e RamPage
Volume XX.X III Number 9
l\lay 2003/lyar 5763
School Dress Code Revised
Snea li::trs :a. re now ptrmit'ttd to grace c.1:as.sroom fluo r s.
Rabbi Lookstein Departs
By Jen ny M<rkln 'Q.I and Sbifr a Min cer '04 D unng the busy \\ CC:ks lotcs that Rabb, Josh were sur prised by the befor e Pesach. the members of Lookstcm felt ' "pr essure gro w :anno unec menl. Those who C o ngr egouon Kch1l a1h ,ng up, although unspoken, were not members or' KJ and Jcshurun rccc,vcd o lctt<r m that this ,s what he's supposed had not r eceived the letter the mo,I from Robb, Josh to do, but rcah,.cd it 's not hcord 1 hc ne w s from f n cnds. Look stcm, who 1s currently w hat he wants. " Rcacuons Alan Feder '04 expla ins that studying tn Ism.cl. In 1hc letter. van ed :as news bcg:m to he hod "ol wu ys assu med that Robb, Lookstem announced sp read of Robb, Josh Robb, Josh was n a1urally his rcs1gm'.lt1on from both KJ Look stctn's rcs1gna t1on. gomg 10 be next ofter Robb, Haskel Lookstem Lookstcm so the res1gmn 1on and Ra maz, ma r king h, s · Robb, surpnsm g. very rcurc mcnt from rabb1n1col li fe e, plomcd that the r cs1gnot 1on was rn the commun1 ty.Rabbt was not a big surpnsc for him. Elizabeth Smnre,ch '04 felt Loolutcm cxploms that "when "We've been thm kmg about 11 that "11 100k • lot of �uls for l wa.s m the co mm um ty. 1t was for a long 11mc" he sa i d, ' 'a nd him to resign rrom a pos auon o verwhelming ,n the sense II crystal hzcd m the lost year that has been bas,colly lhot oil I cou ld sec from lcfl 10 and a hal f. Robb, Josh reochcd rcscr'\cd for him since he w:i.s nght was KJ/R,unoz." Robb, a dee1s1on o few months ago born." Dcsp11< the 1111110I shock. Lookstein was able to sec his and we " e re wonder i ng how h fe m • d i fferent hght m lsrocl to aplam 1t to the commun1• there has been o v er whelming where he w.is "a llowed the ty." Robb, Kobnn on the other support for Ra bbi Lookstem 's pcrspcctavc 1tut as mfluc:n u:al hand was '"somewhat su r• dcc1s1on. "It 's sad and d1 s ap• and impor tant as KJ/Ramaz 1s p nscd, a lthough t here hod po mtmg lhOI Rabb, Josh there ,s more to the world. been hmts ca rh<r m the ycor" Lookslc1 n ,s lea ving." sai d Israel ga ve me t),c space I Mr. M iller desc r i bes hi s Mr Roc hlin. Rabbi Kobnn respo n se os "bord ering on said he feels "happy for h im, needed 10 thmk clea rly wi th os few p ressu res as possible. " shock" because he had al woys bul I'm sad for the school. though! that "Ro bb, Lookstcm because ot a time of trnns1t1on Rabb, lloskcl Lookstcm conJCC turcs thot his son "wo nts to would re turn and the n bnng . Robbi Looks1c1n 's lcodrnh, p be a part of the community his strengt hs lo the pos11 1on m p resence was one consta nt (co111/r111rtf 011 pnge 2) and not sepa ra ted. " lie specu- KJ. " Most Romaz students
By Gabriel Slamovits '05 Al an assembly 01 the end cial mecung wuh the adm,msof Morch. Mr. Miller trauon. the GO, and class announced that two ch;ingcs presidents, a dec1s1on was were made to lhe dress code. roached lhat the cx1s11ng dress All sludents arc now allowed code would be more heavily to wear snc:akcrs. howc vcr enforced, but as a result girls must wear socks Wllh sncokcrs "ould now be p<r· their foot\\car In an c•ma1I m,ss,blc. As for the sandal sent to oil Upp<r School par problem, a nc\\ rule hos been the ents, admm1 strat1on put ,n place for the girls that explained that the changes arc "all foorncor {shoes, sneak bemg made as a result of "o ers. and sandals) must be gcn<ral consensus about the \\Om wuh socks." and thus need for grca1cr c lanty and foot\\ear that docs not allo" cons1S1cncy m our en fore 1ng socks wou ld not be "om the code, as "ell :as m Fonner school n urse Ms responding 10 rccenl fash ron \\'crthc 1m, who h!ld \\Tl ttcn trends." p:asscs :1ll0\\mg students to GO SVP Yog, Schulman \\Car sneakers for many yea rs. stated that the admm1str:it ion wos thnlled "I thmk u ·s great came to the GO after rccc1 v• that there :arc