Volume 38, Issue 2

The Lion’s Tale Magazine | CESJDS | November 2020 | Volume 38 Issue 2

SEPaRATE BUBBLES

A look at polarization within the JDS community during election season

Returning to Campus pg. 6-7 Finding Middle Ground pg. 8 Making Art Accesible Online pg. 21

Back in the Pub Hub. The Lion’s Tale’s executive editors gather for in-person production for the first time since March. This is the third issue The Lion’s Tale has published since distance learning due to COVID-19, but the first issue The Lion’s Tale’s staff has worked in person.

Photo by Jessica Nassau This issue was sent to the printer on Nov. 6. All materials and information were up to date when sent to printer.

— news —

— opinion —

Curriculum construction: The admintration seeks to reform the curriculum to increase diversity pg. 4

Finding middle ground: Uniting ourselves as a community after an intense, emotional election pg. 8

Standardized tests open: National testing centers re-open with the requirement of necessary safety precautions pg. 5

Peace deals endanger Israel’s security pg. 9

Returning to campus: As hybrid learning begins, students and faculty adjust to new circumstances pg. 6-7

— in-depth — Separate bubbles: A look at polarization within the JDS community in light of the election season pg. 12-17

Transgender roles in media: It is time for producers to give trans people the voice they deserve pg. 10 Should JDS reopen for in-person learning? pg. 11

— features — Volunteer pioneers: Students serve their community during the pandemic pg. 18-19 The legacy of RBG: A look into an icon’s impact on the feminist movement pg. 20 Making art accessible online pg. 21

— sports — Students excel on the ice: Profiles of Tori Boles and David Gruhn pg. 22-23

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How do athletes feel about wearing masks? pg. 22-23

— a&e — Oh, the places you’ll go: Travel among these six outdoor local destinations that are conducive to social distancing pg. 24-25 Should you dress up for Zoom? pg. 26- 27

November 2020

Dear reader, We hope that each of you is doing well and staying healthy (and warm!).

The entire Lion’s Tale staff is proud to publish our third magazine issue during the coronavirus pandemic, which has required great dedication and hard work over the past several weeks. As we navigate these difficult times, it remains our commitment to provide each of you with the most relevant, accurate and trustworthy information about developments in our area and the broader world. We are also providing daily updates and article postings on our website at www.lionstale.org.

But navigating the uncertainty we face this winter is not just about receiving information and catching up on the latest news; it is also about connecting with one another and ensuring our collective strength, particularly this year.

In the weeks and months ahead, with cases of COVID-19 expected to rise in our area and across the nation during the colder season when more Americans congregate indoors, the resiliency of our community will be tested. Looking ahead, we all need to help each other out any way we can in the face of adversity.

We believe that the best way to remain united and connected is by simply reaching out to each other. Use office hours to touch base with teachers.

FaceTime a friend every day. Call a peer you haven’t reached out to in a while. Take a break from school during a break to take a walk outside with a friend or family member.

Simple steps like these can go a long way in ensuring that we are not isolated and separated from each other during the cold winter months, and is an important factor in determining whether we remain a united school community as this public health crisis continues.

We encourage all of you to consider the impact that your outreach to those in our community, particularly those who are in more vulnerable population groups, will have in the months ahead.

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 Editor-in-Chiefs Alex Landy, Oren Minsk Mannaging Editor, Copy Matthew Rabinowitz Assistant Copy Editor Rochelle Berman Design and In-Depth Editors Daphne Kaplan (snr.), Mischa Trainor News Editors Maya Preuss, Irit Skulnick Opinion Editors Jessica Gallo, Eitan Malkus (asst.)

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, Sam Berns, Alex Burton, Lielle Coombe, Harry Davidson, Zara Ducker, Aaron Gallo, Ellie Levine, Nini Panner, Mark Polin, Eliot Rogal, Jared Schreiber, Gabe Siegel, Matan Silverberg, Gabi Simon, Ella Waldman Staff Advisor Jessica Nassau Advisor Emerita Susan Zuckerman

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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— news —

Curriculum Construction:

Administration plans to modify courses to amplify diversity

Matthew Rabinowitz Managing Editor, Copy CESJDS has charted its curriculum to look for possible ways to address systemic racism and inequality as a school, and it has begun to discuss partnerships with other organizations and schools to promote diversity and inclusion.

“Now what we’ve done is asked department chairs … to look through the curriculum mapping and to consider areas where maybe there needs to be additional coverage or more robust coverage, or maybe that we’re only offering one perspective and we might need to offer a broader perspective or more diverse perspective,” Head of School Rabbi Mitch Malkus said.

This year, the English Department removed “Macbeth” and “Lord of the Flies” from its freshman curriculum for “Romeo and Juliet,” which is normally read in eighth grade, and “The House on Mango Street” because the coronavirus pandemic slowed teaching.

The latter book, written by a Mexican-American author and focusing on a Hispanic young girl growing up in Chicago, was previously part of the seventh grade English curriculum. Despite this addition, Worden feels that the English curriculum lacks diverse voices.

“We’re leaning back into books that are classics; it’s heavily a white male classics-oriented program content-wise, and I think we can do a lot more to both update and bring more diversity into the voices,” Worden said.

Worden submitted a new English curriculum proposal to Malkus in October—the current most extensive high school curricular over-

4

November 2020

Steps to Modify a course STEP 1

Department head drafts initial proposal to change curriculum

STEP 2

The administration reviews the proposal

STEP 3

Department head answers questions about the proposal

STEP 4

Department head drafts a formal proposal

haul—and expects that it will be implemented in the next school year. This new curriculum, along with modified curricula for other subjects that engage in the discussion of race and diversity such as history and Jewish history, will need to maintain the same level of educational excellence.

In addition to modPhotos courtesy of Gaby Goldberg ifying JDS’ curriculum, Malkus has been looking “The House on Mango Street” was added to for schools to partner diversify the freshman curriculum. with, particularly those faithMalkus is also hoping to inbased or that are composed mostly crease JDS’ faculty and staff diof students and faculty of color. He versity by making the school’s believes that a partnership like this name more well-known as a potenwould expose JDS students to more tial employer at diverse graduate diverse opinions and help them schools of education. overcome biases, in addition to ex“Part of it is really a concerted posing others to Judaism. effort to make sure we’re looking in “The hope would be [to] start the right places and casting a wide slowly with some really little steps net for our pool of applicants for and then start to build a relation- hiring,” Malkus said. “The second ship over a period of time,” Malkus is also making sure that they’re said. “We do want to work on a local [potential faculty members] aware level and really have it be communi- that JDS does have diversity in the ty-based and work with a school in school.” the Washington, D.C. area.”

Although these changes are These changes are especially preliminary, Malkus expects JDS welcomed by junior Sophie Harris, to embrace these new policies for who transferred to JDS from Wash- years to come. ington, D.C.’s Hardy Middle School “The commitment isn’t to do in eighth grade, as she misses the this for six months or a year. This diversity and other perspectives she is going to become a lens at the had at her old school. school, along with the other lenses “It was really normal to me up that we have, and we really feel it until school [at JDS] to have peo- fits into our core Jewish values as ple of different racial backgrounds, a school and into who we are as a economic backgrounds, things like school,” Malkus said. “It’s just makthat,” Harris said. “So I think stu- ing sure our curriculum and the dents of JDS can gain a better un- community are in alignment with derstanding of what’s happening the values of the school.” by talking to people of other backgrounds and learning about other perspectives.”

Standardized tests open

Testing centers re-open with required safety precautions Sophie Kaplan Contributing Editor The College Board and ACT, Inc. have canceled, postponed, reduced and moved hundreds of testing dates and locations during the pandemic, disrupting the standardized test-taking process for high school juniors and seniors.

These changes have delayed the process for many students, causing many colleges and universities to go test-optional for, at a minimum, the 2021 admissions year.

Test-optional means that students can choose not to submit test scores for any reason, including not testing entirely or simply not receiving their desired score. According to Director of College Counseling Sue Rexford, when a student applies to a college with a test-optional application, the other aspects of their application get weighted more heavily.

Senior Tess Mendelson’s early exam plans were unsuccessful, but she was ultimately able to register for and complete an ACT exam this past June.

“There was nothing in Montgomery County that was close, so I went to Hagerstown which is like an hour drive,” Mendelson said. “I

walked in, everyone needed a mask, there were only five people in my room, we got [divider] screens and someone did not have a mask and they were not allowed in.”

Mendelson added that a large component of getting into a reduced capacity testing site is simply luck.

