Shalhevet Boiling Point March 2017

SHALHEVET HIGH SCHOOL • Los Angeles, CA March 2017 • Nissan 5777 • Vol. 17, Issue 3 shalhevetboilingpoint.com

Beth Jacob stance prevents fracture over women clergy By AlEC FIELDS, Co-Editor-in-Chief For two weeks last month, Los Angeles Modern Orthodoxy held its breath as a statement from New York threatened to sew disunity in its rapidly growing, multi-faceted and yet tightly knit community. The Orthodox Union (OU) had released a statement Feb. 2 prohibiting women from serving as clergy, and there were those who wondered whether one of the West Coast’s three largest Modern Orthodox shuls—B’nai David-Judea on Pico Boulevard – would still be part of it. B’nai David has had a woman serving in such a role for more than two years. On Saturday, Feb. 11, Rabbi Kalman Topp of neighboring Beth Jacob Congregation gave the beginning of an answer in his

Shabbat morning sermon. Rabbi Topp told his congregants B’nai David was definitely still an Orthodox shul, even though he agreed with the statement’s conclusion that women should not serve as clergy. “While the OU came out precluding women clergy, which is consistent with my view,” Rabbi Topp told the Boiling Point in an interview a few days later, “it is my belief that any Orthodox shul who hires a maharat or morateinu still should be viewed as an Orthodox shul and as a part of our Torah community. “The unity of our Jewish community is paramount, so now more than ever we need to highlight Continued on page 18

Private schools playing catch-up immunizing against measles

SIGNS: Picketers from the Westboro Baptist Church, a Kansas-based hate group, demonstrated across the street from school Feb. 27. Their presence had been announced in advance and students met elsewhere.

MARCH: Students from Milken, De Toledo and YULA Girls high schools joined Shalhevet for the 30-minute walk down Olympic Boulevard to school, after a morning of prayer and community service projects in response to the Westboro Baptist Church protest.

By HANNAH JANNOL, Community Editor Los Angeles’ latest measles outbreak, which was centered in the Orthodox Jewish community, has been over since early last month. But low school immunization rates may have caused it, and uncertainty around immunization rates may contribute to the next one, according to county health officials. Eighteen cases of the illness, 15 of them occurring among people who knew each other, were reported in the Orthodox community beginning in early December. The outbreak was declared over on Feb. 5, when the incubation period of 21 days had passed from the last known diagnosis without another new case being reported. Measles is an extremely contagious disease which has mostly disappeared from developed countries but which is a leading cause of death among children worldwide,

according to the World Health Organization. WHO said 134,200 died of measles worldwide in 2015 -- about 367 per hour. It is caused by a virus that can be prevented with a vaccine. WHO says 85 percent of the world’s children were vaccinated as of Los Angeles County officials would not say which Jewish day schools had been affected in the recent outbreak, and they also said that schools’ immunization rates are surprisingly difficult to discern. “What makes it difficult in the Jewish day school environment is that if you go to a public school, the public school system has a whole infrastructure to track immunizations,” said Dr. Julie Higashi of the Los Angeles County Health Department. “The private schools also need to be in compliance with the law, but they don’t have a huge Continued on page 8

Three languages on the menu? Baruch Hashem! By HANNAH JANNOL, Community Editor At the popular kosher restaurants Nagila Pizza and La Gondola, ingredients aren’t the only things mixing in the kitchen. Languages and cultures blend together like the steaming oregano, basil and tomatoes, with even some religion mixed into the sauce. Armando Rodriguez immigrated to the United States from Durango, Mexico, in 1987, knowing only knew a few

words and numbers in English. But after working in the Israeli restaurant Golan for three years, he was nearly fluent in both English and in Hebrew. He worked there for another four years as a restaurant dishwasher, kitchen assistant and waiter before becoming a server at La Gondola on Wilshire Boulevard, where he has been now for 15 years. Similarly, Alfredo Hernandez was visiting the States to see his brother 15 years ago when he saw a “Help Wanted” sign in front of Nagila Pizza on Pico. He applied, and ever since has been taking orders,

BP Photos by Ezra Fax

Westboro picketers wave signs, sing songs at school for 30 minutes By ALEC FIELDS, Co-Editor-in-Chief Nine members of the Westboro Baptist Church, including the church’s leader Timothy Phelps and his wife Lee Ann, protested outside of Shalhevet today from 7:10 to 7:40 a.m. The group, which is based in Topeka, Kans. and not connected with any other Baptist church, stood across from Shalhevet at the dead end of Barrows Drive. Most were holding signs with slurs aimed at Jews and LGBT individuals. Staff of The Boiling Point had decided not to interview the protestors, but Eitan Arom of The Jewish Journal was there and spoke with staff afterwards. He said Shalhevet was chosen only because it was Jewish.

“[They said] more or less that it was just like any other Jewish high school, that it was no different from any other Jewish high school and they were protesting because they wanted to reach Jews and get them to repent,” said Mr. Arom, a Journal staff writer. “It sounded to me like they found it maybe on Google and they decided to show up.” They carried signs saying “Same Sex marriage Dooms Nations,” “Repent or perish,” “Prepare to Meet Thy God,“ and “144K Jews will repent.” But according to Mr. Arom, they were not aware of Shalhevet’s groundbreaking and widely publicized inclusion of LGBT students.

“I had to inform them that Shalhevet is relatively forward-thinking about that particular topic within the community,” Mr. Arom said. “That seemed to take them by surprise.” Watching across Fairfax from them were Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal, board president Fred Toczek and former board president Larry Gill, who stood just outside of the school driveway with school security and Los Angeles police. LAPD officer and Shalhevet parent Ivan Wolkind was also there. Students were not present because Rabbi Segal had decided that school should start late because of the protest. An alternative program of davening and Continued on page 5

Continued on page 17

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The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Community

Crispy or with syrup, breakfast to order is delivered by friends Student businesses earn hundreds of dollars per week - some for profit and some for team - running plates of bagels and pancakes to morning classrooms. By GABBY GRUNFELD, Staff Writer “That sells out almost right Every morning just after 9 away,” said Zack. a.m., students shuffle downstairs The bagels are bought in adto the cafeteria for Hashkama vance, about two to three dozen break and are enveloped by the a day. scent of pancakes being flipped on “Once we sell out, that’s it,” a griddle and bagels being toasted Zack said. – all being prepared by students He said they make $200 like themselves. $300 a week, depending on how The pancake business is run by Kenyan Coffee 12 14 many they sell. But sometimes seniors Ben Harel and Ephraim they lose money. Buying bagels Drucker, who thought breakfast each morning necessarily means options needed a little spicing up that the business is risking loss if last year and started making pan-- Name, Title they buy too many or too few. cakes on electronic hotplates in Also, both pancakes and bathe kitchen. gels can be bought with IOU’s. They charge $3 for three madeStudents who don’t have cash sign to-order pancakes on a white paa piece of paper to pay at a later per plate, with free delivery to date. The system is not perfect but classes that meet at breakfast. seems worth the risk. Selling bagels to support the w“We do this because it allows basketball team continued a multistudents who don’t always have year tradition, this year managed money on them to pay us back,” by co-captain Eitan Halpert, who SIZZLE: Senior Ephraim Drucker and business partner Ben Harel (not pictured), said Ephraim Drucker. “Unforwas helped especially by junior also known as “The Pancake Boys,” make pancakes from scratch. tunately, [last year], a few seniors Ben Mashiach and sophomore have left the school without payZack Muller. “Our main form of advertiseBP Photo by Ezra Fax ment is standing by the entrance Ephraim used to work for alumni Eric Bazak and Kian Maring us back. We even tried to Facebook message them, but they of the cafeteria selling the bagels, so we are the first thing that catchghzar, who graduated last year after introducing waffles as a breaknever really paid us back.” es their eye,” said Zack. fast staple. Last year they lost about $40 worth of income, he said. The price is $3, with no extra charge for delivery, cream cheese “We wanted to make our business more efficient,” said Ephraim. The boys said some students sign their name on the IOU sheet or toasting for extra crispness in the morning. “I barely made five doland then forget about it, or pretend to. Ephraim said they When the basketball season ended after the recent Sarachek lars a week working for handle this problem carefully. tournament, the bagel business was taken over by seniors raising the waffle business.” “Four weeks later we’ll post the names of those who money for their Poland-Israel trip. Everyone wants something from you, and After getting a green owe us on Schoology and they’ll refuse to pay us back” said Shalhevet’s daily breakfast menu rotates among fruit, yogurt, you need to be able to deliver it to people light from then-ExecEphraim. “They genuinely think they don’t owe us, and by granola, cereal and grilled cheese. These are free, and different items utive Director Robyn as on time and efficiently as possible the end of the month they’ll mostly pay us back, but not appear on different days of the week. Lewis, the pair got to always fully.” But students have made successful businesses by adding to it. work. They decided they Zack Muller said that the bagel business has not had The basketball team raised $2,000 for this year’s Sarachek tourna-- Ephraim Drucker, 12th Grade would invest $80 to buy major problems with the IOU system. Very few have not ment, and Ben and Ephraim have been profiting about $300 per products, utensils, toppaid them back, he said.. week selling pancakes, they said. pings and certified OU One thing the two businesses have in common is a need for Even with free breakfast available, many students are happy to dairy pancake mix. good social and business skills. pay for a bagel or pancakes. “The first thing we bought was a $20 griddle from Target, ” “You have to be nice and handle people yelling at you all the “They get you your order on time and if you have any problem Ephraim said. time,” Ben said. or mistakes with your order, they will fix it for you,” said sophoThen they bought a spatula, whisk, and bowl. Pancake mix and Ephraim credited his business’s success with Ben’s likeability. more Sam Navon. “I love these boys and all that they have done for other toppings are restocked every week or so for about $25. “Without Ben, I don’t think the pancake business would be me and the school, and for that we should thank them.” In all, the pair spends 50 to 60 cents for three plain pancakes, where it is today,” said Ephraim. “Everyone loves Ben, like absoThe frenetic morning rush up and down the foyer stairs requires and up to about 75 cents for the more elaborate ones. lutely loves him.” Ben and Ephraim to keep close track of each student’s order and “The beauty of this model is that we don’t need a certain amount Then there’s the matter of organization. delivery location. of sales to break even,” said Ephraim. “You need to be able to provide the correct incentive, because Pancake customers can choose from an array of toppings, inThey also have no risk of leftovers. everyone wants something from you and you need to be able to cluding Nutella, chocolate chips, strawberries, maple syrup, car“We only make what we sell,” Ephraim said. deliver it to people as on time and efficiently as possible,” said amel syrup and sometimes blueberries, and people feel strongly On the other hand, the bagel business has been done for years Ephraim. “That’s a big part of it, having lists and staying organized.” about what they order. and is now a staple of Shalhevet breakfast, organized by the team’s Ephraim wants to pursue something in finance some day, while Ephraim and Ben are known for their extreme attentiveness and leadership and involving most of the players in one way or another. Ben hopes to enter a career involving the culinary arts. determination. They are common sights running to and from classUsually it’s sophomore Zack Muller who sprints from class to rooms holding onto white paper plates. class, making sure bagels are delivered on time and while they are “They do a really good job at making sure everyone orders still piping hot from the toaster. and gets what they want,” said sophomore Kira Faerstein. The business offers cinnamon-sugar bagels in addition to plain. However, the two businesses’ modes of operation are different.

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The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Community

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Waiting for the day By MICHA THAU, Staff Columnist “That outfit is so gay!” “Stop being a fa**ot and let’s go.” “Don’t be so gay, just do it.” Phrases like these echoed around my skull during my dark days in the closet. Whenever I heard them, however I may have been feeling that day, they stripped me of my confidence, devalued me, and contributed to why I chose to suffer rather than reveal myself for who I truly was. With an entire dictionary full of pejoratives and insults available – and limitless more in slang – it baffles me why, despite constant pleading on the part of the LGBTQ+ community, insults like these continue to be used. It is a form of bullying, whether intended or not. Even when used by friends, terms like these contribute to decisions to stay hidden. Imagine if something integral to your identity was used as an insult. For example, what if, in the same way that some people tend to say “Gaaaayyy” after someone acts vulnerably, someone instead said, “Jeeewwww,” and then laughed. Yes, it is in a joking manner and no, that person is not fundamentally attacking you – nor are they a bad person themselves. But the effect is the same. When someone uses a part of who you are pejoratively, they devalue you whether intentionally or not. Some may argue that I am being overly conscious to words that are so small and go by quickly. But there is a Talmudic story about Rabbi Akiva that explains their effect. Rabbi Akiva passed by a rock with a rather large indent in it. He noticed a flow of water right above it that continually dripped onto the rock. He marveled at the effect the water had. Each drop separately was of little consequence to the rock, but together over the years they put a dent in something even as strong as stone. In the same way, each time someone uses a word like gay as an insult, they see no immediate consequence. But the damage is slowly accumulating. And a human being is much softer than a stone. Another argument justifying this type of language is the principle of freedom of speech. But free speech is a responsibility, not a get-out-of-jail-free card. Of course people have the right to use homosexuality as an insult – but having the right doesn’t mean it is right. I may have the right to violate a verbal contract, as I have no legal obligation to fulfill its terms – but to do that is clearly still morally wrong. The fact is that when you use these words as insults, you do irreparable harm to people’s confidence and self-acceptance.You might even keep them from coming out, which has deep negative psychological consequences and you devalue core parts of their identity. And if you think this is all about me, I promise you there are other students in our school who still are waiting in silence and in pain. For now, I am still waiting and hoping for the day when not just gay lingo becomes a non-insult, but when many other cultures’ and groups’ identities are not devalued by their common use as insults. A day when people don’t roll their eyes when someone uses these words and someone else says, “That isn’t cool.” And most of all, I dream of the day when someone says, “That outfit is sooo gay,” and people raise their eyebrows in confusion.

Free speech is a responsibility, not a get-out-ofjail-free card. Of course people have the right to use homosexuality as an insult – but having the right doesn’t mean it is right.

CHANGE: Rabbi David Block responded to student surveys by handing out his slides. Now, students can pay attention and have good notes. BP Photo BY: Ezra Fax

Anonymous student surveys improve classes by giving students a voice By Nicole Soussana, Senior Writer

Judaic Studies teacher Rabbi David Block likes to present Reb Weissman said that if unpleasant responses from stubasic information to his classes using slides, and then teach the dents had occurred again, it would have been a clear indication ideas and concepts that tie these facts together. to end surveys. But at least 90 percent of the students provided But at the end of the first semester, he learned that his valuable feedback, he said. students felt they were spending too much time copying the “What we are trying to do here is to put the students at slides, and not enough on understanding the concepts. the center – we want to know what you think,” Reb Weissman To solve the problem, the class brainstormed together and said, announcing the surveys at Town Hall the week before the decided Rabbi Block would hand out copies of the slides with process began. areas to write notes on so that the students could pay attention The surveys themselves were composed of two parts. In the to the bigger concepts. first section, students were asked if they strongly disagreed, Rabbi Block learned about the problem because for the first strongly agreed, or somewhere in between regarding various time in recent memory, Shalhevet’s administration introduced statements about a teacher and his or her class. end-of-semester student surveys, anonymous questionnaires One such statement on the survey was, “The teacher is rethat were taken on Google docs during class time and given to sponsive to my learning needs.” teachers a few weeks later. The second section was more open-ended, Some teachers did not in which students could also write improveaddress the surveys with ments they thought would be beneficial to the The administrators can only get so much their classes, some disclass. from sitting in on classes. I think the best For example, students were asked, “Which cussed them briefly and judge of how teachers are doing are the acassignments and/or activities have you found others, like Rabbi Block, tual students they are teaching. to be most rewarding? Why?” and “What rectook them to heart. “I’ve actually noticed ommendations would you make to improve –Micha Thau, 12th Grade there hasn’t been a decrease the class in the next year?” in note-taking,” said Rabbi After the surveys were completed in DeBlock midway through the cember, they were discussed and analyzed by third quarter. “Now they are processing things that are bigger the faculty and administration in January. The goal was for concepts, which is exactly what I want them to get out of the teachers to discuss with their students what issues were present class. So that was great feedback.” in the class, what could and couldn’t be changed, and how. This year’s surveys were brand new, written by the Edu“It depends on the student...but I see it being very helpful,” cational Leadership Team beginning last year and worked on said senior Seiji Shaw. “Even just the first section provides very over the summer and fall. They were designed to get specific valuable feedback.” Sophomore Donna Grunfeld thought the questions could information teachers could use to improve, according to Prinhave been geared more towards teaching. cipal Reb Noam Weissman. “If I thought that the teacher was not necessarily good, Before the students received the surveys, the faculty had an opportunity to give the team feedback, Director of College I’d still give them a really good grade simply because they are kind,” said Donna. Counseling Ms. Aviva Walls said. Dean of Students Mr. Jason Feld said the questions had the The idea was brought to Reb Weissman and General Studprovided useful ies Principal Mr. Daniel Weslow last year by curanswers. rent senior Micha Thau. All classes, including “I think many General Studies, Judaic Studies and electives, It could be valuable for the Just Community and the of us will use the were included. students to understand we talk a lot about how your data to hopeful“The administrators can only get so much voice and your opinion matters. This is a way of ly improve,” Mr. from sitting in on classes,” said Micha. “I think demonstrating that. the best judge of how teachers are doing are the Feld said. “It could actual students that they are teaching.” –Mr. Jason Feld, Dean of Students be valuable for the Students said the surveys had a positive imJust Community and the students pact in the classes where they were discussed, to understand we although many wished they had experienced the talk a lot about how your voice and your opinion matters. This power of their personal feedback even more. Senior Eitan Ohana praised the response of AP Computer is a way of demonstrating that.” Many students felt the same way. Science teacher Dr. Josh Sharfman. Freshman Danya Helperin saw the surveys as an oppor“I haven’t really noticed many responses from teachers.” Eitan said. “The only teacher of mine who really responded tunity to say she wanted to have more projects and engaging was Dr. Sharfman. He actually took almost the whole class to activities in class. respond to the surveys and tell us how he wants to change the “I’m definitely going to take it seriously,” said Danya during class because of it.” the week the surveys were being taken, “and I certainly hope Teachers who remembered the previous surveys said they that my friends are taking it seriously, because I would want to had been less successful. see classes get better for me and for how I learn.” According to History and SAS Psychology teacher Ms. Micha Thau was pleased with how the process went, but Tove Sunshine, the main reason for that problem – and the wished the surveys covered more departments at Shalhevet, eventual pause on student surveys until this year – was that since students are interacting with faculty outside of the classsome students took advantage of their anonymity and used it room environment, such as in Ed Support, counseling, and to lash out. Israel and college guidance. “It was clear they had not been taken seriously by the students and some of them were gratuitously insulting or unpleas- Co-Editor-in-Chief Maayan Waldman contributed to this story. ant,” said Ms. Sunshine.

