Volume 33, Issue 5 (April 2002) - The Rampage

e RamPage

Volume XXXIII Number 5

The Ramaz Upper School

April 2002/lyar 5762

Yeshiva Youth Rally for Israel

6,000 yeshiva students assembled in solJdarity in midtown Manhattan. The rally for Israel rccch·cd attention from local and foreign press.

Where Did You Go, GO?

Inside this Issue

Rabbi Lookstein's Birthday - page 5

Interview with Cito - page 9

Schechter Schools Still at Standstill - page JO

The Curse Continues: Boys B-Ball Loses - page 12

By Alex Talcl

, TI1e GO has long been presence m the school.; Sam Frommer '02 was nddlcd with controversy, harsh accusations and picas equally skeptical. "I know that for action. Some have even GO's have never really done suggested that the GO merely much, but this one 1s really plays the part of "pawn" for the Ramaz Admrn1stralion, and that its mtegnty IS lack­ ing. 1l1crc have also been rcs1gna110ns, such as that of for­ mer treasurer Ithamar Silver '00, and all th!S while Ramaz students have pleaded for an authontat1vc body of elected officers.

Th,s year's GO has had the unenviable task of livmg up to the rcputntton of the pre­ vious GO. "I thought they were great," said Ben Treasurer Jesse Dlcncnfcld Bernstein 'OJ of last year's '03 with Rabbi Segal.

GO reprcscnlntivcs. "They not doing much," he said. really expressed our voices Some students have even voiced thctr concern with and opinions."

Recently, students have unfuUillcd campmgn promis­ been particularly crillcal of es. "I henrd a lot about this year's GO. "I don't really Pnrmcsan cheese commg back feel like they're doing much," for good and add111ons to the said Shana Bloom 03. ''You soda selection," said Eltza (continued o,i page 4) don't exactly feel the GO's 1

By Daniel \Veiner At a time when the State of Israel confronts violence and tcrronsm on a daily basis, an organization compnsed of high school teenagers planned a rally to demonstrate their solidarity with Israel. The Nalional organization, Council of Yesh1vot m Support of Israel (NCYSI) attracted many schools, and over six thousand students attended.

NCYSI was founded by two students, HAFTR Bcnp.mm Rubm and Baruch Danzger, both now presidents of the orgamzalion. The group was started because many students felt "that they5 were always bemg told to do somethmg but never really had any way to help," said Rubin.

As the orgunizati_on grew., bringing tn student delegates from other Yeshivot, two girls from Westchester Hebrew HighSchool. Ma1tal Fnedman and Caryn Friedman (unrelat­ ed), came up with the idea for a rally.

The group received some assistance from various adults and organizations, includmg the Jewish Community Relations Counc1\, the Board of Jewish Educatton, and

Yaakov Haller. the director of Israel Emergency Sohdanty Fund.

"The rally was mtcndcd to thank the United States for being Israel's one true ally and to get teens involved m some way in order to show our soh­ danty with Israel," according to Josh Rubin. a Westchester Hebrew High School JUmor and the Executive Coordinator of NCYSI. To plan the rally, student delegates from vanous ycsluvot met with several adults approx1matcly every two weeks. "There were many long meetings. People really donated a lot of thCU" lime to bnng about this show of sohdanty," noted Rubm.

During the rally, the majority of the speeches were delivered by teens, although many of them did not wntc

their own remarks. Caryn Friedman gave the first speech and affirmed that "Amcncan teenagers have lost their 1nno­ cence.·• "We arc here to pro­ claim that enough 1s enough/' announced Fncdman.

Benjy Rubm and many of the other speakers reiterated the statement that "enough 1s enough." Cheryl Zucker­

(co11ti1111ed 011 page 5)

New Schools Pose Threat to Ramaz

By Jacob Savage With the opening of sev­ eral new Jewish high schools m the New York metropolitan area, Ramaz finds itself in the unusual position of having to fight to attract quality students to its schools.

Explaining the decline m the number of applicants to the schools, Mr. Rochlin, Assislant Admm1strntor at Ramnz, said, "More people arc opplying and going to olhcr schools hke North Shore, lleschel, nnd Frisch."

He also mentioned that this yenr there were roughly "135 opplicants for about 65 spots."

However, according to

Mrs. Lassner, Director of Adm1ss1ons, tlus was only a "decrease of about 7" from the previous ycur. Mrs. Lassoer did acknowledge, however, that the school took "more students ofT the waiting list than m previous yeprs." As Mr. Rochlin explained, "We hove seen some change m the number of students who have nccepted us, although we will have a full freshman class."

Though this might seem to mdicntc a drop m the quali­ ty of next ycnr's class, Mrs. Lnssncr insisted that the school was "happy to tum to (co11/i,i11ed on page JO)

Page 2

April 2002/Jyor 5762

The R2mPage

Editorial Page

The GO's Disappearing Act

Ramshackles

It seems that the GO has once agai n found a way to dodge the barrage of crillc1sm it receives year after year. Only this time, the GO hasn't appc::iscd Ramaz's cynics with a "Pay-1t­ Forward.. campaign or fought valiantly for a Student 8111 of Rights. This tune, It has simply disappeared.

The current Ramaz GO has been insufferably quiet throughout the year. Its members make little attempt to com­ municate with the student body about their proceedings, and they have hnle, 1f any, day-to-day presence i n the school.

There have been no projects, no missions, no dispropor­ tionately optimistic attempts to brmg sp1rituahty back to Ramaz. The students have not received a single. word confirm­ mg that their representatives continue to represent them. Our GO, quite simply, does not appear to be an organization that puts service to the students first.

So, what can they do? How can our beloved GO tum the comer and reestablish its ties with the student body? Well, for one thing, they might try talkmg to us agam. Can you remem­ ber the last time a GO member pubhcly addressed the school Ramaz students have made their peace with FLIK. for any reason other than a chagigil?

And what 1f there really 1s no cause for a GO member to speak? \Vhat if everything outside of s1mcha dancing simply docs not warrant a rcprcscntatwe·s ascent to the aud1tonum microphone? In the event that this 1s indeed possible, it might Dear Students, 9/11 rescue workers. As we also be ·nice to sec a GO representauve ask a random student in We hope that everyone watched the situation m Israel the hallway how his or her day 1s going. It would be nice to sec had an cn oyablc Pesach and worsen, organized we J a GO 1ha1 demonstrated some degree of interest m the well that everyone 1s revitalized for fundraisers, attended ralltcs, bemg of Its students. the final stretch of the term. and demonstrated our pnori­ Quite sincerely, 11 would help the student body to know that As the school year wmds t1es. We have much to be the GO still existed. It would help to know that the GO has not do\\11, so does our service on proud of and we pray for bet­ completely lost faith m its ab1hty to help the student body and the GO, and we thank every­ ter times. m the student body's capacity for being helped. We'd hkc to one for g1vmg us the opportu­ We have truly cnJoyed ·hmk we still have a smidgen of hope for improvement. Our nity to represent and serve the this year at Ramaz. Both m the leaders need to provide it. student body. classroom and out, we have all The student body tried the GO's "'Pay-it-Forward." I think The year has ccrtamly had memorable expcnenccs. it's lime they paid us back. been unforgettable. These past We had enormous turnouts at (This editorial reflects the majority, rather tha11 the 1111an­ nmc months have proven that our Chag1got, an awesome imous, opi11io11 of the Editorial staff.) when the Umted States and lime on the ski tnp, and we Israel face adversity, Ramaz look forward to a great Lag students take 1mllat1vc. \Vhen Ba'omer. tragedy struck on the second It 1s hard to believe that day of class, we packed over a this moment has already thousand sandwh1ches for th· .,mvrrl hut 1t is almost time lo

GO Letter

Let My People Hack

As the legends and myths of older limes confess, Ramaz was a cool place many years ago, Sadly enough, however, the gray edifice has b�cn housmg a grayer mtcnor as of late, and students have begun to feel 1t. And so with hackcy-sack the unfortunate trend continues, The mcrcasmg talk about the game's negative effects on the Ramaz community 1s of particular concern. Faculty and admm1st.rat1on have raised complaints about the excessive noise and wall m:nks that hackey-sack supposedly generates, The facul­ ty's clamor, however, is simply a testament to their lack of interest m the students.

At a recent SFAC meeting, a proposal was put forth to limit the areas m which sludcnts can play. l11e supporters of this proposol claim that they arc lrying to reach a. compromise on the hackcy-sa.ck s1tuilt1on by banning the game only from the Fourth and Sixth Floor lounges, However, this 1s no compro• misc: without anywhere for students to play, the game would be effccllvcly cl1mmatcd.

Hackey-sack brings a touch of levity to an otherwise tedious and bonng day. Students need an easy outlet for thctr anxieties :lnd pressures of classes and commitments, and hack­ ey-sack provides 1h1s for many !;tudents throughout the school.

Furthennorc, the damages that lhc game causes arc qucs­ t1onable at best. Lounge noise-levels o!len exceed that of a hackey-sack game, and 1f teachers were to occasionally spend five minutes m the lounge chatting with students, perhaps they might also recognize this. The occasional sneaker mark on the wall is a tnv1al sacnfice for the betterment of a student's day, Hackey-sack 1s truly a unique game. It is a game in which no one loses, m which there 1s no leader and no follower. It 1s a game that makes kids smile, and it 1s time that all at Ramaz rec­ ognize that 1s here t� s�a.y.

hold the clcct1ons for next years GO. \Ve know that there arc many capable people at Ramaz; everyone who feels that he or she can contribute to the GO and to the school 1s encouraged lo be a candidate.

Smeerely, Jonah Shulman Prcs1dcnt V1ctorrn Glazer Senior Vice President Yogi Schulman Junior Vice President Steven Chubak Sccrctary Jesse B1cncnfeld Trcasurcr

EDITORS IN CHIEF Alex Glasser ♦Yael Merkin♦ Jacob Savage JUNIOR EDITORS Sarah Boxer♦ Alex Talc! ♦ Daniel Weiner RAMCHOPS EDITOR Jessica Mantel COPY EDITOR M iriam Grunfcld SPORTS EDITOR Jonathan Krause PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR E1tan Hoclislcr CONTRJBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Julio Blinbaum ♦Yardann11 Platt T

FACUL Y ADVISEll Mr. Albert Goetz

·02'02'03'02"03-

Ap ril 2001/lyor 5762

The RamPage

Op-Ed Jewish Racism

By Sam Raymond This ycar·s Yeshiva University Model Unttcd Nations rcgrctb.b)y featured the ca.sua1 use of rchg1ous slurs I bchcvc that the lan­ guage c;ome of the students were using wos mappropnotc and hntcful In odd111on, I belie, c these "dclega1cs" were ,.,olatmg a fundamental tenet of JudatSm Hopefully. the Orthodox Jc\\1Sh community can teach tts children that big­ otry 1s wrong.

