Octoberboilingpointpage1

The Boiling Point Shalhevet high School

New tech classes draw 27 students after school

By Eric Bazak, Staff Writer

-

B P PHO T O BY G OLDIE F IELDS

TRAFFIC: Residents of Barrows Drive, which goes west from Fairfax opposite Shalhevet, are afraid traffic from new apartments being built as part of the project will clog their street in spite of no-left-turn and no-entry signs.

Construction edges closer as city zoning official approves plans for new building

By Alexa Fishman, Community Editor

such the demand in the schools that have this program far exOffered exclusively to freshmen and sophomores, the course is being taught

“It is not expensive for the public to appeal, [but] hope-

A key city zoning administrator has promised to approve Shalhevet’s building plans, meaning that construc-

BP P HO T O B Y D ORELLE N A HMA NY

ing degree from Columbia University in addition to his rab-

LAB: From left, Kian Marghzar, Mark Miller and Eliana Hjortzberg Litov at CIJE Sept. 12

plans to build apartments on the part of the school’s lot

-

Tovar presided over a four-hour construction hearing at

-

-

Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 4

City Councilman Tom LaBonge in support of Shalhevet,

Shalhevet debaters invited to Boston to advise new model US Senate program

By Alexa Fishman, Community Editor

According to Rebecca Rosenthal, Shalhevet’s contact

what’sinside

-

pg 23

She said the exact date for the conference had not yet been set, but that the beta-testing involving Shalhevet

Karate Champ Newt talks nukes with the Boiling Point at LAX

Atara Segal is first woman to teach Gemara in LA

By Mati Hurwitz, Torah Editor

“She is a real Torah scholar and an excellent role

an teaching Gemara in an LA Orthodox high school this

-

pg 20

miley

pg 7

Continued on Page 18

a Bais Yaakov-type high

Continued on Page 19

COMMUNITY

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

2

New $100,000 grant endows Poland-Israel trip

Shalhevet sponsoring first-ever Jewish high school journalism conference later this month

By Alexa Fishman, Community Editor Students from across the U.S. will study topics ranging from ethics of journalism to journalism conference for students at Jewish high schools Oct. 24-27, sponsored by Shalhevet and the American Jewish Press Association.

The new organization, called the Jewish Scholastic Press Association, or JSPA, was spearheaded by Mrs. Joelle Keene to help students learn how to report about Jewish issues as well as the widest possible range of teen-related topics. The conference will also cover journalism basics like layout, interview technique and privacy laws.

“As a Jewish high school, we cover news that other people don’t,” said Mrs. Keene, who is faculty advisor to The Boiling Point.

“I wasn’t so much thinking of the contion – JSPA -- where all the schools who are trying to do Jewish reporting could compare notes, encourage one another, and learn to handle the full spectrum of Jewish concerns.”

Attendees will have a choice of journalism workshops and lectures, most presented at Bnai David-Judea Congregation on Pico Boulevard, along with meals and special programs on Shabbat.

Among the speakers will be Gary Rosenblatt, Editor in Chief of the New York Jewish Week, who will give a keynote address on Jewish journalism ethics; Jennifer Medina, a national correspondent for The New York Times, who will speak about life as a Modern Orthodox news reporter; Dana Erlich, Director of Public Diplomacy for the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles; and Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, who will give a wanting to avoid lashon harah (gossip) and using information to protect others from harm.

Mrs. Keene said she got the idea from attending conferences of the NSPA and CSPA, the National and Columbia Scholastic Press Associations, respectively, and had been thinking about it for several

30

not ideal.

“This is the best of all worlds and will allow our students to be incredible journalists and fully committed Jews.”

So far, SAR High School in Riverdale, New York, and Jewish Community High School of the Bay, in San Francisco, have registered, while Maimonides of Boston and Marvin Berman Academy of Maryland are among others who have expressed interest.

Local schools have been invited as well.

Over Shabbat, students will eat and daven at Bnai David, hopefully meeting each other and learning from one another’s prior experiences in high school journalism.

Other planned speakers David Nimmer, a national authority on copyright law

The Poland-Israel trip is one of the best things we do in the school, so we are very lucky and thankful that every student should be able to go.

Suissa, columnist, publisher of the Jewish Journal and father of freshman Noah Suissa; and Kathy Neumeyer, advisor to the Harvard-Westlake Chronicle..

October

Tuesday

1

cipal Reb Noam Weissman. “I was super excited when I heard.”

According to Mrs. Lewis, since the grant is an endowment, Shalhevet plans to only use the money earned from the interest the endowment makes, not the principle, to fund scholarships. With that strategy, depending on the economy, the fund would hopefully last forever.

This year, since there is not enough

An anonymous donor has created a new $100,000 endowment to support Shalhevet’s annual senior Poland-Israel trip, hoping to make sure every senior has the ability to attend the once-in-alifetime experience.

Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal called it an “important step.”

“Thrilled to hear that donors are starting to recognize the importance of endowments,” Rabbi Segal said, “as well as the profound impact that our PolandIsrael trip has on our students.”

Interest earned on the endowment will provide scholarships for the Israel portion of the trip for three or four students per year, depending on BP PHO T O B Y EMILIE B ENYO WITZ factors such as inter- EXPERIENCE: Students stand outside a concentration est rates, additional camp wrapped in an Israeli flag in 2013 on their senior gifts, and students’ Poland-Israel trip. needs, according to Executive Director Mrs. Robyn Lewis.

Last year, several seniors did not make the trip, which cost about $5,200 per student.

This year, she said, the price may be even higher, be–Principal Reb Noam Weissman cause this year’s senior class is smaller and certain costs time to wait for the endowment to reThe journey begins in Poland, where ceive interest, Shalhevet will take monstudents visit concentration camps and ey from the principle and replace that massacre sites as well as cities where money taken later on, she said.

“I am incredibly thankful and apJewish life thrived before the Holocaust. They also meet with the tiny preciative for the thoughtful, kind, and Jewish communities that remain there. generous gift,” Ms. Lewis said.

Senior Yan Kligerman is hoping to chance to see what the State of Israel time. means in a new light.

“Since I’ve never been outside of the “The Poland-Israel trip is one of the best things we do in the school, so we country, this is an exciting trip for me,” are very lucky and thankful that every said Yan. “The grant is extremely generous.” student should be able to go,” said Prin-

years.

Last June, she attended the annual conference of the American Jewish Press Association, where she met Marshall Weiss, the group’s president. He shared her interest in the subject.

“Mrs. Keene and I discussed the importance of cultivating the next generation of Jewish journalists,” said Mr. Weiss in an interview. “I thought we would go back and gradually put something together, but to my pleasant surprise, Joelle contacted me in the mid-summer and said that she was ready to get the ball rolling.”

With the support of Head of School Rabi Ari Segal – who not only agreed to co-sponsor the group but also personally invited Jewish high schools through their heads of school – Mrs. Keene started with 10 schools, all with active journalism programs.

“For years Jewish schools and students have had to choose between full participation in conferences and full Shabbat observance,” Rabbi Segal said. “And while I’m thankful to conference organizers who

WELCOME: New ninth graders and their parents met on the Sport Court at the Freshman Barbecue Aug. 26.

Monday

By Eric Bazak, Staff Writer

Friday

Thursday

Wednesday

2

BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS

3

4

5/6 Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan

Candlelighting: 6:17

Fire Week

7

8

9

Back to School Night 7 PM

Senior Retreat

10

11

14 Columbus Day

Candlelighting: 6:07

15 Picture Makeup Day

Fire Week

21

22

16

PSAT

17

18

Freshman Retreat 23

24

Candlelighting: 5:58

25

Fire Week

30

31

Havdalah: 7:10

12/13 Parshat Lech-Lecha Havdalah: 7:01

19/20 Havdalah: 6:53

26/27

JSPA Convention Candlelighting: 5:50

29

Parshat Noach

Parshat Vayeira

Hawk Week

28

Schoolwide Oneg Shabbat

Hawk Week

Weekend

Parshat Chayei Sarah

Havdalah: 6:45

Faculty In Service Day

2/3 Parshat Toldot SUN: Open House

Candlelighting: 5:43

Havdalah: 6:39

1

COMMUNITY

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

3

School will add founders and donors to its name next year

A

Slice of

Shalheaven A bittersweet farewell to morgues, cockroaches, and other memories

By Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn, Editor-at-Large Welcome to the end of an era. Goodbye big beige box on Fairfax and San Vicente. So long, hideous blue-ish carpet. Au revoir alarm-will-sound-if-door-is-opened door that is constantly opened and never alarms. Bon voyage everlasting supply of cockroaches! Goodbye Shalhevet that I have known for so many years.

The date of demolition is in the near future and it’s time that we paid tribute to the wonderful building that has made Shalhevet Shalhevet for so long. After all, it housed not only next year’s sophomores, juniors and seniors, but also all the silly stories that took place in its halls.

Perhaps what we’ll miss most about our building is the fact that some students know it better than a lot of the administration, having been here – especially those of us who attended the once-upon-a-time middle school -- much longer than our current head of school and other top staff. month or two exploring the crazy little quirks within the building. Everybody has his or her own theories about what each room in the school was used for back when it used to be a hospital. The Science Lab downstairs, that was obviously the morgue, room. These theories are most likely incorrect, but regardless they make for a great ambiance at Shalhevet.

Because of its history as a hospital, the old building has also made for a perfect place to scare new students. Taking a stroll in school can sometimes be scary when no other students are around. Taking a stroll in the school after 7 p.m. is just plain terrifying.

The “secret stairwell,” the “lonely hallway,” the (literal) “morgue” -- these are all places that will be knocked down.

Some teachers know even more. Mr. Feld remembers when his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Feld, taught kindergarten in what’s now Room 1. Ms. Crincoli taught middle school nearby, and so did Morah Michal. Mrs. Keene can show you four different spaces, housed the Boiling Point.

These are just some of the things that we won’t be able to do with the new building.

We have spent so long in these hallways making this school our own. It is quite clear that the current juniors own the hallway space right next to Mrs. Keene’s room, and the outside yard belongs to the freshmen. Just where will our next homes be? It’s in, new places to hang out and, of course, new places to study.

It’s bitterest and least sweet for the current juniors, next year’s seniors, who will not be able to witness the new building in action (unless we come visit the school later on!), When we return next fall, half of our building will be gone. Forever.

I get it, it’s part of this whole rebuilding the future of Shalhevet thing. But cockroaches, non-working alarms, hideous carpet and all, I don’t think I’m ready to let this building go.

Dudu returns, with additions BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS

LINEUP: Students waited to buy lunch from Dudu, who catered for Shalhevet until 2011 and is back again this year. He offers sushi, salads, and various other entrees every day, and for the first time ever, students can also order food to pick up after school if they are staying for co-curriculars.

BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS

DIG: The Feders, Gills, Friedmans and Rabbi Segal wield symbolic shovels at a mock ground-breaking for the new building last June. Shalhevet’s new name will be the Jean and Jerry Friedman Shalhevet High School.

By Sarah Soroudi, Editor-in-Chief, and Tamar Willis, Deputy Editor-in-Chief

were former board president Esther Feder, her husband Steven, and his mother, Margaret Feder, who together donated funds to keep the school alive dur-

Shalhevet will change it’s name to the Jean and Jerry Friedman Shalhevet High School when the new building opens, and the building itself will be called the Feder Family Campus, Board President Larry Gill announced at the school’s annual Gala Dinner June 12.

Dr. Jerry and Jean Friedman, who were at the event, founded the school in 1993 to offer a co-ed, Modern Orthodox Torah education along with research-based training in moral development. Dr. Friedman also served as Head of School until 2009.

"The school is the legacy of the Friedmans and it should be forever linked with their name," Mr. Gill said in an interview later.

He said he thought the school would still be called Shalhevet commonly.

"They're not hoping to replace the Shalhevet name,” Mr. Gill said, noting that it was the Friedmans who came up with it to begin with. “The Friedmans want the Shalhevet name to live on for sure. I don't think there will be a big change in the way the school is referenced."

