The Lion's Tale - Vol. 40, Issue 5

Too much to lose

The

Photo illustration by Ella Waldman

Editors-in-Chief

Kaylah Goldrich

Lena Nadaner

Managing Editor, Copy

Ellie Fischman

In-Depth Editor, Director of Social Media

Ella Waldman

In-Depth Editor, Director of Staff Development

Lilli Libowitz

News Editors

Simon Albert

Adin Halbfinger

Features Editors

Jonah Beinart

Lily Rulnick

Opinion Editors

Aliza Bellas

Ari Kittrie

Sports Editors

Gigi Gordon

Aaron Waldman

Ari Werbin

Arts and Entertainment Editors

Stella Muzin

Cati Werbin

Illustrators

Libby Hurwitz

Taylor Polonsky

News

04 Working towards wellness

Mental health awareness summit engages students

05 Locked-in Freshmen spend night at school participating in grade bonding

06 Not your average Joe

Recently elected state delegate and alum proposes bills for social change

07 Learning to legislate

Eighth grade participates in annual Model Congress simulation

Opinion

08 Forgotten Ukraine?

As the war in Ukraine marks one year, we must stay engaged

09 Meet me at the mall

Shopping in person has more benefits than shopping virtually

10 Stop at the source

Holocaust education must start earlier to combat antisemitism

11 Pump the breaks

Middle school is given too much recreational time

In-Depth

12 Too much to lose

The fentanyl crisis continues to rage through America... and close to home

Features

16 Chickening out Family cares for unusual pets

17 Music man Talented freshman impresses with multi-instrumental skills

18 Off the beaten path

The best hikes to explore in the DMV area

Arts and Entertainment

About our cover:

The cover was inspired by a demonstration done by CESJDS science teachers illustrating just how miniscule a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl is. The dose, two milligrams, was too small to represent on our cover. For reference, a single grain of salt weighs 65 milligrams; two milligrams is about .03 of a single grain of salt, which would be completely undetectable to the naked eye. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, 42% of the pills they tested for fentanyl contained at least two milligrams. Like our teachers, we used salt in this photo illustration by Ella Waldman.

Reporters

Ellie Levine, Sasha Karasik, Matthew Steindecker, Julia Rich, Ari Blumenthal, Eitan Rattner, Ruby Kotok, Penelope Terl, Talia Loeffler, Gila Safra, Tyler Portnoy, Sadaf Zadeh, Maiya Blumenthal, Eliana Wolf, Sophie Schwartz, Mia Forseter, Maya Greenblum, Vivi Ducker

Staff Adviser

Jessica Nassau Adviser Emerita

Susan Zuckerman

20 Crochet corner

An old hobby revamped

21 Caruso’s grocery restaurant impresses

22

A look into new Italian spot at Pike and Rose

Hottest hangouts

Outdoor shopping centers that should be your go-to

Sports

24

The bar is high

Gymnastics is more than a hobby for one student

25 Landy legacy lives on Boys varsity baseball welcomes new coach

26 Spring players to watch

Look out for these stars in the new sports season

Corrections from last issue: Netanya Shaffin, Dimensions, photographed the cover of the last issue. We apologize for not giving her credit.

Dear Readers,

We hope you enjoy this edition. The staff has been making the most of the 60-degree days and sunlight boosting our energy later into the night, as everyone is anxiously awaiting the much-needed time off for Passover festivities. We are so grateful for our editors and reporters who have worked for many long nights to produce this incredible magazine.

As much as short Fridays are cherished, we are excited to put the cold and rainy weather behind us. Many of the articles in this issue highlight this by discussing exciting social opportunities. Whether that is an event organized by CESJDS, like the freshmen lock-in, or activities that students partake in on their own, the theme of this issue is clear: winter is over, and it is time to get outside.

As is increasingly possible post-pandemic, it benefits our mental health to spend time with others. As such, we encourage you to take advantage of the warmer weather and connect with friends.

That being said, making safe decisions plays a large role in social ac-

Sincerely

Editors-in-Chief

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

tivities, and we think this is just as important to discuss. While we cover light-hearted topics, it is also vital to report on topics that pose a threat to students’ safety, such as the fentanyl crisis which is the topic of our in-depth article in this issue.

As we move into the last quarter of the school year, it is important to keep in mind the balance presented - maintaining a responsible attitude while also enjoying the fresh air and fun.

Editorial and Ethics Policy

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.

Photo by Olivia Cohen

News Briefs

WAIS School Based College Fair

In collaboration with the Edmund Burke School, CESJDS will host one of several Washington Area Independent Schools (WAIS) college fairs. The fair will take place on April 17 in the gym and have representatives from approximately 95 colleges and universities.

High School Arabic Week

Between April 17-21, the Upper School will celebrate Arabic week, honoring Arabic culture and diversity. High school Arabic and Hebrew teacher Hani Abo Awad is organizing this week.

Yom Ha’zikaron

JDS will commemorate Yom Ha’zikaron, Israel’s memorial day, through an assembly on April 25. In light of recent events in Israel, this year, the theme of the assembly is Israel’s unity around bereavement. This day will highlight specific fallen soldiers and emphasize the importance of strength and unity for the country.

Yom Ha’atzmaut

On April 26, Yom Ha’atzmaut, JDS will celebrate 75 years of Israel’s independence. Visitors will come from the Israeli embassy and ARTIST4ISRAEL to do activities with students. Zimriyah will cap off the day with an array of songs dedicated to and by Tzvika Pik, an Israeli singer and composer who recently died.

Mental health awareness summit engages students working towards wellness

Maya Greenblum Reporter

On March 16, instead of their usual morning classes, high school students focused exclusively on lessons relating to healthy bodies, minds, relationships and sexuality.

The Health and Wellness Center organized a 30-workshop summit with 27 speakers. Students filled out a survey before the summit indicating which sessions they wanted to attend for the three 45-minute time blocks.

Some of the speakers included alumna Dr. Rachel Rubin (‘03) who led a session on “Healthy Sexual Relationships.” In addition, Ned Johnson and Dr. William Stixrud, a teen motivational coach and a clinical neurologist respectively, led a session called “Creating the Life You Want,” focused on improving sleep habits. Sophomore Yedidya Milner-Gillers found that session particularly helpful.

“It’s information that you’re generally not taught in school, and so it was interesting to learn about these topics from the summit that kind of shocked me,” Milner-Gillers said. “There were two speakers that were really pushing the importance of getting at least eight hours of sleep, preferably nine hours. I started going to bed earlier, and I feel a lot better now.”

According to many students, the keynote address was

one of the most powerful talks of the event. Marc Hausman spoke about his 16-year-old son, Landen Hausman, who died from an accidental fentanyl overdose in January of 2022. Hausman shared the story of his son’s struggle with substance abuse.

Other speakers also tried to help teens navigate difficult situations. Debbie Feinstein, the Chief of the Special Victims Division for the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, hosted a workshop about dating abuse. Feinstein regards education on this issue as the key to domestic crime prevention, public safety and individual well being.

“We talked about dating abuse, …essentially recognizing the red flags for yourself or for others and how to help a friend going through a hard time,” Feinstein said. “I was thrilled at the engagement of the students and the interest that they showed.”

Co-directors of the Upper School Health and Wellness Center Rachel Soifer and Melissa Gartner considered the summit to be such a success that they are considering hosting a summit semi-annually. They attribute the event’s success to collaboration with speakers before the summit took place.

“We went into the conversation with an idea of what we wanted to build, and the speakers already had ideas because of their particular

experiences and their passions,” Soifer said.

While many students felt the event was beneficial, junior Reut Skromne said she did not feel a direct and immediate impact from most of the sessions she attended.

“Bringing in the speakers was a way to help educate the students,” Skromne said. “If any situations arise where I need to apply this knowledge, then I’m happy that I have it. But I don’t think that in my everyday life it will be information that I can use.”

However, preparing students for possible future experiences was a large part of the goal. So while many students may not need to immediately draw on the lessons they learned at the summit, organizers hope the information and skills will be there when they need them.

Freshman Jonathan Gordon was looking forward to the Wellness Summit because he chose specific sessions that would benefit his personal mental health. Gordon did not receive

We had such a positive, generous, caring response from professionals...they care and want to give to our school community.”

-co-director of the Upper School Health and Wellness center Rachel Soifer

most of the sessions that he indicated on the survey, which, he thinks, defeated the purpose of the day.

“I think I got one or none of the sessions I requested,” Gordon said. “The stuff I signed up for was stuff that I thought would be helpful for me to learn about or for my mental health and I just didn’t get that.”

Soifer and Gartner recognize that they can make minor tweaks for future summits. However, they also note the immense time and effort that they and all the guest speakers put into this year’s wellness summit.

“We had such a positive, generous, caring response from professionals,” Soifer said. “They’re all coming to engage because they care and they want to give to our school community.”

Locked-in

Vivi Ducker Reporter

Freshman Jakob Lipsky dribbles the ball up the court of the CESJDS gym, which would be ordinary if it was not 10:30 p.m. The rest of the freshman class watches the intense fiveon-five basketball tournament while munching on hand-decorated cookies during their school lock-in on March 19.