D<legatcs in my particular comnuttcc used one such slur.

The lin,t time a delegate mocked the Mushm pracltce of wcanng a turban, 1 cnngcd but did not respond. In my na1vctc, I hoped the problem \\Ould rcsol\'e tL«:lf. llo,vc,er. after I he:ird the slur a second time, I asked the delegates to stop repeating 1L I smccrdy behc, ed th.at this

,,outd end the issue.

Inste:td, the slurs contm• ued. Spurred by the chntr­ woman, supposedly a mature college student from Stem, deleg31es proceeded to refer to me by th,s name. I knew well enough not to take personal olTcnsc. Indeed, ll ,1,as .i com­ phment to be insulted by any­ one who was as 111-manncrcd as these students The use of rchg1ous slurs 1s beyond the pale Just as no c1V1l human being would use the n-,,ord to refer to AfricanAmcncans, or 1hc k-word to tnlk about Jews, no person should insult anyone's reh­ g1ous bchcfs When I in111ally saw Dr Stone, our faculty adnser. he told me that these delegates "ere Stmply caught up in the playacting one must practice in Model u N IIO\\ C\'CT, thlS

was nol lruc. The firsl "country" to use the slur was "Lebanon," and the other del­ egate who called me by this slur represented •·Kuwau."

Both ore predominantly Muslim countncs.

11:uc, racism, and reh­ g1ous bigotry ore absolutely unconsc1onablc Any Jew who uses slurs to rcftr to Muslims or any religious group must lhmk Bbout their react19n 1f a member of that faith was to mock a Jewish rchg,ous pracIICC. There can be no double •tandord. For, as the Torah says, "Love your neighbor like yourself." To properly follow our rchg,ous behc[s, we cannot insult those of others. We must pr.1c11cc toler­ ance ond recoil from the rhetonc of hate that IS •II 100 pcr\'aS1,e Wlthln our world.

By Sorah Ro)'mond The March 7 osscmbly regarding the murder of a Ii, c-month-old baby from Shiloh w;is both necessary a.nd mfomuu,c, :as 1t spothghtcd an ,nd" 1dU2.l c.asc of the unfonun3tely numerous attacl.s on Jsrnel The ,,1dco sho"n 3l the- bC'gmmng of the assembly began as a mo,'ll1g presenuuon of the baby·s story, from the brutal attack 10 the hosp1tal1z:iuon and death of the baby llowC'\cr, dunng the

footage of the funeral, a raptd succession of images of Ar:ibs throwing stones o.nd shooting guns noshed on the screen.

By cncounging h:atc, these images marred the mcs­ S3ge of the video - that peace 1s the only solution 10 the lsracli-Ar.ib conn1cL In the end, I was angered by some of the prciud1c1al reactions of others around me, a.nd the rest of the a=mbly, which included a st1mng speech by the baby's father,

was 1:11ntcd Ramaz should encourage a lo\'e of Israel :md a p:iss,on for the defense of our state. llowc, er, propaganda-filled videos such as the one shown on March 7 only exacerbate 1he suuallon by producing even more hatred between the 1wo sides.

I suggest the school admm1strn11on screen prcscn­ tallon matcnols more C3reful­ ly in the future

tors after editors con11nue to ignore 3ny of 1hc :iccomphsh­ mcnts of conservative law­ m:1kers and :acllon groups Ultcly, what h:iJ been most disturbing IS the ill-thought out and oflen 1g.norant ranting of"Savagc Words."

Either Mr S,vagc hasn'I read a ncwsp::ipcr smcc the first Dush 3dmin1strallon or he s,mply chooses to ignore the focts lie conllnues to repeat the old mantra that "the Republicans h:1vc no 1dc3 what they're doing," yet he fails to back up this a=rtion w11h any fact.

At last coun� President Bush has held an opprovo I rat­ ing around 90% for the last stx months, ha, united the country 1n 1ls w3r on terror, destroyed the dclcstnblc Tahban, and under his lcadcrsl11p the coun­ try has begun 10 pull out of the rccC'SS1on which began at the end of the Chnton admin,slr.l1,on in the first half of 2000 (occording to the actual facts presented by Alan Greenspan

m his most recent testimony) If the editors of thtS pubh­ cat1on choose to express their opm1ons. 11 ts their nght. If they would hkc to go back to the Clinton adm1n1strat1on, with its d1srcg3rd for :iny shred of morality, the selling out of our closest ally m the M1ddlc-Eas1 in the hopes of a Nobel Pence Pn1e, and the btgmning or a recession, 1t 1s their prerogative If they would hkc to keep chanting that Republicans h:ive done no1hmg for this country (whole most o f Clinton's agenda, nght down to \\elfarc rcfonn, was bor­ rowed from Repubhcan plat­ forms), they can do that 100.

Dul please, stop acting as though your thoughtless rcgurg1tn11on of some liberal mantras you have been fed since your cradle :ire self-evi­ dent truths that you have to shore with the rest of us It's only fmr.

Smccrcly, J:11c RcchJ1sh�IJco

Prejudiced Propaganda

Letters to the Editor

HAFTR: For the Birds

To the Editor I am \'Cry proud of the members of our varsity ba� ketball team for their "ondcr­ ful performance 1n the cham­ p1onsh1p game March 12. Al times dunns the game. how­ ever, my at1cn11on wllS drnwn to the opponent's mascot.

HAFTR 's nickname IS The I 1:Jwks, yet their ma�ot was a cardinal At least we at Ramaz can tell one bird from another StncCTcly, Alben Goetz

A Republican Response To the Cdttor rvc been reading thts newspaper since I became a student at Ramaz. nnd 1 'vc always nouccd a very lcfi­ wmg bias It SC'C'ffiS that cd1•

Pagr 3

Savage Words

By Joeob Savage We arc ltving m troubled limes; I look at the world and sec that 1t 1s slowly unravel­ ing. For much of my hfc, I believed that ant1-Scm1t1sm was a thing of the past.

Naively, I thought that the ,vorld marched to the v1cton­ ous and incv1tablc beat of progress, toward a fo,rcr and more JUSt society I lowevcr, I was wrong. It IS with profound sadness that I rc:ihzc th3t the world we live m 1s no belier than 1t ever was, and that we must fight once again for Jewish survival.

And how do we Jews m Amcnca fight? Dy orgamz­ mg rallies, of cou rse.

Unfortunately, at the last rally I a11cndcd (Apnl 7), all I could hear were several whmy men, each domg htS own Woody Allen 1m11a11on of the phrase .. "no more terror But even worse than the lackluster speakers (how badly we need a Malcolm X. or a Martin Luther K,ngl), w3s the sheer self-destrucuve­ ncss of many of the poh11cal behcfs embraced by some of those on the podium and by those m the 3ud1ence Signs were held up saying 1 g ��� �; �r=� Occup:lllon of the West Bank," ond "Arabs Tcrronsm." There were too few signs wtth pos1messages ttvc we ("United and stand" "Sharon. you 3.rc not alone") A constant theme of the day was that Israel should not negauale with Vasser Ar:tfo.L However, this 1s not even o position the lsro.eh government can m good conscience embrace For better or worse, he 1s the voice of the Palestm1an peo­ ple. He may be a lc:rronst, but Y.e must eventually hope to negoh::itc with the P.lles11man people to end the v1olencc Un11l 1hen, 1t 1s our duty to deflect cn11c1srn to enable Israel to carry out 1ts pohc1es.

Spc,\1ns rhctonc thnt most of the world vehemently dis­ agrees with will not help our cause At our r:1lhes, '"c cannot embrace, much less acccpl, the more rad1col of opinions Whtie 11 might be eommon­ plocc ot • hllbbat table to contemplate how much better the world would be without Polcst,nions in the West Bank, \\ c cannot let extreme voices be seen or heard through ral­ lies and speeches Jnstco.d, 11 1s our duty lo create rallies m which Jc\\S of oil stnpcs arc \\ekome llow

wonderful 11 would �c ,f Rabb, Norman Lamm, Rabb, lsmar Schorsch, and Rabbi Enc Yoffic (the heads of the three mam branches of Amcncan Jewry) all appeared at the s:ime event, calhng for unquah fled support for the state of Israel!

This 1s only posStblc 1fwe branch out beyond the stan­ dard "Arafat IS o tcrronst" and reach beyond the small­ mmdcdncss of the Orthodox Jewish community Smgmg Jewish songs (which non3ffihntcd Jews arc not fom1har with) will neither help our numbers nor improve the media's opinion of the s1tua­ uon and of Israel's supporters \Ve must emphasize our better pomts to the world community Bnd make clear that II ts a false liberahsm that cloaks itself ,n the shroud of pacifism We must h1ghhgh1 our own posll1\'e charactens­ ucs while ra1smg doubts :1bout our enemies The world should know that while we desire pc.Jee, there 1s no one to meet us at the peace uble Europe cur­ rently r.llSCS no VOICC m protest at 1hc m1lhons of in Y-omcn Ar.ib lands \\hO SCT\e 3S ,-as�ls 10 their husb:mds, nor docs 1t care that Arab dic­ ta.tors regular­ ly murder their own people We must make sure the "orld takes no11cc.

In addtuon. "e must m:ikc ll abun­ dantly cle3r that less than two years ago Jsr:i.el ::1;ccc:ded to every basic Palcstm1an demand (save for the nghl of return - which would have been su1c1dc for Israel) Ehud Barak ofTcrcd Arafat at Camp David the opportumty to ere• ate a v1:iblc l\1lc.stm1an 513te.

Yet the PalesUm3.ns, \\ ho h:ivc surrendered themselves 10 the throe(; of rad1c3J lsl:im, rciceted control of the femplc Mount at Camp OJv1d Thctr stale hod lo be born through blood and pam. Every lime negolt3t1onc; began they are thrown ofT course by yet another su,c,de bomb We must emphasize 1hc.sc points instead of trying to dc-legtt1mizc 1he basic Palcstm13n nght to self-dc1em11n,1ton. \Ve know that ours 1s a iusl cause. Bui only by protesting m a cl\'11 environ­ ment, in "hach \\C engage those "ho Bre not currently engaged, cnn we sp3rk a m�s movement lh:tt 1s c1pablc of convmcing the \\Orld of our nghtcousnc:ss

It is a false liberalism that cloaks itself in the shroud of pacifism.

Page 4

Rena \Vusrr •02 t:1:kts tbc reiost2.ttd parmesan thee�e.

