Shalhevet Boiling Point Vol. 19, Issue 3

SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL • Los Angeles, CA March 2019 • Adar I 5779 • Vol. 19, Issue 3 shalhevetboilingpoint.com

Videos of people making ‘calming noises’ go viral in new trend of ASMR

By Kate Orlanski, Staff Writer Sending chills down people’s spines is a new way to unwind. Video clips of people whispering, eating, tapping on microphones and making other quiet, repetitive sounds are trending on the internet as something called ASMR. The letters stand for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. According to Wikipedia, ASMR is a “static-like or tingling sensation” that can be triggered by quiet sounds. The letters stand for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

“Autonomous” means that the sensation happens on its own, without direct stimulation (say, someone scratching or massaging your head). The “meridians,” in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, are a set of 12 pathways in the body along which “vital energy” is said to flow. So ASMR is a sort of free-standing sensory reaction to stimulus of a “meridian,” one of these pathways -- that is, you are feeling some tingling at the top of your head, though no one is touching you there.

“It feels almost like...a sparkler,” said junior Danya Helperin. “It’s like if you get goosebumps, and your hair stands on end and you shiver for a second. It’s like that, but not unpleasant, it’s like a good feeling.”

According to Wikipedia, ASMR reactions can be triggered by various categories of sound.

There are

“whispering triggers” -- someone speaking in a whisper; “auditory triggers” -- non-vocal noises such as tapping or writing; “personal attention role-play triggers” -- watching someone pretend to paint your nails or cut your hair on camera while whispering; or “clinical role-play triggers,” whispering into a camera while pretending to provide clinical or medical services.

Shalhevet students using ASMR use auditory or whispering triggers.

SAS Psychology teacher Mr. Eli Shavalian said he didn’t know much about ASMR. But he said the brain processes different kinds of sensations in different ways.

“When it comes to sensations and perception, it depends on the outward stimuli and how our brain perceives it,” said Mr. Shavalian, who is also Associate Director of College Counseling. “So a lot of stimuli, whether it’s sight or sound or smell, can go through a lot of different stages from the way it enters our body to the way our brain understands it.”

While not all listeners experience the “tingling” feeling, most who enjoy ASMR find the sounds calming.

“They’re relaxing,” said junior Continued on page 15

INSTA-fame !

BP drawing by Sam Rubanowitz

Senior becomes celebrity on Youtube and Instagram after chance encounter with ‘vlog’ star

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief Dylan and Dallas Corn were at Target buying carpet cleaner and gushers Feb. 7, when they recognized Youtube star David Dobrik looking for pants for his friend.

After some conversation, Mr. Dobrik -- known universally as “David” -- and his friends began to discuss video ideas with Dylan and Dallas, brothers who are a senior and freshman, respectively, at Shalhevet.

“I guess he thought I was funny when we were talking, and he was like, ‘Okay you wanna make a video with us?’ and I was like, ‘Okay that would be cool,’” said Dylan.

The next day, Mr. Dobrik’s crew went to the Corns’ house to film Dylan playing the piano, then took him for a haircut, then bought him a new suit and flowers to pick up a girl he liked in a car that Dylan chose and David provided.

The suit was a tux, the flowers were long-stemmed red roses and the car was a red Mustang convertible.

They bantered back and forth and David joked that Dylan didn’t know how to drive, and the two of them laughed togethxer in the car.

Eventually, Mr. Dobrik posted his weekly “vlog”-video blog -- about it, and Dylan became famous overnight. Dallas too young to be featured; Dylan is 18.

By Feb. 9, Dylan had 33,800 Instagram followers -- and a new red Mustang convertible to keep.

“This is honestly unbelievable,” Dylan said in an interview with the Boiling Point on Feb. 9. “I feel like it’s just gonna be over in a second.”

It was, and it wasn’t. Dylan, who transferred to Shalhevet this year from Fairfax High School and is part of the Cooking and Culture Club, had posted six times on Instagram and had 500 followers on Feb. 8. By Feb. 11, Continued on page 15

WHAT’S INSIDE...

MATH

12

SHABBAT JOBS Why is this subject different from all other subjects?

16

How does getting paid for work on Shabbat square with the Fourth Commandment?

BASKETBALL

23, 24

Girls and boys teams both win their CIF leagues and advance, then lose

New harassment policy sets rules, defines terms

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief After several Town Hall discussions and heated debates about what exactly sexual harassment is, the school released a new harassment, discrimination and retaliation policy that outlines complaint procedure, reporting, an investigation process, confidentiality and remedial and disciplinary action.

The policy was announced Feb. 1 in an email from Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal.

“We wanted to be more proactive about making sure that the environment was healthy and safe for everyone,” Rabbi Segal said in an interview with the Boiling Point.

“These issues are complicated so we wanted to do more to bring some clarity to them, and to raise awareness around them and to create policies around them.”

In the past, Shalhevet students have disagreed about matters regarding the #MeToo movement and how to define sexual harassment.

A Town Hall last year where students were separated by gender seemed to compound the confusion.

When the two genders came back together for the last part of the meeting, disagreements broke out.

“Thirty-three million women in the U.S. have been sexually harassed… Okay, so is that verbal harassment or is that actual physical harassment?” said then sophomore Noah Herzberg in an interview at the time.

“And then… okay, well if you call someone ‘honey,’ that is harassment. How is that harassment? How does that make any sense?”

Girls worried that they would not be believed if they said something happened, and then would be blamed for not coming forward if they therefore didn’t report it.

“I’m just wondering why it’s felt that the burden of being sexually assaulted falls on the victim for them to speak out,” said then-senior Maia Zelkha.

The new policy clears up these questions and others. It says anything experienced or witnessed should be immediately reported to “any employee of the School with whom they are comfortable, such as the Head of School, another administrator, a teacher, a counselor, or coach.”

Anyone found guilty will be subject to discipline Continued on page 7

Welcoming the stranger with hot food, scissors and applause

By Sam Rubanowitz, Staff Writer

I

t was almost noon when two Department of Homeland Security buses finally turned into a church parking lot in northern Phoenix. Volunteers who had been there since around 9 a.m. were lined up and waiting to welcome the travelers into America.

The first family to emerge -- a mother holding on to her two children -- stepped off the bus, and the volunteers broke into applause, which continued on and off as the rest of arrivees gradually disembarked.

About 30 would-be immigrant families, most from Guatemala, were being dropped off by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) after being cleared for release into the United States to await asylum hearings.

“Bienvenidos!” — welcome! — the volunteers cheered as they shook hands with the parents and children, some of them squinting in the midday sun The moth-

ers and fathers walked along the line of volunteers and smiled back, immigration papers and children in hand.

This scene has replayed itself almost every day over the past five months at the Casa de Oracion No. 2 church, but Jan. 16 was different: among the those waiting Continued on page 10

BP photo by Sam Rubanowitz WELCOME: A girl from Guatemala is welcomed by Shalhevet parent Mordechai Fishman after stepping off bus in Phoenix.

2

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Community

YUNMUN brings home first awards since team’s revival

By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor For the first time in nine years, Shalhevet took home prizes from Yeshiva University’s annual Model United Nations debate tournament (YUNMUN), held February 10-12 in New York.

After ending a 10-year streak of winning awards there in 2012, in 2013 the team stopped attending. This year it joined 420 students from 49 Jewish high schools representing countries in committees corresponding to those in the actual U.N. In 2016, then-sophomores Clara Sandler and Ariella Sassover revived the team. They won no awards at the 2017 and 2018 conferences, but this year, Ariella and Honor Fuchs, who became co-captain last year, each won honorable mention.

“We just wanted to be legitimate,” said Clara, now a senior and this year’s co-captain, referring to YUNMUN and Model Congress. “Because we won the awards, because we made our presence known both in the Yeshiva League world and at Shalhevet, people respect us.”

Nine of Shalhevet’s 11 delegates represented the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) while two represented Guatemala.

“Every year when we leave the conference, I think about how much our team has grown that year,” said Ariella, who represented the U.K. in the U.N. Human Rights Council.

“It’s been amazing to watch us all grow, because there’s such a clear distinction between how we were the year before and how we are now.”

Honor, who represented the U.K. in the tournament’s model U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said paying attention to world events was key.

“I think it’s important now more than ever to be educated about what’s going on in the world,” said Honor. “Model U.N. students always know everything about what’s happening in the

MORE ON THE WEB: shalhevetboilingpoint.com SLIDESHOW: B’nai David volunteers greet asylum-seekers VIDEO: Asylum-seekers arrive in Phoenix VIDEO: Evan Rubel and Eliana Cohen sing original music VIDEO: Humans of Shalhevet Episode 1: Mitchell Hoenig STORY: Alumnus arrested for thefts of celebrity property STORY: Second-ever lockdown drill STORY: Coverage of the Oscars STORY: Live blog of the Oscars

Calendar March wed-mon, mar. 13-18 Sarachek Tournament

wed-fri, mar. 20-22 Purim

Sun-Tues, Mar. 24-26 Aipac Policy conference

thur-sun, mar. 28-31 Penn Model Congress

April Mon-thurs, Apr. 1-4 Junior Chesed Trip sun-thurs, apr. 7-11 Drama One-Act Production sun-wed, apr. 7-10 Gettysburg trip thurs-fri, apr. 18-26 Pesach break

world.”

History Department chair Dr. Keith Harris, the team’s faculty advisor for the past two years, pointed to the skills the team learned from past conferences.

“I’ve seen them learn from their experience and come back with strategies and I think that it’s the way to go,” said Dr. Harris. “Being in the room and seeing how everything unfolds and how the committees work and the procedure, when they learn all that stuff, they come back and strategize the best way to do the best that they could. And that really is what paid off.”

Unlike Model Congress tournaments, where Shalhevet can send as many delegates as it wants, for YUNMUN Yeshiva University decides on a certain number of total delegates and allots schools their Photo courtesy of Yeshiva University delegations according to a formula.

RECOGNITION:Captian Ari Sassover, representing the UK in the U.N. Human According to YU spokesperson Marc Zharnest, Rights Council, won an honorable mention award. the size of a delegation corresponds to how well a team did previously, and the number of alumni tryouts. However, two students left the team, allowing two new that its sponsoring high school sent to YU. members more to join.

The team sent 11 delegates this year, three more than in 2012 Honor says that three years after returning from its four-year when team size was given as a reason for the lack of awards by break, Shalhevet’s team has reestablished a presence at the conthen-advisor Mr. Christopher Buckley. Mr. Buckley said at the ference. time that fewer delegates made it less likely Shalhevet could win “I’m really excited for the future of Model U.N,” said Honor. an award.

“We’ve made our presence known at YU. We’re now recognized “Because the committee sizes are much larger, the probability as good debaters and next year people are going to ask ‘is there a of winning is smaller,” said Mr. Buckley in a Boiling Point inter- Shalhevet High School kid in your committee?’” view at the time.

Dr. Harris said he would like the team to get more practice Currently Shalhevet’s team rule is that students who have al- locally, but most conferences where they could compete against ready been on a trip once are guaranteed a spot in the delegation. local schools take place over Shabbat. He said he hoped Shalhevet The team knew the size of its delegation prior to tryouts in Sep- could host a Model U.N conference for Jewish schools some day. tember and was only able to accept one additional student from

New thermostats bring hope for stable temperatures

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief

change it, and they get annoyed.”

Mrs. Roen Salem, who teaches in the art room, said that it’s inconvenient to call someone for every thermostat change.

After four years of fluctuating temperatures that have left stu“Our doors open and close so cold air comes in and the temdents and faculty alternately sweating or reaching for a sweater, school officials have decided to install a new, more technologically perature changes,” Mrs. Salem said. “We really need teacher controls of each person’s room because it advanced air-conditioning gets too cold or too hot and I system that they hope will have to call someone to change solve the problem. it.”

According to Director of Peter Biesterveld, service Facilities and Registrar Lili manager at Ontario RefrigEinalhori, people have been eration, the company which overusing the thermostats. services Shalhevet’s cooling She that the school has tried and heating systems said that various methods to prevent various factors go into whether this after the current air two rooms sharing an air conconditioning maintenance ditioning unit -- as Shalhevet’s company, Ontario RefrigerBP photo by Neima Fax do -- can stay simultaneously ation was concerned about REMOTE: New Nest brand temperature controls are operated by an app. comfortable. the system’s condition in a “Are the classrooms idenfacilities review this year. tical? That could be an issue.”

“They check three times a year, and the last time they came, before the beginning of this Mr. Biesterveld said. “You could have windows facing the wrong year, they said that our system is being overused,” Ms. Einalhori said. way, or it could definitely depend on the individual person. Some “They said that for an AC that is only four years old, it looks like it people are cold at 74 degrees and some people can be hot at 74 degrees.” is 20 years old.”

He also said that an improper air balance could have an impact.

Ms. Einalhori said this was likely because of students and teacher Improper air balance, Mr. Biesterveld explained, is a deviation from adjusting the thermostats too frequently to turn on air or heat, and the ideal 400 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air flow for every 500 then not reverting them back to normal temperatures. She said the school attempted to solve the problem by installing covers on ther- square feet.

“If the air balance is incorrect, one classroom has the thermostat mostats to prevent people from touching them and then by locking the thermostats entirely, neither of which kept students from trying and they’re identical in size, and one classroom has 600 CFM going to it and one classroom has 200 CFM going to it, the classroom with to control the temperature.

In response,Technology Director Mr. Nick Parsons installed the thermostat is gonna get satisfied very quickly, but because you three Nest Air Conditioning thermostats in mid-December, which don’t have the right airflow in the other room, it could cause that allow control of the thermostats from an application available both room to never reach the right temperature,” he said.

Mr. Biesterveld said that Shalhevet has never had its air balanced on cellphones and computers. Now five second-floor classrooms checked. have Nest thermostats.

He also said other schools that Ontario Refrigeration has ser“We first had the thermostats programmed to turn on at 6 a.m. and turn off at 9 or 10 p.m.,” Ms. Einalhori said. “So it started out viced do not have one unit for two classrooms the way Shalhevet that throughout the day everything was fine, but what happened was does, which can ensure more control over the temperatures.

“Depending on the school and how old the school and the in one classroom the kids were too hot, so the teacher lowered the equipment is, some of the newer schools will have individual units AC. In another they were too cold, so they made it higher, and it was for each classroom,” he said. “Or they could have it zoned for each just back and forth.” classroom, with a two-zone system.”

In fact, some worry that preventing people from tampering the Mr. Biesterveld explained that a two-zone system is when classthermostats won’t solve the temperature discomfort , because most of the thermostats control two different rooms. Teachers have com- rooms have individual thermostat which share a unit but can proplained about extreme temperatures, and not being able to control vide different temperatures to different classrooms.

Ms. Einalhori said the school could not install individual units them. because there is no room on the roof for more air conditioning units.

Ms. Jennifer Kong, who teaches Geometry and Pre-Calculus in She also said that the NEST systems’ passwords will be accessible to room 218 said that her room is usually hot, and even uses a fan in faculty, which will hopefully prevent the abuse of the systems and her classroom. allow teachers to have control.

“My room is so bad,” Ms. Kong said. “I share the thermostat “Now we have the NEST program, and I think it’s working.” She with room 217, and the students in 217 say the room is always freezing, and my room is so hot. Especially when I have a huge class, said. “It’s set to go between 70 to 74, which we find is the temperalike 20 students in my small room. Then I have to call someone to ture that everybody’s comfortable with.

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Community

3 YAF wonders whether feminism is still needed

By Liad Machmali , Staff Writer

Cheating?

By Liad Machmali , Staff Writer As I have started high school the fear of the future has overcome me, introducing a type of peer pressure I did not expect: the very popular idea of cheating.

In middle school this was incomprehensible to me, as no one really cared enough about a grade to be caught cheating and face the possibility of worse consequences. High school, on the other hand, is a whole new ball game.

The circumstances and people around me have changed immensely. Many people I talk to are trying to get an A and frankly do not care about what they have to do to get it. For some people I know, this may mean studying until 2 a.m. Others may just peek at the desk beside them.

What is the person who studied supposed to do if someone has easy access to cheat off their answers, especially when the last thing he or she is worrying about during a test is the person on their right copying the answer to question number two?

I have heard many people try to justify cheating. “Everybody does it sometimes.” “It’s not like I’m ever going to need this information anyway, why should I have to memorize it?”

The ultimate problem with this logic and ideology is that not only are you going against your teacher, but you are minimizing the effort of the person who studied, and taking credit you did not deserve for a performance that was not yours. The hours of the person who studied have now become your seconds.

It is true that school can be very stressful and students are constantly looking for a more efficient way to get ahead. I once read a Bill Gates quote that stuck with me: “I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.”

At this point, for a significant number of my classmates, cheating has become a productive way to achieve good grades. Now it is having a ripple effect, creating a new form of peer pressure.

This is not the type of peer pressure where all of your friends are claiming that they are vape gods and therefore you should be one too. No -- this is about following someone else’s negative actions to achieve positive results. While I’m staying up trying to memorize a song about cells, they’re on Youtube watching David Dobrik interview Jeffree Star: should I be doing this too?

It’s an interesting battle to be fighting as a 15-year-old, yet a very present one. It sometimes may even feel impossible to ignore when there are so many other things on my mind constantly making me nervous.

Sometimes I will be sleeping, enjoying my weekend, until suddenly my worries will arise, leaving nothing else to focus on other than, “Am I participating in enough co-curriculars?

Are my grades high enough? Will that one B-plus prevent me from ever going to the college of my choice?”

Teachers try to convince students that grades are not as important as they may think.

Due to the difficulty of accepting this fact, and the added ease of depending on a grade to measure self-worth, students still search for an alternative, maybe even immoral, route to succeed.

High school feels like a trail of doubt.

Every step of the way has an impact, yet the real fear is what would have, could have, or even should have happened if I had done this.

What would be different if I had just cheated on that math quiz?

An interesting question but impossible to answer.

Do Shalhevet students believe women have full rights in America? A Young Americans for Freedom meeting Feb. 12 explored this and related subjects during a standing-room-only session on feminism at lunchtime in Room 216.

The two co-chairs of the school’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter, Kate Orlanski and Sivan Karz, led the conversation, starting from a perspective that feminism is not needed in America today.

Though women are oppressed elsewhere, the two sophomores said, feminism is no longer needed in the United States. Kate criticized Iraq and Yemen’s policies regarding women.

“In these places, there are child brides, women are publicly harassed, and even kidnapped, all of which the government overlooks,” Kate said.

“We acknowledge that feminism is definitely necessary in a lot of other countries,” she said afterwards. “But we were kind of trying to prove that it’s not necessary in modern-day America.

“The main idea of this meeting was to share the conservative view on feminism and give a perspective on it that might otherwise not be heard.”

Her view found support at the meeting. For example, freshman Jack Sanders said feminism mattered more in countries where women are treated worse.

“I think we should all have the textbook feminism, like the original kind of movement of feminism, equal rights, opportunity,” said Jack.

“I think where it really matters is where women are getting beheaded and can’t drive.”

Kate and Sivan led the discussion, and members with contrasting views gradually contributed more as the meeting went on.

Other topics were wage discrimination and sexual harassment.

Sivan and Kate said that a wage gap between women and men exists -- statistics show that women earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn -- but that it is not caused by discrimination.

Instead, they said, statistics show it’s caused by variables such as women being less likely to ask for a raise, men being more willing to work longer hours and relocate, and women being more likely to work in professions that pay less.

“We wanted to make sure we presented the facts,” Sivan said. “There are many variables that

should start by trusting women, so that it can be go into that study which is just really broad.”

On the subject of sexual harassment, the club a safe environment for women to come forward showed a Prager University video of political in.”

And some topics became less clear-cut than commentator Ben Shapiro, who said the slogan expected.

“Believe all women” was sexist.

For example, the meeting ended with an ex“You can’t believe all women any more ploration of the than you topic of gencan believe der “privilege.” all men,” Sivan said that Mr. Shapiro while people stated in the think of privvideo. ilege as being Sophosomething men more Aleshave, women sandra Judado too because ken argued they are trathat cases of ditionally not sexual hadrafted, they rassment are are often given much more priority when complex BP Photo By Neima Fax evacuating than just DISCUSS: Lunchtime meeting heard diverse opinions on pay, privilege and #MeToo. from an emerbelieving all gency, and judgwomen.

“There must be facts and evidence, I don’t es tend to favor them in child custody battles.

On the other hand, several women in the think we can just believe anyone,” said Allesanroom expressed the fear that they experience dra.

There was push-back, however, throughout walking on the street that they believe men may the meeting. Forty-six students attended -- 13 not share.

Danielle Silva, who had defended feminism male -- in addition to YAF adviser Mr. William Reusch, English teacher Ms. Na’amit Nagel, mu- in other areas, agreed that privilege was a probsic and journalism teacher Ms. Joelle Keene and lematic for both sexes.

“As a feminist, I actually denounce that idea Ms. Daniella Silva, school receptionist.

Junior Joseph Klores stated that feminism is of social privilege,” Ms. Silva said. “It’s a thing that exists but we actually need to demolish it definitely necessary in America.

“If you look at sexual harassment in a work- if we want to be truly equal. If we want to say that we are equal lets both pay for the date, we place, it’s mainly women,” said Joseph.

Junior Anna Weiss said that women in Amer- want to protect our children, let’s all protect our children.” ica still have a long way to go.

Before the meeting took place, Sivan and “These are places where feminism is very necessary but I don’t think that doesn’t mean that Kate met with a few students and faculty memit’s not necessary here,” she said. “Just because bers who identify as feminists to come up with we’ve come a long way doesn’t mean we don’t better topics. According to Sivan, they met with Ms. Nagel, Ms. Crincolli, and a few students want more power.”

Senior Nomi Willis said that the “believe all including juniors Maia Lefferman, Anna Weiss, women” attitude stems from the #MeToo move- and Danya Helperin.

“We wanted to talk to people who consider ment.

“I don’t say ‘believe all women’ because I themselves feminists to actually figure out what think women are inherently more trustworthy people believe so we could talk about those or anything like that,” said Nomi. “I think sta- things,” Sivan said in an interview later. “You tistically it’s so much more likely that women always hear in the news these radical things, and have been sexually abused or sexually assaulted we weren’t going to have a meeting about things that it’s important to give the sentiment that we no one actually believed.”

Old student lot reopens after four years

By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor Long awaited and much delayed, Shalhevet’s old student parking lot finally opened its new gates Dec. 10, adding enough spaces to provide parking for all seniors for the first time in school history. On Jan. 7, the lot’s remaining nine spots were filled with juniors.

