The Phoenix 2018-2019 Issue 5

A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Vol 53, Issue 5 • February 2019 / 5779

Attendance, Grades Higher This Year GPAs Will

Factor Judaic Classes Individually

By Kaden Harari Sophomore Editor

Have you recently found yourself stuck in a traffic jam of students while trying to maneuver your way through the halls? This may be due to the recent increase in attendance this past fall semester. According to the school’s records, students’ daily presence has risen, in addition to academic grades. There are different contributing factors that could have affected the attendance, which in turn improved the overall performance of students.

Explaining the increase in attendance, Rabbi Beyda said, “Our new building and many of our new policies have made it more fun to come to and be in school.”

Junior Ricky Sasson agrees, and comments that he has grown to be even more drawn into school after recent changes.

“I’ve always found myself getting tired and worn out during days that sometimes felt too long and strenuous. Now, though, I can confidently say that along with the new building came incentives to be in school. The addition of Crawford’s particularly brought about something

Rose Sternberg Contributing Writer

Students scan in as they enter school to look forward to by adding a spark of freshness to my day. It makes it easier and more enjoyable to attend school.”

Also contributing to the increase in attendance is the fact that attendance is being monitored more closely and more quickly than ever before, thanks

in part to the role of Rabbi Duchey and to the help of Rediker’s new attendance app, which makes it easier and faster for teachers to take attendance.

The rise in grades is most likely a result of students’ improved attendance.

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Lack of Enforcement on Extended Vacation Policy May Bring Changes

By Bonnie Melamed Contributing Writer

Students and teachers of Yeshivah of Flatbush high school have recently noticed that the school’s extended vacation policy, which penalizes students who don’t attend school the day after vacation, has not been uniformly enforced, and according to Rabbi Beyda, changes to the policy are being discussed.

The extended vacation policy has been a long-standing rule at Flatbush that was established after the administration realized a dip in student attendance the day after vacations. The required penalty for absence on these days is four detentions, but Rabbi Beyda acknowledged that over the past few years the policy hasn’t been fully enforced. “We’ve been a little loose with it because no one is doing it with bad intent, but they don’t realize that they are hurting themselves

In This Issue

World News: Israel aims for the moon Page 3

and the school while taking days off during school,” Rabbi Beyda said.

Many students take extra days off to go on vacation with their families or to travel to bar mitzvahs and weddings.

Because of these family events, grade advisors are much more lenient and don’t rigidly enforce the punishment of four detentions. “It’s hard to punish the kids for going to family simchot that their parents planned out,” said Mr. Engel, the grade advisor for junior and senior boys.

Some grade advisors believe that four detentions is an unreasonable punishment for the students when their parents do the planning. “It depends on the situation, but I usually don’t penalize for extended vacation when it’s not the student’s fault,” explained Ms. Mikhli, the sophomore grade advisor. “When the student just decides to not show up I sometimes give two or three detentions instead of four,” she continued.

The day after Chanukah there were 14 student absences, none of which were due to family simchot. “I just stayed home that day, and there were no consequences for me,” said a junior who requested anonymity. Many students view extended vacation as an empty threat, and they believe that they won’t receive consequences for taking those days off.

“I was supposed to get it for winter vacation and then Pesach last year, but I never did,” explained an anonymous sophomore.

One of the exceptions to the policy includes taking vacations to Israel, but this may be changing in the near future.

“People have lost sight of the importance of coming to school every day and certainly being in school for extended periods. … Perhaps at some point there will be some policies that go into that,” Rabbi Beyda admitted.

Entertainment: Disney focusing on live action Page 5

Fun & Games: Crossword anagrams Page 6

Yeshivah of Flatbush will be changing the way it calculates student GPAs, by putting a heavier emphasis on Judaic studies, starting September next year.

In the past, averages were calculated by taking an average of the Hebrew subjects, then factoring that average as a single grade equal to a secular class in the overall grade. Principal Rabbi Joseph Beyda says that this won’t be the case next year.

After consulting with teachers, students, and the college guidance department, the school administrations has decided to change that. Now each Hebrew class will weigh the same in the student averages as their secular studies classes.

The school administration believes that this new weighing system will better convey to colleges the students’ workloads. “It’s easy for someone reading it [students’ transcripts] to be misled and think you only take five or six courses when you take eight, nine, ten, twelve,” Rabbi Beyda said. “We wanted a transcript that best represents what students do in school.”

College Guidance agreed with this, saying that “it’s important to emphasize the importance of the full curriculum… and hopefully, it will motivate [the students] to work harder and see those classes as important as they are.”

This decision has gained much support from Judaic studies teachers, who feel that, as a yeshivah, it’s important to stress how essential these studies are. Ms. Harcsztark, who teaches Tanakh, said, “I think everything should be weighed equally because we’re a dual curriculum school… and they’re both valued, so I think it would make sense to disperse that value equally.”

The administration believes that this change should not have a negative effect on student averages, believing that, despite popular belief, a good grade in one class often correlates to a good grade in another. Furthermore, if there is a signif-

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Fashion: Our love/hate relationship with Centrals Page 7 www.theflatbushphoenix.com | 1

Faculty Freshman:

Rabbi Yanetz

By Nicole Muravsky Contributing Writer

Rabbi Yanetz, who teaches sophomore and junior Talmud and Halakhah, grew up in Israel, attending high school in Tel Aviv and then studying in Jerusalem before coming to America to learn in Yeshivah University. Rabbi Yanetz was ordained Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin from REITS of Yeshiva University and was a member of the Kolel Elyon.

