Volume 54, Issue 4 (December 2019) - The Rampage

The Rampage The Newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 54 • Issue 4 • December 2019 • Kislev 5780 • the-rampage.org

An Award-Winning First Trip to Princeton Model Congress Adam Vasserman '21

From November 21-24, the Ramaz Model Congress team traveled to Washington D.C. for the annual Princeton Model Congress conference hosted at the Washington Hilton. This event was the culmination of all the hard work and dedication the team has put in since the start of the year. At the conference, students were tasked with creating bills, debating them, and potentially passing them into “law.” Chaperoned

by Dr. Jucovy, Ramaz competed against numerous schools from across the country in the mock House of Representatives, Senate, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch.

This was the first year Ramaz attended this conference (in the past, Ramaz has only at-

William Kremer '21

tended Penn Model Congress), and there were many positive takeaways. Gabi Potter ’20, Eitan Linhart ’21, and Samara Blatt ’22 all received honorable mention awards in their committees.

Reflecting on the conference, Co-Captain Jose-

phine Schizer ’20 said, “After all the hard work we put into the conference, it was so exciting to see it

pay off. It was a great experience for the team and we were so excited to bring home three awards.”

Co-Captain Gabi Potter ’20 also praised the team’s success, stating, “I think this trip will go a long way in ensuring success down the line. This was the first time Ramaz has gone to this conference, and we got three awards—a testament, I believe, to the team’s skill and potential.” Looking to carry the momentum from Princeton Model Congress, the Ramaz team will return to their weekly Wednesday practices with hopes of finding even more success at Penn Model Congress this coming March.

Ramaz Alumni Reunite for Yom Iyun

Every year, Ramaz hosts a day in the fall to welcome alumni back to school to learn with their former teachers, enjoy one more school lunch, and reconnect with friends. Called the Ramaz Yom Iyun, the school’s alumni-focused event geared toward graduates from the classes of 2015-19 takes place each November on the eve of Thanksgiving— this year on November 27th. Rabbi Schiowitz, the initiator of the Day of Learning, explained that “the goal of the Yom Iyun is for the school and the teachers to reconnect with the alumni through learning together.” Usually, there is a theme for the Yom Iyun, but this year, teachers taught whatever most interested them.

Granting the teachers freedom to give “greatest hits” style classes was a home run. Many of the 35 alumni in attendance remarked that the day was a huge success both socially and academically. “It was nice to be back with my friends in a place where we spent so much time learning and growing together,” said Hannah Sholes ’18. Many alumni showed interest in reconnecting with their high school teachers and learning with them again post-graduation.

Sholes felt that “it was really meaningful to come back from college and see my high school classmates and teachers.”

The purpose of the day is to reconnect students in college not only with each other but also with Judaic learning. Many alumni said they miss the Judaic curriculum. “It's really hard having a full course load in college without Judaic studies builtin, and it can be difficult to make time to learn,” said Natalie Kahn ’19, “Sometimes it's good to have a

Inside this issue...

day dedicated to doing that.”

According to Rabbi Schiowitz, the main purpose of the day is to “leave students with the message that Ramaz is interested in maintaining a relationship with them and in continuing to be a community of learning.” This year, the organizers decided to dedicate the day in memory of Joseph Krikheli, the father of Tammy Krikheli ’18, who recently passed away. An in-school chesed project was organized and dedicated on his behalf as well.

When asked how else the school is connecting with college-aged alumni, Rabbi Schiowitz responded, “We have had a number of visits to college campuses where teachers learn with alumni there.

Last year, we made about 10 visits, and we hope to do the same or more this year and in the coming years.” Many of the college campus visits have been extremely well received. Rabbi Sklarin, who has vis-

ited schools as far as Boston University, Binghamton University, and the University of Chicago noted that “these visits almost always had a communal meal (whether in the dining room or a separate room) and then a shiur. They are very successful with a high turnout of Ramaz students, and we’ve received a very positive response.”

At the Yom Iyun, students had a chance to learn about “Illustrations of Sinai in Hebrew Manuscripts” with Rabbi Sklarin, “High Crimes & Misdemeanors” with Dr. Jucovy, “Lessons for Life from Parshat Hashavua” with Rabbi Schimmel, “The Avoda of Being Grateful” with Rabbi Gober, and “Postmodern Art: Questioning Creativity” with Dr. Gaylord.

“The goals for the Yom Iyun are for the school and the teachers to reconnect with alumni through learning together. We are targeting college-age alumni who are often on vacation on the day before Thanksgiving and are interested in visiting,” added Leah Felner, Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations. “It is a day that we have always had alumni returning from college to visit Ramaz, but we never had a formal program for them. We have found that there is a strong interest among the alumni to learn with their high school teachers. This is certainly the case for Judaic Studies since alumni in college do not generally have a Judaic Studies program. Interestingly, many alumni are interested in general studies classes as well because even in college, many alums find that their classes are not the same.”

Ramaz Students Head To The Philharmonic.....................................................................................Page 5 Q & A with NCSY Director Rabbi Manu Hass......................................................................................Page 6 Special Interview with Apparel Chair Cayla Todes...........................................................................Page 7 Crossword...........................................................................................................................................Page 8

News 2

The Rampage

December 2019/ Kislev 5780

Returning to Friday for Student-Teacher Conferences

Isaac Silverman '21 Many students dread student-teacher confer ences. Students must wait for hours in long lines to meet with teachers for only a few minutes, and teachers must meet with dozens upon dozens of students with few breaks. With the entire day free of classes, all students have the same goal in mind: try to finish conferences and leave school as soon as possible. Last year, administrators tried solving this problem by making conferences on a Thursday, including both conferences and classes in the schedule. This year, the administration reverted the conference day to Friday but instituted a change: official limits on how early students would be allowed to leave the school after completing their conferences, preventing students from rushing out of school as quickly as they could.

Many teachers were enthusiastic about the

change from last year’s setup, remembering the tiring day: after teaching periods 2-3 and meeting with students for hours on end, exhausted teachers (and students) had to go back to periods 10-11. Dr. Gaylord noted that he prefers Friday conferences because “they can be as long or as short as teachers and students need them to be.” Without the pressure to hurry up and finish before 10th period, this year, students and teachers were able to have meaningful meetings in a decent amount of time. Mr. Deutsch, who always has an enormous number of students with whom to meet, was not pleased with last year’s arrangement of conferences. Having to teach after a long day of constant conversing was extremely tiring, so he was extremely happy to have the meetings back on Friday this year.

Many juniors noted their agreement with the

change. Levi Lesches ’21 said, “If these meetings are going to happen during school, it might as well be convenient for everybody.” Akiva Shlomovich ’21 proposed another solution, “It would be better for conferences to be on a full school day because more time is needed to meet with all your teachers then there is on a Friday. Kids should still be able to leave early, that way the building is less noisy and crowded.” Students spend more time waiting for teachers who have more students. With an entire R day, for example, students could afford to take time for meaningful meetings with their teachers.

Whether a student rushes through these meetings or takes his or her time, students and teachers agree on one thing: there should not be classes on student-teacher conference day.

was a hectic time period for all faculty and students involved. The school was preparing for hundreds of prospective students to visit. Additionally, quarter anecdotal reports were due during this long weekend.

