Volume 67, Issue 4(February 2023)- The Rampage

The Rampage

Burning Questions With Bennett

Teen Gambling

Teenage gambling is not a new phenomenon. It has probably existed longer than schools. However, there is a growing sense among the Ramaz community that student gambling has reached a concerning level.

On Tuesday, January 31, the students of the Ramaz Upper School were welcomed headfirst into second semester with an exciting surprise: a visit from the former Prime Minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett. Prime Minister Bennett joined the juniors, seniors, and administration in the auditorium for the assembly, in which he addressed the importance of embracing Zionism as Modern Orthodox Jews in America, among other interesting topics pertaining to his service as Prime Minister. Prior to the assembly, PM Bennett agreed to meet with the three of us editors to discuss issues relating specifically to journalism and the media, considering the current spike in antisemitism.

At the assembly with juniors and seniors, Ari Porter ’23 sang Hatikvah before Mr. Cannon introduced Prime Minister Bennett. Before students began asking questions, PM Bennett

advised students to make Israel a part of their lives by taking a gap year in Israel and even joining the Israeli Defense Forces to protect Israel.

To commence the Q&A period, Raymond Ashkenazi ’24 asked if PM Bennett believes there is a place in Israel for moderates and Modern Orthodox Jews. PM Bennett responded that Judaism is all about debate. “Israel is going through a very polarized period right now,” said PM Bennett. Though many political groups in Israel are in dispute with one another, there is value in debating and making compromises. It is important to remember that the wide range of political parties in Israel are patriotic and all care about human rights.

PM Bennett is known for leading the first coalition to include Arab parties, and Eliza Binstock ’23 asked whether this compromises our Jewish iden-

tity. PM Bennett discussed the complexity of having a minority included in the government since some Arabs do not wish for the state of Israel to exist. PM Bennett’s journey to becoming Prime Minister was unique: after many consecutive elections, Israel was torn apart in riots. It would have been easy to enter another election, though Israel would take a huge blow. “[This was the] toughest decision of my life, [to] break from my political base…and do what is good for Israel,” said PM Bennett. This compromise led to many previous supporters calling him a traitor. “I would do the same thing today..but it is [a] complication…we need to embrace the Arab voices...that want to be a part of Israel.” Even as a right-wing politician, PM Bennett believes that this was the correct approach.

Continued On Page 5

WANTED: A Principal for the Upper School

As of September 2021, Ramaz began the search for a new principal of the Upper School after the departure of Rabbi Shlomo Stochel. On December 2, 2021, Head of School Jonathan Cannon forwarded an email to the Ramaz community highlighting this objective. Ramaz planned to accomplish its goal with the help of a 12-member Search Advisory Committee, a senior management team, and a range of national and international job postings, networking, and a nationally recog-

nized educational search firm. Mr.

the community, explaining that despite plans to announce the new hire before the semester break, they had not been successful: “Since September, we have pursued candidates on multiple fronts and interviewed several promising prospects who ultimately did not prove to be the right match for our school...As a result, we are casting an even wider net for candidates and increasing the time frame of the search, and I remain confident that we will identify an exceptional leader for the Upper School.”

According to one student who wished to remain anonymous, fantasy football is not the problem. What gained the school’s attention was the poker games and regular sports betting that students participate in on a daily basis. Dr. Zeitchik, Director of Ramaz Guidance, feels that the issue has passed a tipping point. “Gambling has reached a critical mass. This issue has existed for years but it seems over the last two years the school has become more aware.” Rabbi Bodner, Masgiach of Ramaz, also expressed growing concern on this issue. “I am very troubled by this issue, not only from a school wide point of view, but also on a more minor level. Gambling is wasteful and shows a disregard for the hard work people put into earning their money.”

Ramaz is grappling with this issue using a two-pronged approach, addressing it with both the parents and the students. Rabbi Bodner mentioned that the school cannot just tell the students they should not gamble, but rather the school needs to teach the students an appreciation for money. Dr. Zeitchik noted that the school and parents have to work together as a partnership on this issue. The school can only monitor so much and it’s up to parents to make sure their kids are living up to school and community ideals at home. Dr. Zeitchik also said that “parent culture is perhaps also betting.” If parents also see the importance of this issue, they are more likely to model the proper behavior.

The school addressed the parents and are now planning on addressing the students. Ike Dweck from the Safe Foundation, an addiction treatment center based in Brooklyn, will be coming to school on or around February 20th for an assembly that will address gambling. In an effort to give students a religious perspective on gambling as well, the school added the topic of gambling and ribbit to the gemara curriculum for eleventh and twelfth graders.

For Parents’ Night, Dr. Zeitchik conducted an anonymous survey. Students were asked long answer questions on their feelings regarding gambling and who is partaking in gambling activities. According to Dr. Zeitchik’s survey, the common consensus among students is that the boys do the majority of the gambling. According to Dr. Zeitchik, while it’s the boys gambling for the most part, it still impacts the girls.

On February 7, 2022, Mr.

ANDREW SPIELFOGEL ’23, EMILY VAYNER ’23, REBECCA SILBER ’23

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Visits Ramaz.

Cannon concluded with a positive outlook, hoping to hire a new principal in the very near future. Evidently, this vision did not materialize.

Cannon updated

CHARLOTTE KLEEGER ’24

Long Live Shakespeare

Tu Bishvat Celebrations Turn a New Leaf

On February 7th, 2023, Ramaz held their own Shakespeare Reciting Competition giving students the opportunity to express themselves through acting out soliloquies written by the Elizabethan writer. With a total of 9 students competing, the entire program consisted of the performances as well as refreshments afterwards for the juniors, seniors, and participants. Dr. Honig began the program by introducing the competition and announcing that both the winner and runner up will qualify for the New York State Shakespeare Reciting Competition. She explained that the two winners will need to film themselves performing their soliloquy along with a sonnet for the statewide competition. The show then began, and the audience was ready to see their peers perform as they cheered loudly and enthusiastically.

The first few students who performed spoke confidently and passionately.

During Abby Gurwitz’s ’23 performance of a monologue from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, her words and actions captured the feeling of despair and jealousy felt by Helena, the character she was portraying. Thea Katz ’25 also conveyed the emotions of Helena by using physical motion to engage the audience. Such tactics allowed both the performer and the viewers to connect with and feel the emotions of the character being portrayed.

