The Boiling Point SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL ĂĄ - / ; 6/ ĂĄ February 2015 - Shvat 5775 ĂĄ * ?C; 1 A ĂĄ = =
Compromise on female clergy saved ‘day of learning’ last fall By Noah Rothman, Torah Editor
CONTROVERSY: Alissa Thomas-Newborn outside B’nai David Judea, where she serves as ‘kehilla intern.’ Her position is a first for Los Angeles. See stories on this page and P. 13. BP Photo by Jordan Levine
Israel, California join forces on water crisis By Zack Hirschhorn, Staff Writer The state of California and the government of Israel signed an agreement last spring on a large-scale plan that will bring Israeli expertise in a variety of areas -- especially water -- to California over the next couple of years. Consul General David Siegel, Israel’s representative to the southwestern United States, described this agreement in a speech to the student body Jan. 11 in the auditorium. “It is the most significant agreement, the broadest agreement California has signed with any country in recent years,� said Mr. Siegel in an interview with the Boiling Point after the talk. “California has other important agreements, with China,
with Mexico, but this one is a broader among other things, “incubate global solutions from joint California-Israel more comprehensive agreement.� In Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown innovation initiatives.� It is signed by Gov. Brown and issued a statement March 5 after signIsraeli Prime Minister Benyamin Neing the agreement. “Through this agreement, Califor- tanyahu, and signed “on the 5th day nia and Israel will build on their re- of March, 2014, corresponding to the 3rd day of Adar II spective strengths in research of 5774.� and technology to confront Along with wacritical problems we both face, ter management, such as water scarcity, cyberthe agreement security and climate change,� plans cooperation said Gov. Brown, according to in the areas of aga press release. riculture, biotechAccording to the press renology and medilease, the agreement states cine, culture and that it was created “for the education, cyberpurposes of establishing a formal relationship� between IsFacebook.com/davidseigal Continued on Page 12 rael and California in order to,
When B’nai David-Judea Congregation on Pico Boulevard appointed its first-ever kehilla intern last fall, the congregation received her with open-arms. Alissa Thomas-Newborn, a fourth-year student in the clergy ordination program at Yeshivat Maharat in New York, is the first woman to intern there, following three male interns, all rabbinical students. Her appointment was made when the shul’s rabbi and board decided to add an additional member of clergy to its staff (see related story, Page 14). But in November, her presence – or perhaps just her title -- almost derailed a collaborative day of Jewish learning that had been planned jointly by the Shalhevet Institute and B’nai David-Judea, Beth Jacob Congregation, and Young Israel of Century City. The event was set for Sunday, Nov. 16, at Beth Jacob, as part of an annual worldwide gathering of communities who decide to all learn Torah on the same day. This year, over 420 communities in 40 countries participated. The topic was “Heroes & Villains, Saints & Fools: The People in The Book.� Led by Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, Director of the Shalhevet Institute, seven speakers were arranged: Rabbi Judah Mischel, Rabbi Pini Dunner, Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom, Rabbi Abraham Lieberman, Rabbi Avroham Stuhlberger, Ms. Thomas-Newborn, and Shalhevet Judaic Studies teacher Ruthie Skaist. All were to appear at Beth Jacob. Although no rabbis would share details for the record, The Boiling Point has learned that when Beth Jacob Rabbi Kalman Topp learned that Ms. Thomas-Newborn would be speaking, he said his synagogue would withdraw its sponsorship. Mrs. Skaist was not an issue. Marc Rohatiner, past president of Beth Jacob and a Shalhevet alumni parent, said Rabbi Topp and Rabbi Muskin were cautious about having her speak because of how her title, maharat, might be perceived, and felt there was not enough time to prepare their congregations. The amount of time involved was not clear. “All I am aware of is how the timing came up, and not being sensitive to how Rabbi Topp and Rabbi Muskin would have to deal with the issue, and be able to deal with it in the context and deal with the leadership,� Mr. Rohatiner said. A stalemate persisted for several weeks, during whichthere was no publicity for the event. With two weeks to Continued on Page 15
Grubbing for the grade: An awkward dance for students and teachers By Alec Fields, Staff Writer
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tudents frequently do it, but few want to talk about it – at least on the record. For a variety of reasons, students ask teachers, sometimes insistently, to adjust their grades and scores. Sometimes it’s just bringing a calculation error to a teacher’s attention. Other times, it’s taking issue with a teacher’s subjective scoring system. And occasionally, it’s asking for a
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THE PRINCIPAL SEARCH
grade bump for no reason at all. To students who don’t do it – and teachers who may resent it – the practice is referred to as “grade-grubbing,� suggesting that students are scrabbling for grades in the dirt. “Of course I’ve grade-grubbed,� said junior Derek Orenshein. “I didn’t have a high enough grade in the class and I felt as though I had been cheated out of some points and that I deserved [it].� Sometimes teachers will agree to change a grade – otherwise, no one would
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ask. But often, they’re just annoyed. “As a teacher, it feels really demoralizing and upsetting when that conversation happens,� said Ms. Melanie Berkey, English Academic Chair. “It makes you feel that your class, that is a learning process, is kind of reduced to currency. I don’t think it serves the higher purposes of learning.� Still, a majority of students believe they have a right to ask a teacher to explain the basis for a grade. Many also
think that they are entitled to a grade boost, whether the increase sought is deserved or unearned. Most students interviewed for this article acknowledged grade grubbing, but did not want to share their personal experiences. “It’s definitely prevalent,� said junior Daniel Soroudi. “That’s what people who care about their grades do.� For students who ask, every part of the Continued on Page 5
BILOXI BLUES
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NEW COLLEGE COUNSELOR
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The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Community
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Second counselor beefs up college advising program
By Rose Lipner, Community Editor
For the first time in school history, Shalhevet has added a second person to oversee its college counseling program, due to a growing number of students. Last fall, Ms. Lisa Gruenbaum became the school’s firstever College Counseling Associate, assisting Ms. Aviva Walls, Director of College Counseling and Academic Guidance.
We got really lucky becasue Lisa is much more experienced than the person I was searching for and she’s able to bring so much to the table. -- Aviva Walls, Director of College Counseling and Academic Guidance
Ms. Walls works mainly with juniors and seniors. Both grades’ enrollments have increased in the past few years. “The number of students who I work with most intensely jumped from 61 to over 100 students in two years,” said Ms. Walls in an interview Jan. 5. “That’s just more than one person can manage. With the level of service we provide, I wouldn’t be able to keep that up if we didn’t bring in another person.” The addition of Ms. Gruenbaum, who works 10 to 20 hours a week, gives Shalhevet a ratio of approximately one college counselor per 125 students. By comparison, YULA Girls and YULA boys each have one college counselor per approximately 200 students. The ratio at Harvard-Westlake is 1:145 students; at Hamilton High School 1:604 students, and at Beverly Hills High School 1:410, according to a Boiling Point survey. That makes Shalhevet’s counselor-to-student ratio the smallest among the five schools compared, and most similar to Harvard Westlake’s. But Ms. Walls said the comparison was misleading, because the other schools’ counselors have full-time administrative support. “Originally, I had wanted a college student to help me with administrative work and make sure everything is on track,” said Ms.Walls. “We got really lucky because Lisa is much more experienced than the person I was searching for and she’s able to bring so much to the table.” According to Admissions Director Ms. Natalie Weiss, there are 188 students at Shalhevet this year: 32 seniors,
February Shabbat Shekalim
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Shushan Purim BP New York Trip 18-20
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46 juniors, 54 sophomores and 56 freshmen. The year-by-year growth rate prompted Ms.Walls to begin searching for an assistant. Then last May, Ms. Gruenbaum—who had worked in the admissions office at University of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2013—sent her an e-mail describing her interest in the career, and the match was made. “Rather than have a full-time administrator, Lisa and I divide up the administrative work and also [both] provide counseling for students,” Ms. Walls said. Ms. Gruenbaum helps by ensuring that teacher’s letters of recommendation and students’ applications are in, and that students have signed up for standardized tests. To learn more about college counseling, she sometimes sits in on seniors’ individual meetings with Ms. Walls. Ms. Walls, who joined the Shalhevet staff in 2013, gets to know each senior individually, and from learning about their interests, working habits and personalities, assists them in creating a list of colleges to investigate. “Getting to know each senior personally helps me understand the entire kid and the full dynamic of what’s happening with them,” said Ms. Walls. “This allows me to counsel them toward success.” Additionally, she speaks to juniors about tests and extra-curriculars, and for lowerclassmen, she organizes college nights. Getting ready for college applications also includes academic guidance, deciding what students are looking BP Photo by Ezra Fax for in a college, studying for the ACT or SAT subject tests, DOUBLE: Lisa Gruenbaum, center, is now helping Aviva writing essays and applications and discovering one’s Walls, left, with college guidance. strengths and weaknesses. “We want to give students enough attention because “Having two college counselors frees up both Aviva and the college process is different for everyone,” said Ms. Gruenbaum in an interview Jan. 5. “I’m also Aviva’s right- Lisa so they can meet with us,” said senior Max Helfand. “Scheduling a meeting with one hand man. Whatever she needs or both of them was never an ishelp with, I’m here for.” sue, and if I ever just wanted to Seniors say that now it’s easier We want to give students enough atshow one of them a rough draft to schedule appointments and get tention because the college proces is of an application essay, or just answers to minor questions, even talk about a particular college, at without a meeting. different for everyone. least one of them would be able “I think it’s great to have Lisa -- Lisa Gruenbaum, to meet.” around,” said senior Jillian EinalCollege Counseling Associate Before coming to Shalhevet, hori. “Since Aviva’s so busy, and Ms. Gruenbaum also worked as I don’t want to constantly bother an editor’s assistant at US Weekly, her with my small college questaught kindergarten at Yavneh for one year and planned tions, I know I can randomly ask those questions to Lisa.” Ms. Walls anticipates that Ms. Gruenbaum will be back. social events for AishLA. Students hope so, too.
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Community
The Year of Living
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Classroom crunch?
Number of classrooms in new building drops by one for more open space; construction is on time
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SL U O R E G N DA
By Sigal Spitzer, Staff Columnist As first semester comes to a close, students are finally adjusting to heavy backpacks, stair climbing and winter blankets. No lockers? No problem. No temperature controls? Ein ba’aya. In fact, the disadvantages the JCC presents have not dimmed the Shalhevet flame’s continuous light. Application numbers are soaring and the new building is producing rapid visual advancements over on Fairfax. Sports teams are succeeding and the Just Community is reviving the democracy. Academic classes remain strong and seniors are collecting acceptances to prestigious universities. Still, accompanying all this have been a few sharp turns, sudden halts and upside-down loops. The past couple months brought both tears of celebrity excitement and tears of mourning to the student body. Who would have thought the antiquated 1942 Jewish Community Center attracts celebrities? “He is playing ping pong downstairs” “Rabbi Segal and Noey are taking pictures” “OMG! LOL!” The first began Nov. 5 at 3:30pm, when Justin Bieber -- yes, that Justin Bieber -- appeared in the foyer at the entrance to the JCC. Wearing a red-and-white fitted Nike sweatsuit, the teenage dream swiftly and steadily walked downstairs to the Ping-Pong club, avoiding all eye contact and interaction with students. Instantly, shrieks, laughter and adrenaline filled the halls as students harassed security guards for more information on where he was, how long he’d stay and where to see him. Those with “Bieber fever,” particularly freshmen in CIJE and girls on the basketball team, then waited for hours after school in hopes of getting an autograph or personal photo-op. In the meantime, Snapchat stories and Instagram photos were rapidly uploaded. Eventually, Justin escaped through the emergency exit, leaving Firehawk Bieber Babies distraught. Then, on Jan. 8 another pop star appeared. Singer Harry Styles of the hit band One Direction (Rabbi Segal’s favorite band, by the way) accompanied his floor hockey team to a game in the JCC’s Eli Sherman gymnasium. Styles’ hot pink shirt and trendy headband sparked renewed chaos in the hallways. And this time students were able to take pictures and see the superstar in action. Only in Los Angeles are there unexpected celebrity visits to local high schools. But Hollywood icons and positive excitement were not the whole story. A few weeks after Justin Bieber occupied the PingPong arena, Herbert Reznikoff, the grandfather of sophomore Zev Kent and father of board member Stacy Kent, suffered a heart attack in that same room. On a Nov. 11 night excursion with his younger grandson, Eitan Kent, the familiar face and friend to many Shalhevet students passed away en route to Midway Hospital. Herb was an active grandfather and role model to many, all of whom were shocked by his sudden death. And because it happened at school, students were even more affected and touched. The Shalhevet community expressed its sorrow to the Kent family and gathered for the funeral and shiva minyans. Then, on Jan. 6, Steve Glouberman, father of seniors Rachel and Jeremy Glouberman and alumna Leah Glouberman ’13 and uncle of junior Elon Glouberman, passed away after battling cancer for three years. He was a supporter and friend to everyone he knew and a man dedicated to his children, family and religion. Students mourned with the entire Glouberman family, who lost a central figure and influence in their lives. The Gloubermans received the utmost support from teachers and friends. Shalhevet hired buses to bring students to the funeral Jan. 7 and cancelled school for the remainder of the day. Teachers were especially sensitive to the seniors, who had been following Steve’s sickness since freshman year. The faculty and student body then worked together to enable Shiva attendance – even in the heat of an end-ofsemester rush of final projects and exams. “We gathered to grieve as a unit and draw strength from one another,” wrote Head of School Rabbi Segal in an e-mail to the entire community. “Whether uniting to laugh or uniting to cry, the Shalhevet family remains strong and continues to persevere everyday." Clearly, the past few months have been exhilarating, heart-rending, and anything but an ordinary teenage high school experience. A year of living dangerously indeed.