While Mendelson was able to secure a spot, she knows many others whose test centers were closed multiple times or were required to relocate to centers quite far away, such as in West Virginia.

“You have to be flexible because things are always changing and you cannot even count on the test happening,” Mendelson said. “With the ACT, when you are studying for it you sort of create this bubble for yourself and you feel as though there is so much pressure on you to do well, and I think especially during COVID that is just amplified.”

Although the SAT or ACT testing process can feel quite defeating, it is important to remember why tests are being canceled or moved, Rexford points out.

“The overall process has caused a lot of confusion and frustration with students and parents, but if you think about it this way the main focus of all the decisions being made is for the safety and health of the students who either will or will not

“With the ACT, when you are studying for it you sort of create this bubble for yourself and you feel as though there is so much pressure on you to do well, and I think especially during COVID that is just amplified.”

- Senior Tess Mendelson

be allowed to test,” Rexford said.

Unlike Mendelson, senior Georgia Michaels chose to apply test-optional after only being able to take one SAT, which occurred prior to the rise of COVID-19 in the U.S. “I felt like my score did not represent what I could have gotten on the SAT since I was not so prepared and I was thinking about taking it again … but all the schools that I was looking at were already test-optional before COVID,” Michaels said.

After completing her standardized test experience and having discussions with her college counselor, Michaels feels as though more colleges should make the switch to a test-optional application.

“Even before COVID, when I had my college meeting, I was told that more schools were going test-optional because they were realizing that standardized testing does not show a student’s true academic worth,” Michaels said. “Students have different things that affect them…[one standardized test] does not show their real knowledge.

COVID is pushing that [idea] forward and more schools will stay test-optional which I think is a good thing.”

402,000

178,600

900

students signed up to take the ACT nationally on Aug. 29

of the students signed up for the Aug. 29 ACT were unable to take it

colleges and universities declared they are test-optional

Data courtesy of Forbes, College Board and ACT, Inc.

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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Photo courtesy of Arava Rose

Returning to campus

As hybrid learning begins, students and faculty adjust to new circumstances

Rochelle Berman Assistant Copy Editor

H

igh school students will soon begin transitioning into hybrid learning environments, Head of School Rabbi Mitchel Malkus announced on Oct. 30.

The CESJDS Health Advisory Committee, comprised of one NIH Researcher and two doctors with their own practices who are in the JDS community, has been working with the JDS school board and administration to ensure that proper safety procedures are being taken in the return to school.

The high school is expected to move into hybrid learning beginning Dec. 1. Malkus said there are two statistics that JDS and its Health Advisory Committee will monitor as decisions continue to be made regarding hybrid learning: Montgomery County’s test positivity rate and number of cases per 100,000 people.

That threshold is below 5% for

“But it’s worth it. The challenge is worth it, because kids learning together and being together is really important.”

- Middle School Principal Eliana Lipsky

do you think it is safe to return to school?

Share your thoughts on lionstale.org

6 November 2020

test positivity and 15 or fewer cases per 100,000, an increase from a threshold set earlier in the year of 10 or fewer cases per 100,000. This change was made in the community update sent out on Oct. 30. Since no one in the JDS community has tested positive since the administered testing began in October, it was deemed acceptable to amend the maximum per 100,000 to 15 cases.

Over the past two months, test positivity has remained stable in Montgomery County, while the cases per 100,000 have risen from about seven to nearly 14, according to the Montgomery County Government’s COVID-19 data.

Upper School Nurse Heather Greenblum explained that health screening using the Magnus app, fever checks, temperature checks and COVID-19 testing will now be required. The flu vaccine has been added to the list of requirements as well, since its symptoms are similar to the coronavirus.

“Until you get a test, we have to assume it’s COVID,” Greenblum said.

As more students come on campus, testing will be required for the student body and faculty, which will amount to approximately 500 tests per week. As of Oct. 30, over 836 COVID-19 tests had been distributed and administered, and so far there have been no positive results.

COVID-19 tests will be available at both the Lower and Upper School campuses. Students have been assigned to testing sessions based on groups such as their age, cohort, clubs or athletics.

In the event that a student tests

positive, JDS must immediately report the case to the Montgomery County Health Department. The student will not be able to return to campus until they test negative and quarantine for at least 10 days.

Additionally, Greenblum will assume the responsibility of contact tracing, the act of instructing those who may have been in contact with a person who tested positive to abide

by Montgomery County guidelines to quarantine.

While the desire to return to school is heavily based on the value of in-person learning, the reality is that not every faculty member is in a position to return.

“We expect all of the faculty to come on campus; however, there are some faculty that are in high risk [categories] or live with someone who is,” Malkus said. These faculty are allowed to continue teaching from home, even when their students are in the classroom together.

Jewish Text and English teacher Grace McMillan, along with approximately 20% of the faculty, has opted to teach from home due to health concerns for herself and for her husband. “I feel really guilty,” McMillan said, “… because I know that some of my colleagues are going to be proctoring my classes .… I think my not being able to come in puts an extra burden on them, and I’m very grateful to them.”

McMillan noted that the administration has been exceedingly understanding regarding the extreme risk she would face in a building with students during the pandemic.

“The school has been quite ready to recognize that for the par-

ticular health concerns that my family has, there is no question,” McMillan said.

While many students are eager to return to a more normal way of learning among their peers, there continue to be health and safety concerns among students as well.

Junior Noam Zaremba supports the move to hybrid learning. “When I’m in class I like to be engaged, I think there are certain aspects of a classroom setting that just enhance the experience.”

Not only does Zaremba value being in a physical classroom, but he has found distance learning to be particularly challenging.

“Online school has kind of been like a bumpy roller coaster for me. It’s very overwhelming; I would be remiss not to mention that,” Zaremba said.

Junior Zoe Wertlieb has also been struggling with the constraints of distance learning.

“Online school hasn’t been going super well for me, [and] my grades are definitely worse,” Wertlieb said. “But to me, it’s so much more worth it to be safe and have my grades suffer a tiny bit.”

Even with the precaution of weekly testing for students in hybrid learning, every family takes different safety measures.

“I know that a lot of people aren’t social distancing and aren’t really wearing masks anymore,” Wertlieb said. “I’m worried that being in school with them puts myself and also my parents and their parents at risk.”

Additionally, scientists suggest that cases will increase during the winter because the coronavirus spreads more easily in indoor settings, where people will be spending more time as the temperature drops.

Even with the local statistics being watched by the JDS Health Advisory Committee, Americans have been warned of a surge of cases throughout the upcoming winter months.

“If we were to have gone back, we missed our window,” Wertlieb said.

Initially, the school decided to begin the year strictly with distanced learning due to the high percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 in Montgomery County. However, the number of cases and risk within the JDS community turned out to be drastically different from those of the County.

The week of Oct. 26 was the first week of hybrid learning for the Lower and middle school students, with Lower School grades going in twice a week and middle school once a week.

Sixth-grader Lilah Sacks attended her first day of hybrid learning on that day along with the rest of her grade.

“I was excited, also a little nervous … but I thought it was fun,” Sacks said.

Since this was the first time that sixth grade students had attended JDS in the Upper School building, it was also the first time they interacted with their teachers in person.

“I guess yesterday [Oct. 26] was also pretty cool because I got to see

BY THE NUMBERS 500

approximate tests will be administered every week

836

tests approximately have been administered as of Oct. 30

0

tests have had positive results as of Oct. 30

10

days are required for quarantining after testing positive

20%

of faculty opted to not return to campus Data courtesy of CESJDS

all my teachers in person and found out that they had legs,” Sacks said.

Similarly, returning middle school teachers were eager to finally be with their students in-person.

“I was really excited to see my students who I hadn’t gotten to see in-person yet,” Humanities teacher Tamar Gasko said. “It’s easier to do my job and to relate to students when I’m doing it in person.”

However, Gasko also noted that she was “a little nervous and apprehensive” about teaching in person with some students still connecting through Zoom.

Although it was exciting to be back in the building and in classrooms, Middle School Principal Eliana Lipsky also understood the challenges that the teachers would have to overcome, specifically regarding students who remained on Zoom despite their peers’ return to the classroom.

“But it’s worth it. The challenge is worth it, because kids learning together and being together is really important,” Lipsky said.

Among the challenges of having students both in and outside of the classroom, there was a newfound challenge of holding a class that was supposed to be “normal” in an abnormal, unfamiliar space.

Some classes were held outdoors to maximize safety. Sacks described the classrooms as having, “two chairs per table and … plexiglass partitions. It’s kind of like a cage, but they’re trying to make it safer.”

