Volume 34 Issue 4

LT

The Lion’s Tale

|

Volume 34 Issue 4

|

January 19, 2017

|

CESJDS

the lion’s tale

A look into the implications of hookup culture pg. 08-09

Senior columns pg. 05-07

Financing a Jewish education pg. 12

CESJDS’ running man pg. 14

news 02

the lion’s tale

News Briefs Jan. 24, 26 4-5:30 p.m.

A cappella auditions, callbacks With 16 senior Shir Madness members graduating, the a cappella group is holding auditions on Jan. 24 in order to fill the spots. There will be callbacks on Jan. 26.

Feb. 2-3 5:30 p.m.-5 a.m.

Winter Wonderland Masquerade Ball Prom attendees will begin the night with picture taking at Congregation Har Shalom, followed by dinner and dancing at The Ballroom. After Prom will begin at 12:30 a.m. at the Potomac Community Center.

Feb. 7 7:30-9 p.m.

Parenting in the digital age: real tips to help kids (and parents) today Dr. Adam Pletter will address Lower School and middle school parents at the Upper School campus. He will discuss how parents can help their kids practice safe online habits.

Feb. 12 2 p.m.

Graduation The Class of 2017 will graduate in a ceremony at Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C. compiled by amelia davidson and sara sporkin

cover photo and graphic by ariella kulp in-depth photo and graphic by dahlia lehman image of lips provided by creative commons For breaking news and school coverage, check out lionstale. org or scan the code below.

A panel of Montgomery County officials, leaders of Jewish advocacy groups and Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus spoke in the theater on Jan. 4.

photo by gabe krantz

Local community fights anti-Semitism

Forum on combating hate speech held at Upper School ari feuer contributing editor

To combat bigotry of all kinds, and specifically anti-Semitism, Montgomery County authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to battling hate through law enforcement and education.

Community leaders gathered on Jan. 4 to discuss the recent increase in local incidents of hate speech. The panel was held at the Upper School and was hosted by both CESJDS and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC).

In 2015, Montgomery County experienced 66 hate crimes, according to Montgomery County Chief of Police Tom Manger. In 2016, this number increased to 87 hate crimes.

Thirty-seven of those acts were religiously motivated, 31 of which were against the Jewish community.

“These [hate] crimes not only have a profound impact on the victims, but they can have a major impact on the community,” Manger said. “These are crimes against all of us.”

Some of these crimes directly affect children at county schools, generating community concern. At Westland Middle School in Bethesda, for example, police investigated

swastikas that were drawn in the boy’s bathroom in November.

Though JDS has not been a target of hate crimes like Westland, many parents were still worried about rising anti-Semitism across the area. This concern was a primary reason for the forum, Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus said in an interview after the event.

“I felt that the school needed to step up and provide a forum for local community leaders to speak freely with the community and hear what are the real concerns of people in the community,” Malkus said.

County Executive Ike Leggett began his prepared statement by explaining that up until recently he did not think that anti-Semitism was a major local issue, but that the current situation requires new attention. Leggett used a football metaphor to explain that although the local community got better at fighting hate, it lately took steps back.

“The ball has been taken all the way down to the 5-yard line, and society was 5 yards away from where we want to be,” Leggett said. “But now, the ball has been picked up, fumbled and taken back behind the 50-yard line.”

Leggett and Malkus spoke along with Manger; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jack Smith; Saida Hen-

tati, the Parent Community Coordinator at Montgomery County Public Schools; Seth Gordon-Lipkin, the Anti-Defamation League’s Washington, D.C. Regional Office Education Director; and JCRC Executive Director Ron Halber. After the speeches, the panel took questions from parents in the audience.

One of the audience questions came from Kathy Katz, mother of sophomore Zev Katz, alumna Elie Katz (‘16), alumna Eden Katz (‘12) and alumnus Noah Katz (‘09). Kathy said that one time when Zev was walking home from synagogue, he passed a man who said to him: “Are you a Jew? I don’t want you bringing bad luck on my house. From now on you walk on the other side of the street.”

While the event focused on how parents can address anti-Semitism, Manger said that teenagers also need to take responsibility for their actions and help themselves adjust to the world in which they live.

Manger believes that it is critical for parents to hold conversations with their children about anti-Semitism throughout middle school and high school.

“Their mind is going to places it’s never been before and they’re getting involved in discussions they’ve never been involved with be-

fore,” Manger said. “We need to guide them as best we can.”

Though Manger said that hate crimes can be difficult for police to solve, adding that only about a third of cases are solved, he said that there are ways civilians can help. Manger encourages citizens to “be a good witness” by reporting everything they see and using technology to record crimes and send the videos to police.

Smith presented another measure for helping fight these hate crimes. The superintendent said that his most important job is to keep students in his system safe, but that he also wants to keep schools educated on how to fight hate and bigotry.

“We teach and we learn together,” Smith said. “We give lots of information to principals and teachers.”

Malkus has taken this message to heart, and thinks that the program was an important step in JDS educating its community about anti-Semitism.

“I think what we’ve done is we’ve shined a light on the issue that we’re facing,” Malkus said.

A version of this article appeared on lionstale.org on Jan. 5, 2017 with the headline “Forum on combating hate speech held at Upper School.”

news

the lion’s tale

03

Schedule undergoes further revisions following survey jonathan foldi and miriam minsk managing editor, copy and editor-in-chief When the second semester begins on Jan. 24, updates to the 20162017 schedule will be implemented for both the middle school and the high school.

After CESJDS’ outside consultant Dr. Meredith Woocher evaluated the feedback from the schedule survey that was released in early November, High School Principal and Associate Head of School Dr. Marc Lindner and Middle School Principal Rebecca Weisman worked with Woocher to edit the schedule in response to the community’s reactions. On Dec. 22, Lindner and Weisman released an explanation of next semester’s schedule changes, in addition to a list of the changes they are still working on for the 2017-2018 school year.

For the entire Upper School, Zman Kodesh will be moved to the first period of the day and Kehillah will be reserved for special occasions. The additional high school change is that Community Time will be attached to lunch. Some of the middle school changes include that units within Experience will be

lengthened so as to provide further depth, periods six and seven will alternate at the end of the day and there will be an additional Lion Time meeting in the middle of the week.

Many of the critiques that Lindner and Weisman received about the schedule contradicted one another, which made it difficult for them to create a solution that addressed all of the concerns. They saw the wide variety of responses as indicative of how there is no “cookie-cutter” student to whom every aspect of the schedule can be tailored.

“What works for some people doesn’t work for others,” Weisman said. “We have to decide as a school, and by division, what really is going to meet the needs of our students best, how our teachers can best meet those needs, and how we meet our teachers’ needs so that they can ultimately meet students’ needs.”

The decision to switch Zman Kodesh to before first period was a challenging one to make. Lindner and Weisman said that it was necessary for scheduling purposes because having Zman Kodesh at 8 a.m. will create greater schedule flexibility. Both are concerned about a potential decrease in Zman Kodesh attendance, but ultimately think

they made the best decision for the students for next semester.

Junior Naomi Flores is in favor of the Zman Kodesh timing change, though for a different reason. Flores is part of the Journaling Drisha Zman Kodesh, and while she enjoys it, she would rather miss Zman Kodesh than her first period class when she comes late to school.

Flores and her two siblings have a long commute to school every day which has been harmful since she

upset with the new schedule.”

Math teacher Victoria Ball recognizes that beginning school with an academic period is challenging for some students, either because they are late or they are not fully attentive first thing in the morning.

Ball personally believes, however, that the consistency of the first semester schedule has been “really successful” for her first period class.

Moving Zman Kodesh to the first period of the day will not affect the consistency that Ball appreciates, but it will remove the break "We have to decide as a school, in the schedule that Zman Kodesh currentand by division, what really is goly provides, which she ing to meet the needs of our stusees as an opportunity dents best.” for her to ¨recharge.”

Aside from this modi- middle school principal fication, Ball does not rebecca weisman think that the second semester schedule will feel very different. has been late to her first period EnOne potential change that will glish 11 ADV class on several occa- not be addressed for the second sesions this semester. mester is that some teachers have “Sometimes it would be five to teach the same course both in a minutes late, 10 minutes late, and I 50-minute period and a 70-minute was getting a lot of grade percent- period. Ball has this schedule for her ages off,” Flores said. “It wasn’t good sophomore Algebra II class, and she for my grade and I was getting really said there was a meeting with Aca-

demic Dean Aileen Goldstein, Lindner and other high school teachers with this schedule in order to evaluate whether or not that should be changed for the 2017-2018 school year.

Though no definite conclusion was reached, Ball’s understanding is that the administration recognizes it is a “major challenge” to have the same expectations for two class periods that have very different time structures.

Throughout the second semester, Weisman and Lindner said that they will continue to receive feedback from students and faculty about the schedule. The schedule for next year will likely be finalized before the end of the current school year.