The reopened, repaved and refurbished old lot, its opening delayed about four months by city permitting issues, is about a block away from school and across the street at the northwest corner of Fairfax and San Vicente.

That’s farther than the spaces in the Tom Bergin’s Tavern parking lot right next to the school building, which school has been renting since Sept. 12. Senior class presidents Talia Abel and Tara Chriki had held a raffle in late September to determine who could park at Bergin’s, and there were enough spaces for all but six seniors.

When the San Vicente lot re-opened, first to receive spaces were the six students who had been deprived before -- that is, who had spent the past three months scrounging for street parking while the rest of the class zipped into Bergin’s each day. They were given spots at Bergin’s.

The rest of the Bergin’s spaces were apportioned by a second lottery Dec. 4. The six out of 26 senior entrants who did not win that raffle now park in the lot at Fairfax and San Vicente.

“It’s made my stress levels in the morning drop big time,” said senior Isaac Kahtan of his new space. “Instead of having to wake up extra early and hunt for parking so that I would not have to pay the $20 at Peterson, I get to sleep in an extra 20 minutes every day.”

Isaac lost the first lottery and now is parking Bergin’s tavern, whose lot Shalhevet is renting at Bergin’s right next to school. He was grateful right next to school.

It is the first time in nine years that any junot to have to scavenge the surrounding neighborhood for spots which were never guaran- niors have school-provided parking spots. And teed, and sometimes having to pay to park at it represents the final disposition of parking afthe Petersen Automotive Museum, three blocks ter months of unclarity as to what would hapaway at Fairfax and Wilshire which cost $16 per pen when parking became available at school, and who would decide. In the end, the adminday.

Isaac also said his guaranteed spot makes istration decided and Agenda officers implegoing off campus easier because he does not mented the decision.

On Dec 21, Agenda Vice Chair Maya Tochhave to worry about his parking space being taken whilehe is gone. Now he goes out for food ner wrote the names of 13 juniors who’d applied for spaces on cards, and then picked nine or home during back-to-back free periods. out of a cup, she T hose said, to determine who had to who would park move from in the spots.

Bergin’s It was a first to the furfor the current t her-aw ay juniors, who like student lot all students in are not comrecent years had plaining eibeen scavenging ther. the nearby streets Senior for spots every Aaron Weismorning while el previously the school-owned parked in the lot was being Tom BerBP photo by Neima Fax used for congin’s lot.

ASSURANCE: Parking is now provided to all seniors for the first time struction trailers “I need in Shalhevet history and to juniors for the first time since 2008 working on the to leave to Vinz apartment school a couple minutes earlier if I want to be on time to buildings across Fairfax. Those who received Hashkama or my first period class,” said Aaron spots said that their mornings would be easier in December. “But other than that, it’s not too and their days less stressful.

“Honestly it’ll be so helpful because I won’t big of a difference. I’m happy that I still have a have to worry about getting a ticket or leaving parking spot.”

The spots that were available to juniors were class to move my car,” said junior Caroline left over after all seniors in the school were giv- Edry in January. en spots, either in the re-done old lot or at Tom

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Community

Pertussis spreads to Harvard Westlake and two other schools besides Shalhevet, protocols differ Health department issues warning to doctors as illness spreads across Los Angeles County set up its own surveillance, to have one person whose task it is to track all of this stuff.

There were at least five documented cas“I think Shalhevet did more than es of pertussis among Shalhevet students most schools do to raise awareness last fall, and a continuing outbreak at Harabout what to do. I want to commend vard-Westlake School starting around the the school for trying to get the word same time has sickened 30 students there so out and actually getting kids tested, far. because that was important.”

Two other schools have also seen sharp However, because there were six rises in the illness, also known as whooping faculty members with infants under cough, prompting the Los Angeles County one year old, Dr. Higashi recommendHealth Department to issue warnings and ed that students should avoid babysitinstructions to parents and physicians. It ting, especially for faculty members said there were three “clusters” of cases in and others with children in that age people age 11 - 18, in different parts of the group. county.

In addition, choir director Mrs. “Because of the waning immunity from Joelle Keene cancelled two weeks of pertussis-containing vaccines and the inpractice when a third case of the illcreased exposure in facilities with multiple ness was diagnosed among the Choircases, providers should consider pertussis hawks. even in vaccinated persons with minimal to Mrs. Keene said she had discussed mild symptoms, especially in adolescents,” the situation with Dr. Higashi after the warning to physicians states. cdc.gov freshman Danielle Finn, who sings Shalhevet’s cases resulted in a Health alto in the group, was diagnosed Dec. Department official recommending that OUTBREAK: The Bordatella Pertussis bacterium, above, is responsible for the disease known as whooping 8. students not babysit for 21-day periods afcough, which is especially dangerous to infants and those with compromised immune systems. California law “She said singing tends to ‘aeroter each diagnosis, which ended up being 53 mandates that all children be vaccinated as babies, but the vaccine begins to wear off after about 10 years. solize respiratory secretions,’ which days in all. And Choirhawk practice was canI imagine means to make particles celled for two weeks upon a third diagnosis “A note from a doctor stating that a child has been vaccinated smaller,” Mrs. Keene wrote in a mesamong the 23-member singing group. against pertussis or does not exhibit clinical evidence of pertussis sage to the Choirhawks on Schoology. “When you sneeze, you Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, begins with coldsneeze larger droplets, and everyone knows and so you use a tissue like symptoms before escalating to an infectious disease of cough- will not be sufficient.”

Last week, the Health Department told Harvard-Westlake that or whatever. But when you sing, the same thing that would be ing fits. The disease is easily treated with antibiotics, and students if the number of cases grew, it would consider banning the school a droplet is instead a spray, more of a mist, and no one is aware are required by the Los Angeles County Health Department to from interscholastic activities until the outbreak of it. Which would make it stay home for at least five days. easier to spread in a singWhile it is not life-threatening for teenagers, it can be for an- subsided, the Chronicle said.

With an enrollment of about 1,600 students, ing group.” other demographic: babies under the age of one — a group many Harvard-Westlake has seen 1.8 percent of its stuDanielle said her docstudents at school babysit frequently. According to the federal dents test positive for the whooping cough.

With tor was initially doubtful Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about half of babies one year that she had pertussis beold or less with whooping cough end up in the hospital, and can five cases in 260 students, Shalhevet’s illness rate is slightly higher, 1.925 percent. cause her symptoms did get pneumonia. Some of them die.

In Shalhevet’s case, Chief Operating Officer not include coughing.

Dr. Julie Higashi, an infectious disease specialist with the LA Ms. Sarah Emerson sent emails sent to parents Oct. Most other cases, includCounty Health Depart29, Nov. 5, and Nov. 8, with an attached ing seniors Josh Sarir and ment and mother of junior letter from the Health Department urging Hannah Friedman, expeKiku Shaw, recommended them to take students to the doctor if they rienced intense coughing that therefore, Shalhevet showed regular cold symptoms and mention they’d been and difficulty breathing prior to their diagnosis. students not babysit chilexposed to pertussis.

“The doctor said it’s not whooping cough, but I asked him to dren under the age of one Signed by Dr. Sheree Poitier, Chief Physician 1 of the test it,” Danielle said. “But two days later, the results said I had it, until 21 days after the last Los Angeles Counand now I’m on antibiotics case at school had been dity Department of and everyone in my house agnosed, which was Dec. Public Health, it is on it also.”

9. Twenty-one days after said students who She missed five days that was Dec. 31, after were coughing of school as required and which the outbreak was “may not attend returned the following Friconsidered over. school until their day.

One reason is that perOn Feb. 26, the Health tussis immunity from vaccinations doesn’t always last more than a doctor sees them.”

But Shalhevet did not Department announced few years, protecting humans well when they’re vulnerable babies require proof of treatment that it was monitoring but less well as they grow up. three “clusters” of pertussis The other is that people can be sick and contagious before they or a negative pertussis test for students with symptoms cases in schools, affecting realize that what they have is not a cold but whooping cough. to be in school. students ages 11-18. It said “There’s an initial phase that’s roughly seven to 10 days that’s Dr. Higashi said it was the median number of cashw.com like a normal cold.” Dr. Higashi said. “Because pertussis sympbecause of the size of the es the clusters was 17. toms can be hidden in the initial stage, student babysitters should For example, OUTBREAK: Harvard Westlake school has had 30 cases of pertussis among Reached by the Boilmonitor themselves for any cold-like symptoms — especially if school. the 1,600 students at its upper and middle school campuses. Above, the Harvard Westlake’s email ing Point, Idriss Fasassi, they babysit for their teachers, she said.

Upper School campus is located in Studio City. provided the contact of Epidemology Analyst at Harvard-Westlake, with campuses in Studio City and Bel Air, their school’s own Comthe LA County Departhas been reporting cases of pertussis since Nov. 16 and was at 30 ment of Public Health last week, according to the high school newspaper, the Chronicle, munity Health Officer, Immunization Program, would not share the names of the other which posted an article about it Feb. 28. A week earlier, officials something Shalhevet does not have.

Dr. Higashi said that Shalhevet handled the situation well givschools in the cluster. But he said he was not aware of the pertussis there sent out an email saying that any student exhibiting flu-like en that there was no designated person to track the spread. case at Shalhevet, and Shalhevet is not among the three. symptoms would be sent home.

“This is the issue that we’re looking at now: how do schools Community Editor Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks contributed to “Upon the opening of school on Tuesday, Feb. 19, anyone who exhibits flu- or cold-like symptoms will be sent home until written track these things?” Dr. Higashi said in mid-December after all this story. proof of negative test results and/or completed treatment is provid- five cases were announced.

“It’s really difficult for a school like Shalhevet to pretty much ed to our attendance office,” the email said.

By Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Harvard-Westlake, with campuses in Studio City and Bel Air, has been reporting cases of pertussis since Nov. 16 and was at 30 last week.

Shalhevet’s cases resulted in a Health Department official recommending that students not babysit for 21-day periods after each diagnosis, which ended up being 53 days in all.

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Community

5

A year after Parkland shooting, teens count new losses Shalhevet students among high schoolers profiling victims of gun violence in year since massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief, and Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor On Feb. 14 last year, 14 high school students and three school staff lost their lives in a mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. Exactly a year later, almost 1,200 more children and teenagers have died in gun violence, according to The Trace, which published obituaries in honor of all these other victims.

The Trace started a project called “Since Parkland,” where student journalists wrote 100-word obituaries for children victims of gun violence.

Profiles are deliberately short to represent the short lives these children lived.

All 1,200 obituaries were published this week on The Trace website, and also in the Miami Herald, in honor of the Parkland anniversary.

Junior Jacob Lefkowitz Brooks, who is also Community Editor for The Boiling Point, wrote one obituary for this project. He will be paid $25 for this work.

Jacob wrote about Jennifer Trejo-Gomez, a nine-year-old who was killed last July 17 when a stray bullet went through a wall in her bedroom.

She is survived by her brother and sister.

Before he could write the obituary, Jacob had to choose the person he would write about. He picked Jennifer’s name from a list of victims sent

by The Trace and chose her, he said, because “she was so young.”

“The third-grader at Buckshutem Road School

wanted to be a teacher when she grew up,” Jacob wrote. “She had a piggy bank right by her bed with $60 in it that she was planning to save for college.

Jacob learned about the project when Trace Senior Project Editor Beatrice Motamedi presented it to Boiling Point staff at a lunch meeting last October.

“I thought it was really different having to write about someone who I’ve never met or interacted with,” said Jacob. “Writing a 100-word story forced me to find all the pertinent details about their life and condense them into something meaningful.”

He said he hopes to do more work with the group.

“I think the cause of preventing gun violence is paramount for this country, and I would love to play a role in getting people to understand the severity of this issue,” he said.

Alumna Hannah Jannol ‘18, who was last year’s Editor-in-Chief of the Boiling Point, was edited more than 20 of the obituaries for the project last summer. She said it opened her eyes to the range of gun violence.

“Even from the ones that I edited and looked at, there are children who died because someone was cleaning a gun, or touching it in some non-violent way but they accidentally fired it, and someone died because of that.” Hannah said.

The Boiling Point staff was invited to become

BP Photo by Neima Fax Legacy: High school students wrote more than 1,200 obituaries for children and teenagers killed by gunsin the year following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. The stories were published in the Miami Herald and other newspapers nationwide.

-_al Student Square (GSS), which is run by Ms. Motamedi and which publishes high school news stories from countries around the world, including Japan, Saudi Arabia, China, South Korea, England and the United States. Shalhevet is one of its contributing schools.

“Since Parkland” was profiled in an article in

the Feb. 13 New York Times.

“This week they launched ‘Since Parkland,’ a website compiling profiles of every one of the victims,” the Times wrote. “To tell their stories, The Trace turned to those who could relate most closely to the victims: other young people.”

Administration asks for more compliance with dress code

By Alex Rubel, Sports Editor

for faculty lately among the student body. But no specific result was announced In response to those dress code violations -- especially boys who “If we cannot live up to the expectations,” he said, “then you’re putA boys dress code leniency was put on probation in January after ting us in the position to say that this agreement only has one side to it have been wearing non-collared shirts without tzitzit -- at the end of Town Hall -- and not both sides. administration officials said it was being violated too often.

To justify the decision to allow boys to wear long sleeve shirts as “There’s no policy that’s being It was reinstated, however, after the semester break. long as they wear tzitzit visibly, Dean of Academic Affairs Ms. Aviva changed, but we need to create a probaThe policy allows boys to wear non-collared shirts if “If we cannot live up to the Walls said the policy is in place to balance formality and encourage stutionary period.” they wear tzitzit (fringes) that are visible, and to wear jeans expectations,” he said, “then Before the probation was announced, dents to wear tzitzit, too. as long as they are dark blue. you’re putting us in the position “It’s was compromise,” Ms. Walls said. “The decision was to allow the floor was opened for a few speakers.

Dean of Students Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg led a discusJunior David Edwards spoke first, and tzitzit but there has to be a long-sleeved shirt too.” to say that this agreement only sion at Town Hall Jan. 2 saying that it had become cumberAlthough close to an hour was spent on the topic, when it was over, said he thought a more clearly defined some for the faculty to police violations of school rules -- eshas one side to it -- and not both Rabbi Schwarzberg felt that Wednesday’s Town Hall didn’t accomplish policy would increase student cooperapecially dress code violations -- and that their time would be sides.” its objective, with the majority of speakers talking instead about whethtion. better spent doing “what they’re here for,” which is teaching.

-Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg “I feel like we need a clearer policy er they thought dress code is fair.

“There are some students at Shalhevet High School who “Nobody addressed the piece about the school changing a policy with these nuances,” David said. are currently and consistently not respecting the dress code and people not following it and what should happen as a result of it,” Senior Adam Ritz said he remembers expectations of the school,” Rabbi Schwarzberg said. “FaculRabbi Schwarzberg said, referring to the policy the Just Community hearing that the boys’ dress code had its ty need to be involved in something very frustrating, annoybasis in formality, to reciprocate for girls’ dress code, which is based on approved last year to allow boys to wear non-collared shirts if they wear ing, and very unexciting -- dress-coding students...It’s terrible.” tzitzit underneath.

He said that some boys -- 10 or fewer -- break dress code by wear- tzniut, or modesty.

According to the school’s website, the Just Community is ShalheBut Rabbi Schwarzberg said he’ d never heard of that idea before. ing non-blue jeans and others wear non-collared shirts without tzitzit. vet’s “educational vehicle” that teaches kids how to be apart of a dem“I don’t know where it comes from, ” Rabbi Schwarzberg said.

The administration has been permitting boys to wear blue jeans since Adam also said Shalhevet’s dress code didn’t seem based on “solid ocratic society.

2014, and a proposal brought to the Just Community last year passed “The Just Community also is a means through which students are allowing boys to wear non-collared shirts provided they are wearing ideas.” empowered to be active participants in their own education,” it says.

“I think dress code at a private school could be a good idea if it’s tzitzit that are visible.

In previous years, this was interpreted to mean that students votbased on a moral, ” Adam said.

Rabbi Schwarzberg said those rules would be put on probation In response to Adam, senior Adira Waldman said she thinks boys’ ed on some school policies at Town Hall, including the consequences to ensure that what he called the dress code “covenant” was being for not following them. Last year, howevfollowed. If not, he said, then it would illustrate a lack of partnership dress code is actually more relaxed than girls’ dress code er, the administration asked the Fairness because it’s less restric““I think dress code at a Committee to decide on consequences in tive. She also said she private school could be a good closed meetings, and Town Halls this year feels the ultimate goal idea if it’s based on a moral,” have been used to discuss things but not to of tzniut could be better decide on them. reflected in the current - Adam Ritz The day after the dress code Town Hall, girls’ dress code.

Yoetzet Halacha Atara Segal led a conversa“I definitely think tion for girls to discuss “practical“ elements there might be suggestions that could be implemented,” Adi- of the girls’ dress code.

Moving forward, Rabbi Schwarzberg said the dress code conversara said, without giving examples. who tried at the beginning of the tion would serve as an example to talk about “accountability” of the meeting to make it about the respon- student body.

“The goal here today is to try to move the needle a little bit, for each sibilities of Just Community members.

But the conversation then shifted to of us to take a little bit more responsibility upon ourselves as members dress code adherence, and then at of the Just Community,” Rabbi Schwarzberg said.

Rabbi Schwarzberg said minimizing violations would create the the conclusion of Town Hall, Rabbi Schwarzberg said boys’ dress code best school environment for learning.

“How can we ensure that faculty are spending 95 percent of their would be on probation for two-and-ahalf weeks as a result of an increasing time only in the realm of education -- what they want to be doing?” number of boys’ dress code violations. Rabbi Schwarzberg said.

He also said that he wants to reduce “confrontation” between stu“There’s no policy that’s being changed, but we need to create a pro- dents and teachers.

BP Photo by Neima Fax “It becomes a much more joyous and enjoyable community when bationary period,” Rabbi SchwarzCHANGES: Then-juniors Eitan Remer (third from left) and Jonathan Fishman (fourth from left) wrote a you don’t have to engage in anything that is disciplinarian,” Rabbi berg told the room. proposal last year that allowed boys to wear non-collared shirts provided they are wearing tzitzit that Rabbi Schwarzberg said that it Schwarzberg said. are visible. Rabbi Schwarzberg says boys have not been following this rule. had become especially cumbersome

6

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Community

Citing Student Handbook, Fairness rules admin cannot enforce school rules at Starbucks if student has not checked in to school

By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor In the first public Fairness case of the year, a ruling based on a technicality raised but did not clearly answer the question of when and whether students have to follow school rules when off campus.

Senior Donna Grunfeld brought the case to the Fairness Committee Jan. 7 after she was approached at school by Dean of Students Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, who said that another administrator had seen her wearing pants and eating non-kosher food while at Starbucks on Fairfax and Olympic during school hours that day.

Even though Donna had not signed into school yet, Rabbi Schwarzberg suggested there might be a consequence for similar behavior in the future. He told her that students should follow school rules while in the vicinity of Shalhevet on school days, even if they haven’t signed in to school yet.

And though he said he would not recommend any consequence for her actions this time, Donna felt that the administration should not be able to make a such a rule in the future either, and asked Fairness to clarify.

“I didn’t think it was fair to have me follow school rules while not in school yet,” said Donna in an interview later.

The trial began with Fairness co-chairs Jordana Glouberman and Jonathan Fishman asking questions of Donna and Rabbi Schwarzberg, both of whom were in the room.

Later, they began talking to each other in a more conversational form. Anyone was allowed to hear both sides speak, but the committee deliberation was done in private.

Though there was no publicity about the hearing, 30 students were present.

BP Photo by Maia Lefferman The next day, the committee announced at Town Hall that since the online Student Handbook makes no mention of rules CLOSE: Starbucks and Coffee Bean are frequented by Shalhevet students throughout the day. Above, juniors Celine Basiratmand (left) and applying to students when they are not checked into school, Maital Hiller drank coffee during breakfast Feb 15. School officials have not ruled changing the student handbook in the future, Donna hadn’t violated it. The committee did not rule on whether Rabbi Schwarzberg should have approached Donna, or “During school hours or when involved in school related events,” He pointed to two cases where student opinion was heard by whether he could in the future if a similar issue is reported. the Handbook states in the section called Off Campus Privileges. the administration in a Town Hall and a policy was changed. One “The ruling was that according to the Handbook, Donna didn’t “You are only to eat in kosher restaurants involved the Friday schedule. Last Jando anything wrong, and there’s nothing we could have done,” said and buy kosher food/drinks (certified) from uary, after a three-month trial period of Jordana. “But if the administration wanted to change the policies Starbucks, 7-11s and convenience stores in early dismissal instead of Friday lunches, “If the administration wanted to of dress code or any other policy to extend to Starbucks and Coffee general.” a Town Hall vote favored the plan and the change the policies of dress code Bean too, then that would be up to the administration.”

The form necessary to initiate a Fairness administration made the change permaWhile the current version of the Handbook states that students or any other policy to extend to case includes the option of making a case nent. can go to only kosher restaurants during school hours, it does not Starbucks and Coffee Bean too, public, if both parties agree.

Another proposal Sep. 2017 led to specify whether students have to be in dress code in the same sceFairness co-chairs Jordana and Jonathan male students being allowed to wear then that would be up to the adminnario. both felt that the case being public helped non-collared shirts to school if they are istration.” the student body understand how Fairwearing tzitzit that show. It was proposed ness worked. by then-juniors Jonathan Fishman and — -Jordana Glouberman, “It was a case that really applied to Eitan Remer, and the administration apFairness Co-chair everyone, not just Donna and Rabbi proved it.

Schwarzberg,” said Jonathan. “Having “When it came to a dress code polipeople there benefited everyone.” cy, there was a legitimate change that was Interviewed later by the Boiling Point, made,” Rabbi Schwarzberg said.”When it Rabbi Schwarzberg said he would consider changing the policy came to the school schedule, there was a legitimate change that was but would first want to appeal the case — that is, ask for the made because both parties heard one another. Ultimately, I do not Fairness Committee to reconsider — if it’s possible. think that it makes sense for high school students to be able to de“Would we go ahead and amend the handbook?” said Rabbi cide every law on the own, or else school would look very different.”

Schwarzberg. “I guess that’s something we could discuss. I don’t Rabbi Schwarzberg said it was important to maintain the school think that we’re running to do that.” culture off campus in places Shalhevet students frequent.