no more snc: :ikcr mg compl :unts fro m the htu• passes," said Ms Wertheim, son committee and other fac• "S neakers arc better for 1hc uhy member s about the dr ess feet, and I thmk that wearing code not being enforced, them ,s the right woy to go " "spcc 1 f icolly the lack of Many students were adh<ren cc 10 rules on the part pleased 01 the news Chanan, of lies, swea ters. sneo kcr s. Schul mon ' 06. sa,d. "I thmk The and tuc ked-an shi r ts it's grc:a11 Sn� kcrs a llow you adm1mstr.1t1on got tired of act 10 express you rself m :a more ing as a patrol service. and mdcpcndcnl m:inner" R:11z1c came to the student go,em Errc,ch 'OS olso was happy to mcn t, and me ntioned these hear obou1 the c hanges, part,c issues a long with the growmg ulorly obout the rule rcqum ng conc<TT! of sandolwcar m the girls 10 \\Cor socks "I thmk spnng. " The concern about ,1 ·s great," said Ra121c "I h:ite gi rls \\canng sanda ls 1s toes, :and now t don't ha,·e to twofold First, there have sec than onymorc been a small bu1 s1gn1 fic ont Other students " ere less number of :accidents :as a cn thus 1:is11c :ibout the new "I've been wc;:i,nng resul t of bock lcss shoes. rules Second, II 1s felt that so ndals sneo kcrs for the post year." r arc app rop natc footwear fo said A lex Mc 1row 1tz 'OS . "I 1hc beoch, and as such, mop don 't think 11 changes any• prop rinlc for school . Al • spe, thmg"
New Security Co.d es Installed at Ramaz ny Gobr ltl Sla movhs '05 As of !Ole Morch, M r. M1 ll<r annou nced to students • number o new secu ri ty con f t1ngcnc1es which would lake c fTect m the c-vcnl of a chc m 1c1I or b1olog1cal weapons attac lc. In add111on, dcodbo lts wae recently installed m a ll room, 1n the Roma, Upp<r Schoo ond safely lllpe was l placed m lhe front of many of tl1c sl.:li rcascs m lhc build ing. Mony .iudcnts hove been con fused u rcll)l rds the height• encd sccu r i ly. Although 11 hod been p reviously onnounced that there would be b1olog1col weapon ollack dri lls ond mtr u• s1011 d r i lls no such dnlls have , occu rred, nor w , 11 they, as o JCSU lt of the unhke J1hood Qf
such an cvcnl. Al though the re will be no d n lls. Romoz docs ha ve very dc10 1lcd p rocedu res os 10 how 10 hand le va rious forms of sccu nly threats In the event of • chemical wea pons attack all stude nts would evacuate 10 the third noor. and not 10 the gymnas i um os hod been previously an nounced. When gas IS expe lled ,n the atmosphe re 11 scnlcs downwa rds ond. os o resu l t, the gym would not be • sa fe ev"cua tIon locu tion Accord ing lo Mr. Wil fredo Garcia, ll.:i m:v '1 O i rcclor of Sccu rlly, 1hc 1l1 1 rd noor lounge would be r111 1dco loco11on In l the unlikely c:vcnl such nn 011ock occurs, a 11 ha, spoca
lorgc enough for the ent ire msla llcd ,n all Ro maz school body of faculty and staff lo fit. doo r s, they ex ist 10 p rotect In odd11 1on the 1h ird noor studcnls from mtrus1ons l\·tr house, the nu rse 's office, Mi ller stoled thot the dead bath rooms, and vend ing bolts should be viewed as f irc The th ird noor bo,es and arc lo be used only mach ines would be comple tely scaled m the event of "cotastropluc off fro m 1he rest of the bu ild emcrgcnc1es " I lowcvcr some mg The vcn1 1lat1on sys tem students were concerned O\'cr f wou ld be 1mmcd 1a1cly shut the use fu lness o the loc ks . down and oil clcvotors ond "So, bosical ly they can either ,to , rwc lls wou ld be closed off. breok the glass on the door Spcc,ol supplies stored ,n the and shoot us or break the school building mcludc plos t,c gloss. open lhe lock, and then Adnm sn1d us, " ond duel lope lo seal off oil shoot windows nnd doors, emer Stnrkmon ·os. llowevc r, Mr. Ga rcia responded thn gency mcd,cnl k its mclud mg l 1hc med1cu 11on for Jmbc11cs, nnd locks we re nol ncccsSlanly o. prc vcn t1on system for n ll dry foud nnd bottled wntcr, f A• fnr the role o the thrc11ts und would lx: uo;;c ful 11c. , dcadboll& thut ho ve been 1, ?,.<Js>l,at,9?_)\'.� rndars,
o "JO<?l,;'.
