Volume 65, Issue 7 (April 2021) - The Rampage

The Rampage The Newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 65 • Issue 7 • April 2021 • Iyar 5781• the-rampage.org

Project

Rebecca Kalimi ’23

This year, the Ramaz community welcomed a new project that encourages storytelling on a large scale. A group of teachers and students have been organizing meeting times to collect and record stories to post on a website and spread a feeling of inclusivity and comfort to the Ramaz community. Besides that, the other objectives of the project are to foster meaningful yet playful conversations based on the stories being told in a collaborative forum.

The project started when Ms. Rabhan reached out to Dr. Jucovy, at the start of the lockdown last year to help quell her anxiety. He advised her to think of this time period as an adventure, and mentioned Boccacio’s Decameron, a book with a frame tale surrounding 100 stories that had been written during plague years. She began to think of creative projects that might help her and her students deal with the new reality.

During the summer she read an issue of The New York Times Magazine, called The Decameron Project, and, remembering her conversation with Dr. Jucovy, decided to do her own version for Ramaz. During the late summer months, they started developing the project by reaching out to the administration, other teachers, and students they

thought would be valuable contributors and introduced the idea to them.

The main concept they wanted to push for the most was for students to feel comfortable to take initiative and act on their own.

Since the beginning of the project, they have gathered countless stories and compiled them all onto a website created by Levi Lesches ’21 and David Tarrab ’23. Each teacher was appointed with different responsibilities to take care of. Ms. Litwack was selected to create a portal called “The Glowfest”, based on “The Moth.” Rabbi Shiowitz was appointed to head a Judaic Studies sector of the project where people would share stories of times where they felt more connected to their religion.

Ms. Litwack has been working on developing her portal. She gives mini-lessons to students who were asked to share stories at their respective grades moth nights. She meets with her team of students on Fridays to discuss their plan, and usually a half-hour before their sessions to make sure everything is set up. They start off the session

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with people who were planning to tell stories, then open it up to anyone willing to share a story within the theme. Although she thinks it’s helpful to set guidelines for the types of stories to contribute by instituting themes.

Continued on Page 4

See Different? Another Approach to Learning

Harkness is taught with students in a circle, like the setup in the Beit Knesset was last year.

Nicole Hirschkorn ’22

Ms. Litwack’s Harkness teaching style is well-known throughout the Ramaz student body for its unique and engaging aspects. In normal cir-

cumstances, when the limitations of COVID-19 protocols do not exist, Ms. Litwack’s junior-year students huddle together to form a tightly-knit circle where they discuss class material with little teacher intervention. One might assume that little teacher intervention in class discussion would mean little teacher involvement within the classroom; if so, they would be incorrect. While the students are involved in profound conversation, it is Ms. Litwack’s job is to observe. A major piece of the Harkness method is assessing individual student’s role in the class discussion to create a balanced discussion, where all student voices can be heard by their fellow classmates.

To ensure that this balance in the

classroom is possible, Ms. Litwack creates a map of the class while students are engaged in discussion.

To do this, she draws a diagram of the classroom and indicates where every student is sitting. As the class period progresses, she adds details to the map, like arrows signaling which students spoke to each other, whether they spoke to the whole group or to one person, or if they asked a question, etc.

“Kids are very anxious to see the results of the maps,” said Ms. Litwack, in an interview. “It’s so interesting when kids are provided with actual data about what’s going on in the class. It requires a certain level of maturity.” The maps used in Ms. Litwack’s classes often altered how students participated in future class discussions; sometimes, students who had certain perceptions about how they participated were proven wrong by the data they were given.

“It’s not all Continued on Page 5

Inside this issue...

Appreciating Ramaz Essential Workers p. 7

Commemorating and Celebrating the Yoms p.

10

Ramaz Alumn in the IDF p.

11

Should Uniforms Be implemented

Ramaz? p.

16

News 2

The Rampage

April 2021/Iyar 5781

Latin American Culture Club Meet the People of “What Happened to the Bees?”

Emily Vayner ’23

As a part of the Spanish Language curriculum at Ramaz, several of Dra. Roldán’s classes had the opportunity to watch Adriana Otero’s documentary, “¿Qué les pasó a las abejas?” or “What happened to the bees?” The Latin American Culture Club was immediately inspired to educate as many people as they could about the current bee crisis in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. The club reached out, and on March 18, hosted both Adriana Otero, the creator of the documentary, and Gustavo Huchín, a Mayan beekeeper and activist from a municipality in Campeche. Spanish classes created detailed questions that were asked by individual students in an interview with Adriana and Gustavo.

The bee population has been in crisis over the last few decades with the increased use of pesticides. From 1947 to 2008, the bee population has declined by 60% — from 6 million to 2.4 million. If the bee population dies out, it would have a catastrophic effect on Earth’s ecosystems. Not only would this lead to many plants and food crops dying out, but the animals that rely on those foods will also die out.

Though the honeybee population is declining around the world, this problem is highlighted in Mexico because of the increased use of pesticides in their farming. Agribusiness giant, Monsanto, creates and sells genetically modified, or transgenic, soybean and other food crop seeds to farmers. These seeds are resistant to Monsanto’s pesticide, Roundup, which contains the active ingredient, glyphosate — a chemical hazardous to human and animal health.

This issue is particularly severe for the Mayan com-

munity in Mexico, whose livelihoods depend on the cultivation of honey.

Documentary “¿Qué les pasó a las abejas?” or “What happened to the bees?” was created in 2018 by filmmakers Adriana Otero, Robin Canul, Marines Roque, and Amalia Cordova. In 2015, Adriana Otero found out the bees were dying near her area and immediately was inspired to create the documentary because of her love for nature and animals. She chose this theme because she wanted to raise awareness about social-environmental conflicts taking place in indigenous Mexican territories.

The documentary opened many students’ eyes to the bee crisis. Eliana Cepelovicz ’23, a co-founder of the Latin American Culture Club, said she did not know about the bee crisis before watching this documentary. “It’s critical to educate yourself about issues happening outside of the U.S. or one’s own culture,” Cepelovicz elaborated. Daniela Woldenberg ’23, another co-founder, said that she never realized the extent of the horrific situation.

Unconventionally, students preferred that the film was a documentary as opposed to a movie.

“I liked that it was a documentary,” said Woldenberg, “because it made it feel more authentic.” Seeing the people afflicted by Monsanto brought the issue to life for the students. However, students wished that the film was more accessible. “I want more people to learn about this crisis,” said Woldenberg, but unfortunately it is currently only available in Mexico.

Students of the Latin American Culture Club also had the opportunity to interview Gustavo Huchín, a Mayan beekeeper and activist who helped lead the fight against Monsanto. Gustavo was in-

spired to act when he watched as bees were dying off in his community. Bees are essential for the economy of his community, as honey cultivation has been the main livelihood within the community for generations. Not only do these chemicals kill the bees and have a devastating impact on the economy, but they are hazardous to the health of the community. If the bees disappear, Gustavo stated, not only do they die, but so does the culture and heritage of the Mayan people. Gustavo and other community leaders are currently proposing the use of more organic cultivation methods and the ban of toxic chemical fertilizers.

The students were moved by Gustavo’s words. Woldenberg said she was particularly inspired by his dedication to the environment and community. “I believe that it’s important to take care of the environment and to reduce our carbon footprint,” she said. She has committed to continue to spread awareness about the bee crisis, along with taking other steps to reduce her carbon footprint, such as “signing petitions, being vegetarian, using a reusable water bottle, and riding a bike.”

At the end of the meeting, Gustavo left the students with some words of advice on how to be fair community activists. He said to learn how to speak up and be brave. Even when one is fighting against something much larger than himself, whether that be the government or a big corporation, he should always stand up for what he believes. “Gustavo’s words left a lasting impact on me,” said Woldenberg, “I can make a difference for the causes I believe in even if I am just one person.”

Latin American Culture Club’s Colloquium with

Filmmaker of “What Happened to the Bees”

Emily Vayner ’23

The Latin American Culture Club (LACC) interviewed the creators of the “What Happened to the Bees” documentary: filmmaker Adriana Otero, film-maker, and Gustavo Huchín, Mayan bee-keeper and activist. The documentary exposes the legal use of toxic agrochemicals all over Latin America, specifically in Mexico, killing millions of bees. Beyond a scientific point of view, the documentary portrays the “socio-environmental conflicts taking place in indeginous Mexican territories” and the toxins used by giant pesticide companies threaten the health of Mayan beekeeping communities.

LACC: What inspired you to make this documentary? Please talk about the support you received, budget, film technique, duration and challenges when filming it, launching and audience reaction.

AO: In 2015, I found out the bees were dying near

my area and I was immediately inspired to create the documentary because of my love for nature and animals. I chose this theme because I wanted to raise awareness about social-environmental conflicts taking place in indigenous Mexican territories. The film’s budget was 122K and we received support from many people, institutions, and organizations in Mexico and other countries. The film was shot with small cameras in 4K format as well as drones for landscaping and jungles. One of the struggles of creating this documentary was putting together such a complex story in just sixty minutes.

Although the documentary won several awards at international festivals, the most satisfying thing is knowing that there are people who want to find ways to support the cause.

LACC: Why did you choose the theme of the bees in the Yucatán Península? Please talk about if this happens to other communities in Mexico or Latin-America such as Argentina.

AO: I chose the topic of bees because as soon as I found out that bees were dying near where I lived, I realized bees were the most important living thing in the world. No films or programs spoke about the importance of this topic. I understood that human beings depend on bees and the bees depend on us.

The death of bees is happening all over the world-especially Mexico, Argentina, and other parts of Latin America. This is a global issue and therefore we should all be interested in helping the bees.

LACC: Why is it important to present and highlight the work of the Mayan community leaders Leydy Pech and Gustavo Huchín?

AO: It is important to show the organizational capacity of small communities and the achievement they obtain. My goal was to show the strength Continued on Page 14

April 2021/Iyar 5781

The Rampage Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 65 • Issue 7 • April 2021 • the-rampage.org

FACULTY ADVISOR Dr. Steven Milowitz EDITORS-IN-CHEIF Caitlin Levine ’21 Rebecca Massel ’21 Gabby Ostad ’21 Samantha Sinensky ’21 LAYOUT EDITORS Julia Feit ’22 Rachel Freilich ’22 Sarah Ginsberg ’22 PUZZLES & MEME EDITOR Isaac Silverman ’21 PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Tammy Palagi ’21 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Raymond Ashkenazie ’24 Ashley Behm ’24 Romi Chaovat ’24 Ethan Davidovitch ’22 Sydney Eisenstein ’22 Rachel Freilich ’22 Sarah Ginsberg ’22 Nicole Hirschkorn ’22 Daniel Kalimi ’23 Eric Kalimi ’22 Rebecca Kalimi ’23 Alex Paul ’23 Aviva Schilowitz ’24 Rebecca Silber ’23 Sarah Silverman ’24 Raffi Sobel ’23 Andrew Spielfogel ’23 Charles Spielfogel ’21 Emily Vayner ’23 The Rampage is the student newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School. It is published on a monthly basis. Letters to the editors may be submitted to rampage@ramaz.org. Letters must be signed and may be edited to conform to The Rampage style and format.

The opinions expressed in The Rampage are of the author’s alone, and do not represent the views or opinions of Ramaz, The Rampage, or its editors.

The Rampage

Plans for Seniors’ Spring Sydney Eisenstein ’22

Although many seniors might feel like the bulk of their high school experience is over, there are many plans in place to ensure that the end of senior year is jampacked with enjoyable and educational programming. The programming will prepare seniors for life after high school and fill areas of their education that they had yet to cover. A primary goal for this segment of the year is for seniors to have an opportunity to experience topics and learn from teachers that they may have missed throughout high school. The end of the year will remain new and exciting for seniors as seniors will be exposed to different programs each day. There are many programs planned for senior spring, but programs could fluctuate because of limitations from the city and state.