Rabbi Yanetz worked at Yeshiva University, started as an assistant rabbi for a Sephardic class, as well as being involved in a multitude of activities throughout the school. He says he enjoyed learning, teaching, and arranging Habruta with students and Shabbatonim. He also took initiative to start a night program for college students and workers, so that they wouldn’t be deprived from Torah knowledge.

Meet a Flatbush Family:

The Warrens

By Vivian Cohen Contributing Writer

Becky and Linda Warren can’t get enough of each other. Their kind warmth, loyalty, and devotion to one another helps lighten up the mood during long school days. Whether the sisters are spotted from down the hall or up the staircase, they are assuredly waving and smiling from ear to ear. The rays of joy and laughter from the duo emanate throughout the school. It may seem as though Becky, a senior, and Linda, a junior, maintain a stereotypical sisterly relationship, while in reality they portray a unique and distinctive type of bond.

The Warren sisters’ single year age gap doesn’t stop them from possessing a close-knit, tightly bonded relationship.

The mutual comfort between the duo is what enables the unique bond. Linda noted, “I like to believe that we tell each other a lot about our lives.” Becky went further: “We tell each other everything.”

He has written two books. The first is ‫וזאת הברכה‬, which is about marriage and the berachot recited underneath the chupah. His second book, ‫שפחי חיים‬, is an in-depth commentary on Tehillim.

With a Ph.D. in Talmud and Jewish History, Rabbi Yantez aspires to continue teaching and spreading his knowledge on the Torah and writing more books.

After his many educational adventures, he came to the Yeshivah of Flatbush. He says he chose the Yeshivah of Flatbush specifically because he was exhilarated to interact with a diverse group of students and he also was enthusiastic to associate with the faculty members and staff that he admires and envisions as inspirational leaders.

He is constantly excited to teach and listen to his students’ values, and he is known among his students as kind and genuine.

One intriguing aspect of Rabbi Yanetz outside of school is his passion for Rabbi Yanetz traveling with his wife and two children to a variety of Jewish communities to spread his knowledge of the Torah and to interact with others from all over the country.

Contrary to the ordinary relationship in which the older sister gives advice and the younger sister takes advice, with the Warrens it’s a two-way street. Becky goes as far to say that she even feels comfortable asking advice from her younger sister Linda. When it came to Linda attending freshman year, Becky gave little input about the high school experience but then allowed Linda with the freedom and independence to figure it out by herself.

Despite their tight connection, they both wouldn’t go too far as to say that they share each other’s friends, but they do all get along. Becky claimed, “Since we’re so close in age, we are able to get along with each other’s friends.” Linda agreed: “I wouldn’t call it mutual friends, but my friends are friendly with hers and vice versa.”

The sisters may appear to be similar, but they are distinguishable. In the classroom, Becky’s loud, energetic personality underscores Linda’s more quiet approach. Even though they share their sweatshirts, their style varies as well.

Becky dresses with spunk, while Linda dresses more casually.

They are different in class as well, but most teachers don’t seem to have a favor-

The Phoenix Staff Editor-in-Chief: Sam Beyda Managing Editor: Albert Saad Senior Editors: Jamie Ashkenazie, Ezra Faks School News Editors: Teri Franco, Julie Saadia Religion Editor: Rebecca Coopersmith World News Editor: Sarah Dagmy Entertainment Editors: Raquel Oved, Raquel Silvera Food Editor: Danielle Mehani

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Alumnus Interview:

Celia Beyda (HS ’14)

By OrDavid Menashe Contributing Writer

Jack of all trades, or master of one?

Flatbush alumna and event planner Celia Beyda (HS ’14) has found a balance between the two. Beyda, 22, owns her own business as an event planner. She says she enjoyed running the show from early on, ever since becoming involved in her elementary school’s SGO, which helped spark her passion for event planning.

After YOFHS (her name was Celia Tawil back then; she got married last year), she attended Hunter College, where she majored in history. She also took a course in event marketing at FIT. In college, Beyda interned for two different event-planning organizations, the Wedding Library and Save the Date. She soon realized that the only way to properly start a business in event planning was to first become more knowledgeable about the industry. She set out on a simple mission: to work or intern for all the vendors that are needed for any event so that she can truly understand the market she was planning to master.

At first she joined a catering service in the summer. She continued on her path by working for Fred Marcus photography, at which point she decided that it would be time to dive in and start her own business. In the beginning, her events came mainly from relatives and family friends, but as word got around,

Beyda, left, with sister Danielle she began gaining more jobs.

Beyda, whose younger sister Evelyn Tawil is also an alumna and whose youngest sister, Danielle Tawil, is currently a junior in the high school, is still in the beginning stages of her career. She said that the work is sometimes difficult and frustrating, but at the end of the day when all her work comes to fruition she feels happy with what she accomplished.

The most important advice Beyda has for future entrepreneurs is that “To start in an industry you first must understand it.” She didn’t start by creating a business; she first interned for several companies that deal with different aspect of the market to learn the ins and outs of the industry. Then and only then did she forge out on her own.

Linda, left, and Becky ite Warren. “Some teachers like one of us better than the other, but I wouldn’t say that all of the teachers only like one of us,” they said.

Having a family member around at all times can be both positive and negative.

From Linda’s perspective, the only downside to having her sister in school is that sometimes people seem to compare her

Fashion Editors: Sarit Alkadaa, Celia Banbahji Fun & Games Editor: Allie Saada Sports Editor: Jack H. Dweck Junior Editors: Jayne Haddad, Claudine Hadef Sophomore Editors: Kaden Harari, Michael Oved Design: Carolina Cohen Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter

to her sister because of the small age gap.

