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MUSLIM TEENS IN LA GRAPPLE WITH GARB
COLOR WAR GETS BIGGER
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CLOSING THE CHAPTER OF CHILDHOOD
SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL • Los Angeles, CA April 2016 -Nissan 5776 Volume 16, Issue 4 shalhevetboilingpoint.com
Only 3 APs next year as SAS takes over
WHITE-WASHED: Student art was added to Shalhevet’s skylit, cylindrical foyer last month. In New York, the Guggenheim Museum is similar.
By MAAYAN WALDMAN, Community Editor ERIC BAZAK, Editor-in-Chief
BP Photo by Katia Surpin
In Shalhevet’s lobby, a Guggenheim of the West By HANNAH JANNOL,Arts & Culture Editor Shalhevet has an East Coast twin. Not SAR, Frisch Academy, or other leading Modern Orthodox high schools in New York, but rather the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Though the bicoastal counterparts are not externally identical, they share internal DNA. Both feature whitewashed cylindrical lobbies with circular stairwells overlooking a foyer below. Both lobbies have glass ceilings with geometric panes, pouring sunlight into what would otherwise be a windowless space. And since early March, Shalhevet’s ascending hallways have — like the Guggenheim’s — been splashed with brightly colored works of art, in this case art by current students.
The result is what was once a soaring but minimalistic aesthetic but is now a buoyant presence created by what is essentially Shalhevet’s very own school art museum. Many familiar with the Guggenheim — with its iconic spiral exterior, one of the most distinctive landmarks in Manhattan — had noticed the resemblance between the museum and Shalhevet’s foyer from the moment they walked in the building last summer. One was Dean of Students Mr. Jason Feld, previously an art gallery owner in Jerusalem. “Early on in the year I made a reference — ‘Oh this is kind of a high school version of the Guggenheim,’” Mr. Feld said. To the left of both buildings’ rotundas is an elevator that takes people up to rooftops with coveted views. The Guggenheim overlooks Central Park, while Shalhevet
surveys the Hollywood Hills, La Brea Park and Little Ethiopia, with the Griffith Park Observatory and Downtown Los Angeles in the distance. Their circular, ascending galleries are not the only architectural gene the Guggenheim and Shalhevet share. Shalhevet’s Magen David skylight entrance tops the school’s spiral staircase. At the Guggenheim, an intricate geometric design tops the skylight ceiling of the museum’s entrance, with ovular shapes evenly intersecting a circular cobwebbed oculus. Beneath the museum’s glass eye, a spiraling ramp descends to the lobby from an annex on the seventh floor, while Shalhevet’s spiral staircase descends from the third floor. But what was missing was the art. Now, 65 works, created by students in the AP Art and 10th-grade Continued on Page 15
Shalhevet votes for president still up for grabs, poll shows By Elon Glouberman, Outside News Editor
In the midst of an unconventional presidential election race, which includes surprisingly appealing Donald Trump of the Republicans and Bernie Sanders of the Democrats, almost half of Shalhevet students have not yet found a candidate to support. Among those who have found a candidate to their liking, moderate Republican John Kasich garnered the highest percentage in an anonymous poll of 62 Shalhevet students, conducted by the Boiling Point on March 30. While 39 percent have said they had not decided which candidate they sup-
port, 15 percent backed Kasich, who is the governor of Ohio, while delegateleading Democrat Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, was close behind with 13 percent. “I just don’t think that any of the people running for president are good options and are going to ‘make our country great again,’” undecided senior Asher Remer – referencing Donald Trump’s campaign slogan – said in an interview. “I think Bernie Sanders is too radical,” he continued, “Hillary Clinton is a liar, Donald Trump is going to start a nuclear war, Ted Cruz is also too extreme, and John Kasich would be best but I don’t think he’s going to win.” In a school where no party or affilia-
tion represents the majority of students (Democrats are a plurality at 37 percent), there are many possible reasons students cannot choose a candidate to their liking. According to senior Daniel Soroudi, who currently supports Republican Ted Cruz, one of the reasons might be because people are unable to align themselves perfectly with a single candidate. Also, the campaigns’ attacks have had an effect. “I’m not saying I like Ted Cruz, I just like him more than everyone else,” Daniel said. “I’m really undecided, but I don’t want to leave America in the hands of people who don’t know what they’re doing. I don’t want to leave the vote up to people who would vote for Bernie Sand Continued on Page 9
Barron’s books, May exams and curriculum cramming will soon be a thing of the past, as next year there will be just three AP classes offered. As part of a transition away from Advanced Placement courses, next year’s AP classes will be limited to Calculus AB and BC and Chemistry. Three new Shalhevet Advanced Studies (SAS) courses will be offered next year in place of what used to be AP or honors classes, and additional SAS classes will also start. These and other changes were announced during a joint junior and senior Advisory on March 22 by Director of College Counseling Ms. Aviva Walls. Ms. Walls said the SAS courses introduced so far, designed by Shalhevet teachers, have been accepted by colleges as AP-equivalent. The announcement marked the end of the road for a policy that had been meant to ensure academic excellence and, when Shalhevet was new, concrete evidence that it offered a solid education. But under former General Studies Principal Mr. Roy Danovitch, the tide started to change. “For Shalhevet to assert independence, the best thing is to challenge competitive classes and make them as creative and sophisticated as possible,” said Mr. Danovitch, interviewed by phone from New York, where he is studying education at Columbia University. “It took a lot of persuasion because a lot of people associate the AP’s with prestige,” he said. “SAS is creating our own homegrown, advanced courses with the same associated rise in GPA that will create and develop better learning outcomes.” Students say that SAS courses allow for a deeper understanding of the material. “In AP US History you cram everything and the pace is so quick, but in Eurasia you have more time to organize your thoughts and really understand the topic,” said senior Sariel Elkaim, who dropped out of AP US History last year but said SAS Eurasia is now her favorite class. The plan is to ultimately convert AP Chemistry into an SAS class as well, leaving only Calculus as AP options after next year. “For AP Chemistry, we needed to give [Chemistry teacher] Ms. [Amy] Sirkis another year to develop the class,” Ms. Walls said. “With Calculus, we will probably continue to teach the AP curriculum for the time being.” AP Psychology, which has been a very popular social science course among upperclassmen, will be replaced with SAS Psychology, a new course designed by current AP Psych teacher Ms. Tove Sunshine. Ms. Sunshine said that the curriculum would in large part remain the same but the new course would have 6-8 more weeks of learning and would be able to go into more depth on certain topics, instead of being pressed to squeeze all of the material in before the AP exam in early May. “The curriculum will be retained,” Ms. Sunshine said in an interview, “but I will be taking out certain repetitive or not-as-significant parts to allow more hands-on activity, time to observe complex ideas, and it will be throughout the entire year. “It will be recognizably similar to AP Psych but I think a better pace of learning and greater depth.” One newly offered course next year will be a Tefillah Elective that will meet during Hashkama twice a week on days when AGS does not, according to Ms. Walls. The idea for that course came from a student, junior Nathan Benyowitz, who pitched the idea to Principal Reb Noam Weissman. Judaic Studies teacher Noey Jacobson offered to teach it. “We love when students push us for more, to learn more, to grow more, to understand more,” Mr. Weissman said of Nathan’s request for the class. Another new course being offered next year is SAS Jewish Liter- Continued on Page 4
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Community
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Farewell to 14 years of Harvard Outlines and blazers as Dr. Yoss departs By Eric Bazak, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Michael Yoss, the longtime History teacher known for his humor, fashion and rigorous classes, will not be returning to Shalhevet next fall. One of the longest serving teachers now at the school, Dr. Yoss told his Honors U.S. History class just before Mincha March 17 that he would not be returning for the 2016-2017 school year, and confirmed that when contacted by the Boiling Point the next morning. He did not want to comment further. Sophomore Maia Julis, who was there, said the class was shocked. “We were all in shock when he told us,” said Maia. “We were all pretty upset and sad that he was no longer going to be with us next year.” Dr. Yoss joined the faculty in 1999 and has taught 9th and 10th grade World History, AP World History, AP U.S. History, and SAS Humanities. He left the school in 2007 for three years to teach at Friends Academy, a Quaker school in Locust Valley, N.Y., returning in 2010. Mati Davis, a senior who has been close to Dr. Yoss, said the irreverent South African expatriate had greatly enhanced his high school experience. “I’m devastated, not only because I have a good relationship
SASSY: Dr. Yoss would often poke fun at his students during class. He never shied away from a joke.
with him, but because future classes will never get to meet him,” Mati said. “It’s a big loss for Shalhevet,” Mati said. “He has had a huge impact on my life and on the lives of many others in our school. Not only is he a fantastic person, many people don’t realize how much he contributes to the Shalhevet culture. Also, his teaching has not only taught me skills to use in history class, but skills to use every day for the rest of my life.” Alumnus David Cohen ‘04 remembered his passion. “He was a great teacher who is very passionate about his field and gave me a great appreciation of world history and how it shaped the world we live in today,” said David. Born in Capetown, South Africa, Dr. Yoss left for London during the apartheid regime in 1978. After six months there, he moved
BP Photo by Ezra Fax
BP Photo by Katia Surpin
to America to run a clothing design business. He later returned to to England to earn his doctorate in history from Oxford University. He described this experience at an all-school observance on Martin Luther King Day this year, and earlier in an interview with the Boiling Point when Nelson Mandela died. “I grew up in our family home near the Atlantic Ocean and it overlooked Robben Island, so I was always aware of home and what he meant,” Dr. Yoss said in 2014.
Skaist, O’Brien to leave By Maayan Waldman, Community Editor
SIGNAGE: The school’s new name, Jean and Jerry Friedman Shalhevet High School, was officialy installed on the Fairfax side of the building March 6, honoring the founder and benefactor whose idea for a Kohlbergian Just Community Orthodox high school got Shalhevet started 23 years ago. The sign was up almost in time for the building’s dedication, which honored the Friedmans as well as the Feder and Gill families. A sign by the main entry doors on the building’s east side says ‘Feder Family Campus.”’
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Judaic Studies teacher Mrs. Ruthie Skaist and English teacher Ms. Devon O’Brien will not return next fall, The Boiling Point confirmed last month. Mrs. Skaist, currently in her fifth year at Shalhevet, said it was her own idea to leave, and that she she wanted to explore alternative career opportunities. “It’s a good time in my life for me to find something different and new,” said Mrs. Skaist. “I’m not sure what that will be yet, but I’m excited for what is to come next.” First-year English teacher Ms. Devon O’Brien also confirmed that she would not be returning. “Lo bashamaim hi” – it’s not in the heavens – Ms. O’Brien said, using Judaic knowledge she gained just this year. She said she would say more at a later date. The news came just days after Dr. Michael Yoss, history teacher for 14 years, confirmed that his contract had not been renewed. Mrs. Skaist has taught 9th- and 10th-grade Jewish History, Tanach for every grade, and a Holocaust education course she herself initiated for the seniors. She also headed and expanded the Chesed Committee, devoted to community service projects. Ms. O’Brien, a playright and former actress, journalist and model, has been teaching AP Literature, 9th-grade English, and 10th-grade American Literature this year.
Israeli Cabinet Minister Ofir Akunis visits
VIDEO: Phone-a-thon fundraiser
Alumnus almost impeached from USC student goverment
April
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Yom Yerushalayim Annual Gala
Yom Haatzma’ut
Yom HaZikaron
Mother’s Day
Pesach
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Lag B’omer
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May Poland Israel Experience
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More Guggenheim photos
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Community
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Record tally for annual blood drive What can happen in a second By Shirin NatANELi, 12th Grade It’s funny how important seconds are. In one second something can happen that will change your life forever. That’s what happened to me, in one second I heard the pop, the next I was on the turf clutching my knee. I remember telling myself I was being stupid, that I should get up and keep playing because I would be fine tomorrow. But on that soccer field on October 12, 2015, that one second caused more then just a bruise. In one second two ligaments in my knee were torn and my ability to walk was taken away. It was a lot to take in. Like most seniors, I began my year with the highest of expectations. I would get good grades, hopefully be captain of the two teams I had worked so hard for the past few years, go to parties, and just enjoy my last year. So that one second where I was trying to ram into people to get a soccer ball changed everything. I am not saying I’m a wise sage, but even though it’s been only five months since my injury and I’m still dealing with the ramifications, I do believe I have been able to reflect. For one, I realized the importance of something most of us take for granted -- walking.
Even the little things you normally take for granted are such huge blessings.
My brother, who was paralyzed from the waist down because of an accident that happened when he was a kid, has been dealing with this most of his life. In four short months of crutches and leg braces I realized what a blessing it was to be able to walk. The constant fear of your crutches slipping or the aches in your arms from carrying your weight all day is unbearable, and I remember at first complaining all the time. But after a couple of days I stopped complaining, looking to my brother. He kept me going. Despite the trauma he faced and the constant annoyance of crutches, he worked hard and got himself a Ph.D. If that isn’t encouragement I don’t know what is. As I continue to reflect, I also realize the importance of inclusion, along with companionship. One of the worst things for me was staying in bed all day alone after my surgery. My parents had work and my friends had school, so for most of the time my cat was the only one keeping me company. But then I started getting texts from a lot of people, often times people I wasn’t even very close with. That really helped, and the friends that did come over to visit, even if it was for half an hour during lunch, lifted my spirits to heights I couldn’t even imagine possible while in that situation. The year isn’t even over yet but I still believe I have learned so much. I know that even the little things you normally take for granted are such huge blessings. And I also know that whether you are best friends with someone or they are someone you mutter “hi” to every once in a while in the hallways, they each have something to offer. It can be a smile, joke, or some advice, but even in a short second, including them in your life can change you forever.
DONORS: Sophomores Noa Segal, left, and Tali Schlact were among 47 volunteers to donate.
By Aidel townsley Staff Writer Despite a two-hour-late start, the annual blood drive collected a record 42 pints from 47 student and teacher volunteers in the gym April 4. Some people were unable to donate because the equipment truck driver called in sick and they missed their time slot, and others were deemed ineligible donors because of age or medical issues. But even with these difficulties, enough blood was collected to save 126 lives, according to the Red Cross. The previous record was 33 pints in 2008. “A lot of people gave double,” said event co-chair Eric Bazak, explaining that officials encouraged students to give more than the minimum one pint. For example, Eric himself was invited to give plasma, which took almost an hour and which helps many more people than a typical donation. “When you’re going to donate, then you may as well go above and beyond and do what the American Red Cross wants you to do,” Eric said. Junior Eliana Meltzer has donated blood four times, twice with Shalhevet.
“If someone gets in a car accident I always think, ‘What if they don’t have enough blood and they can’t recover?’” said junior Elianna Meltzer, who donated two cycles. “And because I’m O-positive, I’m universally accepted, which means anyone can take my blood and it would work, which means that I can help more people and I’m not really limited in that case. And it feels just good to be able to donate.”
People think ‘No, I need my blood; I can’t give it away.’ But you don’t. --Brandi Cole, ARC Team Supervisor
Junior Alec Fields, donating for the second time, said it didn’t hurt and didn’t take too much time. “The fact that you can help someone just by taking 20 minutes out of your day is really great,” Alec told the Boiling Point. “After the one-second shot-like feeling, you don’t really
BP Photo by Ezra Fax
feel it and you can just lie down and do whatever until they are done.” Before giving blood, participants had to be checked to see if they met all the necessary guidelines. Some were declined for unexpected reasons, such as recently having received a vaccine or being underweight. Since the Red Cross prohibits those under 16 from giving blood, many underclassmen who were interested were not accepted. Additionally, every donor scheduled for before 10:30 am had to reschedule, so some were ultimately unable to donate. A fear of needles also stopped some from donating, but not as many as in previous years. More than half the seniors donated this year, while in 2014 more than half didn’t, citing a fear of needles. Brandi Cole, team supervisor for the drive, said another problem can be lack of education. “I think a lot of people are not educated about people needing blood or people needing their own blood, cause a lot of people think ‘no, I need my blood I can’t give it away,’” said Ms. Cole. “But you don’t.” Senior Kayla Ablin co-chaired the event.
New classroom to relocate second-floor ‘genius bar’ By Lucy Freid, Staff Writer The open lobby space of the second-floor genius bar will become a classroom next year, providing an additional dedicated space for learning in the new building and raising the number of classrooms from 14 to 15, school officials have confirmed. An architectural drawing for the new space has been displayed behind Tech Director Yossie Frankel’s desk for several weeks, with the words “New Classroom” at the top. Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal and General Studies Principal Mr. Daniel Weslow said the room would primarily host math and science classes, as well as the Robotics team, which has just completed its successful first season. “In thinking about a robotics lab,” Rabbi Segal said, “we thought rather than sticking it in the basement, we could put it right up in the second floor and it could be a hub of innovation.” Rabbi Segal said that the school’s original building plans called for a classroom in that space, and that framing for walls, electricity and other elements were placed there in advance. “It was actually part of the original plan, way back when, to have a classroom there,” Rabbi Segal said in an interview. “We ended up taking it out because we wanted to just see how the building functioned.” Because this year has gone relatively smoothly, with minimal bottlenecking or crowdedness, the plans for an additional classroom can be carried out, he said. There were 17 classrooms in the old building and 11 in the JCC, where school met during construction last year. According to Mr. Weslow, the classroom is intended to be a multiple use space next year.
“A number of different classes will have the best spot for everybody is going to be.” Students interviewed this week did not opportunity to take advantage of the resources and utilize the space,” Mr. Weslow said in an seem attached to its location. “I really like the open space of where the interview last week. Members of the Robotics team are particu- genius bar is, but if it moves to the other end of larly excited about it, because they have been the hallway it won’t affect the student body that using hallways and storage rooms in the base- much,” said freshman Abbi Sentchuk. “The charging station is actually chargment this year. “We are very excited with the plans to up- ing my phone as we speak,” said senior Josh grade to a proper workspace for next year,” Joffe. “I don’t really mind that it’s moving.” Rabbi Segal said architect Chris Ward, who said team co-captain and vice president Micah Hiller. “This will allow for us to have the in- designed the school building, would be designfrastructure to build better robots and have a ing the new classroom. more effective program.” The dates for construction as well as how By adding an extra space dedicated to in- long it will take are not yet clear, but Rabbi class learning, the room Segal hopes that it will have begun by the end may also take some pressure off the Beit Midrash and other non-classroom spaces that have been used for classrooms this year under the school’s “flexible space” policy. That policy has seen classes meeting in large rooms designed more BLUEPRINT: Plans for the new classroom are disfor public events or played on the wall above Yossie Frankel’s desk. prayer. The genius bar – BP Photo by Gaby Benelyahu named after the tech support counters in Apple stores – has been of the school year. used by students this year for help with their With the new classroom, the regionally iPads, printing and device power needs, and ranking robotics team will soon become a more will likely move to the opposite end of the integral aspect of the new building, and Rabbi second-floor hallway, Rabbi Segal said. Segal hopes for their presence to inspire others “We love the idea that the tech people to be innovative. are out and about, rather than in some office “There’s just something about being around or corner somewhere, so they’ll probably be innovation that inspires,” Rabbi Segal said. there,” Rabbi Segal said. “But we’ll meet with faculty and students and get a sense of what the
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Community
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Public school ‘Jew Clubs’ take Shalhevet students out of Orthodox bubble By Maayan WAldman, Community Editor When Shalhevet’s latest club began to venture off campus to public high schools during lunch, students quickly discovered that they would not just be friends or role models for diverse Jewish teens. Instead, they discovered another world of Jewish teen life that they had not known existed. They were following Judaic Studies teacher Yosef Miller, who teaches the basics of Judaism class at Shalhevet and is city director of NCSY, into public high schools where he leads programming for almost 300 students all year long. The programs, all at lunch, are officially called Jewish Student Union. But at schools like Beverly Hills High, LACES, Hamilton and Santa Monica, they have evolved into student-run meetings that the participants themselves call “Jew club.” “It’s a way to identify with your religion, or a way to show some sort of interest even if you’re not Jewish,” Mr. Miller said. “You go to the club because it’s something you can connect to, it’s something that’s yours.” Junior Nathan Benyowitz spurred interest in JSU amongst Shalhevet students. He heard about the program last year and decided to create a club to go along with Mr. Miller multiple times a month. Nathan thought this program could be beneficial not just to kids in public high schools but also to Shalhevet students.