In an effort to strengthen grade connections, the freshman class held a lock-in from 6 p.m. until 12 p.m. The class engaged in community-building activities such as sport competitions and class-wide singing. This was the first grade government-organized social event for the freshman class and the first lock-in that the school has ever held.

“This was the first lock-in in all of JDS history, and I just was really happy to be part of it and spend time with my classmates,” freshman Liem Elgrably said.

After the grade-wide shabbaton in the fall, the ninth-grade government was excited to plan more bonding activities for their class. Freshman Dean and biology teacher Melissa Andrew originally proposed the idea of a lock-in and loved seeing students connect on the shabbaton and wanted to maintain that energy with fun and new activities.

“The idea is always community building. We want a kehillah,” Andrew said. “So I think that the way to do that is to have students spend lots of time together doing fun activities.”

Of 85 freshmen, 76 attended, accompanied by nine faculty chaperones. An appealing part of the event was the fact that the freshmen had the building to themselves

“Being in the ninth grade, freshmen don’t rule the high school because it’s the bottom of the totem pole in a way, but honestly, this is a time for freshmen to experience being

Freshmen spend night at school participating in grade bonding

in the building alone,” Andrew said. “There’s not anyone else, so it’s about getting to enjoy the space, hang out and have fun.”

There were lots of competitive and fun activities such as dodge ball, basketball and pingpong tournaments in the gym, as well as cookie decorating in the cafeteria and karaoke in the atrium. The variety of activities ensured that there was something fun for everyone to take part in.

At the end of the night, the whole class came together and sat on the floor of the gym to sing meaningful songs along with their grade nigun, a song without words that they learned on their shabbaton.

“The highlight for me was probably the singing together in a circle,” Lipsky said. “We’re slowly building more connections and a better bond as a grade.”

The student government aimed for this lock-in to be an event for the class to be together without the pressure of academic classes. Freshman co-president Hadriel Dayanim encouraged students to reach out to people they might not regularly interact with to unite the class as a whole.

“It’s a place where everyone can be with friends and everyone can have a really fun time,” Dayanim said.

According to Andrew, lockins will hopefully be implemented for other grades in the high school. The hope for future lockins is to have an overnight with the whole grade in the building. Due to logistical complications with chaperones and timing, this event was not overnight, but the success of this lock-in may lead to opportunities for full overnight lock-ins in the future.

“Every grade is going to want to have a lock-in in the end,” Andrew said.

1. ESOL teacher Rebecca Reiser is leading the morning yoga session for a group of students. Yoga combines both healthy bodies and healthy minds, two aspects of the summit.

2. Therapy dogs with science teacher Kimberly Agzigian is a highly requested session among students.

3. Keynote speaker Marc Hausman tells the emotional story of his son Landen who passed away from an accidental fentanyl overdose. Read more in this issue’s In-Depth on page 12.

Photos by CESJDS Marketing Department

Not your average joe

Recently elected State Delegate and alum proposes bills for social change

Ari Kittrie OpinionEditor

Months into his role as a Maryland State Delegate, Joe Vogel (‘15) has already introduced a slew of bills on Maryland’s big issues. These include requiring hospitals to test for fentanyl and providing tax credits on advertisements for small newspapers.

Vogel represents over 140,000 people in District 17, which encompasses Rockville and Gaithersburg. Vogel’s interest in politics began at CESJDS where he learned important lessons about community service and justice.

“I remember having a lot of teachers who were really passionate about politics and advocacy and they taught me more about that which was really helpful at figuring out what I wanted to do with my life,” Vogel said.

Vogel even met one of his political mentors in a Jewish context.

State Senator Cheryl Kagan (D-17) was the Director of Community Engagement in the B’nai Brith Youth Organization while Vogel was a student leader. Kagan was one of the first people to endorse Vogel for State Delegate.

“For me, and I think for him as well, the Jewish values of Tikkun Olam or repair[ing] the world is inspiring and critically important, so, whether it’s about helping people in need, protecting the environment or ensuring equity for all people,” Kagan said.

He feels that his own diverse identity helps him understand the

needs and concerns of many of these constituents.

As a gay man, Vogel understands the perspective and issues of the LGBTQ+ community in Maryland. He is also a Latino immigrant, giving him first-hand knowledge of life as a first generation American and allowing him to speak to Maryland Latinos in Spanish about their concerns.

“Having had those experiences as a fairly diverse individual just by the nature of the complexity of my identities allows me to connect with people on a very personal basis on a lot of these issues,” Vogel said. “I’m not just learning about these issues from reports or data.”

Similarly as a Jew, he empathizes with concerns of Maryland Jews about the recent rise in antisemitism in the state, especially in Montgomery County.

“I’m having conversations with members of the Jewish community, not just at forums, but with family friends, at birthday parties or at Shabbat dinners when I’m sitting around with people and they’re sharing with me the fears that they have about the rise in antisemitism,” Vogel said.

In light of increased antisemitism, Vogel introduced a bill that would systematize the Attorney General’s task force on hate crime into a commission.

One of the groups that Vogel proposes should be on the commission is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR is a nonprofit civil liberties

organization that advocates for Islamic American rights. However, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), another group on this proposed commission, reports “some of CAIR’s leadership have used inflammatory anti-Zionist rhetoric that on a number of occasions has veered into antisemitic tropes.”

While Vogel condemns the rhetoric of CAIR, he notes that everyone on the commission shares the common goal of making Marylanders feel safer in their communities. He explains that incorporating multiple different perspectives into the commission would help it cover more bases and represent more people.

“We have the opportunity here and I think the obligation to come together as different communities of faith, different races, different ethnicities, different sexual orientations [and] gender identities. We all have the opportunity to come together with one voice and speak up and help,” Vogel said.

Vogel partially attributes his mindset of diversity and justice to Jewish values he learned at JDS.

“What I think about most when I look back to my time at JDS isn’t just the education, but also the values that were instilled in me,” Vogel said. “This idea of Tikkun Olam, fighting for justice and equality, and the obligation that we all have to repair the world. Beyond just the simple education, the math and the science and the English, were those values that I carry with me now into this work.”

State Delegate Joe Vogel edits a spreadsheet on his computer while rushing between meetings.

Photo used with permission from Joe Vogel’s Twitter

Learning to legislate

Eighth grade participates in annual Model Congress simulation

For one day, eighth-graders Aliza Braier, Mali Osofsky and Anna Polon get the opportunity to act as congresswomen and rise to present their bill on school sexual misconduct. They work to convince their classmates to vote in favor of the bill. After weeks of preparation, the students finally show off their hard work during Model Congress, one of the most memorable and challenging middle school projects at CESJDS.

Model Congress is an annual event where students in eighth grade present and debate bills that they created. The two-day event serves as a culmination of their studies about the U.S. Congress in government class.

“I liked the collaborative portion, so not just arguing with people from other bills but sort of the deliberation we got to do within our own team and our own committees,” Osofsky said. “...I enjoyed that we got a lot of freedom in it and we got to research something that interested us.”

Although Model Congress occurred on March 13 and 14, the process began at the beginning of the second semester when each student was assigned a subcommittee and began research for a congressional issue paper relating to that subcommittee.

After writing a position paper, students met with the other members of their subcommittee and worked to incorporate their ideas into a bill.

“It was really rewarding when I finished the position paper and when I got the chance to actually work together with someone when I was writing my bill,” eighth-grader Lindsey Shapiro said. “After all your work, it’s nice to know that it paid off.”

Once they were finished, students presented their bills to their

class in the form of a slideshow, which included their findings about the issue they picked and how they plan to solve it.

From there, teachers picked bills to go to the house floor to be presented before other students, debated and voted upon. Students are required to take a stance on bills and give 90-second speeches in front of the house either in favor or against the bill. Many believe this is the hardest part of the process.

“I think that was really difficult because [they] had to learn a vast array of ideas and do [their] best research in order to be in favor of or against the bill and that requires a lot of curiosity on the part of the student,” middle school social studies teacher Heidi Zansler said.

The Model Congress process builds on skill sets that students begin to develop the year before in the Climate Summit, a similar simulation in seventh grade. It also teaches foundational skills for high school, according to middle school social studies teacher Matthew Jacobson.

“You need to go out, you need to find the research that’s going to help you to support your best argument,” Jacobson said. “So [it teaches] synthesis of research, analysis of research and then turning all of that into a coherent argument in terms of why or why not they should support a bill.”

In the weeks leading up to the event, teachers walked through the structure of Model Congress and language that would be used. Students learned the order of speeches and debating for each bill and phrases such as “point of inquiry” and “motion to return to previous question,” all of which were put into use during the event.

Because of the vastness of this project, students often get

Above: Eighth grader Henry Brenner bangs his gavel to signal time is up while moderating at Model Congress. Students were given 90 seconds to present their arguments.

overwhelmed at the start because they do not see how they will reach the final result.

“In the beginning, I was really confused because you only have this many classes to do so much work and then it honestly goes by pretty quickly, but it gets easier as you start to understand what you’re doing,” Shapiro said.

On the actual day of Model Congress, both of Zansler’s eighthgrade classes met in the Beit Midrash and both Jacobson and middle school social studies teacher Deborah Feigenson-Savoie’s classes met in the theater.