,
Ile also noted that on intruder need not ncccss:m ly be anned and could, for cxomplc, si m p ly be inlo.,cated In such a sllua llon the locks would pro vide suffic ient pro tection. Some students feel that lhc sccunty meosurcs bemg !Oken by the school ore unncc essory "I feel p<rfec l ly safe m 1h,s schoo l, " said Rebecca Tntum 'OS. " We have secu rity guards m 1h1< schoo l, so noth mg could hnppcn " llowc\'C I, Mr Gnrc,o slolcd 1h01 Rama, should he p repared for oil cvc111tmll 11cs, e,-cn lhc most unlikely ones; "We spent n lot f o mnncy on tlung� thot we ho(lC we never hn"c 10 ulic, hut '\'<> do "unt to be prepared. "
Page 2
Editorial
Rabbi Lookstein Gives His First and Last Lesson to the KJ/Ramaz Family Recently, the Ramaz/Kch1lath Jcshurun Community was informed tliat Rnbb1 Josh Lookstcm would be rcllring from both Kl and Ramnz. Rabb, Lookstcin's dcc1s1on has sparked many a reaction, as a wide number of people arc greatly affect ed by tins move. However. regardless of varying opmions regarding the nature of h1s dccts1on, Rabbi Lookstein should be nothing but lauded for having made 1t. Smee his youth and. more mtcns1vcly, over Lhc past 10 years, Rabbi Josh Lookstcm has been under tremendous pres sure as heir apparent to the loader of the Ramaz/KJ family. Almost everyone w11h enough knowledge on the subject expected "Rabbi Josh," as he 1s affecl!onately regarded by most Ramaz students, to accept the pulpit at Kl afier lus father decid ed to rcttrc. In followmg his father's footsteps . Rabbi Josh would have had a whole world handt.-d to h1m on a silver platter. He would have taken over one of the most mflucnt1al Jewish commun1t1cs m New York. Both personal and fam1hal opportunlltcs would have been absolutely unhmncd. 1ltc influence and authority would have been tremendous. But being the overseer of the Ramaz/KJ dynasty would not have allowed Rabb, Lookstcin to do what he truly wanted and, ultimately, the position was not what he most desired. He is not trying to retreat or run away but. simply. to blaze his own trail.
As of now, Rabbi Lookstcm, who 1s currently m lsracl, plans to return to New York m June. I-le has said that he 1s mtaestcd m a Job at a foundal!on in New York. Rabb, Lookstcm feels that such a JOb would allow him to be more mvolvcd m the welfare and cducallon facets of the community, than would the position at KJ. The truth of the matter 1s very simple: Rabb, Josh Lookstcm turned down profess1onal security and 1mmcnsc
social prominence m favor of domg what he wants to do. Rabbi Josh very well may achieve hts own fame and prorrnncncc, but one thing remains certain: he will do 11 on lus own tcnns and 1n the manner m which he choose s. It 1s ccnamly not beyond rea son to assume that Rabbi Josh would have filled his father's shoes superbly. However, filhng hts father's shoes did not interest him. He has chosen his own path and, m many ways, has taught the Ramaz/KJ Community a lesson /hat he might not have been able to convey had he accepted the pulpit: there is nothing worth compromising your dreams ond your mtcgnty for.
