Volume 67, Issue 2 (November 2023) - The Rampage

The Rampage

Kanye West’s Antisemitism

Ariel Kadoe ’24 and Moriel Weitzner ’24

Kanye West is widely praised for his music and was considered “The Greatest Artist of the Century” by The Echo in 2020. But recently, Kanye West has faced dramatic backlash. West has made countless antisemitic statements over the years and is beginning to face repercussions for these comments. The Economic Times reports that West has lost over $1 billion in light of recent controversies.

The issue began when West tweeted over Sukkot that he was “going death con 3 on Jewish people,” and that the Jewish community has “toyed” with him and “tried to black ball anyone” who opposes their “agenda.” West continued by claiming that he is a part of the Jewish community, as “Black people are actually Jews.” He later mentioned his partnership with Adidas, doubting that they would sever ties with him despite his antisemitism. West’s company, Yeezy, generated an estimated $1.7 billion in annual revenue for Adidas, according to Baird, a financial services company. Despite his assumption, Adidas terminated its partnership with Kanye West. The company said in a statement: “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism or any other sort of hate speech” and that “Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.” Many other companies followed suit, with Balenciaga, Foot Locker, Gap, Vogue, and others severing ties with West. The loss of partnerships is estimated to revoke West’s billionaire status.

Kanye West’s recent antisemitism seems

to be one instance in a long stream of anti-Jewish controversy. There are reports of West praising the Nazis, openly admitting his admiration of the party and reading Mein Kampf. Multiple sources have also reported that West wanted the name of his 2018 album “Ye” to be “Hitler.” In a removed clip from TMZ, West reportedly says that he “loves Hitler and loves the Nazis.” West has denied these accusations.

longer support West in light of recent events, 6 students would continue to support him, and 10 students were unsure. While some remain unfazed by West’s prejudice, others are feeling a bit flustered. One student said, “I feel like the situation is bringing too much attention. There are people who don’t know anything about Jewish people, and now Kanye is drawing negative attention to the Jewish community.” However, this student was also able to extract a bit of positivity from the situation, saying that “because of what’s happening, people are taking a stand against antisemitism.” Avital Sarao ’24 said that the response to West’s antisemitism is overdue: “It’s interesting that people are just now saying that he’s antisemitic…This has been going on for a while,” said Sarao ’24.

Jewish supporters of Kanye West are feeling conflicted over how to respond to the artist’s behavior. A poll of 48 Ramaz students found that in recent years, 37.5% of them have supported Kanye West, 29.2% have moderately supported him, and 33.3% have not supported him at all. 25 students said that they would no

The “Times” They Are A-Changin’

Grace Kollander ‘25

After years of debate, the Ramaz Upper School implemented a sweeping and controversial policy change for the 2022-23 academic year: extended-time testing for all students. This new policy elicited varied reactions throughout the student body, faculty and administration. This change was on the docket for quite some time, even prior to the academic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but was ultimately implemented this school year.

In prior years at the Ramaz Upper School, if a student did not qualify for extra-time testing, that student received forty minutes to complete a test that was intended by the teacher to be completed in forty minutes. However, a student that qualified for extra-time testing would be allowed sixty minutes to com-

plete that same forty-minute test, or twenty minutes of “extra time.” Following the implementation this year of the universal extra-time testing policy, every student at Ramaz Upper School is allowed sixty minutes to complete a test that is intended by the teacher to be completed in forty minutes.

When asked if Ramaz would issue a statement regarding these events, Ms. Krupka, Associate Principal, replied: “Not yet. But we have often made strong statements about our approaches to it in the past.” To students who experience things that make them feel unsafe or worried, online or in person, Ms. Krupka advises them to tell someone. “If anything happens inside, outside, or in the vicinity of the building, or anywhere that makes a student feel unsafe or scared, they should report it immediately to the school,” said Ms. Krupka. Ms. Krupka also welcomes suggestions on combatting antisemitism. She would “love to hear from the students if they have ideas for initiatives or things that they want to do about it, as it’s definitely something important.”

Ramaz student was required to undergo a meticulous neuro-psyche or other medical evaluation documenting the reasons for the extra time. This was not a standardized process across all students but one that was appropriately unique to that particular student’s needs. The evaluation results were submitted to a committee of Ramaz faculty to subjectively determine whether the student in question should receive the requested accommodation.

In prior years, to have qualified for extra time, a

There was a growing sense among the Ramaz administration that with so many extra-time requests to assess, it was becoming too unwieldy, time-consuming, and complex to manage the needs of every single student. Rabbi Schiowitz expressed that while there were “black and white cases,” it was “an enormous strain on the people that were reviewing every single case, Continued On Page 2

The “Times” They Are A-Changin’

Continued From Page 1 and sometimes it didn’t feel fair to people who didn’t qualify…it wasn’t always obvious where to draw the lines.”

Ms. Webb added: “They wanted to make it easier to implement because it was hard separating out the kids who get extra time and the kids who don’t, and it’s always very difficult to make the decision [about] who’s entitled to extra time [and] who isn’t.” The Ramaz administration also believed that a universal policy for extra-time testing would relieve testing anxiety among the student body, both for those who previously qualified for extra time and those who did not. Ms. Webb commented that “students have way too many things to be anxious over, and any way we can relieve that anxiety is a good thing.” Rabbi Schiowitz agreed that “all students benefit from having less intensive testing pressure…a lot of tests are not meant to be timed tests.”

The universal extra-time policy was not that disruptive to the flow of subsequent classes. It fit the day’s schedule by simply adding twenty minutes to the existing forty-minute testing period. The Ramaz administration was equally encouraged to implement this policy because SAR and Frisch had similarly broad application extra-time testing policy. Interestingly, when the new policy was communicated to the Ramaz parent body over the summer, the Ramaz administration received only a few comments and questions, but few complaints.

However, the policy and its applications are still being monitored, refined, and reviewed regularly by the administration with each given test. Rabbi Schiowitz stated: “The main challenge is getting everyone used to it and making sure we are getting all the data and having the chance to review it, and then follow-up.” To that end, the test proctor takes note of the time each student hands in their test to make sure that no test is inadvertently too long and straining the students who need the time to complete the exam. Rabbi Schiowitz explained that Ramaz is looking “to make sure that the tests are still forty-minute tests and they’re not just becoming one-hour tests.”

The jury is still out on whether this policy is having its intended effect of simplifying the process and reducing student anxiety. Ms. Webb points out that she’s heard both sides from the students. There are some students “who don’t think it’s fair because, for whatever reason, their test is still too long.” Other students remarked that “they like it because they could

just sit there [in the test] as long as they want to, and their parents don’t have to go through the effort of getting a report for them and getting everything decided.”

As Ms. Webb noted, the policy has elicited strong reactions from the students, but not only related to whether the teachers are making longer tests to fit the full sixty-minute time slot. George Meyer ’26, a student who has had extra time since 5th grade and who said that extra time “benefited [him] while [he] was taking the test,” believes this policy is a positive development because he thinks “each kid should have the same amount of time and it shouldn’t be unfair to kids that don’t have extra time that probably need it but can’t get it.” Alex Sultan ’25, a student who has not had extra time testing while in Ramaz, appreciates the policy for a different reason. He believes that the policy levels the playing field among all students for test taking and prevents a situation that is “a little unfair to students who don’t have extra time and that suffered from not taking an extra timed test.”

Gianna Goldfarb ’25, a student who had extra time since 3rd grade but did not get extra time for all subjects in 9th grade after a drawn-out discussion with the faculty, believes that the universal extra time policy “is a bit unfair because it gives students who don’t need extra time an advantage to use all those extra minutes they have for going over the test…it’s basically giving them extra time that’s not time that they need.” Ultimately, if faced with the decision of revoking the policy or maintaining the new status quo, Gianna would vote to keep things as is, stating she “just wants [her] extra time” and is worried “that if it goes [away, she] might have to fight as hard as [she] did to get [her] extra time.” Hannah Kanbar ’24 has not been an extra time student and has experienced proctors having to “rip the test out of [her] hands” because she was not finishing her tests on time. “[Now], even if I take my time, I’ll still probably have a few minutes [free] at the end, so I don’t feel rushed or stressed while taking the test,” said Kanbar ’24. The new policy is certainly positively impacting her, concluding that “the policy is great.”

Hallie Kopel ’24, a student with extra time, is concerned that “while no teacher has abused it so much” yet, the policy could eventually lead to the teachers making forty-minute tests “even a little bit longer because they know that they can” get rid of the extra time benefit “and hurt the extra time people.” However, Kopel ’24 acknowledges that this is a complex issue and “is fair because it gives every kid the same chance.”