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The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Community

Feld leaving to become Head of School in Seattle area By ZEV KENT, Senior Editor Dean of Students Mr. Jason Feld plans to leave Shalhevet well beyond it – especially in his LEAVING: Mr. Feld, Dean of Students, taught Political Theory of the next year to become Head of School at Northwest Yeshiva High groundbreaking work on Israel Modern Middle East, an SAS course, to his junior class. School (NYHS) in Mercer Island, Wash., a suburb of Seattle, he education.” Mr. Feld said that he wants announced Jan. 30. Mr. Feld has been at Shalhevet for 10 years. He has acted as a to use what he has learned and teacher and administrator as well as advisor to the Agenda and Fair- taught at Shalhevet and impleness Committees. In addition, Mr. Feld has pioneered Shalhevet’s ment it in a new environment. “I’m most excited to work Israel education department. Mr. Feld said that he’s looking forward to this new experience, with a school to be able to bring some of the experiences that I’ve but is also sad to leave Shalhevet. “It’s a really great community,” said Mr. Feld in an interview learned here to another community,” said Mr. Feld. shortly after the announcement was made. “It’s “It’s a little early an exciting opportunity for myself and for my for me to talk about family, and I think that the time is right for I’m most excited to work curricular changme – professionally, personally. I’m looking with a school to be able es [at NYHS], but forward to it. certainly our deep “There’s so many emotions running to bring some of the sense of Zionism through my mind… I want everyone to know experiences that I’ve and spirit and love how really grateful I am to have had the amazlearned here to another for Israel is someing experience that I’ve had here. I’m going to BP Photo By:Natalia Shabtay community. thing worth cherishing. The Just Community broadly said junior Agenda Committee representative Rosie Wolkind. “Last miss Shalhevet a lot.” According to Wikipedia, NYHS currently -- Mr. Jason Feld, speaking, in terms of really listening to students and year when I joined the Agenda Committee he was always a part enrolls 87 students in grades 9-12. Director Dean of Students providing them with the opportunity to have a voice of it. He really thinks in a different way and adds so much to the committee, and we notice it very, very much. and a say, is something that is exciting to introduce.” of College Counseling Ms. Aviva Walls is an “I think that the school is definitely gonna be a different place Mr. Feld plans to begin his job at NYHS on July alumna of the school. 1, 2017. According to a web post sent out by NYHS, without him and the Just Community is not gonna be anywhere Mr. Feld is filling a vacancy there left by Rabbi Bernie Fox, who retired last year after leading the school for Mr. Feld will be visiting Seattle monthly until he and his family near the same without him.” Students also appreciated his unique love for Israel. 31 years. Rabbi Ron-Ami Meyers has been serving as the interim move there in June. “His passion and devotion to the land of Israel honestly inspired “I hope that it won’t have too significant of an impact on [my Head of School and will continue to do so until Mr. Feld arrives, Shalhevet] classes,” said Mr. Feld. “I don’t have particular dates set me so much,” said senior Gaby Benelyahu. “I took his Political according to the NYHS website. Shalhevet Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal sent an email this yet. I think that’s a major factor and they’re aware of that. I’m at Theory class and it made me have a love for Israel. I don’t think I Shalhevet for the remainder of the year, but I’ll need those opportu- would be going to Israel if it weren’t for him, if it weren’t for his afternoon a little after 5 p.m. to announcing Mr. Feld’s departure. class and the way he taught it. “Jason has truly become one of Shalhevet’s great treasures,” nities to go and get acclimated and get to know their community.” “It made you feel like you had the deepest connection to the Students said they would miss Mr. Feld, both as a teacher and as wrote Rabbi Segal in the email. “He came on 10 years ago and soon land. Just the way he talked about it and taught us about it, it just became a force for growth and innovation at Shalhevet. Since then a member of the Just Community. “Mr. Feld has been a huge part of my experience at Shalhevet,” makes you love it more.” he has developed a reputation for excellence within the school and

Faster-paced classes added to science curriculum for spring semester By Ma’Ayan Waldman, Co-Editor-in-Chief The start of second semester saw the introduction of two new advanced science classes, in response to some students’ concerns that the Chemistry and Physics courses offered this year were not challenging enough. Instead of waiting until next year to remedy the problem, the administration decided to act mid-year. “Looking at the first semester in review, there was a need to look at and create a more robust experience for some of our students,” said General Studies Principal Mr. Daniel Weslow. Tenth-graders in the new chemistry class were previously students of Mr. Tushar Dwivedi, who said he was pleased with the solution because the range of needs in his two chemistry classes was too large. “In order for me to kind of make sure that there weren’t too many students being left behind, I had to go at a slower pace at times and review things and go over things quite a bit,” Mr. Dwivedi said, “and that would end up being frustrating to the students who already understood it and were faster.” Sophomore Eytan Kent said he switched into the new chemistry class to keep his options open for more study in the future. “I just want to improve my skills overall in science,” said Eytan. “Even though I might not necessarily want to become something in science, I still want to keep my options open.”

By mid-semester, however, two students had decided to switch back to their original chemistry class, and several others are considering switching as well, because they did not realize how much of the class involved “self-teaching,” said sophomore Maya Miro, who is in the new class. Adding new courses to the schedule took some creative staffing and logistics. The new Chemistry class – which started with 23 students – is taught by Science Department Chair and teacher Mr. Ayden Jacob and was supposed to meet during Monday lunch, Tuesday SWAP and Thursday breakfast. Those who switched in now have three free periods during what used to be Chemistry. However, because of the large class size, the class could not meet on Thursdays because of students’ prior time commitments during breakfast, meaning that the students have only about an hour and a half of class each week. “Once we actually got to the class, so many kids wanted to be a part of it that it was hard to find a time for everyone to meet that wasn’t mandatory,” said Maya. Another plan which was never carried out was for the chemistry to be co-taught with Ms. Cohen, who would explain concepts in further detail to the students either in videos posted to Schoology or via GoToMeeting, an app that lets a teacher to share his or her computer screen or teach via video call.

CHALLENGE: Twenty-three sophomores opted to take a new, more advanced chemistry class taught by Mr. Ayden Jacob (pictured) and his wife, Ms. Sharon Cohen, who is scheduled to start teaching on-site soon BP Photo by Ezra Fax

The new Physics class only meets once a week switched into the new class because she thought it and is taught by Ms. Sharon Cohen, an embry- would be more organized and “learning-focused.” ologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Mr. But after a couple of classes, she decided that the Jacob’s wife. In the class are only two students-- workload was too heavy and the class too big. “You can still get into SAS classes from being Yael Marcus, who switched from Mr. Dwivedi’s 12th grade physics class, and Talya Ohana, who in [Mr. Dwivedi’s] class,” said Ayala. “So I just felt like I don’t learn well in a learning environment switched from Mrs. Gidanian’s SAS Physics. This class was originally set to utilize GoTo- where there are a lot of people, like I can’t get oneMeeting, but that never kicked off, said senior on-one attention, so I just felt that the old class would be easier at least.” Talya Ohana. Like the new Chemistry class, the new Physics According to Mr. Jacob, students in the class are expected to read the textbook on their own class involves a lot of learning outside of class. According to senior Talya Ohana, who shares and come to class prepared to solve problems. “It’s a huge responsibility” for the students, the class with fellow senior Yael Marcus, they Mr. Jacob said. “It’s tough. But the class is based are expected to read the chapter at home and complete weekly around analyzing homework assignchemical problems, ments, which are as opposed to memBecause the kids who are coming in to the class due last period orizing facts.” Thursday, when “Because the kids are coming in on the premise of enrichment they meet with who are coming in learning – they are doing it for the interest of Ms. Jacob in perto the class are comlearning itself -- I think every kid in there is son. ing in on the premise ready to move quickly. “It’s a lot of, of enrichment learning – they are doing -- Mr. Ayden Jacob, Science Dept. Chair like, ‘Get your stuff done outside it for the interest of of class, so when learning itself -- I we’re in class we’re think every kid in not wasting time,’” said Talya, who was in Mrs. there is ready to move quickly,” Mr. Jacob said. Eytan Kent is pleased with the new arrange- Gidanian’s SAS Physics course first semester. She said she joined the new class because she wanted ment, but worried about the large class size. “It might slow us down a little bit just because a class that was less challenging, but also not too the whole entire class needs to get it, not just 10 relaxed. “Being a second-semester senior, I didn’t want or 12 people” out of the 23, Eytan said. The flip side of the large advanced class, how- to struggle in Mrs. Gidanian’s class any more,” ever, is a smaller “original” class taught by Mr. Talya said. “I wanted a happy medium where I Dwivedi -- just nine students as of this week, would still learn physics but not at the fast pace though the numbers are still changing as some Mrs. Gidanian was teaching at.” Mr. Jacob said some seniors who complained students are changing their minds about where about their Physics class first semester did not end they want to be. “Now that it’s such a small environment, it’s up switching because they are already “one foot easier for him to get all of our attention and it’s out the door.” “I think this has to do with human nature,” easier for us to get his attention,” said sophomore Abbi Sentchuk, who has stayed in her original sci- Mr. Jacob said. “It’s difficult to get people who are ence class, “so I feel like it’s just a better environ- already comfortable with a certain style to want to switch. But Shalhevet wanted to offer them that ment as a whole.” anyway.” Mr. Dwivedi agreed. “It’s working out quite well because the students that have remained are able to get exactly what they needed, which is more focused attention and more help,” Mr. Dwivedi said. Sophomore Ayala Chocron said she initially

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Community

5

Three high schools join Shalhevet for march, group learning, community service to counter WBC picketers By zev kent, Senior Editor

After the learning, the students wrote letters to veterans and sponded. Students started off the morning at 8 a.m. with davening filled packed Shabbat kits for patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Yoni explained why he loved the chesed, or service, so much. with singing and dancing. By coincidence, it was Rosh Chodesh “Obviously what the rabbi Adar, meaning there were extra prayers and was talking about, just bringcelebrations. ing us together in this time of Josh Raikin, a senior and student body Here, there was a lot of ruach, or spirit, and you hatred and bringing love out president of De Toledo High School, said really felt that. And the community gathering of it,” Yoni said. that his favorite part of the event was “the together – sure we all go to Jewish day schools, After the chesed, the stuatmosphere and Jewish pride.” dents walked for about half an “Here, there was a lot of ruach,” or spirbut when we all come together, it’s really a hour down Olympic Bouleit, said Josh, “and you really felt that. And unique, special feeling. vard from Beth Jacob to Shalthe community gathering together – sure hevet. They sang and danced we all go to Jewish day schools… but when -- Josh Raikin, De Toledo High School student the whole way. we all come together… it’s really a unique, For a lot of students, the special feeling.” walk was the best part of the After davening, everyone ate breakfast provided by Shalhevet and sat down for a half-hour of learning. morning. “The walk was pretty sick,” said sophomore Yakir Kanefsky. “It They learned about the source and reasoning behind mishloach was nice just being [unified] with a bunch of different Jews just manot, the commandment on Purim to send food to your friends. walking.” Yakir also thought it was important that the community was pushing back against the protesters. SERVICE: Some students prepared packages for patients at Cedars-Sinai, “It was pretty nice bonding with other schools and showing that above, while others wrote supportive letters to U.S. soldiers or made we’re stronger than those weird protester people,” said Yakir. “We signs for the three-school march to Shalhevet. can’t just stand for what they believe. If they think they’re strong, we showed that we’re stronger today.” YULA junior Rebecca Masliah also enjoyed the walk and the feeling of unity. “The best part was just seeing a bunch of schools come together and walking together as one group of people, one Jewish group,” said Rebecca. Shalhevet sophomore Sadie Toczeck thought that it was especially important that the event was non-confrontational and peaceful. “We didn’t combat hate with even more hate and counter-protests,” said Sadie. “We centered around community and we all got together and did a march and it was really powerful to see that love always wins in the end.” Reb Weissman called the event “wildly successful,” and said that he loved the fact that students from four different schools were able to come together. “The goal was to be marbeh shalom ahava v’re’ut,” or increasing peace, love and friendship, said Reb Weissman, “because that’s what Purim is about. We did a lot of work and it was incredibly worth it. “Seeing De Toledo join and Milken join and YULA Girls join and to see the Shalhevet students come in droves to be davening together, to be learning together, to do chesed together and walk together – that’s being am echad [one nation]. And if that’s the goal of the event, then I think we absolutely succeeded.” BP Photo by Ezra Fax

Just 20 minutes after the Westboro Baptist Church finished its protest Feb. 27, students from Shalhevet, YULA Girls, De Toledo and Milken high schools gathered at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills to pray, perform community service, learn Torah, sing and march together. The alternative event was planned by Shalhevet faculty and lasted about three hours. Milken junior Yoni Ben-Naim said he loved the experience and that it had been important to attend. “We get to see each other here and make something good out of this – that it was supposed to be hatred, and what we’re getting out of it is love and kindness,” said Yoni. In addition to Milken, students came from De Toledo in West Hills and YULA Girls High School, whose “Witnesses of Witnesses” Holocaust course came as a class. Milken and De Toledo students were given an excused absence if they volunteered to participate. Shalhevet principal Reb Noam Weissman said Milken and De Toledo both approached Shalhevet asking if they could be involved. He said Shalhevet reached out to YULA, and that YULA Girls re-

Westboro picketers wave signs, sing hateful chants at school Continued from page 1 chesed (community service) for students and with Christian Today. According to the group’s website, members teachers was held at Beth Jacob Congregation, of WBC “preach against all form of sin.” They culminating in a march to Shalhevet. The church members waved their signs as cars have picketed at the funerals of American soldiers went by, and sang Jewish songs with alternative killed in Iraq. They believe that 9/11 was punishlyrics. Songs included parodies of “The Sabbath ment for the sins of America as shown in a video released on their website. Prayer” from Fiddler on the Roof In a press release in April and “One Day” by Matisyahu. of 2009, WBC explained why Instead of “One Day’s” origThey feel that they’re they hate Jews, using an epiinal lyrics, “All my life I´ve been fulfilling their scriptural thet for people who are gay. waiting for… the people to say responsibility by being out “The Jews killed the Lord that we don´t wanna fight no there and broadcasting Jesus…Now they’re carrying more,” they sang, “All you Jews water for the fags; that’s what have been fightin’ for ... the peotheir message. Whether they do best: sin in God’s ple to say that we will not obey people will take their mesface every day, with unprecno more.” sage to heart is outside of edented and disproportionate Instead of Fiddler’s “May the amounts of sodomy, fornicaLord protect and defend you, their control. tion, adultery, abortion and may he always shield you from -- Eitan Arom, idolatry! God hates these pain,” they sang, “May a mournJewish Journal dark-hearted rebellious dising spirit pour on you, may you obedient Jews.” look on him whom ye pierced.” Mr. Arom said he asked They continued singing and waving their signs until exactly 7:40, when po- Lee Ann Phelps, Timothy’s wife, if the protestors lice escorted them away, apparently because their believe they are accomplishing anything. “Her response was basically, ‘It’s not incumprotesting permit was only valid until that time. The Westboro Baptist Church was started in bent on us to get people to repent, but its incum1955 in Topeka, Kan.,by Fred Phelps. It defines bent to try,’” said Mr. Arom. “In other words, they feel that they’re fulfilling itself as a “Primitive Baptist” church, but both the Baptist World Alliance and the Southern Baptist their scriptural responsibility by being out there Convention – the two largest Baptist denomina- and broadcasting their message. Whether people tions – have denounced the group in interviews will take their message to heart is outside of their

SIGNS: Westboro Baptist Church is known for particular hatred toward against gays and Jews. Security outside Shalhevet Feb. 27 included several LAPD officers and police cars.

control.” The Boiling Point did not conduct its own interview so as not to “condone their hateful message,” said co-editor-in-chief Maayan Waldman. “We didn’t want to affirm what they were doing by giving them the respect of interviewing them directly,” Maayan said. Members of the WBC had flown in from Kansas to Los Angeles to protest the Academy Awards the day before, and planned to fly home the same day as their Shalhevet protest, according to Mr. Arom. On March 27 they had a protest planned at Yeshiva University in New York. Shalhevet Principal Reb Noam Weissman said the proper response to WBC’s message was to learn more Torah and do acts of good kindness. “When people protest our Judaism, we spend

BP Photo By: Ezra Fax extra time learning,” Reb Weissman wrote. “When people protest our Judaism, we spend extra time davening and singing. And, when people protest our Judaism, we spend extra time doing chesed,” wrote Reb Weissman. “That’s who we are.” Rabbi Segal had sent out an email Feb. 20 explaining why school would start late. “While I do not believe in giving in to intimidation or backing away from anti-semitism,wrote Rabbi Segal in the e-mail, which was sent to all students, parents and faculty, “in this situation I believe this group does not even deserve to have us engage with them in any manner, nor do we want to risk any escalation. “As such, and after consulting with our security team, we will have a late opening at school on the 27th.” Senior Editor Zev Kent contributed to this story.

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The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Community

Speakers tackle conflict of interest, ‘lashon harah’ and criticism of news media at fourth annual JSPA Conference By Abby blumofe, Staff Writer In this election year people were putting up signs and stickers, but Mrs. Kathleen Neumeyer did not. As she explained at a workshop Jan. 5, the former adviser of the Harvard Westlake Chronicle was being careful to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. “A friend of mine was running for office, and he handed me a bumper sticker to put on my car,” Mrs. Neumeyer as she started her workshop. “But, I was not able to put it on my car because it was a conflict of interest.” Titled “Who, Me? Conflict of Interest in High School Journalism,” her talk was part of the fourth annual convention of the Jewish Scholastic Press association, which met for three days at B’nai David-Judea Congregation. Students came from Shalhevet, Milken and YULA high schools in Los Angeles, along with Kushner Yeshiva High School of New Jersey and Goldie Margolin High School for girls in Memphis, Tenn. Mrs. Neumeyer said writing for the student paper and being a part of the student government falls under conflict of interest, too. Both Shalhevet and Milken students could relate. At the Milken Roar, two editors-in-chief are part of the student government, one the student body president and the other chief justice of Student Judiciary Council. “There are also a bunch of kids at Milken who are on student government and the Milken Roar,” said Milken junior Mira Berenbaum. Boiling Point conflict-of-interest policy prevented Co-Editor in Chief Alec Fields from running for Agenda Chair, the equivalency to student body president, but he and other BP editors still serve on the Agenda Committee this year. Despite attending small schools with few people to interview who reporters don’t know, the student journalists were taught to refrain from interviewing their friends. “You already know what they’re going to say,” Mrs. Neumeyer said. Also addressing this problem was Mrs. Julie Gruenbaum Fax, who gave a talk called “Close To Home: Covering Your Own Community.” Interviewing your friends, she said, is “lazy reporting.” Since you are their friend, Mrs. Fax explained, you have most likely already heard the story they’ll tell you – including details they may not want included in a public story, which can cause friction among friends. But it also makes it more difficult to ask questions that would be easier to ask of a stranger, she said. She also said to be very careful with word choice when writing about people you know, recounting a time when she wrote about Shalhevet and used a word she wished she hadn’t. “Not to toot my horn or anything, but I really leaned from it,“

the laws of lashon harah – gossip – which require that one should not STUDY: Attorney Joseph Lipner applied the First Amendment to school say something in order to damage newspapers in his talk, titled Freedom of the Press in Religious High another person’s reputation. Schools, in the Beit Midrash of B’nai David-Judea. Sharing opinions from both sides of the argument, he described incidences when Jewish newspapers uncovered crimes committed by notable rabbis. He said that might seem like it violated lashon harah, but because it saved others from harm, it was not only permissible but vital. Leading intellectual property attorney Professor David Nimmer gave a talk called “How To Get Away With Journalism: Copyright in the News Media.” He explained that owning a book by buying it at a book store does not give you the right to publishing it yourself – unless it was published before 1923. “Anything that came before 1923 is okay to copy.” Professor Nimmer stated, to the surprise of students in the room. Eric Nusbaum, West Coast Editor of ViceSports.com, reminded students to remember the people BP Photo By: Ezra Fax she said. “I don’t think I did it again,” they interview are real people. In addition to Mrs. Neumeyer being restricted from placing “Remember that people are opening bumper stickers to her car or for the public eye to see, she men- up to you,” he said. “Make sure to be fair, honest, and treat other tioned a story about being careful when one goes out to lunch how you would want to be treated.” with people they are or in the future going to be interviewing. He also recounted harrowing experiences he’d “There was this lady who worked at the LA Times had as a reporter, and told students they were not too and had to interview a guy who she went out to young to submit to professional websites. lunch with, which in itself would be totally fine” Also at the conference was Jennifer Medina, Rabbi Kanefsky Mrs. Neumeyer stated. “But the problem was that National Correspondent for the New York Times, described incidences who said the way for journalists to respond to critihe had walked her back to the LA Times, and kissed her on the cheek right at the entrance. The when Jewish news- cism was to make sure their facts were right, and to next day she was fired.” papers uncovered listen and respond to all reader complaints. Other speakers at the conference, which was Special speakers this year were C. Randol crimes committed co-sponsored by Shalhevet, the Jewish Journal and Schoenberg, the attorney featured in Woman in the American Jewish Press Association, were stuby notable rabbis. He Gold, who described his work in journalism and dent leaders of the Chronicle. said that might seem Freedom of Information Act requests involving Jesse Nudel, Editor-in-Chief, and Sammi Hanlike it violated lashon FBI Director James Comey; Gregory Zuckerman, dler, Managing Editor, described how they handle author and special writer for the harah, but because prize-winning sensitive topics and maintain good relationships Wall Street Journal, who spoke about personalwith their school’s administration. it saved others from izing stories to make complex issues clearer; and “Only top senior editors are allowed to speak harm it was not only Mr. Chanan Weissman, brother of Principal Reb to the administration,” said Jesse Nudel “This is permissible but vital. Noam Weissman, who had just completed his job to prevent all of our 10th and 11th graders from as White House Liaison to the Jewish Community flooding their inboxes, so we stick to specific seunder then-President Barack Obama. niors.” Mr. Weissman and Mr. Zuckerman spoke on The convention continued, discussing many Shabbat, as they and students enjoyed more discusother do’s, don’ts, laws, challenges and best pracsions, thinking, and Shabbat food. tices in journalism. Arts & Culture Editor Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks contrbuted Rabbi Yosef Kenefsky of B’nai David offered a Jewish perspec- to this story. tive, leading a workshop called Journalism and Jewish Law. He explained the conflicts between Jewish newspapers and

Taco truck gone for now, may return next year By Jackie FAErstein, Staff Writer First semester’s successful taco truck, Holy Frijoles, did not return for second semester because of the unfair competition it created for the lunch program.