Otherwise, their proximity is a plus, and seeing a familiar face around school instantly causes Linda to smile. “I love running into [Becky] in the halls,” she said.

She also stated that it’s comforting knowing that she always has someone keeping an eye out for her.

High School Administration Rabbi Raymond Harari, Head of School Rabbi Joseph Beyda, Principal Ms. Sari Bacon, Associate Principal Ms. Esther Hidary, Assistant Principal / Director of Admissions

February Deep Freeze Causes Pipe to Burst (Again)

By Michael Oved Sophomore Editor

On Friday night, February 2, a pipe burst in the Yeshivah of Flatbush outside room 208. The administration only learned about it on Saturday night after receiving calls from neighbors that water was pouring down the facade of the school above the front entrance. Assistant Administrator Mr. David Galpert was one of the first responders on site who led the charge to get the situation under control, which was no easy task.

The incident is believed to have occurred because of frigid temperatures.

Aside from some residual dripping outside near the main entrance to the building, the Yeshivah was open for business as usual on Monday. While most students and teachers were not affected by the weekend pipe burst, some were apprehensive.

One student who requested anonymity, stated, “Even though caution tape was placed around the water and melting ice, my friends and I were still deeply concerned because this could happen anywhere in the school and at any time.”

Still, most students and staff did not seem troubled. One sophomore even stated, “It’s pretty impressive that the school addressed the pipe burst so quickly and efficiently. I went about my day like any other. The incident didn’t affect me or my friends.”

Some students and faculty recalled a similar incident last winter in essentially the same spot. That time the damage was more evident, as water rained down from the radiator in room 208 into Mr. Galpert’s first-floor office below, and cascaded down the outside of the building, where it promptly froze.

Administrators at the Yeshivah are hopeful that this type of occurrence will be eliminated once the next phase of renovations to the Yeshivah begin. According to Mr. Galpert, the Yeshivah has plans to overhaul the heating and cooling system in the original section of the building, as well as renovate the entire facade of the school, among several other improvements to the building. That phase of the expansion project is slated to begin shortly and anticipated to be completed by 2024.

A maintenance worker makes repairs

Private Israeli Company Takes on Space Travel

D’var Torah:

To Give or Not To Give?

By Rebecca Coopersmith Religion Editor

The first Israeli lunar spacecraft, named “Beresheet,” was loaded into a special shipping container on Jan. 17, 2019 in Israel to be flown to Florida ahead of SpaceIL’s historic mission to the Moon on Feb. 21, 2019. Photo by Tomer Levi.

By Sarah Dagmy World News Editor

On February 21 at 8:45 p.m. Eastern time, the Israeli Beresheet spacecraft launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. It was dubbed Beresheet from the Hebrew word “beginning,” since it represented many firsts— Israel’s first space launch, and history’s first privately owned spacecraft launch to the moon. Spaceflight Industries, an aerospace company in Seattle, meticulously arranged the Beresheet to accompany the Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 and two other satellites. The satellites included the Nusantara Satu, a satellite for Indonesian communications, and an experimental US Air Force satellite. The entire mission cost approximately $100

million.

Even though this spacecraft launched on February 21st its journey actually started eight years ago when three Israeli engineers, Yariv Bash, Kfir Damari, and Yonatan Winetraub met at a tavern in Holon and discussed their shared dream of ascending to the moon. These three men eventually founded SpaceIL, a nonprofit Israeli aerospace organization.

The Beresheet will separate from the SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket once it approaches Earth’s orbit. Following this, the Beresheet will fire its engine and drift through space for two months until it will be accessible for the Moon’s gravity to acquire it, and ultimately the Beresheet will be able to accomplish its goal to land on the Moon on April 11. Since temperatures on the Moon are drastically below

Parashat Vayakhel states, “Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring an offering of the Almighty.” Why do we need to be “willing” to make the donations? Isn’t it good enough to just give a donation?

The Torah tells us time and again, in myriad ways, that our actions are not the only thing that matters; the intentions behind our actions are important as well. By giving a donation, you are helping a charity.

But by giving it “willingly,” you are aiding yourself.

You are elevating yourself, becoming a better person by giving and reflecting on what you have done with a full heart.

With Purim coming up, we need to remember the mitzvah of Matanot Levyonim and perform the task with a kind and giving heart. We have money. What about them? freezing (minus 173° Celsius) when the sun isn’t present and sweltering when the sun is present (up to 127° Celsius) the Beresheet is scheduled to endure only two to three Earth days of the extreme climates—just enough time to allow the Beresheet to measure the Moon’s magnetic field, collect data, and record video of the lunar odyssey.

This space mission could potentially

We have to help them celebrate the holiday without worry or fear about how they will fill all the requirements of the holiday and what will they do the next day and the day after that. Be kind to another and allow yourself to grow.

start a new era of privately owned companies and private citizens dispatching to the Moon, a venture formerly restricted to nations for scientific exploration.

Currently only three other nations have pursued missions to land on the Moon: the United States, Russia, and China.

India is also planning to launch a spacecraft, labeled the Chandrayaan-2, to the Moon in April.

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This Month in History

Nixon goes to China

Commentary

Journalism’s Role in Political Discourse

By Sam Beyda Editor-in-Chief

President Richard Nixon shakes hands with Chinese leader Mao Zedong on Feb 21, 1972

By Robert Adler

was different from his predecessors: in small gestures, Nixon began to normalize Staff Writer relations with China.