No More Soda

ByAIIZll Slone

By Naomi lllrb,rh and Larissa Marco "I 1ry my bcs1," soid realized 1ha1 their Jobs and Gustavo Diaz. chef manager their repu1at1ons were on the for FLIK, in response 10 hoc. FLIK, which also eo1crs RamPagc's recent cnttcIsms at such un1\'crs111cs as the of the caterer's performance. Universuy of Pennsylvania Serving and satisfying 1he ond Cornell, did 001 wish lo needs of a school the size of establish a bad name m the Ramaz 1s "not an easy task," Jewish or secular communt• and the caterers explained that I\CS. In recent weeks, some of lhc doily menu 1s lhc rcsull of an intense collaborauon with the Ramaz community's cher• ashed favontcs resurfaced m the Ramoz adn11n1strntton.

The budget given 10 FLIK an effort to quell the rum­ by the Rarnaz admm1strahon blings of lhc s1ude111 body and focuhy. Parmesan cheese restricts the ncx1b1hty and variety of the menu, but regained its posIt1on at the accordmg to Mr. Diaz. 1s suf­ food bar and 1hc fam11lor mob­ ficient lo meet the demands of scene around 1hc trademork 1hc school. W11h rcgord to 1he Ramaz chocolate chip cookies rtcent candy machine com­ has returned.

So far, these efforts have plamls, FLIK clo1ms thal 1ts sole rcspons1b1li1y 1s 10 stoek placated students. I lowevcr, lhe machines All profi ts go Josephina Fnaz. a member of toward Ramaz, and FLIK 1s the FLIK staff, pointed oul not responsible for any that FLIK has consmnlly 1ncd to ..satisfy C\'eryone, yet mcrcase m prices. followmg RamPage ·s nobody recognizes 11 " According to Ms. Fnaz reccnl publicouon, 1hc FLIK staff found themselves m a and her co•workcrs, FLIK vulnerable position, as they attempted to improve JlS menu

a, early as lasl year by expanding lhe salad bar and by inst11ut1ng a variety of new dishes f 1l1c MJK slllf wonts 10 work m a warm environment m wluch the students treat them with rcspccl

and gratI-

1udc. llowcvcr, Roy Williams, another FLIK employee, com­ plained 1ha1 s1udcn1s fall 10 oecommodalc FLIK s1aff members as they transport hot food 1hrough 1hc corndors.

Signs of "apprccIatIon and cons1dcratton." he said. arc minor adJustmcnts that could fac1htatc a better rcla11onsh1p bclwccn FLIK ond 1hc studcnl body.

While FLIK defended itself, 11s workers also explained that cnt1c1sms cued m the R3mP3gc were very much appreciated.

FLIK looks lo these cn11c1sms for 3rcas th3t could use some work, and recognizes that there 1s alw3ys room for improvement.

··1 used to dream of a soon after revealed the truth school th::u replaced its w:ucr regarding Ramaz's federally fountains w11h soda foun­ subs1d1zcd lunches. tains," !.1ghed Deborah Shnay In rc1rospcct, many real• '05 Allhough Shnay's wish 1zc that the �maz soda faun­ wos at one time realized by tams had the power 10 put the placement of soda smiles on hundreds of stu­ machines in 1he school cafete­ dents' faces. Even Mikey ria, fulfillment was but tempo­ Shulm:m 'OS. who admitted to r:iry as the Admm1strat1on h::is "hatmg the taste of carbonated put :lJ\ end to soda service m bc\'eragcs;· said. ··1t was sad 1hc lunchroom. to see e\'cryone at lunch, star­ Due to a subsidy proV1- mg blankly at the now defunct s1on that proh1b1ts scrvms

soda and candy to high school s1uden1S 01 lunch, the federal government

threatened to

cease funding the Ramaz meal plnn 1f soda continued 10 be offered. Mr. Rochlin so1d, "It Is now rcqurrcd tlmt we serve neither soda nor candy m our lunchroom dunng the lunch penods."

For 1he first few days fol­ low mg

the

machmc's

removal, the soda deficiency was attnbutcd to a common

tcchnicol problem. A simple sucker m1smformcd students that the founlllin wos "out of order."

Although 11 wos difficult for many to function

caffcmatcd

soda,

without students

remained hopeful 1hot the machine might be repaired. To their dismay, a Sign posted

fountatn."

Compounding the lack of

soda's sweet taste 1s the detn•

mental effects of sugar msuf­ fic1ency. After an ex.hausung half day. many students would Rabbi Bak.st lead• a SFAC meeting while !llr. Miller Jokes in the background. Several have complained about SFAC's, and the GO's, ln<ffcctlvencu. go down to the cafeten:a for their lunch, cxpcchng to reju­ venate themselves w1lh a cup of soda. "I have gym aflcr lunch on Mondays, and I (conlimiedfrom page/) would rely complclcly on a Laytncr '03. "Well, now the own." In response to the Goldmintz who persuaded cup of Spnte as a source of soda is gone altogether and apparent lack of "movement" him stay on m his role as energy.'' compl:uned an 1m- the Pannesan never seems to which has surrounded the GO Sccrclllry.

1a1ed Margot Shachtcr '05. be !here."

1his year, Schulman suggcslcd Jessie 81cnenfcld high­ "Whal am I supposed to do Upon groduo11on last year, that the GO wos JUSI geltmg lighted • GO commercial ven­ now?" former GO Senior Vice slarted: "You slllrt small and ture: "We're 1n the m1ds1 of Wh1k many studcnlS still President David B1cnenfcld develop a good rela11onsh1p preparing to sell Ramaz mourn the loss of carbonated '01 soid thol he and his fellow with lhc adminislr.ltion," so1d apparel," he so1d. dnnks, a new JUOC machine GO members had been work- Schulman. "You go from Chubak, spcokmg on has been installed in the cafc- mg on a rolllting lunch schcd- there. We're jus1 laymg the behalf of the GO, suggested tcria. However, according to ule, which enabled iumors, groundwork." that their ogcnda hod been Marc Williams '02, "Apple who cat lunch everyday at Slcvcn Chubak '02 and adversely •ffected by the Juice will never be able to sub­ I :30, 10 rototc their lunch Jessie B1enenfcld '03, current cvenlS of September 11. "We st1tu1e for a cup of Coke." times with the freshmen and officers of lhe GO, offered had a few problems," he sophomores, who eat carher. some inS1ght into the obicc­ lamented.

Bicnenfeld, however, seemed nves of their admin1slr.ltion.

"We had planned some 1o leave thclllsk ofeompleting "Well, we finished the Punm great programs and September this "work" up to this year's chagiga and we're going to 11 inlcrfcred with them."

GO. So far, hlllc progress has finish off with the rest of the Whether this GO's momen­ chogigol," said Chubak. tum was hindered by the been made.

For !heir part, some our- "We're also trying lo pass September 11 attacks is a rent GO representatives admit some rules that we're still questionable claim. to the d1flieulty of following arguing aboul m SFAC," he What 1s certain, however, last year's GO. "It's hard to added. is that the GO's lime is run­ Chubak at one point ning out, ond with it, its hvc up to that," said Yogi Schulman '03 of the past GO. bec ame so disenchanted with chance to leave a significant "T hey were leaders, but I lhc GO's role thot he tendered mark on the school and ilS stu­ ,,, ,. ,,., .. th\D!<.•"<�.,., f?m i1ng, i�t•,9,�.•, a letter of resignation to ���_i,, dents.

GO Struggling

April 2002/lyar S762

The RamPage

Page S

School Celebrates Rabbi Lookstein's 70th

By Maxwell Bryer

On Thursday, March 28, a palpable sense of excitement filled the Ramaz hallways.

Instead of going 10 class afier davemng, Ram3z students from the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools proceeded to Congrcga11on Kchilath Jeshurun to participate m a surprise birthday celebrallon in honor of Rabb, Haskel Lookstein's seventieth birth­ day.

Students fell pnv1leged 10 pay tnbutc to the man who has been central to Ramaz ever smcc his graduation from the high school as a member of the first class m 1949. Rabb, Lookstcin 's singular dcd1ca­ t1on to Ramaz was the theme of the day.

Cooperation among all three Rama.z schools ensured the success of the surprise party. Music was prepared. speakers rehearsed. and with over l l00 students participat­ ing. the staging was perfectly planned. Most ,mportanlly, the project had 10 be kepi secret from Rabb, Look.stem, whose office abuts the mam sanctuary of JU where the fcs­ t1v1t1cs would be takmg place. ..A huge amount of work went mto preparing this event," said Ms. Caroll Goldberg. the Director of Music and Performing Ans in the Upper School.

Ms.

Goldberg selected and arranged a musical tribute to Rabbi Lookslein and then taught the music to the entire Upper School.

Ms. Goldberg reflected, ''This was the first time the students fi-om all the schools were together in the Beit

"Out of all the surprises I've been given these past few days, this has been the best."

Knesset, and hearing the entire school sing at once was really nice."

As the program began, a chorus of Ramaz voices opened up in song, and tears of joy could be seen m Rabbi Look.stein's eyes as he lis• tencd to the musical tribute, a rendition of "Asch lccha Rav u 'kne lccha haver'' ("make for yourself a teacher and acquir� for yourself a fnend").

The program included a number of presentations from students in all three schools.

The kindergartners wished Rabbi Lookslein a "Happy Birthday," while the Lower and Middle School offered thanks and told anecdotes of unique Ramaz experiences.

Many people were responsible for the birthday Ms. Deedee celebration.

Bencl, Otrcctor of Student Ac1iv11ics of the Upper School, assembled a book of ,,'Titings from past 3nd present students and faculty whose lives at Ramaz have been aITccted by Rabbi Lookslein.

Ahuva Wulkan Mantel, a for­ mer Ramaz student and popu­ lar artISI, ,llustratcd the book.

The book was meant to portray the quahty of students attending Ramaz and their feelings for the school. Ms. Bencl said, "The object was to get the students to talk about how they had changed and developed here and what thIS mstitutlon has meant to them.

Ahuva's 1llustrat1ons rea11y went a long way m helping bring those things out in the writings.''

Mrs. Judy Sokolow and Rabbi Steven Penn, Directors of Student Activities at the Middle School, and Ms. Randy Wotolsk1, Dtrector of Music at the Middle school, also contnbutcd to the event.

Rabb, Look.stem appeared quite surpnsed and tak�n

Rabbi Joshua Lookstrln presents his father with gifts on behalf of the Ramaz community. Despite the enormity of the celebration, it was kept under wraps. aback by the event. \Vhen at appeared touched in some last he took the microphone, way. "At my old school we he was at a loss for words. never dtd anything hke this. It That loss did not last long and, fell really good 10 honor as is his custom, he made all Rabbi Look.stem, especially present feel privileged and since he has done so much for proud 10 be a part of his hfc us," said Ilana Sama '04. and this mshtuuon. He Laura G1bofsky '04, who thanked all who attended the has attended Ramaz since celebration and said, "Out of nursery three, felt that "1t was all the surpnses I've been nice for once for us to give given these past few days, this something back to him. After all. he has given so much to has been the best.''

After the two-hour cele• us."