Manie Dweck ’23, a student who has had extra time since the beginning of high school, also recognizes that it is not a clear-cut issue with obvious answers. Students who need the extra time shouldn’t be disadvantaged if the teacher makes a longer test and questions. “What’s the point of having extra time at all if

everyone is getting extra time?” said Dweck ’23. The unintended consequence of the policy could result in “the people who don’t have extra time [doing] better” compared to a student who legitimately needs the extra time and ends up using it to “rush through it.” Time will tell whether this new policy will be successfully implemented and maintained at Ramaz Upper School. For now, the debate among students, faculty, and administration draws many different opinions that either strongly support the new policy, despise it, or hold a stance somewhere in the middle. cause they know that they can” get rid of the extra time benefit “and hurt the extra time people.” However, Kopel ’24 acknowledges that this is a complex issue and “is fair because it gives every kid the same chance.”

Manie Dweck ’23, a student who has had extra time since the beginning of high school, also recognizes that it is not a clear-cut issue with obvious answers. Students who need the extra time shouldn’t be disadvantaged if the teacher makes a longer test and questions. “What’s the point of having extra time at all if everyone is getting extra time?” said Dweck ’23. The unintended consequence of the policy could result in “the people who don’t have extra time [doing] better” compared to a student who legitimately needs the extra time and ends up using it to “rush through it.”

Time will tell whether this new policy will be successfully implemented and maintained at Ramaz Upper School. For now, the debate among students, faculty, and administration draws many different opinions that either strongly support the new policy, despise it, or hold a stance somewhere in the middle.

Halloween, No, Thanksgiving, Yes: Ramaz Reacts to a Spooky Tradition

Sylvie Raab ’26

On October 31st, East 78th Street filled up with revelers in costume, trick-or-treating at spookily decorated townhouses. Down the block at Ramaz, the scene was decidedly less festive. Every year, the Ramaz administration sends an email to the school community reminding them that Ramaz discourages any celebration of Halloween. The “celebration of Halloween runs counter to halakha, which forbids adopting rituals which are pagan in origin,” Mr. Jonathan Cannon and Rabbi Josh Lookstein said in the email to the community. “Throughout the ages, Jews have kept their identity, even while living as minorities among other cultures, by maintaining a clear distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish spiritual practices.”

Rabbi Josh Lookstein explained that Halloween has clear religious origins—first Pagan, then Catholic—that revolve around elements inconsistent with Jewish values. “The original rituals—mainly the costumes and tricking—are still in place today,” he said. Associate Principal Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz echoed this sentiment, explaining that the observance of Hal-

loween in our society is often less than inspiring. “The demands for candy and the celebration of death do not resonate with our general values and mindset,” he said. Among the students, views around Halloween are

holiday,” Adrian Rosenfeld ’24, said. “I also don’t feel like I am missing out because of the Jewish holidays that are more meaningful to me.” Other students said they felt that Halloween is a secular holiday observed by everyone in the country and chose to celebrate after school. “It’s fun to dress up and hang out with my friends and eat candy,” said one student who asked to remain anonymous. Another said: “I celebrate Halloween because of the energy it brings into the city and obviously the candy. This holiday may have started as a Christian holiday, but now it’s become a holiday for all Americans to celebrate.”

Still, administrators insisted there is a clear difference between Halloween and other American holidays like Thanksgiving, which is based on values they said are more consonant with Jewish values. “The value of gratitude is fundamental in our value system, and [Thanksgiving] is a powerful opportunity to express gratitude to the extraordinary and unique gift of freedom that we enjoy in the United States,” Rabbi Schiowitz said.

more varied, with some students participating in Halloween and others abstaining. “I have never celebrated Halloween before, and I don’t feel connected to the

Rabbi Josh Lookstein referred to Ramaz’s

Continued On Page 2 while participating in American society may be im-

“[Now], even if I take my time, I’ll still probably have a few minutes [free] at the end, so I don’t feel rushed or stressed while taking the test.”

- Hannah Kanbar ’24

Ramaz Upper School

The Rampage

New York • Volume 67 Issue 2 • November 2022 the-rampage.org

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Romi Chavot ‘24

Molly Hiltzik ’ 24

Ariel Kadoe ’24

Charlotte Kleeger ‘24

Raymond Ashkenazie ’24

Hannah Kanbar ‘24

Rachel Buller ‘25

Samantha Zoltan ’ 25

Olivia Fertig ’25

Grace Kollander ‘25

Leo Eigen ‘25

Orli Rabbani ‘25

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Halloween, No. Thanksgiving, Yes.

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founder, Rabbi Joseph Lookstein, in emphasizing that while participating in American society may be important, abiding by hal-

akha remains paramount. “My grandfather definitely implemented many changes, but they were all within the boundaries of halakha. Halloween was and is outside of those boundaries,” he said.

One Night, Two Presidents

Raymond Ashkenazie ’24

The election on November 8th was nothing like expected according to national polls. Most political pundits and commentators predicted a red wave with Democrats losing control of the House and Senate in large numbers. However, President Biden had the best midterm election in the past two decades.

Democrats have kept control of the Senate and may potentially gain a seat in next month’s Georgia runoff. Senator Raphael Warnock (D) is set to compete in a special election with Herschel Walker

reached the threshold needed to win. If Senator Warnock wins, the Democrats will have a 51-49 majority in the Senate and therefore gain a seat in this year’s election. Either way, Democrats will retain a majority.

In the House of Representatives, Republicans took a slight majority but have severely underperformed. Midterm elections are supposed to be brutal for the President’s party and a time for the opposition’s party to perform well in the House and Senate.

Democrats are on track to have one of the four best midterms in the last 100 years. Voters tried to correct the trend that has been happening in the last few years and did not vote for Republican extremists. Many of President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidates lost. This was either due to their stances on abortion or on the Janruary 6 insurrection, or for being endoresed by Trump. President Trump weighed heavily in these elections and most of the blame fell on him.

not legitimately elected, though voters seemed to reject that theory. Another trend was voters who voted only on the basis of abortion. Twenty seven percent of voters said that their number one issue when voting for candidates was codifying abortion and expanding abortion access. This election showed that it’s important to keep an open mind and never assume the outcome of an election.

(R) in December because neither of them

Many Republican candidates were also severely unpopular and in many instances believed that President Biden was

A Look Into the (In Person!) Open House

Leo Eigen ’25 and Aviva Schilowitz ‘24

As Ramaz continues to re-implement live school events and emphasize a return to pre-pandemic practices, the yearly Upper School open house for parents took place inside the building for the first time since 2019. The open house was held on Saturday night, November 12th, but its preparations and logistics, overseen by Ms. Shara Lipson, Director of Admissions, and Ms. Aviva Lieber, Associate Director of Admissions, were in the works for months leading up to the event.

Both Ms. Lipson and Ms. Lieber were excited and a little nervous about the live event but overall looked forward to welcoming prospective Ramaz community members back into the building. However, it wasn’t only Ramaz’s administration and staff preparing for the open house; Many students helped too. The open house opened with a performance and musical havdalah by the Ramaz choir, followed by remarks by Rabbi Josh Lookstein. Student speakers Emily Vayner ’23, Bobby Sigoura ’25, and Abby Gurwitz ’23 then told their “Ramaz stories.” Parents then broke up and got to choose two mock classes to sit in out of a list of many different options. Later, the parents reconvened in the auditorium where Jonathan Cannon spoke followed by a panel of students who answered many questions from attendees about Ramaz.

Unlike in years past, the live motzaei Shabbat open house program was geared solely toward prospective parents. Incoming students, were able to explore Ramaz through other programs, such as taking part

in sample classes during a virtual “PanoRAMa” night or spending the day at the Upper School on November 17th, where they experienced the day-to-day life of a Ramaz student in the building itself. They attended mock classes, heard a song from the choir and band, and, like their parents, heard from a panel of students. Ms. Lipson feels there were pros and cons to hosting a virtual open house for the past two years but that there

school. Ms. Lipson explained, “we know that parents want to hear from the students more than anything else.”

As a result, the open house largely revolved around students’ voices and perspectives through a panel of nine students and three student speakers. The student panel answered general questions from parents about Ramaz and its student experience in a live discussion moderated by Ms. Buterman, Chief Communications Officer. The panel comprised three seniors (Ari Porter ’23, Joyce Salame ’23, Aaron Green ’23), one junior (Aviva Schilowitz ’24), three sophomores (Rachel Buller ’25, Noa Essner ’25, Leo Eigen ’25), and two freshmen (Judah Gerber ’26, and Delilah Weiss ’26). Meanwhile, the student speakers (Emily Vayner ’23, Bobby Sigoura ’25, Abby Gurwitz ’23) provided their personal insights into the life of a Ramaz student, and focus on more specific opportunities they have pursued at the school.

were also other lessons learned. “I think, in the big picture, what we really learned in recent years is that we should trust who we are [as a school].” As in years past, the open house was designed to highlight the diversity of the Ramaz academic and co-curricular offerings. It also highlighted for prospective parents the things that truly differentiate Ramaz from other Modern-Orthodox day schools in the area.

