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SPECIAL SECTION: THE RELEASE OF GILAD SHALIT

O BSERVER

THE

november/december 2011 Jewish Community High School of the Bay

“Audemus jura nostra defendere”

LITMAG IS jchs lunch program INCREASING PROFILE SINCE LOSS OF X-CRED

TEFILLAH TARDINESS PROMPTS A NEW INITIATIVE

By KAYLA LEVY Starting with the elimination of the opportunity for extra credit, numbers of submissions to the JCHS Literary Magazine have gone down over the past few years. In response, the Lit Mag staff is trying other methods to boost submissions. The Lit Mag began in 2005 and for three years, submissions to the magazine were worth extra credit in the author’s English class. The extra credit motivated students and helped guarantee submissions. But starting in the 2010-2011 school year, the Humanities Department discontinued extra credit across the board, including for Lit Mag submissions. “You can see that it is getting thinner,” said Lit Mag Editor Natasha Tabachnikoff (‘13) of the annual magazine. “The number of contributions has dropped since the opportunity for extra credit stopped.” While every year has been a little different, short stories and other fiction

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IF NEW SYSTEM FAILS, ACADEMIC BLOCK COULD BE MOVED TO 8:15 By AVIVA HERR-WELBER

sofi hecht/jchs

Seniors Ariel Applbaum and Yonah Tor getting lunch on the “Eat Local Day.” The experimental lunch day was created by new Director of Food Services Risa Lichtman as a way to showcase local food.

Lunch at JCHS Taken in New Directions By JENNA ZIMMERMAN The JCHS lunch program has a long and illustrious history, full of tasty meals, well-deserved awards, and even some significant publicity. Known for being all vegetarian and organic (excluding the meat on barbeque days), the lunch program has been recognized by PETA and written up in the San Francisco Chronicle. It was only natural

Students Get P.E. Credit During School Renee

etween hours of homework, social life, family obligations and finding time to relax it can be difficult for students to squeeze in time to get all the necessary physical education credits needed for graduation. Some join the school’s sports teams and spend two to four days a week practicing and competing. This is a good way to get P.E. credit in a fun environment with enthusiastic coaches and new friends. For others though, after-school is busy enough and the thought of loading on hours of sports just isn’t possible. So then how do these students get P.E. credit? Well, there are two in-school options that sometimes get overlooked. First, there is yoga taught by Gretchen Keisel,

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that when Stu Jacobs, the former Director of Food Services who left at the end of last to year to move to Israel with his family and study to become a teacher, there would be questions about how food at JCHS might change under new leadership. Risa Lichtman, Jacobs’ replacement, says she has gotten comfortable with the traditional menu from years past and is now ready to move for-

Tennis program to start at JCHS A Q&A with player Eric Temkin.

MacDonald ...On Sports a member of the JCHS student life department. This is a full class period, three times a week, and each semester students are rewarded with half of a P.E. credit, the same as a trimester on a sports team. But for some, it is much more satisfying than just getting credit. Yoga is a time of the day where students can clear their busy minds and recharge before facing the rest of the day. For those who are constantly stressed and feel like they might just explode, yoga is a great way to blow off steam – even if all of P.E. credits are already fulfilled. Another option that

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Winter Fashion Style Editor Shai Tabb showcases some winter fashion trends

The Observer Book Review The first ever Observer Book Review section can be found as an insert in this issue Nation/World ................... 5 Sports ..................................... 8 Style ..........................................9 Opinion ................................ 11 Book Review .......... Insert

ward with changes beyond the beginning of the year. new grains on pasta day, Lichtman, who came and different salad dressings, minor changes seen at Please turn to page 4

A Vending Machine Debate on Health Comes to Light By ELIJAH JATOVSKY Popular among the JCHS community is the little cave adjacent to the commons that houses the vending machines. Information recently acquired by The Observer has uncovered information about a previously unknown, behind the scenes debate regarding what food the vending machines should carry. Approximately two years ago, the school switched vending machine providers. At the time, the conventional wisdom was that the switch was made for reasons of Kashrut. However, a member of the professional community wishing to remain anonymous says the change was made because of a desire for healthier food. Specifically, the move was sparked by the feelings of Dan Leibowitz, who was the learning specialist at school at the time. Leibowitz, “felt ‘traditional vending machine snacks’ [had] no place in the educational system,” the source said. Leibowitz, who no longer works at JCHS, confirmed by email that he

was involved in the switch. “The organic lunch offered at JCHS is healthy on a number of levels for students, for the environment… It seemed unusual

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To combat increasing tardiness to Tefillah a new system of “morning greeters” has been implemented this year, building on a revamped Tefillah remediation program started near the end of last year. Students coming late to school this year may have noticed a change as they step into what used to be an empty lobby by the time 8:25 rolled around: there is somebody waiting for them. The school administration implemented this system of staff greeters in the first quarter of this year as an attempt to cut down on Teffilah tardiness. A rotating schedule of teachers and other members of the professional community greet students at the lobby doors each morning, serving as reminders that it matters if a student shows up late. Assistant Head of

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Teacher’s Bird Research Earns Headlines Worldwide By ARNO ROSENFELD When JCHS science teacher Rae Goodman began researching the effects of climate change on bird size two years ago, she never expected the publication of her paper to get so much attention. In addition to being featured on the local news, articles about Goodman’s research have appeared all over, from the front page of the Marin Independent Journal, to the New York Times website, to an Indonesian news magazine. Goodman’s paper looked at data recorded by two local bird observatories over the last forty years. What she discovered, and

isabel korman/the observer

what has made her research so newsworthy, is that as the climate has gotten warmer, the birds have grown larger—10% larger in some cases. The significance of this is that all prior research on the subject had seen birds get smaller as the climate gets warmer. Goodman’s research completely contra-

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THE OBSERVER JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

THE

O BSERVER

THE

JCHS

Universal

Briefing

THE OBSERVER Executive Editor Arno Rosenfeld (’12) Style Editor Shai Tabb (’13) Sports Editor Sophie Navarro (’12) Web Editor Micah Fenner (’12) Copy Editor Sofi Hecht (’13)

From the Archive

Established April 2010

Dangerous Tools Must Go

Business David Edelman (’12) Faculty Adviser Karie Rubin Printing Maura Feingold

Editor’s Note The Observer will be digging through our archives each issue to give an interesting or relevant sample of an article from an old issue. This article covered problems with lunch tables in the commons. elijah jatovsky/the observer

An study of the lunch tables in the commons by The Observer in December, 2010 discovered that 40% of the tables were broken. Since then, four legs have been put on many of them to fix the problem.

illustration: mct

“Students to Lunch Tables: Let Us Eat!!” published 10/9/10

According to Facilities Manager Jeremy Cole, the problem lies in the welding. The base of the tables need to be welding in order not to wobble but the tables are hard to weld because welding them requires welding two curved surfaces. Mr. Cole said that while they have welded by the school in the past, what needs to be done is to remove the existing central base and replace it with four individual legs...