�eRamPage EDITORS IN CHIEF
Snn.h Boxer ♦ Alex Taki ♦ Dame! Weiner
ASSOCIATE EDITORS Miriam Grunfeld, News
Zcv Rosen Arts
JUNIOR EDITORS Maxwell Bryer • Eve Lcbwohl ♦ Emily Meyer SPORTS EDITOR
Etad Cohen
GOOD JOKES EDITOR Daniel Schu.mc1stcr
WEB EDITORS
k·nny Mcrk111 • Slufra Mincer
FACULTY ADYISOR AJbcrt Goelz
The ltumPogc
GO Letter
I\Jay 2003/lyar 5763
r1rst oIT, we want 10 com mcnJ RarnPogc on o very suc ces&f ul yeor of publlsh111g. Secondly, we wont to let you know what the GO has been up to. Sclhng apparel worked out extroordmnnly well - we hope it will boost school spirit and that you enjoy wearing the clotlung. On the topic of clothing, we want to thank the admmlstrat1on for allowmg us to wear sneakers - it is much appreciated by the students. The GO 1s planning a few events to which you should look forward. One of these 1s a "Leaming Ltshma Day," during which students will
hove the opportun11y to take o vuncty of classes on topics of their mtcrcst. We hope this event will take place 1h1s year, 1f the busy Inst quar1er sched ule pcmuts. However 1f not, we ure confident that Rllbbi Segal will help next year's GO. organize it. We arc also planning on event for Lag Bn'omcr. The GO wants to congrat ulate all the spor1s teams you all had amazing seasons. We also want to compliment the student body on the incredibly high attendance at the playoff games, and for the intense school spirit that you
displayed. Finally, we want to rcm111d all of you that GO clcct1ons arc approaching. Student government 1s a great way for you to be a voice for students and to pion events that will enhance school hfc. We hope you hod a great Pcsach and arc psyched for the last quar1er of tlus school year!
To the Editors, On Wednesday, March 19, an anti-war "teach-an" was held. However, 1t was more ltke an anti-war brainwashmg session. Many students amved under lhc false 1mpres s1on that there would be equal faculty representation for both sides of the argument. In real tty there was not-only the anti-war side was represented by faculty. While the students present were able to comment, their insights were unremark able. This may be due to the fact that the teach-in was run
by two history teachers with PhD's and the students argu ing with them were, obvious ly, not only relatively unm formed but, most hkely. quite mt1midated as well. Some of the claims made by the faculty werc 1 m my opm1on, rn1srcp rcscnlativc of the facts of the issue. How 1s an unmfonned student supposed to know what 1s true and what 1s not? I applaud the administration for allowing this "teach-in" to take place, but due to 11S falla cious representations, I pro pose a. slightly d1tTcrcnt forum m which s1m1lar issues can be
discussed. Rather than have history teachers debate the issues exclusively, I suggest a peer debate among students themselves, who are, more or less, on the same intellectual level. It is unfair for teachers of this school to use their knowledge to attempt to sway the political stance of unwary students. Havmg been a Stu• dent m this school for almost three years, I had come to expect a certam level of acad emic honesty from the faculty. Unfor1unately, I was let down.
greatest strength was his won derful sense of people. He loves, understands, and_rclatcs very well, and this i s a key rabbinical quahty. .. Ramaz now stands at a turning point in its history. Although Rabbi Haskel Lookstein could not hypothe size on Ramaz's leadership future, Rabb, Josh Lookstcin secs ..someone who 1s warm, mstinchvely caring, dedicated to education, but maybe most importantly, someone who is staunchly committed 19 Modem Or1hodoxy." Fred Distenfeld added that ..there was no timcline on the appointment of a rabbi" to assume Rabbi Lookstcin 's position. Rabbi Kobr in feels that "ultimately this will bene fit the school even though nght now it's a very painful and raw period. Both institu tions arc too big for one per son anyway, so this will be a good oppor1unity for growth... Many wonder about the future of Rabb, Lookstcin. "The jury is still out. Things could change. I wpuldn't be surprised 1f, down the line, he came back . He might be the Michael Jordan of Ramaz," stated Rabbi B1cncnfcld. Rabbi Haskel Lookstcin, how ever, docs not sec a return m Rabbi Josh Lookstem 's future.
"I don't think it's hkely that Rabbi Josh will return, although I have been cntcr tainmg fantasies about u. Jfhe did want to come back, a lot would depend upon the struc ture of our. congregation."' Rabbi Josh Lookstein spoke of his mtercst in working with Jewish non-profit org::miza hons in either New York or Israel. "I am looking into jobs at foundations in the New York area. My immediate plan is to �tay in Jewish communal work but in a different con text. A foundation ,�ould allow me to be involved m giving to the community m any number of arcas-we.lfarc and education, to name a cou ple." Although he is leaving Ramaz/KJ, Rabb i Lookstein truly had a love for the com munity... I don't regret my decision and I certainly don't regret any time that I spent in the community. My only regret ts that I'm not sure I will find another _position that will allow me to develop such close relationships with pco ple•studcnts, parents and members of the community. That is the aspect of my role that I loved and the one that will be the most difficult to replace."