Both Ms. Lipson and Ms. Lieber view students as the best representatives of Ramaz and its values as a

When trying to coordinate all of the different elements of the open house, Ms. Lipson and Ms. Lieber acknowledged that there were a lot of moving pieces, which was less of a concern when it was conducted virtually. At the same time, they also place great importance on the return of the live open house. As Ms. Lieber described, the opportunity for parents to be “coming into the building and walking around, seeing our spaces and… all the student helpers with their energy,” simply cannot be replicated.

“The demands for candy and the celebration if death do not resonate with our genral values and minset.”

- Rabbi Schiowitz

“It’s interesting that people are just now saying that he’s antisemitic…This has been going on for a while.”

- Avital Ashkenazie

Hannah Kanbar

‘24

The boys and girls varsity basketball teams recently traveled to Los Angeles to play in the Glouberman basketball tournament, gathering all of the Yeshiva League teams at Shalhevet High School and the Pan Pacific Recreation Center in memory of Steve Glouberman. To better understand what it was like to play in this special event, I interviewed two players in

had the same amount of experience or more, as all the other players, and (we) will be able to crush the other teams.”

There were many memorable games while the varsity team was away. However, Evan and Milan agree that the match against TABC was “our favorite.” They explained that they were losing miserably but “came back at halftime beat them. The feeling was exhilarating and rewarding.”

Results of the 2022 Election

Raymond Ashkenazie ‘24

11th grade, Milan Kushner and Evan Glasberg.

The boys’ team finished the tournament with a 2-2 record; however, this was a building year. This year’s varsity team mainly comprises juniors, whereas the league’s other teams consist primarily of seniors. Milan and Evan felt this was a disadvantage considering seniors have an extra year of experience, but as Evan Glasberg said, “I believe that it was a great learning experience. We’re still learning how to play at the varsity level.” Milan added, “I agree, and now next year we know what to expect, and the playing field will be (more level) because being seniors, we will have

Evan and Milan believed the teams’ bond grew immensely, for which they are both very grateful. They explained, “It made us so much closer, and we are both so grateful to everyone on the team for making LA such a memorable experience.” They continued, “The time we spent together Friday night specifically brought us closer together as a team, but living with your teammate is just an…amazing experience.”

They look forward to representing Ramaz again next year and playing some incredible games alongside their best friends and teammates.

Never is Now: ADL Summit on Antisemitism

Emily Vayner ’23

On Thursday, November 10th, as Ramaz students met with their teachers for annual student-teacher conferences, seven students and Rabbi Lookstein traveled to the Javits Convention Center for the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Never is Now Summit on Antisemitism and Hate. Upon exiting the train station and walking to the Javits center, the student group felt immersed in the honor, recognition, and sense of solidarity emanating from the convention center. To discuss and learn about anti-semitism in the presence of so many experts, celebrities, and passionate advocates for the Jewish people was as exciting for the group as it was fruitful.

parked trucks outside the center with screens that read, “ADL ignored Jew Hatred on campus for decades!; ADL went woke, its leader is a joke.” For the students, the jarring encounter with the protesters not only reinforced the importance of the event but also put into perspective the scale and scope of the problem faced by advocates against anti-semitism.

But not all who showed up to the conference held it in such high esteem; as soon as the students wrapped around the corner to walk through the doors, they were confronted by many angry protestors. While it is perplexing to think that people would protest a conference dedicated to combatting the irrational, violent hatred of Jews across the globe, as the group got closer, they realized that many of the protesters were the Neturei Karta, a Hasidic anti-Zionist group. They

There were many sessions that described the ways antisemitism has been encouraged across the United States. One session described the actions of the Mapping Project, an anonymous group known for compiling a map of specific physical locations of Boston-based Jewish people and organizations. The points disclose the addresses of the ADL and Jewish day schools, as well as those of Jewish philanthropists and community leaders. The anonymous group not only posts their connections with government, corporations, and universities but also calls for permanently disrupting those relationships. This reflects a larger trend of companies being pushed to boycott Israel and divest their support away from environmental, social, and governance movements in Israel. The impact of the Mapping Project on Jewish communities in Boston has been harmful and significant. There are high levels of anxiety due to the fear of escalating hateful acts. The deputy regional director of the New England Division of the ADL even referred to Boston as “the test kitchen of antisemitic hate.” From college campuses like Harvard and Wellsley endorsing BDS to Tufts, which “pledged to not associate with student groups that recognize Israel as a Jewish state,” college campuses in the region entertain a great deal of antisemitic thought. When organizations like the Mapping Project call for dismantling & physically disrupting Jewish organizations, they encourage antisemitic action. The scope and consequence of these actions and behaviors are not limited to college campuses, as they cut deep into the safety and well-being of Jewish communities. Some of the common phrases that help to endorse violence against the Jewish people include calling Zionism “a harm” and “exploitative,” as well as those that give validity to the conspira

Continued On Page 5

The election on November 8th was nothing like expected according to national polls. Most political pundits and commentators predicted a red wave with Democrats losing control of the House and Senate in large numbers. However, President Biden had the best midterm election in the past two decades. Democrats have kept control of the Senate and may potentially gain a seat in next month’s Georgia runoff. Senator Raphael Warnock (D) is set to compete in a special election with Herschel Walker (R) in December because neither of them reached the threshold needed to win. If Senator Warnock wins, the Democrats will have a 51-49 majority in the Senate and therefore gain a seat in this year’s election. Either way, Democrats will retain a majority. In the House of Representatives, Republicans took a slight majority but have severely underperformed. Midterm elections are supposed to be brutal for the President’s party and a time for the opposition’s party to perform well in the House and Senate. Democrats are on track to have one of the four best midterms in the last 100 years. Voters tried to correct the trend that has been happening in the last few years and did not vote for Republican extremists. Many of President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidates lost. This was either due to their stances on abortion or on the Janruary 6 insurrection, or for being endoresed by Trump. President Trump weighed heavily in these elections and most of the blame fell on him.

Many Republican candidates were also severely unpopular and in many instances believed that President Biden was not legitimately elected, though voters seemed to reject that theory. Another trend was voters who voted only on the basis of abortion. Twenty seven percent of voters said that their number one issue when voting for candidates was codifying abortion and expanding abortion access. This election showed that it’s important to keep an open mind and never assume the outcome of an election.

Never is Now: ADL Summit on Antisemitism

Continued From Page 4

-torial claim that Jews “use money nefariously.”

The ADL has been working closely with the FBI to discourage the spread of information about the private lives of Jewish figures across Boston. While the project’s server has since been de-platformed, this tactic has not disappeared. Today, the Mapping Project remains alive, using servers in Bulgaria that the FBI has not been able to trace.

Organizations like the Mapping Project are not anomalous. In fact, groups with similar antisemitic beliefs and critics appear across the United States. As recently as this year, two Jewish students at SUNY New Paltz were expelled from an

on-campus sex abuse survivor group for expressing their views on Israel.

In response to the growing prevalence of these issues, the summit posed an essential question: How can we be less reactive and more proactive when fighting antisemitism? The first strategy involved identifying and making allies through relationship building. Solidarity with other communities (such as the Ukrainian refugee community) is another powerful way to forge supportive alliances. There is also a significant emphasis on the need for collaboration with local Jewish organizations and community leaders. For instance, students had the opportunity to hear from ADL’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt. Raymond Ashkenazie ’24 said that “[Jonathan Greeblatt] explained to us how important it is to be proud of our Mizrahi or Ashkenaz identities and be able to share our stories.”

Equally important is the education component that provides a blueprint for how to talk about antisemitism in ways that can help the general public better understand the situation beyond mainstream talking points. It also advises avoiding extending educational efforts to Israel-opposed extremists, as the time and energy required to make

any progress is much better spent on people who are less intensely attached to the issue and more open to Zionist perspectives. Adi Erdan ’24 learned that “whether it’s on social media or in real life, we always should speak up and be active. Even if it’s a small action—everything we do will help and have a good influence. We should never be scared to act.” Writing about the issue and engaging with local papers and media outlets are also great ways to advocate against antisemitism proactively. Emy Khodorkovsky’s ’24 takeaway was “to take action in any form, no matter how big or small and no matter the perceived consequences.” In the realm of college campuses, where anti-Zionist sentiments run rampant, the ADL recommends contacting them to establish a connection to advocacy resources to support proactive advocacy against antisemitism on campus.