Owned by Matthew Sieger, the truck visited Shalhevet four times during first semester. Ravenous students would end class and make their way to the parking lot,

YUM: Holy Frijoles, the kosher taco truck that visited the parking lot last fall, has not been back this semester.

roaminghunger.com

where they would wait in line to buy warm, fresh churros, taquitos, tacos and french fries. Most times when the truck came, there would be a line of waiting students, some not yet served when the bell rang for class. Ms. Sarah Emerson, Shalhevet’s Executive Director, said it might be interesting to consider in the future, but for now it conflicted with the school’s goal of working with area kosher restaurants. “Our vendors work with us to provide lunches that are affordable and a good amount of food for our students and a good option for our students, and it wasn’t something that our vendors would be okay with, to have competition, ” Ms. Emerson said, She also said that when the truck came, some students would leave their lunch which they had already paid for from the school lunch program, to buy food from the truck – wasting food and money. That frustrated parents, whose kids were asking

for more money though they’d already paid. Mr. Sieger said there had not been an agreement about whether Holy Frijoles would return second semester. But he said students also expressed that they had really enjoyed the truck, and that he and Ms. Emerson have discussed Holy Frijoles possibly catering for the school lunch program next year. Former Executive Director Ms. Robyn Lewis, who invited the truck last fall, said the truck was meant for students who were not on the lunch program. “The taco truck was meant as an additional option for those students who were not on the lunch program,” Ms. Lewis said. Students said they hoped the truck would return. “I thought it was great food and I thought it also added some spirit to Shalhevet,” said freshman Tobey Lee.

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Outside News

MARCH 2017

Rep. Bass says ‘terrible’ election year contributed to JCC threats By Jordan Fields, Staff Writer There were more than 100 threats to Jewish Community Centers in the first 12 weeks of this year, along with two attacks on Jewish cemeteries, and Los Angeles has not been immune. The Westside JCC on two blocks from Shalhevet reeceived two threats, the first Feb. 24 and a second March 9, both resulting in evacuation of the building. On March 9, all 100 members of the U.S. Senate signed a letter that called for President Trump to take “swift action” against the threats and to speak out against anti-semitism. Congresswoman Karen Bass has represented California’s 37th district for the past 10 years. She grew up in Los Angles and attended Hamilton High School, and in Congress concentrates on welfare and criminal justice reform. Rep. Bass spoke with the Boiling Point’s Jordan Fields. BP: Were the two bomb threats against the Westside JCC a federal crime? REP. BASS: Any act of terrorism is certainly a crime, but a crime like that is usually handled by local law enforcement, and so LAPD has an active investigation going on. The FBI has taken a role and the FBI takes a role

U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA)

when they have these types of threats. BP: Have you visited or do you plan to visit the Westside JCC to offer suggestions for solidarity? REP. BASS: We have issued a statement, I have not physically been there recently. BP: Do you plan on going? REP. BASS: Yes we actually are working on that now, I have been in D.C. BP: Have you been in contact with Jewish leaders or the JCC this week? REP. BASS: Yes, but in D.C. BP: What have you told them? REP. BASS: I think you can imagined what I told them. I think what is happening is horrible and I am very concerned about the rise of anti-semitism that is happening in our country now, and frankly I think that over the last month and especially coming off of an awful presidential campaign like we had, I am not shocked that this occurring and I think this is something we need to be very concerned about. BP: Do you think the way the campaign went had an impact on why the threats are coming? REP. BASS: Absolutely I do, and it is anti-semitism, homophobia, anti-Muslim, it’s racism. I think that we had a terrible year last year and the presidential campaign contributed to an atmosphere that I believe lends itself to this type of behavior, and I think it is absolutely critical that it be aggressively investigated, prosecuted, fought, spoken out against. The Children’s Poverty Law Center tracks hate crimes, and hate crimes shot up in the last year. BP: Prior to the recent MORE ONLINE: bomb threats to several Interview JCCs across the councontinues on our try, have there been any in the past specifically to website, the West Side JCC in our shalhevetboilingdistrict? point.com REP. BASS: I do not know, I am sure that there have been; I do not recall

anything of this magnitude. So I would have to when you ask about the anti-Semitism around think about that, but nothing comes to mind the country, I think these things contribute to that. right now. BP: Do you think what he is doing with a BP: Is there any kind of Congressional caucus or anything else being organized at federal level deportation force and his stances on illegal immiaround the increased incidences of anti-semitism? gration, is that unconstitutional? REP. BASS: No it is not at this point unREP. BASS:Not that I am aware of. Members of congress have absolutely been speaking constitutional, the question is going to be what out against this and about it. I do not know if happens when it is implemented, as to whether anybody is proposing or forming a Congressional or not they violate the constitution in the implementation. caucus. BP: From the outside, it seems there is a lack BP: What are your office and other members of bipartisanship. What are you of Congress sayand your colleagues on both ing to people sides of the aisle doing to bridge who are scared I think what is happening is horrible the gap between Republicans that they will be and I am very concerned about the rise and Democrats? deported under of anti-semitism that is happening in REP. BASS: Believe it or not, President Trump it does not make the news but – people who our country now. have been living – Rep. Karen Bass there a lot of issues that Democrats and Republicans actually here for a long work together on. The problem time? What are you saying to them about their being scared of is that the news media does not consider it newsworthy, so you do not hear about it. I work very being deported? REP. BASS:We are talking to people individ- well with my Republican colleagues on a number ually as well as having a Town Hall. We are hav- of issues, including child welfare, criminal justice ing a meeting in the next few days to essentially reform, issues related to Africa, so we do bridge the gap on different issues it just does not get a help people. To me it is not a matter of saying anything, lot of publicity. The way this administration is going, I think it is a matter of what you are going to do to help people. I think that what the president is propos- there might be bi-partisan calls for an indepening in terms of immigration is absolutely draco- dent investigation. I do not think that will happen right away, but over time I think you will nian. He is essentially laying the legal bases for mas- find more and more Republicans coming togethsive round-up of people, he is talking about hir- er voicing their concerns about Trump. BP: What is your position on the Israeli-Paling ICE agents, 10,000 ICE agents. He is talking about opening up and expanding private prisons, estindian conflict, and in specific a two state soluand I think this is a point of solidarity, between tion and Israeli settlements? REP. BASS: My position is that I very much the Jewish community, the black community, the Latino community around the massive round ups support peace in the Middle East and the only of people because all us, the Asian community. way to get there is a two-state solution. I think that Israeli settlements especially if Because at different points in our history we have they continue in the way they are continuing now experienced these things. I hate to put Trump in that box, but again can be problematic for a two-state solution.

Shalhevet alumni at Berkeley decry violence against Yiannopoulous By Nicholas Fields, Staff Writer Along with Avishai, two other Although Shalhevet alumni at UC Berkeley did not agree with Republi- Shalhevet alumni at Berkeley -- Kian can personality Milo Yiannopoulos on Marghzar ’16 and Adam Rokah ’15 many issues, they still felt his freedom -- believe the protests also rebuffed Mr. of speech was denied when a violent Yiannopoulos’s freedom of speech. “Freedom of speech was one of the protest forced police to cancel his apfounding concepts of this country, and pearance. if you deny a person of A conservative firethat right, then you are brand and former technol“Freedom of speech more at fault than the ogy editor of the ultra-conother the other person servative Breitbart News, was one of the foundregardless of their beMr. Yiannopoulos was sup- ing concepts of this liefs,” said Kian, who posed to speak Feb. 1. But country, and if you did not join in the proa large peaceful demonstratests. tion erupted into a riot, deny a person of that Kian would have police said, when about right, then you are wanted Yiannopoulos to 150 outsiders joined it and speak so he could reply began setting fires and de- more at fault than the stroying property. other the other person back to him. “I would have wantBerkeley freshman and regardless of their ed to hear him speak to Shalhevet alumnus Avsee what he says, so that ishai Rabin ‘15 was upset beliefs.” that some things on cam-- Kian Marghzar ‘16 after he responds, after he speaks, we can repus were damaged or despond to what he said,” stroyed. Kian said. “I disagree with a lot of They were also upset that Presistuff that this guy says and I think he’s said really terrible things,” said Avishai, dent Trump seemed to suggest cutting “but that doesn’t warrant that you start federal funding to the university. Just throwing fireworks in the Amazon stu- hours after the protests, the president sent out a tweet to that effect. dent store. Avishai blamed it partly on news “The buildings that they destroyed and the tree that was burned down media. “The way that most people at – those are things that we all liked.”

Berkeley feel about it is that it was kind of blown out of proportion by the media,” Avishai said. “Because it wasn’t really Berkeley students that were protesting so much. They were like collecting peacefully and being in a way that was warranted.” One group rioting named was BAMN, a left-wing group formed to oppose President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban “By Any Means Necessary.” The New York Times said police reported about 150 “agitators” who disrupted the demonstration. Since he wasn’t able to speak, no one knows what Mr. Yiannopolous would have said. But at previous speeches, he spoke out against gay and transgender individuals – although he is openly gay himself – and made racist slurs against Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones. He has also reportedly said that transgender people “are deeply mentally damaged.” For Adam Rokah, the protest was was the first time he had heard of Milo Yiannopoulos. “I actually didn’t know who he was until that night, and after all the crazy protests I went and looked up some Youtube videos of him and I kind of understood why Berkeley students wouldn’t respond well to him,”

said Adam. Milo Yiannopoulos’s fame may now have peaked. On Feb. 19 a video was posted on Twitter showing him saying that sex with boys 13 and younger can be a “positive experience” for them, causing the book publisher Simon and Schuster to cancel his book. Mr. Yiannopoulos also resigned his position at Breitbart news, reportedly under pressure. Before that was known, Kian was already surprised that Berkeley’s Republican club had brought him to Berkeley – though he himself was against the protests.

“I was more shocked at the fact that the Republicans had the nerve, the club of Republicans invited him to speak, knowing what he stands for,” Kian said. Still, Kian said it was particularly sad that all this happened at Berkeley, home of the free speech movement that began to challenge the Vietnam War in the 1960s. “The fact that UC Berkeley students themselves denied someone their freedom of speech was something that was a big talk on social media and in classroom,” Kian said.

PROTEST: Joined by 150 outsiders, Berkeley students protested Milo Yiannoupoulous by setting fires and destroying property Feb. 1..

BP Photo by Malcom Cowferd

8

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Outside News

PROTECTION: The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta say a community is protected from measles if at least 96 percent of members are immunized. By that criteria, no one at Shalhevet is likely to catch the very contagious disease. CDC.GOV

Private schools playing catch-up with measles vaccine Continued from page 1 centralized system like LAUSD to set up all the paperwork, to process it, to make it easy for parents to know what to do and to know for the schools what to do.” Rabbi Hershey Ten, who heads the Bikur Cholim organization -- a Jewish social support agency that helps families find and coordinate medical care -- worked with the Health Department to contain the outbreak. He said there’s a simple solution, one which is apparently not being followed: all Jewish schools should immediately adopt official policies barring entry to non-immunized students. “It’s safe to say that there are a significant number of schools in the Pico-Robertson area and the Beverly-Fairfax area that still have children enrolled,” who are not immunized, said Rabbi Ten in an interview with the Boiling Point. “What we are able to do,” he said, “is that unlike public schools that cannot make private policy, a Jewish day school can make private policy that goes above and beyond the policy of the state. We can be stricter, basically.”

nization rate has risen from 90.4 percent to 92.9 but by the end of the year their family may have gotten around percent, according to the LA Times. Herd immunity is especially important when to it. “I think a lot of families dealing with measles, which is more contagious than the flu, pertussis, smallpox, mumps or diph- might not have a work schedule theria, according to the European Centre for Dis- that’s flexible and allows them to take their kids to the doctor ease Prevention and Control. “Measles is one of the most contagious diseas- when they’re supposed to,” she es known to mankind,” said Dr. Higashi. “Any- said. At Hillel, Principal Mr. Jabody that sneezes or coughs, you have to worry about being within six feet of them because some son Ablin said since the new law of the droplets might land on you, and you might went into effect, every incoming student must be immunized. He inhale them.” The actual source of this year’s outbreak was said at least one family had been not reported. Dr. Higashi said this is for safety turned away from the school for refusing to comply. reasons. “We have a zero-tolerance “If you disclose the actual site, then the community that you’re trying to work with goes un- policy,” Hillel’s Mr. Ablin told derground and won’t cooperate, because they’re the Boiling Point. “Everyone so upset that everyone knows their business,” said is required to come into school with immuDr. Higashi, who is the mother nizations, according to Caliof Shalhevet sefornia state law.” nior Seiji Shaw. According to Edsource, “I know the only 74 percent of kindergarHealth Departteners at Hillel were vaccinatment is really ed on the first day of school trying to protect in 2015. But Mr. Ablin said the privacy of that figure is not accurate the community beyond the very first day, beinvolved because cause students keep getting they don’t want immunized throughout the to stigmatize the Jewish communimeasles virus Photo from CDC.GOV year. “The data looks like the ty, the Orthodox community, because there are many kids are un-immunized, but that’s not the story,” sections of the Orthodox commu- said Mr. Ablin. “Certain doctors have different rates by which they gave immunizations, some nity in Los Angeles.” doctors give them all at once, some doctors give A statewide database tracks them over a series of, let’s say, six months. So kids kindergarten immunization rates come in with some immunizations, but with a for every school in California, in- note from the doctor saying they’re getting the cluding all of the Jewish schools, other immunizations later.” He said all of Hillel’s students were immuand can be viewed online at Ednized by the end of their kindergarten year. Source.org. Regarding seventh-graders -- who are required The database shows uneven, though mostly improving, kindergarten vacci- to have a booster shot for tetanus, diphtheria and nation rates among Shalhevet’s feeder schools. pertussis -- Mr. Ablin said usually about 80 perSinai Akiba Academy in Westwood did not have cent are already immunized when the school calls. herd immunity in 2013 and 2014, but is slowly The rest, he said, usually say they didn’t know inching toward the target 96 percent with a 91 about the requirement. “For some reason, which I don’t know, some percent kindergarten rate in 2015; Pressman was fully immunized in 2014 and dropped to 91 per- parents aren’t well-educated about that and they cent in 2015. Yavneh Hebrew Academy jumped don’t know,” he said. “I think it’s just a matter from a mere 55 percent in 2014 to 93 percent a of timing, meaning they haven’t gone with their kid for their seventh-grade annual physical by the year later. In the same period, Harkham Hillel Acad- time they hit seventh grade so they don’t know, emy’s kindergarteners stayed at or below the and then they say ‘Of course, we’ll go get it right threshold for herd immunity, with 74 percent of away,’ and then we’re at a 100 percent. But that’s usually the process we go through.” entering kindergarteners fully immunized. Dr. Higashi agreed, and said other students But these numbers can be misleading, according to Dr. Higashi. They may mean that not every come from families who just are running behind student is immunized on day one of kindergarten, schedule.

“It’s safe to say that there are a significant number of schools in the Pico-Robertson area and the Beverly-Fairfax area that still have children enrolled who are not immunized.”

This year’s measles outbreak came less than two years after the last one, which ended in 2015 after starting at Disneyland. That outbreak, which had over 50 cases also including some in the Orthodox community, sparked wider concern and led to the passage of SB 277, which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on June 30, 2015. The new law mandates that all students in California schools be immunized, and that schools confirm their vaccination status on entering kindergarten and again when they enter seventh grade. Its goal is for the state to benefit from something called “herd immunity,” which is when enough of a population is made immune to an infectious disease that its spreading would be improbable. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a group has herd immunity if at least 96 percent of its members are immunized. With herd immunity, “even individuals not vaccinated (such as newborns and those with chronic illnesses) are offered some protection because the disease has little opportunity to spread within the community,” the CDC says on its website. Since the law’s enactment, California’s immu-

-- Rabbi Hershey Ten, Bikur Cholim

“Once the California state policy changed, we changed also, and we said no more exceptions, everyone who comes in has to be immunized.” -- Jason Ablin, Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy

Mr. Ablin said Hillel changed its policy after the Disneyland outbreak, and that the school has refused entrance to families who had principled objections to the practice. “Once the California state policy changed, we changed also,” Mr. Ablin said, “and we said no more exceptions, everyone who comes in has to be immunized.”

The situation at Shalhevet was likewise not entirely clear, although the school’s herd immunity seems assured. High schools are required to have students immunized, but they are not required by law to check students’ immunization records. In February, Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal said there were fewer than five students this year who were not immunized, and he said the school was “in the process” of complying with the new law. He said the students had been admitted under the state’s previous law, which allowed schools to issue “waivers” to families who did not want to immunize their children for personal or religious reasons. “We were operating under the previous policy where families could file for an exemption,” said Rabbi Segal in an email response to Boiling Point questions. Of the new law, which disallows such waivers, he said, “We are aware of it and are in the process of complying with it.” Executive Director Sarah Emerson said March 21 that Shalhevet’s enforcement of the policy had been updated. “We’ve brought the school into compliance with the current regulations,” Ms. Emerson said in an interview, by getting “the required documentation.” “The law requires that if there is an exemption, it has to be signed off by a medical professional, not just a parent waiver -- it must be a medical waiver,” Ms. Emerson said, and now Shalhevet requires that as well. Medical waivers are generally granted only to students with compromised immune systems. If it is correct that fewer than five students are not vaccinated, then more than 96 percent of Shalhevet’s students are immunized already, giving the school herd immunity. Rabbi Ten said Shalhevet should have all of its students immunized as soon as possible. “I would recommend that the school creates Continued on opposite page

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Outside News

Even minor consumption of alcohol can be harmful, new studies show

9

By Jacob Feitelberg, Outside News Editor Everyone knows it’s dangerous to get drunk. But a growing number of scientists are considering the possibility that any alcohol at all is toxic to humans. Science Department Chair Mr. Ayden Jacob noted that technically, there is a certain amount of alcohol that does not cause any noticeable physiological effects on the human body. But according to him, that is extremely low. “Alcohol is a damaging toxin to the body, it’s a poison,” said Mr. Jacob. “Now sometimes we like poison, because it subdues our feelings of angst or social anxieties. So does ecstasy, so why is one okay and not the other?” Evidence is slowly growing to support this view. The World Health Organization put out a report in may of 2014 saying that alcohol can lead to many types of cancer, and that contrary to some studies that say in moderation it’s good for the heart, alcohol actually increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. “It’s a common perception that alcohol, and red wine in particular, is helpful for the heart, but that perception is not based on any particularly good evidence,” said Dr. Michael Shapiro, a cardiologist with Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, quoted in webMD.com. “If there is any benefit from alcohol -- and that’s not entirely clear -- it’s probably modest.” The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has found that alcohol is probably associated with about three percent of all cancer deaths, mostly head and neck, esophegeal, liver and especially

breast cancer. “For every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day (slightly less than one drink),” the researchers observed a small (7 percent)increase in the risk of breast cancer,” the institute’s website states, citing American studies. It then quotes a million-person study in England that found a risk increase of 15 percent. How does this happen? According to clevelandclinic.com, alcohol can increase bacteria in the gut, which could migrate to damage the liver. Alcohol can also weaken both the heart and the immune system, and increase women’s estrogen levels, which are associated with breast cancer. And according to NCI, it also blocks the body’s absorption of cancer-fighting substances like vitamins, while increasing oxidation – which damages the body’s DNA, proteins and fats. In the brain, scientists find few negative physiological effects in adults – the real problems are psychological and in behavior. But teenagers are a different story, according to Shalhevet SAS Psychology teacher Ms. Tove Sunshine, and alcohol causes actual physical harm. “The development of the prefrontal cortex is still under construction until about age 24 or 25,”

Ms. Sunshine said. “Those parts of the brain have to do with being able to defer gratification, judgment about long-term consequences, all of those kinds of inhibitory [skills] – being able to inhibit behavior. “Alcohol contributes to dampening that part of your brain which is not fully developed yet.” Additionally, Ms. Sunshine stressed that the greatest danger of alcohol to teenagers and college students is binge drinking, which is drinking a lot of alcohol in a short period. “That type of drinking, which is taking a lot of alcohol in a very short period of time, seems to actually have an effect of killing neurons,” Ms. Sunshine said. “So when you joke about how many brain cells you’ve killed, you might not actually be joking.” Can moderate drinking lead to binge drinking, and other forms of alcohol abuse? If so, that might be another reason not to drink at all – even if the benefits of light drinking are real. “There are some studies with wine and with beer, moreso than hard liquors, that they actually may have some beneficial results,” said Ms. Sunshine. “Moderate drinking that is genuinely moderate is for most people probably safe.” But according to mayoclinic.org, any possible benefits of moderate drinking do not outweigh the risks of alcoholism, so nobody should start drinking now with benefits in

mind. Mr. Jacob said that no alco holic started off as an alcoholic, but rather grew into being one. “They started out in moderation and they developed little by little into an alcoholic,” said Mr. Jacob. “The theory that people are born alcoholics is incorrect.” An article in Men’s Health magazine reported that men are twice as likely as women to have what it called “alcohol use disorder,” or AUD. It said about 14 percent of men have this problem, which it described as not as severe as alcoholism but still causing reduced productivity, oversleeping, preoccupation with drinking, and regret. People with AUD “occasionally drink more than they intended to, wish they could cut down, or spend too much time thinking about drinking.” Doctors recommend treatment for these people, though they are not as severely addicted as alcoholics. Mr. Jacob stressed similarly that moderate drinking can lead to alcohol dependency and addiction. “Consistent moderation can lead to alcoholism,” said Mr. Jacob. “If you have an addictive personality, then moderation is lethal. People can have addictive personalities whether they be addicted to video games, or pornography, or cocaine. If you then go tell someone who has an addictive history to then go moderately drink alcohol, you are a fool.”