Smccrely, Jesse 81enenfeld '03 Yogi Schulman '03• Jonathan Goldman '04 Leora Goodman '03 Jeremy Novich '03
Letters to the Editors
-Gabriel Marans '04
Rabbi Lookstein Leaving (co11tinuedfrom page/)
that was m place." Rabb, Haskel Lookstcin explained that it is 1mpor1ant for Rabbi Josh Lookstein to do what he wants and that "I have the shul and school in mmd, but I first have Rabbi Josh in mind." Fred D1stcnfeld1 a mem ber of the board of KJ, feels that "although Rabbi Josh Lookstcin will be sorely missed and he is a terrific per son, if it's his desire not to be here, then 11 is good that he resigned." Rabbi Haskel Lookstc in agreed that the res ignation was for the better and satd that for "the rabbinate you have to believe in what you are doing and feel good about 11." Although the community has been supportive, many find Rabbi Lookstcm's affini ty for the rabbinical-prmcipal position undeni able. "He would have been, and was, great at 1t1 observes Rabbi B1encnfeld, "he was a pulpit rabbi in Stamford and he was very popular." Rabb, Kobrin feels that "he would have grown mlo the Job and would have been very successful, but not ,f hc didn't want to do it." "It's too bad because he was so good at 1t. He was tcr nfic at being a rabbi," satd Rabbd-laskel Lookstein. "Hts "
Moy 2003/Iyar 5763
The RamPage
Page 3
ission to Israel Postponed
L, Aviva Scgelman '03, Eliza Laytncr '03, Rachel Fuld '04, Danielle Rabinowitz '03, Liz Lee '04 and Liron Kranzler '03 performed the song "Hands."
Women Benefit from Concert
By Daniel Marans '05 On the evening of March 25, Ramaz held 11s first \Vomcn 's Dene fit Concert: a night devoted to the arts for women and by women. The event featured refreshments, a video of some female Ramaz students discussing their fem inine identities, a display of visual art, and a lineup of per formances by female students and faculty members. The money collected from the SI 0 admission and the silent auc tion was donated to two women's chnnty organiza llons. The D. Linda Feldman lntcmauonal Rape Crisis Center in Jerusalem, and RAINBO, an organization dedicated to promotmg and protectmg women's health and rights. \Vhrlc participation in the evening's entertainment was limited to women only, mem bers of both sexes were encouraged to attend. The vancty of entertain ments at the program included the sharing of anecdotes. poet ry readings, mus ical and vocal presentations, and dramatic dance exhibitions. ''It was a powerful evening-you could feel the intensity and emotion driving extremely poignant cxpre's sions of thought," said Rabbi Un Gordon, the former chair man of the Ramaz Talmud Department who paid a spe• crnl v1s1t for the concert. "I thought Diane Kolatch's introduction of the program was bnlhant and h1lanous as usual" added Gordon. "Ms. L1twack's poems were particularly moving," said Daniel Linder "04. 'The whole event kindled m me a women's to dedicat10n nghts:· ·me Women's Benefit Concert, which was conceived and planned by Davma Kcvclson '03, was the product of much hard work on the part of 1t.s admm1s1ra1ors and con tnbulors m the weeks prcced ,ng 11. Davina was inspired lo orgnnizc the program when she saw a particularly disturb ing show on public 1clcv1s1on about female genital mut1la11on m Afnca. "'llu: opportu-
mty arose to do something celebrating women and I seized al. Very rardy do women support each other, and that's why domg this was so important." In conJuncllon with the theme of cclcbratmg and supporting women, the performers incorporated vari ous feminme themes into their performances. Kevclson a.nd others performed m several dance sequences. including one which dramatized the hor rors of ritual gcmtal mutila uon. ''Davma's choreography was amazing," Dr. Joshua Gaylord enthused. 'The dances were definitely the emouonal highhght of the night. They were brilliantly oven m their mctaphoricity. They forced the audience to 1 confront their own anxieties about sender and about power dynamics that exist m sexual interaction. I felt emasculated, but in a necessary way tha.t reversed the power dynamic on men .., thought it was a class act,.. exclaimed Mrs. Rachel Weinstem, who read the poem .. People," by Ycvgeny Yevtushenko...I hkc to think of 1t as a 'vintage' Rnmaz event. It had a smaller, warmer crowd, which remind ed me ofRamaz performances hke this years ago. The evenmg was a very nice time for female bonding, and unity of teachers and students." .. While I thmk that our contcmpora.ry society has made some important str ides toward equality for women, I think we have a long way to . go, . Dr. Gaylord said. "I thought the concert was extremely well put together, and we must conhnuc to do anything we can to support women and listen to whnt 1hey have to say, especially m a high school."" When asked as to whether or not the \Vomcn's Benefit Concert would become on Ramaz event, annual Kcvclson responded, "I nm extremely proud of 1t. 1111s will become nn nnnual event without 11 Uoubl."