“We don’t want to educate -- it’s not about educating them,” Nathan said. “It’s about making friends and new reMIXER: At LACES High School in nearby Carthay Circle, junior Nathan lationships with Jews that have a differBenyowitz leads a joint meeting between public school students and ent background than us.” Shalhevet’s JSU club. The weekly routine is pretty consistent. Mr. Miller usually introduces a game such as Israel trivia or a dreidel tournament and then serves pizza from Photo by Yoseph Miller Pizza Station. David Mosseri, a senior at Hamilton, has a Similarly, junior Maya Golan talked about startOver pizza or another snack, such as jelly donuts on Chanukah, Yosef, and sometimes ing a chavruta with a girl she met at Santa Monica different story. He comes from Jewish Moroccan and Egypthe Shalhevet students with him, join conversa- High. According to Hamilton junior Rodney No- tian descent and was the first member of his famtions about common interests, their Jewish backily to be born and raised in America. bles, the clubs are attractive to a diverse crowd. grounds, or their Jewish future. “JSU impacted my identity by showing me Some come because they are Jewish and want “My vision is to bring them into the commuthat it’s not da-da-da and da-da-da,” he said, gesto strengthen nity,” Nathan told the their roots. turing with his hands to imitate the rigid strucBoiling Point. “To show Some are inter- ture of strictly observed Judaism, “but that it’s them how our experiNow I know mah zeh lihyot Yehudi – what it means ested in learn- also about community, faith, and spirit.” ences with Judaism are “Now I know mah zeh lihyot Yehudi – what it ing about a similar and different, to be a Jew – and I can connect. I realize that I love unique culture. means to be a Jew – and I can connect. I realize allow them to ask quesbeing a Jew, so late in my life. And some just that I love being a Jew, so late in my life.” tions, and just talk and Many kids like David have become more inwant pizza. -David Mosseri, Hamilton High School hang out with them.” volved in Jewish organizations after going to Jew Rodney deAfter visiting Santa scribed himself Club. Monica High School on However, the goal of the club is not to make as an observer several occasions, Nathan became friends with the SAMO JSU presi- of some Jewish traditions, but also an attendee at kids religious, said Mr. Miller. “The goal is to provide them with enough edchurch. dent Max Dorf. “I came because I wanted to learn more about ucation, enough knowledge, and enough ability,” “Even though they live very different lifestyles as far as Judaism is concerned, as far as where the tradition,” he told the Boiling Point. “I have he said, “so that when they graduate high school they are in life it’s pretty similar,” Mr. Miller said. been coming every week since I was a freshman every life decision they make factors in their Judaism.” and it has made me proud to be Jewish.”
Only 3 AP classes to be offered next fall as SAS moves in to stay Continued from Page 1 ature, which will be taught by English teacher Ms. Naamit Nagel during her second year at Shalhevet. In this course, students will study multiple eras and styles of Jewish literature, such as Yiddish literature in pre-war Europe and the Jewish invention of the superhero. At an informational lunch session April 5, Ms. Nagel said students’ interests would guide her development of the curriculum. In the Social Science department, SAS Advanced Economics be a new course, and taught by Ms. Walls, who holds an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business. The course will be about micro and macro economics, history, and past economic mistakes such as the sub-prime mortgage crisis of 2008, Ms. Walls told the Boiling Point. Additionally, Honors Physics, though the
curriculum will remain the same, will now become SAS Advanced Physics. Ms. Walls said that the class as it was this year taught is rigorous enough to be an SAS course, and will be taught by Math and Physics teacher Mrs. Tamara Gidanian. SAS Humanities, which has been taught by the outgoing History teacher Dr. Michael Yoss, and AP Statistics, whose teacher Ms. Atara Segal will be on sabbatical next year, will not be offered in 2016-17, according to the course list. “Shalhevet is an independent school that calls itself progressive, so it has a responsibility both educationally and philosophically to express that independence in the curriculum,” Danovitch said. “I’m happy that the school continued on this path after I left.”
Robotics team takes top rookie honors in LA regional tournament vet’s robots during Shabbat matches. This year, the FRC — FIRST Robotics CompeShalhevet’s new Robotics team placed 16th in ition – had competing robots pass through certain the FIRST Robotics Competition held in Long obstacles that opposing teams set up, while collectBeach Mar. 13, attaining the highest ranking for ing balls and shooting them into opponents’ goals. Sophomore Zack Hirschhorn attributed the any rookie team at the 66-team tournament at the first-ever appearance by an Orthodox Jewish team’s success to consistency. “We did so well because we had a great driver,” school. Competitor schools, some with years of experi- said Zack. “And our robot didn’t do very flashy ence and budgets of up to $100,000, came from things, but we did the things we needed to do very throughout the Los Angeles region. FIRST is an consistently.” The team’s faculty adviser, I.T. director Yossie acronym for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Frankel, chaperoned a first-ever Robotics ShabScience and Technology.” “It was a very fun experience getting to meet baton along with Physics teacher Ms. Amy Sirkis, people from different schools and to compete at Judaic Studies teacher Mrs. Atara Segal and parents such a high level,” said junior Jonah Kaye. “We did of team members. FIRST’s website says the competition hopes to well and we’re extremely proud of ourselves.” The team was spearheaded by junior transfer foster interest in science and technology. “The mission of FIRST is to inspire young peostudent Seiji Shaw, who, with the help of others on the team, raised $20,000 in grants and donations ple to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting Mentor-based programs that so that Shalhevet could participate in the league. Students from Seiji’s former school in San Fran- build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership,” the website states. Competing in a different league, the FTC, YULA faced several obstacles that led to a X ranking. The FTC, FIRST Tech Challenge, required them to switch their programming language to Java and Shabbat conflicted with many of their competition dates. RESCUE: Founder Seiji Shaw’s friends from Lowell However, YULA did host a High School help Shalhevet perform small fixes on competition of their own, which the robot. They also competed for them on Shabbat. according to YULA sophomore Jonathan Mizrahi, the FTC recognized that meet as one of the BP Photo by Eva Suissa most smoothly run they had ever cisco, Lowell High School, operated Shalhevet’s ro- attended. “We did not place as well as we hoped, and bots on Friday night and Saturday while Shalhevet there were many contributing factors to this,” Jonastudents kept Shabbat, Jonah said. The tournament made an exception to its rule than said. “All of these factors catalyze do our unthat teams must handle their own robots and al- fortunate performance. Many others may feel diflowed for Lowell, which was competing in a differ- ferently, so take my opinions with a grain of salt.” ent regional at the same venue, to operate Shalhe-
By Eric bazak, Editor-in-Chief
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Community
5 LEAPFROG: Seniors J.J. Helperin and Josh Joffe, cheered on by teammates, help lead the black team to victory in the first-ever Apache Relay.
Four grades fight to the finish in newly expanded Color War BP Photos by Katia Surpin
Annual spirit competition spread usual academic and sports events and skits over two days instead of one By JACOB FEITELBERG, Staff Writer
the stage in the gym. In the juniors’ skit, Head ies Principal Roy Danovitch, played by Daniel When there’s a car in the lobby, different of School Rabbi Segal fired Principal Reb Noam Lorell, created another school named “Shalhecolored balloons strewn all over the floor, and stu- Weissman for not being a rabbi, after which Rab- bet” because it was a second Shalhevet, with a “better” version of the dents in face paint and neon colors streaming into bi Segal – played by Just Community. The the building, there can only be one thing happen- Alex Silberstein – freshmen’s skit showed struggled to pick a Everyone just had so much ruach and was so ing — Color War. the origins of all of the On Wednesday afternoon Feb. 22, what start- new Judaic Studies enthusiastic. In high school you’re just doing teachers in a comedic ed out as a fire drill turned into the first Color principal. work all the time and getting this two-day break way. Time and again, War in the new building, expanded from one day were to more than two, and from two teams to four teachers is everything, so everyone is way more into it. Ruach, or spirit, turned down for – one for each grade, led by grade-level captains. -Adam Ritz, 9th grade was high throughout The extra day gave students more time to the post due to a the two days. The comspend on creative competitions like the banner specific flaw. Judaic petition for best cheer Teacher and skit; all four team banners were later placed Studies in permanent positions in the gym. When it was Ms. Ilana Wilner, played by Maayan Waldman, ended in a four-way tie because each team had over, the seniors, Team Black, had pulled off a showed too much immaturity to get the position, the same unity and spirit, according to the judges, close win over the sophomores, Team Purple. “We place a high value on community and culture and this a great community event,” said new General Studies Principal Mr. Daniel Weslow, experiencing the annual competition for the first time. “I think it’s great how the students have gotten so involved and enthusiastic.” Highlights included a new activity called the Apache Relay, which combined academics, cocurriculars, athletics and a scavenger hunt, and as always, the very popular team skits. The relay saw students running all over the building in timed tasks ranging from basketball shooting, Lego building and watermelon eating to math problems, a chemistry experiment and a Talmud TRAFFIC: A black car parked in the lobby by seniors quiz. Students cheered on runners greeted students on the first full day of Color War. as they ran the baton from floor to floor to start the next contest. At the end, the Black team BP Photos by Katia Surpin won the race by such a close margin that Boaz and Laly had to check the security and music teacher and journalism adviser Mrs. Joelle Keene showed too little respect for Shalhecameras to see who crossed the finish line first. Clearly Color War wasn’t about the victory. “My adrenaline was at an all-time high for a vet in The Boiling Point. It was about the experience and our grade In the senior skit, students portrayed the full 90 minutes,” said senior Micah Gill, who ran grew so much from the experience. Black’s baton to the finish line in the last few mo- teachers and administrators having a drinking -- Ariel Cohen, 10th grade party, but having forgotten to bring the alcohol. ments of the race. Moments later, his team was cheering and Later, they found themselves in an Alcoholics dancing in the main stairwell and on top of Mi- Anonymous meeting. Played by Jacob Dauer, Reb Weissman -cah’s black Prius, which they had driven into the known in the student body for stressing that Boaz and Laly. lobby earlier in the day. “Everyone just had so much ruach and was “I appreciate how cautious they were with the “transition is the ultimate sign of maturity,” transitioned from being a man to a woman. The skit so enthusiastic,” said freshman Adam Ritz on the car,” said Mr. Weslow. ended with a warning against alcohol and its ef- contest’s second day. “In middle school, people As usual, Color War skits had students acting fects and the teachers finally getting the alcohol aren’t that into Color War because middle school is just like a joke in the first place, but now that the roles of various teachers and administrators in for their party. In the sophomores’ skit, former General Stud- we’re in high school you’re just doing work all the fictionalized stories about Shalhevet, this time on
time and getting this two-day break is everything, so everyone is way more into it.” Some events showcased hidden talents. In the Lip Sync contest, students lip-synced popular songs ranging from Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody to Frozen’s “Let it Go.” Everyone applauded and laughed as the performers pretended to play guitars or pranced around the stage in wigs. Team songs ranged from energetic to calm and slow, with every team using instruments or speakers. Sophomore Shaya Rosen played the guitar for the Purple team. “I didn’t even know Shaya played the guitar,” said Rabbi David Stein. After that, team stomps shook the gym as each grade put a different spin on how to create a beat with everyday objects. At the end of closing ceremonies, Boaz and Laly announced the winner. When they awarded second place to be the Team Purple, silence overtook the gym with the purple team clearly in shock; only one person stood up to cheer, sophomore Ariel Cohen. “I think that clearly Color War wasn’t about the victory,” Ariel said later. “It was about the experience, and our grade grew so much from the experience.” Then they announced that Team Black had won, and the entire senior class rushed into a mosh pit, happily jumping up and down over the win. Most people interviewed saidthe longer format and extra teams provided was a good idea, particularly for the sophomores and freshmen. “It’s a way to get a lot more younger people involved, like sophomores and freshman, who don’t usually have a big role in Color War,” said sophomore Tirtza Schramm, who led the Purple team along with Jacob Perelman. The grade that was able to get the most out of the leadership roles in Color War, however, was the freshmen, who do not usually lead any school activities. “I was surprised,” said freshman co-captain Lucy Fried. “They kinda told us on the spot, but I was really happy and I love Color War and it’s really fun.” Another goal had been bonding within grades. “There isn’t a lot of time for grades to be together, besides like classes and some assemblies,” said Laly. “We just wanted to create a space for the grades to come together and work together.” Junior Adam Taryle said it worked. “It really offers a bonding experience for each grade,” said Adam Taryle. “Shalhevet prides itself on having strong inter-grade friendships, but some grades are known to be divided amongst themselves.”
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Community
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With turkey wraps and salads, new caterer diversifies lunch program By Lucy Freid Staff Writer
According to Ms. Muriel Ohana, Assistant to the Head of School, as How can Shalhevet students get the best of both worlds? of March 15, 95 students had signed up for Lunches By Jacob. That comEnter Jacob Schwartz. Mr. Schwartz’s company, Lunches By Jacob, has been providing pares with 116 for L.A. Burger Bar, lunch twice a week since Feb. 1, while first semester’s restaurant 109 students for Jeff’s Gourmet, 107 for Shanghai and 96 for pizza from delivery program is maintained on the other three days. In addition to food cooked off-site, the new Tuesday-Thursday Nagila. Ms. Ohana said Lunches By Jacob program offers a fresh salad bar at every meal, responding to complaints that there were not enough healthy options in the first se- is now also being offered for daily purchase by students for $8.50, but mester program. “We always try to change things up and make things is limited to the first five people on healthier and give better choices,” said Executive Director a first-come, first-served basis. This is not an option on the restaurant deRobyn Lewis. “There’s always a protein, a vegetable, and a carb.” Lunches By Jacob still serves fried food, but always accom- livery days. On its first day, the change in programs evoked a mixed repanied by steamed vegetables and soup, as well a cold option of tuna or turkey wraps. Restaurant options included French sponse from students. Though the cafeteria was chaotic with people moving through, checking off their names and deciding what to fries, tempura sushi and beef fry burgers. Mr. Schwartz won’t be using Shalhevet’s new kitchens just yet. serve themselves, items like the tuna and turkey sandwiches on sourdough and whole wheat bread were During what’s being called a “trial run” described as “gourmet” and the vegetable for the program, he is preparing the soup as “extremely hot, but so good.” food in advance, hoping to move into “I wasn’t sure what to expect because the kitchens soon depending on the reMr. Schwartz has worked for it could really go both ways,” said junior sponse from students. companies that have catered to highMaayan Waldman while sipping vegetable “At this point in time, it’s easier for profile celebrity clients like Donald Trump, soup. “It was really good, and hopefully me and cleaner for everybody,” he said, it’ll stay like this for the rest of the semesHillary Clinton and the New York Giants. adding, “If everyone’s happy, then we’ll ter.” Senior Micah Gill liked the change. just take over the kitchen.” “It’s a great change,” said Micah, a Before moving to Los Angeles in wrapped tuna sandwich in hand. “It alters 2010, Mr. Schwartz has worked for some of the biggest kosher catering companies in New York, cater- my nutrition habits, it alters my diet, and I’m really excited to being to high profile celebrity clients such as Donald Trump, Hillary come a more balanced eater.” Other students worried they’d miss the first semester plan: five Clinton, and the New York Giants. “I’ve done some fancy work,” he said. “It’s exciting and a little restaurants, one for each day of the week — Schnitzly, Meshuga 4 scary at first, but then after a while they’re just like regular people.” Sushi, Shanghai, L.A. Burger Bar, and Nagila.
Change of pace for new security head who was embassy guard in Iraq By jacob feitelberg Staff Writer On April 6, Shalhevet stepped it up a notch with their security. To replace former Director of Security Manny Fernandez, the school hired a company with experience in some of the most dangerous places in the world. For example, the new security director, Joshua Philipps, previously guarded the French and Finnish embassies in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr. Fernandez resigned Feb. 4 to accept another job. “The administration had to decide between a firm and a single security director, and they chose the firm,” said Registrar and Director of Facilities, Business, and Institutional Advancement Mrs. Lili Einalhori. “The administration took a more hands-off approach by hiring a firm.” Law Security and Investigations LLC now supplies four security guards with at least two working at any time. Walter Morales, who also worked under Mr. Fernandez, is now working for Law Security and Investigations LLC. “I really like the school -- this much different than I’m used to,” said Mr. Philipps. In the past he served as director of school security at a Catholic school in Mexico. It had about the same number of
students as Shalhevet, he said, but the security staff was much larger. “It was the same thing, a private high school for wealthy Mexican business owners’ kids,” Mr. Philipps said. Before that, he worked at the embassies of Finland and France in Afghanistan and Iraq, under a security contract company he declined to name. Before that he spent two years in the U.S. Army and eight in the Marines, Mr. Philipps said. He returned from Afghanistan in January, and Charles Law – a friend of his – asked him to become director of security at Shalhevet. “You use the same types of tools that you use in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it’s a completely different environment and situation,” said Mr. Philipps in an interview. “You look for people acting different. You look for people that stick out. Working in this area you see what kind of people are in the area, and if they stick out then maybe they don’t belong here.” He said students had an important role to play. “The students are a good reporting tool to use, too, because you guys walk around the school all day long,” he said. “If you guys see something change all of a sudden, then you can tell us about it. So, it’s important for the students to be vigilant too.” BP Photo by Gaby Benelyahu
PROTECT: Pete Pietry watches at gate. He is one of four new security guards part of the security group.
OPTIONS: Caterer Jacob Schwartz has brought more variety to Shalhevet’s lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
BP Photo by Katia Surpin
“It feels like there’s not as much variety now,” said freshman Matan Segal, as he dipped a forkful of first-day schnitzel from Lunches By Jacob in ketchup. “It feels like there’s not as much variety now.” Some complained about the amount of time that it took to get the food compared with the pre-packaged handouts of first semester, but Ms. Ohana predicted that would improve. “We fed 95 kids in 10 minutes, and I think that’s pretty good,” she said on the first day. “Now that everybody knows more or less where everything is, I’m sure it’ll go much faster.” Less than three weeks later, the Boiling Point observed that students had cleared out the serving area eight minutes after the period began. In New York, Mr. Schwartz worked for Ram Caterers, overseeing the catering process. In Los Angeles, Lunches By Jacob has catered events like brises, weddings and bar mitzvahs for six years. But Shalhevet is his first school program. “I’m looking forward to meeting the students and providing good, kosher, and healthy food,” he said.