There is no mention of cases being able to be appealed in the “There are certain things where the school can have standards school Constitution. about the way that students should behave and conduct themselves, Donna said that she felt that amending the Handbook because that does have an impact on the values and the goals of would go against the spirit of the Just Community.

Shalhevet High School,” said Rabbi Schwarzberg.

“If you’re gonna claim that Shalhevet is a place where stu“My point is that if a student is at Starbucks or at Coffee Bean dents have a voice, and I’m very or in a parking lot, let’s say, that conhappy that we have Fairness, I just stituents — stakeholders in Shalhevet don’t think it’s fair to change a — regularly frequent, those students “There are certain things where the school rule in the Handbook because you should be representing or demonstratcan have standards about the way that didn’t agree with Fairness’ concluing the values of Shalhevet even if they students should behave and conduct themsion,” she said. technically have not started school selves, because that does have an impact on Rabbi Schwarzberg disagreed, yet,” he said. saying that the difference between “Because you might have other the values and the goals of Shalhevet High Shalhevet and non-Just Commustudents that are going into Starbucks.

School.” nity schools, where the adminisParents might be there, teachers might tration sets rules and students have be there. There’s a culture that you’re — -Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, to follow them, is mainly about trying to create and culture is not limdiscussion — not about who ited to a particular space.”

Dean of Students makes the rules.

Donna says that since she was not “When it comes to rules, there’s signed in to school yet, for her it was not a tremendous difference” benot “school hours” and so the school tween Shalhevet and non-Just Community schools, he said. should not have jurisdiction over her.

“But what the Just Community does and allow, and Town “I don’t think it’s fair to say that public areas are now going to be Hall allows, is that students and faculty are constantly talking under Shalhevet’s control,” Donna said. about this,” he said, “and I don’t think that conversation and dialogue is happening at a lot of other institutions… The more Sports editor Alex Rubel and Chief Video Editor Sabrina Jahan we have conversations about that, it allows us to understand one contributed to this story. another.”

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Community

7

Fairness leaders search for consistency as role expands Town Hall now focuses on ‘discussion,’ officials say, and Fairness is asked for policy advice Last year, the Fairness Committee wrote and announced a new policy of consequences for students who skip davening. It involved increasingly severe consequences for being caught ditching davening, culminating in an out-ofschool suspension for the third time caught.

In contrast, this year’s committee decided to make not a policy, but a ruling for just the specific case it was asked to consider.

“In the davening case, we were approached by the administration, who asked us to deal with the situation,” said senior Jonathan Fishman, this year’s Fairness co-chair. “There were a lot of kids who were ditching davening and the administration had an opinion about it. They wanted us to be fair about the student perspective. So that’s why we made the policy.”

Student reaction last year included complaints that the committee had made a decision affecting the whole community without hearing from the student body at all, he said. That affected how Fairness handled Donna Grunfeld’s case about behavior off-campus.

“Even though the administration asked us to create the policy, we still got a lot of backlash from the student body,” Jonathan said. “We came into this case thinking that we wouldn’t

make a policy unless we were approached by the administration.”

After Donna’s case was resolved, the Fairness Committee met with Rabbi Segal Jan. 29 and came to a decision with him about how they would operate from now on.

“We gathered that the Fairness Committee should handle the grey areas in situations that happen in the school, rather than things that are clearly stated in the Handbook,” said Fairness Co-chair Jordana Glouberman. “That’s something we’ve learned for the future.”

Dean of Students and Agenda Committee adviser Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg considers Donna’s case, about when and whether dress code and kashrut rules apply off campus, just such a gray area. He wants the Fairness Committee to make a concrete and long-term decision, based on the merits of the case. So far, the committee has resisted (see related story, this page.)

“I would appeal to the committee to consider the larger values of the institution beyond what it said in the black-and-white Handbook,” said Rabbi Schwarzberg.

He said that since the Fairness Committee is judicial in nature — deciding disputes — it follows it should make policy that interprets rules.

BP Photo by Gilad Spitzer TRIAL: On Jan. 15, the Fairness Committee held its first open hearing of the year. Viewers were asked to leave for the committee’s deliberation.

“That’s the point of a judge, to me,” said mature enough to say ‘This might be very good Rabbi Schwarzberg. “Anyone knows exact- for me, but I don’t think it would be good for ly what the rule says. What happens when it’s the school, therefore I’m gonna vote for what’s something that happens in the grayer area? So best for the school, not what’s best for my own in the end if you tell me to go to the Handbook ego.’”

Dr. Friedman said that rules should first go that’s fine, but then what do we need a Fairness through Town Hall, which he said should be Committee for?”

But he also seemed to question whether stu- more than an opportunity for the administration to hear students’ thoughts. dents should be making school rules.

“The whole thrust of Shal“The diffihevet was to say in effect that culty with stustudents, teachers and admindents establish“If you tell me to go to the istration at a Town Hall meeting rules is that Handbook that’s fine, but ing should get together and most teenagers then what do we need a come up with thoughts and — and it’s apideas, discuss it, vote on it and propriate — Fairness Committee for?” try it,” Dr. Friedman said. “If it tend to want to --Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, doesn’t work, then you change make a decision it. or rule that is in Dean of Students “Because the thrust was to their best interdevelop an environment where est without necthe students should participate essarily factoring in the needs or interests or values of others,” and develop their rules and regulations, and Rabbi Schwarzberg said. “And I’m sure when I therefore feel that it’s their school and it’s not was 15, 17 years old I would have done things a benevolent, perhaps, dictatorship that most schools are.” similarly.”

But Rabbi Schwarzberg believes the adminDonna said that if administrators were to istration should end up making certain decimake a policy, it would be in their self-interest.

“I think that in both situations, it’s just not sions.

“I think that administrators and faculty and gonna be a fair vote,” said Donna. “If you bring it to Town Hall, most students are going to vote adults should always be getting involved, to enbecause it benefits them. And with the adminis- sure that their experience and wisdom allows them to have input on whether something is the tration, they’re gonna do what they want.

“Even though they claim to have the stu- appropriate decision,” Rabbi Schwarzberg said.

“The idea of the Just Community and the dents’ best interest at heart, I think they tend to value the school’s image, and I think they’re common good is for all parties to be able to see gonna do what’s best for that and not what’s the common good that is necessary and not just make a decision that is best for you,” he said. best for the students.”

Dr. Jerry Friedman, who founded Shalhevet “That, though, is difficult.”

For now, the Fairness Committee — which 25 years ago as a “democratic just community,” thinks students and teachers alike are capable is made up of officers and representatives elected of making decisions that do not directly bene- by grade — will stay in the middle, interpreting fit themselves — and of learning from mistakes how the Student Handbook and other sources of rules should be interpreted when questions when they go wrong.

“We believe that students will, in effect vote come up. There have been no student-initiated on rules that are good for the school, not just policy changes so far this year. good for their own particular ego,” said Dr. — Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks Friedman in an interview, “… that they will be

New school harassment policy sets rules, defines terms Continued from page 1 including possible expulsion, and consequences may be disclosed to prospective employers, colleges and gap year programs and during “any administrative or legal proceedings,” it states.

The old policy, located on page 20 in the Student Conduct section of the 2018-19 Parent-Student Handbook, only outlines what to do in cases of bigotry and sexual harassment or behavior. The new one includes and defines bullying, physical harassment and verbal harassment. It also deals with the concept of “micro-aggressions.”

Bullying is defined as “any physical or verbal act or conduct, including written and electronic communications, directed toward a student or faculty member which places such individual(s) in reasonable fear of harm to his/her person or property, has a detrimental effect on his/her physical or mental health, and/or interferes with his/her academic or co-curricular performance or participation in any services, activities or programs of the school.”

Physical harassment is defined as “intimidating conduct, such as touching of a person or a person’s property, hazing, assault, grabbing, stalking or blocking or impeding a person’s movement.”

Verbal harassment, it says, is sending mean or threatening messages, spreading rumors, sexting, assuming another’s identity, posting private or embarrassing info about another or forwarding a message that was meant to be private, whether in person or online.

“Bullying is real,” Rabbi Segal wrote in his email. “Physical bullying. Emotional bullying. It happens.

“Now, I like to think that Shalhevet students are some of the most warm, kind-hearted, supportive young adults I’ve ever met,” he wrote. “Still, it’s important to get out ahead of the issue and build a culture that does not allow for that sort of environment, under any circumstance.”

Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles, the Frisch School in New Jersey and Berman Hebrew Academy in Maryland all have anti-harassment policies on their websites. (YULA, De Toledo and Milken in Los Angeles and Ramaz and SAR in the New York area do not, though they may have policies that are not public.)

General Studies Principal Mr. Daniel Weslow said the new policy was a matter of staying up to date. He said the new policy had been written by the entire Administrative Team, comprised of himself, Rabbi Segal, Rabbi David Block, Dr. Johnny Ravanshenas and Executive Director Sarah Emerson, and reviewed by the

school’s lawyers.

“Whether it’s something like dress code or something like off-campus privileges, and bigger topics of all handbooks... all of that stuff needs to be reviewed annually,” Mr. Weslow said. “We’re constantly looking at the best practices in that realm.”

Mr. Weslow said there was a policy in place for faculty as well, but declined to share it with the Boiling Point. Rabbi Segal said the policy already in place in the faculty handbook is “more robust.”

“We are working on a more specific policy similar to this one that would... expand on what we mean,” Rabbi Segal said.

The new policy begins by explaining its connection to Judaism.

“As a Yeshiva, Torah values frame our decisions,” it states. “The Torah teaches us the value of chesed, menschlechkeit, and using speech to help rather than degrade ourselves and others.”

In a section on safe spaces, it defines microaggressions as “statement[s], action[s], or incident[s] regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority.”

It then references a letter put out by the University of Chicago in 2016, saying that the university does not support “trigger warnings” and will not cancel speakers because they are controversial.

“Faculty, students and staff are free to criticize, contest and condemn the views expressed on campus” but “they may not obstruct, disrupt, or otherwise interfere with the freedom of others to express views they reject or even loathe,” Shalhevet’s policy says.

The policy does not recognize “microaggression” as a form of harassment unless it is pervasive and intentional.

Students have mostly reacted favorably, saying that the new policy allows for people to engage in conversation across opinions.

“Especially in today’s world, you want to make sure that everybody’s able to share their voice and that their voice is heard,” said freshman Adina Kurzban. “So if you had certain people kicking other people out, then it wouldn’t be good.

“You want to make sure that everybody’s able to... share their opinion and hear the other side and other opinions.”

Senior Noa Kligfeld said she was conflicted about safe spaces and microaggressions, but didn’t think it mattered too much.

“I don’t think it’s something that high schools need to be protected from,” said Noa.

Noah Herzberg is glad that there’s a policy in place, but is still unhappy with the definition of sexual harassment.

“It’s kind of vague because it says anything unwanted,” he said.

“So if you’re being led on, but you don’t know that you’re being led on and you think you actually have a shot and then you go for something outlandish, like ask her out, or go even further and say, Hey, do you want to hook up?’ and that person was just leading you on, that could be seen as sexual harassment. I don’t think that’s sexual harassment.

“I think it’s better to have at least a policy, but I think what could be better is to specifically give examples so that people know what some guidelines are. There’s a difference between an obscene picture and asking a girl to hook up and being rejected. I think there’s a spectrum, and depending on how serious it is there should be certain ramifications.”

Sophomore Kate Orlanski does not like the last sentence of the policy, which states: “...we do not believe that a microaggression counts as harassment unless it is pervasive and intended to harass, offend or demean.”She said there should be no rule about this at all.

“The point of a microaggression is that you’re offending someone,” Kate said. “I don’t think it’s a rule that we should have at Shalhevet that if you say something like that, it’s considered harassment, because anything is offensive to somebody. If it’s offensive to somebody and considered harassment, then anything can be considered harassment.”

The policy extends to school hours, school-sponsored events, the internet or anywhere in the high school community and is meant to control bullying of any kind.

Students are happy with this clarity.

“A lot of people don’t understand when someone says ‘you’re making me uncomfortable’ or ‘that’s sexual harassment,’ because they’re uneducated about it,” said senior Kira Faerstain. “But since we have access through Schoology to look at the handbook where they can really see the new policy, it’s going to make things a lot better.”

Junior Yarin Amzalag agreed.

“We actually get to know what’s happening and we don’t get to argue back,” said Yarin. “We already know what the rules are.”

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Outside News

MARCH 2019

MEANWHILE...

By MOLLY LITVAK, outside news editor

First LA teacher strike in decades ends with promise of smaller classes, bigger paychecks

DECEMBER 18th

U.S Department of Justice issues regulation to ban bump stocks on automatic rifles. Ban goes into effect on Mar. 21.

22nd A partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government begins after Congress and President Trump fail to agree on funding bills, particularly on funding for a $5 billion border wall.

JANUARY BP Photo by Maia Lefferman

1st Austria legalizes same-sex marriage

20th Chad restores diplomatic relations with Israel after cutting of ties in 1972

23rd

Juan Guaidó declares himself constitutional president of Venezuela, challenging Nicolas Maduro and winning recognition from many nations, including the US.

25th U.S government shutdown ends temporarily as short-term deal is made between the President and Congressional leaders.

February 3rd

Patriots defeat Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl, bringing their NFL championship wins to a total of six.

14th President Trump signs a new budget plan devised by centrist Republicans and Democrats. It includes $1.36 billion to extend border wall by 55 miles in Texas.

15th President Trump declares a national emergency over immigration and drug smuggling and announces he will move more than $5 billion from other projects to fund more wall.

PERSISTENCE: students and teachers at Laces High School protest through heavy rain to reach their goals in the LAUSD teacher strike.

By Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor Days of intermittent downpour didn’t stop teachers from the Los Angeles Unified School District from picketing and marching last month to get a contract with smaller class sizes, more nurses, and higher pay.

Lasting from Jan. 14 to Jan. 22, the first teachers strike in Los Angeles in 30 years ended after an agreement was reached that included a 6 percent raise in teacher salary, class size reductions and more on-campus support staff like nurses and librarians.

About 34,000 educators participated in the walkout.

“It was hard seeing the kids go in without us,” said Ms. Samantha Morgan, a history teacher at John Burroughs Middle School, in an interview after the strike was over. “We knew that sacrificing a week of our time would be worth it in the future.”

The LAUSD has some 640,000 students in more than 900 schools, making it the second-largest school district in the country, just below New York City.

Students were encouraged by their principals to attend class during the strike, but according to students interviewed at John Burroughs and Hamilton High School, this meant gathering in a gym or auditorium to watch movies.

At Hamilton, those who decided to attend school during the strike went either to the small gym, main gym or cafeteria. The students were divided by grade.

Adinah Singer-Frankes, a sophomore at Hamilton High School, picketed with teachers.

“I have studied so many famous strikes and it was so spectacular to be able to experience one for myself,” Adinah said when it was over. “Of course it was hard because of the rain, it was very stressful, but I definitely support them.”

Yoni Kollin, a Hamilton senior, agreed with the teacher’s goals but thought the protests would hurt the students.

“Think about all the juniors taking AP classes, they’re not going to know how to take the tests,” Yoni said. “The students that are learning English are gonna have a huge

“Every school is now getting librarians setback, and a lot of other students are not going to be able to learn and achieve what -- we haven’t had a librarian in 10 years,” she said. “That’s why we were out there. Our they want to do at school.

“I agree with what the teachers are asking school has a lot of stuff, but we have to do it for,” he added. “I agree with smaller classes for all of Los Angeles, and we achieved it.”

One of the most important issues to and I agree with more staff, but LAUSD teachers was smaller class sizes. Adinah said doesn’t have the money to give them that.”

The teacher’s union -- United Teachers her largest class has about 38 students and Los Angeles, or UTLA -- had originally her smallest about 20, and although it can asked for a 6.5 percent raise but in the end depend on the teacher, she explained overall settled for 6 percent, which will be gradually she believes a student can succeed more in smaller classes. added over the next couple years.

“You are given more attention for your The changes are predicted by LAUSD to cost $175 million combined over the specific needs,” Adinah said. “It doesn’t go as fast when there are less people because you years 2019-2021 and $228 can really focus.” million in the 2021-2022 Ms. Rachel Corona, an English school year for staffing teacher at John Burroughs, said increases and smaller teachers see it the same way. class sizes. In addi“Smaller classes benefit the stution, the schools lost dents,” Ms. Corona said in an inter$151.4 million based view. “As a teacher I know that is not on attendance records feasible.” since hundreds of thouAccording to Ms. Goldman, at Bursands of students didn’t roughs the biggest class size is around show up for school.

35, but in high schools in LAUSD it Despite the fact can go up to 50, and in kindergarthat the teachers were ten classes up to 30 in one room. given a smaller raise Ms. Goldman believes kindergarten than what they had classes should have around 20 stuasked for, the majority utla.net dents. of teachers and staff in Though they were happy about the UTLA voted in favor of the agreement the outcome, returning from the strike was reached with the district.

Other than the raise, the deal includes a transition for students and teachers alike. class size declining by four students in grades Ms. Corona discussed it in her classroom 4-12 gradually over the next three years, and on Jan. 23, the day after the agreement was hiring of 39 librarians, 456 nurses and 76 signed, and opened it up for any questions counselors, which will all be hired 2022. or thoughts her students had.

“I never want to just push my The agreement was made the morning of Jan. 22, after a 21-hour meeting between opinions on them,” Ms. Corona said. “I shared a little bit about how exhausting it LAUSD and teacher union leaders.

Ms. Susan Goldman, a history teach- was to be outside, and how happy I was to er at John Burroughs, considered it a great be back.”

Mr. Mario Hernandez, parent of victory -- not specifically for their school since they already had nurses, but for other a seventh-grader at John Burroughs, said he schools that were lacking. John Burroughs is was glad the teachers won what they wanted. located in Hancock Park.

“They had every right,” said Mr. Her“A lot of schools, not ours, wanted green space,” Ms. Goldman said. “We’re fortunate nandez.“They work hard for the kids, and my kids came to school every day [during we have a nurse, they wanted a nurse.”

Even John Burroughs will bene- the strike].” fit, however.

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Outside News

Israel in turmoil as early elections near

9

By Sivan Karz, staff writer coalition including Habayit Hayehudi -- which is a religious Zionist party supported by much of Modern Orthodox Judaism -- to accept Otzma Yehudit members on its candidate list. In exchange, Habayit Hayehudi would receive unspecified ministerial positions should Netanyahu form a new government after the elections.

AIPAC condemned this move, while the National Council of Young Israel made a statement defending it. NCYI later made another statement clarifying that that was its leader’s personal belief and might not reflect the views of all Young Israel synagogues.

All of this matters because Netanyahu’s current coalition has exactly 61 seats, meaning that a single party wanting to leave can cause it to fall.

In December, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman pulled his Yisrael Beiteinu party out of the coalition over what he considered an inadequate government response to severe rocket fire from Gaza.

The so-called “Haredi Draft Law” would require yeshivas and the Haredi community to increase the number of enlistees in the IDF. Yeshivas failing to meet requirements for drafted students would face financial sanctions.

The Boiling Point interviewed David Aaronson, Chief of Staff to Former Ambassador Danny Ayalon, who served as Israeli ambassador to the United States from 2002 to 2006, by telephone Jan. 13. From 2009 to 2013, Amb. Ayalon represented the Yisrael Beiteinu party in the Knesset.

According to Mr. Aaronson, the question of Haredi service in the IDF is urgent now because when the bill requiring increased Haredi enlistment was passed several years ago, a compromise at the time decided that it would not go into effect for a few years -- now, soon.

In the past, IDF service has been optional for Haredim who wish to learn in yeshiva instead.

Those in Israel who want more Haredim to

‘Yellow Vest’ protests rock France

By Jolie Wineburgh, Staff Writer The broken glass and graffiti have been cleared away, but according to Americans in Paris reached by the Boiling Point, the gap between the richest and poorest citizens of France is still growing as weeks of violent protests continue for unspecified economic changes that would reduce poverty and protect the middle class.

The rioters are among some 300,000 people who call themselves “Yellow Vests,” named after bright yellow safety vests they wear, who protest the extra 23 percent fuel tax, added over the past year and three months due to diesel prices in France skyrocketing, by vandalizing monuments, looting shops, and marching.

Emily Seftel, who grew up in Los Angeles and Phoenix and now lives in Paris as an administrative assistant in an international organization, said that the reasons for the protest were clear.

“The trigger was a general sense of anger to the government’s tax measures and to a president whom people feel is out of touch and elite and doesn’t understand the troubles that regular people struggle with,” said Emily in a phone interview.

Police have fought back with tear gas and water cannons, and Paris police alone arrested 380 people after the first riot. There have been 10 casualties related to the protests among protestors so far, since the protests began on Nov. 17, months after a petition was posted in May by a Yellow Vest protester demanding lower gas prices. It has around 1.17 million signatures.

Shalhevet alumnus Nathaniel Kukurudz ‘11 grew up in Los Angeles and now lives in Paris. He said people say

transformation of the country--but they didn’t,” said Nathaniel.

According to media reports, a majority of the protestors are in the middle and working class and don’t get welfare benefits from the French government since they are just above the poverty line. The riots have targeted wealthy areas and districts in Paris.

Emily Seftel said she doesn’t live in an area that is considered wealthy, so she wasn’t affected by any imminent danger and did not need to evacuate from her home.

But she was expecting to play in a concert Dec. 8 at the American Church in the Seventh Arrondissement, a very wealthy area in Paris, when the protests were at their peak. The concert was cancelled.

“That was the day that the city essentially shut down,” Emily said. “This was the first Saturday after the protests got quite violent, and so the police said we should not hold our concert.”

Many museums, stores and restaurants also closed that day in anticipation of the protests.

But she said most people in Paris faced only small inconveniences, such as an unreliable train schedule.

“It’s easy to get a skewed or simplistic view of everything overseas, but honestly it doesn’t BP Photo by Nathaniel Kukurudz directly affect everyVIOLENCE: A Starbucks outside the St. Lazare train station was vanone in Paris,” said dalized and looted on Dec. 8, with inscriptions on the store saying Emily.

‘Pay your taxes’ and ‘give us the money back’.

the gas tax was “the drop of water that makes the vase overflow,” hurting those in rural areas the most because they must drive long distances and generally reducing the standard of living for many groups.

“You have a whole swath of the population which is just upset and tired of the incredible taxation levels in France,” said Nathaniel, who is the brother of freshman Talya Kukurudz. Income taxes in France can be over 45 percent.

“France has a socialist system,” he said. “On the one hand you have a lot of benefits, security, which are given to the population. One the other hand, you have a lot of taxes.”

