The Rampage The Newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School
New York • Volume 48 • Issue 8 • April/May 2017 • Nissan/Iyar 5777 • the-rampage.org
Rabbi Stochel to be Head of Upper School
Josephine Schizer '20
On May 12th, Ramaz families received an email with details about the new administration for next year. The email announced that Rabbi Stochel had been appointed as the new Head of the Upper School, filling the position that former Dean Ira Miller left after the 2015-2016 school year. During the 2016-2017
school year, a search was carried out for a new head of school. An email sent out on March 31, 2016 from Rabbi Grossman detailed the transition plan, including that “Rabbi Shlomo Stochel will continue in his expanded role as Associate Dean, and I will be overseeing operations in the US, working closely with Rabbi Sto-
Continued "The New Administration " page 6
G.O. Structure Changes for Next Year Positions of JVP, Treasurer, and Secretary Replaced
Julia Levi '18 Shortly after Pesach break and toward the beginning of May, students begin to anticipate the elections for the next year’s G.O., eagerly awaiting an email from Rabbi Pianko and Rabbi Slomnicki about the rules and criteria for running for different positions. This year, when the students received an email about the upcoming elections, they were in for a surprise. They discovered major changes in the G.O.
chel and the US leadership.” Now, according to the most recent email update, the search process concluded that “Rabbi Stochel stood out as the best person to head the Upper School,” so this coming school year, he will be taking on the full responsibilities of Head of the Upper School.
structure, which has remained the same at Ramaz for 20 years. Attached to the email was a handbook with the guidelines about the way the student government and its elections would work from now on. On the first page of this handbook, there is a diagram mapping out the positions of the new G.O. and how they relate to the rest of the student body. The G.O. will still have its five core members on the Executive Board,
The newly elected G.O. from the left: Associate VP Amanda Koptyev '19, VP Sarah Issever '18, President Richie Hafif '18, Associate VP Beckt Tauber '19, and Associate VP Paola Mattout '19 Continued "New G.O. System" page 2
Ramaz Celebrates Israel's 69th Birthday
Emily Podolsky '19
On Tuesday, May 2nd, the students of Ramaz celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut with festive dancing, relevant speakers, and classes on Israeli history leading up to its independence. At the end of the day, before enjoying Israeli food in the lunchroom and outside at the annual Block Party, the students had the chance to watch a celebratory performance. Students from all different grades performed for their peers, whether through dance, song, or music. The day started with schoolwide davening, which included hallel with singing and dancing. The room was filled with joy, and the davening started the day off on a celebratory and exciting note. After davening, Natha-
lie Kahn ’19 spoke to the whole student body. She spoke about Photos from Yom Ha'aztmaut. how she recently discovered that her grandfather fought for and contributed to Israel’s War of Independence, sharing with her fellow students the inspiring saga. After Kahn spoke, breakfast was served, and students left the building to dance in the streets. Many students really enjoyed dancing together, celebrating, and having fun. Loren Elman ’19 said, “The moment when we're all swaying and singing along together was one of the most beautiful and spiritually uplifting moments of the day. It stuck with me last year and did so once again this year. Yom Ha’atzmaut is one of my favorite days of the year, and
Continued "Yom Ha'aztmaut" page 5
Inside this issue...
Witness Theater Performance... Learn about the process of making this meaningful production. Should English and History be More Standardized?... See what students think on the issue. The First 100 Days of the Trump Presidency... Read an in-depth summary of Trump's first few months. Why Don't Students Care about Spring Sports?... Find out why attendance at spring sports games is so low. Crossword... Have a go at The Rampage's newest puzzle!
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News 2
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continued from cover but their titles will be different. Below the President and Vice President are the “Associate Vice Presidents.” These associate vice presidents each have their own specific areas of responsibility: Communications, Operations, and Student Life. The diagram shows what the expectations are of each position on the G.O. The President, as previously, will assume his or her usual job of leading the G.O. and the school, and the Vice President, taking the job of the former “Senior Vice President,” will help to organize and coordinate with the class presidents. Nevertheless, the three other positions each have very specific roles pertaining to different aspects of student government. “The reorganizing of the G.O. in this way reflects a goal of having greater clarity both for expectations of the members and for the school as a whole,” said Rabbi Slomnicki. “Now, the student body will really know and understand how the G.O. is structured, and what everyone’s job on the G.O. is”. Previously, only the position of the Secretary of the G.O. was clear to the student body. The Secretary sent emails, connected with the school on various forms of social media, and took notes at SFAC meetings. However, the other titles, such as Treasurer and Junior Vice President, have been slightly vague. Now, Associate Vice President of Communications will assume the role of the Secretary, writing the weekly emails to the student body and posting on the G.O. instagram, snapchat, and Facebook page. The Associate Vice President of Operations, according to the diagram, is in charge of the Gabbaim Chair, the Activities Chair, the Aesthetics and Decor Chair, and the Film Chair. Lastly, the Associate Vice President of Student Life is in charge of dealing with all the student-run clubs and their captains and leaders. “As we were going through the process of changing the student government, we did go through some different ideas of what we would call each position, toying with various titles and thinking about how to organize the students and their needs into different sections,” said Rabbi Slomnicki. “Also, calling all of them ‘associate vice president’ keeps the titles elevated and satisfies the student, and along with the spe-
April/May 2017
New G.O. System cific title, guides the student into what their job really is.” Members of the current G.O. and many other students appreciate this reorganization of roles and titles. “I definitely think that there was ambiguity in the past, including this year, with what exactly each person in the GO does, so I think that it is super necessary and important that they created these roles,” said Naomi Frelich ’18, who was G.O. Secretary in 2016-2017. The changes to do not end there. The criteria of who is eligible to run has also been altered. While the President of the school must still be a rising senior, all other four positions are open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. While in previous years, only rising juniors and seniors could run for a G.O. Executive Board position, now current freshmen who will be sophomores next year are allowed to run for office. The reason freshmen are being allowed to run is to have “a broader representation of the student body,” as Rabbi Slomnicki put it. “I think that it is a good idea to have freshman run, and that it is more democratic in a sense,” said Frelich. “Now, lowerclassmen will be able to voice their concerns in a more effective way,” she said. However, others are a little skeptical of the idea. “Freshmen have only been in the school for one year, so they are not completely ready to run for a position in the G.O. and make decisions on behalf of everyone,” said Paula Mattout ’19. “I don’t think that as a freshman I would have been ready, but after having done two years at Ramaz, I feel prepared.” Mattout is to be the Associate Vice President of Communications in next year’s G.O. The final change to the system is in the way students have to run and campaign in the primaries. Now, candidates for the primary elections can share their voice with the student body, as they are obligated to make a short video. The videos are sent out to the students the night before the primary election to allow the student body to become acquainted with those running and what they plan to do for the school. “This idea of obligating those running in the primaries to make a video was a response to the feedback we’ve gotten for many years to allow the primary election candidates
The new handbook's diagram of the student government structure.
voice what they are running upon,” said Rabbi Slomnicki. In terms of where this new G.O. system will take the school, it will likely define more clearly the role the G.O. plays within the student body, and perhaps, the group will be set up to accomplish more as a result. As Rabbi Slomnicki said, “The G.O. has a lot of potential. It could be a more observable body in the school, and we’re trying to work towards that. In terms of the future, we encourage students to voice their concerns, so we can better situate ourselves to change what needs to be changed.”
