The Brandeis Hoot - 11/11/11

Volume 8 Number 23

www.thebrandeishoot.com

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper • Waltham, Mass.

November 11, 2011

News Analysis

Government Career Forum

Cain invokes ThomasHill controversy

By Nathan Koskella Editor

photo by ingrid schulte/the hoot

‘real world’ advice A recruiter speaks with a student about jobs in public service at the Hiatt Government Career Forum on Thursday.

College Notebook

Protests move to college campuses

By Debby Brodsky Editor

Occupy Wall Street and numerous offshoot movements have been demanding the world’s attention for several weeks. This week, Occupy Wall Street has taken to the road on a journey called “Occupy The Highway: The 99 percent March to Washington.”

Protesters at Occupy Wall Street in Liberty Square, NY, set off Wednesday on a two-week trek to Washington, D.C. Members of the march will walk 20 miles per day, stopping at night to camp in designated cities in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. At the end of the highway walk, protesters from all across the nation will convene on Nov. 23 in McPherson Square in Washington to protest the Bush tax cuts being discussed by the Congressional Super Committee.

In addition to Occupy The Highway, a handful of new “Occupy” movements have recently declared themselves. Students at Harvard University organized “Occupy Harvard” Wednesday night, erecting 20 tents

protests at harvard square

in front of University Hall in Harvard Yard and drawing support from protesters outside of Harvard. According to The Harvard Crimson, Dean of Student Life Suzy Nelson has met with the protesters and has planned to join occupiers during their general assembly Thursday evening. Currently there are hundreds of “Occupy” protest locations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America, North America (including all 50 states in the United States) and Oceania.

In the Boston area, there is a tremendous student presence at Occupy Boston called “Colleges Occupy Boston.” Students host celebrity speakers and lead citywide walk-outs on a regular basis. At Brandeis a growing group of students are participating in Occupy Boston and are regularly camping out to lend support to the “bottom 99 percent of Americans” in Dewey Square.

There is, however, one club at Brandeis that does not support Occupy Wall Street and its offshoot movements. The Tea Party Nation, Brandeis’ chartered Tea Party movement club, stands to educate students about conservative values and, according to club administrator Mary-

Alice Perdichizzi ’12, “the Tea Party Movement is the opposite of the Occupy Wall Street movement.”

“There is a significant difference between the Tea Partiers that look to government bureaucracy and corruption as an infringement of their liberties and the Occupiers that routinely shift any blame on the government itself to corporations and businesses and wealthy individuals,” said Perdichizzi. “The Tea Party looks to the individual situation of a given case and certainly doesn’t place unjust blame on someone simply by virtue of how much they’ve managed to achieve.”

According to Perdichizzi, the Brandeis Tea Party Nation is the first college Tea Party club in Massachusetts, although a small group of students at UMass Boston are in the process of forming a Tea Party club.

University President Fred Lawrence said that Brandeis students’ attending some of the Occupy protests was unsurprising.

“The [Occupy protesters] are resonating with real and significant issues in the economy—like income inequality—and not without justification,” he said.

photo from internet source

When Politico reported late last month that two women had accused presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment while employed under him during his time at the helm of the lobbying group the National Restaurant Association, it threw the already unsettled Republican field into further disarray: Cain called the accusations “a high-tech lynching.”

The infamous phrase is a direct quote from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who derided the 1991 Anita Hill harassment allegations against him and the ensuing media frenzy as a “high-tech lynching for uppity blacks” before the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearings.

Hill is now a professor at Brandeis and recently keynoted a conference in New York City, commemorating the 20 years since her brief trials as a national figure in what many call the first instance of a national consciousness of the problem of sexual harassment. The American public at the time of the hearings was very skeptical of her account (and of course Thomas was soon confirmed to the high court) but supporters, including the many at the “Anita Hill 20” conference last month, credit her not only with bravery for daring to come forward if her story is true but also for bringing the issue to the fore of the national conversation.

herman cain and clarence thomas

Cain’s use of Thomas’ trademark rebuttal and counter-accusation has sparked what already would have been an obvious comparison: two prominent black conservatives, both accused of sexual harassing remarks in their distant pasts right at the height of their national spotlight and the cusp of power.

Cain, the business executive who See CAIN, page 3

News Analysis

MIT suicides prompt reckoning

By Jon Ostrowsky Editor

Inside the walls of MIT, a university known for its world-class innovation and research, a close community of students and staff must now confront the tragedy of two suicides in two months.

Satto Tonegawa and Nicholas Del Castillo were two talented musicians and promising students, each found dead in their dorm rooms.

Tonegawa was found just five days before his 19th birthday. Del Castillo was found just three days before classes began in September.

“We’re in pain. We’re reeling from the shock,” MIT chancellor Eric Grimson told The Boston Globe this week. “I don’t think we’re ever emotionally prepared to deal with something like this.”

University officials say the suicide rates are lower at Brandeis than at other schools. At MIT, five undergraduates students killed themselves between 1998 and 2001 and 10 students between 2001 and 2009.

At Cornell, three students committed suicide in less than a month in March 2010. And at Brandeis there

have been two suicides in the past two years.

The tragedy of suicide leaves campus communities with an irreplaceable hole, with friends, teachers and family asking the question: How could someone so apparently healthy on the outside be so troubled inside?

During the last five years, Brandeis has seen an increase of 15 to 20 percent in student visits to the Psychological Counseling Center, Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer said. Even as the rest of the university faced budget cuts during the recession, the PCC was not impacted and the number of therapists available to meet with students has increased.

“Intelligent and thoughtful budget management has respected the relative importance of certain events,” Sawyer wrote in an e-mail.

“Student safety is a priority and thus the counseling center has not suffered from budget restrictions.”

More than one-third of students at MIT and 40 percent of students at Harvard meet with counselors, acSee MENTAL HEALTH, page 2

NEWS

2 The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2011

Union secures limited Riverside shuttle test run

By Rachel Hirschhaut Special to the Hoot

Even with campus BranVans and shuttle buses regularly running into Waltham and Boston, Brandeis students seeking to explore other cities and towns in the greater Boston area find public transportation difficult to navigate and avail themselves. Most college students live on a tight budget and only upperclassmen are allowed to have cars, limiting transportation options.

This may change soon, however, if student interest is a strong indicator.

On Saturday, Nov. 12, and Sunday, Nov. 20, the Brandeis Department of Public Safety will be testing a new shuttle bus to the Riverside MBTA Station on the Green Line in Newton.

For students accustomed to taking the Commuter Rail to Davis and Porter Square on the T’s Red Line, the Riverside trial shuttle comes at an important time. Through early March, the MBTA will use buses to replace Red Line trains between Harvard and Alewife Stations, in order to perform track maintenance, according to the MBTA.

The Brandeis shuttle, which seats 39 people at a time, will run every hour from 12:30 to 8:30 p.m. from the Admissions parking lot. This gives groups of students the chance to venture into Newton for an afternoon or evening and enjoy the attractions of the suburb. It also provides another mode of transportation into Boston.

Because the green line runs frequently throughout the day, students do not need to meet a specific time on the schedule, as they must for the commuter rail.

The two-day trial shuttle is “the result of collaboration with the Student Union,” which Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 said in a press release represents the voice of the general student body. It “will allow us to review the demand for a possible, future Riverside Shuttle service,” he continued. The future of this shuttle service depends on the interest that students show on these two days.

“Our goal is always to listen to the students, especially when it comes to the Escort Safety Service, because we are a fully student-run service and we not only provide transportation for the student body but we also

TSA raises money for Turkey quake

By Connor Novy Staff

Brandeis students have mobilized after a disaster occurred across the world, calling for aid for the victims of an earthquake in the eastern portion of Van, a province of Turkey. The Turkish Students Association was revived after news of the last devastating quake and has begun to fundraise after an aftershock created additional damage and has already killed at least 10 people.

The same area had suffered a previous earthquake on Oct. 28, which killed approximately 600 people and left thousands homeless as weather turned cold. Two hotels that experienced what was thought to be only mild damage in the last earthquake toppled last Wednesday, trapping an undetermined number of people under the debris, many of whom are Turkish journalists who were covering the aftermath of the first quake. It is an impoverished area and, as winter sets in, many people are still living in tents, afraid to return to their homes as the aftershocks continued to roll throughout the region.

The Brandeis club has begun to organize fundraising in order to assist the victims of Turkey’s latest earthquake. The Turkish Student Association plans to sell baklava, a Middle Eastern dessert, and wristbands in the SCC to raise money and awareness for the victims of the quakes.

According to Rozi Levi ’13, the head organizer of the event, there will also be face painting and dorm storming in the near future. The Turkish Student Association is raising the money for the Turkish Red Crescent, a part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which is the largest humanitarian organization in Turkey, and for the AKUT Search and Rescue Association through the Turkish Philanthropic Fund, all of which are well-recognized aid organizations in the country.

Though the club has been defunct for a number of years, by next semester it will be fully functional again.

The organizers have plans to work with Aziz Sohail ’13, a member of Project Nur, which is another chartered club on campus, to hold a concert highlighting the many different cultures in dance and music throughout Turkey.

Strategic plans topic of faculty meeting

By Nathan Koskella Editor

President Fred Lawrence once again promised faculty communication in the upcoming strategic planning process at the November faculty meeting last Thursday, with Provost Steve Goldstein announcing that the launch of the university-wide review would begin Monday.

“We keep coming to this topic, but it’s critically important,” Lawrence said, “and I’ve answered a lot of questions about this: It is not an exercise of what to do with our current resources, but what we should be aiming for.

It is aspiration but not pie-in-the-sky aspiration.”

He went on to say that the process should be thought of as “a blend of academic, financial and development parts of the university.”

The final part of the president’s report was that Brandeis was on target

for the ongoing five-year fiscal plan, set to finish in 2014.

The senior vice president for students and enrollment usually delivers the annual report on the incoming class, and admissions and financial aid statistics in November, as several faculty pointed out. But the new SVP Andrew Flagel is still in the process of relocating from Washington, D.C., and will give the report on meeting both financial return targets and keeping the university’s “need-blind commitment.” Instead Flagel will give a presentation to the faculty on the subject that he gave to the board of trustees last month.

The meeting also included Goldstein’s announcement of the creation of a “task force” to deal with concerns about harassment, community safety, whistle-blowing and other sensitive topics. The university website will also be updated with a new site designation especially for the service.

rely on the students to better our service,” Shirel Guez ’12, student Public Safety coordinator and former Union vice president, said. “Our aim is to be receptive to student concerns and initiate new trial programs, which can hopefully be sustained from an adequate funding source in the future.” Guez said there was a similar trial program several years ago but demand was small.

Student reactions to this trial program were generally enthusiastic.

Some students like Kat Flaherty ’15, who lives about 40 minutes from campus, said the service would be useful when she goes home by public transportation. Liz Zharovsky ’15 agreed, “It’s ridiculous to have to pay $10 for a round trip on the commuter rail every time we want to go into Boston.” Newton has a T stop, while Waltham does not and the T fare averages less than $2 each way.

Other students, like Leah Staffin ’15, would use the shuttle for academic opportunities. “It would make travel a lot easier for education students” who have to gain experience working with students in local schools off campus, Staffin said.

riverside

photo by ingrid schulte/the hoot

Inside campus suicides and treatments

photo from hoot archives/the hoot

mailman house

MENTAL HEALTH, from page 1

cording to The Globe. At Brandeis, officials estimate that by graduation, 50 percent of the class will have visited the PCC. After the shock of suicide, university officials and students naturally search for answers asking one another how tragedy can be prevented in the future, how procedures can be changed and how colleges can foster comfort rather than isolation.

And after suicides at top-tier schools such as Cornell and MIT, the media often attempts to draw a correlation between academic stress and suicide.

But as universities have learned during the past decade, with rising numbers of students visiting campus psychiatric centers for counseling, academic, family and personal pressures develop from or because of mental illness.

Sawyer explained that the growing popularity of social media technology can present additional pressure for students trying to adapt to college.

“The traditional college age group has always been seen as living through a very stressful and vulnerable age. What is new is the impact of social media on individual student lives that are already complicated with social, financial, academic and financial challenges,” Sawyer wrote. “The ease with which one can broadcast his/her thoughts and the immediacy of responses from familiar and unfamiliar sources is concerning.”

Students suffering from mental illness and symptoms of anxiety and depression often don’t realize that there are alternatives to allowing such emotions to overwhelm them.

“The tricky thing about anxiety is that many people think that being anxious is a good way to deal with things and it’s often a response to things in your life or experiences that you don’t like,” Rebecca Grossman ’12 said in an interview with The Hoot. “But people don’t realize that there are actually better ways of dealing with it.”

What makes the suicides at MIT particularly disturbing is that the

students were teenagers, dying before their 20th birthdays.

In the aftermath of such tragedies, university officials will search for answers and students will search for explanations but in time the discussion will turn to how to manage, not prevent; how to address, not neglect mental illness.

“We can’t fix everyone’s problems and we can’t make life less stressful.

We can’t prevent the onset of mental issues but at least we can give people the tools to deal with them when they do happen,” Grossman said.

A picturesque Cambridge campus along the Charles River, filled with the nation’s most promising math and science students now faces a problem for which there are no simple answers, no proven formulas to restore normalcy to a vibrant and spirited college community.

And colleges across the nation will watch for MIT’s response, hoping that staff and students find some new coping mechanism—any mechanism—to transform grief into understanding, and shock into calm.

November 11, 2011

NEWS 3

The Brandeis Hoot

’Deis Dems canvass for Obama in New Hampshire

By Josh Kelly Staff

The Brandeis Democrats joined in support of President Obama’s reelection campaign, canvassing in New Hampshire last Sunday as Democrats tried to build momentum, while Republican candidates draw attention in debates ahead of early primaries this winter.

Sasha Beder ’14, the Organizing for America Liaison at the Brandeis Democrats, explained how volunteers went door-to-door, focusing on people who had voted as Democrats previously, and asked them if they would support Obama in the coming election. Beder, however, found the most enjoyable part to be learning about the viewpoints of the voters on the various issues and what could influence their vote.

“To me that’s always kind of the most rewarding part when campaigning … Yes the ultimate goal is to have them volunteer for the campaign, but you ask them ‘what are your issues?’ and you have some real honest genuine conversation with them,” Beder said.

Jake Weiner ’13, president of the Brandeis Democrats, stressed this

idea further, suggesting that there is incredible value to talking with voters about their beliefs.

“It’s [so] gratifying to be able to actually sit down and have a legitimate conversation with someone about their beliefs and their values and their fears and show them what you perceive to be the right thing.”

Beder, however, also explained the frustration of the voting population in New Hampshire, both the disillusioned Democrats, and the Republicans.

“Obviously people are disillusioned … [Getting people] to say they’re willing to vote for Obama and getting people to say they’ll volunteer for him [were] totally different stor[ies].”

The trip was organized as part of a series of events sponsored by Organizing for America—a group dedicated to canvassing for President Obama. The organization runs major events throughout the country on particular days. Beder cited the example of how on the day that the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law was repealed, the group held various recruitment and celebratory events across the country.

