Volume 77, Issue 3 (November 2014) - The Rampage

The Rampage Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 77 • Issue III • November 2014 • Cheshvan 5775 • the-rampage.org

School Spirit Day, November 6 2014: starting with the afternoon pep rally and culminating with a double basketball victory against Heschel, it was a celebrated success. Students and teachers alike were involved in the fun, bringing about school unity, pride and excitement.

How long will the energy last and what more can be done, throughout the year, to keep our Ramaz spirit soaring, are the burning questions that remain in the aftermath of this great day.

The mood of Spirit Day was set from the very start, as all arrived in blue and yellow apparel. Students wore Ramaz colored clothing ranging from sports uniforms, sweaters, and jackets, to socks, hair accessories, ties, shirts, pants and more. Face paint and glitter added to the look. Snapchat stories and cell phone pictures were happening all around. Of course, our friendly Ram mascot ran about as well, rousing the students and heightening the mood.

While clothing and accessories started the excitement, it was the afternoon pep rally that really livened up the day.

All students assembled in the auditorium, and the captains of each sport team were invited onto the stage by the class president. Everyone clapped, loud music played and bold lights flashed. As each team was announced, the increased energy was palpable. Glow sticks and phone sleeves were thrown out to the students, adding to the fun. A great video was presented as well, comparing the Ramaz Ram to Derek Jeter.

Everyone in the video paid tribute to the Ram, as the Ram took his final lap, analogous to Derek Jeter finishing his career.

Following the pep rally in the auditorium, festivities continued in the gym with two exhilarating volleyball games. The boys varsity basketball team beat the boys varsity hockey team with a score of 15-6, while the teachers beat the girls’ varsity volleyball team 15-10! Gabe Klapholz ’17 called the games, “hilarious.” Mollie Blousman ’17 added, “I liked the music and seeing the teachers play, especially Mr. Lupinacci.”

After the games, the school provided all of the students with delicious ice cream sandwiches. Tyler

Ramaz Spirit Day

By Jasmine Levine ’17

Graphic by Michael Low ’17

Mandelbaum ‘17 announced, “The ice cream sandwiches were so good; they were the best part of my week!”

Pumped with excitement (and nourishment), Ramaz students proceeded, after school, to rout on the boys JV and Varsity basketball teams in their doubleheader against Heschel. The turnout was spectacular and Ramaz swept the games. Ilan Bley ’17 of the boys JV basketball team said, “The pep rally made our whole team excited and showed us how much support we have from the entire school. This support helped us come out with a bang and defeat Heschel.”

Gabe Roth ’15, star varsity player exclaimed, “I think spirit day was an integral part of our victory against Heschel. The energetic atmosphere of the school kept us focused on and excited for the game. The day also generated a huge crowd at both the JV game and the varsity game. I want to thank all the fans who cheered us on during the games- we couldn’t have done it without you!”

Overall, the feedback from school spirit day was resoundingly positive. The effects of the day were beautifully described by President Kelly

Sterman ’15 who explained, “The goal of the day (to increase school spirit, of course) was achieved as both JV and Varsity had major turnouts at their home openers. It was especially great to see both teams win, which only shows the power that the fans have. As for the rally itself, I think that the volleyball game was the highlight of it, in that students got to see faculty play, making the pep rally not only about the sports teams but about the school dynamic as a whole.”

Dov Pianko, activities coordinator, agreed that the day was a hit. He commented on the “school spirit, pride, and unity” which were inspired. When asked if there was anything he would do differently in future years Mr. Pianko said, “I think I might do the pep rally earlier in the day. After a whole day of class, you can see that everyone’s energy is lower than in the middle of the afternoon. However, overall I think that the G.O. did a great job of organizing and implementing their program. I only heard good things all around. I think it was a well-deserved and needed event on all ends.”

The buzz around campus in the days following Spirit Day was an excitement of a possible repeat of the event to support the spring sports teams. When Mr. Pianko was asked to comment on these rumors he added, “That’s a tough question. I think that it was a nice event and everyone had a great time, but I think that it would seem repetitive to have another pep rally in the spring. I think that the special dress code would be a nice touch to introduce spring sports, and perhaps some special dessert at lunch…can you imagine blue and yellow cookies?”

