” in Arabic, “My most successful videos have been the ones where I wrote Facebook.com were speaking. which mourns the displacement DESIGN: This graphic was written and designed “We were talking and he was like, ‘I love my life, my own scripts, and I put it into context so that is more relatable of many Palestinians after Israel’s

by Rachel Lester and posted on the IDF’s website I have a great wife, great kids, I love my job, but the for our audiences,” she said. “The first video about the kites and the independence was declared the May 30, when 28 mortars were fired from Gaza one thing I regret is not going in to the army when I fires, I put in the script, ‘oh it burned 6,100 acres of land.’ Then day before. into Israel, one hitting a kindergarten yard. could have,’” Rachel said. “I don’t think it was the first I wrote, ‘That’s two Central Parks, 22 Disneylands, 1300 football There were tens of thousands time I heard it but it was the most important one. This fields.’And that was the one that got a couple million views.” of Palestinians attending, she Does she believe peace will come? was the last age I could serve and I knew if I didn’t do said, many rioting and many not.

“If the Palestinians ever rise up against Hamas and find a moderit, I would regret it.”

According to Rachel, the ratio is impossible to know. ate party to govern them, then I would be really hopeful,” she said.

Even when the Spokesperson’s Unit does manage to articulate Before making aliyah, Rachel had been to Israel five times, in- “But while Hamas is continuing to oppress their people I don’t see things, many world media sources don’t use what the IDF reports. how that could happen.”

By Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor

Check your freezer: Salmonella outbreak in Empire chicken from last spring

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief

BP Photo Honor Fuchs POULTRY: Seventeen cases, including one death in New York, have been linked to Empire chicken that was sold between last September and June.

The USDA has issued a public health alert for Empire Kosher Poultry because of “possible Salmonella contamination.”

The notice, issued Aug. 24, states that this contamination may have affected chicken sold between September 2017 and June 2018. All reported illnesses in the outbreak were from that time.

Anything purchased recently is not involved.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said it and Empire were issuing an alert “out of an abundance of caution.”

“FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers,” the alert says.

“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to properly handle, prepare, and cook these raw chicken products.”

A subsequent announcement, made by the Centers for Disease Control. said that one person in New York had died in the outbreak and 16 others were sickened, most in New York and Pennsylvania.

“In interviews, ill people reported eating kosher chicken, and when asked about the specific brand eaten, several people reported Empire Kosher brand,” said the CDC. Salmonella is a bacteria that causes fever, pain, diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration and sometimes can lead to death in people very old or very young.

If frozen, it can be infectious when defrosted.So meat that was frozen last spring could find its way into

holiday meals this month.

Biology teacher Dr. Elizabeth Basheer said it’s always important to cook your chicken all the way through and clean it properly -- not just when an outbreak has been reported.

“Chicken naturally within the muscle has this salmonella,” Dr. Basheer said, “and if it’s not cooked thoroughly to the center, salmonella can still be in the very center of the meat.

“When we’re handling it we don’t want the salmonella to spread, so it’s very important that anything that touches the chicken, the raw chicken, needs to be sterilized.”

That just means washing your hands well after handling it, she said, or heating it to a high temperature -- in other words, cooking it all the way through.

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Outside News

7

Anti-gentrification protests hit Boyle Heights kosher restaurant Owner’s Facebook posts exacerbate resentment in neighborhood now home to thousands of immigrants, though he is an immigrant himself Asher Fabric Concepts. But he acknowledged that outside customers make some residents nervous about affordable rents for businesses and housing. to reach the group’s representatives.

“This is the issue that they have with the prices going up,” Mr. The first protest began on July 12, about three months after the restaurant opened, and was followed by a second during the Shalom told the Boiling Point. “They do it to any new business cafe’s Grand Opening event July 16. The third was Aug. 8 during a coming here.”

For the business owners, he said, the protests can be frightening, joint event the restaurant had publicized with the Orthodox Jewish whatever the long-term outcome.

Chamber of Commerce.

“They are giving them hell for a few months then they leave The third round was much calmer. According to David, this was because media coverage of the first two made both sides want to be them alone,” he said. “Very scary.”

According to David, Mr. Shalom had bought the property when seen at their best. But on Facebook, language was already rough.

Although the protests mainly had to do with gentrification, it was vacant. Previously it had been a medical clinic.

“I think my dad was just really hungry one day, so he wanted a there was another main cause. Mr. Shalom, a Jewish immigrant from Tel Aviv who moved to the U.S. 30 years ago, had reposted kosher restaurant nearby,” David said. “He owns the property and had some good ideas for a cafe and he thought, yeah, I’ll just do it.” pro-Trump sentiments on his personal yet public Facebook page.

The protests against Asher Caffe were not the first to fight change Among them were “I wish Democrats would fight as hard for in Boyle Heights. Centered Americans, as they do for illearound Boyle Avenue -- where gals,” and “We bring people Asher Caffe’ is located -- the from [expletive]-hole countries neighborhood was Jewish until because [expletive]-hole demthe 1950s. It gradually became ocrats need [expletive]-hole home to Latinos as Jews and othvotes so they can turn Amerier longtime residents moved west can into a[expletive]-hole.” and north of downtown.

Opponents of his restauAs neighborhoods from Mirrant perceived this to be anacle Mile -- where Shalhevet is ti-immigration, and consider-- and Culver City to Koreatown ing the number of immigrants and the city center have seen living in Boyle Heights, were construction booms, gentrifiupset. cation has continued to spread.

Defend Boyle Heights postBoyle Heights is becoming deed numerous times on Facesirable to outsiders because of its book that Mr. Shalom was a BP Photo BY Molly Litvak neighborhood feeling and proxTrump supporter, building supFAMILY: Asher Shalom, left, and his son David operate a imity to downtown. port for their protests. For exFor the past two years, a coample, on July 12 they posted: textile company with offices across the street from the cafe. alition of different anti-gentrifi“This Gentry business is trying cation groups in Boyle Heights, to creep in without folks noticing that their owner is an anti-immigrant Trump loving gentryfier! called the Boyle Heights Alliance Against Artwashing and DisplaceIf he hates immigrants so much, he can stay the [expletive] out of ment, has chased out a several art galleries by protesting.

Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that Defend Boyle our hood!”

Someone who tried to bridge the two sides was Mr. Shmuel Heights was protesting a new TV show filming in the neighborGonzales, a Latino Jew who grew up in Boyle Heights and lived hood. Ironically, the show is about the struggle against gentrificathere until a year ago. Mr. Gonzales, a tour guide and amateur his- tion, but DBH felt the production company was “exploiting” its torian who runs the blog “Barrio Boychik,” spoke at the second anti-gentrification struggles.

In its story about the TV show action, the Times used the prodemonstration, representing only himself, he said.

Mr. Gonzales said the July 16 protest was put together by many tests at Asher Caffe as an example of another boycott and protest different groups, not just Defend Boyle Heights, of which he’s not the group has executed.

“In July, Defend Boyle Heights disrupted the grand opening a member and whose tactics he doesn’t support.

“We are here today not because this man is opening a kosher event for Asher Caffé after it found anti-immigrant social media restaurant, we’re not here because this is a Jewish business owner posts by its owner, Asher Shalom,” the LA Times said.

Before the protests began, Shmuel Gonzales visited Asher Caffe or even because of his Israeli nationality, and fundamentally it’s not even about his support of one politician or one party,” Mr. Gonzales and warned Mr. Shalom of possible demonstrations and protests. said in his speech, as seen on a Youtube video posted on his channel. Since there had been occurrences like this in the past -- and Mr. “Many of us are here because we object to the injecting of an- Gonzales knows members of Defend Boyle Heights and follows them on Facebook-- he knew what could potentially happen. ti-refugee, anti-immigrant sentiments into our community.”

“I was like, you do realize there is going to be protests here, this is going to be perceived as a Gentrification, according to Merrigentrifying business,” Mr. Gonam-Webster, is “the process of repairing zales recalled. “He actually disand rebuilding homes and businesses in a missed when I tried to explain deteriorating area (such as an urban neighto him about the anti-gentrifiborhood) accompanied by an influx of midcation.” dle-class or affluent people and that often results in the displacement of earlier, usually At the demonstrations poorer residents.” themselves, David Shalom said Demonstrators protesting Asher Caffe he heard rhetoric that had to were worried that it would do just that, by do with the restaurant being attracting customers from outside of Boyle kosher and his father being an Heights and serving upscale food.

Israeli Jew. He heard people Laid out in an airy, open space with high screaming “free Palestine” and ceilings and old brick walls, the menu rangeven “Go home, Jews,” along es from smoothies and breakfast croissants with a chant, “Gentries get the to specialty salads, flatbreads and paninis.

Facebook Photo illustration by Zev Kupferman F out,” which had to do with There’s also a lounge area with couches and INTENSE: After Mr. Shalom’s Facebook posts, Defend Boyle Heights gentrification. a wifi code, and counters hold displays of mer- announced protests to stand up for immigrants living nearby.

“It’s a bunch of radical millenchandise with slogans such as “Make Coffee ials that probably don’t have jobs, Great Again.”

The restaurant also offers a 10 percent discount to customers and that don’t want jobs,” David Shalom said. “They just troll onwho live nearby. Yelp gives it three-and-a-half stars and a price rat- line all day, and hate America quite frankly.”

At the second demonstration, during the Grand Opening, Los ing of $$ out of $$$$; a Mediterranean salmon burger costs $13.95; a Pink Flamingo smoothie, made from pineapple, pitaya and mixed Angeles police officers and hired private security stood between the protestors and the restaurant to usher guests in and out. According berries is $6.50. Coffee drinks range from $2.50 to $4.

Mr. Shalom said he chose the location because it’s across the to David, some of the invited guests didn’t go because of the prostreet from his successful textile and fabric distributor company, tests. When it was time for David and his father to leave the event, Continued from page 1

they had to drive through the protestors who, according to David, banged on his car.

But Defend Boyle Heights wasn’t the only group that took offense to Mr. Shalom’s social media accounts, which along with his Facebook posts included retweets of President Trump’s on his Asher Fabric Concepts Twitter account. According to Mr. Shalom, after DBH showed the posts to the Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce, which revoked Asher’s membership abruptly, even before the demonstrations took place.

David thinks his father’s personal opinions and posts should not be the concern of the Chamber of Commerce, nor should they reflect on his business in general. The Chamber of Commerce, he said, “shouldn’t be a partisan entity.”

“I personally am discouraged by this phenomenon that’s getting bigger,” David said, “where people don’t respect other people’s opinions anymore.”

The Boiling Point tried unsuccessfully to reach the Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce by calling, but found their numbers disconnected, and also sent three emails with no response.

But the group’s president, Jennifer Lahoda, gave a statement to the Boyle Heights Beat.

“We rescinded his membership Tuesday because of public statements he made regarding immigrants that are not in line with the chamber’s values and objectives,” Ms. Lahoda said. The Chamber of Commerce announced that they would not be attending the cafe’s opening ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Mr. Gonzales supported Chamber of Commerce action, because he thinks it’s wrong to use a business account to post political opinions.

“Everyone has their own private views, but most people don’t try to tie it into their actual business account,” he said. “The Twitter stuff kind of hurts his reputation. When using your actual business account for spreading these types of things, you’re endorsing those ideas and that negativity with your business. I really would have hoped that he would have come in with a little more poise.”

Mr. Gonzales did not like every aspect of the protests. He considers himself “stuck in the middle.” According to him, the protesters are young and not very disciplined.

“My hope is to mediate in this,” he said. “Hopefully both sides will want to deal with real issues, instead of pushing petty politics that is divisive and destructive.”

He said that there were people not involved with DBH who came from outside with their own “vendettas” and said some things that weren’t acceptable. Mr. Gonzales thinks DBH should have ejected those people.

During the second protest, David heard people using the word “pedophile” in their chants -- a reference, he said, to his father’s Facebook posts relating immigration and and to the fact that they support ICE. barrioboychik.wordpress.com To Mr. Shalom, BLOG: Shmuel Gonzales, pictured at the though, it’s an ironic turn.