This time gave teachers a chance to finish the reports.

Monday, November 11th was not a day off because of Veterans Day, a national holiday, but rather for a professional development day. Since students had Friday off in preparation for the open house, it was convenient for meetings to be held on Monday and to make it a long weekend. Faculty members were meant to visit other Yeshiva Day Schools to learn ways to enhance their teaching techniques. However, many schools were closed in honor of Veterans Day, so they

were unable to do so. As a substitute, there was half a day of in-house meetings for faculty.

Rabbi Stochel said, “Do not expect this every year. This weekend was an opportunity to catch up on valuable learning time because we know how devoted our students are, and since there was no break since Sukkot.” Emma Stonehill ’21 said, “I really needed this weekend to catch up on all my assignments, and it gave me a chance to take a breath in the midst of stressful junior year.” The feeling was shared among all students, especially juniors. This is a much-needed break that many students would appreciate in years to come.

Why the Long Weekend?

Tammy Palagi '21

In the month of November, the Ramaz Upper School was off on Friday, November 8th as well as Monday, November 11th. Given the school’s academic rigor and students’ constant stress, nobody was complaining. Why exactly did Ramaz have this elongated weekend?

Many students would argue that the time between Sukkot and Thanksgiving is the longest and most grueling period of the school year. This long weekend gave students an opportunity to rest and catch up on work. Given that the annual Ramaz Open House was held that weekend on Motzei Shabbat, it

Redesigned Thanksgiving Community Rebecca Massel '21

“A commitment to democracy.” These words can be found on the Ramaz mission statement, which proudly hangs in every classroom and is even painted in the staircase. But what does this core Ramaz value really mean?

How can students show their “gratitude to the United States of America”?

This past November 27th, commonly referred to as Erev Thanksgiving, Ramaz students convened to honor the day with a Community program. Rabbi Albo began the program discussing the importance of “reviewing together our shared values,” later continuing in an interview, “These values are not just something that's from top down, but, rather, us all, as a community, we really do share these values. These are our values that we really do believe in.”

To emphasize this point, five students from all different grades each read one of the core values, including commitments to: menschlichkeit (refinement of character), the Torah and mitzvot, the State of Israel, the pursuit of knowledge, democracy, and a responsibility to all Jews.

For the body of the Community, host Gabriel Kraiem ’20 interviewed two Ramaz teachers: French teacher Madame Julie Bellaiche and math teacher Dr. Fabio Nironi. Much like a real talk show, the interviewees sat on a couch across from Kraiem. Kraiem has recently started Ramcast, a podcast for Ramaz. Rabbi Albo said, “I thought it was a very impressive initiative, so I gave him the ability to essentially do what he would do in a podcast in front of everyone. This was to promote his podcast and bring it to life for the students.”

Both interviewees immigrated from European countries and felt it necessary to express their gratitude to the United States (U.S.). Kraiem introduced the interviews by explaining that, “Many of our parents and grandparents who immigrated not just long ago now have better lives.” Therefore, it is important for Ramaz students to devote Thanksgiving to being grateful for the opportunities that the U.S. has given them.

Madame Bellaiche, a French Jew, explained that her family moved to the US for her husband’s job. They planned to stay for only three years, until her and her husband realized antisemitism was rising in France. She explained to the Ramaz students that “people were protesting and starting to scream things like:

Jews out.”

Dr. Nironi, a German Catholic, spoke about why he was motivated to come and his transition into American society. Dr. Nironi was a researcher and received an offer from Columbia University to do a post-doc in New York City. “People were telling me that when the young come to New York City, they usually stay. That’s essentially what happened. I’m still here and I’m very appreciative,” said Dr. Nironi in a powerful statement. The room erupted in applause for him.

Both Dr. Nironi and Madame Bellaiche spoke about the process of assimilating into American society. Once in America, Madame Bellaiche realized that “I am very French!” The cultures have many great differences. Madame Bellaiche was forced to overcome the language barrier, but still confesses that speaking English sometimes makes her nervous. Additionally, she is impressed with Americans’ optimism to keep going no matter the challenge.

Similarly, Dr. Nironi constantly notices differences between the busy city and his home country. When he moved, Dr. Nironi was impressed by the enormous cars, but, at the same time, he misses the squares and cafes of Europe. Dr. Nironi does appreciate how different his life is here in America. He met his wife in America and his children are now growing up American, very different from Dr. Nironi’s personal upbringing.

To conclude the Community, Ramaz alumnus Corporal Yaron Porter gave a moving speech about his gratitude for the U.S.. Porter joined the US Army in 2010 and for the next four years, he spent most of his time in the National Guard. Then, in 2018, Porter enlisted in the Israel Defense Force and became a snipper. A month ago, Porter reenlisted to the National Guard.

Corporal Porter’s remarks moved the crowd. Ramaz students were mesmerized by his dedication to the US Army as well as the IDF. Porter told the students that his parents fled the Soviet Union in 1979 on the last flight out of Russia. While his mother, an opera singer, was not accepted by any Russian conservatory because of her religion, in the US, Juilliard welcomed her. Porter summarized, “America has given my family and myself the opportunity for more than just economic success. It gave us the opportunity for religious freedom and personal freedom. That is why I

served.” The program finished with a prayer for peace and the U.S. National Anthem.

Ramaz students’ perspectives varied regarding this Community. Some students really appreciated the time together before Thanksgiving and learning more about their teachers. Ita Newman-Getzler ’21 said, “I enjoyed the interviews because it was interesting to hear different views and get to know my teachers.”

Eliana Capelowicz ’23 was excited to be with the upperclassmen, stating, “I feel like in the middle school, the fifth graders were always separated from the rest of the school.

It was nice that the freshmen were included during this community.” Students were especially impressed by Corporal Porter. Charles Spielfogel ’21 said, “The Ramaz alum was so cool. He has served for two armies and he is really giving back, which is amazing.” Brayden Serphos ’22 said, “It was definitely interesting to hear from the corporal.”

Other students were confused with the context of the program. Ethan Rubin ’20 said, “I didn’t see the program’s relevance to Thanksgiving, but it was good to hear about where our teachers immigrated from.” Jessica Moskowitz ’22 agreed, saying, “It was nice to come together, but I think other activities could have been more relevant to the holiday.”

Rabbi Albo, the organizer of the program, explained that he wanted to represent “another facet of showing gratitude United States of America. This country really is a country that's built on immigrants and there isn't a single person in this building, who either themselves, their parents, or their grandparents were not an immigrant to the United States.” Rabbi Albo wanted to help students find a personal connection to Thanksgiving and wanted to avoid a Thanksgiving lecture. He is sensitive that “our kids are so overwhelmed with formal lecturing throughout the day here, and I didn't want it to be another class.”

Thanksgiving is a day of appreciation for the U.S. and the freedoms it provides for every citizen. One of the student mission statement readers, Maya Chaovat ’21, said, “I am proud to represent the values of Ramaz and it was nice to intertwine them with the values of Thanksgiving.”

