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The Emery/Weiner School Winter 2011-12
IN THE nEWS Page 4
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Page 8
JAGUAR PRIDE Page 14
mEMERY LANE Page 18
Kotarot Administration Head of School Stuart J. Dow Chief Financial Officer Dave Meyer
A quarterly report on news and happenings at The Emery/Weiner School
From the Head of School Page 3
Jaguar Pride Page 14
In the nEWS Page 4
Head of Upper School Rabbi Shlomo Adelman Head of Middle School Dr. Lue Bishop
Read up about all of the action from this fall’s sports at EWS.
Director of Admissions Danny Kahalley Director of Advancement Rebecca Starr Director of College Counseling Lynn Slaughter Director of Athletics Angie Gubitz
Stay in touch with EWS and read up on new programs and events from this winter!
mEmery Lane Page 18
Faculty Spotlight Page 8
Editor Ann Holdsworth
The Emery/Weiner School Mission Statement To educate and develop students whose intellect, moral character and Jewish identity provide a lifelong foundation for personal growth, commitment to the Jewish people and Tikkun Olam - improving the world in which we live.
Keep up with EWS alumni through mEmery Lane. Learn more about US Judaics and Hebrew teacher Justin Olitzki. ON THE FRONT COVER: Eighth graders Kyra Goren (left) and Rebecca Burd (right) enjoy the outdoors and rustic conditions while on the 8th Grade winter trip to Camp Allen in Navasota, TX. Photo courtesy of eighth grader Camille Simmons. ON THE BACK COVER: Left to right: Seniors Jarrett Taxman, Samantha Aronowitz and Stephanie Simon pose with Holocaust survivor Rosine Chapelle, who will be featured in the student-produced video for the upcoming Holocaust and Memory on March 26.
Sinai, Skype, Technology & Tradition When I was younger, business trips seemed so cool. Exciting, really. That was before I actually started taking them. And it was long before I had kids. While I confess enjoying the guilty pleasures of travel, a room service burger and glass of red wine – and even more delicious, some solitude and quiet – the truth is I hate being away, especially on Friday nights. It’s not that I’m Shomer Shabbas – meaning, I don’t follow all the laws for observing the Sabbath – but we do honor the weekly tradition as a family. So when my oldest daughter, Eleanor, recently learned that I wasn’t able to return from a conference in California until Saturday morning, she cut right to it: “But, Daddy, what about Shabbat? We’re supposed to be together then.” There is no greater guilt than disappointing a sweetvoiced 6-year-old with soft, golden curls and big, brown eyes. I searched for other flights; the red-eye was available, but obviously wouldn’t help. As I continued to toggle between windows on my Mac – moving from one travel website to another, occasionally checking email, ignoring a few texts, and skimming some social media posts – it occurred to me: Skype! “Eleanor, honey, I have an idea . . .” Now, I’m not necessarily proud that she’s already so familiar with the computer and all of our digital devices. And to be clear, she still draws using crayons, still plays dress-up and with princess dolls, still reads paper-bound books, and still has imaginary friends; but, I’m not a Luddite either. Eleanor does dig my iPad, and she knows about Skype – so she was excited to try it. Admittedly, it wasn’t like being at home. The candlelight on the pixilated screen didn’t flicker with the same warmth; our songs and prayers suffered from Internet echo and delay; and worst of all, though I could see and bless them online, I couldn’t touch or kiss my three children in person. Still, it was far better than just a phone call. They watched me as I performed the rituals with them; they laughed as I held the challah camera-high and bit off a piece with exaggerated gusto; and despite our distance, we felt connected – to each other, and to our Judaism. All of which brings to mind an essay in the Wall Street Journal that referred to the late Steve Jobs as a “secular prophet.” Wow, a corporate CEO has been elevated not merely to icon-like status, but to religious icon-like status. He wasn’t just a software expert or marketing genius, the author suggested, he was a visionary –the person most responsible for the emergence of tools that have transformed our lives. (One could also make a very strong argument for Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google, but that’s for another article.)
Without question, we’re living in the age of technology – where change is happening in every aspect of our lives at increasingly rapid speed. For those of us in schools, we grapple with how we should teach now – because there’s no doubt that our students access and absorb information differently. Is the Socratic method the educational equivalent of the abacus?! Perhaps, but I care less about Socrates and more about Moses. How Stuart J. Dow does he fare these days? Is Head of School his content still relevant? Does his message still resonate? And is it being delivered in the most effective way? In short, how does ancient tradition jibe with modernity? In his seminal work, “God in Search of Man,” Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel writes: “Technological progress creates more problems than it solves.” He readily admits that technology is valuable, but Heschel argues that it doesn’t address what he calls “the perpetual emergencies of human existence, [or] the rare cravings of the spirit” – only religion does. I think he’s right. I love my iPhone, its apps, and the ease of working in the cloud, but does any of this provide lasting meaning or genuine inner peace? My flight back to Houston didn’t arrive until Saturday afternoon. I was having a late lunch when I suddenly remembered that our synagogue was having a special Havdallah service for kids. Havdallah is the brief ceremony that ends the Sabbath – the word literally means “separation.” Continuing my streak of violating the strictures of Jewish law, we piled into the car so that we could observe the spirit of the ritual. Eleanor held the colorful, multi-wick candle as we sipped juice to smelled sweet consecrate the moment, spices for the week ahead, and chanted a prayer that reminds us to take heed of what in our lives is mundane and what is truly sacred. Without question, this was very much the latter.
