Volume 65, Issue 3 (December 2020) - The Rampage

The Rampage The Newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 65 • Issue 3 • December 2020 • Kislev 5781• the-rampage.org

Teachers on Zoom, Students in School Norma Tawil ’22

While the Ramaz hybrid system seems to be working during these uncertain times, some students and teachers still hesitate to return to in-person learning.

Whether it is for their own health or the health of their families, around five high school teachers chose to teach exclusively online this semester.

According to Ms. Krupka, who is involved in the decision of which teachers can stay home without being furloughed, “I think a hybrid is actually a weirdly ideal model because Zoom and live teaching has its benefits and drawbacks.” She explained that Zoom has its benefits with easy technology, everyone attending the class in the same forum, and no masks. Showing slides and videos on Zoom are more productive since not everyone is spread out across a huge space. “I find it difficult to teach live, setting up a laptop for the [Zoom] learners and dividing my attention,” she said. However, Ms. Krupka believes that there are many problems with Zoom learning as well.

Photo courtesy of Ella Rabbani ’21 Virtual learning “makes the pace and natural element of conversation a bit more stilted”. When students answer questions online, “someone has to lean forward and raise their virtual hand and unmute themselves.” Ms. Krupka also feels that on Zoom, students can also have a tougher time paying attention. She said, “It’s still so much better en-

Anti-Semitism on TikTok

matters, including the environment, politics, racial justice, and other controversial matters.

Most of this activism is supporting a marginalized group or promoting a cause. However, lately, there has been an uptick in anti-Semitism, both in the real world and online. Unfortunately, there is more anti-Semitism on social media than the awarness that is being raised about it.

A nt i - S e m it i s m exists on accounts foTaylor Roslyn ’21 faces anti-Semitism when she posts on cused on activism; Jews are often @real.jewish.hypehouse2, a Jewish TikTok page. left out of important conversaAshley Behm ’24 tions regarding minorities. In re frence to the official Feminist Instagram account

With more time at home, social media which has over six-million followers, Eliana Sobel consumption is at an all time high. There are ’22 said, “I used to follow them but I had to unmany different apps that engage people and influ- follow them when I realized just how anti-Semitic ence their way of thinking. While social media is they were. I scrolled through their posts and they a great way to connect with friends and family, it always made posts listing off all of the oppressed has also become a hub of activism., regarding all communities, whether it be Muslim, black, bira-

Follow us on Instagram

@ramazrampage

ergy, communication, and focus in a live room.”

Ms. Litwack is teaching from home until a “safe, efficacious, and widely available” vaccine is available and “when the number [of Covid cases] decreases a considerable amount.”

In past years, Ms. Litwack has set up the desks in her classroom in a circle. For her juniors, she used the Harkness method in Room 201, where the students ran the discussion while sitting in the circle, so conversation can flow easily. Obviously this year, she cannot arrange her students in a circle and the conversation can be much more choppy. “It’s much harder to energize students on a screen and for them to remain focused,” Ms. Litwack said. Conversely, she finds that one of the perks of Zoom that is that teachers can see all of their students’ faces when the students are learning from home.

Dr. Jucovy, who is also only teaching remotely, said that Ramaz has been “wonderful” regarding his need to Continued on Page 6

cial, Asian, Indigenous, etc. They never include Jews, though.” While this form of anti-Semitism seems indirect, it has a direct effect on the Jewish community. When Jews are left out of these conversations people won’t feel the need to advocate for the Jews when they see anti-Semitism in the world.

Some of this anti-Semitsm stems from people’s misconceptions and stereotypes of the Jewish people. There is a misconception that Jewish people tend to to be prejudiced against other races, religions, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. While some Jews may have their prejudices, they are not a reflection on the Jewish community as a whole. There are many Jews who support these other groups or are even a member of a different minority as well.

Seeing anti-Semitism on a daily basis is disheartening, especially when it effects people in one’s community. Ramaz students are experiencing this form of cyberbullying on TikTok. Taylor Roslyn ’21 recounts being in a Jewish group on TikTok and receiving hurtful anti-Semitic messages. “They would say things like ‘How does it feel to live as a murderer’, ‘Israel isn’t real’, and really just trying to bring us down.” Both Sobel and Roslyn mentioned that on TikToks they make about Judaism, the comments are flooded with the Palestinian flag emojis and comments about Continued on Page 5

Inside this issue...

Commuting from Connecticut p.

7

FACECASE NYC p.

8

Winter Break Guide p.

9

Tests Should Be Available on Zoom p.

12

News 2

The Rampage

December 2020/Kislev 5781

Where will students eat lunch in the winter?easier to eat in a larger group”. Now that lunch will be inside

Photos courtesy of Ella Rabbani ’21 Grace Cohen ’24

It is getting colder and colder so where will students eat lunch now?

This is a question many students and faculty have been wondering. The school has made accommodations that have been very helpful and useful making eating lunch so far social and enjoyable. What will we do now as the weather is increasingly getting colder?

Miriam Krupka said, “Since Ramaz is located in the city, it has a limitation on outdoor space. Because of this we are thinking creatively to find more outdoor spaces for students to hang out and eat their lunches. We opened up the street for students to eat there and the tent on three will still be open. But now, it is getting cold.”

Because of this “lunch will be more classroom focused. Much more classrooms will be open but students are still to be assigned to their halves of the building.”

Eating outside has been very convenient because it allows you to sit and mingle with friends that you have no classes with and don’t get to see throughout the day. Aviva Shilowitz ’24 said “I like outdoor dining because all my friends are gathered outside and it’s easier to spot everyone. Plus, it’s

and designated to more classroom settings, the opportunity to bond and interact with other students will be limited. For Freshman in particular, who are new to the school, this will be a challenge for the grade to come together, get to know each other, and create meaningful friendships.

Perhaps it’s time to discuss layering up. Stock up on your fleece lined leggings, thermals, ski jackets , hats , gloves and scarves. Sophie Schwartz ’24 said, “I would rather sit inside in the comfort of warmth than outside shivering in the cold.” However, there will be plenty of kids still wanting to eat outdoors and adjusting your wardrobe to the new climate may be the way to go. Maybe the school can invest in outdoor heaters and do similar design set ups as the New York city restaurants. You have to admit outdoor dining has never looked so good.

Ms. Krupka notes that it will be more difficult for the one’s designated to the upper floors because they don’t have as much space to spread out the same way as the other lower levels of the school. For example, the lower levels have access to the auditorium, the gym, even the lunch room. The 10th and 11th graders who inhabit the upper level will be at a disadvantage as their space is more confined and their social distance orbit will be harder to maintain.

As we have always felt lucky to be in New York, one of the most thriving cities in the world, during this time we are in an unfortunate position. We have seasons to contend with, spatial issues to manage, not to mention all the new covid laws and precautions to respect and adhere to.

A New Schedule - Again!

Julia Feit ’22

The September school year began with an unprecedented Ramaz schedule. Students hoped that it would be easier for them to manage their classes. The seven day, rotating schedule was removed and the days were shortened. However, the administration quickly introduced the first special, modified schedule - the test schedule.

This new schedule allotted time for a forty-minute test and an additional twenty minutes for students with extra time. Each grade was to follow the test schedule, regardless of whether their individual class had an exam that day. This uniform schedule would provide an hour-long break to students who did not have tests and ensure that the entire school followed the same schedule.

However, students began to complain about the shortened twenty-minute lunch break and insufficient time for Tefillah. The schedule felt cramped and rushed with the exam period immediately following second period at 10:35 in the morning. Students also argued that they were not given any time throughout the day to socialize with friends due to the hurried lunch time.

The Ramaz faculty and administration listened to the voices of the students and implemented a new, revised test schedule. This new schedule, primarily designed by Ms. Krupka, rearranged the order of the exam hour. The new testing period is now right before lunch, allowing the students to spend the extra time after their test with their friends at lunch. The lunch

time essentially doubled in length, while the school day and class periods remain unchanged.

According to a survey of the junior class, 78.8% of the students feel that this new schedule provides a sufficient amount of time for lunch on test days. However, students remain largely unhappy with this new schedule and the majority of juniors agreed that they actually prefer the original test schedule. Students explained that they would rather their test be earlier in the day so they do not have to worry about it throughout their classes. Especially because the grades have limited in-person days at school, students find it unenjoyable to stress all afternoon for their exams and would prefer to take them in the morning.

Other students explored the possibility of abandoning the test schedule altogether and reverting to the method Ramaz used last year. This year’s testing process designates a specific time in the day for an entire grade to take their exam.

Last year, students took their tests during their class period and had the same schedule every day regardless of an exam. “Ramaz should stop catering the test schedule to the kids with extra time, who are the small minority of students,” explained one junior.

Regardless of the specific schedule, Ramaz students remain frustrated with the constant exams on in-person days. The school decided in September not to administer any remote tests unless a student gets special permission as a full-time remote learner. This means that the students who learn in-person have a test almost every single day that they come into school. Sydney Eisenstein ’22 explained, “Having a test changes the entire atmosphere of the day and students stress about the exam until the moment they finish. I understand that it is difficult to ensure the integrity of the students online, but I think the students should work with the faculty to find a solution.”

These unpredictable and unprecedented times call for many revisions and modifications to the normal Ramaz schedule. The administration and faculty have been making efforts to implement the ideas of the students and meet monthly to discuss issues in the school.