December 2019/Kislev 5780

News 3

Second SFAC Meeting Update

The Rampage Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 54 • Issue 4 • December 2019 • the-rampage.org

Caitlin Levine '21

Editors-in-Chief: Zachary Buller ’20* Sophia Kremer ’20* Josephine Schizer ’20*

Layout Editors: Hannah Doft ’20* Aliza Freilich ’20* Crossword Editor: Avery Sholes '20 Meme Department: Avery Sholes ’20 Isaac Silverman '21 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Milowitz Contributing writers: Rachel Freilich '22 William Kremer '21 Caitlin Levine ’21 Rebecca Massel ’21 Gabby Ostad '21 Tammy Palagi '21 Samantha Sinensky '21 Issac Silverman '21 Andrew Spielfogel '23 Charles Spielfogel ’21 Eve Schizer '22 Adam Vasserman ’21

The Rampage

For the second time, the Student Faculty Advising Committee (SFAC) met on November 13, filled with invigorating discussions regarding the student body. Here’s what went down.

One member suggested that the school should add more fun and bonding activities to the advisory curriculum so that when there are more serious discussions, kids will feel more comfortable. Another person added that the school should clarify that period B4 is not a free period, and therefore students will be more grateful for the free time when the period is free. With regard to freshman orientation, the question was raised whether orientation should be one or two days. A survey was sent to assess sophomores’ opinions on how they think orientation

should be run. Sophomores commonly shared that orientation is not very necessary for sophomores, and one day should suffice, but that it is very necessary for freshman. When the question “Should we get our classes and schedules at orientation?” arose, the responses were unanimously, “yes”.

The next topic reviewed was student-teacher conferences. The discussion focused on the student experience in the conferences and how the school could go about improving the day.

One member mentioned: “I polled many students and they said an issue was the way it’s organized — there is more time spent on lines than with the teacher. You wait so long to have a five minute conversation. These lines bother everyone. I think there should also be a second student-teacher conference. First quarter is kind of early. Having a second one would be great — maybe after finals in late January.” Another member asked how removing

the sign-up sheets on the doors impacted the experience. While one person said that removing the sheets made for a more hectic experience; another person commented that subjectively, the lines in the auditorium were a lot shorter. The question was raised whether there is a way to do an online signup sheet with specific times for students to meet with teachers. Other members felt that the lines were not shorter; rather, in places like the auditorium where multiple teachers are situated, it is easier to navigate and manage time. Someone suggested holding more meetings in larger spaces. Although many students believe that a sign-up sheet would decrease conference time, it was clarified that whatever system is chosen, students might have to stay in school for an extended period of time. One member added that students like to make their way down to the auditorium and start their conferences at the higher floors.

Kristallnacht, 81 Years Later: Ms. Peterseil's Story Gabby Ostad '21

As 2019 marks 81 years since the horrific events of Kristallnacht, or the Night of BroThe Rampage is the student ken Glass, the newspaper of the Ramaz Upper number of firstSchool. It is published on a monthly hand account from basis. Letters to the editors may be the night has ever submitted to rampage@ramaz.org. grown fewer. HearLetters must be signed and may be ing the stories of edited to conform to The Rampage style and format. survivors is vital now more than The opinions expressed in The ever.

Rampage are of the author’s alone, On Thursday, Noand do not represent the views or vember 7th, Esther opinions of Ramaz, The Rampage, Peterseil, a 95-year or its editors. old Holocaust survivor and KJ mem* Denotes member of The Rampage ber, shared her editorial board story with the KJ/ Ramaz community. Ms. Peterseil was born in 1924 in Bendzin, Poland, a town with a pre-war population of 50,000 people, 90% of whom were Jewish. She was born into a family of eight children.

First, Ms. Peterseil and her family were sent to a ghetto in Bendzin, living 3-4 families in a room.

She said that each day, she was “fighting for a piece of bread, struggling with diseases, and waiting for the next deportation.” The Jews in Bendzin worked in sweatshops, making the uniforms for the German soldiers who were fighting on the Russian front. While she was in the ghetto, there weren’t many deportations because Birkenau was not yet complete.

In 1943, after being taken from the Bendzin

ghetto and put on cattle cars for six hours, she arrived at Birkenau with a few family members, including her younger sister, her mother, and her brother. When the adults were separated from the children, Ms. Peterseil took on the responsibility of being her sister’s mom.

Ms. Peterseil explained the conditions upon arrival, describing how beautiful girls’ hair was shaved and 12 girls slept on one bunk with one blanket. All inmates were given a bowl which they used for the occasional

porridge or as an outhouse.

Ms. Peterseil told of the moments when she prioritized her sister, who had a heart problem as a result of an untreated strep throat infection she got in the ghetto. She would give her sister her own bread rations to ensure her survival. She also told a specific story of true family love when she saved her sister from the gas chambers. During the winter, Ms. Peterseil was standing outside in the snow with no shoes

(resulting in her losing toes) when a German guard walked by and commented on her superb health. At that moment, Ms. Peterseil told the guard that her sister who was on her way to be killed was healthier than herself, although she truly was not. The guard gave Ms. Peterseil the sheet and she crossed off her sister’s name, saving her life. Around that time, Ms. Peterseil’s brother, who was also in Birkenau, died.

She and her sister both survived a death march and were liberated in Germany in 1945. Ms. Peterseil says that throughout the death march, she needed to encourage her sister to continue.

Unfortunately, Ms. Peterseil’s sister died at a displaced persons (DP) camp. As she spoke of this time, Ms. Peterseil became emotional, as she had the closest tie to her sister and felt like she lost a part of herself. She married her husband at a DP camp in Austria and had two children before immigrating to the United States in 1949.

An experience on the subway made Ms. Peterseil realize that people today are not educated about the Holocaust. When she was a young woman, wearing a sleeveless dress on the subway, the people next to her saw her tattooed number from Birkenau. They thought she had been imprisoned for a crime after seeing the tattoo and found it so sad that a young lady had committed a crime. Little did they know that she had survived the horrors of the Holocaust, and it was actually the Germans who had committed the crimes.

Today, Ms. Peterseil ends all of the stories she tells with a message for the youth. She remarks that, “as a Jew who has experienced the birth of the Jewish nation, a bright light of freedom, and remembrance, I felt protected again. I know in my heart that the potential for evil, the teaching of hatred, never goes away. It is up to you to see the signal. Remember what I have told you and fight, fight to make sure it never happens again.”

Kristallnacht, 81 Years Later: Mrs. Zimbler's Story Eve Schizer '22

November 9th, 1938 is widely known as Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. On this day, Hitler used the desperate action of a Jewish teenager to justify an anti-Jewish campaign; hundreds of synagogues were burnt, Jewish businesses and homes were looted, and approximately 100 Jews were killed.

Ramaz commemorates Kristallnacht every year with assemblies and speakers. This year, the sophomores and juniors heard from Ms. Landau, a Ramaz math teacher whose grandfather told her about Kristallnacht, and Mrs. Ruth Zimbler, who experienced it herself.

Ms. Landau opened the assembly by telling the story of her grandfather. She discussed how her great-grandfather had been a decorated World War I veteran and how this protected the family during the chaos of Kristallnacht. Her grandfather managed to escape to Palestine after Kristallnacht, but his three sisters and parents died in Auschwitz. He wrote an autobiography about his experiences.

Mrs. Zimbler gave a moving account of her experiences. She lived in an apartment building right

next to her synagogue and was not allowed to go to public school because she was Jewish.

