Volume 22, Issue 2 (November 1989) - The Rampage

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TheRamPage

Volume XXU Number 2

New Teachers (p age 4)

Admiral Crowe visits Ramaz (page 5)

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Fire Safety: A New Awareness?

by Jonat.han Tannenhause.r

Inside this issue: Pressure (page 3)

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November 1989/Cheshvan 5750

To Russia With Love

On October 19. Rarmz reached out and 1ouchcd hundreds of Rus­ si an Je w s. Rabbis H:ukel Looksrcm W1d Herschel Shachn:r. and senior Ycchez.kcl Khoyyat communicated a Tor.ID sh1ur via 1elephonc to sh Russian ch,es.

The program was sponsored by the Coohtmn 10 Free Sov1c1 Jews.

Rabb, Looksrcin opened the assembly by llllkmg oboul his lnps to vtstt refuseniks in the Sovu�1 Uni o n.

H e stressed the refuseniks' heroism and 1old of their effon.� to study Torah dcspuc the threat of government pcrsccu­ uon. Rabbi Lookstcrn also cm­ phasu.cd the role or Americans m bnngmg abou1 gl�nost He ob­ served lrult the shiur wa.s the first of ,rs land. bur promi,cd lha1 ii would be: "only lhe firsl of many."

Al 1:25 P.M. lhc w:tulll phone call Wll.S placed. At first. because of tec.hniC3.l difficuJUa caused to pot1 by canhqual<es in San fr.,n. ci.sco and China. It wu LW1Atrc wbc.1hc, ttic lhiur wn actually being heard i n all six c,tics. Rabbi Look.stein anno\1.11ced at the end of the t:nd of the broadcast that Leningrad, Moscow. Vilnius.

Tashkcnr. Thlisi. and Riga had 1111 heard "every word."

Jubbi Shae.hr«. a professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University. spoke about the four species of Sukkot and the lwo mitzvot as­ sociated with ahem in the Temple and in the Diaspora: "ulkachtcm• ("and lhou shall 1oke") and "us'machtem" ("and thou shalt �joice. ") He concluded whh 1he proyer "We should all be: wonhy of doing mitzvot in Jerusalem."

His address was simultaneously translated inro Russian.

,.,. s.. / '

by Aritlle Waldman The admin1s1ra11on is more scriow 1h1s year abou1 fin: safe1y.

Because of tJ1e fi\•e fires 1ha1 \l.c-re set in Ramaz. las1 year. 1he school has 1nslallC'd new smoke alamu on every floor Add111onally there ore 1wo fire cx11ngu1shcrs 11nd spnnklcrs on eoch lc\'ct The adnun1stra11on �•as d1s­ sa11sfied w11h studenl conduct dunng LhC' first fire dnll. "lf \\C rernam s1lcn1 and go 10 the ne3J'C$l cxu. we can evacuate in three and a half rmnutes," Mr 1'11ller s.ud. lubbl Hm•I Lookstoln congratulates Y«hozkol Khayyol aner his D'var Torah Service squad member E1ysc Mi11ler judged lhe time ii 100k stu­ The chorus. dirccrcd by Ms. mcnL However.afterwards he an­ saltz. the need for Jewish leachers dcnls 10 leave the building to be a Caroll Goldberg. sang "Sh1ru Slur nounced that even lhe singing of is great hlllc nbo\'e si.x minutes.

Amen." Ms. Goldberg c,plaincd "Haukvah" had been heard m 1he Khoyy:at and seven 01her E\'en though the upper school that she had chosen tha1 song as a Soviet Union. Edward Freedman. Ram11Z seniors vistted the SoY1Ct has 24 more students this year message 10 Soviet Jews that "in lhc Dircclor of PoUtical and Ugnl Union in December. 1988. th.in lllSI, Mr. Miller doc.s not sec 1imcs of rroublc..• hope i.J 001 Affairs for lhe Coalition. said that The Coaht1on to Free Sovic1 the added numbers as a valid • "'Qr,nan.jn 'Jashk.cnl told bi,m Je)ltl'_. hcll)!I) coonlma1e l'ri� to visil. l0111..• _ fo.- the cxu:a Li.me the: drill Khayyat discussed Shcmlni ovet the phOne lhal she "had nevct refuseniks and lhcir familic, ln u::or.. ·1 don·, 1hinlr ti hu madr i1 Atzcrct and its connection to Suk­ heard Jewish children singing 1he Soviet Union and i.s oclivc in more difficul1 in tcnns of pe:rrcn1k o t. He explained how the Hatikvoh before." lobbying in Washington on behalf ages: he said. According to Mr. Freedman said thal 1he Rllmaz of Sov1e1 Jews. T he annual Miller, the evacuauon 100k an un­ sacnfices brougln in tl,c Temple on lhc 1wo ho�days paralkllcd rhe shiur wa.s the first in a sencs of Ramaz. trip to the Soviet Umon is ncccsary amounl of umc because !here were knapsacks left m the rc.lationship between Israel and plonncd rclephonc Tor.lh broad­ arranged by rhe C'oaluion.

In discussing the program stai™ ells by some students...It is the oon-Jewish world. Khoyyat casts 10 the Soviet Union from the;: aflerwanJs. Rabbi L.. o okstem said, United Slntes.

Kh.oyyal agreed the: numtx-r one fire hu.ard." Stu­ spoke of the importance of dis­ playing Jewish unity. His shiur as that phone sh1urim could be "a "I think 11 was very successful. dents slepped around 1he knap­ well was simult:.meously trans­ very good medium of teaching." They lRamaz sludcnts und Soviet sacks and tripped over them. Thi.s He explnined tha1 whh 1he ad,enl Jewsl had something lhey will created 3 "huge backup on 1hc lated in10 R�1an. wes1 stairway." Mr. �· hllcr ex­ The choir led the singing of of glasnost� many refuseniks who never forge! all their lives." pl:uned. ·11a11kvah" at the close of the as• had organized sh1urim secretly Funbermore, most of 1hc s t u ­ scmbly. Rabbi Lookslcin c�• ha\'C been pc:rmiued to leave the xcerpts from Soviet Umon. and 1tu1 although dent body did not take the fire drill plained beforehand thal as scnously as the adn11nis1ra11on "Harikvah.. would be sung ar the the Soviet government has per� hayyat's Speech wished 11 '-"·ould. end of 1he program, rather than at mitted the cs1nblishmcn1 of a its beginning. because of rear of Yeshiva in Moscow under the �u­ ppear on Page 6 censorship by the Soviet govern- lX'Nision of Rabbi Adm Stem1

(co11Jm11ed o,i page 7)

Representatives of Dinkins and Giuliani Debate

by Lawrence Zuckerman On October 31. the Ramaz Upper School held n dcbole be­ tween rcprcscntath·cs of the two major cand1da1es for mayor. Rcp­ rCse n1 i ng Democrat David Dinkins was Ramazgraduate Her­ bert Block: Rabbi Leonard Gui­ man represented Republican Rudolph G1uhan1.

Adam Szubin introduced the 1wo debaters. after which Or. Jon Jucovy explaincd 1he form:u of 1he dcbare. Senior Toiya Toledano SCI rhe tone of the debale with a qucs­ lion on the homeless, asking both Block and Rabbi Gurman to answer the questions dircclly.

Rabbi Gu1man responded by referring to the prevalcnl "nol-in­ my-backyard" a11i1udc. lie dis­ cussed high ciry building costs and said that Giuliani would fighl corruption 10 help build low-in-

come housing. According 10 Block. Dinkins will rchnbiluare abandoned buildings and will in­ c reuse 1hc number of soup kilcheru and shelters llS a tem­ porary response 10 the crisis.

Rabbi Gutman so.id that Giuliani supports drug education and II drug-forfcilUre program and opposes legaliza1ion and the "clcan-nct.dk" pL1n. Block said 1ha1 Dinkms also opposes drug le:galiu1ion and 1he "clcan­ ncedlc" plan and supports drug education and sLrict penalties for drug deolcrs, In response to a queslion on the public school system, Block �­ serted tha1 Dinkins favors in­ creased maintenance of cducauonal foc11i1ies as well as school-based planning. Rabbi Gutma.n merely �plied 1ha1 the (contimud on page 5)

Th• '89 mayoral roce sot Du,ld Dinkins ugain,t Rudolph Giulian!.

Page 2

November 1989/Cheshvan S7S0

The RamPuge

Editorials

Letters to the Editor

Fire Drills--A Mutual Responsibility

te.ichcrs who berate tJ1cm seems 11 To the &!nor: Recently I witnesSC"d ii series or bit ridiculous. Wha1 could possib­ exchanges OC1wccn a 1cacher nnd ly OC the logk behind sending a. n student th.o.L occurred during 1hc s1uden1 home 10 miss a day or das• cour;e or one dn.y T11e subJeCI of scs bccnusc he 1s wctinng n1hle11c 1hcsc confron1a1ions wa(, u Ramc1z shoes II is my undm1and1ng. ob­ ravorhe-- the dress code. II oc­ viously a mistaken one. tha1 the curred to me 1hat the rime had pnmnry purpose or any school 1s finally come 10 speak out agamst 10 cduca1e 11.S students, not to teach 1h1s hrce I undcrslnnd the them goo<l 1a�1c m clothes. I-tow ndminlstrauon's desire to crcale much more so a Jewish school an atmosphere or respcc1 reprc­ where ma1cr i11hs1ic values should scnled by proper drc.s.s. With 1h1s nol top 1hc ltsl of prior11ies! [ have no complainL T11e poinl 10 Ano1hcr a.\pcct or 1hc problem Is which enforccmen1 or the code 1.s the double srandard the school has 1aken. however, is n problem. I m respecl 10 girls ver\US boys.