December 2020/Kislev 5781 Ramaz Upper School

The Rampage New York • Volume 65 • Issue 3 • December 2020 • the-rampage.org

FACULTY ADVISOR Dr. Steven Milowitz EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Samantha Sinensky ’21 Caitlin Levine ’21 Rebecca Massel ’21 Gabby Ostad ’21 LAYOUT EDITORS Julia Feit ’22 Rachel Freilich ’22 Sarah Ginsberg ’22 PUZZLES & MEME EDITOR Isaac Silverman ’21 PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Tammy Palagi ’21 SENIOR WRITERS Charles Spielfogel ’21 William Kremer ’21

PUZZLES & MEME EDITOR Isaac Silverman ’21

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Tammy Palagi ’21 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Raymond Ashkenazie ’24 Ashley Behm ’24 Romi Chaovat ’24 Grace Cohen ’24 Avigail Dupont ’21 Sydney Eisenstein ’22 Julia Feit ’22 Molly Hiltzik ’24 Nicole Hirschkorn ’22 Eric Kalimi ’22 Rebecca Kalimi ’23 Charlotte Kleeger ’24 Clemi Roth ’22 Rebecca Silber ’23 Isaac Silverman ’21 Sarah Silverman ’24 Tali Sitruk ’22 Charles Spielfogel ’21 Andrew Spielfogel ’23 Norma Tawil ’22 Emily Vayner ’23 Moriel Weitzner ’24 Aaron Zanger ’21 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 Rampage

hockey coaches to manage these workouts; The coaches will help students develop effective skills in their respective sports.

Workouts will differ from team practices in the past because they will be socially-distanced and

pating in sports added a more personal connection to these seasons. Teams had many practices and also travelled together to other schools. One defining element of joining a sports team used to be the opportunity to bond with teammates. Gabby Sakhai ’21

between one grade. Athletes will not make contact with each other on the court, rather, they will work alone on drills. Each student will receive their own equipment, which will be sanitized following each workout. Unlike the past where teams consisted of two grades or all grades in high school, workouts will only be available to one grade at a time to prevent the integration of cohorts. Unfortunately, workouts will not be provided in all sports because some sports are merely not conducive to covid protocols.

For example, there will not be volleyball workouts because volleyball drills demand two people hitting the ball back and forth to each other.

Sports seasons used to be one of the many highlights for students’ time in high school. Partici-

said, “I have been on the basketball team since my freshman year and it is more than just a sports team.

There is a sense of community shared by the team and the team members share a common passion for the sport. I will deeply miss playing on the basketball team this year.” Teams enable students to form relationships with students from different grades.

While aspects of our world shift, Ramaz adapts and adjusts aspects of our school to fit that world. Even though sports will be executed differently this year than past years, it is noteworthy that students will receive a chance to practice the sports they love.

Sports at Ramaz Sydney Eisenstein ’22

There is a new game plan for sports this year at Ramaz.

Although Ramaz sports teams will not be competing against other yeshivas this fall, the school hopes that Ramaz athletes will be prepared when games resume. To reach this goal, Ramaz is providing training opportunities for student athletes.

As the first step to resume sports, Ramaz will be administering workouts for boys and girls basketball, boys hockey, and table tennis. The objective of the workouts is to provide students with the fundamentals of various sports. There are no tryouts for the workouts and students can opt to participate in a workout. During the workouts students will work on drills that will help athletes improve their skills. Ramaz hired basketball and

News 3

The Inside Scoop on Mishmar

Andrew Spielfogel ’23

The opinions expressed in The Rampage are of the author’s alone, The Mishmar proand do not represent the views or gram at Ramaz has opinions of Ramaz, The Rampage, or grown exponentialits editors. ly this year. Four times a week, students are invited to join a Zoom meeting and learn a sliver of Torah knowledge.

There is a wide variety of teachers. While most are Judiac teachers, occasionally a secular Jewish teacher will teach a class. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, there are guest speakers: Rabbi Mizrachi from the Safra Synagogue and Rabbi Manu Hass from NCSY. Students who attend these halfan-hour Torah lessons are rewarded with one extra credit point on a Talmud and Tanakh test, and students may receive up to ten points a semester. The Mishmar program at Ramaz displays the commitment of the faculty to education, even beyond the official classroom.

Mishmar has been an after school program at Ramaz for many years. When Ramaz started Mishmar once a week many years ago, it was relatively small with no point system. It was typically taught by rabbis of KJ, and they could not encourage the students to join since they did not have a real connection with many of the students. Eventually, Mishmar stopped as it became less and less attractive. Two years ago, a student encouraged Rabbi Shiowitz to bring Mishmar back. The new and

improved Mishmar became popular as extra credit points were given to the attendees, and speakers would rotate with a mixture of discussions. The goal was ultimately to have Mishmar everyday.

Now, Rabbi Manu teaches Mishmar on Wednesday nights, Rabbi Mizrachi offers it on Thursday evenings, and Rabbi Weiser usually teaches one night a week and even sometimes in the mornings.

Rabbi Schiowitz is in charge of planning which teacher presents on each day. He organizes Mishmar with Judaic teachers usually rotating days. “Teachers would rotate a variety of topics,” he said. This is ultimately what encourages students to return each week. Often students come to listen to a specific teacher they connect with. Teachers don’t mind students coming just for the points, even though that is not the real purpose of Mishmar.

If Zoom is inevitably less interactive than in person, especially because there is no food given out, why do students continue to participate in Mishmar? Is it for the extra credit? Maybe, but most of the time the same bunch of students join.

These are students who attend for more than ten times, which proves that they attend to learn and have fun. Josh North ’23 is one of these students.

He explained, “In freshman year, I did go for the points. After six or seven Mishmars, though, I really started liking it. After about 15 Mishmars I found out that students may only receive up to ten points, but I kept going...I still enjoy the extra credit, and it was cool that they had burgers on some days and

pizza on others [last year].”

Mishmar is usually parsha-based, and sometimes students learn with source sheets. If it is Rosh Chodesh or a holiday is approaching, teachers tend to focus on the event of the day. “I’ve noticed that a lot of the time, Mishmar is based on a topic that the teacher is passionate about but that is not related to the classes they teach,” said North ’23. These topics consist of lessons that don’t fit into the teachers’ curriculum but still are useful for students to learn. The entire Mishmar staff ultimately want to teach as much as they can to students and spread as much Torah knowledge as possible.

Features 4

The Rampage

The Return of Lockers

Features

Molly Hiltzik ’24

One of the many changes that Covid-19 has caused at Ramaz this school year includes a temporary elimination of lockers. During the first six-weeks of school, students were schlepping textbooks, Judaic studies books, and lunches throughout the day. Students suffered from poor posture and daily backaches. Anna Bentolila ’24 commented, “My back was killing me when I got home from school because I had to hold so many books all at once.” The administration ultimately decided that lockers were a necessity and assigned them to students. In addition, this year, students were assigned lockers based on the floors to which their grades were designated. Ms. Krupka said, “Once we realized that the number of students in the building, and spacing the lockers, could work, then we went ahead and did it!”

December 2020/Kislev 5781

While it was thoughtful of the administration to give lockers to the students, book storage is complicated this year. The hybrid schedule forces students to bring home all their belongings from their lockers every school day to work at home virtually the following day. Many students find it easier to use their lockers for their coats, lunches, or heavy textbooks daily. Most students are not using their lockers to pick up and drop off class-related materials throughout the day.

Lockers used to be a place where students would congregate and hangout between classes, but now Covid-19 restrictions have put a stop to that.

Locker areas are quieter and much less crowded now. Overall, lockers have made aspects of school life a bit more convenient this year.

Jordana Stonehill’24 and Noya Berrebi ’24 enjoying their lockers. (Photos courtesy of Noyah Misaghi ’24)

Alma Matters From Ramaz to George Washington University (GW): Interview with Oliver Rein ’19

Charles Spielfogel ’21

Oliver Rein ’19 is a sophomore at George Washington University (GW). He is majoring in international affairs with a concentration in security policy because he would like to learn more about the many global issues that are facing the United States today. Rein is enjoying the opportunities that Washington D.C. has to offer. A former captain of the Ramaz Mock Trial Team, he is now a member of Strategic Crisis Simulations (SCS) and is grateful to the Ramaz teachers who pushed him to grow his public speaking skills.

Charles Spielfogel: Why did you choose GW? Oliver Rein: GW offers an unparalleled experience for college students looking to study a whole range of subjects. It’s location in the heart of D.C. gives students interested in gaining a more global perspective on current events and challenges an opportunity to get involved.

CS: Are you still in touch with your high school friends?

OR: Yes, I’ve been fortunate to keep in touch with many of my closest friends from Ramaz and, thanks to the vast Ramaz alumni network, I’ve even been able to meet new people who graduated from Ramaz before me.

CS: What activities are you involved in on campus?

OR: GW has lots of political clubs and activities which I enjoy being a part of. One club I really enjoy is Strategic Crisis Simulations (SCS). SCS is a student-run organization where you study either an ongoing or manufactured international crisis, which could involve competing foreign policy interests, international security, emergency management, or humanitarian issues, and then spend a day acting as a policymaker or delegate representing either a state, NGO, or some other actor. The simulations incorporate many different fields which we learn about in class including diplomacy, military, intelligence, and humanitarianism. Of course, I also attend the Chabad regularly.

CS: What is the Jewish Community like at GW? OR: Thankfully, it’s very easy to meet fellow Jews at GW. We have a Chabad with a really friendly Rabbi and there’s also a Hillel which is currently being relocated into a brand new building.

CS: Do you find the Jewish community is separated by religious affiliation?

OR: Nobody is ostracized on the basis of their religious affiliations, but it can be harder to meet Jewish students who don’t attend Jewish functions.

CS: What are the benefits to being in Washington D.C.?

OR: Being in Washington D.C. gives you a college experience like none other. In my first semester alone, I was able to attend speeches and ask questions to high-level Washington officials like former Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer, former FBI Director James Comey, and loads more. There are also incredible

internship opportunities for students (I know someone who interned for the Secret Service last year), as well as lots of advisors who are happy to help you with your resume and cover letter.