Sixth Street Viaduct bridge, runs a blog called He employs around 70 imbarrioboychik. He grew up in Boyle Heights and prays at Beth Shalom of Whittier. migrants from all over the world between his factory, operations and cafe, and is an immigrant himself. According to his son, he believes the system should be compassionate toward immigrants. He told the Boiling Point that he had Syrian refugees in mind when he put out the controversial post, which had to do with him being from Israel and fears in that part of the world.

“Some of the employees have been with us for 20 years and they love my dad, my dad loves them,” David said. “My dad’s all love, all peace, that’s what he’s about. Our last name means Shalom, which is peace.”

And the restaurant has found support. Nationwide publicity -Asher and David appeared on Fox News, for example -- has led people to call them in support and even to order food, knowing it won’t be sent to them but rather as a donation, David said.

Additionally, checks have come in from people from around the country including Alabama, Texas and New Jersey.

On balance, David thought the protests helped rather than harmed their business.

“It definitely helped,” he said.

8

The Boiling Point • September 2018• Torah

Torah

SEPTEMBER 2018

Her training completed, Yoetzet Segal finds new ways to teach and relate to students, female and male

By Tobey Lee, Features Editor and Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief

been trained and certified for the role so far. A yoetzet halacha -- literally, a Jewish law adviser -- is “certified by a panel of Orthodox rabbis to be a resource for women with questions regarding Last month in Israel, Ms. Atara Segal, who has been teaching Taharat Hamishpachah (an area of Jewish Law that Tanakh, Talmud, and Statistics for seven years, completed training relates to marriage, sexuality and women’s health).” and passed her exams to become a yoetzet halacha, a woman who is The first yoetzet halacha was certified by Nishmat rabbinically certified to make halachic decisions on matters relating 19 years ago. to women’s bodies and intimacy in marriage.

Until the new role was created, women with Yoetzet Segal said students can approach her with questions or BP Photo By Alyssa Wallack questions about these topics could only go to rabconcerns about the mikvah, sex or periods. bis for answers. Since most streams of Orthodox But that’s not the main effect she expects her training to have Judaism do not recognize women as clergy, this at Shalhevet. traditionally meant discussing matters pertaining Rather, she said her newly acquired knowledge would enhance to menstruation, fertility, gynecology and sexuality her teaching, and that her status and title sends a message about with men.

Jewish religious interest in sex, while breaking boundaries for womOne result was that women sometimes made en at Shalhevet. decisions on their own, to avoid having to talk to “Just having broader knowledge alBP Photo By Alyssa Wallack a rabbi about something so personal. The ways makes somebody a better teacher,” role of yoetzet halacha “was devised to assist ROLE: Ms. Atara Segal plans to be a role model for both boys and girls.

Ms. Segal said in an interview. “My skills women who are more comfortable discuss‘A big part about teenage have improved because I spent so much ing very personal issues with another womlife is sexuality and relatime following a sugya from the earliest “In certain communities, one shul can hire a yoetzet, in other an,” the website continues. sources to the most modern. I saw so tionships. Knowing there Women can still go to rabbis with these questions. But in communities, a bunch of shuls get together and hire a yoatzet,” many examples of, for example, how a communities where there is a yoetzet halacha, they now have said Yoetzet Segal. “LA has an amazing yoetzet committee in which is a Judaic approach to machloket between Rashi and Tosfot suda choice. Nishmat also has a telephone hotline for women to shuls and schools partner together.” denly becomes relevant in the 20th cenrelationships and to biolYoetzet Segal is now the second yoetzet halacha in Los Angecall in with questions from all over the world. tury as new technology is developed. It les.

Yoetzet Ilana Gadis moved to Los Angeles in September 2017, Unlike women’s rabbinical training, training to become a ogy and to reproduction is helped me become more sensitive to the yoetzet has been recognized by most streams of Orthodox Ju- replacing Yoetzet Shoshana Samuels, who had answered questions practical implications of different underalso very very important.’ daism. For example, in an interview with the Boiling Point long distance, by telephone. standings of the Gemara.”

Though she doesn’t expect students to be approaching her more in 2015, Rabbi Avi Shafran, Director -- Ms. Atara Segal In addition, she expects her presence than before -- since the rules of sexual intimacy and of Public Affairs and spokesman for on campus -- and the knowledge that she reproductive systems are practiced by married people Agudath Israel of America, was asked ‘I feel more comfortable is an expert on Jewish law pertaining to -- she does believe that the knowledge she gained from whether a synagogue that endorses a marriage, called taharat hamishpacha -- to the program is pertinent to students. coming up to her and talkyoetzet halacha can still be Orthodox. be important even to those who never ask a question.

Asked whether she had considered becoming a “I don’t think a shul’s Orthodox affiliaing to her, possibly asking “A big part about teenage life is sexuality and relationships,” maharat, Yoetzet Segal replied that the yoetzet halacha tion is challenged by having a halachically her any questions about Yoetzet Segal said. “Knowing there is a Judaic approach to relationprogram fit well with her interests. knowledgeable woman provide information ships and to biology and to reproduction is also very very impor“I particularly like the idea of working with womanything hlachic-wise about to Jews,” said Rabbi Shafran, whose organizatant.” en in terms of hilchot niddah,” she said. “It’s something tion opposes women’s ordination at the Orbeing a woman.’

For that reason, she said, her work also applies to boys. that a lot of women have come up to me and said, thodox rabbinical seminary Yeshivat Maharat --Natalya Shabtay, “The nitty-gritty details of halacha may be less interesting or rel‘It’s annoying to me that you don’t know this halacha in New York. evant to a high school boy, but I think there are fundamentals that because I would love to talk to you about it.’ I have 11th grade Yoetzet Segal studied at Nishmat for two are important,” she said. “It’s fundamentally important to know the pastoral skills to meet with women about it, I unyears -- including three summers -- and spent about the sex ethics of Judaism.” derstand the bio part well, and I think it’s a good fit. the 2016-17 school year away from ShalheRabbi David Block, Assistant Principal for Judaic Studies, said “It was really an ideal job where my talents and my interests vet. She studied at Stern College of Yeshiva University and earned Yoetzet Segal’s new certification would set an example about womher graduate degree at Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish dovetail with the needs of the Jewish community,” she said. en’s learning.

She said she also has helped former students who are about to Studies at Yeshiva University.

“It means that we have someone on our staff who is really an She now is working as a yoetzet for Baron Hirsch Synagogue be married learn the rules of taharat hamishpacha when they take expert in a lot of areas of halacha, of Jewish law,” Rabbi Block said, in Memphis, Tenn., along with teaching 11th-grade Talmud and kallah classes, which are classes about how to be ready for marriage. “and someone who is a resource, a resource to students, resource Junior Natalia Shabtay says Yoetzet Segal will be more of a re12th-grade Tanakh at Shalhevet this year. to really everyone. And also, someone who is modeling high level source for her.

Once certified, she said, yoatzot around the world work in many talmud Torah,” or Torah study, “to all of our students -- certainly to “I feel more comfortable coming up to her and talking to her, different environments. our young women.”

“In Israel, yoatzot chiefly work formally by staffing the hotline possibly asking her any questions about anything halachic-wise He said Yoetzet Segal’s new position showed the school was emor the website,” she said. “People know that they exist and they call about being a woman,” said Natalia. “It will be very helpful to have bracing positive signs of change. someone like her around the school.” them with questions.”

“Traditionally, in the past, there have been fewer opportunities Junior Anna Weiss says that Yoetzet Segal is a role model.

Some yoatzot are hired by a city itself. In Modi’in, where Yoetzet for women to engage in that high level rigorous learning,” Rabbi “I think I look up to her now more than I did before,” said Segal was studying, a yoetzet halacha is employed by the city reliBlock said. “Obviously, that needs to change and it is changing, Anna, “especially because this year I actually have her as my Talmud gious council. and Ms. Segal is a wonderful example of someone who’s engaged “In America, where the concept of a community and commu- teacher, so I’m actually very excited for that. I’ll get to be learning in that.” nity structure is a little bit different than it is in Israel, yoatzot work from somebody who was trained a lot and learned a lot.”

According to the website of Nishmat, the seminary in Israel differently” she said. which created the role of yoetzet halacha, over 110 women have

Yoetzet Segal is first female teacher to get a Jewish title at school Continued from Page 1 stream Modern Orthodoxy,” he said. “That includes titles.”

Rabba Ramie Smith, who was ordained by Yeshivat Maharat in New York, which gives women training comparable to Modern Orthodox rabbis receive, is not called Rabba by the school, but Rabbi Segal has said students may call her Rabba if they like.

“We’ve always tried to find a Solomonic balance,” Rabbi Segal said. If people want to call Ramie Rabba or Maharat Ramie, we said go ahead.”

Judaic Studies teacher Ms. Ilana Wilner, an alumna of Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies (GPATS), was called Chachama for a few years until the title was banned by administration two years ago.

The role of Yoetzet Halacha, which allows trained women to make rulings on issues related to women’s health, fertility and intimacy in marriage, is much more widely accepted, he said.

“The yoetzet title was always accepted within the mainstream Modern Orthodox world,” he said, whereas GPATS “is a relatively new program.”

“We’re not legislating titles from above,” he added. “People can call someone what they want.”

Rabbanit Chana Henkin, founder of the Yoetzet Halacha program, has said that not focusing on titles has helped the position of yoetzet halacha advance.

“Yoatzot Halacha have given women a dignified and much-needed halachic address for intimate issues,” Rabbanit Henkin writes on the program’s website. “I strongly believe that our

decision to avoid fractious titles, while maintaining a sense of what the community is prepared to accept, has enabled us to build a new consensus around the reality of women halachic scholars.”

Yoetzet Segal thinks the title is important to use in certain settings.

“It’s important in order to professionalize the role of a Yoetzet Halacha,” she said. “When I’m doing things that are very specifically yoetzet halacha realm -- like if I’m giving a speech about hilchot niddah, or if I’m coming to visit a community as a scholar-in-residence -- then I think it is important.”

She does not see Shalhevet classrooms as such a setting.

“I want to make sure that students find me approachable,” Yoetzet Segal said. “A long title could maybe make you seem more distant, so I want to

make sure that that doesn’t happen.”

Rabbi Segal said that this title change would not affect other title changes for other Judaic faculty members.

“We made a decision that the Maharat and Rabba and Rabbanit titles were not something we were going to do for the foreseeable future until there was a shift in public sentiment,” he said.

Rabbi Segal did, however, say that he hopes this will change some day as people focus on the educator.

“As people see them, they’ll start to worry less about title and more about quality of teaching,” Rabbi Segal said.

Features Editor Tobey Lee contributed to this story.

The Boiling Point • September 2018• Torah

9

The Torah by heart: Students lain professionally in local shuls They study all week and walk miles on Shabbat, earning dollars and a broad knowledge of text and trope

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief

scroll itself, lainers must memorize the words and the tune in order to chant them during services.

The length of a parsha, its word difficulty, patterns in the trope, how many times you’ve read the parsha before and how recently -- and whether it’s on a holiday -- can all determine how long it takes to prepare a parsha, the lainers said. The same symbols use different tunes on different occasions, and readings from the Prophets (Haftorah) have different tunes from the Torah, though the symbols are the same.

Every synagogue needs lainers every week and few can do it

244 pesukim long.

Adin spent five hours learning Matot-Maasei and 30 minutes reviewing Nasso. Jamie said it takes her a week with 10-20 minutes For most people who learn how to chant from a Torah scroll, it’s practices each night to learn a new aliyah. a skill to use for their bar or bat mitzvah -- something they either Eytan declined to say how much money he’s paid each time or will never do it again or do only when that same parsha comes how much he’s made overall, but said he uses it for spending money. around each year.

Ami thinks he’s made $150 in all.