Rina Ariel, Mother of Hallel z"l, Speaks to Students
Abigail Huebner '18
On June 30th last year, 13-year-old Hallel Ariel z”l was stabbed to death in her bed in Kiryat Arba by a 17-year-old Palestinian teenager living nearby. On April 25th, Hallel’s mother, Rina, came to speak to the Ramaz juniors and seniors about her daughter and the impact Hallel’s short life had both on those who knew her personally and on those who did not. Rina Ariel flew all the way from Israel to speak to various groups about her life since last June and about Hallel’s legacy. Rabbi Schiowitz posted on Schoology to inform the students a few days before the speaker came, explaining that “Rina has taken an incredible approach in her constructive reaction to this horror, and I am sure that you will find her presentation interesting and meaningful.” Rabbi Schiowitz heard Rina speak in his shul a few days before, and “she was so inspiring that I said she had to come to Ramaz.” He then arranged for Rina to come speak to the students, to inspire them just as she had inspired him. Rina spoke about Hallel’s values of friendship and kindness to others and the lessons we should all take from Hallel’s example. Rina told the students that after Hallel’s death, one of her friends had come to tell her that Hallel had “saved her life” by befriending her when
no one else would and by always being kind to her. Hallel’s family lives in a dangerous area, and on Hallel’s last night before she was murdered, she was on her way home from a dance recital when one of her friends asked if she was scared to walk home alone from the bus. “Why would I be afraid? It’s home,” her mother relayed as Hallel’s last sentence to her friends. She explained that Hallel, up until her last moments, had been unafraid and without regrets, happy to live where she lived and lead the life she led. This, explained her mother, serves as an inspiration to everyone. “It was really valuable to hear the story of a girl who was just like us, but whose life took a turn that none of us could’ve imagined,” said Emily Stemp ’18. “We forget that there are people elsewhere who are constantly prepared for the possibility of such tragedies…it made me rethink my values a little…a much needed shift of perspective,” she said.
Rina Ariel with her daughter, Hallel, who passed away in a terrorist attack in Kiryat Arba in June 2016.
Congratulations to Next Year's Rampage Editorial Board! Editors-in-Chief: Rebecca Araten, Abigail Huebner, Julia Levi Associate Editor-in-Chief: Naomi Frelich Online Editors: Derek Korff-Korn, Mark Marcus Layout Editor: Netanel Kamel
April/May 2017
The Rampage
News 3
APs Becoming More Popular Among Juniors
Abigail Huebner '18
May marks the time of Advanced Placement (AP) exams, tests that only seniors generally take. Ramaz technically does not even offer AP classes - senior year “AP” classes, which prepare students for the AP exams by second semester, are called “Honors Senior Seminar” classes instead of AP. Generally, no AP classes are available during the other years of highschool aside from in special circumstances, like the junior calculus class. However, this year, 20 AP exams were administered to Ramaz juniors, with 11th graders taking tests in U.S. history, physics, calculus, and statistics. With the lack of AP preparatory classes in the junior year, 20 AP exams appears to be a very high number. Amital Kaplan ’18 studied statistics on his own and was the only junior taking that AP exam. He explained that “statistics is something that interests me, and I thought it would be cool to try and learn it on my own and then maybe apply some of the things I learned to real life.” Dr. Jucovy, the faculty member in charge of administering AP exams, explained that “there have always been juniors - or even sophomores taking some variety of math-related APs.” This year, two juniors took the U.S. history AP. Dr. Jucovy said,“When we first introduced the idea of allowing juniors to take the U.S. history AP, we got on average eight or nine kids taking the exam. In the past few
years, there have usually been three or four, or even one or two.” This year, then, had fewer juniors taking the U.S. history AP than the norm. Mark Marcus ’18 explained that he decided to take the AP because he is good at history, so he thought he could do well on the exam. He said that “Dr. Stone’s class prepared me pretty well considering his class is not an
Students taking AP exams in junior year, however, have a very different experience than those taking them in senior year. After APs for juniors, instead of classes essentially being over, students went right back into their previous junior year classes. Many juniors finished an AP exam and immediately returned to whatever class they had, without
This year, 20 AP exams were administered to Ramaz juniors, with 11th graders taking tests in U.S. history, phyiscs, calculus, and statistics. AP course.” Junior year history, as it is now, seems to help students prepare for the AP, although they still need to learn some of the material on their own. With the elimination of a year dedicated to U.S. history, it could potentially become very challenging for any Ramaz student to take the U.S. history AP. The juniors taking the BC calculus exam and the physics exam were the ones in the calculus class and in the calculus-based physics class. This year, the junior calculus class is larger than usual, and Mr. Klotz geared the separate calculus-based physics class towards the AP for the first time, resulting in the large number of junior AP exams.
even a break. Additionally, they still have exams, assignments, quizzes, essays, and standardized tests. In general, the juniors found teachers to be very accommodating in regard to their APs. Julia Levi ’18 said, “Teachers were very understanding of it and were nice with my workload around the exam date and giving me any extensions if I needed them.” Dr. Jucovy was “one of the two or three people in the building most responsible for getting rid of AP-labeled courses,” he said. This change enabled the school to “increase elective offerings, teach towards things that are potentially more interesting, and also gave us much more flexibility with senior pro-
College Night
Netanel Kamel '18
As part of the junior year college process, the Ramaz Upper School hosted its annual College Night. Ramaz College Night is different from that of many other schools in how it is organized. Traditionally, admissions officers from many different schools are seated in an auditorium, like at the Ramaz Club Fair. Then, if a student is interested in a school, he or she may approach the area where the school ambassador is seated and ask the representative questions. To prevent students from each asking the same questions and to make college night as a whole more productive, Ramaz created a program with different sessions for each college around the building. Interested students can ask their questions together as a group in the same designated room, as opposed to in a loud auditorium. In preparation for the event, each student signed up for up to four colleges that they would want to visit. If both of a student's’ parents decided to come as well, then a single family could reach a maximum of eight different schools, with the parents visiting four college presentations without their child. The event began after school at approximately 7:00pm with refreshments. Students arrived with their parents in the auditorium for an introductory session with Mr. Blumenthal, Direc-
tor of College Guidance at Ramaz. Then, the students divided into groups based on their college advisors, each group heading to a separate location. At each location, a panel of five college ambassadors sat in front of the students, and Mr. Blumenthal and Dr. Honig asked them questions about colleges in general and their specific opinions about various topics in the college application process. After the main session, each college ambassador went to his or her room around the building and awaited groups of interested students. After college night ended, many juniors found a new interest in a college they would not have otherwise considered, and others were able to narrow down the colleges they had been interested in prior to the event. Kyla Mintz ’18 said, “I think that I have a clearer understanding of the college of my choice. It was very beneficial to be able to converse with a representative in an intimate way as opposed to just finding out information via the Internet.” Meeting the college ambassadors and admissions officers helped the students understand how there is an individual reading each application, not just a computer accepting or rejecting students, and that this person considers numerous factors before coming to a final decision.
gramming,” he continued. Dr. Jucovy does not view this lack of AP credit as detrimental because “very few colleges of the kind Ramaz students are applying to give very much AP credit.” Yet some students still feel a desire to take AP exams. Levi explained that she appreciated being able to take APs this year for a number of reasons. “It created a more balanced experience for me with regard to APs, because I don’t need to do all my APs senior year, and they are more spread out. I can take more classes of different variety next year as a senior because I have already taken two AP courses,” she said. Additionally, Levi explained that “it makes finals week less stressful because APs essentially serve as a final.” For the juniors who took APs, those tests will be replacing their final exams in specific subjects, allowing the students to have easier finals weeks. “It’s also a really rewarding feeling to have been learning the curriculum all year, and it finally culminating in this test,” said Levi.