Despite the sense of ease that the performers presented, they spent a lot of time preparing and understanding the role that they were to embody. Aravah Chaiken ’25 said that while preparing for her performance, “I had to analyze the character of Helena in a way that I hadn’t really done in English class, thinking more about what she’s going through rather than the symbolism.”

The competition provides a unique opportunity for students to experience what they are learning in English class in a new light.

When Tova Solomons ’23, the runner up, was picking a soliloquy to perform, she “looked through all of the soliloquies preferably to find one that was said by a woman with a lot of spunk or strength or self righteousness.”

Tova explains that she found it “more compelling and easier to play the characters” with whom she connected on a personal level.

Tova preferred to relate to the character in order to portray them in the best way possible, while others instead attempted to mimic the character’s personality in order to play the character.

Abe Kohl ’23, the winner of the competition, used the personality of the character he played, Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing, as a confidence boost to help him if he were to get nervous while performing in front of the crowd. Abe said that “I am Benedick, and Abe might be nervous but Benedick is not.” Abe tapped into his role and used it to his benefit. Additionally, a big part that led to Abe’s victory was the sense of humor that he incorporated into his acting. Although in the original version of Shakespeare’s play there were humorous parts, Abe wanted to add his own touch to the performance.

The Environmental Club Has Begun To Take New Initiatives Including Giving Out Special Tu B’shvat Treats.

Ramaz embraced new programming this year for Tu Bishvat to celebrate the holiday on a larger scale. To mark the birthday of the trees, school administrators encouraged an interdisciplinary celebration featuring various aspects of the holiday throughout the school day.

Determined to raise awareness of nature through a Jewish perspective, the Environmental Club, with the help of Associate Principals Ms. Miriaim Krupka and Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz, planned curriculums for classes. For science classes, the Environmental Club encouraged teachers to show a brief video about climate change and to try to relate their curriculums to environmentalism.

The video “was enough to [give] a basic understanding of climate change,” said Environmental Club co-president Andrew Spielfogel ’23. “But it’s not like one of those holistic things like ‘this is everything you need to know about climate change.’ Because in one class, one day out of the year, for 10 minutes, it is just hard to accomplish all of that…Hopefully we’ll do more in the future.” For Judaic Studies classes, the administration discussed how to incorporate Tu Bishvat into the lessons. Tu Bishvat “is also about preservation of the natural world…you can’t

celebrate something while you’re actively destroying it,” Ms. Krupka said. The Tanakh curriculum incorporated questions of how Tanakh presents the idea of the world of nature and our responsibility for it. The Talmud curriculum included discussions about wasting resources, particularly one of the Halakhot of wasting food.

The Environmental Club also set up a table with a variety of dried fruits, displayed books about the holiday, collected used batteries for recycling, and sold reusable water bottles. In addition, the Environmental Club put together a Tu Bishvat “green raffle”—any students and faculty wearing green were entered in a raffle to win two tickets to the Central Park Zoo. Charlotte Newhouse ’23 said she was excited to win the raffle and posted on Snapchat to ask who wanted to join her. “Thirteen people asked me if they could come with me,” she said. “So that was a fun bit.”

To aid in conservation efforts in honor of the holiday, Ms. Abramson also replaced plastic plates in the cafeteria with paper plates. “We wanted to raise awareness of [our] abundant, beautiful natural world… [and] the great waste we create everyday and its contribution to so many environmental concerns,” said Environmental Club faculty

advisor Ms. Barbara Abramson. “Reducing plastic use in school is an ongoing concern,” added Ms. Abramson, and the club is trying to persuade the administration to replace plastic plates, utensils, cups and bowls from the lunchroom with a more sustainable alternative.

Students praised the programming as a new way to experience an often neglected holiday. “The interdisciplinary day helped me and my friends learn more about a holiday that we’re not so familiar with and more about environmental issues that we should be more aware of,” said Zoe Brisman ’26. Other students thought that the programming taught them more about Jewish values. “I think that learning about Tu Bishvat was a helpful break from learning that helped us realize that it is our responsibility as Jews to take care of the environment,” said Ashley Rechtschaffen ’25.

However, the Environmental Club still thinks more can be done to highlight the significance of Tu Bishvat. “Ramaz has the potential to be known for being an environmentally conscious school. We’re in New York City, so we have so many resources we can work with… I think we have a lot of potential,” said Spielfogel ’23.

Mock Trial: The Law Was in Their Favor

team members, as the past few years’ trials have been held over Zoom.

team attends each trial.

Ramaz’s mock trial team had their very first competition of the school year in the courthouse Manhattan Criminal Court on 100 Center Street. On February 1, the team beat All Hallows High School, displaying the “potential for a strong team,” said Aaron Green ’23, a starting lawyer and one of the team’s captains. The experience was novel and intimidating for some of the mock trial

Each year, New York State creates one case for its Mock Trial teams, and the cases alternate between civil and criminal matters. The cases are always released in December. This year, the mock trial team had two preseason trials using cases from previous years: one trial for the starters and one for the alternates. This year, the state assigned a civil case, and in their recent victorious trial, Ramaz argued on behalf of the plaintiff side. Once the team is informed of the case for the year, the students are immediately divided into the plaintiff and defense sides. Each side consists of three starting lawyers and three starting witnesses, aside from their alternates. Regardless of which side the team is selected to argue on behalf of, the entire

Typically, the first trial begins in March and the ensuing trials transpire monthly. To determine the winner of the trial, the judge uses a point system whereby every direct examination, cross-examination, opening statement, and the closing statement is rated out of five points. The whole team receives a rating for professionalism, which is out of ten points. This year’s case concerns a homeowner who hired a company to renovate her house. One of the company’s workers got electrocuted by a wire after falling from one of the ladders the homeowner lent him. He then sued the homeowner for an unsafe workspace even though the homeowner claimed to be unaware that the wire’s electricity was on. The case law that the students

RACHEL BULLER ’25

SYLVIE RAAB ’26

ZOE BRISMAN ’26

Mock Trial: The Law Was in Their Favor

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

had to work with was one that states: if one should know something and takes no action, it is considered having known it. Ramaz’s team effectively utilized this law to argue that the homeowner should have known about the electricity being on, could have prevented the incident, and is therefore liable.