However, for four of this year’s seniors, laining has become a Knowing all of Torah has its perks too. If you know Torah by part of everyday life -- an extra-curricular without a team or awards, heart, you are part of a select group of people who have this knowlbut with benefits both spiritual and financial. edge.

Adin Keiter started laining for his shul, Westwood Village Syna“If I’m in class and the teacher asks gogue, shortly after his bar mitzvah.

‘Where else in the torah is whatever?’ I “It’s rewarding,” said Adin. “A hard can literally just name examples from parsha is not really fun to do, but it’s cool. memory,” said Adin.

I know what to do. I can just get up there Rabbi David Block, assistant princiand lain.” pal for Judaic Studies, described other Adin earns $125 each time he lains, benefits. A lainer himself in both the and thinks he has made somewhere beschool minyan and at Young Israel of tween $4,000 and $5,000. He uses the Century City’s teen minyan, Rabbi money to pay for flight lessons.

Block said laining can be seen in two Jamie Berman lains mostly at Conways: as either a chore or a beautiful, servative synagogues, where women are spiritual experience. counted as part of the minyan and thus “It requires a real thoughtfulness read regularly from the Torah. Sometimes and you have to be wanting to adopt she is paid and sometimes she is not. that spirituality,” Rabbi Block said in an “When I learned for my bat mitzvah interview. “The grind of reading pesuit was just stressful, but now I enjoy it,” kim over and over, memorizing how Jamie said. “Torah trope is so cool. It helps you say a word and the trope, can be get the Torah’s words across in meaninghard, taxing and sometimes frustrating. ful ways, and it’s really cool to be studying If you want to look at it that way, you Tanakh in class and know what the trope could probably see it as a chore. means.”

“If you have the mindset and presShe has lained a whole parsha for pay ence and be like parts of this are hard -two or three times at Mishkon Tephilo, a memorizing words, memorizing a tune Conservative shul on Venice beach. More -- but it’s the opportunity to become reoften though, Jamie will read a single alially fluent with the words of the Torah.” yah, or section of the parsha, about every Moreover, he said, “the trope actutwo months -- depending on her workload ally gives you insight into how the pas-- without compensation at Temple Beth BP Photo By Alyssa Wallack suk [verse] should be understood.”

Am. Perhaps that’s why those who lain CHANT: Senior Jeremy Ashagian chanted from the Torah scroll as Rabbi David Block followed along watching for errors. Many students know Ami Nelson lains one aliyah per week how to do this, and a few do it professionally on a regular basis at synagogues like B’nai David-Judea and Young Israel of North Beverly Hills. hope to pass the skill onto their chilat the teen Shabbat morning minyan at dren. Ami and Eytan learned from B’nai David-Judea, earning for 50 cents their fathers, Adin learned from learned per pasuk. He usually makes $10.

“I don’t do it because I enjoy it,” said Ami. “I think it’s a good -- making this an extremely useful and even lucrative source of from Jeff Magder at Temple Emanuel -- someone his mom found income. More students don’t participate because it’s a time com- -- and Jamie learned from Hillel Tigay, who’s the cantor at Ikar conthing to do.”

And Eytan Kent often lains for Young Israel of North Beverly mitment and you usually have to wake up earlier than you would gregation and the b’nai mitzvah tutor at Temple Beth Am. All four plan on teaching their kids.

Hills (YINBH), inheriting the job from his Shalhevet senior buddy, normally, especially on Shabbat.

Eytan Kent spends a lot of his free time -- sometimes the whole “I’m not going to pay someone to teach them if I can teach alumnus Joe Schnitzer ‘15. Before YINBH, Eytan lained in the week -- preparing the chant that week’s parsha -- on average, one- them myself,” said Adin. “If they have a shul that gives them the Teen Minyan at Bnai-David Judea congregation. fiftieth of the Five Books of Moses. opportunity,” he added, he will “absolutely” encourage them to He also lains at school.

“It’s a lot of work every single week — at least an hour every earn money the same way.

“It’s a good skill to have,” Eytan said. “I can lain for Hashkama Jamie has already helped her family members with laining and minyan, or any minyan at school, pretty much every week because night after homework or basketball practice,” Eytan said, “and on I’ve done it so many times and it doesn’t take me a long time to Friday nights it’s at least three hours finishing learning up and re- has tutored people for their bar or bat mitzvah and plans to teach viewing the entire parsha. I’ve been doing it for two years, and I her own daughters and sons one day. learn it.”

“I’ve already helped both of my younger siblings,” Jamie said.

The art of laining involves singing the text of the Torah as writ- hope to continue doing it this year and in the future.”

Ami Nelson agreed.

“I’ve taught my dad many many Torah portions, because he was ten down in trope, which is the system of ancient symbols called “It’s very stressful and I push it off to Friday night,” said Ami. taught to lain for his bar mitzvah from a recording and never ta’amim placed above the Hebrew letters to spell out a tune. No one “I’ll either go to bed really late Friday night or wake up early Shab- learned trope.” is certain, but the common understanding is that trope was probFor now, it seems like laining is not so spiritual for the boys and ably invented during the Second Temple period more than 2,000 bos [morning].”

Some parshiot are extremely long. Parshat Naso, for example more spiritual for Jamie. But as Rabbi Block put it, “There can be years ago.

Since neither the ta’amim nor even vowels appear in the Torah has 176 pesukim, or verses. And the double parsha Matot-Massei, is religious value to it. It’s in the hands of the one who’s doing it.”

In varying sounds of the shofar, new opportunities and a fresh start

By Tobey Lee, Features Editor Rosh Hashanah is one of my favorite holidays, as it reminds me that I have a new year ahead of me full of new experiences, challenges and successes. It allows me to reflect on the prior year and look forward to something new.

There’s an aspect of the holiday that stands out to me, as it provides me the most meaning and connection. And that aspect is hearing the shofar being blown.

There is lots of explanation in the Torah and Talmud as to why we blow the shofar the way we do, which is with a variety of different blasts.

In Bamidbar 29:1, it states specifically that we need to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. Specifically, it tells us to blow a teruah, which is a blast that is supposed to represent a cry.

In the Gemara, Rosh Hashanah 34a, we learn that a tekiah — a straight blast — needs to be sounded before and after the teruah. It goes on to say we need to sound three sets of tekiah, teruah, tekiah combinations.

The teruah, meanwhile, can be sounded three

I look back at fun times I had with my friends, and think of how I can different ways. According to Chabad.org, the Talmud says that it can be three long blasts, a couple of very short blasts, or a combination of long continue having those great times.

And I look back at my mistakes — when I was ever disrespectful to and short blasts. There is no definitive answer!

Therefore, we blow all of the different types of teruaot, with a tekiah my parents, siblings, or peers — and think about how I can better treat those around me. before and after each one.

I think about what I have coming up. A new year of To me, hearing each of these unique blasts school, with new classes, teachers and experiences. New means we can get something different out of each “Think about the past, expectations, pressures, stresses. SAS classes, SAT prep and sound. This can represent all that we look forwhat you did well and more. Everything is slightly different from what it was before. ward to in the upcoming year — all of the new I press myself to make challenges into strengths, in all of experiences, new discussions, and more. struggled with. Think these areas. And as the shofar blowing ends, I think of how I And so for the same reason that I love Rosh about the future, what can make these goals into reality.

Hashanah, I especially love the shofar. Both it you want to accomplish.

I encourage all of you to take some time to reflect as you and the way it is blown are reminders. The shofar are hearing the shofar this year on Rosh Hashanah. Think means we can think about all of our successes Take one minute to think about the past, what you did well and what you struggled and failures — in all their variety. and it could really help with. Think about the future and what you want to accomIn addition, the time it takes to blow all these you start off your year on different sounds and combinations allows me plish. time to reflect on the past and look forward to Think of the different combinations of the teruot and the right foot.” the future. When the shofar sounds, I close my tekiot as reminders for your upcoming year, in all of its eyes and stop. Stop stressing about school, stop expected and unexpected variety. Using the time this way thinking of what could have been on that one could really help you start off your year on the right foot. math test. I just reflect: How did I do this past All of us have so many different things to accomplish. year? Was I kind to all my peers? Was I the best person that I could be? Rosh Hashanah is your yom teruah — your day of these sounds. Think of I look back at meaningful things I learned in school. I look back at the shofar as a reminder of what is coming up for you. interesting classes I had, where I learned something new about myself through an interesting topic.

10

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Special Report

Teacher harvest

From surfing to scuba

Ed Support specialist expands role to one on one advisor

By Nomi Willis, Opinion Editor Ms. Valencia Wilson has already been teaching here for two years, but this year has become a full-time Educational Support specialist employed directly by the school, something that her previous position did not entail.

Ms. Wilson was first assigned to Shalhevet by Title 1, a federally funded program that provides additional educational services for low-income students. Because she was technically only meant to be working with those who live in one school district and qualify for government resources, her job was limited to helping about 30 students.

This never stopped her though. Ms. Wilson prides herself on being commit-

ted to helping anyone who walks into her office in the Educational Support suite.

“I’m the type of person who, if a kid needs help I’m gonna help them -- I never turn a kid away,” Ms. Wilson said. “It’s about the kids, you know?”

Ms. Wilson is excited to expand her role as a oneon-one tutor in the school and will primarily be working with students who take online classes.

After graduating from Tulane University with a degree in marketing and another in legal business, Ms. Wilson moved home to Las Vegas and began working as a children’s behavioral specialist before becoming a substitute teacher.

She noted how intense her experience as a substitute teacher was.

“Every year I ended up being a full-time teacher for the kids, because I just felt like the kids had a need for some consistency,” Ms. Wilson said.

In addition to spending all day working with kids,

the former track athlete is parent to 11-year-old Emari who can sometimes be found walking around school or playing basketball in the gym.

When she is not at school or playing sports, Ms. Wilson is an avid movie watcher and has a subscription to MoviePass, a service which allows her to feed her habit of watching at least one movie every week.

Sometimes she is even featured on screen herself.

Ms. Wilson can be seen playing with a Golden Retriever. in a PetSmart commercial currently running on various networks, which she filmed this past summer.

A winding path to teaching, with surfing on the side

By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor From philosophy to surfing, Dr. Sheila Keiter is someone who stays true to her roots.

“If we don’t know our own experiences, how do we fully identify?” she asked during an interview last week.

This, it turns out, is part of how she approaches Jewish History and Tanakh, which she is teaching this year to freshmen and sophomores. She plans on using modern references to make her lessons more relatable.

“This is giving away my first lecture, but history defines identity,” said Dr. Keiter, als the mother of senior Adin Keiter. “Especially Jewish history. It’s not enough to know what happened yesterday or 3,300 years ago. We have to know what’s happened in between, to understand who we are, how we got here and why we do the things we do.”

In her own life, Dr. Keiter has not been afraid to make a change of course when she is doing something in which she doesn’t find meaning.

After graduating from UCLA, Dr. Keiter went to Harvard law school, where she obtained a JD before deciding it was not how she wanted to commit her life.

“I realized that I did not like it at all, but didn’t know what else I wanted to do,” said Dr. Keiter.

After coming back to L.A., Dr. Keiter had an experience at Westwood Village Synagogue that would alter her career path.

“Eventually, I ended up in a shiur and because of bizarre circumstances I ended up teaching that shiur,” she said. “I discovered that I absolutely loved it and that this is what I needed to be doing.”

Dr. Keiter then obtained a PhD. from UCLA in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. But true to her worldview, she does not feel that law school was a waste of time.

“It’s interesting how many of the legal concepts that you learn in Law School will appear in the Gemara,” Dr. Keiter said. “I can say, ‘Oh I can see what they’re going for here, they’re going for the standard of proof, or jury nullification.’”

Sporting her trademark Panama hat -- seen on campus when she briefly taught seniors during a spring mini-mester last year -- said she believes that surfing -- one of her hobbies -- has a connection to life’s bigger picture.