Throughout the rest of the school year, seniors will have more in person school days. There will be a health series including sexual education, health and nutrition. There will also be programs to help seniors prepare for life on college campuses. These programs include Israel advocacy on campus and mental health on campus. In addition to these planned programs, AP prep will continue throughout May.

On a broader scale, there are also programs which will help students prepare for adulthood. There will be a Jewish Life Cycle series preparing seniors for different points in Jewish adulthood. The series will include Jewish marriage, halacha, philosophy and other various subjects, such as organ donation. Seniors will also learn about financial planning in order to prepare for life after high school. Students will hear thought provoking teacher panels called the “Great Debates”, mediated by Dr. Jucovy. Some “Great Debate” subjects include cancel culture, or gender in Judaism. In addition to hearing teachers present, seniors will participate in student led classes. The student led classes are classes which students can sign up for and teach their friends about various subjects such as cooking, hair tutorials, or fashion.

One of the goals of this spring is to guide seniors through impactful personal experiences. Many seniors will be participating in a work study. The work study is an opportunity for students to connect with different alumni and contacts in a field of study which interests them. The school has matched seniors with alumni to do internships and se-

News 3

niors will be mentored throughout a process which will simulate working in that field. The mentors will guide seniors through their personal experiences and struggles in that field.

At the end of the work study, the seniors will present a concluding assignment which reflects on the work they accomplished throughout the internship.

An aspect of the end of senior year is maximizing time with your grade. These bonding moments have been difficult this year with the absence of shabbatons and retreat. Trips will be dispersed throughout the last month and a half of school.

The seniors will have an overnight trip at Camp Kaylie. They will also take day trips to the 9/11 Memorial and Great Adventure.

On June 7, the seniors will attend senior dinner at the NYC Skyline. The Senior Dinner is a formal event in which seniors enjoy a dinner together while reminiscing on the past four years. To celebrate the past four years, graduation will take place on June 21 on Randalls Island. Last year, each family could only bring one car of people to graduation but there is more flexibility this year so the school is trying to fit more people at graduation. Although Covid imposes certain restrictions on the plans for senior spring, the seniors will have a balance between exciting experiences, amazing speakers, and many opportunities to connect as a grade.

CDC Guidelines & Ramaz Policies

Raymond Ashkenazie ’24

The New York State department of Health says “all unvaccinated domestic travelers…are recommended... to self quarantine for 7 days if tested on day 3-5, otherwise 10 days.” Roey Denti ’24 stated “I think that we don’t need to quarantine the 10 days. We just need to wait 3 days and come back with a negative corona test”. Some students agree with Roey. For some reason, some in the student body do not know the correct CDC guidelines and believe that only 3-4 days of quarantine and a negative Corona test is needed. The correct guidelines give the option for a 7 day quarantine and a negative test or just 10 days of quarantine. Nurse Nechama Moskowitz stated in an interview, “Ra-

maz chose 10 days without a test because we wanted to be more careful, but it was recommended by the New York state advisory.

We didn’t pull it out of the air, it is one of their recommendations.”

One junior said, “Ramaz is being more strict than the CDC.” In the end of the day, Ramaz is following CDC guidelines and doing their best to keep the student body safe. Nurse Moskowits continued by saying “We have also found many cases within our student body from travel.”

Raquel Dahan ’24 agreed with the Ramaz health advisory board, saying, “I think it’s very good their taking precautions, but I agree with their following of the CDC.” One student recommended that the school should create an informational session explaining their precautions: “I think that it makes sense but it’s also very difficult to learn on Zoom while everyone else is in school, even more than when everyone is on Zoom. I think that after big breaks the entire school should be on Zoom to make it easier for those who traveled,” he said.

There is a lot of misinformation on this subject and mixed views.

News 4

The Rampage

Decameron: Storytelling at Ramaz Continued From Page 1 She hopes that they can one day just start sharing more broad topics. She also hopes to find more ways to spread the word and encourage more people to join the sessions.

Rabbi Schiowitz loved this idea as a contrast to topics we study in school since he has a personal spin on every story. His true fascination with the project is that teachers and students are being welcomed to learn about each other and relate to one another on another level. They started off his portal by having a meeting with Judaic studies teachers sharing stories based on their religious connections. When he was first introduced to the project and started thinking more about the power of storytelling, he found it especially interesting that the Torah, which is supposedly the Judaic Lawbook, is not only a book of laws but rather a book of stories intertwined with laws and lessons. This deepened his interest in storytelling and his interest in the project as a whole.

At the beginning of the project launching, they started reaching out to students to lead different parts of the project. David Tarrab and Levi Lesches were recruited to create a website. Tarrab was excited and interested in the possibility of working with Lesches on a technological level and was eager to begin working on creating the website. Lesches was invited to lead the technology group and was especially eager to see how far he could push his

designed to be an immersive experience. Joyce Cayre is the head of the Junior Grade Glowfest and was excited to be involved. She especially loves the way that everyone is welcome to share their stories and experiences and learn more about each other.

They are currently focusing on broadening the project into different topics. Dr. Jucovy hopes for the project to expand even past non-fiction stories. He thinks that by creating stories from our imagination, not only can we learn more about each other, but we can move forward with the idea that the project is creative and artistic. Ms. Abramson thinks it’s important for people to share the more “random” stories they remember because there needs to be a reason they end up remembering certain things. She believes it’s important to figure out why we subconsciously remembered certain stories. She thinks it’s important for us to analyze these stories and figure out what lessons we can learn that our subconscious is hinting at.

Outside of the project, Dr. Jucovy and Ms, Rabhan have put together a senior mini-course completely based on the Decameron Project. Ms, Rabhan also introduced the “little book” project to her art classes. This is an assignment where every student is assigned a mini sketchbook and draws out their stories after introducing it with a

website/ app skills, since the only other app he created was designed to be useful, while this would be

sentence. The idea is to utilize a person’s memories and create art out of a story they enjoy telling.

April 2021/Iyar 5781

Rabbi Schiowitz also adopted the idea of storytelling for assemblies on Pesach, where people shared different traditions they followed at their personal seders.

Both Dr. Jucovy, and Ms. Litwack agree that despite the fact that the project was first introduced due to the outbreak of the pandemic, it would be beneficial for it to continue past the immediate crisis and to become an active feature of the Ramaz life. Dr. Jucovy also hopes that they can expand past just the current student body and faculty from contributing but also alumni and past personnel. The hope is for all parts of the Ramaz communitypast and present- to be involved since this is a project to expand horizons and learn life lessons. The camp fires will keep burning even as the school returns to its more traditional form.

Heard by the Herd Justice for Dr. Sarah Halimi

Ramaz students joined a protest on April 22 at the Consulate General of France to demand justice for Dr. Sarah Halimi, a Jewish woman murdered in her home in France.

The Ram Street Journal

The Ram Street Journal, Ramaz’s business and finance publication, had its first meeting on April 22. Writers can research and report on stories about Bitcoin, Tesla, and other business-related news.

RamLife’s New Website

Levi Lesches ’21, developer of the Ramaz student life app, has updated the app and created a new website: https://ramaz-go.web.app

April 2021/Iyar 5781

The Rampage

Features 5

each other, listened to each other.

They got to know each other much better,” explained Ms. Litwack.

“There were many breakthroughs.”

Despite the many advantages of the Harkness teaching method, some students refused to accept the alternate style of learning. According to Ms. Litwack, a small number of students attempted to transfer out of her class.

“They were angry with me,” she admitted.

“They wanted a traditional class where they could just take notes and write their papers. They didn’t want to be actively engaged.”

Undeterred by the small amounts of backlash she received, Ms. Litwack will continue to use the Harkness method, citing the benefits that her students obtained from her distinctive teaching style. Seeing as English class is a discussion-based subject at Ramaz, with varying levels of involvement, it would make sense to implement the Hark-

ness teaching style within the class. But what about implementing the method in other courses? Ms. Litwack might have the answer.

“I took a science class [that used the Harkness method],” she said. “I loved it. We went in, and were given a lab sheet, and were just told to do the lab, and then we had to come up with a theory [about the lab]. I got to hear all these theories, and the teacher guided us.

He watched us torture ourselves, trying to find the right answer, and we eventually came to an answer.

It was so much more interesting than just listening to a lecture; [the teacher] let us just figure it out.”

While implementing the Harkness method in other classes might not seem productive to some, there is no question that it would keep students engaged and interested in the class material.

Ms. Aviva Lieber, Assistant Director of Admisions said “This year we didn’t have half-day visits or mock classes at the open house. We chose to do a week of optional lessons, naming it PanoRAMa week. We had classes from every department. It was a huge success and we received great feedback.” Ms. Lipson said “Even after the pandemic, this is one of the components and activities we have done that will likely stick. It was truly a great opportunity for prospective students to gauge and understand our incredible community. It highlighted what Ramaz is known best for, its stellar academics.” Ramaz’s academic reputation is widely known and respected.

Many applicants and prospective parents say that the school’s top rating and ability to get students into top-tier schools is a major reason to choose Ramaz.

Education is great, and a child’s academic future is crucial, but something can be said for fun and the opportunities that surround the ‘high school experience.’ Ms Lipson said,”When people usually think of Ramaz, they think about students who care solely about academics. We like to show people, that we provide great education and so much more!”

However, many prospective applicants felt that the student experience was not presented, or if so, solely addressed the academic factor. “When they talked about high school and our schedules they only mentioned what we would be learning. I would have liked to have heard more about Ramaz programming and the many events they pride themselves on,” said Lindsay Chuback, a current 8th grader at the Ramaz Middle School.

In general, there was a lack of face-to-face get to know yous and introductions. Some teachers also felt this way. Designing a curriculum for a group of students who are all at different educational levels is a challenge in itself. Add that to the struggles of Zoom and no in-person interaction and it becomes astonishingly difficult. “It was my first time volunteering at the open house, and I enjoyed seeing the new faces of students who may come to

school next year.” said Ms. Grossman. However, she expressed how our current situation affected her teaching style and the ways it may have impacted students’ admission decisions, “especially in an English class, where participation and class discussion is key, a lot is lost in a virtual class” said Ms. Grossman.

With all the challenges and pressures that the administration and prospective students had to deal with, one has to wonder what the class of 2025 will actually look like. “It won’t be that different than a normal year,” says Ms. Lieber, “On average our incoming grade is usually composed of 50 percent Ramaz Middle School students and 50 percent coming from other schools. This year, however, it will likely be about 60-65 percent middle school students.”

What’s the reason behind this? Many prospective parents were wary of sending their children to a new school that they had never physically been to. Additionally, and reasonably so, public transportation is no longer a safe and reliable option in the eyes of many parents. The pandemic and subsequent lawlessness resulting from it have turned many New Yorkers off the subway system for good.

It would be difficult for new students, who

Features

Harkness: New Way of Teaching?

Continued From Page 1 about content. It’s about discussion skills, too,” said Ms. Litwack. “Even with my older students, I had to spend a lot of time setting up the classroom, and that was something that sometimes put me behind the other teachers.” However, the benefits of the Harkness teaching method ultimately outweighed the setbacks, in Ms. Litwack’s eyes.

“I thought that [the Harkness teaching style] was so empowering for students. They loved it, and they liked the spirit of the experiment. They were learning skills that were both life skills and academic skills. It’s important to learn how to behave in a discussion, and how you want to behave in a discussion, and what’s important to you. It was different,” she said.