“I appreciate the fact that they are going to make some changes for next semester,” Ball said. “I feel confident that they will continue to be receptive to feedback going into next year so that we can continue to refine this and make it as successful as possible for people.”

additional reporting by contributing editor rina torchinsky

In response to inauguration, students attend Women's March isaac silber news editor As seniors celebrate their last day at CESJDS on Jan. 20, President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in at his inauguration as the 45th president of the United States just 25 miles away.

In response to Trump’s election, a protest march in Washington, D.C. was organized via social media and will take place on Jan. 21, the day after the inauguration.

According to the Women’s March on Washington’s Facebook page as of Jan 16., 200,000 people are going to the event.

The official statement from the Women’s March website said that the goal of the march is to unite all people who have felt marginalized

by events of the recent election.

“In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity and justice who have come before us, we join in diversity to show our presence in numbers too great to ignore,” the statement reads.

At least 20 JDS students are planning to attend the march, one of whom is senior Samantha Haas.

Throughout the election season, Haas was disturbed by Trump’s rhetoric towards women and his treatment of them in the past. She hopes that by going to the march, she and others attending can draw attention to the fight for women's equality.

“I think that part of it is to bring more awareness to women’s rights and how we’re in a way not

being treated equally,” Haas said.

“But also to show that a movement can be made without a man’s help.”

Haas is excited to protest in a peaceful way, and believes that the march "is just one step towards the greatness that women can achieve.”

Junior Dalia Handelman will join Haas at the march, her first time going to a political protest. Handelman finds the march personally important because she views it as a way to express her opinion about Trump’s misogynistic comments, as well as his discriminatory statements about Muslims and other minorities.

“Everything he’s said about keeping Muslims out of the country, I think it resembles a lot of things like if you look back at Nazi Germany in terms of oppressing and

discriminating a certain religion for made-up things,” Handelman said.

Unlike Haas and Handelman, sophomore Talia Shemony plans to attend Trump’s inauguration and not the Women’s March. Shemony never supported Trump, but as a Republican she is excited for the new government.

Shemony does not support what Trump has said about women and immigrants, and believes that a video of Trump making profane comments about sexually harassing women is “disgusting.” Despite his remarks, Shemony thinks it is important that the country accepts Trump as the next president.

“We have to get past [Trump’s comments] and focus on the country, and focus on the things that are really important rather than focus

on comments made 10 years ago that don’t affect his policy on immigration and things like that,” Shemony said.

Shemony also said that she was frustrated by the protests against Trump because he has yet to take any actions in office. Handelman, however, thinks that it is still important that the message behind the Women’s March is publicized.

“It is a really big protest so hopefully it goes on the news and spreads the word so Trump knows that we are not okay with the way he speaks about women and the way he plans to act toward women or has in the past,” Handelman said.

opinion

04

the lion’s tale

the

lion’s tale

editors-in-chief talia horowitz, miriam minsk managing editor, copy jonathan foldi design editor ariella kulp copy editor aliza rabinovitz opinion editor gabe krantz news editors talia denicoff, isaac silber features editors izzy friedland, aaron schonfeld & rina torchinsky style editors emily cohen, ari feuer in-depth editors dahlia lehman, arielle weinstein sports editors bennett bramson, joel vardon photo editor noy dahan social media, video editor noah green videographer lily daroff editorial cartoonists beyla bass, ben shrock photographers ilan cohen, caroline weinstein reporters josh abramowitz, addie bard, ilan cohen, amelia davidson, devira friedman, shira godin, danny ingber, jessie lehman, aaron robinson, ben savarick, kate sosland, sara sporkin staff adviser jessica nassau adviser emerita susan zuckerman

Editorial and Ethics Policy

As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale is a public forum for student opinion and expression. All content is determined by students. Its purpose is to inform the CESJDS community and to express the views of its staff and readers. The staff has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of its news.

Staff editorial

How to fight anti-Semitism 101

In light of a recent rise in hate crimes in our community, CESJDS hosted a panel of local leaders including Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and Chief of Police Tom Manger. They discussed what various groups are doing in response to the anti-Semitic events and how we should react if confronted with hate.

As Jews, we have been subjected to anti-Semitic, hateful sentiments and actions throughout our religion’s history. Recently, swastikas, the symbol that represents the group of people who carried out the murders of over 6 million Jews, have reappeared in vandalism throughout our community.

In October, swastikas were spray-painted at Burning Tree Elementary School in Bethesda, where a Jewish congregation holds weekly services. Other recent incidents include swastikas being spray-painted on Quince Orchard High School in North Potomac and on a Jewish family’s house in Silver Spring.

The fact that the Washington, D.C. area has a strong Jewish community (217,000 Jews as of 2012) can make it difficult to see the frighteningly large presence of anti-Semitism elsewhere. According to the Anti-Defamation League

The staff will adhere to the ethics policies of The Society of Professional Journalists. The adviser will be held to the Journalism Education Association’s Adviser Code of Ethics. The Lion’s Tale belongs to the National Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

The Lion’s Tale prints 800 copies of every issue, which is distributed to students and staff at the Upper Campus. PDFs of the paper are available at issuu.com/lionstale. The Lion’s Tale website is lionstale.org. All contents copyright of The Lions’ Tale. All rights reserved.

cartoon by ben shrock

We will come into contact with many of these forms of anti-Semitism as soon as we go to college.

After examining over 100 public and private colleges and universities from January through June of 2016, the anti-Semitism watchdog group AMCHA Initiative found that 287 anti-Semitic incidents occurred at 64 colleges across the country. This was nearly a 45 percent increase from the 198 occurrences in the same time period the previous year.

During the panel, Leggett said that it is nearly impossible to change the opinion of someone who is being hateful in the heat of

the moment. Rather, he believes we should try to educate those around us so that they can in turn educate those around them — this butterfly effect will, slowly but surely, spark a change. It is crucial that we, as young Jewish members of a world that is often very negative towards Jews, be educated on anti-Semitism so that we can educate those around us at school, home, college and wherever else our lives take us. We need to have the ability to be proactive and spark the change.

-The Lion’s Tale

The problem with the school’s kippot policy

Signed columns reflect the opinion of the writer; staff editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of The Lion’s Tale editorial board. The Lion’s Tale staff welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, all of which must be signed.

The staff reserves the right to refuse any material and may edit letters or columns for length, clarity, libel, obscenity and/or disruptiveness.

Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@ gmail.com, mailed to The Lion’s Tale at 11710 Hunters Lane, Rockville, Md., 20852.

The Lion’s Tale is funded by The Simon Hirshman Endowment for the Upper School Newspaper and The Kuttner-Levenson Endowment for the Upper School Cultural Arts and Student Publications, and community advertisements.

The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisement for any reason.

(ADL), over 1 billion adults in the world “harbor anti-Semitic feelings,” approximately 24 million of whom live in America.

While we are taught about the history of anti-Semitism at JDS, we are never directly taught how to personally combat it. Aside from the occasional discussion on current events in the Contemporary American Jewish Society class, there is no set curriculum whose purpose is to educate us about combating modern anti-Semitism. Learning how to deal with anti-Semitism should be an element of our, and every, Jewish education.

Even without an exclusive course, there are still opportunities for students to learn from speakers and programs hosted by the school or by certain teachers and clubs. Additionally, outside resources like the ADL, whose website has a section dedicated to education and outreach, should be consulted. Because of the lack of attention devoted toward fighting anti-Semitism, it is imperative for students to seize the opportunity to learn about how to respond to anti-Semitic sentiments.

These same sentiments are ones we will undoubtedly encounter as we grow older and experience more of the world.

izzy friedland contributing editor It feels like every male student has at least one story of being told to cover his head in class. Only slightly fewer have stories of actually being sent out of class to either retrieve their own kippah or even purchase one (for the admittedly low price of 50 cents) from the main office before they are allowed

back into the classroom.

I personally have been sent out of Kabbalat Shabbat, been unable to join the lunch line and probably most irritatingly, been barred from entering the gym to take the PSAT until I covered my head or forked over the 50 cents for a kippah from the main office.

Unlike some students, though, my problem is not with the school’s policy on kippot. We choose to attend a Jewish day school, after all. No, my problem is not with the policy, but with the completely random way it is applied and enforced.

Even though being sent out of class for a head covering is an incredible irritation, I still find myself going bareheaded most of my school day. This is because whether or not a teacher bothers

to enforce the kippah rule is completely 50-50, meaning that when I (all too often) forget a kippah at home, I don’t bother to buy one.

50 cents? That’s vending machine money, dude.

Not only will some teachers not enforce it, but those who enforce it do so to varying degrees; some teachers will accept a hood as a head covering, for example, while others require more substantive compliance with the rule.

It’s kind of like when traffic officers hand out tickets for going 10 miles over the speed limit, but only half the time: sometimes letting you off with a warning, and other times giving you a $100 fine. Nobody stops speeding, and everybody hates the cops who are just doing their jobs.