Many tables in the commons have n case you haven’t noticed, outside a peculiar trait in common - wobthe JCHS/BJE library there is an bliness. While this might both some installment of art created by students people more than others, it can be at our school. The drawings were quite an annoyance for anyone trying to work or eat on them. After all, inspired by various tools, and the tools are no one wants to sit down at a table displayed above the artwork, balanced on and have their milk fall over because nails. Among these tools are long, dangerous, the table shakes too much... So how can we fix this problem? saws. The tools are not secured in any way, and can be easily lifted off the nails and taken off News Briefing the wall. The safety hazard this poses should not be underestimated. While it may seem mundane enough, just a way to enhance a display of artwork, the saws are dangerous and should not be allowed to remain on the walls of our school. A visitor to our school would most likely not be allowed to walk in with a large saw. However, they could walk up to the library and take a saw off the wall. Now the odds of anyone trying to do harm to us or to our school with a saw they find on the wall is low, thank goodness. But as a facility that has been named the most secure Jewish facility in Northern California, perhaps we should err on the side of caution. rob widdis/mct Mitt Romney speaks during a rally at the Polish American Cultural CenWhile a scary thought, we are a target ter in Troy, Michigan on Thursday, November 10, 2011. simply by virtue of being a Jewish institution. And even if we were not Jewish, today’s President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney are running world is not one in which saws should be left nearly in a dead heat in Florida, Ohio and lying around. Pennsylvania — three big battleground states In addition to the potential danger from vital to winning the White House next year outsiders, JCHS students, despite our matu— according to a new poll released Thursday. rity, also don’t need to be given easy access to The Quinnipiac University survey shows dangerous weapons. Obama leading Romney 45 percent to 42 So please, JCHS, take the saws off the wall. percent in Ohio and 44 percent to 43 per- The Editorial Board of The Observer cent in Pennsylvania. In Florida, Romney

Have an opinion? Want it in the paper? The Observer is here to serve you, get your voice in the Comment section: Send submissions of Op-Ed pieces to Observer.JCHS@gmail.com. Keep it under 500 words, shorter pieces have a higher likelihood of being published.

polled ahead of the president 45 percent to 42 percent. In 2008, Obama narrowly won all three states. Since 1960, no one has won the presidency without capturing at least two of these three states.

Note: The Quinnipiac survey was conducted Oct. 31 to Nov. 7 with 1,185 Florida voters. Its margin of error was plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. That includes 513 Republicans with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. In Ohio, 1,312 voters were surveyed with a margin of error of 2.7 percentage points. That Includes 443 Republicans with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points. In Pennsylvania, 1,436 voters were polled with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. That includes 579 Republicans with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

The Observer is completely student run and independent of any academic instruction. The paper undergoes prior review by the Administration of JCHS and content may have been altered in order to allow publication. The Observer is an open forum for reader opinion and will publish reader letters.

letters

On Gilad Shalit

Hostage situations are always tough to deal with and will always be controversial. There was a very hefty price to pay in order to have Gilad returned home, but I believe it was worth it. Not only was it important to show Israeli families that the government supports them but also to assuage the fears of soldiers who may be afraid of being taken hostage. Is it true that 1027 Arab prisoners was an unreasonable price for Hamas to ask for? Yes. But i don’t recall a time when Hamas was ever reasonable. Additionally, Gilad’s return boosted Jewish unity across the world. -Joseph Gershony (’14) I am very happy that Gilad Shalit was able to go back to his family. The mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim is very important in Judaism, as captivity is viewed by the Talmud as worse than starvation or death. Indeed, the fact that Israel was willing to go to such great lengths to redeem captives says a great deal about the morals and ideals of a Jewish nation. That being said, the terms of the deal were far from ideal. Judaism also teaches that one should not ransom a captive for more than their value as this both goes against Tikkun Olam as well as serves to encourage other would be kidnappers. Indeed, many Palestinian prisoners, upon being released, vowed to go capture more Israelis. A strong argument may also be made that many of these prisoners will return to terrorism and commit more violent acts against innocent civilians. Indeed, many young Israelis are signing a petition asking the government to not swap more than one Palestinian prisoner for them should they be captured. In the end it comes down to your own personal social judgement. - Ben Feiner (’12)

Please send letters to Observer. JCHS@gmail.com. Libelous or offensive letters will not be published. Letters may be edited for length and - McClatchy Tribune Wire Service clarity.

THE OBSERVER JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

After JCHS Science Teacher Finds Climate Change Making Birds Bigger, The Media Spotlight Finds Her Science Teacher Rae Goodman teaching juniors in her biology class. Goodman says she has no interest in doing any further research at the moment, and is very happy teaching at JCHS.

From page one dicts this, clearly demonstrating that the effects of climate change are still far from being understood. “My research says [climate change] can have a whole range of effects” that humans aren’t good at predicting or dealing with, Goodman said in an interview. The results of the research surprised even Goodman, who had expected to find the birds getting smaller. And, she says, that was the most rewarding part. “That’s what every research scientist wants ... to get a significant, surprising new result. And I got lucky.” Nonetheless, Goodman says she has no immediate plans to do further research or pursue a higher degree. “I don’t want to go back and get a PhD because I’m loving teaching here,” she said. But even without plans to do more research, Goodman is excited by all the attention her paper has generated. Attention, she says, that caught her by surprise. “When they told me they were sending out the press release, I was still keeping my fingers crossed that even one newspaper would pick it up,” she said, referencing San Francisco State University, where she got her masters degree, and which sent out a press release on October 31, summarizing Goodman’s research. “I didn’t realize until I start-

daniella kesel/the observer

ed getting calls [that] Monday, from reporter after reporter” that this would get so much publicity, she said. That page long press release came out of nearly two years of careful research and revision. After approaching the National Parks Service, inquiring about research opportunities she could use for her masters thesis, Goodman was referred to the non-profit Point Reyes Bird Observatory in Marin. The observatory has been carefully capturing, measuring, and then releasing songbirds since the mid-1960’s. And while they carefully tracked population size changes and migration patterns, they never looked at bird size. Goodman poured over the re-

cords, analyzing bird size, especially wing length. Besides looking at the records, she also helped observatory staff measure and weigh the birds. Goodman says the hardest technical element of the research was doing the statistics, but intellectually the most challenging part was making sense of the surprising results. That the birds’ wing-length and mass was growing went against Goodman’s hypothesis. “I went in expecting that the birds would get smaller because the climate was getting warmer. That’s what a handful of previous studies had found,” she said. That result still would have been rewarding, Goodman said, because it would corroborate what

had been found in similar studies in Israel, Norway and England and show that climate warming caused birds to shrink worldwide. But when they realized the birds were actually getting larger, Goodman and the observatory staff realized they had found something significant. The most likely explanation for the surprising result is that the general variability caused by climate change seems to be making the birds bigger, Goodman said. The paper suggests several possible specific explanations, including that central California’s ecosystem could be producing more plants as a result of climate change, providing more food for the birds. Goodman hopes someone else

Chronic Teffilah Tardiness Goes Down After New ‘Morning Greeters’ Initiative Introduced From page one School Mallory Rome explained the rationale behind the new policy in an interview. “We wanted to make it clear that the school day starts at 8:15,” Rome said. “One of the ways that we wanted to reinforce that was by having more of an adult presence in the mornings.” She added that in the past, “There was sometimes this feeling that you could just come in and be very under the radar, and we want people here at 8:15, and we want them to know that we notice if they’re not.” Rome also said that the new initiative includes the entire professional community on a rotating schedule, intended to help unite the faculty and staff. She said it also makes the lobby warmer for everyone when adults are there to greet the students. Peg Sandel, who oversees the Tefillah program in her capacity as Dean of Jewish Studies and Hebrew, said the new policy of morning greeters stemmed from a chronic tardiness problem among students. “There’s a significant percentage of the student body that [has come] in late for Tefillah” over