1)11nk that I hnve not gooe a single Girls arc allowed 10 enter school week during my four yc:urs !ll wearmg T-slnns and je:msk1rt._ Ram3Z without hearing some \lo· hik ii boy wcanng jeans and a teacher or adrn imslrator challeng­ shin and ue or sweater will be told ing the validny or a studcn1's at­ to go home. Obviously 1r1he sys­ tire. In the process or trying 10 tem 1s m force the adm1mstralion create an atmosphere or senous­ cannot simply tx- lax in enforcing ncss, 3 dress code that was1cs time ii. bur 1r 1hc dress code were both for the swdenl� and for 1he abolished or even ir its strictures

A pallern seems lo be devdoplng rrgardlng the lire drills at RamaL The lire bell rings, students Ira•·• the building, return, and are crilicized for their performance of the drill. The administration's complaints are understandable, and while we agrtt that a portion or the blame docs belong to the stu­ dents, we fttl that the administration is not being entirely rair.

The amount of student talking and loitering in front or the building Is ucessin, but the blame cannot be placed entirely on the sludent body.

Many students ha••• ne,•cr experienced lire drills before, and there arc situations lhat even ,·eteran Ramaz students may not know how to handle. The adminlstralion can take certain steps lo allc,fate the silualion. For el<llmple, teachers should point out to the sludents the uit roure for each par­ ticular room at the beginning or the school year. The ad­ minlstra1ion should hold an assembly with representati\•es or Lhe lire department lo explain lo sludenls how the smoke and fltt alarms work and how to react in various silualions. rer• haps these steps would ltad lo a mon, serious altitude towards and during drills, and that, in turn, to raster and surer drills.

New Schedule--OldProblems

The last wttk of rlTSt quarter has always betn a busy time.

In years past, teach•rs crowded tests, quizzes, and pap,rs Into this short lime in order to be able to give studtnts report card grades that wttt as accurate an assessment as possible or their capabilities. Consequently, for many students, this last week turned into a shortened version of Finals wttk. These "Oc­ tober finals" 11·rrr more intense and more pressured than lht January uams, bee.a use students bad lo alt end n,gularclasses while preparing for the tests.

This year, that was all supposed lo change. The advent of the evaluallon report was to obviate the net'd for graded end-of-quarter uams. Unfortunately, this goal has not betn achitvt'd. The week of October 23 was the last week or first quarter for Forms 1-V. Many students complained of having at ltast one lest or paptr due every day that week.

While \t s,c,cms u thouah the nttd for "October nnals" has bc,,n aU,vlated, t<ach,rs p,rsisl In administering th,m. The maxim "old traditions die hard" can be the only answer llS lo why teachers have not adapttd to the new system readily.

However, every end-of-quarter period that is needed to help the teachers ad just lo the new system is a wttk or two or unnecessary tests and pap,rs for students. We ask the racully to make a conscious effort not to overburden students during the last week or third quarter.

The Ram PageV ,._ •1 111e s1a,..11 ., 111e -U-Sclleel 60 Ellll 'lltll St. N.Y., N.Y. IOOll Td: (211) 511-5'55 EDITOIIS-t.-Cll17

LAYO\Tl' rnrroR

EIJITORIAL EDITORS Yael Sim• Salum Debbie Sabban

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FEA

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RcKsaraJ=c.iotrm,n

SPOJITS rnrroR Y�f.11.cbctu FACULTY ADVISER Mr.Alben Cioctz rhe RamPagc welcomes your sl"1ed letters and o�d contrlbutJons. On occnslon, nomes may be wltbbtld upo.a request.

were cased 1hcn no one would lose face. My suggcsuon 1s 10 use an abridged version or the current code. This new dress code would contain much die same restric­ uons as 1hc old one w11h these excepuons: No ue or sweater re­ quirement for the boys. no shoe requ1rcmenl for euher boys or girls, and 1r 1he girls ore: aJlo"cd 10 wc:arT-slurts and denim then so should tl1c boys. I do no think that 1his lc:1tcr wi ll cause the ad• m1mstratio11 10 suddenly abolish 1hc dress code Bui II would be a pknsarll surprise ir 1hc school oc­ wally made a move towarcl� con­ ccn1rn11 ng on teaching the students rather than on what they're wearing.

Meir Ukelcs Form VI

Words From the Wise

by Sara Wist Jackie Mason is well known as a Jewish comedian. He recently appc� in the one-man Broad• way show '"The World According 10 Mc," a series of roulincs based on the American Jewish lifestyle Mason's humor is oflen entertain­ ing and 1s apprecialcd by Jews and non-Jews alike. In the p3SI rew mon1hs, however, .Mason's ac-­ clons and ji bes h:ive been anything bul funny.

This fall, Mason starred 1he 1clcv i.slon show "Chicken Soup," a situation comedy based on 1hc relationship between Jackie. a middle-aged unmamcd Jewish man played by Mason, and Mad­ die, a non-Jewish dh• orccc played

by Lynn Redgnl\'c,

Although "O,ickcn Soup" was well. While campaigning for canceled after seven episodes. ii Republ i can mayoral cand1d:ue leaves a trail or disturbing ques­ Rudolph Gi uliani, Mason called tions in Its wake. A serious Mayor-elect Dav id Dinkins '"a relJ.t1onship between a Jewish black model w1thou1 a Job .. Fur­ man and a non-Jewish 1,1,oman thcnnore, he made fon or liberal may provide good material for Jews who reel an obhgation to Mason's ch:irac1enstically ethnic vote for any black "no matter how gags, bur such a rclallonship con­ unqualified he is.• In a city stitutes a complete rejection or rraugh1 wirh tension and Jewish values. Mason, a former animosity bc1wccn r.acfal and clh• rabbi, certainly ought 10 Juve been nie groups, thc..-.c remarlr_s were.in-. appropriate and \n.iiu11ing.

We laugh at and wuh Jackie .

Some topics are no Mason: mosl of his routines arc lau ghing matter amusing. many or hi s onc•lmers arc humorous zingers, But we :i.re more awnrc orJewish scnsn iviues d1sappo1111ed dun such a talented in progrJmming lhis show. comedian lacks the matunty to Mn son's inscns11wi1y has been realize lhat some topics arc JUSt no ev idenl recently in 01hcr areas as laughing matter.

Ramshackles RAMt,,2.

by Jennifer Zwiebel ARCHITEC. T A1 WORK

November 1989/Cheshvan 5750

Page 7

The RamPage

All's Fair in Jewish Crafts

Junior Talmud Tracks Stir

by Rosesan1 frlnrnnan

Do you know wha1 a Niddy Noddy. n skein, Gaul nuts, nnd tendons are? They all were in the school lobby during 1he Jewish crafts fau. 1l1c fair cxh1bi1cd talit "'-'ta\ting and the scribal aru.

At the fair, Ilene Potashnick displayed he-r ¼oven ta:itot. SlU­ dcnts guhered around Potashmd: to watch her knH o sample 1al1t, and she allowed students 10 s11 a.t her loom and wellvc. Robbi Schneid showed s1udcnts how to write on p3TC'hment with t1 quill pen t1nd allowed them to try their hand at scrivening. Schncid also displayed a pair of 1efilltn he had written.

Taitt WC'!:lvmg is ta 1ime..con­ sumrng and complex process.

Poushrud. begins coch tilit with washed and carted fleece. The wool is spun ilild made into string Rabbi Schnrid discusses writing sifrcl Torah with Rabbi Yosef Wtistr and Mrs. Esther Nussbaum on an instrument caJlcd a Niddy Noddy. From 1he Niddy Nodd)'. she �id, "but after people 5aw my Rabbi Schneid repairs tcfillin cheaper there. In Israel. a sofor the string is m:ide into a skein, or work. they wanted it for them�l­ and sifrei Torah regularly bul has can cam about S800 a month, but a ball or yam, which i s then ves," Poi:ashnick was asked to never been commissioned to write in America, that is too little 10 live washed. dyed, and pl,ced on a p.1n1cip:ue in a street fair cdcbra1- an en1irc scfcr Torah. He does not on." bobbm. an instrumc-nl that holds ing 1hc th1rt1cth anniversary or the expect such a commission soon S1frei Torah must be wntrcn on the string while it is being woven. Jewi sh Muscwn. The museum's because he knows that very few parchment wt1h aquillpc1L Robbi On the loom. four petals are dirccmrs were so impressed wuh s1frc1 Torah :ire wrllten In Schne1d C-'plained that "although pressed. two al a lime. to create her wori.. that they asked her to America. "It 1s really not possible technically you could use regular weave a 13lit for the museum's for someone in America to make a pens on part:hmcnl paper. Ash­ different patterns on the tahL Potashnick began weaving pcnnnncnt cxhibil of lhc Fabric of living writing sifrci Torah and kennz.tc Jews use quill pens and ta.litOl seventeen years ago, when Jewish Life. One of Potashnick 's other Jewish arllcles," Rabbi Sephardic Jews use bamboo . she decided to L:nit one for her son 1ali101 is also displayed in a Schncid s:iid. "Nmely-nmc per­ shOOL'-.. Rabbi Schne1d makes all ccnl of all Jewish material is now of hLS mk out of Gaul nuts and iron as a bar nu1zvah g,fL ·1 had no museum in Roslyn, New York. made in Israel because the labor is sulfates. lntcnrion orthis being II business.·

Music-Review

The Rolling Stones: "Steel Wheels"

by Lisa Rothman Upon opening the album co�•cr of"Steel Wheels." lhc new lllpe by the Rolling Stones, one immedi­ ately secs rwo bh1ck and white disks joined. This pattern adorns 1he, inside of the cn11rc cover, but there is something else that is less noriceable. It is the traditional symbol of the S1oncs, the mouth which so closely resembles 1h01 of Mick Jagger, the lead singer of 1he group. The mouth is also prinled in bl:ick and white, a mockm, al­ most indus1rializcd version of the 1r.1di1ional symbol.