Students ring in $100k for co-curriculars By Maayan Waldman Community Editor Sitting or standing around a conference table with cellphones pressed to their ears like brokers at a stock exchange, a dozen students called everyone they knew Jan. 28 in hopes of raising $100,000 in 24 hours for co-curriculars. It was the school’s first-ever phone-a-thon, the goal being to match three $25,000 contributions with a fourth drawn from people the students personally knew. Working in the conference room on the first floor, students chosen by the administration – most, but not all, of them elected representatives on Just Community committees – were served Coffee Bean drinks, assorted snacks and sodas, and lunch from Meshuga 4 Sushi, and were excused from class to spend the afternoon on the phone. “We’re trying to raise money for Shalhevet extracurriculars and clubs,” said sophomore Sam Hirschhorn early in the telethon. “Our goal is 100 thousand dollars and if we don’t get that within the next 24 hours we return all the money so I better get back to working hard.” Jan. 28 was also Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and all of the fundraisers had spent the morning learning about the black community in segregated America via literature and a documentary. The phone-a-thon started right after the MLK program and planned to continue as late as needed into the night, but in the end they reached their $25,000 pledge shortly after school ended. “It was an interesting transition going from the educational assembly to the fundraiser, but we didn’t mind and didn’t think too much about it,” said Alex Reich, a junior class representative in the Fairness Committee. Cheers erupted in the conference room every time the money ticker – a TV screen connected to a computer following the phonea-thon page on charidy.com – ticked up from when another contribution was registered. It was just six-and-a-half hours into the phone-a-thon when the ticker reached $100,000 – much earlier than the 24 hours allotted. Applause and shouts of joy erupted. The fundraiser’s organizer, Director of Development Claire Benyowitz, said that the decision to have students make the calls rather than administration or faculty was deliberate. “We feel that students have the best voices
for the school -- they are passionate about the school, they love the school,” Mrs. Benyowitz told the Boiling Point. “Nobody can sell the school more than the students.” She said the donors were anonymous, and had agreed to donate $25,000 each provided the school could raise that much on its own. Mrs. Benyowitz said that co-curriculars had been chosen because to receive the funds so a large portion of the school would benefit from increased funding. “Ninety percent of the student body is involved in some sort of co-curricular,” Mrs. Benyowitz said, “so we wanted to pick something that would benefit everybody, and everybody would be a winner from this event.” Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal confirmed that money would go entirely to co-curriculars, but did not say how or when it would be distributed. After the fundraiser, Rabbi Segal told the Boiling Point that he was pleased not just with the results but also with the ambiance of the day. “It just went so well,” Rabbi Segal said. “It was a really positive experience for everybody.” “The best part was that everybody was so into
BP Photo by Ezra Fax
WALLSTREET: The conference room was filled with papers, coffee and ringing phones. it. In the whole school there was a buzz throughout the whole day,” said Director of Alumni Solly Hess, who helped coordinate the event. He also brought the students food, gave them numbers of alumni and other community members they could call, and encouraged the students to get excited about the fundraiser.
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Community
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No holiday, but three hours of learning and immersion commemorate Dr. King By Eva Suissa Staff Writer
Called Mighty Times: The Children’s March, the film described events of May, 1963, when thousands of African-American children in Birmingham and nearby towns walked out of their “They say wait … Brutality. They say wait … Oppressed. They schools, against the wishes of their frightened parents, to said wait … Unsolved. No more wait.” march for equal rights. Combining words drawn from articles, essays and poems by The documenwriters from Martin Luther King to Ta tary showed the Nahisi Coates, students created dozens children meeting of unsigned but original reflections Students were told to circle words that with violence, on race in America at the end of a including beating morning-long discussion and writing stood out to them in the readings, then and hosing, from activity in the gym on Martin Luther discuss the texts, and then write poems local police offiKing Junior Day. using the words that they had circled. cers, and how these Instead of spending the Jan. 18 holidemonstrations day at the beach or at the mall, students influenced President John F. Kennedy’s engaged in a range of activities honoring Dr. King, including a documentary about the children of Birming- decision to propose legislation that led to the Civil Rights Act of ham, Alabama, a speech by history teacher Dr. Michael Yoss, and a 1964. After the film, the whole school moved into the gym, where writing project. tables had been set up lining the walls. At each table, a group of “Usually we have the day off and everyone goes about their approximately eight students led by a faculty member read articles business,” said freshman Bailey Mendelson to her grade, reading about the Civil Rights movement and the situation of Africanfrom a speech written by General Studies Principal Mr. Daniel Americans today. Weslow to introduce the program, “most likely not reflecting on Students were told to circle words that stood out to them in the man this day celebrates nor what he represents.” the readings, and then discussed the texts. After the discussion, This year, Bailey continued, students were at school to reflect using poster boards that were already set up at every table, students on the values of the Just Community “by embracing the belief of wrote poems using the words that they had circled. Most were being an upstander in society, even in the face of fear or intimidaunsigned. tion.” A student from each group then read one or two poems aloud At the end of breakfast, each grade went off into a separate room to watch the documentary. Freshmen watched in the theater, to the whole school. Over a month later the posters were still displayed on hallway walls on the second floor. sophomores in the large Beit Midrash, juniors in the small Beit “We know that freedom will never come voluntarily,” Midrash and seniors in the Art room.
Photo: Google Images
wrote one student on a poster board. “We could not stay away. We could not say no to MLK,” wrote another. Before the writing project, Dr. Yoss addressed the student body — a rare occurrence. He spoke about growing up in South Africa when it was an apartheid state, and how what he learned from his father motivated him to move away from there. He left under rushed circumstances and moved to England. Some students were surprised that school was not cancelled for the holiday, as it had been in previous years. But they admitted they would not have thought much about Martin Luther King if they’d stayed home. “I liked the movie that we watched and I liked Yoss’s speech, but I thought the rest was just excessive and took too long,” said freshman Mikey Kahtan.“[However] If I wouldn’t have gone to school that day, I wouldn’t have learned anything.”
Third JSPA conference views journalism through a Jewish lens
A 26 student delegation went to Philadelphia to debate and earned a record 20 awards. Notable awards include Micah Gill’s Golden Gavel and Boaz Willis’s Gavel in Executive. List of all awards below.
By Sharon kalil Staff Writer Does journalism conflict with the laws of lashon harah – evil speech, or gossip? Yes and no, students learned at the third annual conference and Shabbaton of the Jewish Scholastic Press Association, co-sponsored by Shalhevet and held at Bnai David Judea Feb. 25 -28. About 30 students from Shalhevet, Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis, Tenn., and Daniel Pearl High School in Encino, Cali. attended the conference, which also featured speakers from the Los Angeles Times, Vice Media and the Jewish Journal and as well as Israeli Consul General David Siegel and a panel of students from Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood. Topics ranged from how the Jewish Journal covered last summer’s controversy over the Iran nuclear deal and how “new media” such as Vice cover sports to basics like layout, interview technique, and copyright and press freedom laws. Another highlight was a talk by journalist and Shalhevet parent Julie Fax about the challenges of writing about one’s own community. Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky of B’nai David-Judea led the discussion of lashon harah. He showed students controversial stories involving rabbinic figures involved in sexual abuse of students and constituents. These stories were published to protect the public, but could also cause embarrassment to the parties involved and could therefore be considered lashon harah. His conclusion touched on how democracy coincides with Jewish principles. Since democracy is accepted by much of the modern world as a morally superior form of government, and democracy depends upon a free press, its principles can sometimes reshape the practice of Jewish law. Therefore freedom of the press, if done for the purpose of informing the public and not for sensationalism, overrides lashon harah, he said -but only when informing the public will prevent harm, such as future assault. Other than workshops, students partook in a “swap shop” where they discussed their experience as journalists with one another and compared their newspapers.
Penn Model Congress
OUTSTANDING DELEGATES: Daniel Soroudi (Full session) Rami Gruman (full session) Zack Hirschhorn (full session)
GAVEL: MENTORSHIP: Harvard Westlake journalists present highlights from their paper, the Chronicle, and give tips. BP Photo by Katia Surpin
“It was interesting to see how each group of kids run their paper,” said junior Maayan Waldman, Community Editor of the Boiling Point. Students chose one of two workshops for each 50-minute time shot. Also on the program were Rob Eshman, Editor and Publisher of the Jewish Journal; and Eric Nusbaum, Deputy Sports Editor of ViceSports.com and a cousin of Boiling Point Torah Editor Alec Fields. Mr. Nusbaum told students how to get started in sports writing, mentioning that there was no reason to wait. Even high school students can submit stories to online media outlets, and if the stories are “clean” – that is, written well enough to need little or no editing – and on time, the may run. Ms. Fax, mother of junior Ezra Fax, said writing about people she knew was the hardest part of her job. She stated that reporters have a responsibility to report on the community, but should be careful in choosing their words. Rebekah Spektor, Online Editor-in-Chief of the Pearl Post at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Encino, spoke about why her school was named after Daniel Pearl--an American-Israeli journalist kidnapped and murdered by Pakistani terrorists while on assignment shortly after 9/11. On Friday evening, students ate a catered dinner and listened to keynote speaker Mitchell
Landsberg, deputy national and foreign editor of the Los Angeles Times. Thursday evening’s meeting was in the Beit Midrash at Shalhevet, where heard an off-therecord talk from Consul General David Siegel of the Israeli Cosulate in Los Angeles. Students from Harvard Westlake led a workshop where they showed students their own paper’s website and explained how they run it. They said they strive to post stories within 24 hours of them happening. Attorneys Curt Brown and Lauren Drake spoke about the limits of press freedom in religious high schools when it violates religious tenets, and UCLA Law Professor Rachel Faulkner described how copyright laws apply to photos and music in print and on news websites. Freshman Clara Sandler said that although she learned a lot from the conference, it was hard for her to juggle that with missing school. “I’ll have to see about going back next year because of school work and pressure,” Clara said. Initiated by Boiling Point faculty advisor Mrs. Joelle Keene, JSPA differs from other journalism conferences nationwide in that many of JSPA’s workshops discuss Judaism in the media. It also holds no meetings on Shabbat or Jewish holidays.
Zev Kent (Intelligence) Micah Gill (Ethics) AND (Golden Gavel - Full Session) Boaz Willis (Executive special committee)
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Maya Golan (Small business) Alec Fields (Judiciary) Sam Hirschhorn (Judiciary) Rosie Wolkind (Drugs and Narcotics AND full session) Zack Hirschhorn (Homeland Security) Ilan Bouskila (Oversight and Gov Reform) Kian Marghzar (Ways and Means) Ma’ayan Waldman (Judiciary AND full session) Isaac Goor (Armed Services) Lucy Fried (Education and Work force AND full session)
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Outside News APRIL 2016
Feeling pre-judged from airports to ice skating rinks, L.A. Muslim teens try to find their religious footing Experiences vary, but all are making decisions based on how they will be treated in public in current climate of fear By Alec Fields, Torah Editor Have you ever worn a sweatshirt with Hebrew writing on it, or wrestled with whether to wear your kippah outside of school? Here’s what happened when Amr Eissa, a sophomore at St. Francis High School in La Canada, decided to wear a sweatshirt with Arabic writing: he was confronted by a person who asked if he supported ISIS. “I was wearing a sweatshirt that had Arabic writing on it in public,” said Amr, “and I was out ice skating with friends, and a kid came up to me and said, ‘Is that an ISIS sweatshirt? Are you a part of ISIS? Do you support ISIS?’ And I had to talk to him and say no, it’s just an Arabic sweatshirt.” With terrorism escalating in the United States and Europe, Muslim teenagers in Los Angeles have been exposed to mounting anti-Muslim speech and behavior where they live. Much of it seems to depend on what they wear. ISIS stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and its spate of attacks in Europe along November’s attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino have led many Americans to become frightened of Muslims as a group. But to Muslims like Amr, Islam is just – Islam, their religion, and opposes violence and terror. Some teens are more religious than others, and those who want to practice it struggle to do so in the current climate. For example, some Muslim women and girls decide to wear a headscarf, or hijab -– literally, a veil -- which covers their hair and neck as a sign of religiously mandated modesty, according to beliefnet.com. But doing so identifies them as Muslims to people who might be hateful or afraid. “If I leave the house ever wearing a hijab on my way to the mosque, I am terrified and I get these looks that I never get otherwise,” said Glendale High School senior Zehra Siddiqui. “You just feel so much hatred, and that’s something that’s definitely growing in America.” Zehra and other Muslim students interviewed by the Boiling Point believe both hatred and fear are increasing. As a result, it has been difficult for them to wear traditional Muslim dress in public and to travel in airports. At their schools, however, they have generally not faced racism, aside from a few instances. Zehra now only wears her hijab at certain times. “It wasn’t a big deal until I started noticing looks and no one would help if I needed a n y t h i n g ,” Zehra said. “It seemed like everyone was keeping their d i s tance for some reason which is crazy to me. I barely leave the house with it now; I wear it at the mosque. If I’m driving there I won’t have it on anymore, I’ll wait until I get there.” Pasadena City College freshman Jasmine Wadalawala thought she would wear the headscarf when she entered college, but then Amr Eissa, St. Francis High School
stant stereotyping of Muslims on the news. changed her mind. “Ever since the attacks on 9/11 there has been a huge emphasis “I was afraid of what people would think, of what people would say,” said Jasmine. “I’m afraid and at the same time I don’t like the on the fact that everyone is an extremist and that has led to many confrontation I feel like I am going to get because I have a lot of things like racial profiling,” said Mahek Ahmed. friends that are non-Muslims.” According to the students who spoke to the While they worry in public, Zehra, Mahek and Amr have not Boiling Point, there are various reasons for hahad to fear at their schools, which so far have felt as safe and accepttred of Muslims. ing as before the most recent attacks. “People are looking for a scapegoat and “I haven’t been treated differently because that’s just the enviMuslims have become that scapegoat,” said ronment that I’m in, so I haven’t had to deal with anything,” said Zehra. “I think all Muslims are being deZehra. “I see online that other people have to deal with things, but humanized.” I’m really lucky that I don’t necessarily have to deal with people Jasmine attributed rising animosity who are actively against me or bashing me and my religion.” towards Muslims to the local attacks. Amr said he had never faced hate or bigotry there at all, ”When things happen like San and Mahek agreed. Bernardino, people get scared be“Nobody ever questions the fact that I don’t eat pork or cause you’re put into that situation I don’t wear clothing that reveals my skin as much as other where it could be you next, and people do,” said Mahek. so people are definitely becoming “People at my school are very accepting of the fact that more and more scared,” said JasI choose to live my life a certain way and I have my own mine. “I understand you wouldn’t beliefs and my own practices, and I think everyone at my want to be around Muslims because school has been very respectful of that. I’ve never really it’s under the name of Islam, which been discriminated against for any of those reasons.” is wrong, but that’s the way it is and But Jasmine had. In ninth grade, she said, a friend that’s what’s happening.” told her that the Koran tells Muslims to commit acts of Amr blamed the media. terror like blowing up buildings, but Jasmine disagreed “The only time they really ever – to no avail. mention [Muslims] is Muslim terrorist “I didn’t want to confront her at first,” she said in an attacks’ or Islam promotes violence or interview, “because I was going through a time where death or this and that,” said Amek. “If I was trying to find my Muslim identity, and I was Zehra Siddiqui, Glendale High School there are other school shootings or anyscared of what people would think and what people thing that isn’t done by a Muslim they would say when I was more open about it. So I defenddon’t specify religion.” ed Islam as a third party. Mahek said news reporting was therefore misleading. “She was stubborn when I explained that killing is not allowed “I think that stereotyping billions of people around the world in our religion and Islam is a religion of peace,” Jasmine continued. “After I said, ‘have I ever hurt you? I’ve been a good friend to you, into one category is extremely irrational,” Mahek said. “There’s just have I not?’ she agreed, and I told her I’m Muslim and I’ve been a really big misunderstanding in the community within California, sitting next to you in class all year and I’ve never once tried to hurt within the United States and within the entire world, where people are accepting these stereotypes without contemplating the imposyou. “I hoped for a positive response, but what happened is she sibility of it.” Zehra said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump turned back to our lesson and ignored me until this day.” was making things worse. “It could have been very hidden and underneath the surface, but Traveling is another problem area for L.A. Muslims, because of profiling techniques used by Transportation Security Adminis- then someone like Donald Trump comes in it gives these people a voice and someone to look up to,” said Zehra. “It’s not Trump that tration officials. Although she was just 7 or 8 at the time, Zehra has a vivid mem- scares me. What scares me is how many have come out with ideas ory of when she and her dad, returning from Pakistan, were taken that are supporting Trump and seeing that there’s so much hatred still for people that aren’t white Americans.” into a room for questioning at an airport. Mahek said American Mus“We were heading to the next gate and my dad lims should be seen as a cause for was pulled aside. I was way too young to really unhope. derstand what was going on,” said Zehra. “I was sitIn light of events we’ve had throughout “A person who says an entire ting next to my dad and he was getting questioned. the world, I can see why they would group of people is one thing real‘Why are you traveling? Why do you have an extra ly isn’t looking at the bigger picsuitcase?’ I didn’t think anything of it because I was be a little bit suspicious, but it’s realture of things, and that genuinely too young and obviously when I got older I’m like ly horrible that’s it’s become such a worries me,” said Mahek. “I am a this is something that probably should not have generalized stereotype that a student Muslim in the United States who happened and happened for no reason.” wearing a headscarf or anyone that is of this new generation that is Whenever Amr travels at airports he has a simseems Arab or Muslim is pulled to the going to try and calm that idea ilar experience. that all Muslims are terrorists and “My mom wears the headscarf, so they always side and seen as a potential threat. that people need to stop accepting pull her physically to the side, and they’ll pull my -- Amr Eissa, St. Francis High School, all these stereotypes.” dad to the side too,” Amr said. “ Once when I was La Canada flying alone I got pulled to the side. In light of The teens said they were events we’ve had throughout the world, I can see hopeful that things could change, why they would be a little bit suspicious, but it’s really horrible that’s it’s become such a generalized stereotype that a and had a few suggestions. “People need to reevaluate the way they judge people,” said student wearing a headscarf or anyone that seems Arab or Muslim Mahek. “A lot of the people who are racially profiling people and is pulled to the side and seen as a potential threat.” Because of their experience, the students interviewed think that stereotyping people are just scared and they project it in a way that’s irrational.” hatred for Muslims is growing. Jasmine believes people must speak up and talk about the issues “People are getting injured and people are being assaulted on the street for looking stereotypically the part,” said Jasmine. “A Sikh – in public discourse and in schools. “More and people should try to speak up for what’s happenTemple that I visited a couple of years ago was vandalized and had terrible things written on the walls and that’s not even the right ing,” said Jasmine. “Instead of focusing on the negatives of what’s religion. These things do scare me because you don’t know who’s happening, we should focus on more ways to improve our public schools and what’s happening, and we should incorporate current going to be next.” Some think the rising hatred stems from 9/11 and other terror events and have these discussions in our classroom.” attacks committed by Muslims, while others believe it is the con-
The Boiling Point •April 2016 • Outside News
Shalhevet votes for president still up for grabs, according to poll
9
To vote or not to vote? For some seniors, the candidate is the question