Photos by Neima Fax, Zoey Botnick, and Alyssa Wallack Page Design by Maya Miro and Zev Kupferman Graphics by Sarah Navon

“There’s a profound connection to nature when you’re surfing,” said Dr. Keiter. “You’re in that ocean and you get a sense of how big and crazy the ocean is,” Dr. Keiter said.

“Nature is big and nasty and you’re at the whim of it, but you can connect to it in that moment.

Someone once said that you talk about waves in this world -- radio waves,light waves, sound waves -- but waves in the ocean are the only ones we can perceive and connect to.

The mini-mester elective she taught to seniors last spring was on what links the three Abrahamic religions -- Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

“You know a lot about Judaism,” she said, “because you go to a Jewish school. But to understand Christianity and Islam within a religious context was a useful thing.”

In her classes this year, Dr. Keiter plans on using modern references to make her lessons more relatable.

“You can talk about sports, you can talk about music, you can talk about art and see how history is reflected in those things, because it never exits in a vacuum,” Dr. Keiter said.

Last year, during a sample class for sophomores, Dr. Keiter taught a lesson on the history of Jews in comic books. But though she believes an unconventional approach to teaching can be useful and fun, it can’t be the whole class.

“You can’t sacrifice the meat and potatoes of the course for the fun stuff,” said Dr. Keiter. “You have to learn the basics.”

Scuba-Div

By Molly Litvak, Ou

Swimming with fi diving 100 feet down St. Germaine has exp and science.

After teaching at Germaine will be teac two 10th grade Chem and SAS Physics.

“I’m a scuba diver, so busy,” Mr. St. Germ Although busy no and a baby boy on the out scuba-diving whe “Right now thing little older and they’re Mr. St. Germaine Washington. He said place all the time, so t years or so.

He attended unde later earned a chemi State University, along

New College Counselor plans to advise from p

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief Raised in a traditional Persian family in Los Angeles, new college counselor and SAS Psychology teacher Mr. Eli Shavalian took matters into his own hands when it came to heading for college himself.

“When I was applying to college my parents had no idea what was going on,” said Mr. Shavalian, who calls himself a “first-generation college student” since his parents had not gone.

“I was going to be like every other Persian kid, go to Santa Monica College and then go to UCLA and become a doctor and do what my parents wanted me to do,” he said.

But he wanted something else -- he wanted to learn more about Judaism, and he wanted to go to Yeshiva University. He didn’t tell his parents until he was accepted.

“I don’t recommend doing this at all, but I didn’t send my SAT scores to the UC’s -- to make sure that I had to go to Yeshiva University,” he said in an interview. “I kind of sabotaged myself…

“I wanted to go somewhere where I could learn more about Judaism, and know why I do what I do instead of just doing it because I was told to in Judaism.”

He said he hated his first semester at YU but ended up loving it, getting involved in many extra-curriculars and in the university in general and eventually deciding to major in Psychology. After graduating, he conducted research and co-authored a paper which studied undergraduate students’ prospective memory.

His exp raise their the movie said the re people are “You c street liste other thin Despit ed up buil YU, he w University a full time He we vastly diffe “There kind of jus and seeing that are so He said ensure stu “One o work on th

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Special Report

11

a and London to Tzfat, a crate of new apples arrives for 2018-19.

New Hebrew teacher brings color to the classroom

BY ALEX RUBEL, SPORTS EDITOR Israeli native and IDF veteran Ms. Ortal Klyman, now armed with 18 years of teaching experience and a recently completed Master’s degree, is the newest addition to Shalhevet’s Hebrew department. She will be teaching ninth, 10th, and 11th grade Hebrew to five classes this year.

Ms. Klyman was born and raised in Tzefat, Israel, and said she’d bring a passion for art, which she developed during her “very spiritual” childhood, to her classes.

“There are a lot of artists in Tzefat,” she said in an interview. “I used to walk around as a child and watch those artists draw those beautiful mountains around Tzefat. One of them is Mount Meron.”

Mount Meron has significance in Jewish tradition as the burial site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who died in Zefat on Lag B’Omer. In general, the city of Tzefat is regarded as one of the most spiritual places in Israel, largely because of the 16th-century Kabbalists who lived and wrote there.

Ms. Klyman, who wants students to call her Morah Ortal, first started teaching Hebrew during her army days, when she spent two years teaching the language to recent immigrants to Israel. After that, she earned her bachelor’s degree at Bar Ilan University with a major in education and a minor in literature.

She would later teach Hebrew to high school girls through an Israeli organization called Naale. After coming to the United States in 2005, she taught elementary school students at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School in San Diego, and then middle school students at Gindi Maimonides Academy in Los Angeles -- one of Shalhevet’s feeder schools.

Just this summer, she completed her Master’s degree at Middlebury College in Vermont, where she studied how to teach Hebrew as a second language.

Today, her love for art is expressed in her abstract paintings using oil and acrylic paint. She also decorates kippot, mezuzot, and makes jewelry.

At Shalhevet, she plans to use a personalized teaching style.

“I look at each child as an individual,” Ms. Klyman said. “Every child has his own needs, his own mind-set, his own stories. So I’m there for my students, walking them through the process of learning the language.”

She also hopes to incorporate the Israeli experience into her lessons.

“I want to bring in the Israeli culture and teach the kids a little bit about what’s going on in Israel, including the history, to make it more meaningful for the kids,” she said.

And even though she’ll have classes, she said she was looking forward to getting to know all of her students on a personal level.

“I want to have a connection with each and every one of them,” Ms. Klyman said. “I want to make them feel like they’re safe and I’m there for them.”

When she’s not teaching or painting, you can find Ms. Klyman baking, hiking, or spending time with her husband and their three kids, ages 12, 9, and 5.

ving enthusiast is newest addition to Science Department

utside News Editor

fish the size of small cars, circling shipwrecks and in the ocean are just some of the things Mr. Chris perienced in addition to being a teacher of math

YULA Girls High School for five years, Mr. St. ching five classes at Shalhevet: 9th grade Algebra, mistry classes, and 11th- and 12th-grade regular

, but I haven’t done that recently because I’ve been maine explained. ow with his new job, daughters ages four and six e way, he said in an interview that he’d love to go en he has more free time. gs are crazy,” he said, “but when the kids get a e in school, then absolutely.” e grew up in various cities in Oregon and d his parents didn’t like to stay in the same the family ended up moving every couple

ergrad at Western Oregon University and istry teaching bachelor’s degree at Portland g with a master’s degree in education.

While in college, Mr. St. Germaine came to the realization that he wanted to become a teacher when he found himself often helping fellow students with their Chemistry homework during free time in the library.

He moved to Los Angeles for his job at YULA, after teaching at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Fla., and then at a public school in Oregon. In total, he has 11 years of teaching experience. In 2007, Mr. St. Germaine guided a “flipped classroom,” creating a year’s worth of chemistry in an online course that students could take at their own pace.

Mr. St. Germaine says he has an easygoing and laid-back teaching style which puts the responsibility on the student.

“I really feel that you’ll get out of the class what you put into it,” he said. “I’m not the kind of teacher that’s going to give you assignments to prove to me that you’re reading the textbooks. I’ll just assume that you’re doing that on your own and if you aren’t then it will show in your tests.”

Mr. St. Germain has been scuba diving for six-and-a-halfyears. When he lived in Florida, it was easiest, because there were shipwrecks all along the coast which allowed him to go straight into the ocean and start diving. But he has engaged in the sport in the Puget Sound in Washington state, along the Oregon and Washington coasts, and in many rivers and lakes.

Another activity he enjoys is crabbing, in which he swims to the

bottom of the ocean, pulls crabs out of the sand and then gives them to people -- since he doesn’t actually like eating them. He just enjoys the sport of it.

He said one of the coolest things he’s seen, other than shipwrecks, is a harmless fish called the Goliath Grouper, which migrates down the Florida coast.

“There are these huge herds, so you can swim through them,” he said, “and it’s crazy because they’re the size of Volkswagen Bugs. You’re swimming through them and it’s just a weird, kinda eerie feeling that you’re surrounded by these monsters under the ocean. So that was pretty cool.”

Currently, Mr. St. Germaine is the only member of his family to partake in scuba-diving. According to him, his wife is terrified by the sport and will have to be talked into the idea of getting their children involved one day.

For now, his family enjoys going to amusement parks such as Universal Studios, Disneyland and Six Flags.

personal experience

periment presented a short film to two groups of students, prompting them to hand whenever they heard the word “gun” in the film. One group was shown in order, while the other was shown the full movie split into different clips. He esults of the experiment proved the difficulty of multi-tasking, especially when e immersed in a certain task. can take that information when you’re engrossed in a book or crossing the ening to music,” Mr. Shavalian said. “When your mind is distracted by ngs, you forget those prospective memory tasks more often.” te his family’s minimal experience with colleges, Mr. Shavalian has endlding his career around them, at least so far. After graduating from worked in undergraduate admissions at both his alma mater and the y of Southern California for about two years each, before being hired as e college counselor and SAS Psychology teacher at Shalhevet. ent to Palisades High School, where the college application process was erent from what it is at Shalhevet, he said. e were a few [counselors] that were full time, but it wasn’t hands on -- it was st figure it out on your own.” Mr. Shavalian said. “It wasn’t constant check-ins g you in the halls and seeing how you’re doing and making those relationships o special here.” d the most important part of his job as incoming college counselor will be to udents’ mental well-being. of the biggest things I’m gonna have to focus on is working with students to hat anxiety and pressure to be perfect, to get that 1600 or that 36 which is not

necessary,” he said. “If you don’t get it, it’s not a reflection on your abilities and skills and your worth in the world.”

Since it’s is first time working on the high school side of the college process, Mr.Shavalian expects to work closely with Dean of Academic Instruction and former head college counselor Ms. Aviva Walls.

“I would say don’t be a stranger, and don’t be afraid to ask literally any questions,” Mr. Shavalian said. “Aviva and I are here because we want to get to know you.”

He said he spent much of the summer reading through questionnaires the seniors filled out last spring, and now he’s looking forward to putting faces to the names. He understands that he doesn’t have as much experience as Ms. Walls does.

“The students who are nervous about that, all the more reason for them to come see me,” he said.

In his free time, he said he enjoys riding his bike and hiking, as well as discussing Harry Potter and the “logistics of the wizarding world.”

Mr. Shavalian is also currently a part time student at USC, and will take classes there twice a week to earn a masters in Public Administration.

He said he hopes to work in higher education.

12

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Special Report

New Israel teacher wants students to form their own opinions

By Nicholas Fields, Torah Editor New SAS History, Culture, and Politics of Israel teacher Mrs. Hannah Cohen plans to be “a guide on the side” for her students this year, helping them become more independent learners.

Mrs. Cohen, an immigrant from England with degrees from the University of Oxford, said her teaching style would be to help her students to form their own opinions and to be autonomous while studying.

“I really encourage my students to take ownership of their learning and to do independent learning,” Mrs. Cohen said, “to research things and find out the answers and to come up with their own theories as opposed to me dictating to them what it should be.”

She believes students can be educated on any topic as long as it is age and developmentally appropriate.

“The conversation or learning has to be not only age-appropriate, but developmentally appropriate as well,” she said. “Israel is my area of expertise so of course I think it is applicable here.”

“There can be the temptation to avoid discussing something uncomfortable, or to withhold an unpopular opinion for fear of other people’s reactions,” she said. “The settlements, the treatment of Palestinians, the rights of women, particularly with regard to religion -- these are all topics that can provoke tense and heated discussions.”

But she considers learning how to interact with people with whom we disagree “one of the most important life skills that can be learned and practiced.”

“Classrooms have to be a safe space where students can explore all of their feelings about Israel, positive and negative, without fear,” she said in an interview.

Mrs. Cohen grew up in London and said she always had a passion for Israel, travelling there once or twice a year when she

was younger and eventually taking a gap year there with a British youth movement called Federation of Zionist Youth before college.

After receiving her undergraduate degree at Oxford, she went on to get her master’s degree there in Oriental Studies, specializing in the Middle East.