Ad Mcah V'csnm. brauon, everyone present 1

Israel RaTI y'--_ea_c____ _ Ramaz Observes Unprecedented Fast

Page 6

AprU 2002/ly■r 5762

The R■mPage

A Cut Above the Rest: Locks of Love

Dy Sarah Box<r For those fashion mavens always looking for the most danng nnd dazzling new look, short hair has become the popular style of the season.

Mode particularly famous by the girls of "Friends" and "Sex and the City," women everywhere arc going to the

ha.irdrcsser and cutting it all off.

Ramaz students hove found a way lo be al the top of the fashion world while being chantablc and resourceful at the same lime.

Left and right, girls have been shearing their tresses for a non-profi1 orgnnization called Locks of Love.

Locks of Love pro- • vidcs hairpieces 10 financ1ally d1sadvnn1agcd children under 18 years of age across the United Statcs who suffer from

responsible for bringing the craze to Ramaz last winter.

She found out about it aner watching Oprah one day with her sister, and knew 1mmcdiately that it was something she wanted to participate in.

Parting with her long, mane was not easy, but

required to donate hair (a min­ ,mum of ten inches) IS to get a haircut with the hair tied either in a pony tail or braid and then to mail the clean and dry hair to the Locks of Love headquarters in Palm Springs, Flonda.

Regarding the influx of

----.-. donations from girls at

Aviva school, Scgclman '03, noted that "these arc the kind of trends we should have." Like Davina, Aviva shopped around and found a salon that would give her a discount for giving away her hair before cutting off her I 1.5 inches.

She hod hod long hair for enough time to realize that she "hod plenty and didn't need all of i� so 1t was dcfinotcly worth letting

someone else use it."

Davina, Aviva, and many other girls

long-term medical hair loss. The organ1za11on meets a unique need for

Freshman girls Join lo the spirit of Seminar as they dance and slog together.

Freshman Seminar a Success

Eve Lebwohl and Jonathan Goldman As has been the tradition for dozens of years, Ramaz and Flatbush met yet again for Freshman Seminar over the weekend ofMareh 7-10.

The weekend was full of programs and activities. The celebrated sessions and danc­ ing returned, along with some

new

activities.

includmg

lessons in self-defense and arts and crafls.

"It was incredible from eh,ldrcn throughout around school are America by using donatencouraged when they the first moment," exclaimed cd hair to create the highsee other students (and Ms. Strapp, who helped plan est quahty hair prosthct- Devora Stechler 'OS sh••�•d her locks. teachers.Ms. Amkraut Seminar. "You could feel the ,cs.

Davina was confident that this donated her tresses earlier this excitement." Pan of the plea­ Most of the recipients of would be "something great for year) helping the less fortu­ surable atmosphere was pro­ thesc wigs have Jost their hair

someone who really needed

natc m this manner.

due to a med1eal condition called alopcc1a areata, a highly unpredictable autoimmune disease resultmg m varying degrces of hair loss, with no

it." Throughout her hfe. her hair had always been a trademark; she hoped that ..glVlng this git\ to a little girl might make what she was going

Laura Fncdman '03, is certain that she will "make the cut" as soon as she can.

"Seeing so many girls brccz­ mg through the hallways with

known cause or cure.

through a httlc easier."

their shon hair and knowing

Beyond the physical comfon that the prosthetics prov,de hes the unparalleled abil1ty to give these children renewed self-confidence and

Across the New York area, various salons arc affiliated with the foundatJon and provide free haircuts for the charity. Davina found a parlor

courage.

m the city happy to cut her

where the hair went ,s such a mce feeling. I had been plan­ nmg to do 1t before everyone else really stancd to, but I'm glad so many people realized how simple 1t 1s and have caught on."

Davina Kevelson '03, ,s

By Geoffrey Klderman

hair for free. All that is

vided by the senior advisers, who "were ready to make sure

everyone had a good time," according toMs. Strapp.

'OS Wasser Lauren thought, "It rocked. It was probably the best weekend of my life." The program is intended to be both fun and thought-provokinggy. "There

was an emphasis on Israel and

that each person is important," said Devorah Stcchlcr 'OS. Some felt there was a rif\

between Ramaz students and their Flatbush counterparts.

"As soon as they staned play­ ing music, all the Flatbush kids were up dancing and everything," Max Schwanz 'OS commented. "But after a few minutes, the Ramaz kids staned dancing too."

Devorah thought that "even though Flatbush was there, it was really about becoming closer with your grade." "Everybody gets into it," she added. "It doesn't matter who ·s standing next to you. You all jump together."

The high spirits from Seminar were not lei\ bchmd at the Homowack. "II was clear as soon as we got back to school that cvayone was still feeling the excitement," said Ms. Strapp. In fact, in the week following Seminar, "80 to 100 freshmen were in the lunchroom on their chairs

singing songs.·• Ms. Strapp 's only regret IS that the freshmen "have to wait 3 years to go on Semmar

agam."

Yachad Shabbaton Hits Home

Continuing a decade-long

u·ad111on, Ramaz students and members of the Yachad organ1za110n Joined together m Keh1latl1 Jcshurun for aMarch Shabbaton. Yachad. a division of the Na11onal Jewish Council for the Disabled, tries to bnng the developmentally

disabled mto the mainstream Jewish commumty. It orga­ nizes monthly e,·ents. includ­ ing sports. art, and music actIvttes, as well as Torah classes and Shabbatons hkc the one held m KJ every year.

Although Ramaz students had attended Yachod events before, many did not know what to expect: "I was kind of

nervous at first," said Sarah Sabshon "OS. "I never really had any contact with mentally disabled people before."

Following a hvely daven­ ing on Fnday night, the Ramaz students and Yachad

members, totaling over a hun­ dred part1c1pants, played a short ,cebreaking game in

order to learn each other's names.

With the end of the onen­ tallon, everyone proceeded to the Middle School for a

catered dmncr, as well as

Following lunch, many took a trip to the apartment of Rabbi Josh Lookstein, crowding in for an oneg. Although the apartment was packed, Ilana Ellenberg 'OS considered the

"You learn how to approach life and make it the best it can be."

singing and dancing. For freshman Devora Stechlcr, the dnncing portion was the best part of the Shobbaton. ·•It's fun, .. she claimed, "to sec everybody together, singing and hovmg fun."

The next mommg at K.J. when Rabb, Lookstem got up to speak, Yachad made their presence known in the syna­ gogue as they sang "Happy oncg to be an especially Birthday" in honor of Rabbi enjoyable segment of the Lookstcin's upcoming seven­ shobbaton.

"We shared stories and tieth birthday. Between kid­ dush and lunch, all the partici­ talked. Most of all, I had fun pants gathered in the Middle JUSt sining at the table with my School for a parsha session. friends and with the Yachad

members." Between mincha and ma'ariv. the Yachad mem­

them," she said.

Stechlcr was touched by the Shabbaton, "It's nice to sec that everybody cnn really

bers led the diners m a beauti­ ful singing at the scudah shlishit in KJ. interact with everybody else Some students. like on the same level despite Devora Stcchlcr, focused on some people's disabilities. making one close Yaehad Even though you arc t,ying to friend. "I made friends with help them and to make their one of the Yachad girls, and shabbal enjoyable, you really we learned together," she said. learn something about your­ .. It was fun to sec how much self and about how to she enJoyed learning. One of approach hfc nnd make 1t the the Yachod heads asked her to best it cnn be." say a d'var Torah and she was Ult1mately, all agreed that really excited. It was nice to the Shabbaton was a great suc­ sec how cager and happy she cess. The Yachad members was to teach Torah to others." returned home, excited after Some, hkc Shobson, pre­ an enjoyable weekend spent ferred to meet many of the with other Jewish teenagers.

Yachad members, rather thnn The Ramaz students took focusing on any one particular pride in knowing that they had individual: "Although I think done a great mitzvah for other a personal relationship is real­ Jews. At the same time, they ly nice, I think it is also good realized that the Yachad mem­ to get to meet lots of different bers taught them to gain a new people and learn fr<,m all 1>f perspecti-;e on li{e..

April 2002/Iyar 5762

Ramaz Launches NewWebpage

By Diane Kolatcb In late January, at the aMual R:unaz dinner, Rabb, Haskel Lookstcin aMounced that an updated version of the Ramaz website was to open the next day. Since then, it has been the hub for Ramaz web browsers, and is contmua11y frequented by many members of the Ramaz family.

The website provides infonnation about all three Ramaz schools, including detailed explanations of all extra cumcular activities and curricula, and a staff directory.

In addition, the site con­ tains infonnal!On about the Alumni Association, the Parents Council, the admis­ sions process, the Ramaz m.is­ sfon sutcment. and ways to contact the administration and faculty.

Many teachers are exiled by the new site. Ms. Nussbaum, an Upper School libranan, reported, "You can do all your research at home."

She continued, "On the new website, with your login name

and password, we have a site license that allows full access lo all databases from the New York City library system. You can get full text articles from the New York Times and many other placcs, she explained.

While many students seem excited by the new wclr site, others expressed frustra­ tion about having 10 get their assignments onhnc. Moshe Dabah '02 complained that he doesn't ''wanl to hear about homework over the internet."

Jakey Hartman '04, how­ ever, was impressed with the color scheme of the site. e colors are so easy on your eyes," he exclaimed. "II really draws you in."

Either way, students are coming to recognize the web page as a v,ablc source of important school.related information. Ricki Berkowitz '02 remarked, "I hope stu­ dents and teachers will learn to take advantage of all the web site has to offer."

The Raml'age

Page7

11

0Th

T\1s. Amkraut's eleventh grade sex class discusses the Issues.

Co-ed Sex Class: Giggles and Groans

Uanlel Low ,05 accesses the new webpagc. Students use the Romaz website for course assignments and updates.

By Jenny Mtrkln and Sblfna Mincer Men arc from Mars, boys, somcumcs I dismiss the to be able to communtcatc explained women arc from Venus, but girls," Ms. about these issues," stressed both have landed in Ramaz Am.kraut. ..There arc certain Mr.Mtllcr.

"I think it's fun to have health class together. This boundanes of propnety w e class w11h the girls. ll doesn't year, the junior health class ,s must uphold." co-educational for the first Jared Bernheim '03 take away from my learning time. Although the atmos­ explained that the single sex experience," stated Ayol phere of the class is quite dif­ classes usually discuss more Samuels ·o3. "It doesn't both­ ferent from past years, its cur­ sensitive issues and diseases er me particularly, yet 1t can nculum has not been affected that arc only applicable to one be a tad embarrassing at by the change. umcs," admitted Adam gender.

Before the start of the aca­ However, when special Goldman '03. demic year, Mr. Miller physicians come in to teach Maya 2,sbrod '03, spoke infonnedMs. Arnkraut of the the students about vanous of the awkwardness of a Mr. Miller alteration. mixed class. "There is a little expla.med that he had always giggling "in the back of the room when sensitive 311d w.mtcd sex education to be co-cd because Rarnaz policy graphic ISSUCS anse...