Dr. Jucovy, the faculty advisor for the mock trial team, attributes the team’s success to their multitude of meetings in preparation, their dedication and time commitment, and their overall hard work. The team consistently meets two to three times every week, which proved helpful as the time for their first trial approached. Dr. Jucovy feels the team was well prepared, and the newer members performed well. He also mentioned that the most challenging part of the trial itself is for the students to feel comfortable going off-script or improvising. Such an action

displays confidence in the student’s knowledge of the case and its laws as well as their ability to eloquently convey their ideas without relying on prewritten text. Romi Chaovat ’24 joined the mock trial team this year and is a starting lawyer on the plaintiff’s side. In her cross-examination in this past trial, her opposing witness made certain remarks that caused her to go off script. She responded with a cross-examination that earned her five out of the five possible points assigned for that category. “It was like she had forgotten she was just a student,” said Dr. Jucovy. Last year, the mock trial team was also successful, as they made it to the city semifinals. “I think Ramaz’s performance in our first trial of the year, which was the team’s first official in-person trial since the beginning of Covid, sets an incredibly strong benchmark and will help guide us on our journey to the championship in Albany and perfection,” says Judah Schizer ’26, an alternate lawyer. Although it is quite early in

the season, the team is looking forward to another triumphant year!

WANTED: A Principal for the Ramaz Upper School

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Mr. Cannon acknowledged that some candidates would not be available to begin until the following academic year, but Ramaz would consider this for the right person. However, the school would not “compromise on some of the key qualities required to lead the Upper School, even if that means missing a deadline,” said Mr. Cannon.

Mr. Cannon additionally provided some context regarding the search: It began in September by “combing professional networks and conducting outreach within our own community.” In early November, the school began assessing the resumes of over 30 potential candidates from several leading professional job sites, networking, as well as the search firm, Carney Sandoe. With the help of the Search Advisory Committee, the number of candidates was eventually narrowed down to two. These individuals participated in further extensive interviews, and ultimately the decision was made to continue looking for additional candidates.

The Rampage reached out to Mr. Cannon in order to better understand the situation. When asked about the Search Committee and its members, he notified Rampage that these positions are appointed by the Head of School. “I established various search advisory groups to help with that process, including upper school faculty administration, parents, and students, as well as board members and colleagues from other divisions,” he said. “As we get to the point where we are assessing serious candidates, these advisory groups will be formed again, and we will determine how they are structured. I anticipate that there will be many people who will be the same as last time.”

On the topic of the most important qualities and characteristics that Ramaz is looking for in a new Upper School Principal, Mr. Cannon expressed that the school is seeking an individual who shares the values of Ramaz and can build strong relationships with students, faculty, and parents. The candidate must be someone with credibility in educational leadership and possess the ability to “build community, be respectful of Ramaz’s many traditions and accomplishments while also being able to lead change where appropriate, effectively, and thoughtfully.”

Ramaz plans to achieve this by working with an outside search group and reaching out to people in the community and beyond for suggestions and recommendations, as well as using its own contacts. Mr. Cannon revealed that a group of potential candidates has been assembled for this year, and that Ramaz is continuing to expand that list. Ramaz has stopped working with Carney Sandoe and is currently partnering with Lydia Musher from Tradition Search Partners. Ramaz is looking for “someone whose hashkafa reflects the mission of the school, a modern orthodox yeshiva of excellence.” Mr. Cannon continues to intend to be incredibly transparent and informative regarding this matter.

On January 12, 2023, the Ramaz Upper School posted a job description for a division head/principal on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) website. This includes the ability to establish direct communication with faculty, staff, and parents and foster pride among the Ramaz community. The candidate will nurture the school’s culture and academic excellence. Another highlighted responsibility is supporting the school’s mission as one that prepares students for their futures in the Jewish community, and creating a learning environment that not only gives students Torah knowledge and values, but also encourages them to engage in Jewish life. Outside of Ramaz’s mission, the candidate must be someone who is a successful leader and initiates change, as well as someone who builds effective, well-functioning teams. They must be a strong communicator and relationship-builder, and someone who is perceptive and knowledgeable. Ramaz expects this applicant to have a master’s degree in education or related field (preferred) and over 10 years of experience in managing a similar school setting.

Some of the many contributors to the search process are the students, as choosing a candidate fit for this position is essential to their success and well-being. “In my freshman and sophomore year, when we had a principal, I felt secure knowing that I had someone to talk to if I needed support,” said Daniela Woldenberg ’23. “When there was a leadership team, it was a bit more confusing, because we didn’t know who to go to to connect us with someone who might be able to help. I think with two principals things have been simpler when it comes to communicating. A pro in having two leaders is that if one is busy, you can go to the other. When looking for a principal, the school should seek out someone who is approachable and organized. These two traits are needed to help a student feel supported and as though their inquiries and hopes can be

answered and executed.”

The leadership model at the Ramaz Upper School has indeed evolved over time. Ramaz previously had a Headmaster, a Dean, and an Assistant Dean. Later on, after the departure of Ira Miller, Ramaz adopted a system of a Head of School, Dean of Faculty, and Dean of Students. This team was comprised of Rabbi Stochel, Ms. Krupka, and Rabbi Slomnicki, respectively. At the start of the 2020-2021 academic year, Ramaz was led by Rabbi Stochel and Ms. Krupka, who retained their titles. Following Rabbi Stochel’s leave, Ramaz distributed authority a little differently. Five faculty members were chosen, each with their own contributions: Dr. Jucovy, Director of Humanities, Ms. Krupka, Dean of Faculty, Ms. Messinger, Dean of College Guidance, Rabbi Pianko, Director of Programming and Student Life, and Rabbi Schiowitz, Director of Judaic Studies and Religious Life. Currently, the leadership team is similar to last year, the only changes are as follows: Ms. Krupka is now Associate Principal of Upper School, Rabbi Schiowitz is now Associate Principal of Upper School and Director of Judaic Studies and Religious Life, and Ms. Brachot is the Director of General Studies. Evidently, the progression of Ramaz’s oversight has taken on many iterations. Yet, they seem to be looking for a single leader to shepherd the upper school. Can one person embody all of the desired characteristics and fill all of these roles?

Leadership is vital to assisting a group’s functions. Ramaz, like any other school, needs an administration that will steer the community in the right direction and implement positive change. Leadership must evolve over time and adapt to the current state of any organization. Ms. Krupka, a Ramaz administrator, Dean of Faculty, and now Associate Principal, shared with Rampage: “My role at Ramaz has moved from the more micro to the more macro elements. I used to just teach my own class, now I oversee larger projects and ideas as well as how the school should run. I spend a lot of time meeting with chairs or other administrators about larger plans for the school. I sometimes regret that this moves me away from immediate access to students.”