This past Sunday was significant because it marked that the 2012 presidential election was officially one year

away.

Weiner made it clear that, as a club, Brandeis Democrats is currently more focused on raising awareness among the student population than campaigning due to the lack of crucial elections this November.

“I wanted to spend time focusing on who we are as a club and what we believe in because there’s a big assumption: ‘Oh, you’re democrats, you all believe in liberal things …

Everyone’s fiscally liberal and socially liberal and everyone’s got these sets of views that are very much associated with the Democratic party.’”

Weiner recognized that many people in the club are critical of President Obama, however, for various reasons.

To him there is value in listening to those criticisms and avoiding having the semester just be “Obama, Obama, Obama.”

This trip to New Hampshire, however, still marks an early move toward the start of campaigning, with the upcoming primary season in clear sight.

Beder explained the crucial issue to voters as simple: “Jobs.”

Weiner agreed, saying that until the unemployment rate drops, people won’t care about the “sideshow” of other issues not related to the econ-

omy.

Both Beder and Weiner got a chance to share their views on the field of Republican candidates as well.

Weiner left no one guessing about whom he felt was going to capture the Republican nomination and gave a biting answer concerning his personal opinion of the candidate.

“I think [Former Gov. Mitt Romney] has the best chance of being the contender on the Republican ticket … I think you can tell a politician who would do or say anything to win.” Weiner explained how Romney had supported many left-leaning measures while in office in Massachusetts and yet seemed like he was not going to do so in the future were he to be president. Weiner referred to him as “wishy-washy.”

Beder has been arguing with others concerning strategy recently and has come to the conclusion that at least some of the campaigning needs to be aimed at indicating that, despite legitimate grievances against Obama, things would basically be worse under one of the opposing candidates. Beder explained coming to this conclusion about how best to “sell” Obama based on arguments with other people with whom she’s recently worked.

“Do we want to stress that Obama can be the leader that we all voted him to be? Can he be the inspiring leader that’s going to change the country fundamentally? … At this point, because people are so disillusioned, you need to talk about the alternative.”

When asked if there was a fundamental message to give to a random independent voter in a random state, Weiner stressed that knowing about the issues and the candidates is all that is really crucial.

“Get informed. It doesn’t take a lot of time. Spend the time to get informed. Read the websites. Read the talking points of the candidates. …

Consider them deeply. Watch the debates. … Just pay attention.”

The Brandeis Democrats will take part next week in a debate with other political groups across campus including the Brandeis LibertarianConservative Union and the Brandeis Tea Party Nation. Each of the major groups, having elected one representative, will have that representative assume the part of a particular candidate, and debate using that candidate’s mannerisms and general beliefs. The end goal, according to Weiner, is to “keep people informed.”

Waltham mayor wins third term

By Debby Brodsky Editor

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy won re-election for her third term in office Tuesday, beating her 22-year-old challenger, Andrew Wirth, by 89 percent.

Wirth, this year’s surprise candidate, began his campaign by breaking a world record and gaining a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records by spinning the Guinness Book itself on his right middle finger for 40 minutes, according to The Boston Globe.

McCarthy’s plans include acquiring the Fernald property; finishing the Polaroid project; strengthening public safety, city services and schools; focusing on public health issues and over-capacity infrastructure including water, sewer and drain systems, according to The Waltham News Tribune.

McCarthy acknowledged the many challenges she will face in her third term as mayor. “The major challenges facing the city are the uncertain economic climate, public safety including illegal activities such as homicides and drugs, and the city’s aging and over-capacity infrastructure,” McCarthy told The Tribune.

McCarthy continued to say Waltham will continue to find ways to save taxpayers’ money while stressing that the city will still have to spend millions of dollars to build up its infrastructure.

“I do the job that the citizens elected me to do,” McCarthy told The Tribune. “I am a proactive, hands-on mayor. I do not take the easy way out when difficult decisions have to be made. As a leader, I do not ignore issues, but deal with them.”

mayor jeannette mccarthy

Cain allegations recall Anita Hill testimony CAIN, from page 1

is leading in some national and state polls for the Republican nomination, flatly denied the accusations, calling them “totally false.” Like Justice Thomas, he has blamed the media for supposedly exaggerating accusations against him, giving credence and airtime to liars and generally waging a war against him, whether because of his race or ideology, or both.

Recently, several women have come forward, with the number of known accusers now tallied at four. Sharon Bialek, a former associate of Cain’s and the first to make herself known (and who appeared with celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred), even went so far as to say that Cain had groped her leg and toward her genitals, in a description more akin to sexual assault.

Cain not only denied each additional accusation, but also claimed this week that he “did not even know who” Bialek was, saying her story about a restaurant dinner, hotel and car ride were entirely fabricated.

Bialek, whose lawyer said they had

secured two affidavits from friends who said told them of the incident when she says it occurred, has since been targeted by both conservative bloggers and commentators and even more viciously by the Cain campaign itself. Cain’s campaign manager has referred to her past “financial troubles” and questioned her honesty in other personal affairs.

For some of the other women, namely the former employees of the restaurant lobby, Cain also denied the accusations, saying he has “never sexually harassed anyone, at any time,” as well as making several conflicting comments on whether the restaurant group ever reached a legal settlement with his accusers. At first, he said he was not aware if a settlement had been made between the women and the organization—where of course he was chief executive officer.

In a later interview Cain acknowledged a small settlement—calling it “an agreement” changing his original remarks on the subject. He also understated the size of the settlement by a substantial margin. One woman,

who he said received about “a twomonth or three-month” pay package, actually received a year’s salary in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement about the incident.

It is this record of inconsistency that has led observers like the chair of the Women’s and Gender Studies program at Brandeis, Professor James Mandrell, to abandon their benefit of the doubt for Cain.

“When I first hear about stories such as this, I try to be careful about judging anyone but the way he has handled the situation is regrettable,” he said.

Mandrell also explained that the real harm, irrespective of how Cain fares in his quest for the presidency, was demonstrated in how his lawyers had trashed the character of Bialek and others.

“One can question some of the media coverage,” Mandrell said, but the “pointing a finger and blaming shows that despite the ground gained since Anita Hill, the country has not come to the point we need to be at in terms of personal responsibility and mutual respect.”

photo from internet source

C-Store hours expanded on selected Saturday evenings

By Nathan Koskella Editor

Dining Services will expand the C-Store’s hours Saturday evenings for the first three Saturdays in November as part of a trial to test student interest in a permanent expansion. During the trial period, the C-Store will be open until 2 a.m. instead of its usual midnight closing time. The experiment is likely to succeed, as 82 percent of students responded positively when asked if they would buy from the C-Store if it were open later on weekends in a survey designed by Senator Ricky Rosen ’14. Students feel that the extended hours will be useful during exam periods and latenight study sessions.

The ad-hoc dining committee, led by Ari Tretin ’12, has been working for more changes

to dining. Other changes have been proposed, including an expansion of Sherman Dining Hall hours, about which students were not as emphatic as they were about other issues, and changes to Einstein Bros.

Bagels, which currently closes at 2 a.m. on weekdays and has short hours on weekends. Rosen initially proposed the change to C-Store hours and has been discussing possibilities with Dining Services Director Aaron Bennos, who approved the C-Store trial expansion. Dining service selection and availability are often criticized at Brandeis and these alterations are designed to make the dining experience more “student-centric,” according to Rosen. Already a greater variety of frozen meals are available at the C-Store for meal plans and more changes are expected shortly.

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November 11, 2011

November 11, 2011

NEWS 5

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In hall of orators, a closer look at anti-Semitism

photo by sarah schneider/the hoot

By Connor Novy Staff

Seventy-three years to the day after the tragedy of Kristallnacht, despite persistent efforts on the part of the Anti-Defamation League and its allies, anti-Semitism survives and, at times, thrives. But, according to both Justice Louis Brandeis and university President Frederick Lawrence, “the answer to bad speech is more speech.”

The Anti-Defamation League on Monday held the first in a series of discussions at Faneuil Hall called “Trials of Hate: The New Anti-Semitism.” Lawrence joined Nobel Peace Prize-winning author Eli Wiesel, Governor Deval Patrick and AntiDefamation League Chairman Abraham Foxman to discuss a perceived recent rise in anti-Semitism, especially on the Internet.

Anti-Semitism in public polling has risen by 3 percent since 2009, bringing the percentage of Americans with anti-Semitic views to 15 percent, according to an ADL study released earlier this month. Twice as many Americans believe Jews have greater

loyalty toward Israel than the United States, the study found.

Foxman explained that the Internet has made circulating subversive ideas far easier because it removes the need for a meeting place or any physical medium with which to spread ideas.

Furthermore, search engine algorithms more easily return websites dedicated to controversial, flashy and thus sometimes hateful views.

Foxman cited the anonymity and power of the Internet as a “superhighway for bigotry,” which allowed people to be faceless behind their views, as an origin of increased anti-Semitism. “The Internet puts the mask back on bigotry … The unintended consequences are horrific.”

Lawrence voiced a more positive view of technology: “The same things that can be threats can be the seeds of solution.” He believes the Internet is “overall a source of good,” which can open avenues of information not readily available to people around the world, and that its use as a means of conveying information in repressed countries outweighs its ability to disseminate hate. By making informa-

Don’t fence me in; separating upperclass neighbors

photo by ingrid schulte/the hoot

a new fence put up this week between ziv and ridgewood

tion available and through education, Lawrence is sure anti-Semitism could be battled. “Water finds its own way, and the human mind will find it’s own way, too.”

Lawrence stated that while antiSemitism has grown since the economic downturn, it has not created more anti-Semitic people.

“Economic downturn sees the rise of bigotry because people panic. But it does not make non-bigots into bigots. It gives rise to prejudice that would otherwise not be seen.”

Foxman took a staunch position on the definition of anti-Semitism. He even felt that much of the political criticism of Israel was actually veiled bigotry.

While progress, he said, had been made concerning the acceptability of bigoted language, new vocabulary had developed that allowed hate speech to continue. The “New AntiSemitism,” he claims, is highlighted by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and he believes criticism of “Israel, the Jewish state” is actually just the same criticism of Jews.

“Israel has become the Jew,” explained Foxman and people have “transferred the double standard” of behavior to the state. He believes there is undue criticism toward Israel and, “unless you’re criticizing China and Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Chechnya as well, it’s anti-Semitic.”

Much of the political rhetoric against Israel, Foxman said, was propagated by anti-Semitic regimes in the Middle East. “Under the new anti-Semitism, the greatest physical threat to Jews is now extremist fundamentalist Islam … The great threat comes from Iran,” Foxman said, but “Hamas and Hezbollah are anti-Semitic. Hamas does not want to see any solution, any treaty. The same with Hezbollah and the same with Iran.”

Twenty years ago, Lawrence attended an ADL event for what he described as the “March of Dimes problem”—what to do when you’ve solved your problem and there’s no more cause for which to fight. He, and many with him, believed that by the current year, anti-Semitic sentiment would be a thing of the past.

With 14 percent of Americans agreeing with the statement “Jews have too much power in the United

States today,” however, the ADL asserts that anti-Semitism still exists.

Foxman cited other minority groups as comprising a significant portion of those who are anti-Semites. According to the organization’s study, 29 percent of the African-American community were surveyed as having “anti-Semitic propensities.” Foxman claimed that the prejudice persisted because community leaders refused to acknowledge it. “The last leader who said anti-Semitism was a sin and spoke out against it was Martin Luther King [Jr.].”

He continued, saying that with 42 percent of “foreign-born” and 20 percent of “American-born” Hispanics recorded as having anti-Semitic sympathies, but was glad the Hispanic leadership was working with the ADL. The “exaggerated notion of Jewish power,” according to Lawrence, “doesn’t stand up. Its scholarship is vacuous.” He suggested a dual approach to battling bigotry: teaching directly to the point and addressing the issues in education, as well as a general education in the humanities.

“Humanistic education,” would make it impossible to “look at another person and not see the humanity of the

other person.” He lauded the liberal arts, to “teach the humanity of others,” which is important in disseminating hate. Education was the best way to ensure “breaking through the sense of the other, who can only be demonized out of ignorance.”

He defended First Amendment rights of speech, especially on college campuses. When Foxman bemoaned the widespread criticism of Israel on college campuses, where there are often demonstrations targeting the Israeli-Palestine conflict, Lawrence did not feel that a significant portion of the discussions about Israel was antiSemitic: On campuses, “the proximity of different views can lead to conflict that can be mistaken as bigotry,” said Lawrence, an issue, he said, that was particularly “American.”

Higher education, Lawrence said, had “an obligation to have no place for hate, because it is stupid, antithetical to being a thinking person.”

He encouraged debate and rejected “labeling even vigorous criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic.” When asked about the supposedly tenuous difference between criticism and bigotry, he answered, “It’s often not as hard to draw this line as one thinks.”

photo courtesy adl

faneuil hall President Fred Lawrence shakes hands with Eli Wiesel as Abraham Foxman

and Governor Deval Patrick look on.

The view from above

soaring over campus Our reporter took a photo of Brandeis while flying a plane with Aviation Club.

photo by alex schneider/the hoot

6 The Brandeis Hoot

"To acquire wisdom, one must observe."

Editor-in-Chief Alex Schneider Managing Editors Sean Fabery Yael Katzwer Jon Ostrowsky Senior News Editor Nathan Koskella News Editor Debby Brodsky News Editor Leah Finkelman Features Editor Morgan Gross Impressions Editor Gordy Stillman Sports Editor Brian Tabakin Sports Editor Candice Bautista Arts, Etc. Editor Alana Blum Hoot Scoops Editor Savannah Pearlman Copy Editor Steven Wong Graphics Editor Nafiz “Fizz” Ahmed Photography Editor Ingrid Schulte Photography Editor Leah Finkelman Production Editor Emily Stott Layout Editor Suzanna Yu Deputy Copy Editor Destiny D. Aquino Senior Editor

Volume 8 • Issue 23 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

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EDITORIALS

T

11/11/11

A better way to thank Waltham

his week, someone who thought they were clever installed small, red lawn signs that read “Brandeis Thanks Waltham, Kindness Week,” on the sidewalk curbs of South Street.

To be clear, Kindness Week is well intentioned and we applaud any opportunity to hold the door for someone, to take out the trash and generally just pay it forward.

But the red signs that now litter South Street aren’t about kindness. They’re about a top-down mandate to be kind, a mandate that’s all words and no action. Kindness isn’t about saying thank you once a year. Kindness—and the Brandeis-Waltham relationship—is about mutual respect that lasts throughout the year, something shown not through words but through deeds.

Kindness is Stanley Family Night, scheduled for Dec. 5, when Brandeis students will volunteer at the local Stanley elementary school, putting together a “carnival-like event” while interacting with Waltham families.

Kindness is also Waltham Group, which gives Brandeis students the chance to volunteer in the community through mentorship and community programming.

In these cases, acts of kindness are tangible and lasting. They aren’t topdown directives to be good; they require

photo by ingrid schulte/the hoot

work and commitment from Brandeis students.