much, I don’t think.” Students offered varied views on the new system. Senior Max Malakoff said he felt as though the system reflects a lack of trust in students to be honest and sign themselves in at the front desk when they are late to school. He added, however, that “we do have the responsibility to be on time, and also just to respect ourdaniella kesel/the observer selves we should sign Director of Information Technology Tony Gruen greets students at the in even if there is no start of school as part of the “morning greeters” initiative. one standing there.” Fellow senior Lee Carter, a history the last several years, Sandel said. “We suspect that it isn’t a ‘start teacher who is now some- Eric Temkin, who says he of Tefillah’ problem, but rather a times responsible for greet- comes late nearly every day, ‘start of the school day’ problem.” ing students in the morning, says he has been feeling the While Sandel hopes the said he felt just fine about it. effects of the new system. “I do feel a little bit more “Fifteen minutes in the mornmorning greeters will solve the tardiness issue, she says the ing is not really that big of an ob- pressure to come on time when school may explore other av- ligation. I think it really becomes I see the teachers all standing enues if it fails. Tefillah might a matter of how you look at it there. They see me late every be moved to later in the day, and approach it. If we do it in a day … it makes me feel a little with an academic block put kind of ‘You have to get to Tefil- guilty inside, like teachers know in the 8:15 slot to compel stu- lah now’ and it’s negative, then you’re late every day, it’s not just dents to get to school on time. it’s a real pain for everybody,” he something you can do sneakily.” But is the “Tefillah roundup,” Sandel made clear though, said. “But if you go at it in kind of that she hopes a move like a lighthearted fashion… it doesn’t as Carter called it, really makthat would never be necessary. really offend the child that ing a difference in Teffilah tardi-

will continue to build on her study, which was published online in the scientific journal Global Change Biology on October 12. The next step would be to research whether the size increase is good or bad for the birds, she said. Goodman joins Dr. Kim Schneider, Dr. David Roth and Dr. Sandra Song as Math/Science department faculty who have had papers published in scientific journals. Goodman says she is glad her research has helped raise some awareness about global climate change, but that she just wants to keep teaching. “I would love to keep teaching high school biology,” she said of her future plans. “I would love to keep teaching high school biology here.”

ness? According to Sandel, it is. She says that even though there’s only a quarter’s worth of data so far, there has been a decrease in the number of students earning an incomplete in Tefillah. While the number of Noncoms, as the school refers to incomplete Teffilah credits, has not itself decreased, according to data obtained by The Observer, Teffilah tardiness has gone down 33% this quarter over the same period last year. Whether this improvement is due to the morning greeters or something else is hard to say, though it is a very noticeable improvement. Part of the improvement may be due to a new Teffilah remediation system begun during the second semester of last year. The remediation system requires students to perform a set number of community service hours cleaning the school during lunch. Previously individual Teffilah leaders decided how students would make-up the credit, and the make-up was usually much less strenuous than the community service now required. Whether or not these results last, junior Shai Tabb is confident the new system will help. “Even though it’s new and it’s different, I think it’s good, because now students don’t have the opportunity to skip Tefillah,” Tabb said. “[Now] the teachers are there to pressure them.”

THE OBSERVER JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

Lit Mag Seeks to Increase Submissions Left: Adele Dorison, Librarian and faculty adviser for the JCHS Literary Magazine, hands out papers at a Lit Mag meeting. Right: Natasha Tabachnikoff (’13), Lit Mag editor, stands next to Sharon Agai (’13) at the meeting.

photos by daniella kesel/the observer

From page one submissions have decreased at a disproportionate rate compared to other submissions since the extra credit incentive went away. Without extra credit to motivate students, the staff of Lit Mag, under Tabachnikoff’s leadership, has been making an effort to get the student body more interested in writing. This effort centers around a series of writing workshops, the first of which — a creative writing elective — took place

on the Shabbaton. In the workshop, Danielle Frandina, Chair of the Humanities Department and a writer, aided the Lit Mag staff in running the workshop. That was only the first of several events and workshops to come. In early November, Michelle Matz, Co-Dean of Students and a published poet, led a poetry workshop. That workshop took place over the course of two lunch time sessions. There are also plans for a “constructive” writing workshop,

where students will learn how to edit their writing in order to improve their skills, and in turn, hopefully be inspired to submit to the magazine, Tabachnikoff said. “It is important to remember that what is in the magazine simply reflects what is submitted,” said Adele Dorison, the JCHS librarian and faculty adviser for the Lit Mag, saying students shouldn’t be discouraged to submit work like fiction, even if they haven’t seen it in the Lit Mag before. While last year’s Lit Mag was filled almost exclusively with writing by members of the Lit Mag staff, Tabachnikoff says, “We really want the whole school’s voice in the writing, but also in picking pieces. So we want non-‘Lit-Mag-ey’ type people to give it a try.”

Local Food Day Sprouts Mixed Reviews From page one

sofi hecht/the observer

Artem Litvak (’14) gets food during the new Coconut Curry Day.

Where to find food At one point or another during the school day, we all get hungry. To help you find something to eat, The Observer made this list of locations in the school offering food or candy. Vending machines Ms. Matz’s office The security desk The lobby Nora’s desk Ms. Stromeyer Ms. DeLugach

List complied by Kayla Levy

to JCHS after running her own catering company and prior to that working at Pizzeria Delfina and Heriloom Cafe, says she has big ideas about what she wants to add to the already “wonderful” program. As a big believer in using local ingredients, Litchman created the first “Eat Local Day” on Wednesday, November 9. The day featured dishes including Dill Potato Salad, Harvest Orzo Salad and Borscht. The ingredients came from local farms like Tomatero Farm in Watsonville. There are many positive reasons to emphasize eating locally, specifically these foods are better for the environment and support the local economy, Litchman said. Eat Local Day was met with mixed results by the student body. “It was alright,” said freshman Abby Kostukovsky. “The potatoes were pretty good, but I didn’t really like the soup.” A common complaint was that the prepared entrees left little room for students to make their own meals. “I didn’t like how everything was already put together,” said sophomore Sophia Gluck. Junior Boris Shkurko, on the other hand, was an adamant supporter of the experimental day. “I think it was the perfect blend of delicious and environmentally friendly food,” he said. Litchman made clear that because of the kitchen’s limitations, there are only so many new things that can be done. However one new addition to the lunch menu came last Thursday, with coconut curry, or “thai,” day. As for other changes, they will be slow coming, due to the limited appliances available in the kitchen, Lichtman says.

Vending Machines From page one that around the corner from these nutritious foods was a vending machine full of processed choices made largely of sugar,” he wrote. “While tasty and sweet, many would argue that these are unhealthy options. It seemed reasonable to reconsider that decision.” The source also says that there were, “One or two members of the professional community [that] fought to keep diet soda in the machine and a candy bar or two.” That claim could not be confirmed. According to Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Jeff Fearn, the switch was made after some students and staff asked for a greater selection of kosher snack options. Fearn noted that after a request from students relayed through Knesset, the school will now “continue to review the items offered annually.” Math Teacher David Roth agreed with Leibowitz’s position, saying he is “against having junk food available all day long for students. Our society is drowning in the stuff, and to have a refuge for seven hours a day seems a great idea to me.” Students hold mixed feelings regarding what should be sold in the machines. Junior Gary Shumaker said, “More unhealthy snacks should be sold [in the vending machines]… because students like that kind of stuff. Unhealthy snacks make me happy.” Sophomore

Ben Preneta agreed with Shumaker, saying, “Unhealthy food tastes better than healthy food.” Senior Yael Platt, on the other hand, wrote in an email that she, “definitely [does not] think the vending machines should be serving ... horrible snack foods full of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.” Aside from food selection, many students occasionally experience problems with the machines, ranging from not returning money to dispensing the wrong item, but later will work perfectly. Senior Ari Berman said that the machines have, “eaten my money multiple times and work for other people… the next day.” Laike Vending, a company that Fearn said has vending machines in most public and some private schools in San Francisco, owns and operates the machines. The problems with the machines usually stem from the refrigeration system resetting after a machine is refilled. Whenever a machine breaks Laike is notified and the machine is usually fixed the same day. The machines used to be refilled every Friday, however due to the school’s early closure for Shabbat, the company switched to refilling every Wednesday. While not all community members agree on whether the snacks should be “healthy” or “unhealthy” as Senior Aviva HerrWelber wrote in an email, “the key… [is] that they are YUMMY.”