When Richard Milhous Nixon took The thawing began in 1971, when the oath of office, he became President of China’s leader, Mao Zedong, invited the a nation in the midst of a war in Vietnam U.S. ping pong team to China for a tour and a Cold War embroiling much of the and a series of exhibition matches. Nixon world. The Soviet Union was continuing used the trip as an opportunity to ease its policies of spreading communism in trade and travel embargoes, and soon the Nascent African nations and through two governments began communicating Latin America, but the People’s Repub- unofficially. lic of China was almost as significant a In a culminating action, Nixon visited concern. the nation in 1972 for a week starting on The United States had refused to rec- February 21. In this game-changing visit, ognize the PRC as the legitimate gov- the United States had agreed to recognize ernment of mainland China ever since the PRC as the legitimate government the revolution of 1949 ousted the ROC over mainland China, and met with nuto Taiwan. As a result, the United States merous communist leaders. They toured did not have any diplomatic relations the nation and returned to the US with a with the government in control of over 1 spirit of change. billion people. No official U.S. delegation This first visit to mainland China was had set foot in China in more than 20 repeated by every president since, except years. Nixon’s approach to foreign policy Jimmy Carter. A “Nixon to China” visit is known in modern political circles as a metaphor for an unexpected, uncharacteristic or overly impactful action by a politician. The largest impact of this influential visit was the ultimate modernization and liberalization of the Chinese economy, making the communist nation more open to foreign investments, which in turn allowed China to become one of the world’s largest exporters by the beginning of the 21st century.

Today the two nations are inextricably linked economically. The Nixon to China visit began a long history of diplomatic relations between America and the Chinese government that continues Nixon at the Great Wall of China to this day.

In this age of instant gratification and clickbait headlines, it has become a daunting task to run a media outlet without appealing to the most extreme views of the readership. To keep up with a less attentive audience, journalism as a whole has shifted to the fringes of the political spectrum. Known as the Fourth Estate because of its prominence in shining a light on the three branches of government, journalism is an important cog in the system of checks and balances that keeps our country running. In establishing these checks, James Madison’s intention was to have ambition counteract ambition, but recently the ego of the media has grown so large that they have disregarded their purpose—to deliver pure, unbiased facts and knowledge to the public.

Take, as an example, The Washington Post’s media campaign surrounding its new slogan, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” At first glance, this seems like a valiant undertaking—the Post is aiming to step up and guide the country through the turbulent, divisive times that we currently face. In reality, the Post has seen its viewership surge in the second half of

Attendance, Grades Higher This Year continued from front page

Multiple studies show that students’ scores correlate directly with attendance in school. Research done by the National Center for Education Statistics states, “chronic student absence reduces even the best teacher’s ability to provide learning opportunities. Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance.” In other words, it is crucial to attend classes in order to receive the learning and practice that improves academic perfor-

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mance.

Sophomore Sarah Richter also recognizes a correlation between the two components at hand. “Making the effort to show up to class definitely pays off in the long run,” she explains, “Nothing else compares to listening to the teacher speak, so especially if you care to do well, it’s very important to attend school.”

Once a student takes education seriously, it is natural that he/she strives to be present during class.

this decade. The Post, along with most of the Fourth Estate, has been reveling in the constant media attention garnered by our president since the start of the 2016 election. To please their readership, the left harps on every action taken by the President and blows it up to impeachable proportions. The right responds by demonizing the left as vindictive and petty.

While the media paints itself as the knight bravely defending honesty and integrity, they are profiting off dividing the country. They have completely done away with any sense of political discourse, and, in the process, alienated any existing political “center.” The right knows that their viewership wants to read more pieces demonizing the left and the left knows that the more they scrutinize the actions taken by the right, the more people read what they write. Democracy may indeed die in darkness, but discourse is withering in this spotlight.

What the Fourth Estate was intended to be—what we need it to be—is a way to ensure that we are being guaranteed our rights by the government. News organizations should investigate corruption and spur social revolutions, not act as a source of entertainment or, worse, instigator.

GPAs Will Factor Judaic Classes Individually continued from front page

icant difference in grades, then the new mathematical emphasis on Judaic studies will hopefully encourage and motivate Students scan in as they enter school students to work harder in those classes.

Entertainment Maniscalco Delivers Big Laughs in Stay Hungry

Disney Doubling Down on Live Action

By Raquel Silvera

By Claudine Hadef

Entertainment Editor

Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco has come out with yet another live show, Stay Hungry, now featured on Netflix, and his fans just can’t get enough. Some people are mildly entertaining, some people are even funny, but there’s only an elite few like Maniscalco, who are downright hysterical. With just his voice, his body language, and a microphone, he really puts on a show. He first started doing these live comedy shows in 2009 and his career has taken off since.

You’ll often hear Maniscalco comment, “I like to be bothered,” and that’s the best description of his content. He’s a classic complainer who nitpicks at everything and everyone as he spins all his own experiences into comedic bits. Whether he’s talking about his old-school Italian father, his ultra-American wife, or his outings and vacations, he can make anyone cry from laughter or fall on the floor, laughing uncontrolla-

bly. Sometimes you can relate to his jokes and sometimes you can’t, but it doesn’t even matter. He could be complaining about people who bring their exotic pets on airplanes or even the time his dad wiped out the entire pet population in their neighborhood, and you can’t help but burst into laughter.

Maniscalco also shares his many cynical opinions on modern trends and fads, as well as the absurd things people do.