Originally – when they named the school at the time of its opening back in 1993 – Dr. and Mrs. Friedman decided against having their name as a part of the school’s name. But now they are comfortable with it.

“Many years ago they asked if they could name the school after me, and I said no, I didn't think it would be right, because I was working here and so forth,” Dr. Friedman said.

“But now I think it’s different,” he said. “I’m very proud of the school, I think we’ve done a lot of wonderful things and have a good reputation.

We’re doing really well with Rabbi Segal and are moving in the direction that my vision carried me to, so my wife and I are honored to have the school named after us.”

The name “Shalhevet” was chosen when the ation.

“The name originally came this way, which is interesting: we kept coming up with Einstein Academy and different males’ names,” said Dr. Friedman.

“My wife, who wants women to be treated equally, suggested we call it Golda Meir school or something like that.

“Then my wife came up with Shalhevet and everyone bought into it because it wasn’t named after a male or female but after a biblical term about the

Mr. Gill praised their support and said the building name was well earned.

"Like the Friedmans, the Feders have given a tremendous amount of energy, money and love to the school," Mr. Gill told The Boiling Point. "I can't think of anyone more deserving of having their name on the campus.”

The Feder family has been supporting Shalhevet since before it opened.

“We wanted to do it much more anonymously," Mrs. Feder told The Boiling Point.

But it was hard to hide their involvement, since it had started at the founding of the school, long before any of their children attended.

"I thought the Los Angeles community needed a coed high school in the Modern Orthodox community – we were at the meetings even before the school began,” Mrs. Feder said.

“The Feder family was one of the founding families over 20 years ago, and my husband and I wanted to continue on with that support.”

I’m very proud of the school, I think we’ve done a lot of wonderful things and have a good reputation.

He agreed that the school’s everyday name wouldn’t really change.

“I think it’ll probably stay Shalhevet,” Dr. Friedman said. “It’s more of an honorary change, certainly I wouldn't want to see the culture change.”

The June gala was held on the Sport Court, inside Supporters, alumni, and past and present faculty of the school enjoyed dinner, speeches and musical performances by the Choirhawks and a professional band.

The night ended with the Feders, Friedmans and Gills holding “golden” shovels and wearing hard hats, while posing for a picture. The shovels were poised over a sandbox, symbolizing the hoped-for groundbreaking to come. Also honored at the event

--Dr. Jerry Friedman, founder of Shalhevet

ever. Mr. Roland Arnall, z”l, who died in 2008, was represented by his brother Claude.

Claude Arnall told his brother’s life story. A Holocaust survivor, founder of Ameriquest Mortgage and ambassador to Belgium, he donated millions of dollars to Jewish causes around the world. After he died, his wife donated the piano he had played at the Belgian embassy to Shalhevet, where it is played in the Beit Midrash.

Mr. Gill said Mr. Arnall had been "a tremendous oring him would be placed in the lobby of the new building in his honor.

“Mr. Arnall gave a tremendous about of money, and unfortunately he passed away and we didn't have the chance to honor him during his life," Mr. Gill said.

It's the school's name change, though, that's really getting people talking.

“I like the name of Shalhevet the way it is,” said senior Natalie Dahan. “This name sounds a bit long, but I also think it’s important to show respect to the people who made this school happen. I will still probably call it Shalhevet though.”

The honorees, for their part, were more interested in talking about the school’s future.

“I hope that it [the campus name] is something that our children and grandchildren to come will be proud of,” said Mrs. Feder. “We're very proud of the work that goes on every day and we're honored to be a part of the new generation."

COMMUNITY

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

4

In newest Advisory program, each grade is unique

By Rose Lipner, Staff Writer What will happen when Shalhevet trades in the traditional cooking, chatting and art project advisory for an hour-long class of study skills or learning?

an entirely new program for the every-otherTuesday 1:55 p.m. time slot.

“The biggest improvement will be a noticeable focus on addressing the particular

spearheaded the advisory changes.

This fall in advisory, freshmen and sophomores will be working on organization, academic, and time management skills, while juniors will have casual seminars where groups of three teachers will sessions about rhetoric and the arts. Seniors will explore gap years

BP P HO T O B Y S ARA H E LPA S

RHETORIC: Science teacher and Debate coach Mr. Chris Buckley gives juniors a taste of the new Advisory, which for 11th graders will include seminars on rhetoric and the arts. Freshmen and sophomores are learning study skills, and seniors about college and gap year.

application process.

A big change is that the focus of advisory will be different for each grade, and will vary as the year progresses.

The goal is to personalize advisory by tailoring it to the sory of the past did not help students who were stressed and anxious. The new program, he said, will enable teach-

Every program, Advisory–Ma’agal included, needs a recalibration, so long as core principles remain: developing happy, healthy students. The spirit and practice of Ma’agal will remain, but it will not form the crux of the advisory meeting.

-- Mr. Danovitch, General Studies Principal

ers to “help students balance life in a social and academic manner,” especially freshmen and sophomores who are still adjusting to high school.

wide range of topics, ranging from current events to sleep habits, and sometimes showed movies or took their groups to Starbuck’s.

Some students said they would miss that.

Advisory until this year and also contributed to the new -

type of class,” said sophomore Samantha Bernstein. “We can talk about anything that’s on our mind, and adding a

recalibration, so long as core principles remain: developing

class.”

But others looked forward to the change.

crux of the advisory meeting.”

Advisory is scheduled during the sixth period of the day

more productive now that we are learning essential skills and tips.”

at Shalhevet.

responsible for their overall well-being and who also acted as a liaison between the school and parents.

For many years, program met weekly, but last year it switched to every other week, alternating with SWAP

seemed to have in mind. So will the changes to advisory be permanent?

“Few things in life are and this is certainly not one of

New tech classes draw 27 students to after-school classes and Thursdays for an hour each, with a third hour rotating

Continued from Page 1 Stein said. That’s because the goal of the course is for students to collaborate and develop complex technology, mainly in electronics, with minimal guidance from teachers.

Projects will be the major component of students’ grades. Participants will be expected to work outside of school as well during class, Rabbi Stein said in an interview, and in groups of three, they will learn the importance

whatever the project is.

“There are so many different project possibilities,” Rabbi Stein said. “As a team, you must identify how to solve the problem using circuits, robotics and programming.”

But 15 sophomores and 14 freshmen were interested, so of donations from anonymous Shalhevet donors to fund a

minutes each, and the other class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students could decide which days were more conve-

email through Schoology, “we not only get to involve more including YULA, Valley Torah and New

in other co-curriculars.” class, but students had to be committed and prepared to be

varied from why they wanted to join to if they had any acronym used by scientists for Science, ematics.

“We have known about this program for a while now and are very excited to wood said.

BP P HO T O B Y D ORELLE N A HMA NY

CREATING: Students Kian Marghzar, Mark Miller and Eliana Litov get hands-on experience in electronics and teamwork during CIJE class.

students were already given a taste of teamwork, as they were assigned to groups to both build and actually The original plan was for the class

put it, “any nerdy things,” like computer programming or building things.

“The interview wasn’t too stressful and was pretty easy

The program is designed to be a two-year course, and is still considered to be a co-curricular as well because it meets after school. educational opportunity.

COMMUNITY

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

5

Lively campaign marks first-ever fall elections

By Tamar Willis, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and Rose Lipner, Staff Writer -

handed out miniature Snickers bars and hung up a life-size banner of herself with the slogan, “Vote Rina for a fun-sized year!”

Adam Rokah, also up for Agenda vice-chair, posted a sign made out of a Post-it Note ad-

At lunchtime on Sept. 16, a line of students waiting to lights, urging students to “Post two-and-a-half hours later, ballots began to be counted in touting their ideas and planning skills.

Winners for chair and co-chair positions were announced that evening over Schoology and The Boiling Point’s Facebook page. But new vice-chairs, secretaries

The position of vice chair of Fairness doesn’t exist.

previous years, leadership roles were chosen the previous spring, meaning graduating seniors could vote but incoming freshmen could not. son elections weren’t held at the end of last year was because it was “too rushed,” even though that was originally the plan.

pitches to the voters, promoting themselves using videos and speeches. Students responded enthusiastically to the videos, and sat respectfully while listening to the speeches.

BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS

CHAIR: Senior Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn was elected to lead the Agenda Committee.

video for the occasion and followed it with a speech.

No one had signed up to run for freshman representa-

nah, who served three years on Agenda and led several

charts and also showed his campaign video from two years Waldman, who was elected Agenda grade-level rep, along with Alec Fields. “There were a lot of ninth-graders run-

which was the only full week of school before the two week the other 5 percent.

I always knew that I was interested in running for Agenda, and when I saw everyone getting up there I just decided to get up there and run.

--Nicole Soussana, 9th grade

wanted to run. Three freshmen raised their hands and volunteered to run for spots on the three committees. Results of that race, too, were announced the morning after.

Fairness co-chairs. Voters were allowed to split their tickets, however, and vote for any two they wanted.

The experience of voting helped freshman feel more at home at the school.

vote, though, because you had to take the initiative yourself

have been a junior this year if he had not transferred to Valley Torah. Students could vote for any two of the three.

A list of all election winners can be found at www.shalhevetboilingpoint.com.

New Bio teacher brings a bit of Puetro Rico to Los Angeles

Subbing job brings Mrs. Fuller, formerly of Milken, out of retirement to stay

By Mati Davis, Staff Writer

By Micah Gill, Staff Writer, and Sarah Soroudi, Editor-in-Chief

eral Studies faculty this year, bringing teaching experience, a cheerful personal-

sick.

neurobiology. Then she sought out a job

about making connections with students,

out of retirement to join the Shalhevet faca jungle in Africa.”

With a soft-spoken, Spanish-accented scribes herself as “someone who likes to get to know her students and bond with them and know them as people.”

spent three years teaching in New York at -

happy she’s back.

But previously, she taught for nine years couldn’t be more excited to start a new year

interviewed for Shalhevet.

Roger Fuller, is Upper School principal. excited to be a part of our community.

Noel said she likes and visits her hometown sometimes but doesn’t feel home-

how much nicer the weather is here than in her hometown. As many people know, Puerto Rico has tropical weather, which can be brutally hot as well as humid and stormy sometimes.

She also admires the “feel” of Los Angeles.

“People seem to be more courteous than they are Noel said. “So it feels nice… to talk to people who are kind and respectful.”

When she is not

this year if the students and teachers had not made me feel so at home last year when

really enjoying being at Shalhevet!”

As she walked out of the interview, she

all this year.” huh?” er told The Boiling Point. “The main difference is probably the size and therefore the closer ties with everyone at Shalhevet. dox makes Shalhevet more of a family as well,” she added. “The educational values are similar but Shalhevet is a more inclusive environment.” attended high school in her hometown and

likes to sew and knit clothing and travel the world. said, everyone at Shalhevet is welcoming and she is BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS looking forward CONNECT: Dr. Noel said she likes Los Angeles because people are to this coming “more courteous” here than they are in New York. year.

head of the math department in a school She and her husband are not the only educators in their family. Their son is athletic director and an assistant principal BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS

EXCITED: Math teacher Mrs. Gina Fuller appreciates the ‘closer ties’ in Shalhevet’s community.

6

COMMUNITY

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

Reb Noam becomes principal in administration shuffle

By Sigal Spitzer, Opinion Editor

S

halhevet’s administration has realigned job positions, titles and responsibilities this fall, matching tive staff.

Reb Noam Weissman, formerly Judaic Studies Director, is now overall principal, overseeing policy, discipline, davening, co-curriculars and other day-to-day operations.

Mr. Roy Danovitch remains principal of General Studies but has shifted his focus from the Just Community and student life to improving the curriculum and General Studies overall.

Judaic Studies teacher Mr. Jason Feld now oversees Advisory, along with professional development and information technology, including the new Schoology class management software and the iPads now required for all 9th and 10th grade students.

The changes, according to Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal, are designed to make the best use of people’s individual talents.

“I’m a big believer in playing to peoples strengths rather than sticking to pre-assigned roles,” Rabbi Segal said. “You can either be rigid and shove people into certain positions, strengths.”