Seniors also expressed stresses the promotion of edu­ cational equality. their opinions about co-cd health, an experience they Because health used to be never had. Yacov Malen '02 m rotation \VJth gym, a single said, '"The immature atmos­ sex course, 1t could not be co­ ed. However, gym was sched­ phere created by the guys uled simultaneously for the would make the girls feel boys and the girls three years uncomfortable. I think 11 ,s a ago, allowing health class to bad idea." cancers, they w,11 now lecture become co-educational.

Rena Wasser '02 agreed, "I was shocked," saidMs. m the single sex physical cdu­ asserting, "It is counterpro­ Amkraul about the dcc1s1on. catton classes, rather than ductive to have a co..-cd sex Yet she ·was dctcnnined 10 health class. class. The point ,s 10 be open make the class work. however Ms. Amkraut finds that and to learn about topics that difficult 11 might be. Because both genders become more are very personal. I don't of the nature of the cunieu- comfortable discussing the think that the girls will )um, some classes need to be other's sexual issues and arc express their true concerns taught with only one gender. therefore more sens1hvc. "It is with guys nround because 1t ··so meti mcs 1 d,smis s 1he g ood 1o d• vc 1op 1hc ma1U n 1y would be too embarrassing." _ _ _ _ _ "' ,. _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ � - _ _ _ _

By Z,v Rosen In a quiet classroom every month, SFAC mcclS and stu­ dents, faculty, and administra­ tors discuss solutions to the many problems to which the school must attend. The chair­ manship of the conference ro1a1cs each year between a faculty member, student, and administrator.

Rabb, Baksi, the current chairperson, moderates the meetings, and is responsible for notifying faculty about the next meeting. 'Inc last meet­ ing r:11sed questions about drug pohcy, hockey sacks and

not a decis,on-makmg body."

"We arc only giving mput to help the administration fonnu• lore school pohcy," he added.

H,sloncally, SFAC has been a successful think lank since ,ts founding m 1971. At that ttme, the minutes of each meeting were publicized and even swayed the ndministrn­ tion in some mstanccs.

According to Rabb, Oakst, Sl'AC can only be suc­ cessful if "the student repre­ sentatives ore in touch with their constituents, and an �'genda I, olc.,r at each meet-

"There is a little giggling in the back of the room when sensitive and graphic issues arise."

Difficult Times at SFAC late Junior lunches.

Lately, however, several people have raised concerns as to whether this SFAC has been functioning properly. "One m.akcs a suggestion and nine times out of ten nothing gels done" complained a faculty member, who wished to remain anonymous. Others bchevc that a more concrete consensus shou Id be reached at cnch meeting. srAC member nnd GO president Jonnh Shulman '02 asserted, however, that "SFAC it a forum •for distu,sion and 1

mg." He continued by saymg that "SFAC can truly make a difference in students' hvcs, but 1h1s can only happen ,f members of SFAC know the students' problems."

SFAC is not without its share of scandals. In recent weeks, a few of the most experienced teachers were left off the faculty guest hst for unknown reasons.

None of the tcnchcrs that were on SFAC for extensive periods of time were given information about the meet­ ing.,

lbc students were aware of this, and sent a new memo, which notified the admm1stra1ton of the 1rr11ation caused by the personnel change.

A prompt email was sub­ sequently sent to teachers who hod been left off the ongmal hst. The apparent mistake was not intentional," nccording to Rabbi Bokst.

Senior Vice President of the GO and SFAC member Victonn Glazer '02 agreed.

"Tile confusion was a result of the large volume of teachers in question,'.' she remarked.

11

P2ge 8

xam Facu lty Farewel l □Stierusalem ll Not Offe red

By Jacob Vkttor Al lhe cnd or lh,s school y ca.r, students will have to look for new faces 10 find �nd- a1ds or answ ers to their deeply ph1losoph1eal ques1,ons. Al lhc close of 1h1s term.

Rabb, Un Gordon and Mrs.

The RamPage

lhcrs. Teenagers arc al an age when they' r e seeking inde­ p<ndcncc, and pan of lha1 can be fulfilled by learning how 10 study Gemara on lheir own."

V,etona Gla,.cr '02 agreed lha1 Rabb, Gor don 's teaching

and has pr omised to frequcnt­ ly v1s11 Ramaz, a place he calls "another home."

S1m1larly, school nurse has Wertheim Ellen announced lhat she plans to rcttr c from lhc Upper School. at the end of this year. Ms. \Venhe1m, who has wor ked at Romnz for I 5 years, IS a grad­ uate of Sino, llosp,tal in Dalt1morc. Maryland. She came to New Yor k in 1 963 and worked at Mount Sma1 hospital for several year s. She took a tempor ary parental lea,c until she heard about a JOb opening at Ramu from Dr l l on,g. a neighbor on lhc Lo\\ er East Side Ms. Wc nhc1m hopes to m ake the most of her rellre• ment. "I want to explore other things, travel, take courses, and spend lime with my fam1• ly," she said.

Ms. Wcnhc1m, has ver y fond memoncs o f Rllma z. "I love the students. I feel that as much as I 'vc hel ped lhc stu­ dents her e, they ' ve always helped me even more."

M any students will miss Ms. Wertheim. "She 's hkc my school mom," said Jason Gohan '02. "Every ttmc I need to compl;: un she's there to h stcn:· Students ore esp c­ c,olly sad to sec Ms. Wertheim go because of the spec ial attcnllon she �ys to each 10ch v1dual student.

"She really has personal conne cuons with e3ch stu• dent," said Jess ie• Asp1S '04.

Tcx hcrs also agree lhat lhcre

Rabbi U r i Gor don, doing "hat he do,s besL Ellen Wcnhc,m \\ 111 le.-c lhe style 1s somelhing spcc13I. As Rama, bu1ld1ng as full- lime she said. "I don ·1 lh1 nk anyone faculty member s for the last takes lhc art of teaching as seriously as Rabb, Gord on. He lime Rabb, Go rdon. Chair or de finitely mspired a lot of the T almud dcpartmenl at people ot Ramaz."

Ramaz for the past eight Scores ofstudcnts are sad­ ycars, has dmdcd that this dencd that Rabbi Gordon ,s will be his final year at leavi ng. but are grateful for Ramu. Rabb, G ordon has lhc lime they have been able been with the school for 1 6 to spend w i th him. "I feel hon• year< and has tought TaNaCh, orcd and pnv1lcgcd to ha,c T a lm ud. J udaism and several stud i ed and l earned wuh Rabb, Gordon dunng his valc­ se nior clcc11, cs Rabb, Gordon ,s leaving d1ct ory yea r:· said Adam + to d1rcc t 3 ncY 10111at1 vc Goldman '03. "I om only ca lled T he Jcw1Sh Teacher so rry 1ha1 my siste r, :m mco m• Co rps. which 1s sponsored by in{; fre shman, wi ll be depn ved Edah and the AV I CHAI to lhc opportunity to be his foundation This founcb llon student. " ' 1s cha rged wi th rcc nu tmg Jewish students. fresh out of college. to v1s11 places like the West Coast and the M, d.. cst, a rcos that contam s mall. but gr owing Jew ish popu la llo ns.

These popu lations ha , ·e a scnous lack of Judaic studies teachers The co llege g radu­ at es w, 1 1 spe nd two yea rs teach ing m these small com­ mu nit1cs T h is 1s meant to keep Jew ish ch ild ren connec t­ ed 10 their rc llg1on in p rcdo m­ man tly non -Jewi sh cnv1o m• ments.

Robbi Gordon has fond me mo ries o f his yea rs at Ramaz. ,.,n rou nd if was a g reat Ms. Ellrn Werthtl m, caring for Joty Frltdman '04.

Recent ly. Rabb, Gordon 1s some thing spcc ,ol about the place to wo rk, " he said. ''I ' m f took over as head of the Israel operator o the infirmary. As thankful for a ll the great stu• E hsho 531d, "Ms. dents I've had the p nvllcgc to Affa i rs Comm1 1tec and has led Mr. f 11 m ra1smg Imel awa reness Wcnhc,m takes care o lhe teach and for all the guidance I've rccc ,vcd from people hkc among Ramaz stude nts :ind odults in the build ing with the Rabb, Dakst and Rabbi faculty. Rosa lyn Spier '04 same conce rn she uses on the s:11d of htr cx pcnenccs m the studen ts. Her omcc 1s a lways Goldm,nlz " Rabb, Gordon ,s known IAC with Rabbi Gordon, o ,sanctuary for tea and warm for his unique and effec tive "Eve n though I never had conve rs:u1on. " Ms. Wertheim will cont1n• teach mg style, which inc ludes Rabb, Go rdon as a teacher, 11 introduc ing ,1udcnls to a spc• has been g reat gctt ,ng . to know uc to se rve as o substitute c,al thought p rocess that he l ps him in the Israel A f fa i rs nurse for the Upper School, them learn to onalyzc Gcmara Comm1 1tec llc 's • role mode l, :md also plans on vis1tmg. on their own. "I bel ie ve and I know ver y few people as "I 've made mony fnends here, both students ond foculty, ond Gema ra 1s very 1mportnn1. It 's dcd1catcd to Israel os he. " Robb, Gordon hopes lo I hope 10 con tinue seeing hkc eavesd ropp ing on the f convc rs: thOM o OUJ' forcfo• con1 muc hvmg an Manhattan. them "

April 2002/lyar 5762

by Jenny l\lerkin Rllmaz has olways pndcd eomfortllblc wilh 1ha1 klnd of itself on lhc wide vancty o f breadth. The class did not courses offered t o 11s studcnts. attract o lot of students even However, unlike some ycsh1v• when 11 was o ffered." ''L:ist year. 11 wa.sn't ot, one class that Ramu locks ,s B'chma Ycrushalm11. Last offered, but rclauvcly late, year, several Juniors suggested students expressed an interest. adding this 12 crcd11 llcbrcw However, beca.usc we had literacy class to the Romaz already fi nished oil the hmng Robb, and budgeting, \\rC were not curriculum.

Out Goldmintz informed them thot able to do 11 " Robb, for vanous reasons the cl3ss Goldm,nl7 stressed that 11 1s ··• fan1as11c course, and ,r 11 had cou Id not be offered.

B'china Yc rusholm,t 1s a been presented earlier, we course compnsed of four would have tned to get 11."

The ad,ocates of lhe class mandatory and live opllonol Hebrew topics. Mandatory were incredibly d1sappomted. topics include M 1Shna (Pir kct "I was very upset because Tcfilah, Jewish lhey used to offer lhc class.

