The Lion's Tale, Volume 38, Issue 1 by The Lion's Tale

The Lion’s Tale Magazine | CESJDS | September 2020 | Volume 38 Issue 1

Not Enough Time A look into the importance of sleep and why it’s so hard to get

Petition to invigorate race curriculum pg. 6

Teach about tznius pg. 10 3D printed masks pg. 18

—news — Decision made to continue distance learning: In-person learning deemed unsafe, requires most classes to remain virtual pg. 4-5 Petition leads to change: After pressure from alumni, school tackles subjects of racism, inequality pg. 6

—in-depth— Not enough time: A look into the importance of sleep and why it’s so hard to get pg. 12-15

—sports— Scaled back sports return: Athletics Department offers socially distanced programs for upcoming season pg. 20-21

Cover and photo illustration by Daphne Kaplan

Standing up for justice: As protests occur worldwide, community members take action pg. 7

—opinion— All in the same boat: Appreciating what we have and helping others during a time of crisis pg. 8 Hogan’s voting policy is problematic: We shouldn’t have to choose between our health and the health of our elections pg. 9

—features—

—a&e—

Baking brothers: Malkus twins run challah business pg. 16-17

Bagel bus: An iconic D.C. Jew-ish deli parked itself in Bethesda pg. 22

Mask maker: Freshman 3-D prints face masks for healthcare workers pg. 18

An anti-racist TV guide pg. 23

New normal: Living with an infectious disease physician pg. 19

Diversify your playlist pg. 23

Let’s talk about tznius: Many students at JDS are uninformed about the rules of modesty in Judaism pg. 10 Stop the stigma: It’s time to teach girls that discussing periods is alright pg. 11

September 2020

Dear reader, The entire Lion’s Tale staff hopes you and your family are doing well and staying safe. As the summer concludes, we wanted to share some of the recent developments related to the newspaper. First and most importantly, The Lion’s Tale recently signed a student press rights protocol with the CESJDS administration to secure our First Amendment rights as a publication in an independent school. This historic agreement guarantees the rights that all public school publications possess, furthers our commitment to being a reliable source of information for our community and strengthens our relationship with the administration. We want to thank the administration, particularly Rabbi Malkus, Mrs. Landy and Dr. Lindner, for their openness and flexibility throughout this lengthy process. In addition, The Lion’s Tale staff has worked hard to update the stylistic and design aspects of our new print magazine edition. We want to particularly highlight the incredible contributions of Senior Design and In-Depth Editor Daphne Kaplan and Design and In-Depth Editor Mischa Trainor, who have generously spent their summers helping produce this edition. We are also incredibly glad that 16 students elected to take Journalism 1 over the summer. We are happy and fortunate for them to join The Lion’s Tale community, and look forward to them shaping the future of the newspaper in the years to come. Two staff members also enrolled in our Journalism 2 course this summer to learn the basics of journalism graphic design and improve their overall design skills. These classes will offer JDS students the opportunity to join our team and learn the fundamentals of writing, editing and designing in the journalism field. In addition, two of our editors took summer classes with the School of The New York Times on covering politics in newspapers. These types of opportunities broaden the knowledge and skills of our dedicated journalists. While much is unclear in today’s world, our goal is to provide you with the truth and all of the facts so that you can have a reliable source of information as we embark on a challenging year together. In this magazine we hope you will read about topics impacting our school community as we try to make the most of this academic year. Sincerely,

Editors-in-Chief

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. 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. All other contents copyright of The Lion’s Tale. All rights reserved. Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@gmail.com, mailed to The Lion’s Tale or brought to room 320. 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. The staff will adhere to the ethics policies of The Society of Professional Journalists and the National Scholastic Press Association. The adviser will be held to the Journalism Education Association’s Adviser Code of Ethics.

The Lion’s Tale Staff Editors-in-Chief Alex Landy, Oren Minsk Managing Editor, Copy Matthew Rabinowitz Assistant Copy Editor Rochelle Berman Design and In-Depth Editors Daphne Kaplan (snr.), Mischa Trainor News Editors Maya Preuss, Irit Skulnik Opinion Editor Jessica Gallo Features Editor Sally Rogal, Jonathan Morris Sports Editors Sophia Miller, Ivan Endelman

Arts and Entertainment Eva Bard, Sophie Kaplan Multimedia Editor Addie Bassin Editorial Cartoonist Ariana Ravitz Reporters Daniela Abrams, Lincoln Aftergood, Jonah Beinart, Alex Burton, Lielle Coombe, Harry Davidson, Zara Ducker, Adam Drexler, Aaron Gallo, Maiyan Layani, Ellie Levine, Sean Levitan, Eitan Malkus. Nini Panner, Mark Polin, Eliot Rogal, Jared Schreiber, Kai Schreim, Shani Schwartz, Gabe Siegel, Matan Silverberg, Gabi Simon, Ella Waldman Staff Adviser Jessica Nassau Adviser Emerita Susan Zuckerman

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

— news —

Decision made to continue distance learning

In-person learning deemed unsafe, requires most classes to remain virtual Alex Landy Editor-in-Chief

ollowing months of detailed planning for the 2020-2021 school year in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CESJDS administration ultimately decided to begin the year with a completely virtual platform. The only exception will be the Lower School campus, which will hold full, in-person instructional days for children enrolled in its Gurim (pre-kindergarten) and kindergarten programs, while all other grades will remain online. The administration plans to revamp the distance learning program that it used in the spring for middle and high school students. Some of the new measures for this year outlined in the school’s “Guide to Reopening,” which was sent to parents in August, include requiring virtual class attendance, holding more frequent synchronous class sessions

“We had created a schedule for the hybrid model... Then we were shocked by Gayles’ order.” - Interim Principal and Dean of Students Roz Landy

each week and having mandatory Zman Kodesh Zoom sessions at the start of each day. In addition, students will have the opportunity to engage with clubs virtually during dedicated schedule blocks and attend optional in-person science labs on some Sundays. While the school faced considerable pressure from the community to institute a hybrid model that would allow students to experience a balance of both in-person and virtual learning environments, JDS sided with the more cautious guidance of public health experts and the Montgomery County Department of Health. Despite the temporary closure of the two campuses, the administration and athletics department have planned limited outdoor athletic activities and events for students in the fall, which will adhere to social distancing requirements. As the school prepared throughout the summer for both

hybrid and virtual models for starting the school year, local political and legal disputes interrupted the school’s plans in early August. On July 31, Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services of Montgomery County Travis Gayles issued an order prohibiting both public and private schools from holding in-person activities until Oct. 1. Just days later, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan reversed the order, stating that private schools had the ability to determine their own plans. Hogan’s order was at first rescinded by local health officials in Montgomery County but was ultimately agreed to by Gayles on Aug. 7. Despite Gayles’ most recent order allowing private schools to reopen and hold in-person activities, JDS sent a community an email on Aug. 6 that affirmed its original decision to pursue virtual classroom plans in accordance with “guidance from our County public health officials,” according to the email.

voices from the den Junior Zoe Fischman “I hope we can return to in-person school because virtual learning is a little difficult for me. Not seeing my friends everyday makes it even more difficult... In the long run it [in-person school] would make me happier.”