Helping the student manage his heavy work load

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national & international

THE OBSERVER JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

iraq war

All Iraq Troops will be ‘Home for Holidays’

egypt

The Islamists Really Don’t Want You to Worry

mohannad sabry/mct

Islamists took over a liberal rally in Cairo during the summer, following a revolution that overthrew the authoritarian government of Hosni Mubarek.

By JEFFREY FLEISHMAN LOS ANGELES TIMES photos by carolyn cole/los angeles times/mct

By DAVID S. CLOUD & PATRICK McDONNELL McCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

WASHINGTON — In declaring that the last American troops will leave Iraq by the end of the year, President Barack Obama signaled the official close to one of the longest, most politically contentious wars in U.S. history — and the end to an American attempt to transform the Middle East with military might. The soldiers, sailors and Marines will leave behind a stumbling young democracy, still beset by sectarian violence and becoming closer to its neighbor, Iran, a bitter U.S. foe. They will return home to a country that has largely turned inward to face its own economic problems, and which long ago lost heart for a war fought in the name of protecting the world from weapons of mass destruction that were never found. Obama promised Friday that the remaining 40,000 U.S. troops would be “home for the holidays,” fulfilling a campaign promise but also accepting the reality of a depleted treasury and the overwhelming sentiment of American public opinion. And it reflected the political fact that Iraq demanded an end to the U.S. presence. The Iraq war will be remembered as a stubborn, shifting campaign to restructure a society that had been held together for decades through tyrannical force. It was set against an ever-dangerous landscape of remote-control bombs, unbearable heat and uncertain alliances. Iraq gave new meaning to the term “mission accomplished,” which was emblazoned on a banner behind President George W. Bush as he welcomed home a returning aircraft carrier in May 2003, six weeks after the war had begun and when victory seemed at hand. Eight years later, the war is ending after taking the lives more than 4,400 Americans,

(Top) Army Sgt. Nick Wysong keeps watch as the last formal U.S. military combat detachment prepares to leave Iraq in August, 2010. All U.S. troops will now be coming home. (Above) Children walk the streets of Baghdad with plastic pistols in their hands. War is all many of Iraqi children have ever known. most of them killed after the still fragile security gains, eninitial invasion. Tens of thou- able continued training of Iraqi sands were injured, including forces, prevent a resurgence of legions of amputees and multi- sectarian and ethnic violence, tudes suffering from battle trau- and serve as a deterrent to Iran. ma. Estimates of the Iraqi dead Iraq’s neighbor and former range from 100,000 upward. enemy has sought influence for Estimates of the dol- years by supplying weapons and lar cost vary, rising as high training to Shia militant groups. as a trillion dollars or more. Bush launched the war against For the last several months, Iraq on March 19, 2003, after the administration sought to find declaring that Iraqi leader Sada way to keep a few thousand dam Hussein was seeking to U.S. troops in the country. But develop weapons of mass dethat failed largely due to Iraqi struction and had forged links opposition to granting immu- with al-Qaida terrorists. Both nity from prosecution for Ameri- claims were later widely deemed cans troops who would remain. to be false. Told they would be In Iraq, a war-weary pop- greeted as liberators, U.S. forculation appears happy to es instead found themselves see the United States leave. battling a violent insurgency. But the decision to proceed Iraq has proved to be difficult with complete withdrawal also ground for democracy and has reflected the White House’s own remained a defiant foe of Israel, ambivalence about keeping forces despite hopes it might somehow in Iraq, which White House aides emerge as a moderate voice in feared would be seen as a be- the Arab world. Once a major oil trayal of Obama’s promise, during producer, it still does not generhis 2008 presidential campaign, ate enough energy to keep the to end the conflict and with- lights on full time, despite U.S. draw American combat troops. investments of billions in infraLeading Republicans de- structure and other projects. It nounced the White House failure is regularly ranked as one of the to reach an agreement with Iraq most corrupt nations on earth. on allowing a small contingent The dream of some that Iraq of U.S. troops to remain. They could serve as a long-time base for argued that keeping some U.S. U.S. forces in a strategic area of the troops there would help preserve world has likewise proved illusory.

CAIRO — Bearded and feeling misunderstood, Mohamed Tolba made a movie to tell the world he is not a terrorist. “Where’s My Ear?” is a satire on the colliding passions and deep suspicions between liberals and ultraconservative Muslims like him, known as Salafis, who have become a pronounced political voice in the new Egypt. The plot is simple: A liberal invites a Salafi to his home in a comedy of errors and misperceptions. The liberal offers tea but the Salafi, whose beliefs forbid alcohol, suspects it’s spiked with vodka. The paranoid Salafi searches the living room for hidden surveillance cameras. The playful yet earnest clip is the work of a group of young Salafis who are keeping their traditional beards and religious piety but are showing a hip, socially conscious facet of their beliefs. Before President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February, “the media blamed Salafis for terrorist attacks,” Tolba said. “We became isolated. But when Mubarak went away, this bubble collapsed.” Ultraconservatives and more moderate Muslim Brotherhood followers are vibrant forces in a political Islam that is undefined after decades of suppression. The extremist elements of this revival, with their calls for banning bikinis at tourist resorts, breaking Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel and establishing an Islamic caliphate, have scared liberals and fed Western concerns. The religious divides in Egypt have grown larger since

Mubarak’s fall. A few weeks ago at least 20 Christian Copts were killed in clashes with soldiers and thugs during a protest over a church burning. The violence, which included Muslim men attacking Christians with stones and sticks, revealed the simmering religious passions that can easily be manipulated by Islamic fundamentalists. A main question in Egypt is how the young generations, with lives drenched in Western technologies and images, will merge Islam with the political aspirations of the so-called Arab Spring. Tolba, the Salafi who made the film, wants to calm the clamor as his increasingly divided country bickers over a new constitution. “Yes, we want Islamic influence in the constitution, but we want fair laws without intimidation,” said Tolba, 32. “If people decide that Shariah will not rule, we will accept that.” But Salafis have been at the center of disturbing scenes, including the deadly May burning of a Coptic Christian church in Cairo. Public statements by Salafi elders bristle with cultural and religious intolerance and fears that liberals want to turn Egypt into Sodom and Gomorrah. Unlike the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafis, literalists in following the Quran, have no rigid organizational structure. But they can turn hundreds of thousands out to vote. “The masses have found themselves a bit lost” since the revolution, Tolba said. “Our main goal is unity. Nobody is working to bring liberals and Islamists together. We stand in the middle and push politics aside.”

Note: The articles on this page are not written by Observer staff. They are written by professional reporters for news organizations identified below their bylines. The Observer subscribes to a wire service that provides articles and photographs and we have decided to use some of those articles in our pages. We believe in the importance of covering current events, such as those on this page. However, with our limited resources we also believe our writers best use comes in reporting on the school and offering their unique voices in reviews, columns and opinion pieces.

release of gilad shalit THE OBSERVER JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

Shalit’s Release Brings Mix Of Joy & Apprehension to Israel

avi ohayon/mct

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak (from left), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Gilad Shalit and Gilad’s father Noam walk at Tel Nof air force base in Israel on October 18, 2011, the day of Gilad’s release after being held in captivity by Hamas militants since June 2006.