He said President Emmanuel Macron, who was elected in May 2017 promising progressive reforms, thought people would be willing to pay higher taxes to combat global warming.

“He thought that people would want to contribute to the ecological

serve the country - generally more secular people, say that since everyone else in Israel is drafted to the army at the age of 18, Haredim should not be exempt. They say people’s lives are on the line and it’s unjust to let a specific group be exempt from that service.

Those in Israel opposing the bill, mainly the Haredi community, say the study of Torah by the Haredi community is just as critical for Israel’s survival. They also argue that if young religious men serve in the military, they will wander off of their religious path.

Mr. Aaronson said he is not Haredi himself and doesn’t want to tell them what to do.

“It might be better for them to serve their country in uniform or it might be better for them to serve in Yeshiva,” Mr. Aaronson said. “Most people probably don’t want to have to make that decision because it costs them politically. It’s a very sensitive issue so most people try to stay out of it as much as they can.”

Last year, Shalhevet had a Town Hall regarding the topic, with students speaking both for and against Haredis having to serve in the IDF along with other Israelis.

If Netanyahu is convicted and found guilty, he will have to resign. But for now, he is still the prime minister, and Mr. Aaronson said he can continue to serve as long as he is not convicted.

“The law is that if a minister in the oalition government is indicted, he must resign,” Mr. Aaronson said, but “… if a prime minister is indicted he does not have to resign.”

President Bush remembered

By Molly Litvak, Outside News Editor “We are a nation of communities... a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky” ~ President George H. W. Bush.

George Herbert Walker Bush, the father of President George W. Bush and the 41st president, died Nov. 30 at the age of 94 in his home in Houston, Texas.

Before becoming president, President Bush held positions ranging from vice president under President Ronald Reagan to U.N. ambassador to director of the CIA. He coined the phrase “a thousand points of light” to describe Americans’ spirit of volunteering, using it first in his presidential nomination speech. But he later repeated it in his inaugural address, and it eventually inspired his “Points of Light Foundation” to promote non-government led solutions to social problems.

President Bush ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1980 but dropped out once he realized that Reagan would be the nominee. He ended up as Reagan’s vice presidential running mate and was elected with him twice, in 1980 and again in 1984.

Finally, in 1988, he was elected president. In 1990, after years of lobbying for the cause, he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prohibits discrimination based on disability in the workplace, education and

whitehouse.gov

Elections in Israel are set to take place sev- there are so many small factions within the Knesen months early, as instability within Knesset set that it is difficult to pass legislation that satiscoalitions and corruption charges against Prime fies the many opinions in the coalition.

Jewish History and Israel Education teacher Minister Benjamin Netanyahu complicate Israel’s Mr. Jeremy Shine explained that any party that political scene.

In a unanimous vote last December, leaders of does not receive at least 3.25 percent of the popthe five factions in Netanyahu’s government de- ular vote does not gain any representation in the cided to dissolve the current Knesset, following Knesset. Three-and-a-quarter percent gives a pardisagreements over a bill that would draft mem- ty about four seats.

There are 120 seats in the Knesset, and leaders bers of the Haredi community to the Israeli army. like Prime Minister Netanyahu need a majority Instead of next November, elections are set for -- 61 seats April 9. The Knes-- to lead the set will not meet country. again until after “ T h e the election. problem with Meanwhile, this political Israel’s attorney system is that general announced a party can Feb. 28 that he have a greater would indict Netinfluence on anyahu for fraud, the governbribery, and breach ment than of trust, finding the actual after an investigasize of its reption that the prime resentation of minister accepted the electoral gifts of hundreds vote,” said of thousands of knesset.gov.il Mr. Shine. dollars and gave GOVERNING: Israel’s parliament met in the Knesset in December before it was ad“For expolitical favors in journed until after new elections. At center is Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid party. ample, even return, and also exchanged positive coverage in Israeli newspapers though Shas only got seven seats, the leader of Shas could threaten Netanyahu if they were part for power. Netanyahu denies the charges.

Further complicating the situation, the prime of the coalition, saying ‘If you don’t continue to minister made a pact with Otzma Yehudit, an ex- subsidize all our yeshivot, we are withdrawing tremist anti-Arab party whose leaders follow the from the government.’

“It doesn’t make for strong, stable politics,” he ideas of Meir Kahane, whose earlier iteration was continued.

“But in terms of the principle of deoutlawed in Israel and declared a terrorist group mocracy, it’s meant to be far more representative by the United States.

Together, the two events have sparked outrage than what you would have in either America or and widespread calls for Netanyahu’s resignation Great Britain, because a lot more voices are being represented.” in Israel and abroad.

An example of how this plays out happened Elections in Israel are supposed to be held every four years, but they are usually early because Feb. 20, when Netanyahu successfully urged a

public transportation. It also mandates that employers make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, and is responsible for the common sights ranging from handicapped parking spots to ramp entries to buildings.

He served only one term, being defeated by Bill Clinton in 1992. But two of his sons went on to gain positions in high government office. George W. Bush became president in 2001 to 2009 and Jeb Bush served as governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.

After the deadly 2005 tsunami in Indonesia, President George H. W. Bush formed a partnership with former President Clinton to organize international support.

President Barack Obama awarded Bush the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest national civilian honor, in 2011 to recognize his lifetime of service.

During World War II, at age 18 he became the youngest pilot serving in the U.S Navy. He was shot down in combat and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism.

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Outside News

Welcoming the stranger, with scissors and hot food

B’nai David volunteers travel to Phoenix to greet two busloads of asylum seekers on ‘family parole’ Continued from page 1 to welcome the migrants were 12 volunteers from B’nai David-Judea Congregation on Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, who had taken a 5:15 A.M. flight from LAX to be there.

They were led by the rabbi of the synagogue, Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, who had announced the trip to Phoenix to his synagogue congregation on Shabbat as well as in an email, calling for volunteers to help out the arriving families.

Earlier that day, Rabbi Kanefsky told the group to remember the famous words of Rabbi Akiva, who said that the most important precept of Judaism is to love others as yourself.

“The key word is as ‘yourself,’ in that we have to see, and we do see, all others as being no more and no less than ourselves,” said Rabbi Kanefsky, father of Shalhevet senior Yakir Kanefsky. “May God see our efforts and bless the work of our hands.”

T

he group from B’nai David had arrived in Phoenix at around 7:15 A.M. local time and driven to Valley Beit Midrash, a Jewish educational organization nearby, where they were met

by Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, VBM’s president and dean, who has been leading the effort locally through a group he founded called Arizona Jews for Justice (AJJ). AJJ has been helping churches with dropped-off arrivees since December.

Rabbi Yanklowitz, who is also a former Shalhevet teacher, met the group in a small side room on the VBM campus, where he led a brief Torah discussion. Jews, he said, could relate to the feelings of BRAID: Helped by volunteers from Los Angeles and elsewhere, asylum seekers who had been held in detention before being cleared to enter the U.S. were asylum seekers, who are strangers in a foreign land welcomed with their first showers and hot meals at the Casa de Oracion No. 2 church in northern Phoenix Jan. 16. Above, Marian Merritt braided one girl’s hair. as the Israelites were in Egypt.

Then he introduced campaign organizer Eddie “Thank you for Your mercy...,” Pastor Madrid continued.

Reflecting later that day on what he had said, Rabbi Kanefsky Chavez, who explained the immigration and de“You protect us, Lord, and now you bring us food to eat....” added a thought from Shimon Ben Azzai, a Talmudic scholar of tention process. Those brought to Phoenix, he said, had been Pastor Madrid said Casa de Oracion No. 2 had taken in and judged to possibly have a legitimate asylum claim and were the early second century C.E. Sometimes people are so different from us that “they don’t fall sent out more than 5,000 people in the past five months. cleared to stay with family while awaiting a hearing -- a status he As the newcomers ate, Spanish-speaking B’nai David volinto the category of kamocha” — as yourself — he said. When called “family parole.” unteers Monica Sufar, Shanee B. Michaelson and Nikki Sieger that happens, “Ben Azzai says the bigger principle is that God He predicted that many of the arrivees would be sick and spoke with them, collecting their names, ages, origin, destinacreated human beings with tzelem Elokim” — in God’s image. would not have showered in days or weeks.

“You have something fundamental and foundational that tion, medical conditions and a phone number of whomever they “We’re gonna form kind of a welcome tunnel of people… were going to be staying with. you share with every other human being…and where the first thing they should see is a smiling face and a hello,” Other BDJ volunteers also went that is, you are both created by God, in His imhe said. “We would like for everybody to just extend your hand, ‘We are about to be a part from table to table, cutting off the ID age. And that carries with it all kinds of responsay hello.” wristbands that had been given to them of something that we’ve nevSometimes hundreds of asylum seekers are dropped off in a sibilities and obligations.”

by ICE. single day, so local churches have been coordinating with ICE to er been a part of before. And “One or two people wanted to keep t around 11:45, two white buses, each welcome them before sending them off to their families. How no matter what happens.., the it, but most of them looked like they about 40 feet long with their windows long it will be until their court appearance — at which they will were just happy to get rid of it,” said only thing that we need to retry to prove that they’re in danger back at home because of what covered, slowly pulled into the parking lot. Mr. Jenny Gelb, one of the BDJ volunteers.

Chavez organized the volunteers into a line they believe or who they are — is unknown. member is the principle of the The new families were then sent one stretching from the dining hall.

If the churches didn’t take them in, he said, ICE would “drop great teacher Rabbi Akiva: you by one to a repurposed playroom for Some started unloading the travelers’ bethem off in the street.” shall love others as you love medical checkups. After being cleared And despite a new immigration policy announced by Home- longings -- backpacks and plastic sacks provided by one of three volunteer examiners, by Homeland Security -from the bottom of yourself.’ land Security Dec. 20 under which migrants requesting asylum they waited their turn to shower. the buses.

ICE agents stepped out of the buses would be sent to Mexico to await their court hearings, Mr. -Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky It took about four hours for all the Chavez confirmed last week that as of Feb. 25, the churches were and me with Mr. Chavez and the church’s leader, travelers to be showered.

Pastor Ramon Madrid. still greeting more than 100 each day.

A few minutes later, the arrivees began to file “It’s not gonna stop,” he said. out of the bus. About 75 people were released in all, all welhalhevet alumna Kayla Ablin ‘15 and her mother Lisa comed with rounds Ablin were among the group from B’nai David. Kayla he volunteers of applause and smil- spent most of her time combing and braiding the children’s hair then left with ing faces. and checking for lice.

Mr. Chavez for the The families folShe said the dirt and knots in their hair made it hard to check, church, carrying suitcaslowed the line of vol- but it was easier once they were cleaned and freshened up. es filled with food, medunteer greeters into Many of the mothers wanted to comb their own daughters’ icine, clothes and other the dining hall where air, “which is really nice,” said Kayla. “It’s definitely a sign of comdonations brought from they took seats along fort for a mom to comb her daughter’s hair.”

Los Angeles. Once there four tables. Pastor Ms. Gelb and BDJ volunteer Hanna Wexler helped the wom they began by unloadMadrid welcomed en and girls shower. ing the donations into a them with a few jokes “We were soaked, because we were helping the kids scrub shed. and explained the lotheir hair,” said Ms. Gelb, who is the mother of Shalhevet alumThe church kitchgistics related to their na Lexi Gelb ‘10. en was already host to departure from the She said some of the children didn’t know what to do. a bustling scene, with church to their host “They just stood under the shower, like literally just stood,” church volunteers prefamilies, which the she said. “They didn’t know how to use the soap and soap themparing hot food, setting volunteers were ready selves down.” up hair-washing stations to help them to do.

Others had trouble undressing because of the ankle tracking or organizing donated The pastor then bracelets that ICE fitted on them to make sure they’d show up for clothes. asked everyone to their asylum hearing. Ms. Gelb used scissors.

Then the work FOOD: Volunteers from the Casa de Oracion No. 2 church prepared soup and rice. stand up, and be“They couldn’t pull their jeans off to get in the shower because stopped, and all of the gan a prayer. His it got caught in the ankle bracelet,” Ms. Gelb said. “So we just volunteers joined hands guests stood with their heads bowed and eyes closed, some listen- had to make a slit of maybe two or three inches at the bottom of in a circle on a large expanse of grass outside the church. Rabing intently and others whispering personal prayers. the ankle of the jean so that it could go over the ankle bracelet.” bi Kanefsky began to speak, and Mr. Chavez translated for the “God, we give you thanks this morning because you have perThe jeans and the rest of the migrants’ clothes were then church volunteers who spoke Spanish.

“We are about to be a part of something that we’ve never been mitted us to arrive well to this place,” Pastor Madrid said. “You thrown out because they were in such poor condition, she said. a part of before,” Rabbi Kanefsky said. “And no matter what hap- have kept us. You have protected us. You have blessed us along The newcomers were given fresh clothes that had been donated.

They were also given new footwear. pens...the only thing that we need to remember is the principle the way. You have given us safe haven, my Lord.”

A mother held her hands to her face in tears while she lis“Each person was given a pair of open sandals in case they of the great teacher Rabbi Akiva: you shall love others as you love tened. The volunteers handed out drinks, rice, and bowls of soup. had sores on their feet -- they didn’t want them to wear socks and yourself.”

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Outside News

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Leaving lives behind, teens carry hope on trip to America “as a precaution to avoid any incidents occurring or, anything then I gave it to them. It was an Alcatel phone. It was small.” negative happening, anything bad.”

Like many of the arrivees that day, Edson is an Evangelical Edson likes listening to “trap” music, a form of hip-hop Christian. He said religion “is a way of being fine with oneICE had removed their shoelaces as a safety precaution, so with influences from dubstep and rap. self. And it guides their shoe tongues flapped open as they walked. you down a good Instead of smartphones and AirPods, they wore electronic His favorite singer is Kontra Marín, a path.”

Saying goodbye to friends and tracking bracelets to make sure they wouldn’t miss their court Guatemalan 26-year-old rapper. He also plays sports and boxes.

He said ICE dates and disappear illegally into the United States. smartphones, mistreatment and crime.

Back at home, he went to school agents were They spoke to the Boiling Point in Spanish, and their anfriendly to him. swers were translated into English by Shalhevet receptionist during the week and worked on Sun“If you do not Daniella Silva. At the request of Arizona Jews for Justice, days. A serious student, his coursework included math, practical mathematics, biology, pedagofollow their instructions, then they do get angry,” he said. migrants’ last names have been omitted for their protection. gy, psychopedagogy, and physical education, he said. He had “But if you listen to them, if you follow their instructions, one year left to graduate when he left home. then they treat you well.

Edson, age 17 None of his subjects were difficult for him, he said.

“It also depends on the people,” he added. “They do not Wearing a grey-brown t-shirt and grey slacks, Edson Edson “They teach well,” Edson said of his teachers back home. treat everyone in the same manner.” came off the bus with his mother, who was wearing an AeroAgents did not tell the travelers that they were being repostale plaid zip-up jacket, immigration papers in hand. They “They don’t make things hard. You understand what they say, what they explain.” leased, so Edson didn’t know he where was going and he was both smiled brightly at the volunteers who welcomed them.

On Sundays he worked many jobs. surprised by the welcome.

An only child, Edson had traveled for eight days from “I was a driver, I drove -- I also worked in the fields,” he He said that he and his mother were heading to Nashville, Guatemala, mainly on public buses. He described his journey said. “I cleaned houses. I painted houses...I also took care of Tenn., to stay with a friend also from Guatemala. He said his as difficult, cold and tiring, and said he did not sleep much. goal is to finish high school and then work, doing “whatever “The worst part was in the way we traveled,” Edson said. pets. I would take them for their walks. I would wash them.”

He said that he left Guatemala because of safety, economic I could find.”

“There were a lot of dry, dusty roads. There were so many and educational factors.

Although other countries, like Costa Rica, Panama, and roads that we could not sleep.”

“Over there, there is a lot of crime, a lot of delinquency,” Mexico are closer to his hometown, he said in the U.S., “here Once they reached the border, they were put in a detention he said, “There are no jobs. It is very dangerous. It is difficult one can find their opportunity. To study, to succeed.” center where they stayed for about two days.

“When we were taken by ICE,” Edson said, “they told us to stay in school.”

He left his best friend, Dennis, behind in Guatemala. And Elmi, Age 14 that we were not allowed to have shoelaces or belts. They told when he got to Mexico, officials confiscated his smartphone.

Wearing blue jeans and brown boots, Elmi stepped off the us to take off our laces and throw them away. They asked us to “They told us that they did this so no one would extort us,” bus with her father and older sister. She came from Guatemaput all belts away in our backpacks.”

He is okay with this practice, as he understands it is done Edson said. “I deleted everything that was on the phone, and la, and had traveled with them and about 20 others.

“It was very tiring,” Elmi said of her journey to the U.S. border. “It was cold throughout the whole ride. There was also not that much food.”

“The worst part was when we were picked up by immigration services,” she said. The ICE agents seemed angry, she said, “but they did not mistreat us.”

Elmi came from a small village and had to leave school at a young age and go to work.

“In the village there were not very many resources,” she said. “So, that obligated my sister and me to leave the village and find work in the city.

“But the work was hard and they treated us badly,” she continued. “We wanted to have a better life.... I heard that here there are better opportunities. People have more opportunities to overcome and succeed. We have seen people who come from the U.S. back home and God bless them, because we see how their lives have gotten better.”

She said that she plans to go to school to study and would also “like to find work here.”

Unlike Edson, she didn’t have to leave her best friend back at home; she brought her best friend with her: her sister.

“She’s my best friend, my best sister,” she said, laughing.

Elmi loves listening to Christian music; her favorite singers are Marcela Gándara and Mariolita Gonzalez. An Evangelical Christian, she has had a strong belief in God ever since her mother took her to church five years ago.

But she believes God loves members of other religions, too.

“I think God does not have exceptions for anyone,” she said of other religions. “God loves us all equally. Simply havBLESSED: Would-be immigrants, mostly from Guatemala, sit down to a first hot meal. Most are Evangelical Christians, and before they ing a certain type of religion changes nothing.” ate they were led in a prayer for those they’d left behind, followed by words of thanksgiving. Faces are blurred at their request.

By Sam Rubanowitz, Staff Writer

B’nai David volunteers travel to Phoenix to greet two busloads of asylum seekers on ‘family parole’ Continued from the previous page shoes,” Ms. Gelb said. “Their feet needed to breathe in case they had some blisters or some kind of sores.”

Pastor Madrid tried calling their’ families and arranging travel -- by bus, train, or plane. Those whose families were unavailable or who could not afford to buy tickets for them would sleep on mattresses provided by the church. If they did not have a place to go within two days, they would be sent to foster homes.

As they waited, parents sat on the grass watching their children play. BDJ volunteers made trips to Costco to buy clothing and other needed supplies, including cold-cuts and sandwich materials to send them off with. They also bought packs of shoelaces.

As the day went on, more and more families were sent off and the church slowly emptied.

At 4:20 p.m., the group from B’nai David left with Mr. Chavez for a nearby kosher restaurant to draw their day in Phoenix to a close.

I

t was a very intense experience,” said Ms. Michaelson, one of the Spanish-speaking B’nai David volunteers, looking back on the trip a few days later “You don’t often have the opportunity to meet these people face to face.”

She said she was inspired to join the trip by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who wrote about community service and chesed, the hebrew word for “acts of kindness.”

Kayla Ablin said she grew up volunteering and joining this

trip was natural.

“My entire upbringing,” Kayla said, “especially at B’nai David, has been around tikkun olam,” the Hebrew phase which means to repair the world.

“My family always does every opportunity to feed the homeless,” she said. “I was brought up that way… I was involved in a lot of chesed in Shalhevet, that was like the one thing I did in high school.”

BDJ volunteer Monica Sufar said it was surprising to see the asylum seekers smiling after the hardships they’d experienced.

“Even though they were coming from where they were coming, they were smiling and they were being very responsive to us,” said Ms. Sufar.

Not all the Jewish volunteers were from Los Angeles. Nancy Greenberg and her husband, Jerry, had been helping out in the church with AJJ since the arrivals started.

“As Jews, we’re commanded to take care of the orphan and the strangers,” Mrs. Greenberg said, “because we were all strangers.”

The strangers who arrived in northern Phoenix that suggested the goal had been met -- at least for that day.

Elmi, 14, spoke to The Boiling Point a few hours after arriving with her father and older sister at the church. She said the journey to the U.S. border was tiring and cold, and the worst part was being intercepted by ICE. But arriving at the church made up for it.

“The way we were received here was the best part,” Elmi said.

“I was happy.

“It was a blessing to know that God placed all these people here to help us, that He has continued to help us and I ask God that he keep sending blessings like this. I feel very blessed.”

PREPARE: Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, center, leader of Phoenix’s Valley Beit Midrash, told volunteers from Los Angeles to remember how Israelites felt as foreigners in Egypt.

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Features

The magical madness that is M Source: BP Po

BY TOBEY LEE, FEATURES EDITOR

A

freshman Henry Fried. “You’re either right or wrong, and I think when you’re in a hard class that I’m in, it’s becoming stressful.”

In addition, teachers interviewed by the Boiling Point believe that math homework needs to be given every night for the subject to be mastered, making the classes more constantly front and center in students’ attention.

Perhaps ironically, they do that to make it easier.

“I always compare homework in math with practicing in piano,” said Mrs. Tamara Gidanian, who teaches Algebra II Honors, SAS Statistics and Pre-Calculus.

“Math is the same thing. To understand math and to be good in math, you need practice too. And the only practice [that] can give you that is going to be homework.”

Teachers also think students are putting too much pressure on themselves to succeed, and that math is not always as complex as students perceive it to be. In other words, they think student anxiety itself may be making math harder.

Ms. Jennifer Kong, who teaches Algebra I, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus, said that since math is challenging and students want to get A’s, stress builds up.

“It feels like math is the subject they stress out about,” said Ms. Kong. “I think in general, they just want to get a good grade.”

Students complain about that stress, but at least some find it helpful. Nicole said that she’s tired the morning of a test, but that the stress is worth it once you rec e i v e a good grade.

“I can usually run on a lack of sleep, which is like a bad

Source: BP Poll of 142 Students

lthough she sleeps just five hours the night before a math test -- less than her normal of seven hours -- studying late into the night makes junior Nicole Klausner feel good about the material before the test the next day.

“Once you really invest your time into it and then you do well on a test, like your stress is projected on a paper, it’s really valuable,” said Nicole.

Nicole’s experience is similar to that of the many other Shalhevet students who struggle with math. Even though math meets the same number of times as every other class, anxiety about it seems to consume many students, as nightly homework is assigned and concepts can be difficult or complex.