September 2020

Junior Elyon Topolosky “While I would absolutely love returning to school to see my friends and teachers, I still know I wouldn’t be safe or feel comfortable in the building because the pandemic isn’t over, and I don’t want to put any loved ones at risk.”

In addition, the email detailed the prolonged planning process that the school underwent before arriving at this decision. The school put together a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee and has closely followed “guidelines from state, federal, and international agencies.” Interim High School Principal and Dean of Students Roslyn Landy, who was part of the administrative team that led the planning efforts over the summer, described the organization process as fairly uncomplicated until local health officials and the governor publicly sparred over their respective orders. Landy noted that before Gayles issued the controversial order to ban in-person activities at nonpublic schools in Montgomery County, which she was “shocked” by, the administration was planning to implement a hybrid model. “We spent the majority of our time in June and July planning for opening school in a hybrid model because that is what we believed we would be doing. We had created a schedule for the hybrid model and made plans for Social and Emotional Learning on the day(s) we would be in the building. Then we were shocked by Gayles’ order,” Landy said. Despite Gayles’ subsequent order that allowed nonpublic schools to reopen if they chose to, Landy said that the school opted to follow Gayles’ final recommendations, which strongly urged all schools to remain closed until at least October. Landy responded to those in the community who were upset with the school’s ultimate decision by raising the health concerns of many atrisk teachers and faculty members, which some have overlooked. “People who are urging everyone to come back to school need to understand that there are many staff members who are not able to come back to the building, many of whom have compromising medical issues,” Landy said. The decision was met with mixed reactions from the JDS community. Parent Lori Shell, who has one sixth-grader, one eighth-grader and one senior, was dissatisfied with the administration’s decision, especially once local directives permitted the school to conduct in-per-

son classes and activities. She, along with many others, was pleased with the hybrid model that the administration put together and was disappointed when the school reneged on its original plans in early August. “I feel like from an emotional and psychological standpoint for all kids, it’s beneficial to have some live interaction, live communication with the teachers for learning purposes .… I personally have a lot of faith in JDS and their ability to do the best that they can with the lowest risk possible in terms of Covid-19,” Shell said. Senior Sami Himmelfarb, however, feels that holding a virtual school platform would be in the best interest of the physical health of the students and faculty, even though she is disappointed that she will not be able to take in-person classes for a significant portion of her last semester at JDS. “Obviously not being able to learn in person is upsetting just because there are a lot of things that we are going to miss out on and it’s all just going to feel kind of weird, but people’s health and safety and well-being take precedence, so I think I’ve come to terms with the decision to return virtually this year and would say that I mostly agree with it,” Himmelfarb said. Pictured from top to bottom: Plexiglass shield divides desk spaces, automatic sinks have been installed, floor signs remind students to keep six feet apart, a designated room for students who are suspected to have the coronavirus, plexiglass shields have also been installed in the front office.

Photos by Irit Skulnik

The Decision Process March 4th

Second communication about the coronavirus

March 13th Decision made to close school

June 10th Return to campus roadmap released

May ??

Someone did something

August 6th

Decision made to continue distance learning

August 3rd Dr. Travis Gayle advises against private schools opening

May ??

Someone did something

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

Petition leads to change

After pressure from alumni, school tackles subjects of systemic racism, inequality Matthew Rabinowitz Managing Editor, Copy

fter receiving two alumni petitions in the wake of George Floyd’s killing and subsequent protests, Head of School Rabbi Mitch Malkus announced at the end of the school year that CESJDS is reviewing its curriculum, diversity policies, staff training, potential community partnerships and alumni engagement to address systemic racism and inequality as a school. “CESJDS wants to be a leader among schools in educating the next generation to fight racism. Our school is committed to being anti-racist, to standing with the Black community in the fight against systemic racism and dedicated to taking the steps needed to ensure that we meet this moment and live up to the values we espouse and which guide us,” Malkus wrote in his second email. However, alumnus Beth Birnkrant (‘07) was disappointed that alumni needed to petition JDS to take that stance after there was a “lack of strong language and anti-racism commitment” in Malkus’ first email. “When I was in school, race never came up, and so many conversations were centered around American Jewish identity, and there was very little talk about what being white in America was like for the majority of us, and there was no conversation about those of us who were not white and what that meant for them,” Birnkrant said. Both the Lower School and middle school have had significant changes over the past decade to have more widespread diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The Lower School now has a DEI Coordinator, and students discuss monthly themes such as Black History Month in assemblies and morning meetings.

Middle school students study race and community membership in their Humanities Experience and explore housing equity and white flight in Washington, D.C. Middle school culminates with an eighthgrade capstone trip to Atlanta and Montgomery, Alabama, where they further their studies of civil rights and Jewish involvement in slavery and racism. “They also look at, during that trip, the fact that Jews were involved and owned slaves, were involved in the slave trade [and] were involved in the Confederacy,” Malkus said. The high school recently added a required senior year history class, 21st Century American Identity, which covers later parts of U.S. history including the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, Argentinian Jew and Spanish teacher Deby Kijak, who helped write JDS’ diversity statement, was appointed Upper School DEI Coordinator for the 2020-2021 school year. As DEI Coordinator, Kijak is aiding JDS’ curricular review and increasing community engagement. “We’re looking at all the curriculum maps we have for each class, and we’re trying to exactly look at what we’re currently doing,” Kijak said. “Once we know what we’re currently doing, we can go back to department chairs and have conversations with [Dean of Academics] Ms. Goldstein and they can have conversations within the departments to see what can be improved, what we’re doing well, what can we add, what books can we change, the perspective that we have in terms of what conversations we’re having, what voices are not being heard, and what can we add to have a better experience for everybody.” In early August, the administration held a virtual town hall with

“It’s one thing to say you don’t discriminate on the basis of race, it’s another to actively pursue having a diverse faculty and staff, so that’s an area we want to consider.” - Head of School Rabbi Mitch Malkus

approximately 60 alumni to see how JDS prepared former students to be engaged in racial justice. Beyond appointing an Upper School DEI Coordinator, the administration is also looking to diversify its hiring practices. “It’s one thing to say you don’t discriminate on the basis of race; it’s another to actively pursue having a diverse faculty and staff, so that’s an area we want to consider,” Malkus said. “We’ve talked about this topic at the Board, because we feel we want to cover this holistically. It’s not just about the education in the school; it’s also about our practices in the school.” The administration also wants to implement professional development programs on implicit bias and managing uncomfortable situations in regards to social identifiers. Kijak is helping develop these programs. According to Malkus, the administration is also finding ways to address the role white people need to play in fighting racism and how to use their privilege. Central to all of these new policies are JDS’ values, Malkus said. Not only does Judaism recognize that all people are created in God’s image and to love your neighbor as yourself, but, according to Malkus, Judaisms’ core narrative is based around persecution and being freed of enslavement. This means that, “Jews have a unique and special obligation to partner with the Black community.” Malkus hopes to receive more community input as changes are reviewed. A thorough report and update will be released in September.

September 2020

Standing up for justice

As protests occur worldwide, community members take action Daphne Kaplan Senior In-Depth and Design Editor

Photos 1-3 courtesy of Debra White-Dilworth and photo 4 courtesy of Emma Nitkin 1) A protester holds two signs while attending a protest. 2) A protester sits while holding a sign that says ‘Black Lives 3 Matter’ near the Stonewall Jackson statue located in Richmond, VA. 3) A construction worker stands against the Stonewall Jackson statue looking out. 4) Senior Emma Nitkin protests along with other attendees, including junior Mimi Lemar.