At the department level, instead of having a separate chair for each general studies subject, Ms. Melanie Berkey and Ms. Katya Malikov now oversee two subjects each.

Their titles are Academic Chairs.

The end of academic departments the end of chairmanships for Dr. Jay Smallwood in Science and Dr. Michael Yoss in History. This year Ms. Berkey is in charge of English and History while Ms. Malikov is in charge of Science and Math.

“I thought it was too many cooks for such a small school,” said Rabbi Segal. “Not in the sense of too many opinions, but the model we had before would be more effective in a bigger school instead of our intimate environment with small departments.”

With just two or three teachers per department, he said, the chairs did not know what was expected from them or how best to hold meetings. Ms. Berkey and Ms. Malikov will work on mentorship and professional development and serve as a voice for the faculty, Rabbi Segal said.

“I think that it will be very good for the Math and Science departments with greater consistency between the teachers,” said Ms. Malikov. “We can present overlapping material in similar ways, which will make it easier for our students to learn and succeed.”

Meanwhile, Mrs. Robyn Lewis remains both Executive Director and Director of Major Gifts, but she has acquired two new assistants, Claire Benyowitz and Ivan Donadic, in development and information technology, respectively.

Mrs. Benyowitz, mother of sophomore Jake Benyowitz and freshman Nathan Benyowitz, focuses on development and fundraising. Director of Institutional Advancement Mr. Aaron Keigher, who used to assist with development, will now focus exclusively on publicity, marketing and organizing school events.

In the technology department, former science teacher Mr. Yossie Frankel is still Director of the Consortium for Academic and Informational Technologies, splitting his time among Shalhevet, Hillel Hebrew Academy and Oakland Hebrew Day School in the Bay Area.

Therefore, both Mr. Feld and new IT Consultant Ivan Donadic operate various technological gears in the school too, working with students, faculty and administration to iron out problems as they arise.

N

ew Principal Reb Noam began teaching Tanach and Gemara at Shalhevet in 2009. In 2012, he was promoted to Director of Judaic Studies, focusing on curriculum improvements and teacher guidance.

Last spring, a new Talmud curriculum that he co-

BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS

CHANGE: Former Judaic Staff principal Reb Noam is now taking on more responsibility as overall principal. He will oversee policy, discipline, and davening. The school also reduced the number of department heads. wrote with Judaic Studies teacher Rabbi David Stein won a $50,000 grant from the Mayberg Family Foundation to help spread it beyond Shalhevet.

Among his new responsibilities this year are “handbook enforcement” relating to both teachers and students, and a wide range of policy matters in addition to his previous jobs as Director of Judaic Studies, according to an email Rabbi Segal sent out over the summer.

Reb Noam also remains Israel Guidance Counselor, oversees davening, coordinates guest speakers and supervises the athletic department, said Rabbi Segal.

“Noam has a lot of strengths and is detail-oriented,” said Rabbi Segal in an interview. “He is also great with following through, and a lot of the stuff I’m giving to him requires follow-through and reliability.”

One price of all this responsibility is a teaching schedule of just three classes: 10th grade Bekiut, 11th grade Honors Tanakh, and a 12th grade Jewish Philosophy class.

According to Rabbi Segal, there is always a fear when you take someone who is an incredible teacher and give them more administrative responsibilities, but he is not worried.

“Noam is a competent administrator and this is the right equilibrium because of what he adds to the administrative team,” added Rabbi Segal. “We are losing Noam for outweighs the loss.”

Even though Noam is a “very charismatic teacher, a skill that is hard to teach,” Rabbi Segal said, “all the teachers in the school are as good as any teachers I have seen in the country.”

I

n the General Studies Department, Mr. Danovitch has served as principal since 2012. He came to Shalhevet in 2004, and since then has served as Dean of Students and JV basketball coach, created the advisory program and the creative writing class, and taught composition, British Literature, American Literature and World Literature.

In past years, Mr. Danovitch also concentrated on cocurriculars, the just community and more day-to-day proj-

ects at school.

This year, Rabbi Segal asked him to “focus exclusively on improving the general studies academic program and departments.” Mr. Danovitch has said he will hold a series of competitive “symposia” this year, when students will address important issues in the liberal arts such as whether technology makes us more or less human.

“Dano is creative, thoughtful and passionate about academic life,” said Rabbi Segal, using Mr. Danovitch’s popu-

Noam is a competent administrator and this is the right equilibrium because of what he adds to the administrative team. We are losing Noam for a period of class but the benefit we get from that completely outweighs the loss.

--Rabbi Ari Segal lar nickname. “So the purpose is to give him the opportunity to focus in on it.”

In the Judaic department, instead of having department heads, each teacher is in charge of a different aspect of Jewish life on campus. While Mrs. Atara Segal supervises Tanach classes and Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg oversees the Shalhevet Institute, Mr. Jason Feld overlooks the Jewish History sections.

And while Mr. Feld also works on technology integration, professional development and underclassmen assistance, Ivan works with students, teachers and parents to make the best use of technology.

Both Mr. Feld and Ivan work on using Schoology in the classrooms and as a tool for communication. said Ivan, who is also the husband of English teacher Ms. Michelle Crincoli.

“I love how outgoing all you guys are. You are not ‘too cool for school’ high school students. You guys are very involved.”

SIGN OF CHANGE: A dumpster arrived on the parking lot Sept. 17, but not because demolition was starting on Shalhevet’s planned construction site beside the Sport Court. Executive Director Robyn Lewis said the builders have asked that the building be completely empty so they won’t have to clear it before construction or demolish it with things inside. The building should be empty by Oct. 10, she said, and construction could start soon thereafter.

BP P HO T O B Y J OELLE K EENE

OCTOBER 2013

THE BOILING POINT

OUTSIDE NEWS

7

For teens with ties to the Middle East, concern and action around the civil war in Syria

By Daniel Steinberg, Outside News Editor Local Muslim teens with relatives in Syria don’t have to unfolding in their ancestral homeland. They are keenly aware of what life’s like on the ground in Syria, because they hear about it from their cousins, grandparents, uncles and aunts who are there.

“They’re up in the hills a little bit, so they’re not at the them to get around,” said 17-year-old Mona Ghannoum, whose grandfather and uncle living in Damascus. “I have some more distant relatives who were kidnapped or killed.”

A senior at Arcadia High School just east of Pasadena, Mona is also vice president of the Muslim Youth Group of the Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC), a moderate religious mosque whose teens collaborated with Shalhevet and the Boiling Point in the past.

Mona isn’t alone among Southern Californians in her connection to Syria. The

relatively safe.”

While Sami’s relatives may not have directly experinessed its effects in another way.

“I haven’t visited Syria, but I’ve visited Lebanon and lived there for a little bit, about one and a half hours from the border with Syria,” Sami said. “About one million peoLebanon have been of someconcern there. Still, Jordan has been getting the worst of it.”

No matter what their stance on the war itself, SyrianAmericans don’t want their relatives to suffer. For Mona, one of her primary concerns right now is convincing her “My grandfather is a huge politician there, so he has this whole mentality that he has to stay for his country and work for the people against the government,” she said. “It’s been really hard, but we’re trying to sway him and convince him to come here to safety.”

Shalhevet alumni in Israel have also paid attention to the Syrian unrest, especially after both Syria and Iran threatened to attack Israel if the United States intervened after chemical weapons were used.

In addition, it seemed possible that chemical weapons might be sent to Israel over the border.

Alumna Tamar Rohatiner Bendheim, class of 2006, said she was ner-

“There was a gas mask shortage, but eventually things worked out and we were able to get them,” said Tamar, whose husband is a pilot in the Israeli Air Force.

According to Max Rabin, class lives of thousands of Syrian-American of 2004 and older brother of junior teens, who have been driven to action in Avishai Rabin, the situation does varying amounts, depending on what kind not feel out of the ordinary. He and of situation their relatives are in. his wife got a gas masks in NovemAt Shalhevet, the Syrian civil war has ber 2012, during Operation Pillar of been discussed in some classes and clubs, Defense. This time the Israeli governand Shalhevet alumni in Israel – includment issued a special gas-proof “tent” ing relatives of Shalhevet students -- have for their toddler daughter, Ayelet. stood in line for gas masks, made more ur“It’s not a new sense of danger,” gent by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s Max said. “The danger has always use of chemical weapons in August. been there, just now the media is But for Arab and Muslim students with BP Photo courtesy of Mona Ghanoum shedding a new light on it.”

INVOLVED: Teens of Syrian descent, including Mona Ghannoum of Arcadia High School, have sent Tamar described Israelis’ mood. is real and not just threatened. Responses supplies to relatives under attack by the government.In Israel, Shalhevet alumni bought gas masks.

“It’s not really fear, but a sense of have varied. Mona has been active in proawareness,” Tamar said. testing against Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.

More than a military threat from Syria, she worried She has been working with an organization called Help- been registered in Lebanon and 175,000 in Jordan, and ing Hands to send toys, clothing and supplies to Syrians it is estimated that there are many more living illegally in about the message sent by the United States to the world both countries. If not handled properly, news reports have when Obama backed down from a threat to take military in need. action in Syria.

Others of Syrian descent in the community have been “What it implies is that if in the future Iran starts a war wider region both politically and economically. active, and there are some who don’t oppose Assad.

“In the Muslim world, when one of our brothers is hurt- in Israel, that the U.S. probably won’t get involved,” Tamar “The Muslim Youth Group itself has not interacted in said. ing, we all hurt,” said supporting one side or While the situation in Syria has a less direct impact on Mona. the other,” said Sami While the Muslim Youth Group students of Shalhevet, Mr. Feld, advisor to the school’s Ghanem, a high school has not collectively taken a side, senior and president of It’s not a new sense of danger. The and advises against doing so, it also portant story and a timely case study in the principles of the ICSC youth group. has not hesitated in attempting to international relations. danger has always been there, just now “In the Muslim com“I’ve noticed there are students who have a natural interaid innocent civilians caught up in munity, it’s not like the media is shedding light on it. est,” Mr. Feld said. “I have seen students who don’t think of the crisis. everyone is for the pro--Alumnus Max Rabin, ‘04 themselves as political really being able to dig pretty deep testers against Assad. growing worse and worse, but it’s in the story and come up with sophisticated analysis.

The opinion is divid“That we are talking about this means that this is impornot too late before Syria collapses, ed.” and none of us want to see that,” tant,” he added. “This is a story that could affect us for genLike Mona, Sami also has relatives in Syria, but they are in a different situa- Sami said. “We’re trying to get aid out to the people. We’re erations and I hope that the students will take the opporfunneling money to different organizations to distribute it tunity to really get involved, because it sounds corny, but tion from Mona’s uncle and grandfather.

“My father’s side of the family lives in Syria, but they’re among refugees, and sharing videos of the horrors going on their voice, their passion, their interest really does make a difference.” really lucky,” Sami said. “They live in an isolated village there to make people aware that the war has to stop.”

At baggage claim, Newt tells BP peace can wait

By Tamar Willis, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Former Speaker of the House and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says that survival, not peace, is what Israel should strive for, because of the nature of its neighbors and the threat of nuclear attack from Iran.

In an interview at Los Angeles International Airport, where he had arrived from Washington, D.C., on the same was in danger of a “holocaust” because it has neither the distance nor the means to protect its population should Iran launch a nuclear weapon.

“You have to understand how dangerous the region is and how potentially implacable your opponents are,” Mr. Gingrich said, standing in the baggage claim area as suitcases slid toward waiting passengers.

“So if survival is victory—we’re not going to get to peace—if survival is victory, what would that look like and how would we get there.”

A former congressman from Georgia and now co-host reporter’s questions and suggested that the interview be videotaped. He was told The Boiling Point represented a Jewish high school, and then asked, “What is your take on

the Middle East?”

It was just days after new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke at the United Nations and then conversed with President Obama on the telephone, and Mr. Gingrich’s attention turned immediately to Iran. Though referencing the fact that most of Israel’s neighbors are still he spoke mostly about the Iranian nuclear threat to Israel, emphasizing how different that threat is to Israel than to the United States.