BP Photos By Ezra Fax
Construction is proceeding on schedule, but the number of classrooms planned for Shalhevet’s new building has dropped from 16 to 15, with one planned classroom being converted to open space. That’s two fewer than the 17 there were in the old building on Fairfax, though enrollment has climbed from 165 to 188, and is expected to reach 240, officials have said. According to architect Mr. Chris Ward, construction is expected to finish July 18, well before the start of the 2015-16 school year. Right now workers are finishing the steel framing, putting in pipes and air conditioning and laying in the last of three concrete floors. “There’s a lot of flexibility in the design,” Mr. Ward said in an interview. The Beit Midrash can also be used as classroom, as it was on Fairfax occasionally. The room being switched to open space can be turned into a classroom later, he added. -- Alexa Fishman, Editor-in-Chief
Meshuga, Mexikosher join lunch menu By Alexa Fishman, Editor-in-Chief
“Based on student answers and vendor requirements and preferences, I moved vendors around so as to make The line reached all the way from the kitchen to the the lunch program even better than first semester,” Ms. patio last Tuesday as 25 students waited to get their Lewis wrote in an email to the Boiling Point. school lunch—freshly delivered from Meshuga 4 Sushi, Ms. Ohana, who collects the money and distributes one of the most popular restaurants on Pico Boulevard. the boxes every day, said 20 more students are signed “Next!” yelled Ms. Muriel Ohana, Assistant to the up this semester than last. Head of School, as she handed students tightly packed “I think the new lunch schedule looks great—maybe boxes of sushi. even better than first semester,” said freshman Will When spring semester started last week, so did Kasdan. Since the JCC does not have a kitchen, Shalhevet has been getting lunch from a variety of restaurants on Pico, which has more than 25 kosher restaurants, the biggest concentration in Los Angeles. This semester, school is serving Nagila Meat on Mondays, Shanghai on Wednesdays, and Nagila Pizza on Fridays. Students had to choose from the four or five meal options per day at the beginning of the semester. Before winter vacation, Ms. Lewis posted a survey on Schoology asking students to list their favorite and least favorite meal from among the fall semester selections, along with other restaurants they would like to cater lunch. Students requested Meshuga 4 Sushi and Mexikosher. Despite the changes, the prices are similar to last semester’s. Meals are an average of $8. “Prices for certain meals went up as I BP Photo by Ezra Fax listened to student comments that some portion sizes were too small,” Ms. Lewis LUNCH: Sophomores enjoyed Meshuga 4 Sushi on the breezeway. wrote, “and I therefore agreed to the higher prices in exchange for larger portion changes to the lunch program. Meshuga 4 Sushi and sizes.” Mexikosher are in, Bibi’s Warmstone is out, and Jeff’s Many students are excited about the new lunch opGourmet has been cut from every week to every other. tions. From Meshuga, students can choose between baked “The school really listened to the students’ opinions salmon, five kinds of sushi, and fried fish. From Mexiko- for the second semester lunch program by adding opsher, the choices are tacos, burritos or salads made tions such as sesame chicken and by replacing the least from grilled chicken, steak, beef, or lamb. Mexikosher popular lunch day with Meshuga,” said junior Derek alternates on Thursdays with Jeff’s. Orenshein. “The first semester’s choices had fewer stuThe changes were made by Executive Director dent-chosen foods.” Robyn Lewis, who is in charge of the lunch program.
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The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Community
Town Hall tackles race issues after Ferguson By Eric Bazak, Features Editor
Gray apologized. “Forgive me for not knowing about being Jewish -- I “I once went to a basketball game and got pulled over don’t want you to be offended,” he said. by a sheriff,” said Mr. Lawton Gray, who is the principal But sophomore Micha Thau responded that he thought of Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, near the Holocaust had much in common with the slave trade, Pasadena. especially with slaves’ voyages on the ships that brought “We ended up getting frisked, and it was very bad. Has Africans to America. that happened to any of you, for just driving home from a “In history class, we learned about the triangular game? All of my friends have also experienced it.” trade,” Micha said, which included Africans being chained Mr. Gray, who is African-American and a fellow gradutogether and stuffed onto sleeping shelves below deck, ate student with Principal Reb Noam Weissman at USC, where many died. was invited to speak at Town Hall Dec. 23, where he led “Our community is also guilty of racism,” said Micha. a discussion about racism and racial politics. The visit “I am talking about Jewish circles. I cannot grasp why, was arranged in reaction to events in Ferguson, Mo., and but there are a lot similarities between Jewish and black Staten Island, N.Y., where unarmed black men were experiences. It boggles my mind why there killed by police officers who then were not charged is rascism.” with a crime. Mr. Gray said he was born and raised in In the New York case, a 43-year-old husband and a predominately black and Hispanic neighfather named Eric Garner was killed while being arborhood in Pasadena. He said that he tried rested for selling cigarettes on a street corner. harder in school than the rest of his siblings, “The way we have culturally been treated is very which is what allowed him to “make it out” different than the way other people have been treatwhile his two brothers became gang memed,” Mr. Gray said. “Does Eric Garner need to die for bers. selling bootleg cigarettes?” His cousin was also a gang member, and Reb Noam viewed the Town Hall as an opportuwas murdered a few years ago by a gang. nity for students to start thinking about these top“He was shot in the face right in front ics, as well as other issues that occur outside of the of my little nephew,” he said. “They didn’t Jewish bubble of Shalhevet and its students’ various have the right home structure.” neighborhoods and shuls. After high school Mr. Gray was accepted “I think it is incredibly important for us to start the to UC Berkeley but decided to attend Moreconversation,” Reb Noam said after the meeting was house College in Atlanta, the alma mater of over. “There was no verdict produced, but the purMartin Luther King Jr. Part of the reason, he pose of that assembly was to start that conversation said, was that he was afraid that at Berkeley led by a leader who has experience from all sides, as people would think he’d been accepted just opposed to us who live in a world of just Jews. BP Photo by Ezra Fax because of his race. Morehouse is a tradi“It is good to always have different perspectives, DIVERSITY: Mr. Lawton Gray described some of his experiences at Town Hall tionally black college. especially when talking about an issue that deals Dec.23, saying blacks have been treated differently by police. Mr. Gray said he thought putting more with all types of people. I wanted him to frame the money into education might fix some of the issue and for us to have his framing in our minds.” issues blacks face today. Mr. Gray opened the discussion saying he hoped “Education is number one,” he said. And the environment would be open and comfortable, encour- many of these cases,” Mr. Gray replied, referring to the it is all about the money. If you put money into the right aging students to speak their minds and not hold back. killing of Michael Brown there. Mr. Brown, who appar- places, it will solve many problems. They have no money “I would love for us to have a true conversation about ently struggled with a policeman over his gun during an for after-school programs, and when the kids come home, what is happening today,” Mr. Gray said. “Nobody is altercation at the door of his police car, was later accused they have nothing. You really do not understand. wrong in this room, I want you to be open and secure. You of having stolen cigars. “If you ever have the opportunity to go to an area can be opinionated, you can be strong-willed. I want to “Why does someone feel the need to kill someone for where parents cannot be parents because they don’t have see what this school has to offer about what is happening stealing cigars -- does that make sense?” Mr. Gray asked. the means, it is just disheartening.” today.” Agenda Vice Chair Micah Gill said he had mixed feelAnother question came from senior Mati Hurwitz, who After asking students their opinions on racial profiling asked Mr. Gray whether he thought non-blacks could ever ings about how the Town Hall had gone, but felt that it and affirmative action, Mr. Gray opened up for questions understand racism. Mr. Gray said he thought Jews could, had a good impact on the majority of students. from the audience. Junior Nicole Newman asked whether because of the Holocaust, and Armenians could, because of “Town Hall took a turn that we weren’t going for,” Mihe prefers to be called “African American” or “black”, and the Armenian genocide during World War I. cah said later. “But at the end, I thought it was beneficial also why the use of the so-called “n-word” is generally conHead of School Rabbi Ari Segal responded that he was for everyone.” doned within the black community. slightly uncomfortable comparing racism to the Holocaust, His response to her first question was that he had no and said some Jews might find the analogy offensive. Mr. Staff Writer Zack Hirschhorn contributed to this story. preference. “Either one is perfectly fine,” he said. “I am black – actually, I am brown. They are the same, it doesn’t matter.” When it comes to the use of the n-word, he said that it matters who says it and in what context. Junior Derek Orenshein asked if Mr. Gray believed blacks are at any fault for current prejudices, or for incidents like the deaths of Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen who was killed by an overzealous neighborhood watch citizen in Florida in 2012 – a white man who was also not prosecuted. It was at that point that Mr. Gray described being pulled over for no reasons on the way home from a basketball game. “The concern with Ferguson is that there have been so
Search committee closes in on replacement for Danovitch By Alexa Fishman, Editor-in-Chief School officials say the committee searching for a new General Studies principal has settled on four candidates, and that it hopes to narrow that down to two finalists by the end of the month. No students are on the committee, but Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal said they would meet the finalists. “We’re going to get [their] input when we get to the final candidates,” said Rabbi Segal. “Then the students are going to have a major role.” Rabbi Segal would provide no information about the candidates, but he said that the two finalists would visit Shalhevet and meet the students when they come for interviews in March. He said the committee would make a recommendation and then he would make the final choice. “I’m looking for a General Studies principal who will be supportive of the faculty, responsive to the parents and the students, and someone who the various stakeholder groups want,” said Rabbi Segal. “Yeshiva University knows what Jewish parents are looking for on the General Studies side.” Shalhevet is using the Yeshiva University Institute for University-School Partnership for its search service, but Rabbi Segal said that the candidate does not have to be Jewish. He also said the YU service had access to secular search groups. “All search firms go to the large search firms to get their resumes,” said Rabbi Segal. “Any search firm would have advertised [with] the national Jewish community network.” Rabbi Segal said that many Jewish school use RAVSAK, which is a database that allows them to stay connected and discuss potential hires. According to Rabbi Segal, race, gender and religiosity are not factors in the search.
Last summer, current General Studies Principal Mr. Roy berg, in August of 2012. Rabbi Schwarzberg said he hoped to find a new princiDanovitch announced that this year would be his last. “You reach a point where you look for another experi- pal who could be a mentor for him. “To me, the most important thing is having a teacher ence that will challenge you and stimulate you,” said Mr. Danovitch. “I want an experience that will help me evolve par excellence,” said Rabbi Schwarzberg. “I want someone who has been in in a new direction.” the game for 20 or 30 Mr. Danovitch said he years and has been would not announce where he is through every type of going until March, but that he will situation.” probably move to the East Coast. Ms. Sunshine said The search committee is that the committee made up of two faculty, two pardoes want student inents, and community members input. cluding Shalhevet alumni parent “Initially the search Mark Rohatiner and school foundfirm sent a poll to a er Dr. Jerry Friedman. number of students “We should be looking for with fairly extensive somebody who compliments what questions,” said Ms. we have now,” said Dr. Friedman. Sunshine. “The search “Our school was based upon a Just firm said that they had Community and an environment never worked with a that reinforces the student.” group that had such Representing the faculty are BP Photo by Ezra Fax consensus before.” Judaic Studies teacher Rabbi Ari SEARCH: Mr. Danovitch, who is not returning next year, Students are eager Schwarzberg and Ms. Tove Sun- sits with Principal Noam Weissman at lunch. to contribute to the disshine, who teaches history, Jewish cussion. history and AP Psychology. Rabbi “I want a principal who is really understanding and Segal said he chose them from among teachers nominated in emails to him by the faculty. He said that many teachers embraces the aspects of the Just Community,” said sophonominated Rabbi Schwarzberg, who has been at Shalhevet more Alex Reich. “It should be someone who allows out for three years, and Ms. Sunshine, who has been at Shalhe- voices to be heard and makes us feel comfortable.” Junior Yonah Feld agreed. vet for seven years. “The new principal shouldn’t be shy, and he should “I wanted someone who was more experienced in the school and someone who was newer in the school,” said make a really good first impression,” said Yonah. Rabbi Segal, who came to Shalhevet with Rabbi Schwarz-
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Community Continued from Page 1 grading process can be fodder for discussion and debate. “If you studied really hard, then you have the right to tell the teacher you deserve a higher grade,” said sophomore Noah Suissa. Even areas typically within the teachers’ subjective judgment are sometimes contested. “I’ve done it myself a few times,” said junior Henry Wineburgh, one of a few students who shared a personal story. Last year, Henry complained about his grade on a yearend Tanach essay. According to Henry, his teacher said that the paper he submitted was very good, even “publishable,” but that it did not fully incorporate what he had learned in class. From Henry’s perspective, the teacher took off points unfairly, because the essay was graded in a subjective manner.