In a Boiling Point survey conducted Feb. 5 during lunch, 62 of 142 students responding said math was their most stressful class. Forty-five said that English was their most stressful class, and 12 said history was.

Combined with the 36 students who called math their second-most stressful class, a total of 98 students, or 69 percent of those polled, said that math was either most or second-most stressful of all their classes. About 67 percent of students put English in the top two.

So what is it about math? One thing that makes it different from other subjects at Shalhevet is it’s concreteness: there’s only one particular solution to a given question.

In history, there is room for analysis and open endings. When studying texts in literature, quotes are open for different interpretations and thoughts. In Tanakh, understanding of texts can be unique.

In math, with less room for individuality, there are fewer ways to feel successful.

“There’s alway kind of a right answer, there’s no interpretation,” said

habit, but it’s true,” Nicol tudents offer var is hardest for the strong in math a some are strong in some ers. Some feel bound to meticulousness and atten Senior Talia Gill said class all four years of high “My strong suit is m subjects, so I have an easie and I have to try harder in Others feel overwhelm that their class demands t and studying.

“You can never catch a break -- you always vwwhave homework due,” said sophomore Hannah Berman.

SAS Biology teacher Mr. Pavel Lieb says that understanding math is a balance between one’s genetics. For examp more time in religion and science and math.

“There’s probably som basis to it as well,” said M complicated math, which some people definitely ha than others.”

According to a 2015 “This Is Your Brain on M University found that st have different “brain geog to work harder at it -- in p or cortex, and more conne More use -- in this case more connections.

“Somewhat could be could be psychological,” have gotten fear of certa especially in math and sci

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It’s key to so many oth to computer science, bu classes at Shalhevet. explore the bea

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Features

ATH

take up large portions of their evenings on a daily baplays a huge role.” sis.

Yet even students with math talent find it stressful.

Math Department Chair and Director of CurricJunior Jacqueline Englanoff -- who loves math and is ulum and Instruction Dr. Wilgood at it -- said the subject liam Walton said that he underdoesn’t cause anxiety but as[There’s an] acceptable idea that stands that students take a lot sessments do. it’s hard, but it’s not, people find of classes, so he “tries to pick a “Math is definitely somemath to be hard because they can’t representative number of probthing I see myself having a put the struggle behind them. lems” to give. future in,” said Jacqueline. “I – Mr. William Walton He said his goal is to have find math fascinating, which homework be an average of 30 is something that I feel like to 40 minutes, and if it takes lonmost people don’t feel. ger, students should see him.

Jacqueline is in Pre-Calculus Honors.

“Something is going very wrong if it’s actually tak“Being placed in this class has allowed me to puring you a long time,” Dr. Walton said. sue that passion,” she said.

But students of all teachers said they spend more She has counted nine tests since time than that on math.

September, each one of which, she I’ve really been able to see the Freshman Josh Weissman said that each homesays, created apprehension in the beauty in math and uncover the work assignment takes him around an hour. classroom. underlying unison and order that Junior Amy Cohen takes an hour per assignment.

“Tests have a lot of anticipation -exists within all of mathematics.

Senior Jacqueline Faerstein takes four hours per leading up to it,” said Jacqueline. “It – Evan Rubel, 11th grade homework assignment. creates an environment of stress and Evan Rubel has a significant amount of work each of anxiety and that can be hard.” night.

Math teacher Mr. Andrew Sinajon said the steady n the way one is nurtured and “On average, math homework takes me about an reinforcement of homework and testing is necessary ple, Shalhevet students spend hour to an hour and a half,” said Evan. for learning. d humanities classes than in Sophomore Joey Blumofe said a single assignment “If you don’t have certain fundamentals, it’s going can take him up to four hours. to start spiraling,” said Mr. Sinajon, who teaches Algeme sort of a neuro-cognitive “It usually takes me two to four hours,” said Joey. bra I, Geometry, and Advanced Algebra II TrigonomMr. Lieb. “When we talk about Ms. Kong thinks says her assignments are not exetry. h is like advanced math, then cessive, and that the problem is just that the subject “Our department’s frequency and volume is in a ave more talents and abilities is hard. certain way trying to mitigate the fact that if you miss “Compared to all other schools or compared to something, then you can’t speak competently when we Boston Globe article titled what I grew up with, this is not a lot of homework,” introduce something else.”

Math,” scientists at Stanford said Ms. Kong, who grew up in Hong Kong. tudents who find math easy “For a lot of students, math is not an easy graphy” from those who have till, quantity of homesubject,” Ms. Kong said. “That is particular, more surface area, work is a particwhy they’re stressed out.” ections among regions. ular gripe Stress itself is a complicate, more homework -- develops of students. ed subject. Dr. Walton said that Students comnot being good at arithmetic and e environmental, somewhat plain that math stress around math are not the said Mr. Lieb. “Some might homework is not same thing, and that students tend ain things like math. I think only constant but to conflate the two. For example, doing ience education, environment lengthy, and can poorly on a test does not mean they can’t succeed in math or that math is too hard for them. her subjects, from biology “Nothing we teach you is impossible,” said Dr.

le said. rious reasons as to why math em. Some say they are not as as they are in other subjects, parts of math but not in othstruggle because it requires ntion to detail. math has been her hardest h school. more geared towards literary er time with that kind of stuff n math,” Talia said. med by the pace of math, or too much time for homework

S

ut it’s different from most Students and teachers auty and the pain.

continued on the next page

BP Illustrations by Caroline Edry Graphic and Page Design by Zev Kupferman

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Features

Features MARCH 2019

On the runway, calming jitters and building confidence

By Shani Shaham, Staff Writer

e x

Standing in the Shalhevet gym, freshman Danielle Finn attempted to tame the butterflies in her stomach Jan. 13 while an audience of women from throughout the Los Angeles Jewish community waited in anticipation for the long-planned event to begin.

The gym had been completely transformed, with a runway starting from the stage and splitting the room in half, mechitzahs to hide the models from the audience, vendors’ booths along the edges of the room, the and blue and gold balloons in every corner.

Awaiting their turns on the makeshift runway were female students were dressed in vibrant, trendy and modest clothing as volunteer models in the Fourth Annual Shalhevet Womens Fashion Show.

Danielle said she might not have been able to do it if not for the advice of Gabby Grunfeld and Kira and Jackie Faerstain, co-presidents of the Fashion Club, which sponsored the event.

“The idea of walking down the aisle is really nerve-wracking,” said Danielle after the show, “but the co-presidents told us to be confident with it and to just be ourselves. So when it was my turn to walk, I decided to put my own spin on it and to have fun with it.”

Shalhevet’s Fashion Club was created in 2015, and immediately initiated the fashion show, which was directed to raise money for the senior Poland-Israel Experience. It raised $2,450 BP PHOTOS BY NEIMA FAX this year, according to Gabby Grunfeld. However, some of it was subtracted because of the security that needed to be paid.

But in addition to fundraising, ever since the first year, the STYLE: Above left, freshman Danielle Finn modeled a red button down coat. Senior Ari Sassover, middle, donned a black floral dress and corduroy jacket. fashion show’s mission has been to create a close-knit community Sophomore Rebecca Cohen, right, wore a long floral dress with sandals. and to embolden all the women in the room.

“We put on the fashion show to empower women in the Jewish the idea to close the show by taking the jacket off when I got to with my friends,” said Ari. “Knowing that the funds raised went community by showing them that regardless of observance or belief the end of the runway, and then carry it over my shoulder while I to charity made the fashion show so much more meaningful.” that you can have fun and play with fashion, and you can still be Along with Gabby, her fellow co-presidents Jackie and Kira Faerwalked back.” colorful and unique within yourself,” said Gabby.

Walking down the runway may be an intimidating experience stain worked for almost a year on this year’s show. When last year’s Toward that end, the three co-presidents aided and advised the at first, but for models who have been in the fashion show in its show ended, they immediately got to work staying in contact with models with conquering their nerves prior to the show. Models previous years, the challenge has turned into something fun and the clothing stores and vendors. practiced walking the runway in the hours before the show started Shalhevet provides the runway, stage, and tables. Clothing venmemorable. with hopes to help ease the nerves that come from standing on a Senior Ari Sassover was a model in the fashion show’s second dors also showed up at the event. stage in front of a big audience.

“The fashion show is also an amazing opportunity to create year -- her sophomore year -- and this year decided to participate Along with relieving stagefright, the rehearsals had brought the a space where all Jewish women can gather together and create a one last time. girls closer together.

“The first time I was a model I was really scared, but this year it warm and confident community,” said Gabby.

“At one point before all the people started to show up, all the Reflecting on her experience in this year’s show, Danielle said was much more fun and I wasn’t really nervous,” said Ari. models were just hanging out, trying on each other’s outfits and “It’s really nice that the models are not just from one grade, so she hoped it could turn into something that is a bigger part of helping everyone get ready,” said Danielle. “We were just having students can become friends with one another even if they are in a school and the greater community. fun.”

“I think that next year we could bring in other aspects to make different class. The fashion show is another chance to strengthen the Danielle wore a cheetah print midi wrap dress layered with a it more of an amazing event,” said Danielle in an interview with the Shalhevet community amongst the girls.” long red button-down coat. While walking down the runway, she Ari modeled a knee-length black floral dress paired with a black Boiling Point. “This is such a cool event and I think that if we could didn’t give into all the eyes that followed her every step. corduroy cropped jacket. She walked down the runway with the add more things to get more people from the school to come then “I didn’t really like the way my outfit looked on me, but Gabby it could only get better and more valuable towards the community.” jacket halfway off to show reveal the dress underneath. helped me see it in a different light,” said Danielle. “She gave me “I tried to be as in the moment as I could and just enjoy being

The magical madness - and the beauty and the pain - that is math continued from page 13

Walton. "Every discipline tries to make the student love it." “[There’s an] acceptable idea that it’s hard, but it’s not,” he said. “People find math to be hard because they can’t put the struggle behind them.”

He also said that failing a test or quiz doesn’t define who a person is. He said that students are “abnormally stressed around all assessments.”

“Your grade on one test is not going to prevent you from going to college,” said Dr. Walton. “When you go off to college, we want you to feel like you [can] major in anything.”

He said the purpose of homework was to “let people

“Students always complain that [they] struggle with no stress” -- in other words, to build up knowledge without worrying about have other homework to complete per night but when I talk to them… they don’t bring up how it reflects on your ability in a grade.

“The more practice you do, your brain is the other homework, they just bring extraformed in the way you could do it,” he said. curricular activities that they have,” she said.

This may reflect the fact that other sub“No one’s going to fail you for that. People’s goal is to give enough homework for rein- jects and even co-curriculars are irregular, while math is constant. From history projforcement.”

Mrs. Gidanian doesn’t believe that the ects to Color War, other things in high school purpose of homework is to drill the material ebb and flow. But math -- even for those who into a student’s brain, but about mastering love it -- keeps on going.

“I would say it’s my most stressful class the material. Therefore, she believes that the length of homework should vary based on the just because there’s a constant workflow, concept being taught, and should be different rather than having one or two assignments per unit,” said Jacqueeach night. line Englanoff. “Because gives homework deCompared to all other it’s every night you have pending on the concept. schools or compared to an assignment.”

Regarding homework, she what I grew up with, this Ms. Kong said it has said that for students to is not a lot of homework. to -- and that like everytruly master math, they – Ms. Jennifer Kong thing else Shalhevet stuneed to practice problems dents do, math expands over and over again. thinking in a unique way.

When there are trips “Math really develops your logical and or things going in the school, she said she critical thinking, and we all need that kind of makes homework shorter.

However, when kids say that they have thinking,” she said. “It’s about how to think, other homework to do other than math, and how to train your mind to think, push your she asks what homework they have, they say mind to think.”

Evan has been able to understanding that they had co-curriculars to participate in.

math more pragmatically.

“In AP Calculus BC, I’ve been able to see that in more practical applications,” he said.

“In terms of when I’m math class, I love the critical thinking aspect of it.”

Senior Jamie Berman, who is also in Mrs. Gidanian’s Calculus BC class, says math is applicable to her in her day to day life.

“I really like math,” said Jamie. “I really like how math helps me understand the world around me.”

“I think it’s really cool to tie together like what I learn in class to things I can see, mostly geometry.”

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Features

Senior meets ‘vlog’ star, gets fame in an instant

15

continued from page 1

good friends,” she said. “He was really understanding.”

Mr. Dobrik's video received 4.5 million views and he had 53,200 Instagram followers.

22,164 comments in its first day. Dylan said he’s gotThree weeks later, he has 56,800 followers, a ten over 1,000 private messages on Instagram and renumber which has roughly stayed the same for quests from David Dobrik fans to start his own Youtwo weeks. He said that life has somewhat gone tube channel. back to normal.

His instagram account now has more than 50,000 “People aren’t direct messaging me as much followers. on Instagram,” he said. “I still get around 12,000 Many David Dobrik fan accounts on Instagram likes on my posts, which is still a lot, but it’s not as feature pictures of Dylan, and one fan, who wished to crazy as three weeks ago.” remain anonymous, created a fan account for Dylan Mr. Dobrik, who enabled Dylan’s internet and Dallas, called @_cornbois. popularity, is a Slovakia-born and Chicago-raised He said he was attracted to Dylan’s personality.

22-year-old who rose to fame in 2013 on the six“Dylan seems like a typical introvert guy, the second video-sharing app called Vine, which has founder of @_cornbois said in an interview on Instasince been closed down. He has more than 11 milgram. “When he is with some good friends, he turns lion subscribers on the video platform and seven into this funny and awesome dude. The way he was million followers on Instagram. presented to all the fandom was literally by living the Although the vlog Dylan is featured in is called dream of every fan of David. He was so relatable to the “Surprising Random Person With A New Car!!” viewers of the vlog, and he instantly became an aweit wasn’t entirely random. Both Dylan and Dalsome dude to every member of the fandom.”

BP Photo By Neima Fax las have been fans of Dobrik’s for three years, and Another Dobrik fan, “Martha,” who runs an acwhen they saw him at Target they asked to pose HIS: Dylan really did get to keep the car, and he’s been driving it to school this week. He does not have a count called @d4vid.mp4 and and has over 2,000 folspace in the student lot, however, and parks it on a street near school. with him for a picture. lowers, added “I love Dylan with all my heart” to her That led to the conversation, Dylan said, and bio on Instagram. cleaning out my apartment ‘cause there was cat litter everywhere an invitation to be in the week’s episode, which “I like that Dylan had an awkward personality, and and I was just brooming it, and then I get a call like, ‘I’m outside.’

Dylan accepted.

I feel like he’s really down to earth,” said Martha, who does not “I’m like, ‘I need to get ready,’” she continued. “So I just put on share her last name, in an interview.

But Mr. Dobrik has many kinds of vlogs, so Dylan says he didn’t a flannel.., grabbed my key. " know getting a car would be part of it. When planning the date, Mr. Dylan started his own Youtub e channel, called Corn Boi, and Outside, she saw some commotion, lots of girls standing and posted his first video in which he and Dallas answer questions subDobrik asks Dylan (on camera) what kind of car would be cool for looking at something. Then she saw someone holding a camera. someone in his generation to drive. mitted by Instagram followers. The video had 6,700 views in two Dylan was there, too.

“A mustang,” Dylan replies. days and more than 1,000 subscribers.

“He was already parked, and he was leaning by the “What color?” David Dobrik asks.

Meanwhile, Dylan’s parents, Mrs. Sicar holding roses,” the girl said. “It was really sweet. It “Red,” replies Dylan. lene and Mr. Gerry Corn, are proud of 'David was like yeah, was really nice.”

Soon one appears. Dylan is told it has been rented for the day. the message people are receiving from She soon realized that the camera crew included Dajust drive it away.' It “I thought they were gonna be like, ‘Okay just kidding,’ and Dylan. vid Dobrik, who she, too, had been following on Youthat was gonna be the end of the video,” Dylan said.

“People were saying, ‘Oh you inspire took me until I got to “And then he was like yeah, just drive it away.’ It took me until tube. She said he filmed her but was nice about blurring me, you’re just a regular guy, and somemy house to actually her out and mostly not using her at all. Only her hand, I got to my house to actually believe it was my car.” thing good happened,” Mrs. Corn said. “I believe it was my car.'

Earlier, Mr. Dobrik and his “Vlog Squad” -- his group of friends showing a thumbs-up sign, appears in the video. think that’s the lesson Dylan’s giving. You The girl said she chose to be blurred out because she frequently featured in his vlogs -- took Dylan to one of their houses have to be good, and believe that things for a haircut, then took him shopping for a new suit. The plan was was surprised by the filming and did not know if she felt will happen, and sometimes miracles hap- Dylan Corn for him to go for a drive with a girl had a crush on, in honor of comfortable having her identity known. pen. It promoted an emotion on people “I just thought like, I think I’d rather play it safe,” Valentine’s Day. that was positive, all these sweet emoThe girl was unnamed and blurred in the video but was a Shal- she said. tions. And I think that’s Dylan -- he’s very In the video, Dylan tells Mr. Dobrik that the girl said she can’t sweet.” hevet sophomore who has asked to remain anonymous. She told the Boiling Point that Dylan texted her the day before that he had date until she’s ready to get married. She confirmed to the Boiling Mr. Corn said that the video was different from some of David’s a surprise for her. Since they’re “pretty good friends” already, she Point that she doesn’t want to date until yet and said she also wants others that include more cursing and vulgarity. “Dylan’s more on to focus on school. thought they were going to go out to lunch. the innocent side, so it’s more of a wholesome video,” Mr. Corn She said that the situation did not negatively impact her friend- said.

He did not tell her that she would be filmed.

“I was not expecting that,” she said in an interview. “I was just ship with Dylan.

“I don’t think I let him down, because I think that we’re still

continued from page 1 and I have a really hard time falling asleep,” said Danya. “But it gives me something to focus on, and it acts as a sedative -- like, it literally puts me to sleep.”

There is beginning to be scientific evidence that explains why.

A first-ever study on ASMR published by PLOS-One last June found what it called “reliable changes in affect and physiology” during ASMR use, including a slower heart rate, which is a sign of relaxation.

One of the most popular platforms for ASMR is Youtube, where entire channels are dedicated to providing this for eager viewer-listeners. More than 11 million videos in this category have been published, with some individual videos reaching 40 million views.

Senior Joshua Sarir has his own ASMR Youtube channel under the username “Joshua Yosef.” It features videos of him whispering, blowing, tapping on objects and pressing buttons.

“It’s really relaxing,” says Josh. “A lot of people use it to fall asleep or to deal with anxiety or stress.”

Josh started the channel for his own enjoyment, but also because of the positive effect it can have on others. It has six ASMR videos, with 385 views total as of Feb. 7.

His first video, which was published Nov. 1, is a compilation of Josh whispering, tapping, blowing and scratching various objects -- a postcard, a glasses case, a phone case, a paper towel roll and a glass tube -- all amplified by a microphone.

“There is a big ASMR community on Youtube, and I like helping people,” said Josh. “So if that's a way that someone can relax or de-stress from the day, then why not?”

Josh does not profit from the videos or actively publicize them.

He mainly makes them as a hobby, or to entertain friends.

But some ASMR producers earn a living from the pursuit.

One popular ASMR Youtuber is Taylor Darling, known as “ASMR Darling,” who has over two million subscribers.

“ASMR, in my definition, is a calming, euphoric, tingling feeling you get,” said Ms. Darling in an explanatory video. “ASMR videos are to help you experience ASMR, and trigger your ASMR.” But some -- including some ASMR fans -- are repulsed by certain styles of the genre. Examples include clips of people playing with slime with amplified sounds, as well as clips of people cutting soap with a knife.

Freshman Anya Mendelson mentioned chewing.

“There’s a kind that’s disgusting,” said Anya. “When people are eating burgers and meat and slimy food… it’s like, really gross.”

Maya Tochner agreed.

“I don't like it when they eat sushi in enormous pieces,” said Maya.

Others are bothered by all types of ASMR. “I find the whispering ASMR videos really unsettling," said senior Honor Fuchs, who has looked at ASMR videos and doesn’t like them at all.

“I always scroll past them as fast as possible. They’re really unsettling and I hate watching that. I also do not see the appeal in slime or soap-cutting videos. They do not make me feel good.”

While videos making noises to produce a calming tingling sensation have existed on the internet since the mid-2000s, the term “ASMR” was not used for them until 2010.

Internet searches for ASMR first began to appear in 2011, and the number of searches has been consistently increasing since then.

It is only now beginning to be studied by scientists, but seems to meet a need that might otherwise be met through medicine.

According to the article in PLOS One, which is the peer-reviewed journal of the Public Library of Science, the increased popularity of ASMR indicates that people may be using the videos to deal with insomnia or depression. Millions of people suffer from those conditions, so the possibility that ASMR could help them is something the authors think science should pursue.

The article notes that ASMR responses are not experienced by everyone who views or hears the videos, but seems to provide some benefits for those who do experience the sensation.

It found that ASMR was associated with reduced heart rate, which is well known to be associated with reduced stress.

“ASMR participants showed significantly greater reductions in heart rate after watching both ASMR videos compared to nonASMR participants,” said the study.

“It is essential to establish whether ASMR produces the reliable emotional and physiological changes that would substantiate these anecdotal claims,” states the article, by Giulia Lara Poerio, Emma Blakey, Thomas J. Hostler and Theresa Veltri.

“Such findings could potentially have downstream implications for whether ASMR could provide a genuine method to combat rising rates of conditions such as insomnia and depression in those capable of experiencing ASMR.”

Youtube.com

Videos of 'calming noises' go viral in the trend of ASMR

CALM: Senior Josh Sarir has his own ASMR Youtube channel.

Dr. Lance Steinberg, a child and adult psychiatrist on the faculty of UCLA, said he wasn’t surprised teens were looking for a way to combat stress. According to the American Psychological Association, stress has been rising.

“Currently, young people face incredibly intense competition for grades, jobs, schools, while keeping up with rapidly changing technology as incredible amounts of information amass,” said Dr. Steinberg.

“On top of this pressure to remain highly competitive, one is then flooded by social media fictitiously implying everybody is always happy and having lots of fun.”

Dr. Steinberg was not familiar with ASMR, but agreed that non-medical treatments for stress were sometimes useful.

“There are multiple ways to achieve a calmed state,” said Dr. Steinberg “Generally, if a non-chemical intervention is safe and deemed with minimal risk, most physicians would suggest that approach.