As junior Mimi Lemar and senior Emma Nitkin stood outside the Bethesda Library on June 2, they saw thousands of people crowding the surrounding parking lots, eagerly awaiting to hear individuals speak about their experiences being Black in Montgomery County, Maryland. Amid racial uproar in response to the murder of George Floyd, they joined millions of others internationally to show their support towards the Black Lives Matter movement. “I was really angry about the situation and how nothing has been done to stop the murdering of people,” Lemar said. “I wanted to do more than just signing petitions, and I thought it would be a really good community effort to go.” In addition to attending two protests together, Lemar and Nitkin have sought to educate themselves and others through social media platforms, including posting on Instagram, participating in social justice organizations such as Operation Understanding DC and Bonimot Tzedek and holding education sessions. They have discussed issues, including defunding the police, mass incarceration, redlining and racial health disparities. “I know that it’s really hard to change 400 plus years of oppression right now, but I want to see change happening. Even if it’s really small, like going to a protest … as long as more and more things happen and people start to realize the flaws in society, I hope change happens,” Nitkin said.

voices from the den

Sophomore Jonah Gross “I realized that attending these protests is just the start and that we have so much more to do in order to truly create a society that values the ideals of our country.”

Junior Rebecca Bender “I think that it’s important that the BIPOC community is finally being heard and that changes are finally being made, especially in big companies.”

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

—opinion—

Editorial: All in the same boat Appreciating what we have and helping others during a time of crisis

et’s face it. Nobody is particularly excited about starting school this year. Students want to socialize and see their friends in person, teachers wish they could return to school and teach like every other year and parents worry that their children are falling behind academically. Nobody is in an optimal situation right now. But how can we make this year the best that it can be? We must recognize that the CESJDS community has been relatively fortunate over the past few months. The school was able to transition quickly to virtual learning, allowing students to continue their studies until June. This is more than what can be said for Montgomery County Public Schools, whose students lost three weeks of classes and lacked crucial academic support. Additionally, the JDS administration has been communicative and transparent about reopening plans throughout the summer. Unlike the spring, students will be able to participate in more clubs and extracurricular activities that were not offered then. And while clubs are not in-person, students will still be able to engage in activities they enjoy, albeit virtually. While not the same by any measure, this plan is still a better alternative to the situation in the spring, where some students had little to

do in their free time. Additionally, students will be able to socialize in person during outdoor athletic programs and optional in-person science labs which provides an additional outlet for improving their mental health and overall well-being. Next, we should not worry about how much of the formal curriculum we get through. After all, we are living through an ongoing global pandemic, and we are not the only ones going through these circumstances. Everyone is behind on their learning, not just us. If anything, we hope students have and continue to take it upon themselves to self-educate on topics highlighted by current events that are especially prevalent now. That’s not to say we should ignore our studies, but we should not stress over not covering all the material. Educational institutions know there will be gaps in our knowledge, and our teachers are working hard to catch us up on what we’ve missed while making sure we know core concepts. As we reflect on the concerns and challenges that we are facing during this time, take some time to consider what you need for a successful school year. That might be socializing more, seeking academic support, taking time for yourself or something else. Whatever it may be, build it into your schedule. With

WAYS TO HELP Montgomery County Volunteer Center Volunteer Match Fast Forward (Virtual Volunteering) Jewish Community Relations Council A Wider Circle Teens Give Learning Ally

so much uncertainty and so much out of our control, it’s important to normalize taking care of ourselves and address our personal needs as best we can. Once we have taken care of ourselves, we should look to help others that are less fortunate. Be inspired by people giving back to their communities, like students providing free tutoring to children of healthcare workers, the junior class food drive last spring and websites like ilmjtcv.com (I Lost My Job To CoronaVirus) that seek to connect those unemployed due to the pandemic with job opportunities. Both in person and virtual service opportunities can be found on websites such as VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.org). Not only will you be supporting others in need, but you will feel the reward of knowing you made a positive difference in someone’s life during a divisive and uncertain time.

-The Lion’s Tale

Editorial Cartoon by Ariana Ravitz

September 2020

Hogan’s voting plan is problematic

We shouldn’t have to choose between our health and the health of our elections

Ella Waldman Reporter As November nears and the 2020 Presidential Election approaches, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has created a plan to address the logistics of holding an election during a public health crisis. Unfortunately, he made the unsafe decision to conduct in-person elections. Because it is likely that large crowds of people will be at the polling centers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised voters to take advantage of alternative voting methods in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. Despite this warning, Hogan decided to push forward with his plan to conduct a traditional election. For the primary elections this past June, the state mailed every registered voter a ballot. But in November, absentee ballot applications will be sent out instead, and polling locations will be opened. Hogan feels that because the state encountered several problems when sending out the ballots for the primary, reverting to the normal process is best for the upcoming election. However, achieving a sense of normality during the election process by opening polling centers is not worth putting people’s health

“However, achieving a sense of normality during the election process by opening polling centers is not worth putting people’s health at risk.” -Ella Waldman

at risk. Attempting to open more polling centers will be unsafe and nearly impossible, as polling centers can be held at senior centers, public schools or long-term care facilities that may be unavailable during these times. Maryland is planning on opening approximately 350 polling centers statewide, a drastic decrease from the 2,162 locations opened for the 2016 general election according to the Maryland State Board of Elections. The majority of election judges, who help run the polling centers, are seniors. Since seniors are in a high risk category for COVID-19, this year has proven challenging to find enough election judges to fully staff each polling center. The second part of Hogan’s plan, sending out applications for absentee ballots, is also problematic. Sending out two rounds of voting materials is significantly more expensive than the single round used for the primaries, and President of the Maryland Association of Elections Officials David Garreis says the state does not have the proper resources to handle the two-step process. Data from June’s primary election indicates that this process will likely be ineffective. In June, more Maryland Democrats voted than in any other presidential primary in state history, likely due to the convenient mail-in process. The majority of Marylanders used the mail-in ballots, whereas less than 3% went to the in-person polls. When Ohio attempted the system that Hogan has put in place

for the November election, multiple problems arose. It took weeks for Ohioans to get their requested ballots, and many did not get theirs at all. Any voter who requested a ballot and did not receive one before the deadline was given the option to cast a provisional ballot in person, but that meant they had to choose between their health and voting, a choice no American should ever have to make. Ohio’s primary proves that this system will not work and will make what should be a simple process significantly more complicated. While I myself cannot vote, this system could force many Marylanders into an uncomfortable decision. Many Republicans have expressed concern for voter fraud, the rigging of votes or manipulation of election results that could result from mail-in ballots and are advocating for in-person elections. However, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, there is little-to-no evidence that this would occur. Since around 2000, voting by mail has become a much more common practice with voter fraud remaining at a minimum. In Oregon, over 100 million ballots have been sent in over the past 20 years with only about a dozen instances of voter fraud. Considering the fact that voter fraud is extremely unlikely, and opening polling centers is very risky, Hogan needs to implement a system that will both look out for the health and safety of Maryland voters and lead to a successful election.

voter turnout for the Ohio and Maryland primary elections in June

20%

42% data courtesy of The Washington Post

Use this QR Code to register to vote!