The title expresses a change from 1he "rocking" of "s1ones" to the "rolling" of "Steel Wheels."

The firSI song,"Sad Sad Sad." starts off the album with a burst of energy. ..-r of d1fferent TI1ere an: .. .

1ypes of songs or 1ape. Some are poUtical i n nature. while others express diffrn:nt feelings.

"Rock and a Hard Place" talks aboul the moral and physical decline of society. Like many of lhe O!her songs on lhe album, ini• ti.lily it i• difficuh to tell !hat this song deaJs with so serious a sub­ ject "Mixed Emo1lons," 1he beSI and most well-known of lhe Mng.s, deali wi1h feelings. as docs "Terrifying." ralkmg of "�rrnnge

desires." "Continental Dri ft," another song on lhe album. describes love.

Generally. 1his album i.s well liked, bul lhe people who have tis1encd to the Rolling Stones for years don ·1 find it quite as good as rhcir old tap:s. Jessica Kaufman.

Fonn Five commented. "It does not compare to their old music. bul that leaves room for ii 10 be really good. and ii is." Other people who never really lislencd to their music before. after lisrcning lo "Steel Wheels" onc-e, became immcd1ale fan The S1oncs have cap1ured another genrr.nion. who all say. as one senior did, "We hope lhal lhc 'S1ccl Wheels' tour won't be. their last"

Fire Safety (continued/mm pogt /) When 1he bcU rang. one could henr moaning in 1he halls from students who were upset that it happened during homeroom. One senior complained about lhc 1iming of tht drill. since he had• (rec the ne11 period and w:is plan­ nmg 10 leave 1he building. Many swdcn1s wen1 10 1heir lockers 10 gel their JI ke11, before going

Conr of Stc-cl Wheels," the Rolling Stones' new album 11

doWJL One sophomore even con­ templ,:ned sitting out the fire drill in the girls' sixth-floor bathroom.

All 1he Sludenls evenlUally did leave the building but lhey con• grcgated directly ouuide. the school doors.

When u.llowed back in�idc, the stud<"nts were promplly scolded

by Rabbi llnkSI. "II "s all pon of 1hc dnll. You hror lhc bell, you

lc:ive. you come back m, you gel yelled at," said one Junior.

S1uden1s do not toke fire drills seriously b e c ause, ns junior Rochel Feinenmrn said,"h is only a drill, Besides, I don·1 think the school will bum down, 01 least nm while I run here."

TI1c likelihood o[ 1hc school burning down 1s nunimnl. In 1hc­ event of nrc. 1hc vent1ln110n ,ys•

Controversy

by Lisa A.schkenasy Gnpcs abou1 1hc-JUntorTulmu<l program have escala1cd from the usual flurry of complaints over pl:ic.cmcnt 11110 a large: "snowball' of problems, nccordmg 10 Rabbi Bak.st This ""snowball" has been accelcrJlcd by the pcrcc1vL-d d1f ficuhy of Rabbi Un Gordon's Supe r-Honore;: T;1lmud c lah Many s1uden1s ha,e S" 11chcd into the less intense class 1:wgh1 by Rabbi Biencnfcld.

Rabb i Bakst emphasized tha1 the ::.dnum'ilr.lllon c:mnot •�31e a Talmud class for every five s1u­ dcnts." He encounges s1u.denis who bdong in Rabbi Gordon's class to stay there, despllc 1hc dif­ ficully.

Ro.bbt Gordon descnbcd his class as thorough. with a Joe of md1v1dual work, coupled with high e;{pcctations These at­ tnbu1es arc the mam reasons some s1udcnts anempt 10 leave 11. How­ ever. other s1udents say these an: precisely the reasons they enjoy the class.

Rabbi 81encnfeld said the size. of his class reminds him of "high schools m the 60's." Some SIU• dent.s evcn. sn on radiators when class i s held m room 606. Stu­ dents sai d findrng a scnl 1s only a problem in 606, where thac 1s no room for 34 desks.

Super-Honors Talmud was crc:ued 1wo years by Rabbi B,elc:r, lhen chairman of the Talmud depamncnt. Super-honors was started to nllow those who could le.am on nn e,u-emely advanced level 10 h:ivc 1he1r own class.

Honors Talmud hL--canlC 3 rlass for studcms wilh ability and mlcrcst . bu1 not lhe same background and c.ipab1li11es of thcu Super Honors counterparts.. This year, a prob­ lem has anscn bt'cause s1udents who belong in Super Honors have moved 10 honors lx.·cause Ibey fell 1hat the pn:ssurcs of Junior year did not leave enough umc for n Super Honors TalmuJ class. The admtn1strat1on h!lS tried t o ac­ comodat� these students. But as the number of students askmg 10 switch classes increased, lht ad­ minbtrauon was forced 10 curuul unnecessary switching.

Rabbi Bakst CJtphuned thlll once a cenain number of studcn� who arc- on a lughrr level move into a class which 1s on a lower level, 1hey push 1hc level of lhe class up. Rnbbi Bakst feels 1his ,s unfair 10 students who truly belong in the lower lcv�I.

lem would i mmediately shut do\Ro'Jl, trupping the imokc. As the ceilings and walls arc no1 made or wood, the fire would be contained in the room in which it staned.

Mr. Miller s1A1ed lhat. "lhe build• lng is fireproof . Nothing would bum." Yei rire drills are requited by law.

Page 8

The RamPage

Soccer Team Achieves Goals Ramaz Outscores Solomon Shechter 5-4

November 1989/Cheshvan 5750

Hockey Team is Ready to Roll

by Harris Lukashok

The Ramaz hockey tcom has a new co:ich, JamlC Lassncr, Class of 1982. who was a goalie during his s1udcnt ycan here. This ycnr·s coptums. David Kaplan and Elliot Homblass. along wnh 1hc three assistanl captains. Yoo.v Schw3J1Z,

by \'osera Lebeau The R.;m1az soccer team took I.heir first win of Lhe sea.son in a 5-4 victory over Solomon Schee• tcr of Cranford A R.:unllZ Junior.

Lior Kashanian, scored three goals leading the way to the R.muz win. ' T he season opened

with m '"onc, two. three Ramaz!!!" roar as the players took. 1he1r posi­ tions on the coun oron the bench.

Freshman Rami Metal, and soph­ morc Daniel Mcssclof, played goalie. Solomon SchccJucr. though at a disadvantage with only su; players, presented a for­ midable challenge. The soccer

team also scored a second victory on November 6, defeating Westchester Hebrew l·l 1gh School in oven1me.

Vo\leyba\l Team Spikes the request Way to Victory

by Aritlk Waldman

The Ramaz girls volleyball team staned the sea.son off wuh a bang .

Coached by newcomer Dec Dec Rosenfeld. the team defeated

Lcxinglon 2-0 in an exhibition match at Lexington.

Lexington served first. Ramaz returned the first serve perfectly, spiking the ball 10 break the serve.

Captain Gnlit Einy then scored three points in less 1han a minute

Aaron Stone. and Jonuthan Wait• man. should provide the necessary lc:adcrsbip n.s the team vies for a chnmpmn.ship. Co::ich Lo.ssncr believes that the mix1ure of prormsing rookies and seasoned veterans will make the Ro.ms a po...,·cr 10 be reckoned willL

before her serve was broken.

Ramaz won the game.

The second game was neck and neck until junior Faith Flees­ ler served. She unleashed six points giving Ramaz a comfon­ able lead. Ramaz went on to beat Lexington.

Jonathan Waltman. assistant captain

Rams Outscore Westchester at the Palace

by Lisa Rothman

Scoreboard Varsity Boys Basketball Soccer J. V. Boys Basketball Girls Varsity Girls J.V. Girls Volleyball

2-1 2-1

1-0 1-0 1-0

1-1

On November 2. the Ram.112 Boys Varsity Basketball Team opened 1ls season by beating Westchester 52-42 al Ramaz. The sinners included seniors Donny Furst. Benjie Hcnncr, Seth Ader.

Hillel Horris, ond Adam Koplan.

Harris. a sophomore. and Kaplan. a junior, o.rc new team members.

The Rnms ou1scorcd Westchester to take an early lead.

Rama.z led throuhgout 1hc game by five to ten points. Hcnner led Ramn with 12 poinlS. bu1 in the third quaner, he jumped for a rebound and tore a ligament in his foot. His injury removed him from the res1 of the game.