Upperclassmen Watch "The Radical Jew"
Naomi Freilich '18
“The Radical Jew” is a documentary film directed and produced by Noam Osband about the life of Baruch Marzel, an American-born Jew who lives in Hebron. Marzel is a disciple of the late ultra-nationalist far-right Israeli politician and Orthodox rabbi Meir Kahane. Throughout the film, viewers are introduced to all aspects of Marzel’s life, including his family and his political ventures. Marzel lead the far-right political party Kach, now recognized as a terrorist organization by the Israeli government. The party was banned from the Knesset in 1995. Baruch Marzel is among the most well-known Jewish extremists throughout Israel. Both the juniors and seniors watched the film. The students then had the opportunity to ask the director questions. Throughout the assembly, especially when watching the film, students could be heard laughing on occasion at the absurdity and extremism of Baruch Marzel. After
watching the film and participating in the question-and-answer session with Mr. Osband, Julia Levi ’18 said, “The movie gave me a window into the radical right wing of Israel’s politics that I was not aware of before. I am glad that they showed us the film for that reason, but I do think that if the school is going to show us a movie about the radical right, it would also be appropriate for us to watch a film about the radical left so we could see both perspectives and could then have a conversation about it.” Levi continued, “It is important that we see both sides in action in order to stimulate the necessary conversation about Israeli politics.” Kyla Mintz ’18 said, “The film was both horrifying and eye-opening, as we are not often exposed to the extremes of Israeli politics.”
News 4
Zachary Buller '20
April/May 2017
Witness Theater Production
Witness Theater is a drama therapy program that pairs Holocaust survivors with students in order to bring the stories those survivors to the stage. This is the second year that Ramaz participated in the program, which culminates with a performance on Yom HaShoah. The Ramaz participants included sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The UJA-Federation of New York and Selfhelp Community Services fund and support Witness Theater. Students Ilan Sidi ’19, Loren Shamalov ’19, Amanda Koptyev ’19, Violet Allaham ’19, Allison Davidson ’18, Rebecca Araten ’18, Olivia Schwartz ’17 and Gabrielle Amar-Ouimet ’17 acted out the personal stories of five Holocaust survivors: Evelyn Spiegler, Hannah Deutch, Celia Kener, Harry Wittlin and Edith Friedlander. In an effort to preserve their stories and impart them to the next generation, the survivors share their experiences with the students on a weekly basis. After a lot of drafting, editing and practicing, the students act out these stories in the final performance on Yom HaShoah. The process of developing this show is, in fact, lengthy and highly involved. The experience of Witness Theater, however, is not primarily about the final performance. Rather, the emotional journey that one takes while partic ipating in this very meaningful process serves as the most lasting part of the project. Rebecca Araten said, “Witness Theater was a truly unforgettable experience. There were times when we laughed and times when we felt pain and sadness; but the most important thing was that we experienced it all together. Witness Theater was a truly unforgettable experience.” Starting in September, the students met with the five Holocaust survivors. Through Selfhelp Community Services, an organization that takes care of the daily needs of Holocaust survivors, the survivors came to Ramaz
Netanel Kamel '18
The Rampage
on a weekly basis to meet with the students. With the assistance and guidance of two social workers, a drama therapist, and Ms. Lit-
which would serve as the basis of the script for the performance. Next, the students and the drama therapist developed the script and
“Currently,
it is the most inspirational and gratifying work that I do at Ramaz. The experience is very deep, personal, and inspirational. Not only do I have this incredible experience working with the survivors, but I also get to see the tremendous growth in the students.” -Ms. Litwack wack, the faculty advisor of the program, the survivors and the students worked together in an organized therapeutic environment. In the weekly meetings, the students became friendly with the survivors, sharing meals, telling jokes, and discussing common interests - a true collaboration among multiple generations. The survivors engaged in many different games with the students in the hope that they would grow comfortable with strangers 70-80 years their junior. One example of these games involved a person standing up in the middle of a circle and beginning to act out a scene. Then, someone else would stand up and continue to act out the scene, but could change something about it to suit their interests. After multiple rounds of this game and many laughs, stronger intergenerational bonds could develop. This environment enabled the survivors to begin telling their stories to the students, recalling their most painful and horrifying memories. Initially, the students would listen and take notes as the survivors told the stories of their lives before, during, and after the war. After getting a complete grasp of each story, the students would then retell, in their own words, the stories that they had just heard,
acted out the scenes of the lives of the survivors. This was the first time that the survivors had seen a reenactment of the horror stories through which they had lived. Out of respect for the survivors and their privacy, the survivors had the ability to censor parts of their sto-
ries that were to be in the final performance. As such, the survivors became like the assistant directors of the performance, giving their own input and perspective on how their stories should be told. At the final performance, each survivor handed a student a scarf, representing the student “becoming” the survivor on stage. Throughout the program, the students faced emotional challenges that allowed them to grow as individuals. Not everyone is perfectly comfortable being around elderly people, and this discomfort can be intensified when listening to emotionally difficult stories. Ms. Litwack said, “Currently, it is the most inspirational and gratifying work that I do at Ramaz. The experience is very deep, personal, and inspirational. Not only do I have this incredible experience working with the survivors, but I also get to see the tremendous growth in the students.”
Junior Trip to Heritage Museum
This year, on Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah), the Ramaz juniors visited the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. Shortly after davening, the students gathered in the lobby for a quick snack and headed downtown via the subway. Upon leaving the subway station, some students could not find their chaperone and were unable to get to the museum on time as a result. In honor of Yom HaShoah, there were many Holocaust survivors sitting by different exhibits waiting to tell their story. The juniors all had the opportunity to hear different stories
from many survivors. Tamar Bacalu ’18 shared her experience, stating that “we got to see the true horror and history behind many stories from the Holocaust… This experience let us understand the situations that every survivor was in, and even though the survivors tried their hardest to share their true experiences, we will never really understand their feelings at that time.” After visiting the museum, the juniors joined the seniors to watch the “Witness Theater” production.
Tekes Ma'avar - Transitioning from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha'atzmaut
Sophia Kremer '20
Yom Hazikaron is our day to remember the 23,544 soldiers of Israel and victims of terror who have died since the creation of the State of Israel. Once the mourning finishes, Yom Ha’atzmaut begins with all of its singing, dancing, and excitement. The transition from utter mourning and pain to joyous celebration is a hard one. This year’s annual Tekes Ma’avar, transitioning ceremony, held in the Ramaz Middle School, was an especially meaningful one. The evening opened with Major Irit Moshe, who told the story of how she rose in the ranks of the IDF and the struggles she went through to get there, including coping with the loss of her best friend Karen Rothstein. She spoke about living and fighting through Operation Protective Edge, as well as surviving a near death experience running from a bomb. Next, representatives of the Ramaz student body led a flag ceremony in which they marched and waved flags
with the symbols of each division of the IDF. Students read out the names of each of Israel’s wars or conflicts aloud and lit candles to represent those who fell in each one. A highlight of the evening was the video and presentation by David Cohen ’12, a a Ramaz graduate, who served in the Golani brigade as a chayal boded, a soldier without parents living in Israel. He told the powerful story of his ancestors and the sacrifices they made to make aliya after World War Two, each from different parts of the world, one from Morocco and the other from Eastern Europe after surviving the Holocaust. It was the paths of their lives that inspired him “like two sides of a Zionist coin” and drove him to enlist after graduation. Cohen explained that it is Zionism that is at the heart of everything he believes in. The video that was played showed his swearing in ceremony, a symbolic graduation from training
in which soldiers receive their berets. Friends from Cohen’s Ramaz class came to be there for him and support him. Natalie Kahn ’19 transitioned the evening by telling the fascinating story of her grandfather, Paul Orringer, who she only recently discovered went to Israel to fight as a pilot in 1948. He risked his U.S. citizenship and engaged in some extremely risky maneuvers all to further the Zionist cause. Kahn read from her grandfather’s letters, a first hand account of Israel in the year of 1948. Throughout the night, students read beautiful poems in Hebrew and English. In addition, the Middle School Chamber Choir performed and the guitar ensemble played while Danielle Bendavid ’17 sang. Upon the conclusion of the evening, when the day of remembrance moved into one of celebration, dancing and singing began, as tears of sorrow became those of joy.