don’t think that Ted Cruz as our Daniel Lorell. Israel and parents’ views are also factors American leader really exemplifies influencing students. The Boiling Point American ideals,” Asher said. “I ders or Donald Trump.” While the majority of the school struggles to find a Donald Trump currently leads the race survey found that 47 percent of students wouldn’t vote for someone just becandidate to support, out of the 38 seniors who will be for the Republican nomination with 743 “mostly” agreed politically with their par- cause they support Israel.” 18 and are planning on voting Nov. 8, nine might not Alex Reich said backing liberal delegates; Ted Cruz and John Kasich trail ents’ political views, with 36 percent saying vote at all. him with 532 and 143 delegates respec- they “sometimes” do. Just over half of those candidates was sometimes difficult For them, it depends on who’s running. In a poll tively. Needing only 494 more delegates to who mostly share their parents’ views were because they seem to have weakApril 13 of only seniors, one said he would skip his first win the nomination, Mr. Trump’s popular- undecided about who to support – suggestpresidential election if Donald Trump is representing the ity has grown at the same time that he has ing that their parents are feeling pretty clueRepublican party, no matter who the Democrat is. Is your political ideology made controversial and sometimes contra- less at the moment as well. Two said they would skip if Trump opposes former “To my knowledge my parents don’t dictory statements. similar to your parents’? Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. And three said they For example, he has proposed building really know who they are choosing,” said would stay home if Trump runs against Sen. Bernie Sanda wall between Mexico and the U.S. and freshman Abby Blumofe. “I do think that ers of Vermont. charging Mexico – an important neighbor their opinions influence me a little because 6.5% Entirely Henry Wineburgh was one who said he’d find it hard and trade partner – for construction costs; I constantly hear them stating their opinto vote for either Trump or Sanders. a temporary ban on any Muslims’ entry ions.” “I’m not sure about my decision, but it seems likely “My parents are very influential,” senior into the country; using nuclear weapons as 46.8% Mostly that I wouldn’t,” said Henry. “With the two of them goa negotiating tool; and withdrawing from Will Bernstein, who supports Ted Cruz, ing head to head, it gets too unfavorable for me to vote said in an interview. “Especially when this NATO. with a conscience.” He also has said that he loves Mexicans is the first year that I get to vote, almost ev35.4% Sometimes A senior who didn’t want to be identified said Trump but that Mexican immigrants are rapists ery night we have dinner conversations and vs. Clinton would keep him at home. and criminals, and that he would repeal one of the hot topics is elections.” “Hillary is a liar and is involved in too many scandals, Fifty-eight percent of students said IsObamacare but provide healthcare cover6.5% Seldom Trump is too pompous, and Bernie has crazy economic rael was very important to their politics, age for all. policies that will destroy America,” he said. For the Democrats, as of April 12 Hil- and another 33 percent called it somewhat But most seniors – including some who had considlary Clinton led a two-person race against important; just eight percent said it was not 6.5% Never ered not voting – said not voting would not be an option. Bernie Sanders, an independent senator important. Nicole Newman said that she would vote no matter what “I see Ted Cruz as the strongest candifrom Vermont who caucuses with the because she does not want the decision to be in the hands Democrats, with 1,287 delegates to Sand- date for Israel from what he says and what of others. ers’ 1,068. Mrs. Clinton currently needs he would do if he became president,” said “If I was faced with Clinton and Trump, it would be Will Bernstein. er policies in regard to Israel than 1,096 more delean election that I wouldn’t want to vote in but I would “He’s spoken on their conservative opponents. gates to secure the have to,” Nicole said. “At the end of the day, if you don’t How important is Israel “Israel is a huge priority for me the record for nomination. vote you are letting others make the decision for you. You and always will be, but I think that backing Israel.” Mrs. Clinton’s in your political view? have no say.” But that did I can’t vote for a candidate solely main critics argue Yonah Feld believes that voting is essential towards not convince based upon their support for Israthat she cannot be being a true American citizen, regardless of whether or el,” Alex said. “The rest of the poliothers who trusted because of Not Important not a single person’s vote will actually have an effect on called Israel a cies in addition to policies on Israel her history regard8.1% the election. top priority. definitely do matter to me.” ing using a private “Getting up to go vote is part of being an American,” The candidate who did gain the Freshman Arielemail server in her Yonah said. “Just like we have to pay taxes, we also have to la Sassover said highest percentage of votes from for official commuSomewhat vote. To go out there and not do that is not being a good she supports students who were not undecidnications, instead Important American and is missing an integral part of what it means John Kasich and ed was John Kasich, a Republican of using the secure to be an American. 33.1% that her parents whose views are not as controvergovernment email, Daniel Soroudi, who at first thought he would stay feel the same sial or extreme as other candidates’. during her four home if the election came down to Trump vs. Sanders, “I support John Kasich. He’s way. years as President changed his mind because of what he believes America “Ideally the the most moderate candidate out Obama’s first-term stands for. person who is of the current choices,” Ariella secretary of state. “I realized that one of the bedrocks of America is Sassover said. “He may not be the elected presJunior Alex ReVery Important democracy and democracy is promoted by every citizen most charismatic speaker, but the ident will be ich said that she can 58% doing their part when it comes to the general election,” good for both things he says he will do are more see herself voting for Daniel said. America and realistic than the claims of other Mrs. Clinton be“If I am someone who criticizes people who don’t Israel,” Ariella candidates.” cause her political vote, I might as well be hypocritical if I do the same. So Sophomore Jacob Feitleberg said. “But at views align with hers it would be better to just vote for the lesser of two evils.” the same time I also supports Mr. Kasich despite the most. Among all seniors voting, candidate preference was am a citizen of the fact that he is the most unlikely “Neither candidivided fairly equally, with the highest percentage being America, and Republican candidate to win the date is ideal for me, undecided—25 percent, or eight students. think that since nomination. but I definitely align Secretary Clinton and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas were “I chose John Kasich because I I live here it is a myself more with tied for second place with 6 votes. Sen. Sanders and Gov. priority that our think that on the debates he is the Hillary and lean toJohn Kasich of Ohio were tied for fourth with 5 votes. next president is most sane and makes sense,” Jacob wards more liberal And two people said they supported Donald Trump. policies,” Alex said. “ I do see some flaw first good for America, then good for Isra- said. “Even though many people assume that he is not going to win, in her, but the matter of fact is that I do el.” --Elon Glouberman, Outside News Editor Asher Remer said Cruz’s support for Is- I still support him.” support a lot of her policies. I trust her and rael was not enough to sway his vote. think she can still be a great president. ” “I think Israel is very important, but I Alex also said that her decision would become easier if Mr. Trump becomes the Republican nominee. Source: BP Poll of 75 students on March 30 “Policies about civil and social rights are What political party do you align with? one of the biggest factors I would take into consideration, and I just cannot support what I perceive as Trump’s racist and discriminatory policies,” Alex said. “Nor can I support a candidate who blatantly stands out against almost every civil liberty that I firmly believe in.” Democrat - 37% Republican - 27% Don’t Care - 15% Independent - 10% Undecided - 10% Libertarian - 1% Sophomore Sam Hirschhorn supported Clinton in the poll, saying he likes her moderate views. “She is a moderate in an election of exPage Design and Graphics by Noa Segal Which presidential candidate are you in favor of? tremists,” said Sam. “I think there is a value BP Illustrations by Maya Rosen in being a moderate and I think she is better than the alternatives.” Sam said he believes everyone overplays the email and Benghazi scandals, and that even though she is not a perfect candidate, she is still worthy of becoming president. For others, including freshman Abigail Don’t Care Blumofe and sophomore Daniel Lorell, the Hillary Ted John Bernie Donald problem is not knowing enough. “I don’t really know enough about the Clinton Cruz Kasich Sanders Trump politics to make an informed decision,” said Continued from Page 1
Undecided
38.7%
6.45%
14.5%
13%
11.2%
9.6%
6.45%
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Outside News
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Table Talk News to Help You Schmooze
Einstein theory proved true An old scientific theory has been proven correct, and astrophysicists are thrilled. Last month, a scientific discovery astounded the astronomy world when the colossal cosmic collision of two black holes millions of light years away produced gravitational waves strong enough to be detected by two ultra-sensitive laboratories in different parts of North America. A 1916 theory of Albert Einstein states that disturbances in the universe may cause space and-or time to expand, tighten and condense, like a mattress shaking when the sleeper rolls over, producing ripples of gravity, or gravitational waves, explained the New York Times its news coverage of the discovery. This theory was confirmed in September
The waves were produced when two black holes, collectively 62 times the mass of the sun, merged. Their merger emitted energy in the form of ultra powerful gravitational - power 50 times greater than all the universe’s stars compiled- waves traveling at light speed through space and time. These waves were picked up by the two LIGO observatories. It took 13 years to build the LIGO facilities. Each LIGO has two, perpendicular antennas 2.5 miles long, separated by a mirror. Opposite the mirror is a light detector. Inside the antennas dwells a vacuum chamber, carefully isolated from local phenomena and containing 2.5 million gallons of empty space. Light beams are sent through the arms by a machine, forked by the mirror, and sent down the equally long antennas. As the beams return through the arms., they are one again refracted through the mirror, with the light detector receiving equal amounts of light from each of the two beams. Since gravitational waves are theorized to affect space and time, they can alter the length of the arms of LIGO’s antennas. BP Illustrations by Adam Taryle As the gravitational waves 14, 2015 by two laboratories called LIGO, from the merger of the two black holes for Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave passed through earth, it momentarily conObservatory, located in Louisiana and tracted one arm, and expanded the other. Washington state. The labs’ ultra-sensitive Thusly, the light beams sent through the sensors detected the wave, which could not arms took a fraction of a millisecond differbe felt by humans. ence than usual, so they didn’t meet at the Since the waves were felt in two loca- mirror at the same time, resulting in a flashtions at exactly the same time, scientists are ing light picked up by light detector. certain that it is not a small tremor coming But there’s always room for doubt. The from the earth’s crust. observatory is only 99.99994 percent confi“Ladies and gentlemen, we have detect- dent that the waves were actually legitimate, ed gravitational waves,” said LIGO’s execu- according to wired.com. tive director, David Reitze, at a news conference on Feb. 11 in Washington DC.
BP graphic by gabe silverstein
US-Cuba relationship solidifies after President Obama’s visit Diplomacy usually involves handshakes, but at President Obama’s trip to Cuba last month, it also involved doing the wave with Cuban president Raul Castro at a baseball game. Cuba is only 90 miles away from the United States, but the countries have been enemies for over half a century, and President Obama was the first sitting US president to visit Cuba in 88 years. The tension behind the current U.S.-Cuba relationship is largely born out of the Cold War, during which time Fidel Castro toppled an existing U.S.-supported government, and transformed Cuba into a communist country. In 1960, Cuba nationalized all American businesses without compensation, prompting the American government to enact a trade embargo on the country that is still in effect today. In addition to cementing a warmer relationship, the purpose of the president’s visit was to continue the push for greater human rights in Cuba. Last year, the Cuban government detained more than 8600 political dissidents, according to The Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, a human rights group, and many websites that criticize the government are blocked. Last month’s visit included a speech by President Obama to the Cuban public, a meeting with Cuban dissidents, and a baseball game between the Cuban national team and the Tampa Bay Rays, which ended in a U.S. win. In his speech, President Obama praised democracy and said Cubans should have rights to protest peacefully, practice religion freely and criticize the government. The visit was part of a larger effort to restore US-Cuban relations that began with a prisoner exchange in 2014. In 2015, the two countries reopened their embassies, and the US weakened the restrictions on travel and investments in Cuba.
And it was not without its opponents. Many Cuban-Americans whose families fled to escape the Communist regime complained that concessions had been made to the Cuban government without any promise of improving human rights there. For that reason, the 1960 trade embargo on Cuba is unlikely to be lifted any time soon, as other laws passed by Congress stipulate that the embargo may not be lifted until free elections are held in Cuba to elect a democratic government that does not include the Castros. At the moment, those laws do not seem likely to change. --Mark Miller, Staff Writer
Cuba Facts -- Cuba’s population is 11.4 million -- 5 percent of Cubans have access to the open internet -- In 2013, 8.6% of workers were self-employed, mainly in low-skill services -- Fidel Castro was the leader of Cuba for 49 years, from 1976 to 2008; now his brother Raul is -- Baseball is the most played sport in Cuba
Birth defects caused by Zika virus spread across Americas Just as the deadly Ebola crisis ended, a relatively new disease called Zika has sparked fears of an epidemic of severe disability among newborn babies. Unlike Ebola, the Zika virus does not pose a serious health threat to most people who have it; it causes flu-like symptoms and a rash, and most people don’t have any symptoms at all. However, pregnant women who contract the disease run a high risk of having children with small brains, an almost always devastating condition known as microcephaly. In Brazil, the epicenter of the outbreak, health authorities estimate there have been around 1 million cases of Zika in the last year, along with massive spikes in cases of microcephaly in Brazilian cities which match the spikes of Zika cases. According to the Washington Post, a Brazilian study found that almost a third of pregnant women who tested positive for the virus gave birth to microcephalic babies. Like other diseases, such as Dengue fever, the Zika virus is transmitted through the Aedes mosquito. Those infected with Zika develop flu-like symptoms such as fevers and rashes. No vaccine exists against Zika yet, so the only defense is to prevent being bitten by mosquitos. “Prevent Zika by avoiding mosquito bites,” the CDC website says. NBC News reported last week that
Florida is stepping up its mosquito eradication programs. Meanwhile, the governments of Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Jamaica have recommended that their citizens hold off on having children until cases of the disease diminish. The United States had reported 346 travel-related Zika cases in the US as of April 6, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and officials believe Zika itself will arrive here later this year. CDC Director Thomas Friedan said last month that “hundreds of thousands” of cases of Zika are expected in Puerto Rico by the end of 2016. The US will be especially vulnerable to the spread of Zika following this summer’s Olympics in Brazil, when roughly 200,000 predicted American visitors return home. But the effect Zika will have in the United States is hard to predict. “We would not be surprised that [locally transmitted cases] would happen in small clusters because we’ve seen that with similar viruses, like dengue,” said Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “But what happened with dengue, historically, is that those clus-
ters tend to be able to [be] well-controlled. We do not predict or expect that we will have an explosive, millions-of-people outbreak.” The Zika virus first appeared in humans in the BP Illustrations by sam bernstein 1950s, and has remained largely confined to Africa since then. In recent months the virus has spread aggressively into the Americas. According to the New York Times, only 20 percent of people infected by Zika develop symptoms, which usually do not last more than a week. --Mark Miller, Staff Writer
FEATURES
11 PRODIGY: Mrs. Malikov teaching a freshman Algebra class last month. She emigrated from Russia as a newlywed after earning degrees in mathematics at Moscow University.
APRIL 2016
BP Photo By Katia Serpin
TEACHER TALES:
For Ms. Malikov, obstacles have paved a path to success By HANNAh DIAMOND, Staff Columnist Math teacher Ms. Katya Malikov believes students can be successful in any field they choose if they can learn to overcome obstacles in math. Overcoming obstacles — including math obstacles — is something she herself learned to do early. As a girl in lower and middle school in Moscow, she was frequently sick and had to stay in bed for weeks on end. But she looked forward to this time as an opportunity to immerse herself in math. “I was actually happy when I got sick, because it was a chance for me to read a lot and solve problems,” Ms. Malikov said. It was the beginning of a life that would be full of challenges and things to learn. Ms. Malikov grew up in the Soviet Union when Leonid Brezhnev was leader, and was drawn to math right away. By eighth grade, she had been admitted to a specialized math school that gave her the opportunity to study it in depth and develop her love for the subject. There she faced new obstacles. Ms. Malikov had always been a straight-A student, and for the first time, she realized that “regardless of the number of hours I put into solving problems, there were still a few I couldn’t get.” “I learned to persevere,” she said in an interview. “It was a terrific time, because I learned a lot, and nothing feels as good as figuring out a hard problem which gave you trouble for quite a while.” It was also at this school, Moscow’s School No. 7, that Ms. Malikov met someone who would become her role model: Irina Igorevna Yudina, a teacher who solidified her passion for both math and teaching by maintaining a class environment of curiosity and innovation. Irina imparted the beauty of math and encouraged students to share their unique ideas and observations, Ms. Malikov said. She was also a strong force in her students’ lives outside of the classroom, taking them on three-week-long hikes and introducing them to her favorite books and songs. Ms. Malikov went on to earn a masters degree in math from Moscow University, having decided to pursue math to its furthest as opposed to attending a teacher’s college. She noted that
many of her Jewish friends were not accepted to the university for She prefers the Russian approach, saying it gives students the religious reasons. Ms. Malikov acknowledges that this did not apply ability to solve more complex problems and ultimately feel more to her. satisfaction with their work. Ms. Malikov tries to incorporate both The opportunity to emigrate to the U.S. came when her styles into her teaching, but feels pressure to cover more curriculum husband, whom she met on a three-week long backpacking trip in than time allows. the Caucasus Mountains, was invited to be a visiting professor the While Ms. Malikov admires a strong work ethic, she underUniversity of California, Davis. Later he taught at Yale University, stands that it requires sacrifice and wishes she had more time to and now he is a professor of math at USC. pursue other interests. Learning English was only one of the many challenges “I have a job that I truly love, but during the school year I never Ms. Malikov encountered as she and her husband transitioned to have any time for some kind of a hobby,” she said. American life. While recognizing the personal costs, Ms. Malikov models for “My experience growing up behind the Iron Curtain her students what it means to dedicate oneself fully to solving the didn’t promote cultural understanding,” Ms. Malikov said. “This is problems that present in the moment, and her dedication pays off. something that we had to learn quite slowly and painfully through When asked about a particularly exciting moment in her math our own experience.” career, Ms. Malikov said, “It’s very hard to limit it to one moment. For example, when taking her six-year-old son to his first Amer- Those moments happen almost every day.” ican birthday party, Ms. Malikov noticed that But she did have one example. Four the host’s parents were writing down who gave years ago, Ms. Malikov received an email which gift. Being used to people bringing and from a former student whom she had not Nothing feels as good as figuring being thanked profusely for even unwrapped taught for several years. He wrote that gifts in Russia, she assumed the worst: that her while he was home sick with the flu, he out a hard problem which gave you son would be judged by the quality of the presspent time finding the solution to a tricky trouble for quite a while. ent. problem she gave his eighth grade class, She learned this was not the case when, a which he attached in the email. --Mrs. Katya Malikov couple of days later, her son received a kind and Like her teacher Ms. Yudina before specific thank you note from the birthday boy. her, Ms. Malikov dedicates herself both to But the experience made her realize she hadn’t yet grasped the nu- the beauty of math, — solving interesting problems — and to her ances of American culture. students’ success. When she hears them complain that their courses Since arriving at Shalhevet in 2010 after teaching at Maimonides are not relevant, she is troubled by the lost opportunities. Academy beginning in 2001, Ms. Malikov has noticed tremendous “I know there’s going to be a time in this person’s life when improvement in her students. She finds it gratifying to watch the they’re going to say ‘I wish I did better at that point and took adway their work transforms by the end of their freshmen year. vantage of learning,’” Ms. Malikov said. She has also noticed some major differences between the way Although investing the effort to overcome obstacles may be frusmath is taught in Russia and America. While the topics are largely trating, Ms. Malikov assures students that “No good and valuable the same, math students in the U.S. cover more material, while effort ever goes wasted.” Russian students learn less material in more depth, she said. This, for her, is a guiding principle that applies not just to math, Ms. Malikov says the phrase, “The math curriculum in the U.S. but to all of her teaching and all of her students. is one mile wide and one inch deep,” is often used by math educators to describe the American curriculum.