New Volleyball Coach Takes the Reins

by Miriam Hoffman Ms. Dec Dec Rosenfeld is 1hc new Girls' Volleyball coach this year. She grew up in New Rochelle where, in high school. she was on the swim, water polo. ond soflball 1e:11ns. She firsl be­ came interested in vollyball in high school. Ms. Rosenfeld wenl 10 Ru 1gcrs University where she majored in Hebraic studies and Biology. Her brother Reuben coaches 1hc Ram:iz boys Soccer

Team. When asked how she plans to coach thi.s years ream. she said she in,onds 10. "G,i everybody lo play together, have some fun. and t�ch them some more fundnmen­ tals." When asked wha1 they thought of their new coach, Gnlit Einy and Anal Fein.stein, two vc1cran members of the team, said. "She is very energetic, en­ thusiastic. and friendly."

November 1989/Cheshvan S7S0

The RamPage

Pnge J

Colombian Crisis Hits Home

by Guy 11,nbmioo,itz ln May. a prommcnt Colom• bian Jewish leodtr was kidnapped from h,s office by a group of u:r­ rorists. He' is being held for an cxorb1W\I (UJ\SOln. The man, who can be identified here only by his Hebrew name. Michael, is a f ricnd of' Ramaz iidmiftislr.nion member Daniele Gorhn L:usner.

Mrs. l..a.ssncr spent nine years in Colombia.. She went there three "'CCks ofter her mam11gc to Juhus L Lassncr because her husband reprc&cntcd a large Amcncan company then:. Their children were born in Colombia. The 1..3.ssncrs soon became involved with ma.ny Colombian Jewish or­ gamza1ions. Mrs. Lusncr was the prcs1dcn1 of 1hc American Women·s Oub. a large charitable inslltu11on whose membership consisted of AmcflC2JU .a.nd mem­ bers of 1he diplonumc field. The Lassncrs became fncnds with many Colombians, bolh Jewish and non-J e w i s h , including Michael and his fanuly.

Michael's family has hved in Colombia 30 years. The family has been very active in the Jewish community of Colombia. In the I %O's. when Mrs. L:usncr hvcd in Colombia. Mich3CI was rc.spon,. sible for providing chazan1m for lite High flolid.oys_ He and his f a m ily helped ma1n 131n 1hc Colombo-Hebrco School. Mrs1..assncr sianed a Sunday school lO u:ach TcnJ,; Michael was one of ll>_e__school's principal ftnanclaJ fiiaCTL Rccc:ndy. Mkhailni.s been xtivc in cncou.ragin5 ctu,.

denis at the Colombo-Hebreo School to continue their studies in Israel.

"One of lhe saddcsl :L<pccts (of lhc kidn:ipp1ng) IS lhal our fnend ha..� leukemia" 4nd the 1errorisl5 have no1 allowed him 1he medicine o.nd trcatmenl he needs, Mrs. L4ssncr said. Michncl's family ha, 001 heard from him in months and fcnr for his hfe.

Michael's situation, 1hough ' shocking, is not unusuol.

Throughout lhc years. many people known 10 the Lassoer fom1ly h>ve been kidnapped. Some v.cre released quickly, some aftc.r quite a �•hilc. and a few \\eCre killed. When lhe Lassners stopped In n synagogue on a visit to Bogo1a eight years ago, they heard one man rttllc the gomcl bcned1cuon as he had JUSt been freed by kidnappers. Bui 1he v10lcncc 1s most prevalent 1n Bogo1a and Mcdelhn; lhe n:>I of 1hc country 1s qu iclcr: Mrs. Lassoer"s fnends in the coastal cuics sny I.hat life goc-s on as nor­ mal.

Ahhough Michael's kidnap­ ping was no1 drug-rcl.111cd, drugs arc Colombia's major problem.

Sctnn from lh• htttlc 1tre or a Ramaz studtnL The go"cmmcnt has found i!Mlf at wu wilh nuhlcss, well•or­ ganlzed drug nngs. Bui Mrs .

Lassncr loves Colomb.a dcsplle lhcsc problems. "II is• fascinat­ mg wayoflife. II was all beau1iful and now II scem.s 10 have been

by Lisa Aschkenasy work which equaled or ,urp,sscd stilled." she said. When she hears 1h31 of past years. and secs rcpons on the siruation in Pressure 1s a feeling 10 which 801h teachers and s1udenu Colombia. Mrs. Launer foe.ls that the avcr:aee Rama.zstudcnc has be­ malntam 1ha1 ll reason why the It b u if" an arrow p�rced m)' come: accw:tomcd.. '1'l11s" rear; ln 11 new ly:nem did noc S"Uttttd In move to reduce the number of reducing pressure had 10 do w11h heart.. tests, quizzes. and papers due in 1h1s year's caJendar. Tes-r= could 1he las& week of fir>I and lhlf(J not be given dunng Chol HaMocd quaners, 1 new grading system so they "'ere pushed off unul the wu instituted. Evaluallons now following week. Had the qu:1.ner been e11cnded, the IC.SU: m1gh1 lhc lobby, and fewer s11II stopped rcpl3CC gr:ades in thest qum1ers Out lhc prcJsurc remains. This have been more evenly d1s­ 10 conmbutc.

The Tzrdaltah Corruruuec. of­ year be1wccn Oc1obcr 23 and 28. tnbu1cd. Overall,lhc s1udent body ficially taken off lhc lis1 of GO the last week or first quaner, Sl'u­ recognizes 1h( mcnts or evalu3i gned an amount of 11ons According 10 Suiwn Mel• commntces chis year, hu not bC'cn dents were a.m lmger. many teachers do no1 yet aaive for about five years. Al­ lhough people had been signing up for this committee. 11 J1d 001 aau:dly uisL This y...u i1 was officially taken off lhe GO cosier.

Adam Scheer, Pn:siden1 of 1he GO.uplaincd the climmauon of the committee "h was useless. h bJ Asar 11:ibami true, Congress may cons1d(r cut­ ,,, , people who went w ting m1hbry aid 10 Israel. Funhrr• arol,11J 10 c LJ,�roonu. We did 001 Once again the news media h:is more Senate Mmorily Leader need the commutec."

A subsec1ion of 1hc Jcwllh Af . been able 10 create tensions be· Dole stated that OClS hle thc.sc 'Nill nol be 1olera1ed by 1he U.S. and fajrs Comm,ucc will be devoted to tween !sr.scl and the Uniled Srntes 12edakah, and run by Alex However, tht.s time II 1s not aboul lhal 1he "'Israelis luvc 100 much Waldman and Ta.mar.a Nu.ssb.ium. the Palcsttm:111 uprising or the inOocnrc an this cuy," n:fcmng 10 Junior Chairpcople of lite Jew1>h peace process. but rather, the Wash1ng1on� Wh:11 was revealed In 1he Aff3irs Committee. Al the begin­ secret lsnaeh connection 10 Sou1h ning of each monlh, Talmud Afnca. The effect of an NBC broodcast may be more harmful news broadcast was enough to 1han '"'hat the Israelis and 1hc1r 1eachers will explain to their stu• drnlS lhe theme of 1he month's cause tXlreme concern 1n supponers m the US will w3n1 10 tzcdakah collection. and each Jerusalem where Shamir, Arens odrn11_ II bas,cally links Israel w11h wrek !hey will bne0y discuss 1he and Rahm held an emergency ses­ 1hc "Apharthc1d Slate" ,n a f<w weekly fund. On a sci day, the sion. Pnme Minister Shamir said ways The fin:t allcgallon i.s lhat sludenlS will bring in money fo, 1ha1 ho will "not come to lite US Sou1h Africa has developed a next month without o.n official in• nuclear ballistic mbsilc with the 1hc collection.

Talmud was chosen as lite class viunion from the US so as 001 to help of technology giV<n by lsrncl. funher lhe tension aln:ady caused Secondly. ii was staled 1ha1 Israel for 1zcdaltah collection because ii was fell that tzcdokah should be by Baker's peace proposal. Reac­ gave Amenc11n technology to collected in a Jud,ic Sludics class, tion in Washlnglon was quite Soulh Africa !hat was suppos<d to and Talmud is lite only such sul>­ hllnh. Pruidcnt Bush said !hat an be used for lh< Lavi projccl_ Th,s Israeli conncc1ion wi1h South technology supposedly helped jec1 llken by every studcnL Last year's collection only Afnca will not advance 1he U.S.­ Soo1h Afica develop !heir iigcr" generated at most SI SO, an lsrocl relo11oriship and will further planc:5 The llurd and mosl damag­ average of JO ccnlS per 11uden1. complicaic matters. On Capi10I ing 111tega11on was 1hat Israel 1s Mr. Anptn:lch hopes1ha1 !his new Hill, Senate Majority Leader developing nuclear capab11itie.s system wUI yield an average of Mitchell took• harsher approach, th>t an: beyond 1IS sccunl)' needs saying !hat if lhc allegations arc about a dollar per srudcnL

Tzedakah Collection Process Revised

by Lisa Rothman In past years, every Fnday.one or t-wo s1udcnts would miss a pcnod of clas, 1o collcc112c:dalcah.

A new system has begun this year.

Talmud teachen receive an en­ velope with mstrucuons to collecr tudalcah one day a week. The school will distnbulC lite money 10 a d1ffen:n1 chaniy c:ich week. according to monthly thcmc.s. llus new system was established for varioui reasons. The three m3(nones were that teachers com­ plained. 1hc school did not collect enough money per student, and the commiuee did nor provide enough infonnallon about 1hc dcs­ timuion or the runru.

Teachers complained abou1 lite methods or collccuon. but believed that the collccuon was importanL Ms. Gorfinklc. Chair of lite Malhcmalics Dcpanmcnt, felt tho.I students did nol know where their money was going.