Avot), thought, and Modem Hebrew and bcc:ausc e\iery olhcr l 1 1eraturc. Op11onal topics school offe rs 11, I feel that they include M1shn3 (from vanous should have been more ch3ptcrs various encouraging," s:ud Jonah m mascch ctot), lsrach songs and Shulman ' 02, GO Prcs1dcnl. songs literature, of "If every other kid docs well Scphard,m, rchg,ous lhought and enJoys 11. then \\C cou ld from 1hc M iddle to. It's sad that WC don't have Agcs, and b 'k,ut the option to and 1yun.

Students take 11," said From me r. would have had 10 choosc three Most facof the opllonal ulty approve of top1 cs to bc covthc dl\cmty of the class. "l e rcd m c lass. think ,l's a Because of lhc rigorous course ,v o n d e r f u I load, B ' eh 1rta class and "ould comYcrushal m , t would have • plc tc ly suppon counted for two 11, but II cla sses.

The requires time class was l.'.lught a n work to in lhc past, but pan II and by because so few the lime stu­ ex pressed an dents asked, I t m tcrcst 3nd no w3s too late . faculty member I However, felt up to the -Sam Frommer thmk lhc cur• task, the adm m• nculum 1s very 1strallon stopped offcnng 1L interesting," stoled Ms. Barak. " \Ve wa nted to hove 11 Robb, Go rdon agreed. bccnusc every other sc hool " Although I haven 't looked at h:is 11. " compl3 1ncd Lnurn 1t m a long time I remember , Altman, '02. Som Frommer and I sti ll hear thol 11 1s a fan­ f '02, agreed, :s:iymg, "I you 're tast1c c lass." Rabbi Kobnn taking llcbrew studies at stresses the scnousncss need• schoo l. then this course 1s a n cd for the class "The class : exce llent culminot,on. The could be very bcnelic,al. It bene fits arc mfin11c: 11 helps musl be taken very scnous ly , you for your year m Israe l. If and then 11 would be construc­ you take 11 sc nously, 11 will hve."' slick with you fo rever, Juniors arc echoing the because ,rs not hkc studying attempts thal lhc seniors made for a history test wh,ch you ' ll last year. "I \\Ou ld dcfin,te ly cve ntuolly forget." be mtcrcstcd, and I thmk a lot Howeve r, Rabb, Kobnn of people would, " remarked wa rned that credit ts not the Jocktc Markow 11z.

'03. reason to take the cl3s�. '"The However, most juniors do not c red its this class p rovides ore cxh1b11 her en thus,asm. "No, I not uni versally accepted by wouldn 't want to take lh1s colleges. A student shou ldn ·1 class, " said Andrew Mencr, take th,s class for crcd11, " he '03. f said. lie added, "I feel lhat i Goldmintz Rnmaz wishes to offer another Rabbt exp lained the d 1 fficult1cs with AP class 1 should be one m , 1 the cou rse. 'The cou rse 1s a English top ics, or perhaps nn ngo rous one, ond nt times AP for the 1 1 th gmdc. " bcc3usc 1t covers so much, we haven't had a teacher who fell

" If you' re tak in g Hebrew cou rs es at school , t h en th•IS cou rse IS excel lentand Cu I m i n a tion ."

April 2002/lyor 5762

Page 9

The RamPage

Kenny: Panhandler of 78th

By Jenny Merk.in Panhandling has been ing a college. Everyone love for me. Ramaz has been declared a crime, but that respects you; everyone gives so kind and they have never docsn·1 stop Kenny from beg­ you freedom of expression. tried to threaten or arrest me. gmg and students from giving They try 10 understand They're so nice and under­ him their money and their you and your modus operandi. standing." hearts. While somewhat trag­ The federal system is a system Kenny demed all rumors ic, his story is one of gradual of intelhgence. They catego­ that the reason why he d1dn 't improvement rize very well because they come around for a few months Kenny was born in honestly want to run a peni­ was because of the security. "I Manhattan in the late I 930's. tentiary, not as a penal, puni­ am not afraid of any human He calls his childhood a "mys­ tive place. but as an educa­ bcmg or any system becousc a tery." He grew up with his tional and possibly rehabilita­ lot of systems m this country mother and sister who died of uve place. The state system arcn 't made for the right rea­ cancer. However, his mother has given up.'' son." misled him about his father.

The average day was quite Last summer, Kenny's art­ "My name 1s Kenneth normal. "You woke up to a work and hfc were made mto Matthews. but my father's breakfast with ham, bacon, a movie on the Metro name was Alvin Carter." cereal, milk, coffee all right on Channel. ··1 did It for reasons When he was ten, he moved in the table." The rest of the day of exposure," explains Kenny. with a family friend, while his Kenny was free to do almost Alex Matthews ·04 saw mother fur­ the show. "In thered her edu­ late August. I cation. "This was watching lady who I was TV and fhp­ living wtth, pmg through Madrina. was, the channels, unbeknownst and I saw Cito takes down t2bles in the lunch room. to me. my him." Kenny paternal grand­ was happy m o t h e r. with the film.

Carter's moth­ "They did an amazing JOb er. When I of covering was ten. she my artwork." informed me K e n n y By Yael Merion that my mother Cato also attends night "Hey guys, move over remains pop­ had been lymg with and make room for Cito/' school at Bronx Community to me my ular Ramaz stu­ demands a nnglcader of the College, and hopes one day to whole life, and dents. "He is fou.rtp floor hackcy-sacking receive a degree tn cngmcer­ that she was the sweetest circlc. Nazano Aheca, a.k.a mg. "I have so Jude time." he my grandguy.

He's Cito, 23, 1s J)(;rhaps the only says, "it's so hard to accom­ and mother always and mcmber of the Ramaz staIT phsh everythmg. Sull, I take showed me w e l c o m i n g w1lhng and able to play with things one day at a time. pictures of my after a hard even the most ehtc members That's really the only thing real father.·· you can do." of of the student athletic core. day The reason "My favonte part of my C,to b,d a fond farewell lo school," said Kenny did not L1at Olemek. JOb here 1s when I am able to bachelorhood m July 2000. grow up with '04. "In add,- form fncndsh1ps and build when he mamed girlfriend his real father tion to the rapport with the students," �fayttcc, 24. They currently was because that says Cito. "It's live m the Bronx, fact his paternal Kenny is always rewarding not far from the gr a n d f a t h e r lo bond with kids nice, really school where my "told over things like he's conworks as a Mayttec mother that if plays, stant in my school a kindergarten she were to Ramaz life, mlramura1s, or t C a C h e r . have lhc baby, and that's just sightings m Counseling all would he great to have lhe halls." future spouses throw the baby was Cito within the Upper Kenny waits outside the Upper School. Many students look in a hectic out.·· day of born in the School, C,to D u r i n g fonvard to his daily presence. school. Sometimes, wllhm the llronx, the third says, "Marnage high school. Kenny was an whatever he pleased.

1s great.

All "I was able to paint a lot. I sheltered Ramaz community. son in a family of arust. "My mother put a pencil those horrible in my hand when I was about was supplied with everything Kenny is a refreshing reahty four boys. He stones you hear eight, before I went to my that I needed. The prison staff check to the outside world," graduated from to Stefani Evandcr Childs are completely and said made sure that pamts were according grandmother's, High School, faJ�c.10 !,truly 'draw.' Because of this, all available for me." In 1975, he Markowitz ·os. his However, some students where enio:,;11o,Tiending throughout high school. I was let out on parole. "Parole , time \Y;1th my drew. I was Kenny, the ilrttst." was neither suffocating nor oppose Kenny 's presence. ,avonte sub'�ccts wife."

But Kenny soon began a annoying. The whole federal "There •s nothing wrong with mcluded science. in Just I history, and math.

Afier Though he docs not forsec descent into a hfc of cnmc. cxpcncncc was the quickest panhnndlmg general, From 1951-1970, Kenny was eight years of my life. 11 was don't know how appropnate it amvmg at Ramaz four years any children on the immedi ate guy ago, Cito this continues panhandle for to to 1s work honzon. he hopes to one day in and out of the state' prison exciting and educational."

From 1980 until the pre- outside of a high school. alongside his older brother. have a large family. system for burglary, drug posthat Hector. so kids naive, where arc Cito 1s a beloved member accused scssiori. shophfimg, and other sent, Kenny has been When he's not fixmg the of the Ramaz community, and crimes. In t 970. Kenny of m1sdcmc:mors, mainly pan- he can take advantage of us," robbed a bank m Staten handling, which he docs "all complamed an anonymous latest water leak at Ramaz, has fans Wllhm both the stu­ Cito enJoys playing basket- dent and faculty populations. over." "I remember it was a junior.

Island.

Kenny feels there is a con- ball, football and hockey. He "C1to's really cool." says He accepted a pica. and Saturday night m December, was m the federal system from and I was coming out of Va nccuon between his pamtings recently finished reading 771c Jonah Shulman '02. "It's great 1971-1979. lie spent four Bene, and there was Kenny," and his hfe. "1l1ere is a strmg 7ime Machi11e, and looks for- how he's so m touch with the of unity that flows m and out ward to seeing the film. students."

Ms. Malarny years ,n Jail, and four years on recalled Rosalyn Spier, '04.

Kenny hkcs lo come to of 1t and connects tt. My life 1s though he professes that "the echoed the sentiment: TI1c parole. Compared 10 the state system, fedcraJ prison was Ramnz because of ''the gen- real, my experiences arc real, movie is almost never as good man never stops smiling. He's ,, ", .. heaven. ft was hke enter- cr �F�!Y,,,9L t. �f,JJ.��- �.�� 1ll]�!S�11and my occupation 1s real." 11 as thc-Ppo!<t", ,. .1, .�, ..,.,, •..- ,·..., al ways ,ready )01.�cl�\•:\:,., .> ►, �,

Everybody Loves Cito

"I ta ke things one day at a ti.me.

That's the only th•Ing you ,can do."

11

Page IO

April 2002/ly>r 5762

Tbe RamPage

Basketball and Religion:

Can We Play on the Same Court?

By Maxwell Bryer W hen school adjourned cheerleaders, and their girls strating that the Conservative for summer vacation last June,

participating in sports events

the quesuon of th 'c Solomon must wear long pants and tee Schechter Day schools' shirts, rather than tank tops. admission to the Yeshiva Rabb, Bloch. Liaison of Basketball League remained the BJE to the Principal's unanswered. This issue arose Council, said, "It's true that when the UJA Federation of the Schechter schools will New York pressured the Board have absolutely no vote in of Jewish Education league to rehgious matters." Because of allow its Conservative con­ shtuents to join. In the end,

the BJE agreed to invite Schechter to the league, but only on the condition that they comply with several rcstnc­ tions.

Although the Long Island Schechter, the only branch that has responded to the

league ·s April offer, has made no official statement concern­ ing its decision, many specu­ late that the reason for its long dclibcrauon stems from the restnctivc criteria that qualjfy

branch of Judaism is inca•

pable of rcndcnng rehg1ously

sound decisions.