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cide to elect to give in to one student who grade grubs, then a student who doesn’t grade grub theoretically gets hurt. And that is not fair and I find that to be totally unjust.” Teachers say grade-grubbing has been increasing -- because of the mounting pressure students feel to get into good colleges, they believe. “It’s more a reflection of the current state of how insane college admissions have become, and this kind of like ratrace mentality that high school has turned into,” said Ms. Berkey. “When it happens it’s more a result of very real pressure students are feeling that the grades mean everything.” This view is shared by students. “Such a small jump on your grade can make such a big differ-
Grubbing for the grade
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“I really don’t like subjective grades, and it makes me more likely to grade-grub,” said Henry. Henry’s teacher did not change his grade. Henry did not take his complaint to the Fairness Committee because he didn’t think it was worth the effort. But last fall, an issue relating to grades was one of three cases brought to the Fairness Committee. “The case involved a student seeking to change a grade based on mitigating circumstances from last year,” said General Studies Principal Roy Danovich. “In that case, the Fairness committee ruled in favor of the administrators
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rummage
grade-grubs I never boost their grade.” Other teachers also don’t mind changing grades if it does not have much of an effect. “I’ve had kids make an argument for why their grade should be a certain way, and based on evidence I’ve made changes before,” said history teacher William Reusch. “[If] it would be minimal change, I would be fine with that concept.” But when teachers and students can’t resolve grading issues, tensions can arise between Shalhevet’s normally close students and faculty. Students risk being viewed unfavorably by teachers. “They become suspect then for future cases when they might deserve something,” said Dr. Yoss. “I’ll be less likely to want to consider it in the first place.” It’s common enough that teachers discuss it amongst themselves. “Teachers talk and know those kids that go around to everybody,” said Ms. Berkey. Students talk about it too, and they are aware of the consequences of asking for a grade change. “My teacher was nice enough to correct it, but she now thinks of me as a grade-grubber,” said freshman Benny Zaghi, who argued over three points on an exam. Another consequence may be teasing. “[Teacher] would always make fun of me and joke that I have to pay better attention because I complained about what I got on the test,” said sophomore Zev Kent. “They start to think that you are not as good of a student.” “Before I could get words out of my mouth, [he] told me to leave and called me a name,” said Adina when she asked a teacher about a grade. Both teachers and students say there are things both students and teachers can do to avoid this. The manner in which a student addresses his or her concerns is important. Teachers are more likely to respond positively to students who are respectful. “The way you phrase things matters a lot,” said Ms. Berkey. Students agreed. “There is a difference between complaining and asking,” said Zev. “It’s better to go up nicely and ask the teacher if there is a way to improve.” Other students have found respectful advocacy to be productive. “[Teacher] doesn’t like when students [ask for points back], but I did it in a very nice and respectful way, and she actually did give me points back,” said Adina. From the students’ perspective, there’s something teachers can do, too. When teachers identify their specific grading rubrics with students prior to a test or project, students are less likely to complain about the grades they receive.
ence on your GPA,” said Daniel. For that reason, students especially think they should receive the benefit of the higher grade when their average is just below an A or B. “When teachers have you at 89.4 or 79.4 or something teetering and tattering on the edge, I If a student is grade-grubbing, that means, from a think that they should just give in to them if it’s not teacher’s perspectiwve, they are using the class to an enormous deal for them,” says Henry. get a certain grade to achieve something else in life. Math teacher Ms. Tamara Gidanian has come up with a way to solve that problem. -- Principal Reb Noam Weissman “If the grade is very, very close to one level grade higher, in that case I ask them either to take another test or do a project or retake some of their tests or quizzes,” said math teacher Tamara Gidanian. “They and the teachers involved.” show that they deserve a little bit extra point to be able to Students realize that teachers have the final say – but change their grade.” that actually can encourage them to grade-grub. Teachers who do boost grades say it can ultimately “You’re not forcing the teacher to do anything,” said Daniel Soroudi. “If the teacher really doesn’t feel like you deserve anything, then he won’t give you anything. He is your teacher, he decides – or she.” For their part, teachers and administrators acknowledge that student empowerment is an integral part of the Just Community and the learning process, but they differentiate between grade-grubbing and respectful advocacy. “Advocating is respectfully talking to the teacher, e-mailing the teacher, looking at the work the My teacher was nice enough to correct it, student has done, and asking from the student’s perspective, ‘Let’s look at this, what can I do differbut she now thinks of me as a grade-grubber. ently,’” said Principal Reb Noam Weissman. -- Benny Zaghi, 9th grade “Grade-grubbing is either demanding explicitly or questioning to the extent that they don’t trust what the teacher is doing,” he continued. “When “In the beginning of the year [Rabbi Schwarzberg] that happens then we are no longer playing for the tells you, ‘If you work really hard in my class it doesn’t same team, and that’s when it becomes a problem.” matter if you get B’s on the assessments – you’re going Students believe that they should be able to ask to have an A in my class,’” said junior Laly Chriki. teachers about their grades without being labelled Teachers agree that if they are clear about their grade-grubbers. grading, students are less likely to challenge their “I definitely think it’s bothersome,” said freshgrades. man Rosie Wolkind. “But sometimes teachers grade “When we discuss the tests, quizzes and homethings wrong and you need to bring attention to it, work, if [the students] know what to expect, they and other times you really feel that you deserve a don’t question the grades,” said Ms. Katrina Malikov, point that the teacher didn’t give you.” Math Department Chair. Students agree that teachers should be open to at least discussing their grading. ith the current pressure to excel in “I hear it from the teacher’s perspective that school, grade grubbing is likely to resometimes it can be frustrating that a lot of students main a tool for students and a frustration are going up to them,” said senior Adina Weinreb. BP Illustration by Gabe Silverstein for teachers for the foreseeable future. “But it’s part of their job and they need to be able Apart from pressure to have a great GPA for colto have an open environment where a student can lege, there are personal reasons, too – which are not come up to them and ask them why they may have work to the student’s disadvantage. likely to disappear. gotten certain points off.” “I try to do it not when it actually affects the final “There are some students who may feel a lot of presAll teachers interviewed said they would correct actual grade, because it’s really not fair, but definitely I’ll give in sure to do well and they grub for the perfect grade,” said mistakes in grading, but when a student does not meet expectations, argues trivial points or demands unearned to grade-grubbing,” said Judaic studies and math teacher sophomore Alex Reich. “Or there are other students who Atara Segal. “The truth is you don’t really come out ahead feel they should have everything handed to them, and they points, they balk. “If I’ve made a mistake I give everyone the point, but if because often if someone works really hard and doesn’t really think they deserve a better grade.” Shalhevet’s administration understands that but considI haven’t and they are trying to pursue something just for grade grub then I’ll boost their grade, and if somebody ers it the opposite of learning for its own sake – the highest the sake of it, I ignore them -- conversation’s over,” said form of learning, from a religious perspective. History teacher Dr. Michael Yoss. “If a student is grade-grubbing that means, from a Judaic Studies teachers, too, are opposed to raising a It becomes an integrity issue. If I ... give in teacher’s perspective, they are using the class to get a student’s grade without a good reason. certain grade to achieve something else in life,” said Reb to one student who grade grubs, then a stu“My problem with grade grubbing is that I feel students Noam. “They are essentially using the class as a stepping aren’t honest with themselves,” said Rabbi Ari Schwarzdent who doesn’t grade grub theoretically stool.” berg. “Students are basically trying to pester teachers in gets hurt. “Of course grades are important, but if we are workorder to manipulate or pressure them into giving them a --Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, Judaic Studies ing towards an ideal, then grade grubbing wouldn’t exist grade they frankly don’t deserve. because the higher purpose of being in school is to learn.” “It becomes an integrity issue,” he continued. “If I de-
W
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Opinion
6
Opinion
UNSIGNED EDITORIALS
Sharing a legacy of historical tragedy By the BP Editorial Board
similar to American slavery. This comparison seemed to upset Rabbi Segal, who acknowledged the good intentions of Mr. Gray’s com-
Students then supported the initial comparison. Sophomore The Holocaust is a very comMicha Thau drew from examples plicated subject, and approaching he had learned in Mr. Reusch’s it in casual conversation can be American History dangerous, to say the least. One class to illustrate of the ways it comes up from point for point time to time is when other hishow he believed torical tragedies do. Is it okay the two calamities to compare the Holocaust to any were comparable. other? For example, both This question reared its head of them involved in an incident at Town Hall Dec. starvation, tor23, when Mr. Lawton Gray, ture, spatial principal of Oak Avenue Interconfinement and mediate School in Temple City, death. came to present on the challenges And yet the African-Americans face in modnationalarchives.gov.uk question linern America. At one point he was PASSAGE: Africans photographed in the hull of slave ship in 1868, gered in the air, heading for India. U.S. slavery ended in 1865. asked whether outsiders could continuing in ever fully understand the plight hallway conversaof blacks in America. ment but then said comparing the tions in the days and weeks that Mr. Gray said that he believed Holocaust to other tragedies was followed. Jews were especially well suited to problematic, and could be painful We at the Boiling Point are do so because the Holocaust was or offensive to some. conflicted over this issue too. On
one hand, the Holocaust is a tragedy beyond words, and it can be extremely upsetting when people try to belittle it by comparing it to other historical events. It’s infuriating on so many levels when people draw parallels between the Holocaust and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. But in this case, the comparison really struck us as harmless, more like an acknowledgement of common suffering than anything else. We can all accept that the Holocaust and American slavery were both terrible; perhaps the Holocaust was more intense, while slavery lasted for hundreds of years. It doesn’t have to be a contest of which one was worse. Let’s just call them apples and oranges and appreciate that we’ve both experienced historical tragedies. In the long run, that commonality can unite our communities.
A fate worse than mid-terms: no mid-terms By the Boiling Point Editorial Board Tests are never popular. When they’re oversized, cumulative, and count for 15 percent of your grade, they’re outright hated. Therefore, when the administration first announced that midterm exams would be cancelled for the 2014-15 school year – for the second year in a row – students were overjoyed. Without midterms, the last-minute cramming and late-night study sessions that frequent January would become history at long last. Yet when the end of first semester approached, it became apparent that there was an evil more vile than midterm exams: midterm assignments. In lieu of the normal end-of-
THE BOILING POINT Editor-in-Chief Alexa Fishman
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semester testing, many teachers assigned massive projects, leaving students saddled with up to nine of these time-gobbling monsters. And unlike midterm exams, where there’s a week beforehand exclusively dedicated to studying and review -- no other homework allowed -- students were expected to complete these projects on top of learning new material and doing regular homework. Faced with huge workloads, many had to dedicate their entire December vacations to working, from researching the properties of energy drinks for Advance Biology to writing a spread on Charlemagne for World History. And while it was a nice gesture on the part of some teachers to move the deadlines of their projects
to the middle of semester break in January, the result was that some students ended up spending both vacations slaving away, which in our opinion is not okay. Kids need a break. In the end, while we liked not having endof-semester exams, the alternative was disastrous. If the school plans on continuing the trend of ditching midterms, it should reform how it regulates cumulative projects. The administration should put limits on how large these projects can be, or, better yet, it should only allow a certain number of classes to assign them at any one time. If the system’s not fixed, going back to having midterm exams would be better, no matter how despised they are.