April/May 2017
News 5
Yom Ha'atzmaut
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I feel nothing exemplifies it more for me than that specific moment.” Gloria Kafif ’19 said, “I think that on a day like Yom Ha’atzmaut there couldn't be a better way in school to celebrate than by dancing on the street and having fun with all of my friends.” Danya Jacobs ’19 shared a similar feeling, while also shedding light on the importance of hearing from speakers on a day like Yom Ha’atzmaut. “I
Josephine Schizer '20
The Rampage
thought the day’s program was very well organized, and everybody had a good time. The speakers helped all of the students gain a better understanding of why this day is so important to us as a school and a people,” she said. Nancy Toussie ’17 said, “ I thought it was a lot of fun. People really looked like they were enjoying themselves. I was speaking to a doorman at a hotel two blocks away, and
we actually spoke about the chagigah. He said that he was impressed when he walked by because we all didn't seem to be dancing out of force, rather because we genuinely love Israel. I thought so too, so that was really nice to hear.”
JLT Topics Introduced into Honors and Accelerated Talmud Classes
Ramaz students have more periods of Talmud per rotation than any other subject. In the honors track, freshman and sophomores have nine periods of Talmud, and juniors have 13 periods of Talmud. According to Rabbi Schiowitz, Chair of the Talmud Department, Talmud requires so many periods because of how intense it is textually. Because Talmud is in Aramaic instead of Hebrew, it takes more time to make progress in Talmud than it does in Tanakh. Additionally, other yeshivas devote even more time to Talmud than Ramaz, and it is important that Ramaz students are on par with other yeshivas if they take a gap year to study in Israel before college. However, students who are not in the honors track have fewer periods of Talmud, instead taking a separate class called Jewish Law and Thought (JLT), which students in the honors track do not have the opportunity to take. During sophomore year, JLT meets
four periods each rotation for one semester learning hilkhot Shabbat, and all tracks except honors take this class. During junior year, JLT is a yearlong course about Jewish philosophy, which neither the honors-track nor the accelerated-track students have the opportunity to take. Currently, students in honors Talmud never take this class before they graduate, missing out on valuable material. This year, Rabbi Schiowitz decided to incorporate the sophomore JLT hilkhot Shabbat unit into the honors Talmud class curriculum, which many sophomores found valuable. “Being aware of these halakhot is extremely important,” said Yonatan Weitzner ’19. “I think it is important that all students learn how to properly observe one of the most important mitzvot in the Torah,” he said. Meira Weinstock ’19 agreed, saying, “I found the unit interesting and worthwhile because usually in Talmud classes, we don't really learn things
that are so applicable to our everyday lives.” Next year, Rabbi Schiowitz wants to make sure that juniors in the honors and accelerated Talmud tracks also have the opportunity to learn about Jewish philosophy. This could be accomplished by adding a JLT unit into Talmud classes similar to the new sophomore curriculum, or it could become a separate class like it is for other tracks, meeting two to three times each rotation instead of Talmud. Rabbi Schiowitz believes that although this requires losing some Talmud periods each week, JLT is a valuable course that would ultimately be beneficial to the students. Sophomores including Weizner and Weinstock are looking forward to this change. Weitzner said, “It is important that we as Jews understand the religion that we are a part of, and don’t just follow it blindly. Also, I think that we simply have too many Talmud courses, and for once, I would like to engage in conversations about Judaism outside
the realm of Talmud.” “It's important to learn about philosophy in addition to the halachot we learn about in Talmud,” said Weinstock. Maya Shalom ’18 does not feel that she missed out on JLT because there is an option to take honors JLT during senior year and she enjoys all the Talmud periods she has. On the other hand, Tal Ullmann ’17 moved up to honors Talmud for senior year after being in accelerated in prior years, and she believes that JLT is a valuable course that honors students should have a chance to experience. Ullmann said, “I definitely enjoyed having JLT more than Talmud, and I think it gives students a more useful understanding of Judaism. Talmud is for the most part just learning how the halachic system works, but in JLT, we discussed philosophical topics in Judaism that honors Talmud kids never get the chance to discuss in a classroom setting.”
Student Perspectives: Expanding the Ramaz Language Program
Harry Shams '19
Before beginning high school, Ramaz students are presented with the choice of taking either Spanish or French as their foreign language for the next three to four years. Many students are upset with these choices and feel limited in their options. School like SAR, for example, offer Arabic and Latin as foreign languages, in addition to Spanish and French, widening the options to four languages instead of two. David Abginesaz ’19 voiced his com-
plaints about the lack of options in Ramaz’s foreign language department, saying, “It’s unfair that other schools have a wide selection of languages to choose from, and in Ramaz we are stuck with Spanish and French. I take Spanish, and while I think it's an important language to learn, I’d rather spend my high school years learning a language like Arabic.” Yonatan Weitzner ’19 is bothered by another issue regarding foreign languages. He feels that the obligation to take a for-
eign language on top of Hebrew language is just too much. Weitzner said, “I think it's ridiculous that we need to take two foreign languages, because we’re already learning Hebrew. If the school were to focus its resources on bettering the Hebrew skills of its student by getting rid of the stress of an additional foreign language, I think that’d be better.” On the other hand, students praise the current rule of taking two foreign languages, but agree that more languages should be
offered. Natalie Kahn ’19 said, “I think it’s good that the school makes us take Hebrew in addition to a second foreign language. The school should offer more language options like Mandarin, for example.” The Ramaz language department has remained basically the same in its language offerings for a number of years. Some students feel the need for reform.