With the release of prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, the families of Israeli victims feel betrayed By EDMUND SANDERS LOS ANGELES TIMES

JERUSALEM — It was a jarring reminder that for those whose lives have been torn apart by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, elation on one side often equates with anguish on the other. “It’s a day of victory and pride to have my son back in my lap,” cried Om Khalid, who embraced her son Fouad Abu Amrin, 39, for the first time in 15 years as he stepped off a prison bus at the Rafah crossing in Gaza Strip. Older and grayer than the 20-year-old who was sentenced to life in prison for murder, Amrin was one of 477 Palestinian convicts released Tuesday in the first step of a 1,027-for1 exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. About 80 miles away in a coastal Israeli city north of Tel Aviv, embittered father Zeev Rapp, 66, sat at home and watched the television in disgust. In 1992, Amrin stabbed Rapp’s daughter

Helena, 15, in the heart as she was on her way to school. Now, he was now walking free with other smiling prisoners, flashing victory signs and kissing the ground. “We feel as though our daughter has been murdered all over again,” said the Herziliya resident. “We are living through the pain again.” For Israel, the lopsided exchange once again found leaders of the nation choosing between two of its deepest ideals: protecting security by refusing to negotiate with terrorists versus never abandoning one of their own. Nearly 300 of the 1,027 prisoners — the remainder of whom will be released in two months — have been serving life sentences for murder or terror-related crimes. For many in Israel, the only consolation came from the first images, aired by Egyptian television, of a pale, gaunt Shalit, in a dark baseball cap, exiting a car in Egypt, which mediated the handover. It was the first time Shalit had

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Full Coverage: As a teen who will be drafted into the IDF, it’s comforting to know the Left: Shalit’s joyful reunion with family Israeli government will fight for me matches pain experienced from prisoner release

Right: A tough choice for Israel, but the right one.

Next Page - A poll conducted by The Observer shows students’ feelings about the release of Gilad Shalit - A sample responses to the release compiled from a selection of comments from the student body

By YONAH TOR OPINION COLUMN

Gilad Shalit is finally home. After nearly five and a half years in captivity, Shalit has seen sunlight again. As the cross-border transfer unfolded on Israeli television, my mother called me downstairs to watch on her computer screen as Gilad hugged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and then his father Noam. For me, the moment was surreal. It took me awhile to fully grasp the situation—he’s back! However the price paid for his return has been the source of great controversy in Israel. The agreement included the release of 1,027 mostly Hamas prisoners, many of them terrorists with blood on their hands. Among those released were planners and perpetrators of some of the worst acts of terrorism in recent years, like the bombing of the Dolphinarium Disco in Tel Aviv and of Sbarro

Pizzeria in Jerusalem in which dozens of young people were killed. Some believe that the agreement means Israel has given in to Hamas’ tactics of kidnapping and terror, they believe that the exchange strengthens Hamas and weakens the Palestinian Authority and that the deal may have increased the danger of another wave of terror. I agree that the deal shows Israel’s Achilles Heel: a unique national solidarity when it comes to captured soldiers. But I also think Gilad Shalit’s homecoming is an important symbol for Israel, and it is expressive of that very unique solidarity. As a teen who will be drafted into the Israeli Defense Force in less than a year, it is extremely comforting to know that the Israeli government will act to the best of their ability to protect and fight for my life, even though I am only one citizen out of seven and a half million.

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THE OBSERVER JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

release of gilad shalit

‘Yonah’

Observer Student Opinion Poll How closely did you follow the news of Gilad Shalit’s release? Very closely:

21%

Somewhat closely: Not very closely: Not at all:

42%

24%

13%

Do you you approve of the deal reached for Gilad Shalit’s release?

A lot:

24%

Some:

Don’t Know:

37%

23% 55%

Not at all:

22%

Note on methods: The poll was conducted over twelve days, from 11/2/11 to 11/13/11. An online survey designed so that each recipient may only reply once was sent to all JCHS students. The results are compiled from 95 responses. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding. A copy of the survey, including the introductory text, can be found at svy. mk/giladjchs.

Student Reactions: In the poll about the release of Gilad Shalit conducted by The Observer (results above), students were asked if they had thoughts on the release that they would like to share. A sample of these replies follow:

How much did Gilad Shalit’s release emotionally effect you?

39%

Yes: No:

From page six

“Too controversial so I prefer not to think about it, but I’m happy for him and his family.”

“I understand that if Israelis send their children to the IDF and Israel doesn’t return their “This deal served a good purchild, they won’t want the pose. For better or worse, the next generation to be sent. I morale of Israel as a nation was also think that it shows how raised, and that alone is cause one pure soul is worth many for celebration. In playing the impure souls. I also think that numbers game, this deal looks it’s a little crazy that Israel absolutely awful, but in the [gave] so many prisoners back. long run this has given the If another person is captured people of Israel hope and has are they going to give more made negotiating with Hamas prisoners back?” a tangible idea. It wasn’t perfect, but it served a completely “It was so incredible to necessary purpose.” watch the news as he was being freed. This issue has “I think it was a good deal. been so close to my heart Anyone would give 2,000 for the past five years and it ‘prisoners’ for the return of just proves how much Israel someone in their family. Evcares about her citizens.” eryone questions if now there will be more attacks, but there “If they believed that this is is always a chance of attack in a good deal then they should Israel with or without those have done it, but I believe in prisoners.” statistics, and letting a bunch of people go for one symbol is [nonsense] to me.”

kobi gideon/mct

Freed Palestinian prisoners leaving an Israeli military base outside Jerusalem as part of the prisoner swap deal reached between Israel and Hamas. About 40 of the most dangerous prisoners were deported to other countries, including Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Qatar. Nearly 300 were returned to Gaza and the remainder to the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

It reinforces the feeling of mutual responsibility, and strengthens Israel’s security. Without this sense that we are one, I don’t think Israel or its army would be as strong as they are. These values are reflected in the polling done on the issue. A Dahaf poll published in Yediot Aharonot, a major Israeli newspaper, showed that 79 percent of Israelis support the deal. I belong to the 79 percent. I think that the price was heavy, and the anger and frustration felt by the terror victims and their families is close to my heart, but Gilad’s homecoming raised the national morale. I could hear it in the voices of my friends back home in Israel when I spoke to

idf spokesmans office/ via mct

Gilad Shalit meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he steps off the helicopter that brought him back to Israel after more than five years of being held in Gaza. them on the phone. I believe the right choice was made, despite its cost.

Anger, Pain From Prisoners’ Release From page six been seen publicly since Hamas, the militant group which controls Gaza and held Shalit, released a 2009 video, showing the lanky soldier, with dark circles under his eyes, reading a newspaper. Shortly after being transferred from his captors to Egyptian mediators, Shalit was back on Israeli soil for the first time in more than five years. A photograph released by the Israeli army showed him flashing a toothy grin while speaking on the phone to his parents. A medical exam found him to be in stable health, but weak. Israeli doctors said he appeared to have been kept indoors and out of the sun, possibly for several years. He was expected to undergo numerous physical and psychological exams in the coming days. During a brief interview on Egyptian television, before he was handed over to Israel, Shalit appeared nervous and tired, but he calmly and politely answered an interviewer’s questions. “I always believed that the day would come that I would be released,” he said, adding that he learned of the prisoner swap deal a week ago. “I have a lot to do when I’m free.” The reunion with his family came shortly after a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Shalit was embraced by his parents and siblings at the Tel Nof air force base, and the family returned to their home in a tiny northern Israeli town called in Mitzpe Hila, where mobs of local residents and journalists awaited them. “We have experienced the rebirth of our son,” said Noam Shalit, the soldier’s father. As the celebration proceeded in Gaza where the former prisoners were honored like war heroes, tens of thousands of people gathered for nationalist and religious speeches by Hamas leaders and released prisoners. The utterances from the stage and elsewhere included no signs of regret. Amrin, for example, defended his actions in stab-

afp archive

This photograph of Abed al-Aziz Salaha raising his blood-covered palms in victory after stabbing to death an Israeli reserve soldier in the West Bank city of Ramallah remains very well known in Israel. Salaha was released in the Shalit deal. bing the young Israeli school girl nearly two decades ago. “Just as they have children and girls, so do we, and it’s our right to kill all those who came to kill our women and children,” he declared about the apparently random stabbing attack, which took place as Helena Rapp was walking to a bus stop. In Herziliya, the victim’s father said he could not understand how Israel’s government could release such a person. Zeev Rapp said he was so angry that he’s considering giving up his Israeli citizenship. “I feel the country has gone morally bankrupt, that it has betrayed me,” he said. “I do not want to be a citizen in a state that has no law.” Although polls showed more than 70 percent of Israelis support the deal, the issue exposed deep fractures over the wisdom of negotiating with Palestinian militants. Since 2000, nearly 200 Israelis have been killed by one-time Palestinian prisoners who were released by Israel in previous swaps. Hamas leaders said the deal proved the effectiveness of armed resistance in combating Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza. Shalit was captured during a 2006 cross-border raid.