The Brandeis-Waltham relationship has much room to grow. South Street potholes could be filled, for one thing.

Brandeis students could drive a little more carefully in Waltham neighborhoods. Waltham landlords could clean

up their properties a little more carefully.

And Brandeis students living off-campus could be a little quieter when holding parties.

Kindness week will end today but that doesn’t really mean anything. It is the actions that Brandeis takes all year round that are the real measure of kindness.

Problems from the get-go for Riverside shuttle

W

e applaud the Student Union for launching a trial shuttle to Riverside but the weekend schedule makes little sense. The entire reason the Green Line is convenient is that it runs every 10 minutes. Unlike the commuter rail, students don’t need to follow a schedule for when they can catch a train into Boston. But when the Riverside shuttle only runs once an hour, it defeats

the purpose of more frequent transportation from campus into Boston.

The Riverside shuttle is a good idea and student leaders deserve credit for trying out a new initiative that students lobbied for on campus. But, for the Riverside shuttle to run effectively, it must run every 15 minutes, and start earlier than noon and run later than 8 p.m. For students going into Boston in the evening,

taking the Green Line into the city will leave them stranded at Riverside Station without a ride back to campus.

Brandeis has tried the Riverside shuttle before but it did not create widespread support. Rather than using a 40-seat bus, a smaller van that runs more frequently would allow the university to balance costs but provide a more effective service for students.

impressions

November 11, 2011

The Katzwer’s Out of the Bag

Keep our campus clean!

graphic by rachel weissman/the hoot

By Yael Katzwer Editor

When I walk around Brandeis, I am often still taken aback, after more than three years here, by the beauty of the campus. The hills may be irritating when you are rushing to class and the flowers can be too pungent in the spring, making the walkway outside Usdan unbearable, but the campus is, simply said, stunning.

I look around and see the fauna and flora of Brandeis … and trash.

Loads of trash, scattered upon the ground, where it clearly does not belong.

The Brandeis Hoot 7

Here at Brandeis we have this amazing invention called—no, not Smart Balance—garbage cans.

These trash receptacles are all over our fair campus, some highly technological, like some sort of refuseeating Cylon, and others just your basic bucket.

I am truly dismayed when I meander around campus and see papers, wrappers and other discarded items littering the grass. Most often, these items are less than five steps from an ashcan, as they say in England.

Throwing your garbage away is fundamental to keeping an orderly and appealing campus. And it is

easy to do.

Every Friday when I am distributing copies of The Hoot in Usdan, I spend a few minutes cleaning up the bench outside the mailroom.

Now, not all of this is garbage; I am aware of that. I recycle old copies of The Hoot; I organize other campus publications back into the neat piles in which they began their bench-life; and I throw out the empty envelopes and candy wrappers strewn there. Now, I am not complaining about cleaning this bench; I do not have to tidy it every Friday. What irks me is the fact that there is something to clean on that bench at all.

I truly do not understand why there is garbage on this bench.

There is a garbage can just a few feet away. And, there are three—count them, three—recycling receptacles right there as well. To leave your rubbish there is lazy and, in the case of envelopes, not very smart. I know who you are.

So, you can imagine my frustration last Friday when, after just tidying the bench, I turn around and find a newly dropped Hershey kiss wrapper—five feet away from the garbage can! In order to leave that room, whoever carelessly dropped that garbage would have had to walk by the garbage can.

This is pure laziness. Now, you may be getting angry at me and saying to yourself, “I’m not lazy. Who does this broad think she is?” Well, to quote Peter Gibbons from “Office Space,” that amazing movie: “It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s that I just don’t care.” Yeah, that is not much better. Also, as to whom this broad is, I am someone who lives and learns here with you.

Another epidemic on this campus is the haphazard littering of cigarette butts. I would like to clarify, I do not care if you smoke or not.

It’s your body, you can do whatever you like with it. But, I would also like to clarify that Brandeis has provided its smokers with nifty usedcigarette receptacles that provide a place for you to ground out your cigarette and to dispose of it.

These receptacles are not merely decorations—although I do think they add a certain panache to our

campus.

The worst offenders are those who smoke in Ridgewood’s quadrangle. Again, I don’t care if I have to walk through a cloud of smoke to get to my home in Ziv; I can hold my breath and, seriously, there are so many things that bother me more. I do, however, care about the cigarette butts that cover the ground there.

Earlier this week, I saw a facilities worker trying in vain to clean up that waste. He was attempting to sweep the butts into his dustpan with his broom but, when that failed, this man had to get onto his knees to clean up your home.

That’s right; this is your home.

We all live here together and we all want our home to look neat and presentable, both for visitors and for ourselves.

I hate when people yell at litterers by saying, “Would you just throw that on the floor in your house?”

Because, for the record, you might, and I am fine with that. If you want your room to be a lamentable mess, that is just fine. Go ahead, throw your dirty clothes on the floor, neglect your laundry and dishes for a few weeks, and forget to throw out your garbage. It is your room, not our room; that “y” makes all the difference.

But, in a space that we must all share, please remember to be respectful of your peers and remember that it takes such little effort to throw your garbage away in the proper place and to keep our campus ship-shape.

Altered Consciousness

In region with many identities, a need for unity

graphic by linjie xu/the hoot

By Rick Alterbaum Columnist

One of the core problems relating to the Middle East pertains to identity.

The various populations of the region tend to look at the world through the prism of sect, race, religion, tribe or ethnicity. They seem to judge other

groups or factions as hostile not necessarily by their actions or character but by their biological features and heritage. As a result, the peoples and nations of the Middle East remain in a state of near-constant competition and rivalry with each other that can at times lead to armed conflict and war.

For example, one of the core problems plaguing the region is the Sun-

ni-Shiite conflict. In particular, two countries, Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, have been engaged in a cold war that has lasted for decades.

In places such as Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, they have funded proxy groups and militias with the primary purpose of achieving dominance and hegemony in the Middle East for their respective sect. The most recent

manifestation of this mutual antagonism was the Iranian attempt to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States. Furthermore, Sunnimajority countries, such as those by the Persian Gulf, oppress and deny basic civil liberties to their Shiite minorities, while the opposite remains true in places like Iran.

Another identity-related issue is that of the Islamists, whose warped religious worldview inspires intolerance toward and repression of Christians, Jews, the Baha’i and Sufis, not to mention homosexuals and women. From Hamas to Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, Islamists of both the Sunni and Shiite variant continue to play a highly negative role from the Maghreb to Central Asia.

Ethnic conflict is also prevalent in the Middle East. The Kurds endure as a beleaguered minority in part due to the enmity emanating from their Arab, Turkish and Iranian counterparts. Arabs and Iranians (or Persians) are engaged in a continual state of tension with one another.

For peace to develop throughout the Middle East, the populations of the region need to stop reacting to one another through the prism of identity. Instead, a more universalist and humanist ethos needs to arise that dictates that people should be treated on the basis of how they act instead of who they are. Empathy and acceptance ideally would transcend narrow sectarian confines.

This is not to say that biology and heritage should play no role in this area of the world. Cultural and social biases are inherent in every in-

dividual. Furthermore, identity lends toward diversity and distinctiveness, as opposed to conformity and homogeneity. Instead, identity should not be the main factor that drives relations between different peoples and nations.

In the beginning of the “Arab Spring,” there were signs that the type of identity politics that I have described would dissipate. In Egypt, we heard slogans saying that Copts and Muslims should all be treated equally and with respect. Bahraini Shiites who were rebelling against the Sunni al-Khalifa regime stressed the importance of democracy and human rights over religion, as did Syrian Sunnis challenging the oppressive dictatorship of the Alawi Bashar-al-Assad.

Yet in all three of those examples, the opposite outcomes emerged.The persecution of Egyptian Copts, a population that has lived in the country for thousands of years, by Salafis and other radical Islamist groups is relentless. The al-Assad regime brutalized the protesting Sunnis while emphasizing the uprising’s religious subtext, as did the al-Khalifas toward the Bahraini Shiites with the help of Saudi Arabia.

Also, rather than elect peaceful and tolerant parties, the people of Tunisia voted en masse for the Islamist Ennahda movement. I expect similar developments to materialize in places like Egypt and Libya should successful democratic transitions come to fruition.

Therefore, identity politics and sectarianism remains at the core of Middle East instability. Hopefully this will change but I am not overly optimistic.

8 IMPRESSIONS

The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2011

Greek life: take it or leave it

By Pete Wein

Special to the Hoot

So rather than discuss a topic that is broad and worldwide, or nuclear within the community here, I want to talk about something that is relevant for the Brandeis community as a whole: Greek life. So first things first: why Greek life? Well, in all honesty, the Justice posted an article on the same subject and it piqued my interest. No, I didn’t actually read the article, so if it hits some of the same points, then it is merely a coincidence.

When Greek life is attempting to make positive changes to the world around us, why is there so much resistance to the idea that Greek life be recognized on campus? My first guess, and probably a somewhat true one, is the reputation that Greek life can create for a university. When you think about Greek life, what kind of picture pops into your head? A party school where fraternities and sororities abound on Greek Row, throwing crazy “ragers” (as the kids these days call them) and essentially only caus-

ing mischief for the other people at the school that just want to learn and be a part of the intellectual community.

As far as parents of prospective students are concerned, this probably would not help the nearly spotless image of Brandeis (don’t forget, we did have political takeover of Ford Hall) and would potentially limit the people who end up deciding on the ’Deis because of the negativity this image creates. I think it is safe to say that this negative image is false at Brandeis. Yes, there are parties held off campus that get rowdy, but they are no more intense than events such as Pachanga or the Liquid Latex party.

I’ve even seen a few friends from home change their facial expressions when I mention that I am in a fraternity. Again, this is because of the perception that Greek life creates. When these people see me, they immediately assign me certain “unwanted” characteristics. This is about as fair as seeing a member of Hillel and assuming they are only concerned with their religion; it may be the case for

A Goodman is Hard to Find

a select few people but I am positive that most other members of Hillel are multi-faceted people who have interests besides Judaism.

Why is Greek life not allowed to host events on campus? In all honesty, no matter what anyone tells me, I still can’t get to the bottom of this one. Greek life, as I am to understand, is on the same level of some clubs, such as any improv comedy group.

They both are selective, which immediately removes them from any sort of consideration for funding and they both have an “interesting” system for getting membership. Yet improv comedy groups are allowed to host semester shows on campus, while Greek life is only allowed to have an event on campus if it is co-sponsored by another club. Does this go back to assumptions about Greek life or does this problem lie somewhere else? I have no idea.

What it comes down to is, no matter what you think about Greek life or how awful the parties might be, these Greek life members are still Brandeisians at heart—they still went

Columnist

I climbed a mountain. The phrase can be interpreted in many ways: I achieved a goal, I overcame an obstacle or I physically climbed a real mountain. Throughout our lives we

through the same application process as you, went through orientation with you and still struggle through the same classes as you. They even eat the same food as you (or did,

when they lived on campus). The difference is that some of their interests lie in other places than yours and this is exactly what makes Brandeis such a great place to attend.

Peace at the top of the world

graphic by sarah sue landau/the hoot

By Jeremy Goodman

graphic by yi wang/the hoot

all climb mountains. When I climbed Half Dome in Yosemite, not only did I climb an actual mountain, but I achieved a goal and I reached a personal pinnacle of true serenity, harmony and peace.

The opportunity to climb Half Dome was given to me by Camp Ta-

wonga, the camp at which I worked this summer, located just outside of beautiful Yosemite National Park.

Tawonga is a place where nature captivates and enchants the senses, and bonds of friendship and love are cultivated, harvested and allowed to bloom. Some of my best times, most

enriching experiences and closest friendships were made at Tawonga.

During one regular day at camp, at a normal lunch meal, there was an announcement advertising the Bagel Run. And yes, bagels and lox are provided in celebration after completion.

Later I learned that the Bagel Run is a day hike to Half Dome in Yosemite.

Just so you can get a visual of the size of Half Dome, it’s about 5,000 feet tall from the bottom of Yosemite Valley, comparable to almost 16 football fields lined up end to end. It is one colossal mountain. I’m not sure what sparked my interest, but somehow I signed up to go. Maybe it was the bagels and lox provided at the end of the journey or the way the wilderness leaders described the hike with ease.

Before I knew it, I was in the car on our way to the trail head. It was 4 a.m. and still dark outside. Doubts and worries began to flood my mind: What did I get myself into? What if I can’t do it? What if I get hurt? We arrived at the trail head as the sun began to rise. We ate some cereal for breakfast and then the drivers said their goodbyes, wishing us luck, and left. And there we were, at around 7 a.m., by ourselves, at a desolate trail-head in Yosemite. So we did all we could do: We walked. Chris, the wilderness leader at camp, had mentioned that it was a very long day of hiking but I had no concept of what that meant until we had hit the trails.

We walked, and walked, and walked, and walked some more. We tried to keep busy—we played some games, admired the beauty of nature and tried to keep our minds off the enormous amount of hiking still left to do.

Seven lengthy hours later and 12 treacherous miles of hiking behind us, we stopped for lunch at the trail head of Half Dome. When I saw the sign, “Half Dome: 2 miles,” I couldn’t believe it. I thought we were almost there, but there were another two miles! Those two miles were the most difficult of the day. It began as a steady but steep incline for about a mile until we reached “Quarter Dome,” the precursor to Half Dome. Quarter Dome was composed of giant granite steps, each two or three feet tall. As I performed the ultimate leg muscle workout, I noticed that I was falling behind from the group. Chris had mentioned that if we didn’t reach the

cables at Half Dome before the clouds rolled in at around 3 p.m., a daily afternoon occurrence in Yosemite, we wouldn’t be able to climb all the way to the top. I continued to climb the stairs. Each step brought me closer to the end but each step also brought me more pain and fatigue.

As I climbed the last step, all of Half Dome came into view. In the distance, I noticed a walkway going up the side of the giant granite Goliath, outlined by two heavy steel cables. As I approached the start of the cables I saw a giant pile of climbing gloves. Without any time to rest as the clouds were approaching, I grabbed a pair of gloves and began to climb up the mountain, wasting no time resting on the wood planks positioned about every 10 feet.

I reached the top and took off my gear; I walked toward the edge and was hit with an unbelievable sight.

It may sound cliche but the combination of the 15 miles of mountaineering and the incredible panoramic view took my breath away. I sipped some water and sat, mesmerized by the stunning landscape I had hiked all day to see. It was surreal. I could see for hundreds of miles in all directions. Never before had I felt so relaxed, accomplished and in the moment. Climbing Half Dome was my first glimpse of the world beyond my hometown. Seeing all of the beauty of the world and the enormity of it fueled my desire to explore the world, experience all of life’s wonders, and learn about the customs and cultures of others. I want to see it all, experience everything and enjoy all the world has to offer.