“The great problem, if you are Jewish and American, is to understand that we are a continent-wide nation of 311 million people, and Israel isn’t,” Mr. Gingrich said. “So we can afford to take risks.

“One of the reasons that I am frankly concerned is that two, at most three, Iranian nuclear weapons would be a holocaust [for Israel],” he continued. “I mean that literally, if you kill that many people.

“It’s a very un-American model, because Israel does not have the scale that the U.S. has – to hide behind two oceans, and to be capable of surviving surprise.” bags had arrived and he strode out of the terminal.

That left no time to ask him for his thoughts on the

U.S. government shutdown, which had started that very morning. Mr. Gingrich was Speaker of the House – the same position held now by John Boehner – last BP Photos by Tamar Willis time the government was shut down due to gridlock, in 1995.

TALKING NUKES: Peace is not a Mr. Christopher priority, Newt Gingrich told a BoilBuckley, who advises ing Point reporter at LAX. the debate team, said that even though Mr. Gingrich is better known for his domestic views, his opinion on the Middle East is worth considering.

“He has been a presidential candidate and he has worked for and started numerous political foundations,” Mr. Buckley said, “and he’s also a former history professor who has written a number of books…

“I don’t know if his opinion carries the same weight as a

OPINION

OCTOBER 2013

THE BOILING POINT

8

BP Staff Editor-in-Chief Sarah Soroudi Deputy Editor-in-Chief Tamar Willis Managing Editor Goldie Fields

Notepad

A rose by any other name...

By the BP Editorial Board

Chief Layout Editor Rachel Spronz

-

Community Editor Alexa Fishman Outside News Editor Daniel Steinberg -

Features Editor Tamar Willis

-

Torah Editor Mati Hurwitz -

Arts Editor Adam Rokah Opinion Editor Sigal Spitzer Sports Editor Jonah Gill

-

When chag is not a holiday By the BP Editorial Board

Photography Editor Goldie Fields

-

Layout Editors Margo Feuer Michelle Hirschhorn Advertising Editor Shoshi Miller

chol hamoed,

Website

Editor Nicole Feder

Layout Consultant Rachel Lester Faculty Advisor Mrs. Joelle Keene

National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Finalist 2012 National Scholastic Press Association All-American with Four Marks of Distinction

-

BP Illustration by Annelise Asch

-

International First Place Award National Award Winner

2007 - 2013

The Odyssey.

2013 Gold Crown Award 2011, 2012

-

Gold Medal Columbia Scholastic Press Association

-

-

Simon J. Rockower Award - 2012

The Boiling PoinT is the student-produced newspaper of Shalhevet High School and is published 6-8 times yearly. Editorials on the Notepad represent the majority view of the members of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor, Managing Editor, Web Editor, Opinion Editor and Faculty Advisor. The Boiling PoinT welcomes submissions for signed editorials from members of the Shalhevet Community, and the final decision about printing them is made by the Editorial Board.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted via e-mail to shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. The Boiling

-

PoinT reserves the right to edit letters and opinion submissions and all submissions become the property of The Boiling PoinT. Signed editorials and advertisements in The Boiling PoinT purchased by third-party organizations do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or The Boiling PoinT as a whole. For information on advertising, please write Advertising Editor Shoshi Miller at shoshimiller831@gmail.com.

OPINION

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

9

TWO BOILING POINTS OF VIEW:

Should the U.S. intervene in Syria?

No, the world must act together

Yes, don’t turn away

By Anna Gordon, 11th grade

By Avishai Rabin, 11th Grade

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

P HO T O ILLUSTRA TIN BY G OLDIE F IELDS A ND R A CHEL SPRONZ

-

-

New building not worth the price in tools, dust and noise

By Mati Davis, Staff Writer -

-

-

-

-

BP ILLUSTRA TION BY Y A N K ILGERMA N

-

10

OPINION

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

Advances in stem cell technology solve a halachic problem

By Liat Bainvoll, 12th grade

-

-

-

Courtesy of Liat Bainvoll

PLURIPOTENT: Senior Liat Bainvoll working with stem cells last summer in a lab at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she put her Tanakh training to use. p’ru ur’vu, pikuach nefesh,

-

pikuach nefesh

p’ru ur’vu.

StockTalk

When morals and money collide, it’s time to think things through

By Boaz Willis, Staff Columnist

-

-

If you are interested in learning more about investing, consider joining the Finance Club, and visit the website www.wallstreetsurvivor.com to create an imaginary portfolio. Additionally, if there are any readers who present what they do to the Finance Club, please e-mail boazwillis@gmail.com.

Bringing morals into the equation made it a harder decision, but I decided the potential for capital growth was the most important thing under these circumstances.

-

-

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

FEATURES

11

WhatWe’reWearing

Who says fashion’s just for girls?

By Micah Gill, Chief Copy Editor “What are you shopping for, basketball shoes?”

This is the response I receive when I tell my guy friends that I am going to the mall to shop for clothing.

For some odd reason, fashion is almost always associated with females. They get to do the shopping, the styling least at Shalhevet, fashion is as much for girls as it is for boys.

As many know, Shalhevet is a school with a dress code, but not a uniform. This means that we can wear what we want, but within certain parameters. It’s true that the girls of Shalhevet have to consider matching their skirt with their shirt.

But boys have just as much to deal with when getting dressed.

When looking through their closet each morning, several things go through the typical fashion-conscious boy’s head. First and foremost, he may ask himself, “What’s the weather like?”

Let’s say it’s a cold day out. First: the shirt. On a cold day I’ll most likely go for a buttondown shirt rather than a polo, which I prefer to wear on the beach or playing golf. In my humble opinion, while polo shirts are part of some dynamic After that he’s into his closet and must choose either jeans or khakis. Next he’ll pick out a cardigan or a sweater to prevent frostbite, due to the temperature at which some teachers keep their rooms. A cardigan will do the trick.

out my go-to dressy-casual pair – Clark’s desert boots – and some bright red socks to top it off.

Socks are very often overlooked, but they are an absolute staple at Shalhevet – a Firehawk trademark, even. For

BOYS: Bennett Schneir and Micah Gill actually have a lot to think about when they’re getting dressed.

Teacher and Principal, respectively – are not wearing twotoned, patterned socks.

Although it seems that socks are rarely seen, the opposite is true. Colorful socks with a fun design add a

notch Shalhevet haberdashery and always looks put together while teaching Torah. Whether it’s his signature shoes with the red laces, light brown (though some would say orange) belt, Charles Trywhitt shirt -another staple among male faculty members -- or worn Schwarzberg always dresses to impress.

He offered some keen clothing insight, male style.

“At Shalhevet, where individuality and independence is emphasized and encouraged, I really enjoy seeing students express themselves through their style and sense of fash“In an attempt to match the exquisite style of Shalhevet’s male teachers and rabbis, I have especially enjoyed the rise in men’s fashion over the last few years,” he gamely added. “While what’s on the inside can never be eclipsed by what’s on the outside, creating your own look can be a means of forging your own identity.”

“While what’s on the inside can never be eclipsed by what’s on the outside, creating your own look can be a means of forging your own identity.

-- Rabbi Ari Schwarzberg, Judaic Studies

Walk through the doors of Shalhevet and you will see a slew of well dressed, style-conscious students -both boys and girls.

Fashion is fashion, nothing more, nothing less, but if you pay attention, you’ll be surprised by what it can add to a high school’s environment.

BP Photo by Goldie Fields

FEATURES

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

12

City zoning official approves plan for new building and apartments, but neighborhood group may still appeal Continued from Page 1 gal Spitzer and senior Sarah Soroudi, along with parents Cindy Drazin, Mark Rothman, Claire Benyowitz and Shep Rosenman.

They came even though the proceeding was only hours before the start of Rosh Hashanah, packing into a small

seven students present, stood in front of Mr. Tovar and explained why Shalhevet needs a bigger building.

“A bigger building would mean bigger classrooms, and more opportunities for every student on campus,” said Max. “It would help prepare students like me to be leaders, so that we can give back to the Los Angeles community in the future.”

The school’s board president, Mr. Larry Gill, passionately pleaded with Mr. Tovar to issue a ruling soon, explaining that further delays could postpone the opening of the new school building, now set for 2014.

But residents of Barrows Drive, a

residential street which runs east-andwest between San Vicente and Fairfax, spent 90 minutes expressing concerns This caused the hearing, which was supposed to end by noon, to continue past 2 pm.

Barrows residents predicted that the project would cause drivers to cut through Barrows Drive instead of using Wilshire or Olympic boulevards, and would also drive too fast down the street, endangering residents. They asked that Barrows, which already is closed to left turns from Fairfax, be closed to any

rows of chairs.

Alliance’s Managing Director, Drew Colquitt, addressed Mr. Tovar on behalf of Alliance Residential. Mr. Colquitt described his company’s interest in developing the community through affordable apartments and neighborhood-serving retail.

A bigger building would mean bigger classRabbi Segal presented Shalhevet’s building plans, and rooms, and more opportunities for every many residents spoke in favor student on campus. of the project and on behalf of Alliance’s reputation and the –Max Helfand, 11th Grade Shalhevet community.

Max Helfand, one of the

Best memory: Kids lounging on the couches in the lobby, 12 years ago.

Worst memory: The cockroaches. And the black walls from this year. The carpet in the hallways was also really ugly.

—Roen Salem, Art Teacher

Boaz Willis will miss the student lounge.

“I spent a lot of time playing ping pong there.”

Mr. Tovar, the zoning administrator, replied that construction would not noticeably imDrive, so their complaints could not legally be linked to the plan’s approval. But even if an appeal were not successful, it could still delay the project for a few weeks

or months.

According to many statements by construction was originally supposed to begin this past summer. But getting approval from the city of Los Angeles took longer than expected, which meant delaying demolition of the old building until the city gives the project the green light.

Board president Mr. Gill said the new building can’t be built without money from the sale of the land to Alliance, and mits are granted.

“As a prerequisite to building an apartment complex, the developer, Alliance Residential Properties, needed to get a number of approvals from the city of Los Angeles,” Mr. Gill said, adding, “Since Los Angeles has a pretty developed bureaucracy, it took a long time to get the approval.”

out with the

OL

Rabbi David Stein will miss the sense of comfort and the ownership that the students have over the building.

BP Photo by Rose Lipner

Reb Tuli Skaist will miss his own room and its mural.

Jake Benyowitz will miss the long hallways.

M

m fo

Room I’ll miss the most: The hallways, because I sit there during lunch.

BP Photo by Hannah Leeba Ellenhorn

Best memory in the old building: Fainting next to the lockers.

—Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn, 12th Grade

BP Photos by Goldie Fields

“I th the me

FEATURES

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

13

Mr. Christopher Buckley will miss all the open space.

EXIT: Everything from here to the right is expected to be torn down this fall to make way for a new and long-hopedfor school building. Students and staff said goodbye.

LD

Micah Gill’s best

memory is playing ootball in the halls.

I am going to miss he BP room, I worked ere and I have some emories.”

Tom Amzalag will miss the basketball court.

Room I’ll miss the most: The stairway leading to the lab. It has lots of memories.

Best memory: All the middle school adventures through the halls.

Worst memory: Freshman year, when the middle school was closed and the halls were empty.

— Maya Ben-Shushan, 12th Grade

BP Photo by Hannah Leeba Ellenhorn

What we’ll miss What room are you going to miss the most?

Yonah Feld, 10th grade: Keene's room, because it used to be my mom's room.

Shirin Netaneli, 10th grade: Crincoli’s room, good English memories. Daniel Soroudi, 9th grade: Morah Michal's room, we could leave the room through the window.

Micah Gill, 10th grade: The BP room, I worked there and I have some memories.

Rose Lipner, 10th grade: Crincoli's room, it was warm.

Boaz Willis, 10th grade: I’ll miss the student lounge. I spent a lot of time playing ping-pong there.

Ms. Crincoli, English: My room, it’s like a second home.