CS: Do you live on campus? How often do you leave campus?

OR: This semester, I’m living at home due to Covid restrictions. However, next semester I plan to move back there. One of the benefits to GW’s campus is that it’s built into the greater D.C. community (kind of like NYU) which makes it really easy to explore all the different sites and monuments throughout the district. For example, my freshman year I was living less than five blocks away from the White House.

There’s also electric scooters everywhere that you can unlock and rent with your phone, which makes travel a lot more fun.

CS: How has Covid affected your college experience?

OR: Because of Covid, most students are living at home this year and classes are completely online. This has made it more difficult to meet new people, keep in touch with old friends, and to establish good relationships with professors. Hopefully, GW will go back to normal soon.

CS: Did Ramaz help prepare you academically for GW? OR: Yes, absolutely. Ramaz has excellent teachers and faculty members who do an excellent job at preparing students for college classes. Their academic standards and insights did a great job preparing me for the rigors of college.

My transition to college was very smooth and I think a big part of that stems from the maturity and respect which students are treated with at Ramaz.

Some students struggle to hold themselves accountable when they don’t have parents or teachers constantly monitoring them, but (in my experience) Ramaz teachers do a great job at teaching students the importance of personal responsibility and developing sensible young adults.

CS: Are there any specific values or skills that you learnt at Ramaz that you are finding particularly useful?

OR: Two skills I learned at Ramaz which I find particularly useful at school is critical thinking and public speaking. Critical thinking is something which I was fortunate to develop in the Ramaz classroom through lengthy (and occasionally heated) conversations with my peers and teachers. Whether it was a discussion over a certain sentence in the Talmud or event in history, the opportunity to openly share my opinion always enabled me to think more deeply about my point of view. I also would like to give a shoutout to Dr. Jucovy and the Ramaz Mock Trial team which taught me public speaking. Being able to express myself with respect and clarity has helped me navigate all sorts of difficult debates and discussions in college.

CS: Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience at GW with the students of Ramaz?

OR: If you’re interested in international relations, politics, or anything else going on in the world, I highly recommend taking a look at GW.

December 2020/Kislev 5781

The Rampage

The Effects of a Virtual Open House

Rebecca Kalimi ’23

This year’s open house was different than years past. This year Ramaz held a virtual open house.

The open house consisted of an introduction slideshow, a Q&A session, and an afterparty for perspective eighth graders. Since the open house was online, it allowed more people to attend the open house. Normally, the admissions office receives around 250 registrations for the open house, and this year the number rose as they received close to 300 registrations.

Ms. Shara Lipson, the Assistant Dean of Admissions for the Upper School, and Mrs. Aviva Leiber, the Assistant Dean of Admissions for the Upper School, shared that more people who live further away signed up for the open house in the past. Ms. Lipson and Mrs. Lieber clarified that even if they receive more applications for the Class of 2025, they don’t believe that Ramaz will change the number of students they usually admitted for the freshmen class. They said they plan to keep the admitted student rate constant because of the limited space in the school and due to the fact that one of

Features 5

Ramaz’s biggest “selling points” is its smaller class sizes.

Since there is an option nowadays to take school completely online, more students from further away applied this year to Ramaz. Ms. Lipson and Ms. Leiber explained that they normally receive around 120 applications per year. Although it’s too early to know how many students will apply this year, 47 students have applied so far. The admissions staff mentioned that they are unsure if the number of applicants will surpass 120 or be less.

This pandemic also resulted in a different execution for the school’s “buddy system”. Normally, eighth-graders would be paired with a ninth-grader and follow them around the school and to their classes to get a feel for a typical day of a Ramaz student and understand the atmosphere of the school. To adapt to the current climate, the admissions faculty plans on pairing a group of tenth graders with a group of eighth-graders and plans to have them chat with one another in Zooms and answer any questions the prospective students may have.

The admissions faculty did their best to involve students in the process this year despite the unconventional circumstances.

Are Juniors Taking the SAT/ACT This Year?

Nicole Hirschkorn ’22

Ramaz, many juniors feel as if they have nothing to lose by taking the SAT or ACT. “I’m going to study

Every year, both students and college institu- for the SAT,” said Jessica Moskovitz ’22. “However, tions question the relevancy of standardized testing I know that I don’t have to submit scores if I do as more and more colleges become test-optional. In poorly, so I’m not super worried about it.” In a the 2018-2019 school year, about 1,040 institutions recent survey sent out to the junior grade, 38.9% went test-optional, according to the National Cen- of 36 students said they have already taken the ter for Fair and Open Testing. When the Covid-19 SAT or the ACT, and of those who have not takpandemic en a standardhit, more ized test yet, than half of 91.3% of 23 stuall four-year dents said they colleges and plan on taking universities at least one this announced year. that they

It seems that will not reeven during a quire SAT global pandem- Jake Rubin ’22 or ACT ic, standardized scores for testing cannot students applying to college in 2020, due to test be quashed. But why is this? One reason is that cancellations. most schools are test-optional, not test-blind,

There are pros and cons to taking stan- which means that if a student submits a score, dardized tests. On one hand, standardized testing they will consider it as part of their holistic adprovides a standardized measure of comparing stu- missions process. Many Ramaz students feel dents’ academic abilities on a national level. Tests like a standardized test score is vital to their colsuch as the SAT and ACT provide colleges with ob- lege application. jective information: other metrics such as GPA can “I started studying for the SAT earlier this widely vary depending on which school a student year, but even though many colleges no longer reattends. On the other hand, some students feel that quire standardized tests, I still want to do my best standardized testing does not accurately represent on the test to stand out to college admissions offitheir academic ability since it only assesses their cers,” said Jake Rubin ’22. test-taking abilities.

Another possible reason the majority of

In academically motivated schools such as students are taking the SAT or ACT might be be-

cause they aren’t confident in their GPA. A great SAT score could balance out a more average GPA— if a student only submitted his or her GPA and no standardized test scores, it could damage their ap-

“Even though many colleges no lon-

ger require standardized tests, I still want to do my best on the test to stand out to college admissions officers.”

plication in the eyes of college admissions officers.

The moral of the story is that even though many colleges no longer require standardized test scores, Ramaz students feel that simply taking the test can’t harm them when they are given the opportunity to do so.

Ramaz Students Face Anti-Semitism on TikTok

Continued From Page 1 the Israel-Palestine conflicts. They also commented that they recieve these comments and emojis even on TikToks not related to activism. Commenting a Palestinian flag on a post of a teenager dancing just because she is Jewish is a form of anti-Semitism.

Recently, a TikTok trend of people pretending to be victims of the Holocaust circulated. This trend was called out for being insensitive and the United States Holocaust Mueseum called it out for dishonoring the victims’ memories. While the intention may not have been anti-Semitic, it has opened up the opportunity for hateful comments and parodies.

This issue is very real and more measures need to be taken to combat anti-Semitism on social media. Fortunately, social media giants including Facebook and TikTok have announced they will take action against anti-Semitism on their platfroms. There is a real need for education so people can understand the culture, struggles, and history of the Jewish people. This would increase tolerance and reduce the unnecessary hate that the Jews often encounter.

Features 6

Why TikTok?

Romi Chaovat ’24

There are many social media outlets, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, that all serve one purpose: to connect the user with friends or even strangers who share common interests. When Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook, he wanted to connect people through online networking, using ideas that were important to the masses like dating status and interests or hobbies.

Faceb o o k grew to become the biggest social media app with a substantial 2.7 billion users.

About 22% of the world population is on the app. Unfortunately for them, while years passed, other competing social media apps that were virtually the same concept emerged. In 2007, Twitter became popular, and in 2010, Instagram usage surged. Instagram was so similar to Facebook, that it was surprising it became such a significant social media platform. The same could be said about the newly founded social media app, TikTok, that has grown over the past year to become one of the most wellknown apps in the world today.

The Rampage

TikTok is a social media app created in 2016 by a company called ByteDance. It has become hugely popular for teenagers over the past year. As of today, it has a total of over one billion users. It took TikTok about 2.5 times faster to reach a billion users than Instagram which has been around six years longer than TikTok. TikTok is used to create 15 to 30-second videos about someone’s day, make viral dances, or anything else someone wants to create. People use TikTok daily to make videos with their friends. It became so attractive to people because they use it to be creative or to see short bursts of videos that become a small distraction in their somewhat busy days. The videos’ length improved TikTok’s ratings since it holds peoples’ attention for just the right amount of time. According to the Times magazine, research was conducted to show the average attention span of people born after the 2000s. It showed that the average attention span is about eight seconds which is around the same time as a video on TikTok. The videos keep the attention of people and increase the app’s overall usage. Simone Shatzkes ’24 explained, “When I have a bit of homework and want to take a break, I just go on TikTok.”

The majority of Ramaz students who are on TikTok make videos of themselves dancing as opposed to making comical videos. Since their friends are also on TikTok, they most likely know the biggest TikTok dances that are trending on the app that week. It is an enjoyable activity for friends to do together. It can create friendships for people who otherwise would not have anything in common. Many students at Ramaz have said that they use TikTok as a social activity in between classes or during lunch. During breaks, students go to the bathrooms, auditorium, or stairwell to dance.

There is no doubt that students enjoy TikTok, but sometimes it can become addictive. Spending an excess amount of time on the app is not ideal for most students so some choose to not to even download the app. Ashley Behm ’24 said, “I don’t want to waste my time on TikTok because I know

December 2020/Kislev 5781 I will get addicted.” While some students find TikTok as a negative distraction, the main consensus is it is a favorable way to have fun.