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The Boiling Point is the student-produced newspaper of Shalhevet High School and is published 6-8 times yearly. Unsigned ditorials represent the majority view of the members of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Executive Editor, Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Web Editor, Opinion Editor, Sports Editor and Faculty Adviser. The Boiling Point welcomes 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 editorials and advertisements in The Boiling Point purchased by third-party organizations do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or The Boiling Point as a whole. For information on advertising, please write Advertising Editor Shoshi Miller at shoshimiller831@gmail.com.
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The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Opinion
From Charlie Chaplin to Charlie Hebdo, satire is crucial force for change By Josh Goldner, 12th Grade
about North Korean concentration camps and mass starvation was done quite well, even if it With the awful shooting that happened in was layered under a bunch of butt jokes. France, many people have been asking why the Releasing that film and filling theatres with satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo drew a carica- flag-waving Americans taught a more importure of Muhammad in the first place. If extremtant lesson than most realized: that we can ist members of Islam threaten people who draw be free to have satire in this country without him, then why the hell would you draw him? letting threats or religious zealotry get in our This is the classic “they were asking for way. We’ve sadly seen religious differences it” phenomenon, where people think going cause much worse than the shooting at Charlie through with something that is commonly seen Hebdo. From the Holocaust, to 9/11, to the as a “bad idea” means that you deserve the con- crusades in the Book of Joshua (if you choose sequences. I’m here to say that that’s simply not to believe that), religious zealotry and the bethe case. What Charlie Hebdo was doing before lief that God, Allah, Zeus or even Vishnu want the shooting was far more important and coura- you to kill in the name of religion has only led geous than people give them credit for: satire. to bloodshed. So why shouldn’t satire touch a The Oxford dictionary defines satire as “the subject like that? use of humor, Why can’t Charlie irony, exaggeraHebdo make fun of Humor and satire diffuse the tension tion, or ridicule religious figure surrounding an issue, make the issue alike to expose and Muhammad, criticize people's more comprehensible, and thus as they have since stupidity or vices, make engaging in the controversy done in response particularly in more palatable for a larger audience. to the shooting? the context of The answer is contemporary this: They can. politics and They should. No other topical issues.” Pretty much, this matter the possible repercussions, they must. means that satirical media sources like Satire is the backbone of change. When even Charlie Hebdo, The Colbert Report, satire can’t criticize something, that means no The Onion and yes, even The Freezing one can. And do we really want to live in a Point, share the same goals. They may world where that’s the case? all have different viewpoints and the Humor and satire diffuse the tension former three mentioned may accomsurrounding an issue, make the issue more plish it much better than the latter, comprehensible, and thus make engaging in the but they all attempt to use humor to controversy more palatable for a larger audicriticize authority and politics, and in ence. And that’s why Charlie Hebdo is publishsome cases, to bring about change. ing drawings of the prophet Muhammed, even Charlie Chaplin’s movie The Great as its staff mourns 12 who were killed for doing Dictator is an early version of this, just that. a farce on Hitler and Nazi Germany Satire is a first step toward an evolving while America was still at peace with society, one that can bring civilization from them. The movie helped the Ameristoning people for picking up sticks on Shabbat, can public see the anti-Semitism and all the way to a 21st-century civilization where, fascist ideas coming from Germany say, women can read from the Torah and be at the time by using humor to difconsidered equal members of our community. fuse the dark subject matter and And that's the kind of progress that only humor show the public the truth. It’s gener- can advance. ally considered one of the most important films of all time. Josh Goldner is Editor-in-Chief of The Freezing A modern and albeit less Point, Shalhevet’s satirical news blog. sophisticated version of that film came out just a few weeks ago, The Interview. While The Interview will certainly not be up for an Oscar Page Desighn by any time soon, this writer personGabe Silverstein ally believes the political satire
keep up-to-date with your favorite news source on social media
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7
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Fea!res
8
How fair are the
SATs?
give some student percent more time the tests’ hundreds Students diagno Disorder (ADD), At order (ADHD), or Board to qualify fo during the test. The diagnoses can run into the th Cost aside, Mrs. Associate Director commodations are dents with disabili “The College B that students with Subject Tests, PSA accommodations t interview. “…Stud participation in C accommodations.” She said there a modations are give cluding that studen psychologist with a But because of times but only rar very safeguards en proved to receive come families, acc “A 2000 audit disproportionate n receiving accommo gerated or nonexis November 2010. “Three years later, the College Board stopped flagging s admissions offices; with the stigma g system.”
Money and privilege are known to play a role in student scores, and the College Board is making changes. Will they be enough? By Eric Bazak, Features Editor
J
uniors’ eyes are glued to heavy Compass books as they fidget in the hallways, enveloped in insurmountable stress. There is only one explanation: SATs are coming up. This occurs every few months or so when a student anticipates taking either the Scholastic Aptitude Test or the American College Test, standardized tests the majority of upperclassmen take in order to apply to most colleges. The SAT and ACTs can determine a student’s likely tier of college application possibilities, as they are regarded as among the most important qualifications looked at in the admission process, just behind the student’s grades, according to USAToday. The reason is that the SAT is said to give an objective score rather than the GPA, which is subject to grade inflation and different standards at different schools. But how objective is the SAT? Do Shalhevet students have a level playing field with students in public schools – or with each other? Although the administrator of the SATs, the non-profit organization called the College Board, claims that it objectively scales a student’s likely ability to succeed in college-level courses, for decade Americans have complained that the tests are neither objective nor equitable, but rather give wealthier students obvious and significant advantages in both time allotted to take the test and in preparation for it. Shalhevet seems to be a case in point. According to a Boiling Point survey some students study on their own, while others spend upwards of
$2,000 on private tutoring. Two students currently receive extra time on the exams – time they proved they needed, but proof they had to pay for with extensive private testing. A generation ago, people took the test without studying for it, and those who were more widely read, for example, would naturally get better scores on vocabulary sections. A decade ago, most Shalhevet students took SAT prep classes, as many still do today. Nationwide, even SAT classes are out of reach of the less affluent. “I have seen more and more kids move away from classes and more to-
College Board felt like there was too much emphasis on test prep, which gives an advantage to those kids with more money. -- Ms. Aviva Walls, Director of College Counesling
wards [individual] test prep because parents want to give the best to their kids and there is a pressure to spend more money,” said Ms. Aviva Walls, Shalhevet’s Director of College Counseling and Academic Guidance, in an interview. Another way wealth comes into play is in obtaining diagnoses that
Did you receive or are you now receiving professional tutoring in preparation for the SAT/ACT?
9
4
7
6
Stayed within 50 pts
4
1 9 Twice 9 Three Once
times
5
Hours spent studying >50 <20 20-50
50 pts
taken
Hours spent studying >50 20-50 <20
5
4
5
ACT SAT Times Times
Money spent on prep <$1000 $1000-2000 >$2000
4
down
23 senions polled, BP Poll Jan 2015
No
Yes
Money spent on prep <$1000 $1000-2000 >$2000
11 0 13 Went Went up >
18 juniors polled, BP Poll Jan 2015
2
6 No
17 Yes What happened to your score after tutoring?
JUNIORS
16
SENIORS
taken
2 1 Twice 2 Three Once
times
8
9
Difference between highest and lowest scores
4
<50 pts
4
5
50-100 pts
1
100-200 >200 pts pts
S
ome of these families -- incl much as $3,000 to help their The Boiling Point poll, many Shalhevet students receive pro many actually saw their scores signifi seniors and 18 juniors were polled. The majority of students had spen Thirty-seven percent claimed that the cent said they spent over $2,000; the ed that they invested somewhere in getting ready for the SAT or ACT. Eighty percent had received tuto individual sessions, in hope of enhan Private tutors charge between $10 students what to look for during the ging in variables for some math quest ing passages. They also help studen they do not feel confident about. “They will save you a lot of tim spend reading an SAT prep book by g information that you need to know Miller said. “They will also be able t in a better and answer your question you.” Although Ms. Walls would not we should spend towards the test, she d money spent becomes excessive. “I can’t say how much money they on the person and the financial situat a family decision where I can’t be inv more than $3,000 on it.” Most students said they’d found th year’s seniors claimed to have bumpe tutoring, and 13 out of the 17 senior scores had increased by 50 points or Ms. Walls said that a major benefi students to study for the test. “A student who is self-motivated himself, but I don’t know that man themselves and do practice tests with And she noted that Shalhevet stud For example, with the addition of the Gruenbaum, the school’s counselor to ratio at YULA, Hamilton High School vard-Westlake. (See related story, Pa “Even just being in Shalhevet and counselor is an advantage over studen This kind of unevenness was not lo the process of making major changes will take effect for this year’s sophom “The road to college success has classroom,” said the College Board’s ever, we are linking the SAT to the who engage in challenging daily co success — on the SAT and in college searchers shows that focused daily pr Right now, the SAT is divided into prehension, and Writing, which cont 800 points and aims to rate a student’ analyze information, among many ot The new system brings the SAT ba
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Fea!res
9
A B E D C D E A B C D E A D B C E A D E C B C D E A B A C E A C D D E E B D A B E D E A B C D E B C E A A C B A E D C D A B C D B E A D E A B til C E D C B E C D A E A 2 0 0 5 , D E B A D E A B E while offering D C B A E C require psychological testing which students the option to A E D C B A D B A housands of dollars. E D take an essay test as a separate C B E C B A . Katherine Levin, the College Board’s score. The two remaining sections will E D C A D B A r of Communications, said that ac- be math and a combination of reading compreE D B E C B A E e necessary to make it fair for stu- hension and writing. C A D B A ities. “The redesigned SAT is part of a commitment by the ColE A B C D E C B Board is committed to making sure lege Board and our members to move beyond delivering assessments D A D B h disabilities can take the SAT, SAT to delivering opportunity, “ said Mrs. Levin. E B E C AT/NMSQT, and AP Exams with the A “Our goal is to support college readiness and success for more students C TakA D B they need,” Mrs. Levin said in an and to make sure that those who are prepared take full advantage of the B ing the test E C dents whose disability impacts their opportunities they’ve earned. The redesigned SAT will be focused on the C A multiple times does D College Board exams receive testing few things that evidence shows matter most for success in college and B seem to benefit most people, E ” C career – presumably not things that a savvy tutor could teach a student as 36 percent of the students who A are safeguards to be sure the accom- to game, like lists of vocabulary words the student would not otherwise B answered this question scored at least 100 en only to those who need them, in- know.” C points higher on their best than on their worst D nts must be tested and approved by a Another change is that test will no longer take off points for wrong score. Only 21 percent, on the other hand, had less than A
B
ts up to 50 e to answer s of questions. osed with Attention Deficit ttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disdyslexia are allowed by the College or extra time and also a private room
a Ph.D. to get extra time. the cost of testing – which is somerely provided by the school -- those nsure that the majority of people apthem benefits are raised in high-incording to the New York Times . of California test takers showed a number of white, affluent students odations, igniting suspicions of exagstent disabilities,” wrote the Times in , in the wake of a lawsuit, ACT and scores of accommodated students for gone, the incentive grew to game the
luding some at Shalhevet -- invest as r children to score as high as possible. conducted Jan. 29,. examined how ofessional tutoring, and of those, how ficantly rise as a result. Twenty-three
I’ve been stressed about it because colleges look at your SAT scores, sometimes it feels like a score will determine whether or not you get. -- Ariella Vaakil, 12th grade answers, so students will have more of an incentive to guess – another opportunity to learn strategy from a good tutor, some might say. But Ms. Walls said the aim was the opposite. “College Board felt like there was too much emphasis on test prep, which gives an advantage to those kids with more money,” Ms. Walls said. “They are making it less tricky, and will be providing free test prep online through Kahn Academy, so there is a huge point of discussion nationally in the field.”
National numbers: How students prepare for the SATs
nt more than $1,000 on the test prep. ey spent less than that, while 22 perremaining 41 percent reportn between $1,000 to $2,000
oring either through a class or ncing their SAT scores. 00 and $300 a session to show exam and offer tips like plugtions or annotating long readnts with any content material
me that you would normally giving you the most important in a clear way,” junior Mark to explain the tips for the test ns and practice examples with
eigh in on how much a person did state when the amount of
a 50-point increase. Alumna Sarah Soroudi studied well above 50 hours for the test. She had been tutored a few times a week for seven months prior to the exam date, and she studied outside of her tutoring sessions as well. After all the preparation, Sarah’s score went up by 350 points. “Some college counselors say that the SATs aren’t so important and students try to convince themselves that the SATs are not a crucial part of the admission process,” said Sarah, who is currently spending a gap year in Jerusalem and is signed up to enroll at UCLA next year. “but I don’t think that is true. The SATs are a stepping stone you need to have as well as other things to get in.” Sophomore Sarah Yadegari said that even though the SATs may become easier, she does not plan on studying less than she would have studied for the current test. “I think that once I begin studying it doesn’t really matter if the test became easier or not,” Sarah said. “I’m still going to put my best foot forward and study as hard as I can.”