News 6
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April/May 2017
The New Administration
Rabbi Stochel’s Vision Rabbi Stochel’s letter to Ramaz families stated that “it is an honor for me to accept, with gratitude and humility, the position of Head of the Ramaz Upper School. His email highlighted his vision for a new “Student-Centered Approach” in the Upper School. “This year, we have been experimenting with a distributed model of leadership, empowering our chairs, grade coordinators, directors of guidance, advisors, and teachers with the independence to think creatively and act collaboratively in nurturing students toward academic, spiritual, and emotional growth,” he wrote. The letter continued, “We have taken steps to sustain the student at the center of our attention, treating each individual learner as a unique being, even as he or she develops in the context of a school community driven by a mission of academic ideals, ethical standards and religious aspirations.” Rabbi Stochel’s vision is centered around the desire for “joyous learning.” He wants students to feel cared for, and his number one goal is for students to be happy. This individualized approach will also include further involving the guidance department in student life. According to Rabbi Grossman, this vision is one of the most important parts of the job of the Head of the Upper School. “When I speak about this vision I usually talk about having more ‘gratuitous fun’ as part of the Ramaz experience; Rabbi Stochel prefers his word ‘joy’ to my word ‘fun,’ and this is pretty much the only thing on which we disagree. On the other hand, my sister’s name is Joy, so I’m good,” said Rabbi Grossman. Rabbi Stochel believes that currently, the strongest area of the school is the academics, and that students thrive under the high expectations. His approach will fit into Rabbi Grossman’s idea of the “Ramaz Renaissance,” focusing on making school more fun without compromising the elite academics for which Ramaz is known. Rabbi Stochel’s goals for next year include being more accessible to students. For example, walking the hallways more and sitting in on classes. Rabbi Stochel wants students to know that he is always available to speak to them. Additionally, he wants to focus on transparency and making sure that students understand school policies. An example of this was his recent speech to the whole school about drug policy. Rabbi Stochel: Through the Years The email that was sent out to the Ramaz community detailed Rabbi Stochel’s path towards his current position. Rabbi Stochel received his bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Yale University. He received his semikha from Yeshiva University's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and a master's degree in Jewish history from YU's Bernard Revel Graduate School. The email went on to explain how Rabbi Stochel learned in Israel for two years, at both Yeshivat Har Etzion and, soon after, at YU's Gruss Institute in Jerusalem. He went on sabbatical with his family in Israel in 2004-05 as a Jerusalem Fellow at the Mandel Leadership Institute. Rabbi Stochel also earned a certificate in Jewish school leadership at the Institute for Day School Management, a joint program of the Columbia Graduate School of Business and the UJA Federation of NY, in 2009-10, the email said. Rabbi Stochel came to Ramaz in 1992, currently celebrating his 25th year on the faculty. He taught Talmud, Tanakh, and Halakha, before becoming Chair of the Talmud Department, Coordinator of the Israel Guidance Office, Supervisor of the Judaic Studies Department, Assistant Dean, and then Associate Dean. A Transition Year In past years, Rabbi Stochel’s role has mostly been on the Judaic side of the
school. This year was a transition year for him. Rabbi Stochel became more involved with general studies, department chairs, and co-curricular activities. Additionally, this year focused on empowering the faculty, department chairs, and grade coordinators. Next year, Rabbi Stochel wants to formalize these structures with the help of Rabbi Slomnicki, Ms. Krupka, and the Grade Deans. This year, Rabbi Stochel and other faculty members also spent a lot of time visiting other schools, both Yeshivot and non-Jewish independent schools. Visiting these others schools helped identify new ideas that could be implemented in Ramaz. For example, one change in the school next year based on these visits will be that freshmen no longer have the option to take Algebra I. Rather, all students will take geometry in their first year at Ramaz (and presumably Algebra I sophomore year if they did not take it in middle school). Other organizational ideas, such as Grade Deans, advisors, and guidance departments were helpful in planning the new administrative structure. Some other schools have directors of general studies and Judaic studies, but Rabbi Stochel has decided that this is not right for Ramaz. Because our school integrates the two academic areas - Judaic and general studies - there is no need to have separate positions in the administration. Overall, the school is still experimenting, said Rabbi Stochel, but visiting other schools has helped develop new ideas. The Search Process Ramaz partnered with the search firm DRG in order to find the best candidate for the head of school position in a process that lasted seven months. The firm contacted 200 candidates for the position, and the final contenders were later interviewed by the search committee, comprised of members of the Ramaz Charter Trustees and the US faculty. According to Rabbi Grossman, “we interviewed Rabbi Stochel as part of the process, and he was, without question, the best candidate… unique among our candidates” because of his plan for “how to restructure the US in such a way that the improved student experience would grow out a new leadership model.” Rabbi Stochel: A Closer Look Rabbi Grossman appreciates that Rabbi Stochel is around the school every day and available to hear students’ opinions and feedback. “He is a leader that wants to hear from students and faculty and sees developing trusting relationships as the key to leadership. I think this shows how his administration will be one that is always learning and listening, and has relationships at its center,” said Rabbi Grossman. The faculty are excited to have Rabbi Stochel at the helm of the Upper School. When asked what will make Rabbi Stochel such a good administrator, Ms. Krupka replied, “everything.” Rabbi Slomnicki asserted that after leaving Ramaz, the reason he returned was mainly to work with Rabbi Stochel again. “I am very happy that Rabbi Stochel will assume the role of the Head of the Upper School. Working with him as a department chair has been a true pleasure, and I look forward to continuing to work with him both in the capacity of department chair and as Grade Dean. Between the new administrators, the grade deans, the guidance staff, and the department chairs, we have a fantastic team to lead the school. I am really excited to be a part of it,” says Ms. Brachot. Dr. Aharon agrees, saying, “I am very excited that Rabbi Stochel will be the Head of the Upper School. Working closely with him over these past few years has shown me that Rabbi Stochel has all the necessary quali-
ties to be an effective leader and source of support for faculty, students, and parents.” Outside of school, Rabbi Stochel enjoys spending time with his wife Chani, his four children, and his dog named Bree, short for briut, or health in Hebrew. Rabbi Grossman noted, “We could be in a meeting talking about the most serious school matter, and if someone mentions his dog, he will drop everything to talk about the great tricks it can perform.” The Administrative Structure The new administrative structure includes the Head of the Upper School, the Dean of Faculty, the Dean of Student Life, Grade Deans, and department heads. According to Rabbi Grossman, all of these faculty members “have been given a new mandate to address and solve student issues directly.” “Our hope is that the transparency and synergy of this model of leadership will best serve all the members of our community in an embracing learning environment,” said the email. The structure will have more clearly defined roles so that students and parents will have a better idea of who to turn to in various circumstances. Ms. Krupka emphasized that in this structure, roles will be more specific so that students and faculty know who to go to for help, and the administrative structure will be less top down. “It’s more about who works with who than who reports to who,” she said. According to Rabbi Slomnicki, this structure affords Grade Deans more autonomy, allowing them to be more effective in helping their students. “While the makeup of the team is certainly different, it is much broader and deeper than in our previous structure,” said Rabbi Grossman. Dean of Faculty
Ms. Krupka will be serving as the Dean of Faculty starting next year. This year, she took on more responsibilities of scheduling for teachers. Next year, her responsibilities will expand to professional development and overseeing curricula, department chairs, and the entire faculty experience. In order to aid her in carrying out these extra responsibilities, Ms. Krupka will be teaching three to four classes next year instead of the five she teaches this year. Ms. Krupka’s favorite part of Ramaz is the “collegiality and respect” among the faculty, especially the interactions between teachers in the Judaic and secular subjects. One of her goals is to maintain and grow these interdisciplinary relationships; for example, by bringing secular and Judaic studies faculty to sit in on each other’s classes. Rabbi Slomnicki and Ms. Krupka emphasized their cooperation as a team. They both started working in the Israel Guidance office together and have worked closely with Rabbi Stochel in the past. They believe that this administration will be successful by virtue of the fact that its members know the school and each other well. Dean of Student Life Last year, Rabbi Slomnicki started to be involved in student programming and was the G.O. supervisor. This year, his role became more formalized, including dealing with the student experience and starting Communi-
ty (with an uppercase “c!”). Next year, Rabbi Slomnicki’s role will be further formalized - he will be the Dean of Student Life. Rabbi Slomnicki will also be serving as the junior Grade Dean next year. According to Rabbi Slomnicki, his two roles will work well together, with the Grade Dean role limited to the junior grade and the Dean of Students role as broader, related to programming for the entire school. One of Rabbi Slomnicki’s favorite parts of Ramaz is the caliber of the student body, with students who are sophisticated, engaged, and want to learn and be challenged. Rabbi Slomnicki aims to bring this passion to other areas and continue community time. The Grade Deans In this new structure, grade coordinators have been promoted to Grade Deans. Dr. Aharon will be serving as freshman Grade Dean, Ms. Brachot will assume the role for the sophomores, Rabbi Slomnicki will be junior Grade Dean, and Rabbi Sklarin will continue supervising the seniors. According to Dr. Aharon, the role of grade coordinator changed this year, but the change from this year to next is more a question of title and official capacity. “Over the course of the past year, the role of the grade coordinator evolved to assume more responsibility for the students in their grade in terms of both academics and discipline. Also, we communicated more directly with faculty and parents. This actually seemed to help us to be more effective and efficient in our roles. This is one of the main reasons that the grade coordinators will become Grade Deans in the new administrative structure,” said Dr. Aharon. This idea stemmed from the grade coordinators themselves, specifically Rabbi Sklarin. Rabbi Sklarin hopes that “the new structure will help students and faculty know where to turn to when an issue arises, whether that be class placement, a test date or if a student is struggling in a particular class.” In contrast to grade coordinators, the role of Grade Dean requires being involved in all aspects of the student experience at Ramaz, widening the idea of point people for students to turn to in contrast to the original more top down model. The Grade Deans are excited for their new roles next year and encourage students to come to them for help. “I'm most excited about getting to know students better outside of the classroom. I cherish the relationships I've made as an adviser for the past nine years and I look forward to doing so with an entire grade,” said Ms. Brachot. “I am excited about working with the other Grade Deans to ensure the best experience for every student,” said Rabbi Sklarin. According to Dr. Aharon, “The most effective way that I can support and get to know the freshman is only through communication. If I am told about an issue with the grade, then I can respond appropriately. As individuals, I can only get to know the students if we talk frequently and under many different circumstances. The more familiar that I am with the students in my grade, the better I can help them throughout their freshman experience.” Ms. Brachot agreed, saying, “My goal is for students to know that my door is always open, although you do need a faculty ID to enter the office! I hope they will feel comfortable to approach me with any concerns.”