By Emily Bclfcr '05 A few weeks ago due to a nse in trepidations concerning the situation m Israel and the war in Iraq, the Ramaz Purim Mission to Israel was post• poned. 11,e tnp was scheduled to take place around Purim and last for a week. A variety of events were planned for the students, mainly in the Golan, Tsefat and Jerusalem. Vanous were ehesed act ivities planned, such as a megilla reading at a children's hospi tal. In addition, several meet ings with members of the Israeli government were planned. Partic1patmg stu dents would enjoy a kayaking trip and visits to major Israeli sites, such as the Kotel. The administration made its final deciSion to postpone the trip after President Bush's telecast pointed to March 17th. the scheduled day of departure, as
the first day of the conflict. ··we had gas masks and every thing ready for the trip but once the President announced the 17th as 'the date' then we knew we couldn't go" explained Ms. Deedee Bencl, who, along with Mr. M11lcr, was one of the pnncipal coor dmators of the tnp. As to the tnp ·s future, both admm1Stra tors stated that the tnp has not been permanently canceled. "We have reserved around fof\y seats for a night on Lag B'Omcr week," said Ms. Bcnel. ·There 1s even a poss1b1hty of having two buses for that tnp;· adds Mr. Miller. The reaction of the stu· dent body to the cancellauon covered the full spectrum of opm1ons, with some sympa• th1zmg with the dec1S1on and others upset by 1t. Ram D1sh1, '05, said that postponmg the trip "demonstrated not only a
lack of support for the state of Israel, but a lack or pndc m our homeland and hentagc as well.'' Amanda Sugannan. ·05, who was scheduled to participate m the tnp. ms1s1cd that "the fact that they held out for so long demonstrates their support for Israel. Although I am frustrated that we are not there, I thmk we managed to contnbutc a.ny• way." Caroline Philips '05 claimed that she "wasn't sur prised.. about the schools decision, ··they have a rcspon s1b1hty to ensure our safety and obviously felt that they could not do so to the best of their ab1ht1cs under the cur rent crrcumstances." While students could not be m Israel this Punm, ma.ny look forward to another tnP "thcy should definitely take us" said Todd Snyder "05.
She further emphaSized the hypocnsy inherent m US actions as we arc the first country m history to use an atomic weapon and have the largest stockpile of such .:inns. The thought of nuclear holo ca.ust 1s dcva.statmg. she explained . "I couldn•1 believe that we as a human race could do this to the world but rm not so sure now." she said. Next . Mr. W1lhams offered the perspective of a non-US cit11.cn on a wa.r that 1s condemned in most European countncs and m fact, all around the world. He commended the Ramaz initiattve to give stu dents a chance to rencct on a
control cconom1cs of smaller countncs where much needed reforms arc not bemg prov1d• ed. The floor was then opened for questions and comments. Aryeh Rosk,cs '04 asked about the threat Husscm poses to Israel as a possible justifi cation for war. He a.1so men tioned the mccnt1ve of con trolling the 01I m the area. Dr. Jucovy rcphcd that although Hussein is a threat to Israel. the greatest damage to his nuclear program has been the inspections. In addition, he explained that President Bush has gath ered his coalition of support ive countries in pan by com promising lsrach interests. He predicted that "once this \V3.r 1s fought 11 won't be IO years before there will be a Palestinian state and no settle ments in Judea or Samana." As for the issue of 011 prices, he explained that OPEC would keep a handle on oil and would ra,sc the price of a barrel of 01I if 11 dropped too drastically. Dr. Jucovy continued that Joseph Stalin, more of a ··madman" than Husscm, also possessed nuclear power. The way the US dealt with the USSR throughout the Cold War was with the policy of deterrence. Th,s pohcy pre vented nuclear exchanges throughout that period. The evening provoked d1scuss1on among members of the oud1cncc nnd those who did not attend 1hroughout the school. •·J'vc goucn nll sorts of feedback," sn,d Mr. Miller. (cu11ti1111etl 011 page 4)
Teach-in Opens Discussion
By Eve Lebwohl '04 Although military opera tions began the mght of Thursday, March 20, war in Iraq remained a contentt0us issue at home up until that point. A wide range of politi cal standpoints have been rep resented by Ramaz faculty and students. At a teach•m that was organized the evenmg of Wednesday, March 19, attendees had an opportu nity to share their own views on the conflict when the US was still just on the brink of war. About 70 students crowd ed into room 50 I, which had a black peace sign on a ca.nvas sheet covering the blackboard. Everyone quieted as Ms. Rabhan took the noor, intro ducmg-Dr. Jucovy as the first speaker and reminding all to "be respectful to one another" throughout the event. "The purpose of this teach-m is to compensate for this palhd excuse for free press," Dr. Jucovy com menced. "I hate Sadgam Hussein;· he declared, "I eagerly look forward lo his retirement from the earth,"' but, he added, "the US government hasn't made successful arguments for war." Insufficient justification for the war was a common throughout the theme evening's discussions. Dr. Jucovy listed four mam grounds that the government used to Justify war in Iraq and then proceeded to refute them. rollowmg Or. Jucovy's discussion, Ms.Rosen emplm s1zcd the grave threat to the lives of many young /\mcncons Lhot n wnr presents.