If it were legitimately impos-

sible to get by in school without a kippah, every boy would start wearing a kippah, grumble for two days and then once it became routine to bring one to school, mostly forget being annoyed.

If there were no rule against males going without head coverings, likewise nobody would become frustrated, and enforcement wouldn’t be an issue.

The question here is not what the policy is in regard to kippot.

The question is whether the staff and faculty as a whole decides to actually standardize and enforce the policy so that it becomes a genuine policy rather than an occasional nuisance to the student body. If the faculty doesn’t want to enforce that policy, or believes it cannot, perhaps it shouldn’t be a policy at all.

senior columns . the lion’s tale

05

A case for extracurricular activities

arielle weinstein outgoing in-depth editor I’ve always had a thing for getting involved in the extracurriculars that aren’t exactly CESJDS mainstream — or, in other words, that no one usually cares about. Sure, our Junior State of America chapter and The Lion’s Tale staff have won

this school some pretty awards that administrators love to boast about, but you would be hard-pressed to find anyone talking about stage crew or the softball team. So, I’m spending my last column here to tell you about the three activities I’ve dedicated my high school career to and learned the most from.

I began playing softball in a recreational league at around age 12 and joined the JDS team as a sixth-grader. During junior year, as a team captain and one of the more experienced players, I often psyched myself out in thinking I had to hit grand slams every at-bat and make MLB-level plays on the field.

What was even more rewarding than these rare moments, however, was that my team supported me regardless. Through their cheering,

I learned to loosen up and shake off my (inevitable) screwups.

A second extracurricular was leading stage crew for the high school and middle school musicals.

Before becoming a techie, there was no love lost between theater and me; I’m entirely devoid of any acting, dancing or singing talent. I originally joined stage crew in middle school to spend more time with a friend, but as we took on more and more responsibility, our managerial ascent seemed only natural. Besides teaching me some basic leadership and organizational skills, stage crew has opened me up to theater buffs, musicians, vocal coaches and directors with whom I would have never interacted. Contributing to this side of JDS gave me new friends and an unparalleled sense of accomplish-

ment when watching the success of the musicals.

The third activity has been serving as an assistant teacher to the rowdy second-grade class of my synagogue’s Hebrew school. This is comical for a number of reasons: a) my family hardly ever attends services, b) Hebrew is not my strong suit and c) I don’t particularly like children. But I do love my synagogue, so even after I had completed my community service hours, I stayed on to help. Other than a newfound appreciation for teachers, the experience continues to give me a platform to explore my Jewish identity and strengthen my connection to a Jewish community outside of school.

Balancing these activities has always been a challenge, but one I

ultimately enjoyed managing. It’s important to note that not everything I tried worked out; I had to give up the debate and swim teams because, well, even I need sleep. And while I had leadership positions in all my extracurriculars, the pressure to be a captain or a president should never deter you from participating in an activity you want to try. Those titles can serve as great resume fodder, but genuine interest in your extracurriculars will reward you with more than just a college acceptance.

Not only have I learned an incredible amount from my activities, but I like to believe that I’ve left a modest but meaningful legacy behind. Extracurriculars may have the power to change you, but the goal is for you to change them.

Finishing the last chapter of my CESJDS book

aaron schonfeld outgoing features editor When people think about the CESJDS community, they think of one large family. This is literally the

case for me, as I am the younger brother of two lifers, David Schonfeld (’13) and Brian Schonfeld (‘15).

JDS has always been in my life for as long as I can remember, especially when I shared a campus with my brothers.

Throughout my JDS career, the most important part for me has always been my interactions with others. I met friends in elementary school with whom I am graduating, and teachers with whom I have created significant bonds. Some of my best years at school were when both of my brothers were there with me.

A major way that I interacted with my brothers was running cross

country with David for three years and with Brian for five years. It was an important sport and I was able to make new friends and run as a family. I was able to create my own path because my goal was to always beat them in the races.

Learning from my brothers was another important part of sharing my JDS experience with them. An example would be when all of us were in the same Zman Kodesh and both of my brothers taught me how to wrap tefillin. It was especially memorable because they both helped me in their own way and in the end I learned quickly.

Another instance was when I

joined The Lion’s Tale staff in 2014.

Brian was already the sports editor and he not only introduced me to the staff and the system, but also taught me how to be an editor. I was able to take what he taught me and become a successful (at least I thought so) sports editor for a year. I was then able to expand to the larger features section where I have created a new path away from Brian’s.

My goal was not only to interact with my brothers while they were here at JDS, but also to emulate their success, graduate and be satisfied with my choices and actions.

I believe that I have done this by

upholding a certain standard and by the way I treat other people. Now that I am graduating, I have come full circle and taken their advice all the way through JDS. When someone asks me what my favorite moment from JDS is, I always think of my interactions with my brothers and the many different pieces of advice they have given me.

I am thankful that I was able to go to a school where I was able to create my own identity and learn from my family and friends. I will take the values that I have learned from the people with me as I move on in life.

The crazy community I have come to love

ariella kulp outgoing design editor

Some may find it bizarre to walk into a clump of hacky-sacking seniors, yelling at you as you push your way through the madness to the safe haven of your locker. For me, this intimidating scene is a normal, everyday occurrence. But even after spending 13 years with these people, I have yet to become accustomed to it all.

The culture of my grade is hard to pinpoint, because between mosh-pitting around caterpillars and holding bottle flip competitions in the alcove, the Class of 2017 is

without a doubt very unusual. I’ll admit it, I’m terrified to leave my safety net and move on to a new community in an entirely unfamiliar setting, but what makes this transition even scarier is leaving such a unique group of people. Yes, we all know CESJDS cultivates ‘motivated, spirited, and deep-thinking leaders who share a love for learning and for Eretz Yisrael,’ but what many fail to highlight is that JDS also fosters an environment in which people can reach this new level of uniqueness without much outside pressure to

conform. It’s this bizarreness which has become so normal to me that I can’t imagine leaving.

I’m afraid that the future places I go and people I meet won’t reach these beautifully abnormal standards, and that I’m not prepared for whatever reality lies on the road ahead. Will I be socially inept in college? Do people similar to these crazy human beings exist elsewhere? How am I supposed to act around people who behave “differently” — and in many senses — “more normally?”

I’m scared to leave JDS even more so because this unusual environment is all I’ve known for the past 13 years, and I’ve established my membership in the grade: a community with which I can share my quirks. I’m not yet accustomed to it all and I likely never will be, but no matter what social scene is thrown at me in the unpredictable future, I’m sure the unique culture of my grade will forever be embedded in who I am at the core.

senior columns 06

the lion’s tale

The importance of women-only spaces

talia horowitz outgoing editor-in-chief Shadows danced by the light of the old beeswax candle as eight young girls and their mothers one

by one shared their favorite part about being a woman. After seven years as a camper, I was experiencing my first Visitor’s Weekend as an assistant counselor at Chimney Corners Camp for Girls (CCC).

One of my favorite camp traditions, Visitor’s Weekend, is a time when campers get to share two days of camp with important female figures in their lives, such as mothers, aunts or family friends. Sitting around the circle that night and listening to my 11-year-old campers and their visitors, I felt an immense love for my femininity.

There is something beautiful about women’s spaces like CCC that

is difficult to put into words. It’s a space where women are challenged to defy social norms. It’s a space where conversations about body image and intersectional feminism are not only encouraged, but commonplace. It’s a space where girls of all ages and different walks of life can come together and help each other confidently say: “I am proud to be a woman.”

All this and more I have learned from my time at CCC, but as much as I have learned how I love women’s spaces, I have also learned how people can misunderstand them. When I would return to school at the end of the summer and tell people about

camp, I would often get responses along the lines of, “Don’t only lesbians go to girls camps?”

These perceptions didn’t change when I began my hunt for colleges. Because of my one-ofa-kind camp experience, I found myself gravitating towards women’s schools. Many people still saw this decision as an opportunity to question my sexuality and ask if “I wanted to be bored in college.” Well, I am happy to report that I have in fact decided to attend a women’s college, and it’s not because I want to make a statement about my sexuality or because I want to be bored for four years. It’s because by going

to my girls camp, I have realized that there is nothing as empowering as walking into a bathroom stall and finding a definition of feminism taped to the door. Or when girls as young as seven go around with their friends handing out slips of paper reading: “You are incredible.”

And that’s the kind of community women’s spaces foster. To put it simply, I encourage people not to stigmatize these spaces. For amongst these strong and powerful ladies, I have become my own woman.

Make sure to appreciate the little things

jonathan foldi outgoing managing editor, copy Walking into my kindergarten classroom, I thought I was pretty much the coolest kid ever. I had

already learned the aleph-bet in preschool and was starting on my Tamar Linhart soccer team, so I felt I was at the top of my game. Little did I realize, I was in for quite the shock.

Other kids already knew how to say full sentences in Hebrew!