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

Let’s talk about tznius Many students at JDS are uninformed about the rules of modesty in Judaism

Taylor Polonsky Guest Writer “You’ll need a note from your parents,” my coach said when I wanted to wear a skirt in PE class. Despite the fact that CESJDS is a pluralistic Jewish day school, there are few students who keep outright tznius: “modesty” in terms of the Talmudic rabbis. Only two other girls in my grade wear skirts or casual dresses for religious purposes, one of whom is my sister. As a result, I needed parental confirmation that I wasn’t simply slacking off from changing into athletic clothes. It was frustrating for a teacher in a Jewish private school to tell me I needed proof that I was wearing an article of clothing due to Jewish customs, though it wasn’t their fault. Since several JDS staff members are not Jewish, and most students don’t wear skirts or observe noticeable tznius, there is an unfortunate lack of awareness around the topic. My old school, Kemp Mill Montessori, was orthodox. There, tznius was enforced through the dress code. It wasn’t weird that I wore a skirt everyday because everyone else did too. Then I came to JDS, an overall less observant school. It was an interesting transition both socially, religiously and academically. I had heard about the loose dress code, but I was surprised by how uncommon it was to see students wearing skirts. In about a week, many of my classmates noticed I hadn’t worn sweatpants or leggings, and the questions started. I realized then how little they knew

about tznius and the other more observant practices that structure my life. At JDS, wearing a skirt is an equivalent to wearing a dress, both of which my peers reserve for debates and presentations that require us to dress up for a good grade. While talking about an upcoming mock trial, someone told me that I just needed to change my top, since I ‘already wear skirts.’ There are several classes on Judaism and Jewish history at JDS, but students and teachers are uninformed about modern religious practices aside from the existence of Shabbat, kippot and kashrut. According to Jewish Text Department chair Aviva Gershman, students do learn about tznius, it’s just not identified as such, as it can be hard to actually talk about the idea for a number of reasons relating to both teachers and students. “There’s a fear that either [discussing tznius] will be received badly by students, or that students will walk away with the wrong message,” Gershman said. It’s a lot of unknown territory to cover, but Gershman thinks that it is important to teach about, especially in a Jewish school. The modern image of tznius is mostly of observant Jewish women; they don’t show their knees or elbows and avoid low necklines. Some cover their ankles and wrists. Really, the rabbis interpreted tznius as the modesty of not only dress, but speech and behavior, for all genders. Clothing is the only aspect that’s visible, and therefore the one people most commonly notice. The reason behind tznius is widely interpreted. Some believe it’s a custom that pleases G-d. Others think of it as personal privacy and respect. I have heard too many times that modestly dressing is done to avoid “distracting” men. While I understand the idea behind it, I don’t think the way one dresses should enable consent in any form to the people around them, nor should the fear dictate

Tznius put simplY Skirts Knee-length skirts are considered modest by some Orthodox Jews.

Covering Hair Married Orthodox women may choose to cover their hair.

Mechitzah Orthodox Jews often separate the men and women while praying and put a mechitzah (divider) in between them.

Shomer Nagia It is considered inappropriate by some Orthodox Jews to touch people of the opposite gender.

what one wears. My family is orthodox and keeps tznius, so I’m quite familiar with it. I have never seen my father outside the house without a shirt on. Even when we go to the beach, he’ll walk right into the ocean wearing a rash guard and long cargo pants. We don’t even dress as strictly as other families I know. I grew up wearing skirts and currently am not allowed to leave the house without one. There are special exceptions, but for the most part, you will never see me wearing pants. I am still allowed to show my elbows and knees and don’t have to cover my collarbone in public, but that’s not what people notice when they look at me. Though I didn’t choose to dress like this, it’s not something I’m ashamed of. I don’t like the feeling of being forced to do something, yet despite that, I know I would dress the same, even if I could wear whatever I wanted. I was the one, after all, who asked to wear a skirt in PE, not my parents. JDS does a good job of making the less observant students feel comfortable in a more Jewish environment, but I feel as if students know more about what it’s like to be an observant Jew in the time of King David than in the world today.

Kol Isha Some Orthodox women choose not to sing in front of men.

September 2020

Stop the stigma. It’s time to teach girls that discussing periods is alright

Eva Bard Arts and Entertainment Editor

ecause nobody can know we’re on our periods, we miserably wait for the bell to ring so we can change out of the tampon we’ve already bled through. We make sure to look both ways before shoving a tampon or pad up our sleeves. We disguise our cramps as headaches. We wear dark, baggy clothes. Because no one can know, women all over the world suffer every day. The culture of hiding periods isn’t unique to our school or even our country. Menstruation has been painted as something dirty and shameful in society for centuries and although scholars debate where the societal taboo came from, it can be clearly traced back to religious texts such as the bible and the Quran. In Leviticus 15:19, God commands that “when a woman has a discharge, her discharge being blood from her body, she shall remain in her impurity seven days; whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.” Based on this biblical text, the Talmud then expanded the idea of purification with the rules of niddah, or ritual impurity. It commands married couples to refrain

The stigma across the world

“People in power have continuously failed to recognize and prioritize issues surrounding periods, causing there to be a lack of solutions and change for women that need it.” -Eva Bard

Kenya

On average, girls miss 20% of their school year due to their period.

from intercourse during a woman’s period and to end her cycle with a trip to the mikvah that will “purify” her again. Through describing periods as “impure,” along with using a code name for menstruation, the bible and Talmud form a harmful taboo around it. While I don’t fault the bible for not looking at menstruation scientifically, it could have taken an entirely different approach by viewing periods as a beautiful part of the life cycle. Rather, it enforces the idea that periods are gross and humiliating, which is exemplified in a woman’s tradition to visit the mikvah privately at night. This taboo, first seen in the bible, is still carried around in society today. A study conducted by the International Women’s Health Coalition found that there are around 5,000 slang words for periods in 10 different languages. We’ve all heard and used the seemingly harmless euphemisms like “that time of month,” “Aunt Flo” and “shark week,” but our inability to call it what it is actually adds to the dirty connotation and tells society that periods are unworthy of attention. The unworthiness that the stigma around periods creates not only prevents students at school from telling their teacher they need to go change their tampon but leads to inaccessible menstruation products and disadvantages for girls around the world. According to Femme International, girls in Kenya miss about 20% of the school year because of a lack of period supplies, and women in Venezuela are forced to sleep in isolated huts during their cycle.

Ghana

In rural areas, a woman on her period is not allowed to live with or cook for a man.

Venezuela Women sleep in special huts during their periods in some areas.

The list goes on. In American society, there are no expulsions of women during their period, but women living in poverty are unable to access menstruation products because of the high costs, along with the impractical sales tax. Although many states exempt basic necessities from the sales tax, only five have included menstrual products to that exemption, which again, reflects society’s inability to confront periods, and menstrual products as a necessity to female life. Problems women face are often stereotyped as illegitimate or overdramatized, and periods are no exception. People in power have continuously failed to recognize and prioritize issues surrounding periods, causing there to be a lack of solutions and change for women that need it. Nevertheless, change must also come from the bottom. If we can’t talk about it, how can we expect society to take period issues seriously? While we can’t get rid of thousands of years worth of stigma, we can start by speaking up for our periods and stop hiding it under sweatpants. Hold your tampon proudly in the hallway and stand up to the teacher that won’t let you go to the bathroom. However, for progress to be made, males must also take responsibility. Instead of dismissing periods as distant and irrelevant, males should stay educated so that they can participate in the conversation as well. It’s time we all challenge ourselves to embrace periods, engage in conversation and together, we can start to break the silence.