"I am proud of this event." charged and complicated ISsue. "One of the amazmg things about 1h15 school is that we cnn have a discussion hkc this where the youth of today arc interested in what's going on in the outside world," he began. "Nobody IS going to mourn the passmg of Saddam Hussein. The pomt is, where docs this war lead us?" he Eventually questioned. "toward a world tha.t 1s much more unslablc and more prone to war,'' he believes. Ms. 8or6n, a nattvc of Columbrn, also provided a for eign perspective. She cntl c1zcd US foreign pohcy. spcc1focolly the object1011oblc policies m Lohn Americn thnt
May 2003/lyar 5763
Page 4
X2 Gets a Check By Gabriel Oppenheim '05
With the turbulent notes of Mozart's "Dies lrac" blaring in the background, the dcmonic-lookmg. cerulean N1ghlcrawler (Alan Cummmg) dodges hundreds of bullets as he 1eleports into lhe Oval Office and pins the president down. This intense first scene presages the overall increase m action and thrills lhal "X2: X-Men Umled" fea tures over its critically p3nncd prequel. D,rccted by Bryan Smger, "X2"' retains the same main cast members as the origmal "X-Men," mcluding Oscar winner/Bond girl Halle Berry and '"Lord of the Rmgs" star Sir Ian McKclkn. However, beyond lh1s, X-Men and 1ts sequel vastly differ. For those who don't remember, the last time we left our hyper-evolved humanmd buddies. they had just rescued their comrade Rogue (Anna Paquin) from Magneto the militant (McKellen) and folicd his plan to mutate New York. Three weeks later. as "X2" bcgms, new anti-mutant par ties have risen to power, undcrsconng the need for an alliance between lhc fonncrly at odds dov,!sh X-Mcn, and Magneto's band of bclligerenl mutants, the Brotherhood. At the core of this story line arc the various individual challenges that each mutant faces - the most affcctmg and amusmg of which 1s Iceman's (Shawn Ashmore) challenge to ·come out' as a mutant to his parents. Writers· Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty did an especially clever job of mfusing this par ticular scene with Dcgcncrcs csquc sa11re: Case in point: Iceman's morn asks her beloved son. "Have you tncd not being a mutant?" Indeed. the sporadic hghl heartcdness and wittiness m "X2" only adds to the movie's
overall appeal. To be sure, this newfound tone 1s a wclcome change from "X-Mcn," a film 1ha1 took itself a bil 100 seriously with its Holocaust undertones. Of course, one cannot dis cuss the main elements of any superhero picture without mentioning special powers and special effects, which this movie was full of. Played by the lovely Rebecca RomiJn Stamos (Fox has secured the 18-34 male demographic), Magneto's henchwoman Mystique takes on the likeness of men in front of the audi ence·s very eyes, while the aforementioned Nightcrawler jets from place to place, sim ply leaving a cloud of blue smoke in his wake. Contrary to what lhe pro ducers of "The Mummy Returns" might tell you, a good action movie needs a compelhng plot 10 back up its effects, and "X2's" narrative proves 10 be Just that. Obviously, it's easy lo take a step back and ndicule the entire X-Men saga for its farcical mutant characters. Bui clearly that would be pointless because "X2" docs not try to be realistic. Instead, ti takes problems rnmonllcs face in society today and pro Jccts them onto a fictitious c1v1hza11on where mutants arc the minority. Does that sound too deep for a comic - book based movie? Consider this: In "X2," the nght•wmg, dom1ncenng Director of Homeland Sccunly (Onan Cox) exploits the pamc following a tcrronst attack to restnct civil liberties and push an extremist agenda. So there you have the boltom line: "X.2" 1s an action movie that contains deceptive effects and intersperses its thnlls with laughs and a message of tolcr• ance - and Rebecca RomiJn Stamos.