When Kristallnacht occurred, Mrs. Zimbler was only 10 years old. Her parents sent her and her brother to her great aunt’s house in the suburbs, but she was not safe from the Nazis there either. A Nazi official came and kicked Mrs. Zimbler and her great aunt out of the house, claiming that is was his house now.

When Mrs. Zimbler returned to the city, her synagogue was in flames. The firefighters stood by and watched, only intervening if German property was threatened. Forbidden from returning to her apartment, she stayed with friends until her parents returned.

Her father had been in Dachau for 36 hours before the Germans discovered he was a decoder, and that they could use him as such, and her mother had to move around the city.

They managed to get Mrs. Zimbler and her brother on the Kindertransport to Holland. The two of them stayed there until October 1939 when they managed to get to the United States. Their parents followed three weeks later, but it wasn’t until January 1940 that they could live together as a family.

After recounting her story, Mrs. Zimbler told the students that “it’s in your hands to make the world better.” Ms. Benel furthered the statement by saying, “Be silent no more.”

Mrs. Zimbler speaks at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, because “you have to do something when you see an injustice done…when you were a kid—10 years old—it just goes into your bones and you never forget.”

News 4

The Rampage

The Ramaz Open House: What Changed?

Gabby Ostad '21 Every Ramaz student remembers the Saturday night they came to the Open House as a prospective student. The energy and excitement that fills the building is a feeling that sticks with students.

For the past three years, Ramaz has held two nights of open houses; a smaller one on a Wednesday night for current 8th grade Ramaz students and a larger one on a Saturday night open to all prospective students.

On Wednesday, October 30th, the Upper School opened their door for current Ramaz 8th graders.

In the past, this night used to be solely for parents of current Ramaz students, but a few years ago, the admissions office decided to open it up to current Ramaz eighth graders as well. The families went on tours of the building. Afterward, the parents sat in on classes while the students had a Q&A. Ms. Lieber explained, “The students did not sit in on the classes with

their parents because they had already experienced the Ramaz classroom environment on their half day.” The Q&A panel was comprised mainly of former Ramaz Middle School students. However, the panelists who did not attend Ramaz Middle School did not find it more difficult to answer questions. Eric Kalimi ’22, a sophomore who began going to Ramaz for high school stated, “The questions were mostly about the Upper School, so I was able to provide them with my insight. I loved getting to answer all the students’ questions because I really wanted to share my love of the school with them and tell them about all Ramaz has to offer.” A current Ramaz eighth-grader stated, “One of the highlights of the night was that it was only kids in my grade.

There was a sense of comfort because we all knew each other, so everyone felt relaxed asking their questions.”

The following Saturday night, November 9th, was the larger Ramaz Open House, where all prospective students were welcomed into the “Ramaz World.”

Instead of having all prospective students arrive at the same time, students who do not currently attend Ramaz Middle School were asked to come first. The reason for this was because “the majority of this night is dedicated

December 2019/Kislev 5780

to students who are not currently at Ramaz,” said Ms. Lieber. The families learned about Ramaz, the workload, and the commute to school, something many Ramaz Middle School students do not experience. The Ramaz students entered a room filled with unfamiliar faces later in the night to watch a video and see the big program in the gym. Together, all prospective students watched the Ramaz video, which displayed various characteristics Ramaz emphasizes: Jewish identity, commitment to Torah, chesed, academics, and co-curriculars.

In the gym, Sam Deutsch ’20 hosted the Ramaz Show, styled after Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight show, where he interviewed current high schoolers. This interview provided a relaxed way for prospective students to hear about the various clubs and teams that Ramaz offers. Current Ramaz 8th grader Charlotte Kleeger said, “I found the Ramaz Show to be a fun and informal way to learn about all the school has to offer. I liked how the Saturday night one was more focused on the students.” While the students were in the gym, parents were able to attend a new elective, Ram Talks, where three current Ramaz Upper School students presented on different topics.

In addition, this year, the admissions office added another video to the email they send out after the Open House, an overview of the Ramaz Show in addition to the regular Open House video.

Overall, the new features added to the Open House helped enhance the experience for the families by making it more engaging and providing more options for both students and parents.

G.O. Update: Monday Mincha Muffins William Kremer '21

Muffins have been a symbol of faculty superiority for years. We’ve all read those depressing warnings: “these muffins are NOT for students” or, “if you’re a student, do not open this door” signs by the lunchroom every morning with hungry eyes. What Ramaz student hasn’t dreamed of a fresh muffin to start off his or her day?

Now, students have access to muffins due to a new G.O. initiative. As a part of its goal to increase school spirit and make the everyday life at Ramaz even sweeter, the student government is passing out muffins every few Mondays after mincha. Dubbed MMM, or Monday Mincha Muffins, these freshly baked pastries are distributed to the entire student body by members of the G.O. roaming around the school with trays full of varieties such as vanilla and chocolate-chocolate chip.

Ralph Nakash ’21 said, “The muffins are amazing, and they really help me finish my day off right.”

Associate Vice President of Student Life Sophia Kremer ’20 took on the initiative with support from her fellow G.O. members.

Kremer explained, “We decided to serve the snack during mincha because students enjoy the cereals at breakfast and usually get hungry around mincha time. Monday is always the hardest day [of the week], and we wanted to sweeten it up a bit.”

Many students have been raving about the new treats, with Adam Vasserman ’21 “ecstatic” about the addition: “The G.O. really stepped up and helped me get through the last two periods without being consumed by hunger.”

Will muffins become the students’ newest favorite, even more than chocolate chip cookies? That is yet to be determined, but for now, MMMs are certainly a home run.

Thankful For Our Veterans Gabby Ostad '21

32 United States Army veterans of the Samaritan Village filled the fall-theme decorated auditorium for the second annual pre-Thanksgiving meal of gratitude on November 26. The intention of this meal was to thank the veterans for their service. “Veterans deserve a thank you for the work they have done,” said Ms. Benel, Director of Community Outreach and Pro-

gramming.

The night began with the students greeting the veterans at the door. Students sat with the veterans and learned about the experience of serving the United States on the front lines. The veterans went around the room sharing their names, what units they served in, where they were stationed, their experiences dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and their appreciation for being welcomed into Ramaz.

Soldiers shared their unique experiences as infantrymen, Navy SEALs, and Air Corps. The students were given the opportunity to serve the veterans dinner.

The veterans of the Samaritan Village shared their appreciation for the organization. Samaritan Village is an organization that offers specialized treatments for veterans experiencing PTSD, struggling with substance use, and dealing with other obstacles.

Participants in the program have said that living together has made them feel like a family and with a brotherly bond. Caroline Schwartz ‘22 reflected on her personal interactions with the veterans saying, “It was very meaningful being with the soldiers. They told us about their stories, and it showed how much love and commitment they had for our country.” The veterans shared their pre-war and post-war life experiences, including personal information about their families. Schwartz added, “I learned that courage

goes hand in hand with being a veteran. Every time these people went to war, they were risking their lives for our freedom.”

The dinner was enhanced by a presentation by the school’s chamber choir who sang “Over The Rainbow,” “Stand By Me,” and “The Star Spangled Banner,” after which the audience gave a standing ovation. Ella Rabani ’21 and Ilan Schochet ’21 followed by Kira Berman ’20 performed as well.