Photos courtesy of Arava Rose

Seventh-grade students discuss and learn in a new outdoor setting as the school begins to transition to hybrid learning while high school students engage in indoor science labs.

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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— opinion —

Editorial: Finding middle ground Uniting ourselves as a community after an intense, emotional election Editorial cartoon by Ariana Ravitz

A

s our nation wraps up an incredibly rocky and divisive election during a raging pandemic, we are at a crossroads.

While the path ahead is uncertain, it is our duty to come together as Americans and put the good of the nation first, regardless of who our next president is and which leaders are elected to our government.

The past four years have been increasingly polarizing, pitting the two sides of American politics against one another. Since we cannot always trust our leaders to unite us, even after an election, that responsibility falls on us, not only as Americans but as members of our neighborhoods and communities.

Although many may doubt that there is widespread political disagreement within our school community, as a nonpartisan and independent publication, we recognize the presence of a significant divide on topics ranging from America’s relationship with Israel to the role of government in our everyday lives.

While our leaders may claim

8

that our political opponents are our enemies or are not deserving of our respect, we must rise above those false notions. It is our obligation as members of a vibrant Jewish community to stick together and not let leaders disrupt our cohesiveness.

In our community specifically, we must play a part in healing as a country in the months and years ahead. We must begin that process by understanding and respecting one another, regardless of political beliefs, through dialogue and often-tough conversations. We must be willing to listen to one another and commit to finding common ground.

We should also have hope in each other and trust that each of us has good intentions, and that our different opinions are ultimately working to achieve the same goals, such as tackling antisemitism and supporting those less fortunate in our region through social action and community service.

Looking ahead, when the final results of this election are determined, we must put this division

behind us and focus on what matters most to our country and community. That means continuing to be vigilant in the age of COVID-19, caring for our neighbors and looking out for those in vulnerable population groups. It also means promoting causes, such as racial justice and equality, that are essential to advancing civil rights and forming a more perfect union.

Ultimately, our message to our community after this unprecedented election is that although we are divided on so many political issues, come from different backgrounds and face varied economic circumstances, we have far more in common than some realize. It is our responsibility, now more than ever, to remember and cherish this important reality as we tackle enormous challenges in the future.

-The Lion’s Tale

To Find Common ground: RESPECT

the views of those around you, regardless of political affiliation

LISTEN

to those around you and commit to finding common ground

FOCUS

on what matters most to you and those around you

November 2020

Peace deals endanger Israel’s security

Matan Silverberg Reporter President Donald Trump held a ceremony to honor Israel’s diplomatic agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain called the Abraham Accords. In addition to the Abraham Accords, Israel signed a peace deal with Sudan more recently. The Abraham Accords deal allows for tourism and trade between the three countries as well as military collaboration, including in defense against Iran.

The deal with Sudan also promotes balance in the Middle East and helps reduce Iran’s influence.

These deals appear to be a win-win for Israel and the three Arab countries economically, diplomatically and militarily. However, there are potential dangers within these deals which might threaten Israel’s security and the greater Middle East.

The Abraham Accords documents were signed on Sept. 15 at the White House ceremony by UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. The deal was also signed

by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, representing the largest peace deal Israel has signed since Jordan’s 1994 treaty with Israel.

The symbolic title of Abraham Accords represented the ties of Abraham in both the Jewish, Christian and Islamic bibles and the major disapproval of terrorism

in the three countries.

Economically, these agreements are a success. With the installment of the deal, Israelis can now travel to the UAE and Bahrain, and vice versa, meaning that there will be a major increase in tourism for the three countries. In addition, businesses in Israel will be able to new countries have trade with both countries. treaties with Israel: Militarily, this deal promotes Sudan, UAE, Bahrain collaboration in technological development and defense against Iran, a major threat in the Middle East. Iran has supported numerous million was paid by terrorist groups and has pursued Sudan to the U.S. for a nuclear program. By signing this terrorism deal, these three countries are uniting to counter and defend against Iran’s threatening motives. This deal also suspended annexation of fighter jets are the West Bank. currently the most However, in order to facilitate advanced fighter jets this deal, America is expected to in use in the Middle sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to East the UAE. Currently, Israel is the only country in the Middle East with F-35 fighter jets, which are one of the most advanced aircrafts in the world. This sale threatens Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME) over the rest of the Middle East. The QME essentially means that with strong support from the U.S., Israel will have a technological and tactical advantage over its Arab neighbors. Preserving Israel’s QME has been a tradition since the presidency of Lyndon Johnson.

On the surface, this may not seem significant because the overarching ideas of the deal ensure peace between the three countries, but considering the rocky relationship that Israel has had with the UAE in the past, this move could threaten the safety of Israel and the

the Abraham accords: 3

$335

F-35

rest of the Middle East.

On Oct. 23, Trump announced that Sudan was the third country to normalize relations with Israel during the Trump administration.

By signing a separate deal with Israel, Sudan joined the UAE and Bahrain in recognizing Israel as a state, and will now also allow diplomatic and economic relations with Israel. The conditions of the deal were similar to those of the Abraham Accords, and was a precondition for the U.S. removing Sudan from the list of states they consider sponsors of terrorism. In order to make this happen, Sudan agreed to pay $335 million for compensation to U.S. victims of past terrorist attacks, following several years of talks between political leaders in Washington, D.C. and Khartoum, Sudan.

While the Sudan deal is also a welcomed development for Israel, it also comes with its own risks.

Sudan is a volatile country, with a fragile government. In the past, it has been exploited by terrorists as a smuggling route for Hamas, with weapons going from Sudan into Gaza to attack Israel. The Israel-Sudan deal is likely unpopular with the public in Sudan, and it could destabilize Sudan’s transitional government. If that happens, Sudan once again could be a smuggler’s paradise.

Like the F-35 sale, this is speculation, but the potential risks that threaten Israeli security of these deals far outweigh the benefits of these deals.

Israeli Peace Treaties 1979

Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty

1994

I s ra e l - J o rd a n Peace Treaty

1995

Oslo II Accords

2020

Abraham Accords, Israel-Sudan Normalization of Ties

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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Transgender roles in media It is time for producers to give trans people the voice they deserve

Ellie Levine Reporter I remember getting my first American Girl Doll when I was eight. I got Rebecca, the first Jewish doll. It filled me with pride to know that this doll, with whom I shared my religion, was being sold everywhere. Many people don’t get to have that feeling of being seen, of feeling like a piece of them is being shared with others.

Representation in the media is essential, especially for kids. Good representation educates children and makes them feel seen. But for many years, the transgender and non-binary community have not been represented in media.

Transgender children have some of the highest attempted suicide rates of all minorities, and one cause of this is the lack of good transgender representation. For many years, transgender characters have been nothing but a joke, with no real development, storyline or expression of who they are.

This lack of representation can cause great harm to transgender children because it sends them a message that there is not a place for them in this world. By not giving transgender characters the storylines or screen time they deserve,

10.2% 38 10

transgender stories are neglected or a powerful gender queer actor. laughed about. positive The show fleshes out the story of A lot of the issues stem from a young boy’s transition and the Examples highs and lows of his transition. the writing; if there are not any transgender people helping to write The issue is easily comparable of Trans transgender stories, the product to the progression that gay repreCharacters sentation has had over the years. will end up being built out of stereotypes and generalizations rather in the Media Though they are now more greatly than reality. portrayed in TV shows, gay men In an interview with IndieWire, and women were, and sometimes actor Eliot Fletcher mentioned that still are, boiled down to a stereohe suggested rephrasing something type and nothing more. in an audition, saying that it was Transgender children are not the way transgender people inevitably going to endure hardspoke about themselves. The role ships in their lives because of their was then given to a cisgender identity, and they deserve a charMo “Zoey’s woman, and the inaccurate line Extraordinary Playlist” acter that they can relate to, who is remained. three-dimensional, and more than This shows the difference their sexuality or gender identity. between helpful and harmful repSo often transgender people are resentation. Helpful representation marked off as transgender and hears and accepts the voices of nothing more, but every transgenthose who have lived these stories. der and non-binary person has so Harmful representation throws much more to them. diverse characters in for brownie Some may say that with the Angel Evangelista “Pose” points, not caring about the actual giant strides the media has made in harm they are doing. terms of representing the LGBTQ Shows like the hit ‘90s sitcom community, transgender and “Friends” are examples of harmful non-binary folks should be happy, representation. One of the main but they do not have to be. They character’s father was shown as a should not have to settle for halfdrag queen on the show, but it was way; they should have their stories later announced that she was meant being told authentically. to be transgender. This character It is essential that the TV made it look like transgender wom- Theo Putnam “Chilling industry bring in not only more Adventures of en were nothing more than men transgender characters but more Sabrina” dressing up and were consistently transgender characters with stories nothing more than the butt of a that are more than just their jourPhotos courtesy joke. ney with gender. of NBC and An example of helpful repNetflix resentation can be found in the Netflix show “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” which features

of characters in the 2020 broadcast television season are reported to be LGBTQ

regular and recurring transgender characters in 2020 seasons

31/38

121

LGBTQ characters are featured on Netflix shows

transgender characters are played by transgender actors Data courtesy of CNN Entertainment

November 2020

Should JDS reopen for in-person learning?