This implication puts the

Schechter schools in a d,ffi. cult position. Should they deny their students the oppor• tunity to play basketball with other day school children on these restrictions, the Long the grounds that they arc Island Schechter has been being denied re1ig1ous panty, forced to ask itself whether or can they pcnn1t their stu­ this decision is merely about dents to play, ignonng the fact baskctb.11. that they will have to accept The dilemma that delayed second-class or non-voting the league's offer in the first status? place 1s not over, as the Long Island The Solomon Schechter schools Schechter's ultimate response, rcmam Conservative while the

long m coming, will reflect

sides of the issue and create an en:vironmcnt where everyone

As the one team that has responded to the offer, the

short, pluralism expresses the idea that there is more than

anticipate that things will workout."

However, a conclusion to the entire issue has not been

itself, has stated that should

can play," sa.id Rabbi Bloch.

one valid branch of Judaism.

By denymg the

the Conservative schools elect to join, they will h.:ivc no vote on the religious matters that come before the Pnnc1pal's Council, they cannot have

Conservative schools a right reached. In the words of the to vote, some feel that the Schechter of Long Island, Yeshiva League is demon-' ""Unity IS truly needed.'"

(coltlrnued from page I) its waumg list," and that the

emphasized that Ramaz "1s

next year of over 40 students.

has

that "the new schools arc sus­ tainable," and was m111ally

New High Schools

·•quality of kids is basically

the same:· Mr. Rochhn was less optimisllc. "It's hard to

say whether the quality 1s the

adapting. The Middle School

become a commuter

school for Englewood."

In

retrospect.

some

believe the addition of the Middle School was a nustakc.

Mr. However, Rochlin affirmed that he "wouldn't say that The Middle School is a creation of the Middle School very special place, and it has

same," he said. "Hopefully we take everyone for the nght reasons."

The school also needs more students because of the two years ago.

The new

branch of the Ramaz schools

allowed space for over ten

new spots m each class and "expanded lhe flower and Middle School] classes to 66

spots," accordmg to Mr.

Rochlin, Its existence also

swells cosls because Ramaz must pay the salanes of many new lcachcrs.

As of now, the Ramaz schools have about 30 spots

from kindergarten to twc!Oh grade that the adm1n1strallon would like to sco filled. The second grade is part1cularly

1cs h:1ve caught up with us.

People arc moving out of the

community where 1hc cost of

Rabbi Lookstcm admitted

'"very concerned that people

arc going other places. There arc some parents who don'l want to send students from out

of town because of 9/1 1 and new local high schools."

Hts other concern is that

"the schools arc going to raid each other for teachers,'" and been found at Ramaz. It "aggravate the teacher short• allows age appropriateness age.'"

J. Ezra Merkm, Vice­ and all kinds of other things."

Still, RamilZ parents arc Chairman of Ramaz's Board thinking twice before sending of Trustees, believes that their children to the school. Ramaz has "entered mto an Jenny Chubak, sister of era of direct compclttlon with Steven Chubak '02 and its former significant sources Barbara Chubak '98, decided of supply."

He said, "The admmistra· to attend North Shore Hebrew High School "because it's in 110n has only slowly come to Great Neck and close to my understand the newly compel• itivc rigors of the marketplace. home."

She added that a benefit of Ramaz has taken refuge going to a new school is that behind the expectation that some amazing qualities that otherwise would never have

under capacity, and several '· ,;1hcrc's only a ninth and tenth other classes arc not com- grade, so participating m pletely full. extracurricular activities is When asked about this much easier." . , empty space, Mr. Rochlin In add1t10n, many Moriah

explained, ''111e dcmograph-

Michael Gross '02 and Daniel Fischler '02 hard at work.

Formulax's satire o f Irish life in America wm come out later this year.

F-o-rm-u�--a-x-:Writing for Dummies

league is Orthodox. "In set• the complexity of tJ1c issue at ung something that's inclu­ hand and the care with which sive, we have to taJce both 1t must be handled.

Solomon Schechter of Long their ngbt of entry to the Intentionally or otherwise, Island stated, "We're very league. the restnctions of the happy that leadership within The Yeshiva H,gh School Pnnc1pal's Council raise the the Jewish commumty has Pnncipal's Counc,1, the group issue of Jewish pluralism. In made this happen, and we

that administers the league

-

students who would typically

go to Ramaz arc instead

attending Fnsch, which Rabbi

Lookstem said "1s gelling bet­

significant increases in the population seeking an Orthodox Jewish education will cushion the lower number of students m the application pool."

In the end, Mr. Mcrkin believes thnt the "greatest

concern is whether R:1maz w1II continue to have enough

hvmg 1s lower. It's difficult to ter." Heschcl is also expecting fill thes� �J3S!ICS,i', .Strll.-,)10 , arclat1vcly fulLfrcshman cla .. , good faculty nnd manage-

By Diane Kolatch

"I sec a dead ra� it smells people the better," he said. hke some beef, I sec many of But there ts a darker side

them at the comer of that reef!" improvised Michael

to Formulax. Danny Fischler expressed frustration regard• Gross ·02. As one of the ing a rather sensitive 111attcr. founders of Formulax, the "We want to be part of the afler-school an11-l!tcrnry club, nvaJ ry between R.amJ>agc and he creates such movingl)OCtry yearbook! We arc bcncr than every Monday night. they arc, and we could wm."

Fom1ulax was created two "Yeah!"'

Lara echoed years ago as the bramch1ld of Silbcrklang.

"We don't seniors Jesse Mcrmelstem, oppress our wnters."

Michael Gross, Danny Oppressive or not. many Fischler and Lara S,lbcrklang, people have shown mtcrcst m who were, at the time, four Formula.x. "Its weird," said arnb111ous sophomores devot­ Am,tai Bick Raz1cl. '02, ··1

ed entirely to bad and strange

think its too deep for me. But

Every Y-day dunng lunch, all the members of Fomulax

posely bad poetry." Sasha Stem '02 shared some of the

writmg.

get together to write and work

llS so cool how they write pur­

same fcchngs... Its funny and

on their publication. Although bizarre," she said. there are "officrnlly about 20" At the end of this year, members, according to Danny Formulax will pubhsh a play Fischler '02, he admitted that tha.t satinzcs Irish life 10 the number of regular atten· i\mcnca, a spoof they have

decs actually "ranges from worked on for a long time. four to four."

In lhc words of Danny However, Michael Gross Fischler - "You must be able interjected that they are "mter• to write well m order to wntc estcd 1n new blood."Thc more badly."

Parallax Wins Silver Crown

By Alex Glasser Last year's Parallax pubIi•

cation brought the bacon

home to Ramaz on March 22, when the staff of the literary

publication was presented with a Silver Crown Award

from the Columbia Scholastic

year streak of gold medals that

the magazine has already received.

Dr. Honig, literary adviser to Parallax, altributcd the'

accomplishment to a shift m the judges• cnteria for wm•

Press Association.

The Crown Awards a.re

mng. In the past.judges' deci­

awords for stu<lcntJoumnlism, and Pnrallnx ·s recent wm comes on the heels of n four-

on its odhCTCncC to guidclmes

CSPi\'s

most

prcstisious

sions were based not only on

tho conlcnl of a magazine, but

established by CSP/\.

(co11ti1111ed 011 page I l)

Sports-----------------.

April 2002/Iyar 5762

The R:unPage

Girls B-Ball Wins!

By Elad Cohen

The girls have done it again. Despite a less than per­ fect performance at their championship game, the girls varsity basketball team man­ aged to muster a win over HANC by a mere four points.

This victory fo11owcd a deci­ sive routmg at the semifinals against HAFTR. The game was won m its final moments, as Anna Kohanski '02, recipient of the MVP award, put away a free throw to give the Rams a four­ pomt lead. The team was also led by Danielle Epstein's '03 shooting, Laura Pilossoph's

'03 dominance in the paint, a fine contribution by Marley Bernard 02, and a coordinat­ ed performance from every player.

The girls had already lost to HANC earlier in the season, 1

for their second regular season

loss in three years.

The season has been espe­ cially difficult for the team m part due to the many new faces on the roster. As Ilana Pizcm '03 explained, "Th" year was very different from last year, because lt was a completely new team with only five returning players.

We also didn't have last year's co-capta ins anymore, the best two girls in the league. It's not like we won games easily, so we really had to work hard for our trophy. But we won."

The girls varsity team also had to overcome another fac­ tor that was to their disadvan­ tage. Fan attendance was par­ ticularly low this year, which disappointed several players.

As the old saying goes, "One out of two am 't bad."

And so for the third time in a row, the girls brought home a trophy.

Rabbi Lookslein consoles the disappointed boys team following their championship loss.

Boys Varsity Falls to HAFTR in Heartbreaker

By Elad Cohen The curse continues.

With less than 20 seconds left to play, and the Rams trailing 44-41, the outlook was gnm.

Yet Eitan Schwartz '02 man­ aged to hit an mcrcdible three­ pointer from 23 feet.

But while Ramaz was busy celebrating, l·IAFTR 's Eytan Rosenbaum hit a game­ wmnmg shot to prolong Ramaz's 38 year champi­ onship drought, as the Hawks defeated the Rams for the sec• ond consecutive year in the Yeshiva League finals.

Lackluster and porous defense enabled HAFTR to score seemingly at will throughout the first half, and the Hawks took a 7-point lead into halftime. However, an extraordinary third quarter put the Rams back m the game, and with just over 3 minutes to play, Ramaz was up 5.

However, due to some missed foul shots and offcn-

sivc hesitancy, HAFTR crept back into the game, finally taking the lead w,th Just over a minute remaimng and sett ing up the final sequence.

The boys' fut1hty is enig­ matic. Afier an ex•raordinary regular season in which the team had a 14-2 record m league play and a 26-3 record including exhibition games, many expected victory. The Rams even routed HAFTR earlier this season.

However, Coach Randy Dulny, who has persevered through many years of disap­ pointing losses, somberly pro­ nounced, .. I guess it's just not meant to be." Max Eckstein '03, believes the team to be under "some kind of a jinx."

While Dulny had many positive things to say about his team, he also thought they might have played better. "I think we came out very slug­ gish, wb1ch turned out to be a

Page II

NBA Playoff Preview

By Elad Cohen The NBA playoffs are last year, and played at an about to start, and 11 is almost mtens1ty that was unmatched impossible to predict who will by any other team. win the West, let alone the The Pistons have also East. While the Los Angeles played surprisingly well this Lakers arc still the favontcs to year due to Ben Wallace, who win their third straight cham- is hands down the most under­ pionship, they do not hold the rated player m the NBA. The West, like the East, best record.