Although the majority of the dinner attendees were American veterans, Yaron, an Israeli veteran, was also present. Yaron stated, “I think we [American and Israeli veterans] have a very strong bond and a common ground because we both decided to step up and defend our country. We are the same kinds of people, just coming from different countries.” U.S. veteran Derick expressed gratitude for the dinner, “It is a great deed you guys are doing, welcoming us into your world. You guys can choose to be doing many other things, but the fact that you all choose to spend this time with us veterans is so meaningful.” Veteran Gil returned to this dinner for the second time. He said, “I liked last year, so I had to come back this year.”

Students found that spending the eve of this holiday dedicated to giving thanks with the people they feel most thankful for was meaningful.

December 2019/Kislev 5780

The Rampage

News 5

Sanders Foundation Brings Students to New York Philharmonic Zachary Buller '20

On Friday, December 6th, a group of eight freshmen and seniors were treated to another event sponsored by the Martin and Susan Sanders Family Foundation for Classical Music Enrichment at Ramaz: a trip to see the New York Philharmonic in action at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall. Accompanied by Mr. Lev-Ari, Mr. Henkin, and Mr. Elisha, the students attended “Bronfman and Beethoven,” a performance conducted by Jaap van Zweden that featured solo pianist Yefim Bronfman playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. The concert presented a fascinating dichotomy between the early-nineteenth-century works of Beethoven (1770-1827) and the postmodern style of Steve Reich (b. 1936): after playing Beethoven, the philharmonic performed Music for Ensemble and Orchestra, Reich’s piece composed in 2018 that premiered in New York at this event. At the concert’s

conclusion, the students watched as composer Steve Reich himself stood onstage and held hands with van Zweden, taking a bow as the room filled with fervent applause.

The eight students, all members of either the Ramaz Band, Chamber Ensemble, Upper School Choir, Chamber Choir, Dance Team, AP Music Theory class—or some combination thereof—were excited for the opportunity to extend their music education beyond Ramaz classrooms. In Elizabeth Newman-Corré ’20’s words, “Part of why I loved this trip and the Sanders program in general is because I get to take what I’m performing in choir or learning in Music Theory [class] and see how professionals are applying it. Before the concert began, I was talking with my classmates about different transposing and non-transposing instruments that I saw onstage, making connections to what I was learning in music class, and I was reminded just how special these programs are for students at Ra-

maz who really care about classical music.”

Rams Take Los Angeles!

Caitlin Levine '21

For the second year in a row, the Ramaz Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams traveled across the country to compete in the fifth Annual Steve Glouberman Basketball Tournament, hosted by Shalhevet High School in beautiful Los Angeles. Although neither Ramaz team brought home the gold, both teams created new friendships and bonded with their team members while enjoying competitive basketball against nine boys teams and ten boys teams from Yeshivot from around the country, including the HAFTR Hawks, Frisch Cougars, YULA Panthers, Shalhevet Firehawks, SAR sting, Hebrew Academy Warriors, Katz Yeshiva High School Storm, Maimonides MCATS, and the Maayanot Rapids. While all schools put up a good fight, the Maimonides MCATS girls team and the Frisch Cougars boys team emerged as tournament champions, Maimonides earning a 5-0 record, beating SAR 58-49 in the championship, and Frisch with a 4-1 record. (Frisch's only loss in the tournament was to Ramaz!) Ramaz ultimately defeated Shalhevet 58-49 in the championship round.

For the Rams, the fun began with a (bright and early) 5:15am flight to LA on Wednesday November 6th. Only two hours after landing, the boys played

their first game against Shalhevet, followed by the girls game. Although both Ramaz teams lost, a good time was had by all. The following day the girls played Maayanot and the boys played Frisch.

The highlight of the day was a key rebound by Ryan Leibowitz and then a pass to Spencer Rubinstein who made a game winning, buzzer beater to win the game for Ramaz, 52-51. In New York, the cheering from the fourth-floor lounge reverberated through the floors of the whole Ramaz building, with hundreds of students ecstatic over the epic shot snagging the victory for Ramaz. Ethan Morali ’19 remarked, “It was incredible to finally see such a spirited environment in the school. I mean 200+ kids all gathered in the fourth floor lounge watching the game was definitely something to experience. From shouting ‘DEFENSE’ to going berserk when Spencer made that last point, it was an incredible atmosphere. My only hope is that this Ramaz spirit can be expressed again hopefully at future events and games.”

On day three of the tournament, the Ramaz girls played Frisch and the boys played HAFTR. Both teams put up a good fight but did not take the win. Shabbat was a welcomed time for relaxation and socializing, and throughout the week, students were given further

RamJam: Just in Case You Missed It...

Rachel Freilich '22

On Tuesday afternoon before an eagerly-awaited Thanksgiving break, students from all four grades strolled into the auditorium and quickly found seats next to their friends to experience RamJam. The room buzzed with excitement as the stage was illuminated with bright lights and filled with performers running through last-minute details to perfect their acts.

As the noise simmered down, student host Sam Deutsch ’20 began with an introduction, quickly overpowered by the synth, keyboard, and drums of the Ramaz Band’s version of “Sucker,” exciting the students.

The Chamber Choir, Dance Team, and Guitar Ensemble showcased their talents with their upbeat acts. As the Chamber Choir sang and Judah Wahba ’20 belted out his solo, friends began cheering and shouting his name.

The Dance Team moved to strobe lights, reflecting the audience’s excitement.

Julia Feit ’22 said that this year’s show was even better than last year’s because, “I felt that everyone had more energy this year, and my friends and I were more enthusiastic because we had already experienced RamJam last year.” Yearbook Co-Editor-in-Chief Aliza Freilich ’20 said, “The show was sooooo great! We got such amazing pictures on our camera that will make awesome content for the yearbook.” Members of the audience were a little upset because every time they tried to take a picture to capture the moment, a teacher would rush over and tell them to put their phones away. Students said that the show was amazing, but they just wish that they were able to take pictures, turning the whole feel of the event into something more casual and student-run rather than a formal concert or performance. However, even without the pictures saved, the show was outstanding and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Students left the auditorium thoroughly satisfied and eager for next year’s show!

opportunities to explore, celebrating victories with a scenic trip to Venice Beach and enjoying a hearty BBQ at Shalhevet.

While the trip to LA was certainly exhausting and required the players to miss exams and two days of school, it was definitely a worthwhile experience. Sophia Kremer ‘20, captain of the girls team poignantly noted, “This tournament was a bonding experience for the team both on and off the court. We were able to pinpoint the exact skills we need to work on in order to excel in the regular season.” Students affirmed the fun that they had and the parts of the trip that they enjoyed most. For Jacob Schwartz ’21, it was “hanging with Coach Katz, of course,” and for Simeon Dicker ’21, it was “walking around Venice Beach with my friends.”

All in all, the Glouberman Tournament was a definite success. Ramaz was proud to honor the legacy of Steve Glouberman, and eager to show gratitude toward the Shalhevet community through the school’s competitive perseverance.