He’ll talk about the diet crazes, Airpods, exercise fanatics who swear by their spin classes, and middle-aged men who are constantly high-fiving each other at hotel pools. It all sounds kind of scattered and nonsensical but that’s the beauty of his jokes. He’ll switch from topic to topic and make your stomach ache from laughter all over again. Whether you sit down to watch his shows alone or with your friends or family, you will not regret it. He puts everyone in a feel-good mood and the smile won’t ever leave your face.

Marvel’s Success Inspires Unappealing Copycats

By Sam Beyda Editor-in-Chief

In 2008, when Iron Man debuted— the first of what is now 20 movies in Marvel Studios’ ever-expanding cinematic universe—action movie fans and comic book readers alike were both enamored with the possibilities that awaited. And when Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury told Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, “I wanted to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative,” Marvel, and by extension Disney, started a culture movement.

What happened since that iconic moment is, as they say, history: nearly $20 billion in box office sales, 4 of the top 10 highest-grossing films to date, and 6 of

the top 20 opening weekends. Marvel’s strategy of an intricate, interwoven cinematic universe is obviously successful, but can it be replicated? And is it destroying Hollywood?

Since Marvel’s reign over Hollywood began, dozens of other film franchises have tried, and mostly failed, to create their own universes. Take, as an example, DC Comics. Around the same time that Iron Man hit theaters, DC’s The Dark Knight also opened. As heartwarming as Marvel movies have been, none have come close to the quality and depth of The Dark Knight, but since Christopher Nolan left that trilogy’s director’s chair we’ve seen nothing but flops the likes of Batman V. Superman and Justice League.

Junior Editor

Disney is renowned for its classic films and has made quite a name for itself over the years with its fairytale movies. But recently the animation juggernaut has been revisiting old classics with live action.

In 2014, Disney released Maleficent, a remake of Sleeping Beauty, and it became an instant success, surpassing $758.5 million in box office sales. In recent months Disney has started to recreate even more classics and has come out with a growing list of live-action movies, banking off the nostalgia for the originals. Some recent examples are Cinderella, which made $543.5 million, Christopher Robin, which made $197.5 million, and Beauty and the Beast, which made over $1 billion at the box office. However, Disney isn’t stopping there.

They are currently working on the production of several more animated classics, including Dumbo, which will premiere on March 29, as well as Aladdin (May 24) and The Lion King (July 19).

Disney has been filling the cast of the movies with races true to the original characters’ ethnicities. Chinese actress Liu Yife was selected for the role of Mulan, and Mena Massoud, an Egyptian actor, was cast as Aladdin.

Disney also plans to release a new streaming service coming out in late 2019; it will include all of its classics, not to mention all the Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel movies. Their upcoming live-action movies will also be featured on the service after they leave theaters and will not be available on competing streaming services like Netflix.

With countless upcoming remakes it begs the question; why does Disney continuously come out with the same movies every 20 years or so? One plausible answer very well might be that Disney has seen so much success from the remakes of our childhood favorites that it pays to keep at it, literally. And while they may be the same stories every time they remake a classic, the new versions focus on the themes most relevant to that generation or decade. Every new production ensures more intricate special effects, deeper plots, and more creativity.

DC Comics tried to grow too big, too fast. They tried to become Marvel, and they failed to realize that maybe there wasn’t room for two.

The same thing has happened dozens of times over recently. It seems that Hollywood feels the need to keep shoving action movie franchises down our throats. Sure, it worked for Marvel, and then again for Jurassic World, but so far almost every successful franchise has been followed by three failures (think Ghostbusters, RoboCop, TMNT, Power Rangers, The Mummy, and Fantastic Four). Even movies that seemed like surefire hits, like the Star Wars franchise, have started to falter of late. The Force Awakens grossed nearly $1 billion as the first movie from the franchise in over 10 years, but the last installment, Solo: A Star Wars Story, brought home only $200 million and was a critical flop.

Meanwhile, Marvel keeps going

strong, and I don’t expect the upcoming Avengers: Endgame to end the MCU or even slow it down. Between now and January there are four Marvel movies scheduled to release, and several more in the works. And now that Disney has acquired the rights to other characters such as the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, you can expect a glut of movies and TV shows in the coming years.

But, if we keep indulging ourselves in them and giving Marvel all this success, we’re subjecting ourselves to even more subpar attempted franchises (think The Emoji Movie). The best films aren’t trying to act as a springboard for a trilogy or a litany of spin-offs. If we want quality out of Hollywood, we need to start holding them to a higher standard and stop settling for less. All we need are incredible special effects, daredevil characters, impossible stunts, and a creative plot line.

How hard could it be?

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Fun & Games Ask Merle

Dear Merle, It’s that time of year when I have a few free periods every other day, but not enough to sign out or sign in. I’m getting really bored in school. What do I do with all these frees!

Bored Dear Bored, You should take advantage of this free time and take care of any errands, homework, or future responsibilities you have so you could have more free time after school. This could be anything from making up notes, organizing your locker, and getting an early start on projects or assignments.

Merle Dear Merle, I’ve already enrolled in two AP classes for next year, and I’m considering taking another. Do you think taking three AP classes is too much?

Busy Dear Busy, This all depends on the type of student you are. Some students are capable of taking five, but for others even two is too many. But if you’re interested in all three

classes and think you will be able to keep up with all the work, of course you should take them! However, you should know what you’re in for, and what the workload is for each class. Do you tend to manage your time well? If you stretch yourself too thin, you may find it difficult to be successful in every class.

And don’t forget the emotional component: are you the type of student who gets paralyzed by stress, or the type who remains calm and handles your business like it’s nothing, or somewhere in between? You know your own capabilities.