The summit left the students feeling empowered and ready to take on the challenges of advocating for Israel and the Jewish community: “We need to be confident in who we are and what we believe in and show our views’” said Ben Davidovitch ’24.

Antisemitism: On the Rise and in Our Backyard

Charlotte Kleeger ’24

It is no secret that antisemitism is on the rise. Social media has become a breeding ground for antisemitic rhetoric, with Kanye West being the most recent aggressor. The rate of anti-Jewish incidents is rapidly increasing both globally and in our very own neighborhood— New York City.

Just last week, three Jewish institutions—the Ramaz Middle School, Saba’s Pizza, and Grill Point—were vandalized. On Tuesday night, November 8th, at around 10:00 PM, the perpetrator broke through the glass door of Saba’s Pizza, before stealing more than $1,800

The next night, on November 9, at about 9:40 PM, the Ramaz Middle School’s security cameras showed a man throwing rocks several times at the bullet-proof glass door and leaving shortly after. An email sent out the following day by the school administration reads:

cannot say often enough, the safety and security of our staff and students is our highest priority.”

dollars from the cash register. A worker from Grill Point next door also reported a stolen cash register the Saturday before. This was not the first time that Saba’s Pizza was vandalized—in May of 2021, a brick was thrown at the exterior windows, shattering the glass.

“We are writing to make you aware of a vandalism incident that occurred last night at the Middle School. Fortunately, no Ramaz community members were on the premises when the incident occurred. Nonetheless, we are addressing this issue with the utmost urgency. At approximately 9:40 pm last night, after our Middle School security guards had left for the evening, Ramaz’s security cameras show a man throwing a rock at the building’s bullet-proof glass door…We are working closely with the 19th police precinct to support their investigation. While the security provisions that we have in place were effective, we are nonetheless, scaling up our already extensive security measures. We are also aware that both Saba’s Pizza and Grill Point were vandalized this week. At this time, the police don’t have reason to believe the incidents are connected, however, the police are actively exploring all possibilities. Although this is a continuing investigation, we feel that it is important to share the facts as we currently know them, and we will update you if there are any further developments. We know this information is disconcerting, but rest assured, we are taking every possible measure to keep our school safe. As we say frequently, but

Feminist Club Takes Action

Daniela Woldenberg ’23 and Lila Ellman ’23

Countless times, students at Ramaz have asked for a tampon in school or given one to someone in need. Other times, they’ve needed to trek to the nurse’s office a few flights down to fetch one. So, last year, when, Jordan Kalker ’25, a member of Feminist Club mentioned August Advocates, a company that produces menstrual hygiene products, the club decided to look into it. After doing some research, they knew they

wanted to bring the company’s products into the school. It would help solve a familiar problem, and, as part of a partnership, August Advocates would, in turn, donate products to an underfunded school. The club was also excited to discover that the company is devoted to eliminating the stigma around menstruation and that their products are biodegradable.

The Feminist Club with the help of their faculty advisor, Ms. Davis, proceeded to meet with Ms. Krupka to pitch the idea and reached

These attacks are strikingly similar to each other. Each faced a similar assault: the perpetrators threw rocks or bricks at the glass windows and doors. Further, they all occurred on or near the day on which we commemorate Kristallnacht worldwide.

Kristallnacht, otherwise known as The Night of Broken Glass, was a series of pogroms in Germany and Austria in 1938. In the span of two days—November 9th and 10th—hundreds of synagogues, Jewish businesses and homes were destroyed by rioters. Jewish cemeteries were also desecrated. Hundreds of Jewish people were killed, and 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and subsequently transported to concentration camps. Eighty four years later, the vandalism that took place last week resembles this terrible event in Jewish history, as windows and doors of Jewish buildings were shattered in the same manner.

It is important to reflect on these incidents.

When we say “Never Again,” we commit to never allowing a genocide such as the Holocaust to occur in the future. Further, we commit to not letting history repeat itself and to eradicate antisemitism. It is disheartening to our school and our places at the mercy of antisemitic violence. As a Jewish community, we have the responsibility to call out antisemitism, in all of its forms, whenever we see it. This should be a lesson to all: we must speak out and denounce hate wherever it appears.

out to Chesley Chan, they then Chief of Staff of August Advocates, for information. The leaders presented estimates for pricing, volume, and shipment frequency and, through perseverance and responsiveness to questions and concerns, persuaded Ramaz to support and fund the initiative.

While some challenges arose throughout the process, with a change in leadership in the company and struggle in finalizing the part

“The demands for candy and the celebration if death do not resonate with our genral values and minset.”

- Rabbi Schiowitz

Feminist Club Takes Action

Continued From Page 5 nership due to technical difficulties, they were dedicated to making it work. They spent free periods in the school office, waiting to intercept Ms. Krupka, and were able to contact the new VP of Business Development, Erin Burk, with whom they collaborated to bring the project over the finish line. Aliza Teller ’23, co-president of Feminist Club, says “the difficulties were what made the actuation of the partnership all the more rewarding.”

In mid-September, the products arrived and the Feminist Club leaders spoke to all the minyanim about the initiative. While they planned to speak just to the girls for convenience, because of the hectic holiday schedule, they ended up speaking to some

grades in full. While the increase in the number of eyes watching them and their new fear that they would receive some unsolicited laughs made them hesitant to speak, they soon realized that they, too,

could help reduce the stigma around menstruation by just talking about it; after all, it is simply a bodily function. After they finished, there were an overwhelming amount of cheers. The Feminist Club felt the same way. The products are now in the bathrooms.

Feminist Club member Emily Schnipper ’23 said: “The best part is when I’m able educate fellow students on the impact these products have on the environment and on other low-income schools, and they get as excited as I am about this important initiative.”

Environmental Club Returns with Luv Your Lulav Drive

Ashley Behm ’ 24

After the holiday of Sukkot, many people abandon their lulavim and etrogim by throwing them out in the trash. In an effort to reduce the waste this creates, the Environmental Club holds an annual lulav collection. Instead of throwing out the lulavim, the Environmtneal Club arranges for them to be composted. This past Sukkot, the club announced to the school that there would be bins in the lobby to collect the lulavim. This drive has been named the “Luv Your Lulav Drive” and was started by Samantha Sinensky ʼ20 three years ago.

This year, the Environmental Club collected lulavim from all three Ramaz buildings, KJ, Lincoln Square Synagogue, the Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach, and three other synagogues on the Upper East Side. This year’s drive was the biggest one yet, with hundreds of lulavim collected.

After the collection, the lulavim and etrogim are given to Ms. Barbara Abramson, the club’s faculty advisor, who brings them to various sites to be composted. The lulavim usually go to the Lower East Side Ecology Center, which has a compost center and allows people to bring their waste there instead of throwing it out. They are also brought to local green markets. This year, Ms. Abramson brought

some of the lulavim to be composted at Restoration Farm. Restoration Farm is a farm stand in Bethpage, New York that takes waste to compost on their farm. Ms. Abramson is an advocate for composting and cutting down on waste and enjoys helping out with the drive every year. She emphasizes the importance of making sure that the lulavim do not go to waste. “If we don’t compost then [the plants go] in the garbage, and our objective is to eliminate as much as possible and give back to the Earth. We have these Lulavs that are collected and taken from nature, so they should go back to nature,” said Ms. Abramson.

While the drive typically collects lulavim and etrogim, there were some complications with composting etrogim this year due to this year being the Shmita year in Israel. If the etrogim are grown in Israel, they are not allowed to be composted until they rot and are deemed no longer edible. Therefore, the etrogim from Israel will be stored in Ramaz until they can be composted without religious ramifications.

Student leader of the Environmental Club, Andrew Spielfogel ’23, believes the Lulav Drive gives students an easy way to give back to the environment and raises awareness about how to cut down on waste. Spielfogel ’ 23 views the drive from a religious standpoint as well: “The drive relates to Judaism too, because in Judaism, we really care about the environment. We should give back to the Earth that was made for us. These lulavim are able to be composted, not easily, but they can be.”

Club Fair Reimagined with Club Hub

Maya Puterman ’25

On September 20th, the Ramaz annual club fair took place. Walking from booth to booth set up in the auditorium, students had the opportunity to learn about and sign up for all of the different clubs Ramaz has to offer. There were over 80 clubs at the club fair, ranging from BIC, to coding club, to art club, to Friendship Circle, and to several new clubs such as Fashion Club and The FIDF club.

In the past, students would sign up for clubs on pieces of paper, but this year, students created accounts with Club Hub and scanned QR codes at each booth to join the clubs they were interested in.