Among those released Tuesday were Palestinians convicted by Israeli courts of some of the most horrific attacks in the decades-long conflict. Abed Al-Hadi Ganaim seized control of a bus of Israeli in 1989 and drove it off a cliff, killing 16 passengers. After stabbing to death an Israeli military reservist in Ramallah, Abed al-Aziz Salaha raised his blood-covered palms in victory, an act that was captured in photograph that remains seared into Israelis’ memory. Among the 27 women released was Muna Jawad Ali Amna, who was accused of luring a 16-yearold Israeli boy over the Internet to meet her on the outskirts of Jerusalem, where he was shot to death. One of Israel’s most-influential columnists wrote Tuesday that he feared that the deal will only encourage Palestinians to use force rather than negotiations to achieve statehood. “We ought to tell ourselves the truth,” Nahum Barnea wrote in daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. “We lost in this battle.” News researcher Batsheva Sobelman in the Times Jerusalem Bureau and special correspondent Ahmed Al-Burai in Rafah, Gaza Strip contributed to this report.

Sports

SPORTS EDITOR: SOPHIE NAVARRO SNAVARRO@JCHSOFTHEBAY.ORG

november/december page eight

rowing brief: JCHS Tennis? An Interview Uncovers More Details Student Wins Prestigious Race

By DANNY ROBINOW

Senior Sam Seder has, since freshman year, participated actively and passionately with the Marin Rowing Association, devoting hours each day both before and after school, weekdays and weekends, to high intensity workouts. This past October, the Marin Varsity rowing team claimed for the second time in a row top medals in The Head of the Charles. Head of Charles Regatta, which began in 1965, is an esteemed race that takes place on the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts; it is the second largest rowing event in the world, attracting international teams. The two-day race has over 50 events and 8,000 participating athletes. Seder’s team reached the finish line with an impressive 17-second lead. The back-to-back victories help to dispel notions that west coast crew teams are not as strong as their east coast counterparts.

Due to hard work and initiative put forth by members of the student body, the long anticipated dream of restarting a tennis program at JCHS after over four years without tennis, may finally be realized. I sat down with Eric Temkin, one of the leaders of the effort, for a more in-depth understanding of the situation:

engaged myself in. I’ve become a much more talented athlete over the years, as well as learned self discipline that has been vital in maintaining my high school responsibilities. Many schools have thriving tennis programs and I just wanted to spread my own positive experiences with the sport to those who might not otherwise have a chance.

D: I’ve heard that there have DANNY: Briefly tell me about been efforts to start tennis at why you decided to make it a pri- JCHS before. Why hasn’t it ority to add tennis to the school’s worked out? sports. E: One of the main problems in ERIC: Well, I’ve played tennis recent attempts was simply the for years outside of school, and timing. Those who were interconsider it to be one of the most ested would wait until Septemfun extra curricular activities I’ve ber or even October to talk to

Coach Kjar about the idea, and by that time it would have been too tough to get a team together, schedule practices and games, etc. Luckily, this year, I was able to find Coach in August and get this idea rolling. He seems very positive and optimistic about the idea and we hope to be successful in this start up. D: What is the upcoming season going to look like? E: We haven’t really had much time to work out the details. However we can feel the interest in the student body, and as people join the team we hope to be able to organize practices on local courts, fundraisers, and eventually matches with other

schools, namely Kehillah. During our chat, Temkin was filled with excitement for this dream of his that’s finally being carried out. There is definitely a positive energy surrounding the whole idea of tennis at JCHS, and everyone involved is confident that it will soon become a staple of school athletics. “While we have our excitements about it, tennis is most definitely a raw and undeveloped idea at JCHS,” Temkin said. “I’d like to encourage anyone with interest in tennis, and even those who just want a different way to fulfill their sports credit to join and be part of something that will be remembered here at school for years.”

For Boys Soccer, A Memorable Season

P.E. During School From page one is rarely talked about is the P.E. class offered at JCHS. This option, like yoga, is a full class period, three times a week, and also gives students P.E. credit. Senior Talia Beck has been taking this P.E. class, taught by Athletic Director Tim Kjar, for the past two years. While it is a tiring class, she says, afterwards she feels like she has had a full and invigorating workout. During long class blocks, she and Kjar, or Coach, as he is commonly known, go to Kimball Field across the street from JCHS, and she jogs and does drills with varying amount of difficulty. On shorter blocks, she and Coach walk around the neighborhood and chat. She says it is a nice break which gives her the energy to finish up the rest of her day. Some people do have time after school to participate on sports teams, but do not connect with the options provided. In these cases, the students can talk to Kjar and arrange independent study. Senior Sophie Marinoff and Junior Lara Prosterman are two students who appreciate this option. Marinoff is taking ballet outside of school this semester to complete her P.E. credit, while Prosterman, who already has more than enough credits, is continuing to participate on her swim team six times a week. There are specific requirements for those who want to take advantage of this opportunity, and Kjar is happy to help out any students who wish to participate. While our lives are sometimes hectic, it is important to get out and get active, whether it be on a school team, in school classes, or out of school activities. While P.E. credit is a graduation requirement, exercising is a great way to clear your head, get a new perspective, and take a break from our otherwise busy schedules.

tony gruen/jchs

Coach Aaron Pollock, in his first year as the team’s sole head coach, talks to the boys soccer team during halftime of their game against Summit Prep. Summit, who they tied in the game, was the only second division team the Wolves did not defeat in their very successful season.

By SOPHIE NAVARRO JCHS Boys Varsity Soccer has come a long way since the 20072008 season when the team lost six seniors, including four forwards, a goalie and sweeper. Together these players accounted for 34 goals, over half of that season’s total and 17 assists, good for a record of 9-5-2, 8-3-2 in league play. Since that year, the JCHS Boys’ Varsity soccer program has steadily been inching its way back. The transition between the season of ’08 and ’09, however, also left the team at a loss, with the graduation of eight starting seniors. But this past season, the Wolves took on the challenge and started the first four games of the year undefeated, and ended the season with an overall record of 8-5-1 (9-6-1), coming within just a

single game of making the playoffs. The Wolves, currently in division three of the PSAL, the lowest division, defeated all their matches against the higher ranked division two teams, save for a tie against Summit Prep. That all this came amidst numerous team injuries only emphasizes the impressiveness of their season. Senior forward and midfielder Amir Amado-Feeley was out six weeks due to an ankle injury and Senior goalie Arno Rosenfeld was out two weeks awaiting an MRI on a potential stressfracture, leaving the team without two of their eleven starters. This season’s highlights include Kiddush Cup MVP and All-League First Team Max Malakoff, whose speed and agility remains unmatched on the team, and who ended the season with seven goals and seven assists.

Senior midfielder Elijah Jatovsky ended the season with eight goals and one assist, including a hat trick against Kehillah. Jatovsky’s style of play can easily be described as pure

Various elements contributed to the most successful season in several years determination. He has displayed skills aerially, ending the season with a beautiful header off senior midfielder Isaac Sosebee’s elegant corner kick. Jatovsky was named All-League Second Team and Sosebee was given Honorable Mention in league awards. Senior goalie Arno Rosen-

feld had a total of 27 saves and displayed true talent as a relentless and dominating force to be reckoned with, protecting the goal as if his life depended on it. Co-captain Rosenfeld said of the season, “This year was really different. A lot of that has to do with the way the team felt, there was a lot more commitment and team spirit than other years, and that made the difference this season.” Additional highlights include both victories over JCHS rival, the Kehillah Rams, with dominating 8-1 and 8-0 victories. The graduation of ten seniors will affect the team in the season to come, though there is hope that younger players, such as junior striker Michael Kostukovsky, and junior defenders Genya Peregudov and Gary Shumaker, can step up and lead the team next year.