Kristallnacht: Commemorated

By Elianna Schwartz ’17

On Monday, November 10th, Ramaz commemorated the 76th anniversary of the tragic events that occurred on Kristallnacht, “The night of Broken Glass.”

Michele Amar, mother of Gabrielle Amar ’17, spoke first. Ms. Amar was born in France and moved to New York at the age of 19. She spoke about the anti-Semitism she experienced, the constant threat she felt Jews faced while she was growing up, and ultimately how she did not believe France was a place for Jews to live. Ms. Amar quoted a letter her daughter, Gabrielle, wrote to her after spending time in Paris this past summer. The letter described the fear and terror that Gabrielle felt Jews in Paris experience on a daily basis. Gabrielle recounted some of her experiences in the letter, including anti-Israel protests right under the Eiffel Tower. Ms. Amar stressed the point that Kristallnacht is something bigger than simply one tragic event; we are still living with its aftereffects. Ms. Amar ended her speech with the following question; “How do we act, and not be bystanders?” This question and Michele Amar’s speech resonated with the audience and set the tone and mindset for the remainder of the program.

We were very fortunate to have two Holocaust survivors, Jill Pauly and Susan Taube, come and share their stories and memories from the night of Kristallnacht.

Suzy Snyder, a curator from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, moderated the discussion. The students had an opportunity to hear first hand accounts of the survivors. Jakey Lefkowitz ’17 said, “The survivors caused the importance and

devastation of Kristallnacht to register in a more personal way than it had ever before for me.” Ms. Pauly and Ms. Taube had very different stories. They lived in different cities, were different ages, and had different experiences during the war.

The common factor, though, is that both of their families suffered from intense hatred and anti Semitism. They were both stripped of their childhood and of the lives they were living in Germany. As Ms. Benel put it, “Ms. Taube’s family suffered the horrors that most who were victims of the Holocaust suffered- camps, persecution and murder of family members.” While Ms. Pauly’s family, Ms. Benel continued, “had the vision, the money, and the connections to somehow get to Kenya…no joy ride either.” Jessica Fuzilouf ’17 said, “It was horrifying to hear the kind of terror and fear the Jews were subjected to, especially by everyday civilians.”

Ms. Pauly and Ms. Taube lived through and experienced the event that has come to symbolize the beginning of the Holocaust. However, it is clear from the women’s stories that anti-semitism was on the rise long before Kristallnacht and the Jews were already suffering from the effects of hatred. Their memories and stories, unfortunately, are not at all foreign to us. Echoing her mother, Gabrielle Amar ’17, said, “What I saw in Paris seemed like just the beginning of something bigger. The tragedy of Kristallnacht is not just an event that culminated in the Holocaust. It is still happening around us, and it is our duty to not be bystanders during times of such hate-induced violence.”

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By D.J. Presser ’16 On November 19, many Juniors decided to leave school early. Having had a math test that day and a stressful history test the next day, they felt that they needed extra time to study. However, once about thirty-five students in the Junior class had left, the school became suspicious.

The next day, all of the Juniors received an email telling them to go to the Auditorium for davening, rather than their normal Mincha locations. By Mincha time, everyone had taken his or her history tests. After davening, Mr. Miller addressed the entire Junior class.

Mr. Miller spoke towards ideas of community, family and trust. He explained that students at Ramaz have always dealt with rigorous schedules, because of the dual curriculum and the nature of the school. He continued by saying that a person truly builds character when times get tough, and they deal with the situation in the correct manner. He then dismissed all of the students who did not leave school early the prior day.

After the kids who had not left school early the day before were dismissed, Mr. Miller addressed the remaining students. He explained that while some

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Juniors Retreat students may have had legitimate excuses, it was clear that some did not. He expressed his disappointment in the students who thought it was acceptable to lie in order to leave school to go home and study. He noted how upset he was that his sense of trust form students was damaged. In addition, he informed students that the previous day’s math test scores would be canceled.

The scores are not zeros; they simply do not count.