“Every single year I’m always blown out of the water,” Zansler said. “I’m just sort of mystified by the level of care and dedication and investment that the students are putting into it. Every single year.”

Mia Forseter Reporter

Photo by Mia Forseter

forgotten Ukraine?

As the war in Ukraine marks one year, we must stay engaged

Among the many humanitarian crimes Russia has committed in their war against Ukraine, there is one crime that we find particularly atrocious: the abduction of Ukrainian children. On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The charge: unlawfully transferring Ukrainian children from occupied Ukraine to Russia.

Six thousand Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russian soldiers and brought to Russia, according to the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) as of Jan. 2023.

The Associated Press found that Russia deported thousands of Ukrainian children without their consent. The Russian soldiers find them in war-torn areas, manipulate the children by telling them that their parents did not want them then hand them over to Russian families.

This is just one example of the unimaginable torment Ukrainians have suffered in the past year. As there seems to be no end in sight, it is important not to let

BY THE NUMBERS

these continued atrocities get lost in the news cycle.

The Yale HRL adds that many deported Ukrainian children are now up for adoption in Russia. The ICC has also issued a warrant for the Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, who stated in a taped video that she “adopted” a 15-year-old boy from Mariupol.

Russia came into this war with a larger military, superior technology and the element of surprise, giving them an advantage from the start. In light of this, the scrappy Ukrainian military has held its own.

Despite Ukraine’s ability to hold off Russian power, Ukrainian civilians are still experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe. The war’s violence and destruction of infrastructure has resulted in a refugee crisis.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are currently 8,157,230 Ukrainian refugees (as of March 27). For comparison, the entire state of Maryland has just under seven million residents. Millions of Ukrainians are without

electricity, water and heat, as well as being tortured and executed, according to Human Rights Watch. We should not stop our efforts to support them: spreading awareness, sending care boxes and donating money are still crucial to minimizing this disaster.

We remember the immediate outpour of support when the war began, from teachers covering the conflict during school to the class of 2022 preparing boxes of clothing for Ukrainian refugees while in Israel.

However, we are no longer seeing anything close to the initial response to the conflict; there is less mention of it on social media, less discussion of it in school and no current efforts at CESJDS students to help Ukrainians.

This ongoing senseless violence and aggression is despicable. We at the Lion’s Tale stand with Ukraine and we urge you to keep up the support.

- The Lion’s Tale

Russia aims to conquer the eastern parts of Ukraine. Photo by Peggy Frierson, U.S. Department of Defense.

Meet me at the Mall

Shopping in person has more benefits than shopping virtually

REASONS TO HEAD TO THE MALL

Call me old-fashioned, but while my friends are clicking away on their favorite shopping websites, you can find me at the mall with my mom. We hit our favorite stores and eat way too many snacks. Above all, we bond. Whether in the fitting room or at the make-up counter, we connect.

Since the late 2010s, online shopping has become popularized in society. The simplicity of buying something with a click of a button from anywhere in the world may seem much more attractive than going out to purchase it. However, the reality is that online shopping isn’t better than going out to shop.

Ever since COVID-19, the popularity of online shopping increased significantly, and consequently, many stores such as Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor have begun to close. While the pandemic played a large role in these occurrences, the increased use of online shopping has also made the transition back to shopping in person difficult.

The loss of these stores means the loss of about 90,000 jobs. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), six in ten Americans have worked in retail. In May 2019, retail occupations dropped to a three-year low. There are a variety of reasons for this, but the increasing popularity of online shopping plays a significant role in this trend.

Shopping in person provides numerous benefits for consumers as well, as they are able to try on clothes, handle merchandise

and assess their quality before purchasing them. Because online vendors can have misleading descriptions, in many cases it is easier to shop in stores to guarantee proper quality and fit.

Not only might quality be worse, but online ordering has negative environmental effects. According to earth.org, products’ packaging significantly contributes to carbon dioxide emissions as every year, three billion trees are pulped to produce 241 million tons of shipping cartons.

Clearly, online shopping has serious environmental concerns, but it also limits social interaction among younger generations. Malls used to be essential hangout spots for me and my friends, but as online shopping becomes more popular, it has made less sense for us to meet up there.

I believe that the simple act of getting out of the house and going to a store, or the mall, can not only improve your shopping experience, but will also prove to be beneficial for your mental health. According to a 2021 study presented by newportacademy. com, twice as many minors experience loneliness as they did ten years ago. A safe place to hang out in a group, such as the mall, can help alleviate this loneliness.

The next time you open your computer to shop online, consider going to the mall instead. Even though online shopping seems more convenient at the moment, shopping in person allows for so many opportunities that aren’t possible online.

Sadaf Zadeh Reporter

1. Try before you buy

2. Save on shipping fees

3. Get items instantly

4. Easy returns

5. Hang out with friends

6. Boost local economy

The next time you open your computer to shop online, consider going to the mall instead.”

stop at the source

Holocaust education must start earlier to combat antisemitism

ignorance is rising once again. Educating my generation is the only way to stop this.

Swastikas in elementary schools. Graffiti on school buildings. Students telling their Jewish classmates to burn at the stake.

Antisemitism in Montgomery County went up by about 55% between 2021 and the end of 2022 according to NBC Washington. Our county’s public schools must reevaluate their Holocaust curriculum to most effectively educate today’s youth about the history of antisemitism.

From “Hitler was right” to graffiti of Nazi symbols, many antisemitic acts today can be traced back to the Holocaust. Students who do not receive Holocaust education at school may be more likely to participate in antisemitic acts, partially stemming from their lack of understanding of antisemitic tropes.

It is disappointing to see all of these recent incidents of antisemitic attacks in my community. Even after all that Jews have overcome throughout history,

Throughout one week of February, nine antisemitic incidents were reported. The school district is finally taking steps to address the growing problem, including reporting antisemitic attacks on a student’s file. In addition, MOCO 360 reported that Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is updating lessons in Judaism, antisemitism and the Holocaust for fourth, fifth and seventh grade to introduce the subjects earlier. Although this is a step in the right direction, it is long overdue.

Currently, the MCPS Jewish History curriculum begins in fourth grade. And, while they read the diary of Anne Frank in eighth grade, Holocaust-specific education does not begin until freshman year in social studies. This is a massive problem.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum says that once students reach middle school, they “demonstrate the ability to empathize with individual eyewitness accounts and to attempt to understand the complexities of Holocaust history, including the scope and scale of the events.” If middle school students are able to understand this material, then why has the county not begun Holocaust education earlier?

Understanding racism and antisemitism is crucial for young

students to gain empathy. According to the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA), teaching about the Holocaust helps students understand the events leading to genocide as well as how human beings react to genocide. By understanding the events that led up to the Holocaust, students will be able to recognize prejudice and human rights violations, and understand how they can resist them. Holocaust education not only teaches students the tragedies of the past, but how to recognize similar trends in modern society.

“Studying antisemitism in the context of Nazi ideology illuminates the manifestations and ramifications of prejudice, stereotyping, xenophobia and racism,” the IHRA said.

While different age groups have significantly distinct levels of understanding, starting Holocaust education in ninth grade is too late. The county needs to work with local Jewish organizations to prepare the appropriate Holocaust curriculum for younger students. They need to commit to helping raise awareness of Jew-hatred, just as they have committed to combating other forms of hate in public schools. Students need to learn about the dangers of antisemitism before they make uneducated comments. Only with education will students act with the empathy we so desperately need today.

Suggestions for MCPS Elementary school Holocaust Education

Matthew Steindecker Reporter

“What was the Holocaust?”

Gail Herman

“White Bird” R.J. Palacio

“Prisoner B-3087” Alan Gratz

“Signs of Survival”

Renee Hartman with Joshua M. Greene

Students who do not receive Holocaust education at school may be more likely to participate in antisemitic acts, partially stemming from their lack of understanding of antisemitic tropes.

pump the breaks

Middle School is given too much recreational time

It took me nearly a full semester to fully break out of those bad habits I developed in middle school and I still struggle with it from time to time. The breaks in the schedule seemed to serve a good purpose then, however I found that it has hindered my learning abilities.

Four times a day, the middle school schedule comes to a halt as all of the students enjoy a break. Although recreational time is important for very young students, the constant breaks in their schedule create bad study habits that don’t work well in high school and beyond.

In middle school, every class will either have a break right before it or a break right after it. These breaks last 20 minutes and appear twice in the middle school schedule. While this may be helpful to students who have trouble staying focused for longer periods of time, it inhibits students from developing the skill of productivity, which is crucial for success in the future.

Rewarding myself with a break after every assignment I completed does not set me up for success. While that may work with the middle school workload, in high school, there is just not enough time to continue the habit of rewarding oneself with breaks.

Additionally, at least twice a week, students have a 45-minute break in the day called Academic Flex Block (AFB). Many students use this time to play sports or computer games instead of focusing on school assignments. Not counting passing periods between classes, middle school students spend over two hours of the school day out of their academic classes.

Another skill that middle school students need to develop is being productive while at home. In high school, they will have to find the balance between extracurriculars, homework and their social lives.

All of the breaks are disruptive for the high school community as well. Whenever the middle school students make their way outside for a break, they often pass high school classrooms, and their shouts often disrupts learning in the high school.