The Harkness method allows for students to take control of their own learning process, and experience a learning environment that contrasts with their other classes.

“It became very personal. Kids who wouldn’t normally talk to each other, talked to each other, and kids who wouldn’t normally listen to

The Class of 2025 Sarah Silverman ’24

Ramaz has been through some dramatic changes in light of Covid-19, such as modified schedules, increased virtual learning, and many school trips being canceled. One quintessential element that was lacking this year was the presence of prospective Ramaz students and current eighth graders. These students are usually seen from September through January coming into classes and exploring the school’s clubs, activities, and model lessons. “ I was really looking forward to being a half-day buddy,” Ashley Behm ’24 said.

So how were these students able to learn about Ramaz and determine whether they should apply? For starters, “everything was done completely virtually this year,” said Ms. Shara Lipson, Director of Ramaz Upper School Admissions. “Some of the new students have never even stepped foot in the building” said Ms. Lipson. The administration stepped up to the challenge and utilized various strategies and activities to help these students learn about the Ramaz Experience.

Ramaz Class of 2024 befriending one another in October.

largely don’t live within walking distance from school, to take the subway for the first time. Especially since many have never even been in the building before. The long-term effects this will have on Ramaz and its community are only guesses and time will tell. However, despite all the challenges, the admissions process goes on and the team is already revving up to review next year’s applicants. The Ramaz Upper School is getting ready and prepared to welcome these students to our school. And who knows, they may even bring back chocolate chip cookies for their arrival.

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The Rampage

Dr. Rotenberg’s Omer Posts Rebecca Kalimi ’23

After our return from Pesach break, Dr. Rotenberg has been posting collages every day corresponding to the day of the omer. He posts these as daily “reminders” to count and keep up to date.

The first post he made was on the twelfth day of the Omer last year. He posted a picture of Tom Brady, whose jersey number is twelve, for Dr. Aharon (a Brady fan). Dr. Rotenberg was challenged by Mr. Deustch to continue these reminders for the rest of the Omer, which he did. “We were all home, and I thought it would be a nice way to remind everyone to count the omer with a nice touch”, said Dr. Rotenberg.

To create these “works of art”, Dr. Rotenberg uses Google Slides to compile different pictures that represent the same number. He started off working in Photoshop but quickly realized that it would be simpler to use Google slides. Once he is done compiling the collages, he exports each slide into a graphic file and posts the file on Schoology, along with the Hebrew line which needs to be recited each night to fulfill the mitzvah of counting the omer.

Dr. Rotenberg spends around an hour compiling and making these collages. When asked how long he takes to create each collage, he remarked “I’m embarrassed to answer that question since it can take an hour or more, which is why I try to include mostly reruns from last year.” He even adds in some personal touches to the collages, like private jokes between him and Rabbi Pianko, Dr. Aharon, or Mr, Deutsch. Dr. Rotenberg explained, “It’s definitely personal in the sense that everything I post is things I’m interested in, so all the early ones have space missions- all Apollo missions up to the 18th since there are no more after 18.” He also has a shared document with Mr. Deutsch and Dr. Aharon where they are welcome and encouraged to add in pictures they’d like to be featured, and ideas that they have for future posts.

On the nineteenth day of the Omer, David Gitleman ’22 and Brayden Kholer ’23 put together an entire collage and sent it to Dr. Rotenberg with the hopes of him posting it as the day’s reminder.

The idea came up after Gittleman sent Rachel Araten ’20 a collage that he made, including Garfield, the cartoon character, as a joke between him and his friends, but Araten confused Gittleman’s creation for one of Dr. Rotenberg’s official Omer posts. This gave Gitleman the idea to actually create an Omer post featuring Garfield. On the nineteenth day of the Omer, Araten discovered that on June 19, 1978, the first Garfield comic strip was published. He called Brayden and they quickly put together a collage the same way Dr. Rotenberg would do. They

April 2021/Iyar 5781

then sent it to him and were happy to hear that he would post it.

A l t h o u g h most of the Ramaz community is grateful to receive reminders to count the Omer every night, not all of the Ramaz teachers are Jewish. Mr. Letourneau sometimes uses his time to read through Dr. Rotenberg’s posts and take a look at the collages. Sometimes, when learning about a new religious event, he will either do some research on it or ask coworkers or students about them, but he does not usually invest so much time in understanding all the religious Schoology posts he encounters.

Dr. Rotenberg is planning on continuing with these posts until the end of the Omer this year, and hopefully next year, with a few tweaks to the process. Including having a “reference” table where he can look back and understand why certain pictures were placed in the collage, since not every reference has an obvious correlation with the number. He also welcomes any suggestions from the student body considering the posts started out as a fun way to keep the Ramaz community engaged and united during the pandemic.

David Gitleman ’22 and Brayden Kholer ’23’s “joke” Omer post for the ninteeth day of the Omer.

Dr. Rotenberg makes post for each night of the Omer using Google Slides.

April 2021/Iyar 5781

The Rampage

Ramaz Essential Workers

Features 7

Eric Kalimi ’22

After several months of a closed school building since the outbreak of Covid-19, in-person classes resumed in the building. The building that reopened this September looks incredibly different from the building that closed last year. Ramaz’s essential workers had to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances to open school safely and successfully. Here are some of the many dedicated staff who worked tirelessly to keep Ramaz functioning during the pandemic.

Mr. Cito Alicea

Mr. Alicea is the Upper School superintendent and a part of the maintenance department.

Considering safety concerns for the coronavirus, numerous changes to the school have made this year more difficult. Desks needed to be set up differently; rooms had to be made Zoom capable; sanitization became a top priority. Working through the new circumstances, Mr. Alicea still finds time to catch up with students to discuss current events or life. Mr. Alicea said, “The virus attacked us, as a family. It’s enlightening to take a step back to reevaluate our values of community. Work is work, but it’s always easier together.”

Mr. Dwight Johnson As a member of the building’s security, Mr. Johnson greets students and other staff members on their way in and out of the building with a smile. He and the rest of the security team constantly monitor and protect the Ramaz buildings from outside harm. With hybrid schooling, half of the students are in the building, but Mr. Johnson and the rest of the team are still hard at work. He said, “It’s a unique experience but we’re maintaining and doing the best we can. I think ultimately, we will reach our goals [in health, safety, and well-being].”

Nurse Nechama Moskowitz Because of the Covid safety precautions, Nurse Nechama has had to play a much more public role in helping run the school. In the morning, she comes in early since she has to verify that all the students are clear to enter the school building. Nurse Nechama also contacts parents to make sure it is safe for students to come to school after vacations, quarantines, and every day.

The Ramaz Upper School has her to thank for making sure that students and faculty stay safe from coronavirus.

SFAC: Now Open to All Nicole Hirschkorn ’22

SFAC, also known as the Student Faculty Administration Committee, has made recent strides to open the formerly exclusive group up to more students. When SFAC met in person, only G.O. members and certain faculty and administration members were allowed to attend and participate in the meetings. In the past, in order for a student to be able to attend they would have been required to email Ms. Benus, the chair of SFAC, in advance, and would not have been able to participate in the meetings, as written in the official SFAC guidelines. Students who were eager to attend were made aware that, “as a guest you will not be asked to give insight or participate in the conversation unless you are prompted to do so,” according to the SFAC rules.

However, this year’s Zoom forum has allowed for greater access to the committee’s meetings. To attend the SFAC meetings, students are still required to email Ms. Benus, but are encouraged to present on matters that they feel strongly about.

“We do our best to make sure that every student knows that they are welcome to attend SFAC and present on issues, if they want, but we

could be a little more aggressive in recruiting students to attend the meetings,” said Ms. Benus. “We already have had students come in and present on issues regarding the topics that are scheduled to be discussed.”

To ensure that there is transparency between the attending members of SFAC and the rest of the student body, the SFAC agenda is posted on the Schoology calendar before each meeting. In case students are not able to attend the SFAC meetings, G.O. presidents send out surveys asking students for their feedback on certain issues so that they can properly represent the students that elected them.

“I was on the G.O. in both 9th and 11th grade, and they [SFAC] have improved their efforts to include more students in meetings significantly,” said Rachel Freilich ’22, who is currently serving as the Associate Vice President of Communications on the G.O.

Many students have expressed their desire to attend the SFAC meetings or have already attended them, and are looking forward to par-

ticipating in SFAC in the future. “I did know that SFAC is open to all students,” said Brayden Serphos ’22. “I want to attend in the future, but I haven’t had a chance yet.”

While SFAC is now open for many more students to attend, the effects of this change are still yet to be seen.

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Saba’s Pizza

April 2021/Iyar 5781

Eric Kalimi ’22

Because of the close proximity to the school building, Saba’s Pizza is Ramaz’s go-to restaurant for teachers and students.

They offer a wide variety of pizzas, garlic knots, french fries, pasta, and beverages. Since students frequently go to Saba’s during free periods and after school, Ramaz students receive a special 10% student discount. William Schwartz ‘22 goes to the restaurant whenever he has the ability to leave for lunch. He said: “I appreciate the quality of Saba’s slices, but their specialty slices are even better.”

In a poll, students responded to questions about their pizza preferences, usage of the discount, and overall opinion about the venue. Two-thirds of the students prefer specialty slices or toppings over a plain slice. This reflects what William said about specialty versus regular slices; students prefer more elaborate slices than a plain pizza. The most popular topping among Ramaz students is olives, closely followed by mushrooms and penne. Five percent of students prefer Saba’s Kosher pepperoni slice. Students were also asked which spices they liked to add to their pizza, and the results were very close. Ramaz students use Red pepper flakes and oregano most frequently, closely followed by garlic. Only 11% of people choose to have their pizza without any spices. A third of the students always take advantage of the special Ramaz discount while another third never use it.

Overall, students ranked Saba’s pizza an average of 7½ out of 10. Ramaz students and faculty are very fortunate to have a well-liked pizza restaurant so close to the school (with a special discount).

33.3%

30.8% no

sometimes

35.9% yes

Ramaz Apparel: Arielle Butman ’21 and Lauren Lepor ’21’s Iconic Merch Coming Soon!

Sarah Ginsberg ’22

The Ramaz GO Apparel is coming soon!

Every year, it is exciting for students to buy GO Apparel and wear it throughout the school year.

During spirit week, sports games, and other Ramaz events, the GO Apparel is worn by all students creating a very festive aura. GO Apparel lasts years and siblings of Ramaz graduates continue to wear the apparel in college and even afterwards. Arielle Butman ’21 gave The Rampage the inside scoop of the making of this amazing merch and demonstrates that the production definitely more complicated than it appears.

Butman and Lauren Lepor ’21 are the designers of this year’s apparel. According to Butman, the team uses a website called Custom Ink to create their designs. They started designing around December and still have not released the apparel because much reviewing needs to be done before apparel is ready to be ordered. At first, Butman and Lepor were going to design socks, but instead designed headphones; ideas are always changing and

becoming more unique.

The first step on the website is to pick a piece of merchandise. Butman explained that this is a complicated process because “there are so many options!

Butman and Lepor decided to make crewnecks, hoodies, long-sleeve shirts, and are even considering selling sweatpants this year. Their goal is to create an entire outfit, head to toe, of Ramaz apparel.

Next, they chose the colors, which need to be versatile for both genders and those with different styles. Butman said, “We are looking for something different and trying to steer away from last year’s classic blue and yellow.” She said that they may create an all black hoodie and make the blue and yellow colors more subtle.

In addition, they must to decide if they are going to use the classic Ramaz Ram in their merch.

In creating GO Apparel, Butman and Lepor need to please all Ramaz students. Butman explained that the ram is controversial -- some people love it and some people hate it. They have not used the ram yet, but are thinking of maybe using it on their water bottle.