She said lite siudcnlS collecting lhc money found it •a challenge 10 mi� class." In addition, she com­ plairu:d. 1his mclhod of collecuoo inevilllbly resulted in 1he 1n1crrup­ tion of classes.

When the t e a chers first reg1s1ered their complaints last year m facuJry meetings, an at­ tem pl was made to c o l l e c t tz.cd.okah a l iablc:5 during lunch.

Acoordmg to Mr. Roy Angstreich, !his aucmpt failed because few people no11ccd tlic 13ble SCI up in

-.

Under Pressure k.now students well enough to wrile Dccuracc repon,s wuhout graded tests and papers wh,c.h could noc have been given unt,\ m■1cnal had been comp\c1cd.

Juniors fecJ tluu Ibey were bit cspcc-ially hlll'd. In addition to the usual srudying 1111d tcsl anxieties.

Juniors lud 10 take 1he PSAT. AJ one d1.sgrunded junior sarcas1.Jcal­ ly put it. •1eachers were con­ s1dcr.ue and gave tc5ts this week so that '-'-'C would be so bu.sy study­ ing th:;u we would not have umc to worry abou1 lite PSAT."

Israel's Pact with South Africa-A New Source of Conflict and it �arcd this mfonmu1on with Sou1h Afnca.

Prime Minisler Shamir :ind Foreign Mmistcr Aren\ have denied lhe allcga11ons on the grounds 1ha1 1hey ore bo1h fol sc: and u n f o u n d e d. However.

Ocf<nsc Minister Rabin has been very cau11ous in his statements. "hlle nol 101lllly denying the al­ lega1ions.

The US-Israeli n:lauonship has no1 been good lhis year. The Bush Admm1 s1ratioo 1s nego1in11ng With 1he PLO and is pressuring !he Is­ raeli government 10 respond 10 the US peace proposal. Shamir h,s Slaled 1ha1 he "will no1 be pres­ sured" by !he Mubarak or Balter pc•cc plans. In add111on, 1he Na­ tionaJ Unity government in l.srxl seems to be suffering from dis­ unity. leadmg 10 fears that lhe govenuncnt is unstable and w1U no1 be able IO 1ackle the problems It faces.

(3:ige 4

November 1989/Cheshv11n 5750

The RamPage

Ramaz Welcomes New Teachers

by Nina Ttichrr. Arian<' Mundel, Renu Da,ls. llchir Sabban, and Sarah Ziltrr

l711s year. R:unaz wt'komc, m3ny new 1rachcrs m d1ffcn"l sub JCC1.\.

Ms. Gruber, 3. new Hcbn.. ..., 1cachcr. tauglit at the Ycsluvn flf Queens before commg 10 RanuJ S h e allt"ndcd Rodman tt1rh School m Israel and s1udu:d a1 1hc University or Haifa. where ,he m.aJorcd 10 I lcbrcw lncr:uurc and Jewish h1�1ory.

Ms. Grubcr-.ays she,, h 1pp) ,II Ram:u.. She fcch 1hat mn'J,I of her studcnt5 are scnou� and II�" 1hc admm1�lrntton w,d fal.ull) �t,..

GruOCr c.nJOys reading and wa1ch• mg good movie�.

Rabbi Rubm. 3 new Talmud, Jud:usm. D.Od Parshtll HaShavu:1 1cachcr, w::a.s born in lhc Bronx.

I le ha.-.. s1ud1cd at Mercai. Ha.Rav, l:Jchon Meir. Ramoc Shapiro. and II MT. Rabbi Rubon beheves thal "all Jews should be born on l�racl .. He 1s very mtcrcsted in the s1ndcnts ttt Ramal.

Mr BerL.owuz. a oew English leather for Forms Ill and IV. grew up m New York I le attended Columbia College, where he l"amcd a 8.A. m English Before coming 10 Rama.£. Mr. BcrL.ow117 taught ot tlofstrn Um,crs1ty :md at Pr:111 lnstuutc He dtt1dc<l 10 teach al R3m3.Z be· rau,e .. , wanlcd 10 leach in a school 1ha1 valued Jewish and �«ular leanung. I pan1cularly

wan1C'd 10 lexh Jew1_sh s1udcnL,. I anenc.kd Yeshiva Day School ond I want lo put something back in10 the communlly."

Mr. 0eri.ow1tz cnJoys his Stu• dents lie feels 1hat they ·arc not p!bS1vc. They a,L. good questions and rnakc good pornts. " I-le also fcel1:; that Rnmaz students arc smoner th:111 the college students he has 1:mgh1 Mr 8erkow11J d1sl1ke.-. the hcc­ llC Ramu schedule "Free umc7 Who ha., fn,c 11111e1" he asked. lie . ob�rvc-d 1ha1 .,cnchtng m college 1s rn<Jrc n:laxcd. I lt'rc you Jump . every fony mmulc� .

Mr. llerL.ow111 hope.$ to "con­ tinue growing th n 1ca her and 10 help my studenl� discover new worlds and thcrn)Clvcs" Mc en•

SFAC Notes A Review of the Year's First SFAC Meeting

by ROSt"Sara Ftinrrman Ad1111mstn1ors and GO mcm• bcrs allcndcd 1he year's firsl SFAC (S1ud<n1-Fncull) •Ad­ nums1.rJ11on CommlltC"C) meet.mg on November I 11,c 1op,cs dLS· cussed included the chainng of SFAC ml-Clings, fire dnlls. tcsung pohc1cs, and gym uempt1ons.

Ran'lllz Dean Rabbi Joshua 13.alr,,Jl opened the mccun; by cs.• plammg lh.tl SFAC WPS inlr<>-­ duccd �utccn years ago 10 provide a forum for :.tudcnts, teachers. and adm1mstru1ors to d1.scuss 1.ssucs of concern. At Lhat umc. SFAC mc-t more freqocn0y. The pohcy w:u 3.doptcd th:u the pos1uon of chilir• m:,,n would ro1atc among 1he groups thol SFAC comprises.

Last year. the GO President.

Ehzur Agus. served as chaJl'TTl3Jl e v e n though 11 was the administr.uion's tum 10 chiur the meetings . 1lus year as well SFAC ,s haul'd by th< GO President.

Adwn Scheer.

1l1e school policy on fire safety was the second item on the agen• da. GO Junior Vice President Sammy RascofT felt tha1 students should nol only know how 10 c-vacuatc the school building m case of a fire but should aJso learn procedures for fire safely 1ns1de the building. Ass1st311l Dc:ln Ira Moller soid that swdents should nor worry about the poss1bil11y of fire spreading throughout the buildi ng bccuusc "in our building.

fire will not tra, cl from Ooor 10 Ooor There 1s fircprooftng all around lhc building and 1herc arc ,·cry fe"'' nammnble objecL-. in a cla�sroom • AU doors l('t1dmg to the- s131n,ells must remain clo�d dunng 3 fire according to Fire Dcpa.nmcnl ,-egulaltons.

The pr:.lCllcuhty of the service squad's Job dunng a fire was dis• cussed The point was r:u.scd that no one lcnows \lo'hcthC'r all � ser­ vice squ.Jd �mbcn. ...,,,If go 10 their a1;s1gncd posts dunog a real fire.

complomcd about 1hc tesl� and quizzes 1ha1 they had been as• �1gncd dunog the wcel of O,ol lfaMoed Sukko1. Mr. Moller staled that he had informed all the teuchcrs al their oncntill1on in September that lhey we� not per• m1ttcd 10 give ICSIS dunng Sukkot .

"During Sukkot week. I was forced to go around the school cancelling tcsls and qub.zcs. but I could not aancel 8 IC'::.'{I f( I d1d nor l..now about i1: he s.11d, Another complaml o.boul tc�t· 1ng pohc- y concerned the nbun­ danc:c of 1csts at the end of lhc firs1 Topics included the chair­ quarter. Milny studenlS h:u.l 1hough1 tha1 1hc change from ing or SFAC meetings, fire rcpon cards to :1occdotill evalu:1driUs, testing policies, anj llons "ould ehmmolc these tests. gym exemptions.

Teachers. however. mamtaaned that Lhcy needed to give these 1c,;,ts A mot100 was proposed lo hold in order to wn1e accurate cvalua• ao auembly on fire safely Th,� 1ion ttpons.

Gym excmpllon was the final assembly would seek 10 ra.1 se s1udcnt.s' consciousness about 1op1c of d1scus�1on. Two )'Cars proper procedure m the t'Venl of a ago, members of spans 1cams fire. Mrs. Daniele Gorl1.n LllSsner were excu.scJ from physical suggested 1h:11 1h1� :assembly cduca11on clas�. but tins year, should aliO teach students how to 1cam members must :mend the5e handle other emergency s11ua• clos>CS. GO Secretary lube Stem 11ons. such o.s an explosion m a lab. felt that the policy of e.11.emp11on Rabbi Bakst commended the shouJd be re1n.�11tu1cd because 1hc s1udent body for c.11.ccllen1 be­ llme and effon spcnl by memtx:rs havior dunng the year's �ond of spons lams ,n practice and fire dnll, 1. n which 1he school compcution fulfills the school's building was comple1cly gym rcquu"C"mcnts. Ms Gnbc.11, cvacua1ed m four and a half repsondcd lhal cxtracurncular :spans ac11v1t1cs �hould nOI have minules The ne.11.1 1op1c d1scustcd was 3ny bearing on cumcular require­ tcslmg policy. Many s1udcnu ments.

The Taka Radi Tiles Tournament Will Commence on November 30th

Joys reading both secular and Jewosh books.