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In the nEWS Writing, Artistic Talent Garner Awards at Scholastic Competition Several EWS students participated in the Scholastic Writing and Art Competitions recently, with three students walking away with awards. Sophomore Ariel Brown won a Silver Key Award for her unique sculpture made entirely from two decks of cards and a lot of hot glue. Aptly named “Royal Flush,” Brown created the sculpture as a freshman for her art class with EWS teacher Kerry Adams. “The assignment for this project was to make a sculpture, but by only using one type of object,” Brown said. “I wanted my sculpture to have curves and twists, but to also be vibrant and bold. I chose playing cards because I could easily bend them and also have bold colors. “First, I glued the cards together to make a long line of cards,” Brown said. “Then I wrapped the line of cards around each other to make the rollercoaster-looking structure.” Brown has taken three art classes while at EWS, but the Scholastic Art Competition was the first art contest Brown had entered – and won. “The art classes at EWS have introduced me to art that I would have never considered doing,” Brown said. “‘Royal Flush’ was the first sculpture I made. I have always loved to paint and draw, but sculpting was outside of my comfort zone. I originally did not consider sending my sculpture to the competition, but Ms. Adams said I should apply, and I’m glad I did!” Two of Brown’s fellow classmates, juniors Danielle Resh and Alex Daily, joined her as Silver Key Award recipients, in this case for their creative writing skills. Daily submitted – and won two Silver Key Awards – for two poems. The first of the two poems is entitled “Simple,” and is Daily’s lament on how technology has taken over basic interactions, and how “what used to be face-to-face has become a falsely friendly phrase on Facebook. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the ease and
Juniors Danielle Resh (left) and Alex Daily (right) both won writing awards from this year’s Scholastic Writing Competition. Both are two-time winners with Daily winning two awards for different poems this year, and Resh for short stories, one this year and one from 2009.
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“Royal Flush,” created by sophomore Ariel Brown, won a Silver Key Award from this year’s Scholastic Art Competition. The sculpture is made entirely from two decks of cards and hot glue. enjoyment and ability to know what you are thinking every single moment, but rather I want [to] hear you say it. I want to hear you laugh, Not see the simple ‘lol’ on the basic chat screen.” Daily’s other award-winning poem, entitled “Time,” is about the struggle to slow down in life and how to not be afraid to take risks. “‘Time’ tells the story of a man who puts these carefully crafted plans before the love of his life,” Daily said. “After he has accomplished everything, however, it’s too late to reclaim the girl he left behind.” This contest marks the first time Daily has submitted her work for any awards, but it won’t be the last. “I plan on entering more writing contests in the future, and even perhaps winning an award on a national level,” Daily said. “The outcome of each contest is unimportant to me; the larger victory is sharing my voice with the world. I want to study creative writing, English and film in college to hopefully become a screenwriter and author.” For junior Danielle Resh, this is not her first rodeo with the Scholastic Writing Competition. She also won the Silver Key Award two years ago as a freshman. This year’s award-winning short story, “Stage #4: Depression,” is the story of a woman struggling with the different stages of grief. “The story follows the main character, Raina, as she tries to remember the events leading up to the car crash that resulted in her best friend’s death, and as she tries to progress from what is known as the fourth stage of grief, ‘depression,’ to the fifth stage,
‘acceptance,’” Resh said. “I was interested in exploring the ways that people deal with grief and was initially inspired to visit this theme by the novel ‘Speak’ by Laurie Halse Anderson.” Definitely proving she’s already been bitten by the writing bug, Resh plans on entering more contests with aspirations of becoming a published author as a way to connect with others.
Students Empowered by Presenting at TEDxYouthDay Learning to stand up in front of your peers and giving a speech is a daunting task for most people, but three Emery/Weiner students – two middle school and one high school – are old hands by now after participating in a nationwide event to inspire curiosity, ignite new ideas and empower young leaders. Sponsored by Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED), eighth graders Noa Gutow-Ellis and Mikayla Smolensky, and ninth grader Brooke Kaplan, participated in the 2011 TEDxYouthDay Event in November, which was one of more than 100 events across nearly 50 countries highlighting students as they discussed such worldly topics as AIDS, the Arab Spring and fossil fuel dependency.
According to Gutow-Ellis’ history teacher Ben Stern, her presentation has racked up nearly 700 hits on YouTube, and has been re-tweeted to more than 8,000 people through Syrian activists.