The For You page shows videos from famous creators such as Charlie D’amelio to smaller creators with less than 100 followers. Since it ranges like this, the For You page gives a chance for anyone to get famous through one viral video. The more someone posts, the more likely it is for their videos to get more views. That is what happened with Charlie D’amelio. After one viral video, she became the most followed person on TikTok with almost 100 million followers. She was just a regular student and gained instant fame, which many hope will happen to them one day as well.

Being famous is very appealing to younger users on TikTok, but in the end, their success comes down to one main thing and it is not luck. It is a simple and efficient way to have fun whether one is making videos or watching them. TikTok is used to connect people to their friends and followers: it is a place for people to express themselves in a way that is more interactive than Instagram or any other social media outlet to date.

Teachers Exclusively Teaching Online Continued From Page 1

teach online. He is even able to keep running his clubs and is giving his tests.

Students are more engaged than ever in Mock Trial and Model Congress, and the club is able to go until later hours into the night than previous years. With virtual tests, Dr. Jucovy appreciates how there are no issues with bad handwriting, and he finds that students ask less questions with online tests. Though his 1-2 hour commute from Great Neck is eliminated now, he genuinely misses being in the building and in his office. Dr. Jucovy’s days and weeks are much more productive than before. In the past, he would occasionally wing his lessons when work and grading would pile up. Now on Zoom, each lesson must be prepared in advance so he is “forced to work harder.” Dr. Jucovy said, “[Remote teaching] is just as rewarding, but in a different way. You have to know how to make the most out of every situation.”

As an in-person teacher, Ms. Kavian much prefers being live, but finds benefits to both options. She said, “The masks really prevent me from hearing students, especially when I have an earpiece on from the remote learners.

However, online I can read students’ facial expressions better to gauge when the class does or does not understand a concept.” At the same time, she believes that students need to be in school at least part of the time. Ms. Kavian feels students benefit from working together in the physical classroom. “At home, we are in PJs and the boundaries of school and home are blurred,” she commented.

Students are finding it difficult to learn in school when their teachers are online. Rachel Abelson ’24 said, “It’s hard to focus especially if there is no other in-person teacher watching us in the classroom to make sure everyone is focused.” Michal Seinfeld ’21 also feels like she is unable to concentrate when her teachers are on Zoom and she is in school. Seinfeld said, “Although I do understand my teachers’ health concerns, I think it is really difficult to learn in school when my teacher is online. The classroom is loud, there is constant feedback from all the computers playing the teacher’s voice at the same time, and it is incredibly distracting.” As a junior, Ben Yazdi ’22 is concerned about his future applications for college and his grades. He feels that “qualitatively and quantitatively speaking, learning is much better in person. Teacher-to-student communication is easier, which is important to us as learners.”

Regarding Zoom classes on live days, he has “awful” experiences with them.

“They are far worse than learning at home online. Not only is there that same

lag that you always get from being on Zoom, but it’s also like when you have 20 of your family members in the same room all at once,” Yazdi said. He speaks for most students regarding the chaos that occurs when teachers are online.

At the same time, other students feel they are able to learn more when their teachers are online exclusively. One sophomore said, “I actually think it is better when my teacher is only teaching remotely. When we are at home, it is nice to hear and see her teach without a mask because if she were in the building, she would be wearing one. And, when I am in school, I can move around sit in different areas of the building or even outside during class.”

The school has been understanding and accommodating regarding health conditions and high-risk categories, which include many Ramaz educators. Students and teachers alike have learned how to connect in a new way and have found a new appreciation for in-person school.

Art by Rebecca Massel ’21

December 2020/Kislev 5781

The Rampage

Student Spotlights 7

opportunities, they had more freedom and less supervision over when the volunteers were to call the elderly. Now, the program has a time schedule for calls. Kahn also appreciates the template the program recently gave her with talking points. Kahn is able to refer to the document in case the conversion is not flowing.

Kahn is also actively involved in Yachad.

Last year, the Yachad school ambassadors had a full-school assembly on Zoom. They played a Kahoot and challenged the listeners to consider what inclusion really means. Kahn said that Yachad moved many of their programs online, like a Virtual Yachad Buddies program.

Kahn has found a way to bring light to those in need during this pandemic. She likes volunteering both online and in-person because “volunteering isn’t about the activities and improvements, but it’s about the relationship you build with the person.” The special needs kids and teens she hangs out with are still the same people, and they still share the same relationship. Although it may have been easier before the pandemic, Kahn and her friends can still meet together and build on their incredible relationship.

“Especially during quarantine, we’ve all been able to reflect on ourselves and think about the people we want to become. Volunteering is something that is so easy to make a part of your life and doesn’t need to be hard or annoying. You

can make not only your life better, but really make someone’s day. And after everything we’ve gone

Student Spotlights

Lani’s Virtual Volunteering Experience

Rebecca Kalimi ’23

Our lives have almost completely shifted online, and people have been taking advantage of it. We now have opportunities to virtually travel around the world, high school students are able to take college tours from the comfort of their homes, and it is now easier than ever to volunteer from the comfort of your bedroom.

Lani Khan ’23 is involved with Teen Scene (the Ramaz Friendship Circle Club) and Yachad.

She loves volunteering for Friendship Circles’ holiday specials, she’s also involved in SBH (Sephardi Bikkur Cholim) where she calls elderly citizens living at home and enjoys talking to them about their week. She is also the sophomore Yachad Ambassador along with Daniel Kalimi ’23 and Alex Paul ’23.

Kahn explained that, at the beginning of quarantine, Friendship Circle had “Sunday Circle” activities. They had just switched to online programs, so everyone was new to the virtual dynamic.

The activities were a lot more limited with a game or two followed by breakout rooms, where the volunteers could talk to their special needs buddies.

Now, the virtual activities have become more advanced. Sara Gutnick, who leads Friendship Circle UES, will use different online games or show cartoon videos.

With the Sephardi Bikkur Cholim program, when students were first given volunteer

“Clue” Takes Zoom Rebecca Kalimi ’23

Ramaz has been trying to keep up with all the new technological advancements this year, and students are preparing an online play to present to the student body! This year’s play is “Clue,” based on the 1985 movie.

Rehearsals this academic year are solely on Zoom. This affects the cast’s camaraderie, as it is difficult to bond over computer screens, and become a “family” as casts often do. There is no in-person rehearsal, or any filming together. Regarding the production of a virtual play, each cast member will

film their scenes individually, with guidance from Jason, the director, and Mati Finkelstein ’22, the filmographer. The filming will be similar to how television shows are created, where actors can take live direction and re-record lines if needed. Conveying emotion to the audience will be especially difficult this year, not only because of the virtual component, but because “Clue” is a comedy. As a whole, “Clue” will be more of a movie than a play.

Assistant Student Director Eliana Sobel ’22 said that “despite the challenges, it’s still so fun to keep the theater spark alive and continue doing what the rest of my castmates and I love to do: acting.”

In addition to volunteering virtually, Lani Kahn ’23 volunteers at Friend ship Circle outside and socially distanced. through, anyone who has a small inclination to volunteer with one of these programs should try because it’s so easy yet so powerful!” Kahn thinks we should all try to be as involved as possible with these types of opportunities because of how big of an impact just a couple of minutes can have.

It seems like Ramaz students have a lot to look forward to for “Clue.” Students will hopefully all love what the actors and crew are preparing because they are working really hard on their parts.

Although the actors might not get to have the same experience they would have had if the circumstances were different, it is still fascinating to anticipate this year’s play. Last year’s “Hairspray” was a hit with most Ramaz students and we’re all excited to see this year’s “show.”

Commuting from Connecticut: Naomi Hanna ’23 Andrew Spielfogel ’23

Andrew Spielfogel: Can you please walk us through your daily commute?

Naomi Hanna: I commute from Stamford, Connecticut. Approximately an hour and forty-five minutes give or take. Last year I took the train and the subway. This year I take a bus so it’s a longer commute. Now it’s 2 hours.

AS: Do you have a routine on your way to school?

NH: I don’t commute with anyone in the morning just because the mornings are more individual; not everyone gets out at the same time. Routine wise, if I didn’t do some sort of homework the night before, I do that on my way to school. I sleep a lot too.

AS: How many buses does it take to get to school?

NH: This year, I take a school-provided bus that goes to Westchester and then goes to the city. Just one bus. But if I am taking public transportation like the train, then it will be the actual train to Grand Central, and then the subway from Grand Central to 77th.

AS: How are you able to manage your work when you are spending four hours a week commuting?

NH: It is exhausting, very much so. I’ve been better

at managing my work, because I’ve found ways to maximize my time by doing my work to and from school. That’s a big help now. If there’s a project I get it done over the weekend in advance so I don’t have to worry about it during the week. But, waking up really early and getting home late and then having after school activities, and homework and tests it is exhausting.

AS: Do you have any message to a prospective Ramaz student who would have a far commute?

NH: The biggest message is that you get used to it. It is challenging and it is a routine that you do have to continuously get used to. You just have to get used to waking up really early and getting home really late. You figure out times to fit in any work during any break that comes up. Doing homework and studying during frees is always helpful. Just make sure to maximize your time.

AS: Have you seen anything interesting on your way to school? Anything fun or exciting?

NH: Nothing fun. I have seen some interesting people is the best way to put it. Not a lot of interesting things I guess. I feel like if you live in the city and constantly take the subway, you see interesting things constantly. Nothing too special.

Student Spotlight 8

The Rampage

Ready to cut your long, quarantine hair?

Consider donating it!

Eric Kalimi ’23

From sandwich packing to challah baking and attending Friendship Circle and Yachad events, Ramaz is filled with chesed opportunities. Although these may be the traditional chesed model, there are unconventional ways students have approached the notion of giving back. Hair donation is an act of chesed Ramaz students have turned to. The ability to grow hair is one we often take for granted, but cancer, alopecia, or burns stop many people from growing their own hair.