The Boiling Point thanks all the generous families who donated to Shalhevet’s co-curriculars, as well as Claire Benyowitz and Solly Hess who organized the phone-a-thon, and all the students who made the phone calls!
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The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Features
The positives of By HANNah Jannol, Arts & Culture Editor
Partying has a bad rap. Google “partying statistics” and you will find a plethora of sobering statistics and stories about underage binge-drinking and drug abuse. What you won’t find is data about friendships, relationships, grades’ bonding, and positive social experiences that happen outside of school, co-curriculars or social media and which form, develop and flower during parties. According to a poll of 75 students taken March 22 at lunch, 40 percent of students say parties have led to at least three new friendships. Most of these friendships involve someone from outside of Shalhevet, thus creating both meaningful social interaction and an escape from the “Shalhevet bubble.” “As far as Jewish schools go, the Jewish community is very restrictive on how you can meet people so to meet people from other schools, parties definitely help with that,” said s o p h o -
more Mendy Mentz. “There are so many things that have been said about parties that make it seem negative, when really it must have some positivity because it’s been so engraved in teenage culture for a lot of years.” Whatever its pluses, parties also usually have alcohol, which may be the source of their bad reputation. The majority of students polled – 63 percent – say they rarely or never drink at parties, but 16 percent said they drink at most or every party. Subtracting freshman from the equation lowers the non-drinking group to just 53 percent, and 18.3 percent of non-freshman polled drink at most or every party. Everyone else answered “sometimes.” In fact, asking Shalhevet students about parties nearly always elicits an answer that includes the word “alcohol.” But parties are also, they say, the easiest way to meet new kids. “There are ways to get out of the bubble without alcohol and parties but it’s much harder,” said an anonymous sophomore. “You’re not just going to go up to someone in a pizza place and be like, ‘Hey, what’s up, wanna be friends?’” When inappropriate substances are onhand, they are apparently there partly as a symbol, not for use. If there is alcohol at a social gathering, partygoers generally feel more relaxed even without consuming it, students said. At least two students said they and their friends sometimes “pretend to drink, just to experience the placebo effect of feeling loose and calm.’’ Senior Boaz Willis said the presence of alcohol implies an atmosphere of relaxation and intimacy among the guests, whether at a party or at a kickback. Like a party, a kickback — a small social gathering of close friends — is typically associated with drinking. “The culture of a kickback implies that there’s going to be drugs or alcohol there,” Boaz said. “There’s obviously a different vibe to doing things like bowling recreationally than going to someone’s house and hanging out with a bunch of people,” he continued. “I don’t think that people would be so interested in hanging out with 20 kids from their grade at somebody’s house if there wasn’t that aspect of recreational drug and BP Drawing by alcohol use.”
PA RT
Ariella Sassover and Mel Keefer
On its own, socializing holds an important place in the lives of teenag-
...OR NOT PARTYING By Rose Lipner, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
BP Drawing by Maya Cohen
Saturday nights are often associated with drinking, drugs and reckless behavior. But why should that be the only fun thing to do? Here, in the city of angels, there are endless opportunities for a good time. From bowling to the pier, you’re bound to have a party. In Mar Vista, Bowlero is open until 2 a.m., complete with glow-in-the-dark bowling pins and balls ($10.19). Up in Sherman Oaks is Castle Park where you’ll find an arcade and a mini-golf course ($10) open until 10 p.m. For team bonding, make your way downtown to Escape the Room LA. There, you’ll need to, well, escape the room before time runs out by solving puzzles and logic games ($35). For more games and rides, the Santa Monica Pier is open until 12AM ($28.95 for
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Features
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While PartYING may BE DANGEROUS when mixed with alcohol and drugs, A BOILING POINT survey shows parties have social benefits too. CAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM THE GOOD WITHOUT JOINING IN THE BAD?
G T N Y R I
G
FROM A POLL OF 75 SHALHEVET STUDENTS: 40% of students say parties have introduced them to at least three new friendships. ..drink at most or all parties
16%
63%
...rarely or never drink at parties
...said parties have either significantly or somewhat stregthened friendships
70%
prevent the major psychological and social phenomenon that causes party mistakes: group-think. “The dynamic of group-think is a close group with tight connections with a strong commitment to the identity and closeness of the group,” Ms. Sunshine said, “and that can overcome individual judgment in terms of decisions where people don’t want to speak up and be critical because it damages that group thinking.” The way to avoid that is to recognize in advance the significance of decisions that you’ll be making and to urge others to speak up, she said. Ms. Sunshine advised creating an atmosphere that encourages critical response and not making people feel like they’re damaging the group’s sense of cohesion by thinking independently. This is a bit harder when the situation is social, she said, since then it is natural to “want to foster social harmony.” Generally, students should have a conversation to create a group consensus of their goals -- for example respect for individuals, not putting pressure on people, and a group value of feeling safe to express different opinions. Ms. Sunshine said that although the conversation is the hard part, informally and continually discussing group norms instead of valuing harmony above all is ideal. Partying with these goals in found that mind should make it easier to harbor and accept individual feelings parties and kick- and choices – which in turn should make it easier for people who backs tighten existing want to stay safe to do so. friendships. Seventy Prof. Silvers said group-think and adhering to peer influence genpercent of students noted that parties either signifi- erally declines quite a bit even over the course of high school. People cantly or somewhat bond friendships and relationships they are most sensitive to peer influence in middle school, ages 10-14, already have. she said. SAS Psychology teacher Ms. Tove Sunshine said research shows But senior Daniel Soroudi expects college parties to be worse than one of the most important influences in growing up, especially in the high school parties. He said his brother, alumnus David Soroudi ‘10, teenage years, is interaction with peers. told him parties at USC are much worse than the ones in the ShalThis turns out to be especially important for teenagers who plan hevet community. on living independently or going to college. According to Prof. SilThat’s made Daniel think going to parties now is a chance to learn vers, a study conducted by the University of Minnesota found that to deal with, and break, “group think.” children suffer less during a painful event when a parent is nearby, “Just by going to a party or kickback that isn’t as intense as college but that once people enter adolescence, friends take that place of a parties, you’re able to almost prepare yourself for something bigger,” parent and can be just as effective in decreasing distress. Daniel said. For that to work in times of pain, friendships need to be close. Prof. Silvers agreed, saying research shows it is better to learn skills “I think that going to parties is one of the best ways to have kids incrementally – that is, a little at a time. in different grades be able to “Look at a kid who’s learning how to walk,” she offered as bond outside of school,” said an example. “You want them to first try it in short spurts with freshman Asher Dauer . their parents nearby. The second time you give them a little Going to parties is one of the best Seventy-five percent of bit of space to walk on their own. You don’t want their first students polled said social get attempt to be walking three miles.” ways to have kids in different grades togethers help them destress be able to bond outside of school. either significantly, a lot, or Some research has shown early exposure to alcohol may -Asher Dauer, 9th Grade somewhat. lead to substance abuse as an adult. A study from the National “Students are in school Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that those for five days a week and most who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more people like to de-stress in likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence. some form, and their remedy may be partying,” said Asher Dauer. But Prof. Silvers countered that even when professionals know that someone tried alcohol at 14 and has now problems with drinkLearning actual life skills is another apparent benefit of parties ing, it’s not clear whether it’s the cause. Perhaps it’s because they and kickbacks. Fifty-two percent of students polled wrote that parties tried it at a young age, but maybe they’re more risky and impulsive contribute either significantly, a lot, or somewhat to gaining real life by nature, and that’s what led them to both try alcohol younger and competence. have problems with it later in life. In other words, early exposure is Many polled and interviewed by the Boiling Point said parties not the only variable in adult life substance abuse. made them better at meeting new people, being resourceful when it Whatever the answer to that question, parties are here to stay. comes to late night transportation, and confidence. That means students need to find a way to avoid the bad so they can In response to a question prompted in the survey, anonymous make the most of the good — socializing, preparation for the adult students said going to large social gatherings taught them responsibil- world, bonding, and de-stressing. ity, self-control, knowing their limits, and to be more aware of their If they can avoid the pitfalls, parties may even help them live lonsurroundings. In the face of so much peer pressure and the accom- ger. Studies show socializing and having close friend groups decrease panying risk of forced activity, it may actually be the perfect time for stress, thus increasing longevity. According to 148 studies gathered teenagers to learn to say “no.” together by researchers at Brigham Young University, strong social “There’s a lot of times where people wanna ‘get with’ you, but you relationships meant a 50 percent increase in long-range survival, on learn to know when to say no and when things are getting too much, average, across a range of diseases ranging from neurological probyou learn to remove yourself,” said one sophomore girl. lems and kidney ailments to heart disease and cancer. According to Ms. Sunshine, that particular ability can actually
75%
ers, psychologically and culturally, experts say. Jennifer Silvers, Assistant Professor of Psychology at UCLA, said it is normal to have an increased interest in being around your friends when you’re a teenager. In fact, not having such an interest may be abnormal. “If people aren’t interested in their peers, meeting someone new, or taking any risks at all, sometimes that’s a sign of depression or it might mean that something’s not quite right developmentally,” Professor Silvers said. The Boiling Point poll also
...say social get togethers help them de-stress either significantly, a lot or somewhat
Page Design by Michelle Hirschhorn and Noa Segal
unlimited rides) on Saturday nights. Don’t forget classic movie nights at home with friends and popcorn. Watch the latest Netflix movie or pick up a DVD from your local RedBox. Another option is right in the neighborhood — Pico. There, you’ll find your finest kosher restaurants: Jeff’s, Nagila, Meshuga 4 Sushi, and the Taco Cart. Treat yourself to dessert afterwards at Toppings or Baskin-Robbins. It is possible to find the fun without the party… the party may just be a little different from what you’re used to.
14
Arts & Culture
APRIL 2016
For AP Art student, hours of work devoted to seeing By sadie toczeck, Staff Writer On a canvas is a girl in a vivid blue shirt holding a glass of water. She looks through the glass, the water magnifiying her face. “Baby, I’d Call That Half Full”—the title-- is senior Avivah Paskowitz’s favorite of her many paintings. Avivah, who spends at least five hours a day painting and drawing, hopes to be an elementary school teacher with a focus on art in the classroom. Ms. Roen Salem, Shalhevet’s Art teacher, got Avivah interested in teaching art. “The fact that she was able to go to school for art, and then school for teaching, the fact that she surrounds her entire life around it, I want to be able to do that for some other school,” Avivah said in an interview.
INSPIRED: Senior Avivah Paskowitz, right, hopes to become a school art teacher like Roen Salem. Below left, her painting about thought and perspective, titled “Baby, I’d Call That Half Full.”
And Roen is fond of Avivah as well. “Something that separates Aviva is her serious attitude towards art in addition to her skill,” Roen shared. “Also, she is artistic all around with her awesome sense of style.” Avivah’s gap year plans match her uniqueness and sense of culture. For her first semester, she’ll as an au pair, or nanny, to two children in Paris and then in Mallorca, Spain. She plans on taking art classes and working for the second half. Since she was young Avivah has always loved art and learned some techniques from her mother, who shares her interest. However, Avivah mostly taught herself on a small rooftop patio at home where she feels close to nature. This year, she’s focusing on watercolors and drawing portraits. “It is the ability to capture someone’s characteristics in a single shot,” said Avivah. “I enjoy people watching and seeing everyone’s special, unique quirks and traits. To be able to capture that, I think, is very cool.” Though she enjoys drawing people, Avivah finds it hard to be still for a very long period of time. Sometimes she resorts to using her cell phone as a camera, but this takes away from her art because having someone physically in front of her is much more personal. She said art has made her more observant of
BP Photo By Ezra Fax
the tiniest details that people have--from a freckle the glass, so the water magnifies her face as she is to a dimple. Her art has pushed her to find the looking up and away from the glass. beauty in uniqueness and difference. As suggested by its name, the piece alludes to One thing you won’t find Avivah making is the question of whether a glass is half full or half sculptures. empty – that is, whether “Sculpting fruswhat counts more in life trates me so much,” is what’s missing or what’s I enjoy people-watching and seeing everySaid Aviva, “I can there. one’s special, unique quirks and traits. To never make someIn the painting, it is obthing that is up to vious to the viewer that the be able to capture that, I think, is very cool. my standards and I glass is on the fuller side, -Avivah Paskowitz, 12th grade just end up squishbut the girl seems to be ing it.” pondering houghts behind Aviva sometimes does the same thing with her the glass. This plays with perspective and how we paintings. choose to see things on a bigger scale, positively “I honestly do tear it up at times when I get or negatively. frustrated,” Avivah said. “But most of the time I For Avivah though, it’s clear that the glass is just keep on working on it until it turns out the half full with a life devoted to art. The rest of the way I like it or even change my mistakes into glass is just waiting to fill up with art, education, something better.” and even more passion. The girl in “Baby, I’d Call That Half Full” is holding a glass of water, and looking through
No music, but spring Drama offers a humorous look at the past By ABBY BLUMHOFE, Staff Writer
Shalhevet Drama’s spring performance last week was unexpected in many ways. The troupe performed the 1897 comedy Caught with his Trance Down, rather than a musical as originally planned. Instead of four pay shows in the Wildfire Theater, there were only two, but all students were treated to free performances during school hours with their grade. And as usual, the reviews were excellent, with audiences laughing uproariously as the Drama cast alternately bickered, tricked and hypnotized one another throughout a tightly produced, 45-minute show. Set in 19th-century France, Caught with his Trance Down tells the story of an upper-class man named Marcel Boriquet, played by junior Ezra Fax, being manipulated by his servant Justin, who was played by sophomore Amin Lari. When Boriquet intends to get married to his fiancee Antoinette, Justin does not approve and tries to ruin it. Senior Mati Davis, in his last role at Shalhevet, played Antoinette’s father. Antoinette was played by Hannah Merritt. Shana Lunzer played Mati’s servant. Using1800s-esque velvet chairs and
idea whose time had not come. Though 12 students originally showed interest, only six showed up to audition for its nine roles last September, Ms. Chase said. After much time and preparation spent arranging the musical, she was disappointed that it did not run and said she did not plan on trying a musical again. said she did not plan on trying a musical again. “I was disappointed, as I had paid for rights, ordered the music, and hired a music director who helped conduct auditions,” Ms. Chase said in an interview. “I was able to get most, but not all, of the money back. However, I am very happy with the play we are working on now; everything’s worked out.” There had not been a musical since 2013, when the group performed a student-written show called Nashville Nights. This year, The musical, it seemed, was an idea Ms. Chase chose The 25th Annual whose time hadn’t come. Putnam County Spelling Bee. -Micha Thau, 11th Grade At fall Drama meetings there was a general interest from the people involved. But in the end, too few students would comformance week felt lighter because the mit to two to three hours of rehearsal Drama students went home right after twice a week— the minimum needed school, according to Drama director in order to successfully run a musical, according to Ms. Chase. Ms. Emily Chase. “It may be that some freshmen And the musical, it seemed, was an couches, the comedy was sarcastic and clever as Boriquet turned into a dog and then a woman, Francine and Marcel were hypnotized by Justin, and then Boriquet was hypnotized -- to act like a monkey to do housework and to believe that his fiancee was hideous. All these comedic scenes provoked roaring laughter from the audience, especially during a fight scene between Justin and Antoinette’s father, in which the two hypnotized one another to hit themselves and do chicken dances. The unusual schedule was because this year, school-day performances were given to all four grades, meaning the entire student body had the opportunity to appreciate live theater. In addition, the cast was not burdened with selling tickets, and the per-
COMEDY: Senior Mati Davis and freshman Hannah Merritt practice the humorous Caught With His Trance Down, which debuted April 13. BP Photo By Ezra Fax
expressed interest early in the school year,” Ms. Chase said. “They later on realized their work load was too heavy for them to add in rehearsals.” Students also cited scheduling issues. When word spread that the musical was canceled, freshman Donna Grunfeld was both upset and relieved. “Personally I feel a little disappointed, because I thought this was going to be funny and knowing Mrs. Chase she’d be able to put on a good show,” Donna said. “At the same time I am relieved, because I have a fear of singing publicly.” Junior Elianna Meltzer, producer
and stage manager, also worried about the time. A musical would have required dancing, longer rehearsal hours and complicated sets, which would have been especially difficult this year because of calendar issues and the timing of chagim. Although the initial plans fell through, it worked out in the end. “We have six actors in the play, and they are in love with it.” Mrs. Chase said before the show opened. “These things always seem to work out in the end.”
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Arts & Culture
15
Photo: David M. Heald © The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, NY
In our closets, a reminder of what makes us human By MICAH GILL, Staff Columnist
DISTANT COUSINS: Clockwise from top, the entrance to the Guggenheim museum in New York City with its spiral ramps lined with art; domed ceilings atop both buildings’ foyers; ane student art newly lining the walls of Shalhevet’s stairways.
In Shalhevet’s lobby, a Guggenheim of the west arts, so I put two and two together and color-Xeroxed kids’ artwork.” Composition and Design classes, ascend Students also love having their work with the staircase from the entryway up on exhibit. to the third floor. “When the paintings were put on They range in style from Abstract to display, it made me feel amazing because Impressionist to Post-Impressionist to it shows other people share a common early Contemporary and Modern. These ground—art,” said sophomore Jessica are also the categories found in the Gug- Dawoody, who takes Composition and genheim, which was designed by Frank Design. Lloyd Wright and opened in 1959. Jessica’s acrylic painting of a little girl The Guggenheim displays works by in a blue dress holding large red tree trimeminent household names such as Kan- mers hangs between the first and second dinsky, Mondrian, Braque and Cezanne. floors. Titled “Blue Dress,” it is taped Shalhevet’s art museum has its own up between a watercolor of an old man school-hold names -- from AP Art, with a cane, created by sophomore Ben among them Lindsay Schacht, Avivah Mashiach, and a sci-fi acrylic by senior Paskowitz, Sam Bernstein and Gabe Sil- Daniel Shoham. As in a museum, each student photocopy is captioned with the When the paintings were put on display, it name and grade of the artist. Some made me feel amazing, because it shows also include the title of the work, other people share a common ground and a quotation from the artist -- art. about his or her piece. -Jessica Dawoody, 10th grade “Red Octobers,” a painting of Nike sneakers by AP Art student Aron Cohen, is captioned, “I am a sneaker head and love drawing verstein. shoes.” Ms. Salem said she was inspired to Adjacent to that painting is an inked hang up the art because of something the abstraction by junior Yael Marcus, also school’s founder, Dr. Jerry Friedman, said of the AP Art class. Heavy ink was used to her before the new building’s formal to draw the right side of a woman’s face, dedication March 6. and using what she described as a “straw“Jerry Friedman always supported blowing technique,” Yael created branchthe arts,” said Ms. Salem in an interview es on the woman’s profile. later. “He said it would be a night of the Executive Director Robyn Lewis said
Photo: David M. Heald © The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, NY
Continued from Page 1
During a Model Congress practice in early February, co-captains Boaz Willis and Daniel Soroudi prompted their award-winning debaters to search the Internet for quotes that could further the team’s already perpetual debate success. Although I didn’t exactly follow the directions, I stumbled upon this: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society” – Mark Twain. In today’s day and age, the conversations about clothing in which I engage often take a similar form: Person A pontificates about how if I dedicated half as much time to following the news as I did to my outfit on Shabbos morning, then maybe I’d be able to keep up at the Friday night Shabbos table. Person A is often Shalhevet Board President Larry Gill, who happens to be my father, on occasion. Well Dad, Mark Twain just joined our conversation… and took my side. The fundamental idea of clothing in any society rests upon the premise that one’s nakedness is “inappropriate.” Sure, clothing serves as an outlet for creativity and individuality, but at its most basic level, clothes exist so men and women don’t roam the streets with their baby-makers in plain sight. On that note, let’s turn to the Torah. Sefer Breishit, telling the story of creation, describes Eve falling to her curiosity and human intuition, plucking a fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and committing the original sin. At that moment, “The eyes of [Adam and Eve] were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves girdles.” (Genesis 3:7) It’s easy to overlook, but one must ask: weren’t they
The first thing Adam and Eve do after plunging humanity into millions of years of sin is worry about covering up.