After learning about the Arab Spring where more than 15 countries experienced a wave of protests and demonstrations, Gutow-Ellis became intrigued about the effect of social media – both good and bad – during the uprisings. “We were studying the Middle East last year in my history class when the Arab Spring started so we ended up watching the beginning unfold,” Gutow-Ellis said. “I found it fascinating that ordinary people not even twice my age could completely change the government.” Even after her history class moved on, Gutow-Ellis kept track of the Arab Spring stories and knew exactly what her presentation submission would be for the upcoming TEDxYouthDay event. “I knew I wanted to talk about the Arab Spring – specifically Syria – and how social media could help or hurt [a revolution],” GutowEllis said. The proliferation and accessibility of social media sites – such as Twitter and Facebook – created citizen journalists during the
Eighth grader Mikayla Smolensky was one of three EWS students to give a presentation at the 2011 TEDxYouthDay Event in November. Her speech about parental pressures tackled a sensitive issue for herself, and for other teens. revolution. As many traditional journalists were barred from country’s experiencing an uprising, citizens were turned into instant journalists as they broadcast events from the front lines of the revolts to their Facebook pages and Twitter feeds. Although the TEDxYouthDay event speakers were all middle school, high school or college students, their impact cannot be underestimated as Gutow-Ellis found out soon after her presentation was released on YouTube and caught the attention – and ire – of some Syrian activists. “I received a lot of positive feedback over Twitter from Syrian activists, which was awesome,” Gutow-Ellis said. “One man living in Syria, who is pro-Assad and against the revolution, sent me very negative tweets about my talk, which was cool because he considered my talk to be an actual threat to the Assad regime, which was something I never would have expected!” According to Gutow-Ellis’ history teacher Ben Stern, her presentation has racked up nearly 700 hits on YouTube, and has been re-tweeted to more than 8,000 people through Syrian activists. “I had Noa create a separate Twitter account instead of using her personal one in case there was a reaction,” Stern said. “Her talk about social media and the Middle East is certainly gaining some traction since seven Syrian activists tweeted her video out to their followers. There have also been pro-Assad people in Syria writing angry tweets, too. It’s pretty cool that she’s been able to invoke this kind of reaction from her speech.” Smolensky, another EWS presenter, tackled a topic that struck a personal chord with her. “My topic was pressure received from parents,” Smolensky said. “I have personally seen a lot of this, and no child ever does anything to stand up for themselves. I felt I should send the message that it is okay to fight back.
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In the nEWS “It was a really good experience, and my feedback was all good,” Smolensky continued. “It felt really good to get all of the words out for myself and for others, and it also helped me to discuss the issue with my father.” As the only Upper School student representing EWS, Kaplan also tackled a worldwide issue when presenting her talk about the struggles and challenges she encountered when trying to create an organization to help stop AIDS in Zimbabwe. “I feel really passionate about stopping AIDS and saving the world, and I thought participating in TEDx would help me bring my ideas out to a larger audience, and to the world,” Kaplan said. Kaplan’s goals are ambitious, the positive reception she received from the TEDx audience has inspired and motivated her to keep working toward her dream. “Some of my feedback was to try not to sway too much when I speak, but I also got feedback from the audience letting me know that they really thought I may be able to someday make a difference in the world!” Kaplan said.
Art Teacher’s Own Work Selected for Exhibit Part of every art teacher’s job is to encourage students to have the courage to brave the critics and to enter their work into competitions. Middle School art teacher Colin Murasko recently took his own advice, and won a spot in the 42nd Annual Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art exhibit. “Part of being an artist is having the opportunity, or the option, to show your work,” Murasko said. “The piece that was selected for this exhibition is called Untitled – Brilliant Purple.” Using acrylic on Arches 88 Silkscreen Paper and with a size of
22” x 30”, Murasko’s purple piece is part of a small series of dot paintings inspired by color. “I’ve always been interested in color field works, and the dots were another way for me to explore that interest,” he said. Murasko’s art was on display from January 12 – February 24 through the Assistance League of Houston, a nonprofit organization that delivers philanthropic programs to the greater Houston area, including providing money for college scholarships and school uniforms for more than 1,200 preschoolers whose families are experiencing financial difficulties.
Students Spread Holiday Cheer, Presents to Children in Need When the final bell sounded at 2:50 p.m. on December 16, signaling the start of Winter Break, most EWS students immediately ran for the hills, happy to begin their hard-earned two-week vacation. For the EWS Cheerleading Squad, however, that vacation would have to wait a few more hours as they spent their time handing out presents to homeless children at the Mission of Yaweh to celebrate the holiday season. “Since we are so fortunate, I really wanted the team to think about Sophomore Alyssa Cohen holds giving back to the greater Houston a child from the Mission of community,” said Jennifer Bauer- Yaweh. Conley, cheerleading sponsor. “The team looked into several charities, but Lori Cohen, Alyssa’s mom, brought this specific shelter to my attention and organized everything.” The members of the squad, including seniors Jenna Jarnagin and Caitlin Newman, juniors Matthew Minchen and Haley Weycer, sophomores Alyssa Cohen, Lauren Liss, Darci Papell, Rachel Stern and Brooke Lampert , and freshmen Mackenzie Kleinman, Isabel Graubart, Kelly Finnerman, Molly Horowitz, Mirra Gutman, Lindsay Weycer and Jordan Goldberg divvied up a list of children’s names provided by the shelter. All 16 members selected two or three names off of the list to buy presents for to make sure none of the kids were left out. “This was a fulfilling community service project mostly due to the obvious excitement of the children,” Newman said. “Their faces lit up once they entered the room, and we had a nice afternoon spending time with them. They quickly unwrapped their gifts, and they seemed proud of what we had given them.”
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Shining a New Light on Hanukkah
several of the interviewees complimented the students on their insightful and unique questions.
Middle School Students Question Candidates During Senatorial Debate Motivating the adult population at large to become involved in the political process is no easy task, but Middle School history teacher Ben Stern is starting that process early by having his students participate in this year’s senatorial race to fill Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat.
Rabbi Samantha Kahn was one of 15 members of the Jewish community clergy to be interviewed by MS students about the different traditions and stories about Hanukkah.