There are many details to decide on when making these clothing. Fonts, styles, colors, and designs are carefully considered and chosen by the designer duo. Arielle says she is “obsessed with playing around with the fonts.” Fonts are huge decisions to pick, which is a fun activity for the designers. They have also created different ways the words should be arranged, such as in triangle dimension, and they chose different colors to juxtapose others.

Once they have created a look, they show it to Gaby Ostad ’21, the student government’s Associate Vice President of Operations, who then recieves feedback from Rabbi Pianko. Butman explained that Custom Ink is really helpful because they never lose their work and can always go back and make small changes.

When purchasing the GO Apparel dont forget to give a big thanks to Butman and Lepor because they have devoted so much time and effort to create iconic apparel that is loved by all and never goes out of style.

April 2021/Iyar 5781

Astrology and Judaism

Emily Vayner ’23

The study of astrology dates back to 1,000 BCE in Babylon, originally believed to be the study of astronomy. Zodiac signs have evolved since then, but the study of astrology has persisted to the present. As horoscopes continue to trend in 2021, some might wonder, does believing in astrology conflict with Judaism?

Astrology is the pseudoscientific study of the stars’ position in the sky and their impact on people and world events. Those who believe in astrology believe that the position of the stars on the day of one’s birth determines many aspects of their temperament, personality, and life. In Western culture, Zodiac signs have gained popularity because of their alleged ability to tell us about ourselves and our futures.

The dispute of where astrology fits in with religion is controversial, even among religious scholars. Astrology is an important aspect of Hinduism (though it differs from Western astrology as we know it). Most Muslim scholars and sects agree that Islam forbids the study of astrology. In Christianity, particularly Catholicism, consulting zodiacs for predictive advice is seen as incompatible with their religious beliefs. Like the other two Abrahamic religions, does Judaism prohibit the study or belief in Zodiacs? It is a bit more complicated.

There is no debate in the Talmud around whether or not astrology is valid. It is agreed upon that the “constellation of the hour [of one’s birth] determines [one’s] nature” (Shabbat 156a). This debate centers on whether Jewish people are immune from the influence of the stars. Rabbi Chananiah states that “a constellation makes one wise and a constellation makes one wealthy, and there is a constellation for the Jewish people that influences them” (Shabbat 156a). Rabbi Yochanan and Rav Yehuda disagree and state that “there is no constellation for the Jewish people’’ (Shabbat 156a). Here, they mean that the Jewish people can change their destiny. Rav Yehuda gives the example of Abraham, who tells G-d that it was written in the constellations that he could not have a son, but G-d gave him one and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if you are able to count them; and He said unto him: So shall your offspring be’’ (Gen-

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esis 15:5). The Rabbis interpret this to mean that the Jewish people are not subject to the rules of astrology.

With all the rave about astrology, we decided to ask a Rabbi, several students with strong opinions on astrology, and a science teacher for their thoughts on the topic with regard to Judaism.

Rabbi Albo said that his personal views with regard to astrology simply do not exist. He says that he believes that he is “a tiny person who knows nothing, and when it comes to these kinds of things, [he] turns towards the Torah because that is what G-d gave [him].” He finds comfort in “the privilege to stand on the shoulders of giants like Hashem and our Rabbis and therefore my answer will be as they say.” Rabbi Albo believes that astrology is unreliable, both theologically and scientifically, and says that Judaism does not promote nonsense or time-wasting things, and that this sort of superstition borders on Avodah Zarah. “Our scientific understanding [of the stars] has changed since the times of the Talmud and that is how we know that it was partially allowed in those times.”

Alisa Gleyzer ’23 believes that “your astrological chart says a lot about who you are as a person and the way that you act. It may tell you interesting aspects about yourself; how grounded, irritable, or sensitive you are.” However, she also does not “believe in daily horoscopes, especially the ones telling you what’s going to happen throughout the day.” With regard to Judaism, she said, based on her “minimal knowledge of the topic in scripture,” the issue that daily horoscopes may present surrounds the idea of free will and the inclination to do certain things (potentially including indulging the yetzer harah).

Brayden Kohler ’23, on the other hand, offered a completely different insight on astrology: “I think it’s a horrible taint on society. The idea that my personality and life events are restricted to planets is rationally absurd.” He likens it to a restriction upon his free will, and even nears magical and fantastical in some aspects. “I’m a Pisces. Apparently, I should have empathy, generosity, and be unique. Of course, I have those traits! But who in their right mind would argue and say they don’t!?”

With regard to Judaism, Kohler finds it “extremely sad that [astrology] has found its way into many religious texts,” which he assumes is because of “Hellenistic influences.” He also cites “prominent leaders such as Rambam and Rabbi Yosef Karo who recognize that it is not in accordance with our law.”

Kohler’s opinion is that astrology is almost Avodah Zarah and following what a horoscope says can lead one to violating the commandment to not worship idols by following the horoscope blindly. “But even if you believe that these planets have some godly force that can determine your day is just like saying that a statue can bring you wealth, mimicking the action of believing in false gods. Theologically, it makes no sense.” To the argument that Hashem is the contributing force in how the planets align and how we interpret them, he argues that following astrology is irrational and takes away freedom of choice, and people read into it what they want to, which “leads to Avodah Zarah, [and] that’s when I get bothered.”

Lily Kress ’23 believes that astrology does affect people in numerous ways but she does not believe that they “make or break’’ your personality.

“When someone thinks of their zodiac sign, they usually just consider their sun sign, and when they find that it doesn’t directly ‘match’ their personality, they claim zodiacs are fake. There are lots to consider that can serve as a bit of an explanation as to why a sun sign doesn’t really suit someone. I like the idea that when someone is feeling a little lost, astrology is a nice place to turn.” With regard to Judaism, Kress thinks that believing in astrolo-

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gy or using crystals is not a form of Avodah Zarah, but that they can work hand in hand; “astrology is not an all-knowing power- if anything it’s a form of support.”

When she comes across something where the answer “because of G-d” does not satisfy, she finds comfort in thinking that it may be because of the stars. “In Judaism, there is sometimes a strong belief that ‘if I’m right, it means you’re wrong,’ meaning that if one were to express their beliefs about astrology, in some Jewish communities they would be seen as an advocate of Satan, just because they enjoy having a tangible idea of comfort. I personally don’t think that there is any conflict between Judaism and astrology.”

Dr. Rotenberg said, “I have no connection or particular interest in astrology besides knowing the signs of the Zodiac in Hebrew and not in English. I think it’s simply narishkeyt”the Yiddish word for “foolish. He commented that the phrase that Jews use at fortunate events, “mazal tov,” is actually in reference to the constellations.

“There are mentions in Scripture of planets and constellations and time of birth affecting your fate in life somehow. This argument seems to be confirming that there are real forces in the world but what is in question is if they affect Jews.” He also noted that in Polish and other ancient Ashkenaz synagogues, the decorations often include Zodiac mosaics.

Dr. Rotenberg posits that there are two polar ways to look at astrology through a quote from Jeremiah 10:2-3: “Thus said the LORD: Do not learn to go the way of the nations, And do not be dismayed by portents in the sky; Let the nations be dismayed by them!” He interprets this to mean since Jews should not follow the ways of non-Jews, astrology might exist in some form, but it might not apply to Jews. “But this pasuk continues to say, ‘For the laws of the nations are delusions’- maybe astrology is just foolish after all.” Dr. Rotenberg concluded that “it is difficult to say as a blanket statement that astrology and Judaism conflict, but what I do know that every person you ask will have a different answer based on whatever Judaic background they have.”

Commemorating and Celebrating the Yoms Features 10

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Alex Paul ’23

Jews and Israelis around world board an emotional roller coaster and experience feelings such as devastation, anger, and utter elation all within one week: the week of Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron, and Yom Haatzmaut. Even though Ramaz is over 5,000 miles away from Israel, the Ramaz faculty and administration work hard each year to ensure that the students experience these same emotions. Through a number of programs, speakers, and events, students at the high school hear stories of resilience, bravery, and ultimate sacrifice on all three of these days.

The Yamim began with Yom Hashoah. Students had the privilege of hearing from Ms. Bronia Brandman, a holocaust survivor. Ms. Brandman told the inspiring and heartbreaking story of her life during the war. Students were shocked as she recounted the conditions she was forced to live in and the efforts she made to survive. “They wanted to murder all of the existing Jews. Let’s not forget it.” Her powerful words were ones that students carried with them far after the assembly was over. Talia Leifer ’23 felt particularly impacted by her words. She said, “I was fortunate to hear Ms. Brandman’s story multiple years in a row and it really never gets old. It still amazes me and it is a very eye opening story. I hope I am able to keep hearing this story about the amazing miracles performed so she could survive.”

Following Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron events began. Students attended an assembly in

which they heard accounts from different people Spirits rose as Yom Haatzmaut festivities who had siblings perish while serving in the Israeli began. For the first time in a year, all army. Jordan Mittler ’22 was an organizer of this four grades of Ramaz Upper School event and felt that this was a particularly import- were able to come in-person. Stuant perspective to hear. He said, “Yom Hazikaron dents entered on Thursday, April is usually planned by the Hebrew department, and 15 decked out in white and each hebrew teacher has a segment that they put blue. Following suit, the together that follows a theme. This year, the theme lobby was decorated with was people who had siblings killed while serving in banners and Israeli flags. the army and their responses and how they expe- Students were especially rienced it, which they thought was a different feel excited that they had the opfrom having a parent or child who died.” Mittler portunity to see friends from explained that because of Covid, fewer soldiers other grades. were killed, so there was not as long of a list of Though the weaththose who were murdered as there usually is. Mor er did not permit the Cohen spoke about her sister who had been going usual dancing through her first year of training and when she was on 78th Street, performing a routine inspection on some citizens, students enshe was killed after halting them. The Cohen fam- joyed differily later found out that the men that she stopped ent “sessions” had a bomb that was big enough to kill hundreds with faculof people.“The speaker was amazing and I thought ty, in which that that was a beautiful part of the program,” said they spoke Mittler. about Isra The assembly concluded with a rendition el and what of Hatikvah that was sung by members of the Ra- the counmaz chamber choir. Mittler explained, “Usually one try means person sings it, however I thought that it would be to them. nice to have everyone sing to have a more concrete, Many stuinteractive experience and it was really nice to conclude the program with that.” It was apparent that C o n t i n u e d students appreciated the time and effort both the on Page 13 Ramaz faculty and students put into the assembly.

Interview with Holocaust Survivor, Bronia Brandman Emily Vayner ’23

On Thursday, April 8, in honor of Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, The Ramaz Upper School welcomed Bronia Brandman.

Ms. Brandman is a 90-year old Jewish Holocaust survivor who has dedicated her life to educating others on the Holocaust, as anti-Semitism continues to spread today. She was born in Jaworzno, Poland, in 1931.

S o o n after the war b e g an , M s .

April 2021/Iyar 5781

Brandman and her family were sent to concentration camps, where she would never see her family members again. Her Zoom presentation began by defining the severity of the number of deaths during the Holocaust, which is unimaginable and quite intangible.

She spoke of her family and her idolized sister Mila while explaining how her life quickly changed from joyfully singing “London Bridge” in her backyard to one of the largest genocides of all time. As the last generation able to hear from Holocaust survivors, over 325 Ramaz students kept open ears when listening to Ms. Brandman.

EV: During your presentation, you spoke about how during the Holocaust, The New York Times relegated an article about the war to the back page, while an article on tennis shoes made the front page.

Additionally, now that people are a d v o c at ing for m i nority groups

through the media, Jews are frequently forgotten in this activism. What would you say to today’s youth about how they should take action when seeing Jews being silenced?