She moved to Los Angeles after being recruited to join an investment firm here and meeting her husband, who convinced her to stay. She then earned a Masters in Education at American Jewish University in Bel Air. Now, along with teaching at Shalhevet, Mrs. Cohen will teach Israel Education in AJU’s master’s program at American Jewish University. She is also conducting a research study through Brandeis University about elementary school students’ views of Israel and how they change year after year.

Outside of school and her many projects, Mrs. Cohen enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, ages 5 and 2, going on hikes around Los Angeles, and baking and traveling.

Mrs. Cohen replaces Mr. Matt Williams, who was expected to begin teaching those courses this fall after several years at Berman Academy in Maryland. According to an email sent out by Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal in May, Mr. Williams was also to have had the title Director of Research and Development.

According to Assistant Principal for Judaic Studies Rabbi David Block, Mr. Williams had accepted the Shalhevet position because he thought it would be close to where his wife needed to be for her education. When he found out it was not, he turned down the position after all, and Mrs. Cohen was hired to fill it.

New English teacher happy to be back working with students

By Tobey Lee, Features Editor She hasn’t taught for five years, but Mrs. Nancy Fasules -- who will teach freshman and sophomore English this year -- is glad to be back in the classroom.

From 2010 to 2018, Ms. Fasules served as Director of Admissions at New Roads School in Santa Monica, where Principal Mr. Daniel Weslow led the upper school before coming to Shalhevet in 2015.

Before that, taught English at New Roads to grades nine through 12, for eight years starting in 2002. She said she yearned to be back in the classroom because she wanted to have more of a relationship with students.

“You don’t get to deal with the kids so much as an administrator -- you don’t see them grow, and I really, really missed that,” Ms. Fasules said in an interview.

Mrs. Fasules started as a special education teacher, then went on to become first- and fifth-grade teacher at St. James School in Hancock Park. She also also served as St. James’ Director of Publications, and taught creative writing there.

“I’ve taught freshman before… it’s kind of a tricky grade,” she said.

She said she learned a lot about freshmen from her son, who is now 23 -- specifically when he was in ninth grade himself.

“I saw that some of my expectations that I’d had before I had a child who was in high school weren’t really realis- tic,” she said. “When you see your own child you realize… they’re still very young and vulnerable.”

Ms. Fasules said she would expect more from sophomores.

“The writing should be stronger and in that sense, you’re teaching more challenging material,” Mrs. Fasules said.

Ms. Fasules grew up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and attended Mills College in Oakland, Calif., for one year before transferring to USC. When she was a young girl, her parents took the family to a ranch in Montana over the summer and went fishing. Eventually, they bought land there, and now Ms. Fasules goes there during her summers -- bringing her dog, an Aussiedoodle named Otis.

“My favorite thing to do is go to Montana for several weeks and read and walk with Otis,” she said.

This summer she read Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, a new American novel which she hopes to teach next year to students.

“One could say it’s… a “ghost story”, something I think would be intriguing to teenagers,” she said in an email. “It would also spark some great class discussions.”

Although she will be teaching four classes, Ms. Fasules is looking forward to having more time for herself than she did as admissions director at New Roads.

“I realized I wanted to get back to my writing,” Ms. Fasules said. “When you’re an administrator…. you work late into the night, you work on weekends, you work all summer.”

Screenwriter David Diamond teaches brings Hollywood lessons to Shalhevet

By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor While David Diamond is an accomplished screenwriter with credits in big-budget films, he tries to stay humble.

One of his high school yearbook quotes, he told the Boiling Point, still sums him up pretty well. It’s by Kurt Vonnegut: If a person with a demonstrably ordinary mind like mine will devote himself to a work of the imagination, that work will in turn tempt and tease that mind into cleverness.

Mr. Diamond, whose son Harry is a junior and daughter Hannah an alumna, will be teaching screenwriting to upperclassmen this year.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Diamond later moved to Los Angeles and first thought about screenwriting while reading scripts for a television producer.

“Part of my job was reading and evaluating scripts for him,” Mr. Diamond said. “After a while I convinced myself I could do it better than most of the writers whose scripts I was reading.

“I was wrong for a very long time—at least it felt like a long time to me. Eventually I figured it out.”

Mr. Diamond gave credit to his writing partner, David Weissman, whom he had known from Akiba Hebrew Academy (now called Barrack Hebrew Academy) back in Philadelphia. Their writing credits include The Family Man, Old Dogs, and When in Rome, along with several “uncredited” films, meaning he and Mr. Weissman did not receive credit even though they worked on them and were paid -- a common practice in screenwriting according to Mr. Diamond.

He and Mr. Weissman have just finished working on a book called Bul-

letproof: Writing Scripts that Don’t Get Shut Down, which Mr. Diamond called a “practical screenwriting guide.”

“It’s very easy to learn the mechanics of screenwriting -what’s harder is to understand where your script fits into the landscape of studios and streaming services and wherever movies are made and distributed,” he said.

“If you are invested in selling your work or having a career as as a screenwriter, it’s important to understand the factors that other people in the business consider, not just the writer. Because you can’t survive as a screenwriter without other people buying your stuff.”

He is new to teaching, though he recently spent a week teaching at Belmont University in Tennessee.

In an email, Mr. Diamond said he planned to offer students “a new way of looking at movies and television and a new way to express themselves and their creativity.”

He said he hoped his classroom would have “a vibrant creative atmosphere” “The format of the class is to go start to finish through the entire process of writing a screenplay, he said, “beginning with coming up with the ideas and understanding the difference between movie ideas and ideas that may be interesting or funny but not sufficient to carry an entire movie.”

“We’ll spend a unit talking about character, we’ll talk about structure, we’ll talk about the mechanics of screenwriting. We’ll talk about every aspect of what goes into it, and at every step along the way we will be reflecting on why we are doing it in the way we are doing it.”

13

Features SEPTEMBER 2018

STATEMENT Senior Hannah Merritt paired a maroon A-line skirt with white shirt with black stripes from Romwe, shoes from Zappos and suspenders from Amazon. The simple color combination was purposeful given that Hannah wanted to “showcase the suspenders.”

New year, new looks Aug. 29 was a day to see and be seen while getting acclimated to school again. Some students were low-key about it, while others took the opportunity to dress particularly stylishly with bright colors and eye-popping designs. Here are some of Shalhevet’s best-dressed students on the first day of 201819. Welcome back to fashion!

-- Tobey Lee, Features Editor, and Sadie Toczek, Social Media Editor

-- T.L. & S.T.

COLORFUL

Junior Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks styled an avant-garde look by pairing plaid pants with a polo from the same color scheme. He wore a red fabric button-down shirt from Zara and plaid pants from Topman, along with Jordan 1 “Kumquats” for shoes. A refreshing ensemble compared to the classic monochromatic looks of most everybody else.

-- S.T. & T.L.

BROTHERLY LOVE Senior and freshman brothers Dylan and Dallas Corn wore matching printed button downs. They opted for a more playful vibe through the donut pattern and purposeful twinning.

-- S.T.

Page design by Ellie Orlanski and Sarah Feuer

Creativity within the code FLORAL:

Junior Maia Lefferman channeled her inner bohemian chic when she selected a babydoll-style blue floral dress. She kept her vibe comfortable by pairing it with a sandals and socks look. -- S.T.

Fashion provides an avvenue for students to express their individuality within the parameters of Shalhevet’s dresscode. While the rules may seem restrictive, pops of color and eye-catching patterns, as well as various styles of skirts, pants, or shirts, allow for a wide range of diverse outfits.

--Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief

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

14

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Features

at summer camp, students find a lab for religious diversity SMILE: E vy Ros

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-In-Chief

enkra

nz and O ria n K le in posed be fore Kab bala t S h a b bat at Ca mp Ram ah in

also taught me how to easily become friends with complete strangers, and to become more social and outin the sunset hours of Shabbat, camp- how going in the world.” ers at Camp Stone in Pennsylvania gather In a Boiling Point Schoology for slow shira, or singing, much like the one survey posted last month, the most on Shalhevet shabbatons. Jewish life there commonly attended sleepaway appears similar to school’s, as Camp Stone camps were Camp is also an Orthodox institution.

Ramah, Camp But for sophomore Ronnie Se“People that go to Jewish Stone and Camp ruya, the experiences are vastly day schools, I think it’s Moshava, with different because -- well, there’s important for similar MJ Sports Camp reasons. Often times, it’s just something different about being the most seen as kind of antagonistic, camp. well attended here are the rules, you have “Everyone participates in singday camp. Some to follow them. It’s different ing, and it’s my favorite tradistudents went at sleepaway camp because tion,” Ronnie, who has attended as campers everyone there has a the camp for four consecutive while others positive outlook on it.” years said. “Camp is a special went as staff.

-- Zach Helfand, 11th Grade environment, no phones and no Sophomore Evy Rosenk- ing outside connections for a month. ranz attended the Conserva- b e c a u s e It forces you to live in the prestive-affiliated Camp Ramah in Ojai along you’re not only interacting ent, and there is nothing in the world like a with 10 other students who responded. It with kids from all over America but from camp experience.” was her fourth summer there, and she said all over the world,” Eva said.

Ronnie is not the only one whose sumOne activity, said, was tithat it exposed her to a different mer camp experience was partly the same, tled, “Who is a Jew?” kind of Judaism than she typical“You’re with all different partly religiously different “Because I go to a Modly experiences. people from different from home. ern Orthodox school, I don’t “Most people there don’t go to schools who want the think my definition of a a Jewish school and don’t really same end-goal as you, Jew is as flexible as some of making new memories observe Shabbat or holidays,” the other kids in the Amerwith people you don’t see Evy said. “I get to be with them ican cohort,” Eva said. “But everyday.” for those four Shabbats and get --Evy Rosenkranz, it really made me question to be part of their experience.”

10th Grade things. I thought, if we can Junior Zach Helfand attendquestion everything in Judaed Ramah for the ninth time ism, why can’t we question this year. He said that difference provides a more exciting association with this one aspect?”

“Maybe it honestly doesn’t prayer and learning that school does. matter what I “Often times, [Judaism] is seen as kind of antagonistic -- here are the rules, you have to follow them. It’s different at sleepaway camp because everyone there has a positive outlook on it.”

ungary .

arvas, H as Cam t Szarv world a m all o ver the Jews fr o : Eva S uissa m et

Eva Suissa experienced international Jewry at Szarvas Camp in Szarvas, Hungary. She participated in the American fellowship associated with the camp, and said that the discussions about Judaism challenged her beliefs. Eva was one of five seniors who attended that program this past summer.

“There are delegations from countries all over Eastern Europe, which is super fascinat-

p in Sz

senior

JEWRY

WORK

is m Ritz : r Ada

selor a coun

blew at Tum

eed

eing after b

a camp

e. er ther

Ojai.

Whether the camp is Orthodox, pluralistic or secular, all students interviewed said camp environments have impacted their religiousness in some way.

Ronnie said camp has taught him the importance of respecting others’ Jewish identities.

“I have gained a set of life skills,” Ronnie said. “I’ve learned important religious values, and the need to treat everybody’s personal decisions, especially when it comes to Judaism, with respect. Camp Stone has

15

Although his observance has posed some challenges at camp, Adam said he is able to manage it.

“It’s always been a challenge to keep infusing my Judaism into it, especially being now that I’m a counselor and none of my friends keep Shabbat, so they’re all going out on Fridays and Saturday and I can’t,” Adam said. “But all my friends know I keep Shabbat and are super supportive, and three weeks ago we had a Shabbat dinner at my house with 15 people.”

Senior Ayala Chocron attended French Wood’s Festival of the Performing Arts in Hancock, judgeN.Y., doing dance and musical theater for ment free environthe fifth time. While the camp is not Jew- ment.”

Adam said it wasn’t just activities like ish, she said she never felt like an outsider, and that she infuses her Judaism into her swimming, archery and horseback riding that bring him back to Tumbleweed each camp life.

“I think a lot about Jewish values and year, but his camp friends and traditions.