If you are determined, motivated, and can handle the increased workload, then go for it. If not, then three APs might be more than you can handle.

Merle

First, don’t be nervous; worrying will only hinder your ability to continue getting good grades and work on your essays and applications. Second, if getting into your dream college is your number-one ambition right now, you should do ever ything in your power to try to get there. If you

Dear Merle, College is right around the corner and I feel like I haven’t done enough to make my application stand out. Should I join extracurriculars that I don’t really like just because they will look good on college applications?

Nervous

As most hard-working students know, stress tends to bring along a friend we like to call stress-eating, who only leaves us feeling worse by the time those late night rumbles subside. So what better way to relieve that stress then to imagine that you are back under that warm Aruba sun? Or at the extraordinary Kotel?

These recipes will make you feel like you’re on winter break again.

Virgin Piña Colada The first thing I think about when sitting on the beach under the boiling sun is that a piña colada would quench my thirst better than anything. The thing is that you don’t have to be in the Dominican Republic or Mexico to enjoy one of these sweet drinks.

Ingredients: • 1 cup pineapple juice • 1 cup canned coconut milk (full fat) • 1/4 cup granulated sugar • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 8 cups cubed ice Instructions: • Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

• Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Dear Nervous,

Crossword Anagrams An anagram is a word that can be formed by rearranging the letters of another word. Each hint has two possible

Down: 1. Teacher 2. Angered 3. Remarried 4. Shirt 5. Bedroom 6. Toaster 7. Heart 8. There 9. Silent 10. Plane

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combinations, see if you can figure out which ones fit the crossword!

Across 11. Garden 12. Creative 13. Repaint 14. Throne 15. Seaside 16. Resist 17. Cutlery 18. Kitchen 19. Canoe 20. Handouts

don’t get in where you want to, you never want to look back and think you could have done more. But, on a more positive note, there are so many pluses to trying new things. There’s so much you can learn and discover, and you may actually grow to like things you never thought you would or find things you never knew you were good at.

Merle

The Food Corner

Sachlab When walking on Machane Yehuda to buy that last-minute mazza or Marzipan desserts on Friday afternoon, there’s only one other thing to do—get some sachlab to go. This drink is a necessity in Israel, especially during the cold months. So why not enjoy it during the cold months here in Brooklyn, too?

Ingredients: • 5 cups of milk • 1 cup of sugar • ½ cup cornstarch • 1 tsp vanilla • ½ tsp rosewater • Optional toppings (after cook ing)- cinnamon, coconut, chopped

By Danielle Mehani pistachios Instructions: • Combine cornstarch with ½ a cup of the milk and stir in a small bowl.

• Place the remainder of the milk in a medium sized pot along with the sugar, vanilla, rose water and cornstarch mixture (place the cornstarch mixture in before the milk gets warm to avoid clumping).

• Stir constantly until it comes to a boil, and let it boil for 2 minutes while still stirring.

• Serve either warm or hot and place toppings of choice on top.

Guacamole: I know what you’re all thinking— we all know how to make guacamole.

I get it. But I think we can all agree that you haven’t really tried guacamole until you’ve gone to Mexico.

Why not always have that authentic guacamole by simply adding a few more ingredients to your plain old guac?

Ingredients: • Five large avocados • 2 limes, juiced • 1 medium white onion • ¾ cup of finely chopped cilantro • Salt • Finely chopped jalapeno (optional) Instructions: • Slice avocados in half, scoop out of shell with a spoon and place in a bowl.

• Add juice of one fresh lime and use a fork and mash to desired consistency.

• Add chopped onions, tomato, and cilantro. Stir gently to mix ingredients.

• Add juice of second lime and then salt to taste and stir slightly.

• Add jalapeño to taste.

• Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

Standard of Fabulous Fashion Weak

Pros and Cons of a Flatbush Student’s Skirt Choices

By Reuben Goldstein Contributing Writer

Every morning, as hundreds of students make their way through the school’s front doors, a sea of black skirts comes flowing in. All the skirts are the same. The same length and width, the same material and shade, and often the same brand: Central Park West.

Some students mock the conformity, but many girls who use the black skirt strategy every day explained that there are reasons behind this ubiquitous fashion choice. Proponents of the black, floor-length skirts say they serve a dual purpose: they adhere to the school’s rigid dress code and at the same time provide students with the convenience of never having to think about what to wear.

They have no need to worry about the ever-changing fashion trends when all

This could be almost anyone

of their friends will be wearing the exact same thing.

Judy, a senior who asked that her last name not be used, is a fan of the style.

“They’re convenient, easier for the morning, and comfortable,” she said. Junior Sylvia Mizrahi agreed: “In the morning I don’t have to stress about what to wear; I put on a Central and any shirt and I’m up and out.” Some of the school’s faculty seem to agree, admiring the convenience and ability of the black skirt to adhere to the school’s policies.

However, not everyone seems to have that same opinion, as sophomore Michelle Ryba declared: “they’re 40-dollar, black, hair-collecting potato sacks.” Other students claim that it is the cost which makes them dislike the black skirt; freshman Shira Simchon said that, although they may be convenient, “Black skirts are expensive.”

Some faculty seem to agree with these students, lamenting the fact that, with everyone wearing black, students are inhibited from showcasing their individuality through their fashion choices.

Instead, they blend in among of a sea of blackness. Dark words indeed.

However, although it seems that the enthusiasm for the black skirts decreases through the grades, both sophomore Madeline Rosow and freshman Alice Abboud both agree that “I don’t mind them at all. … [They] aren’t as bad as they seem.”