Jonathan Merk.in '04, Jay Reidler '03 and Jared Bernheim '03 jammed at the concert.
Band Rocks Auditorium
By Nicole Demby '06 and Ariel Fisher '06 Even the sparse audience ''Battle of The Bands" compe could not faze the members of lltion earlier thi s year. the Ramaz Upper School The Freedom Toast X Band as they rocked the audi- plosion, which has been prac torium aficr school on ucing as a group since Thursday, Apr il 10. "The February, didn't lei lhe small turnout wasn't that great but crowd dampen their spirits. we weren't disappointed. We Playmg for a full hour, they didn't expect much," said performed a wide vancty of bassist Asher Shranz '03. The songs, starting off with a ren band, Jayash and the Freedom d1t1on of the Beatles "Sergeant Toast X-plos1on, named in Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club light of recent politi cal events, Band" and also playing a ere also consists of percussionists ativc "Rugrats Jam," a fast Jay Reidler '03 and Mikey paced rock song arranged by Shulman '05, gui1ans1s Jay Reidler and inspired by Jonathan Mcrkin '04 and the Nickelodeon show's Maxwell Breyer '04, David theme song. Kaufman '04 and Geoffcry Guest appearances mclud K1derman '05 on keyboard, cd vocalists Kyra Bernstein and saxophonist Ellie singing "Erctz Tropit Yafa" Lowcnfcld '05. Opening for (Jorge Ben/El i Goulharl), "Jayash and the Freedom Mikey Stem singing "There Toast X-plos,on" was "I'll Get Goes the Fear" (The Doves), Back to You.'' consistmg of Samson Kohanski smgmg sophomores Jacob Frommer "Dazed and Confused" (Led '05 on drums, Corey Miller Zeppelin) and Michael ·os on keyboard, and Gavnel Reidler, Jay's twelve-year-old Kahanc '05 on vocals. The brother, on the drums. Oded Lev-Ari, the band's band was making Its first pubhe appearance since the leader and faculty adviser.
was very proud of the band's performance. He explained that he had played a very mm imal role in the performance and lhal the "purpose was 10 let the musicians play what they liked." Oded commented that he was only the facilitator and only stepped in when his assistance was needed. The concert was met with mixed rcYJews, "It was a little long, but the band was good." remarked Ron K1mchi '06. Rabb, An Segal, on the other hand, was blown away by the concert. "It was fantastic, a tnbutc to all the students who were mvolved and came. and the faculty who came. lt was a tnbutc to Ramaz that it creates an environment where this can happen," he praised. Despite the m1mrnal attendance, the band members and many of those who did come to watch fell 1ha1 lhe perfonnancc was a success. As Laura Friedman '03 explained "Those who didn't come JUSt missed out."
Teach-In Sparks Debate (co11ti1111edfrom page 3)
"People who were delighted by the foci that this leach-in took place and others who were outraged that people could get up m any forum and say things basically lhal dis agreed with" their own views. "Regardless, I am proud of this event-I believe in the exchange of ideas." Mr. Miller slated, "lhc value of such an event 1s to make sure that we have an environment in the school m whi ch everybody feels lhal ideas other than their own can be respected." Ms. Wemberg did not sense that there had been "a lot of hype" about the event
among lhc faculty. She per sonally takes no definite pos1t1on for or against the war, but feels that "it's very important for people lo be able lo express their views as long they do so respectfully." She added that "love of America and pro•war sentiment arc not neccssanly related." An altcndcc, Adam Starkman '05, who is pro-war, found ii problcma11c that the leach-in included faculty who all take the same pohlical stance on the war. He thmks lhat instead "they should argue both sides" in n forum, in order to keep the overall tone a neutral one. Ms. Rabhan, on the other
hand, was delighted by the teach-m. She appreciated 1t as an opportunity for teachers to voice their political opi mons. "Often times I feel students wnnt to hear what teachers arc all about and now I know a hi tic more about colleagues' politics," she said. She contin ued to explain how she views the purpose and place of a pohtical fonim in the school. "It was not a debate. It was an educational forum to say there arc other opinions out there," she said. Ms. Rabhan thought 1hal the event was a valuable cxpc• riencc. "It wasn't obout ma.k ing people angry. It was a desire as educators to share."
The RamPage Editors and Senior Staff bid all of you farewell. It has been a landmark year for amPage and, it is certain, that we would not have been able to do it without. you, the student body. We The RamPage welcomes letters to the editors. All submissions should be placed in the wish you all good luck on RamPage mailbox in the sixth floor office. final exams! .
.,.J_