YES

Eitan Malkus Assistant Opinion Editor Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CESJDS high school students have been learning remotely for the past eight months. While JDS has created a well-rounded remote learning program, Zoom classes will never match in-person instruction.

Although there are health risks to reopening school, the CDC and Maryland state officials have detailed procedures to open schools safely. Many private schools in Montgomery County have already opened safely without major setbacks.

Though teachers worry students won’t follow social distancing

NO

Daniela Abrams Reporter CESJDS’ reopening sends a message to the school community that the coronavirus is no longer as serious as it once was. Since necessary safety guidelines will likely not be followed by younger students, and in-person school is not worth the risk for a mediocre experience, JDS should remain closed.

While younger students may be less likely to spread or get sick from the virus, they are also less likely to listen to social distancing guidelines because of their stage of development. It is very hard for young kids to socially distance all day, especially with masks on. Masks do not always stay on younger kids, and they have less

guidelines, JDS is a small private school in which the administration will be able to enforce health guidelines and will provide plexiglass screens and hand sanitizers for use in classrooms. In addition, COVID-19 tests will be administered to students and staff weekly, preventing an outbreak.

Transitioning to in-person instruction will also benefit the community. Many people are feeling lonely and depressed, unable to see friends on a daily basis.

Reopening school would provide a safe environment for students to socialize, which is known to increase happiness.

In-person learning would also allow students to participate in art classes, clubs and performances, which they have been deprived of for the past eight months. The sense of community and emotional support JDS students know so well will be formed again during the hard times of the pandemic.

In terms of the education itself, teachers will be able to provide

“It is very hard to keep a mask on all day and remain six feet from your friends at lunch, for example, when your mask must be off. ”

BY THE NUMBERS <100.4° F temperature required to be allowed on campus

7

days between each COVID-19 test for all faculty and students who are on campus

<5%

COVID-19 positivity rate in the state of Maryland is considered safe for schools to be open

data courtesy of CESJDS

self-awareness on how to properly clean things.

According to The Wall Street Journal, middle and high school students are more capable of spreading the virus than younger students, so the reopening of the middle and high school divisions will do more harm than good.

High school students are already seeing their friends outside of school. Varying levels of adherence to social distancing and mask-wearing in friend groups can also be very anxiety-inducing for many, but especially for those who are immunocompromised or have a medically fragile immediate family member.

The reopening of school will make the school responsible if there is an outbreak of the virus within our community.

Many high school students will not be capable of adhering to the social distancing guidelines if school reopens. It is very hard to keep a mask on all day and remain six feet from your friends at lunch, for example, when your mask must be off. Additionally, if the administration puts students in assigned

in-person lessons and teaching, which is much easier and more effective than teaching on Zoom.

Teachers will also be able to provide more individual support to their students, improving the quality of education across the board.

While the transition back to in-person instruction may seem risky, JDS should be able to adapt to the situation easily.

The recent announcement that the high school division will be reopening in hybrid learning is a relief to the community. Teachers will be able to meet their students for the first time and gauge their learning methods, easing their concerns and allowing them to build relationships. Students can reconnect with friends they have not seen for a while and new students will be introduced to their grade.

This transition allows for students to be learning in a safe in-person environment during a pandemic that shows no signs of fading away.

lunch rooms, most students will not even get the chance to interact with their friends socially.

In addition, there will not be a significant improvement in in-person instruction. High school students have become experts at using Zoom. This year, online school very closely replicates the in-person schedule and workload we once had. Many of my peers and I feel that we are learning the same amount we once were.

The recent announcement made by Head of School Rabbi Mitch Malkus detailing the plans to reopen the high school division in the beginning of December is not optimal. Because of the upcoming holidays and election, there will likely be the third wave in COVID-19 cases. Our numbers are now as high as in March. Why does JDS plan on opening when cases are peaking, when they could have opened in September when the numbers were lower, or provided the kids with more social outdoor activities when the weather was warmer?

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

11

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in-depth â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

SEPaRATE BUBBLES A look at polarization within the JDS community in light of the election season Daphne Kaplan Senior In-Depth and Design Editor

Mischa Trainor In-Depth and Design Editor

Photos and photo illustrations on cover and In-Depth are by Mischa Trainor, Creative Commons and Dimensions Yearbook

A

fter sophomore Anouchka Ettedgui praised President Donald Trump’s policy about building a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico on her Instagram story, her direct message inbox filled rapidly with messages from her follower base, which primarily consists of CESJDS students. They were eager to engage in political discourse, to passionately claim she was a racist for supporting Trump’s immigration policies or to commend her for speaking up for what she believes in.

Although Ettedgui was offended by many of these comments, she continued sharing her opinions as she wanted people to hear “her side,” which she believes is underrepresented at JDS. Ettedgui is correct in such an evaluation based on The Lion’s Tale’s findings. According to a Lion’s Tale survey of 96 out of 355 high school students, 64 subscribe to liberal ideology, 23 consider themselves moderate and 9 students said they consider themselves conservatives.

Despite these political divides, JDS is nonpartisan and prides itself on being a pluralistic institution, both politically and religiously, and the value of B’tzelem Elohim, the belief that everyone is created in God’s image.

In efforts to adhere to these values, particularly within a political context, teachers facilitate political discussions in the classroom, and the school offers a myriad of clubs related to civil discourse to ensure that students can express their beliefs, according to Dean of Students

8th

grade students take Government

14

Roslyn Landy.

“We encourage students to be active politically, to be involved in the political process. We want them to show interest, be educated about what the issues are and always remain respectful about the views of others. We do not allow for partisan politics in school,” Landy said. “We [the administration] do not want the faculty to share their political preferences, to favor one candidate over another.”

Culture in the classroom To facilitate productive conversations, the administration has given faculty members a general scaffolding on how they should approach these conversations, according to the Head of School Rabbi MitchMalkus.

Students start to formally engage in civil discourse in the classroom in eighth grade by learning about the structures of government and then interpreting the Constitution and founding principles, according to History Department Chair and teacher Mark Buckley.

Although there is not a formal curriculum around civil discourse throughout high school, Buckley says students learn to understand that history is built on a “succession of ideas,” and that even if a topic is not politically-charged, there is always room for interpretation and disagreements.

In the classroom, middle school history teacher Dr. Eytan Apter works with his students to set guidelines for class discussions and to determine the purpose of politi-

“That’s when it becomes very contentious for people because if I say, ‘I feel that,’ if you disagree with me, it seems as though you’re disagreeing with someone’s feelings. If someone comes across and has information from other sources, it’s easier.”

- Middle School History Teacher Dr. Eytan Apter

67.4

percent of students identify as liberal or very liberal

cal discussions so students can hold each other accountable and ensure that the conversation is always controlled.

Apter, moreover, helps students understand that they are not in class to change one another’s opinions but listen to one another; Apter often provides resources for his students to draw evidence to support their beliefs in efforts for students to start saying “I know,” instead of “I feel.”

“That’s when it becomes very contentious for people because if I say, ‘I feel that,’ if you disagree with me, it seems as though you’re disagreeing with someone’s feelings,” Apter said. “If someone comes across and has information from other sources, it’s easier.”

Although the administration established guidelines for teachers to help facilitate discussions, according to the aforementioned Lion’s Tale survey, about 46% of students believe that teachers do not help facilitate conversations between students of different political ideologies. About 20% of students do not feel comfortable expressing their opinions because they feel like an “outcast” or they “don’t want to be judged for how [they] think,” for example.

Ettedgui feels no different, and believes that both teachers and students are responsible for not fostering a safe environment for discourse.

“I know that if I go more indepth on certain things [and] that if we continue an argument, [my teachers] tell me to calm down but not for others to. I always want to get my point across,” Ettedgui said.

8.5

percent of students identify as consevative or very conservative

November 2020

Senior Robby Lefkowitz believes that civil discourse in the classroom can easily target specific people rather than focus on political issues. As a result, he has sought to somewhat distance himself from expressing his political opinions in class discussions.