Features 6

The Rampage

December 2019/Kislev 5780

Ramaz’s New Jewish Inspiration: Rabbi Manu Hass Rebecca Massel ’21

It can be easiest to connect to religion and God through Tanach and Talmud classes, but Ramaz strongly believes that Judaism can, and should, be much greater than that. The school strives to envelop students in a life of Judaism through Shabbatonim, weekly Divrei Torah, and mishmar programs. A recent addition to these initiatives is KJ’s new NCSY Director, Rabbi Immanuel Hass.

NCSY is an organization that works with teens to aid them in building strong connections to their Jewish roots.

Coming all the way from England, Rabbi Hass, who goes by Manu, has worked for NCSY in Florida and New York for the past three years. This summer, he moved to Manhattan to join the KJ/Ramaz education force. At Ramaz, Manu spends quality time with the students, working to get to know them outside of the classroom. He began an additional mishmar on Wednesdays and leads onegs on Friday nights in the city for high schoolers. In addition, Manu davens in the freshmen minyan and is joining Ramaz Shabbatonim and trips this year.

The Rampage interviewed Manu to introduce him to the entire Ramaz community and learn more about him.

Rebecca Massel: What is your official role at Ramaz?

Manu Hass: My role is to contribute to the already amazing informal Jewish education within Ramaz’s walls.

RM: How are you accomplishing this goal?

MH: The initial stages are to see how things are going by being part of what is already in place and being an observer more than a player. Davening with the freshmen, Shabbatonim, and Judaic programs outside of the classroom are all opportunities for this.

RM: Why did you decide to lead your own mishmar?

MH: My philosophy is that while we are busy improving our textual skills, we haven’t continued our developmental approach to Judaism and what it means to us on a personal level. Some of the most fundamental elements

of Judaism we were taught when we were five or six, but we never really delved into them ever again. We were too busy jumping into text analysis, and by doing that, we lost some of the neshama (soul) of the Torah and were just left with the guf (body) of the Torah. The words are the guf, but what they truly mean to you and their implications, that is the neshama. That is where the real growth begins. For me, mishmar is an opportunity to open the eyes of the students to the Torah’s depth. Hopefully, that is something that permeates within the mishmars programs.

RM: Can you tell me about how you lead your mishmars?

MH: My mishmars last 45 minutes. I use the first 15 minutes to get to know the teens.

My opinion is that there is something missing if you teach before you know who you are teaching.

There is a famous story of the Satmar Rav. Someone came to him complaining that the shiur they were going to was supposed to start a Gemara, and it was taking ages for them to start even the first page. The rabbi said, “Why are you complaining? The rabbi is busy learning daf alef with you. He’ll get to daf bet soon.” The Gemara starts on daf bet, but daf alef is when you get to know everyone who you are learning with. Only after that can you open the book. Therefore, I start my class with a 15-minute hangout just to get to know the people in front of me. It seems that there are always new faces, which I love. After that, we begin learning. I am working with the teens to create our mishmars together and learn topics they are interested in.

RM: How has the experience of davening with the freshman been for you?

MH: I think it is a great way to get to know them. One of the advantages of being with the freshmen is that we are both new to the high school. It means that we are growing and integrating into Ramaz culture together.

RM: Why do you attend Shabbatonim and lead Friday night onegs?

MH: Judaism isn’t something that is supposed to only be when you open the text, daven, or light Shabbat candles.

It is supposed to be an ever-living and ongoing organic entity that surrounds and should envelop every action we do. If that is the case, then Shabbatonim and onegs are a time to express real love for living the Jewish life.

RM: How do you structure the onegs?

MH: I like to try and connect with where students are at and what they want at that time. Because this was the first oneg of the year, we did not have any organized activities.

We wanted there to be an appreciation for Shabbat and a time to bond, rather than adding something that teens feel they have to enter and learn. And secondly, knowing that the freshmen would have a Shabbaton the next week where there would be a lot of programming, I felt that I didn’t need to push the structured learning so much.

RM: Have you seen any development in the Ramaz religious connection so far?

MH: The fact that I am starting to get to know teens more than just meeting them quickly in the hallways is already a win. These interactions are the beginning of real, genuine relationships. With the teens who come to mishmar, I feel a bigger connection because we have already learned together, and nothing is more meaningful than learning with someone. Also, I was a chaperone for the Ramaz Basketball team’s LA trip to Shalhevet, and having that opportunity and time with the students allowed me to see them for who they are as opposed to just students walking around the school. For me, these are all wins.

RM: Are there any other messages you would like to share with Ramaz students?

MH: I am really excited about the great Shabbatonim, and I can’t wait to get more involved, build more relationships, and become part of the Ramaz family.

Community at Work: Dr. David Serur Tammy Palagi ‘21

Dr. David Serur is parent of Leah Serur ‘21 and a world-class nephrologist, a specialist that focuses on the treatment of diseases that affect the kidneys. On a daily basis he goes to the hospital and visits his patients, always making an extra effort to keep his patients comfortable. His day-to-day begins by conversing with his patients and taking notes on their progress. He assesses their problems and gives them prescriptions. If and when the time comes, he sets them up for a kidney transplant.

Additionally, he does research by going over the charts and evaluating their outcomes to see if the treatment is helping the patients. If it is not, then he works to find a better course of treatment. He is always looking for the

best and least invasive course of treatment.

As a kid, Dr. Serur liked taking things apart and fixing them. He explored his curiosity by opening appliances and looking to see how they worked inside. His favorite subject as a student was biology. He his fascination with handy work and biology would make medicine the ideal profession for him in his future.

Dr. Serur claims that most rewarding part of his work as a nephrologist is when a patient on dialysis, the process of removing excess water, solutes, and toxins from the blood in people whose kidneys can no longer undergo these functions naturally, three times a week for hours each day, finally gets a kidney transplant. They are suddenly free to do whatever they want and are restored to their former selves.

Dr. Serur’s advice to the ambitious Ramaz student body is to continue to study hard because this will prove beneficial for their studies in college and beyond. He claims that a superior or administrator can really tell when someone went to rigorous high school because they already know how to sit and learn efficiently. The Ramaz students are at an extraordinary advantage because they are trained to work hard, and according to Dr. Serur, that makes a world of a difference!

Anecdotals or Student-Teacher Conferences?

Charles Spielfogel ’21

Anecdotals and student-teacher conferences have been a long-standing tradition at Ramaz. This year, with conferences weeks before anecdotal release, the question arises: do the students need both anecdotals and conferences, or is one mode of student-teacher communication sufficient to ensure positive learning and development?

For the general student body, student-teacher conferences generally serve one of two functions: either a person uses them to see how they can improve in a class, or a person will rush through the lines, hurrying to finish as soon as possible. According to many students and faculty, the first way is, of course, the more efficient way to maximize your time with the teacher. Though they are mandatory, many students wonder why we have student-teacher conferences if a student can set up a meeting with a teacher whenever he or she likes during the school year.