Opinions
The Rampage
The Rampage • Apr./May 2017
Ramaz Upper School
New York • Volume 48 • Issue 8 • Apr./May 2017 • the-rampage.org
Print Editors-in-Chief:
Gabriel Klapholz* Elianna Schwartz*
Pro vs. Con
Online Editors-in-Chief:
Jasmine Levine* Gabrielle Amar* Layout Editor
Moselle Kleiner*
Managing Editor:
Nicole Aboodi
*
Associate Editor:
Tyler Mandelbaum* News Editor:
Oriya Romano* A&E Editor:
Caroline Jaspan* Sports Editor:
Jacob Hocheiser*
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Milowitz Contributing Writers: David Grinberg Hadley Kauver Julia Levi Josephine Schizer Netanel Kamel Naomi Freilich Rebecca Araten Suzi Dweck Paola Mattout Becky Tauber Emily Stemp Basia Fellner-Dublin Abigail Huebner Alexandra Orbuch Hannah Doft Yonatan Weitzner Natalie Kahn Esther Beck Zachary Buller Sophia Kremer Harry Shams Mark Marcus The Rampage is the student newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School. It is published on a monthly basis. Letters to the editor may be submitted to rampage@ ramaz.org. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to The Rampage's style and format. The opinions expressed in The Rampage are of the author’s alone, and do not represent the views or opinions of Ramaz, The Rampage, or its Editors.
Denotes member of The Rampage Editorial Board. *
Should the English and History Departments Be More Standardized?
Esti Beck '19 and Natalie Kahn '19
Right now, depending on which history or English teacher a Ramaz student gets, they’ll receive an entirely different education. Should the departments force standardization of the curriculum across the different teachers? Kahn: Given that history and English are not currently tracked subjects (though this is liable to change within the next few years), it’s very important to ensure that each student is taught the same thing, especially given the range of levels in each class. Some teachers move faster than others and end up getting more works of literature completed throughout the course of the year, while others prefer to delve more into certain works than others. Regardless of the teacher’s personal preferences, it’s important that each student is exposed to the same works. If one teacher skips over several books in the curriculum and focuses more on The Odyssey, his or her students will become Odyssey experts but won’t be introduced that year to the genre of short stories, for example. Beck: Every teacher in Ramaz - or at any school - has their own teaching style. No two teachers that you get are ever exactly the same - and that’s a good thing. But the same way that not every student can learn the same way (hence, tracked classes), we can’t force every teacher to teach the same way. There will be, as a general rule, some teachers who are more adept in teaching/learning prose, or those who consider their expertise to be plays, poetry, short stories, essays, or any other medium. The same rule applies in the history department; some teachers will have more to share with their students on certain topics and should be allowed to emphasize these areas. Kahn: While it’s true that every teacher has his or her own teaching style, you can’t make that excuse just because the topic under discussion is the humanities. Imagine if in a math class, a teacher simply skipped over probability because the teacher doesn’t enjoy the topic. It’s the teacher’s job to teach everything in the curriculum. It’s okay to maybe spend marginally more time on a certain topic or event, but overall, everyone should read the same books, or get up to the same point in history by the end of the year.
Beck: First of all, my argument applies simply because these are the humanities that we’re discussing - history and English are the two classes that are not tracked here and are therefore the only ones which could potentially be standardized. There’s a reason why they’re not leveled: a good English teacher or a skilled history teacher can impart their knowledge on a heterogenous group of students with greater ease than a science professor. The humanities are an individualized experience, and it’s up to the teachers to share their personal experiences with literature with their students - we can’t just force them to lecture about works which do not have any personal meaning to them, or periods of history which bore both them and the class. I’m no worse off as a student if I have an English teacher who forces me to read Dubliners, or one who skips the book altogether. Perhaps I missed out on that particular opportunity to read the novel, but there will be other opportunities in my life where I can do so - it’s not like it gets pulled off of library shelves the second my teacher skips it. Kahn: Dubliners is an extremely important piece of literature. What if it could potentially become a student’s favorite book and would make the student start to enjoy English literature more, but the student never reads it? Just because the teacher doesn’t like it, that doesn’t mean the student won’t, and often, students won’t get the same out of reading a book at home as they would if they were to read it in school. Sometimes, it is a difficult work to understand, and the teacher helps the student understand what they might not at home. Also, through discussing the writings in class, they can become more than some sentences strung together. The works can come alive in a way that they might not have if the student reads them at home. Beck: Frankly, even if my teacher skips the work, we were still given all of the books for the year’s curriculum in our lockers. We literally have a free copy of these books for us to read at any time - and a variety of different online resources (courtesy of the 21st Century) to help us understand the plot and themes. While it’s nicer to discuss these works in the classroom, it may actually be more beneficial to the students
to use comprehensive analyses online instead of sitting through a teacher’s class where both professor and student are bored out of their skulls and entirely disinterested. The same thing goes for history - we’ll learn more if the teacher has a passion for or is interested in the topic. In the end, no matter the disparities between the teachers, nobody ends up missing an entire period of history - even if the teacher focuses on one area instead of another, students still end up knowing an extensive amount of history. Every single student ends up learning history for ten months (a little less because of vacations, but the point stands) the same way that every student ends up knowing ten months’ worth of English - they’re no less knowledgeable for getting one teacher over another. Kahn: But curriculum isn’t the only issue. There’s also the issue of the grading system. Some teachers grade their students much more harshly on essays and papers, or make harder tests (which would be on more material if the students have read more or moved more quickly!), and the standard to get an A or A+ is much higher than for other teachers. Every student in a class that isn’t tracked should be given equal opportunities and equal standards for each semester. Imagine a student who struggles in one of these subjects and might get a decent grade with a teacher who grades more leniently but gets a terrible grade because he or she is in the class of a teacher who doesn’t. Although it’s impossible to make the standards identical for every teacher, they could definitely be more similar than they are in the status quo. Beck: Grading standards would still stay different even if the departments became more standardized, so I don’t see the comparison. Even if we force two teachers to teach the exact same material for the exact same amount of time, they’re most likely going to make their own tests with varying levels of difficulty - and they’re going to be grading those same tests with different standards. Until we reach the point where every student takes the exact same class with the exact same teacher at the exact same time, there’s going to be variation between their classes. We might as well embrace it instead of forcing the teachers to sacrifice their individuality in the process of achieving nothing.