In an interview with Mr. Miller after the event, he clarified the events that transpired: “[Regarding the canceling of the math tests], we are enforcing an already existing rule that we always try to enforce. In Preludes it states: “Leaving school early after a student has taken a test will automatically cancel the results of that examination.” The message of that rule is that if a student is not feeling well, he or she should stay home.” He continued, “We made the decision based on the information that we had after the event. In terms of ‘leveling the playing field’ on the history test, we are still not sure what steps we are going to take.

Some have suggested that we ‘level’ the playing field by adding points to the history test for those who remained in school. I don’t think these ethical issues can

be solved by adding numbers to a test.”

Many students were upset with how the school handled the entire situation. “I felt that the school dealt with these tests in an inconvenient way, but that’s life,” explained Arik Rosenstein ’16. He continued, “I didn’t leave early because there are no short cuts in life, you have to play the game. And because I live in the Five Towns and take the bus home.”

Other students like Sy Elyakim ’16 also felt that the school handled the situation poorly: “I think that canceling the math exams that the students took is completely irrelevant with them leaving early to study for history. If the administration felt that their actions were wrong, then it would be more logical for them to penalize them on their history tests.”

Max Teplitz ’16 explained his feelings: “The canceling of math tests was definitely justifiable. However, canceling the tests is not necessarily a punishment for everyone.” In addition, he focused on a different

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Choir CD

By Elianna Schwartz ’17

In the 2012-2013 school year, the Ramaz School Choirs began the long process of recording and producing the Ramaz Choir CD. This September we were lucky to receive the amazing finished product. The CD consists of 12 songs; 1970’s medley, Libi, Flash Gordon, Keter Yitnu Lach, Ani Rotzeh Lihiyot, At Yaffa, Heyma, As Vesta, Mah Yona, Seize the day, Gibor Shel Ta’uyot and Desperado. Five songs are sung by the Chamber Choir, five by the High School Choir, one by the Lower School Choir. One song is even a joint effort sung by all members of the Lower, Middle, and Upper School Choirs.

The recording process took approximately a month, and chorus members stayed for many hours after school to record. The method was such that the choir recorded by voice parts; meaning that sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses all recorded at different times.

Once the talented singers finished their recordings, the process was far from over. Jeremy Gruen ’16 said, “It is a two year long process because you have to take into account all the other

factors, other than just the singing.”

After the recording, there is still editing and mixing that needs to be done. Mr. Henkin, the music director, explained in detail that the singers need to “record multiple versions of each musical phrase. The result is hundreds of hours of recorded material that must be sifted through and edited to find the best take. Then the editing stage begins.

We remove extraneous sounds, we sometimes pitch-correct a section if they are slightly out of tune, and we align the voice sections with one another to create the full ensemble.” Mr. Henkin pointed out the important role Mr. Yadid played in engineering the album, and overseeing all stages of recording, editing, and mixing.

The last step, Mr. Henkin continued, is mixing the songs, adjusting the levels, adding the solos, playing the instrumental tracks, and placing the effects on the music to produce the final product.

Mr. Henkin said, “There is a fine line between getting a choir to sound its best and making a choir sound better than it could ever sound. I believe we are creat-

By DJ Presser ’16 This year, Ramaz held its annual Israel Night on November 18th. The event gives senior students an opportunity to learn about different Yeshivot and Midrashot in Israel, at which they could potentially spend a gap year after high school.

“We have a number of policies regarding which institutions we host at Israel Night. The first guideline is that we do not invite any new programs to the event.

We wait for new schools to become more established before we bring them to Israel Night. Our preference is also to wait until a Ramaz graduate has attended the program. The second guideline is that we only bring in schools that are consistent with the mission statement of Ramaz. That means that we don’t host non-Orthodox or non-denominational programs. We feel that we have an obligation to parents to invite only fully observant programs because they are sending their children to an Orthodox high school. It is important to remember that even though such programs are not represented at our Israel Night, we are still supportive of students who wish to enroll in them,” explained Ms. Krupka, one of the Israel advisers.

