Volume XXVI Number 2
The Ramez Upper School
Scptember1993/Elul 5753- Tishrei 5754
Gaza-Jericho Peace at Last?
Structures of two religions exist side by side, can their adherents?
Musical Chairs, Sort of
Structural changes lead to new teachers' offices
by Danldlt Druck The summer is a time to make new friends, learn new things. see new places. but mostlmportantly it is a time to grow and expand. The edifice of Ramaz did that too. Despite a lack of space and in order to implementa new programs and accom modate a growing number of students, the building un derwent renovations over the summer. The changes were discussed for the first time last November. and took about nine months to plan and institute.
Students who venture up to the art room will most probably do double-takes when they enter because a new Leaming Center has been built in the back. The Leaming Center has a new director this year. Mrs. Judy Fagin. Under her direction, the Learning Center will now offer a "deeper pro gram" which requires more space and better facilities than what was offered in the previous location on SC. The art room has been redesigned to accommodate this new Leaming Center.
There is an entrance to the Center through Ms. Rosen's office, but other than that there is no overlapping space between the two facilities. The art history class will now be held in a nearby classroom. Ms. Rosen acknowledges that "space was lost in the whole process" and that "it won't be as easy, but it had to be done." She is happy though. that "at least the art Room got new storage cabinets." (contin•,d on pagt 4)
by Ben L,bwohl The news of the Israeli government's agreement with Palestinian repre sentatives to allow inde pendent Palestinian rule in Gaza and Jericho sent shockwaves across the globe, and forced people to realize that the doctrine of "Land for Peace" is becom ing a reality. The quickly developing news has raised a broad spectrum of emo tions in American Jews: Hope and aspirations for peace, as well as anxiety and anger over the cessions. The process sped up towards the end of the sum mer, when Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres met secretly with an official from the PLO to discuss the "Gaza-Jericho First Plan." The plan allows Palestinian self-rule in those two regions within six months, and as the peace process continues, Israel will proceed to grant Palestinian autonomy in other parts of the West Bank. Coinciding with the initial Israeli con cessions, the PLO and the Israeli government will recognize each other's right
to exist, a definite step towards peace between the two groups. The PLO, in r�cognizing Israel, will have to change its charter which calls for the complete destruction of the state of Is rael. A Palestinian council will rule Gaza and Jericho for an interim period of five years, and Israel will determine the status of the territories after this period. As a token of peace towards Syria, the Js rae Ii government, after Secretary of State Warren Christopher's visit to both countries, stated that it is willing to give up a sig nificant part of the Golan. The particulars of Israel's
recent statements arc being
ironed out and made formal at the present round of talks held in Washington. The news happened so fast that it was overwhelm ing for many people, who have trouble deciding how they feel about the whole situation. In Ramaz alone, one can see the many dif ferent opinions slowly sur facing. Rabbi Bakst (contin•,d on pagt 3)
Big Blue Transforms School into Ad Studio ov1e
School Chosen for "Post-Modern" Look by Rtb<c:a Zau.smtr Last Wednesday, Septem ber 8, Ramaz was host to one of America's largest cor porations, IBM. The third floor of the Upper School was transformed from an "educational center" to a mini Hollywood. Class rooms were replaced by sets and instead of junior high students, the halls were bus tling with actors, photog raphers and wardrobe crew members. Ramaz was used to shoot a commercial that is part of a newsmagazine advertising campaign for Thinkpad, an IBM notebook personal computer with "new and
surprising capabilities." The advertisement shows Thinkpad being used in several different situations. The scene photographed at Ramaz was intended to portray a business meeting where the Thinkpad is used as part of a presentation to a large group. Location manager Paul Zulkowitz explained why the commercial was shot at Ramaz. He said he was looking for a classroom to shoot the meeting scene and chose Ramaz because it had a "post-modem look." He discovered Ramaz through the American Institute of Ar-
chitecture Guide, which describes the architectural styles of buildings in New York City. Mr. Zulkawitz said that he enjoyed working at Ramaz because "all the people were delightful and the building as well was very beautiful to the eye." The advertisement was designed by Lintas Adver tising and photographed by Albert Watson. It will run in Fortune magazine and USA Today later this month. With orientation not yet begun, the building was vir tually deserted. This enabled the crew to com mandeer the entire third
floor. Room 30I was used as a "lunch room," 302 served as a wardrobe room, and the actual "shoot" was done in rooms 303-304. There were approximately 40 people involved in the production of the commer cial, and the crew welcomed visitors. Many of the faculty and staff stopped by 303 to talk to the models or the crew. One teacher com mented on his way out that he hoped the commercial was successful because he owned stock in IBM.