BB: I think Ramaz students are prepared to be active because they are highly intelligent.

They wouldn’t be admitted if they weren’t. I think overall, in the United States, there is a herd mentality. People do the same thing just because others are also doing the same thing. Some politicians spout anti-Semitism and hate today. Social media platforms are filled with anti-Semitism. We even have universities that are anti-Semitic. The media is very biased.

This becomes a problem when you treat any single source like a Bible, especially when that source manufactures facts. People should read the media that comes out of Israel.

Some people are scared to speak up, but that is not what a democracy is or is supposed to be. Intelligent people should not accept that. Words can kill, as we saw in the Holocaust.

EV: Many countries have been criticized in retrospect for failing to address the rise in anti-Semitism in Europe during

April 2021/Iyar 5781 the decades leading up to the Holocaust. How do you think international governments, particularly those of Allied countries, should have acted?

BB: European countries were very anti-Semitic.

Some Non-Jews risked their lives to save Jews, and I call them saints, but that was a fraction of one percent. So we make a big deal of it because it was a huge sacrifice. In 1938, there was a conference of 38 countries to answer the question, what could we do to help the Jews. Absolutely nothing came out of it. Can you imagine 38 countries meeting, knowing what was at stake for humanity? And getting away with making no commitment, even though the world knew the Jews were being murdered in cold blood. Other countries even reduced the immigrant quota during this time so fewer people could enter.

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EV: Currently, Uyghur Muslims are being tortured in Chinese camps. Over one to three million are currently detained. It seems to be paralleling the Holocaust, yet not much change is being initiated. When I first heard about this, I was furious that the world was quiet after we promised: “Never Again.” What would you recommend the youth, as well as government officials, do to take a stand against this?

BB: I don’t believe the world should allow anyone to do this, but an awful lot is going on that we had no control over. China is not a democracy. It’s a socialist country. They regulate and decide every-

thing, and unfortunately, America does not have much say. You are dealing with a country that is implacable. We do not know what steps yet the Biden administration will take. I don’t know whether we have the same leverage with China as we did with Continued on Page 13

Alma Matters

From Ramaz to the IDF: Interview with Olivia Schwartz ’17 Charles Spielfogel ’21

Each year, a few brave Ramaz seniors make the decision to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Olivia Schwartz ’17 was one of these graduates. In celebration of Yom Haatzmaut, The Rampage interviewed Schwartz about her service from August 2017 to February 2019 as a Magav (border police).

CS: What inspired you to join the IDF? OS: My journey to the IDF started when I was 6 years old, at the Moriah School in Englewood. We embarked on an imaginary trip to Israel. We drew fake passports, boarded a cardboard ELAL plane, and exited directly at the Kotel. It was there that I declared that when I grew up I would be a soldier to protect the Kotel. As I grew older, I spent a great deal of time with my great grandmother, who is a Holocaust survivor. She and my Great grandfather married on the steps of Bergen Belsen after she was liberated from there and my great grandfather was liberated from Auschwitz. They were the only members of their families to survive the Holocaust, and immigrated to America to start a new life. She instilled in me that life in this country was more than just an opportunity; it was a responsibility to live on for all those who had been taken. I’ve always felt a need to fulfill my responsibilities to my Jewish heritage. BeEzrat HaShem I will make Aliyah one day.

CS: Did you start your service right after graduating?

OS: I flew to Israel straight to my pre-army program the night of Prom (after attending of course) CS: What unit were you in and what did you do?

OS: My Unit was Magav (Mishmar HaGvul), which is “Border Police,” my job was to guard borders over the “green line.” We are the counter-terrorism, riot control, and tactical day-to-day law enforcement branch of the Israeli Defense Force and of the Police Force. Our job is to ensure security essentially anywhere Jews and Muslims live next to each other, as, for exam-

constant push to move forward--especially when it seemed I couldn’t take another step--changed me.

CS: What lone solOS: The dier has

ple, in Hebron, Ramallah, Jenin, Jericho, and the Old City, where I was stationed. Besides ensuring the safety of all inhabitants of the Old City, I was tasked with finding solutions and compromises, helping the members of both of these great historic religious traditions as they struggle to coexist. My platoon consisted of 150 young men and, for the first time in its history, 15 young women.

CS: Can you tell us a little bit about basic training?

OS: I was captain of the JV basketball team here at Ramaz but no amount of practice could have prepared for the rigors of combasic training. A typimight begin at three and end at twelve AM. in between we didn’t running, doing pushups, crawling and target practice with our M16s. The

was it like being a dier? typical Israeli solfamily members to share these experiences with, because they too have experienced these life altering situations. As a Chayelet Bodedah I was blessed to have the Lone Sol-

dier Center in me mor y of Michael Levin. While an Israeli soldier can fall into bed for the weekend after a rough twelve-day training cycle and have their parents take care of everything, I had to face all the chores myself—from two weeks of laundry, to cooking before Shabbat, to paying all my bills. The Lone Soldier Center gave me and nine other female lone soldiers a home. And even though we were called “chayalim bodedim,” which literally translates to mean “alone” soldiers, we were never alone. m e b a t cal day A M And stop

CS: What did you do on a daily basis?

OS: Over the course of a regular day I was pelted by rocks, fireworks, and Molotov Cocktails.

Unfortunately, sometimes there were irregular days when there were terrorist attacks…. It was Tuesday, Continued on Page 12

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Olivia Schwartz ’17: IDF Soldier Continued From Page 11

dier Center.

the day before Yom Kippur. I was sleeping on base, which is in the Muslim Quarter. A soldier came running into my room screaming that there was a stabbing and we needed to engage immediately. I strapped on my vest and helmet, grabbed my M16, and with my heart racing, I sprinted faster than ever before, directly to Damascus Gate to close off the scene. I had to stay focused but I kept wondering which ones of my friends were there, and if they were alive, or badly injured. Fortunately this time, there were only light injuries. There were other times when it was worse, including when I lost Yosef, a friend and fellow Lone Soldier 3 days after we lit Chanukah candles together at The Lone Sol-

CS: What was the most meaningful part?

OS: Knowing I was here, protecting my homeland each and everyday.

Schwartz practicing shooting in 2018

CS: Looking back, are you happy you were in the army?

OS: While the army was tough, it was the fulfillment of a dream I’d had since I was a little girl. I cannot imagine my life without having served.

CS: How has the army changed you?

OS: I am currently a pre-law political science major at Stern College for Women. I learned so much during my service. During my service I’ve seen di-

Schwartz at the Kotel

Chemical Reactions Club Rebecca Silber ’23

The new Chemical Reactions Club, founded by Claudia Dicker ’23 and Shira Shasha ’23, gives students the opportunity to explore the field of chemistry beyond the classroom. Every week, the founders, with the help of the club’s faculty advisor, chemistry teacher, Rabbi Blaustein, prepare a unique and interactive chemical reaction for students to explore. The club focuses on combustion reactions, which are some of Dicker and Shasha’s favorite reactions to do. A combustion reaction is a reaction that must involve oxygen as a reactant and releases energy in the form of light and heat.

Dicker and Shasha were so fascinated by the topic of combustion when it was first introduced in chemistry class, that they begged Rabbi Blaustien to incorporate more combustion experiments into class. When Rabbi Blaustein jokingly responded “so make a club for it,” Dicker and Shasha knew that this was their mission. Immediately after class, the two began laying the groundwork for the new

Chemical Reactions Club.

Although forming new clubs is often difficult, Shasha explains that she and Dicker had a smooth journey. The two received the green light from Dov and enlisted Rabbi Blaustien as the club’s supervisor. In an effort to come up with innovative reactions, Shasha followed a chemistry Tik Tok account, which has since inspired her and Dicker. A few experiments that the club has performed include: inflating balloons with baking soda and vinegar, and making homemade alka-seltzer lava lamps.

The club chairs creators found ways to use Zoom in a creative manner, including pre-recorded reactions performed with Rabbi Blaustein. For example, they created “elephant’s toothpaste” — a huge foamy substance caused by the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. They also created a combustion reaction using potassium chlorate and a piece of candy.

Dicker explained that although the club has not yet received approval to host any in-per-

April 2021/Iyar 5781

versity and all its wonderful intricacies. I’ve seen the face of hatred and despair. In the face of both, I’ve managed to preserve a sense of optimism and compassion, which I believe is a tremendous moral victory, and a positive sign for our collective future.

I’ve faced my own fears in combat situations and discovered that I have what it takes to rise to the occasion. I’ve learned that the only barriers to my aspirations, gender or otherwise, are ones I create in my own mind.

The Rampage appreciates the dedication and devotion of Olivia Schwartz ’17 all the IDF soldiers and thanks them for ensuring that we have a Jewish homeland.

Schwartz in her uniform as a Magav (border police)

son meetings, she and Shasha remain hopeful that soon the club will soon meet live, allowing students to fully engage in chemical reactions. The pair have a bunch of new ideas in store, including fire-filled combustion reactions, so stay tuned and check out the Chemical Reactions Club!

April 2021/Iyar 5781

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Continued From Page 10

could have been a bit more interactive. “I was really looking forward to the Moadon celebration, but I was a little disappointed that the day was mostly videos. Overall, I think the day was fun, especially the food trucks that were brought later in the day.”

Students who were online felt as though their experience was mostly fulfilling and enjoyable, but yearned for the celebratory feeling that could only be attained by attending school in-person. Andrew Spielfogel ’23 said, “Being stuck at home for Yom Haatzmaut was definitely a different experience. The online assemblies were great, listening to stories about the speakers’ connections to Israel, though I felt something was missing--that energy

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The Yamim at Ramaz: Hybrid Learning Style dents participated in a video that consisted of a series of interviews in which grandparents or parents were interviewed about their time or a loved one’s time serving in the IDF. Following, Moadon Haatzmaut took place on Zoom. Students from each grade came together to bring joy to the student body through performance, whether it be by singing, dancing, or playing instruments.

However, some students who attended school in-person that day felt as though they had been missed out on the full Yom Haatzmaut experience.

Jonathan Licht ’23 thought that perhaps the day

of the whole school singing, dancing, and celebrating Israel. I really do wish I could have been in-person for that excitement, because you just can’t replicate that experience at home, watching from a computer.” The in-person day ended with ice cream and falafel from delicious food trucks, which were observably enjoyed by nearly all of the students attending that day.

All in all, students seemed to collectively feel that Ramaz handled the more morose Yamim in a delicate way, while still allowing each portion of the day to feel significant and meaningful. When it came to Yom Haatzmaut, no celebration was spared, and overall, students enjoyed each and every part of it.

Interview with Ms. Bronia Brandman Continued From Page 11

Russia. I think it’s very sad.

EV: Most of my grandmother’s family died during the Holocaust during Babi Yar in Ukraine. Like many others from Europe, my family has a shortage of pictures of our family members. During your presentation on Yom Hashoah, I couldn’t help but wonder how you were able to keep the many photos of your family members, siblings, parents, and of course, Mila throughout the Holocaust?

BB: I did not have as much as a pin from home, let alone pictures. Everything was taken away from us.

The only possession I had for two years was a bowl and wooden clogs. I had nothing else. For some reason, these pictures were kept by a cousin who was a soccer player who lived in Vienna. He was very well-trained. When Nazis were beating the Jews, he would beat the Nazis back. If he were found, they would hang him on a tree. He was forced to escape Vienna. He escaped to Italy, then Portugal, and eventually America. He was very family-minded. He was the one who brought my brother and

me over to America. We lived with him in a spare room in his apartment. He worked two shifts to support us. He is why I am able to show pictures of my family. He has an extensive array of family pictures, cousins, second cousins, and rabbis that were part of our family of achievers. It is amazing.