This year, there were some changes made to the set-up of the Night, in order to keep everything more organized. In the past, families would choose two or three programs they wanted to see, and those programs would present twenty-minute sessions. These sessions only allowed students and their parents to see a limited number of schools, which people felt was too restricting. Five years ago, the Israel department decided to change the system, making the night less restricting in terms of the number of schools people were able to see. Programs would set up booths with representatives; students and their parents were then

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ing an album that is fun to listen to and musically clean, that is musically diverse, and expands the listeners’ palette. If we can do this in a way that represents our choirs at their musical best, then I feel the process has been worthwhile.” Jeremy David ’15, Chamber Choir member, admitted, “Hearing yourself professionally recorded at your best is definitely a confidence booster.”

The Ramaz community has the privilege to listen to professional and beautiful tracks on the Choir CD, but we cannot even begin to understand the tremendous amount of work and time our committed

student body and faculty dedicated to the making of the CD behind the scenes. Ben Shiff ’16 said, “Listening to the CD I do think all the hours were worth it. The CD turned out amazingly and everyone in the community got a copy to listen to, which was an added bonus.” Mr. Henkin concluded, “At the end of the day, to be able to pop my Ramaz Choir CD into my car radio (I am still somewhat old-fashioned in that regard) and enjoy the fruits of our labor is a hugely rewarding and satisfying experience.”

Israel Night able to see more schools and learn about them, but only informally.

This system, however, made it difficult for parents and students to get a good grasp on programs that they wanted to learn a lot about. Therefore, the school decided this year to combine both of the old systems, to create a new and improved system. There would still be a program-fair, but parents would also choose two or three programs to hear a formal presentation from. The new program allows students to get to learn about many programs, but also lets students learn more details about schools they are specifically interested in. In addition, representatives from programs have been coming in over the past few weeks during lunch periods, in order to have less formal conversations with students.

Israel adviser Rabbi Schimmel said, “I think [the set up] was much better than prior years.”

Ramaz parent Lisa Low explained her feelings about the changes. “From my point of view, it seemed that there were more students there than in previous years. Even students who did not think they would be going to Israel before the event showed up. To me, it seems that some of them are even considering going now.”

Ben Kohl ’15 said, “Rabbi Lookstein’s opening remarks were very touching and inspirational (it was on the night of the terrorist attack on the shul). They set the mood of the night and encouraged the students to think about Israel. The new format of both the classroom sessions and the ‘marketplace’ was a great way to maximize our learning about the different schools.”

Tabitha Korn ’15 agreed, as she said, “I thought it was very informative and I liked that I was able to get

a feel for a couple of different schools, in addition to being able to ask questions in an informal setting.”

Israel Night is the start of an extensive process of choosing what program a student should attend.

While the process of choosing an Israel program is not as intensive and difficult as that of the college process, it is still challenging, as students will be spending a full year at the program they choose. Rabbi Stochel elaborated how students should choose a school: “In addition to consulting our very knowledgeable, insightful, and caring Israel advisers, seniors considering the year of study in Israel are encouraged to talk to recent graduates of Ramaz who have attended the Yeshivot, Midrashot and programs they are interested in. Our graduates are the best source of information for the actual experience of the year in Israel and are very discerning about the merits of each option from a student point of view. We invite our graduates to be available to our seniors for advice, both formally at our Israel Night and informally over the course of the application process, and they in turn are eager to speak to our seniors about their experiences. Our Israel advisers themselves rely heavily upon reports they receive from either current graduates in Israel or from those who have recently returned after completing the year.”

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By Julia Levi ‘18

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Veteran’s Day: Commemorated

On Tuesday, November 11th, Ramaz commemorated Veteran’s Day. Following davening, a different veteran spoke to each minyan.

The Juniors and Seniors joined to listen to Captain Jonathan Friedman. He studied at the University of Miami. Following graduation, he became an Active Duty Infantry Officer in the United States Army. He was positioned in Iraq in 2011 with the 1st Cavalry Division, and in Egypt with the Multinational Force and Observers Peacekeeping Organization in 2013.

Gaby Stemp ’15 said, “I was touched by how simple, sincere, and unscripted he was. It was clear that he really has a contagious passion for our country.”

At the Sophomore minyan, Captain Jesse Acosta, who graduated from West Point military school, spoke about his deployment to Baghdad, Iraq, where he was wounded in a military vehicle explosion. “He went back to fight in Afghanistan, after spending some time recovering, but he wasn’t as fit as he previously was, and was injured again,” explained Gabe Klapholz ’17. Captain Acosta was given the Purple Heart Award, which is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy.