Reb Tuli Skaist, Judaic Studies: My own classTom Amzalag, 11th grade: The basketball court.

Max Helfand, 11th grade: The Middle School playground, because I hang out there, eat lunch, and play basketball.

Daniel Steinberg, 11th grade: I’m gonna miss the morgue and stuff.

David Ohana, 11th grade: Room 7, because I had three different math teachers in that room just this year.

Roen Salem, art: I will miss the art room, but I’m Scotty Silver, 12th grade: Buckley’s room.

Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn, 12th grade: The hallways, because I sat there during lunch.

Reb Noam Weissman, Judaic Studies: The music room, because it was unique about Shalhevet.

Maya Ben-Shushan, 12th grade: The stairway leading to the lab. It has lots of memories.

Natalie Weiss, Admissions: The trophy case area.

Rabbi David Stein, Judaic Studies: I’ll miss the sense of comfort and the ownership that the students have over the building.

What is your best memory in the old building?

Yonah Feld: loitering in the halls.

Daniel Soroudi: Gaining knowledge in classes.

Micah Gill: Playing football in the halls.

Rose Lipner: Talking to friends.

Shirel Benji: When choir ran through the halls singing after school.

Shirin Netaneli: Advisory with Keene.

Ms. Crincoli: School.

Ula: Open Houses.

Roen Salem: Kids lounging on the couches in the lobby, 12 years ago.

Scotty Silver: Shabbos Kodesh freshman year.

Paul Merritt, 12th grade: The wii brawl tournaments.

Reb Noam Weissman: Fifth period talks with Yonah Nimmer and Shir Alkoby.

David Ohana, 12th grade: Buckley playing angry birds on the Apple TV. Maya Ben-Shushan: All the Middle School adven tures through the halls.

Natalie Weiss: Seeing people sit on the carpet and relax and eat lunch.

What is your worst memory in the old building?

Yonah Feld: Falling in the halls.

Daniel Soroudi: Getting a bad grade.

Micah Gill: Tripping on a chair.

Rose Lipner: Getting a bad grade.

Crincoli: The roaches.

Ulla: The roaches.

Roen: The cockroaches. And the black walls from this year. The carpet in the hallways is also really ugly.

Scotty Silver: When the walls were painted black.

Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn: Fainting next to the lockers.

Paul Merritt: Having to shut down the Shalhevet meme page in Hecht’s room.

Reb Noam Weissman: Having to re-paint the walls white.

David Ohana: Smallwood’s AP Chem tests.

Maya Ben-Shushan: Freshman year, when the Middle School was closed and the halls were empty.

Natalie Weiss: Seeing all the discarded cereal bowls.

FEATURES

14

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

Around the world with Shalhevet alumni As its second decade closes, Shalhevet finds alumni in Panama, in music and in college

Natalie Hara: In fashion design, and beyond the high school cliques

did you do straight after high school, and what QWhat do you do now?

Three weeks after graduating I started to go FIDM (Fashion A Institute of Design and Merchandising). Now I own my own

interested in. This is important even though it seems funny, but social media. It is a part of my day. It looks like I am just sitting on Facebook or Instagram, but I am just sitting on them and don’t know how to use them. Electronics and

clothing line, Natalia Romano.

is your fondest/funniest memory from your QWhat time at Shalhevet?

I was at Shalhevet we had a bunch of couches in the AWhen middle of the hallway that we just chilled at. It was a fun school in general when I was there.

artists -- or promote a store. Being on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest and learning how to use them are important.

I look for people when I hire to see if they are good at marketing. People in high school would be into this class, because they’re sitting on Facebook anyways, so why not learn how to make money while doing it.

Also a sewing class would be fun. I learned how to sew when I was 7 years old because my dad had a laundry line. His sewers taught me how. Now I stick to design though -- art was something I always knew I wanted to do. The teachers were supportive of me doing that. When I would doodle in the middle of class, they got it and understood me.

QWho was your favorite teacher and why?

I loved Roen. She let me channel my artistic creations. I got to Asketch and paint all day in her class. I was in AP art. you could go back and give your high school self QIfsome advice, what would it be?

To care less about everything. All the kids, the cliques... it up your Shalhevet experience in three words or Awas really cliquey when I was there. Basically when you get to QSum less. college you don’t keep in touch with that many people. When A Really good stepping stone. you do it’s with the people you would never expect to keep in Q touch with. Forget who is cliquey or popular. Focus on the Describe the role of Judaism in your life now in one people, because that is who you are going to stick to. Amazsentence.

A ing people came out of Shalhevet that I am friends with that I than I am.

Try to keep friendships because in college you don’t have Jewish friends, but having someone who understands the same traditions is important.

I don’t have any Jewish friends now, but I should have made more friends at Shalhevet because that is who you want to be with eventually. Friends who share the same traditions as you.

Forget about being in high school and take note about who are your peers. It will change. Whoever is popular or funny will change. And you end up with real amazing people.

and it didn’t play a role in my life in college. Jewish learning stopped for me after high school... I was next to Chinese and random girls from the Bronx and you don’t open horizons. I became a hippie. A couple years later, now, its weird. I want to have Jewish friends and people around me that understand what I’m saying. If I’m out with friends and I say that I don’t eat meat out, questions come.

It’s

QIf you could start one club/team/co-cur-

A

Third of a series

Lexi Gelb: Thinking critically at UC Berkeley

QWhat did you do straight after high school, and what do you do now? high school I went to Jerusalem and studied Hebrew and Middle Eastern Politics at AAfter Hebrew University. I tried to learn Arabic, but that was less successful. After a semester,

I left the university and I went to Midreshet Lindenbaum. Right now, I am an incoming junior at UC Berkeley. I am majoring in American Studies, which is a big title for a major, but I’m focusing my studies on urban landscapes.

Q I think one of the major ways was giving me the ability to think critically. I try to approach questions with nuance, and I think a lot of that has to do with the way I was encourAbig aged to think at Shalhevet. I learned not just critical analysis, but how to converse with friends and teachers about problems in our community and the school. I developed a love of intense conversations and untangling complex issues.

QIfbe?you could plan a Town Hall for the current students, what would the topic AI think I would want to have an open discussion about the direction the school is heading

in. I’d love to get input about where Shalhevet stands religiously and in the broader Jewish community. I want to have a big, open conversation about the goals of the school and what steps everyone is taking to reach them.

QIf you could go back and give your high school self some advice, what would it

A

be?

Relax and get more sleep. I think that as nurturing and encouraging as an environment that Shalhevet was for me, I felt a tremendous amount of pressure. Being a teenager is punishment enough; a little extra sleep, some balanced meals, and a little less responsibility would’ve made me feel better.

up your ShalQSum hevet experience in three words or less

A

Stressful, enlightening, memorable and unusual.

the role of QDescribe Judaism in your life now in one sentence.

2013

2013

hard to explain every time when people ask me if I am a vegetarian.

Having a Jewish friend circle is important.

Not that you shouldn’t have any friends that aren’t Jewish, just that I feel more comfortable with people that understand me.

It’s hard to explain tradition.

I was in a mindset that wanted to go straight to what I was doing. Most people don’t know what they want to do when they are in high school but I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

I wish I had enjoyed the moment [in high school] a lot more.

When it’s done it done, and after graduation you think you’ll sill see these people but you don’t. I wish I got to know people in the classes above and below me. We think we only need to be friends with people in our grades, but now I’m 25 and it doesn’t matter any more. When I have friends from Shalhevet now, it’s like why wasn’t I ?

--Sigal Spitzer, Opinion Editor

Two decades old, Shalhevet now how has alumni on four continents and in many fields of endeavor. This series introduces a graduate from every class.

ricular at Shalhevet for current students, what would you start and why?

I would take a poll and see what the students are

2010

2006

Complicated, confusing, A and a work in progress.

-- Alexa Fishman

did you do straight QWhat after high school, and

Naomi Robin: Singing and studying in the music industry

A

what do you do now?

Straight after high school I went to SMC and I got a job as an administrative assistant at the Kabbalah Children’s Academy. Now, I am majoring in music history and minoring in music industry at UCLA. I’m also a singer/songwriter. I performed at the House of Blues a couple of weeks ago and over the summer I’m going to be touring Southern California and Israel.

2010

2013

QWhat is your fondest/funniest memory from your time at Shalhevet?

Ain drama when we were doing a run through and my skirt ripped on stage. I ran off, and Ms. Chase got really angry with me because she didn’t see the rip, and she thought I just ran off stage in the middle for no reason.

Q Aences me when I meet people.

QIf you could plan a Town Hall for the current students, what would the topic be?

Aa lot of research on it right now, and I think it’s good for the music industry, but I want to see QWhat is the main lesson you learned from your time at Shalhevet?

Anities QIf you could go back and give your high school self some advice, what would it Abe? Stay in choir and learn to play an instrument.

QSum up your Shalhevet experience in three words or less AEccentric QDescribe the role of Judaism in your life now in one sentence.

AShalhevet instilled in me. I think that growing up Jewish gave me good morals and ethics.

-

-- Alexa Fishman, Features Editor

FEATURES

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

15

Jaclyn Kellner: Goat-herding, farming and studying too

QWhat did you do straight after high school, and what do you do now?

AStraight after high school I took a gap year in Israel called Eco Israel, in Modiin. I

I spent two-thirds of the day in class studying the history of Israel, Hebrew and agrithe farm.

I worked with trees and building things. I designed an area for the kindergarten at the farm. The second semester I spent traveling between a few farms and kibbutzim. I went to kibbutz Harduf and I also went to Kadita, which was based near Tzfat. I worked as a goat shepherd and I spent a week at Admamma.

I am now a sophomore at Brandeis University, studying environmental studies and teaching at a Hebrew school. I am also the facilitator at the campus garden and I started an American Sign Language club.

QWhat is your fondest/funniest memory from your time at Shalhevet?

One of my most fond memories at Shalhevet has to be freshman year when me and A my friends would make up silly songs about pretty much anything from apple juice

through the hallways singing them. I also loved playing hide-and-go-seek in the Annex.

Q strong Jewish identity deeply rooted in myself and I still take Tanakh classes. I am A

involved in Jewish-related things. In some things I do and people I talk to, I do because of my Jewish roots.

I am still in touch with many of my friends from Shalhevet. Coming from Shalhevet,

2013

already talking to professors and working towards starting a club.

If you could plan a Town Hall for the current students, what would the Q topic be?

AWhen I was at school, I always preferred the Town Halls that were school related

NATURE: After graduation. Jaclyn pursued her love of farming on kibbutzim and now works in gardens at Brandeis, above.

Shalhevet.

QWhat is the main lesson you learned from your time at Shalhevet?

Q If you could start one club/team/co-curricular I learned what it meant to be an active participant in the community, and that complaining was at Shalhevet for current students, what would A the least productive thing you could do with an issue. A good reaction is to go and speak in a respectyou start and why? ful matter to the administration instead of complaining to my friends about it.

I would've started an American Sign Language club.

A 2011 I have always wanted to learn another language and at was your favorite teacher and why?

Shalhevet I could not learn another language other than QWho Mrs. Sunshine, because I had her at different points in high school. I had her in 9th, 11th, and Hebrew. Sign language helps you communicate with oth12th grades. She ran her classes slightly differently each year. In 9th grade,she helped me get more A er people around you. It's another language so you can now talk to more organized and deal with classes and work. Her classes were really interesting and fun, although at the people around you. same time serious. Now in college, they teach us things and I will already know some of the things because of Mrs. Sunshine's class.

QSum up your Shalhevet experience in three words or less.

APositively Overwhelming, Veggies.

Q is the role of Judaism in your life now?

AYogurt.

QWhat Judaism is how I articulate my sense of awe towards the world and how I keep myself intact you could go back and give your high school self some advice, what would it be?

A when I could get carried away with work.

QIfI would tell my high school self to go hiking more. I spent all my time inside. Being outside makes me happy. There was a club but I never went and I wished I had spent more time outside. I would A -- Noah Rothman, Staff Writer have been more happy and productive.