Style

STYLE EDITOR: SHAI TABB STABB@JCHSOFTHEBAY.ORG

FOUNTAIN’S WATER VERY NASTY, VERY DANGEROUS

photos by arno rosenfeld/the observer

november/december page nine

brotherhood tefillah

By ARIEL APPLBAUM OBSERVER COLUMNIST

y freshman year was a year of plentiful high quality water fountain experiences. No matter which water fountain I went to I was consistently greeted with high pressure, cool water. My sophomore year, I was equally blessed; the water quality had never been better. However during my junior year everything slowly began to deteriorate. One of the water fountains stopped working. Then later, one fountain’s water would consistently be at a temperature that might worry lava dwelling creatures. Then another fountain broke. And slowly, over the last two years at JCHS, I have grown accustomed to the less than adequate water quality. While at first I assumed, like you all may have, that it was just an unavoidable inconvenience, I later heard from a very wise and handsome friend that it is in fact a health hazard to drink warm water from drinking fountains. Although I did not believe him at first, he later supplied me with a plethora of well-sourced and reliable articles backing up his seemingly far-fetched point. The articles stated that the reason that it is a health hazard is because hot water dissolves contaminants

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Clockwise from top left: Members of The Brotherhood Tefillah, new this quarter, play football in the courtyard. Thursdays include “Broga,” as part of the schedule. Rabbi Dean Kertesz, leader of the Tefillah, throws a foam football to senior Isaac Sosebee. Adam Cameron (’12) holds the football.

Oh Brother, What Art Thou? do a little investigation. First I hunted down the SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER notorious Amir Amado-Feeley rotherhood Tefil- or (uugh)mir as he is known in lah is the latest in brotherhood circles. I found a growing number him in the commons horsing around with a fellow senior. After of gender-based clubs and Tefillot separating the two, I asked Amir what went on in Brotherhood, at JCHS. While JCHS already to which he responded, “We talk has a “sisterhood” club, an “It’s about bro stuff.” I asked him to a Girls Thing” Tefillah, and the elaborate. “All that needs to be controversial BBQ club, which said is ‘solid’” Feeley replied. has long been acused of being a Apparently it wouldn’t be as boys’ club; Brotherhood Tefillah member Grant Fineman (’12) easy to penetrate the inner circle would be the first to tell you that of the Brotherhood as I expected. But I was prepared. I approached this new Tefillah fills an imporElijah Jatovsky, student body tant gap at JCHS. president and Brotherhood The stated purpose of member. When I asked him if he Brotherhood, according to the could describe Brotherhood to Tefillah descriptions provided me, he nervously glanced around by the school, is to “create a the room, and quietly hissed, “I space to explore the journey to don’t think I am aloud to talk manhood, male role models and about anything.” stereotypes.” But I wanted to The most I was able to learn know what really goes on inside from Jatovsky was that Rabbi mysterious Room 134, where Brotherhood meets. I decided to Kertesz, or “the ultimate bro”, as

By BEN FEINER

several members described him, sometimes entertained members with stories of his adolescence. But the unsuccessful interview with Jatovsky would not faze me. I next rubbed shoulders with Max Malakoff. After the perfunctory “bro” greeting – involving multiple fist bumps, a couple of pushups and some loud noises – I felt comfortable enough to ask the big question: What goes on in brotherhood? But this proved to be the latest in a series of bro versions of “no comment,” with Max responding, “it’s chill.” This investigation was going nowhere. I was slumped on the couch in the commons, clutching a Starbucks Frapuccino, when I received a call. I half-heartedly glanced at the caller ID, only to notice it was Grant Fineman, or “G-Fine,” a respected leader of Brotherhood. This was my last chance to uncover what went on between

bros for half-an-hour every morning, and so I asked him the standard question. A brief pause ensued. Then came the explanation: “What happens in Brotherhood stays in Brotherhood,” Fineman said. In utter dejection, I asked him if he could tell me anything, anything at all. “Brotherhood Tefillah is a place where guys can go and can be themselves. In Brotherhood, no one is trying to impress, no one is judging. We explore what it means to be a teenage guy at JCHS, and in life in general. And we make a ‘bro code’ so that we understand what we expect of ourselves and each other.” This struck me as, well, surprisingly mature. Maybe what happens in brotherhood isn’t actually such a big secret after all. Maybe these “bros” just want a place where they can be themselves. Then again, maybe not…

JCHS Needs to Learn: Leggings Aren’t Pants! By GRANT FINEMAN SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER

few Sundays ago I was strolling through the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market when I heard a gentle murmur that there was a celebrity shopping in the nut section. “For real, Martha Stewart, like the real Martha Stewart, you’re kidding me right?” I heard one worker say to another. To

my surprise, when I rounded the corner and approached an almond stand, I saw Martha Stewart standing only fifteen feet away from me. I causally walked next to Stewart and my face dropped as I noticed she wasn’t wearing pants… She was wearing leggings. Seeing an ex-convict and current celebrity wearing leggings in public got this columnist thinking about the current state of pants in our society. Day after day, week after week, more and

more JCHS students abandon the establishment called ‘pants’ and wear leggings or jeggings as an alternative. After interviewing male and female JCHSers alike, there seems to be mixed reviews on leggings. Research shows that 90% of male students believe that their female classmate are trying to make a statement when they wear leggings, a statement not made when they wear pants.

Please turn to page 10 mct

THE OBSERVER JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

FASHION

fall fashion SHAI TABB

OBSERVER STYLE & ART EDITOR

ast season, neutrals were all the rage; now color has found its way back into the wardrobe. In this unusually cold California winter, bright colors are useful on a drab day and have the ability to make any outfit interesting. Even though we live in California, at this time of year flip flops just don’t make the cut — unless you plan on freezing your feet off. Every designer is coming out with a cute pair of boots, so make sure to stock up on those when you get the chance. Along the same lines of fashion comes the button up oxford shirt. Not just for men anymore, women are starting to wear these as stand alones with jeans and boots. Pair it with a blazer and take your outfit to an even preppier level. On the other end of the spectrum from preppy is vintage, which is also in fashion this season. Lace dresses and oxford shoes can be seen on the trendiest hipsters of San Francisco.

LACE DRESSES are easy to create a quick, stylish outfit with.

OXFORD SHIRTS can be worn alone or with cardigans, blazers, jackets or other overwear items.

Every designer is turning out their own pair of chic

Lace dress from 3.1 Phillip Lim Lace Shift Dress ($750), Oxford shirt from American Apparel ($54). Assorted boots.

RIDING BOOTS.

FASHION BODY Leggings Aren’t Pants!

Don’t wear leggings like these, wear pants like a normal person!

From page nine Freshman girls are not convinced. “Leggings are just much more comfortable,” says Simone Timen. Sophie Edel-

hart explained she thinks that leggings are just pants that are a little snugger around the legs. After much thought about this issue, I came to realize that leggings are not pants. My good friend Merriam Webster tells me that leggings are “protective cover for the legs,” however pants are absent from the definition. This problem goes deeper than not wearing pants; the issue is about the image our generation is presenting to the rest of society. In this age of preteens with cell phones and Facebook, the transition from childhood to adulthood is narrowing and becoming increasingly harsh. Teens and preteens are trying to act older than mct they are, and eventually it will come to a point where childhood will pass over so quickly that we will barely be able to see it in the rear window. It should also be noted, that enforced or not, leggings worn without proper attire violate the JCHS dress code.