Before the many different traditions of Hanukkah began, Middle School Judaics and Hebrew teacher Sharon Wechter invited 15 members of the community clergy to share the significance and importance of Hanukkah, as well as their favorite Hanukkah story or tradition. “I wanted the students to move beyond the story of the jar of oil and to get an in-depth understanding of the story of Hanukkah,” Wechter said. “I wanted them to wrestle with the two miracle stories, and look for meaning and relevance in both stories for our lives as 21st century Jews.” To help her students learn more about the meaning of Hanukkah, Wechter turned the classroom over to her students during each clergy visit. Instead of the clergy member or Wechter leading the discussion, her students researched the two miracles and the historicity of the time period to create questions to ask each guest speaker. “We watched a video about how to create an interview and what types of questions to ask,” Wechter said. “Then we pulled together the factual information they’d learned and combined it with the kinds of questions they were looking to ask. “They really did a wonderful job of creating relevant, meaningful questions,” Wechter said. “The students felt empowered by being able to ask their clergy and educators questions about how they think. They also loved being able to interview people they knew and who are important to them in their personal lives.” Some of the community clergy members included Cantor David Propis, Rabbi Samantha Kahn, Rabbi Steven Morgen and Rabbi Seymour Rossel. Wechter wasn’t the only one impressed with the questions as
Two of Stern’s students – eighth graders Zach Roubein and Lauren Schoen – had the rare opportunity to stand up at a town hall meeting in January and ask the candidates pointed questions and to test their knowledge of foreign policy. “My question was: ‘As a U.S. Senator, what steps do you recommend the U.S. government take to get China to become a free market economy?’” Roubein said. “Tom Leppert did a very good job of answering my question by saying that we cannot focus on transforming China into a free market economy until we fix the economy in our country.” Schoen wasn’t as impressed with the answer she received to her question: As the North Korean government transitions into a new leadership, do you believe that the U.S. should become more involved in helping make peace between North Korea and its neighbors? “Only one candidate answered my question, and it appeared that he did not know very much about North Korea,” Schoen said. “Basically, his answer was a short and simple yes.”
Eighth grader Zach Roubein listens intently after asking a question at a senatorial race debate.
Although both Schoen and Roubein were impressed by a couple of the candidates, they were also both disappointed in the lack of knowledge regarding international relations. “Most of the candidates were not impressive,” Roubein said. “Many did not know anything about foreign policy. Overall, most of the candidates made me want to run for the Senate.”
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Faculty Spotlight Justin Olitzki Originally from South Africa, new US Judaics and Hebrew teacher Justin Olitzki moved to Houston in 1994, immediately creating a strong foundation and deep roots with EWS. Olitzki graduated from I. Weiner Middle School and tutored Hurricane Katrina evacuees enrolled at EWS while Olitzki was completing his economic and finance degree from the University of Houston. Upon graduation from college, Olitzki once again returned to EWS where he spent several years as a teacher in the Middle School. Olitzki then took some time off from EWS to spread his wings as a teacher and administrator at a school in San Antonio before returning for the 2011-12 school year. Upon coming home to EWS, Olitzki received an offer to help him spread his wings within Judaism even further through Project SuLaM. Olitzki is the only non-administrator who was invited to participate in the two-year program designed to bring together Jewish day school leaders from across the U.S. to improve the Jewish vision of their schools. To tell us more about himself, and Project SuLaM, Olitzki took the time to answer a few questions. Q: What do you enjoy about teaching Judaics and Hebrew? A: I love teaching both Hebrew and Judaics because it enables me to directly affect the immediate future of my own community. We talk a lot about the “Emery Difference” as it pertains to daily life on campus, but I think that the real Emery Difference is how our empowered students leave their marks on the world beyond Stella Link. The dedication of my colleagues, combined with the sheer energy and enthusiasm of our student body, allows me to feel secure in the assertion that seeds planted in my classroom will eventually bloom in institutions, communities and homes all over the world. Q: What should the EWS community know about Project SuLaM? A: Project SuLaM is a fellowship that is coordinated by RAVSAK, the Network of Jewish Community Day Schools, and is generously supported by the Avi Chai Foundation. SuLaM’s goal is to exert a trans formative impact upon Jewish day schools through a two-year program of extensive study and mentoring for day school educators. My introduction to SuLaM was a 14-day summer institute that was held in New York City this past July. Days were devoted to the study of Jewish texts, practices and philosophies from different
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US Judaics and Hebrew teacher Justin Olitzki looks on as sophomore Kevin Liu tackles a writing assignment on the board.
denominations and eras, and afternoons and evenings were spent discussing issues pertinent to strengthening our schools. Q: What does it mean to you to be a part of the SuLaM program? A: SuLaM is a professional and personal opportunity that has already exceeded my wildest expectations, and I am honored and humbled to be a fellow. It affords me the opportunity to study under the tutelage of experts from across the broad spectrum of Judaic observance, and like-minded educators who have literally hundreds of years of combined experience in Jewish communities all over North America. Q: Have you always wanted to be a teacher? A: No! To say I was a handful as a student is an understatement. I became involved in informal educational programming for children as a member of Young Judaea in high school. I always thought I would make my living in the business world, but pursuing my true passions has led me to what I believe is the most fulfilling and rewarding profession in the world. Q: Although students probably think you don’t have a life outside of school, what are some things you like to do in your free time? A: I love the great outdoors! I have run a few half and full marathons, and my ideal weekend always includes a few hours on Buffalo Bayou in my kayak.