Donating hair is a remarkable chesed opportunity and a great way to realize how lucky we are to have something as simple as hair.

One Ramaz student who consistently takes part in hair donation is Caleb Rosenfeld ’22. Caleb donates about twelve inches of hair to people in

need every two years along with his younger brother, Adrian ’24. When asked why he decided to donate his hair he said, “It is an opportunity to literally give a piece of yourself to someone who really needs it.” For his bar-mitzvah project, Caleb started an organization named “cutting it with Caleb” aiming to encourage others to donate their hair. Caleb has continued his chesed through high school and has encouraged several others to join them in donating hair to people in need. He already collected several thousand inches of hair and plans to keep collecting more.

Liora Kassman ’21 is another example of a student who performed this exceptionally kind act of chesed. Liora donated her hair three times to Children With Hair Loss and is waiting to do it again as soon as her hair is long enough. In total, she donated between thirty three-thirty six inches of hair to children in need. Her reasoning is that her hair grows back whereas others don’t, so the temporary act of cutting her hair can help those who are permanently unable to do it. It is easy to take for granted that people’s hair grows back every time it is cut, but it is important to remember that not everyone has that ability.

Finley Horowitz ’22 also donates her hair but to a person close to her family with alopecia.

She is able to see firsthand how much her donation affects others. She has donated about 23 inches of her hair and has plans to cut it again by the end of the year. Finley’s close personal connection to this chesed models how a small act of chesed can benefit someone close to you.

The ability to grow hair is a privilege that many fail to recognize. From the amazing acts of chesed that Finley, Liora, Caleb, and Adrian have

Stay Safe in FACECASE NYC Charles Spielfogel ’21

A few months ago, entrepreneur William Kremer ’21 and Samuel (Schmeel) Sternberg, a senior at SAR, started FACECASE NYC, a disposable mask company. The Rampage interviewed the partners to learn about their product, inspiration, and production process.

Charles Spielfogel: Can you please explain what FACECASE NYC is?

William Kremer: FACECASE NYC is a disposable mask company. We sell masks with different designs on them. For example, we have a stars mask, marble mask, tie die mask, and cloud mask, which is probably our most popular product. We started the company a few months ago.

Who wants to wear those plain blue masks? Everyone wants to look a little stylish! We decided it would be cool to put designs on masks. We donate a portion of our proceeds to Covid relief funds.

CS: Who is your targeted audience?

WK: We target everyone that wears a mask! Students are a huge target of ours because they have to wear masks every day. Moms often buy masks for their families as well.

CS: Could you walk us through the production of your masks?

WK: At first, it took some time for us to find a manufacturer. We went on Alibaba, which is a website where one can connect with different producers for clothing, etc. We did some searching and connected with a lot of different manufac-

December 2020/Kislev 5781

performed people can learn that donating hair is a way to give a piece of yourself, a gift, to those in need.

Hair donation does not create a permanent effect on one’s own hair, but permanently affects those in need.

Whether you donate 10 inches or 50, donating hair is a powerful chesed that improves the lives of both yourself and those you help.

Here are a few organizations to check out if you are interested in learning more about hair donation: Cutting it with Caleb, Children With Hair Loss, Wigs for Kids, Locks of Love, and Chai Lifeline.

turers. We finally found one that we found had the best price and got some samples of the masks. After testing them for comfort and good quality, we went ahead and ordered 20,000 of them.

but we understood that if we wrote FACECASE on the masks, it would be ugly. So, we decided we weren’t going to do that, but then we had to decide how we were going to keep ourselves branded. Selling masks is different than selling t-shirts with our brand name on them, so we had to decide where to sell the masks -- on Amazon, in stores. We are still figuring that out.

CS: What inspired you to start this business?

WK: What inspired us was simply that we saw a space in the market for something people needed and wanted. We thought it would be a good idea to make and donate some money. We saw room for creativity and putting our own touch on the masks.

CS: What distinguishes your product from other masks?

WK: You should buy our product because it is comfortable. We have gotten so much positive feedback about the comfort of our masks. It’s stylish -- the designs are simple and it can go with any outfit. People love FACECASE masks!

CS: What has been the greatest challenge when getting your company off the ground?

WK: The beginning is a challenge for any company. We didn’t have the biggest fan base: the only fans we had were people we know. So, we did some advertisements and asked people to shout us out (on Instagram).

Samuel Sternberg: I think the biggest challenge was to balance branding with a good product. We wanted to print the name FACECASE (on the masks),

CS: Do you plan on expanding the concept of this product after Covid is over?

WK: We are not yet sure if people are still going to be wearing masks once Covid ends. We are going to go to college soon, so I don’t think this will be a lasting brand.

CS: Thanks for enlightening the Ramaz community. It sounds like a really good idea and we are excited to see what you are going to do in the future.

Watch The Rampage’s Broadcast at: www.the-rampage.org

December 2020/Kislev 5781

The Rampage

Student Spotlights 9

The Rampage’s Guide to Your NYC Winter Break Tali Sitruk ’22

With more families opting to stay home during this winter break due to Covid-19, many are left wondering what activities can replace the fun of their vacations. If you find yourself amongst those staying in New York, here is your complete guide for a staycation filled with great entertainment:

1. LuminoCity on Randall’s Island 2. Visit the Edge observation deck: feel as if you are floating in the sky at the tallest sky deck in the Western Hemisphere

3. Visit the holiday shops in Bryant Park: roam

around a series of small boutiques and shops where you can buy many trinkets

4. Visit the American Dream Mall: there you can indoor ski or ice skate as well as enjoy their nickelodeon theme park and shop at all your favorite stores.

5. Indoor skydive at iFly in Paramus, New Jersey or in Yonkers, New York

6. Climb the Vessel at Hudson Yards. A trip to Hudson Yards at night is a sight to see during the holiday times as the Vessel is covered in lights!

7. Walk along the Brooklyn

Bridge to arrive in Dumbo.

Go on the iconic merry go round and check out La Bagel Delight for their iconic bagels.

8. Love to cook? Book a cooking class at the Kosher Culinary Institute 9. Play mini golf, rock climb and go to the batting cages at Chelsea Piers 10. Visit one of the four Starbucks Roaster-

ies in the world right here in NYC. There you can witness the coffee beans being roasted and learn more about the process of how coffee is made.

11. Go skiing and snow tubing in Whiteface

Mountain in Wilmington, NY. There is a range of slopes for beginners all the way to slopes for master skiers.

12. Museum of Ice Cream: a fun and colorful place where you can take cool pictures while enjoying their chilled ice cream.

13. ARTECHOUSE: a museum where art, science, and technology all cross paths to create something truly special and one of a kind.

14. Looking for cool pictures to add to your Instagram feed? The Museum of Illusions, which contains optical illusions, holograms and anti-gravity rooms which trick the eye is the perfect place to go.

15. Are you a budding Sherlock Holmes? Go to Skyscape Spy Museum, an espionage museum in Midtown that features a James Bond exhibit and learn how to crack code.

Happy Channukah!

Love, your editors

Student Spotlight 10

The Rampage

Academic Clubs Competing on Zoom Nicole Hirsckorn ’22

This year, many clubs at Ramaz are meeting virtually due to Covid-19. Academic clubs such as Mock Trial, Model Congress, Model UN, and College Bowl revolve around lively in-person conferences and competitions, so the transition to virtual programming can interfere with the structure of the clubs.

Different academic clubs are having different experiences on Zoom. Some clubs, like Mock Trial and Model Congress, are flourishing on virtual platforms. There has already been a Model Congress conference, and it went smoothly. “Students seem to be more focused on Zoom than in-person,” said Dr. Jucovy, faculty advisor of both clubs. “It’s nice to see them coming prepared and eager to participate.” At the beginning of the year, Rebecca Massel ’21, one of the Mock Trial captains, had some concerns. “Making objections is critical to a Mock Trial meet. I was nervous that it would be very choppy on Zoom with everyone

interrupting one another,” she said. Massel explained that this did not turn out to be an issue; everyone presenting simply leaves themselves unmuted, so the conversation can flow as easily as possible in the online format

Other club leaders have similar positive feelings about virtual meetings. “Like all other clubs, the Model UN team has been holding all its meetings on Zoom,” said Gabby Ostad ’21, who is a co-captain of Model UN. “While I prefer live meetings because I like to see my teammates in-person, our online meetings have been great.”

YUNMUN, the Yeshiva University Model United Nations conference, will take place virtually this year. “Having online meetings is great preparation for our conferences, since they will all be happening online,” said Ostad.

Debate will also operate entirely on Zoom.

“Meetings and debates are easier to get to— more kids are willing to go to a Zoom debate in Long Island than an actual debate there,” said Mr. Deutsch, who is the faculty advisor of the team.

December 2020/Kislev 5781 A positive aspect of online debates is that travel time is eliminated, which can add up to four hours per trip. Most academic clubs online are thriving, despite the barriers of a screen.

However, the future of some clubs this year is still uncertain. “I’m really not sure [how College Bowl is going to work],” said Dr. Rotenberg, faculty advisor of College Bowl. “I think the commissioner [of Yeshiva League College Bowl] has a plan, but she hasn’t shared it yet.” Organizing virtual clubs can be complicated, especially when ten or more schools are involved in the planning process. Those in charge of choosing dates and making sure everything runs smoothly often face countless obstacles in the process.

Regardless, it is still early in the year, and the majority of academic clubs are having a positive experience online. There seem to be more beneficial aspects of virtual programming than one might have initially thought, and many students are enjoying their experiences online.