BP drawing by Eva Suissa

Private schools playing catch-up with measles immunization Continued from previous page

Modern Orthodox institutions like Shalhevet were not threatened. Rabbi Ten denied this emphatically. “Measles is the most contagious disease that is out there, it will linger in a room for almost two hours after a person leaves the room,” Rabbi Ten said. Because the disease spreads so easily, he said, shoppers in line at a market could catch it from one another without knowing the person beside them was sick, he said. “We are not living in a bubble, and I don’t know who made the determination that it was the quote ‘right-wing community,’ but we are all impacted by this,” he said. “Measles spreads very quickly, it finds the weakest among us. We live today in communities where people are moving around all the time.” So even if measles had only been present in the more conservative Jewish communities, which Rabbi Ten stated was false, it would not matter americanhistory.si.edu because all Jews in the Pico-Robertson and Fairfax-Beverly areas shop in the same markets, go to the same HISTORY: Before vaccines were available, measles and other dankosher restaurants, and walk the gerous diseases were prevented by quarantining victims.

a policy, effective immediately, that any child that is not immunized will not be allowed to remain in the school until they have received and are up to date on all of the necessary immunizations,” Rabbi Ten said. Although the Health Department never revealed the source or school names in this year’s outbreak, rumors spread that the cases were confined to Chasidic or Haredi schools, and that

dition that her name would not be used, fearing same streets on Shabbat. “It’s irrelevant to even to comment on that,” community disapproval. The woman said she believed that vaccines Rabbi Ten said. “Even to make that distinction would “impact her children’s without evbodies negatively,” and that the idence that Measles is one of the most contagious diseases immunizations did not guaranthat occurred known to mankind. Anybody that sneezes or tee her children wouldn’t still because of the get sick. communicoughs, you have to worry about being within six California law has now ty they are in feet of them because some of the droplets might outlawed waivers for fears like would be exland on you, and you might inhale them. these. When the law changed, tremely unfair and inflamma-- Dr. Julie Higashi, LA County Health Department she got them the shots. “Because I am forced to,” tory.” she said. Rabbi Ten This is exactly the kind of said families who have sought waivers for non-medical reasons change the new law is hoping will boost herd come from all walks of Jewish life. Some have immunity for all Californians, and prevent new heard of long-debunked studies that claimed to outbreaks like the one that just ended. “Over the years, the incidence of non-immushow a link between a preservative -- one that was never used in measles vaccines -- and autism. Rab- nized children because of personal belief is not bi Ten, like Dr. Higashi, the county Health De- specific to those who are poor or uneducated,” partment and the CDC, said there is no evidence Rabbi Ten said. “Many who are educated or upwardly mobile do not immunize their children. at all that immunizations cause autism. This disease has nothing to do with a person’s The Boiling Point interviewed a mother wealth, or religiosity, or cultural background.” whose children attend a local Orthodox Jewish day school who did not vaccinate her children Staff writer Nicholas Fields contributed to this story. before the 2015 law. She spoke only on the con-

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The Boiling Point •March 2017 • Outside News

Table Talk News to Help You Schmooze

Did Trump campaign work with Russia? Time and FBI will tell By Jacob feitelberg, Outside News Editor FBI Director James Comey testified in Congress March 20 that his agency is investigating whether members of Trump’s campaign worked with Russia to defeat Hillary Clinton. But don’t expect an answer in time for the next issue of the Boiling Point. Counterintelligence investigations take a very long time, according to the New York Times, so this investigation might continue for years. American intelligence agencies are certain that President Vladimir Putin of Russia covertly gave orders to try to hurt Mrs. Clinton’s campaign by hacking into the Democratic National Committee and releasing thousands of emails from Ms. Clinton’s personal email server onto WikiLeaks. So the question is not whether Russia was involved, but whether Trump campaign officials were helping. Mr. Comey also said there was no evidence that Russian hackers had changed any votes in the presidential election. So whatever the investigation finds, it will be open to debate whether Russia had any influence on the election in terms of actual votes. This depends on whether Mrs. Clinton lost votes because of the hacked emails. The White House dismissed the possibility, saying there was no coordination between Russia and members of the Trump campaign. President Trump maintained that his alleged ties to Russia

during the campaign were fabricated to undermine his presidency, according to Whitehouse.gov. But it has also admitted that various campaign officials, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, former campaign official (now Attorney General) Jeff Sessions and several others had contacts with Russian officials during and immediately after the campaign. Rep. Adam Schiff of Pasadena, the highest ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said there were too many coincidences for that to be likely. “Is it possible that all of these events and reports are completely unrelated and nothing more than an entirely unhappy coincidence?” said Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the intelligence committee’s top Democrat, at the hearing. “Yes, it is possible. But it is also possible, maybe more than possible, that they are not coincidental, not disconnected and not unrelated.” Meanwhile, Mr. Comey also told the House Intelligence Committee that he had

Intelligence.house.gov

‘Flying car’ landing soon?

Israeli technology brought Superbowl super-close

By JONAH SANDERS, Staff Writer

By TYLER EKAIREB, Staff Writer Did you notice some unusually close-in replays in this year’s NFL Super Bowl coverage? With some Israeli innovation purchased by Intel, this year’s Super Bowl fans witnessed the best plays from the most immersive views yet, getting close to all the action from the perspective of the players – though not a single one of them sported any extra gear. The reason was Intel’s “360 Replay,” an Israeli technology that compiled data from 38 cameras mounted around the stadium. Replay Technologies, the Israeli company that developed it, was purchased by Intel last year for $175 million, according to Reuters. Intel managed to implement the system in time for the Super Bowl. Each of the 38 cameras streamed its video feed to an on-site server, which in turn was capable of creating short clips within a minute of their capture. “Think of it as a big cloud of data of everything that goes on the field, and that you’re able to go into that cloud of data and see from any angle what you want to see,” said Intel’s Jeff Hopper in a video press release. Instead of representing the arena in two-dimensional pixels (like a computer screen), Intel aggregates the data to generate three-dimensional pixels, which are

no evidence that supported President Trump’s allegations against Obama. As of now, it is still possible that all of the dealings individuals on the Trump campaign had with Russia were unrelated and not about the presidential campaign, because there is no evidence yet pointing either way.

known as “voxels.” Super Bowl spectators receive a 15- to 30-second clip that FOX Sports likens to a video game. “The cameras [are] backed up by a huge bank of Intel computing power,” said Michael Davies of FOX Sports, according to USA Today. And they need it - just one “Be The Player” snippet requires more than a terabyte of data -or all the memory in sixteen 64-gigabyte smartphones. The same technology debuted at the NBA AllStar game last year. There, a 360-degree view was rendered with a similar array of cameras encompassing the court, allowing highlight replays from all angles.

BP Drawing By Ezra Fax

Urban Aeronautics, an Israeli tech firm, may be just a few more years away from completing their so-called “flying car,” after 10 years of research. The company’s Cormorant helicopter uses internal rotors instead of the standard large outer propellers of typical helicopters. As a result, Urban Aeronautics CEO Rafi Yoeli claims that the Cormor a n t won’t get caught in power lines or other hazards that external propellers pose to pilots. “Just imagine a dirty bomb in a city and a chemical substance or something else and this vehicle can come in robotically, remotely piloted, come into the street and decontaminate an area,” said Yoeli, according to the Jerusalem Post, which has posted a video of the Cormorant flying. Three months ago, the Cormorant had its first successful fully automated flight, which can be viewed on Youtube. When it was over, company spokesmen reported that while there were still issues to resolve in the craft’s sensors, the bladeless technology worked as expected.

Urban Aeronautics expects the helicopter to be sold to militaries beginning in 2020, at a projected price of $14 million each, and to revolutionize military capabilities in future wars. For now, though, it still has not met the requirements of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to SAS Physics instructor Ms. Tamara Gidanian, propellers provide a pilot with navigation in one axis at a time -- either horizontal, vertical or sloped -- while the new type of rotor allows the vehicle to move in three axes simultaneously. Additionally, Ms. Gidanian stated that with one internal rotor instead of heavy external blades, the Cormorant would lighter than most commercial and some military grade helicopters which, in turn, would let it “maneuver easier and more precisely,” she said. If the project stays on schedule, it’s possible future Israeli army draftees and volunteers, possibly even from today’s ninth grade at Shalhevet, will be assigned to learn how to pilot the “flying car.” BP Graphic By Ezra Fax

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Arts & Culture MARCH 2017

In ‘I Am Not Your Negro,’ words of James Baldwin describe the past to illuminate the present By JACOB JOSEPH LEFKOWITZ BROOKS, Arts & Culture Editor witness what Baldwin delivers. The film is divided into chapters, each repreI Am Not Your Negro is a documentary film senting an aspect of his ideology. One is childfocusing on the views of acclaimed writer James hood and the beginning of indoctrination. He Baldwin, 1924 - 1987, using his treatise, unfinshows us what he believes being “white” actually ished at his death, titled Remember This House. means. The book was aimed at explaining the struggles “In the case of the American Negro, from of black Americans using the lives of three of the moment you are born every stick and stone, his friends, Martin Luther King, Malcom X and every face, is white,” says Baldwin early in the Medgar Evers, three major civil rights activist film, in one of many quotes so famous it was who were assassinated. easy to find on Google. While Baldwin “Since you have not yet died before he Americans live in two different worlds, seen a mirror, you suppose could complete you are, too. It comes as a the novel, his ideas Baldwin says -- one where white people great shock around the age have now been see themselves as the good guys and no of 5 or 6 or 7 to discover expanded upon by one disagrees, and the other where black that Gary Cooper killing the Haitian direcpeople are killed in the streets and white off the Indians — when tor Raoul Peck. you were rooting for The movie is built people find a way to blame them. Gary Cooper — that the around the notes Indians were you!” of Remember This He brings the idea that House, which are being “white” is really a metaphor for power. narrated by the booming Samuel L. Jackson. UsAnother is the divergent history of racism in ing film clips of speeches given by Baldwin and America. The United States, he explains as viscerother civil rights figures, along with other images ally as he can, was built on and film from the time, as well as current footslavery. Many important age, Peck paints a vivid picture of the author’s buildings and institutions ideology. exist only because of the This makes the movie truly unique as a fubrutal labor of slaves. sion of text and imagery, of film and literature. Americans live in two At times it can be impossible to differentiate between Baldwin’s manuscript and other writings different worlds, Baldwin -- and at times it resonates so strongly with today says -- one where white people see themselves as that it doesn’t matter. the good guys, and no one Baldwin himself is extraordinary because of his ability to explain his ideology with clarity and disagrees, and the other where black people are precision. Over the course of the film, viewers killed in the streets and become accustomed to his style and familiar white people find a way to with his dialect. Footage of him speaking on talk blame them. shows and during lectures shows his virtuosity as He also talks about he strives to convince his viewers of what he is what he calls white Ameritrying to say. While the movie is incredibly captivating and can myths. “The American Negro thought-provoking, it can be difficult at times to has the great advantage watch. It expertly exposes the indoctrination and of having never believed lies that have led to American racism. There is the collection of myths to some graphic imagery used to show this; includwhich white Americans ing many dead or beaten bodies and explicit cling,” says Baldwin. signs used by protesters. “That their ancestors were Nevertheless, people should take the time to

all freedom-loving heroes, that they were born in progress since Baldwin’s day. the greatest country the world has ever seen, or But the film is not merely a pessimistic think that Americans are invincible piece. in battle and wise in peace… “I can’t be a pessimist because I’m The tone of Baldwin’s Negroes know far more about alive,” Baldwin says during a talk on white Americans than that” PBS. “To be a pessimist means that writing reminds us all Black people, he says, you have agreed that human life is too well of racism in our became a lens through which an academic matter, so I’m forced to own time. At one point, white people could view be an optimist. I’m forced to believe images of Tamir Rice, themselves. The words “Give that we can survive whatever we must Trayvon Martin, MIchael me liberty or give me death,” survive.” Brown and others are for example, have a completely Towards the end of the film, shown as Baldwin’s different meaning than when a the author offers hope. As lynched words are read. black person says them. Patrick bodies are shown hanging from a Henry, of course, was seen as a tree, Baldwin offers what is really the brave hero, whereas Africanonly possible road to a solution: “Not Americans uttering the same words were made everything that is faced can be changed, but to be subversive villains seeking to bring America nothing can be changed if it is not faced.” to its knees. Overall, the movie is a fascinating depiction of The tone of Baldwin’s writing reminds us all Baldwin’s vision, written with eloquence and too well of racism in our own time. At a point design. It would be hard to imagine a better in the movie, images of Tamir Rice, Trayvon statement on this topic. Martin, Michael Brown and others are shown And in 2017, it needs to be heard. as Baldwin’s words are read. This raises the haunting question of whether we have made any

The Boiling Point wishes a huge mazal tov to

Rabbi David Stein and Rabbi David Block on their rabbinic ordination at the quadrennial Yeshiva University Chag Hasmicha.

12

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Arts & Culture

Strands of Jewish culture wind together at The Braid By Tobey Lee, Staff Writer Located in a small business park in Santa Monica, the Braid is an art gallery that contains just eight works of art on topics of Jewish culture, virtues and life. As you might expect from its name, the gallery weaves together several strands of Jewish creative energy, also sponsoring a salon theatre series in local synagogues, country clubs and Jewish homes. The theater is currently in its ninth season. Most of the patrons are Jewish women ages 40 and up, accord-

Food: Marilee Tolwin’s “Nosh” colorfully connects signature Jewish foods in a painting of letters at The Braid in Santa Monica.

BP Photo By toBey Lee

ing to its director, Susie Yure. Perhaps that’s because its hours are The piece ultimately represents the Torah being as sweet as milk Tuesdays through Fridays, usually from noon to 3 p.m., when oth- and honey, which helps the Jewish people survive. ers are at work. But it also draws a younger crowd and some men From the months of January to May, three plays are performed are fans as well, she said. around twon for two weeks each. According to the gallery’s From January 21st to March 5th, the gallery displayed the publicity materials, The Matzo Ball Diaries (Jan. 22 – Feb. 6) told exhbit Nourashing Tradition. tales of food and home, and the power that food has to help with Viewed on a rainy Friday after school, the exhibit was quite exgrowth, healing or inspiration. traordinary, The building’s small size and the limited display of art Exile: Kisses on Both Cheeks – running now through April 3 did not detract from the strong history that emerged. – portrays “the Sephardic legacy of family, comAt the Braid were historical Jewish paintings and a rich munity and country, looking for home more Viewed on a rainy Friday salon theatre series. than 500 years after the expulsion from Spain,” after school, the exhibit Two paintings stood out. the materials say. The first intriguing piece was by Marilee Tolwin, More Courage (May 7 – 22) will, “explore was quite extraordinary, titled “Nosh.” At first it looks like a door-sized collecstories of brave acts, small or large, that change The building’s small size tion of letters in great color, but after a more careful lives and inspire us all.” and the limited display of gaze, it is clear that it expresses one of the loves of Finding out where the plays take are some art did not detract from Jewish people: food. effort. But Google “The Braid Santa Monica” the strong history that The letters spell out a string of Jewish foods -and with a click on the Braid’s calendar, a list of emerged. At the Braid matzah ball soup, kugel, challah, grape juice, gefilte performances can be found, which take place at were historical Jewish fish, hamantaschen, blintzes, cholent and mandelbrodt Congregation Tikvat Jacob, Sephardic Temple, paintings and a rich sa-- painted in alternating vibrant colors such as yellow, Wilshire Boulevard Temple-Irmas Campus, lon theatre series. pink, red, blue. Shomrei Torah, and others. The words are jumbled together without spaces and Occupying a mere 1,500 square feet at Colomove to the next line in the middle of a word. This is a rado Avenue near Yale Street, The Braid can be technique called enjambment, in which one line runs into another reached by Uber, Lyft or the Expo line light rail. Get off at the with no regard to its meaning. Bergamot Station and it’s an 11-minute walk north to the gallery. Also intriguing was “Milk and Honey,” by local artist Some people might not love The Braid. Some might consider it Marleene Rubinstein, but this one actually had nothing to do boring or uninteresting, as the exhibit space is small and it doesn’t with food. The installation, composed of two round pillars with show a lot of pieces. handles on top like the two scrolls of a Torah, stands on a serving However, The Braid is innovating the future generation of tray covered with milk powder, An explanatory sign nearby reveals Jewish art, by portraying Jewish themes and virtues through both that the pillars – which are painted in an abstract design of red paintings and plays. and black – are filled with honey. The Braid is a place of art, expression, and culture, which can When lit from behind – Ms. Yure is happy to switch it on be a place of inspiration for all Jews. for visitors – the cylinders reveal pictures of Jewish children just before the outbreak of WWII. The work is supposed to represent the rebirth of these children, long gone, as the Torah scrolls once used in the Ghetto.

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FEatures

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Features

MARCH 2017

Hard conversations are easier if you go in prepared Decide what you want first, and don’t be afraid to postpone By AIdel townsley, Staff Writer

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veryone has those moments when they are completely stumped for words. You know them – those times when you need to express yourself and simply fumble, or say what you do not mean to say, or freeze,

speechless. Often, you are later hit with the perfect response that you should have said – leaving you frustrated, annoyed and without having communicated your thoughts properly. What happens when what you say can be the difference between having your needs met and suffering and you misstep the fine line between assertive communication and attitude? At one time or another, it’s a struggle for all of us. How do we get those around us to truly listen to what we are saying? Simply put, how do we ensure that we both listen and are heard? Here are some ideas to get you through those moments, planned or unplanned. Memorize it when they’re not happening and you’ll be prepared when they do.

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ssess what your goal is. Do you want an extension on a test, for your parents to stop waking you up by banging pots and pans, or to apologize for a rude comment? If you do not know your goal – if you are coming into a conversation with a feeling of vague discontentment – you should spend more time assessing what the problem is. Maybe you just want someone to validate your discontentment; this can also be a concrete goal. But if you do not know what you want from the conversation, it is very likely that the person you are talking too will not know either. Once you have established exactly what you want from the conversation, make sure to envision – and write down – a list of all that your goal entails. This way any question directed towards you about specifics can be answered before the conversation. For example, if your goal is to have your parents wake you up in a more pleasant manner, give them ideas of how you would like to be woken up. You

BP Drawing By Ariella Sassover Page Design By Maya Miro

want them to feel as if you are working together to find a solution. You don’t want them to feel like blame is being placed upon them and that it is their sole responsibility to ensure your relationship remains balanced and good. Although that might not seem important when asking for a small compromise, when in a relationship with someone, there will usually be more than one instance of contention, and it is important to set a precedent of respect. This is so that when you need to have a serious conversation about something bigger there is a basis of how you approach conversations.

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hen you raise a problem you are having, they may raise one they’re having too. Be careful with your tone, and the right mood

will be set. Set aside a time to converse that works for all parties, and if you need to reschedule, don’t be afraid to. As long as the mood is infused with a willingness to effectively communicate it is a good time to start the conversation. Remember that every conversation is a two-way street, and as the famous Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “We have two ears and one mouth, so we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Although this might be a tough standard, it is very important to listen to what is being said to you – especially because it is easy to get caught up in your own head and what you want from the conversation. Listening helps you understand the other person and can help you react in a way that will be heard. This means that if you hear why your parents bang pots and pans and why they do not want to stop, you can give a counter-argument that respects their reasoning and addresses its flaws.

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tand fast to your boundaries and morals while still remaining flexible. This balance is probably the most difficult to address successfully. We must respect our limits and be honest, while validating and compromising when it does not cross our own values. Knowing the difference is something that just takes time and thought. Therefore… Take your time. You should not feel afraid or embarrassed to take time to process and think of your response before speaking. There is no need to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. When you are conversing in a respect-filled environment – as opposed to in a fight – there is no rush to get out what you need to say. In fact, when you show that you are taking the time to think before speaking, you show maturity and an honest investment in the conversation. A first step to any effective communication can be to evaluate your emotional level. In the book Dbt® Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, the psychologist Marsha Linehan divides emotion into levels, one through 10, with one being the calmest and 10 being the most extreme. When your emotions range in intensity from 4 to 10, she says, it is unlikely that your communication will be well thought out and successful. Better to reschedule your conversation for later – which means not being afraid to say the time’s not right.