BP Photo By Ezra Fax
she plans on making original student art a permanent feature of Shalhevet’s interior design. “If AP students are willing to donate their art, I’d like to get them framed, because they’re so beautiful,” Ms. Lewis said. For now, though, Ms. Salem said the paintings that are hanging are photocopies, not originals, because hanging originals would mean putting holes in the walls. She hopes to institute a new system where pieces hang from the ceiling by strings of cable. This, she said, would truly pay homage to the Guggenheim with “moving kinetic shows,” which are ever-changing exhibits. “Photography, paintings on canvas, featuring local artists, maybe exhibits of Jewish art,” Roen suggested. For his part, Guggenheim fan Mr. Feld is already pleased with the results. “I love seeing the art on the walls.” said Mr. Feld. “Setting aside the aesthetic of the round [entrance] and the skylight, the more student art we have on the walls, the happier I am. It’s a better reflection of the values of Shalhevet.”
See more photos of both museums at shalhevetboilingpoint.com
naked the entire time – as in, from the moment Eve was created out of Adam’s rib, almost a full chapter earlier? Why didn’t Adam and Eve notice their nakedness the moment they were created? And furthermore – to strengthen the question – the first thing Adam and Eve do after plunging humanity into millions of years of sin is worry about covering up? What is all this about? The explanation for these puzzling verses is simple: Adam and Eve were becoming human. In today’s world, knowledge is an invaluable commodity. We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to acquire it, we do our best to demonstrate that we possess it, and we never stop trying to gain more of it. However, we often forget that in a perfect world – a Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) world, if you will – man did not possess even an iota of knowledge. Before taking the fruit off the tree, Eve wasn’t quite human, at least by today’s standards. Among many other things, she didn’t possess knowledge, and therefore didn’t have the capacity for self-consciousness; she and Adam would frolic around their garden without a care in the world. However, the sin led to knowledge, knowledge led to self-consciousness, and self-consciousness led directly to the necessity to cover up. And we’ve arrived at clothing. Contrary to widespread belief, clothing is not a symbol of decadence, opulence, or high-strung members of society wasting money. In fact, it is the single most human “thing” that exists on this earth. When Mark Twain says, “Naked people have little or no influence on society,” he isn’t simply making a joke. He is saying that clothes are inherently and inextricably linked to humanity – and not just humanity, but humanity at its most fundamental level. Quite simply, being human means getting dressed every morning. In that case, why not dress as best you can?
16
Opinion
EDITORIALS
A pledge, and a challenge, on binge drinking By The Boiling point editorial board
Most of the Editorial Board was in New York during the Town Hall discussion regarding alcohol, parties and safety. Specifically, the Town Hall focused on peer pressure to drink and how some feel the need to drink to enjoy their Saturday night. Multiple students described the hour-long conversation as intimate and emotional -- an accomplishment by any standard. But how successful was it in terms of impact? Of actually changing students’ decision-making to ensure safety, self-awareness, and responsibility when going out? That is not to fault the assembly. Assemblies fade after a period of time. Party-related lectures, conversations and info-sessions have been a feature of Shalhevet’s moral education for many years and have yet to put a serious dent in the issues they bring up.
But at the Boiling Point, we would like to try. We believe the most urgent party habit to stem is binge drinking, defined as taking more than four to five shots (four for a girl, five for a boy) within a two-hour time span. Binge drinking is unhealthy, leads to reckless decisions including driving under the influence, and is in most instances the reason for anything bad that happens at parties. Yet binge drinking has morphed into an integral piece of teen culture. Too many teens associate Saturday night with vodka shots and beer pong. What hopefully can mitigate this party culture, and specifically binge drinking, is persistent attention to the problem. Starting with this edition, the Boiling Point plans to take a firm stand against binge drinking. That means we will be running a series of stories
from now until the end of next year trying to tackle this issue, while also presenting students alternative ways to enjoy their Saturday nights. The first appears in this issue on Page 12. This year’s and next year’s BP leadership are committed to this project. Our plan is to make our coverage comprehensive and persistent, and to explore the problem from multiple angles. Journalism has a unique capacity for advocacy, and especially in a high school setting where we are true peers. That’s our motive here. In addition, we are going to take personal action ourselves. Each member of the Editorial Board publicly pledges not to binge drink, and challenges other students to join in this pledge and take it seriously. We realize this goal is ambitious, but we’re not that worried. If a culture so deep, dangerous and demoralizing could be altered, Shalhevet would be the school to alter it.
What we would have said at Town Hall By The Boiling point editorial board
For a while in late February, a major Just Community discussion took place around The Boiling Point – starting with a Town Hall Feb. 18 concerning what our role is and what the meaning and consequences are of having an uncensored student newspaper. It was affirming to hear many speak about the positive role BP plays in the school. However, Editor-in-Chief Eric Bazak was only able to speak once, and faculty advisor Mrs. Joelle Keene raised her hand to comment but was never even called on. So ironically, the Boiling Point was the voice least represented at Town
The Boiling Point Editor-in-Chief Eric Bazak
Managing Editor Michelle Hirschhorn
Deputy Editor-in-Chief Rose Lipner
Chief Layout Editor Noa Segal
Community Editor Maayan Waldman
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Outside News Editor Elon Glouberman Torah Editor Alec Fields Opinion Editor Michelle Hirschhorn Features Editor Rose Lipner Arts & Culture Editor Hannah Jannol Sports Editor Zev Kent
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Hall, meaning that we were unable to say how we see what we do, or what we try to do, here at the Boiling Point. Here’s what we would have said: First, the notion that the BP posts few or no positive stories is simply not true. Actually, most of our stories reflect Shalhevet in a positive light, and that is mostly because we cover the news, and most of Shalhevet’s news is actually positive. Second is the motto of our paper. Ultimately we are guided by a pasuk in Leviticus that reads, “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people;
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The Boiling Point is the student-produced newspaper of Shalhevet High School and is published 6-8 times yearly. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the members of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor-In-Chief, Managing Editor, Web Editor-in-Chief, Opinion Editor, Community Editor and Faculty Adviser. The Boiling Point welcomes submissions for signed editorials from members of the Shalhevet community, and the final decision about
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what is embarrassing, not important to the story, or important to a story that’s not important itself. Ultimately, what we do try to publish is the truth. We don’t strive to put Shalhevet in a positive or negative light, but rather an accurate one. That remains the case when we cover robotics or Lahav or cheating or halachic controversies in the community. We’re reporters, and if you have an issue with what we cover, it most likely means you have an issue with what’s occurring in our school.
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neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of they neighbor – I am the Lord.” Our goal is to inform the community in order to enhance it, and not to embarrass anyone unless it’s for the sake of the common good. Moreover, while BP is only very rarely censored by the administration, we do censor ourselves. The Editorial Board censors itself all the time through our own guidelines, mentioned above, influenced by national scholastic journalism standards. Anything we publish that could be controversial receives serious and lengthy discussions and, many times, we opt not to print
publishing them is made by the Editorial Board. Letters to the Editor are encouraged and may be submitted via e-mail to shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. The Boiling Point may edit letters and opinion submissions and all become the property of The Boiling Point. Signed editorials and advertisements in The Boiling Point purchased by third-party organizations do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or The Boiling Point as a whole. For information on advertising, please
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write to Advertising Editor Rebecca Sentchuk at b.sentchuk@gmail.com. The Boiling Point encourages readers to inform the newspaper regarding any possible factual errors found in print or online by emailing us as at shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. When appropriate, we will fix the story immediately online, and correct the error on Page 2 or on this page in the next print edition.
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The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Opinion
17
studentS SPEAK
A fearful farewell to the dragon of childhood By noah rothman, Senior Editor
‘Juggling Act’ BP Cartoon by Derek Orenshein
Maybe Trump is not as terrible as we think By RAMI GRUMAN, 10th Grade In recent years, American politics has been defined by absolute partisanship. Leftand right-wing politicians seem to clash on every issue, and proponents of each party never seem to agree on anything. However, this year’s election brings an exception: the candidacy of Mr. Donald J. Trump. Predictably, Trump has drawn criticism from left-wing political pundits, who have called him a racist and a tyrant. What is surprising, however, is that right-wing pundits feel this way as well. GOP strategist Rob Jesmer referred to the prospect of a Trump nomination as a “disaster,” conservative leader David McIntosh has campaigned ads against him, and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney referred to Trump as, “a phony, a fraud.” The fact that he garners bipartisan opposition is reflective of the view held by most Americans that Donald Trump would be the worst thing that could happen to America, or as Reverbpress writer Matt Terzi put it, “Donald Trump is a racist, sexist, belligerent, bullheaded big-mouth.” But is he really deserving of such harsh criticism? Firstly, let’s look at Donald Trump’s stance on one of the most important political issues, but one that is often ignored: tax policy. Like many fellow GOP candidates, Trump favors cutting corporate taxes. Lowering the corporate tax rate has the potential to discourage tax inversions, which could actually save the government money in tax revenue while discouraging corporations from relocating overseas, where they contribute less to the American economy. Trump also advocates for tax breaks for lower- and middle-class Americans, and would take an estimated 73 million American households off the income tax rolls, which, while increasing the national deficit, aims to promote economic growth and ultimately help pay off the deficit in full. He has also vowed to simplify the tax code, saving the average American household what he estimates would be $110 per
year in tax preparation costs. While some may disagree with some of his tax positions, his proposed tax cuts across the board and corporate tax reform are not out of place in the Republican Party, and simplifying the tax code as he has proposed is something both parties have been clamoring at for a while. Next, let’s examine the claim that Trump is a racist. It seems undeniable, given the outlandish proposals he’s made, including banning all Muslims from entering the US and making Mexico pay for a border wall. However, this overt racism, while distasteful, actually presents far less of a danger to the United States than subtle racism might. Since all legislation in the United States must be passed and approved by Congress, Donald Trump’s proposals only pose a danger to the country if he can get them through Congress. A bill banning Muslims entry to the US will never pass the House or the Senate. But more moderate bills that do similar things to what Trump has envisioned but on a smaller scale -- such as those that have been proposed by several of Trump’s fellow candidates -- might. So if one is opposed to restrictions of immigration, Trump is actually a preferable option to other GOP candidates. His uncensored rants may characterize him as a bad person, but they also render him powerless to actually do anything detrimental to society, as with every rant he becomes less and less likely to be able to push his ideas through Congress. So while Trump may not be the best choice as the next president of the United States, he certainly is not the threat to American society that pundits would have you believe he is.
BP illustration by Avivah Paskowitz
“A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys,” is a line from Peter, Paul, and Mary’s, Puff the Magic Dragon. Here I am, three days before I turn 18, being saddened by this line. I can’t help but compare myself to Holden Caulfield, my favorite anti-hero. The mysterious novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is the only book north of 50 pages that I have read more than once. Holden informed so much of who I am today, and as I’m in his position, I can’t help but mentally compare myself to him. My troubles come during what should be a more lax part of my high school career. Last night my parents set a curfew for me—the first time this has occurred in high school. In my second semester of my senior year, three days before I turn 18, two months before I graduate, my parents imposed a curfew on me. After a long argument with my dad, I left the house in frustration, not understanding the sudden, and in my opinion untimely, rationale behind this. I think my dad is trying to cling on to what little childhood I still have left. “A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys.” Senior year can be a joyous occasion for many, and for others a disappointing and discouraging year. It’s second semester senior year, I should be taking school lightly—which I am—and be locked into a college—which I’m not. The college process didn’t work out for me as well as I had hoped it would. They say it’s random, but I have no one to blame but myself. My post-Israel options are consequences of my own actions. I guess after my fight with my dad last night, I really started to realize that. I kept on telling him that he has two more months of parenting, and then he is done forever—I’m the youngest. I am working at a special needs camp in New York this summer. Then early September, I head off to Yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem. I guess what I’m really getting at is I have no idea what I’m doing with
BP Illustration by Derek Orenshein
my life. I’ve accomplished a lot in my high school career. To be immodest for a moment, I started a minyan at my school that is the largest student-led minyan in the country. I wrote an article about a major contemporary halachic issue, which received over 25,000 hits. Today, a junior boy told me that his grade discussed how I was the epitome of the leader that his grade wanted and needed, a compliment which I do not take lightly. Yet as I sit at Shabbat meals, talk with family and friends, I do my best to avoid the subject of what I’m doing for college. Again I think about that line, “A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys.” I don’t even know if I fully understand it, but it forces one troubling thought into my mind: my childhood is coming to an end, whether I want it to or not. The statement, “A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys,” feels ironic to me. Somehow the
fantasized fire-breathing dragon I pictured as a child is the part of my youth that continues to live on, and my formerly young and innocent self is the part that will no longer remain. The Noah that used to play “pretend” with his cousin Avi is no longer, but that game still remains. The priceless memories live on, and I get to tell them to those around me, but I don’t get to play that game anymore. The once sevenyear-old Noah and Avi have outgrown acting like wizards and jedis in my backyard on Shabbos. Holden Caulfield knows this too. He’s the one who first showed this to me. I know why Holden wants to stand at the edge of the cliff and make sure that not only does the “dragon” live forever, but so too little boys. The little boy in me is soon to be no more, plain and simple. The “dragon” of childhood will live on elsewhere, and it will no longer be my place or turn to access it. It feels like 18 years of childhood is being pushed over a cliff. 18 years of good times and bad times are soon to be sealed. One of the scariest parts is I feel as though the 18 years are happening to me, like fate. Life is happening to me at this point, not me controlling my life. Whether I like it or not, and as scary as it is, I have to move on. I am no longer a little boy. Never again will I get to experience being a child, and the unknown of what is to come terrifies me.
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Torah
OPEN: Professor Amit served coffee to students in an open-sided tent on the rooftop turf during his two-week residency in February.