The Ramaz Week in Review Clemi Roth ’22

What started out as a “random idea” and “joke” quickly became a reality for three Ramaz students. The Ramaz Week in Review team consists of Caleb Rosenfeld ’22, the lead newscaster, Isabel Ottensoser ’22, the scriptwriter, and Adrian Rosenfeld ’25, the video editor. Headed by Caleb Rosenfeld, the G.O. has been producing Ramaz Week in Review videos to casually communicate with the student body, sharing jokes, news, and essential updates. Each week the group uses their diverse skillsets to produce creative respite for the students.

While brainstorming with the G.O., Vice President Caleb Rosenfeld suggested riffing off Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update by creating Ramaz Week in Review. He quickly volunteered to be the face of the Ramaz news. Many students would agree that Caleb’s charisma, enthusiasm,

oga Club

Yoga club is open to all and no experience, equipment, or special attire is required. Samara Blatt ’22 is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, and in the club meetings, she leads power vinyasa flow yoga.

Participants can follow along with the demonstrator. In between the instruction, everyone has the opportunity to show off their yoga skills.

and outgoing nature can be felt through the screen.

Isabel Ottensoser, the Associate Vice President of Student Life, has the important role of writing the script. Each week she collects information and writes the first draft. She then sends it to the G.O. group chat to see if anyone has anything they want to add. Rabbi Dov Pianko then reviews the script and adds some comedic aspects. Isabel also takes photos throughout the week to incorporate them into the presentation.

The Ramaz Week in Review finally comes together thanks to Adrian Rosenfeld ’24. When recording Caleb, Adrian makes sure his big brother looks good. He weaves together the many clips to make one seamless video while incorporating photos from the week.

Furthermore, in order to maximize student participation in the community, the Ramaz Week in Review team has implemented a Ram of the Week initiative. Each week the students vote for a Ram of the week on the Ramaz GO’s Instagram. The student gets a prize from Rabbi Pianko and is given the honor of announcing the following Ram of the Week. Isabel shares

that in addition to increased student involvement, Ram of the Week’s goal is to “make it an exciting experience for students watching”.

Ramaz’s Week in Review has offered a unique opportunity for the Ramaz community to flourish despite the social distancing guidelines.

It allows students to remain involved while being apart. Alex Freilich ’22 said that the Ramaz Week in Review “presents a nice opportunity to better appreciate the fun activities the school provides for us and acknowledge the Ram of the Week”. The Week in Review team along with the entire G.O. has done an amazing job creating an entertaining platform to share the news with students.

Watch The Rampage’s Broadcast at: www.the-rampage.org

December 2020/Kislev 5781

The Rampage

Ramaz Round Table

Opinions

Opinions 11

Should Ramaz release the names of students infected with Covid-19?

Sarah Silverman ’24

Coronavirus has changed our lives, but it shouldn’t rob us of our decency. When someone contracts Covid they should get the respect and dignity of staying anonymous.

According to school policy, our grades have been placed into “cohorts.” These cohorts are supposed to be bubbles in which if someone gets the virus they would be quarantined and likely tested. This approach should let those who have been infected stay anonymous. Why should it matter who had it? We were all in the same place, ate lunch together, and potentially spread germs to each other. We would have quarantined no matter who was infected.The act of naming the infector would not change the outcome of events. People judge others. That’s a fact. We, as high schoolers, like to see how we match up to everyone else. When someone comes forward saying they have Coronavirus, it can lead to a slippery slope of bullying and judgment. Leaving them anonymous would solve many issues. The world is a messy place right now, with people constantly placing blame and pointing fingers at others. Naming names doesn’t solve anything; the practices we do, however, can make a difference. If everyone were social distancing, we wouldn’t have these issues in the first place. Let’s give those who are suffering from the virus some peace, and come up with real solutions.

Sydney Eisenstein ’22

The general policy should be that students who have Covid should be able to remain anonymous because the student may feel that there is a stigma surrounding getting Covid. It should definitely not be mandatory for the school to release the student’s name because that rule would violate Hippa. Hippa is a federal law which protects patients’ medical information from being revealed without patients’ consent or knowledge. When a student tests positive, the school should ask the student and his/her parents if they would allow the school to disclose their name. The point of disclosing someone’s name is to give other members of the school the most accurate information on if they have been exposed to Covid. If a student understandably chooses to remain anonymous, then the school should disclose information about where the student has been and if he/she has been in school. If the student has been in school, the student’s cohort should be notified. It would be wrong for the school to release students’ names without their consent. Anyhow, it is unnecessary for the school to release the student’s name because the school can tell the student’s cohort to quarantine.

Avigail Dupont ’21

In general, I believe that illness is a private matter and that it is up to the sick person to decide whether they would like to disclose information about them being sick or not. However, anonymity, especially during Covid time, comes at a cost. If the names of those who have Covid is not publicly disclosed, people who came into contact with them and have not been notified are being denied information that helps them and the people they come into contact with - family members, friends, or even a stranger on the street. I understand that publicly disclosing names creates unwanted attention directed to those individuals, but such a unique time requires a reassessment of past protocols. I believe that during a global pandemic, one that has taken away 1.5 million lives and counting, public health should outweigh privacy concerns. Choosing between individual rights and community needs isn’t a simple issue, but in a time of crisis that affects each and everyone of us we have to be concerned about public health and the greater good.

Charlotte Kleeger ’24

In order to protect students, faculty and staff from Covid-19, it is imperative that students who are infected with the virus come forward. It is our right to know if somebody has Covid-19, so as to ensure that there is no spread that can reach people in the building, and their families. Furthermore, if a student came in contact with another student who has the virus, for their own safety and for others, they must be notified. I would hope that the students at Ramaz would have enough sense to come forward if they have the virus, without the administration telling them to do so. If students are forced to come forward, the pandemic might be taken a little more seriously by the student body- and perhaps remind them of what is at stake. This pandemic cannot be taken lightly. Covid-19 cases are on the rise in New York City right now. If we don’t take more precautions to stop the spread, we are putting the entire student-body, staff, faculty, and their families at risk.

Students’ Thanksgiving Plans Moriel Weitzner ’24

The Rampage polled Ramaz students anonymously on their plans for the holiday. Due to Covid-19, the options for an enjoyable Thanksgiving seem slim, however, students are finding innovative ways to have a meaningful, fun Thanksgiving while remaining safe and following state guidelines.

The most p o p u lar plan a m o n g the 49 students who a n s w e re d the poll is to have a Thanksgiv-

ing dinner and spend time with family. Football and cooking is also a common interest, a few even travelling for the holiday. One person wrote they’ll be having Thanksgiving on Zoom, an online chat service being used by millions following the pandemic. Overall, Ramaz students are finding ways to adapt and make this Thanksgiving one worthwhile.

Opinions 12

The Rampage

December 2020/Kislev 5781

The Benefits of Swapping Zoom Days Eric Kalimi ’22

As the first quarter of hybrid schooling at Ramaz comes to a close, it is essential to look back on what areas the administration could improve upon to ensure the well-being of the students and faculty. Over the summer, the administration decided on a system where Sophomores and Seniors would be in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the Freshmen and Juniors would be in school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. They decided to have Freshmen in school three times a week to be with their teachers and their peers more in person. The days the other grades spent in school were chosen based on the size of the class.

Now that the school has used the plan for a prolonged period, I think the administration should switch the Juniors and Seniors to more in-persondays.

Last year, Coronavirus deprived Seniors of grade bonding time during their last year of high school. This year’s system allows Seniors, and the other students, to see each other much more than

last year but still not as much as in previous years.

Switching the days in which Seniors and Juniors are in school will allow Seniors to maximize their time in school together. Just as the Freshmen need to be in school more often to meet each other, the Seniors should be in school more often to bond as a grade for their last year. Caitlin Levine ’21, a member of this year’s Senior class, said, “I would like to be in the building three days a week. Next year I will miss my friends and teachers and would like to spend as much time as I can in the building learning and conversing.” Seniors feel that time to spend with each other is running out and would be happy to spend an extra day in person.

The Junior grade presents many challenges, and students feel that they are overloaded with work and tests and do not have enough time to do it all. When students go to school in-person, they, especially people who live far from the upper east side, spend a lot of time commuting. If Juniors were only in the building for two days, they would have more time to finish all of their work and sleep more. Jack Cohen ’22 said: “By not going to school,

you get more sleep time in the morning and more time to be productive after school.” Reducing the number of times juniors come to school will help relieve much of the stress many students have.

Besides benefiting the Seniors and Juniors, the switch would also help the Freshmen who are still relatively new to the school. I remember the conversations I had as a Freshman with the Seniors who tried to show us the ropes. Even though there isn’t as much cross-grade interaction because the building is split by grade, students from different grades still interact with each other while on the bus, walking to school, or during lunch. Relationships between Freshman and Seniors are essential to help the new students acclimate to the school.

A small and easy change that would benefit the seniors, who are trying to make the most of their last year, the juniors, who are struggling to find time for all their work, and the Freshman who need to learn how to be a successful Ramaz student is to switch the in-school days of the juniors and seniors.

uncomfortable seeing college names everywhere.So the question is, should students stop wearing college apparel to school to be more sensitive to the upperclassmen?

The fact of the matter is that Ramaz is a private school, meaning it has the power to determine rules for student clothing. If Ramaz were to decide that the students shouldn’t wear college apparel to school anymore, because it is inconsiderate for Seniors, it would be understandable.

Taylor Roslyn ’23 said it’s okay for lower classmen to wear college apparel even if they aren’t even thinking about colleges yet, because they should “have their hopes up while they can.” She said that if she got rejected from a school and saw a sweatshirt with that school then it would hurt, but people’s clothing shouldn’t be censored because of her feelings. She definitely opposes the idea of college apparel being banned.