India

Women are not allowed to touch cows while menstruating.

Nepal

Menstruating women live separately from their communities in remote areas.

Data courtesy of femmeinternational.org

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

— in-depth —

Not Enough Time

A look into the importance of sleep and why it’s so hard to get

Maya Preuss News Editor

Mischa Trainor In-Depth and Design Editor

Photo illustrations and infographic by Daphne Kaplan and Mischa Trainor

September 2020

any students at CESJDS struggle to get a healthy amount of sleep on a nightly basis. Several factors can contribute to this including extracurriculars, procrastination, an overload of work on a single night or prioritizing work over sleep.

Importance of Sleep

According to pediatrician and JDS parent Dr. Joanna Sexter, lack of sleep can make it diff icult to concentrate, disturbs students’ executive functions and their judgment, impairs students’ ability to regulate emotions and makes teens more def iant. All these factors can affect both a student’s academic performance and emotional health. The recommended amount of sleep for teens is eight to 10 hours per night, according to Sexter. After school naps, however, can help make up for missed sleep the night before, but naps over 30 minutes can leave people feeling groggy and unalert. Sexter additionally notes that it is important to maintain your circadian rhythm, which, according to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is the physical, mental and behavioral patterns that individuals follow through a daily cycle, like sleeping at certain times in a day. “We know that your circadian rhythms do better when you actually go to bed at the same time and wake-up at the same time, even on weekends,” Sexter said. “Obviously that is not always possible, but in an ideal world, sticking to the same schedule is really helpful.” In order to have the best

“We know that your circadian rhythms do better when you acually School’s Role in Promoting go to bed Balance at the same The JDS administration time and monitors the amount of homework students are assigned to wake up at ensure their workload is not too the same large. The academic council, time, even on which consists of the middle school principal, high school weekends. principal, all department chairs, Obviously the director of college guidance that is not and other faculty members, adjusts the curriculum and tries always to standardize the workload and possible but diff iculty level for each teacher in an ideal and class. “Students may not see it world stickthis way, [but] we have done ing to the some research on how much same homework our school gives relative to how much other schedule is schools give, and we’re actual- really ly not a heavy homework school helpful.” relative to other high schools,” sleep hygiene, Sexter recommends that caffeine and electronics be avoided before bed. Exercise can also be very helpful for improving the duration of sleep and a person’s ability to fall asleep faster.

Head of School Rabbi Mitch Malkus said. “One thing that we have learned a lot when we have surveyed students and talked to students is that it takes different students different amounts of time to do the same kind of homework. So what we are shooting for is the general average amount.” In order to help manage student stress, guidance counselors have meetings with freshmen twice a year to check in and see how they are doing regarding many issues, including time management. The administration and the guidance counselors also have established

- Dr. Joanna Sexter, parent and pediatrician

guidelines to help decrease the workload of students. According to the High School Handbook, students are given one extension pass per class that they are allowed to use on any assignment, project or test unless otherwise noted by teachers ahead of time, which was implemented in 2012. Similarly, students are only allowed two tests or essays due per day and f ive per week. If they are assigned more than that, students are allowed to push back each excess assessment without using an extension pass. “I get very frustrated when a really exhausted student tells me they had four tests in one day. When I ask why they took four tests in one day when the limit is two, they say that they don’t like to postpone things,” Interim High School Principal and Dean of Students Roslyn Landy said. “The guidelines and policies were put in place to help students, but they have to avail themselves of these safety nets.” Although these guidelines are intended to help mitigate stress and promote healthier sleep schedules, some students avoid using extension passes to save them for later in the school year, and stay up late on assignments even if it reduces the amount of sleep they have. A survey sent out to sophomores, juniors and seniors showed that 51.2% of students did not use any extension passes in the 2019-2020 school year, while the remainder used one to two. “I believe in getting my work done when I receive it because that way I can just get itout of the way,” sophomore Elliot Bramson said, who did not

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

use any extension passes in his f irst year of high school. The administration has considered adjusting school start times to in-person learning to help students increase their focus, but they believe that this is not possible for many reasons. “The school is aware that there has been some research on teenagers and what are their brain patterns and what times of days would be better for learning and how much sleep teenagers need to get,” Malkus said. “That being said, it is very hard because of the world that we live in and parents’ schedules and also other school activities to have the day align with that.” While the start time likely won’t change, the administration has adjusted the in-person schedule to allow students to get more sleep. In 2000, they switched from having nine classes per day to only having six to decrease the amount of homework assigned in a single night. The administration also placed Zman Kodesh in the very beginning of the day to allow time for mindfulness before students jump into learning and academic classes, a policy that will continue during online learning in the 2020-2021 school year. “You can only educate and try to create the best environment possible, and then you try to have students make the right decision,” Sexter said.

Procrastination/Mental Health Many students at JDS f ind it diff icult to focus on work which results in procrastination. However, working closer to deadlines often means that students must decide between work and sleep. “I do [procrastinate],” junior Naomi Gould said. “I f ind when I am more stressed it is really diff icult for me to have the headspace for me to get all my work done in a row. Especially taking nine advanced academic classes, I have a really intense workload which just leads me to procrastinate more.” Landy acknowledges that students generally do not get

enough sleep and often put their grades before their sleep hygiene. “I would be very happy if students could put their health above getting an “A;” they need to consider their physical and mental health,” Landy said. High school guidance counselor Rachel Soifer works with students to help them manage their time and understand that there are different forms of procrastination. A student could put off work because the content is overwhelming, they are having a diff icult time with focus and attention, they have an undiagnosed learning issue or there is a need for academic support. “We want to see that kids are able to effectively perform at school in a way that aligns with their ability,” Soifer said. When there are recognizable procrastination issues that become a pattern, Soifer hopes that the students themselves will bring it to their attention and ask for help. However, if a student does not bring this to the guidance counselor’s attention, parents and teachers step in. “I like to help students f ind ways that they can take ownership and tell their parents and tell their other supports in their life, like their teachers or counselors or study hall teachers, what it is that they need to succeed and how others can support them,” Soifer said.