The most prevalent opinion is that the black skirts assist in alleviating the daily morning hassle, saving time that otherwise would have been spent looking for the perfect outfit. In fact, junior Elizabeth Nadjar went so far as to declare: “Black skirts save my life.”

Shoe Trends for 2019

By Sarit Alkadaa Fashion Editor

What is the one accessory that can easily transform an outfit from boring to beautiful? Shoes! With the proper footwear, an outfit can often be styled to appear casual, fancy, or comfortable.

Want to spice up your sandals this spring? Brands like Valentino, Simone Rocha, and Prabal Gurung have made bold statements by incorporating feathers into the heels and sandals. The feathers are added either to the heel of the footwear or the straps. Either way, this fashion statement is sure to spread quickly among the occasions that are coming up!

Tired of wearing the same, solid-colored shoe? Embroidery shoes are making a comeback. It doesn’t have to be spring in order to make things more interesting! Don’t worry about the shoe looking too fancy; many brands have successfully merged embroidery into an everyday, wearable look. You’ll be getting compli-

ments all day long!

Buckle up, this new look is both stylish and secure. Buckles are the new laces, showing up on boots, sneakers, heels, and sandals! These buckles add an edge to traditional feminine footwear.

They come in multiple sizes and shapes, making the shoe stand out as much as possible. Designers such as Alexander McQueen and Sies Marjan sent these buckled shoes down the runway, and they’ve never looked better!

Say goodbye to skinny high-tops and dull-colored shoes—bright, chunky sneakers are now in! This trend is both comfortable and bold, adding the perfect touch to a plain outfit and transitions it into something fun and playful. These stylish shoes can be found in stores like Champion, Nike, and MSGM. So, if you’re looking for something new to make your outfits more interesting, be sure to check out these new trends soon! And remember, style can come with comfort!

Behind the Scenes at New York Spring Fashion Week

By Celia Banbahji Fashion Editor

It is every fashion-obsessed girl’s dream to attend one of the shows at Fashion Week. Well, thanks to the Flatbush Pathfinders team, I was able to not only attend a show, but to be an intern for the Bridal Couture Dress company, Margit David. At first I was told to do classic intern work like fetching coffee, labeling random items, etc. But later in the day I told the head of the company that photography was one of my strengths and showed her my portfolio, so she offered me the opportunity to take photos for the show.

The day of the show came, and backstage of a fashion show is anything but calm. There’s so much going on, and you never know what’s coming next. I was in charge of their Instagram so that I could document all the behind-the-scenes stuff going on.

While the models started getting dressed in the breathtaking bridal gowns, I was taking the photos. Then, all the guests started to arrive. From huge fashion bloggers to popular fashion designers, seeing everyone in one room was unbelievable. After the guests settled down and took their seats, the show started. It was exhilarating to watch it all come together.

What I loved about the Margit David collection was the extreme diversity between each gown with color and design, yet the designer was still able to make it look like a collection by adding little gold leaves onto each gown. My personal favorite gown was the finale: a wedding dress with pearl detailing, the perfect amount of volume, and a huge train following behind the gown to enhance the drama. I want it for my wedding, and I’m

Margit David wedding dress

sure every other girl will as well.

Working at New York Fashion Week was an incredible experience, and I genuinely think that working backstage will give you a better experience rather than just sitting in the audience. It’s better to be part of the hard work and feel proud of what you’ve helped accomplish.

Fashion Fact: Gucci once manufactured a pair of jeans named the Gucci Genius Jeans. They sold for a staggering $3,134.

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Sports Female Athletes Struggle Falcons Playoff Update for Equal Status

By Jack H. Dweck

By Julie Saadia School News Editor

A remarkable shift in the landscape of athletics at Flatbush provides girls with opportunities to play a wide array of sports that they would have never had a chance to participate in 20 years ago.

Nonetheless, many girls complain that boys sports still get more attention and favoritism from the Athletics department and from students. A Phoenix investigation showed mixed results.

First, the positive. Girls teams created in the past few years include hockey and gymnastics, and Rabbi Beyda pointed out that few yeshivot even field teams in those sports, whereas Flatbush offers an abundance of girls sports. Additionally, physical education classes for girls are, according to many students and faculty, on par with the boys’ classes.

“Do you know how far we’ve come?”

Coach Black asked rhetorically. “We went from playing steal the salami in the Beit Midrash to having a full curriculum with various different sports.”

Informal polling of the girls athletic teams revealed that the Girls Volleyball team is the only girls team that feels they receive equal opportunity to their male counterparts. This is not surprising, as volleyball started out as a girls’ sport at Flatbush before there was a boys team.

Even now, more students try out for the girls team than the boys team, so there are enough students to sustain varsity and JV girls teams, while there is only one team for the boys.

“The guys on the team take it seriously but it’s not as important as other boys teams like basketball and hockey, while for the girls it’s one of the most serious teams,” admitted junior Alan Sassoon, a member of the Boys Volleyball team.

Volleyball is a rare instance in Flatbush where the female team transcends the popularity and skill of their male counterparts.

Another notable girls team to experience success this year is Dance. The Dance team won its competition in December, and had two buses full of fans come see them compete. However, according to sophomore Evelyn Tawil, problems remain with how the team is treated. She alleges that the girls were unable to use the gym to practice a week before the competition because it was being used by boys. This problem will be alleviated in the near future, as the school’s administration is planning to turn the student lounge into a dance studio.