Aditionally, when AFB is taken away due to an unforeseen schedule issue or need for an assembly, it affects the middle school students immensely, proving that the middle school students are too reliant on breaks.

“…[W]hen we take it away, there’s an outcry,” Middle School Principal Dr. Eliana Lipsky said. “Sometimes if we need the time for an assembly or something like that, the students can get pretty frustrated by that because they feel that it’s their time to decompress and to do work.”

According to Lipsky, AFB originally started during virtual learning as a time to hold departmental labs. It gave students an opportunity to meet with their teachers and it was a de facto study hall. However, it has outstayed its welcome.

Rather than having AFB, middle school classes should be extended by 10 minutes, which will help bridge the 15 minute gap between middle school and high school class lengths. In additiona, this will help them develop better study habits and accustom them to focusing for long periods of time.

Overall, the breaks in the middle school schedule may serve a good purpose to some students. However, it hinders students’ abilities to create good study skills and time management habits in the long run.

“I think that we have a good amount of breaks because we are just middle schoolers... but the amount of breaks that we have and high school has is not fair.”

“I think that the amount of breaks are good but I think that we should get AFB [Academic Flex Block] more, because I understand Rikuz specific leadership, but I think we should have AFB instead.”

“I think that the new middle school principal should keep the amount of breaks because you can do what you want, when you want.”

“I think the amount of breaks is great, I 100% feel like my days where we have breaks feel shorter... since long learning sessions are broken up by short times to cool down.”

Josh Dori Guest Writer

Maya Cohen, 6th Grade

Avigail Lerman, 8th grade

DEvin stein, 6th grade

kasuba chama, 8th grade

Too Much To

LOSE

The fentanyl crisis continues to rage through America... and close to home

Lena Nadaner Editor-in-Chief

Lilli Libowitz In-DepthEditor, DirectorofStaffDevelopment

Ella Waldman In-DepthEditor, Director of Social Media

When Marc Hausman woke up on Jan. 17, he walked into his 16-yearold son Landen’s bathroom to find him lying on his bathroom floor covered in blood. The blood vessels in his nose had burst because Landen, a Whitman sophomore, had overdosed on a counterfeit Percocet pill, later found to be laced with fentanyl.

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid similar to morphine, but 50 to 100 times more potent, according to the National Institute on Drug

Abuse. When used properly and in a medical environment, fentanyl can treat severe pain.

Yet one of the leading causes of an increase in drug overdoses in the U.S. is the presence of fentanyl in illegal drugs.

In 2015, there were 52,623 reported drug overdose deaths. Already a staggering statistic, this number more than doubled just six years later with 107,573 reported drug overdose deaths in 2021, according to the Center of Disease Control (CDC).

Drug dealers manufacture and sell fentanyl illegally and they

Photo illustration by Ella Waldman

often mix it with other drugs such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. This causes it to infiltrate the drug market, usually without the buyer’s knowledge. Fentanyl most often takes the form of a powder, but can also be dropped onto blotter paper, placed in eye droppers and nasal sprays or made into pills resembling prescription opioids.

It is challenging to tell if drugs are laced with fentanyl when buying illegally. Given the prevalence of fentanyl on the illegal market and how difficult it is to identify, drug users may inadvertently take stronger opioids than they are used to. This makes it more likely for them to overdose.

Dr. Vanessa Gluck, an anesthesiologist and parent of CESJDS junior Hannah May, describes this phenomenon as “narcotic naive.”

“Fentanyl is being laced in things that people are not expecting it to be in like marijuana or Adderall,” Gluck said. “And then they’re overdosing because they’re what’s called ‘narcotic naive.’ So you’ve never seen an opioid, if you’ve never tried heroin or anything like that, and then you get something as strong as fentanyl, your body’s not used to it, so you’ll immediately have the side effects like respiratory depression. In other words, you stop breathing.”

Fentanyl is especially dangerous because a miniscule dose can be fatal. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, depending on an individual’s body size, tolerance and past usage, a dose as small as two milligrams of fentanyl could be a lethal dose. Furthermore, it is impossible to tell if a drug is laced with fentanyl based on sight, taste or smell, making it difficult to avoid.

Epidemic hits close to home

Fentanyl overdoses in victims under the age of 21 rose by 77% in Montgomery County last year. According to the data from Montgomery County Police Department, the county tallied 48 youth overdoses in 2022, including 11 that were fatal.

Sadly, this was the case for Landon.

“Fentanyl is a destroyer of worlds where you don’t get a second chance,” Hausman said. “And

unfortunately, Landen didn’t get a second chance, and we’re left with this void. I’m left with this sorrow that occupies every day of our life.”

Hausman decided to publicize Landon’s death for two reasons: to honor his life and to spread awareness around the growing fentanyl crisis in Montgomery County.

“There’s a lot of pressure that when you have someone that dies in this way, either through an overdose or suicide is another example, to just not really say anything, to make more of a personal matter,” Hausman said. “…We just felt it would bring meaning to his life if we were very open and transparent about the circumstances around his death. The lessons and the circumstances from his death help other people.”

This issue is close to home as many drug dealers’ target markets in Montgomery County are middle and high school students. Hausman explained that many drug dealers sit outside of middle and high schools and approach students to connect with.

On Feb. 27, in Washington D.C., Silver Spring resident Markus Carter was pulled over at a traffic stop in possession of over 250 fentanyl pills in his car with intent to distribute, according to the MOCO show.

Carter is hardly an outlier; fentanyl is rampant among local drug dealers. Many dealers use social media as a platform to approach kids to get them interested in trying illicit and dangerous narcotics. Furthemore, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), these narcotics laced with fentanyl come in many different colors such as pinks, greens and yellows to make them more appealing to teenagers.

Hausman’s mission is to raise awareness about this ongoing crisis, speaking at schools and with the media. So far, Hausman has spoken at Holy Child, Walt Whitman, John F. Kennedy and JDS.

“The message that I want to convey, when you’re presented with certain choices, you have to be thoughtful about the consequences,” Hausman said “And you have to understand if something were to happen to you, for the people who you care about the most,

people that you leave behind, there will never be closure, things will never be okay.”

Efforts to combat the crisis Maryland local legislatures have introduced broader efforts to raise awareness. Maryland State Delegate Joe Vogel (‘15) explained that Montgomery County has increased education to families about fentanyl to ensure they are informed of its dangers.

In addition, Vogel and Governor Wes Moore are trying to pass bill HB811, which would mandate testing for fentanyl when healthcare providers request a toxicology screening in hospitals. This would improve the fentanyl reporting process so the state could better identify which areas are

experiencing a spike in overdoses and respond accordingly. Vogel said that this is part of his initiative to take a data-driven approach to address this growing issue.

Vogel is also working on using the State Restitution Fund to establish more rehabilitation centers, especially for minors. He encourages cooperation between the government and community organizations to combat the crisis.

“The government can only do so much here,” Vogel said. “It’s really going to have to be all of us working together: government at different levels, federal government, state government, local government, but also just folks out in the community, making sure that you all inform your friends of the dangers of fentanyl, in the presence of fentanyl and other drugs.”

Tools to prevent overdose

The fentanyl crisis is so severe in this country that a free, over-the-counter and life-saving medication was developed to revive users who overdose.

When given immediately, naloxone, often referred to by one of its brand names Narcan, can treat a fentanyl overdose. The medication works by rapidly binding to opioid receptors, thereby blocking the effects of an opioid drug. Since fentanyl is stronger than most other opioids, multiple doses may be necessary to mitigate its effects.

Notably, administering the medication will not harm someone who has not taken fentanyl. If someone were to give

FENTANYL: KNOW THE FACTS

2 milligrams can cause overdose and death

an unconscious person Narcan, no damage will be caused even if the cause of unconsciousness is not drug-related.

Fentanyl strips are another method of preventing drug overdoses. They are small strips of paper that can detect fentanyl in a variety of drugs and drug forms. The strips take two to five minutes to generate results and will then inform the user as to whether fentanyl is present in the drug. For free fentanyl strips, contact local overdose response programs with locations available on the Maryland Department of Health’s website.

107,573 overdose deaths reported in 2021 50 times stronger than heroin 100 times stronger than morphine

Fentanyl strips are a powerful tool, however, they are not 100% accurate. They may not detect similar, but more potent drugs, like carfentanil. Furthermore, since fentanyl strips only test a small portion of a drug supply, and fentanyl may not be present everywhere in the drugs, the test could miss it if the wrong part is used for testing.

Keeping JDS students safe Genetics students looked on heavy-heartedly as they watched science teacher Kimberly Agzigian carefully measure two milligrams of salt to mimic fentanyl for her class. Agzigian and chemistry teacher Daniela Munteanu took it upon themselves to demonstrate the lethal dosage of fentanyl using salt in order to raise awareness about the crisis.

“I wanted them to see how little it took to be a lethal dose, literally just a few grains of fentanyl,” Agzigian said. “I don’t think that a lot of students were aware of just how little fentanyl is needed to be lethal.”

Similarly, the students in the Emergency Care and Sport Safety class and athletic coaches complete a Narcan training as it is a part of the American Heart Association Heartsaver course.

The school, local government and community organizations have all taken steps to fight the fentanyl crisis and make the community safer. While fentanyl hasn’t taken anyone from the JDS community, Dean of Students Roslyn Landy understands that JDS students could come in contact with it accidentally.