“However, depending upon the intensity of the anxiety and how it affects one’s life,” he added, “there are times that proven Western medications are truly life-saving.”

Most Shalhevet students who use ASMR said they use it to calm down. But stress relief isn’t the only benefit ASMR users are seeking.

Sophomore Rena Harkham recommends trying it.

“It's like an explosion of sensation that travels through your whole body,” said sophomore Rena Harkham in an interview with the Boiling Point. “It calms you and relieves all of your anxiety.”

16

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Torah

Torah

MARCH 2019

Getting paid on Shabbat: The work is fun, but is it legal?

Every shul does it, but how does being paid for childcare and other tasks square with the Fourth Commandment?

by Lucy Fried, Co-Editor-in-Chief On a typical Shabbat morning in a typical synagogue in Los found in the Shulchan Aruch, the Jewish legal Angeles, dozens of small children are chatting and giggling, code, this principle permits compensation for work playing with toys and drinking apple juice. They stop to sing done on Shabbat as long as it is mixed with, or “aba teenage-led Shacharit, and after several hours are picked up sorbed into” work done on weekdays -- in other words, by their parents. With them are mostly religious high schoolers, for work that is is only partly done on Shabbat.

BP Illustration by Caroline Edry who care for the babies, toddlers, children and pre-teenagers of He said schar Shabbat behavla’ah is simple when it shul-going parents throughout the country. comes to being paid to lain or lead prayers, because those For many Jewish teens, working in synagogue childcare is who do it must practice during the week to prepare for these it’s good or bad isn’t really a question, it’s more of just what is.”

Senior Noa Kligfeld said that enhancing others’ Shabbat exthe first regular job -- and paycheck -- of their lives. But work- roles. However, children’s group leaders in synagogues work periences is part of what motivates her to work, even if it means ing on Shabbat is directly prohibited in the Ten Command- only on Shabbat. ments, in Shemot chapter 20, verses 8 to 9: Six days you shall “So this is hard,” Rabbi Block said. “But the way some shuls sometimes sacrificing her own davening.

“I won’t do it every weekend,” Noa said. “But some Shablabor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of go about trying to solve it is by having meetings during the the Lord your God. In it you shall week. Then the shuls are paying batot I’ll say I’m not gonna have a davening experience, so that do no work. both for the meetings and for someone else can have a davening experience, and I think that’s really important.”

How is this possible? Teenworking on Shabbat.”

‘Creating an atmosphere in which high school kids Freshman Marlee Drazin has been working at B’nai David agers who work at shul, in child The second override, accordcome to shul on Shabbat and we daven and we eat care and other positions including ing to Rabbi Block, comes from a Judea since the beginning of this year. She has never asked a laining (chanting the words of the rishon, one of the prominent rab- rabbi whether it’s okay, but enjoys it so it doesn’t feel like work together and we say brachas and we learn, I think Torah) and leading davening, are bis who lived during the 11th to to her. that’s davka the idea of Shabbat.’

“I’m not being forced to do it and I really do enjoy working almost always paid as employees, 15th centuries. The rishon known which seemingly violates the proas the Mordechai -- Mordechai with kids,” Marlee said.

Schar Shabbat behavla’ah, according to Rabbi Tsaidi, also hibition.

- Rabbi Yagil Tsaidi, Judaic Studies Ben Hillel haCohen -- stated beStudents interviewed by the cause schar Shabbat is a prohibi- permits him to work on Shabbat.

“What the shul will pay me for on the books is for all the Boiling Point said working position not explicitly stated in the tively impacts their Shabbat expeTorah but developed by the rabbis practice I do outside of shul during the week,” Rabbi Tsaidi rience. But most weren’t sure about the halakhic implications. of the Talmud, pay is permitted if the work is done in order said. “Or they’re paying me for everything I’m doing including “Because I work, I actually go to shul -- I have a chance to to fulfill a mitzvah. Work for the purpose of the mitzvah, the on Shabbat.

“I make a drasha,” or short sermon, he said. “I practice. I daven and just be with the kids and socialize at shul on Shab- Mordechai said, that was not included in the schar Shabbat learn what I’m gonna speak about. I recruit the kids who are bat,” said senior Amir Maman, who has been a youth group decree in the Talmud. counselor for four-plus years at Beth Jacob Congregation in ‘“You can say that being in shul and allowing parents to going to come to minyan.”

Rabbi Tsaidi and Rabbi Block are both fathers of young chilBeverly Hills. daven in shul while you’re taking care of their kids, especially “Halachically I have no idea if it’s okay -- I ask myself the if what you’re doing with the kids is also religiously valuable, dren, so it’s easy to see how having childcare at shul improves their observance of Shabbat. It also sets up good habits for the same question,” he said. “But I just think it’s better than me might be included in a mitzvah,” Rabbi Block said. teens -- who like Amir, might otherwise sleeping until lunch.”

Judaic Studies teacher Rabbi Yagil just sleep in on Shabbat mornings but Junior Ari Schlacht, who works at B’nai David-Judea, said Tsaidi, who runs the Youth Program at instead are now used to getting up early he didn’t think there was anything wrong with being paid on Beth Jacob Congregation, offered a third ‘You have to have these kids groups, and going to the synagogue.

Shabbat. reason that paid Shabbat-related work could and no one would do it for free.

“Making it more attractive for kids “If halacha goes against it, then I’ll stop right away,” said Ari. be permissible.

Whether it’s good or bad isn’t really to come to shul on Shabbat is kind of “But as far as I can tell, there’s nothing that says we shouldn’t be “Halacha acknowledges the necessities a question, it’s more of just what what we’re aiming for here,” Rabbi getting paid on Shabbat.” that a community will need to enhance Tsaidi said. “Spending every Shabbat In reality, it’s complicated. The actual halachic justification Shabbat,” Rabbi Tsaidi explained, “and that is.’ with a Shalhevet kid, with a YULA kid, -- not only for child care workers but for rabbis, teachers and a shul will need a rabbi and babysitters for with everyone who comes to Beth Jacob others -- relates to exactly what Amir and Zach described. their youth groups and a chazzan and a Ba’al - Zach Helfand, 11th grade teens, kind of makes my Shabbat. It Rabbi David Block, Assistant Principal for Judaic Studies, Koreh in order to make the place function.” definitely enhances it and makes it very said working on Shabbat is a complex issue, but halachically “Creating an atmosphere in which high wholesome and uplifting and spiritual.” acceptable if it involves working for a shul. school kids come to shul on Shabbat and we Rabbi Block said that while these “There is an issue with it,” Rabbi Block said, “because in daven and we eat together and we say bratheory one should not be making money on Shabbat.” chas and we learn, I think that’s davka” -- especially or exactly permissions may seem to be loopholes, he views working at shul The issue, he said, is called schar Shabbat,” schar meaning -- “the idea of Shabbat,” Rabbi Tsaidi said. “That is the spirit of on Shabbat as a positive thing, so they are legitimate.

“There are certain times that we have loopholes in Judaism payment. Rabbi Block said there is a general prohibition against Shabbat, and if that weren’t happening, it would be ruining the and it won’t always feel so good,” Rabbi Block said. “But I think doing business on Shabbat, stemming from the prohibition spirit of Shabbat.” against writing -- in Hebrew, kotev.

He also mentioned the halachic obligation of kivud v’ oneg this is one of those cases where it’s not de’orayta” -- meaning “Writing, or confirmation of a deal, is such an essential part -- meaning to respect and enjoy Shabbat, which gives halach- from the Torah itself -- “and there are other things to rely on: of business,” he said. ic validity to work that preserves the Shabbat spirit. He said the schar Shabbat behavla’ah, and that it may be a mitzvah, and Schar Shabbat, Rabbi Block explained, is the prohibition that working at shul on Shabbat actually promotes the spirit of that it’s a potential benefit, which is that you’re bringing people to shul on Shabbat. against being paid for work which is technically permissible on Shabbat.

“This all comes together to feel to me that it’s not really a Shabbat. For example, taking care of children does not violate Rabbi Block agreed, saying kivud v’oneg is part of the mitzloophole but a very beautiful practice,” he said. the laws of Shabbat, but because of schar Shabbat, it would be vah of Sabbath observance. forbidden to be paid for doing so.

Shalhevet junior Zach Helfand, who works at B’nai David, Torah Editor Nicholas Fields, Community Editor Jacob Joseph But Rabbi Block explained two ways to potentially override said that working on Shabbat is clearly necessary for the comLefkowitz Brooks and Features Editor Tobey Lee contributed to this schar Shabbat. One is schar Shabbat behavla’ah, which in He- munity. brew means being paid on Shabbat for something that is mixed, “It’s just what’s necessary,” Zach said. “You have to have story. from the Hebrew word balah, to absorb. A Talmudic concept these kids groups, and no one would do it for free. Whether

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Torah

17

Adar I and II: Fix the system, don’t discard it by joshua h. glettner, 10TH grade Imagine you have a perfect system for completing all your work and always studying exactly enough to succeed. But what if you fail a test, and the system seems not to work. Do you toss it away? Do you change it? Or do you keeping going on as if nothing happened?

Judaism has the same problem with regards to its calendar. It’s clear from the Torah that months should be measured according to the appearance of the moon, but the lunar calendar does not follow the seasons of the year.

That matters because the Torah also says that holidays should be during particular seasons.

The problem starts with the Torah’s injunction in Devarim to “Guard the month of spring, and make [then] the Passover offering,” indicating Passover should be in the spring. But the lunar calendar has only 354 days, while the earth takes 365 days to travel around the sun. This 11-day difference

causes calendar days to gradually move earlier in the year relative The effect of this is on the celebration of Purim. Adar is the to the seasons -- in other words, if spring were April 15 one year, month of Purim, and in leap years Purim and all the acts asthe next year is would be April 4 and the following year 11 days sociated with it are celebrated in Adar II. The day when Purim before that. would occur in Adar I is still supposed to have a bit of simcha So the Rabbis ordained the establishment of (celebration), but is not a full-fledged holiday. an additional “leap month” when This year Adar I was Feb. 5 and 6, and at ‘The day when Purim Pesach seemed it would occur school, we refrained from saying Tachanun (a would occur in Adar I is too early in the following mournful prayer of supplication involving the still supposed to have a year. In ancient times this lowering of the head). bit of simcha, but is not power was exclusive to the Nasi, Whenever this happens, it reminds us of the head of the Sanhedrein, in Eretz the importance of bringing Torah observance a full-fledged holiday.’

Yisrael. The Talmud credits a Nasi into the natural world. But there is another named Hillel II for releasing the secrets lesson as well. Sometimes when we are on a of calendar setting to the masses in orpath that diverges from success, we must find der to preserve the unity of Am Yisrael. His system, a correction to restore proper order -- but we should not comstill in use today, requires the addition pletely swerve away from what has previously proven successful. of an extra month in seven difLet me give you an example. I knew this guy, let’s call him ferent years within a continuLan, who would always do his homework an hour a day, and ous 19-year cycle. then would study for another hour. It worked pretty well for The extra month is inserted him, until one day he had a lot of homework, which he refused just before Pesach, and in years to budge his system to accommodate, causing him to skip including this one, we add a leap several problems. month in the middle to make up for The poor guy learned a lesson from this: to add another 20 the deficiencies of the lunar calendar: a minutes on days when he had a lot of homework. And I am second Adar, Adar II. glad to say, now Lan has a beautiful 5.0 GPA. Happy Adar I!

BP Illustration by Sam Rubanowitz

18 The Boiling Point Co-Editors-in-Chief

Lucy Fried and Clara Sandler

Opinion

Community Editor

EDITORIALS

Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks

Outside News Editor Molly Litvak

Torah Editor Nicholas Fields

Opinion Editor Nomi Willis

Features Editor Tobey Lee

Arts & Culture Editors

Nicholas Fields and Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks

Sports Editor Alex Rubel

Art and Design Director Zev Kupferman

Layout Editors Ellie Orlanski Sarah Feuer Michael Dahan Eva Brows-Light Caleb Fishman Maile Asiss

Chief Photo Editor Neima Fax

Advertsing Editor Shayna Becker

Photo Editors Zoey Botnick Alyssa Wallack

Website Editor-in-Chief Gilad Spitzer

Faculty Adviser Mrs. Joelle Keene

THE BOILING POINT is the student-produced newspaper of Shalhevet High School and a public forum for the students and the community. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the members of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Co-Editors-in-Chief, Web Editor, Community Editor and Faculty Advisor.

We welcome submissions for signed editorials from members of the Shalhevet Community, and the final decision about printing them is made by the Editorial Board.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted via e-mail to shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail. com. The Boiling Point reserves the right to edit letters and opinion submissions and all become the property of The Boiling Point.

Signed opinion articles and advertisements in The Boiling Point do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or The Boiling Point as a whole.

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

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

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By The Boiling Point Editorial Board

Every year, 68 Division I college basketball teams meet for an adrenaline-filled, nationwide extravaganza to determine who takes home the NCAA Championship trophy. The world has dubbed this absurdly hectic and entertaining month “March Madness.” At Shalhevet, this vernacular refers to a similarly frantic series of trips on which students will embark over the next few weeks.

These trips include back-to-back conferences -basketball, debate, journalism, Israel action, robotics and others -- that usually require students to travel out of state, mostly to the East Coast. Most students attend at least one of these conferences, and miss anywhere from two to 10 days of school. This means between two and 10 days of missed classes, homework and co-curriculars, giving students a ton to catch up on once they return.

It is a testament to the remarkable abilities of Shalhevet students that they can navigate time changes, missed assignments and their responsibilities on the trips themselves. They are capable of functioning at

the extremely high levels required of them on these trips despite an unavoidable lack of sleep both on the trips and when they return because of all the work needed to catch up on their responsibilities.

Just this past week, students experienced the intensity of the schoolwide shabbaton back-to-back with Color War, just as March Madness is about to take over. That’s a lot in a short period of time. Teachers are going to be missing or have already had full class periods cancelled, or are only able to teach to a small percentage of a class because the rest are 3,000 miles away.

This takes away from student learning, teachers teaching, and everyone’s ability to develop a consistent sleep cycle. Families and other commitments are ignored for the sake of school.

And yet. Students seem to be handling all this well, other than the lingering cough shared by half the school. As long as people do not go on more conferences than they can physically and mentally handle -- and take advantage of Shabbat -- things will be back in order by May. Just in time for finals.

Reaching out to heal the world, wherever

By The Boiling Point Editorial Board When 12 volunteers from B’nai David Judea Congregation flew to Arizona last month to welcome 30 families who were awaiting asylum hearings, they were following one of Judaism’s most fundamental values -- Ve’ahavta le’re’echa kamocha, Vayikra 19:18 -- in a particularly hands-on way.

They fed and washed them, and returned a sense of humanity to the otherwise cold and systematic arrival of would-be immigrants to the United States.

Not so long ago, some of our relatives arrived on Ellis Island after escaping pogroms in Europe. Others escaped to avoid the Holocaust, and some escaped religious persecution in Iran. We know what it is to be in the shoes of new arrivals, and so have extra responsibility to extend a hand to those both similar to and drastically different from ourselves.

The B’nai David volunteers, who included parents of more than a dozen Shalhevet students or alumni, provided some of that comfort in a day of

smiles, food, and warmth. But Shalhevet students needn’t take a 5:15 a.m. plane to accomplish such kindness.

There are 50,000 homeless people in Los Angeles, many of them walking distance from school and all in need of shelter and basic necessities. There are also hungry families to whom we can deliver meals for Shabbat, or Meals on Wheels for shut-ins, or various student chesed initiatives.

Even giving tzedakah makes a huge impact.

People who are suffering or poor need supplies that can’t necessarily be delivered by hand. Some need a social worker; the Jewish Family Service provides social workers and needs donations always. So do countless groups that help people struggling with challenges to their mental or physical health.

January 16th saw a remarkable example of the Jewish community reaching beyond its own, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. It should empower those of us who were there and who were not to care more and do more.

Letter to the Editor:

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To the Editor: Regarding the article entitled “Michigan profs open new front in academic boycott of Israel” (Boiling Point 2018-19 Issue 2): I find it imprecise and slightly careless to label the University of Michigan as having “large BDS activity.” As a student there, I have witnessed one BDS related demonstration per year (or maybe even per semester). Many other universities and colleges in this country have several more instances and I do not find it honest to paint Michigan in that light without further research.

I love my school and respect the decisions it has made regarding anti-Semitism and anti-Israel actions that have occurred on campus. I urge you to delve deeper into just the flashy headline and further investigate and examine what actually happens on not only my campus, but others as well.

I am not concerned with the small number of applicants from Shalhevet to Michigan this year considering when I was applying, I was the only one. However, I would like to say that if such students are deterred from applying due to their Juda-

ism, I would strongly encourage them to reconsider.

The Jewish life at Michigan and the overwhelming support I have felt as a Jew on campus is hard to describe. I rarely, if ever, feel uncomfortable being a religious Jew here. There are countless resources in Hillel, the Jewish Resource Center (JRC) and Chabad as well as other organizations on campus.

I fear that The Boiling Point is not presenting an accurate enough picture of Michigan and I would like that to change.

As much as I welcome any and all discussion regarding my university and its actions, I would appreciate if the facts presented, were indeed facts. I am happy to talk with anyone at The Boiling Point about my experiences or with any students who wish to consider Michigan as the place for them.

Go Blue!

Jennie Drazin University of Michigan, Class of 2019

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Opinion

19

TWO BOILING POINTS OF VIEW:

Should the Oscars have gendered categories?

Yes: Roles differ, so awards should too

No: It’s time to expand possibilities

By Maia Lefferman, 11th grade

By Honor Fuchs, 12th gade

Imagine a world where Jack Nicholson has more Oscar nominations than Meryl Streep.

In our current reality, her 21 nominations beats his 12, but if the Academy Awards acting categories weren’t separated by gender, the world might be very different. As made clear in statistics from past years and the often degrading roles that are given to women in the predominantly male movie industry, women -- except in the gender-separate actor categories -- are far less likely to win awards than men.

In an ideal world, the categories would all be gender-neutral and men and women would have an equal chance at winning. But for now, Oscar categories should remain separated by gender so women can have a chance to win.

The Academy Awards have always been gender-neutral in most other categories and they have been historically male-dominated. For instance, the gender-neutral Best Director category has only been awarded to one woman ever, and only four other women have been nominated. If acting categories were not separated by gender, then female actors, too, would be at a major disadvantage.

Gender difference in movie roles has been well documented. According to a USC Annenberg study of the 100 top films in 2017, only 33 percent depicted a female lead or co-lead. The same study also showed that only 29 percent of all speaking roles in movies are played by women. And this has been stagnant since the study first began in 2007. If a single Best Actor award was blind to gender, women would have a significantly lower chance of winning, because there are so many fewer of them to consider.

The statistics for other categories are just as extreme as those for Best Director. In the award for best cinematography, for example, only one woman has ever been nominated, and that was just last year.

In addition, the roles women are given have traditionally been less Oscar-worthy. In general, women are given the less serious, stereotypically unintellectual roles, while men are predominantly given the more substantial, deeper roles, which are more likely to attract nominations for the top awards.

Lack of female representation is known in the movie industry as “the inclusion crisis” -- referring to the exclusion of various groups, not only women, throughout the movie industry. When there is more diversity behind the camera, there tends to be more diversity on the screen, but the inclusion crisis refers to both.

In 2016, people started to notice the absence of diversity in movies and the lack of racial, ethnic and gender diversity among Oscar award winners.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which runs the awards, then announced that it would “commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.”

When the academy has an equal amount of men and women making decisions, then it is more likely that the award winners will be equal. This is a step on the path of change that will lead the way to all categories being mixed gender.

I’m all for gender neutrality. Just the way an artist is called an artist and a teacher is called a teacher, an actor should be an actor. But until women are given the same opportunities in both quantity and quality to the opportunities given to men, these categories should continue to be separate, so women can continue to be recognized for the best work that they do.

Tennis, basketball, weightlifting. These sports have categories for both men and women because of physical and biological differences that make it impossible for women to compete on an equal footing with men.

On the other hand, there are no separate author and “authoress” categories for the Pulitzer prizes, and the committee that chooses winners does not discriminate based on gender. And by disregarding gender they are making a statement that women and men are equal in their capabilities to write.

Similarly, the model of separate gender categories should not be used in acting competitions.

By separating male and female actors, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is making a statement that actors of different genders aren’t capable of doing equal work. But if Greta Gerwig and Guillermo del Toro can compete for best director, Timothée Chalamet and Meryl Streep can compete for best actor, too.

The way things are now, the Oscars are confining men and women in specific acting roles that fit their genders. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading screenwriters to create roles that fit a male-female gender binary, thereby stifling creativity in the writing of new roles. Without the separate categories, this issue would be eliminated.

Moreover, separating actors and actresses into two categories eliminates the possibility of a transgender or gender-non-conforming Oscar winner. No writer will write a film featuring a transgender actor, because it is certain that the Academy would not choose that person for Best Actor of Best Actress -- because that person does not identify with either of those categories. Transgender actors will not be given award-winning acting opportunities until they are given a space to win those awards. On the other hand, if the Oscars chose to eliminate actor and actress categories they would be opening a door for more gender diversity in awards and in films.

Feminists who favor having separate categories for each gender say that it is the only way for females to get their share of recognition, and that if there were only one acting category it would probably reward five men. This drastically underestimates the talent of female actors. Female representation in films, especially as leads, is on the increase. And women’s acting is just as award-worthy as men’s is.

But to ensure that the number of winners and nominees is not reduced, perhaps the Academy could separate award categories into genres, making a point to include genres that often include women like romances or family dramas. This way, new opportunities for awards will be created -- for both genders -- when the gendered categories are put to rest.

Having different terms for men and women perpetuates the idea that the actors should be defined in distinct, arbitrary groups. Instead of separate categories, the Oscars should cease using the term actress and just use actor as an umbrella term for men and women who act. This is already a trend among movie critics and some movie-goers, and it is high time for the Academy to follow suit.

Perhaps more than ever, there is diversity in the Academy, and if it is embraced, it can translate into diversity among who wins the top awards for bringing the widest possible range of characters to life. By judging performers according to their skill and not their gender categories, the Academy will translate that diversity into who receives awards. No group will be left out.

That includes women. Women are talented and capable of winning awards, even against men, and it is time we let them compete -- in every category.

BP Photos by Neima Fax BP Design by Sarah Navon

A year after Parkland, living for those who can’t By bayley sandler, ninth grade Every morning, I make the long drive over the hill from the Valley and my mind drifts with daydreams. On Feb. 14, my mind drifted to Parkland.