Ms. Abmmson, 11 new Bible teacher for Fom1� I :ind II, wan1ed to 1e.ach at Romaz because she believes m the high standards thal Ramaz scts Ms. Abramson hopes 10 give sludcnt� a stronger op­ prccrnt1on or Torah and the ab1l11y to apply Its teaching;, lo the ir li ve� Ms. Abramson 1s \'Cry 1n1cr• c,tcd m the ans. She COJO)'S film and 1heater und 1s an ,una1cur playwnght.

Mr. Ella.;; SrnrL.. a nc-w math 1cuchcr, 1� on AdJuOCt Profn�r of Ma1hema11c111 01 :,,s�au Com� muntty College I le - h:i.s 1..1ughl :JI IIAFTR, 1 IANC. and 1he Hebrew Academy or Long 0cach.

Mr. Stu,k ('.llmcd h1.s under­ graduate degree nt the Coty Col, lcgc of New York and received u master's degree in mnthcmaucs at Adclpl11 University He ha.\ al.so 1akcn graduate courses at Hofstra Un1vcrs1ty. Queens College, and Coty College.

Mr. Stark cnJoys teuctung at .

Ramu. lie feels thar .,he cx­ pcnencc h.1s bcc:n pos111vc... lie finds the atmosphere 111 Ranuz . .vrry collegial" and �y� that mos1 of 1hc students nrc "mterc�tcd m cduca11011 and cager to l('.jm."

Thr RamPage rtgrt1s thtlt u 1, as u11t1blt lo 1nrl11dt Ml K1rschr11lxmm m 1J11s ortnlt

Extracurricular Update

Debating Team

by Lcuh Fried man A dcb::ilmg team will be added la1cr 1h1.!t y(.ar 10 1he already long and exc111ng hst or cx.tra•cur• ncular achv1u� a1 RamllJ_ The members of 1.hc dehatmg Icam will be given nn issue 10 discuss. One side will re-present 1hc ;illinnauve point of v,cw. a11:uing 1ha1 the !lnunton ihoold rcm:lln u: is, nd 1he other side will �prcscn1 1he negauve potnl or view. ::i11urng that lhc s11ua1ion £ .. ould b e ch.ingcd. Jessica Goodman will be scnaor captalll and Enc Gnbclz ::and Esther Gross Junior capu11n� of 1he learn The IO()IC lo be dis• cussed this )'e'Jr IS lhc ISSUC of whether 1he fodcral govcmmcn1 should prevent overcrowding m Jails and pcn11cn113.ncs. Goodman sa1d,"Wc arc trying 10 sci up a

yeshiva league and conducl II 1he same way ref?ular debate lellgucs are C'onJucrcd." The debating ICJ.m will probahly debate among 1hcmsclvrs as opposed to in a le.:1gue,11Sa fonnof prxucc. iltc maJor problcm,"suued Good• nllln,"1$ 1ha1 \11,·c haven'I found an adv1.scr yc.L" Goodman" cn1 on 10 cxpla,n 1.he d,ffcrencec bc1wccn ,re al!0.Urna, \Cl0n a.tru n�ll: ttll ..

"I" mock tn:iJ: she expla.ins, ..you are 1Jvcn Q cnsc 10 ""0°' with B�d on that case, :ugumcnis nnd tJefcnscs arc brought up The deb:uing learn work\ w11h a specific 1op1c, The.re 1s no ca.�. but rather :1 debate bc.11Acen lhe affim1a11ve 11.nd neg111ivc view• pomts." T ryouts w,11 be he-Id to deterrrnnc who will be allowed on the team, bu1 the dale that the- IC3.m will commence 1s s11II unL..oo"'tl.

Emergency Medical Technician Course The Emergency Medical Tech• n1cion course. which leaches Culmonary Pulmonary Rehus­ c11a11on (CPR). u one of 1he new t'l.tra•cumcular ac1w111cs planned al Ramaz. UnhL.e mos1 otJ1cr af\cr• school acuvu,cs 11 will have no facul1y adv iser. M r. Roy Angstrekh. 1he coordinator of the

proJccl, e:.:pla1ncd that txa.usc of d1ff1cul11cs 1n ,caching 1he 1eacher, Dr Stowe. lhe course: has-n ·1 stnnc-d yet. Dr. Sto"" e 1s the head of 1he n•w Upp,r &st Sode llatzolah. a Jewish ambulance co,ps. Once Dr. Stowe as con• tactcd.. the Maning date of the SCS· s1on will be de1ermined by 11 con.sen.su� of the people signed up for this hfc-savmg class.

November 1989/Cheshvan 5750

Tht RamPagc

Juniors Attend Washington Seminar by 'lna Tdclltr On Sunday. October 29. twcn­ ly-rivc Jun1on. five from Rainu:r. and twcnl}' from The Yrsh1Yo or Awbush. fkw 10 the Wash1naton l ns111u1c for Leadership 11nd v.Jucs. The program was eou�«J "J>arum El P:uum-F-=c IO Face · In plSl yc:,r, only Jew,.t> public school 11udc.nu ortrnded I.he )COU nan. th1.s )ut. for the first 11mc. yeshJva ,1udcnts 1.a· cndrd as -.ell M1ch•d Bemwi. Enc Gnbe11.

Anarur Hert.«,. Juloc Siem. and An Wc,nberJtt .....,,, clwoscn by the adm.1n1s1™1on and f.xuhy to JW1X:lp;,JC After the 'tludcnb a.r­ nvcd 1n W..stungu,n they llllcnd an OO<llUIJOn �ion al thc Gcorie Wub1011on Unn•cnlly 1-ttllcl House ..., 11h Rabbi S idney Sch v. 1n1.. prcsuknt of lhc In. Sl11UlC Next. they p.ar11Ctl)3fed Ill 21 dtSCU)SIOll on 5C'J),:H�llon of chuch and llillC ,.,th Chru Tier• nm. a mcmbcr of thc lcpJ wlf o( People for lhc Amencan Way. and D>ml ltffllberg. a member o( Senator Jcuc Hclms's Forc11n Rebuon, Commmec. On Sundoy C\·C:nmJ. lhc students 500:&lll,ed w uh Wash1011on H e brew Academy sh>dcnts.

On Mondoy, lbc partKlpGOIS •isncd the IU'IICh cmbouy They beard a ,pc,cch 11vcn by RJichcl Weinberg. the Campus Ludcr· ,h,p Director of AJPAC. Sh< made wet, an un,,......on on 1hc uuden11 11w If ablucr and Socm now •a,_ 10 s:tar1 an AJPAC c-bap­ � .:.. ,,..., n-""""""'* .1-1 101.1rcd 1t-c: Ca phol. U'M 1hc Supreme Court m 6CSl•on� and 11� 1cndcd CoogrtUJonal comm111ee mechn&,1 At noon.. they Wtl• ncsscd • n,s bununi c.-rcmony

Political Assembly (conflflUtd[rom par, /J city's cduca.uon.al sys1c.m must be chani;cd. l.n order to meet ledcnJ en� v1ronmcn1al standards, Rabbi Gu1man ..,d th.u G,u�aru would figh1 10 opc11 1111 v,ciacta1or plam on Wilhom,bwg Block staled l h ,1 1 D i n k i n s w i l l u:suc a montonum on die planned In• doer.nor but wdl m5t11u1c lows rc-­ quinn1 lhal r11y vchlclu only e-mn low-polluuon fuels.

Ramaz Alumna's Tour of Duty

The Oul'll 5'CIIOl1 c,f Gldn> IS

by D<n.a l..andown,, calfctl KebJah cormmru11 and While mou sen.too aft: pttpat· COWlO of "''O parts. One part IS ,ni for college. ,omc of them ""' sprad,n1 ltniclJ culnft f.rom the or tcrue,. gcmns ready 10 kl"e in lhc lsnr l cua 10 1he nM>'bn Defense Forcc.s Leon Sp1u, mrol.\ Lc:ora •orked •1Lh tbe: class of "87. bclonacd 10 lhc sca,nd i:an. w,:c, gan l ier rru1"pral>­ .ccood a1<1ory After anidu:o­ S100 WIS 10 uon. Splll.. a.n lsrxh. murncd &o lc:m l.J<l>· ror 1he �) ln orden, ISTllltl to fulfiU her nulJW)- obl1p­ do lhl.i. Ule h..EI lO •• Mu IJ'USL Sh< did th1> by CODU"f O> thar llOn Af1cr 1hc rn1111I lhrec IAttk OClg/lllo<�S lO tire baste: 1r.1 1mng c0tne• .she cnt� findm.g •'- lhej, ""'lf<Ped and pla)'1nc soccer • ,Jh 1hart. a niorou.s, 1t�nth ..coun sclor a,un,· as pn,por.11ion for Ot.cn,onally, 10 gc.1 • sroup her \\Ork ,n the G3dna un11. lhC' to1c1Mr she went around the noghbOl'hood 1.i,ocl..., on doors. l l<brev. You1h O.ur>hon The lsr.ach onny pndcs itself She found ohu uutu. .ui,: 1Joe on bang an cJuaung army u most diff1CUII p:ut. blA !he u>d. well as • fighung one The Godna •0ncc fOU pro>'e that }OU "n, 00 un,t LS 1hc mans by wh1rh they dw:tr s-uic, you�,c �d.. lt. • achi.c,e I.his ob,cc uvc Gadn-.J Af1c:r a • hale. 1t, cy 11o ould con"i1..ts or three g.cnenl sc.cuoru: develop SOtl't< I.Jnd of orp,,,n. lr.t1.nin1 ba..� Ir.Ide �hoob and uon. merung -.uUy 10 dl.."iDI commun11y pro)C'Cts 1bc amoy dury ••-.run, aoem.. and When her lnumng �u com -.hem the hmc IC3mc. .Sp-1ll "'-'OU.Id plc1cd, Spitz .,,_, ,u SIJllloncd tal help lhcm "Uh the p:ll>CNllfk and Talmon. me of li�c b&sc:i: scai� rx._1llwc lhcu COCOU1l1En •t1n th the 1crcd 1h roughou1 the country b<Jn,aucracy She ,.,d wr lbc ,. httc h,gb school L.ub f,om lvxl lids •ere " pa&.• and 1Jw. •once as "ACU u from lhe rest of lhc­ 1hcy ll,<I lO know )OU. lhty'n do world come fOf one-week ba.!1c an) 11u.n; for )'C)tl. She dncnbcd trainma COU.Ms HerJob there was ho• the guys prntea,:,d bet. lil..c • 1.0 teach the trat.nccs n"IOtC about hrt.le IISlt:L the I.and and 10 gin them a s� Bt:rorc 1 h u p rocr•m wu prrl'ttW of :umy ltfc. cmllal, rDF h3d hod uouhlc: U>­ Afu:r thrtt months •• Tzalmon. COIJ)OOUnJ these un.L,c,plmcd Sp,u, wu ait1incd to • p()lHJOO kids into the arm) Sf.DC% 1u ,n-­ ..., ,,h the 'l<C'C'Of1d &eclton ffl Codna� ccpt.,00. the � rae h» mco • G�dudd hoar, the lrade Jthools. IO SO!E lier WOt'k there tneludcd dt.JJng " 1th rou&h, somc.1J:mo �,olent.. kid,