“While I have concerns about

56% increase in overdose rates involving synthetic opioids between 2019-2020

Landen was on the Walt Whitman basketball team. Photo by Marc Hausman.

Data from CDC and NIH

Data from the NIH

general drug use among adolescents, I am very concerned about students who might order drugs [such as] ADHD medications, antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications online or get them from friends and those drugs are laced with fentanyl, which can be deadly,” Landy said.

She explained that many parents and students are not aware that this issue affects them because they assume that it only impacts drug addicts, a population that may be distant from them. They do not realize that fentanyl has potency in many drugs that are not commonly associated with abuse, such as black market Adderall that a student may buy for a study boost.

On March 14, the CESJDS Health and Wellness Center hosted an evening program where parents heard from a panel of experts including Hausman, the JDS school nurses and Dr. Seffy Muller, a physician and medical director for addiction treatment in D.C. The speakers told parents how the crisis could potentially affect their children and also gave guidance about Narcan training.

“Narcan saves lives. Intentional and unintentional use of opioids as well as accidental use and overdose[s] are at a very high rate,” Rachel Soifer, co-director of the Upper School Health and Wellness center said. “Adults and youth who feel comfortable and interested in being trained to use Narcan can help, however, this is a very personal decision and should

Landy, the school nurses and others in the building have received Narcan training. Registration for Narcan Training can be found on the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services website.

Soifer said that for a student to receive Narcan training, and thus feel the responsibility for the lives of others, could be a heavy burden, so it is ultimately their decision whether they want to pursue it or not.

Students also heard from Hausman as the keynote speaker at part of the Wellness Summit on March 16 where he spoke about the death of his son. Many students were receptive to Hausman’s story.

“It was very emotional, not just for me, but for everyone. It touched a lot of people emotionally in a way that other speakers in the past haven’t, just because the kid was our age when he overdosed,” junior Sam Sharp said. “It’s pretty shocking to hear about just in general, let alone him being near our community and having connections with others at JDS. It was just a very emotional experience, but also at the same time, very helpful to hear and impactful.”

Soifer explained that students must educate themselves and make informed decisions concerning whom they surround themselves with and what substances they use in order to be safe. Soifer and Co-Director of the Upper School Health and Wellness Center Melissa Gartner are work ing to educate the community

and provide resources to address these issues.

“In Health and Wellness, our job is to educate all students and promote [a] healthy and safe school setting where students know they have support,” Soifer said. “We want to engage students with access and opportunity to education and resources related to mental [and] emotional health, physical health, academic balance, digital wellbeing and engagement in ethics service and leadership.”

Landy said that the Wellness Summit should make students aware of the resources available to them and to reach out to trusted adults, such as JDS faculty, whenever they may need them.

Also, she explained that families must be aware of this issue, and teens must make smart and informed decisions to prevent more people from experiencing the pain that Hausman and others go through of losing their loved ones from overdoses.

“Life is full of choices, and choices have consequences,” Hausman said. “It’s really important for students [and] parents to understand that those consequences can be deadly when it comes to fentanyl, and you have to just take into consideration the risks that are associated as you’re making the choice.”

“Fentanyl is a destroyer of worlds where you don’t get a second chance. And unfortunately, Landen didn’t get a second chance, and we’re left with this void. I’m left with this sorrow that occupies every day of our life.”

-Marc Hausman

Data from the CDC Drugs Commonly Laced with Fentanyl: Amphetamines Marijuana

Chickening out

Family cares for unusual pets

Kaylah Goldrich Editor-in-Chief

Every Saturday morning as Jane Brophy grabs a cup of coffee and goes out to sit in her backyard, she hears chickens pecking in her periphery. In addigion to five kids, alumnus Samuel (‘21), junior Aaron, sophomore Micah, eighth-grader Rebecca and sixth-grader Ezra, the Brophy family is also home to 11 hens.

The Brophy family first rented chickens in 2015 through the company RentACoop, which allowed them to take care of chickens for a two-month period. They enjoyed it so much that they decided to try it again during the pandemic in 2020.

“If you decided that at the end of your rental time, you wanted to keep the chickens or the coop, your rental fees went towards their adoption fee,” Jane said. “And as a family, we were all like, ‘no, this is so much fun.’ So we started out at that point with two chickens. And now we have 11.”

Besides the regular responsibilities that come with owning pets, the Brophy family also has specific duties they have to complete to take care of their chick-

ens. During the school week, Jane wakes up early to feed them before work, while her kids are responsible for taking care of them at night. They let them into their coops, clean their food bowls and lock the doors to their coop.

“We get eggs every day [and] we have to clean their coops every week,” Micah said. “We had to build them a little pen and we have to make sure it is safe every week.”

Though this would seem like a unique attribute of the Brophy household, according to CBS News, around eight percent of U.S. households had chickens in 2018. Although chickens are not the most popular pets, Jane enjoys their character.

“They’re like little dogs,” Jane said. “I know that sounds really weird. But I’ll come outside, they’ll come running over, they want to ... sit on your lap. So they actually have a lot more personality than people think they do.”

Although the family thoroughly enjoys owning chickens, Jane cautions against families getting them for the sole purpose of saving money on eggs. A crucial aspect of taking care of chickens is ensuring that their coops are

BY THE NUMBERS

predator-proof and safe from animals, which requires a large initial monetary investment from the owner. According to Angie’s List, this can cost anywhere between $300 and $2,000. A professionally built coop costs around $650.

10 million

Americans raise chickens in their

“I think the key [to owning chickens] is making sure that you understand the upfront cost,” Jane said. “And if you’re willing to put the time in, the chickens can live for seven to ten years, [then] you’ve got time on your hands, just like with any other pet.”

ESOL teacher Rebecca Reiser is also an owner of a pet chicken. She previously owned five, but unfortunately lost multiple to predator attacks.

1.2 billion bushels of corn are used to feed

“I always wanted to try [owning chickens],” Reiser said. “And I also feel like if I’m going to eat eggs, industrial egg productions can be pretty cruel and not very animal friendly.”

Fresh eggs also have many health benefits as studies show that they have less cholesterol and saturated fat than store-bought eggs, according to Backyard Boost.

These unique benefits aside, Micah says that chickens are enjoyable just like any other pet.

hen each year

Facts taken from coopeduplife.com

“Not everyone has the chance to actually touch live chickens, but their feathers feel really nice,” Micah said. “And I really enjoy snuggling up with them.”

The Brophys estimate that their chickens produce about 6 eggs per day. Photo by Jane Brophy.

Micah feeds the chickens as part of his daily responsibilities for the chickens. Photo by Jane Brophy.

Tali Loeffler Reporter

The lyrics to “Hello Dolly” fade in as freshman Hadriel Dayanim stands up from his perch at the piano and takes out a saxophone. The audience is captivated by each jazzy note coming from Hadriel’s instrument.

Hadriel is a multi-instrumentalist who performs both in and out of school. He has performed multiple times at the Israeli Embassy, most recently for a Chanukah celebration where he played Israeli music on the piano. He also played piano at the Austrian Embassy for another Chanukah party.

He is most knowledgeable at piano, but he also plays the guitar and saxophone and has played the drums and bass in the past. His musical career began in kindergarten when his parents signed him up for piano lessons, the age at which both his siblings started playing instruments.

“I was a little bit competitive with my siblings,” Hadriel said. “They had already been playing [instruments] since they were in kindergarten, so [I] basically forced myself to play more.”

At CESJDS, Hadriel is a part of the informal Kabbalat Shabbat band. In addition to his musical solo and accompaniment in the high school’s production of “Hello Dolly,” he participated in the Daniel Pearl World Music Day performance, along with the Yom

usicMan Music an

Talented freshman impresses with multiinstrumental skills

Hazikaron performance last year.

Typically, Hadriel plays classical, jazz and rock but occasionally mixes it up and plays other genres of music.

His love for music began in fourth grade when he played in the school band at his former elementary school. During this time, he chose to play the saxophone.

“I decided to do something completely new because the piano [is] sort of its own genre,” Hadriel said. “First I had to do the clarinet, which is very similar, same reed. So I did that and then I decided to move to saxophone.”

Currently, Hadriel practices every day of the week. He works with several private teachers, both online and in-person, including a classical piano teacher and a guitar teacher.

Both of his parents and siblings play musical instruments as well. AviShai Dayanim (‘22), is also a former member of the Kabbalat Shabbat band. His sister, junior Darya Dayanim, is an oboist. Though she sometimes finds it difficult to do homework while he practices, she admires his musical talent.

“It’s so amazing what he is capable of at such a young age,” Darya said. “It really takes skill. It takes a lot of creativity and knowledge of theory to do what he does.”

Upper School instrumental music teacher Gary Prince has seen Hadriel’s growth during his

-Instrumental music teacher Gary Prince

time at JDS. Prince works with him on school performances and jazz music, but has helped him with other parts of his musical journey as well.

“I love working with Hadriel,” Prince said. “He is an incredible musician… he is always game for anything. There is no challenge too big for him. You can throw anything at him and he is game to try it. He’s up for everything.”

In the future, Hadriel wants to learn how to play the oud, a string instrument with origins in the Middle East. He finds it hard to operate as an oud has 11 strings and no frets.