Teenagers who were my age or in my age range either died or forever have to deal with the PTSD that comes with having seen their friends die.

We are two months and 50 days into 2019. So far, according to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 43 mass shootings in the United States, in which 1,876 people were killed.

Shalhevet is a very safe and protected place with security guards standing at the gates and patrolling the hallways every so often. But on Feb. 14, that was not enough to keep

the fear from creeping in.

No matter how safe I am within the school’s walls, there is always the possibility of becoming a statistic. People are fighting over gun control and I want to be remembered for more than being hit by a bullet. So, the fear is not so much for my life as it is for my legacy.

Within the secure walls of Shalhevet, I know that the only thing that poses a threat to me is the stairway. Our school has given us a safe place to not worry about such things, but Shalhevet is not with us in our everyday lives.

I feel it outside of Shalhevet. There is something silent that constantly makes me glance over my shoulder for the people around me and for my safety, because any of those 1,876 people could have been me, or anyone who I know personally.

To be a teenager in the aftermath of the slew of school shootings back in 2018 is something of a nightmare.

As a freshman in high school, I think it is important for me to help those who were my age when they died live on.

So even with the small twinges of fear at the back of my

head, I will continue living both in school and out -- because they cannot.

I am going to keep trying my best in school and to balance some semblance of a social life with those teenagers who will forever be teenagers in mind. Even though they will not grow with us into adulthood, it is important that we try to do so.

Most mornings, I sleep as my dad drives my sister and me from our house in Valley Village to Shalhevet. But on the one-year anniversary of the Parkland shooting and of the deaths of those who were the same ages as me and any other student I let the hidden fear of being hit by a gun settle at the bottom of my stomach and realized how lucky I am to go to a school that has every single student’s safety in mind.

And then I went beyond that fear and dedicated myself to living a little more fully to honor some of those who will never get to live again.

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture

March 2019

Amos Oz, first among Israeli authors, dies at 79

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief

W

hen I was little, my ambition was to grow up to be a book. Not a writer,” Amos Oz wrote in A Tale of Love and Darkness.

“People can be killed like ants. Writers are not hard to kill either. But not books: however systematically you try to destroy them, there is always a chance that a copy will survive and continue to enjoy a shelf-life in some corner on an out-of-the-way library somewhere in Reykjavik, Valladolid or Vancouver.”

Oz, an Israeli author, journalist and intellectual known for his writing and open criticism of Israel, passed away on Dec. 28, but his books have already shown that they live on.

Born in Jerusalem in 1939, Oz was also a professor at Ben-Gurion University and one of the original supporters of a two-state solution. He opposed the building of settlements and identified with the Israeli Labor Party.

He was also the first prominent Israeli author, having published 40 books -- among them novels, collections of short stories and novellas, children’s books and collections of articles and essays. Oz’s use of Hebrew highlighted the importance of the new language in the new state.

His most famous work was his memoir A Tale of Love and Darkness, which described his struggles as a child, including his mother’s suicide. It was published in 2002.

Ms. Na’amit Nagel, who teaches that book in her SAS Jewish Literature class, described Oz as the “chronicler of that shift between European Jewry to Israeli Jewry, and skips over American Jewry because it doesn’t affect him.”

“He paints these beautiful pictures of life in Israel right amos-oz.net at the beginning of the State,” Ms. Nagel said. “You really INFLUENCE: Oz wrote 40 books. His memoir, A Tale of Love and Darkness, has been translated into 45 languages, the most of any Israeli author. get a sense of what it would have been like for Holocaust immigrants to create a new life for themselves, but also the culture shock that they would have experienced.”

Rabbi Bouskila, who is also the father of alumnus Ilan Bouskila hile Oz is not in the Israel Education curriculum, his She said he was her favorite Israeli author.

‘18. “I know that a very big passion and piece of his identity was political ideology is closely aligned with an article that “What I love about him is that he’s very Israeli but his writing to be critical of the Israeli government and many of its policies.” is. also has a bit of a European style,” Ms. Nagel said.

Oz openly criticized the Israeli government, supporting the LaIsrael Education teacher Ms. Hannah Cohen commented on She read A Tale of Love and Darkness on Yom Kippur one year. bor party and creation of a Palestinian state along- Rabbi Schwarzberg’s Schoology post, highlighting that Oz’s ap“I haven’t been as immersed in side Israel. proach to Israel is similar to that of Shalhevet’s Lahav curriculum. a book since I was in high school He was famously criticized himself for reaching One article taught in the Israel Education part of Lahav is ‘You really get a sense of what it probably,” Ms. Nagel said. “It just out to Palestinian leader and convicted terrorist “Mature Zionism: Education and the Scholarly Study of Israel,” would have been like for Holocaust creates a whole world and the Marwan Barghouti in prison, sending him a copy by Hanan Alexander, Professor of Philosophy of Education at the immigrants to create a new life for characters and the moments felt of A Tale of Love and Darkness with the inscription, University of Haifa. It describes the idea that while one should themselves, but also the culture so real. It just paints a picture of “This story is our story, I hope you read it and un- support Israel wholeheartedly, it is important to call Israel out shock that they would have experiJewish life and culture there that derstand us as we understand you. Hoping to see when they make a mistake. you want to be apart of even if it’s enced.’

“One of my favorite Amos Oz quotes is, ‘I love Israel even in you outside and in peace, yours, Amos Oz.” not perfect.”

“I found his criticism of Israel, although I never times I don’t like it,’” Ms. Cohen wrote. “It speaks to the Mature “His parents were European - Ms. Na’amit Nagel discussed that subject with him at all, legitimate Zionist lens we have been learning about in our 11th grade Israel immigrants and he read a tremenonly because I find that any Israeli who lives in Is- education class.” dous amount of the classics, and Oz won more than 20 awards throughout his career including rael has the democratic right to criticize their govI think that style influences his the 1976 Brenner Prize -- the Israeli ernment, left or right,” said Rabbi Bouskila. writing,” she said. “I love Victorian classic literature and I always literary prize given by the Hebrew “It’s their right as Israeli citizens. We felt like there was a little bit of that in his storytelling while still Writers Association in Israel and the can’t claim Israel is a democracy and then “There are incredible quotes and being very Israeli.”

Haft Family Foundation, the 1998 not give people the right to voice their opininterviews where he professes a Israeli Prize for literature and a ions.” mos Oz’s death was met with widespread comment from profound commitment and belief in the 2015 Park Kyong-ni Prize, a South Rabbi Bouskila said he has plans to come Shalhevet faculty.

Korean award that comes with into the SAS Jewish Literature as a guest lecaspirations and values of hte state of Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, Director of the Sephardic Educational $100,000. turer to teach Amos Oz’s work.

Israel, desipte being concerned with Center and a former teacher at Shalhevet, had a personal relaIn one of many tributes written Dean of Students Rabbi Schwarzberg some of its policies.’ tionship with Amos Oz. They met as a result of Rabbi Bouskila around the world after his death, took to Schoology on Dec. 30 to inform inviting Oz to be a scholar-in-residence on a Friday night at Sep- Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg Gal Beckerman of the New York students of Oz’s passing since it had haphardic Temple Tiferet Israel, where he was rabbi at the time, in Times described Oz as “a sort of of pened during winter break. He focused on May 2006. sociologist and psychologist of the Oz’s politics.

In an interview, Rabbi Bouskila said the two bonded over a “To be sure, his politics were considered controversial within Israeli soul.” shared appreciation for modern Hebrew literature, specifically the “It’s an extraordinary book that will endure as one of the greatthe Israeli and Jewish community,” Rabbi Schwarzberg wrote.

Israeli author Shai Agnon. They then began a snail mail correspon“But there are incredible quotes and interviews where he professes est works in modern Hebrew,” Beckerman wrote of A Tale of Love dence because Oz did not have an email address. a profound commitment and belief in the aspirations and values and Darkness.

They met several times after that in person, including for long of the state of Israel, despite being concerned with some of its “In many ways, through this memoir, Mr. Oz perfected what discussions over coffee whenever the author found himself in any policies. he had tried to do again and again in his fiction — to capture the part of California.

“No matter the case, over the last 48 hours, those on the Right coming together of the personal and the political, with neither of Rabbi Bouskila previously taught the Israel Education class at and Left are mourning his loss and recognizing the impact he’s had the two elements suffering from the collision.”

Shalhevet but never discussed politics with Oz. on Israeli culture, thought, and politics.”

“Our relationship was never based on those subjects,” said

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Arts & Culture

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Concert breaks new ground with music by students due to the lack of arrangements of the song previously.

“I had liked that song previously and there are no existing arrangements, so I just decided to make my own,” said Evan. “Also as a tribute to Mac Miller we decided to do a song that features him.”

Among the 15 songs performed by the Choirhawks at their annual Chanukah concert in December He said it took him two months to finish it and that fellow junior Kiku Shaw, who plays classical were two that represented milestones for the group: the first written and the first arranged by a student piano but is not a member of the group, helped him perfect it. member.

Ms. Keene described the sheet music Evan created on music-writing software for the arrangement, The group performed a new choral arrangement of “Together As One,” which was composed last pointing to a page filled with musical notes. year by Choirhawk soprano Eliana Cohen, now a senior, in response to the shootings at Marjory Stone“I’m not surprised that he succeeded in what he set out to do,” Ms. Keene said, “but I was surprised man Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Eliana has performed it at school and also recorded it, and that he did it, I was surprised with the degree of complexity of the arrangement. I’m still surprised.” it has more than 1,400 views on Youtube.

The other milestone of the night brought a more somber air to the room. Eliana’s song wasn’t new The Choirhawks also performed Ariana Grande’s “The Way,” in an original, multi-part arrange-she performed it for all of Shalhevet when students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas addressed the ment by junior and choir tenor Evan Rustudent body at Town Hall March 23. But bel. Written in six to eight parts at a time, it was a new arrangement, with her original including four solos and two rap sections, piano accompaniment replaced by minimal it managed to recreate the lively pop song background vocals arranged by Ms. Keene. with no instrumental accompaniment.

In the days after the Feb. 15 massacre, On a rainy evening in the Beit Midrash she said, she couldn’t stop thinking about Dec. 5, the group’s 15-song set was met what had happened. with applause both for Choirhawk Cha“It was all over the news and it was just nukah staples like Al Hanissim, Maoz Tzur very up in the air,” said Eliana, who first and Mi Yemalel and for new pieces. joined the Choirhawks in ninth grade and Usually, the choir’s arrangements are had written songs before. either created by choir director Ms. Joelle “It was very prevalent and I couldn’t get Keene or popular arrangers such as Pentait out of my head. So when I went home, I tonix’s Ben Bram, who created the arrangewas just sitting by the piano and I couldn’t ment for Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling stop thinking about that, and I was like -in Love” which the choir also performed.

I’m going to write a song about it.”

Ms. Keene’s arrangements that night inAmong the song’s lyrics are: cluded Hatikvah and Acheinu, in addition You’re telling me all these kids are dying to two of the Chanukah songs. and crying, there’s just no way Evan’s “The Way,” with cheerful rap When someone goes, the pain doesn’t go verses, three solos, lively beat-boxing and away, lots of “doo-da-dooos” from the choir, It haunts us forever, here to stay stood in contrast to the slower-tempo piecThe song was unique in its minimal es that filled the majority of the concert. background vocals, allowing Eliana’s lyrics Seniors Noa Kligfeld and Hannah to take center stage.

Friedman were the main soloists, cover“The message I was trying to pass was ing Ariana Grande’s melody and harmony BP Photo by Neima Fax even though what happened was very tragic, parts, augmented by sophomore Noa SilORIGINAL: The Choirhawks performed two songs arranged or written by students at their Chanukah concert. we should come together and not let hate berstein in a counterpoint sections. Sophowin,” said Eliana. more Hannah Benji and freshman Emily Ms. Keene said it took character for EliKlausner handled the rap verses, and freshman Andrew Petlak -- with his own microphone -- added ana to have created a positive message out of a terrible situation. spirited beat-box underneath.

“The fact that Eliana was as moved as we all were by what happened in Parkland last year and turned Evan said he came up with the idea to arrange something himself at a meeting of choir officers. Evan it into a song that really stands on its own -- and speaks about a moment that unfortunately isn’t going serves as co-treasurer of the group.

“I was brainstorming with some of the other officers in the choir about potential new songs we away -- was a tremendous achievement,” Ms. Keene said.

Other highlights of the night included two duets, One Direction’s “You and I” sung by freshmen could do this semester and I thought maybe it would be cool if one of us had our own arrangement,” Emily Klausner and Talya Kukurudz and Rihanna’s “Diamonds” sung by freshman Danielle Finn and Evan said. “So I decided to write an arrangement for a new song.”

Evan said he chose “The Way’ in part because of Mac Miller’s death on Sept. 7 at the age of 26 and sophomore Hannah Benji.

By Jacob Joesph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor

Not just her initials: Skirball explains why RBG is ‘notorious’ to her husband Martin, her time working at a Social Security ofopinions. Among them are Frontiero vs Richardson, where she fice in Oklahoma and her years at Harvard Law School as one of argued that military benefits should be given out regardless of sex, only nine women in a class of over 500. and Struck vs Secretary of Defense, where she successfully argued When considering the achievements of history’s greatest social The visitor will recognize that from a young age, Ginsburg that female military officers should not be discharged for being reformers, it’s easy to say that they were simply destined to achieve recognized issues of sexism and discrimination around her. pregnant. greatness and change society. This is true as well for Supreme For example, at one time, Ginsburg noticed that female postAs the personal artifacts elsewhere in the exhibit bring to life Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, known for her monumental age workers were forced to wear a hat that did not display their 40 years of Ginsburg’s personal history, the bullet-pointed outlines achievements for gender equality and women’s rights. badge, while male workers’ hats did display it, giving them a more of the cases help the viewer understand the specifics of Ginsburg’s More recently, she has gained cultural fame and been dubbed official or authoritative look. She wrote a letter to the postmasaccomplishments. “the notorious RBG,” in the tradition of hip-hop legend The ter general, which is displayed in the Finally, the exhibit depicts Ginsburg’s career as a Supreme Notorious B.I.G, also known exhibit.

Court justice -- labeled with Biggie’s song “My Team Supreme.” as Biggie Smalls. While it is Another section of the exhibit is These include some famous cases she lost, among them Bush v. partially a play on the fact she is dedicated to civil rights activist Pauli Gore, the case determining the constitutionality of a presidential commonly known simply by her Murray, whose legal opinions provided recount in Florida, which decided the fate of the 2000 presidential three-letter initials, both RBG inspiration for Ginsburg. Letters from election; and Shelby County v. Holder, determining whether states and Biggie pioneered new directheir correspondence are on view. could alter their voting laws. Justice Ginsburg’s stinging dissents tions in their respective fields.

Each section of the exhibit gives -- displayed in large font on the exhibit walls here -- for the 5-4 But the current exhibit at viewers the sense that of having access to minority opinion helped earn her the Notorious epithet. the Skirball Cultural Center, important moments and tactile elements Also outlined is Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber ComNotorious RBG: The Life and of her life.

Visitors also can sit in a pany, about gender pay discrimination which, before the case, Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, recreation of the blue car the Ginsburgs were not able to be launched if the incident occured over 180 is neither a simple account of drove, see her childhood books and look days prior. Ginsburg’s oral dissent argued that pay discrimination her life nor a list of her legal at a replica of the nameplate on her often occurs in very small increments over long periods of time accomplishments. Instead, it balances moments in her life photo by Robert Wedemeyer desk -- all of these bridging the distance and therefore it was often impossible to prove discrimination within 180 days. This dissent inspired that inspired her to become a MODELS:The exhibit uses recreations of important objects from between the famous jurist who’s so well known and the Congressional Democrats to create the legal activist for others with the Ginsburg’s life to illustrate the moments that turned Ginsburg Both RBG and Biggie Smalls Los Angeles visitor who will “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009,” specific cases which made her into the icon she is now. likely never meet her at all. allowing the admission of evidence from pioneered new directions in the icon she is today. more than 180 days prior to a claim The centerpiece of the exhibit is a collage mural composed their respective fields.

Over time, through her experiences, the future being filed. of a collection of drawings, memes, tweets, and protest signs all Justice Ginsburg became more and more upset about After walking through the journey inspired by the now very famous Justice Ginsburg. This mural the difference in the treatment of women in American of Ms. Ginsburg’s life and the great and bisects the exhibit. Defining the individual sections are songs and well-noted progress for which she’s been responsible, near the exit lyrics from Biggie written on the wall, emphasizing the connection laws. In Oklahoma, she was demoted after becoming pregnant with her first child. After graduating from Columbia near the a visitor can try on a replica of her judicial robe -- available in varibetween the two cultural heroes. top of her class, she found it especially hard to get a job and was ous sizes -- and her signature collar, and sit at a replica of her desk.

On the left, labeled after Biggie’s song “I Got A Story To Tell,” refused a clerkship under Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter The point seems to be that anyone can make an impact in his or the viewer is taken back 80 years to the humble living room of explicitly because of her gender. her world by recognizing injustices they encounter and taking acGinsburg’s childhood apartment in Brooklyn, New York.

The other side of the exhibit, to the right of the mural, presents tion -- whether or not it makes them notorious.

A recreation of the room is filled with objects that give the visithe most important cases of Ms. Ginsburg’s career as an activist Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg can tor a sense of what Ginsburg’s childhood was like, enriched with lawyer.

Labeled “Stereotypes Of A Lady Misunderstood” -referbe seen at the Skirball Cultural Center on Mulholland Drive in information panels that detail hardships she endured, including encing Biggie’s song “Stereotypes of a Black Male Misunderstood” Bel Air through March 10. The exhibit is free with general admishaving watched her older sister die of meningitis.

This format of presenting scenes from Ginsburg’s life continues -- the cases are arranged on tall displays with background informa- sion to the museum, which costs $12. tion and artifacts under large-font quotes from her arguments or throughout this half of the exhibit, depicting Ginsburg’s marriage

By Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks, Community Editor

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The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Sports

Sports

MARCH 2019

BP Photo By Zoey Botnick CONTROL: Firehawks and Panthers fight for ball possession at midfield Feb. 2 in Santa Monica. Played during on-and-off rain, the annual Saturday night rivalry game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Firehawks and Panthers tie in rivalry soccer showdown

bY ALEX RUBEL, SPORTS EDITOR A month after the Firehawk girls soccer team routed rival YULA Panthers 6-0, the two rivals’ boys teams squared off on the same field, but this time, the annual rivalry game ended in a 1-1 tie as the Firehawks lost their 1-0 lead late in the game.

The game -- dubbed “the game of the year” by players -- was played on Saturday night Feb. 2 at Corsair Field at Santa Monica College, the site of the girls’ 6-0 win a month earlier on Jan. 3.

It had rained hard on Saturday afternoon, and the rain continued to fall intermittently throughout the game. Still, hundreds of fans showed up to watch the crosstown rivals battle it out at the Firehawks’ season finale.

After a scoreless but intensely contested first half, the Firehawks struck first when left wing Josh Weindling scored on a free kick goal that had the Firehawk fans going nuts. But the excitement faded soon after when the Panthers responded with a goal of their own.

The game ended with the score tied at 1-1.

“We dominated that game and deserved to win,” Josh said after

BP Photo By Zoey Botnick GOAL: Left wing Josh Weindling celebrates after scoring the first goal of the game against YULA Feb. 2 at Santa Monica College.

the game. “Sadly, we tied, but at least we gave it our all.”

As usual when both schools play each other, competition was fierce as both sides fought for glory. Players and coaches on both sides agreed that this game with no different, and the rivals each played their hearts out.

Though the Shalhevet and YULA rivalry has been heated for years, YULA captain Moshe Fhima said it’s best to have the rivalry stay on the field.

“They’re our rivals, but at the end of the day, they are our friends too,” Moshe said.

Panther midfielder Uri Cohavy scored the tying goal for the Panthers -- a header off a free kick -- with just minutes left in regulation.

“It was crazy,” Uri told the Boiling Point.

But Firehawk coach Lee Turnbull said that Uri’s game-tying goal could have been avoided if the Firehawk defenders hadn’t been positioned so close to their own goal.

“When defending long free kicks, you want to defend very high to give the goalies more room,” said Coach Lee, who has coached the Firehawks for six years. “If our whole team were 10 yards further up, it would have been no goal… and we would have won.”

Coach Lee said such an occurrence tends to happen in soccer when defenders are trying to hold on to a lead and mistakenly think playing deeper would be a better defense of the goal.

Regardless, the game’s result, combined with last year’s 2-0 Firehawk victory against YULA, point to a changing state in the Shalhevet vs. YULA soccer rivalry. Before last year, YULA had completely dominated the Firehawks in soccer, having won every match since 2011.

Coach Lee said he was proud of his team for playing as a collective and giving it their all. But he said the team unity has only gelled as of late, and it has given the Firehawks the upper hand in games this year such as last week’s 2-1 win against Wiseburn - Da Vinci.

“Right at the beginning [of the season], the camaraderie within the group was very edgy,” Coach Lee said. “There wasn’t a strong team unity. But we’ve come together as a team, and we ended up having some wonderful performances this year, including last

week’s victory against Da Vinci.”

The players have made noticeable strides lately in improving their chemistry on the field. And the night before the game, they had Shabbat dinner together at captain Isaac Kahtan’s house to boost spirit before the big game the next day.

Also helping the team was the Firehawk fanbase, which showed up in large numbers despite the LA basin receiving more than inch of rain on Saturday. Both coaches said the rain had no impact on their teams’ play, especially since Corsair Field is a turf field.

Isaac said the great atmosphere brought by the crowd helped the Firehawks perform at their best.

“We were all feeling the love of the crowd and the community,” Isaac said.

In January, the Firehawk girls’ team shut out the Panthers and had six goals of their own, led by sophomore Hannah Berman’s four goals. Sophomore Danielle Liebenthal and freshman Shani Shaham each had a goal. That game was the Firehawk girls team’s only win of the season.

The Firehawk boys finished the season 3-6-1 and did not make the playoffs, while the YULA Panthers finished 5-5-5 and have a playoff game Tuesday against Whittier Christian. The Firehawk girls did not make the playoffs.

Still -- and even though he receives multiple invites a year to coach at high-level soccer high schools -- Coach Lee said he’ll continue to be the head coach of the Shalhevet soccer team because of his affection for his players.

“I love these kids” Coach Lee said. “And every single season they show me why I remain the head coach at Shalhevet. Across the board, they are just top-of-the-line young men.”