They could count to 10! They could even tie their own shoes! How was I supposed to keep up with all of this insanity?

I realized as I was writing this that a column about learning to be humble is one of the more ironic things I could have chosen, but all the way from that first day of school up until today, I have continued to be astounded by those around me.

Whether it be in academics, athletics or extracurriculars, there are people in my grade who have accomplished things I could never imagine doing. Impactful community service projects, intense summer programs or random talents are just some of the many things that I’ve come to realize make everyone in my grade and school so impressive.

In addition to the appropriate humbling I have received from my peers, I owe a great deal of credit to the teachers I have had throughout JDS. Whether it be the wake-up calls from English teachers that frequently have no idea what I’m saying, realizing after failing every genetics

quiz in a week that I don’t actually know the material or having a strict enforcement of the “no celebrating” rule (among other rules) in math, I am constantly reminded of my place.

I have done my best to apply this understanding to as many parts of my life in the school community as possible, specifically in what I see as the “little things.” These little things are small actions I’ve done my best to maintain in my daily routine to repay the community from which I have learned so much.

Making the small extra gesture of holding the door for someone, saying thank you to teachers after

every class and not cutting the lunch line, to me, are some of the most personally-satisfying actions I have taken at the Upper School. While to most these may seem to be trivial acts, they are a constant reminder to me to keep in check the misguided five-year-old me who thought he was pretty freaking amazing, and instead remember to appreciate all that is around me, both the people and especially, the little things.

Lessons learned from my time on The Lion’s Tale

joel vardon outgoing sports editor

Since the graphic design, art, photography, ceramics and exercise science electives were filled up my freshman year, I was forced to think of new ways to fill that hole in my schedule. The only available elective remaining was Journalism I, but I had no interest in taking another writing class for a grade. I signed up for the class dreading it and reprimanding myself for not having signed up for electives earlier.

Shortly into the class, however, my love for journalism was ignited and I realized the real impact that jour-

nalists make in today’s society.

I joined The Lion’s Tale staff anxious and inexperienced, trying to figure out how I could make a difference. I got savvier with InDesign, wrote articles when asked to and attempted to pitch more ideas. The more I wrote the better my writing became, and the more I put into The Lion’s Tale the more I got out of it.

As time went on, I found myself not only taking away journalistic skills, but life skills as well. While I was not always on time with my deadlines, did not always want to listen

to other staff members and did not always pursue my own ideas, I learned valuable lessons.

First, deadlines have taught me organization and responsibility.

As arbitrary as I felt some of the deadlines were, they served a real purpose. When I go to college, I will use the concept of deadlines to help manage my time and produce higher-quality work.

Second, the truth is that most things are run by people above us, and I have found it is important to listen to authority. It is difficult

to hear the word “no” to an idea or proposal, but ultimately that is reality. Not every idea I suggest, not every design I create and not every article I edit is objectively perfect, so it is important to learn how to cope with criticism.

Finally, The Lion’s Tale is a staff, not a series of individual members; it has to be a collective effort in order for it to function properly. I look forward to taking the teamwork skills I have learned from The Lion’s Tale and applying them to the world ahead of me.

senior columns

. the lion’s tale

07

Find your own passion, follow it

miriam minsk outgoing editor-in-chief Throughout elementary school, I defined myself as a competitive

swimmer because my parents wanted me to play a sport. In middle school, I joined the Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra (PVYO) because my parents wanted me to play my clarinet in a group setting. When I started high school, however, I was determined to find a new passion on my own.

I made the last-minute decision to take Journalism I freshman year, even though I considered myself more of a math and science student than an avid writer. Looking back, I am extremely happy with my decision. Not only did I learn a lot about journalism and have a fabulous

experience on the The Lion’s Tale staff, but I also discovered a passion that I otherwise would not have come across.

I think that as an elementary or a middle school student, it can be hard to find activities that you are truly passionate about for your own reasons, and not for those of your parents. That’s not to say it’s impossible, but frankly, parents often sign their children up for activities before they are even old enough to make choices for themselves.

Sometimes that can be great, and students may stick with the activity that they’ve been doing since they

were four years old. For me, it was hard to stick with swimming because deep down I never felt 100 percent invested in it, and although I continued to play in PVYO through the end of this semester, I never fell in love with that either.

This is why I saw high school as an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. During my time on The Lion’s Tale, I learned how to write articles, design spreads and manage a staff. I spent 200 hours working at production after school over the past two years, and countless more working from my bed at home. More

importantly though, I learned how to manage responsibility and how to serve my school community. I also learned how to take pride in my work and that when I follow my own passions, I get so much more joy out of my activities.

But my column is not a plug to join The Lion’s Tale staff or even to take journalism. I want you to know that because high school can often be very stressful academically, it’s important to balance out your stress by finding a passion that you truly enjoy and to which you can commit yourself. I promise it will make all the difference.

Learning to let it shine brighter than the sun

dahlia lehman outgoing in-depth editor Everyone has that weird, awkward thing they did as a kid: One

of my friends used to act in foreclosure commercials and another would only leave the house if he was dressed as a policeman. But in hindsight, my go-to childhood quirk has turned out to be not so embarrassing after all — in fact, it has been tremendously formative to my growth as a writer and a person.

When I was in third grade, I created a blog where I shared my opinions on music and pop culture (dahlzette.blogspot.com, check it out!!!). In fifth grade, two friends and I made a website with games and other entertainment. Continuing with this trend of self-expres-

sion, when I entered eighth grade, I created a YouTube channel called BrighterthanthesunXO. I posted videos weekly, responded to viewers, and even partnered with YouTube and started making money within the first six months of creating content. Quickly enough, the channel garnered 7,000 subscribers and over 400,000 views.

By the time I entered high school, however, I no longer found excitement in editing videos or checking my subscriber count. I was busy with a new lifestyle, and my new extracurriculars took precedence over my YouTube personality.

With a relentless desire to express my creative energy despite my life change, I turned to The Lion’s Tale.

While I love writing and keeping myself updated on school and local news, what really pulled me into the high-energy, oftentimes intense atmosphere of the publications room was the opportunity it would give me to express myself.

When I look back on my three years on The Lion’s Tale staff and my 13 years at CESJDS, I feel grateful for these opportunities of self-expression. All over the world today, people are being silenced and persecuted for simply sharing

their beliefs. So as I write this senior column, proud of the fact that my opinions and this self-reflection will be distributed to the school freely and genuinely, I feel privileged that JDS and The Lion’s Tale have given me an open landscape for self-expression and creativity.

As I move forward in life, I will hold on to the personal growth that I have experienced as a result of my freedom to express myself here, never forgetting that I, just like everyone else, have the fundamental right to shine BrighterthanthesunXO in my own way.

so much to worry about. I am scared of losing my old friendships while at the same time, I am scared I will not create new ones. I am scared that my college experience will pale in comparison to my time spent here at JDS. Obviously my fears are irrational, but they are fears that exist nonetheless. The important thing that I must remember is that it is not just me. Everyone, from JDS and around the world, is going through the same thing. We are all scared of the future, yet we are also intrigued

by what it offers.

The only way that I will ever find out what will happen is if I let go of my past and jump headfirst into the future. Even though the future is scary, I cannot avoid it.

Instead of hiding from it, I have to embrace it. While I must say goodbye to JDS, a thought I am saddened by, I have the opportunity to say hello to a world full of mystery and endless possibilities.

My fear of what is to come

bennett bramson outgoing sports editor

Politics, sports, family, school.

These are just a few examples of the wide variety of topics I could have picked to write about. Instead, I chose the very thing that has been responsible for my countless fits of anger, sadness and anxiety over the past couple of months: the future.

On May 24, the world as I know it will be no more.

That day, I, along with many of my classmates, will return to the U.S. from our three-month trip in Israel and will go our separate ways.

On that day, my CESJDS career will

officially end and I will be forced to leave behind my childhood and seemingly begin my life anew. Responsibility and independence will come at levels I have not yet experienced in my life, especially since I am going to have to learn to manage all of my time by myself in college and later begin my job search.

The friendships that I spent the last six years creating and solidifying will be tested as I am hurled into the world of the unknown. I do not want to think about my fears, but it seems impossible not to, as there is

in-depth 08

the lion’s tale

Strings Attached ari feuer and dahlia lehman contributing editor and in-depth editor First time writing a research paper, first time driving a car and first time drafting an official resume: for many CESJDS students, high school is a time for firsts and experimentation. One way in which some students choose to push the boundaries of their comfort zones is by participating in hookup culture.

Hooking up is the practice of engaging in a physical, no-strings-attached relationship, but can mean anything from making out to having sexual intercourse. According to Assistant Director of College Guidance Kimberly Wilkins, today’s hookup culture is similar to the one that existed when Wilkins was growing up in the 1980s.

The change from a culture of commitment came in the ‘50s and ‘60s during the “sexual revolution” when hooking up faded as a social taboo.