Adam Vasserman ’23 agreed with Taylor, saying that he doesn’t get offended at all when lowerclassmen wear college merchandise. He believes that most of Ramaz students already start thinking about college pretty early and start wearing college apparel. He also said that he truly thinks wearing college merch is a fashion statement, not a real state-

ment about where someone is thinking about going to school. He said he never wore college apparel, mostly because he doesn’t shop for himself. “There is competition everywhere and we need to accept competition because there is competition in the real world as well, and that’s what’s awesome about Ramaz; it prepares us for the real world.”

Is Wearing College Apparel in School Insensitive?

2019 seniors sporting their college apparel on College Day. Rebecca Kalimi ’23

Senior and junior year students can often be overwhelmed with both school work and applying to colleges. We can understand why it might be

Tests Should Be Available on Zoom for Quarantining Students Emily Vayner ’23

Due to the new test policy regarding Covid-19, students are required to take all tests in-person. If a student is quarantining, they must make up their tests the week they come back. A student may have to quarantine for two weeks, missing four tests and three quizzes, and the week they come back, they have another two tests and two quizzes to take. This leaves the student taking six tests and five quizzes all in one week! Not only are students left feeling stressed, but they are tempted to make unhealthy decisions to avoid falling behind in school. The new test policy, which only lets students take tests online if they are home for the entire quarter, is not balanced fairly enough. I believe that if a student knows that they must quarantine for a minimum of two weeks and informs the administration that they will be home, he or she will not be allowed to attend physical school but will be permitted to take all assessments from home during that period of time. This way, a student is not risking their or others’ physical health, and it is not taking a toll on their mental health.

Online tests can reduce potential sick ex-

posure across students within Ramaz. If a student feels unwell or potentially comes in contact with someone with Covid symptoms, it is in the Ramaz’s best interest that that student stays home. Even though staying home would be the best option in both of those scenarios, only offering in-person tests makes staying home for a long period of time infeasible for many students. For example, if a student needs to quarantine for two weeks, they may come back to school with several tests and quizzes to make up, on top of what was already scheduled the week they return. This dissuades students from being honest with school officials. School policy should not punish students for being honest and preventing potential disease spread.

Many school administrators are concerned that students would cheat if left to take tests at home, but public health and mental health concerns outweigh potential fears for cheating. Having a balanced system will stop students from cheating, as students want to be in physical school as much as possible. This system will ensure that if a student is going to stay home the day of a test, he or she will have to make it up unless they have a genuine reason. Many school officials are concerned that

students would cheat if left to take tests at home.

Cheating is an understandable concern; however, there are ways to mitigate the potential for cheating. Exams are still going to be timed, which makes it more difficult to cheat. It is unlikely that a student would have time to finish an exam if they spend the entire time looking up answers. In our current Covid environment, it is more important that students learn the material efficiently and stay safe rather than stressing about assessments and increasing stress levels that are high enough already.

While we can still attend in-person classes, those who can take in-person tests should be able to. That said, the school should not punish students for wanting to be responsible by quarantining and staying home when they are sick. Conditions may make it inevitable that we will eventually have to go completely remote again and take exams from home. Eventually, life will return to normal, but in the meantime, it’s important to make accommodations to prioritize health, safety, and mental well-being over a test grade.

December 2020/Kislev 5781

The Rampage

Opinions 13

What Do You Think About the New Chemistry System?

Eric Kalimi ’22

Last year, the science department decided that sophomore (Class of 2022) chemistry would not have any tests. Instead of tests, students took frequent pop quizzes. Teachers awarded students with a 5, 6, 8, or 10 for each standard won a quiz, based on how well they showed their ability for that specific skill. Sophomores had the opportunity to take “makeup quizzes” for specific standards to help increase standards’ averages. Students’ opinions varied: many were excited and others were upset with the change.

One of the main reasons for creating this system was to help reduce the students’ stress. Caroline Schwartz ’22 believes the system fulfills its purpose; she said that the quizzes were incredibly helpful in reducing the stress that came with the traditional testing system. She said that studying small amounts of material consistently was less stressful

than cramming the day before a test. David Gitlemen ‘22 disagrees; he feels that the quizzes greatly increased his stress because he was forced to study every night for another quiz instead of just for one or two days before a test. He also found it incredibly stressful to not know whether he would have a quiz the next day. The chemistry quizzes succeeded to reduce stress for students like Caroline who would rather study small bits every night, but failed for students like David who do not want to worry about another quiz each day and would rather study all at once for a traditional test.

Another important issue is whether the students felt that the system helped them learn the material and score better. Emily Rosenfeld ‘22 believes that the system forced her to keep up with the information from every class. She felt that the frequent review was extremely beneficial in terms of giving her a genuine understanding of the problems. Joe Kaplan ‘22 brought the other side of the argument

by saying that it can be very frustrating to not know when the quizzes are going to be and that since the quizzes are informal it can be hard to focus. When taking a traditional test, it is easier to focus when everyone is silent and working in a testing atmosphere, but since the quizzes were informal, it was much harder to focus. The relative chaos of the quizzes made it significantly more difficult to perform well on assessments. The quizzes were beneficial to the learning of many students, as it forced them to keep up with their material as class went on, but also caused some students to do worse on quizzes because of the lack of a formal testing atmosphere.

The new chemistry testing system evoked mixed reviews. Although some students felt that it reduced their stress to not have chemistry tests, others felt that it exacerbated it to have so many quizzes so frequently. The science department decided to perform their experiment a second time on the current sophomore grade.

Should Students Have the Option to Turn Their Cameras Off During Zoom?

Rebecca Silber ’23

Learning from home has certainly been a strange and unfamiliar experience for all of us. When I say that, I’m not only referring to the strangeness of not going to school every day, which has been, of course, a massive alteration in our daily lives, but I am also referring to the strangeness of turning our own homes into a new and improved learning environment.

It feels like the fine line that once divided our “home lives” from our “school lives” has suddenly vanished. While the list of complaints concerning Zoom school can go on and on, it’s not going anywhere. Zoom is an essential requirement during this pandemic. However, I do think that there are certain things about Zoom school that should not be required, most notably, the requirement to turn our cameras on during class.

For me, home has always felt like my safe haven, especially when things aren’t going too well in school. Therefore, meshing my school life with my home environment has been a very difficult and intrusive process for me. Zoom is the best we’ve got, and isn’t going anywhere. However, I do feel that what makes Zoom so invasive and strange is the camera feature that provides a lense into one’s personal life. Especially for those who are more introverted, the whole class having the ability to view your room and working space can feel extremely uncomfortable. In addition, some students may have things go-

ing on at home, and don’t want to risk that type of exposure through such an intimate way of communication.

From my own experience, I would say that although I don’t feel remarkably uncomfortable with the camera situation, I often get creeped out by the fact that my classmates and teachers currently have a front row view of my bedroom.

Lastly, I believe that many people, including myself, don’t always want to show their face on screen! We’ve all had bad hair days before, and during those times it would be ideal to have the option to turn off your camera. And without that option, students might even pay more attention to fixing themselves up so that they look more presentable on screen, than to

the actual class itself !

Overall, with the ability to turn off one’s camera during Zoom, students will feel more comfortable attending class online, which is already such a strange and uncomfortable experience on its own. If students feel that for whatever reason, they would prefer learning online without their cameras turned on, they should be granted every right to do so, for it will only make them more comfortable and focused in class.

Heard by the Herd Bring Up Your Grades While You Bring in the Braids

Mr. Letourneu, the Challah Contest judge, expects it to be a tight race. Ultimately, he said, “In the end I’m the true winner as I get to eat them all haha!!!!”

Ramaz Dinner 2021 is Virtual

School dinner is ON (except for the school and the dinner part).

GO Lights up Chanukah

New GO Holiday video to be released soon.

Opinions 14

The Rampage

Political Opinions

December 2020/Kislev 5781

Results of the 2020 Election Raymond Ashkenazie ’24

The 2020 election is finally over and in the past. This election was very contentious with a highly charged political climate on both sides of the aisle, which fueled the largest voter turnout in history. 73.7 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots while young voters and people of color made their voices heard by voting in record numbers.

This percentage of voter turnout is crucial for the future of America and the future of the youth vote..

An overwhelming majority of African Americans, Latinos, Asians, young people, and LGBTQ Americans voted for Joe Biden. The Democrats voted in strong numbers because they were afraid that their equal human rights and health care would be taken away. There was an overwhelming number of issues on the ballot in this election, including the future of healthcare and the Affordable Care Act, climate change, Supreme Court nominees, gun restrictions, the right to an abortion, and gay marriage.

The Democrats had urged Americans to vote by mail and vote early because of health concerns, while we witnessed Republicans trying to suppress the vote, delegitimize legal votes, and intimidate voters. They tried to make it more challenging to cast and tally votes with charges of fictitious voter fraud that took place before, during, and after the counting of the ballots. Republicans sued to stop voting by mail while there is a public

health crisis taking place. After the election, President Trump has unsuccessfully sued to stop the counting of legal votes.

Fifty-five years after the passing of the Voting Rights Act and 100 years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the essence of our democracy is critically at risk. I believe that we have learned in this election that our system needs reform.

Americans have had a legitimate fear of violence in the aftermath of the election; voters were concerned that their votes would not be counted; politicians were undermining confidence in the electoral process and attempting to prevent votes from being counted, and there has been no dialogue about a peaceful transition of power. A democracy can not thrive or function under these conditions.

But while President Trump tapped into a scary sense of anger, bigotry, religiosity, and racism, we have seen that Republicans and Democrats vote for unity instead of division. President-Elect Joe Biden ran on hope and unity. However, Democrats did not see a blue wave as they did in 2018. The Democrats lost ten seats in the house (mainly moderate Democrats like representatives Max Rose and Joe Cunningham) and will likely gain a few seats in the senate, but not enough to gain the majority.

We have learned in this election that the moderate and progressive wings in the Democratic party are divided and if they do not work together, there will be many lost seats in the House of Representatives.