Since my climb at Half Dome, I have striven once again to reach the high that I felt at the top of the Yosemite Valley. During my trip to British Columbia, we took a ferry from Tsawwassen, near Vancouver, to Victoria, on Vancouver Island. I took a heavy warm jacket and ventured throughout the boat. I discovered a small viewing spot in the front of the ship away from people, the busy food court, loud engine noise and all signs of life. The mixture of the sun, clouds and bitter cold Northwest waters gave the islands and landscape that surrounded us a surreal and heavenly appearance.

See MOUNTAIN, page 9

November 11, 2011

IMPRESSIONS 9

The Brandeis Hoot

Starting with the man in the mirror

By Betty Revah Columnst

Every morning we look in the mirror and criticize our appearance.

We all see different things. No two reflections are the same; however, no one seems to be satisfied. We go through long morning rituals in the hope of changing our appearance and transforming the face that we offer to the world. It may just be a little bit of makeup and it may, in fact, be no makeup at all. It may be our clothes, our hair or our bodies—we always find something new to cover, something new to hate. And we all agree on one thing, that face that we offer to the world has to be absolutely perfect, it has to be flawless. So we do what we have to do, we hide our emotions, our insecurities, our weaknesses. We put on a mask every morning. We hide because that is what people do.

Appearances are deceiving: That is a fact. It is not up for discussion; it is not a question but an answer, not a supposition but the truth. That mask we wear rarely comes off—if it does at all—and we go through life making friends with masks similar to our own.

The problem with these masks, as beautiful as they may be, is that we lose ourselves in them. No one can get to know who we are because no one is allowed to see what is underneath the mask. Think about it, we all have something to hide. Not anything serious, of course, but secrets will be secrets and they are meant to stay inside.

I personally do not know anyone who wakes up in the morning and, while looking at his reflection, thinks that he should be happier, better, kinder or politer. I do, how-

ever, know many people (myself included) that wake up in the mornings and pay attention only to what is on the outside, to those things we don’t like. We complain because that is what people do, because that is what we were taught to do. Most of us want to be a size zero, tall, blonde and beautiful. But what happens with those of us that do not fall into those categories? It certainly does not make us any less capable, intelligent or beautiful.

Some people may look perfect on the outside. They may seem to have it so easy. A perfect life, perfect grades, perfect hair. But usually those people have it harder than everyone else. In my experience, the happier people seem, the more miserable they are. I am not saying this is true for everyone. Some people are genuinely happy and good but, more often than not, they half-smile their way through life.

The mistake that we make in the process of wearing our customized masks is to assume that pain makes us weaker, when in fact it makes us stronger. Everyone has gone through something and has given something up—as big or small as it may be—in order to be where they are. No one is born confident or successful, or happy even. Pretending to be all of these things, and hiding under a mask of perfection instead of learning from what we really feel, that is what makes us weaker.

It is not looks that we should be so concerned about. It is the person underneath that matters. Being brave is showing the world our true face. That which is not beautiful but damaged, not flawless but imperfect.

Now that is courage. People are not what they seem to be anyway. In my opinion, and you can call me naive if you want, they are even better. graphic by diane somlo/the hoot

Tranquil beauty atop mountain MOUNTAIN, from page 8

It didn’t look real. I stood there for the entire hour and a half journey to Victoria’s Swartz Bay, completely mesmerized by the scenery, calmness and quiet. It was the closest I have been to the feeling I had on top of Half Dome.

It was a rejuvenating and dreamlike experience.

I know now that through all of the politics of global warming, corrup-

tion, crimes and hatred among people, I can retreat to the top of Half Dome or the bow of the ferry and know that everything is going to be all right; not only my problems, but the world’s as well. I know that those places and that feeling of serenity and harmony will always be there for me no matter the circumstances. These moments were times of pure fun, simple pleasure and dreamlike sensations, which are too few and far in between.

photo from internet source

half dome, yosemite national park

The zen of the power nap

By Stacy Handler and Abbie Kagan Special to the Hoot

Remember when you were in pre-k and there was nap time? Back then, you didn’t want to go to sleep, did you? No, all you wanted to do was play with your blocks and eat JellO. A lot has changed since then and now—in your late teens—you look back and see only a squandered opportunity. For one all too brief moment in your life, you had scheduled, mandated nap-time and you failed to appreciate it.

Now, you are forced to tirelessly wander the diurnal world waiting until the sun sets before it becomes socially acceptable to rest your weary head. The key to success in the modern, fast-paced world of higher education is balancing the need for efficiency with the human need for sleep, thus the power nap. Like the power lunch or the power suit, the power nap is all about asserting control and maximizing limited resources.

In light of this fact, we have compiled some tips for catching some much needed z’s around campus, your bed away from bed.

Please use them wisely.

Location When was the last time anyone actually felt rested after a snooze in an

airplane? Never! Clearly, where you sleep matters. Your body needs to be able to spread out but also feel cushioned. Once you start looking, you will realize that couches and comfy chairs, hereafter referred to as “bed substitutes,” are everywhere. Some of our favorite bed substitutes include but are not limited to the following.

1. The couch in IBS. You might receive a weird look or two but let’s be real, it will be from a grad student who doesn’t speak English anyway.

2. The chairs on the first floor of Gosman. Does anyone even go to the gym for any reason other than to sleep on those cushions of clouds?

3. The chair directly in front of the printer in the library. It’s not like you’re blocking a usable computer or anything.

4. The couch in Peace Room. Just make sure you’re alone and fully clothed.

5. The bathroom in the SCC. Let’s face it, it’s far more spacious than your dorm room.

6. The benches in the chapels where you can dream about atoning for your sins and catch up on sleep at the same time.

7. The Admissions office. You can get cookies and attract prospective nappers like yourself.

Timing The power nap is inherently short, no more than 30 minutes. It’s enough

time to reap the benefits of sleep cycles I and II before entering into deep, dream-like sleep. A full sleep cycle takes about 90 minutes and who has time for that? If your deep sleep is interrupted, you will wake up groggy, disoriented and even sleepier than before. In these unfortunate cases, it would have been preferable to have not napped at all. Instead, it’s best to get in and get out (that’s what she said). This light-sleeping strategy is also good protection against would be “Inception” attempts by Ellen Page and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Have no shame Don’t worry about people judging you for sleeping in a public place.

They may give you puzzled, bemused looks—hey, they make even take a snap shot—but really they’re just jealous. Besides, if you can’t see them, they can’t see you. That’s basic object permanence theory.

Listen to your body and take care of yourself No amount of power napping can make up for a good night’s sleep. If you get too few hours of sleep per night, your body starts to accrue a sleep debt, the aggregate buildup of all your lost REM sleep that you will have to make up at some point. That is why God invented Sundays. Yes, we are all over-committed but it’s also important to commit to ourselves (in bed).

10 The Brandeis Hoot

views of the week

November 11, 2011

Tympanium Euphorium holds ‘Urinetown’ coffeehouse

photos by ingrid schulte and dan straub/the hoot

weclome to urinetown (clock-wise from top left) Abby Armstrong

’13 performs a solo with the a cappella group, Starving Artists. Bryan Le ’14 jams out with a new jazz group on campus, Spellbound. The cast of “Urinetown” previews a number from their show. Leah Carnow ’12 and Abigail Clarke ’12 sing with the a cappella group Company B.

Brandeis thanks mayor

Dancing with the Brandeis Stars

photo by ingrid schulte/the hoot photo by ingrid schulte/the hoot

waltham city hall Catholic chaplain Father Walter Cuenin and Student Union president Herbie Rosen

’12 deliver a thank you letter and flowers to the office of the Waltham mayor as part of Kindness Week.

professors show their moves Professor Sabine von Mering (GER) participates in the first ever “Dancing

with the Brandeis Stars” event hosted by the Brandeis Ballroom Dance Team. The event also featured performances from dance groups including Kaos Kids, Brandeis Swingers and Salseros.

November 11, 2011

FEATURES

The Brandeis Hoot 11

You Know We’re Right

Sharing art with ghanaian children

By Emily belowich special to the hoot In the spring of 2009, Jessye Kass ’13 was another ordinary high school senior, anxiously awaiting acceptance letters from colleges. After the grueling process, Kass was accepted to Brandeis and decided to enroll shortly thereafter.

“Ultimately, I ended up choosing Brandeis because of the midyear option,” Kass said. “I knew I wanted to be teaching English to children somewhere in Africa that didn’t require me to have a degree.”

During her midyear semester, Kass traveled to Ghana with Projects Abroad, an organization that sends students to volunteer abroad. For six months, Kass lived in an area of Labadi, Ghana, where she taught English and worked in an orphanage.

The most rewarding part of her experience, she said, was having the children thank her after a hard day’s work.

Her experience was so powerful that when she arrived at Brandeis in January 2010 she decided she needed to figure out a way to return. Kass applied for and was granted the Sorenson Fellowship, a $4,000 stipend intended to cover travel and modest living expenses for a summer internship.

In the summer of 2010, Kass returned to Africa, working at the same orphanage in Ghana. Later in the summer, Kass traveled to Kenya and spent time working as a medical intern. It was there that Kass met Serge Attukwei Clottey, a friend whose idea to create an organization to bring art to poverty-stricken children would forever change her life.

“We both grew up loving art and wanted to spread this love with as many people possible in Ghana,” Kass said. Almost one and a half years later, the Attukwei Art Foundation is now a fullfledged non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides art therapy to children ages 4-15. Its outreach programs give underprivileged children in the Accra area the opportunity to use art as a safe means of expression.

As founder and president, Clottey’s vision was made possible

by Kass’ tireless efforts to create a safe environment for children to be able to share their stories. Kass returned to Ghana this past summer, continuing her work to provide an outlet for children to share their stories through the artistic methods of learning.

“Honestly, the greatest feeling is watching these children use art materials to verbalize their stories,” Kass said. “It’s so powerful.”

Back at Brandeis, Kass continues to dedicate five to six hours per week to the organization. As founder and vice president, she talks to Serge daily via e-mail and Skype. She updates the blog and website, and answers e-mails daily while also calling various countries’ embassies to rally support for the organization.

Kass’ experience has had a noticeable effect on the Brandeis

arts, etc. Children work on and present the art they created.

community. She says that there are currently two Brandeis students applying for an internship with the organization and there is one person applying for the Sorenson fellowship with the intent to study in Ghana next summer. In addition, Kass will present her experience, along with the five other 2011 Sorenson Fellows, to the Brandeis community in December.

In addition to her work for the foundation, Kass, a Concord, Mass., native, is majoring in Anthropology and African and Afro-American Studies and minoring in Social Justice and Social Policy. She is the founder of the Brandeis Anthropology Club and works at Lemberg Children’s Center.

She plans to return to Ghana in February for two weeks and then again in May. She encourages Brandeis students to apply for the internship with the Attukwei Art Foundation, which can be found on the Hiatt Career Center’s website. Volunteers spend four hours of the day teaching and four hours of the day socializing and playing. She says the experience is a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“We have only the highest hopes and dreams for this organization and for bringing art to children in need,” Kass said.

Kass’ work in Ghana exemplifies the Brandeis philosophy that a small idea can make the world a better place.

kass and kids Jessye Kass ’13 hangs out with Ghanaian children during a trip to Africa.

photos courtesy of jessye kass

Leaving your boo when you go abroad?

Dear Leah and Morgan, I’m going abroad next semester and I have a big problem I need to deal with before I leave. I attended the pre-departure meeting on Tuesday and I’m SO exited to go abroad, but I don’t know what I’m going to do about my boyfriend. He’s going to be at Brandeis next semester and he wants to stay together but I’m not sure what I want to do. We’ve been together since last year and it’s pretty serious but I don’t know if he’s “the one.” What should I do?

Sincerely, Baffled Bella Dear Bella, Let’s take a look at your options. The first, your boyfriend’s choice, is obviously to stay together. The second is to break up, not knowing if you’ll get back together. Then there are a multitude of middle grounds that might be more appealing.

Sticking together Absence makes the heart grow fonder, or so we’ve heard. We certainly know of couples who went abroad separately or at different times and, if you and your guy successfully stay together, you’ll be reassured that your feelings for each other can survive a lot. If you stay together, you might want to consider a list of ground rules of when, how and how often you two will continue to communicate.

Communication, after all, is the most important part of a relationship and being 4,000 miles apart makes it even more vital to ensuring your happiness.

Taking the middle road An open relationship could be what you want, or some sort of agreement that you’ll break up but get back together (or at least seriously consider it, given what will have happened in each of your lives). This type of relationship is tricky to maneuver but, if done properly, can give you the best of both worlds.

You’ll still be able to have cutesy, romantic Skype dates but, if you get a little close to that hot guy at a club, you don’t have to blot out that mental image of your boo.

This solution means even more communication is necessary before you leave. Draw boundaries and figure out what you’re both comfortable with doing. Are you completely single with the expectation of picking up exactly where you left off? Can you hook up with people? What about sex? What if an emotional connection forms with someone else? Communication while you’re there is up to you and your boy—no holds barred or don’t ask, don’t tell. Don’t forget … DON’T be a hypocrite. If you can go out and meet guys, your boyfriend can do the same. If the thought of that makes you queasy, schedule a Skype date ASAP and talk it out.

Decision time Ultimately, the decision is yours to make— could he be the one? Sure. If he is, will your relationship last while you’re abroad, or at least recover if you break up? The romantic parts of us would like to think so. But if you truly believe your boyfriend won’t want to get back together if you end up regretting the breakup, you should wait until you’re sure you want to go through with it. Just remember, though, that you could be setting yourself up for a trans-Atlantic breakup from which your relationship (and friendship) might never recover.

That said, your abroad experience is about you. Sure, it sounds selfish, but think about the logistics involved in maintaining a healthy relationship in a different country with a big time difference (not to mention cute European boys). The final question you need to ask yourself: Is he worth it? If not, hope for the best. If he is, you’ve found a great guy—do what you need to do to keep him.

Best of luck!

Peace, love and good advice, Leah and Morgan Have questions that you want answered by the lovely ladies of The Hoot? Submit your questions to advice@thebrandeishoot.com or at formspring.me/leahandmorgan! They will be answered by Leah Finkelman ’13, Features Editor, and Morgan Gross ’14, Impressions Editor. We’re so excited to hear your questions!

12 FEATURES

The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2011

8,000 miles and a war between us When Beth Bowman ’11 was at Brandeis, she was an International and Global Studies and Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies major, an IMES Undergraduate Department Representative, a member of the Equestrian Team and an active participant in many other clubs and organizations. After graduating, Bowman chose to take a year off and combine her two passions, horses and the Middle East. She found a job at a Syrian riding academy and took it. The job ended up not being what she had expected, but she got more out of it than she had hoped. The Webster, New York native recently became a finalist in a contest at the Webster Golf Club.

Facebook votes cast until Nov. 29 will determine whether she and Mohammed, her fiancé, will win a free wedding at the club, giving them opportunities they never would have had otherwise.

By Beth Bowman Special to the Hoot

One week after I graduated from college, I boarded a plane to Damascus, Syria, to train horses and students with the Syrian National Equestrian Team. The beauty of the farm wore off quickly as I worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week in 120 degree weather for meager pay. I hand-washed my clothes, showered when the manager allowed me to, and ate yogurt and bread for almost every meal. I was there for the students and the horses—I wanted to help them and show them kindness that they certainly had never experienced before. But my strength to stay was waning.