When asked about the ideal leadership model for Ramaz, Ms. Krupka noted the benefits of various leadership models that Ramaz has previously adopted: “I think that there is a value to having one person who is running everything, but I also know that the partnership team that has worked over the last couple of years has worked really well in terms of dividing up responsibilities. No one person feels like they’re completely in charge and there are different people that kids can reach out to. There is also a value in people not feeling like they have to go straight to the person in charge to get things done, and instead feeling like there are multiple people to support them.”

As for a candidate, Ms. Krupka recommends that Ramaz look for “someone who is able to understand our culture, who we are and what we value. This person needs to know how to move things forward and ensure that things actually happen, and work towards a better balance of our focus on academic rigor, mental health, and spirit.”

Service Trip to New Orleans

Went to New Orleans to Help the Community Rebuild After Hurricane Katrina, A Storm That Happend Before Most of Them Were Born.

During the January intersession, Ramaz took a group of 22 students who volunteered to go on a chesed mission to New Orleans, Louisiana. Just a few short hours after the last final exam, the volunteer group gathered in the Upper School lobby with great anticipation to head to the airport and tackle the challenges ahead of them. The trip was a balance of meaningful chesed activities and action-packed events that intended to educate the group about life and culture in New Orleans.

Following an unexpected flight delay, the group arrived in New Orleans after 1 a.m., bleary-eyed, but in good spirits and ready to begin the mission. On the first day of the trip, the group volunteered with SBP, an organization that rebuilds homes that were destroyed as a result of natural disasters impacting New Orleans. The group participated in various tasks around the homes, including painting, carpentry, sanding, and more. The group then got to meet Ms. Louise, the woman who lived at the home the group was renovating. Soon after, the students made a pre-Shabbat food run to the local Trader Joe’s before heading back to their hotel to prepare for Shabbat. The group spent

their Friday night at Beth Israel synagogue. It was a special and unique experience going to a shul in an area where there is far less Jewish life than the students were used to. Ms. Wilner notably remarked how it was “really beautiful that we were able to contribute in such a powerful way by helping to create a minyan.” Without the Ramaz students in attendance, the synagogue would not have had enough people for a minyan for the Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat Maariv services.

On the second day of the trip, the group walked to the Chabad synagogue for Shabbat morning services followed by lunch. Rabbi Segal remarked, “Some students leined, and it was great to see the students take a role” in leading services. On Saturday night, the group went to the Preservation Hall - Jazz Club. After watching an outstanding and entertaining performance, the students ate the famous beignets at Cafe Du Monde while watching an exciting parade for Mardi Gras in the French Quarter.

The final full day of the trip kicked off early in the morning with farming with the W.o.o.F. organization. Each person was assigned a different task around the farm. The W.o.o.F. organization helps people learn how to be self-sustaining by teaching them

how to farm. Soon after, the students heard a gut-wrenching story from a mother whose son was sadly murdered when he was just a young adult, and how the experience inspired her to create pop-up restaurants to feed homeless people. The group was moved by her story, and then set up a pop-up restaurant that fed “over 150 people” according to Ms. Wilner. This act of chesed was incredibly meaningful for the group and the beneficiaries. For the night activity, the group took a horse and buggy ride on a city tour where they learned all about the mysterious history of New Orleans. To end the night, the group took a walk to a Holocaust memorial statue where everyone reflected on the trip and how it impacted them.

The teachers and students were asked to sum up the entire trip in one word. Rabbi Segal said “togetherness” while Alex Sultan said, “meaningful”. For Ms. Wilner it was “reigniting”, explaining that “we are here for a reason; us as educators, and as people here at Ramaz, are here to do chesed and be an ‘Or Lagoyim,’ the light unto the nations.” Pairing chesed with exploring Jewish life, and New Orleans fun, made the mission fulfilling and ultimately amazing.

Cross Country in California

This year, I was fortunate enough to go with the Ramaz track team to run in the Surf City Marathon with Friendship Circle. The Ramaz team consisted of Sarah Kalimi ’25 running the 10K and Emanuel Khodorkovsky ’24 and me, Keren Teichner ’25, running the half marathon. Additionally, Rabbi Sommer, the cross-country (XC) coach joined us as a chaperone. Friendship Circle is an organization that helps over 3000 individuals with special needs and their families. Additionally, it promotes an inclusive community for everyone, regardless of the challenges they may face. All of the money fundraised was dedicated to the memory of Daniella Moffson, a former Ramaz student, who tragically died in a bus crash in Honduras on a service mission. The team as a whole raised over 8,500 dollars.

The team left on Friday and arrived in California in the early afternoon. We went straight from the airport to the hotel where we met many of the other participants in this event for lunch. Then we got the opportunity to explore the city and returned to the hotel for Shabbat. We participated in a meaningful Maariv and Kabbalat Shabbat experience

with many different types of Jewish people from around the world. All the runners came together for Shabbat dinner where we heard stories of people’s personal experiences with Friendship Circle. It was amazing to hear about the impact that Friendship Circle had on people’s lives and it excited us to know that we were helping make that a reality.

On Shabbat day we heard even more meaningful stories of friends and family with special needs. We ushered Shabbat out with a musical Havdalah and a pre-race pasta party. Everyone was singing and dancing their hearts out to the music and we even heard from the Friendship Circle band. This was by far the most lively Havdalah I have ever been to!

All of the energy built up from Shabbat was carried over to the race itself. Even though wake-up was at five in the morning, we had more energy than ever before. Everyone joined together to take some pre-race photos, and wish each other good luck. We were loaded onto the party bus which was blasting Israeli music.

Students

GRACE KOLLANDER ’25

KEREN TEICHNER ’25

Three Members From Track Team Went to California and Ran to Raise Money For Friendship Circle.