After the game, YULA’s assistant coach Paul Walmsley praised the Panthers for their constant determination this season.

“They don’t know what it means to give up,” Coach Walmsley said.

He also offered a positive assessment of the Panthers’ season.

“They’re a young team, and there are some good players for the future,” he said. “They did very well.”

YULA’s head coach could not be reached for an interview.

New hockey club turns gym into a rink for weekly games after Town Hall

By Joshua Weissmman, Staff Writer Every Wednesday after Town Hall, most students leave the gym and get their lunch, but a few stay behind to make a hockey rink out of the still-carpeted gym in order for Shalhevet’s hockey enthusiasts to be able to play their beloved sport.

Lugging black plastic folding chairs to the sides of the room, a group of about 7 to 20 students and teachers create a cushioned field to play on and a barrier to prevent the ball — not a puck — from leaving from the boundaries of the carpet-tiled rink.

It takes them several minutes of physical labor to set up the field, but these athletes are clearly willing to lift, fold, and stack 260 chairs to be able to play the sports that they want.

“We don't have a budget, we are not really funded, and we operate pretty independently,”

said senior Adam Ritz, who organizes the games.

“But it’s really just a team effort.”

In an interview, Adam continuously expressed the delight that hockey brings him.

“I love the sport,” he said. “There are the stats and the players and the fans and the teams, and that whole aspect of it is super intriguing.”

He also mentioned that even as a freshman he and his friends had dreams of Shalhevet having an ice hockey team. However, it was not until he was in 11th grade that he was approached by Science Department Chair Mr. Pavel Lieb -- who organizes pickup hockey games outside of school -- about starting one.

“We got together at the end of last year, and came up with ideas for the structure of the club and how we would run everything,” Adam said.

“Then I just took it and ran with it, and that is how it became the club that it is today.”

Mr. Lieb said that the hockey club was started to gauge Shalhevet’s enthusiasm for hockey.

He also said that he ultimately hopes the hockey club will move to the ice.

“We wanted to support the love of the game, in whatever version that might be,” Mr. Lieb said.

Since then, the hockey club has flourished, sometimes fielding as many as 20 players and meeting at lunch every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

Adam and Mr. Lieb bring about a half-dozen sticks and two goal nets, with other members bringing their own if they prefer. The makeshift rink in the gym has enough space for all of the athletes to have a good time.

Senior Adin Keiter, who plays high school league hockey, says the hockey conditions in the gym can’t quite replace regular hockey -- but it’s still fun.

“Floor hockey is never going to be the same as ice hockey,” Adin said.

Getting funding might help. Adam said the funding would go towards buying more sticks,

safety gear, as well as hockey shirts and jerseys.

Although the hockey team is not currently supported financially by the school, Dean of Student Life Dr. Jonny Ravanshenas says that might change, though he wouldn’t say when.

“If given the right proposal, Shalhevet may be willing to fund the hockey club,” said Dr. Ravanshenas.

BP Photo By Carin Arbib

GAME : Hockey club leader Adam Ritz shelters the ball during a scrimmage in the gym Jan. 30.

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Sports

23

Historic playoff run ends with 56-48 loss to Palm Springs Indians in CIF quarterfinals At the end of the first quarter, the Firehawks trailed 16-11. After the quarter break, the team seemed much better composed to start off the second.

Asher made a tough layup to cut the lead to three It was the first time a Jewish basketball team points. had made it this far. After moving up a division Following a tough shot by Elijah Goad, Noah and beating tough teams like Lawndale and San Rossi hit an amazing backwards layup, the score now Dimas, the Firehawk boys had made it to the 18-15. But after the play, Noah was visibly hurt and quarterfinals of CIF’s Southern Section Division eventually exited the game.

3A -- third-toughest in the southern half of the “I strained my hamstring almost a month ago,” state, a division in which no Jewish high school said Noah. “Going into the game, I tried making had even competed until this year. a move, or playing defense; it happened twice. My The crowd that had been bused to the desert kneecap is really weak.” for the occasion -- among them, Shalhevet ad“And then I tried playing again and I put a bunch ministrators, teachers and 28 students who had of like cream on it. I tried to help myself but it didn’t been let out of school two hours early to attend work out.”

-- was ready.

Still, after a lay-up by Parker, the Firehawks rallied The lights inside the Palm Springs High and ended the half with momentum. Asher Dauer hit School gym were bright, and the Firehawks, 24-7 a tough shot and Zack Muller hit a one-of-a-kind lathis year and seeded fourth, geared up to take on yup. He drove in the lane, powered his way through the 25-5 Indians, seeded fifth. and was fouled for the and-one.

And though the 120-mile drive in the rain Down 29-22 at halftime, the Firehawks used that had taken around four hours for the fans and momentum to propel them during the second half, four and a-half for the players, everyone’s ruach, with great put-backs by Jacob Benezra, tough shots by or spirit, was electric.

Asher Dauer, and stellar play by Zack Muller.

But it wasn’t enough.

BP Photo By Tobey Lee In the third quarter, the Firehawks cut the deficit After a long and fierce battle of a game, to four points. Specifically, Zack made a play that was Shalhevet fell to Palm Springs 56-48 in the CIF DEFENSE: Firehawk forward Jeremy Asheghian attempts to block a lay-up in the Firehawks’ CIF spectacular -- he pump-faked his man, drove in the Southern Section Division 3A quarterfinals, on a playoff loss against the Palm Springs Indians 56-48 Feb. 14. The Firehawks were the first Jewish team ever to advance so far into the CIF Southern Section Division 3A playoffs. lane, got the shot up, and got sent to the free throw rainy Thursday night, Feb. 14, in Palm Springs. line. The fans were going wild.

“We just tried to keep our heads up,” said And both teams kept on fighting. Palm Springs Firehawk forward Asher Dauer, who was named “Towards the end of the game, we played good defense, but we countered with a three and Asher Dauer matched it with a threeco-MVP of the Glouberman Tournament in November. He said just couldn’t get to the finish line,” said Noah. pointer of his own.

At the end of the quarter, Shalhevet was still everyone on the team, including coach Ryan Coleman, was aware Palm Springs guard Isaiah Goad said after the game that the down by four. of the stakes. team’s offense was centered around Parker’s versatility.

To start the fourth, senior forward Jeremy Asheghian hit a huge “Ryan at every timeout was telling us to keep our heads up,” “We just played off of him, and if he gets the ball inside, he’ll three to bring the game to 39-38. And after Parker hit one of two Asher said, “and kept reminding us that this could potentially be make a great play,” said Isaiah. free throws, Jacob Benezra managed a huge offensive rebound and the last game of our season and that we have to give it our all.”

Coming into the game, the Indians knew beating the Firehawks layup to tie the game. It was the first time the Firehawks hadn’t For some, it felt familiar. Just two years ago, the Firehawks would be a challenge, said Indians coach Chris Howard. ended their season in a close defeat to the cross-town Milken Com“Everyone plays hard, everyone’s a threat,” Coach Howard said trailed.

Though it looked like the Firehawks had the momentum, from munity High School for the championship of Division 4A -- the of the Firehawks. “Very difficult to scout for.” this point on, they lost their grip. The Indians went on a 17-8 run first time two Jewish schools had competed against each other for He said much of the Indians’ strategy was devoted to containing to finish the game, ultimately shutting down the Firehawks on all any CIF division title. the Firehawks’ best player -- and the de-facto team leader -- senior cylinders.

Now it was only a quarter-final, but it was Division 3. point guard and Glouberman co-MVP Zack Muller.

When it was over, Zack came up to A coin toss had determined it would be an Indians home game, Number four Elijah Goad -- Isaiah Goad’s twin Noah, and it was all emotion from that even though Shalhevet was seeded higher. Athletic Coordinator Jeff brother -- was tasked with battling it out with Zack, point on. Both players -- and others, too -Remer said the four and a half hour drive for the boys, who had and the two were constantly going at each other each 'Towards the end of the were bawling. taken a separate bus just for the team, took a toll on Firehawks. play of the game. Zack ran the offense and would try “You played an incredible game,” said game, we played good de“When you’re on a bus from 12:30 and arriving at 5:00, and to facilitate a play each drive.

Noah to Zack. every time you try to get to the game the road that you’re supposed “He was a good player -- it was very intense,” said fense, but we just couldn’t Later, still clearly shaken up, Noah exto take is closed, and you have to go through Cathedral City, and Elijah. “It was hard guarding him but I just had to try get to the finish line' plained his relationship with Zack. back track back, you know there’s just an element of stiffness and to get it done for my team.”

“Zack’s been my best friend since elestuff, and it’s hard to get loose,” said Remer.

Shalhevet’s Asher Dauer said the team had mentary school and he’s a huge reason why I Whatever the reasons, the Firehawks made a valiant attempt but planned to set screens and attack the basket. He also - Noah Rossi, 12th grade switched to Shalhevet in 12th grade,” Noah fell short as the Indians dominated defensively, spoiling the Fire- said the Firehawks liked that the Indians gave them a said. “He brings out everyone and makes hawks’ strategy of being agman-to-man defense. everyone better.” gressive on offense.

“We were really excited that they played ‘man’ afIt was as if Shalhevet was Moshe and had 'Everyone plays hard, every“Our plan was to atter facing ‘zone [defense]’ the last couple of games, been prevented from entering its promised tack them on the offensive cause we usually thrive off of man,” Asher said.

“We’re one’s a threat. Very difficult land. After months of preparation, Shalglass,” said Coach Colepretty good off of isolation and dribble penetration.” to scout for.' hevet had reached the farthest a Jewish team had ever gotten in man. “Try to keep them off But things were rough for the Firehawks as early as tip-off. the glass on their end. We The Indians started off the game shutting down the Firehawk California.

After the game, the fans on the bus were silent. It was dark in — Indians Coach Chris Howard were trying to attack the offense, which didn’t score until there were four minutes left in the Palm Springs; matching the tone of the Shalhevet community. rim at every opportunity first quarter. on the Firehawks Asher tried to move on from the loss. we could.”

The Firehawks played a 2-3 defense, which means two smaller “I’m obviously really disappointed about the loss right now, but But they were met by a men were towards the front of the play and the other were towards hopefully we’re going to keep moving forward,” said Asher. “We’re dominant Indian defense the basket. Each set of men was in a straight line, five feet apart. that prevented them from taking the high-quality shots players The first Firehawk basket of the game -- a long two-pointer -- lucky enough to be able to play in another tournament -- the Sarwanted. was made guard Ze’ev Remer, and the Shalhevet crowd went nuts. achek Tournament -- unlike the rest of the teams in CIF.”

By Tobey Lee, Features Editor, and Alex Rubel, Sports Editor

“I think we took too many contested shots,” he said. “We played a little bit out of character. We weren’t as patient as we normally are.

From that aspect, it was a little disappointing.”

On the defensive side, the Firehawks played hard but were lacking in height compared to their opponents. Also, the Indians managed to beat the Firehawk strategy of surprise.

“We were just trying to confuse them and give them different looks,” Coach Coleman said. “They’re a really good offensive team.”

The Firehawks’ tallest active player was senior forward Noah Rossi, who is 6’1. The Indians had a 6’6 center, Parker Hunt, who dominated the paint and secured crucial rebounds. Throughout the game, it was apparent that the Firehawks could not contain him.

“He was killing us -- he’s huge,” said Coach Coleman of Parker.

“He’s a big, strong kid.”

Because of the height difference, the Firehawks decided before the game that they would double-team Hunt if necessary. And that’s exactly what they did.

“That was the game plan from the beginning,” said Noah. “But after a while of him being a good basketball player and him finding the open man after the double, we had to abandon that and try to figure something else out.”

Eventually they decided to double-team him, but it was too late.

The score was now 7-2 in favor of the Indians.

Another key factor for the Firehawks was stellar play by junior Jacob Benezra, who usually comes off the bench but this time got the start. After Ze’ev’s basket, Jacob got the ball back after a steal and put up an acrobatic layup to get a clutch basket for the Firehawks.

Senior forward Jeremy Asheghian then was sent to the line and hit one of two, which brought the score to 12-5 Palm Springs with 2:05 left in the first quarter. Going to the free-throw line was a common occurrence for the Firehawks; the Indians had nine firsthalf fouls, which meant the Firehawks spent a good part of their night at the line.

Next, Zack Muller got an offensive rebound in a sea of Indians’ defenders and put the ball back up to bring the game to 16-9.

He then made another stellar play, saving the ball from going out of bounds and finding Asher for an easy layup.

BP Photo By Tobey Lee

MANO E MANO: Firehawk guard Zack Muller gets ready to guard the Indians’ Isaiah Goad as Palm Springs prepares a play.

24

The Boiling Point • March 2019 • Sports

Firehawk girls fall in CIF playoffs in overtime heartbreak against Bloomington Christian Are the Chargers LA’s curse?

By Clara Sandler, Co-Editor-in-Chief For the first 15 years of my life, I was football team-less. I rooted for teams here and there -- I had a Manning brothers phase between second and fifth grades when I rooted for the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts.

But in the back of my mind, and in the back of my dad’s mind, we longed for the Los Angeles Rams. My dad grew up a Rams fan back in the ‘70s, when the Rams played at the Coliseum and running back Eric Dickerson rushed over a thousand yards a season, so all I heard during my childhood was the prophecy that “the Rams will come back.”

The Rams came back, and now they’re temporarily playing in the Coliseum and have RB Todd Gurley rushing over 1,000 yards per season. And after 20-plus years of an NFL-less Los Angeles, we have the Chargers too. And both teams were pretty impressive this year.

After an exciting 13-3 season, the Rams made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Their record matched the score of the final game. Even though the Super Bowl was perhaps the most boring football game I have ever watched, the fact that my team was in it and playing against inarguably the greatest football player of all time was a tremendous experience.

My brother bawled as the Rams lost, and I too was sad, but I was more happy that we had made it this far. I also know that this is not the last time Coach Sean McVay and QB Jared Goff will make it to the Super Bowl. For now, there is no denying that the Patriots are undefeatable, but there is also no denying that the Rams are pretty good too.

But they lost to the Patriots. So did the Chargers, earlier. The New England Patriots are AFC and NFL kings who seem to beat every single Los Angeles team they face. What is it about Boston and Los Angeles?

I am more than thrilled that LA has football. I am more than thrilled that LA is proving that it has the fan base and ability to have a good football team.

But when I go to Rams’ games, and the loudspeaker asks: “Whose house?” And the entire stadium roars back “Rams’ house!”

I can’t help but be resentful towards those Chargers. Why did they move here? Why couldn’t LA be sufficient with just the one football team? Dayenu!

And I can’t help wondering slightly whether the Chargers are LA’s bad luck charm. Since they moved, the Dodgers have made it to the World Series twice, the Rams made it to the Super Bowl.

The Clippers have made multiple playoff appearances only to come up short, and the Lakers got LeBron James and still lose to teams who would otherwise be tanking. They’re below .500 and might not even make the playoffs. If the Chargers left LA, would other LA teams start winning?

Perhaps there’s some other logical explanation that I can’t seem to understand because I’m blinded by annoyance and envy over Boston’s success and LA’s failure. LA is cursed with an ability to make it to the championship and then choke at the last second.

I am absolutely superstitious and absolutely bitter. For now, I’ll blame the Chargers and wait for the Dodger season to start. And I’ll hope that the Rams move past this, tweak their technique a little bit and allow themselves to taste victory someday soon -- for all of us sports fans in LA.

phenomenon that we're not used to,” said Kiku. of Hila, the Firehawk short lead evaporated as the “We are definitely capable. Whether or not we pull Ravens made two consecutive three-pointers. It was too little too late as the buzzer sounded. through is about mental strength.”

The loss was the culmination of a hard-fought That appeared to be what the problem, as the The Firehawks were defeated by the BloomingRavens were able to convert critical shots just when playoffs, featuring playoff wins against top schools ton Christian Ravens of San Bernardino County Wiseburn Da Vinci on Jan. 29, 51-36, AGBU Feb. they needed them most.

52-48, in overtime in a The Firehawks maintained a short lead 7, 47-36, and Samueli on Feb. 9, 50-39. The team roller-coaster CIF quarfor most of the game, largely in part to the finished 15-5 in the regular season. ter-final playoff game Despite the quarterfinal loss, Firehawk girls ball movement of duo Firehawk star guards “We hung with tough Wednesday, Feb 13. putCoach Jeff Remer thinks the future is bright for basMaital Hiller and Kiku Shaw.

The game teams and our aggresting an end to the girls’ was neck and neck heading into the final ketball at Shalhevet.

Division 5A playoff amsiveness carried us to the “We’re doing good things on all fronts,” said minutes of the fourth quarter. With about bitions. quarterfinals,” 30 seconds left in regulation, forward Hila Coach Remer. “We’re moving the school’s sports Rising-star forward Lasry made a clutch, game-tying three- program in the right direction.”

Hila Lasry’s five secondMeanwhile, the Firehawks finished in second pointer, and the game went into overtime - Maital Hiller, 11th grade half three-pointers and after the Ravens failed to score before the place in the Galbut Tournament on Mar. 3, hosted the enthusiastic Fireby Hebrew Academy Miami -- an improvement buzzer. hawk playoff crowd And despite more heroics on the part over their fifth place finish last year. weren’t enough to stymie the Ravens’ gallant overtime rally that put them over the top. They were just two wins shy of a CIF Southern Section Division 5A championship appearance.

“I think we overall played strongly on both the offensive and defensive ends,” said star Firehawk guard Maital Hiller. “But the other team hit lucky and important shots in overtime that sealed the deal for them.”

She credited the team’s bold playing strategy with their playoff success.

“We hung with tough teams and our aggressiveness carried us to the quarterfinals,” Maital said.

The Firehawks knew they would have a challenge beating Bloomington Christian. In an interview before the game, star Firehawk guard Kiku Shaw said the Firehawks would have a difficult task in contending against a team that had high basketball IQ -- the ability to dominate the mental aspect BP Photo by Neima Fax of the game.

“How we handle people playing on the court STRUGGLE: Firehawk guard Maital Hiller heads for the basket in the second quarter of a close game in the gym Feb. 13. The score was tied at the end of the fourth quarter, and the Firehawks lost by 4 points in overtime. against teams who know what they're doing is a

By Caleb Fishman, Staff Writer, and Alex Rubel, Sports Editor

New baseball coach brings 40 years of experience

By Tobey Lee, Features Editor Shalhevet’s new baseball coach’s philosophy is quite simple: do your best, have a good time, and win.

“I’ve only had one losing season and I don’t plan on having one at Shalhevet,” said Coach Brad Gunches, who took over as head coach in late January. “I’ve been coaching baseball for over 40 years, so I’m not a young chicken.”

His coaching career spans more than four decades, during which he led the San Fernando Rockies to win the California state championships and his T-ball team to win the Babe Ruth Little League World Series in 1984.

Now coming to Shalhevet, Coach Gunches hopes to finally bring some stability to the Shalhevet baseball program, which has seen three different coaches in the past three seasons. He’ll bring along with him his long-time assistant coach, Phil Fields.

But he knows how much work it will take to make Shalhevet a “baseball” school.

“It takes a lot to win a league championship,” Coach Gunches said.

Last year’s Firehawk baseball team finished 5-10, and the year before that they finished 7-81, but Coach Gunches hopes to use his expertise to turn things around.

He says what he wants to see most is players giving it their all.

“I will never yell at a player for making an error,” he said. “But for mental mistakes and not hustling, absolutely.

“I get more out of the kids building them up, teaching them, and coaching them.”

Growing up, Coach Gunches used to watch the Brooklyn Dodgers on his black-and-white TV set when Walter Alston was the manager. Alston would sit back and let the players play until he had something to say, and that’s how Gunches wants to coach this season.

“It’s a kid’s game,” he said.

He came to Shalhevet partly because of the school’s basketball coach: Ryan Coleman. Mr. Gunches said he was intrigued by Coach Coleman’s leadership of the basketball team, which he saw when the Firehawks played against Grant High

“He tries, he’s committed, so that’s good,” said junior Jesse Harrison, who pitches and plays shortstop. “He’s a bit more easy-going, so people like him more.”

Jesse already sees an impact on its practices, which are now at Valley College on a brand-new turf field, on Sunday mornings, with equipment ready for them to use. Last year the team practiced at Rancho Park and no equipment was provided.

“We have our jerseys, we have everything we want,” Jesse said. “It’s just about how much we want to win.”

Freshman outfielder David Stein called him a player’s coach.

“He brings our team spirit up,” said David. “He teaches a lot of mechanics and teaches us how to be good teammates.”

Coach Gunches hopes fans will come cheer on the team, which in past years they have not, even in contested rivalry games against schools such as YULA. “I would love just to be half of what the basketball team does,” said Coach Gunches. “If I could get these kids to the playoffs, great.”

And it’s not too late to join. Coach Gunches wants to get as many players on the team as possible.

“If anybody wants to come out, they’re more BP Photo by Alex Rubel than welcome to come out and just see if they WIN: Coach Gunches smiles for the camera following Shalhewant to play,” he said. vet’s 10-0 win over Environmental Charter Feb. 28. It was the Coach Gunches first started coaching baseFirehawk's first victory this season after starting off 0-2. ball as an assistant coach in September 1977 at Francis Polytechnic Senior High School in Sun Valley, going 18-2 in his first season. They lost both games to Granada Hills -- whose right-fielder they run on offense.”

On a separate occasion, he saw Shalhevet base- and pitcher was John Elway, the former NFL quarterback. The second season the team went 15-5. ball play De Toledo last April.

He also worked at Grant and Chatsworth high “It just seemed like there was no excitement on the field,” Coach Gunches said. “It just seemed like schools in the Valley, and coached Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Little League T-ball, where he led his they gave up.”

Now he has the chance to change that. The play- team to win the national Babe Ruth League World ers seem to like him so far. As of Feb. 28 the team Series in 1984.

He also coached the San Fernando Rockies at is 1-2, but they have only been practicing since late Pierce College for seven years and won the district January.

The team has developed a routine and typically and state tournaments, losing in the regional playpractices Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Their offs.

He’s also coached travel teams, and taken four of first game was Feb. 12, and there are more than 20 games scheduled this season -- five more than last his teams to play in tournaments at Cooperstown, where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located. season.

School, where Gunches was working at the time.

He noticed that Coach Coleman’s players could win despite having a height disadvantage.

“His coaching style, you know, you just gotta love,” he said. “Just something that got me intrigued. He gets everything out of all of his ball players.”

“The tallest kid was 6’2,” he said, shorter than the other team’s average. “These guys are jumping all around, playing defense, and they know what