APRIL 2016
Scholar says ‘kol isha’ rules should never have existed BP Photo By Gaby Benelyahu
By eric bazak, Editor-in-Chief
“The kol isha statement by Shmuel was not intended as a hala- marginalize its authority by pointing out that the rabbis were just chic obligation, and it was not said in a halachic context,” Prof. discussing what they found tempting or attractive. If Shmuel’s statement was intended to be a law, he was referProfessor Aharon Amit was not allowed to attend his daugh- Amit said. “It was said in hyperbole about what is tempting about ter’s third birthday party. Worried that female teachers would sing a woman. In the context of that discussion, some of the things ring to a woman’s voice in general. Prohibiting singing, Professor “Happy Birthday,” the Haredi rabbis of his community told him mentioned were a woman’s voice, hair, thigh. Therefore today, the Amit said, only came up in the 12th century, thanks to Eliezer ben voice of women need not be prohibited either Shmuel of Metz, who reinterpreted Shmuel’s statement to allow for not to go, citing the halachic principle known as men hear women speak. in speech or song.” kol isha b’erva. “What Eliezer ben Shmuel of Metz meant to do was make what Lastly, once Rav Shmuel’s statement did beTranslating to “a woman’s voice is nakedness,” Kol Isha does not appear in he understood to have a certain halachic implication be easier to gin to be incorporated into law, it was thought the phrase in Gemara Kiddushin 70A has tradithe authentic version of Bavli to mean that anything about a woman’s voice live by,” Professor Amit said. “If you can’t ever hear a woman’s voice tionally been interpreted to mean that women Kiddushin. was improper for a man to hear – including her that would be difficult, but restricting it to women singing would should not sing in a public domain, and that -- Professor Aharon Amit speaking voice. Centuries later, that was begin- make you able to do it.” men are forbidden from hearing them. Professor ning to be impractical and forbidding singing Amit shared the story with the upperclassmen’s In addition to the halachic problems he’s identified, Prof. was actually conceived as a more lax interpretaAGS class as part of a two-week scholar-in-resiAmit is concerned about negative consequences of preventing tion of Rav Shmuel’s words, he said. dence visit Feb. 8-19. women from singing. Shalhevet takes a more liberal approach to kol isha, permitting “Every human voice is beautiful and holy,” Prof. Amit said. “The Still, the Haredi world in which Prof. Amit was living when female students to sing in a group or even as soloists – and letting male students hear them – as long as they are dressed modestly and his daughter was three saw a wide prohibition. Today, many Or- danger of making kol isha [a law] is making a girl look at her voice thodox communities extend it to girls singing in concerts, national as problematic. I want every person to see their voice as something the lyrics are not lewd. But Prof. Amit, who teaches the history of Talmud at Bar Ilan anthems, and apparently even toddler birthday parties. There are they love and something they could share in the public domain. I University in Tel Aviv, gave students a completely different way of religious communities where women don’t even sing at bentching, really don’t want to see a prohibition of kol isha in public sphere.” But despite his textual and historical evidence, however, changthe grace after meals which on Shabbat and chagim is usually sung viewing kol isha, one that went a step even further. ing Orthodoxy’s overall policy After decades Talmud studies, Professor Amit believes kol isha by all at the tabe. seems unlikely. Different bodies of Shalhevet disagrees. As adopted should never have become a law. rabbis decide on today’s halachik is“I’m against restraining women’s participation in singing -- they by Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal in He’s disregarding the mesorah [tradition] a bit, but sues, and some view Rav Shmuel’s should be able to do any type of singing that they want,” Prof. Amit 2012, Shalhevet’s policy allows women I do agree with what he had to say. statement as a clear law. said in his sides-open tent on the rooftop turf, where he served cof- to sing provided it is not in a provoca“From their perspective, they tive fashion. Before Rabbi Segal arfee to students throughout his stay. - Isaac Goor, 11th grade see this as a halachic absolute,” Pro“Usually when people talk about kol isha, they don’t talk about rived, girls could sing in a choir but fessor Amit said. “They took what could not be soloists. it in a position of knowledge,” he said. “It’s an emotional topic.” [Eliezer] said as the singing voice Citing a teshuva written by Rav There are three main premises to the professor’s claim, which David Bigman of Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa in Israel. Rabbi Segal being the interpretation of Rav Shmuel, even though they usually he shared also with some of the ninth grade Music Appreciation changed the policy to allow female solos in 2012, making Shalhevet don’t talk about that being a later interpretation but as the pshat – the plain meaning of what Shmuel meant.” classes. First, he discovered that the earliest manuscripts of the Tal- the first Orthodox school in Los Angeles to do so. Brought up in a non-observant family, Professor Amit was “I went through the teshuvot of Rav Bigman … and the primud Bavli do not contain any reference to kol isha at all, but rather mary sources, and feel comfortable with the notion that kol isha introduced to Talmud in his early 20s and decided to pursue it the phrase was inserted later on by an unknown editor. Second, the Rabbinic figure this statement is attributed to, Rav applies [only] to solo singing of a sensual nature,” Rabbi Segal said through yeshiva in Israel after college. After three-and-a-half years Shmuel, seems to have made the comment in a narrative, non-Hal- in 2012. “If a student is dressed properly, the song is about a mod- in yeshiva, he earned a masters and doctorate in Talmud at Bar Ilan achic context. The rabbis of the Talmud – all male, he noted – were est or even holy concept, and she is not singing in a way that is University, with a focus on analyzing manuscripts. For the past two decades, he has taught various classes at Bar discussing what they found beautiful in a woman, and each named intended as erotic – then I believe yeish al mi lismoch – there is Ilan. another female attribute. The word erva thus might not have meant halachic support for this.” “I felt what he said had backing and he proved his points very But for Professor Amit, the law itself is an entire misinterpre“nakedness” in that context, but rather beautiful, or tempting. tation of the Talmud. To spread well,” said junior Isaac Goor. “I agreed with it, but he’s disregardawareness about his perspective, ing the mesorah [tradition] a bit, but I do agree with what he had he intends to publish two articles to say.” For the sophomore class, he taught a lesson on the controversial on his discoveries. One will touch on the histo- blessing of shelo asani isha, in which men seemingly praise God for ricity of the statement. Professor not being made women. Prof. Amit’s interpretation, derived from Amit showed the AGS class three grammar and literary techniques, switches one of the words from versions of the Gemarah in Kid- “no” to “to him”. This essentially has men expressing gratitude for dushin 70a. The earliest manu- God creating women, rather than being thankful for not being a script, currently presiding in the woman. “I thought he put an interesting spin on it, and changing that Vatican Library, does not contain Bracha from a negative light to a positive light,” said sophomore any reference to kol isha. “Kol Isha does not appear in Benny Zaghi. Overall, students said Professor Amit brought a lot of Talmud the authentic version of Bavli Kiddushin,” he said. “I showed knowledge and passion to the school – along with good coffee, through the manuscripts that in which he prepared for students every day in his tent on the roof. “He brought extensive Talmudic knowledge to the school, and Bavli it was added much later after Talmud was redacted- prob- he brought a different perspective to how we discover halacha and a different approach to learning,” said sophomore Jacob Perelman. ably later in the Gaonic period.” His second article will touch “So I very much enjoyed his presence at Shalhevet I also liked that on the context of Rav Shmuel’s he made us coffee.” original statement, which could BP Photo By Gaby Benelyahu
The Boiling Point • April 2016 • Torah
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Girl leading Kiddush was a mistake, school says riculum needs to be taught,” said Reb Noam. “I think that teachers, and it’s a really hard thing to do, need to be much more explicit about cerA Shabbat eve mistake by students and staff tain things, because our students, rightfully so, led to Nicole Newman’s saying Kiddush on last will get confused sometimes.” fall’s Princeton Model Congress trip, leading Shalhevet’s curriculum, called Lahav, has the administration to clarify how their highly won two grants and is currently being used by lauded Lahav Talmud curriculum should be apother schools. plied to daily halachic life. Judaic studies teacher Rabbi David Stein, Last November, senior Micah Gill asked who co-wrote Lahav with Reb Weissman, said Nicole to recite Kiddush on behalf of the team one possibility is spending more time on thehaon Friday night, declining the honor himself lacha l’maaseh, or practiced halachot. because the Gemara Brachot, featured in the “Maybe we need to spend more time paying Lahav curriculum, states that women may attention to halacha l’maaseh,” said Rabbi Stein. make Kiddush for men, and thus on behalf of “It’s an area which we’re currently expanding the team. the curriculum into so teachers will have it at But after learning from a Boiling Point artheir disposal.” ticle that Nicole had led kiddush, Principal Reb With progressively larger roles for women Noam Weissman – co-creator of Lahav with in Modern Orthodoxy, the question of whether Judaic studies teacher Rabbi David Stein -or not women can recite Kiddush for clarified that a woman should not have other men is not new. led Kiddush, and that the trip’s faculty B’nai David-Judea Rabbi Yosef Kachaperones had erred in allowing her to Halacha is the law expressed in different situations nefsky, who is a leader in finding halado so. and circumstances. Halacha is not created in a vacuum. chic ways for women to be included Reb Weissman said that since it is in Jewish ritual roles, said two factors The community practice is part of the halachic system. not “common practice” in the Shalhevet should be considered when making halacommunity for women to recite Kid-- Reb Weissman, Principal chic decisions. dush on behalf of men, and modern “One is that people have to deterHalachic authorities do not allow it, the mine whether in their particschool has made an institutional decision not to allow women to lead Kiddush even what it would mean for Nicole if she could be ular context, a woman reciting kiddush reflects negatively on empowered and make Kiddush. though the Gemara says it is okay. “I think it was a really beautiful moment the mitzvah,” Rabbi Kanefsky “Is that what the Los Angeles community does now? No, and therefore it is not a decision and I got caught up in it,” said Aviva. “When told The Boiling Point. “In other I got back to school I realized I had made a words, whether it would be seen that Shalhevet will make,” said Reb Weissman. He said that even though some Rabbinic mistake in letting it happen because we missed as a diminishment of the honor authorities including the Shulchan Aruch and one crucial step in this halachic process. No of the mitzvah because a person the Ramah explicitly say that women can make one in the room had the authority to say to set of lesser stature is reciting it. That’s one thing to be considered and kiddush on behalf of men, more must be con- this precedent. “I’m a big feminist and believe I would love that can very by context.” sidered. “The other is assessing what is And though the Lahav curriculum teaches for women to have a bigger role in Judaism and these sources, Reb Weissman said that they I would love for Rabbi Segal to make a decision considered familiar and expected in alone are not what determines whether it is al- that that’s okay, but that’s not my decision to a particular context, because one thing you never want to do is to catch people make.” lowed. That night, Micah said he did not deserve by surprise or startle them with some“Halacha is much bigger than something called din,” or law, Reb Weissman said. “There the honor of saying Kiddush and he wanted to thing new when they may not unis something called din which is the law, and give Nicole the opportunity. But now Micah, derstand the halachic particulars or have really had a chance to think there is something called halacha which is too, believes it was a mistake. “It was a mistake on my part to not only the issue through for themselves.” much more expansive than din. Nicole thought making Kid“Halacha is the law expressed in different say that she should be allowed, but to make a situations and circumstances. Halacha is not ruling, because high school kids are not in a dush would be a way to bring Photo Courtesy of google images created in a vacuum. The community practice place to make halachic rulings,” said Micah in her learning to life and did not realize it was an issue until the subject was an interview this month. is part of the halachic system.” Reb Weissman said the mistake did not brought up in a Town Hall on Feb.” 18. On the Model Congress trip, which took “I thought it was just a nice way to take place Nov. 19-22 in Washington, D.C., team mean the curriculum needs to be edited, even members asked senior Micah Gill to recite Kid- though Micah’s belief that Nicole could make what we learn it class, use it in the real world Kiddush was based on the source he learned in and use it in practice,” said Nicole. “I didn’t dush at the start of Friday night dinner. realize until the Town Hall that the administraHe declined, saying he did not deserve the 11th grade,. “This does not impact how I think about tion saw that as a problem.” honor and that fellow senior Nicole Newman Even though the students were incorrect in lum – it impacts should say it instead, because men and women the curricuhow I think the cur- allowing Nicole to say Kiddush, Ilana Wilner have an equal obligation. and Rabbi Stein were proud that the students That night, Micah quoted the Lahav curwere using their knowledge. riculum, recalling that in 11th grade he learned “The idea of it was really nice, that students the Gemara Brachot 20b, which uses a case to took ownership of their learning,” said Ilana. prove that women have an equal obligation to “Even though this is from last year and you see men’s in the mitzvah of Kiddush. students not remembering what they learned The Gemara states that anyone obligated in last month, let alone a year ago, they were really the shmira, or observance, of Shabbat – that is, applying their studies and their knowledge.” the restrictive mitzvot -- is also obligated in the Rabbi Stein thought that the incident was a zechira, or remembering, of Shabbat – that is, learning moment and teachers must make sure the positive mitzvot, such as Kiddush. Since students understand that Halacha is dynamic men and women are equally obligated in and there are other factors that that contribute theshmira of Shabbat, they are equally to Halacha. obligated in the zechira, such “Fundamentally, I’m still proud of as Kiddush. the conversation that took Current place. I’m proud of the fact that it was rooted in sources, that it was rooted in motivation,” said Rabbi Stein. “Worst case scenario we have students who care, who are passionate, who are informed, and who BP Photo By Gaby Benelyahu want to be a part of a conversation...It’s better than indifference.” By alec fields, Torah Editor
11th grade Talmud teacher Ms. Ilana Wilner teaches that unit this year, and was a chaperone on the Model Congress trip. Although she allowed Nicole to lead Kiddush at the time, Ms. Wilner, who is known to students as Chachama even though it is not her official title, told the Boiling Point it was a mistake. “In 11th grade, we learned the idea that once you are obligated in something you can then fulfill the mitzvah for anyone else under that same obligation,” said Chachama Wilner. “We do end up saying women do not do this, and it was a mistake that we made by allowing Nicki to make Kiddush” on behalf of the entire mixed group. The other chaperone on the Princeton trip was Director of College Counseling Ms. Aviva Walls. Ms. Walls told the Boiling Point that when it happened, she was thinking about
BP learns there are three sides to a Torah story A lesson for the Boiling Point: when it comes to religious practices that are new, there are actually three sides to the story. The Boiling Point reported in January that Nicole Newman had made Friday night Kiddush for members of the Model Congress team. As soon as the story appeared, Principal Reb Noam Weissman told Faculty Adviser Mrs. Joelle Keene not to post it on the newspaper’s website, saying it was incomplete and he should have been consulted as to the school’s official view. He also called a meeting with Boiling Point editors to explain that Shalhevet emphatically does not allow women to lead Kiddush. Reb Weissman told staffers that they should have been more diligent and reported all aspects of the story. “The thing is, there was no way we could have fully reported the story, because no one knew there was more to it than we had, except for the administration,” said Editor-in-Chief Eric Bazak. “We went to teachers, we went to the people who were on the trip, and everything seemed fully covered until Mr. Weissman read the paper.” Mrs. Keene had thought the administration would be pleased to see students using what they learned in class. “To me it sounded like the kids had learned something in class and applied it,” said Mrs. Keene in an interview. Seeing that all of the story’s religious sources supported Nicole leading Kiddush, Boiling Point members thought they had covered both sides of the debate by interviewing Judaic Studies teacher Rabbi David Stein, who described a stance against it and mentioning minhag Yisrael Torah hi -- the belief that custom and tradition are law, which is cited by those who oppose women reciting Kiddush for men. That was included in the story, which was then read to Rabbi Stein who said it was correct. But Reb Weissman said the article erred in not consulting either him or Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal, because only one of them would have the authority to rule on common community practice. Mrs. Keene agreed, saying she had learned something that would become permanent practice at the paper. “What I learned is that there are actually three sides in stories about halacha,” said Mrs. Keene. “One is pro, one is con, and one is the community authority.” As a result of the article, a new Boiling Point protocol was instituted that will be used in the future. “Anything new that happens, especially with Torah-related articles, should be taken to the administration for their viewpoint before we print it,” said Eric Bazak. “We just weren’t fully aware, and I guess our job is to be fully aware,” she added, “but it’s really hard to do that at all times. So I wouldn’t say we made a mistake, but we definitely learned something.” -- Alec Fields, Torah Editor
The Boiling Point wishes everyone a Chag Kasher v’Sameach!
The Boiling Point • April 2016• Torah
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Ms. Segal will study in Israel next year to become Yoetzet Halacha
PIONEER: Judaic Studies teacher Ms. Atara Segal guided freshmen through Tanach commentary.
Rabbi Segal plans to divide his time between family and Shalhevet By Maayan Waldman, Community Editor, and Zev Kent, Sports Editor BP Photo By Ezra Fax
Judaic studies teacher Ms. Atara Segal, one of the few women and intimacy in marriage. to teach Gemara in a Modern Orthodox school and the first to do Founded in 1999 by Rabbanit Chana Henkin, it has now so at Shalhevet, will take a one-year sabbatical next year to attend trained 70 women around the world, according to its website, the first year of the prestigious Yoatzot Halacha program adminiswhich also says the program chooses fellows on the basis of relitered by Nishmat in Israel. gious commitment, Talmudic capabilities, and leadership. According to an email sent to the community March 10 by The Keren Ariel fellowship is the most intensive program ofBoard President Mr. Larry Gill, Ms. Segal and her four daughters fered. — including sophomore Noa Segal — will live in Israel for the “It comes away with an incredibly practical, useful, and necesyear. sary thing which is expertise in hilchot niddah,” said Ms. Segal. Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal. Ms. Segal’s husband, plans to “There’s no Yoetzet Halacha in Los Angeles and Los Angeles needs spend about 80 percent of his time in Los Angeles and the rest – somebody to help women with Hilchot Niddah questions and including chagim and breaks from school – in Israel. education.” Ms. Segal is in her fifth year at Shalhevet, and currently While she had always teaches ninth grade Tanach and Navi, a 12th-grade Tanach wanted to join the program, When the possibility of her enrolling class, and AP statistics. AP Statistics will not be offered next she chose this year because it year. in the Yoetzet Halacha program bewas the first year that it could On the Judaic side, Principal Noam Weissman said they actually work. In addition, came a possibility, it was clear this have hired someone to take over her Judaic Studies classes, she wanted to be able to visit would be the fulfillment of a dream. although he declined to release any further information. her family in Israel. Ms. Segal said she would complete the first year of train-- Rabbi Ari Segal, Head of School “My kids don’t know ing in Israel and then return to Los Angeles to teach at their first cousins very well,” Shalhevet while completing the second year of the program said Ms. Segal. “None of entirely here. them ever come out to LA. We go there every so often, but for a The program, called the Keren Ariel Yoetzot Halacha Halachic whirlwind visit. We have wanted to help them make connections Studies Fellowship, trains women for community leadership and for years, but between our professional and personal lives, it was to become consultants on women’s halachic issues, particularly never feasible. This is the year that we were able to make it work.” those involving taharat hamishpacha, which concern separation Noa, who will spend her junior year in Israel, said he hoped it
would be both challenging and rewarding. “It’s going to be a really interesting experience and one that I can really grow from,” said Noa. “It will be hard not being with my friends, but I think it’s a great opportunity that will benefit me for many years to come.” Becoming a Yoetzet Halacha is not an easy task. The application process looks for qualifications in Torah knowledge and also a certain type of personality. “There’s a pretty intense interview to make sure that they trust you as a person,” said Ms. Segal. “It’s not just about knowing the halacha. They also want to make sure that you’re the type of person who will be able to integrate with the public. “They want somebody who is well learned, somebody who can be an ambassador for Nishmat, someone who can educate the public, and someone who is happy.” Rabbi Segal fully supports his wife’s decision. “Atara is such a brilliant person, who loves teaching Torah and inspiring others,” said Rabbi Segal in an email to the Boiling Point. “When the possibility of her enrolling in the Yoetzet Halacha program became a possibility, it was clear this would be the fulfillment of a dream.” He also said that it was a decision that was in line with the school’s values. “As a school that deeply believes in the learning and leadership of our young women,” Rabbi Segal said, “it was clear to me and to the Board that supporting Atara in this endeavor was part of fulfilling our mission.”
Purim marks first women’s Megillah reading at school in six years By clara sandler, Staff Writer
BP Photos By Noa Segal
HISTORY: From top, freshmen Abby Blumhofe and Jamie Berman and alumna Sara Smith ‘04 read from Megillat Esther .
Women have been playing an important role in the story of Purim since Vashti and Queen Esther, so it seemed fitting when 45 women gathered to hear an all-female reading of Megillat Esther on Purim morning, March 24, organized by Judaic Studies teacher Mrs. Atara Segal. Held in the large Beit Midrash on the roof, it was a first for the new building and the first in six years, but not a first for the school. In fact, one of those who read was alumna Sara Smith ’04, who organized Shalhevet’s first women’s megillah reading in 2001. “It’s important for women and young girls to see that they can also contribute,” said Sara, who is working on a Ph.D. in Jewish History at NYU. “Being able to lain and pick up a megillah is a really amazing skill. It’s nice to have something and to feel proud because women are so often sitting in shul on the other side of the mechitzah and this is way for us to take ownership.” Chanting, or laining, Megillat Esther requires memorizing the vowels and the trope, because it must be read from a klaf, or scroll, and a klaf has no vowels or musical symbols. That makes it challenging for girls, who almost never lain during the rest of the year. Sara said when she started the megillah reading in ninth grade, it was a break-away reading on Purim night from the main school reading, with about 20 people present. It grew for a few years and then apparently died out. Music teacher Mrs. Joelle Keene remembers trying to keep it going and finding not enough girls who were interested.
“I remember being able to get a few girls but not enough to cover all 10 perakim,” or chapters, Mrs. Keene said. After that, it was hard to restart. Ms. Segal said lack of planning was at fault in more recent years. But this year was different. “I thought about it early enough to recruit people to do it,” Ms. Segal said. “It’s not a policy thing, it’s just a practical thing about getting it together.” This year, freshman Abby Blumofe opened up the reading by saying the blessings, and readings chapters one and five. History teacher Mrs. Tove Sunshine read chapter two, and Ms, Segal read chapters three and seven. Mrs. Keene read chapter four, and freshman Jamie Berman, who learned how to lain from her Bat Mitzvah tutor, read chapter six. Alumna Sara Smith read chapters 8 and 9, and sophomore Noa Segal read chapter 10. There were about 15 students in attendance, many of whom brought their mothers and sisters to the event. Haman-booing was tame and polite. Some came in costume, others in regular clothing and a funny hat or just regular clothing. Abby enjoyed reading the Megillah because it reminded her of her bat mitzvah, which was on Purim three years ago. “It’s not every day that women get to lain, and this was truly an amazing experience,” said Abby. According to Rabbi Yehuda Henkin of Nishmat in Israel, where Ms. Segal will be living next year studying to be a studying to be a yoetzet halacha (see related story, this page), there are three opinions about women reading megillah.
One states that men and women are equally obligated in the mitzvah of kriat hamegillah (reading the text) and therefore either gender can read for the other. Another holds that women are only obligated to hear the reading, and a third opinion posits that although men and women have the same level of obligation, women still cannot read. Rabbi Henkin concludes by saying that women are able to read megillah. “There has emerged a widespread practice to have a second megillah reading for women, and in such circumstances it is entirely proper for a woman or women to read the megillah,” Rabbi Henkin writes in his book Equality Lost: Essays in Torah Commentary, Halacha and Jewish Thought. Shalhevet Principal Reb Noam Weissman was happy that this gives women a voice. “The reason we allow it is because it is totally mutar, (permitted), and if it is totally mutar, we deeply believe our young women should be owners of their Jewish experience and participate in their Jewish life like this,” Reb Noam said. Mrs. Segal said that it was pretty easy to find lainers this year after publicizing it on Schoology. Sara Smith lained the entire Megillah twice this year, and also participated in two different women’s readings as well. She said it was special to return to Shalhevet for one of them. “The Shalhevet one was special for me because there was student participation and faculty participation,” Sara said. “It really felt like a group effort, and it was nice to see everyone sharing the responsibility of the mitzvah of mikra megillah.”