The Rampage

eDItORS-IN-ChIeF

ReBeCCa SIlBeR ’23

aNDRew SpIelFOgel ’23

emIlY vaYNeR ’23

laYOUt eDItOR

avIva SChIlOwItz ’24

FeatURe eDItOR

Sarah Silverman ’24

BROaDCaSt eDItORS

Ashley Behm ’24

Romi Chavot ’24

phOtOgRaphY eDItOR

gRaCe KOllaNDeR ’25

gIIaNNa gOlDBaRB ’25

CONtRIBUtINg wRIteRS

Charlotte Kleeger ’24

avIva SChIlOwItz ’24

RaChel BUlleR ’25

SYlvIe RaaB ’26

gRaCe KOllaNDeR ’25

KeReN teIChNeR ’25

ROmI ChavOt ’24

zOe BRISmaN ’26

maYa pUteRmaN ’25

lIlY FReIlICh ’25

mORIel weItzNeR ’24

aShleY Behm ’24

SaRah SIlveRmaN ’24

ORlI RaBBaNI ’25

aShleY ReChtSChaFFeN ’25

gavI SOBel ’25

The Rampage is the student newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School. It is published on a monthly basis. Letters to the editors may be submitted to rampage@ramaz.org. Letters must be signed and may be edited to conform to The Rampage style and format.

The 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.

Cross Country in California

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

The race began and whether you were running a 5k or the full marathon, you were cheering everyone else on. When times get tough during the race, other Friendship Circle runners would run by and share some words of encouragement. The race was not only being run for ourselves, but also for the hundreds of kids living with disabilities.

After finishing the race everyone returned to the hotel for the afterparty and celebrated their accomplishments. Unfortunately, it was time to return to New York. Even though the race had ended, the lessons learned from this trip will last a lifetime. Hopefully, next year team Ramaz will be able to send another lucky group of students to participate in another marathon weekend with Friendship Circle.

Motion To Set The Agenda To YUNMUN

Yeshiva University National Model United Nations, otherwise known as YUNMUN, was the place to be on the first weekend of February for any yeshiva student across the country brave enough to enter into an intense game of Jewish Geography while simultaneously solving world hunger. From committees such as the World Health Organization tasked with solving ageism for the rising elderly population to the International Criminal Court assigned to trying an international war criminal, YUNMUN never fails to inspire their delegates to get creative with solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Whether the answers came from surprise kumzits, a couple of games of Simon Says, or a vigorous competition of pickle bobbing, somehow, throughout the chaos, not only do the delegates leave with lifelong memories, but, they also successfully pass resolutions to solve the crucial issues at hand.

At the first moments, when hundreds of yeshiva delegates flood into the random hotel far into the depths of Connecticut, and when they nervously open the door to their committee rooms, the environment may feel stressful and competitive. It reality, the competition is anything but that. As the conference commences through the first two-hour committee session that feels like an eternity, to the sixth and the last session that goes

until midnight, slowly, the demeanor of the strict and stern-faced committee chair loosens, and the games begin. Delegates motion for icebreakers that can range from stating unpopular options to sitting in a circle telling funny stories. Another delegate motions for a pushup competition that, if the committee gets lucky, will go through. Over time, these students, that have never met before and most likely don’t know each other’s names, become like a makeshift family for three days.

Ramaz, this year known as the confederation for the Philippines, worked months in advance under the guidance of Ms. Eson to construct resolutions and public speaking skills that will put Ramaz on the topic of every committee. While every one of the Ramaz delegates thrived over the three days, one stood out and represented the Philippines most memorably. As a first-time YUNMUN attendee, Janelle Ash ’26 came home with the sole honorable mention awarded to Ramaz. Through her outstanding performance, passionate speeches, and remarkably organized flashcards, Ash ’26 helped protect the world from atomic radiation in the committee of SPECPOL (Special Political and Decolonization). Having never gone to a Model UN conference before, her nerves were high, but when asked about her time there, it seemed anything but stressful. “I was pretty nervous before the

conference because I didn’t know what to expect, but in the end, I loved my committee, the people, and the environment we had with all the jokes and shtick that kept happening,” said Ash ’26. Everyone who attends YUNMUN should realize that it is not only a Yeshiva University admissions event, but also a place for Jewish teens from across the world to grow as public speakers and, most importantly, have fun. From spontaneous crisis events that ranged from the world splitting apart, which the delegates could only solve with an intense game of color war, to solving the problem of the rising population of couch potatoes by going back to Amish ways and only allowing Red Bull, the chairs just want their delegates to enjoy their three days with these other. When asked about her favorite moment at the conference, Mussie Zalmanov ’24, another first-time delegate, answered, “It must have been when we made a duck shidduch profile for these two rubber ducks. Josephus Quakson and Jane Duck had a duck wedding.” Although not every committee goes to these lengths of shtick, many delegates leave with some form of happiness stemming from winning best delegate or honorable mention, being proud of the speeches they made, the people they met, or the pet goldfish they won, like one girl this year was lucky enough to be awarded.

ROMI CHAOVAT ’24

The Model UN Team Traveled To Connecticut and Joined Other Jewish Students From All Over For The Yeshiva University Model UN Conference.

Semifinals-Bound for Investement Comp.

Senior Play Taken Away

LILY FREILICH

The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is an online investment simulation for high schoolers interested in finance. Teams of four to seven students from 1400 schools around the world compete in the competition.

Each team is assigned a client profile and tasked with creating a portfolio of stocks for them to reach longterm investment goals. The teams receive 10,000 dollars of virtual money to build its portfolio. Wharton sets the guidelines for hundreds of approved stocks and all trading is done through an online simulator. The first stage of the competition is to build a strong portfolio and the teams are judged by their strategies.

This is the third year that Ramaz has had teams enter the competition. This year a few teams of students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, entered the competition. The faculty advisor is Ms. Linda Lowry who teaches economics and has experience working on Wall Street. The teams worked tirelessly to put together and submit a portfolio report in just ten weeks, in addition to having school work and other extracurriculars.

This year, one Ramaz team, Blue Tide Capital, made it into the semifinals. Blue Tide Capital, which consists of juniors, is led by Fisher Angrist ’24 with members Jeremy Propp ’24, Jeremy Feder ’24, Liam Gomberg ’24, Amiel Low ’24, Philip-David Medows ’24, and Adrian Rosenfeld ’24. Seniors Ilan Puterman ’23 and Josh Todes ’23, whose team made it into the finals last year, have been helping Blue Tide Capital.

Additionally, another Ramaz team, Peace of Mind Capital, received an honorable mention despite not making it to the next round. Peace of Mind Capital consisted of only sophomores and was led by Aryeh Goldstein ’25. The members were Nathaniel Chetrit ’25, David Mahfar ’25, Bobby Sigoura ’25, Alex Sultan ’25, Jesse Rubinstein

’25, and Maya Puterman ’25. They were acknowledged as part of the top ten percent of all teams.