Jordan Denitz: Living and working abroad What did you do straight after high Q school and what do you do now?

Straight after high school, I went to UC San A Diego. I was there there for four years, and I studied psychology and did my pre-med courses.

I really got involved with some research in drug addiction when I was there, but one of mypaswith an organization called Global Brigades, doing international sustainable development work, and also establishing

medical clinics. dent of a club called Global Business Brigades, and we did two trips to Panama. We went to an island off the coast and worked with an indigenous tribe called the Kunas -- they specially invited us there. They don’t have any tourism there, they aren’t part of the Panamanian government at all, but they sleep and live in hammocks and that’s their culture. They were running out of funds to support themselves so they wanted our help to make a business out of their hammocks, so that’s what I did as an undergrad.

So then I graduated college and then became an in-country adviser for Global Brigades, helping club presidents start clubs and organizing club trips, and I ledthe club trips. I got to live

doing some cancer research in NY. Currently I live in Los Angeles, but in a month I’m moving to an island off the coast of Honduras called Utilla and while I apply to medical school, which I’m doing now, I am going to be getting my instructor’s license for scuba diving.

What is your fondest or funQ niest memory from your time at Shalhevet?

A Probably being tied to a chair by the basketball team, because we had a basketball-soccer team rivalry back then and I was a soccer player, so as payback they threw me in a room and taped me head to toe in a chair and just kind of left me in the middle of the hallway. I think my team came and helped me out, I was pretty stuck.

2006

Q you even after graduation?

A Immensely, I guess, in terms of the

education that I got from a small school, being close to my friends, teachers. It helped me a lot after I graduated. It made going to college a lot easier and and morally, I guess, as well.

QIf you could plan a Town Hall

2013 ABROAD: Jordan worked with Global Brigades establishing medical clinics in Panama.

for our students, what topic would you choose and why?

I would plan it on introducing students to international work. Even when you’re 15, 16 or 17 you can go to other countries and live and volunteer there, get to know the cultures, and you get to experience being an Orthodox Jew

A

in another country, and learn about indigenous people whose life is more than about justmoney and work.

Q Who was your favorite teacher from your time at Shalhevet?

A Ms. Berkey. I think she always truly believed in students and was someone anyone could relate to. She was tough but at the same time, a teacher. Still to this day, I see her and give her hugs, she’s a friend.

QWhen someone says ‘Shalhevet,’ what AI think of it being a great time in my life.

Sports, friends -- yeah.

QIf you could go back and give your high school self some advice, what would you say?

I’d say relax. Take a deep breath. Life is gonna be okay. Get out in the world and go meet different people, cultures, and just kind of enjoy it and don’t be afraid of a little challenge.

Describe the role of Judaism in your life now.

The Jewish education I received here always stuck with me. Even when I was in Honduras I was able to lead services for friends there. The culture is still a huge part of my life and now that I’m in LA it’s a huge part of my family’s life so it’s vital to my family and it’s important to me.

A

QIf you could start a club or co-curricular at Shalhevet, what would it be?

AIt would be something like Global Brigades, where high school students can go for a week and build houses or work in a medical clinic with doctors or help a community build latrines and improve the quality of life there.

QSum up your Shalhevet experience in three words or less.

A A great time.

--Sarah Soroudi, Editor-in-Chief

TORAH

OCTOBER 2013

THE BOILING POINT

16

BP POLL: What do you think about when you hear the shofar?

The shofar can symbolize the cries of pain of the Jewish nation, the hope for the coming of the Messiah, or even a wakeup call to better oneself and traits. During Elul and throughout the High Holiday season, we hear it again and again, every morning at Shacharit and at the most intense parts of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services.

Every person thinks about and experiences different thoughts and emotions while listening. Here are some examples from students polled by The Boiling Point as the Days of Awe were approaching.

– Compiled by Mati Hurwitz, Torah Editor By Max Helfand, Staff Writer; Laly Chriki, 10th grade; and Alec Fields, 9th grade Danielle Lowe: “The shofar is used to as a calling to the Jewish people. I think this calling is different to each perBP P HO T O BY G OLDIE F IELDS son because everyone is being called to do something different, whether it be to forgive, move forward, be Margo Feuer: “I think about Jewish freedom, Jewish heritage and the Jewish future. It reminds me of the many times the shofar was blown in the past thousands of years, in so many circumstances, and heard by so many people.”

Rachel Glouberman: “I don’t really know what I think when I hear it. I guess I think about our past. To tell you the truth though I also think about how long the guy blowing the shofar will blow tekiah gedolah for.”

Jonah Gill: “I think about a time 2,500 years ago when that [sound] would unite all of the Jews, and how the Jews now need unifying”

kinder, or work harder. So when I hear the shofar, I think

Seniors Juniors Sophomores Freshmen

Natalie Dahan: “I think about our history back then and it makes me proud to be Jewish.”

“When I hear the piercing sound, in a sense it clears everything from my mind as it gives me time for self-re-

connect the Jewish People and God in a very unique way.

I also think about how grateful I am for the things God has given me.”

the shofar blasts very powerful in their ability to make us to stop and think deeply.”

Tom Amzalag: “I think about how the sounds of the shofar are able to

Liana Tabaroki: “I ask for forgiveness, and feel a connection and leading path to G-d. I also think about hopes and wishes for the year.”

Eric Bazak: “When I hear the shofar, I am always amazed by how this was one of the most ancient instruments in the world, and that we still use it today. I think the shofar is one of the most symbolic objects Judaism has today, and is a representation of our religions continuity throughout history”

Nicole Miles: “That everybody’s sicknesses will be healed.”

Eli Hayman: “I feel on a different spiritual level.”

Miriam Arnan: “[It] awakens the fact that I am part of a Jewish nation which also gives me a second family to lean on.”

Jonah Kaye: “[That] Mashiach is coming soon.”

Dana Alkoby:

Paul Merritt: “I imagine the walls of Jericho crashing down.”

Jake Benyowitz: “I think about what I did this year and what I can do to make my self a better person.”

Leon Levy: “That I should atone for my sins.”

Sukkot: Wishing you a ‘happy’ holiday

By Yosef Nemanpour, Staff Columnist We have all learned about Sukkot, less commonly referred to as Zman Simchateinu, or time of our happiness. We know that it is a mitzvah to build a sukkah; we know that it is a mitzvah to eat, sleep, and live in the sukkah; we know that each person has a commandment to shake the Lulav and Etrog.

Yes, all these mitzvot are nice and fun, but what does Sukkot have to do with happiness, and even more so than our happiness, with communal happiness?

An answer can be found in Parshat Vayelech, when Moshe Rabbeinu, with only a couple

All of Bnei Yisrael, united and together under with the utmost unity and love, creates for us the ultimate happiness.

-- Yosef Nemanpour, senior

of more hours to live, commands Bnei Yisrael the mitzvah of hakhel or “to assemble,”

BP ILLUSTRA TION BY MIRIAM B ERN

lived with divine inspiration and guidance. Thus the essential message of hakhel explains Sukkot. All of Bnei Yisrael, united and together under their king and pledging allegiance or ruler of Israel at the time.

Rabbi Shimon in Mishnah Pirkei Avot 4:17 says, “There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship….” To the Jew, since the

thus turns into a real holiday of happiness! this sukkot with unity and happiness sovereign under our one king, Melech Hamoshiach!

TORAH

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

17

Mrs. Segal becomes first woman teaching Gemara in L.A. Continued from Page 1 school calledShevach in Queens, New York, and did not mud study was at Michlala, a seminary in Israel.

She also delved into Gemara at Stern College of Yeshihalachaat YU’s Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies.

“I’ve learned Gemara, I’ve taught Gemara…it’s just part of my experience,” Mrs. Segal said.

Mrs. Segal also taught Talmud at Beren Academy in

“It doesn’t feel like a big step for me” to teach it again at Shalhevet, she said.

BP Photo By Dorelle Nahmany But Mrs. Segal is one of a kind for Orthodox schools in SCHOLAR: Mrs.Segal began studying Gemara after high school, and first taught the subject in Houston.

Los Angeles. Whether it is because most schools are not co-ed to begin with or because there is a level of discomfort with a break from tradition, no school has asked a Boiling Point in an e-mail message. woman to teach Gemara here before – including Shalhevet.

Others agree an educator is an educator regardless of Segal. “There is a prevalent notion that it is a male domain gender. That is the case in many schools elsewhere in the so I think people are particularly nervous for a woman to “I don’t think the gender of the teacher affects the qualU.S., especially in the day-school-heavy New York area, teach boys.” ity of the knowledge,” said sophomore Yonah Feld, a stuwhere Orthodox schools have a broad range of religious Even now at Shalhevet, Mrs. Segal only teaches one Gedent in Mrs. Segal’s Talmud class. “She is very smart and ideologies and female Talmud educators, though relatively mara class so most classes still have male guides. knows what she’s doing.” new, are not uncommon. Among the schools back East that Other people still feel genuinely uncomfortable with the have female Gemara teachers are SAR in Riverdale and thought of a female Talmud teacher.

“I don’t feel there is a difference if the teacher is a fe“I’d feel a bit uncomfortable, given what we’re currentmale,” Sarah said.

At some schools, especially non-co-ed schools, girls ly learning,” said YULA junior Jordan Lustman. “We’re learning things that have to do with kiddushin [betrothal female Talmud teacher, Shalhevet is also the only one offering Gemara classes to girls. YULA, Valley Torah, MBY, a man], and I’d feel uncomfortable with a female teaching YeshivaGedolah and others have all-male campuses and their Judaic Studies classes. me that.” only rabbis teaching Gemara.

Jordan believes it may not give him the best classroom Mrs. Segal is not one of her kind on the West Coast.

School to ask why no Gemara is taught there were unsuc- experience. cessful, but Mrs. Segal said some people cite a Gemara that “I don’t really know if it would ruin my experience,” Jorstructs two Talmud according to Judaic Studies head Rabbi states, “If you teach your daughters Gemara, it is like you’re dansaid. “It may disrupt my learning a bit.”

Bernie Fox. teaching her silliness.” Some rabbis consider this line “proShalhevet sophomore Jonah Gill said that had to do “We seek [to] place the most effective instructor availscriptive,” she said, meaning that it is literally applicable, with the particular subject matter, not with Gemara. able in each section,” Rabbi Fox told The and for that reason don’t teach girls “The Gemara that Jordan is referencing is an example Talmud. of something that might be uncomfortable to learn with a She added that many of those same woman, but that’s no different than learning about somerabbis rule that girlsshould not learn thing personal with a male if you’re a female,” Jonah said. the Oral Torah, but they do let their “It’s no different from learning about the reproductive sysI’ve learned Gemara, I’ve taught Gemara... It’s just daughtersstudy Rashi and commen- tem in Biology with a female teacher if you’re a male.” part of my experience. taries that quote Midrashim andGeA female Gemara teacher might be untraditional and maras. They are effectively learning -- Mrs. Atara Segal, Judaic Studies the Oral Torah anyway, she said, since it’s really just a way to get the best teacher into the classcommentaries are not part of the Tan- room, in a way that will best suit his or her teaching.” ach.

New Judaic Studies teacher brings Hassidic views

By Mati Hurwitz, Torah Editor With enthusiasm and a love of music and Torah, new -- even a shtreimel.

Student Union (JSU) clubs – one about living a Jewish life, using Torah, Kabballah and Chassidut, and the other on ethics and morality linked to philosophy and halacha.

-

-

said he’d be using articles, Torah sources and song.

“The goal is to be inspirational and textbased using both inspirational and modern means of understanding our heritage,” Reb The shtreimel, hat, and the bekeshe, the long black coat, both of which he wears on Shabbat and holi-

He is a real inspiration to anyone who gets to know him. We look for the best educators for our students and we’re very excited about Reb Derek’s ability to inspire and teach.

-- Reb Noam Weissman, Principal

not usually seen by students.

But pay attention and you will hear it in his attitudes.

local and regional NCSY events, singing passionately, ensidic uniform.

“Whatever you do, if it’s with simcha [joy], it becomes better.”