7%
had a private tutor
64% no formal
18%
took a high school SAT prep class
preparation
11%
had private SAT prep class
y should spend because it all depends tion,” Mrs. Walls said. “I think that is volved. But students shouldn’t spend
he tutoring very effective. Two of last ed up their scores by 350 points after rs who answered this year said their more. fit of tutoring is that tutors motivate
could definitely prepare for the test ny 17-years-olds who can motivate hout incentives,” Mrs. Walls said. dents have other advantages as well. e new Counseling Associate, Ms. Lisa o student ratio 1:125, lower than the l, Beverly High School and even Harage 3.) d having an easier access to a college nts in public schools,” Ms. Walls said. ost on the College Board, which is in s to the exam’s format – changes that mores. s always been excellent work in the Mrs. Levin. “This is why more than best of classroom learning. Students ourse work have the best chance at e and career. The work of many reractice helps enhance performance.” o three sections: Math, Reading Comtains an essay. Each section is worth ’s ability to reason quantitatively and ther skills. ack to the 1600-point format used un-
Source: National Education Longitudinal Study
Those who had private SAT prep class averaged 60 more points than everyone else.
M
s. Walls agrees that stress is high surrounding standardized exams – and maybe even higher at Shalhevet than elsewhere. She has worked in the field for 12 years, including as a college admissions officer at Barnard College and NYU, and most recently served as college counselor at New Jewish Community High School in West Hills. “The students here are more stressed out about the SATs,” She said. “More students are doing tutors and less classes. On the upside, fewer students are going in cold. In general, I am impressed with the scores overall. Students are clearly putting in effort, which is paying off.” Ms. Walls said a sufficient amount of time to study would be at least four hours a week for the two months before the test, which amounts to a minimum of 16 hours. If it was all tutoring, it would $3,200 at the average
If preparation is getting in the way of your grades, sleep and co-curricular activities that you can’t be a human being, than it’s too much. -- Ms. Aviva Walls, Director of College Counesling
rate of $200 an hCounting studying time, Shalhevet students polled were doing much more than that. Eleven said they spent less than 20 hours studying for the SATs or ACTs. Fifteen put it between 20 and 50 hours of studying, and another 14 stated that they even studied for more than 50 hours. Twenty-one of the 23 seniors polled had taken the exam at least twice. One senior had taken the SATs threes times and then the ACT once for a total of four attempts, though Ms. Walls advises to stop after taking it a third time.
S
1722
1324
Score for students Score for students with family inwith family income come over 200k between 0- 20k
o is there any hope for less stress, less studying or less tutoring down the road, or will counselors’ advice and the newly designed test have no effect at all? Sara Dalhed, the Managing Director of Compass Beverly Hills, a tutoring company, said that the redesigned SAT format will make it harder for students taking the SAT to attain those extra resources and practice tests. She predicted more students would switch to the ACT, to take advantage of professional help. “We are definitely going to use a different strategy” Sara said. “If you are a junior now you can try the current versions of the SAT and ACT and we have an equal amount of practice material for you. “For 10th-graders, the College Board is only planning on releasing one or two practice tests for the new SATs,” she continued, “so the preparation does not become impossible, but it does make it more difficult. “ Stress and pressure, according to Mrs. Walls, can lead to misplaced priorities. “If preparation is getting in the way of your grades, sleep and co-curricular activities that you can’t be a human being, than it’s too much,” Ms. Walls said. “The application process is a wholistic process, and if you’re doing one thing while the other things are suffering, than it is not beneficial.” But fair or not fair, a good use of time or not, standardized tests seem likely to stay a vital component of the college admission process, perhaps to the dismay of the upperclassmen of today – and tomorrow. “I’ve been stressed about it because colleges look at your SAT scores, sometimes it feels like a score will determine whether or not you get in,” Ariella said. “Also, people get stressed because no one wants to take it more than once.”
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Arts & Culture
THE BOILING POINT
FEBRUARY 2015
Mexikosher owner says cooking kosher changed him By Eric Bazak, Features Editor and Alexa Fishman, Editor-in-Chief Half Mexican, half Japanese and five-sevenths kosher, Katsuji Tanabe won the Food Network’s Chopped reality cooking competition last August. He is also the creator and chef of Mexikosher, one of the most popular kosher restaurants on Pico Boulevard and recently added to Shalhevet’s lunch program (see related story, Page 3). Mr. Tanabe served as Shiloh’s executive chef for five years before opening his own restaurant in 2011. Mexikosher is known for its burritos, tacos, and nachos, always with a choice of meats -- along with specials most nights of the week that incorporate Korean flavors. He was born in Mexico to a father of Japanese descent. In addition to winning Chopped, where four competitors compete to make a three-course meal with unusual ingredients, Mr. Tanabe appeared this season on Food Network’s Top Chef, where he came in 6th place among 16 contestants. He was interviewed by Features Editor Erik Bazak for this story.
fact that I am a good chef. You can’t go to Top Chef and be a bad chef because you will get killed within the first hour.
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How do you prepare for Top Chef. Do you have recipes you prepare for it? I’ve been preparing for Top chef since I wanted to be a chef, so that was like 14-15 years ago. It’s not like once you find out you got casted you then start studying your recipes. You just either know it or don’t know it.
How did kosher cooking make you a Q better person? QHow did you get started with MexikoMy life was a little messy, it didn’t have sher? much direction, I was partying and drinking and being wild. And then I started doing kosher. My craft became more focused on just cooking, making sure that people were having a great time, great food -- and being surrounded by the Jewish community, being so family-oriented and everyone being so nice, started helping me to be a better person.
When I was at Shiloh’s, I realized that every time I put Mexican food as a special, it would be selling out every night. If I put a French special, we would sell about five, and then I would put a Mexican special, and we would sell 50. So I realized there was a need for kosher Mexican food in the Pico-Robertson area, and when I had the chance to open my new restaurant, I knew what I wanted to do. Something unusual about Q Mexikosher is that it serves
Korean food. What is your connection to Korean food? How much Korean food do you cook at MexiKosher? I was born in Mexico – but I love Korean food. Living in LA for the last 15 years, you know we have the biggest Korean population out of Korea here in LA, so I love Korean flavors and the spices, so I always incorporate those flavors that I like into our kosher cooking. I am a huge Korean food fan. I eat it once a week, and BP Photos by Ezra Fax How did you get connected it is a big influence on my RESTAURANT: Left: Mexikosher chef Katsuji Tanabe prepares food behind the counter for waiting customers. with Top Chef? cooking. I like the spices and I went and saw the open cast- Right: Tanabe organizes Mexikosher’s kitchen during the evening rush. flavors, and I like to keep my ing on the internet and I just apcooking interesting. Just beplied and got casted. cause I have a Mexican restaurant doesn’t mean I should serve only Why do you think they picked you? Did it take you a long time to learn Mexican food. I’m still a chef and I should What made you want to go into koThe funny thing is that out of the 15,000 sher cooking? be creative. all of the rules of kosher cooking? people who applied, I was the only who got It did and it didn’t. Now that I’ve been I didn’t pick kosher, kosher picked an open casting call. Everyone else just got me. It’s interesting how it turned out, but doing this for 10 years I know pretty much What dishes in MexiKosher do you a phone call. thanks to kosher, I became a better chef everything, but at the beginning they just recommend Shalhevet students to try? I think they liked my personality and and a better person. If you were to ask me threw me into the kitchen and said figure When I was that age I wanted somethe fact that what I do doesn’t make sense. 10 years ago if I would want to serve ko- it out, so I learned not from a mistake, be- thing big, so I would go for the carnitas I’m not Jewish, but I have a kosher restau- sher, I would have said no. I didn’t plan for cause I never made a kosher mistake, but burrito, it is by far the best thing we have rant. I don’t keep kosher, but I keep kosher this, but I was very happy that thanks to just by asking a lot of questions and asking on the menu. Sunday to Thursday and then eat whatever kosher I became a much better chef. and asking. I want Friday and Saturday. And also the
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Exodus movie echoes Prince of Egypt, not Bible The new film Exodus: Gods and Kings, starring Christian Bale, begins with Prince Ramses and his brother, Moses, returning from Egyptian battle against the Hittites. Both Moses and Ramses are princes and sons of Pharoah. As in The Prince of Egypt story, Pharoah dies and Ramses becomes king. However, none of this is documented in the Torah. It says in Shemot that “a new pharaoh arose” before Moshe was born, but the Torah never mentions Ramses as more than a city. Although this notion is suggested by hieroglyphics and Egyptian tradition, it is absent from the Torah itself. Named for the biblical story of Moshe Rabbeinu’s life in Egypt, Hollywood’s latest Exodus seems to accurately evoke Jewish history. Live action and more gruesome than Prince, it emphasizes the brutality of Jewish slavery in ancient Egypt and Moshe’s quest to discover himself while emphasizing God’s power. But the movie more closely parallels The Prince of Egypt than the Torah, repeating some of its errors, and changing even more of the traditional narrative. The biggest plot twist this time is that Moses doesn’t believe he is Jewish and in fact fervently denies it. This is a prevalent
theme in the first half of Exodus, apparently trying to enhance Moses’ heroism because of the degree of difficulty he overcame in recognizing his origins. Aaron and an elder try to convince Moses of his roots, but he only accepts their testimony after Ramses almost kills Miriam – something which does not happen in the Torah at all. Up to this point in the movie, Moses hasn’t felt a connection to the Jewish people. In the Torah, on the other hand – Shemot 2:11 – Moshe kills an Egyptian to save a man he recognizes as a Jewish “brother,” then escapes from Egypt. In the movie, God comes to Moses in a dream, and then through the burning bush -- as in the Torah -- instructs him to return to Egypt save his people. In the film this is his initial acquainting with the Jewish people, while as described in the Torah, he was clearly returning to what he knew to be his roots. And then there’s the new film’s characterization of God. While nobody knows what God actually looks like, the movie producers portray Him as a seven-year-old white kid with a British accent. Perhaps this was to express that God’s form is irrelevant but His power is unrivaled. But because of God’s changed role in the movie, Moses’ return to Egypt and the narrative of the makkot are far different from in the Torah. The 10 plagues, too, are depicted quite differently in Exodus than in Shemot. Firstly, the movie skips over Moshe’s duel with Paroh’s taskmasters by turning his staff into a serpent or leprosy. Facebook.com/ExodusMovie
By Mati Hurwtiz, Sports Editor
Secondly, instead of warning Pharoah about plagues that are coming, Moses in the movie tells him to just watch and see what the Hebrew god can do to the Egyptians. Nowhere in the film does God vayechezak lev paroh, or harden Pharoah’s heart, in between the plagues, and perhaps most surprisingly, there is no discussion at all between them about freeing the Jews. Exodus seems to see this scene to as an exhibition of God's omnipotence, and not about Moses negotiating with Pharoah in between plagues. Later in the movie, Pharoah finally lets the Jews leave Egypt after God’s 10th plague proves too much for the Egyptians to handle. But as the Torah suggests, the Egyptians pursue the Jews all the way to the Red Sea. Here the movie and Torah align. But then, when it is time to cross the Red Sea, it doesn’t split for the Jews at God’s command, but just dries out -- resembling the California drought then kriryat yam suf. It does, however, show the Egyptians later engulfed by crashing waves. Based on textual evidence, it seems the producers failed to portray Moses correctly. However, if their goal was to portray Moses’s psychological progression while emphasizing the unequivocal power of God, perhaps they succeeded. If you are unfamiliar with the biblical narrative, then Exodus does tell the story and relishes in a religious spirit. The story as a whole is moderately accurate, perhaps capturing enough of a religious essence to overshadow the inconsistencies with the Torah. But the movie was not that exciting, so I would not recommend it over other current features in the movie theaters.
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Arts & Cul!re
WhatWe’reWearing
For Timeless Fashion, Follow The Don By Micah Gill, Staff Columnist
One day last month, as I entered Advanced Gemara Shiur, the brilliant and fashion-forward Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg turned to me and asked a question. “Micah, you wear tight pants,” Rabbi Schwarzberg said. “Have your pants ever ripped after bending over or squatting? Because I just ripped my second pair of dress pants this week.” After relaying this hilariously funny comment to the class and partaking in its hysteria, I gazed at my Gemara that morning and -- after finishing the assigned material, of course -- wondered how the phenomenon of male skinny clothing came to be, and what about it is so appealing. I didn’t find an answer. But though the “skinny” movement is only contemporary, men have always worn fitted clothing. Recently, waistlines have gone south and jeans have become skinnier, but men who are style-conscious have always worn their clothes to fit them – that is, pants that never hit the ground and jackets that are never a size too big.