Team leader Angrist’s ’24 job entails formulating strategies and assigning roles to each team member for the work to get done on time. Angrist ’24 said, “The most valuable part of this experience so far is learning how to work as a team and be a leader. I’m learning that being a leader is not just doing everything but letting everyone work on tasks that highlight their strengths.” Faculty advisor, Ms. Lowry, provides the team guidance on how the competition works and how to act professionally. Ms. Lowry enjoys helping the teams and cheering them on. “I enjoy seeing the students being so enthusiastic and take so much pride in what they’ve been able to accomplish. It is a significant accomplishment to put together a well-crafted presentation and to come up with a video and to present it,” said Ms. Lowry.

After being selected to go to the semifinals, the next stage involves creating a video pitching their portfolio to the client. The team’s job is to talk them through their strategy, give an example of a stock and its profit through time and estimate future results.

If Blue Tide Capital’s video makes it to the next round the final step is to go to Wharton and present their strategy to a panel of judges and the client. The judges of the competition are people who work in finance, including asset managers and investment analysts.

Blue Tide Capital has worked around the clock to put together its report and their hard work has been acknowledged. The team members are learning skills that pertain to finance as well as how to work efficiently as a team. The Rampage wishes Blue Tide Capital good luck with the rest of the competition!

Burning Questions with Bennett

Phillip-David Meadows ’24 asked if PM Bennett prefers the American or Israeli political system, in which he responded: “I am yet to see a leader who says we have an amazing political system.” There needs to be a balance between representation and authoritarianism. “I think, while [the system] is far from perfect, it’s ok,” said PM Bennett.

“Should the diaspora Jewry have a voice in the government of Israel even though we are not citizens? What say should the diaspora Jews have on Israeli politics?” asked Olalla Levi ’23. PM Bennett believes that Israel is a state of its citizens and of all Jews in the world. He made an analogy of having two

kippas: one for being PM of Israeli citizens, and one for all Jews in the world. While diaspora Jews should have input, it should not the same as Israeli citizens. Nonetheless, there should be an open dialogue, and “I hope Israel becomes a central part wherever you live,” said PM Bennett.

Mr. Cannon followed up by asking PM Bennett if he has a view on criticizing Israel, to which he responded that any relationship is full of imperfections and that criticizing is unuseful in general. Rather, constructive feedback is much better.

Elliot Davis ’23 asked what PM Bennett thinks should be done to increase interest in Americans in Israel. He answered

that the best thing is to come to Israel and join the IDF, volunteer, or teach.

Lani Kahn ’23 asked if PM Bennett has ever felt disrespected in his leadership for being outwardly religious. Though he supports Jewish identity and loves Tanakh, he explained that he opposes religious law. For example, there is no law in Israel that prohibits driving on Yom Kippur, and PM Bennett believes that if this was written in a bill, people would drive out of spite because people don’t like to be forced to do things.

“Government should not pass religious law. Religion should be voluntary and natural and not forced by law,” said PM Bennett.

For returning students it is hard to forget last years’ senior production, Aladdin the Musical. Unsurprisingly, the senior play was a milestone last year, as it is every year. It was the first senior production following the pandemic, bringing hope to students that the tradition had not faded with the worldwide shut-down. This year’s senior class, being the last remains of the pre-covid Ramaz Upper School, understand that the Ramaz theater schedule typically ran as follows: a fall Musical, the musical Senior Production, and finally a spring drama. This year, the department suffered a late start while kicking off the year with a drama, Letters to Sala, and they plan to produce the musical picture, The Addams Family, for the spring. Unfortunately, this leaves no time for a senior production this year.

Abby Gurwitz ’23, an avid participant in past school plays, explains the situation: “I think it was mostly scheduling problems because of other things like the drama earlier in the year, and this musical [The Addams Family] now taking a longer time… We started [the fall play] late and it took a while, and now since they are doing the musical in the spring, the issue is that there really is not enough time to do two, because after Pesach you can’t do anything because of the Omer.” In order to have a senior play follow The Addams Family, the rehearsals and preparations would occur after Pesach, overlapping with the Omer. Hence, due to scheduling and timing, it is impossible to have a senior play this school year, while in the past the musical would have been possible as it would have occurred before Pesach.

Before Covid, theater was one of the most relevant and active extracurriculars at Ramaz. Sadly, the student body’s interest in the school’s play decreased dramatically since the pandemic. With this in mind, the administration made the decision to prioritize the school musical over the senior musical, in hopes to get more students involved. In response to the cancellation of the Senior production, many seniors have auditioned and been cast for roles in The Addams Family. It is not unusual for upperclassmen to be given the lead roles in school plays, and this year, that is primarily what happened. Overall, while the upcoming school musical is not officially a senior production, the students can definitely expect a senior-filled production.

Junior Team Advances to Next Round of Wharton Investment Competition.

ASHLEY BEHM ’24

Burning Questions With Bennett

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Next, Leah Rabbani ’23 asked PM Bennett the notorious question of whether or not there is an ideal solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and if so, what it would be. PM Bennett agreed that this conflict is, of course, extremely complicated. However, he suggested that the ideal course of action would be to reduce the scope of the problem, reducing the amount of friction Israelis have with the Palestinians. Instead of governing the Palestinians, Bennett explained that granting them autonomy and learning to live harmoniously with them is the only ideal solution, for neither the Israelis nor the Arabs are going anywhere in the foreseeable future.

Finally, Bennett addressed the question of what we, specifically as Ramaz students, can do to fight antisemitism and anti Zionism. He began by encouraging students not to argue with opponents of Israel, whether that be on social media platforms or on college campuses since it is extremely unlikely that these people will change their views. Instead, the fight against anti-zionism lies in organizing and energizing those who want to support Israel. Once that group is established, it is important to organize activities and speak out, especially targeting uneducated individuals at risk of being influenced by anti-zionist propaganda.

Overall, PM Bennett’s visit gave students an exciting opportunity to ask questions regarding the politics of Israel and to clarify concerns on how to defend our Jewish Zionist identity in modern-day America. As teenagers constantly exposed to the media’s take on Israeli affairs, it is so valuable that students were given the opportunity to speak face to face with a figure like Naftali Bennett, whose experience as Prime Minister offers a truthful

G.O. TikTok Goes Viral

Teen Gambling

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

“Girls are in an environment of gambling and it [gambling] shapes the way people think about money and approach risk.”