YOUR GIFT CHANGES LIVES
THE EWS ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN We are so fortunate to have a school like Emery/Weiner in our community, and your involvement is essential to its foundation and continued growth. Now is the time; the 2011-12 Annual Giving Campaign is in full swing. This campaign is a yearly endeavor that helps to close the gap between tuition revenue and operating expenses. Simply put, tuition alone does not cover the cost of an Emery/Weiner education. Help us to sustain Emery’s all-around excellence and meet our BOTTOM LINE.
What makes up our bottom line? • • • •
Attracting and retaining the best educators Integrating technology into the classroom Assuring a competitive Athletics program Offering exceptional fine arts opportunities
• Providing a nurturing and encouraging environment for all students • Securing the “extras” that define The Emery/Weiner Difference
Giving Levels: • Rothschild Society – $100,000 (payable over 4 years) • Golda’s Circle - $50,000 (payable over 4 years) • Sanhedrin - $5,000
• Knesset – $1,000 • Chaverim - $500 • Chai Society - Less than $500
Online Giving Site Visit www.emweryweiner.org, and click on “Giving” to make your gift or pledge. You will receive immediate confirmation once your payment information has been submitted. Lastly, you have a unique chance this year to go above and beyond your Annual Giving gift, and contribute to the Kosberg Scholarship Fund. Each dollar given to this fund is MATCHED and goes directly towards tuition assistance. Help us give others the access to a top-notch Emery/Weiner educational experience, without the barrier of financial constraint. Please contact Rebecca Starr at 713-662-3557 or rstarr@emeryweiner.org to find out more about giving opportunities.
In the nEWS
Winter Eve Renowned dancer and dance company owner Dominic Walsh (right) practiced some dance moves with EWS theater students before their production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.”
November
Eighth grader Jacob Stern, seventh grader Grant Schneider and sixth grader Ahava Guefen participated in the annual Thanksgiving Kallah, where students pinned the turkey on the teacher in hopes of winning a free-dress day.
Spanish teacher Marino Segura, science teacher Sharaara Rahman and Head of School Stuart Dow participated in a hot sauce eating competition to see which of them could handle the most heat during a Ma’amad. Despite a few early waverings from Segura, all three finished the competition without resorting to the relief drink of a mango lassi.
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Seventh grader Melissa Alter her grandfather, Jack Alter, at the MS Kallah on Veteran’s Day. Mr.Alter, a WWII veteran, was one of more than 15 other veterans on hand from the EWS faculty and staff, and the community. For a special Kallah, the 8th Grade Boys Basketball Team took on the faculty for ultimate supremacy, also known as a free dress day. The MS team played well, but the faculty’s fast start to the scoring was too much to overcome.
ents at EWS
Seniors Bryan Binder and Jonathan Podet represented the Jaguar Football Team well when they were both selected as all-stars to the Sports Marketing Experts (SME) Bowl game.
Continuing the theme set during this year’s Opening Ceremonies, the fall semester’s Closing Ceremonies featured many different musical numbers, but this time, only students, and faculty and staff took center stage to show off their dynamic abilities.
December
The second theater production of the year, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” highkicked its way into the Becker Theater with rousing performances of the musical within a comedy. The Tony-award winning play focuses on a man listening to an album of his favorite show, which then comes to life in his apartment, taking him along for the ride.
MS Judaics Teacher Steve Daum hosted his annual wax museum. Students dressed as important figures throughout history, including eighth grader Bram Lowenstein, dressed as Theodor Herzl, the father of modern political Zionism. Students prepared presentations on their respective aliases, and then taught their classmates.
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In the nEWS
While the rest of the Upper School was on their winter field trips, the 12th Grade spent the week learning about world religions and exploring some of the different temples, churches and mosques around the city of Houston, including the pictured Swaminarayan Mandir in Stafford. Eighth grader Eliav Terk on an obstacle course while on the 8th Grade winter trip to Camp Allen. Photo courtesy of eighth grader Camille Simmons.
January LEFT: The all-senior production, “Dark Humor,” took off in January. The collection of plays were entirely written, directed, designed and run by students. BOTTOM: Sophomores Eric Uzick and Melanie Lopez enjoying kayaking together during the 10th Grade winter trip.
RIGHT: Art teacher Colin Murasko presents 8th Grader Morgan Levy with a gift card for creating the winning design for this year’s Grandparents Day invitation (BELOW).
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The 8th Grade Volleyball Team took on the MS Faculty and Staff for a spirited game with the hopes of winning a free dress day for their classmates. The ladies pushed the faculty and staff team to the limit, but victory was out of reach when the grown-ups won 25-23.
Junior Michael Horn gets ready to crawl through a cavern opening while on the 11th Grade winter trip to Camp Eagle in Rocksprings, TX. Senior Jake Lapin hangs out with his mom, Debbie Lapin during the Senior Surprise when senior moms presented a breakfast of crepes and apple cider to the 12th Grade class.
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Jaguar Pride Varsity Boys Soccer Advances to Playoffs, First Year for JV Team
kids stuck it out through the season and through practice as we worked to build the program.” According to Olson, several players worked really hard, and should have no problem making the transition to the varsity team next year, including sophomores Joseph Kuperman and Andy Frederick. “The enthusiasm for the junior varsity team was so incredible that I hope we get to have another team next year,” Olson said. “Losing 11 seniors from the varsity team this year, however, means we’ll really need to have a lot of interest from other students to step up and play.”