Are Current Events Discussed Enough in Ramaz? Natalie Kahn '19 Recently, in World Jewish History, our class has begun to use a period every so often to discuss current events, whether in Europe, in the Middle East, or in the United States. These classes are generally very informative about what is going on in the world right now. But a question many students have is: why haven’t we always done this? Discussing what is going on in our world right now is just as important, if not more important, as what happened a hundred years ago. We get the chance in history class to discuss wars of the previous century, but without a “current events” class every so often, we will be deprived of the chance to talk about what is happening in the world right now, something that students of future generations will learn in their history courses. Although some students read the daily paper, the rigorous schedules of many students make
it hard to read about current events routinely. Furthermore, the articles in high quality papers are sometimes written in dense language with references to issues and topics about which students barely know anything. Sometimes, it is hard to put what appears in the paper into context. A large portion of the student body either already can vote or will be able to vote by next year, and every student at Ramaz Upper School will be able to vote by next election. We need to be educated about what’s going on in our country, need to be given the facts and the tools to formulate our own political positions. This is why a discussion of current events is an underrated necessity at Ramaz: it is what we need, here and now. Having debates about these issues, as well as asking the teachers provocative questions about those same topics, is an essential step in students building their own opinions and choosing
which political candidates they support, or how they will advocate for themselves and their beliefs when they reach adulthood. One might even go so far as to say that a current events class could ideally meet once every two weeks, because so much in the world can change in just two weeks, and new, undiscussed issues continually become very relevant ones. Students should be more frequently encouraged to read the newspaper to make themselves cognizant of what is happening. Social media has somewhat encouraged people to drift away from the broader world and focus solely on their personal lives, but snapping people back into reality through discussing the international status quo, especially with impressionable high school students, is so important when our continued connection and comprehension of the world as we know it today is possibly at stake.
Features The Rampage • Apr./May 2017
Backpacks: The Overlooked Danger
Alexandra Orbuch '20
High school students are known to complain about many an issue: innumerable exams, lack of sleep, long school hours, and more. One problem, however, goes unnoticed: the effect of students cumbersome backpacks. Many Ramaz students can be seen straining themselves while lugging their heavy backpacks up and down the many flights of stairs in the Upper School from 8:00am to 4:45pm. As an anonymous student said, “By the end of the day, my back is in great pain, but there is nothing I can do, because I need all of the folders and binders in my backpack.” A little back pain might not seem like such a danger, but backpacks can cause much more damage; according to the U.S. Consumers Product Safety Commission, in 2013 alone, nearly 22,000 strains, fractures, and dislocations from backpacks needed to be treated in emergency rooms, clinics, and physicians' offices. Just last year, 14,424 Americans sought medical attention for backpack related injuries. As an orthopedic surgeon and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) spokesman, Dr. Daniel Green said, “Improperly used
The Perils of Procrastination
Alexandra Orbuch '20
For the many students who deal with procrastination, “I will get to my assignment later” or “just five more minutes of TV” are prevalent thoughts. Procrastination is not something new; difficulty to focus on the matter at hand has been around since the beginning of humanity. Abraham Lincoln once wrote, warning against being dilatory, “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” How can one best deal with procrastination, which brings about great frustration among students at Ramaz and around the world? First, one must acknowledge that they are in fact procrastinating. Now, having recognized the problem, what steps can be taken to put a stop to it? One method to fight-
ing procrastination is making a to-do list; having a structured catalog of all the tasks one needs to do is often very helpful. Furthermore, if a student is procrastinating because he or she finds a task annoying, then he or she should keep in mind that in many cases people tend to overexaggerate the unpleasantness of the tasks in their minds. Once one applies himself or herself seriously to a task, one may find it is not as daunting as one initially believed it to be. Another way to overcome procrastination is to work in productive environments, with little noise or other distractions. Though it is difficult, one must work to prevail over procrastination. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “You may delay, but time will not.”
backpacks may injure muscles and joints and can lead to severe back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as posture problems.” One might ask: what can be done to prevent backpack related injuries short of getting rid of your backpack all together? According to the AAOS and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA), one should check to make sure that their backpack weighs less than 10% of their body weight. In addition, one should use both shoulder straps to evenly distribute the weight of their backpack. The American Occupational Therapy Association provides some tips for preventing these injuries as well; choose a backpack with adjustable padded shoulder straps and a padded back panel, and it is always best to decide what can be left at home to lessen the load. If the backpack is too heavy, says the association, consider a book bag on wheels. Another suggestion they give is to wear one’s backpack only when certainly needed; if a person is waiting for the bus, they should take their backpack off. And so, students must understand the dangers of heavy backpacks and take steps to lift the burdensome weight off their shoulders.
Features 9
The Rampage
April/May 2017
The Political Scene Viva Macron
The Results Are in from the French Presidential Election
Derek Korff-Korn '18
The First One-Hundred Days of Trump's Presidency Derek Korff-Korn '18 The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency ended on April 29th. Months before being sworn into office, Trump compiled a 100-day pledge. One of his major accomplishments during these early days of his presidency was the recommendation and confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Regarding the economy, Trump failed to make progress on one of his key promises - dismantling the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. He reversed his positions on a couple of of issues. Firstly, the president labeled China as a currency manipulator. Secondly, while he had previously called NATO “obsolete,” after being informed that the organization was engaged in fighting ISIS, he reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the alliance. Thirdly, in contrast to previous statements, Trump said he was considering keeping Janet Yellen as the chair of the Federal Reserve System. Stirring controversy, the president launched the Shayrat missile strike without congressional approval. One major disappointment to Trump’s supporters was the failed repeal of Obamacare. Within the first few hours of Trump’s presidency,
he signed his first executive order, which fulfilled part of his pledge to end the Affordable Care Act. The Republican healthcare plan was unveiled on March 6th and presented to Congress almost three weeks later on March 24th. The bill was withdrawn from Congress due to a lack of support from within the Republican caucus. However, on May 4th, a new plan was presented to the House, and it passed. Regarding immigration, President Trump enacted harsh policies by signing executive orders. In particular, the president initiated travel bans and restrictions on refugees from Muslim-majority countries. He also increased deportations and expanded efforts to prevent illegal entry into the United States. Despite Trump’s success in carrying out some of his campaign promises, his approval rating in his first 100 days of office was 40 to 42 percent, which was the lowest for any first-term president at this point in his tenure. These 100 days are only the beginning, as there are more than three and a half years left to Donald Trump’s presidency - for better or for worse.