That distinctton belongs has been very competitive all to the Sacramento Kings, who season long. The Lakcrs had have absolutely to deal with a toe crushed the oppoThe injury to the,r most valuable sit1on even with player, Shaquillc team leaders Chns O'Neal, as well as Webber and Pcja StoaJkovic absent several minor injuries to star at times. In the E a s t c r n Kobc Bryant.As a Conference, the result, they arc New Jersey Nets currently battling for the second have reached the SO-win mark for spot m the West the first time in franchise his- with the Mavencks. tory.

The Mavericks have The Nets entered the defied their critics, who said 2001-2002 season With hi gh that a team cannot wm with­ expectations. With Jason out defense.The Mavs give up Kidd, Kenyon Martin, Keith an average of IO I pomts per Van Hom, and Kerry Kittles, game, yet they score I 06 the Nets have a championship points per game - the best offensive output in the NBA. caliber team.

The Nets will be entering They have thrived behind all• the playoffs alongs,de 7 other stars Dirk Nowitzla and Steve teams, most likely the Pistons, Nash, as well as Mtehac\ Celtics, Bucks, Magic, Fm I cy and new add1t1ons Nick Hornets, Sixers, and either the ..The Quick" Van Exel and Raef Lafrcntz.

Raptors or the Pacers.

Along with these two It's really anyone >s guess as to who will go where in the teams and the Jcaguc-lcading playoffs. The S,xcrs, who Kmgs there arc the Spurs, made the finals last year and Jazz, T1mberwolvcs, Blazers, lost to the Lakcrs, are virtual- and the Somes. The Spurs ly unstoppable when Allen were manhandled by the Iverson 1s healthy. However, Lakers in last year's \Vcstcm he has been injured for quite a conference showdown, but while and will not be I 00% still have arguably the best player m the league, Tim come playoff time.

The Bucks, Celtics, and Duncan.

Magic are among the top scorThis year's playoffs arc ing teams and when Allen, sure to be c�tremely compcti­ McGrady, or Pierce a.re on, no live and entertaining. As far as one in the league can stop J'm concerned, the trophy is them. The Hornets had an up for grabs to whomever mcred1ble run in the playoffs wants 1t most.

trophy is up for grabs to W h Offiever Wa ntS 'it ffiQSt.

very bad omen. If we would have played nearly as well in the first half as we did m the second, we would have won."

He contmucd, "l would have hkcd 11 ,f we had been better defensively. It was a devastating loss for our team.

They were cx.tremcly close. If I look back, we could have done some things differently."

Many feel as though Ramaz was robbed because of the refereeing. One student sarcastically asserted that "the referees were bribed," and complained that the three offensive fouls called on Joseph Trencher '03 were "bogus calls. Seven offensive fouls were called on Ramaz.

Coach Dulny has received countless supportive phone calls from former players and other people who followed the team. He pledges, "I'll win one for anybody whose ever Dukie Morduchowltz '03 goes up for a board agall1St the played for me."

Hawks. The Rams' nrst-halr defense was lack.luster.

1 '

� Page 12

Arts

April 2002/Jyar 5762

The RamPagc

Our Play, Our Town

By Gobriel Oppenheim It hod no props (save a couple of ladders 2nd chairs), no sets. no music, a little humor and even fewer cos• tumes. And yet, the Ramaz Upper School production of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" was. as I ovcrhc:ird a few girls say at the play's con­ clusion, "some pretty power• ful stuff.• Thornton W1ldCT onginal­ ly sci out lo pen a play with a message, a play that would teach and touch the audience in a way that had not been tried before. The result of his efforts was "Our Town," a drama about life in the fiction­ al town of Grover's Comers.

New H ampshire.

Specifically, Wilder's plot chronicled the fictional hvcs of two fam,hes, the Gibbs and the Webbs.

The Ramaz produc11on suycd true to Wilder's ongmal vision, and did so with a stel­ lar cast of students ranging from freshman to seniors.

Emily Hammerman ('04) played Emily Webb. Samson Koh:msla ('04) took on the part of George Gibbs. Wlule it might not have been easy for Kohanski to act as a teen who loves b>Scball more than girls, and then portray an adult

m love, he, hkc Hammerman shows the audience what's pulled It olT expertly. going on m the Webb house­ At the start of the first act, hold. Their family is portrayed the stage manager (Jesse by Ilana Stone '02 as Mrs. Mc1Tncls1cin '02), who serves Webb, lfammc1Tnan, Rebecca as the play's namitor, takes a Traum '05 as her mtcr Molly, peck inside the Gibbs house­ and Robby ChamolT '04 as hold. There the audience secs Mr. Webb, editor of the town's Mrs. Juha Gibbs (Rema paper.

Both the Webbs and the Ilana Stone '02 and Reina Potaznlk '03 pose as the moth­ Gibbs arc voslled by Joe ers of Our Town.

Crowell Jr. (Taha Hurw,ch '05) who dehvcrs the morning paper, and by Howie (co11timiedfrom page 10) Newsome (Jonathan Goldman One such guideline was a stnctly on the basis of person­ '04) the milkman. The second act continues with much of the limitation on the size of a a1 opimon.

As Dr. Honig put 11, "1lus same cast; the only change' magazine, for example. comes in the fonn of the However. the writers and cd1- panel of experts looked only morning paper, as Joe has tors of Parallax "were domg for one thmg-who had the passed the torch to hos the magazmc to make 1l great. best magazine." While the younger brother Sy (Atira not to wm an award,.. ::accord- award excited many at mg to Or. Honig. "So Parallu Ramaz, 1t came as no surprise Kaplan '05) .. to several students Although the small roles duln't follow all the rules.'· This year, however, that Michael Marco '02 said, delegated to the townspeople may often seem rclataccly strategy played to the pubhca- "With such creative and capa­ tion 's advantage.

A panel of ble wnters, it's no wonder that mconscquenual, they arc actu­ ally crucial to the play's cmo­ judges voted Parallax one of Parallax won the Crown.''

Dr. Honig behcvcd, "We tlonal impact. The engaging the ten best student pubhcapcrfonnanccs of Potazn1k, t 1 ons in the country and have very talented students, Gassel, Traum, Chamoff, awarded it a Stiver Crown and that's why we won."

Kaplan, Hurw1ch, Goldman OVle Review: Po1azn1k '03), Doc Gibbs and Stone, whose characters (Hany Gassel '02), George, seemed trapped in their habits and his younger sister and ways, c1Tcc11vcly pave the � way for Emily's, as well as our Rebecca (Kate Be1Tnan '05).

Meanwhile, on the other own, climact1c rcahi.atton that side of the stage, Mermelstein hfe is too precious to waste.

Thornton Wilder original­ ly set out to pen a play with a message, a play that would teach and touch the audience in a way that had not been tried before.

John Mayer's Cheerful Vibe

By Ellan Hocbstcr The crowd contmucd to wait 1mpat1cntly; 11 had been nearly 30 mmutcs since the sub-par opening band, Bleu, had left the sugc after coming on an hour late. The sold-out Irving Pia� cheered as loudly as 11 could when John Mayer finally approached the stage for the second night of hos two-night stond ot the club.

Mayer, coming olT the release of his debut album. entered with has guitar and played several bars of Ja Ruic 's "Always on Time" 3S nn mtroduction to his hit smglc "No Such Thmg."

This cross-genre rntroduct,on wns an 1mmcd1atc sign of the 24 year old's command of the stage. It was evident throughout the show lhat John his natural place wa, m front of a crowd. John spent the mght playing off the ccsta11c gathenng's comments.

John not only felt comfortable on stage, but also had o greol opprcc,ot 1 0n for lus fans. Mayer gleefully remindcd them how mcrcd1blc 11 was for him 10 h,vc 1 500 people

crammed mto one club just to hear him play and to give off such a pos1hvc vibe.

Yet the only person he has to !honk for that vibe IS himself. He interacted with the audience between every song, pleasantly tcasmg lhc girls who were yclhng how attractivc he was, and mockmg o man who was yelling out his

hfe crisis'' mvolvmg his dis­ covcry of love, identity and purpose.

Hos music covers his Journcy from entcnng the real world, to wondcnng what the world 1s 3bout to yearning for . childhood iMocencc.

What makes these lyncs so powerful ond free of the sappy pop themes that saturate mosl of to<fay's music IS that they come from a sense of wonder and p,ssion for hfc, and not from the over• mined pam of hcanbreak and d1sappomtment.

Mayer's set consistcd of all J3 songs from his new album, plus two songs, "Quiet" and "Sucker," from his hard-to-find Mayer playing al Irving Plua. self-released album and, finally, one new song. name all night.

The olhcr appcolmg The most impressive aspect of Moyer's music is his aspect of his playmg wos the skill m wnting rcal1st1c lyncs, immense maturity of his jams. rcnecting cvcryd3y problems His songs capt 1votcd the audi­ of twenty-somethings without cncc with their iongly, Jozzy bemg pop-culture corny. llis fechng, wlulc s1111 disploying songs ore :i travelogue 1hrough an incredibly heartfell spon­ his sclf.procla1mcd "quarter- tone 1 ty,

Parallax Wins

40 Days and 40 Nights

Dy ZevRosen The title of this film IS perhaps the only mildly amusing aspect to this comedy directed by Michael Lehmann.

After bemg dumped by girlfnend Nicole (Vanessa Shaw), San Francisco resident Matt Sulhvan (Josh Hartnett) goes on a datmg rampage.

But on ••ch date, the disturbcd Matt 1mngmcs that a big black hole IS opening m 1hc cctlmg, He gocs on to hvc through many mediocre SCXISI IS m ct a p h o r s , wh1ch arc 1n tune with the general fcchng of the film.

Meanwhile, Matt's brother John (Adam Trecsc), who is m the process of becoming a pncst, IS d,sgustcd with his debauched brother.

To satisfy hlS brother and reclaim some clement of selfdignity, Matt decides to nbandon his hedonistic ways nnd become cchbntc for Lent The stnndord tcmptnt1on arrives m the follO of Enco (Shonnyn Sossamon), who 1s

intrigued by Matt's b1 2arrc behavior.

The m1ual concept seems creative at first, and has dcfinite sexual (1f ch 1 ld 1 Sh) comedic potential, but screcn­ writer Robert Perez has to make sure that cvay smglc scene reminds us of the premise.

It os as though Perez expects that people seems thlS film are gomg to be ,dults wtth the aucn­ t10n span of ch1 l­ drcn or children with. the attcn110n span of ch1ldrcn.

As a result. the decent premise gives way to a few giggles here and there, and nolhing more.

The actmg doesn't help much, although like the rest of the fi lm, 1l's not entirely dre adful.

Forty Days and Forty Nights takes an mtcrcsting idea ,md turns It mto n snppy nnd mediocre romnncc. I rec• ommcnd It only 10 those enthralled by Josh Hortnctt's go</'1 looks.

I recommend •

th· movie only to those enthralled bY Josh Hartnett's good looks.