Teenage gambling may seem like a small issue — just kids having fun — but gambling can lead to larger issues in the future. As Dr. Zeitchik noted, it changes how kids view risk and money. Gambling can also be potentially dangerous for students. If students begin to gamble online and borrow money from outside sources to cover losses, those sources are likely to be less understanding if they aren’t paid back on time. There’s also an addictive aspect. Winning a bet releases dopamine, which makes the gambler want to repeat that feeling.

One source of confusion may be that while Ramaz has taken a strong stance against gambling, the Business Investment Club may unintentionally be reinforcing the opposite message by running a fantasy stock investment contest. The contest runs each year over a five month period. The contest encourages investors to pick and trade stocks to maximize fake returns. This type of short term investing is considered similar to gambling by many financial experts. Ms. Lowry, a mathematics and economics teacher explained that “short term stocks those stocks risk so much volatility. A student learning to invest in stocks should be focusing on a broader portfolio.” The Business Investment Club’s investing competition appears to mimic the risk and feeling of gambling. When asked his opinion on why gambling is more of a problem now than in the past, Dr. Zeitchik explained that culture now encourages it more. Apps like Fanduel make it easy to bet and also bombard media with advertisements. He added that the school feels as though it can’t hide from the issue because of how ubiquitous it has become — “It’s almost like you need to gamble to fit in nowadays.”

You’ve probably heard about the Ramaz TikTok account or seen some of its viral videos on the for you page. The Ramaz GO’s TikTok account in the past few months has gained a lot of popularity, just as TikTok has risen to popularity over the past few years. Just like every TikTok user knows who Charlie D’amelio is, Ramaz teachers and students are being recognized worldwide through the social media account.

The Ramaz GO’s TikTok account is run by Shira Shasha ‘23 and Raymond Ashkenazie ‘24. Prior to this year, there had already been a TikTok account for the GO, but it wasn’t active. The purpose of the account is to “get Ramaz students more hyped, spirited, and to show the Ramaz pride”, said Shira.

Shira and Raymond come up with their viral cotent ideas by looking through TikTok and searching for trending sounds and funny trends which they can then relate back to Ramaz. But making TikTok videos isn’t as easy as it seems, a lot of effort and planning is put into creating each video. Additionally, any content that is posted on the account needs to be approved before it is posted. The students behind the account are aware that they are portraying the school with every video that they post and need to be careful with what they post because it reflects the school. They need to ensure that any video they post is appropriate.

Ramaz’s TikTok account isn’t just being viewed by Ramaz students in the US. These videos are being viewed by people in the United Kingdom and Israel as well, according to TikTok’s analytics on the videos.

But with this comes some consequences. The more people who are watching these videos, the more anti-semitism the GO’s account has been facing. There have been times where Shira and Raymond had to turn off the comments because of people floating the comment sections with pro-Palestine and anti-Israel phrases.

When they began posting on the account, the students didn’t expect their videos to get such a large response. They expected to receive at most 10,000 views and were shocked when they saw the “calling your teachers by their first names” video go viral instantly after posting it. Another video they posted featuring math teacher Mr. Letourneau took 5 days to blow up but ended up receiving over 1.2 million views.

“You may be surprised” said Mr. Letourneau, “but this is not the first time that I have gone viral.” At his previous school, Mr. Letourneau was featured in one of his student’s dancing videos which went viral and got 500,000 views. Mr. Letourneau’s advice for going viral is to “have what is known as swag”. And after seeing the success he received, Mr. Letourneau said he has been considering opening his own TikTok account where he would post math lessons.

Shira’s tip for going viral on TikTok is to use trending sounds and funny video concepts. She added that getting viewers to comment and interact with the content you post helps get the content in front of more people. Over the next few months, Shirah and Raymond hope to create a lot more videos and feature more students, events, and clubs that are taking place at Ramaz.

Many students, however, don’t agree. They see gambling as a minor issue and feel that Ramaz is wasting their time dealing with it. The Ramaz administration hopes the upcoming school assembly will get the proper message across to students on how serious the issue of gambling is, without coming down as overly harsh, thereby alienating students. There is a meeting being held on March 1st to adress this issue.

Long Live Shakespeare

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

He said, “the original character was definitely humorous but there were aspects to it that I thought should have been added or points where he could have been more funny, so I tried to add a little bit of my own humor into it for sure.” An essential part of acting is when the actor interprets the character in their own way and this is what made Abe’s performance stand out. Overall, all of the actors were incredibly talented and each performance portrayed a different take on each Shakespearean work. The entire program was an absolute success and provided a unique experience for all of the students who competed.

Two Students Created a G.O Tik Tok Account and it Went Viral.

Jerusalem Terror

Ten people have been murdered in terrorist attacks in Jerusalem in the last two weeks. Ramaz constantly stresses the danger of antisemitism and the importance of combating it, yet with regard to these most recent incidents in Israel, the school has been uncharacteristically silent. This passive response is especially surprising since Ramaz prides itself on fostering a deep connection between its students and their homeland, Israel.

For example, every year all students and faculty are expected to march in the Israeli Day Parade. Even more so, the entire Upper School traveled to Israel on a solidarity mission. While domestic antisemitism is a growing issue, the Ramaz community must address antisemitism wherever it is happening in the world to empower its students to offer support from any distance.

Whether it be prioritizing student participation in the ‘No Hate. No Fear. Solidarity March.’ across the Brooklyn Bridge in January 2020, hosting Mike Dube so he can share his story about wearing “Fight Antisemitism” t-shirts while seated courtside at a Nets game in protest of Kyrie Irving’s antisemitic hate speech, or holding class discussions on whether we can “separate the art from the artist” after Kanye West’s remarks, Ramaz’s message is clear: Jews must stand up and stand together against antisemitism. The tools that Ramaz provides throughout these protests, assemblies, and classroom conversations are key to arming students in that lifelong battle. However, these lessons were only in response to antisemitism domestically; how do we combat it globally? Why aren’t we showing our support for our family in Israel during this escalating crisis?

On Friday, January 27, a terrorist opened fire outside a synagogue in the Neve Ya’akov neighborhood of Jerusalem, murdering seven people as they left after services. Just two weeks later, a six-year-old boy, his eight-year-old brother, and a twenty-year-old Yeshiva student were killed when a terrorist rammed his car into them as they waited at a bus stop in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem. In order to learn about these horrific events, I had to hear about them from my brother, who is studying in Jerusalem for the year, and then search through Instagram and google to gather more details. Ramaz has been completely silent on this topic. As a result, even though I wanted to try to do something to help, I just wasn’t provided with the resources to do so.