Ilan Puterman ’23, founder of Club Hub, explained his reasoning for creating the website: “I created Club Hub out of a need I heard from Ramaz students. There were too many notifications on Schoology and club members were still missing events. There had to be a better system.” In the future, Puterman ’23 plans on building a community

of teens by connecting Ramaz clubs to clubs in other schools. His goal is for clubs in different schools to share guest speakers, presentations, and have live events together.

Daniela Woldenberg ’ 23 who leads the environmental club alongside Spielfogel ʼ23 also highlighted the mitzvah of composting lulavim as opposed to throwing them out: “With this project, we are contributing to Tikkun Olam. We know from many stories in the Tanakh that cultivating the land is important and a way to interact with G-d. By composting these lulavim, we are giving back to the land and showing our love for G-d and appreciation for what He has given to us.” As for upcoming projects, the environmental club hopes to create more opportunities for composting in the school, such as composting some of the waste from the lunchroom.

When asked how students feel about the new club website, Sami Rose Fishman ’26 said: “I found club fair to be helpful for me. It was a great way to display

all of the club options and I got to see all of the clubs I wanted. I signed up for about ten to fifteen clubs but I only kept five of the clubs. I liked how many of the clubs made their own displays, although I wished they were more spread out as the auditorium was a mess and I was partially unable to walk though it.”

Aryeh Goldstein ’25 said, “I thought club fair was great. The new system of signing up for clubs was also very helpful because it let me see all the clubs I was a part of in one place. I signed up for about ten to twelve clubs.”

Ashley Behm ’24, leader of Book Club, expressed her opinion about The Club Hub: “I really enjoyed club fair this year, especially with the addition of The Club Hub since it made it easy to have all the clubs I was interested in in one place. It was also super helpful to know who and how many people were interested in the Book Club. In the past, there were paper sign up sheets for students to sign up with during club fair although no one would really do anything with them after the fair.”

“The drive relates to Judaism too, because in Judaism, we really care about the enviorment.”

- Andrew Spielfogel ’23

Hoodies Banned

Molly Hiltzik ’ 24

It’s not a rumor; hoodies have been banned at the Ramaz Upper School. Hoodies became a “Covid staple” in the halls of Ramaz Upper School. After a few months of lockdown and a year of hybrid, students became comfortable showing up for class on zoom and in person in comfortable attire, pajamas and hoodies. Hoodies provide students with warmth, comfort and convenience; many students rolled out of bed in them and showed up to school. Many are confused and disappointed in the implementation of this new rule. According to the administration, hoodies are very “messy looking.” Teachers and administrators feel it was difficult to monitor whether students’ hoods hid their earbuds in class. Ms. Krupka explained with concern that “Kids became very antisocial and would sit in the lounges with their hoodies pulled over their heads and earbuds in.” However, students are equally concerned

as to why Ramaz Administrators placed such importance on a basic and common comfortable article of clothing.

The Freshman Shabbaton

Samantha

Zoltan ’ 25

The halls were empty when the freshmen left for their Shabbaton. As the freshman boarded the coach buses, they felt excited for all the fun that was planned for them. After one hour, they arrived at a sports complex. There was a plethora of activities they could participate in, such as laser tag, basketball, hockey, soccer, and an arcade. According to Joshua Zoltan ʼ26 the highlight was getting to play goalie in a friendly soccer match with his friends. They then boarded the bus again to head to the hotel.

About an hour later, they arrived at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel and were given their room assignments. The connected rooms allowed the freshman to not only bond with their friends but to meet new classmates.

After Shabbat dinner, the freshman split up for their first breakout session which outlined the meaning of friendship. Haim Heilborn Nigri ʼ26 had the privilege of learning with Mr. Deutsch and Rabbi Manu. He stated that he felt that the discussion impacted him and the way he perceives his personal friendships. The next morning, everyone woke up for a beautiful davening, ate breakfast, and then got time to hang out with their friends. Nigri ’26 explained that he grew

closer to his friends: “this was an informal environment that was very different from school that allowed everyone to have fun.”

The freshman then ate lunch and had second breakout session. This time, they got to ask the faculty about their experiences with friendships. This was a great way for the students to become closer with their teachers on a personal level. The biggest takeaway from the group discussion was that teachers are not just educators inside the classroom. They are also mentors whom students should feel comfortable going to for help, both inside and outside of the school building. After Mincha, Ms. Plotnik took a large group of students out of the hotel to the boardwalk. These students had the pleasure of feeling the New Jersey ocean, running around, and ultimately having fun together. According to Nigri ’26, this was his favorite part of the entire Shabbaton.

After Shabbat concluded with Havdallah, the faculty prepared a dance party for everyone with music and different colored lights. Andrew Weiss ʼ26 explained that his favorite and most fun part of the part was playing limbo using a jump rope as a limbo stick. The students then jumped around with the jump rope and danced for a while.

When the dancing ended, the freshman and

During COVID, students enjoyed their hoodies. Whether on zoom for class or in-person, Ramaz students sported their cozy hoodies with pride. Now that normalcy has finally resumed, a more formal dress code is in place. Not only are hoodies banned, but girls will be required to wear “Ramaz skirts,” which will be available for purchase after the Chagim. These changes appear to be coming fast and furious.

Many students seem agitated by this new dress code restriction. “Personally, I don’t like this new rule. Half my closet is filled with sweatshirts that I can’t even wear to school, so I feel like I have to shop for a whole new wardrobe,” remarks Leila Sakhai ’24. It is going to take a while for the student body to adjust to these new rules in the post COVID era. There have been a number of suspensions for students who have not followed the no hoodie rule. This in school suspension does not taint students’ permanent records.

faculty packed their bags and boarded the bus to head to a bowling alley. When asked to describe the Shabbaton in one word Zoltan ʼ26 and Lance Vayner ʼ26 both used the word “fun” because a great time to them was one spent with their friends. offices to let them know

Some nights we were there till 1 in the morning. Whenever the Senate was in session, whenever there were senators in the building, we had to be there.

LB: What were your relationships with peers like? Did you see a big difference between yourself and your peers (you go to a Jewish school, live in NYC, etc.)?

RA: It was really interesting to me to be with kids from all over the country. My roomates were from Alaska, Wisconsin, and California. Everything was very, very different. The way they live, the way they think… Their perspective—it’s very different than mine.

Freshman Class President Election Showdown

Haim Heilborn Nigri ’26

Fishman ’26.

The race began on November 2nd, 2022, with students being challenged to offer their unique perspectives and to represent the entire freshman grade. In response, five candidates arose, each with something unique to offer. “And as your class president, I will strive to implement these changes. I will listen to our needs and we can improve Ramaz, step by step,” said Heilborn Nigri ’26. In an agreement to improve Ramaz, Meyer ’26 voiced his concerns for freshmen privileges to leave the school building for lunch.

for this year. “I voted for [the candidates] because I felt like they can really change the way of the school and the idea of what being a class president is,” said a student in the anonymous poll. Most freshmen who filled out this poll seem to hold this opinion.

The race for Freshman Class President finished with two class presidents emerging from five candidates.

On Tuesday, November 8th, the winners of the election were announced: students Haim Heilborn Nigri ’26 and George Meyer ’26 beat their fellow candidates Lielle Assayag ’26, Eleanor Abitbol ’26, and Sami Rose

Less than one week later, time was up and the votes came rolling in. In a recent poll, it has been found that a strong majority of freshmen voted for one of the following candidates: Nigri ’26, Meyer ’26, or Abitol ’26. The vast majority voted for the former, while the last two fought in a close race for the title of Class Co-President.

Another poll shows that some students seem to be happy with the winners, generating much hope

The next day, the results were announced that Nigri ’26 and Meyer ’26 had won the election with the help of their fellow classmates. “As Class President, I will listen to our needs and strive to implement them to make Ramaz a better place,” said Nigri ’26 in response to the election results. “I want to really help out my grade and make my grade [not only] a better community, [but] a better family,” said Meyer ’26. “I’m very excited for the people who got class president, because I think they are very qualified,” said Abitol ’26, who plans to run again next year.

The overall election seems to have been a win for many at Ramaz. The race was a close one, and the Class Co-Presidents have the potential to improve Ramaz for the better.

“ This was an infromal enviorment that allowed evryone to have fun.”