I sat in the clubhouse crying, missing my family and not knowing how to leave the farm, when in walked a man I had not met before. He introduced himself as Mohammed and we chatted a bit in Arabic. He gave me good advice: “Be patient.” That advice would become the mantra of our relationship.

We did not get along at first. I thought he was immature and oblivious to the world; he thought I was a stuck-up American, too good for everyone else. He did not know much about horses, so I taught him, and the manager told me to not let him out of my sight. We worked together every day, cleaning the stalls, exercising and grooming the horses, unloading trucks of horse feed, cooking, washing the dishes … if it needed to be done, it was our job.

The initial negative impressions slowly melted away. We cooked lunch and dinner together every day in the tiny kitchen, comparing American and Syrian food. We would take breaks from our work to sit and talk when we knew the manager wasn’t paying attention. We shared so much, we talked about our families, our childhoods, our dreams for the future … we shared smiles, laughs, meals, sweat, tears. We came from opposite sides of the world but we complemented each other perfectly. I had found my other half in the most unlikely of places.

We were patient at the farm, working diligently and waiting for our time to be together

and to be free.

After four months of work, we left the farm and I continued to live in Damascus for another four months. I spent every weekend with Mohammed’s family, hoping they would eventually grant him permission to marry an American girl. They welcomed me and treated me like one of their daughters.

Mohammed juggled his studies and his job and managed to spend every free moment with me. He took me safely around the city and we wandered through the streets of the oldest city in the world, our love feeling as though it were as deeply rooted as the history of Damascus itself.

We knew that our love would only end one way—in marriage. There was no debate or decision to be made, it was clear that we were meant for one another and we simply had to be patient to let everything fall into place. We knew there would be more struggles than just getting our parents to agree to the marriage—the U.S. government and immigration processes stood between us and our future.

I eventually had to return to America for financial reasons and leaving Mohammed at the airport on Jan. 25 was the hardest thing I have ever done. We had known each other for eight months but it felt like a lifetime. Now, for an equal period of time, we have been 8,000 miles apart.

We are going through the process of applying for a fiancé visa. It is a difficult, intrusive process. We have submitted more than 800 pages of documentation of our relationship to the U.S. government and been subject to extensive background checks.

A month after I left Syria, the government started a bloody campaign against the civilians who are pushing for human rights. More than 2,500 people have died, many of them children, many of them simply walking to work or going to buy groceries for their family. The news constantly shows pictures of government tanks shelling the cities of Syria, bodies in the streets, protesters being beaten and jailed. Every minute of every day, I am gripped with crippling fear,

syria-sly in love Beth Bowman ’10 with her fiancé, whom she met while in Syria.

wondering if they will come for him next. He loves freedom for his country and his people and he stands against the brutality of the regime … but that puts him in an incredibly dangerous situation.

We pray that he is granted his visa as soon as possible, but it is all in the hands of the government. We hope he will be here by the spring of 2012 and, under the rules of his visa, we must get married within three months of his arrival.

We are so excited just to see one another again and, by the time that happens, it will have been a year since we have seen each other.

photos courtesy of beth bowman

Due to the financial burdens of the visa and the short time frame, we thought it would not be possible to have more than a small civil ceremony and dinner with my parents for our wedding celebration. Having Mohammed here and safe, far from the bloodshed and violence is the first thing I want. I also want to share the beauty of my town and my community with Mohammed, just as he did with me, and this would be a gift not just to us, but to all the people of Syria, to show them that a better life is possible and there is hope in the future. All you need is to be patient.

Into the arms of the angels: saving the Kinderlachen

By Amanda Dryer Special to the Hoot

During the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to reunite my grandmother’s third and fourth cousins, Rolf Hess, Ruth Hilb Hamburger and Hanne Hirsch Liebmann. Not only do Rolf, Ruth and Hanne share a common lineage, they also each survived the Holocaust. They were the sole survivors of their family because of the efforts of social agencies like OSE, a humanitarian agency that helped children during the war, and the Red Cross.

Long before I ever met Rolf, Ruth and Hanne, my mother explained to me that the night of Nov. 9 through the morning of Nov. 10 was a terrifying time for my grandma. Although she has been deceased for nearly three years, I could not help but think of her story and the story of her relatives when looking at the date on my phone a few days ago.

Seventy-three years ago, my grandma’s childhood was destroyed. She lived in southwest Germany near Heidelberg, in the small town of Malsch, with her parents; her siblings had fled to the United States a few years earlier. Malsch was once a city with more than 200 Jewish people but, by 1938, the Jewish population had dwindled to about 10 families. Few children remained but her best friend and cousin Ruth Hamburger and her younger cousins Rolf and Kurt Hess remained. They were all just children on Nov. 9, Kristallnacht—the Night of Broken Glass. The children woke to the sounds of destruction, shattering glass and gunfire. They soon witnessed a fire that burned throughout their town, their home.

See SURVIVORS, page 13

Hanne Hirsch and Rolf Hess as children, before they were saved, respectively, by Huguenots and Alice Resch.

photos courtesy of amanda dryer

November 11, 2011

FEATURES 13

The Brandeis Hoot

Teaching English in Japan: a midyear’s experience

By Alana Blum Editor

Every year, Brandeis Admissions staff offers a group of incoming students the chance to join the Brandeis community in the spring semester, when there is more available campus housing and classroom space. These students, called midyears, often spend their fall semester participating in internships, taking classes at other universities, or traveling abroad. With their available semester, midyear students are therefore granted the opportunity to gain memorable real life experiences before even coming to Brandeis.

When Esther Brandon ’12 was accepted as a midyear student in 2008, she decided to utilize her available fall semester to teach English in Japan. Now in her senior year, Brandon is able to look back and see how her experience in Japan contributed to her success at Brandeis.

Brandon’s family had been hosting Japanese foreign exchange students since she was four years old. The Futakamis, who had sent their three children to stay at the Brandon home in the past, invited Brandon to stay with them in return in Japan. Utilizing her opportunity as a midyear, Brandon set off to Mishima, Shizuoka, knowing at most 20 phrases in Japanese.

The Futakami’s father was a child psychologist who specialized in eating disorders brought on by stress. Due to his career-related connections with several schools in the local area, he helped Brandon find teaching positions at Kannami Elementary School, Kannami Junior High School and Nirayama High School. Along with teaching several classes on her own, Brandon additionally assisted teachers from the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program.

Soon Brandon was preparing classroom activities and workshops, grading tests and teaching Japanese students about her own experiences in the United States. In order to give the students a taste of American life, Brandon even cooked American dishes for the students on Thanksgiving and brought in birthday cake on her birthday. Thus, along with teaching the Japanese students English, Brandon was helping them learn about American culture as a whole.

Brandon also immersed herself in learning about Japanese culture through extracurricular activities such as the Tea Ceremony Club.

In contrast to American schools, where students are encouraged to join a variety of clubs, Japanese students will only join one or two and attend that club every afternoon. During the entirety of the Tea Ceremony, Brandon was required to sit with her knees on the floor.

“It taught me that in American culture we’re very fast paced. I would often get very impatient, especially when my legs would fall asleep,” she joked. “Everyone would laugh when I would fall over. It was a very good bonding moment for the group to laugh over the American falling over because she can’t sit still for one hour.”

Despite these fun and embarrassing moments, Brandon grew deeply concerned by the high level of stress each of her students was un-

der. Each school had a ranking system, in which every assignment the students handed in would directly affect their rank. In Brandon’s opinion, her students were obsessed with their rank and took their success very personally.

“I had a student come to me in tears, apologizing that she only got a 97 on my exam when hers was the highest grade in the class. She said she was sorry for disappointing me for not getting 100. If I came home to my mom with a 97, she would put it on the fridge,” Brandon explained.

While Brandon admired how the ranking system enabled the students to be more disciplined, she was still alarmed by how much stress it caused them. The competitive atmosphere often resulted in breaches of friendships. She also quickly noticed a large amount of bullying around the older male students, which she attributed to displaced tension as a result of the immense level of stress.

Upon arriving at Brandeis, Brandon felt more appreciative of the university’s relatively relaxed atmosphere. While she felt more motivated after seeing how self-disciplined her students had been, Brandon additionally felt more grateful over how supportive her parents are of her. As Brandon explained, many of her students would be petrified to go home to their parents if she received a B on an assignment.

Brandon was also thankful she had received this opportunity to take time off from her studies to see how other people learn, feeling that it in turn helped her discover more about her own learning style.

“It was a really unique experience going from the student role in high school to teaching.

Understanding how other students can learn a complicated language such as English helped me realize how I learn things myself and it helped me become more productive in my studies at Brandeis,” Brandon explained.

Through teaching the students English, the students in turn taught Brandon about Japanese language and popular culture. Ironically, the fact that her students had taught her Japanese was a hindrance once Brandon started taking the language at Brandeis. As Brandon explained, her students had taught her a slang style of speaking that only peers could use with one another. Thus she would often accidentally embarrass herself by speaking impolitely and improperly to her Brandeis professor.

Now into her senior year, Brandon’s Brandeis experience has been reflective of the values she learned during her semester in Japan. She chose to major in Anthropology and International Global Studies, which both echo her interests in world-wide culture. Furthermore, she became the coordinator for Brandeis’ Student Peace Alliance. The Peace Alliance is currently working on reducing gang violence in Massachusetts and around the country, which correlates with the bullying Brandon had seen in Japan. She had witnessed how students who don’t have an outlet for their emotions or difficulties tend to resort to violence.

Brandon’s experience teaching English in Japan was certainly rewarding. On one hand, she

class photo Esther Brandon ’12 poses with one of her classes.

photos courtesy of esther brandon

student-teacher bonding Brandon learned about Japanese culture from her students.

was able to observe the impact she had made on individual students through motivating them and helping them learn a new language. She was also able to help teach students how to refocus their stress in a more productive manner. On the other hand, Brandon’s experience in Japan also helped her develop an independence which would enable her success at Brandeis.

“It gave me the confidence to know that I can succeed in unforeseen circumstances,” Brandon explained. “If I don’t know what’s going on in a class, that’s nothing compared to being lost in a

country where I don’t know the language.”

Midyear students do not have to begin their education until January. Many of them still choose to embark on experiences, however, that in one or another still provide them with an education.

Like Brandon, they can choose to travel abroad and teach others. Others may find internships or volunteer. As Brandon emphasizes, each of their choices became valuable real life experiences that bonded them together as a midyear class.

An act of kindness revealed 73 years later SURVIVORS, from page 12

photo courtesy of amanda dryer

angel of aspet Alice Resch during the War.

Years later, Ruth recalled that the “Judenschule,” the temple, was destroyed in the fire but Rolf ’s grandfather ran into the temple to save the Torah.

Rolf ’s grandfather, Simon Hess, gave the Torah to Kurt Hess’ parents, Adolf and Clara Hess, to take with them to America when they immigrated a few months later, on Dec. 22, 1938. Our family is still trying to trace the whereabouts of the Torah.

That night in Malsch, mobs formed throughout the cobblestone streets and stormed into houses.

After about two hours of chaos, Ruth recalled, “a voice through a bullhorn demanded that all Jewish men come outside.” That voice would haunt the children of Malsch for the rest of their lives.

Ruth’s father and grandfather, Rolf ’s grandfather, my great-grandfather and Kurt’s father were taken away.

Two days later Ruth’s father and grandfather, Rolf ’s grandfather and my grandmother’s father (my great-grandpa) were released. The other young men were sent to Dachau concentration camp and were tortured for many months. Eventually, my grandmother and Kurt’s family were lucky enough to immigrate to the United States; however, the damage had already been done, as each and every day they felt a sense of guilt for

surviving when the other people of Malsch did not. Two years after my grandmother immigrated to the United States in January 1939, her relatives Ruth, Rolf and Hanne were deported to a concentration camp in France, which was followed by the second deportation of Jews that were still alive in Camp Gurs to Auschwitz in the 1940s.

Nevertheless, Rolf and Ruth survived because of the kindness of Alice Resch Synnestvedt, the Angel of Aspet. Resch was a Quaker who was acting in concert with OSE, Oeuver de Secours aux Enfants, a French-Jewish organization that persuaded the local Vichy authorities to allow the 50 children to leave the barbed wire confinement of Gurs. Ruth and Rolf were only two of the 50 children Resch rescued. Rescuers like the Angel of Aspet never sought recognition. Since much of her work was done quietly so as not to jeopardize any additional lives, Resch’s heroic acts of kindness have become lost in time. Nevertheless, her actions speak louder than her lack of recognition, as 250 orphans helped by OSE, including my relatives Ruth and Rolf, survived the Holocaust and many eventually immigrated to the United States.

Surprisingly, my relative Hanne Hirsch Lieberman was not one of the 250 orphans from the Aspet home who made it to the United States; despite not being a part of the group that Ruth and Rolf were in, Hanne still survived the Holocaust.

In August 1941 one of the OSE social workers approached Hanne’s mother and asked if she could arrange for her to be placed in a children’s home.

In September 1941, Hanne left Camp Gurs with six other teenagers and was sent to the village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. Unlike Ruth and Rolf, who were placed in a Maison des Pupilles de la Nation, a children’s home in France, Hanne lived in a home run by the Swiss Red Cross.

In Hanne’s personal testimony she shares that “Huguenot village sheltered about 5,000 Jewish people from 1940-44, during the most difficult times and at the risk of their own lives.” Her words once again underscore the notion that rescuers lived in secrecy and as a result, they were not eager to discuss their acts of kindness with the rest of the world.

Seventy-three years later I believe it is time finally to give the rescuers the honor they deserve.

On the anniversary of Kristallnacht, we must not only recognize the strength and determination of Rolf Hess, Ruth Hamburger and Hanne Liebmann and memorialize the memory of my grandma, Terry Hess Pniewski, and Kurt Hess, but we must also honor righteous gentiles like the Huguenot villagers and the Angel of Aspet, Alice Resch, as their actions show us all that just one act of kindness has the ability to save a life.

14 The Brandeis Hoot

sports

November 11, 2011

Challenge accepted: Judges will host the finals

By Brian Tabakin Editor

Brandeis University forward Lee Russo ’13 scored two goals off of headers early in the first half and late in the second half to lead the topseeded Judges past the eighth-seeded Southern Vermont College 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the ECAC Division III New England championship tournament.

Russo put the Judges on the scoreboard at the 9:15 mark of the first half. The scoring play started when midfielder Robbie Lynch ’15 broke free of his defender on the right sideline. Lynch then sent a cross through the box to Russo who headed the ball into the back of the net for his seventh goal of the season. The assist was Lynch’s first collegiate point.

Russo added an insurance goal in the 83rd minute when back Ben Applefield ’14 dribbled to the endline and fired a hard cross that Russo headed just inside the left post. The assist was Applefield’s second of the season.