Varsity Girls Soccer on the Rise
Junior Sam Robinson prepares to field a kick during a penalty shoot-out against Awty International.
The Varsity Boys Soccer Team advanced to the playoffs for the third straight year to cap a highly successful season that shows how much the Jaguars have improved. “This is the best team we’ve had at EWS in a couple of years,” said Steve Olson, the boys soccer coach. “Our back line really stepped up this year, led by seniors Daniel Jaffe, Alex Rubin, Adam Finkelman and Greg Sutton. The Jaguars lost in the first round of the playoffs, but finished the season with an impressive 12-6 record. “The best game of the season was easily our victory over AWTY when junior Sam Robinson made two saves in the shoot-out to cap an outstanding performance,” Olson said. The team will lose 11 seniors, including those selected to the All-District Team, seniors Jaffe (First Team), Rubin (First Team), Cody Cavalier (Second Team), Finkelman (Second Team), Sutton (Honorable Mention) and Bryan Binder (Honorable Mention). “We will have a few gaps on the field next year, but the young talent we have returning should be able to handle it,” Olson said. “Some players might be asked to play a different role next year, but we have no doubt that they will be able to step up to the challenge.” Other Jaguars selected to the All-District Team, and who will be returning next year, include juniors Sam Robinson (First Team), Ben Schoen (First Team) and Jacob Silver (Honorable Mention), sophomore Matthew Leightman (Honorable Mention), and freshmen Ben Roberts (Second Team) and Ben Spier (Second Team). Olson will also have players from this year’s first-ever Boys Junior Varsity Soccer Team to pull from, too. “It was great to have that many kids interested in soccer at EWS,” Olson said. “Although they only played a few games, the
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The Girls Varsity Soccer Team faced a tough schedule this year, finishing the season with a 5-12 overall record. Despite some tough losses, there were several high points of the season, said Caitlin Barber, the girls varsity soccer coach. “We finished the season well by winning our last game against Pope John to honor our seniors,” Barber said. Barber has high expectations for next year as the freshmen Freshman Talya Morris keeps the ball on the team continue to away from a defender during a game against St. Thomas Episcopal School. improve. “Our freshmen really came a long way and learned a lot of soccer this year,” she said. “They implemented new skills and set a great standard for their own development. We’re really excited to get back to work and have a positive outlook for next year: Playoffs or bust!” Players named to the All-District Team include seniors Sara Reaves (First Team), Kayla Smolensky (Honorable Mention) and Jessie Bursten (Second Team), junior Ellie Stein (Second Team), and sophomore Tayla Morris (Second Team).
7th Grade Boys Basketball Wrap Up Winning Season The 7th Grade Boys Basketball Team were given three goals by head coach Lane Wakefield when the season started: to give their maximum effort, to keep a positive attitude and to pay attention to the little things. “With those goals in mind, the team finished the year with an 8-7
8th Grade Boys Basketball Clinches Winning Season The 8th Grade Boys Basketball Team finished their middle school playing careers with back-to-back wins and winning record of 7-5.
The 7th Grade Boys Basketball Team stuck to coach Lane Wakefield’s goals en route to a 8-7 season.
record, beginning their EWS basketball careers with a winning season,” Wakefield said. “No matter what the scoreboard showed at the end of the game, we kept addressing those three goals.” The team showed consistent growth throughout the season, and should be successful on the 8th grade team, Wakefield said. “Each player made a solid contribution in every game, and they should be proud of their performance and commitment to the team,” he said.
“In our second-to-last match, we defeated Logos Prep 40-34 in a game that saw all of our players step up and perform,” said Aaron Markham, coach of the 8th Grade Boys Basketball Team. “After that win, we then defeated Westbury Christian 43-40 in a close final match of the season, avenging an earlier loss in the season. It was a fine capstone to the season as the boys played extremely well as a team, and showed excellent resilience and determination.”
The 8th Grade Boys Basketball Team left their middle school careers behind with a winning season of 7-5.
7th/8th Grade Start Mixed Team There was a new addition to the Jaguar sports teams this season with the 7th/8th Grade Mixed Boys Basketball Team.
The team performed extremely well throughout the season, including winning the St. Mark’s Tournament, where 8th grader Tyler Cohen was named the most valuable player for the tournament. Other standouts from the season include Zach Roubein and Dylan Solomon, who were excellent and tenacious defenders, Colin Hecht for being a phenomenal shut-down defender and a point guard with great instincts and driving ability, and Greg Holste for illustrating what it meant to give your all on the floor at all times, Markham said. Although the entire team will move on to the Upper School next year, Markham sees a lot of potential with the players from both the 7th Grade and 7th/8th Grade Mixed Boys Basketball Teams.
The 7th/8th Grade Mixed Boys Basketball Team finished their first year in existence with a winning record of 6-4.
“With 12 boys on the team, everyone got a good amount of playing time,” said head coach Melanee Weiser. “Our toughest two games of the season were the ones we played against St. Michael’s. In our first game against them, which was played at EWS, we won in double overtime when 7th grader Michael Talisman shot a buzzer-beater three-pointer to win the game. “Our last game of the season was again against St. Michael’s on their court, and it was another nail-biter,” Weiser continued. “This time, we won by three points in regulation.”
MS Girls Soccer Tops District Rival The Girls MS Soccer Team finished the season strong, and will provide new talent for the Upper School Team next year. Photo courtesy of eighth grader Camille Simmons.