EV: When do you recommend that parents, both Jewish and Non-Jewish, should begin educating their children about the Holocaust, as it is an important yet distressing topic?

BB: Theoretically, you can start young. First grade is too young, but there are children’s books that are geared to early students. It’s a matter of opinion and probably depends on the child as well. I did not speak about it for 50 years, did not say a word.

I could not laugh for 25 years, and I still cannot cry in the face of adversity. I think you should start early because children are receptive. You gear it to the age of the child. I don’t think they have the concept of understanding fully what it was like. You can tell

by some of their questions. It can start at age 10 or 11 for sure.

EV: What inspired you to write your book, The Girl Who Survived? Why did you specifically tailor it towards youth? What was the most challenging aspect of writing it for this audience?

BB: Before I began speaking about the Holocaust, I was a volunteer gallery educator for a long time, because as a survivor, I had first-hand experience. I was 12 when I came to Auschwitz, so I am a unique survivor. Once, when I was a gallery educator, a group of teachers from New Jersey came, and it was my turn to take them around. One of them heard my story and decided that she must write a book about my experiences. First of all, I did not think I had the capability of writing. Second of all, I didn’t think it would be ever published. But she was a big optimist, so she felt that she’d find a way of publishing it. So, we spent a lot of time together when she interviewed me. I corrected the parts where she was mistaken. And then, she wrote the book, and she decided to write it for ninth graders. She did all of the writing and was responsible for publishing it. It was published by Scholastic, which was good because it reached children in school.

EV: There are numerous statistics stating the insufficient education regarding the Holocaust; 60% of Millenials do not know Auschwitz existed, and 1 in 8 Americans haven’t even heard of the Holocaust. Given this information, what do you think the United States’ school systems should do in order to educate the youth on the Holocaust better?

How and when should it be approached in their curriculums?

BB: It should be part of the curriculum because nothing had ever happened on that scale in history.

The population should be aware of what humans are capable of. We should prevent that from happening again. People must learn that words can kill, and they did. Jews were compared to an infestation of bugs; by reading that in newspapers, people started to see Jews as bugs and not people.

We have to counter this by appreciating humanity.

Jews have been hugely successful in improving the world: Einstein and endless other scientists.

EV: The American Jewish community experienced the highest level of anti-Semitic incidents last year since tracking began in 1979, with more than 2,100 acts of assault, vandalism, and harassment reported across the United States, according to new data from ADL. Given the rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes recently, what would you say to today’s bystanders after witnessing the atrocities of the Holocaust?

BB: I have a choice. I can be negative, but it’s not going to be good for me. I also could decide to live positively. I cannot change the past. I cannot predict the future; the only thing is now. And the healthy way is to approach life; I think it’s a Jewish way, is to be positive and hope that things will be well. You have to be positive for self-preservation. I must tell you; I am very proud of us Jews. Just think — anyone named Cohen or similar to that has the same genes as the original ancient clergy 3,000 years ago. In spite of the fact that we were being

persecuted practically in every generation, there is genetically something very vital and very important about still being here, and we still thrive. Look at Israel — despite being threatened with terrorism and murder, they thrive, and they produce things the whole world benefits from. They are an oasis of democracy. How can they live this way? Positivity.

I am very proud of Ramaz students. I want to see them rescuing us in the future.

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“What Happened to Bees” Interview Continued From Page 2

and security of Leydy Pech and Gustavo Huchín and in relation to the community as they found a way to fight against government and businesses in a non-violent way. I wanted to represent Indeginous women in this type of case where women actively participate in decisions. I think it is a way of demonstrating and empowering women in our communities where their voice is necessary. On the other hand, having someone like Gustavo as one of our protagonists was perfect for the documentary because he conveyed emotions of empathy to the public. Because of his nature people are able to understand his love for bees and the environment.

It is an honor to have him with us now and in the documentary.

LACC: What motivated you to fight for the Mayan Community lands’ rights?

GH: They were killing bees in my municipality and it was hurting me a lot. I had to initiate the fight against the killing of the bees. Bees are very good for the economy. We send our children to school, buy clothes, and are able to put food on the table because of them. The Mayan people love nature, so I could not stand by and do nothing.

LACC: Can you please talk about the impact of transgenic crops on our ecosystem, public health, economy and Mayan Heritage?

GH: Killing the bees has a tremendous impact on our economy. I don’t know what would happen to the economy with the death of the bees. Aside from the economic aspect, which is huge, is the health part of this. A lot of the pesticides in the field that are killing the bees are also killing people; the glyphosate can cause Cancer. The toxins contaminate the water. Anywhere you go, you do not know what you’re drinking. We need to take care of our families — my grandchildren, my nieces and nephews, everyone. My grandparents instilled in me caring for the bees. It’s part of me, I feel very connected to nature. If the bees disappear, not only do they die, but also the Mayan community and our heritage.

April 2021/Iyar 5781

LACC: Can you please talk about the laws and rights to buy and cultivate the land in Mexico? Who are the Mennonites? Why are they allowed to cultivate transgenic soy in Mayan land? What is the State of Mexico doing in order to eradicate this problem?

GH: The Mexican government only cares about producing grains and the economic factor of this situation, not caring about if the toxic chemicals kill the bees. They care more about what it could produce than the actual agriculture that has been passed down from generation to generation. The Mennonite heritage is German, and the state of Mexico allows them to buy the land because the Mayans cannot buy the land. They feel they are entitled to harvest anything that they want.

It is a big business for them regardless of the harm they are doing to the bees or the pollination of the crops. Many of my friends, the members in my communities, have lost crops and have lost bees.

They have been displaced as farmers to the city to make a living in anything.

GH: The laws in Yucatan are very weak and practically nonexistent. The government is the one with the real power to buy and sell and choose who gets the land. The mennonites have a lot of money and also a lot of the machinery to come in and buy land.

The government is the one that allows it to have it. They have an agreement with the government that they are very active in acquiring land, but not in politics. Mennonites are originally German but then moved to Canada and then Mexico and other Latin American areas, like Venezuela, Argentina, Columbia.

LACC: What other pesticides are used in crops?

Are there other transgenic crops such as African Palm Tree and Sorghum affected?

GH: Not only are Mennonites causing deforesta-

tion, but they have made absorption wells, where many of the farmers in the community have not been able to get the water. Besides the bees, the Mayans have tried to complain to the authorities, but no one is listening to them. They have not been fined. There are no repercussions to the community. There are many other pesticides and herbicides that are used.

LACC: Can you please talk about any proposal that the Mayan Communities Leaders would like to implement as a precise and more effective sustainable development?

GH: We’re already proposing to use more organic cultivation. We are not going to use any more chemical fertilizers, and reduce the use of pesticides. They’ve been doing this for two years already, especially with products like corn and beans. With beekeeping, we are also only doing it through natural means. We grind natural garlic to keep away pests. In Calisco, Mexico, they’ve already had positive results with the natural fertilizers.

LACC: How can an individual keep the right to pursue his or her beliefs when a State and many other people are against you?

AO: It’s very difficult to fight for what one believes when there are so many barriers that stand in the way. The Mayan community has been fighting for ten years. Talking with them, they told us they were very tired. It was very disappointing that the authorities did not enforce the law, and the people continued to use pesticides and grow transgenic crops in Mayan soil. However, when the community realized that people like us were taking an interest in the issue and that we support them in this struggle, which is not just their struggle but of all of us. That is a way of transmitting strength to them to continue. Ancient grain motivation, as Mr. Gustavo said, is precisely the question about the natural heritage that we are living. For example, to you who are young and going to be interested in giving the best to your children and generations that come. If we get involved in the struggling our communities face, I am sure we will achieve great results.

LACC: How can we become exemplary and fair community activists? How can we help you?

Cartoon by Raffi Sobel ’23

GH: We have to be able to learn how to speak up, and have to be brave and stand up for what we believe in in our community. The toxic chemicals that they consume through food is bad for the people, the bees, the water, and the environment so it is important to learn how to speak up after being educated after learning about pesticides.

Now that you students have learnt about this, I urge you to take a stand for whatever it is you believe in.

April 2021/Iyar 5781

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Opinions

Advisory Is Necessary Rachel Freilich ’22

When students walk into the Ramaz Upper School on their first day of high school, the advisory meeting is one of the first places that they are able to meet faculty and their peers. Yet, as Ramaz students move onto sophomore and junior year, advisory becomes less of a constant. Is advisory really helpful and truly necessary after your first few days at Ramaz? I would argue that advisory is certainly important for all Ramaz Upper School students!

In freshman year, Ramaz students are divided into groups of approximately ten students as advisees for one faculty member. Beginning in 2019, many administrators became advisors for the freshman grade; was this a good choice? I posit that this structure helps freshmen adjust more easily to their new school environment. The sixth floor office may feel intimidating to freshmen when they initially walk through the halls of Ramaz. It seems like a place that should be off limits-a place that you would only go to if you were in trouble. After being selected for Ms. Krupka’s advisory, I learned that the sixth floor office was not only home to the

administrators, but also a welcoming environment for students. Without having an administrator as a freshman advisor, students would fear the office and would not benefit from having a close relationship with the administration. Furthermore, having an administrator as a freshman advisor helps to resolve new students’ issues more quickly. The administrators are able to enact changes more efficiently since they do not need to meet with another teacher as a go-between. Additionally, administrators have access to the scheduling system. This makes it less stressful for freshmen to alter their schedules when necessary.

Advisory serves as a safe space for students and a place where they can go to express their concerns, complaints and other issues that they may be having. Without constant access to an advisor, most students would be keeping their thoughts to themselves, rather than speaking their mind. Even when there is an issue that seems impossible to change, communicating their sentiments to a faculty member makes students feel better, since they are being heard. For example, this year, some juniors were furious that they were not able to return to school

Opinions 15

in-person on Fridays. Since this was an issue that required an enormous amount of scheduling, planning and adherence to coronavirus guidelines, it was unlikely that juniors would be able to return on Fridays. Yet, this did not deter the juniors from voicing their concerns to their advisors. If juniors did not have a relationship with their advisors or a built in forum to have dialogue, students would keep their frustrations to themselves and would eventually displace their anger on others at a different time. Advisory provides the space for students to ask questions that they may not have the opportunity to ask in other classes.

Advisory periods also serve as a place to check in with other students who may not share the same schedule as yourself. It is a protected space, free from the stressors of other classes. In addition, it is a time that vital information and programming may be shared. An advisor may also use these periods to have meaningful conversations about school and things going on outside of school. These advisory periods are crucial for the well-being of each grade. As a result, we should advocate for more advisory periods.

Virtual College Touring: Not Cutting It Ethan Davidovitch ’22

At this point in a normal year, many juniors have already visited colleges they are considering applying to. But this year, juniors can only learn about the schools piquing their interest online, and to put it bluntly: the online tours and programs are not enough. Obviously, where you apply to college is a big decision to make. The fact that you may apply to a school Early Decision in October without ever being to that school is a thought that makes many uneasy, as it should.

At the beginning of this school year, I began doing virtual college tours to start narrowing down

NYU Virtual Tour

Binghamton Virtual Tour

my options. At one tour, I thought that the process would be an insightful experience, the tours illuminating clear choices that would show the schools that catered to my wishes. But after the second tour and the third tour and the fourth

and the ten more after that, every college started to seem the same.

Each college uses the same software, called YouVisit, that brings you around campus as you click along. During most of these tours, a student talks to you in a pre-recorded message, explaining what you’re seeing on your screen. After 10-15 tours, they all blend together. The architecture of each college looks the same, the scenery becomes scenic no longer, and most importantly, you are unable to discern what each individual college is really like. And although because of the pandemic, colleges have invested more into their virtual offerings, these tours do not distinguish schools from each other.