With the goal, Russo moves into Brandeis’ career top scoring list with 19 goals and eight assists for 46 points. In four career ECAC tournament games, Russo has tallied seven goals, including a spectacular fourgoal performance in the ECAC quarterfinals last year.

The Judges controlled the pace of the game from the opening kick-off, outshooting the Mountaineers 31-0 for the game. Rookie goaltender Connor Anniello kept the Mountaineers in the game with 12 saves, two shy of his career high. It was the fifth time Anniello had recorded at least 10 saves in his young collegiate career.

Brandeis goalie Blake Minchoff ’13 did not have to make any saves on his way to his 11th shutout of the season,

a new Brandeis single-season record.

With the win, Brandeis will host the semifinals and finals of the ECAC tournament. The Judges are looking to win back-to-back titles and their fourth overall. The Judges will host fifth-seeded Norwich University on Saturday at noon. The Norwich University Cadets defeated UMass Boston 3-1 in the quarterfinals. The remaining semifinal will take place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. It will pit second-seeded Albertus Magnus, fresh off a 3-2 win over Endicott, and thirdseeded Castleton State, who outlasted Worcester State 2-1 in double overtime, against each other. The championship match will take place Sunday at noon at Brandeis University.

Judges complete best season record since 2000 On senior day, Nov. 5, the Judges men’s soccer team defeated New York University in a UAA matchup at Gordon Field. Midfielder Sam Ocel ’13 scored twice in the game’s first eight minutes, the first multi-goal game of his collegiate career, to pace the team to a 2-0 victory against NYU. The Judges finished the season 12-5-1 (33-1 UAA).

Brandeis began the game applying pressure immediately on the NYU Violet’s defense and goalie. In the fifth minute of play, the Judges earned a corner kick. Forward Lee Russo ’13 played the corner kick into the middle of the box to the waiting head of midfielder Kyle Feather ’14. Feather then headed the ball toward the feet of Ocel, who was waiting on the edge of the goalie box. Ocel finished the play with a rocket past NYU’s diving rookie goalie Forrest Sexton to put the Judges ahead 1-0.

The Judges did not ease their pressure after the early goal. Just three minutes after the first goal, midfielder

photo by paula hoekstra/the hoot

Theo Harris ’12 dribbled the ball down the left side of the field. With an NYU defender quickly closing in on Harris, he crossed the ball toward the back post where Ocel was waiting once again. Ocel finished Harris’ cross with a header that narrowly went under the crossbar and into the back of the net. The goal was Ocel’s sixth of the year, tying him for the team lead.

Judges’ goalkeeper Blake Minchoff ’13 had two saves in another strong outing, earning his 10th shutout of the season. With the shutout, Minchoff moved into a tie with Jim Leahy for the Brandeis single season shutout record. Sexton finished the match with five saves against two goals for

Men’s soccer

the Violet. Brandeis outshot NYU 13-7 in the final regular season match of the year for both teams.

One of the biggest questions the Judges faced at the beginning of the season was whether Minchoff could effectively replace the previous goalie Taylor Bracken ’11. Whatever questions Minchoff may have faced coming into the season, however, he answered with flying colors. Minchoff was able to keep the Judges in every game this season with his spectacular stops, allowing the offense to chip away at any deficit.

Team

UAA

All

Washington

5–2

14–3–1

Case Western

5–2

14 – 4

Emory

4–3

10 – 8

Brandeis

3–3–1 13-5-1

Rochester

3–3–1

9–5–2

Carnegie Mellon

3–4

7–8–1

Chicago

2–5

9–7–2

NYU

2–5

7–9–1

Box Scores NYU

Win

2–0

Southern Vermont

Win

2–0

Big 12, Big Ten, Big East, Big Money

By Louis Berger Staff

As the West Virginia football team battles its Big East opponents on the gridiron, West Virginia University lawyers will be fighting a different battle against the Big East. The Mountaineers recently accepted a bid to join the Big 12 and leave the crumbling Big East conference, which recently lost Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the ACC, and can not afford another defection. They promptly issued a lawsuit against West Virginia.

The details of the legal battle aren’t relevant but one thing is clear: The number one priority of college athletics is making money. In an economic downturn, everyone has to do what they can to get by but, if this new college sports environment is driven by money, then it’s time to start spreading the wealth to the people who bring it in: the college athletes.

The conference realignment that is occurring this year is truly remarkable. Syracuse was a founding member of the Big East and their rivalries with Georgetown and UConn are among the best in basketball; however, the quality of competition is not important anymore. Could it be because Big East football is just too easy for the Orange? Probably not because Syracuse is 1-3 this year against Big East opponents and 5-9 the previous two seasons.

Pittsburgh has been in the Big East for 29 years as strong competitors in both basketball and football. They too, however, cannot resist the slightly improved fame and fortune that

comes with ACC football. Maybe it will be a natural fit; I know I’ve always thought of central New York and western Pennsylvania when I think about the Atlantic Coast Conference.

With the impending vacancies in the Big East, the conference is desperately searching for new members.

It is likely that Boise State will join as a football-only program, with Navy and Air Force possibly following as well. Were the players and coaches of the Big East consulted for this decision? No, because I doubt that Rutgers’ football players would like to travel to Idaho and Colorado for an in-conference game or that Boise State players would be excited to travel across the country three or four times a year. In addition, Missouri and Texas A&M plan to leave the Big 12 for the SEC. Nearly two years of this dizzying conference realignment has left us with 12 members in the Big Ten, 10 members in the Big 12, the SEC, which will soon have Missouri, a school most geographers would consider in the Midwest, and the Big East, which may eventually include two western schools in Boise State and Air Force. If conference identity is so important to schools today, then at least make the names more accurate. Maybe try names like “The every state but California Conference” or “The North American Conference” and if money is a problem, maybe the Big East could get McDonald’s to sponsor their conference and rename it “the Big Mac.” If conference realignment seems like a mess, that’s because it is. What is even more of a mess though is the

way that Division I college athletes are treated. We think that paying for their tuition and room and board is more than enough because they’re students first and athletes second. This isn’t the case anymore and we the fans are responsible. We’re the ones who put them on national television, in our video games, on our jerseys and elevated them to national icons. Their names, faces and talents are out in the open for our benefit, and the universities and the NCAA reap enormous profits. Earlier this year, the NCAA reached a $10.8 billion deal with CBS for March Madness, and ESPN and the BCS made a $500 million deal for the next four years. I’m sure the BCS and NCAA wouldn’t go bankrupt if they took a small portion of their profit and distributed it among the athletes responsible for filling up stadiums and attracting television viewers.

What will critics of this argument say about the other athletes like swimmers and soccer players? And what about Title IX? The answer is simple.

The athletes who generate the most revenue will earn the extra money.

This is how our country works: Brad Pitt makes more money than an extra and a college professor makes more money than a college janitor. There is no reason why capitalism shouldn’t apply to college sports.

If you still don’t see the problem in college sports today, then look at what has happened to Ohio State.

Five players were suspended for five games this season and coach Jim Tressel ultimately resigned because these athletes sold memorabilia they

earned from winning football games.

We vilified these players like they had robbed from the church collection basket when, in reality, all they did was sell things they believed they had earned. These trophies, jerseys and rings aren’t the property of the NCAA once they’re given to a player, so who can blame the Ohio State foot-

ball players for trying to make a buck from them? They certainly didn’t stand a chance of making money by simply playing football.

Full-ride scholarships may have been enough decades ago but today college athletes are too exposed and exploited not to receive more compensation.

graphic from internet source

Fencing Medalists New England Fall Collegiate Championships Vikki Nunley ’13

Women’s foil Silver Medal

Adam Mandel ’15

Men’s saber Silver Medal

Julian Cardillo ’14

Men’s foil

Bronze Metal

November 11, 2011

SPORTS 15

The Brandeis Hoot

Volleyball ends season with tournament in New York

By Gordy Stillman Editor

Last weekend the Judges volleyball team participated in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships hosted by New York University. In the first match the Judges were paired against top-seeded Emory, the second-ranked team in the country.

Unsurprisingly, the Eagles rose above the Judges with set scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 25-11.

Leading the offensive charge were outside hitters Liz Hood ’15 and Si-Si Hensley ’14 with eight kills each. Unfortunately, the offensive charge sputtered as the rest of the team combined for four kills. On defense Elsie Bernaiche ’14 led the team with 13 digs. Setter Yael Einhorn ’14 led in assists with 19 during the match.

In the next match of the tournament the Judges faced host team NYU in a consolation match. The Judges were in it to the end during the first set with a losing score of 28-26, but NYU escaped with 25-19 and 25-14 victories in the final two sets.

In the first set the Judges started off behind, trailing by up to four points.

After the score reached 13-9 against the Judges, they managed an impressive 7-1 run to take a two-point edge with the score at 16-14. Hood had two kills while Hensley had one over the stretch and Susan Sun ’14 capped the run with a service ace. After holding the lead with the score at 18-16,

the Judges gave up five points. The Judges worked back to a tie with a kill by Hensley, a block assist with Becca Fischer ’13 and an ace by Vanessa Bodie ’15. After trading the lead, Brandeis took the go-ahead point on a kill by Lauren Berens ’13. NYU got away with the set after scoring two kills that included an attacking error by the Judges.

In the second set, the Judges took an early 7-3 lead. After extending the lead to 12-8, the NYU Violets went on a five-point spree to take a 13-12 lead.

The teams traded no more than two points at a time until NYU managed another five-point run to take the set.

The third set started with NYU taking an 8-4 lead, extending that to 13-7 and holding the lead from that point forward to clinch the match.

Hood led the team with nine kills and was followed closely behind by Hensley with eight. Fischer had four kills on offense and five blocks, including two solo blocks on defense.

Bernaiche had 21 digs while Hensley added 11 and Einhorn managed 19 assists.

In their final match of the year, the Judges fought Carnegie Mellon for seventh place in the tournament. The Judges kept the scores close, with sets of 25-21, 25-23 and 25-20 but were unable to hold off the Tartans.

Once again Hood and Hensley led the team in kills, recording 10 each.

Hood ended her season with 3.20 kills per set, seventh in the UAA

and just barely behind NYU’s Sarah Buckingham for best among rookies.

Hensley’s 2.24 kills per set put her at 18th in the UAA. On defense Beraiache led the team with 14 digs. With an average 4.25 digs per set she earned the best record among rookies. Sun had 12 digs in her fifth match of the season with double digits. Additionally, Fischer earned four blocks including a solo block. Fischer now ranks ninth in the UAA with 0.78 blocks per set.

The Judges’ season ends with a 9-21 record including a 0-10 UAA record.

Volleyball Team

UAA

All

Washington

9–1

32 – 1

Emory

9–1

34 – 4

Chicago

7–3

29– 5

Case Western

5–5

22 – 10

Rochester

4–6

21 – 15

NYU

3–7

21 – 16

Carnegie Mellon

3–7

15– 15

Brandeis

0 – 10

9 – 21

Box Scores Emory

Loss

3–0

@ NYU

Loss

3–0

Carnegie Mellon

Loss

3–0

Questions remain at Penn State

By Brian Tabakin Editor

Even though Penn State fired Joe Paterno, the all-time leader in Football Bowl Series (FBS) wins with 409 during his 46-year career, significant questions still have to be answered.

Who knew what and when? Will there be any consequences for assistant coach Mike McQueary, who saw Jerry Sandusky raping a 10-year-old boy in the shower but failed to call the police? Perhaps the most damning question that will arise from this entire scandal is why nothing was done sooner.

Penn State knew about the allegations concerning Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse of young boys since 2002. According to the grand jury investigation, on March 1, 2002, thenPenn State graduate assistant Mike McQueary entered the locker room at the Lasch Football Building in order to retrieve a pair of sneakers. While in the locker room, McQueary heard “rhythmic slapping sounds” coming from the shower, which he believed were those of sexual activity. McQueary looked into the shower and saw a 10-year-old naked boy being subjected to anal sex by a naked Sandusky. McQueary immediately left distraught and called his father to ask for his advice. His father told him to call Coach Paterno, then-head football coach of Penn State, and report to him what he had seen. The glar-

ing question in this whole sequence is why didn’t McQueary stop the rape? He saw Sandusky anally raping a young boy but did nothing to stop it. McQueary could have protected the boy and gotten Sandusky to stop.

Instead, McQueary just left while the boy continued to be raped. He didn’t even call the police.

Paterno testified that he met with McQueary the next morning. Paterno then called Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley to report what McQueary had told him. What is astonishing and utterly criminal is that Curley did not contact McQueary or act on the news for a week and a half. Three weeks after the meeting, the only action that had been taken was that Sandusky’s keys to the locker room had been revoked and that the “incident” was reported to Sandusky’s foundation, The Second Mile. Not once in this entire one-month period did anyone call the police.

The Second Mile Foundation was founded by Sandusky. It focused on helping children with dysfunctional and abusive families. The program’s specific mission is to “help children who need additional support and would benefit from positive human interaction.” Instead, Sandusky took advantage of little boys who had no where else to turn. They had come to Sandusky and his foundation to escape their families and try to live a better life but instead they were subjected to sexual abuse.

Gordy’s game guesses: week 10

According to the aforementioned grand jury report, in May 1998 Sandusky told the mother of one of his many victims, “I wish I could get forgiveness. I know I won’t get it from you. I wish I were dead.” That sounds like a pretty rock-solid admission of guilt. Furthermore, in 1998 the State College police, where Penn State is located, concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest Sandusky even though he admitted to “hugging” a naked 11-year-old boy in the shower.

Penn State knew about these allegations in March 2002. But, just two weeks ago, Sandusky was seen using the weight room on the Penn State campus.

Despite knowing of these allegations Penn State never lifted a finger to stop it. The university was more worried about its football program and image instead of protecting the victims. Coach Paterno was more focused on breaking the record for all-time wins in a Division I football program than he was of stopping a sexual predator.

The question that must be asked going forward is why nothing was done sooner. Paterno and Curley both had the power to stop this monster yet neither of them did anything. It begs the question of whether Penn State knowingly and intentionally covered up these allegations and let Sandusky continue to prey on little boys in order to protect its image or was merely

Women’s soccer slides into offseason

By Alex Bernstein Staff

In their last game of the season on Saturday afternoon the Brandeis women’s soccer team lost 1-0 to University Athletic Association rival New York University. The Bobcats scored the game’s only goal in the 84th minute, ending the Judges’ season on a less than cheerful note.

The goal came on a breakaway by Bobcat sophomore forward Erin Ahmed, who shot it from approximately 25 yards out. The goal, her seventh of the season, tied her for the team high in that category. After the goal, the Judges got several opportunities to score the equalizer, including four corner kicks, but came up short each time.

Overall, NYU led in shots taken with 18 while the Judges took 16 shots. Brandeis midfielders Mimi Theodore ’12 and Sapir Edalati ’15 led the Judges with three shots each, while NYU junior Serra Tumay led the Bobcats with five shots of her own.

The game was a disappointing end to a rather disappointing season for the Judges, who ended the year 6-112, including 0-5-1 in the UAA. After winning their first two matches of the season, the Judges sputtered and lost the last three. This included a stretch of their final eight games in which they achieved only one victory.