We Probably Aren’t Being Poisoned, But It’s Not Good

michael goulding/orange county register/mct

Even dogs like water from a nice water fountain.

From page nine on pipes, namely lead, more quickly than cold water. While that might not seem frightening, according to a 2002 study published in The Journal of Environmental Health, tap water represented 14 to 20 percent of total lead exposure. At the very least lead poisoning leads to bad flu like symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, and frequently can cause damage in the brain and nervous system. The fact that the fountain may be contributing to many of our bodily lead levels is not the only reason that the water fountain is bothersome. Not only is warm water bad for you, but cold water helps you lose weight. For

every eight ounces of ice water you drink, your body has to expend eight standard nutritional calories worth of energy to bring the temperature of the ice water down to a useable degree. Although it is unlikely that JCHS, a paticularly new and well taken care of building and school, would contain pipes which contain heavy, or even trace, amounts of lead in them, it is still a possibility. While of course JCHS is not slowly trying to poison us or make us fat, and while filtered water is available in a machine next to the vending machines, the water fountain situation should surely be remedied.

OPINION EDITOR: MICAH FENNER MFENNER@JCHSOFTHEBAY.ORG

Comments november/december page eleven

jake rosenberg on the GOP presidential candidates Though it’s one year away, the November 2012 presidential election is approaching fast. We all know who the president is, and that he is going to run again. But many of us may not be very familiar with the legion of adversaries that have risen up to dethrone the president. Here are the top five Republican candidates you’ve heard about and of whom you may need to hear more. 1. Herman Cain. Herman Cain is a business man with a silver tongue. Cain has only run for office once before, losing in the Republican primary for a Georgia Senate seat. Yet defeat is not in this man’s vocabulary. The 65-yea old former pizza baron favors a return to the gold standard, small government and free enterprise. Articulate, enigmatic and easy to like, the ambitious Cain is the clear choice for the businessman interested in protecting his interests and bringing America along for the ride.

elijah jatovsky on the Occupy Movement

Her campaign took a hit when her speech for the Iowans for Tax Relief brought to light her questionable views on slavery, the Constitution and our founding fathers. As far to the right as they come, and a longshot for the nomination, Bachman has a long way to go before being placed in the same standing as Romney or Cain. 4. Rick Perry

This Texan rides tall in the saddle. Perry is the longest serving governor of Texas, having served three and a half terms in office, ever 2. Mitt Romney since President George W. Bush vacated his seat in 2001. A U.S. Air Dubbed by many as the “safe” Force captain, Perry knows about karl mondon/contra costa times/mct choice, Mitt Romney is a dependstrategy. Throwing his hat into the here are two things that are necessary to change anything in the world: able man who struggles to hold the ring just hours before the Iowa vision and action. From something as trivial as changing an outfit, to hearts and minds of the American Straw Poll, the media’s eyes fell something as monumental as the Civil Rights movement, change is the people. His poll numbers never instantly on him. After becoming result of clear purpose and effective action. seem to rise high enough, yet his a leader of the pack in a very short There is no doubt in my mind that America needs change. This is why I was hopeful main base of supporters has held when first hearing about the movement called “Occupy Wall Street,” which for the past time, Perry got more attention with strong over the past few years. Hav- two months has been demanding reform of American financial institutions and social his rigidly conservative views on hot problems. ing been the perennial frontrunbutton issues like abortion, firearms, Occupy Wall Street has the principles and vision for affecting change, but lacks the ner, competing with Cain, Palin or immigration, same-sex marriages Bachman, he tends to rely on uniting structure and organization that are necessary for true reformation. and capital punishment. Marches and protest encampments are effective to the extent that they interrupt different factions under a consenexecutive meetings in corporate offices with loud chanting. But that effectiveness stops 5. Jon Huntsman sus that pleases all. This has given when someone decides to shut the window. him the reputation of a flip-flopper. Daniel Handler, author Lemony Snicket’s real name, has emerged as a writer for A former Mormon missionary, He doesn’t put all of his eggs in one Occupy Wall Street. One of his “Thirteen Observations” of the movement is, “It is not leader of a billion dollar chemibasket, so don’t expect him to disap- always the job of people shouting outside impressive buildings to solve problems. It cal company, and most shockingly, point you, but don’t let him impress is often the job of the people inside, who have paper, pens, desks, and an impressive view.” personal friend of President Barack you either. Exactly! Occupy Wall Street should start working within the system to make their Obama, Jon Huntsman is not the vision a reality. They should put themselves in positions to make change from the top 3. Michelle Bachman down because that is the position where the most effective change can be made. For all typical Republican candidate. By far the most bipartisan of any candiI care they should put someone on the ballot for the upcoming district elections! There are those who will argue that the point of Occupy Wall Street is that it works dates mentioned here, Huntsman A lot of people have heard Mioutside of the system. I, however, am an ardent believer for working within the system plays it mellow, appealing to the chelle Bachman’s name associated with some “interesting” things she’s to make change. We live in a society governed by laws, and the only way to change average American with ease. Havthose laws is with our legislators’ strokes of the pen. As Hendrik Hertzberg of The New said, but they don’t know the real ing won reelection for his second Yorker put it, “Ultimately, inevitably, the route to real change has to run through poliperson. With an incredible fundrais- tics… The Tea Partiers know that. Do the Occupiers?” term as Utah Governor with 77.7% ing ability (She raised $13 million for of the vote, the man seems almost Don’t misinterpret me by thinking I am opposed to Occupy Wall Street. I think the writings and messages being communicated as a result of the movement are inspiraher 2010 Congressional reelection perfect. No scandals rock this father tional and true. I simply ask for less camping outside and more reformation inside. campaign alone), Michelle Bachof seven’s perfect boat, and maybe man is a force to be reckoned with. that’s what this country needs.

Occupy the Buildings

From left: Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Michelle Bachman.

illustrations by chris ware/mct

JCHS Journal november/december Page 12

so judgemental!

sofi hecht/jchs

Color War judges watch a grade’s performance on Tuesday, November 8. The judges took on classic American Idol judge perso►► Get the picture? nas. From Left: Danielle Frandina, an English teacher and Chair of the Humanities Department as Randy, Dr. Peg Sandel, Dean of Jewish Studies and Hebrew as Paula, and Jeremy Cole, Facilities Manager, as Simon. The Class of 2012, with an apocolyptic theme, ended a three-year losing streak to claim the gnome. The juniors, with a spirited perforamance of “Blue’s Clues” came in a close second, beating out the sophomores and freshmen who had an Oompa Loompa and alien theme, respectively.

►► The Inside Scoop: Prized Gnome is Broken In the Torah, God said don’t worship idols and commit adultery. Well, is the gnome an idol? The gnome “is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature” (yeah, I did just quote Wikipedia). For our school, the gnome is a very important symbol. It represents victory, accomplishment, and a sense of stolz, or spirited pride. The class that wins Color War gains possession of the gnome and with it a sense of superiority, because they get to paint a tendollar garden gnome with their class color. Recently, the school gnome—now in the senior class’s possession—had an accident. The bottom of the gnome was shattered into many small pieces, creating a hole in the base of the gnome. How or why this happened is unknown. Fortunately, Brooke Rosell (’13) volunteered to take the gnome home and repair it and the gnome is now restored to more or less decent condition. The student life Knesset executive, senior Micah Fenner, declined to comment on the breakage. - Alex Preneta

talia beck Life, the Universe and Everything

presents

The Classic So what did I miss in class yesterday? Ah, nothing much. Mr. Jones pushed the essay up two weeks. It’s due tomorrow now.

The Fake Hope Well John, I must say, your performance on this test was certainly unique.

The fake-out* Hey, there’s an F on your report card! Right there, see?

Really??

What! Where?? That’s just gender...

Yep...

“Cruel Mental Tricks to Play on a High School Student”

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*Note: this one rarely works