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The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Features

CLICK-WATCH CULTURE

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Homework, sleep and socializing By Lucy Fried, Staff Writer

pitch-dark bedroom is illuminated by a small screen for episodes and episodes on end. One, two, three hours of lost sleep before a long day at school. With the new 24/7 availability of online streaming through platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and illegal websites has come a new media addiction – “binge-watching,” the practice of watching multiple episodes of a TV show in one sitting or over a short period of time. Gone are the days of delayed gratification traditionally associated with watching television, as people can now watch any show at any time. Like binge-eating a whole box of cookies, binge-watchers of TV may feel a lack of control as they irresistibly click the “Next Episode” button countless times. The recent surge in popularity of streaming networks has also had economic repercussions for the cable and movie theater industries, according to reports from various box office websites and cable companies, threatening an out-of-the-house activity many students still enjoy. Further, experts say the phenomenon impacts viewers of all ages both psychologically and physically, while also making it harder to get other work done. “I stay up really late each night. I get home and all I want to do is watch TV, and then I watch for hours, I get no sleep, and then I get sick,” said sophomore Noa Kligfeld, who watches mostly Netflix, namely New Girl, The Office, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”

Junior Shannon Asiss, whose main platform is also Netflix, said successive episodes are hard to resist. “I guess you want to keep pressing a button if it’s a good show,” said Shannon, who watches Grey’s Anatomy and Vampire Diaries. “It’s not like a movie where you get an ending so fast, but you still want to know what happens.”

pulsive that maybe you are doing it in a manner that is problematic in your life.” She went on to describe the psychological process that occurs when one binge-watches. “Binge watching has certain similarities probably in brain activities to other somewhat addictive pursuits,” she said. “You’re getting visceral emotional kinds of reactions being processed through the midbrain part of In a Boiling Point poll of 120 students last your brain, called the limbic system, which stimulates fall, 42 percent said that they frequently engage in that part of your brain referred to as your rewards cenbinge-watching a ter. That being stimulated show, with 63 pertends to be reinforcing for cent of the bingea behavior. It’s a matter of conviction and motivation... If ing occurring on “Whether that is putyou let the TV control you, you’ll never stop. Netflix. ting a coin in a slot maOut of the milIt’s about taking control of priorities and doing chine or clicking the next lions of television episode, you’re getting that what matters most before you can have your shows available kind of internal brain reto stream, some ward from this pleasure leisure time of the most popyou’re getting from watch– Ezra Fax, 12th Grade ing it,” said Ms. Sunshine. ular among the student body are That can make it harder Grey’s Anatomy, Friends, and Game of Thrones. to stop. To students, it feels like a lack of self-control. Netflix is 69 percent of students’ preferred method “It’s so easy to just go on Netflix and just watch of watching, surpassing cable, Hulu, illegally down- movies and TV instead of doing your homework loaded shows and other viewing platforms. that it takes so much self control to not do that,” said Only 17 percent of students are not currently sophomore Honor Fuchs, who mainly watches Brookwatching a show on some platform, and 41 percent lyn Nine-Nine and New Girl on Hulu adding, “A lot of are moderately watching a show and would not de- people just don’t have that.” scribe themselves as “binge-watchers.” Honor thinks part of the fault lies in the television Students blamed their binge-watching habits for a industry, which like any author, wants people to “stay decline in their homework productivity and health. tuned.” Although binge-watching “They purposefully leave you on cliff hangers, may have negative psychological making it so you have to watch the next episode,” said effects on teenagers, this has not Honor. been determined for certain, acBeyond Shalhevet, the phenomenon appears to be cording to SAS Psychology teach- even worse. According to Variety.com, 70 percent of er Ms. Tove Sunshine. Americans engage in binge-watching. But some stu“I think we can recognize that dents prefer not to. it can perhaps become compulSenior Tom Bohbot said that he barely watches sive enough because basically the television, because he prioritizes other things such as behavior of doing it is getting homework and hanging out with friends. reinforced over and over again,” He also said that teenagers watch television obsesMs. Sunshine said, adding “ It sively because of the convenience and minimal effort could potentially become so com- it requires.

“They don’t have Tom said, “so they ier because you can watch.” Meanwhile, bin toll on both the mo According to bus ican households hav most to Netflix, and nues increased by 29 Twenty percent o 25 percent of Ameri ble subscription, fo ting the cord.” Additionally, des try in crisis,” movie have decreased by m decade. Still, about half dents still prefer go at home. “It’s an experi ence,” said junior Ja cob Perelman. “Th loud noises and th bright screen and seeing everyone else’ reactions to differen scenes in the movi is really important in my movie-watching experience.” But senior Ezra Fax, who spend two to three hour watching Net flix daily watching shows such as 30 Rock, New Girl, and more likely to watc theaters, mostly bec though he enjoys the “Sometimes I jus sometimes I like to movie,” said Ezra.

The Boiling Point • March 2017• Features

face a new enemy: binge-watching TV

e time to hang out with friends,” just binge-watch shows. It’s easn do homework while you binge-

Most students described their binge-watching habits as a way of forgetting their daily stresses, at least for a while. “For high schoolers, it’s kind of like an escape,” said nge-watching has taken a national senior Dana Alkoby, who watches two to three hours ovie theater and cable industries. of Netflix daily, including How I Met Your Mother, sinessinsider.com, a third of Amer- Friends, and Gilmore Girls. ve online streaming subscriptions, “You’re so stressed out, and you have so much work d online streaming platforms’ reve- and family and it’s just one thing where you can just 9 percent in 2015 to $5.1 billion. zone out.” of surveyed Shalhevet students and Ms. Sunshine said that teenagers can find this esican households do not have a ca- cape in multiple ways, and added that reading an enollowing a national trend of “cut- gaging book is similar to binge-watching in that they both provide one. scribed by Vanity Fair as “an indus“When you’re watching something continuously e theaters’ annual box office sales like that it becomes very immersive,” she said. “We more than $88 million in the last do it any way, in a movie or with a good book, and with binge-watching you can have that experience for – 52 percent – of Shalhevet stu- hours and hours and hours.” oing to the theaters over watching Some students simply accept binge-watching as a new way of life that has come with these new platiforms. a“There’s no way to The stop bingeing,” Dana he said. “It’s inevitable.” It can perhaps become compulsive enough, d However, Ezra disbecause basically the behavior of doing it is ’s agreed, suggesting that nt getting reinforced over and over again... It could viewers should take ie control of the matter. potentially become so compulsive that maybe n “It’s a matter of g conviction and motiyou are doing it in a manner that is problematic vation,” he said. “If in your life. a you let the TV conds trol you, you’ll nev– Mrs. Tove Sunshine, rs er stop. It’s about SAS Psychology Teacher ttaking control of g priorities and doing 0 what matters most d Parks and Recreation, said he is before you can have your leisure time.” ch Netflix at home than go to the cause it is more convenient – even Catherine Fransen, behavioral neuroendocrinole movie-theater experience as well. ogist and professor in the Department of Psychology st like to be at home by myself and at Longwood University in Virginia, writes about the go out with friends and see a new psychology of binge-watching in an article on The Huffington Post. She credits peoples’ need to contin-

ue watching to the dopamine rush that it provides. “Finishing a number of episodes, or even a whole series allows us to feel as if we have completed a task, which causes a surge of dopamine release in our brains,” Dr. Fransen writes. “This dopamine then motivates us to keep watching more, creating a feedback loop that is seemingly never ending.” Certified life coach and blogger Michael Pollock wrote about his own journey overcoming a television addiction on his blog. He breaks down the solution to binge-watching into four steps, the first being to keep track one’s time spent watching television, the second to define one’s mission in life, the third to acknowledge the problem in the television addiction, and the fourth step being to find alternatives to watching. In his post, Pollock writes, “When you feel this deep sense of purpose and that you have a mission in life, it’s much easier to let go of anything that distracts or takes time away from it.” A dark room illuminated by a laptop screen for several hours on end seems to promise a gain for society – limitless television streaming options, allowing for a greater chance to escape, to enter an alternate world for some 100 time. 90 However, this dark room can represent 80 other things as well: loss of sleep, loss of focus, 70 loss of social time and activity. The question still unanswered is whether 60 people will still find ways to be productive, or whether the price of that promise will be this 50 40 new form of addiction.

Photo by Ezra Fax Graphics by Zev Kupferman Page Design By Abbi Sentchuk

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DOES YOUR FAmily HAVE CABLE?

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The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Features

Course selection time is here, and for some, the choice is harder than it looks Sophomores and juniors wrestle with what they love versus what they need -- sometimes, the two overlap. By micha Thau, Staff Columnist It’s that time of year again: an assembly is called and teachers and students advertise electives for the rising junior and senior classes. Words like GPA, interests, course load, honors credit and SAS fill the hallways as students decide what courses they should take next fall. Most courses at Shalhevet are required -- math, Hebrew, Talmud, English, Tanach, Jewish History -- but starting in 11th grade, there are choices in history, science, visual arts and some Judaic classes. Also optional are Shalhevet Advanced Studies (SAS) classes, which are approved by the University of California for an extra point when averaged into your GPA. When it comes time to choose, Ms. Aviva Walls, Director of College Counseling, urges students to consider a list of factors including “interests, future plans, graduation requirements and rigor.” “While GPA is not necessarily a factor,” Ms. Walls said, “performance in relevant classes can be. A student who hasn't done well in English shouldn't take the most advanced English courses we offer; a 10th-grader who hasn't shown seriousness of purpose in their art class probably [shouldn’t] elect to enroll in advanced studio art.” The decision deadline is Wednesday, April 5, and while being able to choose some courses sounds appealing, to most students it is not that simple. Senior Ezra Hess reflected back on his course decisions. “In 11th grade I was unsure whether or not I would take a science that year, because I like taking more history-oriented classes,” said Ezra. “So I decided to skip a science for that year and focus more on history.” He also had some advice for younger students. “Don’t focus on taking SAS classes or classes that Aviva says would look good on your transcript. Take the classes that you want to take.” Ms. Walls disagrees, telling students that “we recommend taking our advice particularly when we strongly recommend it. “However, if a student chooses against what we’re saying, that’s fine,” she said. “They should just know that there will be consequences for the college admissions process. Choices that we make in our lives have consequences, and if you’re gonna make a choice, we want you to make those choices thoughtfully.” For some students, different teachers play into the decision. “It depends a lot on the teachers,” said sophomore Abbi Sentchuk, who is picking courses for the first time. “For example, I love Keith Harris and I’d like to take SAS Civil War, but I’ve never had a chance to take Reusch so maybe I would take Gov. and Econ, and there are just a lot of things that go into the decision.” There are a lot of factors that come into play when making course selections and it can be daunting. Shalhevet students shared their thoughts on the matter and some advice for those in the thick of the process.

Graphic by Zev Kupferman Page Design by Maya Miro and Maayan Waldman BP Photos by Ezra Fax

I think a lot of students have a feel for the area they want to study when they’re older, and I think it’s important that they get to choose which classes would be most important to them in their future careers. Of course some classes should be mandatory... like english and math,, and [students] should be obliged to take a science and a history. All the Jewish studies [are also] important. Every course I have chosen to take has been a conscious decision made by me.

I truly appreciate the choosing of the classes, because it gives me more freedom, and it also allows me to pursue what I actually want to do and not be shoved into a class I have no interest in.

Eliezer Lasry, 11th Grade Although I am pleased with the courses I ended up taking this year, I do wish that there were more options to choose from.

Daniel Ornstein, 11th Grade

Hannah Merritt, 10th grade

It’s exciting in the sense that it is nice to be able to pick your own classes, because these last two years we just have these standard classes and for someone who isn’t so science-inclined it can be a little tedious and boring to be forced to sit through a class and maintain good grades in a subject I just don’t connect to. But I am still a little confused by the whole thing, and they are not doing a good job of educating and preparing us for our course selection. I do feel like kids are more inclined to take courses they don’t like because they really want to take– for example, creative writing, but it is not SAS. So I think that does factor in and I think it’s unfortunate.

Sadie Toczek, 10th Grade I would definitely take the harder classes junior year, because once you come to second semester of senior year and you have these rigorous classes still going on, you’re not going to be able to get as much out of it as you could have junior year because you’re not so totally in it as you are in 11th grade. If you’re worried about the rigor of a class and you not be-

Michelle Greenberg, 12th Grade

ing ready for it, I would say take that class because even if you’re not the best in the class or you have to struggle with it and you come out with a B- whatever it is- and not the A that you had hoped for, you still gained so much more than that letter grade from that class because of the effort you had to put in compared to your fellow classmates who would naturally get that A in that class.

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Features

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Three languages on the menu? Baruch Hashem! Spanish-speaking staff at local restaurants learned Hebrew before English, and are now learning Judaism, too continued from page 1 serving food and wiping down tables-- and learning Hebrew. The pair, who have never met but say customers constantly tell them about one another, say the trick to learning Hebrew -- a secret day school teachers might benefit from -- is speaking it. “When you want to learn, you can do it,” said Mr. Hernandez, or Freddy, as his customers and coworkers call him. At work he speaks half in Hebrew and half in English, and a bit of Spanish with his co-workers if they prefer. “To tell you the truth, when I came here, most of the people, my boss even, came from Israel, so they speak Hebrew all the time when they’re talking about somebody. So that’s why I tried to learn,” he said. “I liked learning another kind of language. I wanted to know what was going on, so I learned Hebrew.” He said he had a co-worker who had been at La Gondola for more than 30 years and still speaks just English and Spanish. “But maybe it’s because he works in the back in the kitchen, and so he doesn’t have contact with the people, more like me I have contact with the people,” Mr. Hernandez said. “When somebody comes from Israel for example, and doesn’t speak very good English, if there is no one in front who speaks Hebrew, they ask me ‘Hey, Freddy, what does he want?’” Mr. Rodriguez, on the other hand, was pretty much forced to learn Hebrew because the patrons at Golan were almost all Israeli, and very few people spoke exclusively in Spanish or English. “My boss didn’t speak English -- they were Moroccan,” Mr. Rodriguez recalled. “So he was always talking to me and putting three languages in one -- ‘Armando, bring me hamatateh, to clean aqui’ for example.” Hamatateh means the broom in Hebrew, and aqui in Spanish means here. Because of this, he said, Hebrew just came to him “naturally.” “Honestly I don’t know how I got it so fast, it was like three years and I was already able to have a conversation,” he said. “Everybody was always speaking Hebrew in the restaurant, I was only listening to Hebrew.”

FRIENDLY: Alfredo Hernandez takes any opportunity he can get to speak Hebrew, which he said is the trick to learning a new language.

Both Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Hernandez said they had an easier time learning Hebrew than English, and both men think it’s because Hebrew and Spanish grammar are much more RELATIONSHIP: Armando Rodriguez, La Gondola employee of over a decade, similar than English and Spanish grammar. has developed close connections with Hebrew-speaking customers. For example, in Hebrew and Spanish the noun always comes after the adjective, words are gendered and phrases are different if one is referring to someone younger or older. A few moments later, Mr. Hernandez instructBrad Wixen, a patron of La Gondola of two Mr. Hernandez said his only struggle was prodecades, remembers how he became friends with ed some co-workers in Spanish and then returned nunciation. Mr. Rodriguez. Back when there were no apps to to the interview, speaking fluent English. He said “Hebrew is hard because you have to have a calculate a tip, he accidentally gave him a tip of the back-and-forth isn’t difficult “once you’ve more gutteral” -- he pauses to make the ch sound, been doing it for 25 years.” 1.5 percent instead of 15. as in challah -- “way to pronounce it.” “I went happily down to the parking lot and But now he has gotten the hang of it. Phrases But Hebrew isn’t the only unexpected knack when I got there, there was Armando,” Mr. Wixen like baruch Hashem (thank God) and ma shlomech said. “And he said -- not the two men have developed by working in ko(how are you) roll off his tongue attacking me, no insults sher restaurants. They have also developed a deep -- or rather out of his throat -- as -- ‘I honestly want to connection with the Jewish religion. naturally as they do for an Israeli or Sometimes people are reMr. Hernandez lives two blocks away from know what I did wrong.’” any other Hebrew speaker. ally surprised -- they say, After some brief con- Nagila with his wife and 11-year-old daughter -The two say they get a variety of ‘Oh my God, you speak fusion, Mr. Wixen apolo- “in the heart of the Jewish community,” he says reactions when they speak Hebrew. smiling. He says he keeps the Yom Kippur fast, gized for the mistake. better than me, you speak “Sometimes people are real“I’ve never detected avoids bread on Passover, and lights a menorah ly surprised -- they say ‘Oh my better than my kids and anything but friendship on Hanukkah. God, you speak better than me, I’ve been paying tons of Sometimes he goes to Young Israel of Century and warmth from him,” you speak better than my kids and Mr. Wixen said. “... City on Shabbat to hear the prayer service and money for Jewish school!’ I’ve been paying tons of money for Whenever I come in, I’m Torah reading. Jewish school!’” said Mr. Rodriguez “It gives me peace,” said Mr. Hernandez. like a celebrity -- he’s very with a laugh. -- Armando Rodriguez, Mr. Rodriguez of La Gondola is Catholic and nice to me and it seems They’ve also become friends La Gondola goes to church on most Sundays, but says he prays quite authentic.” with some of the customers. One recent after- privately in Hebrew throughout the week. He “I never worked with the Jewish noon, a customer asked lives in Arleta with his brother, who has special people or any other religion when I Mr. Hernandez to split needs. was in Mexico,” Mr. Hernandez said. “Now, here, For him, the Hebrew language is “powerful.” a check between some cash and credit cards, to they’re nice people. The Jewish people are nice, which he responded metsuyan -- excellent. The He says he knows kol hahalachot -- all the Jewish kindly, justly, most of them, so that’s why after customer replied with todah, Hebrew for thank laws. many years I’m still here.” That, combined with his natural aptitude for you.

BP Photo BY: Ezra Fax

BP Photo BY: Talia Abel Hebrew, has made him a fixation of rabbis who want to convert him. One rabbi from the Kabbalah Center brought him siddurim and books on the Shema and Jewish traditions, he said. But Mr. Rodriguez wants to remain Catholic, because he believes he was Jewish in a former life. “Maybe before I was Jewish, but I’ve been born into a different life, a different situation -why would I go back to where I was?” he said. “Why should I go back to my past life, when in my current life I am serving Jews and I am with Jews?” Mr. Hernandez has been considering converting, because of how much he likes the Jewish people, values and community. He said sometimes people tell him he must have Jewish roots. He said his mom has “totally white skin” and one of his uncles has green eyes and light skin. His mother’s last name, he said proudly, was Peres -- “like Shimon Peres,” he noted. But whatever happens, he’s glad he’s learned Hebrew. “There are no words to describe how it has helped me,” said Mr. Rodriguez. “It has helped me a lot. The more you learn, the more doors you open to yourself, to your life, to your future.”