“I think [hookup culture] features prominently in certain circles in this school,” Wilkins said. “I would not say that every person here is in the hookup culture — I would not say that. And we could probably name people who wouldn’t be. But I think in certain situations, at parties, at places, there are

groups of people who are doing all kinds of stuff.”

According to a survey of 140 out of JDS’ 343 high school students, 72 percent reported that they have hooked up without having sexual intercourse. Nineteen percent of respondents have had sexual intercourse, with nine percent reporting that it was in a non-committed relationship.

Although casual relationships may seem appealing at first, sophomore Justin Galitzer said they often have social and emotional repercussions. While Galitzer believes that hookups can be a positive experience for those involved, he has seen them breed drama and ruin friendships.

Fifty-three percent of survey respondents agree with Galitzer that hookup culture’s net impact on the JDS community is neither negative nor positive, but 32 percent consider it an overall negative influence and 15 percent consider it a positive. It is a common topic of conversation in Galitzer’s group of friends.

“It’s not the most important thing to discuss, definitely not the most important thing, but we’re still intrigued by the conversation,” Galitzer said. “We still bring it up all the time and that’s definitely part of the social aspect of my group.”

72%

of students have hooked up without having intercourse

There are other consequences Krifcher is not alone in this view, ple know everything, to be thinking ‘Oh that come from hookups and the gos- as 68 percent of survey respondents I did this this weekend, now everyone sip surrounding them beyond just reported that they had experienced or is going to know and that is going to afthe harm they inflict on friendships. witnessed slut-shaming at JDS. Accord- fect my future,’” Krifcher said.

Wilkins believes that there could be ing to Krifcher, being labeled a “slut” While Krifcher believes JDS’ small self-worth issues for girls if they be- can harm not only a girl’s reputation, size promotes a prominent hookup lieve that by hooking up they have giv- but her self-confidence as well. culture, the community at large is split en away something “really precious.”

“If there’s a stigma that you’re on its prevalence at JDS in comparison For both genders, Wilkins said that be- slutty or you get around a lot, people to other schools. Thirty-nine percent coming physical too quickly can cause will expect that to be who you are,” of survey respondents said it was less emotional consequences, especially Krifcher said. prevalent, 25 percent said it was equalwhen the relationship ends.

Krifcher has also seen more gen- ly prevalent, 19 percent said that hook“[Breaking up] hurts no matter eral judgment of people who engage up culture at JDS was more prevalent what if you give your heart away, but in hookups. She said that while the than at other schools and 17 percent if you give your body away, there’s so culture does not dictate life at school, were not sure. much associated with While there is no that,” Wilkins said. consensus on the relative “When you’re mournprominence of hookup “I think that at JDS, our Judaism and spiring that relationship, culture, one element that you’re mourning differentiates JDS from ituality should play a role in our modesty what you did in that other schools is its Jewand how we respect our bodies and who relationship.” ish community. Krifcher Another probsaid that in the context of we are and how we put ourselves out in the lem, senior Avital hooking up, her religious Krifcher said, is the expression was once world.” slut-shaming that held against her. During - senior avital krifcher stems from hookup her freshman and sophculture. She notes omore years, some peers the double standard made fun of her when between a boy hooking up, which she the community’s closeness and the fact she expressed her Jewish observance says garners “congratulations and out- that information spreads quickly can through traditional dress. ward approval,” and a girl hooking up, promote fear and a lack of self-esteem.

Krifcher was chided for how her which she says invites “slut-shaming or “I think that it’s really detrimental religiousness could affect her hooking celebrating in a mocking way.” growing up in a high school where peo- up or even “touching boys.” She was ex-

19%

of students have had sexual intercourse

Results from a survey of 140 out of 343 high school students.

68%

of students have witnessed slut-shaming

32%

of students think that the effects of hookup culture are negative

A look into the social, emotional and religious implications of hookup culture cluded from conversations about hookup culture because she was deemed “too religious,” a label she finds troubling given that JDS advocates for students’ freedom to choose how they reflect their individual spirituality.

“I think that at JDS, our Judaism and spirituality should play a role in our modesty and how we respect our bodies and who we are and how we put ourselves out in the world,” Krifcher said.

Due to its many movements, there is no consensus on a Jewish view regarding relationships. Jewish text teacher Rabbi Reuvane Slater said that traditional Judaism looks at long-term relationships as a foundation for happiness in life and a closer relationship with God. “Ideally, the physical interaction would not be something present in a high school relationship from my understanding of traditional halacha,” Slater said. “The purpose in traditional Judaism is that [relationships] should not just be only about the physical, whereas in the high school realm, it’s potentially all about the physical.”

The true goal of a Jewish relationship, Slater said, is to build a stronger connection to God. As a stable couple, two people can make a greater spiritual contribution than one, so Judaism encourages steady relationships.

According to Slater, Judaism does not discourage sexual activity for purposes other than reproduction. The religion sees pleasure in sex as a positive that can help form a holier relationship, but only when the partners involved are married.

JDS’ pluralistic community differentiates it from other local Jewish day schools. Galitzer has attended both JDS and the Berman Hebrew Academy and said that Berman parents, many of whom are more orthodox in practice than those of his JDS friends, “are a lot more strict” about practices like hooking up than his JDS friends’ parents.

According to Galitzer, one way this contrast in parenting displays itself is that the hookup culture at Hebrew Academy is not as prominent as the one at JDS. Instead, there are more stable relationships, similar to those Slater described as being prevalent in traditional Judaism.

“At Hebrew Academy, the majority of my friends … aren’t [hooking up,] and if anyone has the need to, the majority of my friends actually date instead of just hooking up and I think that’s great,” Galitzer said. “In comparison to JDS, I think that here it’s more just for the fun of it, just doing it for pleasure.”

Galitzer added that he thinks JDS is more accepting of hookups, which takes a burden off of students in the school relative to those at Berman. On a larger scale, Galitzer said, opinions about hooking up vary not based on religion or schooling, but on personal beliefs.

“Everyone has different views in the world, so just like the cultures in Hebrew Academy are different, so are other people’s throughout the world,” Galitzer said. “It matters about your moral beliefs; it’s more about what you as a person believe.”

in-depth

the lion’s tale

09

features 10

the lion’s tale

Senior Maya Arber celebrates with her Prom date, senior Nathan Rodney, after his promposal in the senior alcove. Rodney and Arber’s close friends took part in the classroom-themed skit.

Senior Jared Bauman and his Prom date, senior Abby Mintz, sit on a couch as they watch the short film Bauman used to prompose. Both teachers and students make cameos in the video.

photo courtesy of shira graubart

photo by noy dahan

Prominent

tradition

Promposal season brings excitement, reflection jonathan foldi managing editor, copy

A crowd gathers as senior Yoni Weiner-Tobin begins his response to fellow senior Nadav Kalendar in a rap battle. After a few lines, however, it becomes apparent that instead of responding directly to Kalendar, Weiner-Tobin is taking the opportunity to ask senior Zoe Salzberg to Prom.

Weiner-Tobin’s promposal continued a strong CESJDS tradition of students asking their dates to Prom by mock proposing to them.

While many promposals take place in school, Weiner-Tobin chose to do his on the senior shabbaton at Capital Camps and Retreat Center (CCRC). Salzberg has attended CCRC for nine years, so Weiner-To-

bin thought it would be meaningful to prompose to her there.

Weiner-Tobin planned his promposal several weeks in advance, and was worried about meeting the standards set by previous promposals. He was thankful for the “communal effort” of his friends leading up to the event which helped to alleviate his stress.

“All those people were prepared to help me and were excited for it and excited for me, so it just gave me a really strong feeling of confidence because I knew all these people would support me no matter how it went,” Weiner-Tobin said.

Although Weiner-Tobin did not prompose in school, he needed his plans approved by Dean of Students Roz Landy and Director of Jewish Life Stephanie Hoffman. Promposals

Alumnus Nir Hen (‘17) leans in to hug his Prom date, senior Sophia Godin, after his promposal. Hen wore an angel costume to prompose to Godin as part of his angel and devil theme.

that occur at school must be deemed appropriate by Landy and given a specific time slot.

These rules exist so that classes are not interrupted by promposals, which happened frequently in the past. Landy said this was because “teachers are kind people who always want to say yes to their students.”

Math teacher Reuben Silberman, who has been a part of several promposals, has not witnessed this disruption in his class many times since he began teaching at JDS in 2003. Though Silberman thinks that promposals are a “nice tradition” when executed properly, he thinks a difficulty is that many students feel pressured into promposing.

According to Silberman, this stress can lead to rushed planning,

photo by miriam minsk

which in turn can cause a promposal to not be as meaningful as it would have been if it was planned earlier.

He believes that reducing the pressure on students would decrease their anxiety, as well as improve the quality of their promposals.

“There are some [promposals] that really bring the grade together and involve a lot of people and I think give a really warm feeling and give excitement to this time of year which I like,” Silberman said. “But the other side to it is that some students get left out or some students feel pressured to do it when they don’t feel comfortable doing it.”