Hadriel plans to persist with his passion for music in the future. While he is unsure whether he will pursue a musical career, he intends to keep it as a hobby.

“There’s something about being able to make something that’s very beautiful,” Hadriel said, “ … It’s like, how can you make something that sounds good, and has a cool theory behind it just by clicking a bunch of buttons… It’s very indescribable.”

Q & A

with Hadriel favorite food? kebabs.

Q: A: favorite sport? basketball.

Q: A: favorite band? Pink Floyd.

Q: A:

A, B or C days? B days.

Q: A:

Q: A: favorite class? math.

favorite song? Rachmaninoff

Piano Concerto

Q: A: No. 2 in C minor.

There is no challenge too big for him.”

Hadriel plays piano, guitar or drums at Kabbalat Shabbat each week. Photos by Abby Chesman and Alec Silberg, Dimensions.

Photo by Moshe Dayanim

off the beaten path

Eliana Wolf Reporter

Being in the midst of nature is an experience like no other. To be surrounded by rushing streams, skyscraping trees and majestic animals creates a perfect space to reset one’s mind and body.

In the DMV area, there are many great hiking options that are only an hour from the CESJDS Upper School and are great to explore as the weather gets warmer. While there are the well-known trails in Rock Creek Park and the Capital Crescent Trail, there are also a lot of lesser-popular trails that afford a sense of privacy to the hiker.

Billy Goat Trail: The Billy Goat trail is popular among people D.C. residents. It is located on the Maryland-Virginia border along the Potomac River. It is about 25 minutes from the JDS Upper School. It has a little bit of everything: a river, a rock scramble, a beautiful view and a good challenge for those who choose to accept it.

Rock scrambling is common on these local trails. It is a mixture of rock climbing and hiking where the hiker must use their arms to balance and traverse rocky and unstable terrain.

Tori Ball, Dean of Experiential Leadership and Service Learning and avid hiker, regards the Billy Goat trail as the best local hike.

“It is super beautiful to be above the Potomac River [when] you can see into Virginia,” Ball said. “It’s also a pretty challenging trail close by which is hard because we don’t have a lot of elevation here.”

The Billy Goat trail has three sections: A, B and C, but it is also a part of the larger Great Falls hiking area that has an overlook with the rushing waterfalls. Occasionally, kayakers are spotted rowing down the river, which can be exciting to see. A great path to take when at Great Falls is the River

Trail, which is an easy yet pleasant stroll. What makes it particularly fun and special are the small areas for rock scrambling along the trail.

Maryland Heights: Another hike, which is around an hour from the JDS Upper School campus, is the Maryland Heights hiking trail. Next to Harpers Ferry, W.Va., the hike ranges from 4.5 to 9.5 miles and can take between three and seven hours. The trails include the Stone Fort Trail and a trail from the Lower Town of Harpers Ferry to the Maryland Heights Overlook.

It is a unique hike in the area because of its steep inclines and summit. The top of the hike overlooks Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the town of Harpers Ferry along the 32 mi. Length of Rock Creek Park 6 trails found at Great Falls Shenendoah Park’s highest elevation 4,049 ft BY

THE NUMBERS

The best hikes to explore in the DMV area

Rocky streams and waterfalls are a major draw on the Great Falls Trail.

TOP: A view from the Northwest Branch hike in Silver Spring.

MIDDLE: An overlook of the valley at the top of Catoctin Mountain.

BOTTOM: An example of flora seen on Big Schloss Peak Photos by Eliana Wolf and Kaylah Goldrich.

Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. The scenery sports a landscape that is unforgettable with the Civil War era town, the intersection of rivers and the sea of trees that is different from any other hike in the area.

Catoctin Mountain: Another hike with peaks is Catoctin Mountain. Around an hour from the Upper School, Catoctin Mountain has two sections, Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock. This mountain has over 15 trails that span 26.6 miles. There are campsites and a visitor center, but the most impressive part is the rock scramble at the top of Wolf Rock which creates a natural playground for people of all ages.

This elevation is not common in the area, so the overlooks throughout the hike give a sense of

accomplishment to the hiker. The best route to take is to go to Chimney Rock and then to Wolf Rock, to get both the rock scrambles and the overlook.

Rock Creek Park: The most known hike in the area is Rock Creek Park, which spans across a large area inside Washington D.C. There are many different trails within the park, but what is special about Rock Creek park is that it is a haven for people who live in the city who need a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Rock Creek Park has over 32 miles of hikes that stop by many areas such as the Rock Creek Horse Center, Rock Creek Tennis Center and areas to rent a boat along the Potomac River. It is easily accessible from many different areas in Washington, DC and there are many hikes that start on a road and within two minutes, the trail is surrounded by nature.

Northwest Branch Trail: A hidden gem right next to the Silver Spring Trader Joe’s is a section of the Northwest Branch Trail with a lot of rock scrambles. It takes you along the Anacostia River where there is a place to sit by the water and listen to the waterfalls rushing and is the perfect place to capture nature through photography.

There are also sections of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland, such as Annapolis Rock and parts of the Shenandoah such as Old Rag that are hiking gems in the DMV.

Hiking is so critical for wellbeing and there are so many opportunities to recenter ourselves so close by. All of these hikes are places to get a good workout, find mental clarity and have a meaningful social experience, and they are all easily accessible.

“When you’re in the presence of nature, and you sort of see how big the universe is, you can forget about yourself a little bit and you can just be the best you,” Ball said.

Must

Everything you need to guarantee a great hike

Snacks

A great energy boost for the trails to keep your experience enjoyable for longer. Opt for more protein.

Flashlight

Flashlights keep you prepared for unexpected surprises your hike might have in store.

Map

Whether digital or physical, maps are crucial to keeping you on track and eliminating stress during hikes

Waterbottle

The most important thing to keep you healthy and hydrated while on your adventure

Backpack

A lightweight backpack is important for carrying of all of the items you need with you while out on the trails

Photo caption.

Photos by Lily Rulnick.

Photo by Eliana Wolf.

An old hobby revamped Crochet Corner

Ellie Fischman ManagingEditor,Copy

Three thousand stitches compose that sweater you saw at the mall. A stranger’s hands passed over each of those stitches, following the motions of lifting the yarn over and pulling it through. As simple as they are, no machine can replicate those movements.

I never appreciated the time and effort that goes into each crocheted piece until I learned the craft myself. Making a tank top for my sister’s birthday, a sweater with a star on it for myself and many more projects has taught me the power of my own hands. Anyone can take yarn and turn it into a pillow, vest or blanket.

Learning to crochet is daunting, but it is worth it. The repetitive motions involved in this craft can be stress-relieving. According to a survey by the NIH of 8,391 individuals, 89.5% reported feeling calmer when they crochet. Personally, crocheting helps me focus when I’m feeling jittery. I can crochet while watching TV or listening to a podcast, which makes free time feel productive.

With crochet, I can make my own clothes, home decor, accessories, stuffed animals and more. Crocheting is trendy at the moment with over 16.7 billion views

on the #crochet on TikTok. Even still, it is timeless, dating back to the early nineteenth century.

Crocheting is unique in the sense that no machine can replicate it. Knitting machines are common because the yarn only needs to connect to the previous row, while crocheting secures a stitch both to the previous row and the column of stitches.

Crocheted pieces are both beautiful and impressive because of the mastery they require. That being said, anyone can learn how to crochet.

There are many great YouTube tutorials for crochet skills. Bella Coco’s lessons under the “Absolute Beginners Crochet Lessons” playlist is especially helpful. She builds each skill off of the last and her explanations are very clear. Please note that she uses U.K. crochet terminology, which differs from U.S. terminology. If you think this will confuse you, there are many other creators on YouTube who make tutorials for absolute beginners, like simplydaisy and GoodKnitKisses. You should start with a video that teaches you how to single crochet, which is the most basic stitch.

I would recommend buying yarn from a store in person rather than online because you

Trendy projects

can feel the texture of the yarn and see its color. Michaels and Joann’s are both great options for cheap yarns, but local yarn stores are fantastic resources for both high-quality materials and advice on the craft. The most practical option for other crochet materials like hooks and stitch markers is Amazon. They sell large sets that are high quality and cheap.

For me, crocheting helps me live a more ethical lifestyle. When I crochet my own clothes, this is an act of slow fashion, which contrasts unethical fast fashion. I know exactly where my materials come from and I am the one who performs the labor for my clothes, so I can be sure that the process is not exploitative.

The sheer practicality of crochet is part of what makes it great. Beginners can make useful items like headbands and coasters in a day. Dishrags, t-shirts and sweaters are also common projects. It is important to pay attention to the intended skill level of each pattern you attempt, but I also encourage you to challenge yourself and try something that you didn’t think you could do.

Take a leap of faith. You may surprise yourself.

Junior Talia Shelef shows off Fischman’s crochet creation. “I like [crochet clothing] a lot because it is so unique and it is always handmade and you can tell a lot of thought and time was put into creating the piece,” Shelef said. Photo by Olivia Cohen.

Students enjoy wearing Fischman’s crochet clothing. Photo by Olivia Cohen.

Photo by Olivia Cohen.