Men who are style- conscious have always worn their clothes to fit them.
Take Donald Draper, the fictional fashion icon and main character of the hit TV show Mad Men. Although his fashion is mid-20th century, how he wears his suits of the ‘60s is equally instructive as to how we should wear our clothing today. Don is not a man who would, at first blush, be pegged as “fashionable.” In fact he comes across as someone who does not have time to worry about what he’s wearing. Yet this stoic, stern and effective businessman wears a suit in nearly every scene he appears in, and wears each suit the same way: his suit lapels are never smaller than his ties, his shoes match his belts, and most importantly, his jackets and pants fit him. Granted, Draper is not wearing suits akin to those of 2015. But the men of the ‘50s and ‘60s were serious about their business, and they knew how to present themselves. As for skinniness, the current trend of wearing trousers below the waist that outline every detail of a man’s leg can be attributed to European influence of the late ‘60s. The rise – the distance from the inseam of the crotch to the waistband of the pants – continues to descend as part of modern culture. I have no doubt that will change with time. What won’t change, however, is men wearing pants that fit them. “Needing to wear a belt” should not be part of a man’s vocabulary and the heels of one’s shoes should not ruin a nice pair of trousers. Were Rabbi Schwarzberg’s ultra-skinny Topman pants a bit too tight? Perhaps he might need to buy ultra-slim next time – one size up. However, what he and men everywhere will never do, is wear pants that are loose and too long. Just look at Don Draper. BP Illustration By Lindsay Schact
11
Actors bring complexity to comedy in ‘Biloxi Blues’
In the Neal Simon classic, Shalhevet Drama examines the human condition with memorable performances by a mostly male cast
By Maayan Waldman, Arts & Culture Editor
shoulders and looked down at the floor. In a particularly compelling scene, Epstein tells Eugene In the dead of the night, a group of soldiers gazes how about having been assaulted in the latrine. Noah’s mournfully at their comrade who is soon to be punished whole body trembled as he related the horrific experience after being caught engaging in homosexual acts, and now and his acceptance that nothing could be done about it. changes into his army uniThe rest of the cast form, one piece at a time. made the most of their This was just one of characters as well. many affecting scenes in Though the soldiers are Shalhevet Drama’s fall main taken aback by some stage production of Biof Eugene’s comments, loxi Blues, presented three such as when he writes times during Chanukah. A that Epstein is probably wistful comedy written by gay, the actors presentthe prolific and well-known ed characters who were Jewish-American playdeeply affected by Euwright Neil Simon, it tells gene’s observations. the story of young draftees Akiva Reuveni in basic training in Biloxi, played the part of JoMiss., during World War II. seph Wykowski, a racWithout the Wildfire ist, anti-Semitic soldier Theater this year (due to who carried an air of construction), the Drama superiority and often didepartment rented the 99rected nasty comments seat Greenway Arts Alliance at his bunkmates. But Theater, near Fairfax High Akiva played his charSchool. That meant the cast acter as an insecure had had only a single week bully who might not be Photo by Gina Long to practice on set. so mean underneath. DISCIPLINE: Sergeant Toomey, portrayed by David Lorell, repBut it didn’t prevent Micha Thau, who rimands Epstein, portrayed by Noah Mermelstein, for turning in the show from being enstolen money that he didn’t steal. The sergeant had been trying to portrayed soldier Roy tertaining, memorable and Selridge, was very dyteach the soldiers a lesson by stealing the money himself. thought provoking. The namic on stage -- loud, actors brought out laughs obstinate and humorfrom the audience in almost evous, waxing back and forth ery scene, and at the same time, between frustration and exthe complexity of the way they citement. interpreted the characters gave Josh Joffe, who porthe comedy a more sophisticattrayed James Hennessey ed undertone. -- the gay, half-black, halfBiloxi Blues is narrated by Irish soldier called to face the character Eugene Morris Jehis punishment in the dead rome, an aspiring writer whose of the night – managed diary describes a conflict beto make a strong imprestween the tough, middle-aged sion with only a few lines. Sergeant Merwin J. Toomey and While getting dressed in a young, inexperienced, Jewish that scene, he seamlessly Photo by Gina Long soldier named Arnold Epstein. conveyed a mix of shame, Eugene, the narrator, was CLEAN: Soldiers shave and comb their hair by a sink, sadness, regret and dignity, lucky to be in the bathroom for pampering purposes played by junior Mati Davis, all at the same time. who read aloud with just the instead of the dreaded latrine duty often given as a Freshman Ilan Bouskila right amount of enthusiasm his punishment. played the part of Donald character’s commentary on the Carney, a soldier who is other soldiers and analysis of their said to have a terrible voice diverse personalities. Mati would and a habit of singing in his widen his eyes and look off into sleep. But Ilan actually sang the distance, or sigh to convey his beautifully, and impressed the hopelessness in the platoon. audience also with his calm Sergeant Toomey was pordemeanor and emotion behind trayed by David Lorell, who has every line. now proven on stage not only his Unlike most Shalhevet British accent, but a Southern one plays, in Biloxi Blues the maas well. Demanding discipline jority of the cast was male, from the recruits, Lorell’s Toomey with only one girl, who showed spoke in a deep, firm voice, walked up in the second act. with the no-nonsense, intimidating Shana Lunzer played the air of an army general, and stood part of Daisy Hannigan, whom with his back erect. Eugene meets and falls in love Photo by gina long He conveyed constant authoriwith on a night off from the SPOTLIGHT: Junior Mati Davis, playing the ty, even in a scene towards the end base. Shana was charming and of the play in which he managed to young army recruit Eugene Jerome, shared first smoothly delivered her lines, portray a drunken general as bro- impressions of his soon-to-be comrades as they and she and Mati believably try to fall asleep on a train. ken, desperate and vulnerable, yet emulated love at first sight. still, somehow, commanding. That Like Josh Joffe, who took his made it entirely believable when, for example, he would time getting dressed before leaving the base in the middle force the soldiers to do 100 pushups, or when Epstein, of the night and thus forced the audience to sympathize the Jewish soldier portrayed by with his vulnerability, the freshman Noah Mermelstein, folcast of Biloxi Blues proved lowed his command even though that the human condition he was desperately in need of a The complexity of the way they inter- is complex, vulnerable, and bathroom. preted the characters gave the comedy multi-faceted – and moreAs Epstein, from the play’s over, can be represented a more sophisticated undertone. very first scene, Noah mastertruthfully even in a comedy. fully conveyed a sense of baffleAt the same time, they ment combined with a drive to proved that Shalhevet Drapreserve his dignity. He used body language and facial ma can stay human, relatable and relevant in a department expressions, he took thoughtful pauses instead of reciting that is essentially homeless this year. his lines straight through, and occasionally he hunched his
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Outside News
THE BOILING POINT
FEBRUARY 2015
Consul General says Palestinian ICC bid harms cooperation By Mark Miller, Staff Writer “Once you decide to go to court, it’s a completely new relationship,” said Israeli Consul General David Siegel, describing the impact of the Palestinian Authority’s plan to bring war crime charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court. Mr. Siegel spoke to an all-school assembly Jan. 11, less than two weeks after P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas had signed papers to join the U.N.-sponsored tribunal, and the topic was a main focus of the discussion. His visit was arranged by junior Jake Benyowitz, who is in charge of outreach and speakers for Firehawks for Israel. It was the first time an Israeli diplomat had spoken at school. In response to students’ questions, the Consul General also discussed the issue of settlements, the possibility of reform of Israel’s complicated political system, and outreach to non-Jewish communities in the U.S. Mr. Siegel said the P.A.’s decision to seek membership in the ICC, which would give it standing to bring charges whether it does so or not, would create a new source of tension between it and Israel. That would not only make negotiations tougher, but would make it hard for the two parties to cooperate in ways they already do, he said. “With this kind of stuff, it’s going to be very difficult to trust each other, to sit down in the same military command center in JudeaSamaria and cooperate together to fight terrorism,” he said. The Boiling Point asked whether Israel might actually benefit from going to the ICC, by presenting its case to the world. Mr. Siegel also argued that international courts are not objective and would likely find Israel guilty in any case. “We have a very strong case,” Mr. Siegel replied. “There is no other army that tells the enemy what we are going to do before we do it in order to get civilians out of the way... The problem is that these courts are not objective. You
We need more and more parties to form a government, and it’s very hard to do that with a committee of rivals. --Consul General Siegel
could come with the best case, and if it’s a political court, they will turn everything upside down.” Sophomore Maya Golan asked the Consul General to explain Israeli settlement policy. Mr. Siegel replied that world opinion is confused regarding settlements and
Jerusalem, lumping at least three different kinds of areas into a single category. Certain West Bank settlements are in large settlement blocks, he said, and it is generally agreed that those areas will belong to Israel after peace negotiations, after West Bank land swaps for a two-state solution. One block BP Photo By Ezra Fax is Gush Etzion, including the FIRST: David Siegel, Israel’s Consul General for the Southwestern U.S., answered students’ questions in the auditolarge city of Efrat. rium Jan. 11. It was the first time someone in his position had spoken at school. Second, there is Jerusalem. Israel has built many communities in Jerusalem for ment, and it’s very hard to do that many years without problems but with a committee of rivals.” now this too is being criticized, he When someone asked what said. Shalhevet students could do to “In recent years, everything help, Mr. Siegel said Americans we’ve been doing in Jerusalem, should reach out to non-Jewish in the eyes of many governments, communities to maintain and Continued from Page 1 has become settlement issues,” he build support for Israel. -security, and the environment. They were chosen, as the Consaid. “They never were before. Je“Other communities are recepsul General put it, “to zero in on what the most important chalrusalem is Jerusalem.” tive to learning about both the lenges for California that are also challenges that are important Then there are the isolated Jewish community and Israel,” to Israel.” settlements, presumably including Mr. Siegel said, “as long as we do “Israel has the experience,” Consul General Siegel said, notthe outposts that Israel has dis- it in a way that we connect to their ing that a high percentage of Israel’s land is the Negev Desert. values, and “It has overcome its water problems through a variety of ways.” their life, and Among these are using water for agriculture that would their world.” not be suitable for drinking, and saving water under cities he We have a very strong case.... The problem is “We don’t said. that these courts are not objective. You could have to agree Israel and California have already set up a steering committee to oversee the agrement’s implementation. come with the best case, and if it’s a political on everything theologically, In the Culture and Education area, Israel has agreed to send court, they will turn everything upside down. but we can the Dead Sea scrolls to the California Science Center from than -- Consul General Seigel agree March to September of this year. A biotechnology agreement when Muslim will pair and co-fund Israeli and Californian companies so they extremists are can share their research. coming out Israel will also send a cybersecurity team to California to mantled or otherwise deemed ille- to kill people in Paris, or to kill advise both the government and private companies. gal. Those, he said, would be dis- Christians in the Middle East, we Water is of great concern to California now, partly because cussed in negotiations and he said have a shared interest in fighting of a historic drought affecting the state and partly because Israel was not committed to decid- together,” he said. “So, if you do global warming is diminishing snowpack and glaciers that feed ing them one way or the other. this, and you do it with members the state’s water system. But for now, he said, tension of Congress… you have a very Israel and California now plan to co-host a water conference with the Palestinian Authority has good chance of keeping America in California next year, and the state may also send delegates increased because Palestinian Au- and Israel together.” to international