While the dance and volleyball teams illustrate the potential of what our female athletics could achieve, other teams face a harsher reality. There are many instances where girls teams face a significant disadvantage in terms of the scheduling of practices and games, which is handled by the school’s Athletics department.

For example, Girls Soccer coach Edie Kaslowe stated that her team is forced to practice in the smaller-than-regulation Laniado Gym instead of the main gym,

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even though most of the team’s matches are played in bigger gyms. Without the opportunity to play in the main gym, the girls team misses out on practicing longer passes and shots, which are essential facets of the game. The Boys Soccer team practices in the main gym. Additionally, the boys had the advantage of participating in a soccer tournament in Florida, while the girls were not given an opportunity to have a tournament to prepare for the season.

Katriella Weingarten, a senior on the girls hockey team seemed upset that the boys hockey team gets more attention than the girls. “We only received a coach two weeks ago, and we were supposed to start practice last semester,” she exclaimed. “The boys team started practicing as soon as their season started.”

Additionally, the girls reportedly have restrictions on who can coach them.

“When we were looking for a coach we found out that our girls team couldn’t be coached by a young Jewish man, but if they were married or not Jewish, they would be eligible,” Weingarten added.

The boys team has no such restrictions.

Bias against girls teams among students are another problem. Members of the girls basketball team complained that the stands fill up with fans to watch the boys play, but the girls have few fans, if any. Senior Betty Greenberg, a member of the soccer and basketball teams, said that Flatbush “gives more hype and support to boys teams with pep rallies and supporting Senior Night, but we don’t get any of that.”

However, this has been changing recently. Two years ago, when both the Boys Varsity Basketball team and the Girls JV Basketball team were in the finals, the school held a joint pep rally for both teams.

Additionally, this year the girls are enjoying an experience normally reserved for the boys teams. In most years, Boys Basketball competes in an annual tournament in Memphis, Tennessee, and Flatbush hosts the annual Hausdorff Memorial Basketball Tournament for boys as well. This weekend the girls team is competing in a tournament in Florida.

Whether it’s an institutional problem or simply an issue of student perception, many female athletes believe that not enough has been done by the school to ensure that girls sports have enough followers and usable facilities.

Mr. Amkraut, the school’s Athletic Director, claims that his department funds male and female athletics equally.

“The standards I try to provide are equal,” he said. “Boys and girls are both equally important to me and to this school. That’s how I feel about the Falcons and that’s how I hope most students feel as well.”

Rabbi Beyda echoed Mr. Amkraut’s thoughts. “Athletics can be a big part of the education that you receive at the Yeshivah of Flatbush, and that’s true for males and females,” he said. “We try to give the best experience to both, and we’re certainly not skewed toward one or

Sports Editor

Three Falcons teams did a great job of getting to the playoffs this year, but didn’t stay there for long. The Flatbush Girls JV Basketball team, Boys Varsity Hockey team, and Girls Varsity Volleyball team all faltered in the playoffs and their seasons, unfortunately, ended in defeat.

The Girls Varsity Volleyball team struggled against a powerful third-seeded Frisch Cougars team that beat the Falcons for a 3-0 victory. The Cougars managed to get by the stout defensive front led by outgoing senior Michelle Dweck, which gave them a clear path to victory.

The Girls JV Basketball team gained a lot of experience over the season and had a remarkable turnaround after a

slow start; however, the Cinderella story came to an abrupt end after a 52–30 loss to Frisch. Hopefully the season will be a learning opportunity for the many skilled players who will be promoted to a depleted Varsity team next season.

The Varsity Hockey team was shutout in the quarterfinals of the playoffs by TABC. The final score was 6-0, with the Falcons stagnant offense leading them to an early playoff exit. This is really disappointing for a team that many thought would be a title contender coming into the season.

The Dance team is the only team that brought home a championship in the Fall sports season for Flatbush, but we are looking forward to more success from our Varsity Basketball team and our Spring sports next semester.

Sportsman Spotlight: Simon Masry

Masry Keeps his eye on the ball

By Nathan Sidaoui As captain of the Flatbush Falcons Varsity Baseball team, senior Simon Masry has become an icon in Flatbush sports. He is known for his leadership and the strength he shows on and off the field. He has been a constant presence on the baseball team for four years, earning the respect of his teammates and coaches for his athletic abilities and impressing scouts in the process.

Masry’s total effort while playing baseball or softball leads to his high level of play. He always puts his heart into the sport because he loves the game, and whether it’s a pick-up game at Marine Park or a tournament in Columbus, he plays at the highest level he can.

“I always watched the players in the MLB, especially Albert Pujols on the Cardinals, and I wanted to play like him,” Masry stated. Hopefully his love of the game will translate into wins for the

Baseball team, which shares its captain’s infectious passion.

Simon Masry has been continuously outstanding on the diamond while also balancing his schoolwork, business, and social life. He explained that he has done this by managing his time effectively: he goes to baseball showcases at universities in the summer, while focusing on schoolwork and his business in the winter. Masry has been able to focus on improving himself in baseball because he is open to criticism and is always looking to improve his game. His focus has always been his friends, business and schoolwork, but baseball has always been there as an anchor that allows him to unwind and enjoy himself.

Masry has been able to lead his team to the playoffs in multiple years, and he is hoping to continue his reign on top of the baseball world by playing for Hofstra University next year. Between now and then, he plans to lead the Falcons back to the championship one more time.

the other.”

While there are instances where girls sports are lacking in comparison to

boys sports, Flatbush continues to make strides to ensure a level playing field for all of its student athletes.

Contributing Writer