Students have mixed responses about the prospect of both student-teacher conferences and anecdotal reports. Isaac Silverman ’21 said, “We need to have both

because in anecdotal reports you find out what you can improve on, but in conferences you are able to have an expanded conversation about your likes and dislikes of the class.” Often in student-teacher conferences, the teacher will ask for your honest opinion of the teaching style and the class itself, even how the teacher can improve. On the other hand, many students feel that student-teacher conferences are a waste of a day, with many students spending more time waiting on the lines then actually meeting with their teachers. In Lauren Lepor's ’21 opinion, the students “only need anecdotals. If you need to meet with a teacher you can meet with them on your own time, and the entire day does not need to be wasted waiting on lines.” If it is necessary to have both, then perhaps it would be better to reverse the order, as Talia Halaas ’21 commented, “I think we should be given anecdotals before we have our student-teacher conferences so that we are more prepared for the meetings.” In addition, the conferences can be much more efficient: by creating online sign-up sheets and assigning times for meetings. Students would not have to wait in lines all day, and perhaps even be more excited for this notoriously dreaded day.

Access to anecdotals before conferences will bolster the efficiency of the student-teacher conference process. Students assume that receiving anecdotals will be a summary of what they discussed with their teacher, but this is, in fact, not the case. Ms. Rahimzada explained, “I believe that both student-teacher conferences and anecdotals are useful; anecdotals come after student-teacher conferences, so if there is something specific that the teacher and student spoke about that needs improvement on the students part, the student has the chance to improve it. By the time anecdotals come around, student improvement can be included in that anecdotal based on the conversation that took place during student-teacher conferences.” For many teachers, having anecdotal reports as a follow up to student-teacher conferences is helpful. If a student has changed the way they approach a class based on the feedback from the conference then the anecdotal report becomes a confirmation that the student has used that conference to improve. It is beneficial for a student to get that feedback in writing.

Continued online

December 2019/Kislev 5780

The Rampage

Too Many Assemblies? A Rampage Debate Rebecca Massel ’21 and Charles Spielfogel ’21

others, taught students a range of lessons. First, it was the embodiment of Ramaz’s “commitment to democracy” aspect of its mission statement. Second, it showed students the importance of Election Day. And third, Ramaz students saw the incredible work of a Ramaz alum.

Learning can reach far beyond memorizing facts about the French Revolution or geometry formulas.

Everyone knows the excitement of getting a Schoology post that classes are shorter to accommodate an assembly. But, what about when that assembly is during B4, one’s only free period of the week? Throughout the first semester, students have felt that there has been an increase in assemblies: some for holidays or commemorations, like 9/11 or Sukkot, and others to educate students about current or past world events, such as an assembly interviewing Yaakov Katz about his book, Shadow Strike. Two writers, Rebecca Massel ’21 and Charles Spielfogel ’21 took this took this issue to the journalistic debate podium, Massel arguing that the assemblies are educationally beneficial, and Spielfogel asserting that the assemblies are not relevant to students’ daily life.

Charles Spielfogel (Con): Assemblies would also be more enjoyable for the students if they were given prior knowledge about the topic of the assembly. They have the potential to be good ways to catch up on global issues, but many of the assemblies have little relevance to our lives.

Assemblies are a good way to congregate as a school to hear issues, commemorate important days, and listen to interesting speakers, but Ramaz should realize that it’s possible to overdo it. These periods should be used only for what is most relevant, not just to take up time.

Rebecca Massel (Pro): A positive aspect of assemblies is the knowledge they allow students to gain outside of the classroom. While class is important, sometimes it is even more necessary for students to learn about the value of holidays or to discuss current events.

For example, this year’s election day assembly was not about the election at all. Rather, Mr. Adam Szubin spoke about his work acting as Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. This assembly, like many

RM: While some assemblies do need require further background knowledge, the experience of meeting different leaders and activists is a great opportunity for Ramaz students. Even if a student does not understand the entirety of an assembly, they still come away with an experience they would not otherwise have had. In high school, students are preparing for a world outside of the “silver box” of Ramaz. As such, it is important for students to learn from different

Opinions 7

scholars, writers, and rabbis before going off to college.

When a senior goes off to yeshiva and hears about Rabbi Willig, they will now associate him with his dedication to helping agunot after 9/11. In the same way, a Ramaz student on a college campus will now understand and be able to add to a discussion about Syrian nuclear power after Yaakov Katz’s discussion about his book Shadow Strike.

CS: Many assemblies take place during the B4 period which is often a free period. The biggest downside to having too many assemblies is the loss of this free period. These free periods help reduce the stress of the day. They are often used to meet with teachers to review work, study for exams, socialize with friends or just relax during a hectic day. Although learning about the world around us is often more important than the day-to-day curriculum, the administration should take into account when they fall out, how often we have them, and how relevant they are to the entire student body.

In conclusion, assemblies are advantageous to opening a student’s mind. However, the timing of each assembly is critical to the students’ reactions. Like most teenagers, students do not enjoy giving up their free time to hear an educational speech or lecture. At the same time, intellectually-driven Ramaz students are appreciative of the experiences to learn about different areas and professions. Students are looking forward to hearing from more inspiring educators in the future, especially if it’s not during a free.

Ram Couture: Interview with Apparel Chair Cayla Todes Samantha Sinensky ’21

Among their many unique attributes, Ramaz students are very fashionable, dressing très chic for school. It is not uncommon to find a Ramaz student in the hallways proudly sporting his or her Ramaz apparel, designed by the Upper School’s Apparel Chair, Cayla Todes ’20 along with the G.O.. The first release of the season was unveiled in October, and since then, students have been able to show their school spirit, while also keeping up with the latest fashion trends.

As Apparel Designer, Todes is on a mission to dress the Ramaz student body in sharp Ramaz wear.

“The Ramaz students are looking for apparel they can wear everywhere, while displaying school pride,” said Todes. For each release, she makes sure the apparel, usually sweatshirts, somehow connects to Ramaz style trends, ensuring that students will be eager to wear it.

Sometimes styles feature the Ramaz Ram, the school’s name, or its signature colors of yellow and blue. Although Todes “has never made clothing before, [she] has always had ideas” and is excited to contribute to the student wardrobe. Todes works closely with the G.O. and ensures that the best possible design is released. This has proven to be very successful, as Avigail Dupont ’21 said, “I love the Ramaz apparel! I am looking for a sweatshirt that is comfy and cute, something I will actually wear, and the latest Ramaz merch accomplishes this. I wear my Ramaz sweatshirt both in and out of school.” Isaac Amar-Ouimet ’21 loves that “the apparel is unisex.”

The common “uniform” of a Ramaz student is sweatshirts and hoodies everyday, and Todes makes sure to

Crossword

cater to this casual, cozy look. “Accommodating the students’ tastes is priority. I am not going to design a knit sweater that says Ramaz on it—that just isn’t what I think people would buy.” Todes also takes inspiration from popular street-wear brands worn by many students, and pieces from her own closet that she can envision morphing into Ramaz Apparel. In order to make the sweatshirts stand out, Todes makes sure “the designs are always new, interesting, ‘in’ at the moment, and not a repeat of previous designs on a different sweatshirt.” Many students can attest to this, as fashionista Adena Horvitz ’21 said, “I am very impressed that the Ramaz wear is both appealing to the students and keeps up with the current fashion trends. I enjoy representing Ramaz and stylish apparel is a fun way to spread school spirit. It’s great that students are designing apparel for other students.”