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Jaguar Pride The MS Girls Soccer Team finished their season with a record of 5-7, but walked away with a big win against district rival AWTY. “Beating AWTY was definitely the feather in our cap this season,” said James DeHoyos, the girls coach. “AWTY has historically been one of the top teams in district, so winning this game meant a lot to the girls, and the program.” The team will lose 11 players to the Upper School next year, but DeHoyos has no doubt they will make for fierce competition to make the varsity team their freshman year. “Eighth grade captain Lauren Schoen was a key figure as the heart of the team this year,” DeHoyos said. “She’s fundamentally one of the most sound players I’ve ever seen at this level, and I know she’ll make a great addition to the varsity program next year.”
JV Boys Basketball Shows Promise The Junior Varsity Boys Basketball faced a tough in-district schedule this season, ultimately finishing with a 6-11 record. “We started the season very strong and learned a lot from playing other teams from bigger schools, despite the losses,” said Craig Upchurch, the junior varsity Sophomore Cameron Cavalier shoots a free- coach. “Players such throw during the game against the Harmony as freshmen Hayden School. Turk, Max Gollomp and Elan Shney came in aggressive and we’re always eager to learn more.”
and could have our entire starting line-up back next season.” Tucker hopes to return some of this season’s rising stars, including sophomore Mikela Tucker, who averaged 12 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots per game, and sophomore Sarah Friedman, who Junior Danielle Resh drives the ball averaged 11 points, against Shalhevet School during the 11 rebounds and four Yaffee Tournament. blocked shots per game. The two youngsters will join veteran junior Taylor Bookstaff, who averaged 10 points and two assists per game. “If everyone comes back next season, Emery girls basketball could have a chance of making it to the TAPPS state tournament for the first time in the history of the school,” Tucker said.
Future Looks Bright for Varsity Boys Basketball The Varsity Boys Basketball Team also made it to the playoffs this year, finishing with an overall record of 12-13. Despite losing their first playoff game, the outlook is certainly bright for next year.
Upchurch believes he will lose several players next year to the varsity team, but he knows he has a very talented 8th grade team coming in next year.
Youth No Problem for Varsity Girls Basketball The Lady Jaguars capped off their season with a 9-21 record, and a trip to the playoffs. Along with a trip to the playoffs, the ladies made a trip to the championship game in the Yaffee Tournament for the second year in a row. “We are a very young team,” said head coach Terry Tucker. “Although we lost in the first round of playoffs, we only graduate one senior
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Senior Nathaniel Goetz and junior Will Blumrosen look for the open play against Yavneh Day School during the Yaffee Tournament.
“We will have a young team next year,” said Patrick Pellerin, the boys head coach. According to Pellerin, several players stepped up when it mattered, including senior Nathaniel Goetz, who led the team in scoring, rebounds and assists, and senior Alex Lampert, who led the team in three-point shooting. “[Seniors] Brett and Brandon Levinson also worked really hard and hustled all season long,” Pellerin said.
Alumni Jaguar Pride JV, Varsity Battle Alumni for Ultimate Bragging Rights The older, more experienced alumni definitely had their game faces on as they took on the EWS Junior Varsity and Varsity Boys Soccer Teams for the first Alumni Soccer Game. Held in January, more than 15 alumni from I. Weiner Middle School and EWS showed up for a a fullpitch soccer game against the current Jaguars.
ABOVE: Some of the alumni who showed include (from left to right): Kevin Goldberg ‘05, David Tomlinson ‘09, Ben Bleiberg ‘10, Jason Chait ‘11, Jonathan Goldberg ‘11 and David Botvin ‘10.
The alumni got off to an early lead, and kept that lead throughout the game, ultimately winning 4-1. RIGHT: Noah Meicler ‘08, Ryan Brown ‘11 and Koby Caplan ‘11 also dropped in to lend a foot.
Even some of our Lady Jaguar alums stopped by to cheer on their fellow alums, and hang out with former classmates, including (Left to Right): Alexa Goldberg ‘11, Laura Coburn ‘11, Karen Davidson ‘12, Sara Witz ‘13 , Tori Maidenberg ‘11, Samantha Rosenberg ‘11, Sara Reaves ‘12, Andrea Hiller ‘12. One thing our lady alums were loud and clear about: having their own alumni game next year, along with the boys! Thank you to all of our I. Weiner and EWS alumni who came out for this fun-filled event! We hope to see even more Jaguar Pride at next year’s event. Email alumni@emeryweiner.org to join our mail list, and to learn more about all of our alumni events!
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mEmery Lane Keeping up with our alumni extending back to I. Weiner Jewish Secondary School (IWJSS) through our most recent graduating class of 2011. Adam Feldman ‘09 is taking a semester off from the University of Michigan Computer Science and Engineering program, and is working full-time as an intern at Barracuda Networks on their cloud security products.
Stacie Brewer Edelman ‘05, graduated in 2005 and moved to Denver, CO in May 2010. She is in her second year of law school at the University of Denver and has begun a legal internship with Rosenlund and Sims, LLC. She married Jacob Edelman in July 2011 and together, they adopted a rescue dog named Maggie.
Jessica Liss ‘10 was a cheerleader all of the years she was at EWS in the middle school and the high school. Along with cheering for Emery, Jessica cheered competitively outside of school for many years. It should come as no surprise to Jessica’s teachers and past Emery classmates that Jessica earned a coveted spot on the St. Edward’s University cheer squad, where Jessica is currently a sophomore in Austin. She is also a straight “A” student and on the Dean’s list.