Sleep culture

Deciding whether to go to bed or stay up late to study or f inish one’s work can be a diff icult decision. According to a survey completed by 85 JDS high school students, 51.2% value f inishing homework and sleeping equally while 35.7% value f inishing homework more than their sleep. Senior Tali Kuperberg values her schoolwork more than her time sleeping. On a good night for Kuperberg, she generally gets f ive to six hours of sleep during in-person learning. “I guess I value doing well

September 2020

in school over sleep because I’d rather stay up studying. Once I stayed up studying till two in the morning for a test, and that was great because then I did great on the test,” Kuperberg said. When guidance counselors meet with their students every year, guidance directly raises the question of health and a balanced sleep schedule. “[Students] can easily talk about how they value sleep. It’s not just me talking at them or to them about it and I would say that kids, in general, are very conscious of their sleep schedules,” Soifer said. Over the past few years, Soifer has noticed that students have become more conscious of how much sleep is a healthy amount for them on a daily night and able to acknowledge when they need to change their schedule. “I do think there’s been a culture shift and students are more self-aware and conscious and more deliberate about paying attention to their sleep,” Soifer said. When in the school building, Community Time gives students the opportunity to meet with teachers, study for an assessment, do some school work,

or take a break and have some free time. Students have the choice to use this time as they wish. During distance learning, time is built into the school day for off ice hours for students to meet with teachers and get help virtually. Senior Jake Rulnick sometimes works during lunch or Community Time with the aim of not compromising his sleep time. “I really try to get all my homework done and if I have to do it during lunch or Community Time or something like that I just try to really make sure I get it done, and if I’m still doing work at around 10 p.m., I try to wrap it up and just go to bed because then I’m not going to be productive if I don’t sleep enough,” Rulnick said.

Sleep during distance learning

“I do think there’s been a culture shift and students are more selfaware and conscious and more deliberate about paying attention to their sleep.” - Guidance Counselor Rachel Soifer

For many students, the switch from in-person learning to distance learning had a signif icant impact on the amount of sleep they get on a school day. During the portion of the 2019-2020 school year that took place online, classes started at 10 a.m. and Zman Kodesh was optional. Students like Gould

felt that the later wake up times helped her get more sleep and work better with her circadian rhythm. “During distance learning [in the spring] I felt the school actually did a really good job of making sure we weren’t too overwhelmed with both everything happening in the world and school so I didn’t feel like I had to procrastinate as much ... I actually felt that [procrastination] was less of an issue during distance learning than it was during the school year,” Gould said. The new schedule for online learning, however, has mandatory Zman Kodesh starting at 8:35 a.m., which some students worry may be too early. “It’s a little bit concerning that given mandatory Zman Kodesh now the school day will be starting an hour and a half earlier,” Gould said. “I def initely agree that yes, it could be starting a little bit earlier than 10 a.m. That was very generous, but I’m nervous that especially because I’ve gotten so used to going to bed later and waking up later and that’s just what works for me that I’ll have to readjust and then I’ll just be getting less sleep in general.”

tips for better sleep: 2020-2021 planner

Reduce light exposure and electronic devices usage an hour before going to bed

Avoid doing work on your bed to avoid associating a place of rest with a place to do work

September

Establish a strict sleep schedule

Create a relaxing environment to sleep with adequate, silence and darkness

Limit stimulant intake such as caffeinated beverages throughout the day

Journal

Regularly exercise, but avoid exercising three hours before bed

I was tired today. I did well on my test. I am proud of myself. I studied hard for it!

72F

Do something relaxing before going to sleep including meditating and journaling

Sleep in a room-temperature environment

Top row’s data are courtesy of cancer.org; bottom row’s data are courtesy of the National Institue of Aging — NIH

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

— features — Sesame and Everything, two signature flavors. Featured below: Coby Malkus puts the finishing touch on his challah. Photos courtesy of Twin Bakers

BAKING BROTHERS Harry Davidson Reporter

It’s around 3 p.m. on a Friday, and rising sophomore Coby Malkus, and his twin Eitan, are putting the finishing touches on the last of the 30 challahs they made for the week. With their extra free time to bake and the CESJDS community’s need for challahs, their new baking business has been extremely successful. Twin Bakers, the Malkus’ business, has become popular throughout their neighborhood and the JDS community in Potomac and Rockville. Since they started in June, they have made an average of 30 to

Malkus twins run challah business

40 challahs a week and 30 challah rolls per week. Coby said that the pandemic motivated them to create their own business. “Me and my brother [sic] wanted to do something over the summer,” Coby said. “I don’t think we would have done the business if it wasn’t for [the] coronavirus because we would have had other plans … it’s doing really well.” Their menu features a variety of flavors such as plain, sesame, everything, chocolate chip and cinnamon. Upper School Nurse Heather

September 2020

by the numbers

number of challahs Twin Bakers bakes weekly

how many flavors Twin Bakers offers

pounds of flour used every week

Greenblum, a two-time customer at Twin Bakers, appreciates the variety. “We started buying challahs because I thought it would be really great to support high school JDS kids trying to start a business,” Greenblum said. “I think their challahs are absolutely delicious. My kids say they are very sweet, which we love. They are cooked perfectly, and the braiding is impeccable.” Dr. Melissa Arking, a JDS parent and another big customer, loves supporting members of the JDS community and is also very fond of the taste. “It is our favorite challah. It actually is a time saver for me if I can get the same product without having to make it, and they do a very good job,” Arking said. Twin Bakers attracts customers not only with their challahs, but with how convenient it is for customers to pick up their orders. Most of their customers live in the Malkus’ neighborhood or nearby, and Twin Bakers offers a pickup spot at Beth Shalom Congregation or a $1 delivery fee for any customer within two miles. “We went out of town, and we came back a couple hours before Shabbat started. I was able to place an order on Wednesday, and we had fresh challah waiting for us on our porch when we came back,” Greenblum said. “The Kosher places are usually closed two hours before Shabbat, so it was pretty awesome that we got fresh challah.” The Malkus’ challahs cost six to seven dollars depending on the flavor, and they are donating a percentage of their earnings to Mazon, a Jewish organization that combats hunger. Along with their earnings, the twins have also learned valuable lessons about time management and persistence. “At the beginning it took us at least a few times to get the recipe right, and a few times the braiding didn’t come out as well,” Coby said. “So we have definitely learned to be more patient and if a challah didn’t look right to try again.” The Malkus’ aren’t the only ones who have started challah baking businesses this summer. Becca Weiss (‘20) started “Becca Bread,” which has gained popularity within the community through an Instagram account that features photos of her challahs with JDS students and families.

MORE BREADWINNERS Scan the QR code to read up on other student-run businesses like freshman Alex Reichmann’s bike repair, Beads by Nydish and backyard camps.

Pictured below: two freshly-packaged challahs, ready for delivery. Photo courtesy of Twin Bakers

Pictured on right: two freshly-packaged challahs, ready for delivery. Photo courtesy of Twin Bakers

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

MASK

MAKER Freshman 3D prints face masks for healthcare workers Jessica Gallo Contributing Editor

From mid-March to early June, the soft humming sound of 3D printers could be heard all day long throughout freshman Jenna Bortnick’s home. Pursuing her interest in STEM, Bortnick took advantage of the 3D printing skills she learned in school and produced over 300 face protection shields for those in need around the Greater Washington Area. After seeing a clip on the news about another local private school being able to 3D print such protectors, Bortnick was inspired to follow in their footsteps and print shields of her own. Bortnick reached out to the school in Potomac to see if she could use their print model after receiving two printers and the filament for the shields from JDS. “We saw that Bullis was 3D printing masks and we wondered if we could email [the school] and get the print that they’re using and use the Jellybox [printer I was sent home with for my elective class] to print them,” Bortnick said. “It ended up that the Jellybox was too small, so we asked the school if we could use their general printers and test two of those, which we used to print them.”