“At the end of every summorals while I’m there,” mer, you get a flag, and once Ayala said. “One time, “All my friends know I keep Shabbat it’s your third year, you get a my friend didn’t get this and are super supportive, and three Tumbleweed pin, and most solo for the dance show weeks ago we had a Shabbat dinner at people stick them on their and she was distraught, my house with 15 people.” flags,” he said. “I have all mine and I kind of taught her -- Adam Ritz, 12th grade up on my wall, all 13.” gam zu letovah - this too Evy Rosenkranz said her exis good. periences at Ramah stay with “And that became our her throughout the school year. thing,” she said.“She’s “You’re with all different people from fully Christian, but whenever anything different schools who want the same endbad happened we would always just say goal as you, making new memories with gam zu letovah -- it’s gonna be okay.”

Whatever its benefits, summer camp people you don’t see every day,” Evy said. is not an option for everyone. A Boiling “They’re not the people you go to school Point survey found that the sleepaway with, they’re like your special camp friends so you go out of your camps attended by Shalhevet stuway to see them.” dents cost $4,600 to $8,000 for four weeks, and the day camps cost between $200 to $315 per day.

But no one interviewed said camp wasn’t worth it, or wasn’t something they enjoyed.

For everyone, the diversity of the experience was part of the draw.

Eva Suissa said the Jewish conversations that could only have happened at Svarsas were something she’d not soon forget.

“There’s something really magical about being in a space where you’re meant to have fun and people are meant to build the best HA PP relationships they can,” Eva have a Y“p: Junior Zach H ositive e outloo lfand said all said. “I’ve truly never felt k” on J ewish of his friend observ s more free in my entire life and more ance a at summer ca t Camp Ramah mp able to express who I am in a completely .

an Jalali shman Eit e fr d eattle. n a ahtan amp in S K C c a re a tu Is n r e v G: Senio hardic Ad BONDIN er at Sep th e g to e spent tim

munity I was not a part of,” he added.

ninety-eight students responded to the Boiling Point’s survey, and 76 percent of them attended sleepaway or day camps this summer. Of these, 52 attended sleepaway camps, including Sephardic Adventure Camp in addition to camps Ramah, Moshava and Stone. The rest attended day camps.

Senior Adam Ritz worked at Tumbleweed Day Camp after having been a camper there for 12 summers. He began attending the camp at age five, when his family was first becoming more religiously observant.

, left, says

SHIRA: Ro nnie Seruya

PERFO

R

think, because if someone personally feels that they are Jewish, then they should be Jewish,” she said.

Senior Isaac Kahtan, one of three who attended Sephardic Adventure Camp in Seattle, worked as the nurse’s assistant there. He said he connected to the camp’s Sephardic culture.

“At Shalhevet, I feel almost as if I have a family surrounding me but I’m not truly home,” Isaac said. “I don’t know what it was about the Sephardic experience, but I felt a sense of family as well as a sense of home there. I think that was sparked because it really connected to my background as a Jew. “The people there were really nice and warm and really brought me into a com-

even singin

g is differe

ocron ala Ch y A : R ME

nt at Camp

d Jud infuse

Stone.

amp. g arts c in m r fo to per aism in

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Features

page design by maya miro

16

Opinion

EDITORIALS

We were strangers in the land of Egypt By the BP Editorial Board As Shalhevet students, we are constantly being reminded of the weight our voices hold in the world and our responsibility to stand up for what is right. We believe this translates to all Jews being empowered in the same way.

Asher Shalom, the owner of Asher Caffe, the new kosher restaurant in Boyle Heights, recently uploaded various posts with anti-immigration sentiments, including statements by President Trump, and has been met with protests and boycotts by a local group called Defend Boyle Heights.

While the Boiling Point believes that Mr. Shalom is well within his rights, and that Defend Boyle Heights protested in some ways that were abhorrent, the issue in this case is that he is being highly offensive to his Boyle Heights neighbors, most of whom are immigrants themselves.

Mr. Shalom has said that he doesn’t understand “the connection between Donald Trump and good

coffee.”

But the issue is not that Mr. Shalom is a Trump supporter. Rather, the issue is that when anyone ventures outside of their “bubble,” they have the responsibility to be respectful of others regardless of their political views.

Asher Caffe reportedly makes some amazing food, and a good kosher restaurant is understandably hard to turn down -- especially if it doubles as an opportunity to explore a new part of town.

But we believe that the Shalhevet community and all local Jews should think twice about patronizing Mr. Shalom’s establishment until he takes steps to think and recognize the weight that his voice holds in the world.

First, Mr. Shalom should take down all offensive posts on his Facebook pages and even consider taking down posts on his personal page. This may seem excessive, but we think he must make an effort to rebuild relations with his new community as a business owner and as an individual.

Second, he should further make amends with those he hurt, whether that be through a more sincere apology than his first one, or sitting down and having a dialogue with them.

Third, it would be incredible to see Mr. Shalom hire more workers from the local community in an effort to build bridges and immerse himself in the neighborhood.

We understand that it might seem divisive that we are advocating Jews take action against other Jews. But we believe it is more important to be a voice for those who are voiceless. Every one of us is descended from immigrants to this country, and all of us are descended from those who were strangers in a strange land many years ago. Los Angeles’ Latino community is made up of people with a similar history. Asher Shalom, and Asher Caffe, should represent us as the people who we were and still are.

A great step for the school makes us want more By the BP Editorial Board Having Judaic role models for both genders at a co-ed school is crucial. We have wonderful rabbis here at Shalhevet, and we are also fortunate to have female teachers who have taken advantage of the highest levels of learning offered to women.

Rabba Ramie Smith, who is away for this year, is a maharat; Ms. Ilana Wilner is a graduate of the GPATS (Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies) at Yeshiva University; and as of last month, Ms. Atara Segal officially became a Yoetzet Halacha.

These three female teachers are extremely relatable role models and have developed wonderful relationships with girls and boys alike. But we need more.

There are six rabbis in the school, and three female teachers of limudei kodesh, religious studies.

For an Orthodox institution, that ratio is relatively balanced.

However, there are more female students than male students in this school, all at one of the most impressionable and vulnerable stages of life. High school girls, and boys, need as many role models as possible. High school is a complicated and sometimes torturous time for both genders. Hormones and academic and social pressures make everyone’s lives more difficult. And the guidance currently given by the religious faculty to boys and girls is almost perfect.

But it could be even better, if there was even one more female teacher in the school. It would -- as Rabbi Block and Yoetzet Segal both say of women’s leadership in this issue of the Boiling Point -- benefit both girls and boys.

Girls could use another role model, another person they could go to with advice Since Rabba Smith isn’t at school this year, there are only two female Judaic faculty members working at Shalhevet right now.

Of course, there are many other female teach-

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

The Boiling Point

Managing Editor Maya Miro Community Editor Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks

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

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

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

Outside News Editor Molly Litvak Torah Editor Nicholas Fields

National Award Winners 2007-2018 International First Place Award 2011-2016

National Scholastic Press Association Online Pacemaker Award 2018 Pacemaker Finalist 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018 Online Pacemaker Finalist 2015, 2017 Story of the Year Awards 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 All-American 2009, 2012, 2014

ers, in both General Studies and in the Hebrew language and Israel Education departments. But the relationship is different between students and their religious faculty members and what we have with teachers of the more secular subjects.

Boys would benefit from more female faculty, too. Even in our own wider Orthodox Los Angeles community, people don’t know what a maharat is.

People definitely don’t understand the importance of a yoetzet halacha. If we can educate the boys in our school, they can educate their friends at other schools.

The bottom line is that another female Judaic Studies teacher would be a positive addition to Shalhevet’s faculty. More diversity in staff reinforces Shalhevet’s values of democracy and open-mindedness. She would be a role model for girls and boys. Let’s keep going -- let’s be true to ourselves and improve the ratio.

Opinion Editor Nomi Willis

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

Features Editor Tobey Lee

Graphic Design Editor Zev Kupferman Layout Editors Ellie Orlanski Sarah Feuer Photography Editors Neima Fax Zoey Botnick Alyssa Wallack Sports Editor Alex Rubel

Acting Arts & Culture Editors Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Nicholas Fields

Website Editor-in-Chief Gilad Spitzer

Faculty Adviser Mrs. Joelle Keene

Deputy Website Editor Jordana Glouberman

THE BOILING POINT is the student-produced newspaper of Shalhevet High School and a public forum for the students and the community. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the members of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Web Editor, Community Editor and Faculty Advisor. We welcome submissions for signed editorials from members of the Shalhevet Community, and the final decision about printing them is made by the Editorial Board.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted via e-mail to shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. THE BOILING POINT reserves the right to edit letters and opinion submissions and all become the property of THE BOILING POINT. Signed opinion articles and advertisements in THE BOILING POINT purchased by third parties do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or THE BOILING POINT as a whole.

To advertise, please contact the Advertising Editor at 2019.j.fishman@shalhevet.org.

The Boiling Point encourages readers to inform the newspaper of any possible factual errors found in print or online by emailing us as at shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. When appropriate, we will fix the story online, and correct the error on Page 2 or on this page in the next print edition.

Policies on conflict of interest and the use of anonymous sources can be viewed at shalhevetboilingpoint.com under the “About” tab.

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Opinion

17

TWO BOILING POINTS OF VIEW:

Is summer a time to relax or double down?

A time to detox for sake of self

Build a foundation for your future

By Gabriella Grunfeld, 12th grade

By Eytan Kent, 12th grade While sharing and reminiscing during the first weeks of school, students usually remember either how fun their summer was or if it helped their college resumes. While there are many variations of programs or summer plans, they usually fall into either one of these two categories.

Participating in activities, programs, internships or classes for college are great things to do -- but only if they’re during the school year. Summer is meant for going to camp as staff or a camper, spending time with friends or family, and going to the beach or otherwise relaxing— not for building a college resume.

It’s a time to make memories and grow, religiously and personally. It’s a time to deepen close friendships or create new ones. This can only be done without the pressure of college constantly on students’ minds, which will inevitably be the case when the intention behind participating in something is to improve that application.

More than that, summer is a time to just be different.

From late August to mid-June, students are consumed with work. Homework, extra-curriculars, SATs and college prep take many hours beyond the school day, leaving dedicated students with little time for family, socializing and Netflix. And when students do find time to do these things, they sacrifice their sleep.

So during the year, you have exhausted students who are spread way too thin for their own good.

Summer should be the time where students detox, and detox means engaging in a behavior that some high school students forget exists: fun. Fun comes in all shapes and sizes: camp, family vacations, Israel programs, or even internships if it’s in a field that interests you. Summer is the time when you can experience variety in activities, people you’re around and the places you go.

It’s is the time when you rejuvenate yourself so you come back strong for the taxing school year -- and hopefully have become a better, more balanced and complete person.

Colleges love when students have accomplished many things, and getting an internship or doing a leadership fellowship might look great on an application. But it will never guarantee a specific outcome in terms of college admission anyway. So why give up all the benefits of doing something completely college-neutral?

Instead, take the summer to develop interests you don’t get to foster during the school year. Enjoy the free time when you can. Summer is fleeting and the pressures of the school year will explode over you before you’re ready for them.

If you don’t let yourself have fun during the summer, you’re going to be burnt out during the year. And when you get to college, you might not know who you are.

The point is, no matter what you do during the summer, it should be for a l’shma purpose. It should be for the sake of itself and nothing else.

Students’ school years are often overflowing with overwhelming assignments, constant stress, and an endless amount of obligations. As summer approaches each year, people feel the need to take a well deserved break from any form of intensive work.

Time off is important, yet summer is the only time to utilize all possible resources outside the classroom. With college ever-present on students’ minds, we should use summer to our advantage, to build a strong foundation for application time.

Whether that be through attending programs such as seminars, college prep classes, interning at organizations or companies, or even working a job, much of what teens hope to accomplish before they set off into the “real world” of college can be done over the summer with no disruption.

While school is a place to learn and discover hobbies, summer break is the time to hone in on your passions through these programs. This is especially true when you participate with others who have the same ambitions.