Bucket hats

Fake flowers

Market bags

Caruso’s impresses

A look into new Italian restaurant at Pike and Rose

As the door to the kitchen opens and a server walks out with my pasta, I’m overwhelmed by the smell of fresh pesto and sizzling cheese. My impatient stomach grumbles as I wait to try the mouthwatering dish.

Italian restaurant Caruso’s Grocery pays homage to traditional Italian-American food inspired by the classic ‘red sauce’ joint. Its first location opened on Capitol Hill on May 12, 2021 and its second location opened in Pike and Rose on Dec. 4, 2022.

Caruso’s in Pike and Rose isn’t found on a main road, so you have to walk through a separate restaurant called Owen’s Tavern & Garden to get inside, making it difficult to find. However, once I was it was worth the initial effort.

The walls were beautifully decorated with antique picture frames. Black and white photos of families covered the ceiling, giving the restaurant a nostalgic and homey feel. The wooden tables, chairs and shelves gave the space a warm atmosphere and the leather chairs and wallpaper added pops of color to the space.

My friend and I went on a weekday, so it was not very busy and we were able to be seated before our reservation. The servers were very friendly and routinely checked in on us to see if we needed anything.

For my salad course, I had the “roasted garlic Caesar” ($11.75).

Decadent Dishes

The romaine lettuce tasted fresh and had a nice crunch, which made it the perfect canvas for the lemony and well-seasoned Caesar dressing. The croutons had just the right amount of parmesan and added crunchiness to the salad. However, the garlic flavor did not come through. Despite this, I would certainly suggest ordering it if you’re a salad lover.

The second appetizer that I ordered was the “creamy burrata” ($15.50) and it lived up to its name. The velvety burrata melted in my mouth and paired perfectly with the fresh pesto that accompanied it. Also, it came with garlic bread that was crunchy on the outside and warm and fluffy on the inside, making it one of my favorite dishes.

I ordered the “penne alla vodka” ($21.50) for my first entree without the prosciutto. The pasta was well cooked and the peas were an unexpected addition, making the pasta all the tastier. The sauce packed a punch, however, the sharp flavor that the vodka added somewhat overpowered the freshness of the tomato, so I would recommend asking for a little bit of parmesan cheese to make it worth ordering.

For our second entree, I ordered the “gnocchi alla genovese” ($21.75). Doused in a creamy and rich pesto sauce, the gnocchi had the right balance of chewy and soft texture. Toasted pignoli nuts sprinkled over the sauce added a nice nutty flavor. To cut out the

richness of the sauce, a little lemon juice would have helped the dish, but it was definitely worth ordering.

Even when I felt like I couldn’t eat anything more, I ordered the “nutella cannolis” ($11.50) for dessert. The cannoli shell was crunchy and not too sweet, which allowed the creamy Nutella filling to shine through. On top of the cannolis were chocolate chips and hazelnuts, which enhanced the Nutella flavor. The cannoli had the perfect balance of crunchy and smooth texture making it the perfect way to end the meal.

While the price of some of the dishes were on the higher end, the quality of the food and the portion size made up for it.

In addition to the quality of the food, Caruso’s atmosphere made the dining experience more enjoyable. Parallel to our table was a big black window that looked into the kitchen. My friend and I were able to hear music playing and could see the servers and chefs dancing and smiling. Knowing that the people working there were enjoying themselves made our experience even nicer.

Caruso’s truly exemplifies the appeal of classic Italian-American dining. The food was scrumptious, the prices were acceptable and the overall atmosphere was homey and comfortable. The next time you are craving traditional Italian-American food, I strongly recommend going to Caruso’s.

Sophie Schwartz Reporter

Creamy burrata

Caruso’s brings a taste of Italy to Bethesda with its authentic food and environment. Photo by Sophie Schwartz.

Roasted garlic Caesar

The salad has a crunchy lettuce base tossed with a well-seasoned Caesar dressing.

Penne alla vodka

Nutella Cannolis

The dessert is filled with a creamy Nutella center and is topped with chocolate chips and hazelnuts.

This appetizer sits on top of a lemony pesto with a side of garlic bread.

The penne pasta is doused in a strong tomato vodka sauce and is topped with peas and parsley.

Photos by Sophie Schwartz

HANGOUTS

Outdoor shopping centers that should be your go-to

Stella Muzin Arts and Entertainment Editor

PIKE & ROSE

Despite a relatively small space, Pike and Rose has a lot to offer. From its beautiful murals to its dog park and bar, “Bark Social,” it is a top hangout spot in Montgomery County, especially for CESJDS students, considering it is about a five-minute drive from the Upper School campus. Pike and Rose has a variety of restaurants ranging from fast casual to sit-down restaurants, and even some in between. My favorite spots are Jinya Ramen Bar and Sweetgreen. This wide variety of options makes Pike and Rose a great place to go with a large group because there is something for everyone.

Additionally, the communal lawn in the middle of the hub is a great place to hang out with friends as the weather gets warmer. This area also has clothing stores like Scout & Molly or Evoluxxy which have a lot of cute clothing, although their prices are often too high for spontaneous shopping. But, Pike and Rose also has more inexpensive stores like H&M and Sephora, along with a range of different activities. These activities include bowling at PinStripes and an IPIC movie theater, making Pike and Rose a great spot to spend time with friends or family.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Photo by Abby Chesman

Photo by Abby Chesman

Photos by Stella Muzin

1. RIO Shopping Center

Between coffee from Sunday Morning Bake House, cheesy fries from Summer House and ice cream from Baked Bear, Pike and Rose has a ton of delicious foods.

2. Cabin John Shopping Center

3. Downtown Silver Spring

4. Wildwood Shopping Center

BETHESDA ROW

Bethesda Row is an extremely popular spot for people of all ages, but especially caters to big groups of teenagers because of its variety of restaurants. Because the space is larger than other similar shopping spaces and has such a variety of stores, it can be a great place to spend an afternoon.

Although there are a lot of shopping options, they can be very expensive for your typical shopping trip as the shops consist of Anthropology, Lululemon and Blue Mercury. Additionally, Bethesda Row has many popular restaurants that vary in price range, such as Hawker’s, Matchbox and Chopt.

Bethesda is a great place to eat and there is some shopping, however, there isn’t much else to do and the options available are pricey. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, I recommend Pike and Rose.

GEORGETOWN

Georgetown in D.C. is my personal favorite spot considering its beautiful waterfront location. With an array of trendy clothing stores including Brandy Melville, Urban Outfitters and Glossier as well as unique activities like Crumbs and Whiskers Cat Cafe, when visiting Georgetown you will likely spend your whole day there.

The storefronts’ charm is what makes Georgetown such a trendy spot. On the other hand, most of the restaurants in Georgetown are sit down style and pricier, but you can definitely find affordable restaurants.

Additionally, there are an array of dessert options, including the famous Georgetown Cupcakes, which typically has a line down the street. If you ever have a full day to spend and want an adventure, Georgetown is the right place to go.

Photo by Abby Chesman

Photo by Cati Werbin

Older stops like Haagen-Daz’s ice cream can be found in Georgetown along with newer restaurants like Call Your Mother bagels.

Photo by Stella Muzin

Photos by Stella Muzin

Bethesda Row hosts an array food choices, including salad from Sweetgreen and rolled ice cream from Class 520 Ice Cream & Tea.

The High Bar is

Freshman Julia Yoskowitz steps up to the high bar as usual, only this time, she is not in the Dynamite Gymnastics gym in Rockville. This meet in Philadelphia will prove her hours of training to be worth it. After taking a breath, she grips the bar and perfectly executes the giant, a move she has been working on for the past two years.

Yoskowitz has been doing gymnastics for 13 years and competitively for eight. When she was younger, she enjoyed playing in jungle gyms so her parents enrolled her in gymnastics to channel that energy in a safer place. Since then, Yoskowitz has been training rigorously at Dynamite Gymnastics, just up the street from the Upper School.

“We practice four times a week for four hours [each time], and we try to get into all events in one practice, especially when it comes closer to an actual competition,” Yoskowitz said. “We want to be very consistent and make sure we know all our routines so that we can perform the best we can and prevent getting hurt.”

Yoskowitz says that consistency is key for gymnasts in order to develop muscle memory

and maintain fitness. Training involves stretching, strength conditioning and practicing for events. This helps them build the skills needed for their routines.

There are four main events Yoskowitz and her team compete in: vault, bars, balance beam and floor. Each of these events require practice and dedication, especially for those looking to compete at a higher level. In her last meet, in her division, Yoskowitz won second place all around which includes scores from all four events.

For Yoskowitz, however, the biggest obstacles are often mental. The possibility of getting hurt, not being able to master a skill or having to regain muscle memory after taking a break from gymnastics are all things Yoskowitz has to overcome. While this has slowed down her training before, it has never stopped her. Luckily, within Dynamite Gymnastics, there is a great support network that helps Yoskowitz overcome any mental obstacles she may encounter.

Shoshana Berger, a teammate and friend of Yoskowitz, said that a great thing about gymnastics is the community it builds.

“Julia and I have stuck with each other our whole gymnastics

careers. We’ve been through countless coaches, so many teammates coming and going, hard practices and almost every meet together,” Berger said. “I know Julia will always be on my side and I’ll always be on hers. We share everything with each other.”