The best available way to learn more about an individual college is through Zooms that colleges have been holding. Ask me Anything’s (AMAs) and information sessions are the crucial way for a college to put their best foot forward, showing prospective students like myself what their school has to offer. The main reason these Zoom sessions are so important is because most of them are student run; in other words, you actually get to interact with someone who goes to the school you’re interested in. Contrary to some Zooms run by admissions officers, who tend to give rosy and unspecific answers to many questions, students are more likely to be straightforward and detailed about their school experience. Additionally, they have been students more recently and can more accurately describe the contemporary college experience.

The worst part about travel to college campuses being limited is that you don’t get to feel out the school. At the end of the day, the most important thing about college is the exposure to new people and new ideas in a new place. If you can’t get a feel of what the new people in the new place are going to be like, then how will you know to go to that school? This is the issue most concerning to myself and other juniors.

On the bright side, the CDC recently announced that at least half of the US population above 18 has now received their first dose of the vaccine. Thus, college campuses– many this summer, and most others to follow by the fall– will reopen

Maryland University virtual college visit with Ramaz in 2020

for official tours. Michigan Virtual Tour This may prove just in time for juniors still deciding where to ED, and will also be important for colleges to up their recruiting efforts.

For now, though, the best way to learn about a school is to visit its campus in an unannounced fashion. With many colleges having students on campus already, now is a great time to visit to get a sense of what a school is like while in session. Especially if you know a student that can give you a tour themselves, visiting campus is the premier way to understand a school’s vibe. Of course, a summer visit is better than no visit at all, but the best time to visit a school is while students are on campus.

The next best thing, which most, including myself, have been doing thus far, is the aforementioned Zoom information sessions. Simple to sign up for, these sessions are currently the most common way people are learning about schools they’re interested in, and I would recommend them to anyone.

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April 2021/Iyar 5781

Ramaz Round Table

Should Ramaz enforce a uniform for students?

Emily Vayner ’23 Ramaz’s dress co de has always be a perfect mixtu en re of tradition and modernity Both girls and bo . ys dress codes off er a clean and pr sentable look, al l while allowing esense of fashion students to expl and style. By es or e th eir ta feel as though th blishing a unifor ey are confined m, not only mig and disregards to a certain repe ht students our individual titive cycle, but differences in se already in place it al so discourages lf expression. A that aligns with n appropriate dr tzniut or Jewish school said, “W e are forced to w laws of modesty ess code is . A female studen ear the same un than I would lik iform every sing e, and other stud t from a paroch le day; I have to ial ents make fun of regard her com wear a skirt that fortability and in me if my skirt is is securities which a place where I n’ sh t orter short enough.” Sh get to learn and affect her overal e thinks that un hang out with m l happiness whe home for a year if or ms disy friends. I wan n attending scho because of Covid t to feel comfort ol ,” she said. .

“S ch

oo l should be able in my own When I switched clothes, especial from the Yeshiv instead of the sa ly after staying a of Flatbush to me old blue colla Ramaz, I remem red one. A femal our skirts all th be r be in g shocked that I e student from e way down to was able to wea Flatbush High Sc our ankles, and shleppy and lik r a red shirt ho ol stated, “First no w th at we got comfo e we are dres th e sc ho rt se ol ab d m le in ad in those clothes, not only is ‘pajamas’ and th e us wear they at this is not allo the dress code said that we lo wed.” She says it restricting but ok it also feels alm is difcode will ever be ficult because ost as though “n perfect enough o uniform to fit everyone’s

or dress liking.”

A ft er coming back lockdown, I was from last year’s quarantine extremely excite d to not have to w ear pajamas to Z and be able to w oom school ever ear whatever is y day appropriate and school this year ex pressive to in-p . Ramaz’s dress erson code has allowed myself and puts me to feel confi a big smile on m dent in y face every tim days, I choose to e I come to scho dress more prep ol . Some py by wearing a neath a sweater collared shirt un vest along with a pleated skirt an derlike to wear mon d some black le ochrome clothe gg in gs s an .I funky socks and d match a bean ie along with a combat boots. I se t of carry my laptop a black tote and and school supp accessorize with lies in different kinds of bracelets, and bl rings, layer neck ack winged eyel laces, iner. Every day do different colo I attend school, r themes and pa I tr y to tterns, and once start all over ag I run out of co ain or find new lo rs, I styles to explor come to school e. I am always ex and feel confide cited to nt, enthusiastic clothes I wear. Th , and comfortab e fair flexibility le in the of Ramaz dress my Jewish presen code allows me ce all while expl to feel oring my fashio n sense every da y.

Rebecca Kalimi ’23 In Preludes, the Ramaz Upper Schools’ offici al student handbook, there is an established dress code for both girls and boys . Ramaz stresses the importance of tzniut, or dignity, and explains that the dress code’s purpose is to make sure that dignity is upheld in a way for all to be comf ortable. One of the perks of being a private school is that Ramaz has the powe r to regulate student dress code and furthermore instate a uniform. Even though Ramaz has the authority to do so, I believe it wouldn’t be the correct choice. Instating a uniform would be subjecting all students to, at first glance, be the same as every other student. The reason this would be so detrimental is that the beauty of a school, espec ially Ramaz, is diversity. Every student is different and deserves to be able to have freedom in the way they dress to portray themselves as such.

Ramaz itself highlights this diversity in its mott o for the year 2020. “See different” was the them e of last year which emphasized Ramazs belief that difference is important. By subjecting students to a uniform, we would be eliminating that aspect of our student life. An argument in the agreement with school uniforms would be to say that it would elimi nate the stress of clothing brands. I disagree with that.

Obviously, the amount of leeway a student woul d have within the dress code would be up to the scho ol, but even leaving the shoe category open for customiza tion would be allowing for countless name brands to be used.

The next point to address would be, if Raamz were to instate a uniform, would it be considered “too preppy” for school. Despite my reasons to negate a scho ol uniform, I don’t think it would be “too preppy”.

Ramaz is a prep school. If Ramaz were to decide that uniforms are a good idea for the students, as a private prep scho ol, this wouldn’t be considered inappropriate. In fact, I think that if Ramaz were to decide to do so, most people in the Ram az community wouldn’t be surprised. Ramaz prides itself on being a prestigious school, and creating a uniform woul d further reaffirm that belief.

All things considered, I personally believe that if Ramaz were to institute a uniform dress code , it would be detrimental to the uniqueness and diversity with in the student body. Although that would be the case, Ram az does have the power to do so and it would definitely fit into the “preppy” expectations that Ramaz has as a private school in the Upper East Side.

April 2021/Iyar 5781

The Rampage

Sydney Eisenstein ’22 Throughout high school, teenagers strive to shape their own identities and combat the urge to conform with other teenagers. Due to this internal conflict that many teenagers experience, teenagers are susceptible to giving in to the urge of following others and giving up on their individuality.

Ramaz should not force students to wear a uniform, and should even encourage students to express individuality with their clothing (within appropriate measures).

Some people may contend that uniforms prevent the stress of having certain clothing brands. I believe that Ramaz should not enable students to exist in a vacuum. Many students would be shocked when they left that vacuum after high school. Additionally, I think it is very difficult to create a uniform which completely suppresses any signs of individuality.

For example, a student wearing the school uniform might be wearing an expensive jewelry brand or a well-known backpack brand. Therefore, if Ramaz had a uniform, some students would still be affected by the stress of owning certain brands.

There are many other private schools on the Upper East Side who see the benefits of uniforms and force students to wear uniforms. Perhaps Ramaz would fit in with the other private schools more if we had a uniform.

However, Ramaz already stands out from other private schools because we are a Jewish school. Furthermore, there are no benefits to trying to fit in with other private schools. If Ramaz had a uniform, they would have the same regulations about skirt lengths that are currently in place. A uniform would give students a certain size of clothing, but that size would not have an effect on students’ skirt length because students would still be able to choose how to wear their skirts.

The current school dress code is a good balance between individuality and uniformity. It is important to tip the balance and allow students to be more expressive with their clothing because the development of students’ identities is at stake. Nonetheless, an aspect of uniformity should also be preserved to promote decorum in school.

Opinions 17 Ashley Behm ’24

Currently, Ramaz students have to adhere to a lightly enforced dress code.

Shirts with sleeves, and pants for boys or modest length skirts for girls. This dress code ensures that all students are dressed appropriately for attending a Jewish school. Many Upper East Side private schools have strict uniforms, however, I think that a preppy uniform is unnecessary and prevents s e l f - e x pre s s i on .

Many teenagers find comfort in being able to decide what to wear to school and choosing how we present ourselves.

Uniforms certainly have their benefits, for example, students won’t feel pressured to wear a certain brand, trend, or style.

However, I feel that the benefits of the current dress code are far greater.

Students can wear what they feel most c om for t abl e and confident in. On the contrary, with a uniform, students may feel self-conscious, or insecure in it. I also feel that uniforms restrict one’s individuality and give off the notion that being different, or unique is discouraged.

All in all, our dress code is sufficiently able to encompass the Yeshiva requirements and self-expression.

Andre wS piel

fog The e Ram l ’23 a p g a a n r i z t h t o d clo viron f its pro ress cod p ed p o 4 f e i m r e 2 c ’ ss e no on vat unifo nt. Altho ional en s hao olicy rts, hence ame, along C p i ’s z m r a i ugh s m r h Ro y, Ram oderate sh olicy is the s. Althoug e t w l h q t e n e u e r i r e r r m n d reduc ements Cu r girls and , the shirt p ants or jea nd the nee year e s o p a f t t y s a t o f r e r o b i e r the d this shou is a sk s tops. For an’t wear sw rt and und ol. Being in bo ld no scho uppo furth hey c his is t be ys, it eveles or sle ition that t ss code. I s modesty at iven that t iddle e r r ed for a dress nyon uced e add , it is a dre l a level of laces and g code is a m duals and h t c h o t e. W des wi to fe ress nstil iform ndivi ts her p el co , students ith t a un ulate and i nt than ot odesty. A d ents to be i ess studen o n s i d e r mfor on’t tend this to reg ronm s stud ld rep el of m what have to table. Ki s code erious envi certain lev ng. It allow forms wou ls, I don’t s e r d d for a choo ore s for a ear anythi orms. Uni wear, patterne worry ab s UES s relaf ds a m e is a need i w r d n e d o a o u h t o ut s t s l r swea if the tankt schoo chool, ther nd freedom s extreme a g in with o much of a t e y r o p n s s e a i a , s ho to proh not ious o fitt orm ’t hav ibited ince thes uld wear a relig een a unif imits yet is n regards t ody doesn m e l I . w b Even ight f items a d bet rtain dent nces. ame e t e h l groun ves with ce nd prefere g as the stu have the s are o r t u i r ety o to sel es a ein f opt apped wit gh studen d c e m i e S e e o . h n h b t c m e e i hal r ons ss r ou ts expre eir fashion rce a unifo don’t see th the b r dress co , they sho imited vah o I t f , g n s l e n o u r o ssi Uppe oad side. de require ld remem S scho ason t expre r from s a valid re unding UE ear.