Similarly, building your resume over the summer prepares you better not only for the year ahead, but for life. It enables you to think critically and expand your social life.

I experienced this through the pre-law program that I attended this past summer. It has provided me with a strong foundation in a possible career, is an incredible resume booster, has connected me to people and was a ton of fun.

So much of our resumebuilding during the year is limited to the Jewish community. This summer, I was the only Jewish girl in my journalism class in New York. This gave me a lot of perspective as I became aware of the world outside of the Shalhevet “bubble” and more appreciative of my community.

If not for this program, entering a college campus in the future would have been a complete culture shock.

This way, I was exposed to other cultures, religions, and beliefs, all while learning and growing before college.

“But what about relaxing and just having fun?

Aren’t we supposed to simply relax over the summer?” teenagers often say.

And taking a break is important.

At the same time, most programs aren’t all eight weeks of summer, leaving time for you to relax and hang out with your family, while still fortifying your resume for your future.

That’s the beauty of summer: an open schedule.

When else can we learn outside the classroom?

We use any free time during the school year to relax, or attempt to catch up on sleep. Instead of sleeping all day, hidden under your blanket binge-ing Netflix shows all night, teens should take this time to explore their interests, meet new people or volunteer.

Next summer, soak up all opportunities, step outside your comfort zone, and continue to utilize your potential with the time you have. You never know how it will benefit you later.

BP Photos BY Alyssa Wallack

A guide that could make a difference in creating respectful discourse

By Nomi willis, Opinion editor As the nation becomes increasingly divided by differing political opinions, Shalhevet is following suit -- despite its aspirations to be an open and loving community. Many students feel alienated from one another because of their views or are afraid to share them at all. We’ve discussed this divide in Town Hall, have read Op-Eds about it in the Boiling Point, and have deviated from class lesson plans talking about how to change the culture.

But is acknowledging and discussing going to solve this problem? Will simply talking about our intolerance towards those with differing opinions and political views be enough to change behavior? I don’t think so.

However, I do have an idea of where to start.

I recently read A Conflict of Visions, written in 1987 by Thomas Sowell and reprinted many times since then. It seeks to explain why people who agree on some subjects tend to also agree on others, even when the various issues are unrelated to one another. For example, why those who want to raise taxes on the rich also advocate for stricter gun control, and those who want lower taxes also believe all citizens have a right to bear arms. You could boil it down to the extent to which each group believes government should play a role in our lives. But Sowell goes farther than that.

selves. Instead of accepting that people simply see the world in Sowell divides people between two camps: those who believe different ways, these people immediately jumped to the conclusion that humans are limited in their potential and those who believe that this classmate was somehow morally inferior. While not all of human potential is infinite. Such beliefs, he says are innate, and us translate our thoughts into gestures or head shakes, we are all the closest you can get to a “gut feeling.” And he explains in detail guilty of seeing the other side as morally inferior how having these differing “visions,” as he calls them, bleeds into a person’s understanding of It helped me see why those at some point or another.

A Conflict of Visions showed that our visions topics ranging from knowledge to justice. with opinions different of human nature directly affect our values, and While political opinions, which are usually when people take a side that seems reprehensible, thought through on an intellectual level, and from mine think the way foolish or cruel, they are simply prioritizing dif“gut feelings” seem completely disconnected, they do, so I could stop ferent values than we are. So are we: we may not Sowell applies his thesis in detail throughout villainizing them and inrealize it, but we are doing the same thing that the book. In doing so, the reader builds a true stead understand that our our political opponents are doing in reaching our understanding of both sides— which is exactly own conclusions. what Shalhevet students need right now. approaches to processing The solution to the intolerance of other opinIf we want to end polarization, every student issues in the world are — ions is not just listening to your friend explain his at Shalhevet should read this book. It helped perhaps innately — or her stance on one issue. It is to understand why me see why those with opinions different from your friend has that view altogether. mine think the way they do, so I could stop different, and that’s okay.

Intolerance at Shalhevet is plaguing all of villainizing them and instead understand that us, and we are all seeking a solution. Next time, our approaches to processing issues in the world before you complain about classmates not understanding your are — perhaps innately — different, and that’s okay. perspective and acting disrespectfully, I would urge you to pick up In his opinion piece published in the Boiling Point last year, A Conflict of Visions, discover the bigger picture, and recognize Asher Dauer described people shaking their heads disapprovingly that he or she is really no different from yourself. when a classmate articulated views that they did not hold them-

18

Arts & Culture

SEPTember 2018

With humor and heart, cultures clash, then merge in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ recast minority roles as white actors, in the belief that it is the only way to sell the movie.

Hollywood has seen shake-ups recently of some of its most Kevin Kwan, who wrote the formulaic film genres when the element of race is introduced. bestselling novel on which the Following in the footsteps of Get Out (horror) and Black Panther film is based, resisted such an (superhero), Crazy Rich Asians provides a refreshing take on the outcome. According to Enterpredictable genre of the romantic comedy. tainment Weekly, Kwan was The film, which smashed expectations by grossing $89 million approached by a producer to in its first two weeks, follows the fictional Rachel Chu, an Asiancast Rachel as a white woman.

American of Chinese descent, as she accompanies her boyfriend He did not.

Nick Young to his best friend’s wedding.

In fact, what Unbeknownst to Rachel, Nick, who It is undoubtedly refreshing to see becomes abundantly like Rachel lives in New York, belongs another way of life presented -- esclear watching the to one of the wealthiest families in film is the necessity Singapore. We are soon introduced to pecially at a time when American of Rachel’s “culture his family, from wacky playboys who self-obsession is ever more popuwarnerbros.com shock” experience, buy anything they want to troubled lar and many Americans ignore the which is an exploraMAKEOVER: The rapper Awkwafina, left, plays Goh Peik Lin, who helps Constance Wu’s character Rachel characters who have deep secrets. tion of the difference rich history of Eastern cultures, Cho dress to impress her boyfriend’s wealthy Singaporean family.

Rachel is quickly thrust into an in lifestyles among unfamiliar world of harsh judgment, which stretches back thousands two groups who most strong family duties and, above all else, of years before the United States It is undoubtedly refreshing to see another way of life prewould categorize as the ridiculous excess. In the hectic fews sented -- especially at a time when American self-obsession is ever even existed. same.

Coming from an Asian-American household, Radays before and including the wedding, more popular and many Americans ignore the rich history of chel expects to have an understanding of Asian culture.

Rachel and Nick’s relationship is tested Eastern cultures, which stretches back thousands of years before Her naivete is exposed as she picks a modest red dress and at a point seems like it is broken. the United States even existed. to wear as her first impression to the Young family’s over-the-top But, not diverting from the genre, they eventually end up back Adding to the plot are a rich soundtrack and cinematogragathering, only to be laughed at. together. phy. Exemplifying both the similarities and differences between Rachel’s is not the only eye-opening experience of this movie.

While the film is the first produced in Hollywood with an Asian and Asian-American culture, music supervisor Gabe Hilfer Personally, I would not have been aware of just how different all-Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club, released in 1993, Crazy Rich includes Chinese covers of American pop songs by artists Asian and Asian-American cultures are from Asians does not merely try to sell a generic story to a new generasuch as Coldplay and Madonna. one another.

What I experienced was similar tion. Woven into its entertaining and surprisingly heartfelt plot is Set in the beautiful city-state of Singapore, there is What I experienced was a hilarious assortment of jokes poking fun at Asian stereotypes and to if someone did not understand the differno shortage of memorable shots. From opulent palaces ence between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews. timely criticism of American culture. similar to if someone did not to the futuristic skyline, to the breathtaking coastline of While both groups are Jewish,they have difOne of the film’s funniest moments is when word first spreads understand the difference nearby Langkawi, Malaysia, it is hard to not to want to ferent experiences and are viewed and judged of Nick and Rachel’s relationship through a massively complibook a flight straight from the theatre. between Sephardic and differently, by both outsiders and each other. cated network of connections, all within minutes of Nick inviting As book-to-film adaptations often find, there are It is this theme that is more earnestly Rachel to the wedding. Another is a playful take on the classic Ashkenazi Jews. While both several subplots which seem rushed in order to give Radepicted in the main conflict of the film pre-wedding getting-dressed montage. groups are Jewish, they have chel and Nick’s story the spotlight. This leads to rushed between Rachel and Nick’s disapproving There are several standout performances, both comedic and different experiences and are resolutions -- most notably in Astrid’s subplot, when mother, Eleanor. Instead of the common dramatic. The rapper Awkwafina -- who plays Goh Peik Lin, during her breakup from her husband the plot rushes trope of a mother being overprotective of viewed and judged differently, Rachel’s college friend and confidante -- provides comic relief to make her into a heroine despite serious unaddressed her son, Eleanor’s reasoning for not wanting throughout the movie. Gemma Chan, playing Nick’s cousin Asby both outsiders and each flaws. Gemma Chan’s acting deserves more screen time, Nick to marry Rachel is to preserve her trid, is a standout as a trendsetting fashionista with a heart of gold other. which we hope she will get in the reported sequel. family. who lacks the confidence to stand up to those who hurt her.

But it’s a minor flaw. Crazy Rich Asians is a fun and In contrast to the American idea of going Making the film was not without cultural challenges of its captivating rom-com, that meanwhile milestone for out and following one’s love and passion, own. It has become a trend to see major Hollywood producers Asian representation in Hollywood. The film’s contemporary Eleanor believes family responsibility comes first, and that if comedy, enthralling plot and social commentary make this film a everyone chased their dreams there strong wake up call for a genre that seemed dead. would be no sustained success.

BY Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor

crazyrichasiansmovie.com DISAPPROVAL: Rachel Chu, right, played by Constance Wu, spends most of the movie trying to gain the approval of her boyfriend’s mother Eleanor, left, played by Michelle Yeoh.

The Boiling Point • September 2018 • Arts & Culture

19

warnerbrosrecords.com

Blurredculture.com

STAR: Mac Miller established a loyal fan base that included Shalhevet students, who stayed with him from his early mixtape days through his transition to darker themes. Miller died last week at the age of 26.

Beloved by many, Jewish rapper will be remembered We could be friends high school and college party culture at the time. His 2011 single I just need a way out of my head “Loud” followed this formula, with lyrics like: I’ll do anything for a way out Got a million, make a mil more “Overdosing is just not cool,” said the rapper Mac Miller in Of my head Play a number one spot on the billboard 2016, describing his battle with addiction in a Fader documentary Miller’s musical profile was not only composed of rapping. His While he was extremely popular at this time, of his life Stopped Making Excuses. later music often blurred the line between singing and rapping. along with success came deep personal struggles.

His “There’s no legendary romance,” he conHis last two albums were While his voice was not that of an angel’s, his sincerity shone later music matched his personal life with a drastic tinued. “You don’t go down in history because through his raspy tone. change in style, with a much more mature and you overdosed. You just die.” so amazing, and not just for He also taught himself to play piano, drums, guitar and bass darker tone. Miller often rapped about his struggles Comments like that made it perhaps having fun with but they and produced music for artists including SZA and Vince Staples. with depression and drug addiction. even more of a shock when Miller died last “Mac could play any instrument, and his sound was so unique His second album, Watching Movies With The had a lot of meaning and Thursday from a drug overdose at his home in and dope that he will forever be an icon and legend to me and my Sound Off, was full of darker songs such as “Objects Studio City. An artist with an inspired followemotion in them. And they generation,” said senior Noah Rossi. in The Mirror” where Miller ing, he had many fans at Shalhevet. will forever be art that I can His death sparked an outpouring of grief and rapped, Born Malcolm James Mccormick in Pittsreflection from artists including Chance the Rapper Never thought that it would feel personally relate to. burgh in 1992, Miller was Jewish and had had ‘My regrets looked just like and G-Eazy, who both commented on how Miller this way a bar mitzvah, as he mentioned in interviews.

- -Aiden Bieda, 11th Grade text I shouldn’t send/ had affected their lives.