“I’ve learned to be reserved, so I only talk to people I can trust. If you say something that others disagree with, the backlash you get is not necessarily about the issue,” Lefkowitz said. “I am all for free debate of all issues either side, but not when it comes to the point when people don’t respect people’s opinions.”

While both Ettedgui and Lefkowitz take issue with how civil discourse is facilitated, Faye Lessans (‘19) believed that when she was a student at JDS, there were never enough opportunities for political discussions in general. She thinks that while political discourse in history classes was somewhat productive, discussions were infrequent as history classes are “primarily lecture” based, as compared to Jewish history classes, which are seminar-based classes. According to Lessans, “there were more opportunities to hear other people’s opinions” in Jewish history classes, and she wishes that more of these classes were mandatory.

“I find it really problematic that most of the Jewish history classes that are discussion-based are optional. I believe those are the only classes that allow students to talk to one another given the nature of the classes,” Lessans said. “The people who don’t take those classes are losing exposure to fundamental skills that people need to have.”

Leftkowitz agrees with Lessans and believes there are not enough opportunities to engage in civil discourse in the classroom in general.

“I think there isn’t enough debate and discussion, but I also don’t fault the teachers or the kids at all for that. … You can’t force a teacher to have students engage in a debate when basically everybody feels the same way,” Leftkowitz said.

Although some JDS students feel discontented and are deeply offended by discourse, JDS is not alone in trying to figure out how to appropriately engage students in civil discourse, especially in a hy-

per-polarized country.

“I think all schools are grappling with this right now. … In the polarized environment that we live in, it would be odd if some of this didn’t exist in our community too,” Malkus said.

Engaging in Civil Discourse Beyond the Classroom Many JDS students have also gained experience in civil discourse outside of the classroom through schoolwide programming, extracurricular activities or with friends.

The JDS administration sought to encourage students to think about the 2020 election, which led history teacher Natalie Levitan and Jewish history teacher Aaron Bregman to plan an open forum for student volunteers to facilitate the forum for other students and to hear from two speakers: the founding partner of Content Media, Dean Levitan, and Kate Holliday, the director of Emerging Channels and Tech at Art Media.

The Oct. 28 forum focussed on both presidential candidates’ platforms as well as “popular issues to Americans,” including health care, national security, gun policy, immigration, police and court reform and LGBTQ issues.

The purpose of the forum was to have students learn about different points of view and understand various platforms; each Zoom breakout room had a slide presentation with brief facts about each party’s plan regarding a specific topic, and a quote and link to their campaign pages to those policies.

“I think it’s been great that we had a number of students who openly volunteered to engage in these discussions,” Natalie said. “I think it is really important that there are students who are invested and are interested, and hopefully that energy will spread throughout the community.”

Another way students engage in civil discourse outside of the classroom is through extracurricular activities such as the debate team and Junior State of America (JSA).

Co-president of JDS’ JSA chapter, junior Oren Swagel, feels that he has been able to engage with people of various perspectives that he otherwise would not have been exposed

HOW to have a respectful Discussion about politics Make sure both sides are presented when discussing an issue that has not been settled yet.

Avoid using “I feel” statements so people are not disagreeing with each others’ feelings but rather their opinions.

Have a conversation to address the norms of the discussion.

Keep your intentions in mind.

Are you aiming to have an open discussion where both sides learn? Are you debating with a winner? If so, what is the purpose of the debate?

If it is more of an open discussion, then remember you are not there to change someone else’s opinion but rather listen to those opinions.

If you are having a more formal debate, then make sure to follow the set rules of the debate.

Information courtesy of middle school history teacher Dr. Eytan Apter

The Lion’s Tale Magazine 15

to if he had not joined JSA. “[JSA] helped me meet people with different viewpoints. We do conventions with other schools from different parts of the country.

I’m not going to say our school is a monolith; we all do not have the same views. But JDS is a pretty liberal school with pretty similar ideologies between kids,” Swagel said.

While Swagel feels like JDS has not prepared him to have respectful political discussions, he also believes that it cannot be fully taught and rather that being respectful during political discussions is an instinct.

“I also do think having an open discussion is common sense and human courtesy,” Swagel said. “I do not think it’s something you need to learn unless you do not have it.”

Another outlet in which students are able to engage political conversations regularly is with their friends.

Freshman Gaby Goldberg actively engages in conversations with friends who disagree with him and values those discussions.

“I love talking about politics with other people, especially those who disagree with me because I think I am right. I want to spread my opinion to other people and see what they think of it,” Goldberg said. “[It] depends on the situation though. Some people can be very arrogant and super detached from their positions, so you have to find a way to make sure people are so re-

sistant to ideas.”

Social Media’s Role A large number of JDS students turn to social media platforms, such as Instagram, to express their beliefs and engage in political dialogue. Talking about politics on social media has both positive and negative effects for students.

Senior Rinat Dubrawsky believes that posting about politics on social media is a positive way to use her voice and connect with other people in civil discourse outside of the classroom.

“I think my social media reflects my political opinions. I think, now, because of how detached we are because of Corona[virus] and lockdown, social media as a way of facilitating conversations is the norm for a lot of people. If we were in school having normal conversations, maybe we would not do as much of it, but because we’re not, people have been drawn to social media,” Dubrawsky said. “It’s my social media, so it’s not like anyone can tell me what to do.”

Discussing politics on social media has also had its downsides.

Ettedgui regularly posts content related to Trump and conservative viewpoints on her Instagram story, and she often receives backlash from her followers.

“No one wants to write paragraphs of yelling back and forth.

Kids at JDS cannot respect one another’s beliefs. Even if I disagree with someone, I have never swiped

“Being called racist, homophobic, and antisemitic is jut so shocking of how did you get that. They call you so many names and it’s so hard to just say something.

It’s suffocating you.”

- Sophomore Anouchka Ettedgui

up on someone’s story and bashed them. It’s their belief and I have my own,” Ettedgui said.

These conversations of social media can often resort to name-calling and cyberbullying, particularly among students who have different ideologies.

“Being called racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic is just so shocking of how did you get that.

They [students] call you so many names and it’s so hard to just say something,” Ettedgui said. “It’s suffocating you.”

JDS has tried to address the issue of political conversations on social media turning harmful and disrespectful. However, administrators struggle with managing civil discourse on social media as they are often unaware of what occurs outside of school unless it is reported to them.

“Anytime I have received a report of bullying or disrespect, I investigate but I do need facts . If I find that a student has been inappropriate, I have put a student on notice that if it happens again, there will be consequences. Anything inappropriate that is posted would need to be taken down,” Landy said.

“I believe very strongly in standing up when someone is being unkind, disrespectful or is bullying. In most cases, I do not know if something like that is happening; students do need to report these incidents to me. That is the only way we can deal with these issues.”

voices from the den Sophomore Maiyan Lyani

Junior Eliana Mannes

“Just because I support Trump doesn’t mean I’m racist, and it also doesn’t mean that I support everything he does or who he is as a person. And I think that people need to be a lot more inclusive and think about—people aren’t just one-sided.”

“Activism on Instagram is the dumbest thing. It doesn’t help anyone, it’s very performative and it’s not active. It just makes people feel better, and it’s also repetitive and annoying. You’re also projecting to an audience that already agrees with you.”

Photos courtesy of Maiyan Layani and Eliana Mannes

16

November 2020

Bringing power to the polls Inability to vote does not deter students’ engagement in election rise in civic engagement

A

s voters entered the Lawson Center’s gymnasium during early voting, senior Ruby Mendelson was one of the first people they saw. As an election worker, she greeted them, checked them in, gave them their Voter Authority Cards and directed them to stations in the room where they could receive their ballot. Mendelson was not the only CESJDS student civically engaged in the 2020 general election.

Civic engagement is defined as taking up personal time to help society as a whole. One can be civically engaged by voting or volunteering.

Namely, poll workers tend to be older, as more people in that age group have more time on their hands.

Because of COVID-19, however, many usual poll workers are staying home as they could be at high risk of infection, drawing more young people to work at the polls and to make sure that people can vote safely and effectively. JDS students joined teenagers worldwide at the polls for the presidential election or continued to be civically engaged by interning and phone-banking as well.

Election Worker

PHONE BANKER

Senior Ruby Mendelson

Sophomore Jonah Gross

Worked at the Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center on Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 for early voting.

Phonebanked for former Vice President Joe Biden in Pennsylvania

“I learned what provisional voting was. I learned that everyone has the right to vote and you cannot deny someone the right to vote even if they cannot prove something, like they can just vote provisionally.”

intern Junior Kayla Liss for Sara Gideon, candidate for US Senator in Maine “I also got to see how campaigns are run, not just the outreach part of it but finance and research, which was really cool.”