There were high points to the season, however, according to forward Alyssa Fenenbock ’15. “Starting off ranked 18th in nation in the initial Division III poll was really exciting,” she said. Some fun memories included “traveling to Emory and Carnegie Mellon as an entire program on planes and becoming closer with both the women’s and men’s teams.

It was a really cool experience traveling far away to play soccer, especially at a Division III school. There was a

huge feeling of camaraderie amongst everyone and we got to spend much more time with the team than we normally would at home games or games that are a close bus ride away.”

Changes will need to be made, according to Fenenbock, who is encouraged for next year. “As a team, technically we are very good. We need to work on finishing and taking the chances we get. We definitely need to improve on our attack and work to rebuild the back line for next year, since we will be losing three key members.”

Fenenbock and the rest of the team know that losing the seniors will be tough. “We’re losing great leadership on and off the field, and we’re losing six starters,” she said. “They’ll be difficult to replace and we’ll have to reconstruct our lineup in order to prepare for next year.”

Fenenbock laid down the team’s goals for next year. She said that the Judges want “to improve on [their] record from this year, do better in conference games and make a postseason. Ideally we would like to make NCAAs but, if not, make ECACs.”

Women’s soccer Team

UAA

All

Emory

6–0–1

15–0–2

Washington

5–2

15 – 4

Case Western

4–2–1

12–3–3

NYU

3–4

12 – 6

Carnegie Mellon

3–4

9–7

Chicago

2–3–2

9–6–2

Rochester

2–4–1

8–7–1

Brandeis

0–6–1 6-11-2 Box Scores

NYU

Loss

1–0

photo from internet source

negligent.

In the coming weeks, many facts will be revealed. Already more disturbing reports are coming out of Penn State. According to Mark Madden, a prominent radio host in Pittsburgh, in an interview on the WEEI sports radio network, Sandusky is rumored to have been “pimping out” boys to prominent donors of the Second Mile Foundation. Put simply, Sandusky may have been running a child prostitution ring.

Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles Tennessee Titans at Carolina Panthers Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons St. Louis Rams at Cleveland Browns

Many will cry foul that poor old Joe is being scapegoated in this whole scandal but these people fail to realize the most important issue: Joe Paterno is not the victim here. The victims are the 20 and counting boys that were sexually abused and raped by Jerry Sandusky. In the history of sports there have been numerous scandals; however, this is already the worst scandal in the history of sports and there is much information still to be released.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals Baltimore Ravens at Seattle Seahawks New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears New England Patriots at New York Jets Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers Last week’s record: 7-7 2011 season’s record: 73-41

Arts, etc.

16 The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2011

Dance groups ‘Take the Lead’ at annual Dancefest

By Juliette Martin Special to the Hoot

As a broad exhibition of the many dance styles at Brandeis, Dancefest 2011 at Levin Ballroom on Nov. 9 presented a hefty two hours of passionate dancers sharing what they love with an enthusiastic and engaged audience. Each routine was an engaging and truly enjoyable experience, with styles ranging from hip-hop to African dance to ballet. Overall, Dancefest was an interesting and alluring event.

Dancefest opened with “Keep on Dancing,” choreographed by Sam Cortez, which set the tone for the show with a smile and an intensely expressive piece. Though numerous pieces of music were used for the routine, each flowed effortlessly from one to the next, creating a single, connected experience. The number ends on the lyric, “Keep on dancing till the world ends,” from the song “Till the World Ends” by Britney Spears, a sentiment that set the driving pace, passion and tone of the show as a whole.

The first act of the show lasted an hour and featured acts by numerous Brandeis dance troupes, including an alumni crew, in addition to acts

by Suffolk University and Simmons College. My personal favorite of the first half of the show was Begin/Restart, put on by the Adagio Dance Ensemble and choreographed by Kayla Dinces ’12. Set to the heavy, moody “Intro” by the xx, the routine had an almost enchanting air with graceful synchronicity. The immersive number hinted at a deeper story that made the routine truly come together. I was also particularly struck by the alumni routine, a simple and somber performance set to “Hospital Beds” by Florence and the Machine and “Hospital Beds” by Cold War Kids. With a great sense of mood and purpose both in motion and music, the number was solemn and enchanting.

The final number of act one was put on by Kaos Kids and choreographed by Shaquan Perkins ’13, Stephanie Ramos ’14, Christin Lee

’14, JP Weigand MA ’12, Sam Cortez ’13, David Robles ’13 and Sang Joon Lee ’13 to enormous audience fanfare.

The love on campus for this group is apparent, a remark on the high quality of the show. The performance was engaged with the music and showcased the performers’ skills without overtly favoring any particular dancers. The audience enthusiasm is clearly well earned, with an entertaining and intense show that tied a sense of an almost post-apocalyptic story grounded in modern hip-hop culture.

The second act began with a deeply thematic piece, “Let Yourself Go,” choreographed by Taylor Lombard ’13. This swift, abrasive routine really challenges the audience, staring the observer in the face in a number about the triumph of overcoming fear and uncertainty with swift motion and intense lighting. The second half of the show continued to feature various Brandeis dance crews including the So Unique Step Team and the semi-professional Israeli dance troupe, B’yachad. Additionally, act two featured routines by troops from Bentley and Tufts universities.

In this act, I was particular struck by a routine called “Restraint,” set to “Otherside” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and choreographed by Jessica Urbach ’14. There was a very minimalist feel both to the music and the movement, creating an emotive routine full of beauty and melancholia.

Throughout the number, the dancers maintained expressions that were half numb, half hurt. These looks, a facial manifestation of what they were trying to dance, truly maintained the emotions conveyed throughout the routine. Each dancer truly looked like a person past their breaking point, which fit perfectly with the themes: the idea that we all must know our limits.

After two hours of passionate dance, the show ended on another number by the Adagio Dance Ensemble called “Invasion,” choreographed by Melanie Shapiro ’12. This creative routine about aliens invading Brandeis ended the show on a truly memorable note with an eerie and

just dance Groups perform at Take the Lead: Dancefest 2011 on Nov. 9.

entertaining number set partially (and quite surprisingly) to dubstep.

This routine stood out quite notably from the rest thanks to its sense of story, creepy atmosphere and unusual music, making it a great, notable end to the show as a whole.

With an enthusiastic audience and

passionate dancers, there was a wonderful energy to the entire show. I was particularly impressed with the apparent dedication of the dancers in all the troupes; it was clear that an enormous amount of time and effort went into each routine. Furthermore, there was something quite inspiring

photos by nate rosenbloom/the hoot

in the show and its dancers. Watching these passionate people almost made me wish I could be a dancer. With 22 performances in total, including four by visiting colleges and universities, Take the Lead: Dancefest 2011 presented a full two hours of immersive and engaging dance.

Documentary explores homosexuality in Israel

By Dana Trismen Staff

photo from internet source

azar visits Assi Azar brought his documentary “Mom and Dad: I Have Something to Tell

You” to Brandeis as part of “Out in Israel Month.”

The 45-minute documentary “Mom and Dad: I Have Something to Tell You”—shown as part of “Out in Israel Month”—has something to say not only to parents of gay children in Israel, but to all people in every country.

The documentary was presented at a screening this past Monday at the Wasserman Cinematheque on campus and was sponsored by both the Schusterman Center for Israeli Studies and Brandeis’ Film Television and Interactive Media Department.

“Mom and Dad: I Have Something to Tell You” reveals the hardships of being out of the closet in Israel.

Assi Azar, the creator of the film and a well-known Israeli TV personality, starring on Israel’s version of “Big Brother,” was present at the screening. He prefaced the film by explaining his hopes that it would help others in Israel come out to their parents like he did. He also mentioned the tension that exists from being gay in Israel, a country that holds religion in great importance. Azar is trying to show that being gay in a religious country is possible and that there are other forms of reaction than hate.

The documentary itself used multiple perspectives to discuss what being gay and coming out in Israel

was really about. Sometimes the film focused on Azar and his personal experience coming out to his parents.

There were also interviews with other gay Israeli celebrities who discussed their own experiences.

The movie also detailed Azar traveling to people’s homes in Israel to discuss with parents and their gay children their feelings on coming out. There were different reactions here: Some parents were totally accepting; other parents admitted they would no longer speak to their children.

Though it served the purpose of the documentary, I felt this section was a personal journey for Azar himself. He seemed to be seeking information about how other parents reacted as a sort of soothing exercise to calm his own feelings about coming out. I felt as though by hearing other parents’ reactions and how other homosexual children had handled their family’s tension, Azar was able to come to terms with how his parents, for the most part, now accept him as gay. The camera angles here caused me to believe this. It would show Azar walking up the stairs and knocking on peoples’ doors, as if he had a physical quest to complete and could only accomplish it by traveling around with a video camera.

What was the most prominent reaction to coming out in a place like

Israel? Though many parents insisted they still loved their son or daughter, most did not fully accept the gay label. Many of the parents seemed to be trying to turn their child straight or insisted that it was just a phase. Many of the interviewed also discussed battling the stereotypes of being gay.

Azar said when he told his parents, his mother just pictured him never having children, instead constantly attending half-naked parties in an altered state.

This isn’t the lifestyle Azar leads but he is forced to live with the implications of the stereotype every day.

Many of the parents seemed unable to think beyond the sexual act itself, claiming it made them sick just thinking about it. One mother told her son it would have been better to see him badly hurt in a car accident than to have to hear he was being sexually active with another man.

Many of the children in the interviews were upset with their parents for not noticing they were gay; many of them had acted and felt different from others since childhood. Azar mentions this probably stems from the parents’ denial.

I thoroughly enjoyed this screening and was a little upset that not more people were in attendance. Because of the screening time (dur See AZAR, page 19

November 11, 2011

The Brandeis Hoot

ARTS, ETC. 17

‘Godot’ well worth the wait

By Candice Bautista Editor

The show begins with a ragged man trying to remove his boot. He yelps in anguish as he fails to remove it. Another man appears, almost as scruffy looking, and does not assist in removing the boot. Eventually, the first man gets it off, looks inside and notices nothing is there.

This is how “Waiting for Godot” begins. The show, written by Samuel Beckett and staged by the Brandeis Players, is an absurdist play that is simultaneously about nothing and everything at once. The entire play is literally about two men, Vladimir (Christopher Knight ’14) and Estragon (Dan Katz ’12), waiting for a man named Godot, someone neither of them really know or are sure to recognize. Everything else that happens is just a result of the pair trying to pass the time, whether it be wearing each other’s hats, contemplating suicide, or interacting with Pozzo and Lucky, an uncomfortable yet amazing pairing consisting of Grace Fosler ’14 and Stephen Badras ’12, respectively.

Before delving into the plot, the set has to be remarked upon. “Godot” was housed in Ridgewood A Common, a stage that worked amazingly well. Though the set consisted of only a very homey tree and a bench, Brandeis Players made good use of everything immediately available to them from the stairs to the exits. In fact, Vladimir and Estragon spend a good amount of time ascending and descending the stairs as well as hanging on the banister. Lighting was also effective, whether it was a huge spotlight on the stage or stars to create a night setting. The best part about the set, though, was that it was a familiar setting. Although it meant limited seating—there were about 30 to 40 seats, with a handful of people sit-

ting on the floor—it made the show that much more intimate. It made the show seem that much more realistic.

We felt Vladimir and Estragon’s dread as time passed, just as we were more and more anxious as time went on with nothing happening.

It is difficult to make a play interesting when it is about nothing but only in this way was it apparent how much Brandeis Players really shone.

The acting was always exactly how acting should be in an absurdist play: always ridiculous while also maintaining a somber mood. After all, this play is about waiting for someone who never comes. When Estragon suggests committing suicide, the audience laughs not because they find suicide particularly humorous but because, in the context of their setting, it seems like a reasonable idea as a way to pass the time. When Estragon dozes off, becoming even poorer company to Vladimir, the audience can’t help but feel a little sympathetic for Estragon.

Indeed, Knight and Katz’s performances are what keep the show together and interesting. Their chemistry is amazing to watch as they continue to bicker about nothing and offer each other the company they desperately need. When Estragon is hungry, Vladimir provides a carrot.

Their dynamic is simple yet complex.

In the playbill, it is explicitly stated that Estragon is meant to convey the body and Vladimir the mind. This fact alone is enough to keep the audience attempting to interpret what’s happening and whether Godot is actually God. Part way into Act I, Pozzo and Lucky appear as a duo to whom we compare Vladimir and Estragon. Pozzo looks to be some sort of dominatrix with a snooty accent and Lucky as a sort of pet/servant on a leash. Lucky does whatever Pozzo tells him to and, at first, it appears that Pozzo is the

frightening one in the relationship, occasionally inhaling what appear to be drugs and insanely susceptible to bouts of hysterical laughter. Lucky, on the other hand, is continuously either falling asleep or drooling while all the while looking rabid.

Soon after Vladimir and Estragon ask Lucky to speak, however, his madness appears full-fledged as he bursts into a lengthy stream of consciousness. Badras has now established himself as a truly terrifying actor, reflecting on his performance as Richard III in Hold Thy Peace’s “Margaret: a Tiger’s Heart,” and his presence in the play was a beautiful contrast to Pozzo and Lucky’s relationship to Vladimir and Estragon’s relationship. Act I ends with a boy (Barbara Rugg ’15) apologizing for Godot’s absence but assuring them that Godot will arrive the next day.

Act II brought the existential/religious/open-ended themes of the play back home as Vladimir notices that the tree appears to have grown leaves overnight. As he reflects on the previous day, it is increasingly apparent that Estragon doesn’t remember the previous day at all and doesn’t remember Pozzo or Lucky. Vladimir breaks down, stating that it seems they are living the same day over and over, further establishing the timelessness of their state and of the play. He threatens to leave Estragon there by the tree but cannot bring himself to actually leave, once again bringing up the ideas of body versus mind. Estragon continuously forgets and Vladimir continuously reminds him, just as the body is forced to live everyday with the only way of knowing time is passing by the mind reminding itself. One cannot live without the other, even in this lifelong wait.

“Waiting for Godot” was a beautifully accomplished play and is a great testament to the quality of work done by the Brandeis Players.

‘waiting’ At top, Vladimir (Christopher Knight) and Estragon (Dan Katz) stare in awe. At top right, Lucky (Stephen Badras) and Pozzo (Grace Fosler) ponder their next move. At center right, Vladimir and Estragon stare at the stars. At bottom, Vladimir and Estragon find out from a boy (Barbara Rugg) that they have to wait another day for Godot.

photos by nafiz “fizz ” ahmed/the hoot

18 ARTS, ETC.

The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2011

Lethem shares ‘The Ecstasy of Influence’ at reading

By Sean Fabery Editor

I’ve never been the biggest fan of author readings. This isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy them but you have to admit they’re strange things. Whenever an author stands up to speak, I’m always taken by the thought that those of us in the audience are like spectators at a zoo. And, just as zoos desperately try to simulate natural habitats, we expect writers to say something earth shattering and new, as though readings are like reiterations of the writing process in miniature.