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TORAH

MARCH 2017

Beth Jacob stance prevents fracture over women clergy after OU statement says no to the practice Continued from page 1 not going to work and will only drive members The Feb. 2 statement was a reaction and away from the OU.” In an interview with The Boiling Point Rab- summary of a 17-page response to the questions banit Thomas-Newborn said she her work at of “1. Is it halachically acceptable for a synagogue to employ a woman in a clergy B’nai David would not change. function?” and “2. What is the “I plan to continue serving in my broadest spectrum of professional role,” said Rabbanit Alissa in an in“Since the majority roles within a synagogue that terview. “My response is to continue halachic view is women can perform within the The statement on women serving as clergy teaching Torah and serving my comthat only men are bounds of halacha?” according to was issued to every OU-affiliated synagogue on munity and connection to mitzvot, the statement. each other and serving Hashem. My Feb. 2. eligible are eligible The longer document was “Accordingly, we note that just as the Rab- response is that the work I am doing to be ordained as written by a seven-member panel binic Panel has made clear that women serving is meaningful and greatly needed.” judges, even made up of Rabbis Daniel FeldThe OU, meanwhile, has not in clergy roles or holding clergy titles is at odds contemporary man, Yaakov Neuberger, Michael with halacha and our mesorah,” or tradition, the yet decided how to implement its Rosensweig, Hershel Schachter, new policy, and a spokesman said statement said. ordination would be Ezra Schwartz, Gedalia D. It also encouraged women to take positions it the organization would now seek to restricted to men.” Schwartz and Binyamin Yudin. said were not at odds with halacha, such as in- determine what specific roles OrAll of the Rabbis are either Rosh stitutional scholars, scholars-in-residence, syna- thodox female clergy are filling in Yeshiva or Rabbinic faculty at Yegogue administrators, professional counselors and their shuls. – OU Statement shiva University except for Rav In an interview with The Boiling educators. on Women Clergy, Schwarz who is the head of the “The Panel has also proclaimed – and celebrat- Point, Mr. Allen Fagin, OU’s execuFebruary 2017 Beit Din of America and the Chied – the important, and fundamentally successful tive vice president, said the group cago Rabbinical Council. roles that women can and must play within our planned to begin by having converThe document calls them communal and synagogue structures, including sations with leaders of synagogues ”rabbis each enjoying an excepwhose clergy staff include women. as educators and scholars,” read the statement. Mr. Fagin called the Feb. 2 letter “a statement tional national reputation for scholarship and B’nai David currently employs Rabbanit integrity, each a significant, recognized talmid Alissa Thomas-Newborn, a graduate of Yeshi- of OU policy.” “How we intend chacham; individuals to whom large segments of vat Maharat in New York, to implement that our communities’ rabbis routinely turn for psak which provides women with policy is something on issues of significance and who have, as a consea four-year program of rabOne could say it’s a re-centering of that will be worked quence, dealt with national issues in communities binic training like that ofout over the next both large and small, and both homogeneous and fered to men in s’micha,, or what’s legitimate in the Orthodox ordination, programs. Secommunity, and things up until now that period of weeks and heterogeneous,” according to the OU’s letter to months,” Mr. Fagin synagogues. nior Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky would have been considerd controversial said. “And as a startThe seven-member panel said it considered disagreed with the rabbinic or trailblazing or leftist have effectively ing point -- what our “legal sources, historical precedent, and the halapanel’s decision in a Feb. 3 statement indicated chic ethos” when making its ruling, according to letter to congregants. been shifted to the center. Rabbi Kanefsky called its – Rabbi Kalman Topp and what we intend the response. “Our group believes that the combination to do -- is to have rationale “deeply flawed.” conversation with our of these two considerations, precedent and hal“One cannot escape the akhic concerns, precludes female clergy,” wrote feeling that from the outset the rabbinic panel shuls and then we’ll take it from there. “Certainly, the beginning of the conversation the seven rabbis. “Given the status quo that we deeply believed that women in the clergy was one concession to modernity too many for our deeply is to understand better what it is that their female feel is meaningful and intentional, the burden of traditional system,” Rabbi Kanefsky wrote in the clergy are doing—that is what roles they are car- halakhic proof rests on the side of changing the letter. “and that the rest was simply justifying a rying out,” continued Mr. Fagin. “The starting established practice.” They cited the Rambam’s (Maimonides’) point of the conversation is to understand the pre-ordained conclusion.” In a Feb. 24 email to the Shahevet commu- facts, and the needs, and the circumstances and opinion that women may not hold positions of “serarah,” or formal communal authority.” we’ll have an in-depth conversation.” nity, Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal disagreed. Another basis for their ruling was Rabbi JoHe said the organization had spoken to “at “I believe that the rabbis engaged in good faith and appropriate halachic analysis, but I also least one” synagogue so far as of March 22. He seph B. Soloveitchik’s view that the ruling of the 16th-century Rabbi Moshe Isserles, known as the believe that there exists more than one support- declined to name the synagogue. “We are currently in the process of contact- Rama, “barring a woman from being appointed able answer to the question,” wrote Rabbi Segal. “Halachic decision-makers draw not ing all member shuls with female ‘clergy’ ....that as a community shochet (butcher) which they only on precedent and clear-cut textual process will occur over the next few weeks,” wrote said was representative of “a general preclusion of women from all formal religious appointments sources, but on what they take to be Mr. Fagin in an email to The Boiling Point. Rabbi Kanefsky said the group had not (minuyim) over the community at large.” the spirit that animates the halachic Rabbi Kanefsky called those findings inconsystem in its totality, a spirit that reached out to B’nai David as of Mar. 24. He said B’nai David would not be contacting sistent. they have deduced from a com“The panel also chose to dismiss the ruling prehensive study of halacha and the OU and that the synagogue “absolutely” still plans on paying the organization’s membership of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and numerous others, its sources.” who limited the definition of serarah to posiHowever, Rabbi Segal had fees. “We’re moving on and doing our thing, and tions of coercive power which are imposed upon “issues” with the statement and I have no need to process it specifically with the a community without its consent,” he wrote in a disagreed with its conclusion. letter to B’nai David congregants. “Put plainly, I believe that OU,” said Rabbi Kanefsky. At B’nai David, the shul’s board approved of Rabbi Segal thought that the OU should have women clergy is right for some shuls and not right for oth- clarified the purpose of the statement as an an- Rabbanit Thomas-Newborn’s appointment and ers…” wrote Rabbi Segal. He swer to a question, while clarifying that “If your successive titles several times over the last two said that “legislating communal shul decides not to act in accordance with these years. The OU rabbinic panel also stated that practice -- at a national level - is recommendations, we fully respect that decision s’micha, rabbinic ordination, is an extension of the and we are honored to call you a member shul.” BP Photo BY:Neima Fax

not just those things which separate us, but those things that bring us together as a community.” In fact, Rabbi Topp said, the OU’s statement served to normalize roles for women that had previously been controversial, in effect increasing the inclusivity of Orthodox Judaism in general. For example, the statement specifically condones women’s serving as yoetzet halacha, or halachic advisers on women’s issues. “Even though they forbade certain things, they legitimated many things on the other side of the line including yoetzet halacha and women serving in shuls as community scholars,” said Rabbi Topp. “So I think that this is a big deal,” he said. “One could say it’s a re-centering of what’s legitimate in the Orthodox community, and things up until now that would have been considered controversial or trailblazing or leftist have effectively been shifted to the center.” Some Orthodox institutions still do not have women studying the Talmud – which is normal practice at Shalhevet and other Modern Orthodox schools around the U.S. “These positions are controversial, certainly to shuls and individuals to the right,” said Rabbi Topp, “so because of this ruling those voices of opposition to women learning Gemara, the opposition to women serving as scholars in residence, to women serving as yoetzet halacha (those voices have been weakened.” Among those feeling reassured were the leaders of Bnai David, including Senior Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky. “I am extremely grateful to Rabbi Topp for having so publicly and forcefully said that,” Rabbi Kanefsky said in an interview. “I think that his point of view reflects a significant number of Orthodox rabbis in Shuls who themselves would not hire a female clergy and don’t feel that it’s appropriate, but who also don’t regard this disagreement about female clergy to be a litmus test for Orthodoxy.” He said only

Rabbi Topp had spoken to Bnai David directly, but that rabbis with female clergy staff elsewhere in the U.S. had received local support as well. “I know of things second-hand through other colleagues who are in my position and who have received those kinds of assurances from their colleagues.”

The Boiling Point •March 2017 • Torah

19

CENTER: Rabbi Kalman Topp of Beth Jacob Congregation said his synagogue has begun discussions about hiring a woman as community scholar.

BP Photo BY: Ezra Fax “I have no idea what that phrase actually nity,” the response said. “Communities depend, Talmudic s’micha, which “involved, and in fact may have centered on, designating individuals to means,” said Rabbi Kanefsky. “Is she leading the and have always depended, upon women’s pardavening? No, she doesn’t lead davening. Is she ticipation in a wide array of critical roles, both lay serve as court judges.” “Since the majority halachic view is that only often the clergy person in the room when dav- and professional, that are wholly consistent with men are eligible to be ordained as judges, even ening is happening such that if a question were Torah’s guidelines. “While by no means an exhaustive list,” it contemporary ordination would be restricted to to come up, ‘do we say Tachanun or not,’ she is the one who would be asked? Yes. Does she give continued, “these examples are illustrative of the men,” the statement said. Rabbi Kanefsky disagreed and wrote that the divrei Torah after Shacharit and between Mincha myriad contributions that women can provide within the synagogue structure without assuming two types of s’micha are different. Once again cit- and Maariv? Yes.” a formal clergy role. With the guidance of their ing Rama, he wrote that the panel “chose to not Beth Jacob’s Rabbi Topp agreed with the local rabbi, communities can explore the opporgive weight to the ruling of Rama … in the Code tunities that can be best implemented to deepen of Jewish law that distinguishes between the an- panel’s conclusion. “While some argue that the OU and enrich the Torah learning and religious expecient ordination statement may have been unneces- rience of men and women alike.” of the days of Mr. Fagin, the OU official, acknowledged that sary and unwise, I think that both the Sanhedrin, “There needs to be a leadership position for the psak (ruling) and the state- women clergy are performing important duties in and present-day a women who’s an expert in halakha that perment are nuanced, are balanced and shuls. ordination,” he tains to taharat mishpacha and Jewish sexual “There are numbers of women throughout thoughtful and deserve our careful wrote. ethics, so women can turn to her for advice in the United States employed by synagogues that consideration,” said Rabbi Topp. “Rama rules order uphold that value.” “Even with all the positives of are performing outstanding services in a whole that the latter is – Nicole Miles, 12th grade women’s expanding roles, our tradi- variety of positions and fulfilling a whole variety simply a destional modern and centrist Ortho- of duties including catering to the needs of the ignation that a person is learned and qualified to answer halachic dox community has not accepted the notion of congregants,” Mr. Fagin said. “But they’re not functioning as questions, a designation that does not distinguish female clergy.” rabbis, and there’s a very important Beth Jacob has already had prebased upon gender,” he wrote. “My response is to halachic distinction to be made. So In addition to prohibiting certain titles signi- liminary discussions about adding the issue is not whether women are fying clergy positions for women, the panel also a woman to their educational staff continue teaching doing things that are important or mentioned specific clergy responsibilities that with a possible title of community Torah and serving useful to the community. I have scholar, he said. should still only be conducted by male Rabbis. my community and absolutely no doubt that that’s the “We’ve just begun discussions,” “These common functions include, but are connection to mitzcase.” not limited to: the ongoing practice of ruling said Rabbi Topp. “She wouldn’t be a Female halachic advisors, yoaon a full-range of halachic matters, officiating at rabbi, but she would be a full memvot, each other and tzot halachah, are becoming inreligiously significant life-cycle events, (e.g. brit ber of our educational staff who serving Hashem. creasingly prevalent in Modern milah, baby naming, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, would give high level and engaging My response is that Orthodoxy. Judaic studies teacher weddings and funerals), the regular practice of de- shiurim,” or classes, “and would be Atara Segal is currently enrolled in livering sermons from the pulpit during services, involved in the Torah programming the work I am doing a yoetzet halakha program at Nishpresiding over or ‘leading services’ at a minyan in the shul. “ is meaningful and mat in Israel. “Women’s voice as a lay leader and formally serving as the synagogue’s primary greatly needed.” The panel did not take a stand religious mentor, teacher, and spiritual guide,” the and as a religious leader adds a as to whether or not the position profound dimension that greatly statement said. should be allowed, but stated that enhances our community conversaRabbi Kanefsky thought differently. – Rabbanit Thomassynagogues with a yoatzet halachah “I don’t think there should be any limits on the tion, and there’s something missing Newborn should still be considered Ortholeadership role that a woman can play aside from without it,” Rabbi Topp said, “and dox. the halakhic limits, those being the leading of I believe women scholars, teach“In light of all of the above-refdavening, counting towards the minyan…those ers, leaders serve as wonderful role are the things a woman cannot do,” said Rabbi models for our young girls and teens and show erenced considerations, the utilization of yoatzot Kanefsky. “Outside of that, in terms of leader- them the heights that a woman can reach in Torah halachah should continue to be evaluated carefully by poskim and communities alike,” the stateship, I don’t think it makes sense for there to be knowledge and community leadership.” The OU panel likewise called women’s lead- ment said. “Under all circumstances, a yoetzet any formal limitations, with the understanding that different congregations have to make their ership outside of clergy roles was “critical” and halakhah should only be employed with the approval of the synagogue’s or community’s rabbis, listed a range of acceptable positions. own leadership choices.” It concluded that women are halakhically per- and should continue to work in close consultation While Rabbanit Alissa is not the “primary religious leader” at B’nai David, she sometimes of- mitted to teach classes, serve as visiting scholar[s]- with the local rabbi(s).” At Shalhevet, during January senior girls spent ficiates at “significant life-cycle events,” and gives in-residence” or “institutional scholar[s],” and speeches from the pulpit. And she rules on hala- be in “senior managerial or administrative posi- a week learning halakha with the Los Angeles tions.” A woman may also serve as a “synagogue community’s yoetzet halakhah, Shoshana Samuchic matters, he said. “She obviously does so relying both upon staff member in the role of professional counselor els. According to yoatzot.org, Ms. Samuels is the her own training and also very, very meticulously to address the spiritual, psychological, or social yoetzet halacha for Beth Jacob, B’nai David, Young consulting with me, consulting with er her own needs of the community,” and serve as “teacher[s] Israel of Century City, YULA and Shalhevet. She offers counsel and answers shailot (halateachers,” Rabbi Kanefsky said. “She is extraordi- and mentor[s] to guide females through the conchic questions) pertaining to the laws of taharat version process.” narily meticulous about getting it right.” “Female role models are, of course, absolutely mishpacha, which involve marriage, intimacy and As for “presiding over” services, Rabbi Kanefcritical for the spiritual growth of our commu- reproductive issues. sky was not sure what the OU meant.

Senior Nicole Miles said that having a woman in that role made sense. “Taharat mishpacha [laws of family purity] is a core value of Modern Orthodoxy and Judaism as a whole,” said senior Nicole Miles. “Therefore, there needs to be a leadership position for a women who’s an expert in halakha that pertains to taharat mishpacha and Jewish sexual ethics, so women can turn to her for advice in order uphold that value.” Though Rabbi Topp’s sermon seemed unifying to some, others viewed the OU’s statement as divisive because it effectively reprimands particular Orthodox synagogues like B’nai David. “I think that it will be divisive,” said senior Adam Taryle. “I think that the statement is very well based, with a lot of precedence, but the issue of women and clergy should not divide the Orthodox movement.” Mr. Fagin said the OU shared this concern but said synagogues who employ women clergy should share the same responsibility. “We’re always concerned – you’ll see that concern reflected clearly in our statement,” Mr. Fagin said. “But I’ll also add that activities that are engaged in by various synagogues, luckily a very small number, also have the capacity of dividing the community, and we all need to be cognisant of that and try to be as careful as we can be to maintain the unity of community but it’s not a one-way street.” Senior Leon Levy believes the OU statement was unnecessary, but agreed that women should not be clergy because it makes shul policy political. “It is something that is at the very least arguably halakhically wrong and while it may not be the worst sin, a shul should put adherence to halakha and halakhic values as its priority,” said Leon. “This just brings too much politics which does not belong in a shul. “A shul should strive to have articles written about their divrei Torah [sermons] and not about them going against the boundaries of the community and arguable halakha,” he added. Freshman Neima Fax, who davens at B’nai David, supports female clergy. “I do support it, because I think it’s good to have a leader for women that women can relate to,” Neima said, “that they can ask more personal questions that they wouldn’t necessarily ask a male rabbi.” But on the ground in Los Angeles, for now at least the two sides don’t seem quite as far apart as they did on Feb. 2 when the statement was first released. “It’s really important that we all focus on achdut,” unity, said Rabbanit Thomas-Newborn, “and having conversations with each other when we disagree or especially when we disagree. “And being unified, I think especially in Modern Orthodoxy, is so essential and needed.”

The Boiling Point • January 2017 • Community

Matzah: Crunchy, bland and transforming

21

By Eliezer Lasry, 11th grade

a foundation for transitioning from To most Jewish adults, matzah lude to the two qualities required in a slave mentality to a nation capasymbolizes the redemption of the an ideal relationship between huble, both physically and spiritually, Jews from slavery in Egypt. To manity and God: ahava, love, and of capturing the land of Israel. most Jews a few thousand years yir’ah, fear. Believe it or not, matzah Fast forward to the midbar, ago, matzah was also an indicator is not only a commemoration of where the Jews committed what that the time for visiting the Beit our exodus from Egypt, but also a was perhaps the worst sin in our Hamikdash was arriving. symbol for how a Jew ought to go history: chet ha’egel, the sin of the But for me, matzah always about following mitzvot. God comgolden calf. Ibn Ezra explains that meant two weeks off from school mands us to eat matzah, and our the egel was an intermediary to and a daily routine of playing abiding by it – simply because God God, and therefore came from a basketball and video games with tells us to – demonstrates our yir’at place of good intention. It did not friends, accompanied by some Hashem. By commemorating God’s replace God, but actually stemmed disgusting “food” that my religion redemption from a desire had coerced on me. through for a stronger Why should something crunchy, matzah, we connection with dry and flavorless be regarded as the also manifest God. most important symbol commemoour appreciaIf this is true, rating the most spectacular miracles tion and love then why was God has ever performed? What for God. God angry to makes matzah so important? To The the extent that answer these questions, we must order of the He was willing understand why we eat matzah, pessukim is to destroy and delve into more than just the also crucial: all of the surface explanation. Drawing By Lily Drazin we are first Hebrews? As it happens, the Torah tells commanded to eat matzah, and The real sin, us to eat matzah twice in Chapter only then are we introduced according to the Ibn Ezra, was that 12 of Exodus: once because God to the explanatory and symbolthe Jews created this idol without commanded us to, ic meaning that it holds. being commanded to do so – once and once to symbolSimilarly, developing the ideal again, the Torah prioritizes comWe are first ize our hastiness in relationship with God is an efmandment over intention. This is commanded leaving Egypt. This fortful process, requiring first juxtaposed with the building of the to eat matzah, leaves somewhat of a yir’at Hashem and then ahavat mishkan, the tabernacle, which was contradiction: do we Hashem. The Gemara in Kidand only then also an intermediary to God. What eat matzah simply bedushin 31a, Rav Kook says, are we introreally separates the holy mishkan cause God commandalso discusses the prevalence of duced to the from one of the worst sins in Jewish ed us to or to remind yira over ahava. It states that explanatory history is the simple fact that the us of our exile from one who does a mitzvah out of and symbolic mishkan was commanded of us, Egypt? Furthermore, obligation is greater than one meaning that while the egel was not. Worshipping why would God need who does a mitzvah voluntariit holds God in a way that He did not comto mention the mitzly. We must first and foremost mand, Ibn Ezra says, is idolatry. vah of achilat matzah follow what is commanded of So from the second the Jews ate twice? us by God, and only once we matzah – commanded without exRav Kook explains that both do that can we serve God with love. planation – they began on a journey pessukim are required, as they alIn addition, the matzah serves as by which they would experience the

tough process of developing a true relationship with God. We celebrate Pesach - chag hamatzot - by following what From the is commanded second Jews of us, with the ate matzah – hopes of achievcommanded ing the genuine without ahavat Hashem explanation that stems from - they began yirah. on a journey Perhaps the by which reason I have seen matzah they would as so much experience of a burden developing a is because I true relationnever undership with God. stood what it contributed to my religious experience. I always thought of matzah as just one component of my seder plate. But now it has turned into what I believe is the epitome of my Judaism. This Pesach, I will eat matzah, whether I enjoy it or not, knowing that I’m fulfilling a biblical commandment expressing yir’at Hashem. And every time I eat matzah, I will try to remember that I am eating it to commemorate God saving the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. If I actually liked matzah, I might not be able to experience this so strongly. But since I don’t, I can truly know that I am expressing my fear and awe for God – in addition to the love and appreciation I feel for saving my ancestors on these days thousands of years ago.

Have a happy & kosher Passover!

– The Boiling Point

22

Opinion

EDITORIALS

When hate comes to visit By The Boiling point editorial board

“Same sex marriage dooms nations,” “God hates the people in Hell,” and “144K Jews will repent,” were never phrases we expected to land – literally– on Shalhevet’s front doorstep. When we were told that the Westboro Baptist Church would protest at Shalhevet Feb. 2, the Boiling Point’s Editorial Board faced a new question: How do we cover hate? And especially, how do we cover hate directed at us? Initially we considered not publishing any story at all, not wanting to give the protesters unnecessary publicity. But we soon decided, unanimously, to cover it because we owed it to our readers. We would not be doing our jobs as journalists if we failed to report on potentially the biggest thing to happen to Shalhevet this year. Especially since most Shalhevet students had never seen such explicit anti-semitism, reporting on the protest would open a window onto the world outside of our bubble, where anti-semitism is real and where there are people who dislike us merely because of the religion that we practice. In addition, covering our school’s response to the protest would perhaps help other institutions -- Jewish or not -- respond to hate. Shalhevet

momentarily brought unity to a scattered Jewish community with varying beliefs by hosting what became a morning of communal davening, learning and chesed. Nonetheless, we kept in mind our values and decided to make a few compromises. First, we decided to post our pre-protest coverage on Schoology, rather than on our website. This would inform the readers to whom our obligation is greatest and unique -- the Shalhevet community -- without giving WBC additional publicity that could increase the number of protestors, or cause a large counter-demonstration that could likewise draw a crowd. Second, after much debate, we decided not to interview the protesters. We watched them, we photographed them, we video-recorded them. We let our readers see for themselves what they would have seen if school hadn’t been cancelled and moved to Beth Jacob. We also interviewed people who we had seen speaking to the demonstrators -- among them Eitan Arom of the Jewish Journal, and some film students who were there working on a documentary. This was because a majority of the Editorial

Board felt that interviewing the protestors would be a sign of respect, or seen as a legitimization of their beliefs. Hate groups are opportunistic, waiting for a direct response they can use to their advantage. And we decided not to post our story about the events at Beth Jacob that day on Westboro’s Twitter feed, even though some of us thought that might blunt their message of hate with their own followers. Hate is not easy. Deciding how to cover WBC was among the most challenging moments we’ve experienced at the Boiling Point. It was challenging to listen and truly consider each other’s views when the options were so few -- to cover or not to cover, yes or no. We learned that were not immune to the divisiveness caused by hate, as we struggled act as a unified board. But we also learned that hate increases our obligation to hear one another and act together. The goal of hate groups is not only to make noise, but to sow division. At Beth Jacob, on the march back to Shalhevet, and in the basement office of the BP Editorial Board, we can report to you that this time at least, hate did not win.