“Even though I can’t vote ... this was one of the ways that I could do something to impact the election.”

Election Worker Junior Oren Swagel

Served as an election worker for 16 hours on Election Day at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School.

“I decided to be a poll worker this year because in an election year where I can’t vote it’s the closest thing I can do to voting.”

Compiled by Daphne Kaplan, Harry Davison and Jonah Beinart, photo courtesy of Kayla Liss and photo by Daphne Kaplan

Left: Junior Kayla Liss calls Maine voters to see if they are planning to support Sara Gideon in the election for US Senate as part of her internship for Gideon. Right: When Senior In-Depth and Design Editor Daphne Kaplan worked as an election worker, she wore this badge to signal to voters that she was there to help them scan their ballots.

The Lion’s Tale Magazine 17

— features —

Volunteer Pioneers

Students serve their community during the pandemic Eva Bard Contributing Editor A face mask, a face shield and hand-sanitizer are all necessities for junior Talia Jacobson to complete her community service at a non-profit bridal shop called Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring. Working indoors for Jacobson means two to five hour shifts without taking off her mask, besides to get a quick sip of water or a bite to eat.

Community service during the pandemic looks much different than it once did. From fully virtual programs, to in-person, COVID19-safe projects, students are still working hard to serve the community.

CESJDS has changed its community service policy during the pandemic, eliminating the require-

18

November 2020

“Even though we have to do community service hours, I want to do something fun and that I even want to do after I got all the hours.”

- Junior Talia Jacobson

ment of 40 service hours working directly with people in need.

Students are now permitted to earn their 80 required service hours in any form of service.

With restrictions loosening, many indoor activities for community service have resumed with safety precautions. At Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring, Jacobson organizes the shop and helps future brides find their gown. This bridal shop takes wedding dress donations, sells them at a lower cost and donates all profit to a variety of charities.

“Even though we have to do community service hours, I want to do something fun and that I even want to do after I get all the hours,” Jacobson said.

On the other hand, many organizations, such as Teens with

Heartsongs, have designed their programs to be fully virtual. A group of JDS high-schoolers makes up only a fraction of the students participating in this program to raise money for the Children’s National Hospital housing program.

Junior Mira Beinart is the Director of Housing for the JDS team and is responsible for organizing the team’s fundraising projects.

“It’s really important, especially now, during COVID since there is a bit of a financial crisis .… People that have kids in the hospital, that’s like a baseline stresser, and not having to deal with the travel and housing of where they need to be, takes one thing off the parent’s shoulders, and I think that is really nice,” Beinart said.

Friendship Circle, an organization that many JDS students partic-

Sophomore Sam Winkler clears a fallen tree branch from a local park. As part of his community service, Winkler works with Weed Warriors, an organization that removes invasive plants from the community.

s

voices from the den Senior Jacob Svoysky

“Once the pandemic started, [Friendship Circle] continued our activities and interactions by having meetings on Zoom, and, for me, it’s generally more difficult to communicate online than in person.”

Sophomore Nat Weingarten

Photo courtesy of Sam Winkler ipate in, has adjusted its program to a hybrid model. Friendship Circle pairs students with special needs with other teens in the area. During the shutdown, Friendship Circle stopped its typical weekly indoor events and has since created a program with options for both socially distant and online events.

Teens that already participated in the organization, like senior Aiden Kirsh, were able to continue their relationship with their buddies through the pandemic. Kirsh has spent time with his buddy on FaceTime and even invited his buddy’s family over for an outdoor, socially-distant meal, where Kirsh made his buddy blueberry pancakes.

“Every time I hang out with my buddy he always gets really excited to see me, and he’s always 100 percent there and happy to do whatever we wanna do. … it’s just nice to

by the numbers

80

hours of required community service

20

hours that can be accrued during middle school

be able to hang out with them and make their day,” Kirsh said.

Aside from virtual community service, outdoor activities also offer students a safe way to complete their required hours. Weed Warriors, an organization run by JDS wrestling coach Chuck Woolery, works to remove invasive plants from parks in the Rockville area.

“It’s fun, it’s a good workout and it also a good place to talk to some friends,” sophomore Sam Winkler, who volunteers with the group, said.

2025 first class affected by new service hour policies

“It’s difficult to get community service hours during [COVID-19] because there are not many places I can volunteer at.”

Junior Kaylee Fellner

“I’m doing the Paper Bridges club for service hours. It’s an organization where you can connect with different kids from Africa.”

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

19

The Legacy of RBG

A look into an icon’s impact on the feminist movement Photo courtesy of Zoe Fischman

than men; it is just about equal opportunities for men and women.”

Feminism has evolved since Ginsburg first began her advocacy for the movement, and according to history teacher Matt Cohen, this progress has been beneficial.

“Talking to my mom about it … telling me stories about my grandmother who really couldn’t do anything other than be a secretary or be very much pigeonholed into certain positions,” Cohen said. “So, it’s really nice to hear that my friends don’t suffer [from] that overt stereotyping or overt sexism that past generations have.”

Like Cohen, Goldberg sees that women are able to defy traditional gender stereotypes, and she views this change to have been prompted

by Ginsburg. In order to continue her legacy, Goldberg believes that students must be civically active.

“We are not in the Supreme Court; we are just students, but [Ginsburg] empowers us to write letters to congressmen with her values and push for what she stood for,” Goldberg said. “Now that she is gone, it does not mean that her legacy has to die with her. As students, we should continue that for her and keep educating ourselves and push-

Sally Rogal and Jared Schreiber Features Editor and Reporter The U.S. lost an advocate for gender equality with the death of Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the first night of Rosh Hashanah. The loss of this key feminist prompted many to consider the state of the movement and what it means to them.

Before Ginsburg became a justice, she was an attorney arguing cases before the Supreme Court.

Among the cases she argued were Frontiero v. Richardson and Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld, in which she represented a woman requesting a dependent allowance for her husband, as well as a husband who wanted the social security benefits that are typically awarded to widows but not widowers.

Senior Eilah Goldberg believes that Ginsburg was justified in representing men and women, believing that equality for all is at the heart of feminism.

“I think that what she did was peak feminism,” Goldberg said.

“What she fought for, equality for men and women, is what feminism is all about because it is not about making women more important

“Now that she is gone, it does not mean that her legacy has to die with her. As students, we should continue that for her and keep educating ourselves and pushing for change.”

- Senior Eilah Goldberg

ing for change.”

Cohen agrees with Goldberg that Ginsburg dedicated herself to fighting for gender equality and motivated others to do the same.

Despite her efforts, Cohen believes that there is more work to be done.

“She cared and she inspired others to care just as much as she did, and that’s why the fight continues,” Cohen said. “[She] fought for one of the most important and most basic rights that we need to instill within this country and the fight goes on.”

Junior Zoe Fischman agrees that Ginsburg was a role model to women and young girls, showing them the results of hard-work and determination. Following Ginsburg’s death, Fischman decided to visit the U.S. Supreme Court in honor of all that Ginsburg did for the country and the feminist movement.

“I really respect [Ginsburg] and everything that she did for our country, and I think that it was sort of the least I could do to pay my respects and I know that my family felt the same way,” Fischman said. “I think the whole country was sort of grieving, and it felt really powerful to go and see everyone there and how much of an impact she had.”

RBG’s Career 1933

Born in Brooklyn, New York

1959

Graduated Columbia Law School

1972

Began serving as the director of ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project

1980

Appointed to U.S Court of Appeals

1993

Appointed to Supreme Court

2020

Passed away from cancer

Data courtesy of Biography and ACLU

20

November 2020

Making art accessible online Putting on his headphones, junior Elyon Topolosky gets ready to record a new song for Shir Madness. He starts recording on his phone while listening to the music, singing as if he is doing karaoke.

Because of the coronavirus, Shir Madness has been unable to get together in person to perform songs. Instead, they have been compiling videos with each member recording their part from home.

While Topolosky is happy to participate in virtual Shir Madness videos, he is not sure whether the experience of singing virtually can have the same effect as being in person.

“It requires a lot of teamwork to sing a song together,” Topolosky said. “[Virtual singing] doesn’t have the same dynamics and effects as it would if we were in person singing together in one room.”

Topolosky is very excited about getting involved in the virtual version of arts he was already a part of, and he said that he has been able to gain new skills in recording and video editing.

“I’ve learned from a lot of people how to create those types of vid-

eos like sync video and sound, like the step-by-step process creating a video like that,” Topolosky said.