Coach Tamara Witt is another member of the Dynamite Gymnastics community and coaches the optional girls team. She said some girls pulled out of training with the spread of COVID-19, but Yoskowitz continued training to the best of her abilities.

Balancing school and gymnastics has been a challenge for Yoskowitz considering the increased workload that comes with freshman year. Though she still dedicates much of her life to sports, she makes sure to prioritize her school work to maximize her academic success.

“I love gymnastics because it can really help me clear my head if I had a stressful day. It’s also definitely the people. I’ve made some of my closest friends from gymnastics because I usually see them 16 hours a week. I’ve been able to make great relationships with them not only over a long period of time but also over the past few years,” Yoskowitz said.

Gymnastics is more than a hobby for one student

Simon Albert News Editor

Yoskowitz flips while competing in floor, one of her main events. Photo used with permission of Team Photo.

Landy Legacy Lives On Boys varsity baseball welcomes new coach

Penelope Terl Reporter

While Dean of Students Roz Landy works inside the building CESJDS, as she has for the past 46 years, Matthew Landy, her grandson, is outside on the baseball field as he throws pitches for the Lions baseball team to practice.

When Matthew heard that JDS was looking for a new coach during the summer of 2022, he immediately reached out to Director of Athletics Becky Silberman to request the job.

“When [I] heard that there was an opening spot to be the new varsity head baseball coach, I immediately thought, ‘what a great opportunity to be back with the program at JDS,’ which holds a big part of my heart,” Matthew said.

During his time as a player, Matthew was the PVAC Player of the Year his junior year. He says that some of his best memories were his time as a Lion. Matthew has also coached high school travel baseball for three years, taught oneon-one hitting and pitching training and worked at the Washington Nationals baseball camp.

Silberman anticipates that in addition to his experience as a JDS athlete, Matthew’s knowledge of JDS norms will make for a smoother transition into the job.

“One of the hardest things, I think, about coaching high school is understanding the clientele you’re working with,” Silberman said. “He knows the PVAC. He knows the skill level. He knows our students. He knows the expectations about not playing on Shabbat or communicating on Shabbat. He knows what our facilities are.”

Matthew said that ultimately, his goal is to bring JDS a championship win while preserving the fun nature of the sport that he experienced during his time as a player.

“We want to have a fun time out there. Baseball’s supposed to be a fun game, making memories,” Matthew said.

Sophomore Rafi Siegel says that Matthew’s previous experience at JDS helps him relate to the players, which Siegel finds important in

“He can relate to us, be on our level, especially because he was once in our position, … which I think has really helped him coach. He knows the program. And I think it’s been really cool. He’s been in our shoes before,” Siegel said. “And so far I’ve seen nothing but good from him.”

In addition, Silberman hopes that a new coach on the team will help players be the best they can be, while also teaching them new skills and aspects of the game.

“I think you should play on different teams, get different perspectives. I think different coaches focus on different areas,” Silberman said. “So I think it’ll be really good, even for our juniors who were [on the team] last year. I think they’ll learn a

All in all, Matthew hopes to bring the team to a championship and “win a banner for the school” after their semifinal loss during the 2022 season.

“The goal of every team should be to win at the end of the day, and that’s our goal,” Matthew said. “And hopefully we can do that in a respectful way, and get as much fan support from the student body as possible.”

Guess That Lingo

What does “good cut” mean?

a. Good job

b. Good catch

c. Good swing

d. Good pitch

What is “the hot corner”?

a. Home plate

b. Third base

c. First base

d. Left field

What is an “uncle charlie”?

a. Slider

b. Change-up

c. Fastball

d. Curveball

What is a “bronx cheer”?

a. Mean chant

b. Loud chant

c. Aggressive chant

d. A cheerleader

What is a “pickle”?

a. snacks

b. A hit

c. A home run

d. A rundown

Answers: c, b, b, a, d

Photo By Cati Werbin-Gradel

SPring

Players to Watch

Look out for these stars in the new sports season

Ariel Werbin-Gradel, SportsEditor

Games you don’t want to miss:

April 20 BVB vs Berman

April 24 GVS vs Sandy Spring

May 1 BVV vs Covenant Life

May 2 Track Meet @ Berman

May 3 BVT vs Field

Varsity Baseball

Andrew Lefkowitz

Junior and co-captain of the varsity baseball team Andrew Lefkowitz is an avid baseball fan who has been playing since the age of four. Last season, Lefkowitz played multiple positions including first base and in the outfield. He had the secondhighest batting average on the team of 409, the highest on-base percentage of .552 and a .682 slugging average, also best on the team.

This year, he will take on the role of main pitcher. Lefkowitz expects a lot from his team, especially because of their controversial elimination last season in the semifinals. “My expectation for the team is to win a championship. Last year we came short because of a stupid ruling, but hopefully, this year will be different and we can win the championship,” Lefkowitz said.

Varsity Boys Volleyball

Itai Topolosky

Junior Itai Toplosky is one of the best spikers and best servers on the boys volleyball team. Last season was a great season for the team as they went 11-4 and lost in the semifinals. Toplosky has started every game of the season so far, and is one of the most reliable players on the team. Due to his strong spike, teammates feed the ball to him so he can smash it across the net. Throughout his volleyball career, Toplosky’s main goal has always been to have fun.

For the past three seasons, he has played as both a setter and a spiker. He also loves the community of the team and the new friends he has made. Like all juniors, this will be Toplosky’s last spring sports season at JDS. He hopes to make a great run in the playoffs and enjoy himself this season. “I think we will go far in the playoffs… All I want to do is have fun and a great time, just enjoy my last season,” Topolosky said.

Varsity Softball

Josie Silverberg

Despite it only being her second season playing softball, sophomore Josie Silverberg is a valuable member of her team because she is a well-rounded player that can play most positions. She is the starting shortstop and a talented hitter as well. Her best skill, however, is fielding. This comes from her previous expertise playing baseball outside of school in previous years. She has great knowledge of the game and will always make a heads-up play.

She loves being part of the team, which she said has such an amazing community. In addition, there are many new players on the team this year, and Silverberg hopes to help them develop their skills and make connections with them. “There are a lot of talented new players this year and we have much more depth than we did last year,” Silverberg said. “We are much more solid and evenly spread as a team and I look forward to what this year will bring. I have faith in our team and I have a feeling it’s gonna be a good season.”

Track and Field

Eve Sharp

Although it is only her first year on the varsity track team, Sharp has the potential to be a top track star in the school with her speed, competitiveness and motivation. She has been a long distance runner since sixth grade, usually running in 1600 and 800 races. Her mile time from last season was 6:18, and her half mile time was 2:48, both among the best times on the middle school team

Sharp excels at the 800 race as she says it is a good middle distance for her. It isn’t too far where she can’t go very fast and has to pace herself, but isn’t too short either, allowing her to get in the zone, push herself and stay calm during the run. Sharp will bring a lot to the high school track team through her strong mentality and eagerness to improve. “I think what makes me unique is I bring a competitive but friendly spirit,” Sharp said. “It is really hard to have a positive attitude in track because it can be pretty painful but I think I do a good job of keeping a smile on my face.”

Varsity Tennis

Yedidya Milner-Gillers

Sophomore Yedidya Milner-Gillers is co-captain of the varsity tennis team along with junior Alec Silberg. It is very rare to be a captain as a sophomore, yet his leadership skills skyrocketed him to this position. As a freshman, he was the youngest member on the team after just three years of playing tennis. MilnerGillers had a pivotal win mid season last year against Field, which gave a boost of confidence to the whole team.

“I have two roles on the team. My first role is a player. I played varsity last year as first doubles and played a few singles matches,” MilnerGillers said. “My second role is as a teammate. On and off the court I support my friends and help them improve.” As for expectations for this season, Milner-Gillers wants to bond with the team while winning as many tournaments as possible. “I expect big things this season. Not necessarily winning-wise but teamwise. I see Coach Kirsch forming a close group of athletes working together and working hard,” MilnerGillers said.

1

Strike three

Junior Miriam Goldel starts the season opener versus Stone Ridge on March 8. The softball team won 13-5 with Goldel giving up five runs in her start.

By Aaron Waldman, Sports Editor

LIONS season the starting STRONG

Get up there

Sophomore Joseph Vaisman jumps to spike a ball during a 3-0 win against Spencerville Adventist Academy on March 23.

“The coach is doing a good job of coaching us and the veterans are friendly,“ Vaisman said. “They teach us, they critique us and they tell us how to be better.”

2 Swing away

Sophomore Noam Klein follows through his swing during his match versus the St. Anselm’s Panthers on March 22. The boys varsity tennis team eventually lost to the Panthers.

3

Coming home

The varsity baseball team forms a tunnel in celebration after junior Andrew Lefkowitz hits a home run. They Lions won the game 10-0 against St. Anselm’s Panthers on March 28.

4

Float to the finish

Junior Yaeli Greenblum jumps over a hurdle while competing in the 300 meter event for the track team on March 23. She finished with a time of 60.8 seconds.

Photo by Netanya Shaffin.

Photo by Maiya Blumenthal.

Photo by Penelope Terl.

Photo by Liam Sher.

Photo by Sadaf Zadeh