f""PU" """"

Flaa on nrc on the s<cps ofth• Capitol on the step! of 1bc Capitol. a protes1 opUUl 1hc Flaa Pro1ccuoo Ac1 of 1989 In the evening, the scuden1s hca.ro a lecture on human nghlS given by an Amnol)' Inter• nauon.al spolc,pcnon On Tuesday. par1 1c1pant.s lcomcd ■bout hunger •nd honk> lcssncu and 1hc r<lauonsh,p be· , ,. ecn rhe: Onhodo• Jcwuh comm1i1nJ1y and 1he Supreme Court. uncr. lhc Wlib1nc100 rcp­ ..r�n,.a,#v• or 11,. NaoonaJ C(>tj,.._ ell oo Soviet Jew--iy �t.c 10 •he group and l<d lbc SLOOC'tl1' in • I.hon dcmorulrauon on behalf of Ru.uwt Jctt.;t rn froru of 1hc Rus.­ SJan emlw:sy

Al lhc program ·s conc luding session on Wedne1d:1y, Rabbi Schwan. 5polc abou1 gcmng ut­ \lOhcd ,n JC'A 1sh org,,antUIJOO.s He urged lhe sludtnls to educate: lhetr fntn<h and peen throu£h let• ter-w n1lne, C1Unpa1gM ra.llie.s. and pelllions Rcxi,ons 10 1hc proe,wn we.re pos1l1\<e •1 oow tu,c a bcltcr un� dcrssandmg or different orcan1u1.1oni and the1r pufT'O"Cl., .. �11c.hi,e,J 0ffffl•r1 Hfd. Juf1c St.em atdded lb.ti �he -. .u gllid 10 luive Nd lhe opponu.nny "'10 speak to people who ca.n nuke a change •

0

Retiring Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is Honored at Ramaz

by Adam Stubln

Admm1I Wilham J Cro�e, romng Ouurman or 1bc Jom1 O,ocfs o( S!Jff, wu hooorcd OI • rcccpuon in Ramn on Oc tobcT 1 9th. The rccepuon. sponsored by 1hc Conference of Pre,ldenu of Ma)Of Jcw11,h Organ11aLJon1, was coordlnu1cd 10 pay lrt butc 10 Crowc's vigorous suppor1 of b.· rxl "·h1 lc in of(,<% .

111c Confcrc-ncc of Presllknu of Mapr Jcwt.sh Org::a1111..:1tion1, sponsored the even1 m Ramaz bc­ c.au.sc of Ramaz's sp,;a ,ou, suk­ k:.ah. Due 10 ram. ho...,evcr, Lhc rcc e p 1 f o n w 1 s h e l d i n 1 h c c4fc1ena Malcolm l fomlc: 111, CXCC"tJllvc d1rcc1or of 1hc Confcrcnc:c of Ple,odcnts of M•Jor Jcv,o;h Qr. g.111luuon1:. served as the Master of Ccrc mon1cs He ululed Crov•c's ·ucmr-ndous con1nbu• non 10 lhc �c:r or the Um1cd Suuc.,· and he :added 1h111 the 11 "cei<bruuon or democracy" 1l.i1 is goin& on in 1he world 1od1y •wou l d not h a v e happened w 1 thou1 Adnuri,J Crowe', J)OWC'f' o( r.on 1 n b u 1 to n w m 1 1 l 1 11ry C'oopcn11on.• Hornlein then ga,e Crowe on lsr-JCII mlllla,y bcn:1 10 Wt.I 10 h 11 collcc11on of m10cuy cop< from all over the world

The RamPage would like to wish Ms. ,�bramovs k a Refuah Shleimah

Page s

�!Jolcolm Homlcln, EttCUUn Dlrcctorollhc Conrercnce orr,..,;. d,ni, or Major J...,lsh Orpnlzatlon, lntrodudng Admiral Cro,.,, Aftcrv.ard'., a rtprt�lJU\'C of 1hr St11c or hn1d 5tooJ up and read I lcuc.r 10 C1owe from the Defe nse �-1 i nstcr o f I s ra e l , Yi1uha1 R�b,n. Raben ·,note 1h11 •we apprtc111e you. Admlral

Cn1"e for your fnendly suppon ur l,rncl • 1 lomlcm then rclld a lcuc, from Sen:i101 D,ni<I Patrick Moyruhon. "ho apoloSlzcd for nOI bemg able lo be pr<J<nl himself and "'ho

..,. rolt: th.at .. Admm1I Crov. c h!1s eamcJ lhc rcspec1 and adrrunUJon of '111 Amcncans -. ho c hcnib frttdom .

Col i n Pov.·d l , 1hc � urren 1 ChaJrman o f the Jom1 Chiefs of S1afT. WTOI< I leacr 10 be n:ad at t h t rr-c cpllon pra i s i n g th� fncnd"1rp be"'ccn lsnd and lbc Um1cd SLl.r.cs, rw o democnc,cs..

I looocrn then prcs,01<d Crowe w 1 1h • s i l v e r l 1 d d u ; h c u p , e n g r a v ed w 1 1 h 1 h e wo rds "presented to Adm1r.lf Wilham Cm"< wtth apprcc1•1100 ond lld­ muauon by the Conre1cncc or l'la1dcnts."

Crow" then addffS,c:d u,e Con­ ferencc stressing a •c1vi h a.n pwtner;h.Jp ofn3uons.. Wc nced &o de, otc money and dfon for .t rublic mccun� of lhc m1ndi."

Sp«,ficaUy rn �rt'rmce 10 is... racl Crtl"t .,., lhw "1,racl has spc.cu1I place 1n 1hc Amen pc"'pcc1.1vc. ll1cy ha,c upl.cl dcmoc-n.11c 1r:id1t ion1 dcspn Jomcshc fru.\UULJon :rnJ nlem..i,. lhruts. • In swnmauon.. Cro•·e staU"I INl II o; only with "the >1rcngth � gO<Xl ond d<:lcnmncd people Iha 1ie;icc c11n actuJlly �, ••I •

Pa� 6

November 1989/Chtjhvan 5750

The RamPage

Rudolph Giuliani Visits Lower School

by Avlya Kushner

n<S5<d the phy51col, emouonal, :ind fina.ncual nun drup cau.sc, Fonner Unned Statc1 anorncy G,ut..ni then e\lolled lhe mcnll Rudolph q ,ut,.,d, 11,c Republican or publte scn·k'c. Hl' $.lid SIU� cundtda1e for Mayor of New York, dcn1s or their callbu had 11n rolled up,b,s slcc\'CJ ond set aside '"obhpuon" roscnc� IIC'rordmg lO �IS jacl,e, 10 spc:ak "'"" fillh and Lo"c, School llc:1dm,s1�, Ms. s1J.lh graders a.t Ramu l.o'111tr S>ndr.l Bncl.man.

School 1boul"'thc C\'IIS of drugs Ms. Brockmon uld thu l1nd the •1nucs of public scl",cc.