The French presidential election is held in two separate rounds. This year, because no candidate won a majority of the votes in the primary round, a runoff was held between the top two candidates, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. The sitting president, Francois Hollande, was able to run for a second term, but in late 2016, he declared he would not seek reelection. Macron, the former Minister of Economy, ran under La République En Marche!, a socially liberal political party founded by Macron himself. The party is considered to be a movement uniting the left and the right; however, many political commentators have described it as more socially and economically liberal in ideology. Marine Le Pen represented the National Front in the election. The party is rooted in far-right ideology, tapping into nationalist and populist tropes and striving
specifically for France’s exit from the E.U. In the first round, two debates took place with eleven candidates. In both of these debates, Macron led the approval ratings with more than 25%. When it came time to vote, Macron emerged with 24% of the vote and Le Pen with more than 21%. In the second round, Macron led the debate with a rating of more than 63%. The final results gave Macron 20 million votes (66%) and Le Pen 10 million (34%). International reactions from foreign leaders varied, but most remained optimistic about working with the new president. On May 15th, the transfer of power took place, in which Macron nominated his prime minister and government and officially took on the responsibilities of his office.
Sports The Rampage • Apr./May 2017
Why Do Spring Sports Get Less Attention Than Fall Sports? Hannah Doft '20 Many students at Ramaz find that there is a lot more excitement and spirit surrounding the fall season of sports than there is the spring season. Fall sports at Ramaz include both varsity and junior varsity basketball for boys and girls, varsity and junior varsity volleyball for girls, and varsity and junior varsity boys’ hockey. Spring sports include boys’ and girls’ tennis, boys’ volleyball, girls’ and boys’ soccer, and girls’ hockey. Aliza Freilich ’20 said, “Whenever I went to one of my brother’s hockey games (Sam Freilich ’17 on Varsity Boys’ Hockey), the stands used to be full of students supporting one another, but during any of the girls hockey games, there are definitely more parents cheering us on than students.” Natalie Trump ’20 said, “I was much more aware of when there was a game during the fall season. There was always a sign on the TV when you walk into
school wishing the team good luck. Now, during the spring sports season, I really only hear about games from my friends on the team once the game has already been completed.” Max Rubinchik ’20 agrees with Trump and added, “I think people just care a lot more about basketball at Ramaz than any other sport.” Some students also feel that it is just a lot harder to get to some of the spring sports games than to the fall sports games. As Rubinchik said, “Ramaz does not have any tennis courts, so many students do not want to drive the long distance to cheer for their friends, especially the day before a big test.” How do we get students more involved in the spring sports? Many students suggested another spirit night during the spring time, in addition to the spirit night in the fall.
Aaron Hernandez's Death
Former NFL Tight End Commits Suicide in His Prison Cell Derek Korff-Korn '18 Aaron Hernandez, a former tight end in the NFL who was convicted of first-degree murder, was found dead, self-inflicted, in his cell on April 19th. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole due to the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. This strong sentencing also resulted from his indictment in a 2012 double homicide. However, five days before his suicide, he was acquitted of the 2012 homicide. Prison guards had not observed any signs that Hernandez was at risk for suicide, so he was not put under heavy watch. The completion of the autopsy by the medical examiner confirmed the cause of death was a suicide. At the request of his
family, Hernandez's brain was released to Boston University to be studied for signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease commonly found in football players who suffer concussions. On April 25, 2017, lawyers for Hernandez filed a motion to remove his murder conviction. The request was approved May 9, 2017; therefore, Hernandez is now legally an innocent man, as under Massachusetts law, when a criminal defendant dies but has not exhausted all legal appeals, the case reverts to its status at the beginning, meaning the conviction is vacated and the defendant is rendered "innocent.”
Arts&Entertainment The Rampage • Apr./May 2017
Netflix's 13 Reasons Why, Reviewed
Derek Korff-Korn '18
As a thirteen-episode descent into immense emotional confusion, 13 Reasons Why is a new TVshow targeted towards young adults and adapted from Jay Asher’s highly regarded novel. The series begins at a high school as its students grieve for Hannah Baker, a fellow student who committed suicide. The atmosphere of pain is conveyed through locker shrines, “know the signs” speeches, and frowny-faced selfies. Before she ended her life, Hannah recorded a series of tapes blaming her suicide on various people to whom. Each tape depicts another experience that pushed Hannah closer to killing herself. The novel
was written more than a decade ago and since then has become more relevant. It is not like high school was ever a universally loved place, and kids have always been picking on each other, worsening an already vulnerable time, but rates of teenage suicide are on the rise. The book received a lot of backlash, and now, so has its Netflix adaptation for its explicit content. However, aside from being vastly popular first as a book and later as a show, 13 Reasons Why gives high school students, the primary viewers, the ability to understand the humiliations and offenses that they may often ignore.
A Surprise New Season of Rick and Morty, Reviewed
Derek Korff-Korn '18
Seemingly out of nowhere, the much anticipated season three premiere of Rick and Morty landed on April Fools’ Day, reflecting the show’s wackiness. In this episode, labeled “The Rickshank Rickdemption,” the writers Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon did not disappoint. For twenty-three minutes, the audience is taken on a turbulent adventure starring Rick and his grandson Morty. It begins with the Galactic Federation attempting to
convince Rick to reveal the secret to his infamous portal gun, as he was captured in the last episode of Season 2. The episode is a great introduction to what should be an exciting season. If the rest of the season matches the first episode in intrigue, acting, and special effects, then it will definitely be worthwhile to watch.
April/May 2017
The Rampage
Crossword 12
Crossword Sam Berman '17
Answers can be found on www.the-rampage.org
Across: 1. Treasury Agent, nickname 5. Airport protectors, abbr. 8. Snow down-hill vehicle 12. ____ Training, army style 14. Off-road vehicle 15. Fairy ____ 16. ____ acid 17. Pig food 18. Give ____, highest score in some rating systems 19. Newly elected AVP 22. Bullets 23. All ___ one 24. Kung-____ chicken 25. School mascot 27. 14, in old Rome 28. River of the Congo Republic 29. Father, ____ and the holy ghost 30. Chewed 31. ___ Sports, its in the game 32. Breathes of relief 34. hahahahaha in the past 36. Newly elected President 38. Steak, e.g. 39. Simply or just, in Hebrew 40. Negative, slangy 43. “Sam ____”, Dr. Seuss book
44. Sprite, e.g. 45. Also sent to, in email 46. Also 47. Female chicken 48. Undergarment 50. That guy 51. Lane for carpoolers 52. Airport stat. 53. Area between two biomes 55. Hits to the outfield, often 60. Sailor 61. What people who sit at the beach all day get 62. With 63-across newly elected AVP 63. With 62-across newly elected AVP
Down: 1. Not yet scheduled, abbr. 2. Movie musical starring Meryl Streep 3. “I, Robot” author 4. One of Columbus’ ships 5. Speak 6. Stairs upto brownstones 7. The title and name of the final newly elected GO member 8. “Don’t’ move” 9. Side points that are used to created an ellipse
10. Raise 11. Bear’s home 13. Disagreement 17. Newly elected VP 20. Cookie-____, ice-cream flavor 21. A _____, a lot 22. Old Spice competitor 26. ___ School, for to be docters 32. Old name for Thailand 33. Place over 35. ____ pin, used to keep a wheel on the axel 36. Not mentioned yet 37. Owned 38. Small taxi 41. ____cent, out of 100 42. N.Y. time setting in the summer 46. Noise made by Mr. Deutch when requesting silence 47. Bee product 49. Steam bath 51. Horn sound 52. Newspaper VIPs 54. Quirk 56. AC unit 57. An activity in Bio or Chem 58. Opposite of WSW 59. Ukr., until 1991