- Haim Heilborn Nigri ’ 26

Chesed Goes a Long Way

Olivia Fertig ’25

On Monday, October 24, the sophomore grade c ame together to do a chesed project for kids who are suffering from Leukemia. As students entered the auditorium, they were greeted by sophomore grade dean, Dr. Block, and Ms. Hass who arranged this event. Before we began, Ms. Hass introduced the project along with some of the students who set up one of the stations. We were told that everything we will be doing will be sent to children who have Leukemia. There were four stations in total, each filled with many different supplies. At one table, bags were filled with toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, deodorant, etc. These toiletry bags were sent to the next station where cards were written. Each student took their time to write a thoughtful message, color the card, and then place their card in a bag. This was done in a very organized manner and everyone was having so much fun with it. The next station was introduced by two sophomore stu-

dents, Maya Puterman ’25 and Ashely Rechshafen ’25. This station was bracelet making and we used special types of beads which changed color when exposed to light. The last station was filled with the most students. Thanks to the cooking staff with the help from students, cookie batter was made and the sophomores made the cookies. We made the cookies in all different shapes and sizes, and put colorful sprinkles on top. The cookies and bracelets were sold that week to raise money. Looking around at all the sophomores joining in on a chesed event together was very meaningful.

The grade bonded in such a way that no one cared about getting chesed hours or when they could leave — everyone was having fun at each station. To end the event, Ms. Deeni Hass introduced the students to more chesed opportunities and explained how much of an impact the students just made by doing this chesed. She encouraged everybody to keep doing mitzvot and remarked that this would not be the last chesed event for the sophomore grade during school hours.

Ramaz’s New Theme: No stopping

This year’s theme at Ramaz is no stopping genRMZ. GenRMZ includes anyone who is and has been affiliated with the school. This includes current students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and parents of alumni.

The reason that Ramaz came up with this theme is to celebrate the community in a creative way. Society now uses terms like Gen x and Gen z to describe different generations, so Ramaz chose to refer to its community as GenRMZ. It’s a different kind of way to identify with the Ramaz community. The other part of the theme is “no stopping genRMZ.” Last year was a really good year for Ramaz: the whole upper school went to Israel and the boy’s varsity basketball and girl’s varsity volleyball teams won the championships. There was this great energy and momentum from last year, so the school wants to make sure that we are still a strong community this year.

Everyone in genRMZ, has at least one thing in common, and that’s the Ramaz mission statement. These are people committed to Torah, chesed, support and love for Israel, and standing up for injustice. The Ramaz mission statement

Combat Anti Semitism at the Nets Game

Lily Freilich

includes having integrity, Torah, learning, support for Israel, and support of the United States and its democratic values. Everyone in genRMZ is unique, but everyone unites in the Ramaz mission statement.

Whatever one does at Ramaz expresses and highlights this theme. This theme is present in our everyday lives at school. When achieving something, that’s part of no-stopping genRMZ. There’s a lot of energy circulating around genRMZ. It’s a very motivating and inspirational campaign that makes members want to push themselves and do better. When there’s an assembly or speakers in clubs, that’s part of no-stopping genRMZ; it inspires the students to push themselves. When thinking of the theme, it’s meant to make one feel empowered and inspired. This year, the varsity basketball teams went to LA and won a few games — that’s also a part of no-stopping genRMZ. It shows that the students are still going strong as a community and as individuals. Overall, the theme is meant to keep the motivation and positive energy floating around the Ramaz community. school hours.

Senior Trip To Borough Park

Eliza Binstock ’23

I don’t visit Borough Park often, though I like to because I speak Yiddish fluently and get a kick out of talking to Chassidim. I love reading the Yiddish signs and hearing snippets of people’s conversations—people who sound like they could be family to me. The thing that makes me unique in my society is a norm there. When they hear my Yiddish, dressed as I am in obviously non-Chassidic attire, their eyes bug out like they’ve seen an alien, and it’s a hilarity that doesn’t get old. The only drawback is that in my family, we use Yiddish as a secret language when we’re out in public, but we need to be super careful about that if we’re shopping for Yontef clothes on Thirteenth Avenue or having lunch at Spoons.

When I had the opportunity to go to Borough

Continued On Page 9

Modern society revolves around celebrities and social media — it is a society whose citizens follow and idolize these known people and their platforms. What these prominent people believe typically become trends, and their supporters are swayed to join their side. There has always been antisemitism, from Ancient Egypt to modern-day New York City. Recently, the discrimination rate against Jews has reached its highest point in 50 years. Considering the patterns of the current culture, it is terrifying and dangerous how celebrities can — and have — used their platforms to spread their negative beliefs concerning Judaism and other religions.

Kyrie Irving was until recently a guard on The Nets, the professional basketball team representing Brooklyn. Irving tagged and defended an antisemitic movie in a tweet, causing the Nets to suspend him.

In response to the professional basketball player’s appalling posts, which were just an addition to the culminating antisemitic issue, eight brave people decided to take action. These Jewish fans sat courtside at a Nets game, only a few days after Kyrie’s horrid tweet, wearing T-shirts that read, “Fight Antisemitism.” They wanted to show that there should be absolutely zero tolerance for antisemitism, and motivate others to join them in combatting antisemitism. It was a peaceful message, not a protest, and there was no harm caused to anyone. Lindsay Haimm, one of the peaceful protesters said, “We didn’t see any hate at the game itself or after the game. During the game we definitely realized that people were noticing and talking about our shirts, but nothing negative was said. We received so much support from the Jewish community, which really meant a lot to us. I am very proud of the overall experience and for being able to have the chance to take a stand against antisemitism. ” While there was a huge amount of support from Jews and non-Jews, there was also a barrage of negative comments all over social media reiterating some of Kanye’s hateful comments. Somehow, this protest triggered hateful people to say this was proof that Jews own the teams and own the media. Of course, there is zero connection or validity to these statements and is another reason that we continue to stand up and stand strong for what is right.

’ 25

Park for the Simchat Beit Hashoeva celebrating Sukkot, I was excited to see another side of a neighborhood where I have always felt a deep connection. I was excit-

Sylvie Pagovich ’25

Senior Trip To Borough Park

Continued From Page 8

ed to see another side of a neighborhood where I have always felt a deep connection. I was excited to share this connection with my classmates.

I was warned before going that the girls and women would be in a completely separate area where there could not be much singing and dancing, but I didn’t really expect this much sitting. This much watching.

thrown off because to me, Yiddish is all about being active: to speak a dying language, you have to work at keeping it alive; you have to remember to speak it when you can, you have to involve yourself in Yiddish cultural events, and you have to actively promote and grow it. I wanted to wave at the Rabbi and shout: “I can’t hear you but I came to listen to your drasha! I want to learn what you’re teaching!” But that night, I didn’t feel active at all. I felt deprived, in a way. I felt kind of ashamed because I was trapped, restrained from all the joy, and felt like a reject. But I wasn’t too upset. After all, I had the rest of the evening to look forward to—this was only one stop. Maybe the acoustics would be better in the next Shul. Maybe the women’s balcony would be more airy.

I soon realized that this was how every stop would be. The men were on the main side, singing and dancing with music, celebrating sukkot with ruach and gusto. The boys in my class would all go to that side, and dance together with the Chassidic men. It looked like a lot of fun—a crowded sea of simcha. The women, though, appeared to define their participation as sitting in the back, on the balcony, in an attic with a small window, while watching. That was how they celebrated Sukkot.

the Simchat Beit Hashoeva was like because I had never experienced it before. The boys from my school were on the other side of the curtain, I told her, with the men. She then asked, “your school is co-ed?”

I told her it was. After she asked me a series of questions about our co-ed school, she came to a realization: “Wait, what about when the boys learn Talmud? What do the girls do during that time?” I told her that we learn the same Talmud, at the same time, in the same classroom, with the same teachers as the boys do. She couldn’t believe it.

I suddenly had so much gratitude for the com munity in which I grew up in, the community I am still a part of. I am thankful for the teachers, especially the rabbis, that chose to come to Ramaz and offer me a Judaic, religious, meaningful education that I now understand so many young Jewish women don’t have. That night really helped me appreciate the life I have now.

But even the watching was frustrating. The Rabbi delivered an entire drasha in Yiddish, but from where I was relegated to sit, in a distant loft with an obstructed view, I barely heard a word. The women’s section was a dark, small attic area with a window overlooking the main room—a bright, large space. I didn’t feel like an active participant; I felt like a bystander. I was especially

I was upset about how a woman’s role in something as simple and as innocent as celebration can be so passive and insignificant. I was prepared to be separate from the men, but thought there would be some kind of celebration for the women as well, albeit separate and modest. While attending the various celebrations, I tried to engage with the women of that community to learn about their culture and daily lives. One woman asked me where I was from, and I told her I was from Manhattan, that I was here to come see what

My experience that night was off-putting, uncomfortable, and restrictive. I didn’t feel closer to my fellow Yiddish-speakers as I’d hoped. Instead, I felt distant—as if we don’t understand each other at all.

But at the end of the day, we are all part of one people. I loved seeing the endless streams of men in black hats swaying and dancing spiritually to niggunim I know and love. I loved seeing the various shuls and succot in a neighborhood where it was completely normal to walk around town carrying a lulav. I loved the energy around rejoicing for the holiday. It’s just that I wanted to participate in the festivities, and not just watch.