F m o S ents a r c hool exam to we to w e it i urro re on d p a o l r e e believ with the s dents have , s t he n’ th the L ip stu ower same blu t force ev e Ramaz tionsh s on what e c S ry stu e o c uld colo hoo e polici are st wear any l does, bu red shirt dent i c main ll so man olored sh t instead, like in stude tainin y opt irt th ing p i n e eople g cohesiv ons to ch y want. Th ts e o ton d n c o e an w ess se f re more own shirt ear. Add in the arti rom whil e c i could presentab or a solid tionally, w les of clot h l along lead to s e. If there sweater earing a b tuden m w w u a t e i k t r h es stu e no r wear, ts loo other e d code adding ad students king mes quiremen ents s and f t s d o s the m unifo itional st cusing to y and dis , this t o r r o r e r m a s n m cte s s i n u decid t a e wha g, rather t dd struct o their w ch on wh d, Side orklo at to han r ure t t to w t a shirts end to re ear. Othe ipping ap hroughou ds. Dress a t q r ence for boys a uire sim private s rt your clo the day in ilar u choo in th nd sk s et, tr l necte e Up n per E irts for gir iforms, s s on the U ying to d to ppe uch value other Ye ast Side ls, and t his ad as butto r East shiva s of J comm nd u L neigh daism, an eague sch unity. Ra s to Rama down maz z’s pr d hav borin ools is es si g i comm schools ng a simi nce we al closely co lar d helps l shar nunity re e , u Side. that on s fit into ss code t similar o the U o pper ur other our East

Opinions 18

The Rampage

April 2021/Iyar 5781

Open Ramaz Upper School Normally Next School Year Aviva Schilowitz ’24

Ramaz Upper School students recently received a survey asking their views on what next school year should look like. It included questions that contemplated school remaining in a hybrid format next year. As someone who is extremely appreciative of everything the Ramaz administration has done this year and supports their decisions thus far, let me be clear about my opinion: Ramaz Upper School should be open fully next year for all students who are vaccinated, five days per week, on the normal schedule, with the normal lunch program, normal grade retreats and trips, and double the normal amount of Ramaz cookies -- the usual allotment, plus the allotment we missed out on this year.

P f i z e r ’s vaccine is currently available to anyone in New York who is 16-years-old or older and has been submitted for approval for 12-16-year-olds. The vaccine has proven remarkably effective in Israel and the United States. Unless things take a surprising turn, every single student in the Upper School will be able to get vaccinated before next school year begins.

Under these circumstances, anything less than full in-person school next September would be a disservice to students and parents alike.

I’m not minimizing the risks. I recognize there may still be Covid-19 next year. I recognize our responsibility to take precautions to protect

others and for the communal good. I recognize the importance of still maintaining appropriate precautions. I recognize there may be people who are not vaccinated, for reasons valid or otherwise.

I recognize vaccines are not impenetrable. And, finally, I recognize that just because the United States may soon be largely vaccinated and could reach herd immunity does not mean the rest of the world will do the same any time soon. However, Covid is going to be with us for a very long time in some form or other. While I agree that the risks of fully reopening the Upper School at this moment may outweigh the benefits, by next school year that is unlikely to still be the case.

By the time the summer is over anyone over the age of 12, which includes every single Ramaz Upper School student, staff, and faculty member, will have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. The risks of Covid to those under 12-years-old are significantly less than older people. While the long term risks and impact of Covid may not be fully understood for years, the impact of distance learning as a substitute for in-person schooling is concrete, immediate, tangible, considerable, and known. A study (“Longitudinal Change in Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Symptoms from Before to During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Collaborative of 12 Samples from 3 Countries”) found that 9-18-year-olds’ symptoms for depression have significantly increased during the pandemic. According to CDC data, the proportion of ER visits for mental health problems in teens increased by nearly a third from March through October 2020 compared to the same period a year earlier.

Remote learning is not equivalent to in-person learning. The Child Mind Institute collected diary entries from teens and found that every single teen reported being distracted during online classes with devices and apps like Snapchat and TikTok. Let me emphasize that: every. single. one. The effects of remote learning are not going to magically disappear when this is over either. Re-

Ramaz Should Celebrate Earth Day Sarah Ginsberg ’22

On April 22, the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, a worldwide commemoration to heighten awareness about the environment and motivate people to protect it, was celebrated. According to earthday.org, more than 1 billion people in 192 different countries participate in Earth Day activities, yet Ramaz only holds an assembly for the freshman about it. Every year Earth Day is given a theme such as: climation action, protecting our species, and ending plastic pollution. This year’s theme is “Restore our Earth”. This is a very important theme to teach around the world to all types of individuals and especially students, since we are the next generation of leaders. Ramaz should definitely have an assembly for the entire school to celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is the day to raise awareness and what better way to do that than having an assembly. This year’s Earth Day is about restoring our world’s ecosystem by thinking of new ideas on how to create green technologies. To create this environmental awareness, we should have some sort of assembly that all grades can attend to at school to educate students. We must teach students about the importance of protecting our planet. Many students know about serious environmental issues the world is facing but not many know what needs to be done to stop these issues. Not only should we educate freshmen but sophomore, juniors, and se-

niors as well in order to continue the inspiration and motivation in our students. It is not enough to only commemorate Earth Day for one year of the four years students attend in high school. Earth Day comes to teach us that by understanding problems our planet is facing and taking responsibility to save the Earth, change is possible. Earth Day is a way to restore patriotism in American citizens’ hearts.

Avigail Dupont ‘21 invited ramaz graduate Daniel Levy ‘19 to speak to the environmental club about Earth Day. Daniel co-founded a non-profit website called YouChangeEarth . “It’s great for people who have always wanted to help the environment but don’t know where to start”, Dupont said. This website provides tools that help others find resources and information to get started on climate action.

Daniel then re-visited Ramaz to speak to the freshman about an app called Joro, which helps track your carbon footprint. Ms. Abramson believes that Joro “is a portal for all kinds of environmentally, socially engaged organizations and how to participate”. Unfortunately, the rest of the school did not have the opportunity to learn about the many different ways they can participate in Earth Day. Many students may not realize the many ways they can “Restore our Earth”. There are many small actions students can take to protect and create a better and cleaner Earth. From remembering to throw your wrappers in the garbage rather than on the floor to shutting the lights off when you leave a

searchers have found that the amount of loneliness a student experiences directly correlates with their risk of depression for years afterward. Taken together, it’s clear that distance learning should only be a last resort option. Its impact on teens is significantly negative and lingering. This year may be a last resort situation but next year should not be.

Under these circumstances, I don’t think current Ramaz Upper School students should spend half of their high school years in hybrid learning with its long term consequences in order to protect against shrinking and increasingly theoretical risks. If school is not back to near-normal next fall, when WILL we say the benefits of having normal school outweigh the risks? Because I do not know of any reputable health professional who thinks Covid is fully going away any time soon.

Ramaz Upper School administrators and advisors: thank you for everything you’ve done this year.

Next year, please bring back school on its regular schedule with all its usual features.

room instead of keeping them on for no reason, there are so many different ways to celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is truly celebrated not only one day but 365 days and April 22 is just the day to create the awareness that will motivate people to celebrate Earth Day throughout the year. For this reason, Ramaz should hold a full school assembly about Earth Day. We must educate students every year about the many different ways they can prevent and restore our planet. There is no one way to do this, every individual can create his or her own contribution. Our Earth is our home and we must take responsibility to repair any damage that has been done. Let’s keep our home clean!

The small gestures each one of us can make to restore our home will create a better and brighter future for our world. HRgreen.org lists 50 different ways that we can help celebrate Earth Day, even during the pandemic. Some of these examples include: drinking tap water, printing paper double-sided, using reusable utensils, starting a garden, taking shorter showers, and most importantly- spreading the word. These examples are definitely not hard to complete but without awareness no one would know to do them. In order to create this awareness, students should be taught every year about the importance of April 22nd- one year of recognition is not enough. Therefore, Ramaz should create this consciousness and prepare the world’s new generation leaders to keep our home clean.

April 2021/Iyar 5781

The Rampage

Opinions 19

Why Colleges NEED to Stay Test Optional

Daniel Kalimi ’23

With the pandemic, everything and everyone has been affected, forcing us to adapt to the situation. From online school to hand sanitizer in every square inch of every store, there have been a lot of changes, and college admissions are no exception. One of the major changes schools adopted for this year is giving students a choice to not send ACT or SAT scores because many students couldn’t take these tests for either health or financial reasons. This change has raised the question if colleges should stay test-optional or if they should go back to requiring the scores to consider students’ applications. Although I hope that years from now, on-

line school and masks aren’t necessary, I think that colleges becoming test-optional is a change that would be beneficial to keep after COVID-19.

The first issue with weighing these standardized tests so heavily is that they are expensive to take and to get a good score, so it puts underprivileged students at a tremendous disadvantage. According to prepscholar.com, tutoring sessions for these tests cost between $40-$200 an hour, and prep books can cost around $50 each. On top of that, the fee to actually take the tests fees is $52 for the SAT and $55 dollars for the ACT. For more wealthy students who have the resources to buy multiple prep books and pay thousands of dollars for tutoring, improving their score is not a problem, but for those who can’t, aren’t getting the scores they could get if they were in a different financial situation. On the other hand, Sean-Michael Pigeon, a writer for USA Today, wrote an article about this topic, saying that standardized tests are actually good for underprivileged students. He discussed his experience as a student growing up in a poor household, but he said that he didn’t have the money to pay for extracurriculars like lessons to learn how to play an instrument or a summer program, but he could study, and after studying hard he did well and now attends an Ivy League University. To this, I think that not everyone can improve their score as he did, and researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California found that, on average richer students

Crossword Isaac Silverman ’21

Down: 1. Classes the second semester of senior year 2. Group of people Ramaz students protested for outside the UN to show support for them 3.Where the senior trip is likely taking place this year 4. The day all four grades came into school at once (and probably Rabbi Weiser’s favorite day of the year) 7. The state almost everyone went to for Pesach break (but definitely not Dr. Jucovy since he’s never been there) 9. Ms. Litwack’s teaching style Across: 3. Age of Israel this year 5. The country which seniors usually go to on their senior trip 6. Health Organization in charge of national Covid guidelines 8. College board tests being mainly offered online at Ramaz this year 10. Storytelling project 11. Dr. Rotenberg posts on Schoology everyday reminding students to count the _____

perform better on the SAT and Act than other, lower-income students. This correlation between students’ wealth and their test scores reveals the flaw within this way of evaluating students because it indirectly discriminates against poor families.

When asked his opinion on the matter, Ben Cole ‘22 talked about why it is so important for schools to require standardized tests. He said, “Whether it’s done through AP exams, the SAT or ACT, colleges need a way to quantify students’ abilities. Other factors like extracurriculars and even GPA are subjective, so they need these tests to have a basic understanding of their academic abilities in relation to other people who have taken the same test.” He further explained that even GPA is subjective because it is easier to get a better GPA in some schools rather than others, so it is hard to use it to compare students from different schools. This is true, but this opens up a new conversation to the weakness of America’s education system. A kid born to a poor family and who grows up in a poor neighborhood will go to a school with a lower budget and significantly fewer resources than schools in richer neighborhoods. This happens because schools get most of their funding from local property taxes, so when houses are worth less in that area, people are paying fewer taxes, and the public schools are getting less money. It is unfair to expect students who are getting lower quality education to get the same grades on standardized tests as someone getting a better education. Overall, that’s why I think GPA and extracurriculars are better ways for schools to evaluate students fairly, and because of that, standardized tests should stay optional for college admissions.

Opinions 20

The Rampage

RAMtreat to Camp Kaylie!!

April 2021/Iyar 5781

Ramaz students had a blast at Camp Kaylie. The festivities at the camp included sports games like basketball, tennis, and spikeball, as well as a team-building activities, bracelet beading, game shows, and a bondfire at night. Because of Covid-19, the grades were not in the camp at the same time. Seniors slept over on Monday, May 24, and left the next day. The juniors spent Tuesday in the sun at the camp, followed by sophomores on Wednesday, and freshmen on Friday. Students were grateful for the time together with their grade, especially after such a difficult year and a half!

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