Senior Maya Arber also thinks that it is unfortunate that not all students get to experience a promposal, but that the scenario is inevitable.

Arber has previously experienced

this type of exclusion in other circumstances, which is why she thinks that “going to Prom is [a] bigger deal than getting promposed to.”

Arber helped several of her friends with their promposals, many of which involved reflecting on long-standing friendships between members of her grade. Her own promposal from senior Nathan Rodney epitomized to her how different she and her friends are from when they first met.

“It’s not even that I’ve been waiting for my promposal my whole life, but it was more of the fact that I was watching my first core group of friends in a grown-up state,” Arber said. “I was watching older kids do it when I was younger and I was now doing it — it was a wake-up call that I’m growing up.”

features

the lion’s tale

11

Life in a sibling’s shadow talia horowitz editor-in-chief Between fights over clothes and amateur wrestling matches, growing up with siblings is not always easy.

For some siblings, however, this tension extends beyond T-shirts and right hooks.

There are 250 students at the Upper School who have at least one other sibling at the school. This proximity can lead to comparisons between siblings from faculty and other students, but primarily comes from the siblings themselves.

When freshman Ryan Bauman arrived at the Upper School in seventh grade, he struggled because he felt that he lived in the shadow of his older brother, senior Jared Bauman.

While Ryan was just getting used to his new classes, Jared, who was accustomed to life at the Upper School, was already involved in many clubs and extracurriculars.

“When I first came to this school, I felt as if my brother was this bigshot — everyone knew him and loved him,” Ryan said. “All the

teachers liked him, so I thought it was going to be hard to make a name for myself.”

It was ultimately his teachers, Ryan said, who convinced him otherwise. Ryan believes that going to a smaller school allows him to create stronger relationships with teachers because they “are very focused on who you are and not what your name is.”

For sophomore Maya Cohen-Shields, though, sometimes it is not enough to remind herself that her teachers see her as a separate person than her older sister, alumna Naomi Cohen-Shields (‘16). Having teachers that her sister previously had is at times a source of discomfort for Maya.

“I know that the teachers know I’m a different person, but [the pressure] is just kind of there,” Maya said.

Whether it be a teacher or a subject, Maya said that sometimes it is difficult to not criticize herself when she and her sister have something in common. Because both sisters are academically driven, Maya often finds herself stressed out about her

performance in school and feels the need to “live up" to her sister.

High school guidance counselor Rachel Soifer said that it is common for students to compare themselves to their siblings. As students begin

said. “If your motivation to do things stems out of comparing yourself to others, then you’ll eventually wear yourself out.”

English teacher Davida Yitzhaky is the third of four children, and although she has experienced comparisons to her siblings, she does “When I first came to this school, not let these influence I felt as if my brother was this bighow she lives her life.

After having gone to shot ... so I thought it was going the same high school to be hard to make a name for as her siblings, she myself.” now teaches along- freshman ryan bauman side two of them: math teacher Reuben Silberman and exercise science teacher to explore their interests they often Becky Silberman. “find a shadow” of an older sibling.

Yitzhaky and Reuben were comShe thinks that one factor of this is pared as students in high school. For that many students are in the pro- Yitzhaky, these comparisons resurcess of forming their identities. faced when she began working at “When you’re growing yourself JDS. In her first two years teaching and becoming who you are … you at JDS, she was constantly referred really have to reflect on your own to as “Mr. Silberman’s sister,” and experience and the things that are she again felt the need to distinmeaningful to you and the things guish herself from him. Yitzhaky that you are energized by,” Soifer draws from the experiences she had

in high school and the beginning of her teaching career to help students who find themselves in a similar situation.

“I understand that everyone really is unique and has certain skills, and my challenge as a teacher is to try to help students maximize their own personal potential rather than reach the potential of an older brother or an older sister,” Yitzhaky said.

Yitzhaky said that because she and her siblings understand that each has their respective strengths and weaknesses, they frequently look to one another as role models and are very close as a result.

Similarly, Soifer believes that celebrating siblings’ differences can help them overcome feelings of inadequacy. To Soifer, no matter the competition that exists between siblings, the bond can always be healed.

“It only takes one person to … change the relationship,” Soifer said.

“If [a student thinks,] ‘I don’t like this relationship anymore and am deliberate about stepping out of it,’ then things will evolve.”

Seniors’ final thoughts: What lessons have you learned at CESJDS? compiled by shira godin

“I have learned how interesting my classes can be when you put them in relation to one another.”

-senior Talia Benheim

“I’ve learned not to stress over the little things, and that it is really good to have people that you trust by your side to talk to.”

-senior Cami Cohen

“[JDS] has taught me to deeply analyze everything, to really find meaning in pieces of text where there may not always be meaning.”

-senior Elan Arnowitz

“Manage your time well and have fun; cherish every moment because it is over so fast.”

-senior Bianca Benaim

features 12

the lion’s tale

The price of a Jewish education

Administration works to make tuition affordable for all kate sosland and rina torchinsky reporter and features editor Private school tuition is expensive, and to mitigate the cost for those who need it, 45 percent of students at CESJDS receive tuition assistance.

For the 2016-2017 school year, Upper School tuition is $31,820. To help families cover that cost, the school distributed $5.6 million of financial assistance.

According to Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus, there is a wide economic range of families who send their children to the school: those who cannot afford the full cost of tuition, those who can afford it and those who both pay tuition as well as donate to the school.

In order to apply for aid, families must fill out an online application disclosing their income and family size. For new JDS families, in addition to this application there is also the option to meet with the school’s business office to discuss their family’s circumstances. A third party analyzes and verifies this information to determine the aid provided. A family can appeal to the school if it thinks that its needs were understated, and the school will consider if it can offer more aid.

When applicants fill out their forms, the school guarantees confidentiality. According to Malkus, no teachers or administrators are aware of who is on financial aid.

“Part of keeping it confidential is that there is no reason for [the educators] to know,” Malkus said. “It is best practice that education is taken as education, and these business matters are taken care of separately.”

Over the past five years, JDS tuition has increased by an average of 3.9 percent annually. According to Chief Financial Officer Julia Hoover, the main determinant of the cost of tuition is faculty compensation. In order to account for inflation and the rising cost of living, faculty salaries must increase, so tuition must go up as well.

Despite the continuous rise in price every year, the cost of running the school is not fully covered by tuition fees, according to Malkus. To fill this gap, the school raises money within the local Jewish community every year.

In honor of its 50th anniversary, JDS is currently running the “Building Our Future” endowment campaign, which will end in February. The money raised from the endowment is spread into three areas: Jewish life and community, academic

average annual income of CESJDS families in dollars

31,820

cost of tuition for the 2016-2017 school year in dollars

excellence, and accessibility. Malkus said that when he meets with donors to discuss which facet of the school they are interested in funding, a large portion say financial aid.

Another source of school funding is the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. The Federation collects community donations, and then distributes money to its various partners. Jewish day schools in the

2016-2017 school year. “[Jewish day schools] create a cycle of having more Jewish leadership, more people who have a higher level of Jewish engagement, Jewish knowledge and it builds a stronger Jewish community,” Harris-Blumenthal said. “So it’s not only good for the students and families in the day schools, but it’s good for the whole community.”

For Carly,* who has been on financial aid at JDS since kindergarten, it was this “[My parents] understood how sense of community much I loved it and how much it that she could not meant to me, so they made the imagine leaving.

Before her fresheffort to keep me in JDS.” man year at JDS, her parents considered - anonymous source Carly a switch to public school for financial reasons, but Carly area receive the largest local alloca- was reluctant to leave JDS. Strong tion, according to Marci Harris-Blu- teacher-student relationships and menthal, the Federation’s Senior a chance to learn Judaism are just Director for Community and Global some of the several reasons Carly Impact. The amount of money each could not picture herself anywhere Jewish day school receives is de- else. termined by the size of the school’s “[My parents] understood how student population, and since JDS much I loved it and how much it has the largest student body in the meant to me, so they made the effort area, it received the largest portion to keep me in JDS,” Carly said. of the $1.35 million allotment for the Carly noted that her family has

209,000

45

percent of students who receive financial aid

always been strategic while managing finances, enabling them to never “fall short” when it comes time to pay their tuition fee every month.

According to Malkus, the school tries its best to award assistance, but families must make decisions about how much money they are willing to contribute to a Jewish education. To this effect, Hoover said that only five of the 63 families who unenrolled students for this school year did so for financial reasons.

Another lesson Carly’s parents have instilled in her is to always be mindful of the money she spends, a situation which Malkus faces regularly as well. As head of school, Malkus has competing interests in wanting to make Jewish day school education available to everyone, but also being obligated to thoughtfully manage the budget.

“I feel that I have been entrusted with this wonderful gem which is the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School that’s been around for 51 years now,” Malkus said. “I have to make sure that at whatever point I leave the school, that there is a wonderful school that is sustainable and that will be here in another 50 years.”