Although Todes possesses much creative freedom, certain factors must be considered for each design, and the price is most important.” The more intricate and detailed the design, the steeper the price,” explained Todes. “Some designs go through several iterations in order to keep the price down.” The Ramaz apparel is being sold to high school students, and so the price has to be reasonable. Students appreciate the relatively cheap prices of the Ramaz apparel, with students like Amar-Ouimet saying, “I’m glad I don’t have to spend $45 on a sweatshirt to show support for my school.”

As a connoisseur of all things fashion, Todes has been interested in design and art from a young age.

“I was always that kid who was obsessed with clothing, fashion, and critiquing outfits.” She studied graphic design over the summer, as digital design is the plat-

Avery Sholes '20

Across: 2. Current Event?

4. War artillery, or Ramaz head 5. Freshman grade superstar (Hint: Not a student) 6. B-Ball tourney host school 8. ____ Decision (Senior stress source) 11. Chesed Connoisseur 12. Holiday during finals, for short 13. Monthly Ramaz Meeting; abbr.

Down: 1. Cohen & ____ (P.E. Dynamic Duo) 3. November event for potential students 7. Fall musical 9. Music-centric assembly 10. Best section of crossword Make sure to check out the rest of the issue for answers to the puzzle!

form in which the Ramaz couture is created. She plans on pursuing graphic design in the future, and is very interested in typography, (i.e. the art of creating appealing text design), a skill that overlaps with her role as

Apparel Chair as well. Todes has been doing a superb job dressing the Ramaz students in casual chic, while also ensuring the school logo is represented well. We can all fashionably and comfortably relax, knowing that we are only a season away from Cayla’s next line of Ramaz wear.

December 2019/Kislev 5780

The Rampage

opinions

The Importance of the New Makeup Policy William Kremer ’21

What's worse: a strike, or a failed test? For most Ramaz students, it would indubitably be failing a test. More than ever, certain freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and even seniors have taken on the practice of arriving to school late on days when they have tests in the morning, trying to squeeze in those last, desperate minutes of study time. Although Preludes clearly forbids arriving to school late on the day of a test, some sneaky students use the morning to prepare for their exams and then slip into school just in time to take them. And while teachers may be turning their heads, their classmates — the majority of the fair and honest student body — are definitely noticing. Even worse than coming late, according to many students, is not showing up at all; these test-dodgers take the test days or even weeks later as

a makeup and earn ample time for extra review.

The increasing prevalence of this problem is why Ramaz implemented a new system, only allowing a student to take three makeup exams per semester. A considerable amount of students have been questioning the new makeup system, claiming that it isn't fair, worrying what will happen if they miss more than three tests. So on and so forth.

And even more sly than the test dodgers are the test hagglers. These are the students who pre-negotiate a later test date with teachers beforehand, often citing play practices, family events, current sickness (even though they somehow make it to school on the test date) as excuses to change the test day. If you are a student at Ramaz, there is no doubt you’ve lost track of how many occurrences of this “test dodging” you’ve experienced in some of your classmates.

When exactly are these makeups taking place? They are supposed to happen after school a few days following the scheduled test date — or, when students have come to an agreement with teachers on a mutually convenient date. However, I’ve been in classes where students have not taken their makeup until as much as a month after the initial exam date. And in these instances, the teachers do not give back the exam to the rest of the class until the dodger has gotten around to squeezing the test makeup into their busy schedule.

Hopefully, the new system solves the ongoing issue, lest the students with real health issues become the victims of these endless ploys — not being allowed to reschedule a test after a legitimate excuse.

We’ve all read the story of the boy who cried wolf, and in this case, the student who cried, “I’m so busy, can I please have a couple more days to prepare!?”

Freshman Shabbaton Andrew Spielfogel ’23

On a cool November morning, Ramaz freshmen assembled to depart for their first grade-wide sleepover—the Freshman Shabbaton.

The weekend before Thanksgiving, the freshmen got to bond, make new friends and express their appreciation for each other during a weekend devoted to fun activities and ruach. After davening and a generous breakfast, we were on our way. A short bus ride later, we arrived at the Bogota Golf Center and were free to roam around the facility and play a wide variety of sports and games including mini-golf, golf, basketball, and baseball.

This gave us the chance to informally engage with our classmates in fun activities. I had the chance to speak to new classmates who I don’t normally see in class and spend time with them.

A few hours later, we headed for Asbury

Park, where we had lunch and davened Mincha. It was really nice davening as a whole grade which we don’t normally get to do. After preparing for Shabbat, we sang songs and danced; this was a great start to Shabbat.

Although we had heard from Dr. Aharon about what to expect on the Shabbaton every day after davening a week prior to it, I still felt nervous and unsure of what the weekend would be like. I did not know the exact itinerary, who would I be rooming with, or even what to do over Shabbat all dressed up in a sports jacket and tie.

Upon arrival at the ocean-front hotel, we were assigned rooms and got ourselves ready for an early Shabbat.

Kabbalat Shabbat was really special; we sang songs and danced. The room was filled with a lot of spirit, and we had a great time. After Friday night dinner, we played games with our friends.

We got to not only bond with our peers but also with our teachers and senior advisors. I thought it was fun to have a chance to talk with the seniors

and ask questions about the school and what we can expect in the years to come at Ramaz. It was great to get to know the older students who became familiar faces when we got back. Having the Shabbaton at the start of the year is a big advantage.

We concluded Shabbat with a joyous Havdalah and a glow-in-the-dark dance party. The day really exceeded my expectations! I thought it was a really great experience for the grade. I feel that this retreat came at just the perfect time of year to solidify new friendships which are just beginning, spend time with old friends, and come together as one unified group!

Junior College Night: What You Need to Know Caitlin Levine ’21

Fall college night for the parents and students of the Class of 2021 took place on November 20, 2019. Following a half hour of food and drinks, everyone sat to hear tips from the four members of the College Guidance Office: Ms. Dana Messinger, Mr. Rafael Blumenthal, Dr. Edith Honig, and Ms. Abby Davis. In addition, a question and answer session was held with a panel of five representatives from college admissions’ offices. Overall, the evening was considered to be very useful and well run, and was appreciated by both students and parents alike.

The evening discussion began with an introduction by Rabbi Stochel about the importance of a year in Israel after graduation. He stated that Ramaz

is “really a five year high school” with the fifth year being the year in Israel. He explained that the Israel year is not a gap year, but a capstone and a stepping stone that reinforces the values with which our students have been raised and firms up these values to prepare the students for life on a college campus.

Rabbi Stochel mentioned that the students will soon meet with one of the four Israel advisors in addition to the college advisors. He also added that in choosing a college, Ramaz students should consider one that has a positive influence on every student’s spiritual growth.

Next, the parents and students heard from Ms. Dana Messinger, Dean of College Guidance. She explained that even though each student has been assigned an adviser, the guidance office serves as a team and are all there to help. She said that now is

the right time to think about a summer activity for this year and mentioned the spring college night when representatives from many colleges will be visiting Ramaz.

Dr. Edith Honig, Associate Director of College Guidance clarified the roles of the students, parents and advisors in the college application process. The student is in the “driver’s seat,” but parents should also play a role and help to define boundaries, including geography, financial considerations, and Jewish life on campus. Parents know their kids best and know how much involvement is needed.

Advisors are here to help and find the proper fit for each student and are accessible in person as well as by email and phone.

Continued online

8