water conferences in Israel. thority President Abbas stopped Currently based in Los Angeles Israel is number one in the world at recycling water, Mr. negotiating. as the Israeli Consul General to Siegel said. “They are not in a mode of ne- the Southwestern United States, “Underneath cities, 30 to 40 percent of all water is lost” gotiations with Israel,” Mr. Siegel Mr. Siegel is a law school graduate through aged and leaking pipes, he said. “You could do highsaid. “The Palestinian leadership and also worked as a speechwriter tech smart grids under cities to better manage water pressure has made a strategic decision at for Israel at the United Nations. and minimize leaks. Take the city of Tel Aviv, with two million that they’re not going to negotiHe ended his visit by telling the people. Less than 10 percent of the water is lost. All of the ate.” students a bit about his day-to-day water being used is being reused again, and that goes to agriMr. Siegel also discussed Isra- routine as Consul General, addculture in the Negev.” el’s political system and said that ing that it was a job anyone in the Separately from the agreement, a desalination plant is being there was a possibility for reform. room could aspire to. built in Carlesbad, just north of San Diego, by the Israeli comRight now, very small parties “It’s a cool job -- Native Ameripany IDE, set to open in 2016. Mr. Siegel said this would help can achieve representation in the cans in the mid-morning, Persian California and Israel too, because California has more than 600 Knesset, and so they have grown Jews in the afternoon, Ashkenazis separate water and irrigation districts, and they will now know in popularity while the large par- here…,” he said. about an important sector of Israeli business and technology. ties have shrunken. Jake Benyowitz said he arBut Consul General Siegel agreed that desalination is not the No party controls more than 35 ranged the event by telephoning best way to combat the current water shortage. percent of the Knesset’s seats, mak- the Consulate and asking to speak “Israel believes that ... you should be doing other things being it hard for any leader to form to someone in public affairs. He fore that,” he said. a stable coalition, since a small was connected with Carolyn Ben“Conservation doesn’t cost you anything,” he said. “If the party that disagrees with one deci- Natan, and the two worked for water goes into the ocean and you don’t capture it, it doesn’t sion could withdraw from the gov- more than two months to arrange make any sense to spend a billion dollars to take it back out of ernment, preventing anyone from the event. the ocean.” having a majority of votes. He was very happy with the reA successful Israeli marketing campaign involved celebri“There are attempts to tinker sults. ties. In ads broadcast nationwide, the celebrities’ faces appear with it, to stabilize it, to raise the “I was thrilled,” Jake said. “Evto crack like dry soil as they say, “Israel is drying out.” threshold so that smaller parties eryone had really good questions, “Recycle more, have a public campaign that teaches kids to can’t be part of the system,” Mr. he was very engaging, and he said shut off water,” the consul general said. “Israel has saved 10 Siegel said. “But by and large, the that he wants to come back again percent of its water just through marketing. issue is... that the big parties have to talk a second time. “You can do a Hollywood campaign here in two minutes,” shrunken in size, we need more he added. and more parties to form a govern-
Israel, California working on water
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Outside News
Alan Gross returns home as part of Cuba deal
13
ish communities of Cuba without a proper permit. Now 65, Mr. Gross returned home to his family in Florida just in time for Chanukah, which had started the night before. Mr. Nimmer described his elation as he heard the announcement in one of White House’s formal reception rooms. “The fact that one Jewish life stood at the fulcrum of those international negotiations is something remarkable, and the president fully acknowledged it, and it was a great source of pride to me,” Mr. Nimmer said. They presented everything in such a compelling way, The Chanukah party also inWhitehouse.Gov it did wonders to invigorate my faith that the admin- cluded the lighting of candles by HOME: Alan Gross descends from a United States government plane in Maryland istration is working very hard to promote American two children, one Jewish and one after his release from Cuban prison. Gross served five years on an espionage charge. Arab, he said, and mentioned the values and also to promote Jewish values. firebombing of a school in Jerusaseen the Grosses since a year or two before he was arlem that is half Jewish and half Arab. --David Nimmer, former Shalhevet Parent rested, and she had no information about his homecoming “The president said that we’re going to struggle or reaction to the events. through the hard times,” Mr. Nimmer said, “because But news reports said Mr. Gross had lost more than 100 light is stronger than darkness and love is stronger than pounds and multiple teeth during his time in prison, and Gross, a Jewish hostage in Cuba. And that was actually hate, and then he invited the two first graders to come up also had developed degenerative arthritis in his leg. Guests at the Chanukah party of the essence of the restoration of diplomatic relations to kindle the lights.” According to the Gross family’s website, bringalanbetween the United States and Cuba, which have been rup- also heard a lengthy briefing from presidential advisers home.com, Mr. Gross knew the U.S. and Cuba had strained about Israel, ISIS, Iran, anti-semitism and other topics, and tured since 1969.” relations. But it said he did not think he was in danger. He said the president mispronounced the term, how- Mr. Nimmer said he was very impressed with them. “As a U.S. citizen working on a project publicly spon“If my job had been to scour the country for the people ever. sored and funded by the U.S. government, Alan never “He did get it wrong, and then he made a joke about who were the most savvy, the most worldly, the most conthought that he was at risk of imprisonment in Cuba,” says cerned, the most hard-workhimself and he said something like, the website, which now boasts a large headline saying ing, and embodying Jewish ‘Well, I almost go t it right,’” Mr. “Welcome Home.” values, I could not think of Nimmer said. President Obama announced a large policy shift toanyone better for those poMr. Gross, who is a distant couswards normalizing relations with Cuba as Mr. Gross was sitions than the people we in of Shalhevet alumna Bracha Stetreleased. But some politicians, including Florida’s Repubactually heard,” Mr. Nimmer tin ’10, was working as a governlican Sen. Marco Rubio, vehemently oppose it, citing the said. ment contractor for the U.S. Agency country’s consistent violation of human rights and inter“[They] presented everyfor International Development (USnational laws. thing in such a compelling AID) when he was arrested in 2009 “I believe that we can do more to support the Cuban way, it did wonders to invigand convicted for “acts against the people and promote our values through engagement,” said orate my faith that the adindependence or the territorial inPresident Barak Obama in a statement directly following ministration is working very tegrity of the state.” Gross’s release from prison, “After all, these 50 years have hard to promote American The Cuban government accused shown that isolation has not worked. It’s time or a new values and also to promote him of espionage and attempting approach.” Courtesy of David Nimmer Jewish values.” to subvert their society because -- Daniel Steinberg,Opinion Editor, IMPRESSED: David Nimmer at the White House. Bracha told The Boiling he brought satellite phones and and Henry Wineburgh, Staff Writer He was there when the Cuba deal was announced. Point that her family has not computer equipment to the JewWhen Alan Gross was released after five years in a Cuban prison on Dec. 17, alumni parent and former Shalhevet board member David Nimmer happened to be at the White House, attending President Barak Obama’s annual Chanukah party. President Obama, he said, announced Mr. Gross’s release, and in a brief speech used the Hebrew term for redeeming the captive. “The president came in front of all the hundreds of assembled guests and first wished them a happy Chanukah,” Mr. Nimmer told The Boiling Point in an interview later, “and then said in the spirit of Chanukah, the festival of freedom, and also in the spirit of pidyon sh’vulim, I’m pleased to announce that we have secured release of Alan
Grandmother of students describes Paris attack and its aftermath is the market -- is it nice? QHow Everybody shops there. It’s not like there are four in one corner. Where
By Goldie Fields, Executive Editor On Wednesday, Jan. 7, two Islamic terrorists forced their way into the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly newspaper which had previously published mocking cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. They killed 11 people, including nine staff members, along with a security guard and a building maintenance worker. Two days later, another Islamic terrorist entered Hypercacher, a kosher supermarket in Paris, took 15 hostages, and killed four Jews before the Paris police stormed the market and killed him. In the days following, people throughout France adopted the slogan Je suis Charlie, French for “I am Charlie,” and Je suis Juif, “I am Jewish.” French President Francois Hollande, said, “There is no France without the Jews.” Chantal Drigues, grandmother of Shalhevet students Shana and Laly Chriki, lives in Paris. The Boiling Point interviewed Ms. Drigues about living in Paris as a Jew, and the situation during and after the attacks. The interview was translated by senior Shana Chriki.
QHow long have you lived in France? It has been 50 years.
Q
Do you live in the neighborhood where the Hyper Casher attack happened? I live pretty close but it wasn’t in my neighborhood.
the attack happened there was only one Hypercasher. Everyone who wants to eat kosher eats there. It’s not like Glatt, because it’s a very fancy market.
Q
Where were you when the attack happened? I was home in the kitchen and my niece came running to get me so that I could watch the news upstairs. you know anyone who was caught in the attack? QDo My nephew’s friend was actually in the walk-in freezer when the attack happened
and he called the cops right away. He heard bizarre noises so he ran in there to protect himself. How was the day for you and the other Jews in france? Everyone was panickQ ing. So many Jews are making aliyah, and I think that this attack sparked the aliyah mentality. Everyone was so scared, the police closed even the markets that were in my neighborhood. All kosher supermarkets were closed. They took the kids out of school and put police everywhere. Now, there is literally the army outside of the Jewish schools. It’s horrible. I went to the dentist the other day and passed by a Jewish school, and all of a sudden I saw the whole military standing in front of the school. It was scary. Was anyone surprised at how the president of France, Francois HolQ lande, responded to what happened? Did people expect the president
you know about it right when it happened? QDid I knew right away. I was in the kitchen cooking and my niece came
to be terrific? Everyone thought that what he said was marvelous. He came out on a Sunday to protest and it was really beautiful to see. I didn’t expect the president to be this great, but at the same time I think that what he did was normal to an extent. What was going on in France was terrible and he had to speak up.
running down to get me because she saw it on the news. We went up and watched news all together. the neighborhood of the attack a Jewish neighborhood? QWas It’s not Jewish like Pico. But there are a lot of Jews that live in that
neighborhood. There are many kosher restaurants, many markets and many synagogues – like four or five synagogues.
you ever shopped at the market that was attacked? QHave Yes, Hypercasher [“Super-Kosher”] is actually a chain store and I have one
thinking about moving? QAreI’myou thinking about moving, but more because of my children
BP Drawing by Rachel Glouberman
right next to my house, but my aunt also lives in that area so I’ve shopped there before. It’s like Glatt Market except that there are a couple of them.
Q
than because of the anti-Semitism.
Does you feel more welcome in France now because of the outpouring support, or has it always been like this? I don’t feel more welcome in France, but I believe that maybe that day will come.
14
Torah THE BOILING POINT
FEBRUARY 2015
In a first for Los Angeles, B’nai David adds a clergy intern who is female
LEADERS: Yeshivat Hamaharat in Riverdale, New York, where Alissa Thomas-Newborn is studying for ordination, though not as a rabbi. Maps.Google.com
By Noah Rothman, Torah Editor “We believe that women can bring something to the table that men cannot and vice versa,” said Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky of B’nai David-Judea Congregation, a shul where many staff and Shalhevet families are members. “There is a certain redundancy to having two of the same, and a supplementary power of having two different members.” With that in mind, B’nai David has added Ms. Alissa Thomas-Newborn, a fourth-year student at the Yeshivat Maharat yeshiva in New York, to its clergy staff as what the shul is calling a “kehilla intern,” kehilla being the Hebrew word for congregation. She is the shul’s fourth clergy intern, the other three having been rabbinical students who went on to become rabbis.