-

educator who understand teens and is a real inspiration to anyone who gets to know him,” Reb Noam said. “We look for the best educators for our students and we’re very ek’s ability to inspire and teach.” hopes his work at will culminate in a success outside of the classroom as well as within.

“I’m hoping to create connections and relationships with students that can inspire them to grow and inspire oth-

performed on string bass, double bass and guitar in rock, reggae and jazz bands, and even performed in weekly punk band shows in high school in Orange County.

Richler left at the end of 2010. But Principal Reb Noam Weissman said that had nothing to do with why he was hired.

BP Photo By Goldie Fields

TORAH

OCTOBER 2013

THE BOILING POINT

18

Debaters invited to Boston to advise new model US Senate Continued from Page 1

vidual awards they win overall, then we would be in the top

“…It will be a lot of fun to learn in more detail how the Senate works and to be able to talk to like-minded people.”

According to the institute’s website, the debate forum that they are envisioning will be one of many programs designed to educate students.

The institute itself will be both a museum and an interactive center. Teachers will be asked to prepare with their classes before they visit, and once at the center, classes will experience an exact replica of the Senate chamber in Washington DC. “Our programs will serve the general public,

Sarah Soroudi and juniors Sigal Spitzer, Max Helfand, and As part of Shalhevet’s Penn and Princeton model conAvishai Rabin to attend, and expects that through suggestions and comments, they’ll be helping to shape the future gress teams, Shalhevet’s delegates to Boston will likely Model Senate experience that students will participate in miss school for two actual competitions during the year in addition to the prototype conference in Boston. from all over the country.

“If the program teaches future senators how to come to “It’s even more realistic than Model Congress,” said Mr. Buckley. “The program is very professional, and I’m really excited.”

While most Shalhevet debate trips cost each team member around $750 to attend, the Kennedy Institute has said it will pay for students’ attendance at the beta-testing.

Mr. Buckley said that’s because the If the program teaches future senators group wants student feedback. how to come to compromises that mutu“Because the educational programs ally benefit both parties’ interests, then they are designing are for students,” Mr. Buckley said, “they want to know what having a mock Senate program would be current and former high school students totally worth it.” would likely enjoy or not enjoy.”

–Avishai Rabin, junior It was apparently Ms. Rosenthal who picked Shalhevet to participate. As a member of her own high school’s Model Congress team for four years, she comstudents at all levels of their educapeted against Firehawk debaters many tion, teachers, new Senators, Senate staff, and times. others in public service,” the website states. “To Last summer, she served as an intern USSEN A T E . GO V at the new institute. When she was asked will serve as a unique resource engaging visitors in to invite the top 10 high school debate CHOSEN: Members of leading debate teams in the country, Shalhevet among every dimension of our participatory democracy.” teams in the country to take part in the them, have been invited to ‘beta-test’ a new program modeled on the US Senate.

It will also offer programs for government ofprogram, Shalhevet came immediately to mind, she said. coming Senators will learn to communicate on the Senate system for debate the way there is for sports. But infor- then having a mock Senate program would be totally worth mally, it’s known by how high schools perform in the most it,” said Avishai, whose been on Model Congress since will learn about the government through lectures and symposia. ninth grade. well-known conferences.

Old building? New building?

No problem!

The Boiling Point thanks

Jose Flores, Jose Flores Jr., and Reuben Merino ‘the Mean Team from the Mezzanine’

along with Robyn Lewis, Lili Einalhori and Yossie Frankel for miraculously recreating our school over the summer so we can have a new school next fall.

You do it with love and a smile and make it look easy.

May you go from strength to strength!

OCTOBER 2013

THE BOILING POINT

TORAH 19

What’s in a shok?

‘Skirting’ policy points to a translation issue in Jewish law

By Mati Hurwitz, Torah Editor With the new year comes an inevitable dress-code crackdown. This year, it followed a more unusual crackdown during the last weeks of school, with female students being skirted – that is, caught for violating dress code and being told to change or pull down one’s skirt -- if their skirts ended above the knee.

emphasize that dress code would be taken extremely seriously this year, and that any student who came to school out of dress code would not be allowed into class until they changed. ministration’s focus is on consistency, rather than an exact halakhic measurement of inches above or below the knee.

“We are not hyper-focused on the exact length,” said put out.” skirt must fall to the knee at least, not higher. Lower is permissible. After the announcements last month, administrators including Student Life Director Raizie Weissman and receptionist Muriel Ohana told several girls to pull their skirts down, and some even had to change.

One result is that it’s not uncommon for Shalhevet girls to keep a spare maxi-skirt in their lockers in case they do get skirted.

Skirting, however, is not the only violation to watch out for: girls may also be “shirted,” or pulled from the hallways

The word shok is used in Vayikra to describe the thigh of an animal. Using that meaning in this case, skirts that cover the thigh would seem permissible and, as Reb Noam said, the knee position does not matter; rather it is a question of covering the thigh.

for wearing shirts that are have too low a neckline or tooshort sleeves. dressing to pass by the administration, or because of a severe halakhic restriction. Rather, the dress code is a school rule to follow when getting dressed for school, he said, so a girl does not have to think about her appearance or getting caught.

“We don’t want them to be thinking about us [the administration] in the morning when they get dressed,”

dresses cautiously in the morning with the administration in mind.

“I know that they are gonna say something in the morning so I just put on a long skirt,” said Shana.

Jewish law, meanwhile, has a dress code of its own, though there are different opinions as to what it means.

The Gemara Brachos 24a says that shok b’isha erva – the shok of a woman is erotic. A similar phrase, kol b’isha erva, is used to say that a woman’s voice is erotic, or provokes sexual temptation of men. Kol means “voice,” and shok usually means knee.

Although nowadays seeing a girl’s knee may not seem too revealing, the law stands from generation to generation.

However, the word shok is used in Vayikra 7:32 to describe the thigh of an animal. Using that meaning In this case, skirts that cover the thigh would seem permissible and, as Reb BP P HO T O B Y G OLDIE F IELDS not matter, rather it Is a question of covering the thigh.

SKIRTED: Mrs. Raizie Weissman checked freshman Sydney Schwartz in the Since there are proofs as to why foyer last spring, when the dress code crackdown began. the knee may be visible, then why do other schools such as Bais Yaa“If it was below the knee no one would actually follow kov restrict any sort of visibility of the leg? that,” Shana said.

In Israel, stricter opinions follow Tosafot, which Raizie Weissman and other female staff attempted to states in Gemara Brachot that shok means the calf area sell “comfortable,” modest skirts during AP Boot Camp and for a human, but the thigh area for an animal. He holds Orientation Week for $15. Raizie reported one sale. that there is a distinction between man (or woman) and Although she does not enjoy being the tzinut police, Raianimal, and that this is a basic understanding as to why the more traditional opinions hide any visible leg skin.

“Most of the girls’ skirts are not in dress code,” Raizie But in America, the wife of the great Rabbi Moshe said. “We have to respect a community that we are in. And Feinstein wore knee-length skirts. Since Rav Moshe was the rule is in this community that you have to wear skirts an authority accepted by all streams of Orthodox Juda- to the knee.” ism, her decisions have carried some authority as well.

Raizie says the female staff will continue to enforce At YULA Girls High School on Robertson Boulevard, dress code throughout the school year. the rule is for the knee to be covered. But YULA sopho“My expectation is that everyone is going to respect the more Leiba Mentz believes that her school sets their rules community and come in dress code,” she said.

According to Raizie, if the female staff and tzniut denition of the shok. partment deem a girl’s skirt as too short, inappropriate or a “It has to cover your knees because it’s not fair to the violation of school policy, the girl has two options: She can rabbis if it’s not tzniut [modest],” said Leiba. either buy a skirt from Muriel’s desk for $25 or must wait Shana Chriki believes that it is logical to rule leniently for a parent to bring one to school that’s more appropriate. in this situation.

ARTS

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

20

Idan Raichel to share musical diversity at UCLA Oct. 10

By Eric Bazak, Staff Writer Idan Raichel, the Israeli pop singer known for his culturally diverse music, is coming to town on Oct. 10 to play at UCLA as part of a world tour. Fusing electronic, Jewish, Arab, and African sounds, his music is popular all around the world and has had a huge impact on pop music in Israel.

Ticket prices start at $30 and they are still on sale, and the concert will take place in Royce Hall. Every Shalhevet student looking for uplifting and unique music should go. Concertgoers can even meet Mr. Raichel before the show on the West Lobby Terrace, sponsored by the Hillel at UCLA. At age 36, Idan Raichel has received praises from America all the way to Hong Kong, and his band was named “Musical group of the decade” in Israel back in 2010.

“This one-man Middle East peace accord makes music that is an ambitious celebration of multicultural diversity,” The London Times said of Idan Raichel. “The ethnic elements are cleverly rewired with modern grooves to create an ambient journey that thrillingly bridges the traditional and modern.”

Idan Raichel was born in Kfar Saba, Israel. According to the website IdanRaichelProject.com, when he was growing up his family, which had migrated from Eastern Europe, wasn’t interested in music at all.

“I think the fact that I didn’t have strong family musical roots is what made me be very open to music from all over the world,” he says on the website.

Israel Defense Force. At age 18, he joined the Army rock band, visiting several bases in Israel and performing European and Israeli songs. He learned how to arrange

and produce live shows, and eventually served as the band’s leader.

After the IDF, Mr. Raichel became a backup musician and recording artist for a few years.

But he decided that he wanted to pursue his own ideas of music, and began working on his own album. That’s when he began to incorporate music of many different backgrounds in his songs, hoping to promote a message of unity and equality, according to his website.

He prizes diversity and uniqueness in his songs, which is why he gets Arab, African, and European singers to take part in his music. He has used the talents of nearly 100 singers, some as young as 16, and others as old as 91, on his alfrom dozens of countries to take part.

The concert is scheduled to be at 8 p.m. on a Thursday night. That Facebook.com/idanraichel means it could create PEACE: Idan Raichel has become a symbol of hope by blending music from around the world. problems with homework. But still, you shouldn’t miss it. Instead, absorb if presented in a fun way. Maybe culture and not just its current events and teachers should not assign homework due dangers is a great way to compare similari- it’s homework in itself – after all, it’s called the next day.

The Idan Raichel ‘Project.’” ties between our country and theirs.

Attending this concert will create a Furthermore, Idan Raichel’s ideas of deeper connection between students and world peace are something important for Israel. Learning about Israel’s popular Shalhevet students to learn, and easier to

Transformed Miley Cyrus is nobody’s role model

By Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn, Editor-at-Large Have you ever heard the old showbiz adage that there’s no such thing as bad publicity? Well, the scandalous performance put on by Miley Cyrus at last month’s Video Music Awards proves that she still believes this to be true. That is one of only two possible reasons why anyone would do what Miley did.

Miley’s cringe-inducing gyration was a horror. I disagree with those who say her graphic simulation of various intimate behaviors was artistic self-expression.

There wasn’t anything artistic about it at all. Miley’s latest “hoedown” was merely a compilation of hip-shaking and bizarre oral movement-- nothing we haven’t seen before, though perhaps not from her.

The young pop singer’s bawdy behavior also cannot be explained as a desire to shed her sweetie-pie image, honed in years on the Disney Channel as the innocent Hannah Montana. Her wholesome image has been gone since the release of her 2010 hit “Can’t Be Tamed,” with lyrics

Finally, Ms. Cyrus’ distasteful, in-your-face performance inverted people’s image of what is valuable and precious. Through her exhibition, Miley diminished the worth of the human body, as so much of pornography already does. Her production turned the human vessel into nothing more than an instrument to induce arousal.

Miley Cyrus and her team of managers and agents are in charge of her career trajectory, and at the moment, her franchise is large and in charge. Thus, viewing her as something other than a savvy businesswoman can be dif-

think that Miley represents a typical 20-year-old girl; she isn’t. It is unlikely that young girls see her as a role Courtesy of Facebook.com model.