Many other arts activities have also gone virtual which has led to new opportunities. Director of Arts Education Dr. David Solomon believes that while the experiences with the arts may be different, they are not necessarily worse. “[Virtual learning gives] the ability to bring people in, to virtually travel the world,” Solomon said.

“We had Daniel Pearl music day and zoomed in Noah Shufutinsky (also known as Westside Gravy) .... And he is someone who we would not be able to be in school because he is in Israel.”

Solomon is also excited about new opportunities for the high school musical. “[The musical is] a really exciting experience,” Solomon said.

“We’re not doing a traditional show.

I don’t know how it’s possible to do a traditional show in this setting.

Instead, we are saluting the 17 musicals that will reopen on Broadway when the pandemic is over.”

While some plans for arts programming have changed, there are many new and exciting opportunities that were not going to happen

“[Virtual learning gives] the ability to bring people in, to virtually travel the world.”

- Director of Arts Education Dr. David Solomon

before. One such opportunity was the video club. Solomon thought the video club was a great opportunity to get students involved in video production for morning announcements and other video opportunities.

For CESJDS art classes, boxes of materials were put together by teachers and distributed at the start of the year in order for students to have the necessary materials to participate in class.

In visual arts teacher Jessie Nathans’ class, students have been using common household items such as cardboard to create looms and prepare for World Art Night in January. World Arts Night is a new event that is still in planning but will be similar to Arts Chai Lights, where there will be many art-related activities.

Nathans believes that even with all the changes, arts are still going to be a great way for students to be themselves.

“Art is a great way to check on your feelings and express yourself in meaningful ways, and everyone’s art is different, so as long as they show up with their supplies, amazing art comes out of it,” Nathans said.

2

1

3

1. Photo courtesty of Jake Rulnick 2. Photo by Jonathan Morris 3. Photo courtesy of Avital Friedman

Maya Preuss and Eliot Rogal Contributing Editor and Reporter

1. Senior Jake Rulnick works on a drawing for his art class. 2. Shir Madness a capella group put together a music video to “Never Enough” from the Greatest Showman. 3. Junior Avital Friedman sketches her self-portrait for art class.

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

21

— sports —

Students excel Jessica Gallo Contributing Editor

For junior David Gruhn, early morning workouts and late-night practices are just part of daily life as a competitive hockey player. Despite the long hours, loads of gear and many injuries, there is truly nothing that Gruhn loves more.

Gruhn has been skating since he was two years old. He joined his first hockey league a few years later. His parents both play hockey for fun and have made it a significant part of his life, even creating a space in their home for him to practice.

“I remember when I was little, around three, my parents played on the same hockey team, and that’s really what got me into [competitive] hockey,” Gruhn said. “I have a little hockey room downstairs with synthetic ice to shoot around in.”

Gruhn is currently a defenseman on the Howard Huskies American Team, an 18 and under, Tier 2, AA team located in Howard County, Maryland. He has a combination of on and off-ice practices and games every day of the week, and the team frequently travels for games. “[As defenseman,] it’s my job to hit people and stop the other team from scoring goals and just help out our team’s goalie as much as I can,” Gruhn explained. “I’ve been big my whole life, so the way [I] contribute is by hitting people and being strong and such.”

Gruhn plans on continuing to play hockey at the collegiate level. However,

as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been harder to meet with recruiters. Recently, he has traveled to Ohio and Florida to check out potential programs.

Even though the process is now harder, Gruhn’s coach still believes it’s possible.

“David’s a great player who puts in the effort necessary to succeed at the next level,” Brendan Potter, Gruhn’s coach, said.

Like most hockey players, Gruhn has a pretty intense load of equipment to bring to practice and wear on the ice. Ranging from helmets to pads and mouthguards, protective gear covers almost every inch of his body.

“Hockey equipment is like the bulkiest thing ever. You have pads covering your whole body and helmets and mouthguards because this whole concussion thing has people scared out of their minds .... But you get used to it pretty easily,” Gruhn said.

To keep up with the physical demands of his competitive team, Gruhn has had to endure many injuries. However, he is often unable to seek the medical care necessary to fully recover as a result of how physical the sport is and how frequently he practices with the team or travels to games.

“I currently have a broken finger.

It’s been broken for the past four months, and I have not gone to a doctor. I’ve torn all the ligaments in my right ankle. I had a torn meniscus for about two years, but haven’t gotten around to having surgery yet. I’ve broken my nose a couple times,” Gruhn said. “I have not broken any teeth,

but I’ve had them come loose when I was little, which was not that bad.”

Though the traveling is always exciting and the games bring another level of anticipation, Gruhn feels that the intense atmosphere is what makes hockey at this level so great.

“I love the competitiveness and the fact that you go out there and everything else is non-exi s t e n t ,” G r u h n said. “You go out there and you try to win, try as hard as you can and you do your best.”

How do athletes feel about Junior Nathan Gershengorn

“When we are actually doing runs we don’t usually wear masks because we just stay apart from each other on the trail, but when we’re doing our workouts and we’re all near to each other, people wear masks more. But those are generally shorter distances and not as much endurance, so I haven’t found a huge difference but I’m also not wearing (masks) for long runs.”

w

Senior Jake Rulnick

“It’s a good call because the evidence and CDC are pointing towards coronavirus being spread through breath and help stop the spread—combat it. If there’s more spread-out drills they [masks] can be lowered through the individual drill.”

Compiled by Aaron Gallo and Ivan Endelman

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November 2020

on the ice Shani Schwartz Reporter

With the championship on the line, sophomore Tory Boles and her teammates found themselves in a shoot-out.

When the goalie saved the last shot, Boles and her teammates exploded into excitement, chanting “we are the champions.”

Boles has played hockey for the past seven years. She was previously on the Tri-City Eagles

and currently plays for the Montgomery Blue Devils, both club teams, and the Montgomery County girls team.

“My dad has been playing for a while, and then my little brother started to play,” Boles said. “Then I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll try too,’ and then fell in love with it.”

The Montgomery County girls team is the equivalent of a high school varsity team, and they compete against other local schools. Many schools in the area, including CESJDS, do not have hockey teams, particularly for girls. The Montgomery County girls team allows athletes like Boles who want to play varsity hockey against other schools to do so. Boles has won one state championship with this team so far.

Balancing these two teams, Boles finds herself practicing six to eight hours per week, including both on and off the ice work. A typical on-ice practice begins with skating and then moves into teambased drills and fundamentals, while office practice is more conditioning based.

There are not many technical differences between girls and boys hockey, but the main difference is that checking, the act of hitting the opponent’s stick with your own in an attempt for them to lose control of the puck, is forbidden in girls hockey. This attempts to limit injuries.

Boles’ younger brother, eighth grader Jonah Boles, has been playing for the past 11 years. He describes his and his sister’s relationship as very competitive when it comes to hockey, although their two teams never play against each other.

“Since fewer girls play hockey, there tend to be fewer teams and less variety of competition. Other than that, girl’s hockey is still hockey and it can be just as challenging,” Jonah said.

Both girls and boys hockey are very physical sports, making injuries inevitable. Boles herself has had two concussions along with many sprained and pulled muscles throughout her seven years of playing, but her love for the sport persists nonetheless.

“I love everything about the sport, between the bond with my team, how free I feel when I step on the ice, having something to work for and the feeling of winning after working so hard for it,” Tory said.

Boles believes that her love of the sport will never fade, and she hopes to be able to play at the collegiate level.

“I want to play in college and maybe even after in a league because I love the game so much. I don’t really know what my future holds but at some point I hope to coach a few teams.”

Being a girl playing a male dominated sport, Boles sees herself as someone who can inspire other girls to stand up as well.

“I wanted to go against gender norms and do something girls usually don’t do so I can lead the way for other girls when I’m older, and just prove to myself that I could do it,” Boles said.

wearing masks during sports?

Junior Zoe Fischman

Sophomore Reut Skromne

“It doesn’t really affect my play because we aren’t doing a lot of physical activities like running.

Most of the time we are 6 feet apart, but we are always wearing masks. If we need to breathe, we leave the group for a bit and take it off. You do notice that you are wearing it.”

“In the beginning I didn’t expect it to make so much of a difference, but it has affected me more than I expected. I’m just happy to be playing with my friends at school, which is a little bit closer to normal, so I like the fact that playing with masks allows us to do that.”