*Name has been changed to respect the student’s privacy.

5.6 millions of dollars distributed to families in need of financial aid

Senior Jeremy Ruta raises the ball as he searches for an open teammate. He is guarded by Jewish text teacher Tani Levitt.

Senior Alex Garber reaches out in an attempt to block math teacher Andrew Goldman’s three-pointer.

When the bell rings at the end of school on Fridays, most students and teachers leave the building to immediately begin their weekend. Some, however, head over to the gym to participate in a long-standing CESJDS tradition.

At this time every week, 10 to 20 students and faculty members stay after school for a few hours to play pickup basketball. None of the participants can trace the game to its origin, but continue it anyway.

Math teachers Reuben Silberman and Andrew Goldman, Jewish history teacher Aaron Bregman and health and exercise science chair

Steven Forestieri typically participate, leaving six spots for students to play in the first game. According to Goldman, the first six students who show up usually get to play first. If there are between 10 and 15 people, then the winners of a game get to play in the following game as well.

When there are over 20 people in attendance, which rarely happens, each game 10 new people play so that everyone gets a turn.

Senior Alex Garber first heard about pickup basketball in eighth grade and started participating in the weekly games during sophomore year.

“As a sophomore not many upperclassmen were playing pickup basketball at the time, so it was a

lot easier for me to get time to play,” Garber said.

Garber plays in the pickup games since he enjoys basketball and also because it provides him with the opportunity to form “friendly relationships” with the faculty members who play. Goldman also appreciates the “outside-of-math-class” connection with students.

“I love math, I love teaching and I love math lab, but when you go on a shabbaton with a student, or you go on a field trip with a student or you’re the grade advisor for a student you get a very different experience with them,” Goldman said.

“You talk about different things and there’s less stress.”

Not only does it stimulate stu-

Lions make a splash: sara sporkin reporter Lions are not known for loving water, but that does not stop the members of the CESJDS varsity swim team from jumping into the pool.

The swim team, which began in the fall of 2015, practices on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons at the Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington. The team consists of about 25 middle and high school students, although the athletes are separated by age when they compete. The team’s meets are against other private high schools and are held at local high school and university pools.

Senior Ethan Josovitz joined the team last year and feels that he has

improved his swimming skills significantly. Josovitz first learned how to swim when he was younger at a summer camp, but never learned the proper technique. Joining the school's swim team gave him the opportunity to correct his form.

In his six years at JDS, Josovitz has been part of many school sports teams, including soccer, basketball and cross country, but never found a sport that he felt passionate about until he joined the swim team. Swimming is special to Josovitz because it allows him to escape the stress of school. “[In the pool] I’m by myself,” Josovitz said. “It’s quiet and the only thing I think of is just getting through the workout, and I’m usually never in that state of peace and relaxation.”

13

Senior Caleb Gershengorn dribbles past his defender, senior Uri Kozlowski.

Pick(up) and roll into the weekend miriam minsk editor-in-chief

sports

the lion’s tale

dent-teacher interactions outside of the classroom, but for Goldman, pickup basketball also provides him with a convenient opportunity to play a sport. Goldman said that it is harder to play sports as an adult because he can no longer participate on a school team, so pickup teams are his best option.

“I’m in a soccer league outside with friends that I have and that sort of thing, but just the ability to play a one-sport game every week with some guys that I associate with during the week as well is fun,” Goldman said.

Like Goldman, many other students who participate in pickup do not play basketball on a school or recreational team. Senior Jared Hor-

photos by miriam minsk

witz played on the boys JV basketball team, but did not try out for varsity as a junior. Horwitz knew that he would have a large workload junior year and was worried about balancing the commitment of playing a varsity sport with his academics.

Despite no longer playing JDS basketball competitively, Horwitz remains committed to playing pickup basketball each week.

“We’ve made a tradition of it over the past three years,” Horwitz said. “It is always something that I know I will have at the end of my week and that I look forward to because it will be a time of bonding for me and my friends and my teachers, and a fun time to play basketball.”

Individuals’ progress, commitment propels year-old varsity swim team forward

In addition to the stress-relieving aspects of swimming, varsity swim coach Michael Karel thinks that the disciplinary skills that come from swimming on a team can help students in other aspects of school.

Karel sees the dedication required to swim year round as a trait which “translates very well” to academics.

Karel also believes that swimming as a team provides a sense of camaraderie. Swimmers compete in individual events, but their finishes can win points for the team. While Karel believes that the team’s results are important, he said self-improvement is the most significant aspect of swimming.

“There’s a sense of accomplishment that comes out of swimming,” Karel said. “You’re always swimming

against the clock, not against the person next to you. If you swim your best time, that should be more than enough.”

Sophomore Sophia Sadikman had hesitated to participate in other sports since she does not like competition but, like Karel, said that swimming is more about challenging herself than competing with others.

Sadikman enjoys swimming, and previously swam in a swim clinic which gave her the chance to swim in a noncompetitive environment.

She decided to join the JDS swim team last year because she thought it would be a valuable experience to get involved in a sport at school.

“I think it’s a great way to not only meet new people, but just improve at something,” Sadikman said.

“I’ve seen people go from barely being able to swim to being one of the best on the team with enough practice and hard work, so I think it’s a unique sport in that regard.”

Sadikman thinks that having a swim team at school is important since it is a team-building sport, and appreciates that team members support and coach each other. “[It] helps build your confidence in the sense that you can say that you’re part of something for your school that you’ve been working hard on and you can represent your school in that way,” Sadikman said.

sports 14

the lion’s tale

Sports Schedule Girls Varsity Basketball Jan. 24 - home game at 4:30 p.m. versus The Field School Jan. 28 - away game at 7:30 p.m. versus Berman Hebrew Academy Boys Varisty Basketball Jan. 24 - home game at 6:15 p.m. versus The Field School Jan. 26 - home game at 6:15 p.m. versus Sandy Spring Friends School Jan. 28 - away game at 9 p.m. versus Berman Hebrew Academy Boys Junior Varisty Basketball Jan. 19 - home game at 4:30 p.m. versus Washington Waldorf School Jan. 25 - home game at 4:30 p.m. versus McLean School Varsity Wrestling Jan. 24 - away match at 4:30 p.m. versus Georgetown Day School Feb. 1 - home match at 4:30 p.m. versus McLean School Varsity Indoor Track Feb. 8 - 4 p.m. meet at Georgetown Preparatory School Varsity Swimming Upcoming meets to be determined

Sports Stat Knapp scoring milestone Senior Bryan Knapp scored the 1,500th point of his CESJDS varsity basketball career on Jan. 10 in a home game against Washington Christian Academy. compiled by bennett bramson

On the right track

Running standout crosses finish line of varsity career devira friedman reporter Minutes before a cross country meet, senior Reuben Winston leaves the pre-race chaos by taking out his headphones, going to a quiet space and envisioning himself crossing the finish line.

Winston first started running cross country in 2010 as a sixth-grader because of his sister’s involvement in the CESJDS running program. What started as a casual after-school extracurricular gradually became years of competing in meets and setting several JDS records.

“I wasn’t very serious about [running initially,] but I was with my friends and I had fun,” Winston said.

Winston’s older sister was a very successful JDS runner herself, so he joined the team with high expectations for his own performance.

Winston, however, said that he still did not feel too much pressure when he joined.

Jason Belinkie, coach of both the cross country and the track and field team, first thought of Winston as a young athlete with plenty of potential. Despite his evident talent, Belinkie was unsure if Winston would fully commit to the sport and prioritize it over other activities. In Winston’s first season, he impressed Belinkie with his dedication to the sport, at one point cutting his mile time by 30 seconds in a month before finishing the season with a time of around six minutes.

“That was the moment I knew we had a very, very fast runner on our hands, and we needed to spend a lot of time nurturing and making sure that he stayed involved in the sport,” Belinkie said.

Throughout the rest of Winston’s middle school career, he set league records in the PVAC and finished a full minute ahead of the field in the 3200-meter race. According to Belinkie, Winston was ready to move up to varsity in seventh grade, but Belinkie decided to hold him back so that he could have the opportunity to win a championship in middle school.

When Winston was in eighth grade he moved up to varsity and placed 16th in the championship race. Throughout high school, Win-

ston set many personal and school Winston plans to continue this fore athletics so that he would be set records and saw the team achieve level of training into a college run- up for success in the rest of his life. success as well. Some of his JDS re- ning program, because every college Winston’s top choices were Colcords include a time of 4:39 for the student who is part of a cross coun- lege of Charleston, Temple Universi1600-meter, 10:07 for the 3200-me- try or track team with whom he has ty, American University and Dickinter and 15:59 for the 5K. spoken has enjoyed the experience. son College. In the end, he committed As a result of his statistical Winston’s college application pro- to Dickinson College, a Division III prowess, Winston has been recog- cess was typical for a proficient ath- school, because he said he liked the nized by several local athletic orga- lete, as many coaches reached out to track program, the coaches and esnizations. In 2016, he received the him and displayed interest in having pecially the academics.