When I heard that novelist Jonathan Lethem would be speaking at the Brattle Theater this week (as part of an event organized by the Harvard Book Store), I knew I had to go.

It’s not just that I’m a big fan of his work; each month it feels like dozens of literary luminaries pass through Cambridge, yet I always manage to talk myself out of seeing them. No, Lethem was different. You see, at the moment I’m writing my senior essay about three of his works. I’ve spent the last few months consumed by his works.

Needless to say, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

Lethem was at the Brattle to promote his new collection, “The Ecstasy of Influence: Nonfictions, etc.”

The 437-page tome contains roughly a quarter of his uncollected works, the majority of them essays. The most famous is the eponymous “The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism,” originally published in Harper’s Magazine in 2007, which serves as a rallying cry for the open source arts movement.

Lethem began the evening by reading several selections from the collection. He first read the essay “Stops,” in which he describes the interlude in which a book has been completed but not yet published as “a version of Schrödinger’s cat, unchangeably neither dead nor alive” and details all the self-doubt that fosters.

jonathan lethem

He followed this with “The Drew Barrymore Stories,” five short vignettes that all revolve around Lethem and Drew Barrymore encountering a series of living and dead celebrities. In each, Barrymore’s trademark perkiness alleviates tense, wonderfully absurd situations. One involved Lethem and Barrymore in a hot tub in Sausalito with Jack Keruoac and Truman Capote (Capote famously described Keruoac’s writing as “typing”).

After Lethem finished reading, he took questions from the audience. At first, there was that moment of silence in which everyone secretly hopes that someone, somewhere, will have a question.

Who are his favorite writers? Lethem listed Roberto Bolaño, Christina Stead and Raymond Chandler, who heavily influenced his first novel “Gun, with Occasional Music.”

He also spoke especially highly of Jorge Luis Borges.

photo from internet source

“Borges is terribly important to me … ‘Chronic City’ is like a giant Borges story,” he said.

Lethem described his fifth novel, 1999’s “Motherless Brooklyn,” as a major breakthrough, because it was his first novel to use a real, contemporary city as its backdrop. He described it as “a kind of Valentine to Brooklyn.”

Most importantly, perhaps, the novel allowed him to get a better grip on incorporating the real into his writing, allowing him to transition into essays. He described it as learning how “to put a character named Jonathan Lethem into them.”

He also discussed the effects of the collection’s title essay. After its publication, Lethem started the Promiscuous Materials Project. He posted several of his short stories online and gave permission for anyone to use them as part of their own art projects.

“It’s for everyone and no one, and no one has to pay me,” he explained.

So far, he estimates 15 to 20 short films have been based upon these stories. One theater group in Chicago renamed themselves The Plagiarists and staged several of the stories.

Lethem also spoke about Occupy Wall Street. He is one of the hundreds of writers who signed the Occupy Writers pledge in support of the movement.

He said the movement’s “genius” lay in its “demandless demand,” its refusal to allow itself to be condensed down to any one talking point.

Lethem concluded the evening by reading a final selection that discussed his own feelings about readings and interviews. There’s the joy of discovering all the “secret readers” who come together to hear one writer speak, but also the acknowledgement that “nothing that I do makes me qualified to talk on this or that.”

After a few more questions, Lethem left the stage to begin signing

copies of the book. Before the reading began, I told myself I wouldn’t buy it just yet—after all, by the time I’ll be able to read it, it’ll be available in paperback. Glancing at the wellappointed table covered with copies, I couldn’t help myself. I bought it and got in line.

As someone who’s only done this kind of thing once—and then only to get a book signed that I hated, that I’d only bought for a class—I was vaguely terrified. Should I mention my essay?

Would that be weird?

Ultimately, I didn’t—it was over before I’d even really thought about it.

I handed my copy to the lady assisting him and asked him how he was doing.

“Doing great,” he said.

“I really like your books,” I responded, using the generic as a crutch. Then I paused.

“Especially when they involve Truman Capote in a hot tub.”

‘Improv Asylum’ provides a crazy good time

By Yael Katzwer Editor

We were crammed into a hot and sweaty basement surrounded by slightly drunk people. The group settled behind us was a little too drunk, laughing too loudly at nothing. We were sitting there, waiting for the show to begin, a little nervous.

That was how my evening at Improv Asylum in the North End began last weekend. I had no clue as to what to expect and was shocked at how many drunken people were there.

But my misgivings were assuaged once the lights went out and the show began.

Improv Asylum’s improv and sketch comedy show was a blast.

Nearly every joke landed, leaving the audience in stitches. With a decent balance between prepared sketches and improvisation, the six comedians in the center of the room showed verve and wit throughout the show.

They kept things fresh with dialogue, song and dance and their minimal use of props and costumes allowed the audience to focus on the comedy rather than the flash.

I enjoyed the scripted sketches a bit more than the improv, although both were entertaining. One of the best sketches featured the four most talented of the comedians. In this sketch Matt Catanzano plays a frustrated principal who has called in two parents, Evan Kaufman and Jane Blaney, to discuss bullying. Kaufman immediately begins to sympathize with the principal, saying how difficult it can be to deal with bullying and how he

photo from internet source

improv asylum Actors perform at Improv Asylum in Boston. Improv Asylum uses both scripted skits and improvised acts in its perfor-

mances.

himself remembers his harsh days in school when he was called “douchestick.” The principal is quick to correct the parents and tell them that their son is in fact the bully—bullying other bullies.

At this point Daniel Faneuf comes on stage, taller than everyone else there, as their middle school-aged son. The parents are at first horrified that their son is beating up other children … until they hear that the nerds are calling him the Dark Knight. Because that is just awesome! Faneuf does a hilarious Bale-esque Batman impression as his parents pat him on the back for being so bad-ass. Meanwhile, Catanzano has a near panic attack, trying to get everyone to re-

member that bullying is a bad thing to do. The sketch ended when Faneuf, who is more than a foot taller than Catanzano, lifted Catanzano onto his shoulders and carried him, pleading, from the stage.

Catanzano and Blaney were clearly the best comedians, however, and they brought a certain dynamism to every scene they were in. During one improvisation, Catanzano was playing a boy lost in a cave and Blaney was skulking around quite creepily and asking him funny questions.

While the sketch itself was not so funny, their energy made it worthwhile.

While all the actors were good, some were not as good as others.

Trevor Livingston and Patty Barrett were not as good and their humor seemed more juvenile and less polished, even in the prepared sketches.

I was not shocked when I saw in the playbill that Barrett was an understudy.

Despite this, one of my favorite sketches of the evening featured the two of them. They played a young couple who were trying to get a night of romance but awkward Livingston can’t stop talking about Magic Kingdom and he is somewhat unwilling to take down the giant picture of him and his parents. Then, as the two are trying to sex each other up, the sexy mix-tape his brother made him begins spewing out his brother’s sex

advice. We were given gold such as, “Remember, this is a journey. You want to make sure that you both get to your destination.” Barrett kept pulling back, clearly freaked out, because Livingston’s mix-tape kept talking about her “destination” and her “mood.”

The coup de grace was delivered when they swapped out mix-tapes and suddenly Barrett’s mother can be heard advising her daughter.

Another great moment, for the audience as a whole and for my group and me in particular, was when a Brandeis psychology graduate student was called on stage for his birthday. After eliciting some facts from him about his life, such as how he met his girlfriend, also a Brandeis psych grad student, while playing intramural basketball, the actors put on quite the show. They had psychology jokes, philosophy jokes when one of them got a little confused, Brandeis jokes, basketball jokes and so on. Their tech guy even put a photo of Brandeis up on their monitors.

The reason the show worked so well was because of the atmosphere.

Although the theater-in-the-square format of their theater, which is housed under a CVS, did sometimes limit our view, the actors were loud and could be heard over the raucous laughter. And, although the audience seemed to be comprised of semi-inebriated people in their late 20s, the people sitting around us really did contribute to the relaxed atmosphere.

One of my friends remarked to me, “I love it here. You can laugh as loudly as you want.” And laugh loudly we did.

November 11, 2011

ARTS, ETC. 19

The Brandeis Hoot

‘Project Runway’ winner impresses in finale

By Victoria Aronson

Arts Recommends film

Staff

Millions gazed as gold-splattered patterns brimming with vibrancy flowed down the runway, sleek reflections of mirrored pieces glittered before the audience’s eyes and innovative spectacles of plastic garments pranced alongside polished, creamy designs.

“Project Runway” had reached its momentous season nine finale locale, the runway show at Mercedes-Benz fashion week, where only four talented and persevering designers succeeded in gaining a spot—but only one would emerge truly victorious. As Heidi Klum says, in the cruel world of fashion “one day you’re in and the next day you’re out.”

For those who are not avid fans like myself, “Project Runway” is a reality television show seeking the most talented and promising designers to compete for the opportunity to display their collections at the Mercedes-Benz fashion show. Week after week, the show forces the competitors to utilize their creative abilities to create inspired designs under severe time constraints and limited budgets. In past seasons, designers have been challenged to create sophisticated, luxurious garments from unconventional materials, such as those found at a pet store. Throughout the show’s history, in the last few moments before the runway show unfolds, emotions rage in what host Tim Gunn deems a “make it work moment.”

As I watched the season nine finale, Kimberley Goldston introduced elegant dresses, yet concluded her collection with sad, heavy satin pieces of disproportionate shapes. Although Victor Luna created intriguing tops utilizing reflective mirrored fabrics, his over-reliance on sheer black materials left the collection with a less than sophisticated feel, while his pieces were sure to prove unflattering on any body type not satisfying the ideal proportions of a model. Astonished, I watched in dismay as designer Joshua McKinley sent a pair of laced, neon green shorts down the runway, disgracing his entire collection and indicating his utterly questionable taste level.

Perhaps the timing of the show was indicative of the final results. As Anya Ayoung-Chee’s collection dramatically unfolded down the runway, her mastery of patterns and effortless style proved to be a strong conclusion to an otherwise disappointing exhibition. The Caribbean influence of bold, dramatic patterns created an easy, flowing sultry air as the models swept down the runway. As I watched Anya’s designs from my own television screen, I felt myself transported to a tropical, exotic island, a world of cascading sunlight, the crashing of waves the only sound impressed upon my ears and the taste of salt lingering in the air. To what can only be credited to utter genius, Anya maneuvered her way past inexperience and delved into the techniques of sewing only to produce a truly stunning collection reminiscent of her inner passion and natural abilities.

Thus, it came as no shock when Anya was announced as the winner of season nine after the judges’ deliberation. A former model, Anya represented her home country, Trinidad

photo from internet source

‘Rocket Science’ anya ayoung-chee

photo from internet source

and Tobago, in the Miss Universe Pageant.

Although she obtained her degree from Parsons School of Design, she began sewing only months before appearing on “Project Runway,” demonstrating her innate talent and refusal to succumb to the judgments of other, less-thansupportive designers. While introducing her collection, Anya revealed the source of inspiration and emotion behind her work to be her brother Pillar, who died in a car accident in 2007.

Anya’s success did not cease with winning the season nine of “Project Runway.” She was voted the fan favorite of the show, an honor that left her with a prize of $10,000. Anya attributes this demonstration of support to a larger movement, stating, “Trinidad is currently in a state of emergency because crime has escalated, which means there’s a curfew every night … This whole thing, Fan Favorite, became about Trinidadians feeling proud. It lifted people’s spirits. I can’t downplay how much of an impact this has had. Because we are currently in a bad state and people are quite upset about it, voting for me as Fan Favorite became a shining light amidst of all of the depression.”

Recognizing her Caribbean roots and demonstrating her generosity, Anya announced her plans to establish a loan program to aid those who wish to pursue creative careers in her native country, while also donating $5,000 to fellow designer Anthony Ryan’s Rock One Campaign.

Ultimately, I personally feel Anya has succeeded in fulfilling an image yearned for by so many women globally. Her powerful yet flowing, dramatic yet effortless and breathtaking yet simple designs capture the image of an exotic, beautiful and independent individual who so many women aspire to become. In doing so, Anya has truly succeeded as a designer, transcending not only aesthetic visions in terms of what women want to wear but the confident persona they wish to possess as well.

Azar has ‘Something to Tell’ AZAR, from page 16

assi azar

photo from internet source

ing classes at noon), the location (the edge of campus) and inadequate publicity, there were very few people in the audience. Those who were present were mainly professors or graduate students. This is a very important topic. It is not just about coming out in Israel; it can transcend and apply to coming out in America.

One interviewee told a story of how he had been attacked while at a gay youth club in Israel. When he called his father to tell him he was going into surgery, his father refused to come visit him, telling him he was disowned.

The interviewee said he felt as if he had been shot twice that day—once physically and once by his father’s words. He heartbreakingly reminded viewers that his father should “wake up—I’m his son.”

This is the message that everybody should take away from this documentary: It is a wakeup call to the world to be more accepting of those who are gay.

An indie film about a 15-year-old stutterer learning to debate sounds questionable. Combine that with an obsessive-compulsive kleptomaniac for an older brother and a father walking out, and it sounds pretty awful.

“Rocket Science,” however, pulls this background together and creates a charming protagonist in the form of Hal (Reese Thompson). Hal is recruited by the very pretty star of the policy debate team, Ginny (Anna Kendrick), and, even though it’s the worst idea, Hal is soon smitten with Ginny and agrees to be her debate partner. Hal has a hard time speaking at debate practice, however, and when Ginny tries to comfort him, he kisses her, which seemingly results in Ginny transferring to another school.

“Rocket Science” emerges as one of those high school movies in which the hero isn’t actually the hero and sometimes feels too real. But it is in that aspect that “Rocket Science” shines and results as a movie that stays in mind for a good while after seeing it.

candice bautista, editor

film

photo from internet source

‘Hard Candy’ Without any background, “Hard Candy” begins like a typical Lifetime movie. Girl meets man on the Internet, man invites girl over to his house and trouble ensues in a way that terrifies the middle-aged women that watch Lifetime. The girl in this movie is not just any girl, however, she is tough 14-year-old Hayley Stark played by a pre-“Juno” Ellen Page. The man in question is 32-year-old photographer Jeff (Patrick Wilson) who is a handsome man—not who you would imagine for a pedophile. After meeting in a cafe, Hayley persuades Jeff to take her home and that’s where things go unexpectedly.

Long story short, Hayley puts a roofie in Jeff ’s drink and he awakens tied to a chair. Soon, Jeff is seen begging for his life as Hayley asks him what happened to a local girl who was recently kidnapped and remains missing.

Hayley psychologically tortures Jeff from asphyxiating him into unconscious to tazing him.

This movie is a thriller and is emotionally taxing because we don’t know with whom to side. It is never clear that Jeff is responsible for the kidnapping, though it’s clear his intentions with Hayley were suspicious. On the other hand, Hayley’s torture methods are a bit inhumane. “Hard Candy” is an amazing film featuring Ellen Page as a questionable heroine.

candice bautista, editor

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The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2011