Romano ’26

Ring, Ring Detentions Calling Swoosh, another phone gets snatched from a teenager’s hands and taken into the possession of an administrator. Deep into the sixth-floor office lays a mountain of phones waiting to be picked up. Students walk in and out every day, taking back their phones, disappointed that it was taken away in the first place. Every day teachers come into class ready to educate young minds, but there’s always one thing stopping them; modern-day technology. From phones to laptops, students are prepared to find some way to find something that entertains them during lessons. Despite this, teachers should be the ones creating an organized classroom while also maintaining a comfortable environment in which students can put away their phones without being told to.

A common idea is that you never know what someone is going through and have no right to assume anything. So my question is, does the teacher have the right to assume that every kid is playing Wordle when going on their phone? Many students are going through difficult situations involving home and friends, and their only way to deal with it is through messages and social media. While many teachers know this isn’t always the case, it should be their responsibility to check in and ensure that it isn’t a serious issue before snatching a student’s phone and handing it to their grade dean.

Ring, Ring, Detentions Calling Better Late Than Never?

Aviva Schilowitz ‘24

Ramaz’s makeup test policy and its interface with the lateness policy is strange and could benefit from rethinking. The lateness policy works as follows: whenever a student is more than five minutes late, they get an email telling them how many strikes they have so far. If the student reaches the threshold of three late marks, they get detention. Last year the

As high schoolers, we take on many responsibilities that go beyond schoolwork. Ramaz prides itself on its students and the effort that goes into it all. So wouldn’t it be reasonable to say that its students can contain themselves during class to not go on their phones while it is at their desks or close to them? Just the other day, students had their phones

pocket or your bag, but they never want to see it out. Once in a while, you get that one teacher who says you can keep your phone out but ensure it doesn’t become a distraction. Many students have found that when teachers allow them to use their phones, students want to use them less. However, when the teacher prohibits phones and takes them away, the rule is broken more often. From 8:00 am to 4:45 pm, we sit inside the classroom and absorb endless amounts of information, and the two minutes we take to answer a text or Snapchat shouldn’t result in an all-day consequence.

beside them during class, and by the end of the lesson, the teacher could have opened an apple store with the collection of phones in her bag. The worst part was that many students didn’t realize that their phones were near them, and as a result, they had no access until the end of the day.

Every classroom has the same rules but ‘in a different font,’ including the phone rule. Some teachers make students put their phones into the shoe racks, or euphemistically called ‘phone hotels’ on the classroom doors. Other teachers say it can be in a

lateness policy was heavily enforced, but it feels like this year, it is not being heavily enforced. At the beginning of this school year, each grade had an opening assembly to review school rules. Students were reminded of the lateness policy, but with a special twist; if a student is more than five minutes late on a test day, a test taken that day is considered a makeup. A student is only allowed

Teenagers are constantly annoyed that we are either treated as children or adults. It is unfair that we are told to act and speak as adults but aren’t trusted to have our phones near us during a lesson. It’s an unreasonable rule that creates a tense atmosphere among the students and teachers. If a teacher wouldn’t take a student’s backpack or notebook, why can they take phones away? Rules are established to prevent mistakes and not cause students stress and anxiety.

Ultimately, it is very easy to be distracted by a simple text or notification, but as students of Ramaz, we should be trusted not to be hypnotized by our phones. Trust, as well as communication, should be laid out between teachers and students to stop the issue of phones being taken away. Teachers should encourage students to want to learn rather than hold them back in their education for such minor and insignificant breaches of the rules.

three makeups. It should be noted that, in my experience, the school is reasonable when it comes to kids with long commutes and other atypical circumstances. The school tends to deal with these circumstances on a case-by-case basis. If a student is sick or has a family emergency, they will work with the student and their

Tamar

Better Late Than Never?

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family and not hold strictly to their three retake rule. I would also be remiss if I didn’t say that, I think, weird lateness policy connections aside, the makeup test policy of allowing up to three is reasonable and fair. It strikes the right balance between empathy and system abuse prevention or gamesmanship in taking tests.

However, to the question at hand, why should a student be considered to have taken a retake if, for example, they show up 10 minutes late in the morning but their test period isn’t until 2 hours later? In other words, shouldn’t a test only be considered a makeup or retake if the lateness actually affected the time the

student was supposed to be taking the test? This, on its own, is a strange policy. Worse, anecdotally, it seems like students feel the school is extra strict when it comes to lateness marking on test

School On Chol Hamoed?

Sylvie Pagovich ’25

On chol hamoed , many schools have off. Ramaz, on the other hand, is one of the schools that is in session during these days. Many students complain about this, thinking that we shouldn’t have school. Contrary to the majority opinion, I think that we should have school on chol hamoed.

According to New York state law, it is required for a school to have 180 days. Ramaz plans out the calendar so that we can meet the minimum requirements and have a few extra days in case. Having school on chol hamoed counts towards those 180 days. I would rather have school on short days with some fun activities rather than a long, full day of school. Last year, Ramaz

ended earlier than many schools allowing students more time for summer vacation. Because we have school on chol hamoed, we can end earlier because we meet the requirements. This also allows for more flexibility to have a day off from school. If it’s snowing and we can’t get to school, Ramaz is more likely to give us off than to give us zoom. If we didn’t have school on chol hamoed, we would need to zoom in order to reach the requirements.

Since we end school earlier on chol hamoed, this allows time to go out after school with friends. It makes it easier to spend time with friends since everyone is already in the city. Being a commuter, I find it easier to do stuff with my friends after school on chol hamoed. I’m already in the city and I have a

days, whereas on a regular day, it seems to be a gamble if you will receive the same late notice. Why latenesses are more problematic on a test day when the lateness doesn’t affect the test time is a mystery.

Maybe it’s just student perception that the lateness policy is more strictly enforced on test dates. Perhaps it’s a glitch in the reporting system. Even so, the new system seems to connect two unrelated things. It’s almost as if Ramaz were to decide that a dress code infraction would result in a test that day, counting as a makeup test. If that doesn’t make sense to you, then neither should the current policy.

lot of time before I need to get home. For me, it’s hard to get into the city on days we don’t have school. Since we have school these days, I can be with them after as opposed to just going home. Since it’s still a special day, there are no tests or homework these days, so there’s no stress and no pile of work to get done. Being in school on chol hamoed can also be fun. The school makes breakfast at the beginning of the day and has an activity planned for us. This allows time for us to spend quality time with our friends and grade. The alternative would be to sleep in and find something to fill your time. The activities may be short, but they give us a chance to spend time with our classmates.

Women, Life, Freedom! A Message to the Iranian Government from a Young Woman of Iranian Descent

Orli Rabbani ’25

On September 13th, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a twenty-two-year-old young woman was taken into custody in Iran.

On September 16th, 2022, she died after being in a coma. The new movement around the world to raise awareness about the terroristic Islamic government in Iran and teach about Mahsa Amini, as well as the movement to give a voice to young women under the oppression of a misogynistic government has been at a high in the past few weeks.

Amini was twenty two years old when she was taken into custody because her hijab was too loose, therefore not complying with the strict Islamic dress code. After the Islamic revolution in 1981, hijabs have been mandatory throughout Iran. On her way to an ‘education center’, Amini was beaten to within an inch of her life by morality police and she landed in a coma. She died three days later. The morality police, as well as the government, called it heart failure. When her family spoke out about Amini’s abuse, they said that the bruises and wounds scattered across her body had a different story to tell about her death.

A young woman was brutally murdered by morality police because her headcovering was too loose. As unfortunate as Mahsa Amini’s death was, it has given courage to all women and has reminded us that the fight for our rights should never stop. Her story, specifically, is igniting vicious and passionate protests, as well as the one solution, revolution movement. If oppressive and entitled men do not back down, neither will we. If they think that they can prolong the battle by worsening our situation, they’re in for a rude awakening, because women don’t stop fighting. Women around the world are protesting, from Tehran to New York City. Horrifyingly, women are still being killed by the government for speaking out for Amini. “We ask the judiciary to deal decisively with the perpetrators of these crimes and with all

those who assisted in the crimes and provoked rioters,” as stated by the government in Iran. For fighting for justice, women are still dying at the hands of the Islamic regime. In the flames burning hijabs through the streets of Iran are the bodies of passionate young women who know they deserve rights. It never ends. It will not end until all women unite to fight for their rights.

country.” As a young woman of Iranian descent, I do not want to view my family’s homeland as a threat to my existence because it is only the government that is willing to murder for its values. The deep and vivacious culture that my grandparents built their home on should not be forgotten because of the oppressive Islamic regime. It is sickening that a government would murder a woman without thinking twice, using their religion to justify this, and lie about their crime. Government is supposed to protect their citizens, not kill the innocent ones, and more importantly, not let the violators of the law run free. As the granddaughter of an Iranian Immigrant, I chose to play my part in the fight to bring justice to Mahsa Amini and women around the world who are constantly being crushed by the patriarchy. I love my family and the beautiful Persian culture, but the rulers of my ancestors homeland are corrupt.