by the numbers

300

masks produced

hours it takes to print four masks

number of 3D printers used

Jenna Bortnick sits next to a Prusa i3 3D-printer as it creates a face shield. Photo courtesy of Jenna Bortnick

With help from 3D printing teacher Terrilynn Platt, Bortnick received two printers from the school along with the filament used to print the shields. Platt is delighted with how well Bortnick’s project went. “I was quite impressed that Jenna opted into this project during that crazy, confusing time when the school building first closed, and I am so proud of what she accomplished on her own initiative,” Platt said. Bortnick stuck with the standard mask size and design that was given with the original print template and kept up with the tweaks in design as needed. She mostly used the filament given to her by JDS, so the colors varied. Given the amount of time it takes to print even the smallest designs, Bortnick had the printers running all day to maximize the total number of shields she could print. “I used the same size for all the masks, and the print code changed a couple of times due to where they were being sent,” Bortnick said. “We’d print about four of them a day

and it’d take 12 hours.” Though she had to give the printers back to the school at the end of the year, Bortnick enjoyed giving back to the community in a way that would benefit everyone. “[I think it’s rewarding] that in a time where we aren’t doing much except sitting around the house, that we got to help people and get the feeling that I was helping people and making a difference,” Bortnick said. Although much remains unknown about how the upcoming school year will play out, Bortnick seeks to continue printing more shields, whether that be in the classroom with her friends or in the safety of her own home. “If we end up going back to school [for a long period of time], it would definitely be fun to see if we do it in the class, like if the class helped make them for the school or to donate as a community service project,” Bortnick said. “And if I still had the printers, I could continue to make them and help even more people.”

September 2020

NEW NORMAL Photo courtesy of Edward Mitre

Living with an infectious disease physician Gabi Simon Reporter

ntering through the garage, infectious disease doctor and CESJDS parent Dr. Edward Mitre changes and showers before joining his family. To protect them from getting sick, he does not get close to them after coming home from work at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. Despite his proximity to Covid-19 patients, his three children, sixth-grader Jonah, senior Mira (not at JDS) and alumna Talia (‘19), are not very concerned about contracting the coronavirus from their father. “I might [be more anxious], but I’m actually not, just because he is very cautious with it; he takes all the precautions pretty well,” Talia Mitre said. Deborah Appelbaum, Speech therapist and wife of Mitre, is also not excessively worried about her husband’s exposure to Covid-19. “Of course I am [worried], but it’s proportional… I don’t think it’s a huge preoccupation; we’re careful,” she said. “He’s an infectious disease doctor, so I think we kind of live with a certain amount of ‘oh, he could contract things,’ [but] I don’t really think about it.” The Mitre-Appelbaum family continues to take precautions: they wash hands, wear masks, grocery shop at night and socially distance themselves from others. In addition, Edward Mitre follows the policies at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, including wearing

an N-95 mask around patients in respiratory isolation, meaning that they are in rooms with separate ventilation systems than the rest of the hospital. “When I work in the hospital, when I come home, instead of going to the front door, I go in through the garage, I take off all the clothes I was wearing in the hospital, I clean myself off, alcohol everything off,” Edward Mitre said. “I often shower and put on clothes, and then I kind of socially distance myself a bit from the family.” Though some of the physical aspects of his work have changed, the emotional side has not. After 27 years, Edward Mitre has grown used to working with very sick patients. “I feel sympathy for my patients, but … I didn’t really feel very different when working with the Covid-19 patients,” he said. “It’s always difficult to take care of people who are sick. I worry to make sure that I am doing everything that I can.” The family is more worried about getting their relatives sick than contracting the virus themselves. Both Talia and A p p e l b a u m explained that since they are young, they are more likely to survive Covid-19 than their high risk

“We kind of live with a certain amount of ‘oh, he could contract things,’ [but] I don’t really think about it.” - Deborah Appelbaum

parents and grandparents. The same reasoning was applied for several weeks when Edward Mitre worked in the Covid-19 ward at his hospital. During that time, the rest of the family stayed at Appelbaum’s parents’ house to protect the whole family in case he contracted the virus. Before happily reuniting, he took a Covid-19 test that came back negative. “It’s really a once-in-a-century type of outbreak, and it’s really pretty terrible, so we just have to work together,” Edward Mitre said. “I think we really need to recognize that this is not a political issuethis is a values issue, this is just something we all need to work together as a community to do our best to control.”

Dr. Mitre keeps up with the latest research. Photo courtesy of Edward Mitre

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

— sports —

Scaled back sports return

Athletics Department offers socially distanced programs for upcoming season

photo by Sophia Miller

Sophia Miller Sports Editor

ith both the fall and winter sports seasons postponed, CESJDS is offering an array of different athletic programs to keep students active and ready to return to competitive sports when that happens. During the summer, the PVAC announced that it would postpone all of its competitive sports seasons to the spring. In the spring, the plan is to have three 8-week abridged seasons, allowing for every sport to run, rather than only having spring sports this year. Despite the official fall season being canceled, Director of Athletics Becky Silberman thought it was important to figure out a way to safely allow students to come into school and participate in in-person activities. This is both to help athletes stay in shape as well as give students the opportunity to leave their houses and have some social interaction after school. “One of the big concerns with

this break is that there is going to be a lot of injuries when people get back, but the fact that we are able to get people active before the season starts is good,” Silberman said. In an email sent out on Aug. 12, Silberman outlined the plans for the fall and the different activities that JDS would be offering, which include both in-person and online opportunities. The virtual offerings consist of online fitness and yoga. One of these occurs every day to ensure that everyone can participate in an activity even if they aren’t able to attend the in-person activities. There are two different categories of on-site programs: drop in programs and programs requiring registration. The drop in offerings are not targeted at a specific sport and do not require sign ups. These programs include strength training and walk/run club. For the programs that require registration, students must fill out a form indicating the specific sport they are interested in. Pre-registration is necessary in order to limit the number of participants per sport

Senior Ariel Gershman, pictured above, shoots with other members of the varsity basketball team. “We know that there are a lot of unkowns going into this season, but as a team we have been trying to train a lot and be ready for whatever happens this year,” Gershman said.

due to the fields/court sizes. These limitations are due to social distancing. These offerings include: basketball, baseball, volleyball, girls soccer, boys soccer, girls tennis and cross country. Junior Zoe Fischman is excited about this programming because it means that she is able to participate in sports that are typically not offered during the fall. “I’m glad to have the opportunity to play with my friends and get a dose of basketball in the fall, which is not something I am used to,” Fischman said. “I think this could ultimately help us improve for a potential season in the spring.” The athletics department will be taking many precautions to ensure that the programming runs safely. There will be daily on- site health screenings and social distancing norms will be followed at all times. In addition, masks will be required for the majority of the activities.

September 2020

voices from the den As professional athletes resume their seasons, sports fans hope players can safely resume play “Soccer is always just such a big part of my life and without it I’m a little bit lost. I used to watch a lot of games over the weekend. Every Saturday, every Sunday I’d be all morning watching games, and they came back faster than the NBA or MLB, so I was able to start watching maybe a month or two ago which is nice.”

- Junior Juliano Perczek

“I’ve been able to catch some of the WNBA games since their season resumed. I do think it is weird to watch these games without seeing any fans and that they are not playing in stadiums, but it is just something we all have to get used to.”