GYRATION NATION: Miley Cyrus, the formerly innocent Disney country star who took on the Still, impressionable young character of Hannah Montana, was quite different last month at the Video Music Awards. girls -- and everyone else -out the hands.” need to be reminded that Miss formance actually was.

On the contrary,there is a plethora of Cyrus is merely a commercialFirst of all, it sent the wrong message to girls. It sugevidence to suggest that the primary reason that Miley ized and oversexualized creation who is selling records, gested that the only way to get notoriety is to exposing Cyrus would engage in such activity is for the money. In the real person behind them remaining unknown. your body to the world -- even when the world doesn’t March 2013, Miley hired Larry Rudolph, best known In reality, there are many hardworking young women want it. We don’t need to rely on our sexuality to be powfor turning Britney Spears into a pop sex symbol from a erful and successful. As a feminist, I am left scratching my Mousketeer. It seems that both Britney and Miley used depth than does Miley’s current persona. Miley Cyrus is head -- she is hawking music that views young women as the VMA’s as a platform to reignite stagnant careers by blurring the lines between a serious emerging artist and nothing more than sex objects. staging sexually charged performances. Now that Mian insolent young girl using sex to sell records while sellSecond, it’s ridiculously immature. Her song “We Can’t ley’s evolution is complete and her career is red hot, it is ing herself out. Her one-dimensionality actually provides bad publicity for both her age and her gender. your behavior impacts others. Lyrics like “It’s our party Fortunately, there is no reason why other young girls we can do what we want, it’s our party we can say what we success. will not understand that. want” remind me of common behavior of a toddler.

However, there is no excuse for how offensive her per-

OCTOBER 2013

ARTS

THE BOILING POINT

21

An authentic look into the Civil Rights movement

By Adam Rokah, Arts Editor

the movie, no employer is able to fathom the ineffable pain beneath it.

While serving, he strictly follows a policy that is repeated several times throughout the movie: “The room should feel empty when you’re in it.”

Cecil becomes adept at disappearing when he is serving. We see his real personality, which is more laid back, in his camaraderie with his fellow White House butlers.

Meanwhile, Cecil and his son Louis display

ously on a cotton plantation, enjoying one another’s company, until they hear a scream. Cecil’s mother (Mariah Carey) has been raped by plantation’s temperamental owner Thomas Westfall (Alex Pettyfer).

“Aint you gonna do something Dad?” Pang! Cecil’s father (David Banner) is shot dead.

This is the world that shapes the plot of Lee Daniels’ The Butler, the hit movie inspired loosely by the life of Eugene Allen, a White House butler who served through eight presidential administrations.

racism. Cecil uses a more reticent and discreet he has attained over the years to equalize White House payment of white and black workers, while Louis uses a more active and radical tactic, riding the freedom bus and for a while, joining the Black Panthers.

Cecil does not approve of his son’s radical ways (until the end of the movie, when he recognizes him as a hero), while Louis comes to resent his father’s accommodation of the status

and original look into how life developed for African Americans from the 1920’s to 2008. history of racism in America is usually addressed in a solemn, reticent manner, director Lee Daniels and screenwriter Danny Strong managed to put together other factors that were actually at play at the time. ers an accurate look into racism and what life really was like for non-whites during the Civil Rights movement. The actors’ performances alone are a compelling reason to see it. It also depicts different

between the two is the movie’s dramatic propeller.

Anyone who enjoys being completely conThe performances of Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey match its quality. Mr. Whitaker, playing Cecil, displays the perfect balance of dignity and humility. Oprah Winfrey, playing Gloria, demonential women in the world, but is also an actress who will pour her heart into any scene.

decades, creating interpersonal drama that keeps the viewer constantly alert. Unlike other movies on this subject, it is not about the moral awakening of white people.

After his father is shot, Cecil is pulled out of the ger” -- a black person who serves inside the house.

Cecil leaves the plantation in his teens, and works his way up from having no job and starving on the streets to working at a pastry shop, then a fancy where he serves presidents from Eisenhower through Reagan.

Along the way he acquires a family -- his wife Gloria (Oprah Winfrey), and two sons, Louis (David Oyelowo) and Charlie (Elijah Kelley).

Seen through the eyes of these characters, protest and eventual reform do not just occur on a political level.

Major political and public events such as the Vietnam war,

close, Cecil revisits the cotton plantation where he was raised and scarred, only this time, as a and abandoned, a world that no longer exists.

Along with the inauguration of Barack Obama the assassination of Martin Luther King, and the assault on the Freedom Riders directly play into the Cecil’s own life, usually through the lives of his sons.

The most vivid example of this is in the evolution of Cecil himself. Cecil learns from an early age that in order to survive – and particularly in order to succeed – he must wear an inscrutable, benign mask on his face. Throughout

and dignity to a place of degradation shows the ultimate purpose behind the struggles of Cecil, Louis, and the real people like them who fought in the Civil Rights Moveand ours for seeing it.

Need help writing your college essay?

Want to perfect your supplementary essays?

Looking to improve your writing skills?

Lynn Rohatiner 310.562.7778 zalissue@gmail.com

ARTS

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

22

Volunteers and Models Wanted!

Please contact Karen at karenm1969@ aol.com if you would like to be a model or worker in the fashion show.

SPORTS

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

23

Junior Adam Rokah to represent United States in Pam Am games in Argentina after winning national karate tournament

By Jonah Gill, Sports Editor

After qualifying by winning a regional tournament contest, earning an overall record of 23-1. That victory

Courtesy of the Rokah family

ON TOP: Adam Rokah, second from right, won the national championship for 15- to 18-year-olds in shotokan karate in St. Louis last July. Next month he’ll compete in the Pan American games in Argentina.

Traditional karate, along with being more technical

cal abilities. shotokan,

-

-

Karate Kid. Adam won 11 of his katas, for a record of 11-1,

-

the tournament. nal record of 23-1. The sec-

meant for show,” Adam “This one is useful in actual situations,” he con-

and be the best you can be, whereas the other ones are

Well, there is a lot. But it’s just time management. I pace my time well. I plan ahead. I do my homework in advance, I try to make sure nothing conflicts.”

--Adam Rokah, junior

the website states.

It differentiates itself from other karate forms this way:

tions to score,” the website states.

The format of a karate tournament is 12 kata bouts,

Gavrila, went 12-0 in kata

time, three times a week. But in the month before a tour-

heavily, Adam won the

-

training when he was three years old with his father

“I think it is great that someone I hang out with a lot

-

ginning of last year.

-

as a toddler.

“I do sort of remember it -- I vaguely remember it,” he to start.”

OutsideSports

LA Dodgers go on summer winning streak, make the playoffs

By Noah Rothman, Staff Writer As Shalhevet students have returned to school this fall, out in the city of Los Angeles one team is doing better than the others. The Los Angeles Dodgers have gone from 23

their best since moving to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in

leagues, and since then the Dodgers have won 67 games. boost and momentum they needed to be a winning team.

Also contributing to the success of the Dodgers have

and 1,000 innings.

the Dodgers,” Mr. Smith said. “At the facility where I went

still has an average of .350 with 103 hits and 20 homeruns.

He hit two homeruns the night that the Dodgers clinched dodgers.mlb.com

thing he is doing now. He was killing the ball and had an insane arm.” ball teams.

PUIG: When Yasiel Puig joined the Dodgers in June, they were in last place. His arrival began a turnaround that sent them to the playoffs.

SPORTS

THE BOILING POINT

OCTOBER 2013

24

Quarterbacks shine in debut Flag Football games

By Noah Rothman, Staff Writer In spite of great passing, speed, and powerful defense, the Shalhevet Boys and Girls Flag Football teams both fell short against L.A. Adventist Eagles in their opening games last night at LACES High School. which formed last spring and whose members were When the game was over, the team was elated, even “Many kids go in the backyard and run a twominute drill with their pee-wee footballs and tiny helmets, simulating the thrill of competitive football,” said co-captain junior Mati Hurwitz. “ I am exuberant to be part of that real game situation.” er catching a pass from junior quarterback Nicole hwawks on the boards. LA Adventist is a team from South Central LA that Shalhevet plays also in basketball and volleyball.

Kick-off was at 5 pm at LACES, a public high school located close to Fairfax. The crowd was enthusiastic with parents, teachers, and students, even though there were no bleachers for anyone to sit on.

BP Photo By Goldie Fields In the boys game, it seemed as if every play START: Center and team captain Mati Hurwitz snaps the football to quarterback Jacob Dauer during the first-ever Boys started with sophomore quarterback Jacob Dauer holding on to the ball, trying to make a decision on Flag Football game at LACES on Sept. 17. The Firehawks lost to the much more experienced LA Adventist Eagles, 18 - 13. where to throw it as the rest of the team scurried still on top. The Firehawks then had the ball and came The Firehawks started with the ball. They began with up with nothing. Then the Eagles got the ball again and season to junior receiver Max Helfand, making the score 7-0.

Next, with the Firehawks on defense, senior co-captain Josh Einalhori sacked the opposing quarterback. The Eagles then turned the ball over. Jacob then threw an interception, and Adventist got the ball back. The Eagles then Shalhevet then had the ball again and Jacob threw a 40yard pass to sophomore running back Micah Gill. who then unable to catch him. He blazed into the end zone for the Adventist then got the ball back and ran it 50 yards for

got the ball again and on the third down, Jacob threw his second interception of the night. my receiver,” Jacob said. “But the second one, it was third down and I threw it hoping for it to be caught — but was ultimately intercepted.”

At this point it was not looking good for the Firehawks, but with just two minutes left, Shalhevet got the ball back. Jacob threw a series of short-range passes to

with only two seconds left. They quickly got the play going but Jacob was only able to make a short-range pass to Mati Hurwitz. Mati was unable to score, leaving the Firehawks with the loss of Science Teacher and Debate Coach Mr. Chris Buckley coaches both the Girls team and the Boys team.

“I am extremely proud that the boys fought every play,” Mr. Buckley said.

“Looking back, we had no penalties and got so close to the win. We were up against a very athletic and well-coached team, and we could have won.

“Jacob Dauer threw a BP Photo By Jillian Einalhori

OVERHEAD: Quarterback Nicole Feder evades a sack as she quickly throws the ball on Sept.17 against the LA Adventist Eagles. The Firehawks lost 21 - 6.

coach as well as I could have,” he added. “We have some practice to do but we will win the next game.”

Earlier in the evening,

Jacob threw a 40-yard pass to sophomore running back Micah Gill, who then ran the ball done the field with the Eagles trailing behind, unable to catch him. He blazed into the end zone, and the score was 13 - 6.

The Lady Firehawks had started with the ball and were

The next time the Lady Firehawks had the ball, junior of the season. Later on, the Eagles scored again and did not The Eagles then scored once more and instead of deciding to go for one extra point, they attempted two. The attempt was a success and the Lady Firehawks were behind ball and, with Nicole leading, were able to get in position

She then threw the ball to junior running back Shoshi Miller, who was standing in the end zone.

An Eagles wwplayer tipped the ball in the air, at which nally score.

“I felt great when I caught the ball,” Shoshi said later. “I and I was shocked when I caught it.” shutout. Mr. Buckley had some positive things to say.

“They were a very talented team, but we scored a nice provement and will play better next time.”

SportsBriefs

Mixed results in LA summer basketball offseason moves (see related story, page 23), basketball fans had news to follow as well.

Los Angeles Clippers star point guard Chris Paul Matt Barnes to a three-year, Ryan Hollins contract. Over the summer the team continued to sign more players, hoping to make sure that they reach the playoffs once again. The Clippers also acquired guard J.J. Redick and forward Jared Dudley for point guard Eric Bledsoe, and replaced Head Coach Vinny Del Negro with Doc Rivers.

the Lakers selected forward Ryan Kelly from Duke. The Lakers had not selected a But the Lakers did sign Jewish point guard Jordan Farmar, guard Nick Young, and center Chris Kaman. The Lakers had two players not re-sign this offseason.

They lost Metta World Peace and Dwight Howard. Metta World Peace went to the New York Knicks and Dwight Howard went to the Houston Rockets.

--Noah Rothman, Staff Writer