G1ulwu •didn't v�w the tnp u Gmharu 1old SIOO<nll lh:11 u 1111 pol111tc>I " She wd Gu,1111111 hlld auorney. he h a d seen l i v e s first visited l11s1 ) �r. a.s II fovor to destroyed b y drugs. :and hlld w11- • IC3Ch,r who Is • p<""1n>I fncnd

l>st )�JI he discu� hi, rc.,pon• sobo�ucs os U S A11omcy, and his ctpcncnca m II prosecutor lk CnJO)'Cd hut )'t:lf 1 S \'1111 VCf)' mucll and lud e>pr«scd 1n1crcs1 m rtlummc 10 Rt1rNl this )CJJ Raml..L in, 11Cd Da\'td Danktn 1hc Dcmoc1111oc condoda1<, 10 1hc school ,n onkr IO avo,d any U(>­ pcar.ltK't! o( poliue-.1 1 f11,•t>n1Jsm Mr. Donkin, dccluoed, os he h•d alrc:J.dy !K'rcpccd 1hc inv,urnon of IJlOlhr-r yeshiva

G1uh:1n1 win •m<XI 1mprcucd" by lhc fiflh •nd ,l,th gr,dcrs, Ms 0ncl.rnan u,J. lloc cond1dille fell 1he qucsuon, ...,c� far iupcnor to man} of 1hc qUC"1t1on< he wa� asltd 11 press c-onfcrcncc-, S1u­ dcn1.1 a.,lcd G1uhon1 1f he thoughl he could gel 1he bl.ck vote, and wtuu methods he -.,.ould uSC' togc1 bl.ud� 10 \.Ole for him Giuliani replied 1lu1 he 1hoogh1 he could gel bh:ac.ks 10 , Ole (Of hun ond that he • ould use: 1he ,amc mclhoJ, he

Third Trip to Russia Planned

Ramaz Student, Parent, Emplo yee-- Jane Ciner

b·, Nima Ttlchtr ■nd Mkhtllt Grttnbtrg

by Avila! Amini

Ille Compu1cr Srocnce progrun hod not been UllJOO<ICcd, M.s.. fane Cincr tS the OLrCctor ExtracumcuJar aa1v111es ...,ere of Ocvclopmcnt 111 Ramu. lier dilJ<,._n, as well lum,z foclded o rcspon.s1b1hocs mcluck: fundr.u1- .swim team and a C'hcd.� team, 1ng :md '-Ofk:mg w1Lh alumnL M.s. bul baskclbJII wa, still \tCry C111<r IS >n alumno herself, :and ,s popul>r Olhcr pregr.uns. such as also 1he mother of sophomore Y'mc, lyun, shabbalonlm. and Amy Ci1XL scmm:an did not u. m Rarrusz tu. dunged Since Ms. Ycl many .Slmtlllnlln UISI C-111<r WllS a •tudcnL When Ms. Ramaz·s commilmcnr 10 lhc ClOC'r "re nt ro Ramu. lhc school lcwuh commurury ond MC! has was localed m a brown5tonc on n:maintd strong O\'cr 1ht- ycan.

82nd StrccL Classcs were smaller Ms. Cmcr remembers II course ;ind more mumatc: some clas.s­ 1bou1 Jews around 1hc world roonu even had fireplace.\ and called "'Jewish Commun11y • m,rrors. S!Udcnl5 would proy al Ramu was one of lh'° only home and cat lunch in Ille class- yesh,,,ot tN1 paruc,patcd rn r.iJhc:s for So, ,ct Jewry. Bui Ms Cln<T The c ur rkulum use.Ir has Cccls that twn.z stlldent, todoy dg.nJ_'Cd. When ,-..b. Cinrr wtiJ • arc more con,cW'l\d of 1.,:,.1 .-"1 .made-� Ramu h.-d not yet 1.n.­ it.s .SOCK>CCOOOmlC p-oblcms.

The rda 1 1 onsh1p bct>wccn sr I r u I c d 1hc 1 n rcgra1cd WO(ld/Jcwa.sh l-l 1srory a,mculum. Ramaz porcn15 alld lhe school has Sponbb wu nor offered, French also dunged. The l.mson Com­ ond Laun wcrc the only foreign m 111cc1 and umulatcd school language PfOil'IIIT\S Funhcnnore, n1�h1gs h�ve �en 1n1roduc:cd SHK:C Mi.. Cmcr aucnded Rwnv..

=

J■,w Cintt, Ramaz tmploytt. part'n� and alumna..

Ms C,ncr feels 11ut1 porcnis today :u� more mvohcd and att mott in1cres1ed m Ramil/ 's cur .. ncu.Jum and tnchtrs.

Those Thermostat Blues

Ms. Oner cnJO}S ""orlmg at R:unaz She h:is I unique pen pee• uvc on the Ramc.z school and community

by Sano \Vlw

A reaior source or disoomfon for studcrus and f:icult)' alike hill been lhc 1cmpcr:o1urc of Ille school building. Most reccnaly, lhc au cood111omng 111:yslcm brol.c down NomuJly Ul the w mrer, th1J woukl nol hJvc been 11 problem but 1hc system malfuncuoncd dunng an especially wann ""eek..

The cau,c of 1hc b�down was ::a hole 111 lhe water tank When the �111rr 1n the to.nl fills up to a cutam ln-cl lhc a1rrondmon1ng system ac11"atc1. :md so the au cond1 t1onin1 system wu 1n­ opaoblc un11I lhe necessary pan could be shopped 10 New Yo1L The reasons for 1he bn,al.down, though. do 001 answer lhc qut"s..

1100 lJun many 11udcn1S ask. wluch os ·,.,hy does one feel colder in certain rooms In the bwld,ng ond holler 10 01hcri" .. Dr N oam Shedo.1fsky rum,d omwcnng by c.xplammg th�1 the air condiuon� 1ng sysrrm func11on, und�r a zoning 1�1cm.. For cAtmplc, one zone of the an cond1t1oning LS lhc lunch ,oom. One may fee.I cold on 1hc lunch room because lhe lunch room mu.sl be au cond11ioncd The reason for os rhat lhe heal producc. d 1n lht' L11chcn mu<t be counrcrbalanccd by • hls)l ,freon-

,1,,.

used to gc1 1hc white vole Stu.­ dents also JU.led rsboul h11 t.\ ptri ence ... u a p roucu 1 0r.

G1uham ..... \ :asL.ed 1( be h;ld c----cr lost • use, anJ how he fell "'hen he lo>t. among 01hcr thoughtful quoll()IU t.·h Bnckm1.n dC"$C'rtbcd 1he YISII as •p1ea.sanf· :and "'(XCtllng: and chiuacrcriLed Giulian, u "most gn,c,ous and wonderful for bns)ll choldrcn "

Planmng for the tlurd annual Russ,a tnp 15 underw ay On Oc:­ lobc'r 19, 11 was announced tha1 Moc h,cl 8CT01lll. o,mcl B,11,g.

M 1 c h c 1 Jc Grcc-nbf'rg, Euhcr Gross.. Al.m M11r.1n1 Juhc Stem. ina TCJcbcr. Chava Wnbc'r, and z., Romm hod been pded IO go on the lnp. The fxuhy ad'VI\Cl"S for this )ear'\ lnp art M, Deedee Dene!, Rabb, Gordon, ond Rabb, Weiser Thes<" n,nc Juniors we� given ,·1s:1 apphcauon.s and mah.. col ronm.

On NovembcT 6, lhc Juniors and., lhc,r ldmen beg.on mecton, tw1Cc 11 ,.eek dunng lunch II W&1 decli.lied di.I.I 11W f'ixut, of lhe fl'tp would be v1siun1 Jews ln smaller CIIM:S who do not usually rccca,--e v 1s1 1ors from 1hc West The Jun,oB ""ere d1\'tdc.d 1010 three group� 10 truurc 1ha1 3l rTUUl)' CIIICS Q5 �\l�C will be Ylillcd All thn..--c groups will 1ou.n off 1n Tollin in U1oni11 01hcr c1ucs 10 � v1s11cd include (:)idn _ a, b ov, Vmm1sa. Ro.s1ov. and Moscow The untlns \loc:tt i;1vcn ar• lKks lo rQd aboul (ond111oru U1 the So, 1t1 Un10n and ,,,ere bndcd

by II rtptc)Cnl�1,, r from the CoaJ111on IO Free So,•tel Jr"" s

Excerpts From Khayyat 's D'var Torah

Ramaz ltot spoC dnforung .scmng. Another u­ amplc or the wn,ng in the school Is lhe thcnnosut 5e11ing for 1he office!. The offices a� scp:1r.1tely zoned from 1he rcsl of the school

because dunng the summer, 1he 11r condJ11on1ng 1s only needed 1n the offi�s and u Is not ncce553ry 10 cool the cnurc budding TI1e zoning of the school, however,

" ould be drngned d1ff<rcmly 1odl}' ,r u �ere possible 10 change the sys1cm smce more 1J known today about wh,a "des or 1he bwlding arc n:uurally wanner

Vn S,,,dwt Torah both at nl�ht and ,n ,� trl(ll""tng. \\r no, , o , uSJom IIJ , uclt 1hr p/111/orm 111 shul " uh ch, 1if,,, Torah sn '" tunn Thc c,n ltJ �luch "t malr on S1mcl1ar ToraJr tt'ach us 1ht Its.. so,u fl/ ,,,t Yom Tov A c1rc lt has 1"' o churartrr/Jurs It haJ ,w btg1un111g and no tnd and all pomts 0,1 ,, arr thL samt S lmlfar ly. 011 S,,,__ hat Tora Ii, a/1tr n•ad• '".J \'tlot NaBrad,a, tht last para.sha, MY �gut rradm$ Par..

J/Jot Btm/111, r/1� first parasha of tN Torah \Vr can stt from th,s 1lt0t JWI l11.:t a nrrlt, thtrt ,J no btg1M1ng rwr end 10 ,� Torah or to ont's stud) nf tt A."'1. on S!M• rhal Tora h , all lrws romt togrthr.r m tM rirrlr, JUJt as M't ha,•t all con,r ,ognhu nmv, slum•• mg our 111111y