You never taught me how to heal Though he never explored Jewish themes or “I dont [sic] know what to say Mac Miller took the pain And I got neighbors, they mentioned Judaism in his music, Miller often me on my second tour ever,” tweeted Chance the I wish you caught me on a difappears in lists of the best Jewish rappers. more like strangers Rapper. “But beyond helping me launch my career ferent day He was beloved by Shalhevet students, some of whom saw his We could be friends/ he was one of the sweetest guys I ever knew.”

When it was easier to be happy. journey from an immature pop-rapper to a maestro of melancholy I just need a way out of my Senior Ayala Chocron, who saw Miller in con“His last two albums were so amazing, and as at least a partial mirror for their own personal growth. cert, was impressed by his humility. not just for having fun with but they had a lot head/ I’ll do anything for a Miller’s career began with the release of several mixtapes while “He played his music, made sure everyone of meaning and emotion in them,” said Aiden, he was still in high school, eventually leading to the release of his way out of my head.’ enjoyed themselves and hyped everyone up,” Ayala debut studio album, Blue Slide Park in, 2011 when he was just 19. “and they will forever be art that I can personally -Mac Miller, said, “but after every single song spoke about how relate to.”

The underground and inexperienced nature of his early music ‘Come Back to Earth’ humbled and grateful he was for his audience and Miller’s latest album, Swimming, was released attracted a devoted fan base. fans, because their support was the reason why he just a month before his death. It dealt with his “When I was first getting into rap music, I tended to like has any success and happiness.” depression after his public breakup with the amateur rappers,” said sophomore Aiden Bieda, “and Mac Miller Miller’s death continues a disturbing trend among young rapsinger Ariana Grande.

On the album’s “Come Back to Earth,” at the time had a pretty amateur sound and he was one of the few pers, including A$AP Yams and Lil Peep who have died of drug Miller demonstrated his trademark melancholy style. rappers that really got me into rap.” overdoses.

My regrets looked just like text I shouldn’t send Miller’s early songs were mainly about sex, drugs and his sucAnd I got neighbors, they more like strangers cess -- not unusual for the genre -- and became the soundtrack of

BY Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor

To Mr. Reusch, On behalf of all the students at shalhevet, we wish you a speedy recovery and hope this paper keeps you busy!

Get Well Soon.

20

Sports

SEPTEMBER 2018

Remer replaces Ryan, but both coaches remain

Kvetch about the present, but kvell for the future

No change to basketball or football programs, but Remer will now coordinate sports overall

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief

sports,” said Dr. Ravanshenas.

Coach Remer said there was no relevant difference between his Coach Ryan Coleman and Coach Jeff Remer have partly switched title, Athletic Coordinator, and Coach Coleman’s Athletic Director.

“Nobody has made a meaningful distinction between the two,” jobs this year. Coach Remer, the girls basketball coach, has taken over Coach Remer said. as school Athletic Coordinator. Coach Ryan Coleman, who had been Coach Remer hopes to give all students the opportunity to play Athletic Director, will coach boys Varsity and JV basketball, while sports. also leading the flag football team.

“If there are any students who want to have a specific sport that Coach Remer, who is the parent of two Firehawk basketball playcurrently is not on the list ers -- senior Eitan and of sports that Shalhevet sophomore Ze’ev Remer -offers, I believe that Shalwill continue coaching the hevet has always said that girls basketball team. if you can get the people In that capacity, he to be a part of a program said, Coach Ryan will be or a team, Shalhevet will his boss. Coach Coleman, make it happen,” Coach who was named Jewish Remer said.

Hoops Coach of the Year Both coaches are popafter leading the Firehawks ular with basketball and to a Sarachek championfootball players. ship against the Valley ToJunior Caroline Edry, rah Wolfpack last March, a center on the girls bashas also been given the ketball team, said Coach title Director of Basketball Remer helped her underOperations. stand the reasoning beCoach Coleman said hind the game. managing the practice and “He focused not only game schedules of the 11 on conditioning, he also BP Photo by Neima Fax teams in the school had focused on the logic bebeen difficult, in part beSWITCH: Coach Remer has Coach Coleman's old office off the gym . hind basketball,” she said. cause of the time it took Senior Yakir Kanefto get to Shalhevet from sky, a linebacker on the flag football team, was glad Coach Coleman his home in Calabasas in northwestern Los Angeles County -- and would continue. get his kids to and from school as well.

“He cares about his players, he wants everyone to get better,” said “Can’t spend three hours in the car everyday anymore -- how long it takes me to get to and from work,” said Coach Coleman. “It just Yakir. “He’s always there to give advice, he’s always willing to work with you.” became too much.”

On a personal level, the two coaches say their bond is strong and “I have to pick them up and take them to school,” he said. “They go to school in the opposite direction of Shalhevet and I live in Cala- continues to grow.

“My relationship with Ryan prior to being Athletic Coordinator basas as it is.” was great, and my relationship with Ryan after taking over as Athletic Coach Coleman also has been coaching at Calabasas High School Coordinator continues to be great,” Coach Remer said for seven years, and working for a sports management agency and Coach Ryan will now be able to invest more time on the sports running a strength training company called “MVP Strength” for he coaches. eight years.

“I work to help him and assist him with the things that he needs The change was announced in an email on July 2 from Dean of to get done,” said Coach Remer. “And I’ve been able to take away, you Student Life Jonathan Ravanshenas, who is in charge of co-curricuknow, some of the sports that … allow him now to focus more on lars this year.

“Coach Remer brings with him over a decade of experience and basketball and football.”

“The relationship has been enhanced.” passion for Jewish education and athletics, coaching a variety of

As an Ashkenaz Jew, oy vey zmeir is not only part of my vernacular, but perhaps one of my most commonly used phrases. In case you needed to brush up on your Yiddish, Oy vey zmeir directly translates to “woe is me” and is used to complain.

If there was a phrase I could use to describe Los Angeles sports teams the last couple of years, it’s oy vey zmeir. As I’m sure my fellow Angelenos will attest, it has been a grueling last couple of years to be a Los Angeles sports fan. It seems like the woes always trump any sort of optimistic feasibility that arises, and instead of victory, we lose.

First and perhaps the most obvious example, the Los Angeles Dodgers -- especially this season. Last year, I wrote a column about how I was certain that 2017 was finally the Dodgers’ year. LOL. I was almost right.

Yu Darvish, a lack of offense and an unbeatable Astros team all got the last laugh in the glimpse of November baseball we had in game seven of that dreadful series.

The Dodgers are yo-yo-ing between first, second and third place in the National League West. In recent weeks they’ve swept by familiar post-season rivals the St. Louis Cardinals and lost to the fourth-place Mets; then this week lost two out of three to the last place Cincinnati Reds. This season has been a rollercoaster.

The standings are wildly close and for the first time in six years, it is possible that not only will the Dodgers not win their division, but they might not even make the playoffs.

And how is this possible? A team that made trades to get some of the hottest hitters in the game -- Manny Machado and Brian Dozier -- is chasing the tails of teams with fan-bases half the size of Pantone 294 (a group of travelling Dodgers fans). Okay, maybe that was a little harsh. But in today’s economy, in Los Angeles, the Dodgers should not be struggling the way they are.

And now, basketball. First off, the Clippers. I am, admittedly, a Lakers fan (and I will get to them in a second). But with the losses of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, it will be years before the Clippers are contenders again.

And the Lakers just, with Hashem’s help, signed perhaps the greatest basketball player ever, Lebron James. But will this be a bust? Can Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rando and Lonzo Ball possibly be enough to help Lebron beat the Warriors and Rockets -- teams which not only already have playoff experience, but also just experience playing as a team? Time will tell. Stay tuned for another column later this year.

Meanwhile, in hockey, the Kings made the playoffs last year, but lost to a brand new team in the Vegas Golden Knights. If I were not jaded from previous years, I’d say the chances of the Kings returning to the playoffs were reasonable. But since I have seen good teams lose so many times, I’ll say that fine, maybe the Kings will make the playoffs, but the chances of them passing the first round are hilariously low.

Enough kvetching: what are we supposed to make of all of this? Am I complaining just to complain? No, because I’m not a bubbie yet. Does winning even matter? If good teams can lose, can bad teams win? Are the winners really the best team?

And what can Angelenos do to stay positive?

Honestly, the answers are frustrating, but important, so bear with me.

We must try to keep the faith. Sports are wild -- remember when the Chicago Cubs hadn’t won the World Series for 108 years, and then epicly won in 2016? We need to recognize that patience is a virtue. It’s hard to see that sometimes, but if you can try, you’re already halfway there.

And one way the Los Angeles sports world can kvell is through the Los Angeles Rams. In the short time (two years) the Rams have been back in LA, they have made the playoffs already. They went from a team that was not given any primetime slots last season to a team who trounced the Oakland Raiders 33-13 the first Monday Night Football slot of the season this year Furthermore, they have now acquired rising star Brandon Cooks from the New England Patriots. It seems like Cooks, Sean McVay, Jared Goff and Todd Gurley will have something good going for them.

But of course, poo poo poo, because the last thing I’d like to do is jinx the possibility of an actual win for the City of Angels, in one sport or another.

By Tobey Lee, Features Editor

LA-BRON! Blockbuster deal excites Laker fans, but other teams' backers say they'll stay the course being a part of the team,” Yarin said Though there aren’t nearly as many school. For example, senior Ari Reder says as Laker fans at Shalhevet, fans of the Los he will remain a devout Boston Celtics fan, Angeles Clippers -- the other LA basketball though he’s happy LeBron signed with the team -- are undeterred by the LeBron deal.

Senior Jonathan Fishman says he’ll never Lakers because it clears the Eastern Conference of competition from the Cavaliers and become a Laker fan no matter what.

“I believe in something called loyalty,” could renew the celebrated Celtics-Lakers said Jonathan, who roots for the Clips. “I’ll rivalry.

“It’s hard to switch to another team when never switch allegiances.”

He called sticking with a team a matter of your heart is already set on one,” Ari said.

Junior Yarin Amzalag, a point guard on honor, adding, “It speaks to one’s character the Firehawk boys basketball team, says he’ll if they decide to dump their own team just keep rooting for the San Antonio Spurs. He based on one player."

But Laker fans have had their tough said most loyal basketball fans will stick with years, too. Since winning the NBA champitheir teams even during the tough times.

“By being part of the fan base, you’re also onship in 2009 and 2010 under the leadership of the now-retired Kobe Bryant, they’ve posted losing records in for five years. Bryant retired in 2016.

For longtime Laker fans, the arrival of LeBron is particularly sweet.

Junior Adam Tizabi thinks the Lakers could make it as far as the Western Conference finals this year.

“I’m glad that the Lakers will finally be good enough to compete against good teams like the Warriors and the Houston Rockets,” said Adam.

Sophomore Jack Resin believes that NBA.com the Lakers’ success would make basketSuperstar: Expectations are high for LeBron in L.A. Continued from Page 1

ball more exciting in Los Angeles overall.

“Entering the playoff picture obviously makes every Laker fan more excited and more passionate about LA basketball,” Jack said.

In addition to LeBron, the Lakers signed Javale McGee, Lance Stephenson, and Rajon Rondo to one-year deals shortly after the LeBron trade.

But for students who don’t follow basketball quite that closely, LeBron’s imminent arrival is something they don’t expect to change their lives.

“LeBron joining the Lakers will not motivate me to watch their games or make me a bigger fan,” said freshman Anya Mendelson, who says she is a Lakers fan only because they’re based in LA. Freshman Talya Kukurudz said she became more interested in the Lakers when news of the LeBron deal broke out, but since then has changed her mind.

“I don’t think it will ever make me follow basketball more than before,” said Talya.

Everyone seemed to agree on one thing though: LeBron coming to Los Angeles will be a boon for the city.

“There will be a lot more sales due to everyone wanting his merchandise,” predicted sophomore Hila Lasry, who plays small forward on the Firehawk girls basketball team.