Measles and the common good By The Boiling point editorial board

As of last month, there were somewhere from one to four students at Shalhevet who were not immunized against measles. Whether or not this was legal back when they enrolled, all students on that list who were unvaccinated for personal or religious reasons should have been fully immunized upon entering a Just Community school. Not only are the alleged reasons for being unvaccinated - such as fear of autism, or having “chemicals” put into one’s body - scientifically unjustified, but the logic for not vaccinating is the antithesis of what we learn

here about community values and the common good. It’s saying, “since everyone else is immunized, why should I get my shots? I won’t get any diseases because they are immunized.” If everyone went by this logic then no one would be immunized, everyone would be vulnerable, and measles and other terrible illnesses would spread everywhere. Also, that reasoning essentially means relying on everyone else to do something you should be doing yourself in the first place. It’s a way of saying, “let someone else stand

The Boiling Point

Co-Editors-in-Chief Alec Fields Ma’ayan Waldman

Sweepstakes Awards, Blue and Gold Comprehensive Writing Award 2016 Awards in Jewish Scholastic Journalism 2013, 2014, 2016

Community Editor Hannah Jannol

Layout Editors Honor Fuchs Maya Miro Lily Drazin

Opinion Editor Eva Suissa

National Scholastic Press Association

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Chief Layout Editor Abbi Sentchuk

Torah Editor Clara Sandler

National Award Winners 2007-2016

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up for someone being bullied,” or “I won’t pick up that piece of trash because someone else will.” The community would be so much better, cleaner and safer if everyone held themselves accountable for everyone else, not the other way around. Being part of Shalhevet’s social contract means becoming individually responsible for the needs of everyone in the community -- not holding the entire community responsible for your own individual needs. The Editorial Board commends Shalhevet’s administration for fully complying with California’s recent

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

Features Editor Zev Kent Arts & Culture Editor Jacob Joseph Lefkowitz Brooks Sports Editor Benny Zaghi

Photography Editor Ezra Fax Advertising Editor Jonathan Fishman Graphic Design Editor Zev Kupferman Website Editor-in-Chief Jordan Levine Faculty Adviser Mrs. Joelle Keene

immunization law -- even though high schools are not required to check -- by requiring medical professionals to okay exemptions for individual students. But to the families at Shalhevet and everywhere else who have still not complied, either because they expect everyone else to protect them or because they have fallen victim to falsehoods about vaccines, consider putting your unsubstantiated fears away and following the social and moral code of the Just Community. You signed up for its benefits. Now accept the responsibility.

THE BOILING POINT is the student-produced newspaper of Shalhevet High School and a public forum for the students and the community. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the members of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Co-Editors-in-Chief, Senior Editor, Web Editor, Community Editor, Photo Editor and Faculty Advisor. We welcome submissions for signed editorials from members of the Shalhevet Community, and the final decision about printing them is made by the Editorial Board. Letters to the Editor may be submitted via e-mail to shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. The Boiling Point reserves the right to edit letters and opinion submissions and all become the property of The Boiling Point. Signed editorials and advertisements in The Boiling Point purchased by third parties do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or The Boiling Point as a whole. To advertise, please contact the Advertising Editor at 2019.j.fishman@shalhevet.org The Boiling Point encourages readers to inform the newspaper of any possible factual errors found in print or online by emailing us as at shalhevetboilingpoint@gmail.com. When appropriate, we will fix the story online, and correct the error on Page 2 or on this page in the next print edition. Policies on conflict of interest and the use of anonymous sources can be viewed at shalhevetboilingpoint.com under the “About” tab. 2017 THE BOILING POINT

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Opinion

23 TWO BOILING POINTS OF VIEW:

JV sports: Too many players on the bench? Yes - It’s unfair to everyone

No - All who want to learn should have a chance

By JONAH KAYE, 12th Grade

By Benny Zaghi, Sports Editor

There are 16 kids on the boys’ JV basketball team. The reality is that many of these kids hardly play at all in games, and if they do, it is usually the coach feeling sorry for a student and giving him 30 seconds of garbage time. It is extremely unfair for coaches to string along an entourage of players they have no need for and who don’t play. Coaches need to cut players who are not good enough or will not play on the team. It’s more fair to the players in the long run. It’s ridiculous to even call many of these first meets “tryouts,” when every kid is going to make the team. The coaches must not understand the countless hours of time that each player must commit to the team, after school and during, and the countless classes they are forced to miss for games during the day. If the coaches did understand, they would feel guilty about making some players ride for two hours each way to a game, only to sit on the bench for two hours, all the while missing school. The coaches must also not understand the vicious perpetual cycle they create: you can’t get better by sitting on the bench, and therefore you have no hope of getting off the bench. And they must not understand that sometimes, the hard reality of “you’re cut” is infinitely more merciful than the dishonest statement, “You are all an important part of the team.” Being coddled is a distortion of reality. It’s better to teach an important life lesson – that sometimes you will fail. Failure creates the opportunity for other pursuits, or real improvement and growth. If I had been cut as I should have been from the baseball team in 10th grade, I would have either had another year to pursue other sports, or I would have decided that I really wanted to play baseball, and worked hard to get better and make the team next year. If I had been cut as I should have been, other players on the team who were actually going to play could have had more time in practice to get better. Less attention would have been wasted on someone who wasn’t really going to play. And if I had been cut as I should have been, my grades wouldn’t have suffered and I could have missed less class. Shalhevet sports teams need to stop being nice and start placing a limit on the number of players on a team. It will be better for the players the long run and the team as a whole.

What do you do when you have more players than seats on the bench? What do you do when half of the team is just watching the game from the sideline? This year, Athletic Director Ryan Coleman decided to accept everyone who tried out for the Junior Varsity basketball team, leaving more players than usual who would most likely not play so much during the season. There wee 17 players on the JV squad, and only five can play at a time. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is great to see a high interest in the sport of basketball. First of all, it allows more kids to be involved in a co-curricular. Whether they ever play competitively as a Firehawk or not, being on JV gives students who want to improve a chance to strengthen their game, even if they’re only going to play at the park or in their driveways. Second, it’s good for everyone for there to be more players at practice, especially during long breaks from school when many are away on family vacations. At times like these, it not only doesn’t hurt the team to have many players just in case some do not show up, but rather it is beneficial. Also, students at Shalhevet are diverse and unique, having different passions that they would like to pursue. Capping the number of JV players would prevent people who love basketball from playing the game. Although there are upsides to having many players on the team, there are those who say that it lessens the focus on each individual player, and that it really doesn’t make sense competitively to have people on the team who do not play. Competitively speaking, a large JV team makes sense. Tryouts, which would be used to cut people, are not an exact science. They can be stressful for underclassmen or anyone trying out for a sports team in high school for the first time. The pressure can get to you, leading to mistakes and screw-ups that really don’t portray the type of ballplayer you are. Some new players don’t really show their talents until later in the season. Playing on JV gives newcomers the chance to work with coaches, improve and show their worth if they didn’t in the tryout. For example, in my sophomore year when I was on JV, my friend Oren Rad was not getting the amount of minutes he wanted coming off the bench. But later in the season, Oren proved to be a great shooter and was rewarded a starting spot on the team. There is a group of sophomores – among them, Eytan Kent, Joseph Zaghi and Eitan Reimer – who played JV for two years now and are now going to play Varsity. They came off the bench and didn’t play that much in their freshman year and in their next year they started. Playing time and coaches’ focus on players is an actual problem, and there is a way to solve it without cutting the roster of JV. Instead, Shalhevet should another boys basketball team: a freshman sophomore team or “frosh-soph team.” This would not only of avoid cutting any players, but would give Coach Ryan the time to focus on his Varsity players while preparing the next generation to step in and benefit from that that attention when they’re ready. There’s more to being on a school basketball team than just the playing time, and there’s more to playing time than interscholastic competition. Shalhevet is right to not forget about the underdog. Seeing the plethora of people who stayed on the team despite a lack of minutes is proof that beginners can grow into winners. Just ask the HOW MANY teams we defeated this year – and the state and Sarachek champions that we almost did.

Photo Illustration by Ezra Fax

Letters to the Editor Parents should support zero-tolerance policy on student parties Editor: Once we all rise to the fact that our teens do not need to drink or smoke to have a good time, and once we are scientifically educated about the real dangers of drugs and alcohol to young brains, we will all appreciate what Shalhevet is

trying to model for our students. I support the school’s zero tolerance for drinks. When hosting, you are affecting everyone else who is under your roof with what you serve. As Shalhevet families, it is our duty to raise the bar and help keep the values and

standards to our norm, not what the Hollywood community dictates to the society. Our goal is to produce leaders and not followers. Lily Marghzar, Los Angeles

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Opinion

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The King is still dreaming

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By EVA SUISSA, Opinion Editor

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frican-Americans seemed to gain full equality after the Civil Rights Movement, because they were granted the right to vote, and Jim Crow laws were abolished. But is there more to equality than the opportunity to eat French fries at a white man’s diner, or the chance to try on shoes in the neighborhood sneaker store? As I adventured in Selma, Alabama this past weekend on a Martin Luther King Jr. Shabbaton with my father, I saw that black people have yet to achieve true equality — especially in the economy. One-hundred-ten Jews from Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld’s synagogue, Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue in Washington, D.C., also attended the Shabbaton. Selma, which is 80 percent African American, is diseased with poverty — something I had never been exposed to before, coming

from Pico-Robertson in Los Angeles. On Saturday morning, as my father and I walked side by side to a 117-year-old synagogue with the rest of our group, we noticed the state of decay it is in. Buildings that must have stood confidently when they were built a hundred years ago now sit hunched and battered: their wood pealed off of the scaffold it was formed around, creating splintering walls; their paint now merely flakes of color; their windows, shattered and scarred with holes from rocks that had been thrown at them; their doors open, inviting you into an eternity of darkness. Although not all buildings were as dilapidated as these, a majority had been abused in some form. To add to this eerie environment, dogs lingered in the shadows of the abandoned buildings, women rocking on their rickety porches turned their heads to stare at our group when we walked past their homes, and broken pieces

of glass lay on top of cracked sidewalks like the blanket to a bed of nails. As we continued to walk, my father and I also noticed the language on the signs. “Fast cash!” many exclaimed. “Free vacuums!” read another at a run-down car wash. Only once did we see a sign for a bank — making it seem that Selma is feeding into its poverty by providing its citizens with temporary solutions like loans, instead of promoting long-term investments. In addition to praying at Temple Mishkan Israel, we visited the home of the Jackson family, where prominent Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel stayed; we stopped by the spot where Reverend Reeb — a white minister — was killed; we marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge as thousands of men, women and children had done 52 years earlier, and we saw the church where the march had begun. Beside that church stood a monument for

t I I See

Dr. King. Our tour guide, Jo Ann Bland, a woman who’d walked in the march at age 11, explained that the word “have” on the monument in King’s “I have a dream” quote was initially inscribed as “had” – “I had a dream” – because his dream had supposedly been fulfilled when blacks received the right to vote. The city changed it back to “have,” however, because after all the marches and the protests, black people had won some basic rights, but Dr. King’s dream was hardly fulfilled. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamt of a world where blacks not only had equal rights, but would thrive under those rights. Clearly, Selma’s poverty today is a sign that King’s dream still lives on, waiting to be realized.

ALABAMA TODAY: The view from a seat on a bus in Montgomery where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in December, 1955; A replica of the bus where Ms. Parks sat down for civil rights; and an advertisement for ‘free cash.’ Photos by Eva Suissa.

Martin Luther King holiday needs its own day By JACOB JOSEPH LEFKOWITZ BROOKS, Arts & Culture Editor

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a message, others wrote letters to public officials, and some learned meaning of the day if they did not have school. This would likely be the case for most students at Shalhevet. about how to use lessons from our ancestors. ait, we just had school on a national holiday? This But if this event is merely a portion of an otherwise mundane It was a good place to start, but we can improve. year, Shalhevet commemorated Martin Luther King day, lessons learned will be too quickly forgotten. We all benefit In a half-day full of MLK activities like these, we would learn Day by having a normal school day with one hour and 45 minutes from Dr. King’s accomplishments, and using the entire holiday as more about the effect ordinary individuals, often including Jews, cut out for King-related activities. an occasion to teach students had on moving our country closer to its The third Monday in January — close to the day Dr Martin about them is the way to make ideals. Luther King Jr. was born, Jan. 15 — was recognized as a national an impact that will last. Planning a full day might be difficult, so holiday on Nov. 2, 1983, when then-President Ronald Reagan Learning of the injustices that civil rights leadBy learning of the injustices a half-day would suffice, and teachers would signed a bill to pass it into law. This year it was observed Jan. 16. ers fought against, and of the extraordinary that civil rights leaders fought be forbidden from assigning any work or It celebrates the work both of Dr. King himself and of other tests. This would make a greater imcivil rights activists. As obstacles they overcame, we can combine our against, and of the extraordiPresident Reagan said, pression of the day’s importance — Jewish ideals at Shalhevet with an American nary obstacles they overcame, “It is a time for rejoicing we can combine our Jewish Just having a one-hour-and-40 minute as President Reagan envisioned — sense of righteousness. ideals at Shalhevet with an and reflecting. We rejoice and also let the lessons we learned learning period is not enough. because in his short life, settle more in our minds. American sense of righteousDr. King helped to move If even a half-day is too difficult to arrange, then ness. A half-day of learning thus would accomplish both the goals us closer to the ideals on Shalhevet must give students the full day off. The school of the administration and those of the holiday. which America was founded.” cannot claim to be celebrating the holiday while also having Since it is a federal holiday, public schools are required to have regular classes. the day off, and while private schools are not, many do. Some say that having any-length MLK activiThree years ago, Shalhevet decided that what Dr. King fought ty is better than students doing whatever they wanted at for aligns with Jewish values, so the day could actually be used as a home. Perhaps students would not even think about the teaching opportunity. We read in Leviticus Chapter 19, verses 17 and 18, “You shall not hate your kinsman in your heart. Reprove your neighbor, but incur no guilt because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbor as yourself: I am Hashem.” For this reason, says Principal Reb Noam Weissman, the school believes it would be better to learn on this day than to have it off. While this may be true in theory, it does not yet work in practice. Just having a one-hour-and-40-minute learning period is not enough. When students have classes, still have to do schoolwork, and can be assigned tests and homework, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is barely any more than a regular school day. If the school really wishes to honor Dr. King and all those who fought for civil rights, the day must be reorganized. The time involved in civil rights study must be increased, and the rest of the day should be cancelled. This year’s program included a video documenting aspects of the fight for civil rights and activities in which students could immerse themselves in the experience. Some made posters to express

SIGNS: Students observed Martin Luther King Day by learning social activism.

BP photo by Honor Fuchs

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Opinion

How to fix the sunrise minyan, pride of Shalhevet

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By ZEV KENT, Senior Editor

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Not everyone says all of davening, and I don’t here’s something EARLY: Boys at Hashkama minyan pray before school starts and have a think we should be forcing wrong at Hashkama break after first period, when the rest of the school says Shacharit. people to do so. However, minyan. As much as people Hashkama minyan should are tired of hearing it, be a place where everyone Hashkama was created as is able, and has the oppora minyan for people who tunity, to daven seriously, want to daven, and right with full intention and now, it’s not. saying every word. When I was in ninth In addition, the fact grade, when Hashkama that people are forced to was first starting, it was go means there are more completely optional. It was people there who don’t made up of about 20 to take davening seriously. 30 students who genuinely They joke and laugh and wanted to be there. They cause major disruptions wanted to come early that affect everyone, not because they cared about just the five people in their davening. vicinity. We davened, and we People also take their didn’t talk, and we had a tefillin off early. This is great minyan. also because of the need to Now, many people are finish early. In their haste forced to be at Hashkama to get out of davening as minyan so they can be early as possible, they disfree to take electives like regard the last section of Advanced Gemara Shiur, davening, often skipping Advanced Tefilah Shiur Aleinu and the yom and and other breakfast classes talking through tehillim. – classes that meet during Here are my suggesthe regular, non-Hashtions. kama davening time 90 First, start Hashkama minutes later. Adding in BP photo by Ezra Fax minyan at 7:20 or even people who go just for the same days we don’t say full Tachanun and the chazzan does not 7:15 instead of 7:25. This will allow it to not be so rushed. People morning break, around half of the school now attends Hashkama leave sufficient time when we daven to ourselves. will be able to say all of davening and not have to rush through it. minyan on a regular basis. The air of “how fast can we finish?” pressures the chazzan into In addition, we will be able to say full chazarat hashatz every day. Many of them don’t want to be moving davening along even when Enforce the rules. When people talk, send them to Reb Weissthere. They are forced to wake up early he is not finished himself. I’ve been man’s office. Do whatever it says in the charter. When someone in order to attend their classes. This chazzan before, and when I took the First, start Hashkama minyan at 7:20 or even talks, get him in trouble so he doesn’t do it again. creates an atmosphere of “I don’t want time to daven and say the words of When someone pulls out his phone, take it away. When to be here,” “I don’t care” and “this is 7:15 instead of 7:25. the prayer, I heard people muttering someone comes late, don’t let him in. When someone takes off his just something I have to do.” and telling me to hurry up. tefillin early, make him put it back on. This will make Hashkama Because of this, the goal of the Very often, the chazzan, for serious. People will care and take it seriously like we did three years minyan has changed. Rather than bewhatever reason, spends very little ago. ing a minyan where people want to daven, the minyan has evolved time on each individual prayer. While this makes minyan faster, Hashkama should be a serious minyan made up of people who into: “how fast can we finish?” it doesn’t allow people to properly daven. There have been many care about davening and who take it seriously. Shalhevet is very When we say Shema out loud, we fly through it. We do not times where the chazzan has taken less than 10 seconds each to say proud of its very own student-run minyan that functions perfectly, do full repetition of Shemoneh Esrei on Monday and Thursday Tachanun, Ashrei, Uva l’tzion and the shir shel yom – all prayers but right now, it doesn’t. We need to make some changes in order even though we always finish at least five minutes early, and on the that require more than 10 seconds to properly say the words. to make it what it once was.

With the ‘16 election over, national unity starts with each of us By Ariella Sassover, Staff Writer

On the rainy Friday morning of Jan. 20, all eyes in the gym were glued to a

screen on which history was being shown. The entire Shalhevet student body and faculty filled endless rows of chairs, some kids were sprawled on the floor, to witness Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on a TV rolled in from a conference room. Regardless of their views of the 45th president, everyone in the room was antici-

pating the event which so few had thought would become reality. Murmurs could be heard amongst peers discussing their predictions for this long-awaited new presidency. In front of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., hundreds of thousands of Americans were experiencing the same emotions as they stood in crowds huddled together in the frigid weather. This election is the first that I have actively followed and has been among the

HISTORY: President Trump’s inauguration was broadcast live in the gym.

most intriguing and turbulent elections ever. The separation between communities that plagues America has become a very noticeable issue during the campaign. The unforeseen election result clearly says something about the divisions that exist across the nation; one side had no idea of the strength or size of the other. In particular, this election exposed how disconnected the metropolitan citizens and the small town citizens are from one another. President Trump claims he will listen to the demands of Americans, but the Americans who supported him are completely different from the Americans who voted for Hillary Clinton. It is more difficult for me to relate to the communities that voted for Donald Trump due to my upbringing in the Democratic state of California. However I am obliged to keep an open mind to their demands, as the world they live in is so different from mine. Throughout the campaign, Donald Trump was controversial in his no-filter approach and addressed the needs of lower and middle class America. His approach impacted those people, causing his following to largely consist of Americans who felt their concerns weren’t being heard. BP photo by Ezra Fax

These Americans didn’t seem to mind the brash and unfiltered way that he acted throughout the process. His style, which starkly conflicts with the cliche, polished politician, was attractive to them. He symbolized a change in government, from his inexperience as a politician to his disregard for political correctness. While Trump won the election, there is a whole chunk of Americans who are upset with his takeover. Americans held protests against Trump the day after the inauguration, leaving a sour taste on the tongue of democracy. Even though diversity of opinion is encouraged in America, when citizens don’t stand behind elected officials, the government cannot function sufficiently. Therefore America’s issues cannot be resolved unless there is unity between the two sides. And although peace and understanding appear to be an impossible feat, it is up to us, the American people, to step outside of our own communities and find ways to bridge the gaps among opposing parties, races, genders, religions. This task seems daunting, but starting on the individual level can ultimately inspire the most change overall. Therefore, I encourage each individual in the Shalhevet community to reach out to Americans whose opinions conflict with their own. Simply stepping into the mindset of those who disagree will bring about understanding and eventually unity within America.