I am the granddaughter of an Iranian immigrant. This article is very close to my heart, because if not for my grandfather, I would have been in the same situation as these young women fighting for their rights. Ms. Rahimzada, my Tanakh teacher and daughter of Teherani parents, spoke out about the Islamic regime and misogynistic government in Iran: “I have never really felt a negative stigma on my heritage, which I have always viewed as deeply rich and colorful, although the current circumstances in Iran make things a little bit blurry. It’s important to me to be constantly reminding myself that the current situation in Iran is directly linked to the current government, and not the country as a whole, especially the one that my ancestors knew and loved so much. The distinction helps me separate my family’s heritage and culture from the deep issues that exist in the current Islamic regime that is controlling the

A few weeks ago, my family and I went to a rally in protest against the Iranian government. The thirty minutes I spent standing in a crowd of passionate young women was an enlightening experience, because the moment I got there, women were chanting and crying in protest of the oppressive Iranian government. It was an overwhelmingly meaningful experience for me.

I know that the likelihood of Ebrahim Raisi, president of Iran, and the rest of his government reading this is tremendously low, but I hope he hears what I, and women around the world, have to say to him: You can take away our human rights, our lives, but no matter how hard you try, our cries for freedom will drown you. No matter how hard you try to put us down, we will never stop fighting. Our rights are just as important as anyone else’s’, including yours. If your citizens are afraid to walk down the street in fear of being harassed and murdered, you are doing something wrong. If there’s anything we can do, it’s time to raise our voices.

November Book Review: Little Women

Jem Hanan ’23

When I think about the criteria for what I consider a “great book,” its long-lasting impact on me is at the top of the list. Yes, I’ve read many books that I’ve thought about in the short term, finding parallels between scenes in the book and my everyday life. Yet, as sad as it is, the book eventually fades from the forefront of my mind and the details melt into a pile of rose-tinted memories in my subconscious. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women functions differently. Almost every day, I will catch myself thinking about some aspect of the book, whether it’s the characters, the lessons, the writing itself, or the discourse it has inspired. Little Women has had a hand in my development as a writer, sister, and person.What has made the novel such a permanent part of my life is what has made it a permanent part of Western culture: its versatility and endurance. Although the events of the book take place in the 1860s, Meg’s struggle with her vanity, Jo’s yearning to self-improve, Beth’s grappling with anxiety, and Amy’s search to figure out what she truly wants are relatable to anyone of any age or time period.

Little Women is unique from other comingof-age novels because Alcott expertly fleshes out each protagonist and her arc, which makes Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy feel less like characters and more like people. I often found myself gasping at lines because it felt as if Alcott looked into my heart and put words to the feelings I felt, which were spoken amongst char-

acters who were a part of an engrossing story. The themes present throughout the novel have undeniably Christian undertones, but similar to the characters, the reader can take them out of that context and apply them to any kind of situation. Oftentimes, I’ll find myself remembering Marmee’s words on temper or Beth’s on kindness and attempt to channel that while walking the halls of my Ramaz.

throughout the entire novel is the unbreakable bond of sisterhood, no matter how many different ambitions, romantic endeavors, and priorities pull it tautly. I’ve never seen this idea better displayed than in Little Women.

It’s difficult to talk about Little Women without bringing attention to the feminist discussion surrounding it. Some say that Little Women is anti-feminist, with the sisters ultimately showing deference to the patriarchy in each of their lives. Others say the fact that a novel from the 19th century features women as the protagonists at all is a step forward for feminism. Reading the novel forced me to think about how I define feminism and if the characters I identified with held to those ideals. Each woman’s realization of her future was pursued of her own volition, and to me, that is feminism. The girls also displayed a grounded outlook on ambition versus reality, and how happiness could be found in many different pockets of life.

What struck me the most about the story was how it portrayed family specifically sisterhood. Being the eldest of three girls, I couldn’t help but smile when I read the interactions between the March sisters, as they reminded me so much of my own. The scenarios in which the sisters bashed heads with one another and the way they resolved those conflicts are moments that I have used to inform my own actions in similar situations. What Alcott makes clear

A story that people can still speak about today, that readers of all ages can enjoy, and that can be adapted time and time again over the years is indicative of Little Women’s “great” status in the larger public sphere. In a personal sense, Little Women is a “great book” because it continues to make me a kinder person, a good sister, a more profound thinker months after I’ve read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

The Silverman Report: A Satiric Take on Life at Ramaz

Student Teacher Conferences- The Ultimate Race

Sarah Silverman ’24

In the game of life, there are two ways to handle stressful situations. The “wolves,” aka the future finance bros of America, hunt their prey and try to achieve the impossible- leaving school as early as they can during student-teacher conferences. Navigating the web of classrooms and teacher times is an art. Many fail. You either leave at 11:30 am or 4:00 pm; there is no in-between. The strong vs. the weak. Who will win in the game to receive an early dismissal?

Students from the days of ‘yore have pondered the need for student-teacher conferences. What is truly achieved by the four-minute meetings? “I think it’s when the teachers learn their students’ names,” says Orli Rabbani ’25 “For those of us who don’t speak a lot in class, it’s when they finally are able to tell the quiet kids apart. I don’t think one of my teachers knew my name until today. I’m dead serious. Every time he handed tests back, he would hand mine back last and look around the room for who was still without a paper. He was trying to be sneaky about it, but I knew. We all knew. But hey, at least now they can match the silence to the face.” The conferences also allow the in-betweeners to understand their footing in classes. “I got a 95 on the first test and a 78 on the second. I think the teacher does not like me very much,” says a student who would rather stay anonymous, “but today, I was able to read her facial ex-

pressions when talking to me and gauge my status in her class. Later I am going to have an in-depth conversation with my friends, analyzing every little thing she said to me. That’s the way to do it, after all. She’s the type of teacher who will give students an A if they have an 85 average. At least that’s what a senior told me.” Sources have confirmed that this statement is unfounded. Teacher myths from seniors should not be regarded as fact. Senioritis seems to be spreading among the population. Symptoms include: under exaggerating how hard classes are, blasting music from the fourth-floor lounge, and making the library into a hangout spot. There is no known cure at this time, so this writer

urges everyone to stay safe and on the lookout since you may end up enjoying yourself too much. This disease warning is sponsored by Rabbi Bodner, a man known for caring about the free expression and liberties of Ramaz students.

Student-teacher conferences are a time for the student body to get to know their teachers on a deeper level. In addition, the Rampage has reported that the number of doctors’ appointments rises a whopping 300% on this day. One can only wonder if stress from sitting one-on-one with the person whose class is your ticket into college may be the culprit. Our mental health could never make it till Mincha. The day might be a rat race against friends, the stairs, and students’ sanity, but for all it’s worth, it’s an experience teachers and students alike will never remember. `

“I think it’s the teachers that learn their students name.”

-Orli Rabbani ’25

New Chairs vs. Bean Bags, What’s Your choice?

Rebbeca Kalimi ’23: Bean bag

Daniel Moche ’24: New Chair

Stella Hiltzick ’25: New Chair

Haim Heilborn Nigri ’26: Bean Bags

Math VS. Science Department, Whose Winning a Food Fight?

Rebbeca Kalimi ’23: The MathDdepartment

Daniel Moche ’24: The Math Department

Stella Hiltzick ’25: The Math Department

Chaim Heilborn Nigri ’26: The Math Department

By: Ariel Kadoe ’24

What’s the Worst Vending Machine Snack?

Rebbeca Kalimi ’23: Cinnamon Bun

Daniel Moche ’24: Cinnamon Bun

Stella Hiltzick ’25: Mix Nuts

Haim Heilborn Nigri ’26: Peanuts Mix

What’s Your Favorite Lunch?

Rebbeca Kalimi ’23: Chicken nuggets or pasta with meatballs

Daniel Moche ’24: Bagels and cream cheese

Stella Hiltzick ’25: Chicken Nuggets

Chaim Heilborn Nigri ’26: Veggie Buns Sophomore Vs. Faculty Whose Winning the Tug-O’-War Championship?

Rebbeca Kalimi ’23: Sophomores

Daniel Moche ’24: Sophomores

Stella Hiltzick ’25: Sophmores

Chaim Heilborn Nigri ’26: Sophomores