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

23

— a&e —

Oh, the places you’ll go: Travel among these six outdoor local destinations that are conducive to social distancing

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Jonathan Morris and Zara Ducker Contributing Editor and Reporter

November 2020

1. Check out your local farmer’s market. Farmer’s markets are a great way to support local businesses and farmers while enjoying fresh food. There are numerous local options, such as the Bethesda Farmer’s Market, which is held every Sunday at Bethesda Elementary School from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is a wide variety of foods, including fresh produce, pastries, cheeses and breads. The market is outside and masks are required. For crowd control, you may have to wait in a line, but the market is worth the wait.

2. Visiting the zoo is a fun and free activity

to do right now. Since the majority of the zoo is outdoors and they require masks, it is very COVID-19 friendly. At the Smithsonian National Zoo, you will have the opportunity to see and learn about an abundance of animals, ranging from elephants to zebras. There are no walk-up passes available now, so you must get the entry passes online before you visit.

It is definitely a change of scenery from most of the things we have been seeing these days and is worth the trip.

Perusing Panda:

An animal wanders its habitat at the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Fruit Families:

The Bethesda Farmer’s Market offers a variety of locally grown fresh produce.

4. Union Market is a super trendy place to grab some 3. Have a picnic by the water at The Wharf or the

Georgetown Waterfront. Both are vibrant spots to explore and have a meal with friends or family. There are plenty of places to walk around if you want to explore, but you can also just relax by the water. It is especially enjoyable on a sunny day.

Sunset Ship:

Throughout the day and into the night, short boat rides are offered around the Wharf.

5. Growing up in the Greater Washington area,

we often neglect to visit the historical landmarks around us. Visit the monuments in Washington, D.C. and walk or rent a scooter to get around town. Trips during both day and night provide drastically different experiences, with the night having the benefit of fewer people around. It may seem a little too touristy for some, however it actually is very fun and pretty.

Downtown D.C.:

The Washington Monument is a popular tourist attraction but also a fun spot for locals to visit.

food and hang out. It offers many different cuisines and has a nice rooftop with socially distant seating. They have everything including acai bowls, Korean tacos, Indian dosas, ramen, pizza and much more. Because of the variety, it is likely you will find something you like. It has a positive energy with a lot of pretty art and cultural music. It is even interesting just walking around and seeing all the vendors preparing and cooking the food. They are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but it is better to go earlier in the day because it gets more crowded in the late afternoon.

Motivational Mural:

Throughout Union Market there are many decorative walls such as the one below, which reads, “Louder Louder Louder.”

6. Kayaking is a pleasant and relaxing way to connect with nature.

Fortunately, the Greater Washington area has a myriad of places to get a rental. Fletcher’s Cove Boathouse is easily accessible and right on the C&O Canal and Capital Crescent Trail. A single kayak on average is $16 per hour, and a double kayak is $22 per hour. They also offer paddle boarding, another fun watersport. If you are looking for more of an adventure, you may want to go out towards the Eastern Shore. Sultana Education Foundation in Chestertown, Maryland offers well-priced kayak trips that focus on the surrounding ecology and habitat.

Aquatic Affair:

Kayak along the Potomac River and admire the lucious greenery of the landscapes.

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

25

SHOULD YOU DRESS I

t may seem crazy to dress up for classes that take place in your own home, but it is actually one of the best remote learning tips I have received.

The reason why dressing up actually benefits you can be boiled down to one simple and well-known phrase: dress for success.

When I show up to my Zoom classes after showering and putting on a nice outfit, I feel significantly more ready for the day of learning than if I were to just roll out of bed and show up in my pajamas.

Dressing nicely gives me the confidence and motivation to tackle my day. If I were to wear sweatpants, I would want to go back to sleep, preventing me from concentrating or getting my work done.

That being said, you don’t have to wear something fancy, or even jeans. You just have to wear something that you don’t associate with sleep.

According to Forbes Magazine, people who dress well for work feel exceedingly confident and have an overall successful workday.

Scientific American conducted a study testing the idea that your clothing can alter your personal or professional experience. In the experiment, test subjects were asked to wear either formal or casual clothing before taking a cognitive

test. The people wearing formal clothing performed better and had more abstract thinking, most likely derived from increased feelings of power. This concept is known as enclothed cognition.

Some of you may think that dressing nicely is unnecessary, as we are attending school from the comfort of our bedrooms, but it can make a real difference in your mood and mental state.

Also, when you dress up, you are giving yourself a reason to get out of bed for class. Forcing yourself to take that extra step gives you a task to complete first thing in the morning, which ultimately motivates you for the rest of the day.

That extra boost of confidence and motivation can go a long way during these saddening and isolating times that our entire community is experiencing.

Lastly, when dressed up, others perceive you more seriously. Just like when you show up to a job interview wearing a suit to impress the interviewer, wearing something nice to school impresses those around you.

When you go to your Zoom classes, take an extra five minutes to brush your hair, put on real pants or even just change out of your pajamas. While this may seem frivolous and silly, it will likely boost your productivity.

get the facts

14%

of JDS students wear makeup on Zoom

sweatshirts JDS students’ most worn clothing on Zoom

1/6

of JDS students care about their appearance on Zoom based on a Lion’s Tale survey of 30 CESJDS students

Shop the look: 1

Checkerboard Slip-On Vans

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pro

Irit Skulnik Contributing Editor

Photos courtesy of Jannah Bilker

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Voluminous Lash Paradise Loreal Paris

Urban Outfitters corduroy jeans

3

November 2020

coN

UP FOR ZOOM?

Nini Panner Reporter

W

hen I wake up in the morning to prepare for my seven-hour day on Zoom, the last thing I want to do is put a pair of jeans on. Why spend my few precious moments away from my various screens and responsibilities worrying about what outfit would look best over a Zoom call where everyone can only ever see half of it at most?

Online school is undoubtedly stressful, and managing school from home presents new challenges to us everyday. We all have a lot on our minds right now; managing school from home is something which none of us have had to handle before this year. However, online school has one built-in advantage: your outfit does not matter.

In a Wall Street Journal article, Cornell University Professor Vanessa Bohns supports this argument, saying, “Just putting on [formal] clothes doesn’t matter as much if you’re just as confident when you’re wearing casual clothes and you feel like you can work just as well that way.”

Although it is fine to put on more formal clothes for Zoom, dressing casually creates a much more comfortable workplace for many. Bohns still recommends changing from pajamas to casual clothes in the morning, however.

Changing clothes breaks up your relaxation time from work

time, allowing you to focus on your classes and homework in the right mindset. Therefore, I would recommend your most formal pair of sweatpants for class.

When teachers and students only see the top of your shoulders, don’t waste your time stressing about an outfit nobody can see. The same Wall Street Journal article warns about the risks of dressing up too much. It can make you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious about your outfit.

Being able to sleep a little later in the morning or have a relaxing and slow breakfast is worth sacrificing the nice outfit. If that time was taken up by picking out a formal and nice outfit, something which usually turns into a long and frustrating process, I would no longer have the time to get away from school worries.

You can also take advantage of the extra time to spend at least a couple minutes away from a screen.

It is important for us all to have a break from constantly staring at our computer or phone.

All of our makeshift home classrooms are luckily missing one thing: a formal dress code. Take advantage of being in the comfort of your own home. Grab a blanket, put on a pair of sweatpants and stop stressing out about your outfit.

We all have enough on our plates and shouldn’t feel bad about not having the time or desire to dress up everyday.

“Being able to sleep a little later in the morning or have a relaxing and slow breakfast is worth sacrificing the nice outfit.”

Photos courtesy of Elyon Topolosky

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Shir Madness sweatshirt

Adidas sweatpants

Amazon socks

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

27

LT

the lion’s tale

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School

11710 Hunters Lane

Rockville, MD 20852 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

COVID chaos in the house Stories from the CESJDS community on navigating life at home

Junior Iara Rattner “I was in a class, Jewish Theology, and I was trying to lead a discussion, and my little brother, who is in second grade, I think he was watching TV, so he kept turning the volume up really loud so you could hear it in the background. That was kind of hard because I was trying to stay unmuted but I couldn’t get up to like, go turn down the volume either.”

Jewish history teacher Dr. Dan Rosenthal “I have a toddler who is not able to fully express himself, so he makes his demands and requests through screams. It’s just different than my normal work environment. I would say in that aspect, it’s not that challenging. It’s distracting in some ways, but again, it’s my family. I love being around him, it’s just I’m not used to that kind of noise typically when I’m trying to teach.”

Parent Jason Schwartz “There are definitely positives … It is nice to get a little extra sleep, it is nice to have contact with everyone in my family throughout the day, even though with telework and virtual school sometimes we would go longer without seeing each other than we would before the pandemic.”

Cartoon by Ariana Ravitz