The Boiling Point • April 2016• Torah
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Sports APRIL 2016
Not quite a sport, but video game craze takes over lunch By EYTAN KENT, Staff Writer
A month-long FIFA tournament soccer craze took over the Shalhevet zeitgeist this year though no fields, balls or uniforms were involved. It was a video game competition instead of the actual sport. Initiated by junior Alex Silberstein, Shalhevet’s “FIFA 2016” gave students a chance to show off their video soccer skills on a virtual field played on an Xbox. It ran from Dec. 14 to Jan. 14. Alex wanted the tournament to be competitive so he set up a buy-in of $5. “To be honest, I started the tournament to make a quick buck,” said Alex in an interview. “I had everybody pay an entry fee and I assumed that I would make easy money, which didn’t end up happening.” Alex did not end up winning – fellow junior Ben Harel did, taking home $160. But the tournament took on a life of its own. In classrooms and open spaces between classes and during lunch, students could be heard cheering for each other and screaming after goals throughout the tournament. As the month went
on, more and more people got involved. The tournament started Dec. 14, with 32 students seeded into an NCAA tournament-style bracket format, with two brackets consisting of 16 seeds in each. Every student received a random seed and then a random first-round matchup. Then going from there, all the students had set matches. At first, the tournament was pretty low-key because students were just playing against one another. But soon, there were upsets, with higherseeded players losing to those not as good at the game. After that, the tournament received a lot more attention, and students who were not involved began to watch. Arriving in different classrooms to put their bags down, they would see the games being played and check out what was happening. Soon they would get caught up in the excitement and start following the tournament. That seemed to surprise even Alex. “I am very surprised that we had the type of turnout that we did,” Alex said. “Not a lot of kids
GAMING: Juniors Alex Silberstein and Lindsay Schacht face off during a lunch time FIFA match. Alex organized the FIFA tournament. in the school play FIFA, so I didn’t really understand why kids were interested in the tournament. “But I think the competitive atmosphere really drew the kids in to the FIFA room, especially because we were getting at least 20 students every lunch in the rooms.” Going into the tournament, Alex was the heavy favorite, but juniors Bennett Schneier and Ezra Hess and senior Jonah Gill also had good chances. Students were considered heavy favorites if everyone knew they played a lot and were good at the Xbox game. Ben said he won because Ezra Hess was knocked out. “I did not expect to win at all, and I got very lucky,” said Ben in an interview. “I had a pretty easy run because one of the best players, Ezra Hess, lost in the second round.” The tournament involved students from each
BP Photo by Katia Surpin
grade, so everyone participating had to become friends or at least talk too whoever they were playing. “I thought the tournament really went well socially,” said Alex. “I honestly talked to some people that I don’t know if I would have ever spoken to before, and I definitely made a couple connections and made a couple friends that I’m very happy about.” Overall, a lot of people had a great time participating in the tournament. Students were occupied during lunch with something different from the usual activities of playing basketball or homework. And it spawned a follow up, with a basketball video game tournament that took place over the month of February. Junior Isaac Goor won the NBA 2K16 tournament and took home $155.
The Boiling Point • April 2016• Sports
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What’s with the madness? By Kian Marghzar, Staff Columnist
ADVANCE: Senior Jacob Dauer shoots over players in the Sarachek quarterfinal victory over Yeshiva High School. Shalhevet went on to lose in the finals.
Photos Courtesy of Yeshiva University
Three-seeded Firehawks make it all the way to Sarachek finals after loss in CIF semi By Eytan KEnt, Staff Writer
didn’t materialize, as the Wildcats took control after the first quarter. The Firehawks This year’s boys basketball season ended didn’t score at all in the second, earned only with two near-misses for the Varsity Fire- six points in the third and were unable to hawks, as the team reached playoff levels eas- come back in the fourth. “They were big, tall and athletic, so our ily and then lost its final games to championgame plan was to play as hard as we could, ship teams. At Yeshiva University’s Red Sarachek box out and hustle.” said senior Co-Captain Tournament in New York, they lost the Tier power forward Jacob Dauer. “We didn’t necI championship match to the DRS Wildcats essarily have their size and athleticism, but we had the heart, and if we won the hustle of Woodmere, N.Y. Two weeks earlier at the last home game game, then we thought we would win the game. “Everybody on the team was playing superb until the final game, and if they just hit some of the shots that they were making earlier in the tournament, then the game would have been a lot closer.” The Firehawks came into the game with a lot of momentum after trouncing the Frisch Cougars 54-43 in the semi-finals, and Yeshiva High school of Boca Raton, Fla., before that. The Cougars represent Davis Renov Stahler Yeshiva High School for Boys in the Five Towns area of Long Island. Going into the game, the Firehawks were confident but knew they weren’t favored. They were the threeseed and the two teams ahead of them were both undefeated. “Because we were the underdogs, MUSCLE: Senior Elon it gave us a little fire so we thought we Glouberman uses had a chance,” said Jacob. “We were strength to convert in playing with not much to lose and evthe paint erything to gain, which played to our advantage. But shooting was a problem. The Photo Courtesy of Yeshiva University leading scorer for the Firehawks Eitan of the local CIF season, they lost to Santa Halpert led the scoring on the team with 11 Clarita Christian in the semi-final game, points in the championship game. Senior guard Joe Schnitzer said the Wild55-47, in front of a Color War crowd that cats’ height was a factor. packed the gym Feb. 14. “I think we were intimidated by their At Saracheck March 10-14 the Firehawks breezed through the early games and length,” said Joe. “Every guy on the team was trounced Frisch Academy in the semi-finals, tall, long arms. and I think it affected our shooting because we just thought we would 54-43. Almost 30 Shalhevet students and par- get blocked. “I think it was just a cold shooting night, ents had traveled to New York to watch and cheer during the five-day event. The Wild- and if we played them again, we would do cats, who went on to win the tournament, better.” In the playoffs in were the only team Los Angles, the CIF to defeat them. We didn’t necessarily have their size and Division 5A semifinal For the final game against Santa athleticism, but we had the heart. game, a revised bell Clarita Christian was schedule was ar-Jacob Dauer, 12th Grade played at 7 p.m. Tuesranged so students day, Feb. 23. They had could watch live problems in all aspects at 11 a.m. in the on the floor. gym, broadcasted on macslive.com. Students “We didn’t hustle, we couldn’t stop their found their seats in the gym and sang along to the national anthem with the rest of the plays, and we did not stop their star player fans at Sarachek on screens next to the stage. who we had a plan to stop, but that plan But the celebration they had hoped for failed,” said Joe.
Everything went wrong for the Firehawks that night. After the first basket of the game, they were never in the lead. As a team, they missed enough free throws they could have made it a closer game by hitting a little more than a half of them. It was Rosh Chodesh Adar Bet and Color War had broken out that afternoon. There was not enough room in the bleachers, so the metal separation door was rolled up and extra chairs set up on the theater stage. As the game began, everybody was excited, but by the end of the first quarter the Firehawks were trailing 21-11. At the end of the second quarter, they were down 33-24. By the end of the third quarter, the deficit had narrowed to five points – 37-32 – and that sparked some hope in the players and the fans. The team had the opportunity to score four points of four free throws with three minutes left, and they ended up making only one. “We were coming off a terrible free throw shooting performance in the first round of the playoffs so our priority was to make free throw,” said Joe, “and if we had made them, we could have had a much better chance of winning. It was all mental, and they won the mental battle.” It was one of two tough season-enders for the team, which nevertheless had a winning season overall with a record of 28-7. Web Editor-in-Chief Jordan Levine contributed to this story.
SCORE BOX: Shalhevet’s three Sarachek games Quarters:Shalhevet 36, YHS Boca 28 Semis:Shalhevet 54, Frisch 43 Finals: Shalhevet 32, DRS 47
March Madness is over and it started and ended with a bang, yet the middle wasn’t too exciting. But this isn’t going to be a recap of the tournament, because that would be too mainstream, and my eager readers know that I’m everything but mainstream. Instead, I will explain the question that I hear every time I get caught watching a game in class, crowd around a bunch of sweaty dudes, or spend my entire day watching games: why is everyone so obsessed with the NCAA tournament? Well, here are a few reasons. The NCAA tournament involves 68 teams in which all records don’t matter anymore. An undefeated team can win and so can a team who barely got in. The champion will have to win 6 games regardless of their conference, seed, record, star player, coach, or any other factor. In addition to that, crazy outcomes have happened in these tournaments. Teams that nobody has heard of from Nowheresville, Georgia, have beaten powerhouses like Duke. Teams with multiple All-Americans and future NBA players lose to teams who use walk-ons in their rotations. No team is safe when March comes around. The seedings also don’t really predict much. Out of four number-one seeds, usually only one makes the final four, and only once since 1985 have all four made it. Double-digit seeds are also a thing of beauty when it comes to March. In 29 out of the last 31 years, a double-digit seed has beaten a higher seed. Twelve-seeds are the ones that most people pay attention to. When looking at the upset percentage in recent history of the tournament, 12-seeds are more likely to beat 5-seeds than 10-seeds are to beat 7-seeds. This unexplainable phenomenon is one of many reasons everyone is so connected to March Madness. Even if you are not a sports fan, chances are you follow the NCAA tournament. Millions of brackets are submitted to websites every year, and many of those brackets are filled out are from people who couldn’t even name anything relevant about sports. Many make predictions based on mascots, influence of others, or almost completely by random. These random brackets also receive more points than those of professional sports analysts (just ask gabe silverstein and Rachel Sentchuk). Let me remind everyone that all this madness is based on college kids. These kids are (presumably) being paid no money to play the game they’ve been playing their entire life for academic institutions. In addition to that, many people have gone to these academic institutions, so they will naturally root for them when they get into the dance. So everyone makes a bracket, virtually anything can happen, and the school you went to has a shot at winning a game or two. But even these aren’t the main reasons people obsess over student athletes running around playing basketball. The most important part is the unification it brings. Because everyone makes a bracket and because anything can happen, people want to be with each other when it does. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski (yes I spelled it correctly, I checked) said that the NCAA tournament brings people together more than any other event. I agree with him. People everywhere care so much that CBS and TurnerSsports make it possible to watch games anywhere, and people do. A recent estimate by the accounting firm Challenger Gray & Christmas suggested that nearly $2 billion is lost by corporations due to employees watching games instead of doing work. So to answer the age-old question: because it’s so unpredictable, and everyone watches it, even people who don’t follow sports engage in it and are not disappointed. I’ve always said that the best sports days of the year are the first two days of March Madness. They’re the most exciting and they get so much participation. That’s why.
The Boiling Point • April 2016• Sports
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Girls’ swim team stays modest through late, private practices
By CLARA SANDLER Staff Writer
Shalhevet has no swimming pool, but juniors Maayan Waldman and Sarah Yadegari discovered last year that that was not the biggest obstacle to their starting a swim team. What really made it complex, they found, were the halachic issues surrounding girls swimming with men or boys watching, the tzniut (modesty) of girls’ attire in the pool, and boys and girls swimming together. To resolve these issues, the girls formed a single-gender team, and arranged a practice schedule to avoid people watching them. The team has 12 members. Ma’ayan and Sarah consulted with Principal Reb Noam Weissman to sort out the halachic issues. “We spoke to some parents and asked for their feedback on how to make it the most halachically appropriate and sensitive and appeal to all female students,” Reb Weissman said. First, they had to figure out the swim practice times. To avoid any male spectators, they arranged to start at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays -- after closing time -- at
Culver City pool. In addition, they have held extra practices on Sundays and Wednesdays at pools in public high schools – first at LACES in Carthay Circle and more recently at Venice High. There are no male spectators there since the schools are closed during practice times. They also have conditioning practices on land once or twice a week. On Tuesdays they have one hour of land practice followed by an hour in the water to gain strength and momentum. “Land practice is really working the muscles and getting stronger, so we do a lot of running, sit-ups, crunches- it’s basically a 45-minute bootcamp,” said sophomore Rosie Wolkind. “When we’re in the pool, we do a ton of different stuff, different strokes, different drills, and we work on endurance, sprints.” Last year, the girls had only one meet against crosstown rival YULA because most schools don’t have single-sex teams. This year they will face YULA again on Sunday, April 10, and Friday, May 15. Practice times have continued to be a problem. At first the team was practicing at
In first meet, Firehawk swimmers dive into season with fourth-place finish
After preparing for several months, the Shalhevet swim team finally faced competition at a YULA-hosted swim Shabbaton March 16 and 17 at LAUSD’s Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, or LACES, high school pool. They competed against YULA, De Toledo of West Hills, Milken Community High School of Los Angeles, and Ma’ayanot Girls High School of Teaneck, N.J., at competitions held Thursday and Friday and followed by Shabbat meals. “I was very nervous in the beginning -- I’m always nervous,” said freshman Abby Blumofe. “It was a lot of fun. It didn’t really feel like a competition, more like a game. It made me feel like this is why you do swimming, because you have so much fun doing it. Yes it’s about the competition, but it’s more about having fun.” SPLASH: The Firehawk girls swim team competed against YULA YULA came in first with 162 points, with De Toledo closeMarch 17 at LACES . There will be a rematch May 15. ly behind with 160 points. Ma’ayanot came in third with 159.5 points, and Shalhevet had 149 points. Milken came in last with 137.5 points. Points were awarded for each event a team won. BP Photo by Maayan Waldman The girls participated in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle – swimmer’s choice -- in heats and relay races. LACES every Sunday. But the ly one of the more challenging Relay saw team members work together to win, while heats pool was not always available sports, a lot of people have were individual races, with four to six people trying to beat one so Sunday practices were can- shown interest and they’ve another’s time in a particular stroke, usually competing against celled. Instead, they occasion- been showing a lot of commitpeople with similar speeds. ally have practice on Wednes- ment to the team,” said Sarah. Shalhevet’s team was disqualified from the first relay race days at Venice High School. Rosie Wolkind said the because Coach Allyson Ziskind told Abby to do the butterfly The team has had one meet time spent it was worth it. instead of the breaststroke, but the Firehawk swimmers ended this year so far, a YULA-host“If you know me, you up winning the race anyway. ed swim Shabbaton March 17 know that I sometimes comHeats were said to have gone at a very fast pace and hapand 18 at Verdugo Recreation plain about it because it’s realpened one after another, and people just kept trying to beat Center in Burbank and LAC- ly time consuming, and someeach other and their own times. A difficulty occurred at the FriES in Los Angeles (see related times because of my schedule day meet on whether the meet was happening or not because story, this page). I don’t get home until 10 LACES did not have meet in their records at first. After YULA’s Overall, the Firehawks o’clock,” Rosie said. “But it’s coach called and talked to someone at the LACES Visitor Cencame in fourth out of five so worth it. Also, I get so fit ter, they figured it out and the meet took place as scheduled. teams, with 145 points. and who doesn’t like that?” Friday was said to be a little bit more relaxed because the YULA came in first, with 162 Due to the trend over the strong De Toledo team did not attend, meaning there were points. past two years, Maayan thinks four teams competing instead of five. “Girls on the team have After team and personal relays, for different levels of their abilthe last competition all four schools comity,” said Rosie, “but the bined and they split up into new teams coach is really good at makGirls on the team have different levels of their and had competitions that way. ing it work for everyone and Rosie Wolkind liked this meet a lot ability, but they coach is really good at making it pushing everyone in their more than last year’s. work for everyone and pushing everyone in their own way.” “This one was much more profesThe coach is Ms. Allyson own way. sional,” Rosie said. “They had an official Ziskind, who was Ma’ayan’s referee from the CIF [California Inter-Rosie Wolkind, 10th Grade swim instructor when scholastic Federation] who disqualified she was learning to swim; a lot of girls from all the teams because Ma’ayan recommended her none of us were prepared for the intensity for the position. of this meet. We still managed to have a really great time and Despite swim being quite the team may grow. we all participated in a lot of events and won lots of awards.” an individual sport, the girls “I think that there was a For those who lived out of the area, YULA families opened said they see improvement in demand for a swim team at up their homes and hosted the girls. Friday night dinner and themselves and love working Shalhevet for a long time, and Shabbat lunch were provided, along with some activities intogether. Co-founder Sarah no one really took initiative cluding going to the Grove and a movie night. Yadegari praised the team’s ef- and started it,” Ma’ayan said. fort. “Now that we have it, it’s been -- Clara Sandler, Staff Writer “Even though it’s a huge a great opportunity for a lot of commitment and it’s definite- girls.”
As season opens, a Q-and-A with Dodgers president Stan Kastan By jordan fields, Staff Writer
in 2014. Other cable providers, most notably Directv, will not pay what TWC is charging, leaving more than half of Los Angeles unable to watch Dodger games. Stan Kasten is the president and part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, having held executive positions for various sports teams beginning in 1979. He was the general manager and president of the Atlanta Hawks and president of the Washington Nationals, among other positions, becoming president and part owner of the Dodgers when they were sold in 2012. Kasten is Jewish and attended a Yeshiva University High School for Boys in New York. Staff Writer Jordan Fields contacted him with some questions about his Jewish and professional life.
The start of a new MLB season has brought excitement to Los Angeles as the Dodgers gear up for another crack at the World Series. This year is a big one for the Dodgers, who are saying goodbye to legendary broadcaster Vin Scully who has done the radio broadcast for Dodgers home games for 67 years. In the last two years, the Dodgers have won their division, and finished with over 90 wins, but have lost in the first round of the playoffs. This year the team is under new management. The previous manager, Don Mattingly, stepped down and was replaced by Dave Roberts, who will try to lead the Dodgers to their fourth straight division title. This year also marks the third year of a showdown between Time Warner Cable and other television providers regarding the broadcasting of Dodger games on TV. A new deal with TWC created an exclusive Dodger channel – SportsNet LA -Facebook.com/dodgersnation
What does being Jewish mean to you? For me being Jewish relates back to our long and unique history, which can mostly be characterized by lots of struggle and overcoming of great obstacles to achieve ulti-
mate success. How involved are you in the Jewish community? With my work and travel I don’t have nearly as much time to be involved in the Jewish community either here in Los Angeles or my home in Atlanta. Fortunately my wife and children and their families are quite active in both cities. How did u go from a yeshiva boy to a president of a baseball team? I just got the best education I could first from high school through college and law school. After law school I got a job as a lawyer working for the Atlanta Braves. Things just seemed to happen from there. How close are the Dodgers to a World Series? The Dodgers are always in contention. The key is the first step, which is making it into the postseason. After that anything is possible. I expect this team to contend for a postseason spot every year. It’s part of our history. And being in the postseason and contending for and winning the World Series is very much a part of our future as well.
This is Vin Scully’s final season. Is there any progress toward Time Warner Cable making a deal with other television carriers such as Directv? There are talks underway every single day about resolving the problem of getting us on the air in all the homes in our market. I don’t have any news to report today. But we will keep on trying until we achieve our goal of full distribution. What is your philosophy to build a consistently winning team? Free agents? Farm system? I believe that all successful teams that have had success, particularly those with sustained, longterm success, have done so with teams built on a foundation of scouting and player development. You always need to make trades, and you always need to sign free agents. But without a vigorous farm system providing a steady supply of players to the major leagues, you won’t be able to achieve the success that you are looking for. Who were your favorite team and player growing up? Growing up and falling in love with baseball in New York in the ‘50s and ‘60s, like so many other people I was a fan of the Yankees and of course Mickey Mantle.