Maryland Runner “I could tell Dickinson was a of the Week Award place where I’d be able to spend and the Hyman J. four years and enjoy it, and be with a Perlo Award for group of guys that I could really have “I knew we had a very, very fast outstanding athletfun with,” Winston said. runner on our hands, and we needics and community As Winston takes the next step service. He also in his running career, he has been ed to spend a lot of time nurturing placed seventeenth reflecting on his JDS running expeand making sure that he stayed inin the 2,000-meter rience. He attributes the majority volved in the sport.” steeplechase at the of his success to his coaches and his 2016 USA Track teammates who have pushed him - cross country coach and Field Junior and served as his mentors for the jason belinkie Nationals in Sacpast couple of years. ramento, Ca. and “It’s just been such a journey was a 2016 Washand I’m so happy that I was able to ington Post All-Met spend it with such an amazing group boys cross country honorable men- him in their program. Although he of coaches and friends,” Winston tion, the first JDS athlete to ever re- had several options, Winston knew said. ceive the honor. that he wanted to put academics beWinston has not only become a talented runner, but also contributed greatly to his team’s recent successes. According to Belinkie, Winston, along with a few other students on the team, has transformed the running program into one that is significantly more competitive than before they joined. In 2014, as a sophomore, Winston helped to lead the boys varsity cross country team to its first ever championship, a feat that the team repeated the next two years. Winston has left a strong legacy for the team and believes that the team will be able to continue the winning streak for the next few seasons.

When science teacher Kelly Grosskurth became a track and cross country coach in 2013, Winston was already on the varsity team. Grosskurth said that from her first meeting with Winston, he seemed like a member of the team who was serious and devoted to the running program. “[Winston leads] through example through his dedication to the photo courtesy of danielle schwartz sport and really putting in all the mileage and the effort which you Senior Reuben Winston races in the 3200-meter at the PVAC Championship Meet need to do to be a competitive dison May 16, 2016. He was recently named the Maryland Runner of the Week for tance runner,” Grosskurth said. his outstanding performance.

style

the lion’s tale

15

No people, no problem Eatsa seamlessly brings technology to fast-casual dining amelia davidson reporter If you are looking for a restaurant that serves a wide variety of food in a quick and tech-savvy manner, I highly recommend trying Eatsa in downtown Washington, D.C. Eatsa is a vegetarian restaurant chain that originated on the West Coast in late 2015. It recently opened a location in the D.C. neighborhood of Farragut North, and is set to open another in early 2017 near the White House. What sets it apart from similar fast-casual restaurants is that Eatsa’s ordering system is fully automated.

Eatsa is unfortunately only open on weekdays, but it is conveniently located steps away from the Farragut North Metro station and closes at 6 p.m., making it easily accessible for an afterschool meal. I recently went to Eatsa to see if the restaurant lived up to the high expectations that good reviews from many major D.C. news sources gave me.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into Eatsa was how different it was from any restaurant I had been to before. The decor is very simple, and there are rows of tablets

set up for customers to place their orders electronically; no human interaction is necessary. The entire wall opposite the entrance is full of cubbies containing screens where the prepared food appears.

The interface on the tablets is very user friendly and it was incredibly easy to place an order.

The menu features a large variety of quinoa and lettuce bowls with Mexican, Asian, Italian and Mediterranean toppings, and also has an option to create your own bowl. Additionally, there are plenty of side and drink choices.

I chose to get a Mexican quinoa bowl ($6.95), which included guacamole, salsa, beans and chips, and my brother opted to make his own bowl (prices vary, starting at $6.95). We also got pita chips and hummus on the side. The second we placed our order, my name appeared on a large screen in the front of the store above the rows of cubbies.

Less than two minutes later, one of the glass cubbies turned black and then began to display my name. The glass screen on the cubby prompted me to tap the glass twice, and when I did, the cubby slowly opened to reveal my food.

My brother and I were

extremely satisfied with our dishes, which despite somehow being prepared in two minutes were warm and tasted extremely fresh.

The indoor seating was a bit sparse, but this didn’t seem to be a problem as most customers got their food to-go. I would definitely suggest getting the hummus along with a main meal, because it is some of the best I have had in the D.C. area.

Since it is still unclear whether the no-waitstaff trend is going to expand to other restaurants, I strongly recommend taking advantage of the unique opportunity to eat great food in a completely automated restaurant. An additional perk is that Eatsa prides itself on being very environmentally friendly, and all food and utensils are either compostable or recyclable. Despite the location being somewhat far from school and the fact that it is only open on weekdays, Eatsa definitely lives up to its hype and I know that I will be going back there as soon as possible.

Eatsa is located at 1627 K Street NW in Washington, D.C. Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon - Fri.

photos by amelia davidson Top: The cubbies display customers’ names to show where their food will be.

Bottom: The Mexican Bowl at Eatsa makes for a tasty and well-priced lunch.

Rockville Escape Room marks the spot with “A Pirate’s Quest” jessie lehman reporter The door is still locked, time on the clock is running out and the pirate’s treasure is nowhere to be found.

Escape rooms are a trendy group activity in which participants solve puzzles and codes to escape a series of rooms before time runs out. There are many escape room companies across the Washington, D.C. area, each with uniquely-themed rooms. I chose to escape from a room called “A Pirate’s Quest” at Rockville Escape Room.

When I was planning my visit to the escape room, I found their website very easy to navigate,

which helped me more pleasantly plan my visit. The hardest part was picking an available time because the spots for each room are limited.

When I walked into the building, the receptionist greeted my group, reflecting the company’s friendly customer service. The waiting room was decorated with spooky skeletons, which added to the ambiance. A guide briefed us on the hour-long game, and then showed us a short, helpful video that explained the rules and our task. Afterwards, she took us to the treasure-themed escape room.

The lights dimmed and adventure music began to play. The room from which we were tasked to escape was very small. The room

can fit up to eight people, which might feel crowded; however, there was enough space for my group of three.

The game did not fall short of its challenging reputation.

Our quest, to find the treasure and escape the room before “the pirates” came back, had my group working down to the last minute to solve various riddles. Each solution unlocked assorted items that led to our next clue. The clues were crafted in a fairly ambiguous way, forcing us to use our creativity.

An issue we ran into with the game was that since there were a lot of moving parts, sometimes items were unintentionally misplaced or mistakenly added, which

slowed down the process and stressed out my group.

The challenges that involved math were harder to crack, and it was frustrating when nothing we tried was successful. We did, however, have a walkie-talkie to communicate with our guide and get more clues when the challenges were too difficult. Additionally, our guide watched us go through the course via cameras in the room, which enabled her to see when we were struggling so that she could offer help and keep us going.

This was a great way to ease the difficulty without taking away from the fun of the activity. The buzzer went off as we were scrambling to find one of the final codes, so we

were not successful in escaping the room. This failure, however, did not negatively alter my opinion on the experience.

Looking back on my day at Rockville Escape Room, I actually think that my failure to escape the room was a good example of how I may not always succeed, and that’s okay. Despite its difficult and stressful nature, my experience at Rockville Escape Room was very fun. I recommend it for families and friends as an engaging activity that builds teamwork skills.

Rockville Escape Room is located at 120 Derwood Circle, in Rockville, Md. Reservations are required and can be made online.

style 16

the lion’s tale

“I’ve always been a very musical person. I’ve been playing music for as long as I can remember, and it just brings me a lot of joy and it’s really social. It’s just a good experience to be able to play an instrument and play music because it adds a whole new aspect to my life.”

- junior avi abrams

“It’s very lively because you get to see the whole school and the whole community when we perform. It’s so much fun to play in front of everybody.”

- junior matthew swire

“In eleventh grade, I accompanied Eli Rashti with ‘One Call Away.’ That was our first Kab Shab performance, and that was the first time I realized, ‘Oh, performing is really enjoyable.’ To perform with other people is really amazing.”

“All the band members are pretty good friends, and it’s a good way to bond with other musicians.”

- freshman coby siegel

“You get to practice every day and make cool stuff.

Most of the time we’re not even practicing for the song ... We just sing around and Kab Shab is our way to get closer through music.”

- senior eli rashti

- senior matthew ost

photos courtesy of dimensions Clockwise from top: Various combinations of freshman Coby Siegel (guitar, voice), junior Avi Abrams (drums), junior Mattie Swire (bass), senior Matthew Ost (keyboard), senior Yona Levitt (voice) and senior Eli Rashti (voice) frequently perform at many school assemblies and events, including Kabbalat Shabbat.

“Being part of a band has really brought me out of my shell musically, and it gives me a lot of opportunities to perform in front of people, and that helps me grow and learn.”

-senior yona levitt

The gym is alive with

the love of music

compiled by emily cohen and ari feuer