Our third-hand experience of the terror in Israel affects us daily. Watching our family across the world suffer while feeling like there is nothing we can do for them is disheartening. However, we can do things for them. Students just need the school to provide them with the tools and guidance to help. As a Ramaz student, I expect to acquire the ability to stand up for myself as well as for all of Am Yisrael. Whether in-person or online, I want to know how I can make my voice heard around the world. We are Jewish teenagers and we have a voice, but we can only use it to make a difference if we are properly educated by our school on how to ensure that our voices are heard.

Let’s Chat About ChatGPT

Technology really fascinates me. Sometimes I find myself sitting in bed thinking about how incredible this little phone that I’m addicted to is. I am definitely a screenager - a teen who spends most of her life glued to her phone, iPad, computer, etc. It is my fatal flaw. I recently got an iPad and officially became an “iPad kid”. I’m never looking back. However, I’m not writing this to write about how addicted I am to my devices. Find me in the halls and try to peel me off of my phone long enough to explain this issue to you. That is a story for another time.

I am also a terrible procrastinator. My little phone is hogging me; it just does not want to let me go… or maybe it’s the other way around. So I’m constantly finding myself struggling to keep myself away from my phone, even when I am rushing an assignment two days before it is due. There are times that my writer’s block is like a knife to my heart and I find myself struggling to write a decent essay.

I know I am not the only one feeling academic block occasionally. Sophomores around the country cry themselves to sleep after giving up on a homework assignment. Therefore, we were introduced to ChatGPT.

If you haven’t heard of ChatGPT at this point, maybe you’re just really good at staying off of your phone and actually focusing on what you should be doing. Kudos to you, I admire that. ChatGPT is a program designed by Microsoft this year. Also known as a Chatbot, this program can generate an entire essay for you, and all you have to do is input a few words.

As cool as this is, and as much as my worries that Bill Gates is going to take over the world are increasing, I am even more worried about student reactions to this. The fact that high school students around the world are succumbing to the dangers that this AI program introduces is horrifying. Students have the capability to write a remarkable essay if they really put their mind to it.

When a student uses ChatGPT, their essay lacks humanity. It lacks a real voice that connects with the audience. One of the reasons I love being a member of the Rampage is that I can articulate my thoughts in an organized and thoughtful way, and on top of that, add a little bit of my own sparkle to the piece. Good writing is putting a piece of yourself into your work and leaving a mark. If you hand in an essay written by a robot, it not only obviously is not written by you, but there is no personality in the robot. Yes, the robot is smart enough to generate an essay, but can it really mimic a real personality?

How to Acknowledge Your Students

Additionally, this program causes a student to lose their creativity and their ways of thinking, and it is a slap in the face of education and educators. The only way to improve at something is to work on it and leave your comfort zone. You need to branch out and work hard on it. If you are struggling to write an essay, inputting the prompt into ChatGPT does not help you grow as a writer.

I believe that programs like these are slaps in the face of education and determination. The only way you will advance as a writer and as a human being is if you work hard to get from point A to point B. It is horribly unethical and by using programs like these, you are giving up on yourself and your capabilities as a writer. ChatGPT has no place in education; this program is working for you, but you are the one who needs to put in the work. That is, of course, a challenge of being a student. Additionally, the mistakes will not be centered on the mistakes that the student makes, rather, on mistakes made by the robot, so again, the student using the program is learning nothing and not growing.

There is a similar app that many students use, but it is used for math. This app, PhotoMath, allows students to scan math problems and complete them for them without an explanation of the steps used. Students will gain a lack of motivation for their work and will expect less of themselves. There is a severe danger to this, especially for the younger generations, and the beautiful art of writing will be lost in time due to robots.

As a writer, I cannot imagine a world without writing, — a world where people are succumbing to Artificial intelligence to complete their work for them. I think that ChatGPT and programs like it are the death of education and creativity. You can do your work well if you motivate yourself to do so.

In early February, the freshmen had an assembly called by their grade dean, Ms. Krupka. This assembly’s main focus was congratulating and honoring recent student award winners. Sylvie Raab won an essay competition, Andrew Weiss performed piano at Carnegie Hall, and Haim Heilborn Nigri got an honorable mention at the Scholastic awards.

Throughout the assembly, Ms. Krupka spoke about topics such as ‘bringing others up’ and ‘We-Cultures vs. I-Cultures’. An ‘I-Culture’ would mean focusing on individualism whereas a ‘We-Culture’ would bring each other up. ‘We-Cultures’ include countries such as Scandinavia and Israel, whereas a noteable ‘I-Culture’ was the United States. She brought this topic up to explain that the purpose of the assembly was to be proud of those in our community.

Another notable part of the assembly was when all the freshmen asked Andrew Weiss to play the piece he performed at Carnegie Hall, showing their support for his honor. The assembly was viewed as a success by one of the honorees, Sylvie Raab who said “The room felt very positive and supportive of one another.”

On the other hand, another thing to note is the lack of this type of acknowledgment for the other grades. Besides this freshman assembly, there has not recently been an assembly like this one for students in the other grades. For example, there is at least one student per grade at Ramaz that has received an honorable mention by Scholastic including Aravah Chaiken, Leo Eigen, and Gianna Goldfarb in the class of ’25 alone. The list also includes Alexa Gribetz, Joshua Chetrit, Jem Hanan, and Ari Porter from the class of ’23 and Amiel Low ’24 among many others on the list of honorable mentions.

The purpose of this article isn’t to discredit the merit of an honorable mention by Scholastic; instead, it is to point out the double standard of having an assembly for the freshmen grade and state that as a community we need to be proud of its members, while we haven’t done that in previous years. For the other grades, a simple Schoology post would be made that quickly gets lost among the other updates. Noa Essner ’25 stated that she thinks “the assembly was a great idea because it means that the school is fostering an encouraging environment.” Unfortunately, it feels like this sentiment is held by the administration only for the 9th-grade class, or rather only recently. Splitting the freshmen off from the rest of the school rather than including other students in the assembly, or organizing other assemblies for the rest of the students, disregards the entire point of the assembly of being a ‘We-Culture’ rather than an ‘I-Culture’. All of the students of Ramaz deserve encouragement and praise for outstanding achievements, and hopefully, the grade deans of the other grades follow the example that Ms. Krupka set by replicating this kind of assembly.

ORLI RABBANI ’25

GAVI SOBEL ’25