I have always felt in my heart that I wanted to serve the Jewish community and God. --Alissa Thomas-Newborn, Kehila Intern The appointment makes B’nai David-Judea the seventh Orthodox shul in the country – and the first in Los Angeles – to add a woman to its clergy staff. Others include The National Synagogue, Ohev Shalom in Washington D.C. and Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City. In an interview, Rabbi Kanefsky explained that eight or nine moths ago, B’nai David’s board decided to seek a second clergy member, and later decided it should be a woman. Rabbi Kanefsky said the decision was also partly a matter of timing. “I think that it is the time in history to take the step toward creating opportunities,” Rabbi Kanefsky told The Boiling Point. “We see a fundamental fairness in extending professional opportunities regardless of gender, and we understand it as well in the Orthodox clergy.” “There is also the factor of having the ability to provide this kind of role model for our young women and girls,” he continued. “It is very enriching that our young women and girls can see the kind of scholarship that women can obtain, and what they can aspire to, and the influence they can aspire to.” Yeshivat Maharat is an all-women’s yeshiva in New York that offers a rigorous Orthodox s’micha (ordination) program, which is said to be similar to YU’s curriculum. “Maharat” is a Hebrew anagram which stands for Manhiga Hilchanit, Toranit, which means spiritual leader, teacher of Torah, expert in halacha. “I have always felt in my heart that I wanted to serve the Jewish community and God, but specifically in moments of great suffering and joy,” said Ms. Thomas-Newborn, who attended Brandeis University. “For me that includes teaching Torah, pastoral care, being with people in life cycle events, and the clergy involves all of those events. For me being with people in those moments help me feel closer to God.” A Jewish man who was so motivated might naturally gravitate toward the rabbinate. But for Orthodox women, the path is not so clear. The halacha of putting women in positions of leadership has been debated for centuries. It comes from a verse
in Deuteronomy, Parshat Shoftim (17:15), that says in part: “You shall appoint a king over you.” Rambam, a 12th-century commentator whose work is considered some of the best in all of Judaism, emphasizes the word “king,” melech, which is masculine, and infers that a woman therefore cannot be placed as a king or in any position of leadership. He calls the concept s’rarah, or authority. The Sefer Hachinuch, an authoritative code that discusses all 613 commandments, disagrees with Rambam, saying that women can’t be queens but they can hold any other positions of leadership. And the Tosafot, medieval commentators who were students of Rashi, pointed out that the prophet Devorah was a shofet, judge, and she was in a position of leadership, and people followed and accepted her rulings. In the 20th century, Rav Moshe Feinstein, the most prolific and widely accepted halachic authority of his time, said that the main issue raised by s’rarah would be whether a woman would be accepted by her community. When he was asked whether a woman could serve as a mashkiach, one who certifies the kashrut of a food seller, Rav Moshe ruled that as long as the real power lies with the rav hamachshir -- a supervising rabbi -- then it is okay for her to be a mashkiach. Some might say that a congregational Rabbi is more like a mashkiah, because the shul’s board – not the rabbi – is the ultimate power. However, Rabbi Kanefsky said that srarah is not an issue because people can choose what rabbi to follow. “There is no rabbi these days who does not serve at the pleasure of the community,” said Rabbi Kanefsky. “In addition, it is not even clear that today’s rabbinate qualifies as srarah,” he said. “Rabbis can’t force anyone to do anything, so it seems self-evident that a contemporary clergy position is not within the category of s’rarah.” At B’nai-David-Judea, reaction to Ms. Thomas-Newborn’s appointment has been overwhelmingly positive, suggesting there is no s’rarah problem there. Shalhevet parent and B’nai David member David Mankowitz spoke about the positive impact that Ms. Thomas-Newborn has had on the community. “I like her,” said David. “I have listened to her give some talks and lead programs and shiurim, and I like the way she speaks. I think it is nice to have a female voice.” “I saw her give a drasha one shabbos and it was very interesting,” said Shalhevet parent and B’nai David member Naomi Selick. “I think it is great that they have a women at B’nai David giving a drasha from the bimah. “I think B’nai David is a very accepting community,” she added. “We had a female president last year and I think she (Ms. Thomas-Newborn) is very accepted there.” But not everyone agrees. Rabbi Avi Shafran, Director of Public Affairs and Spokesman for Agudath Israel of America, spoke out strongly against the concept in a lengthy e-mail exchange with The Boiling Point. “A ‘maharat’ or ‘maharat in training’ is part of a movement to change the time-honored mesorah, tradition, of Klal Yisrael, which includes not ‘ordaining’ women,” wrote Rabbi Shafran. “It isn’t an issue of a knowledgeable woman giving a shiur, but of a representative of a movement that misrepresents itself as Orthodox trying to insinuate itself into an Orthodox shul.” “The ‘maharat’ title is universally and correctly under-
stood as a ruse,” wrote Rabbi Shafran. The more centrist Rabbinical Council of America also does not support giving women smicha of any kind. At its annual meeting in April 2010, the RCA adopted a position which it then published in a press release. YICC Rabbi Elazar Muskin and Rabbi Kalman Topp and Rabbi Kanefsky are all members. “Due to our … commitment to sacred continuity … , we cannot accept either the ordination of women or the recognition of women as members of the Orthodox rabbinate, regardless of the title,” said the statement, which went on to criticize the founders of Yeshivat Maharat. “The RCA views this event as a violation of our mesorah [tradition] and regrets that the leadership of the school has chosen a path that contradicts the norms of our community.” Rabba Sara Hurwitz, who serves as clergy at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in New York, is the dean and co-founder of Yeshivat Maharat. In a phone interview, she explained how the school was started. “I received my ordination in 2009 from Rabbi Avi Weiss,” Rabba Hurwitz said, “and three girls came up to me and asked me how they could join, and we started Yeshivat Maharat.” “We currently have 20 women enrolled and five in the field,” she said, including Ms. Thomas-Newborn. While no two s’micha programs are alike, Yeshivat Maharat follows many of the same requirements for smicha as Yeshiva University, including learning kashrut; niddah, laws governing marital intimacy; and Shabbos. Rabba Hurwitz told the Boiling Point that she chose to be called Rabba. Other graduates may choose to be called whatever they like. “Yeshivat Maharat’s model is a traditional s’micha program and within halacha -- they pass all training and they are in school for four years,” said Rabba Hurwitz. “The way it works is that we give our students s’micha and focus on being a maharat, not the title.” “The women who I encounter simply want to serve the Jewish people, and that’s why they’re committed to higher learning,” she added. In Los Angeles, Ms. Thomas-Newborn thinks having both genders in the clergy will be good for Orthodox Judaism.
The ‘maharat’ title is universally and correctly understood as a ruse. --Rabbi Avi Shafran, Agudath Israel of America
“I think that this is definitely the next step for the community, to have a woman in leadership, and there is a lot to offer there,” said Ms Thomas-Newborn. “The female clergy is not meant to eradicate male leadership; I think there is a partnership there that is beautiful and necessary to the community.” Rabbi Kanefsky agreed. “B’nai David is certainly going to be enhanced in our ability to reach and educate and comfort and counsel our members by having two members of the clergy instead of only one,” he said, adding, “Any religious community is enhanced by inspirational and scholarly leaders.”
The Boiling Point • February 2015 • Torah
15
Split over female clergy almost blocked Shalhevet Institute ‘day of learning’ Continued from Page 1
Rabbi Topp responded, “I think that was an internal conversation with the organizers of the program and it’s hard for me to say more than that.” Rabbi Muskin acknowledged an issue had occurred but would not go further. Rabbi Kanefsky would only confirmed the account of the events. But Mr. Rohatiner said the problem had not been a woman’s speaking to the gathering. Rather, he said, it was that some thought Ms. Thomas-Newborn was becoming a rabbi. “The issue was that because of an article in The Jewish Journal that had just come out, the perception was that B’nai David Judea was hiring a woman rabbi,” Mr. Rohatiner said in an interview. “You have to expect that when this comes up, there are going to be people who say ‘How can we have a woman rabbi speaking?’” he explained. “Rabbi Topp was not saying no to the concept.” When it was over, there was relief that a split in the community BP Photo by Goldie Fields had been averted – for now. DISCUSSION: Ms. Ruthie Skaist leads a Bible class “I think there was a paradise at the Global Day of Jewish Learning on Nov. 16. lost by having two venues, but in the end, the fact that the commuThis meant splitting the program into two nity was able to come together and learn locations, but apparently satisfied every- is a really beautiful thing, and I am really proud that the Shalhevet Institute was able one’s concerns. The event went forward, and Ms. Thom- to present to this to our community,” said as-Newborn gave a talk at B’nai David Rabbi Schwarzberg. “The hope is for next year to broaden called “Higher and Higher: An Exploration the program to the larger Jewish Commuof Sanctity and Jewish Law.” With the immediate conflict resolved, nity in LA and for the day to be a great the rabbis declined to discuss the details, opportunity for Jews to come together and perhaps not wanting to unravel the tenu- learn with one another.” Ms. Thomas-Newborn, meanwhile, was ous unity they had forged. “We are very happy regarding how the aware of the controversy and happy it was day of learning played out,” Rabbi Topp resolved. “What mattered most to me was being said in an interview. “We had a multiplicity of learning blessed with many great able to teach and to come together and teach as a community,” said Ms. Thomasteachers both men and women.” Asked why Ruthie Skaist could speak at Newborn. “I applaud Shalhevet for making Beth Jacob and not Ms. Thomas-Newborn, that happen and I was honored to teach.” go, Rabbi Schwarzberg met with Rabbi Muskin and Rabbi Kanefsky and tried to reach a solution, but they were unsuccessful. Eventually it looked as if it was going to be canceled, and the fifth-largest Jewish community in the world was not going to participate in the international Global Day of Jewish Learning. Finally, during the first week of November, Rabbi Schwarzberg and YULA Rabbi Yitzhak Etshalom came up with the idea to have B’nai David host part of the event, including Ms. Thomas-Newborn’s address.
“For me, the drama and the politics, they happen. What I really care about is serving the need and helping people connect with Torah, and to each other, and with God.” Ruthie Skaist strongly supported her. “We constantly talk about how in the workplace women should be equal to men, but in our spiritual places women don’t have a carved-out place,” Mrs. Skaist said. “It is beyond gender. People at Yeshivat
Maharat are quite capable and filling a void. I am a huge supporter. I think there is no reason not to have women leaders in our community.” At B’nai David, Rabbi Kanefsky thinks the long-term outlook – for women’s leadership and for Orthodox unity – is good. “I think the broader community will see the value of having folks like Alissa in our community,” Rabbi Kanefsky said.
16
Sports THE BOILING POINT
FEBRUARY 2015
Soccer teams show that winning isn’t everything By Mati Hurwitz, Sports Editor
Despite a myriad of blowouts and shutouts over the past few seasons, the Shalhevet soccer teams still play and compete every winter because the players simply love the game. Some sports teams, such as girls’ softball, have skipped some years because of a lack of excitement, success and – perhaps as a consequence -- sufficient enrollment on the squads. But soccer has generally been a cornerstone of Shalhevet Athletics, missing only one season since the teams were formed in 2004. A minimum of 11 players is needed to field a regulation soccer team. This year there are 15 on the girls’ team and 15 on the boys’.
We just play because we want to have fun. --Jake Benyowitz, Junior Co-Captain During an era which included stronger players, such as Emilio Lari ’11, the sport enjoyed success and regular playoff visits. Since then, the boys and girls have continually missed the playoffs and faltered in league games. Finally, the boys program suffered a one-year hiatus in the 2011-12 season when too few students signed up. The same thing happened to the girls the following winter. But the teams were resurrected – the boys in fall of 2012 and girls in fall of ’13 – and developed a new identity and a different kind of competitive nature. “When I started, our team was very competitive,” said senior Jillian Einalhori, girls co-captain, “but we’ve gotten better at enjoying the game. I think a lot of girls try out just for the sake of trying out, and see that we are a really fun team” she said of her squad. Boys co-captain junior Jake Benyowitz also believes his
team finds soccer pleasurable. “We just play because we want to have fun,” said Jake. BP Photo by Zev Marcus Even still, HEADS UP: Freshman Amberly Hershewe heads the ball in a 1-0 loss against YULA on Feb. 4. both teams struggled last season, opportunity to play the game he or she loves and has perat times playing through consecutive games without scorsonal reasons for doing so. Some play because they grew ing goals. up with the sport, while it is family custom to others. Although he recognizes his team’s flaws, Jake brings “I have been playing it for eight years,” said freshman an ardent mentality to the pitch. He believes that just beAmberly Hershewe. cause the chips are down, it doesn’t mean you throw in Jake’s mom is British; he said soccer is a family tradithe towel. tion. “I’m passionate about the game, I want to win,” Jake But their own positivity aside, social media has not alsaid. “If we keep our confidence up we can win games.” ways been kind to the soccer teams. After the girls lost 6-0 Perhaps that positivity has led to the boys’ recent sucto New Roads Dec. 15, some alumni and students comcess and a flash of promise. menting on a Boiling Point Facebook questioned the exisDuring the week of Jan. 26, the boys fared 1-0-2 in tence of the program entirely: one week and didn’t give up more than 2 goals in a single “Damn they suck,” former Shalhevet student Adir Hasgame. sid commented on the post. The girls have not won a match yet, but grinded out Others stood up for the girls’ and boys’ rights to play a 2-0 loss to Environmental Charter Jan. 29, one of their despite their record. closest and most competitive matches all year. They had “These girls have put a lot of effort into the team and lost 4-0 to that same team on Jan. 15. The team is cursure that may not translate into ‘winning’ but what matrently 0-6, including a 1-0 loss to YULA. ters is that they’re enjoying themselves,” sophomore MiAs of Feb. 9, the boys look more promising than a year cha Thau retorted on Facebook. ago, but still have a subpar record of 1-6-2. After being It might be worth remembering that Shalhevet’s chamoutscored 17-1 in their first three games, they outkicked pion basketball team also had some rough years. the opposition 6-4 in the aforementioned three game Before Coach Flava and Coach Colin Jamerson, comstretch, before a 7-0 blowout to Animo and a 5-0 loss to bined, took the boys basketball team to the playoffs for six YULA. consecutive years – starting in 2009 – they were not comThe girls have not found the back of the net and have petitive and were perennial losers. Since their rise in 2009 given up 29 goals in six matches. they have won multiple league championships along with Not everyone is going to be the next Mia Hamm or capturing a Sarachek Championship and a CIF-SS runnerLionel Messi, but team members say each player has the up title in 2013.