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Sports

MARCH 2017

Not such a warm welcome for new LA sports team Most Shalhevet students who follow football say they already root for other teams By CLARA SANDLER, Torah Editor

facebook.com/chargers

After 21 years with none in Los Angeles, two NFL teams seem 5-11 and came in fourth place in their division, while the Rams went 4-12 and came in third in theirs. to be too many for Shalhevet students. The last time the Chargers were in the playoffs was in 2013, After learning in January that the San Diego Chargers would join the Los Angeles Rams, who arrived last year, a few students when they finished with a 9-7 record. The last time the Rams were were pleased – among them some of Shalhevet’s strongest football in the playoffs was 2004, when they went 8-8. The Chargers’ move was announced by team owner Dean fans. They said the Chargers were a better team than the Rams. “The Chargers actually have a good future, so it’s going to be Spanos, who also said the team would play its first two seasons in fun to watch them,” said sophomore Eytan Kent, who roots for the Carson at the Stubhub Center, and later share the new stadium being built for the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood. The new staNew England Patriots. But most students were against it, arguing that there would be dium is set to be completed in time for the 2019 season. Freshman Harry Diamond, who roots for the Philadelphia no fans in Los Angeles for a team that had been settled and popular Eagles, said there was no point in San Diego. in bringing a second team to Los “I’ve read multiple articles about how Angeles now. nobody wants them to come to L.A.,” said People are either Rams fans or they like all “People are either Rams fans sophomore Leor Kaminski, adding that or they like all these other, ranthe Chargers – who like the Rams had a these other, random teams. dom teams,” said Harry, who losing season this year – are a “terrible” – Harry Diamond, 9th grade likes the Philadelphia Eagles beteam. cause his parents are from Phila“They’re breaking the hearts of the delphia and he visits there often. people in San Diego, and the fan base here Even students who favored is going to be very, very small,” said Leor. the move worried about the supply of potential fans. “It’s just a bad team overall and I’m not happy about it.” “I’m not a Chargers fan or a Rams fan, [but] yeah this move Freshman Tobey Lee thinks L.A. football fans’ loyalty already belongs to the Rams, who returned to Los Angeles after 20 years is probably bad for the L.A. market, and especially bad for the Rams,” said Eytan Kent. “But as a football fan living in LA, I think in St. Louis. “The Rams moving to Los Angeles was great,” said Tobey, a it’s great to have another team here, especially because the Chargers Rams fan himself, “and even though the Rams were bad, a lot of are so much better.” Eytan criticized the Rams for trading their top draft picks for people liked them and we just have room for improvement. “They are L.A.’s team, and I just don’t think that the Chargers’ current quarterback Jared Goff, “who’s clearly not that great.” The Chargers’ quarterback, Phillip Rivers, has been with the move is approved by Los Angeles.” Neither team made the playoffs this year. The Chargers went organization since 2004. Their other star players, wide receiver

Keenan Allen and running back Melvin Gordon, have been with the organization since 2014 and 2015, respectively. Senior Alex Silberstein, who was this year’s manager of Shalhevet’s Just Community fantasy league, saw only upsides to the Chargers’ move. “Revenue in San Diego is not at an all-time high and I think that the owner of the Chargers made a financial decision in moving the Chargers to LA,” said Alex. “It’s interesting to have both an AFC and NFC team.” Sophomore Sadie Toczek and her family have been Chargers fans for as long as she can remember, because of San Diego’s proximity to Los Angeles. “They were the closest thing to a home team” when Los Angeles had no team at all, she said. “We have all the Charger posters and we used to drive down to San Diego for all the games,” said Sadie, “so we’re really excited that they are coming to LA because now we get to see [more].” Eytan said he would definitely go to a Chargers game, but not to a Rams game, because the Rams are “boring.” Despite different viewpoints, everyone is united about one thing: the Chargers’ logo. Everyone interviewed agreed that the new promotional logo – which will not be used for helmets or uniforms, according to MSN – is ugly. The logo is an LA symbol with a lightning bolt off the side. It has been released in two sets of colors — royal blue and white, and light blue and yellow. “I think their logo is absolutely disgusting, they’re basically copying the Dodgers logo,” said sophomore Jonathan Fishman.

Disputed call gives rivalry soccer game to the Panthers By CLARA SANDLER, Torah Editor student video shown later confirmed that view that there had been no infraction. In a postgame interview, Shalhevet Coach Lee Turnbull said the Firehawks had not really lost the game. “It was the referee’s fault that the result was different,” Coach Turnbull said in an interview. ”But all my players know what the result was, we know what the result was, their team knows what the result was, and their coaches know what the result was. Shalhevet could not get things going offensively before and after the kicks. The Panthers coach was glad they were able to score early. At around the 19th minute of the game, Lior Totaiv was able, take the lead 1-0 for the Panthers. “We executed early and we were rewarded with a really nice goal,” said YULA SCRAMBLE: Firehawk junior Isaac Kahtan fights YULA coach Rafael No. 15 for the ball at rivalry game in Encino, Jan 14.

A controversial call and an offensive struggle caused the Firehawk boys soccer team to lose 1-0 to the rival YULA Panthers Jan. 14. Trailing by one on the field at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino at about 58 minutes, the Firehawks were awarded a penalty kick that was called back twice for rule infractions. Both of those kicks, by junior Daniel Orenstein, were successful. But on his third try he missed and the Panthers went on to win the game. Players and spectators on the field said Daniel’s second kick had been legal, and a

BP Photo by Ezra Fax

Meghnagi. The Firehawks’ first penalty kick was called back because Daniel kicked it before the whistle blew. On his second try, he scored again, and a cheer went up from the crowd. But referees called this second goal back for another type of penalty. According to FIFA rules, during a penalty kick all other players must be outside of the box where the kick is taking place. Referees said senior Ezra Hess crossed the line. A video of the second play, taken by Kobe Shemesh, a cousin of Firehawk sophomore Isaac Khatan, shows that Ezra did not crossed the line before the ball was kicked. Referees decided to make Daniel kick a third time, and this time he missed. Daniel said the dispute affected his play for the rest of the game. “I was shocked and mostly angry,” Daniel said. “I didn’t play my best after the goals were taken away,” he said Ezra Hess thought the referee knew his call on the play was incorrect. “The ref knew he had made a mistake,” said Ezra. Mid-game Shalhevet changed their gameplay. Usually the Firehawks play a 4-5-1 with

1 being the attacker, which was Daniel Oranstein, who plays left midfield. But later on, Ezra Hess, who plays left center midfield, moved positions to become an another attacker to make it a 4-4-2. Even with the change the Firehawks still could not score. “We played well, but there were times when we weren’t intense enough, we weren’t winning the 50-50 goals,” Daniel told The Boiling Point after the game. Despite the loss, goalkeeper Eli Greenberg was commended for his performance in the match by the Panthers’ coach. “He could pretty much save everything,” said Coach Meghnagi In a pregame interview, Eli discussed what it was like being a leader on the team. “It’s really about keeping your head up when things don’t go well,” said Eli. Even though they could not come out with the win, Coach Turnbull thought Shalhevet did very well. “We had a nearly perfect game,” he said. “I want them to understand that my boys scored one legal goal and their team scored one legal goal, the game was 1-1,” said Mr. Turnbull. The Firehawks ended the season with a 2-7-1 record.

The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Sports

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Bowing to a bylaw, boys skip state playoffs for Sarachek By CLARA SANDLER, Torah Editor Losing to Milken in the Division 4A championship game should have sent the Firehawks to the first round of the CIF State Division 5 Boys Basketball Championship, held March 8 against Guajome Park Academy. But it didn’t happen. That’s because under Bylaw 600 of the California Interscholastic Federation, the Red Sarachek Tournament they played in at Yeshiva University days earlier made all of the players on the team ineligible from playoff action this year. The problem was timing. It would have been allowed if the New York tournament had been during the CIF’s regular season, but since it was during state playoff week, going to Sarachek would have violated the bylaw. Mr. Thom Simmons, the CIF’s Southern Section Director of Communications, explained the rationale in an interview with the Boiling Point. “In order for them to participate in the CIF Southern Section Quarterfinal, they would have to have eligible players,” Mr. Simmons said. “When they decided to go play the tournament in New York City, they then became ineligible players, unable to come back and participate in the state championships.” Bylaw 600, titled “Outside Competition,” states that a high school student becomes ineligible once he plays on an “outside team” in the same sport. Playing at Sarachek made the Firehawks an outside team, Mr. Simmons said, because Sarachek is not run under CIF rules. According to Simmons, a CIF team is allowed to play in up to three outside tournaments during the “season of sport” Nov. 21 – Feb. 10, but specifically not during the time of CIF playoffs. “When they were going out and playing as Shalhevet High School in this tournament in New York, they were not playing under the guidelines of the CIF,” he said. “They were playing in a private tournament in New York City – had nothing to do with the high school season of sport whatsoever.” The explanation is found in CIF Bylaws 1612 and 1613. Bylaw 1612 states that a team can play in up to 20 games, including tournaments, but not during CIF Southern Section and CIF State playoffs. Bylaw 1613 states that league competition ends on Feb. 10, and then all non-league contests end Feb. 11. If Sarachek were scheduled during the earlier period, the Firehawks could have played in it without penalty. If the Firehawks had defeated Milken March 1 and won the Division 4A championship, the same rules would have applied. The same problem affected the Valley Torah Wolfpack. The Wolfpack qualified for the state playoffs from Division 5AA, but because of Sarachek they were replaced by Foothill Christian. Faced with a choice between Sarachek and the CIF finals, Shalhevet chose Sarachek, the annual Yeshiva University-sponsored contest for Orthodox high schools in New York.

BENT: Defeated players Eitan Halpert, Leon Levy, Zack Muller and Arman Marghzar suffered through the second-place ceremony at game’s end.

Coach Ryan Coleman Coach Coleman ex plained the situation to the Boiling Point after the two-point loss to Milken. “CIF ruled that we can’t play both Sarachek and in the state championships,” said Coach Coleman. “We tried to petition, but then they didn’t want to hear it.” He said he hadn’t been aware of the bylaw before signing the team up for Sarachek. Coach Coleman and most team members said they would have preferred to participate in the CIF state competition, but that by the time they learned they had qualified, arrangements for Sarachek had already been made. “A lot of families and school put a lot of money into the trip to New York,” said Coach Coleman, now in his second year as head basketball coach and his first as Athletic Director. “It would have been insensitive to ask all of the families and the school to forfeit all of the money that was spent on the trip.” He said he would rather have rather played in the state playoffs because the Sarachek tournament ended up not going their way, and “geographically it presented a huge challenge with timing.” The Firehawks left for YU less than 12 hours after their loss to Milken at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino. But he, Head of School Rabbi Ari Segal and Principal Reb Noam Weissman all agreed they should go, as did team co-captain Edon Sokol.

Though he would rather have gone to state to one can just won- BP Photo by Ezra Fax play more games after Sarachek, he supported der. But the CIF’s Mr. Simmons explained that what the Firehawks did. “It was already too late when we found out we the Firehawks would have broken Bylaw 600 if couldn’t,” said Edon, who would have preferred they had been competed. “The high school season of sport in the sport the CIF contests partly to play more games. “They told us the day before like what we would of basketball is until the end of the state champirather do. But all of our families put in tickets onships,” he said. “All of the players who played in New York would have been ineliand we already had gible players because they would our flight, so there’s have participated in an outside not much you can When they were going out sport, an outside team, during do.” that season of sport, which… Edon also menand playing as Shalhevet does not end until March 25.” tioned the imporHigh School in this tournaIf the Firehawks had won the tance of Sarachek to ment in New York, they championship against Milken and the community. participated in Sarachek, then “We were all rewere not playing under the they would have had to give away ally upset and we all guidelines of the CIF...They the championship, and no victor would have probably would have been crowned in Dichose CIF playoffs, were playing in a private vision 4A Southern Section this but we know Sartournament in New York City year, he said. achek means a lot to – had nothing to do with the “Let’s say they actually won us, means a lot the the CIF Southern Section Chamschool, means a lot high school season of sport pionship against Milken and then to the Jewish comwhatsoever. they played this tournament,” Mr. munity,” the point Simmons said. “They would have forward said. had to forfeit the championship, Sophomore guard – Thom Simmons, because at that point they would Asher Dauer actuCIF Southern Section have had ineligible players.” ally preferred that At Sarachek, the Firehawks the Firehawks played Director of Communications came up short. After winning two at Sarachek. straight games against Katz of “Of course the Boca Raton and Heschel of New entire season isn’t York City, Shalhevet lost to the dedicated to Sarachek, but Sarachek is also up Frisch Cougars of Paramus, N.J., in the chamthere as one of our goals to win during pionship game, 49-47 – the same margin as their the season, and I feel like it would have loss to the Milken Wildcats. Milken meanwhile lost in state competition, been kind of disappointing not to go,” falling 70 – 57 to West High School of Torrance Asher said. March 8 for the 4A crown. Milken’s coach Michael Whiting thought Even though the Firehawks play in Division 4A, they qualified for the Shalhevet would have done well. After defeating state tournament in Division 5 – one them March 1, he praised the Firehawks and prelevel lower, since they lost in the sec- dicted success at state – not knowing that they tional championship game to Milken would not be able to participate. “This is disappointing,” said Coach Whiting on March 1. Playing a level lower makes it eas- said of the Firehawks’ feelings that night. “But ier to win. Shalhevet was replaced by they’re going to do some damage in the state Notre Dame High School of Riverside, playoffs. They’re just too good of a team.” one of the semi-finalists at the sectional level. Notre Dame, which lost in Division 4A, made it all the way to the Southern California Regional Final in Division 5 before losing by one point to Rolling Hills Prep. What could have been for the Firehawks — who likewise would have been playing in the easier league —

CONFER: Firehawk players met with Coach Ryan Coleman during the championship game at the Red Sarachek Tournament March 6 at Yeshiva University. BP Photo by Yael Marcus

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The Boiling Point • March 2017 • Sports AIRBORNE: No. 3 Eitan Halpert overcomes a Wildcat foul to score two points and tie the game late in the third quarter in the gym of Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino March 1.

Boys fall to Milken as historic victory gets away

VIDEO ONLINE: See highlights of this game on our website, shalhevetboilingpoint.com

BP Photo by Ezra Fax

Thousand-seat gym in Encino was packed with fans as Wildcats stayed slightly ahead most of the game By TOBEY LEE, Staff Writer Two points. That close to becoming first-time CIF division champions at the first-ever championship game between two Jewish high schools, in front of an overflow crowd in a 1,000-seat gym. Two points. The Shalhevet Firehawks played a back-and-forth game against the Milken Wildcats March 1, leading by as many as four and trailing by as many as seven, in the contest for CIF Divison 4A, and came up just short, losing 52-54. Both teams were constantly within striking distance of victory. Fans from both schools came out and fanatically cheered on their teams. The intensity of the game was felt by everyone, and the victor was not crowned until the buzzer went off. Co-captain and senior Edon Sokol said the Firehawks were not at the the top of their game. “We didn’t play our best,” said the star point forward. “We put ourselves in that position. You can’t play from behind in a championship game.” And it was not just a championship game. This was Milken vs. Shalhevet, a battle between crosstown rivals and friends. At the east end of the gym, the two schools’ choirs sang the national anthems together, both American and Israeli. Milken’s head coach had marched from Beth Jacob to Shalhevet on Monday after a hate group picketed the school, and Rabbi Segal delayed the start of the game with a shout-out to unity and a chant of Am Yisroel chai – the Jewish people live. But it still hurt. It would have been a historic win for the Firehawks, as they have recently jumped two levels in CIF, and it was an achievement that they made it to the championship. Additionally, they were probably favored to win, as they had won the Milken Classic tournament for the past three years straight, and this year defeated almost every team that Milken lost to. When the game was over, the Firehawk players bent their heads toward the floor; a few knelt there as well. Many eyes were red as fans surrounded them and told them how well they’d done. It didn’t seem to help. “I’m devastated, my heart breaks for our kids,” said Firehawk Athletic Director and basketball coach Ryan Coleman. He said the problem had been with rebounding. “That was our number one key to winning tonight,” Coach Coleman said after the game. “I’ll have to watch the film and see how many second chance points [Milken] got, but it might’ve been half of their points tonight off of second chance. “We had a great game plan — we just didn’t execute tonight.” Milken players and staff were filled with joy after the win. Senior and small forward Kian Zar said that he hadn’t thought Milken would reach the CIF Championship in the first place. “I didn’t think we were going to get here honestly,” said Kian. “I knew we were going to get league, I knew we hustled enough. But I

never saw CIF as a real thing until winning league.” He also said the feeling of winning was heroic and storybook. “It feels legendary,” he said. “I feel like we’re making history and so many people are going to look up to us. Everyone’s going to want to be like us.” Wildcat head coach Michael Whiting said the Firehawks had been tough to beat. He called Eitan Halpert – the game’s high scorer with 18 points — and Edon, with seven, “great players,” and said there were many plays that could have gone either way. “We’re fortunate we came out two points up tonight,” Coach Whiting said. “You don’t stop great players, you try to slow ‘em down. You know, both of them had pretty decent games, but we made them earn everything that they had. But they’re great players, you don’t stop ‘em. Honestly, we just had two points more.” The championship game was held at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, an hour-plus drive in heavy traffic from Shalhevet, which nevertheless sent two busloads and countless private vehicles of fans to the 7 p.m. contest. Before it started, the Choirhawks and Milken’s Kol Echad sang the Star-Spangled Banner and Hatikvah. After that, both crowds went wild. On one side of the gym, the students of Milken Community Schools were wearing all black, matching the jerseys of their players. Fans were screaming “Let’s Go Milken!” and “Let’s Go Wildcats!” Their numbers nearly doubled Shalhevet’s – as does their enrollment – but the Firehawk crowd was still more than present. Wearing white t-shirts provided by SAC, the Firehawk fans yelled “G’schmack to be a Hawk” and “Let’s go Firehawks, let’s go!” Both teams were ready to play. After gaining a quick 4-0 lead, the Firehawks soon lost it and were down 10-6 as the first quarter wound down. Edon Sokol brought them back with a three to end the quarter, and for the first of many times the Firehawks were within striking distance, down just 12-14 going into the second. As the game progressed, it was still a tight matchup. Referees tagged Edon and Eitan with three fouls each and they did not play as many minutes as expected. In the second quarter, down 17-15, senior Sammy Ellenhorn found sophomore Zack Muller for a three in the corner to put the Firehawks up by one, 18-17. With 4.2 seconds left in the half, the teams were at a dead lock tie, 26-26. What happened next was truly out of the blue. As the clock wound down to zero, the Wildcats’ junior forward Doron Matian hit a half-court shot that landed after the buzzer, and Milken went up 29-26 to end the half. Milken fans went berserk, while Firehawk fans stood in silence, awe and disbelief. Doron described the shot as wild and insane.

“Craziest shot I’ve ever made, in the biggest game I’ve ever played,” Doron said in an interview after the game. The second half was more of the same, both sides steaming with intensity. With four minutes left in the third quarter, after a layup from Eitan Halpert the teams were tied at 34 all. They traded the ball back and forth and Milken went ahead 38-35. Edon Sokol, Isaac Goor and Zack Muller each hit a pair of free throws. The Firehawks had been superb from the three-point line all night, and never more than then. First, Benny Zaghi hit a clutch shot to tie the game at 38 — after driving in the lane, Zack Muller found him in the corner. After the ball left Benny’s hands, it was nothing but net. Following a two-point shot by Milken, Eitan Halpert hit another three from the top of the key to put the Firehawks up one, 4140. Entering the fourth, the teams were again in a standoff, 43-43. This is when Milken starting pulling away. The Wildcats scored five quick points to start off the quarter, and with 5:20 left, Milken was up by seven. Shalhevet fans, still on their feet as they had been all night, now grew quiet. Things weren’t looking good for the Firehawks. However, when they were down by six, Zack Muller hit another key three-point shot. With 52 seconds left, the Firehawks were only down by three and anything seemed possible. Following a shot by Milken, Edon missed a three-point shot. But junior Ben Mashiach was there at the basket, hit a key shot and brought the score to 54-52, with 19.5 seconds left on the clock. After getting a quick stop, the Firehawks now had the ball with 17 seconds left. Eitan Halpert caught a pass from Edon, faked out a defender and drove in the lane and through traffic. He put up the layup, and it was just short. After a quick foul from the Firehawks, Milken had a one-and-one opportunity at the free throw line. Milken missed, and the Firehawks had the ball with 2.1 seconds left. It all came down to this. The last play of the CIF Championship. Benny Zaghi threw a Hail Mary pass to Eitan Halpert. Eitan took it, and took a three from half court. The shot was just short, and the Milken Wildcats were CIF Divison 4A Champions. Many players had outstanding games, including sophomore Zack Muller, who finished the game with 15 points. Eitan Halpert finished with 18 points, and Edon Sokol had 7 points. For Milken, junior Amitai Afenjar finished the game with 17 points, and Idan Yohanan finished with eight. The Firehawks went home and packed for New York, where they flew off the next morning to the Red Sarachek Tournament at Yeshiva University.