Jennie Kamin ‘08 is finishing up her last semester on a degree in political science from Tulane University. She is focusing on American politics, and is working on her honors thesis, which she will defend in May. Last semester, Kamin interned at WDSU, the local NBC/CNN affiliate and she was recently promoted/hired as a Newsdesk Editor. Her new position has led her to conducting a solo interview in the Saints locker-room, working on a story about Tulane-area crime, and handling post-homocide interviews.
Keep up-to-date with what your fellow Emery/Weiner School alumni are doing with mEmery Lane. If you have something that you would like to share, please send us an email at alumni@ emeryweiner.org to be included in the next issue of the Kotarot.
Alumni Cory Levy ‘10, Robyn Lindenberg ‘07 and Yan Digilov ‘07 dropped by just before Thanksgiving to speak to EWS seniors about their college careers, and life since graduating. LEFT: More than 50 EWS alumni joined us for a reunion reception over Thanksgiving. Every graduating class was represented!
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Donations Gifts In Honor Of November 9, 2011 - February 1, 2012 In honor of Dr. Steven Abrams *Rabbi Shlomo and Dr. Chana Adelman
In honor of Coach Caitlin Barber Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Will Blumrosen Dr. Hyman Penn and Ms. Lynn Gordon
In honor of Allen Brooks: Sending Get Well Wishes Drs. David and Judy Bell
In honor of William Epps Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Martha and Donald Freedman Mr. Martin Pate
In honor of Coach Jade Garcia Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Kim Glover: Sending Get Well Wishes and a Speedy Recovery Drs. David and Judy Bell Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Robinson
In honor of Coach Angela Gubitz Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Nurse Connie Hurd Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Diane Hursh Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson In honor of Marvin Kaplan’s Speedy Recovery Mr. and Mrs. Donald Graubart
In honor of Joe Kornfeld
In honor of Tim Young
Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Schooler
Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Barry Lewis’ Birthday Mr. and Mrs. Frank Herzog Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Kaufman Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Margolis
In honor of Lee Mimms Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Rabbi Michael Morgan Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Sharaara Rahman Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Sharon and Brad Rauch’s 25th Wedding Anniversary *Mr. and Mrs. Mark Brookner Mr. and Mrs. Gregg Brown Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kaplan * Mr. and Mrs. David Neuberger Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rauch
In honor of Emmie Rothenbach Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Robyn Shkolnick Drs. David and Judy Bell
In honor of Marino Segura Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Lynn Slaughter Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
Gifts In Memory Of November 9, 2011 - February 1, 2012
In memory of Joel Mandel Mr. and Mrs. Jay Albert Drs. David and Judy Bell Dr. and Mrs. Michael Bloome Central Houston Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Donald Freedman Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Friedman The Paul Hart Family Mr. and Mrs. David Hecht Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Kaufman Dr. and Mrs. Mark Kunik Mr. and Mrs. H. Fred Levine Mr. and Mrs. Barry Lewis Mr. William MacFerran Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mucasey Dr. Hyman Penn and Ms. Lynn Gordon Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Robinson Mr. Eric Schoen and Ms. Susan Rosenbaum Mr. and Mrs. Eric Samet * Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Stein Mr. and Mrs. Ian Taxman Mrs. Dolores Wilkenfeld In memory of Rina Ran Drs. David and Judy Bell
In honor of Michelle Spoonemoore Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Abbie Strauss Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Dr. Chris Teel Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Davidson
In honor of Dr. Edward Yosowitz’ Birthday Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Schneider
All gifts in honor of and in memory of loved ones benefit ongoing fundraising efforts of The Emery/Weiner School. * These donations were allocated to the Kosberg Scholarship Fund. Donations to the Kosberg Scholarship Fund are matched, and will provide support for scholarships for EWS students who demonstrate financial need.
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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID HOUSTON TX PERMIT NO 13043
9825 Stella Link Houston, TX 77025 (832) 204-5900 (832) 204-5910 (Fax) emeryweiner.org
The Emery/Weiner 2011-12 Board of Trustees Judy Abrams David Bell Eric Blumrosen, Vice President Mark Brookner, President Andy Bursten, Treasurer Adele Croft Debbie Diamond Carol Emery Caroline Esses Vikki Evans Clive Fields Tom Fish, EWS Foundation Board Chair Martha Freedman David Gerger Kim Glover Carol Goldberg Don Graubart Joe Kaplan Rick Kaplan Kenneth Katz Joe Kornfeld Bobby Lapin, Immediate Past President Bryan Leibman Stan Levy Barry Lewis Eric Lombardi David Morris David Neuberger Brad Rauch, Senior Vice President Elisha Selzer Julie Silverman Jordana Slawin Alana Spiwak Gary Stein Dan Steiner Roger Stern Mark Weycer Joe Williams, Vice President Bonnie Winograd
Important Dates to Remember March 1-2 3-5 15 19-22 19-23 26 27 29 31
MS ERB Testing All School Spring Show “Race to Nowhere” Screening MS Spring Trips US Spring Trips Holocaust and Memory Viewing at EWS National Honor Society Induction Ceremony Evening of the Arts Senior Prom
April 6-13 17 20 24-26 29
School Closed: Passover Break Athletic Banquet SGA Blood Drive US Spring Show Drama Banquet