-Junior Avital Freedman

“[My son] and I bought the MLB app and we’ve been watching baseball games from all over the country just already in the last couple of days. . . . We’ll all get by watching on TV and figure our lives out in the meantime but there’s no question at all: of course safety has to come first.”

-JDS parent John Hasenberg

lion in the spotlight

Junior Zoe Wertlieb: @healthyzoeee “I created an Instagram account about a month into quarantine in order to motivate me to stay active. It started out as just posting about eating healthy foods and exercising, but now it’s about being supportive and having a healthy mindset as well. This account has allowed me to be more healthy and productive during a time when it can be easy to forget about exercising. Between starting the account and now, I feel like my whole mindset has shifted because now I am valuing eating healthy and exercising much more than I used to. Another big shift in my mindset is my new goal when exercising because before, I was focused on how many calories I was burning and how much I ‘had’ to work out in order to stay healthy. Now, I workout because I want to, not because I have to, and I feel much better about eating foods that I love, in moderation. I also think my confidence has definitely grown as a result of this healthier mindset, which is why I plan on continuing spending time with the account, regardless of whether we are in school or not.”

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

— a&e —

Bagel bus

An iconic D.C. Jew-ish deli parked itself in Bethesda Daniela Abrams Reporter

all Your Mother is a new food truck that is parked across the street from the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The trolley painted in bright pinks and blues, with a crowd surroundig it, can can be easily spotted. The “Jewish deli,” native to Washington, D.C., brought its iconic bagels to Montgomery County in late June. Call Your Mother is most well known for its unique bagel sandwiches, each freshly made and loaded with toppings. They include a variety of savory and sweet combos such as peanut butter jelly and granola, whitefish bagel, or one that closely resembles cheesecake and is loaded with graham cracker cream cheese. The truck also sells bagels in bulk, an array of cream cheese flavors such as herb and candied salmon, desserts, whitefish and lox. Not only does the deli-style food take me back to my Jewish roots, but the name of the restaurant does as well. Jewish moms are often known for nagging, and the food that you will be eating at this restaurant serves as a reminder to call her. Although the truck is called a “Jew-ish deli,” two of their bagel sandwiches are not kosher. None of their food is fit to serve those who observe kashrut because many of their menu items include bacon or

combine meat and cheese. Upon arrival, there was plenty of parking available next to the food truck; however, it gets pretty crowded during lunch hours, so the spots fill up. Although it was busy, the line at the food truck was very short because most customers place online orders. I did not use this offers bagel feature and decided to order when I got there. and challah I ordered an everything bagel sandwiches and the Royal Palm sandwich which was the only bagel sandwich they had left in stock. The worker at the food truck was very friendly and from $5 to $11 efficient. The food came warm and toasty within five minutes, packaged in a white paper bag. The everything bagel toasted friendly, quick with cream cheese was delicious, and safe chewy and crunchy. The Royal Palm sandwich, which was stuffed with cream cheese, lox, cucumber and tomatoes, was just as good. It came 6:45 a.m. to with the perfect amount of every2 p.m. thing seasoning and cream cheese. At the Bethesda location, there are two picnic tables, as well as one table that seats two people. 8804 Old While the seating is comfortable, Georgetown Rd., the scorching summer heat and Bethesda, Md. humidity make it less pleasant, so I would recommend that you bring your food home for a more enjoyable experience. I would also recommend going earlier in the morning because by lunch hour almost all of the sandwiches were out of stock. The food truck’s inventory is limited because

Food Facts Menu

the bagels are shipped from their two locations in the District, so I would not recommend ordering for large events. Call Your Mother is one of the best bagel places I have been to. If you consider yourself a bagel lover, this is a truck worth trying.

Prices

Service Hours

Address

1. Abrams ordered the Royal Palm: an everything bagel stuffed with cream cheese, lox and tomato. 2. Call Your Mother orders are all served in takeout bags.

photos by Daniela Abrams

September 2020

An anti-racist TV guide Eitan Malkus Reporter

When trying to educate myself on systemic racism in light of this summer’s protests for racial justice, I came across multiple TV series and movies that powerfully capture the subject of racism and its effect on people’s lives. As part of the “Black Lives Matter” collection on Netflix, the TV series “All American” offers a drama-filled look at racism on a teenage level. The show follows the life of Spencer James, a Black teenager from Crenshaw in the Los Angeles area, who is recruited to play football at Beverly Hills High School. While the show is seemingly a typical high school drama, it tackles issues like racial discrimination, racial profiling and class discrimination. Watching the show helped me see the disparity and inequality that exists between the lives of white people and Black people in America. Similar to “All American” is the drama “The Hate U Give,” based on the best-selling book which tells the gripping story of Black teenager Starr Carter who feels trapped between two worlds. Carter attends

a prestigious preparatory school which is predominantly white, and she simultaneously lives in a predominantly Black, poor neighborhood. When a police officer fatally shoots one of Carter’s unarmed Black friends, she tries to fight for justice for him by protesting and testifying before a grand jury. I would recommend “The Hate U Give” to older teenagers as it is a great way to educate yourself on what people go through when their loved one is killed in an act of police brutality as well as the ongoing protests calling for police reform. Another must-see movie is “Hidden Figures,” which has a light feel to it but nevertheless tells the powerful and true story of three Black female mathematicians who worked at NASA in the 1960s. The women are not seen or treated as equals to their white, male co-workers and they begin to fight for their rights by desegregating their wing of the campus and becoming the brains behind the operation to send astronaut John Glenn into space. While some parts of the movie may be a little long, I believe that it is a must watch to learn about the discrimination that Black Ameri-

Diversify your playlist compiled by Jonathan Morris

photos courtesy of Fox 20 Century, CW and Netflix

cans face in the workforce. A more solemn choice is the eye-opening Netflix documentary, “13th,” which details the complexities behind the 13th Amendment and the rising incarceration rates of Black men in America. Instead of a drama filled movie, this is more of a historical account and may seem to drag on for younger viewers. The Netflix award winning series, “Dear White People” is also a great option. This drama-comedy details the lives of a group of students of color at a primarily white university. The students are set apart because of their skin color and face many racist remarks, comments and scenarios. I would recommend this show as the types of storylines are real life scenarios that illuminate the challenges that Black people face each and every day. Each of these shows and movies has a different point to make about racism, and viewing some, if not all, will benefit you in educating yourself about the prevalence of racism in our country and the world today.

“Shnei Meshugaim” by Omer Adam

“Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix

“My family comes from a Middle Eastern/Israeli background so we listen to a lot of Israeli music ... Omer Adam makes great music and I enjoy listening to it.” - Freshman Nate Shemony

“He [Jimi Hendrix] can really be contextualized within history and the Civil Rights Movement and everything that was going on at the time”

“Are you tired of me yet?” by Cavetown

“Palace” by Sam Smith

“Cavetown is a super cool artist. He’s trans and has super vibey music and I think it’s important to have some LGBT artists in your playlist because they’re really cool.” - Junior Dalia Siegel

“Sam Smith is a really, really good representation of the LGBTQ+ community and their songs are really powerful and expressive and it makes people genuinely happy.” - Junior Kaylie Fellner

- Senior Sami Himmelfarb

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