A recurring theme in recent elections has been vot-

er suppression which is undermining our elections and may cause the end of our democracy.

President Trump is refusing to concede, demanding that vote counting halt in some places and yet continue in others, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went very far to predict and promise a “smooth transition to a second Trump administration.” President Trump is currently undermining President-Elect Biden's victory by not having a smooth transition of power. A smooth transition of power is necessary to protect national security, our democracy and the American people. U.S. Presidents usually work to smooth paths forward so that the next President will have a solid foundation to begin with. President Trump is abandoning these traditions which could do deep damage to our trust in peaceful and fair elections and our very important tradition of a peaceful transition of power.

His refusing to concede is not only disrespectful to the American people but completely disgraceful.

The American people are ready to move on and accept Joe Biden as the next President of the United States, however Trump is preventing the American people from move on.

Amy Coney Barrett Has No Place on the Supreme Court Charlotte Kleeger ’24

Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed into the Supreme Court one week before Election Day. Before this, Barrett was a law professor at Notre Dame law school for almost two decades, and then went on to serve on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals for less than three years. Barrett’s far-right views ap-

Aviva Lehman ’22 posted photos of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to eulogize the late judge. peal to many right-wing conservatives, along with the fact that she is very religious. But is Amy Coney Barrett qualified for the Supreme Court? My short answer is no. And there are many reasons why not.

Amy Coney Barrett is a devout Catholic, which can lead us to assume that her religion influences her greatly. She was also involved in a

group called People of Praise, where it is believed that men should have authority over their wives.

Furthermore, Barrett has written in the past that Catholicism should affect a judge’s jurisprudence, completely violating the separation of church and state. While Barrett is allowed to hold standards based on religion for herself, she cannot enforce them on others. Will her beliefs influence her decisions as a justice? Possibly. For example, Barrett has tried to restrict abortion rights in the past. In the case Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky Inc., Barrett dissented to the blocking of a law that calls for informing a minor's parents if said minor wants to have an abortion. She also signed her name to an ad in the South Bend Tribune, an Indiana newspaper, by the group St. Joseph County Right to Life. The ad declared that ones who sign “oppose abortion on demand and defend the right to life from fertilization to natural death.” Therefore, as a religious conservative who has a record of attempting to restrict abortion rights, along with the fact that President Donald J. Trump has said that he would only appoint judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade, we have every reason to assume that Barrett would do so. Outlawing abortions is not a good solution. If women do not have access to safe abortions, it will not stop them from getting one. Pregnant women may resort to desperate measures such as getting the operation done by someone unqualified or even aborting the child themselves. This puts the mother at great risk. Additionally, Barrett is no friend to the LGBTQ+ community. She has misgendered trans women by calling them “psychological males”, and signed on to a letter which stated that marriage is the “indissoluble commitment of a man and a woman”, establishing her hostility to same-sex marriage. Moreover, Barrett is an originalist, which ultimately means she believes in the

exclusion of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people from the rights written in the constitution.

So far, all of her potential rulings and policies have been based on her religion. This is quite alarming, as that directly goes against her claim to originalism. If the constitution mentions the separation of church and state, she must adhere to that; otherwise, she is contradicting herself.

In any case, the most important factor to take into consideration is qualification. Amy Coney Barrett has never tried a case, argued an appeal, or argued before the Supreme Court. In addition, she only became a judge in 2017. While it is true that Barrett has studied law and is qualified to practice, that does not and should not grant her a spot in the highest court in the country, no less to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Additionally, her confirmation hearings are extremely concerning to me. Barrett was unable to name the five freedoms protected by the first amendment. I am only in ninth grade, yet I am able to do so. Barrett treated her lack of common knowledge as a joke, which was even more alarming. Furthermore, she avoided a question regarding climate change and refused to acknowledge that the issue even exists. While I can understand why Barrett would refrain from sharing her political standpoint, stating that climate change exists is not a political opinion, it is science.

Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed a mere week before the election. It is clear that Trump saw an opportunity and did what was best for him: form a conservative court in order to eradicate the Affordable Care Act, taking away the insurance of millions of Americans. Amy Coney Barrett has no place on the Supreme Court.

December 2020/Kislev 5781

The Rampage

Opinions 15

Cancel Culture is Destroying Civil Discourse Moriel Weitzner ’24

In the past few years, “cancel culture” has taken root in the United States. In simple terms, “cancel culture” refers to the severe ostracization of certain individuals as a result of their views. These individuals do not even need to say anything terrible to become the victims of cancel culture; so long as their views are deemed “unacceptable” by the leftist outrage mobs on Twitter, their reputations will be tarnished. Among the many recent victims of cancel culture are Goya CEO Robert Unanue and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Their crimes? Mr. Unanue came out in support of President Donald Trump, and Drew Brees criticized kneeling during the national anthem as disrespectful. Regardless of one’s own opinions of President Trump or kneeling during the national anthem, it should be obvious that Unanue and

Brees are not deserving of cancelation for their views. After all, there are reasons one might support President Trump or reject kneeling during the anthem. The leftist outrage mob strongly disagreed. Soon after stating their positions, high profile celebrities throughout the country, along with their fans, blasted Unanue and Brees. Calls to boycott Goya emerged, despite the fact that they employ over 4,000 people worldwide. Additionally, Brees’ own teammates and fellow athletes labeled him a racist, even though he’s donated millions in charity to New Orleans, a city with a large black community.

Unanue and Brees’ cases are quite instructive, as well as terrifying. Both men, in spite of their tremendous positive impact on others’ lives, became the subject of intense ridicule for views that are not remotely reprehensible. This does not bode well for the country. Cancel culture sends a very

Crossword Isaac Silverman ’21

clear message to those who disagree with liberal ideology: change your mind, or we’ll destroy your public image. We live in America, where freedom of speech is one of our core values, so unless someone’s speech is legally considered “hate speech”, every citizen has a right to voice their opinion. Unanue and Brees are lucky: they have enough money and power to survive the outrage mob. However, most people are not powerful multi-millionaires, myself included. Though I do not consider myself to be a conservative or a Trump supporter, I am almost certain that I hold some views with which the leftist mob disagrees. If the country continues on its current course and cancel culture becomes the norm, I am quite confident that I will not want to express my own political opinions for fear of being “cancelled.” Myself and many others will only be left with one option: shut up and carry on.

Down: 1. New club dedicated to discussing racial issues.

2. The new _______ club is extremely relaxing.

3. End of week GO video hosted by VP Caleb Rosenfeld.

6. November holiday we eat turkey on.

Across: 4. These were unveiled for the Boys Varsity Hockey and Boys Varsity Volleyball teams.

5. William Kremer's designed disposable face mask company.

7. Supreme Court Justice replacing RBG. 8. Seniors want ___________ to go out for lunch.

9. New Vice President of the United States.

10. The couches in these social spaces have been replaced with bean bag chairs.

Word Search Aaron Zanger ’21

Solutions to both puzzles are posted online at www.the-rampage.org Solve the puzzles?

Send a photo to rampage@ramaz.org to be featured on our Instagram!

Word Box: Rabbi Sklarin Rampage Test Schedule Biden Election Street Lunch Leaves Trump Turkey Thanksgiving Fall Short Lunch Football

Opinions 16

The Rampage

December 2020/Kislev 5781

Zooming in on Looking Good on Zoom Emily Vayner ’23

Zoom is the epicenter of slacking off.

Rushing to school with a heavy backpack and showing off your new sneakers has now been replaced by students quite literally rolling out of bed and into class, and learning in your favorite pair of sweatpants.

While forcing your eyes to endure seven consecutive hours of online class is never enjoyable, especially without the company of friends or even a physical community, there are some advantages to this alternative jail cell.

The designer coats, backpacks and sneakers no longer stud the Ramaz hallways like they used to.

In addition, the bathrooms during Tefillah are not crowded with students applying their last coat of mascara of heating up a styling wand.

Michal Seinfeld ’21 said, “I haven’t touched my curling iron in months, which I used to use daily to curl my hair for school.” Now, girls don’t have to wear skirts to Talmud, and no one will notice that you’ve been wearing the same shirt three days in a row. In a way, virtual learning has increased productivity and focus in class, while decreasing the pressure to dress up.

Yet some students feel that staring at themselves during class is only more of a distraction. “Now that I see my face on Zoom, I’m always fixing my hair during class. Virtual learning has made me more self-conscious.” said an anonymous junior boy.

Yet, you can still hide your bad hair days and under-eye bags technologically if you wish. Zoom has proven not only to be a great learning tool, but also an at-home salon. Just experiment with the “touch up my appearance” button, which offers to blur your complexion, change your lip color, facial hair, and background. If you really want to “hide-

out,” simply tilt your computer camera and show your class a lovely view of your ceiling (too bad we aren’t permitted to turn off our cameras completely). G.O. President, Caitlin Levine ’21, believes

does the social pressure to look good fade because we cannot physically see one another, but also the different aspects of Zoom almost force us to give up our desire to impress.

Art by Samantha Sinensky ’21 that we should each have “three passes to turn off our cameras during school assemblies.”

All the different pros and cons of Zoom makes putting in effort something harder to do than it already is. Being a highschool student is already stressful and adding on a global pandemic, surely, didn’t help. Having so many tasks to juggle and endless fatigue from a never ending day makes it almost impossible to function. Not only

Broadcasting Section... sk

Stuck at Home: What is it like to Zoom for the entire semester?

Emily Rosenfeld ’22 and Her Hit Single: Cruel Summer ’20 Relax, Rewind, Revamped: The New Socially Distanced Lounges (No prior knowledge of Asian culture required)

Watch all broadcasts at www.the-rampage.org or on Instagram @ramazrampage

Email rampage@ramaz.org to join our team!