After leaving the army, he obtained his MBA from Yale University. Following Yale, he founded Leonidas International, an organization that helps soldiers reenter society after serving.

By Eliana Doft ’16

Klapoltz’ 17 later said, “The fact that he could overcome such difficulties in life and do so much good for the world even after his traumatizing experiences is incredible.”

The Freshmen and Sefardic minyanim both welcomed members of the Ramaz staff. The freshman listened to Sargent Daniel Rosa, who was in the United States army from 1979-1989.

He first served in Fort Hood, Texas, as a tank driver, and then as Staff Sargent in the 82nd Airborne. He was also deployed to Iran and to the Island of Grenada in 1983 as part of “Operation Urgent Fury.”

Those in Sefardic Minyan listened to Sargent Dwight Johnson, our security guard, who served in the United States army from 1976-1984. He did his training in Fort Bliss, Texas, and was deployed to divided Germany in 1979, where he was positioned very close to the Berlin Wall!

“I really enjoyed learning about how one of our own security guards served in the US army and contributed to our safety,” said Hannah Benhamo ’16.

During their lunch periods, students packaged bags for Jewish and non-Jewish American soldiers through the Major Stuart Adam Wolfer Institute, an organization started in honor of Major Wolfer’s death while serving for the American Army in Baghdad in 2008.

Wolfer was an active Jew and a member of “B’nai Baghdad,” the minyan that the Jewish

soldiers formed while in Baghdad. These packages included: warm socks, toiletries, candy, and personally signed cards from the students. For the Jewish soldiers, students added Channuka themed gifts such as light up Menoras and donuts. Many students enjoyed participating in this chessed project. Naomi Freilich ’18 said, “It felt great to give back to the community!”

When asked what she took away from Veterans Day at Ramaz, Rebecca Araten ’18 said, “It left me with a positive feeling about America’s future and I was in awe of the sacrifices people make in order to insure that our country is a safe place for all.”

However, Mr. Deutch, who served in the US army, disagrees. He said, “I think that the way we tend to do Veterans’ Day is often problematic and emblematic of larger issues with the way we negotiate questions of American identity and showing support for Israel. We are an American school, in the US, attended by students who will, for the most part, live in the United States. We should, I think, devote a bit more time to teaching kids good civics and understanding our responsibilities to a larger American community whose interests and needs may at times be completely different from the interests and needs specific to our Jewish community.” Only time will tell how Veterans Day will evolve at Ramaz.

Rocket Scientist Visits Ramaz

On November 4th, the junior and senior grades were addressed by Ari Sacher, a rocket scientist for Rafael.

Rafael is the authority for the development of weapons and defense systems in Israel. He spoke to the juniors and seniors specifically about the Iron Dome, a defense system designed to intercept enemy missiles in the air to prevent them from reaching their targets. Mr. Sacher told the story of the Iron Dome, from its conception in 2005, to its pivotal role in this past summer’s Operation Pillar of Defense. He explained how the Iron Dome system operates, with its three major components: the detection and tracking radar, the control system, and the missile-firing unit. He clearly and coherently talked students through the financing of the system, and to what

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extent the American government has contributed to funding.

About the presentation, Danielli Gutkind ’16 said, “When they told us a rocket scientist was coming I wasn’t so excited because I didn’t think he’d be so interesting, but he turned out to be hilarious and I really enjoyed the presentation.” Students were captivated

by Mr. Sacher’s interesting information and vibrant personality. “Mr. Sacher had my full attention the entire time.

I was especially interested since I was in Israel this summer and personally benefited from the Iron Dome that he and Rafael worked on,” said Elizabeth Ritz ’16.

Illustration:

by Jill Adler ’15

Juniors Skip School To Study

point of the issue: “It seems that there have been no repercussions or punishments for parents getting their kids excused, which is a much broader issue that happens all the time. Many parents in the school are guilty of being dishonest at least one point in their child’s high school career, in order to get them excused. Here, obviously 1/3 of the grade didn’t have doctors appointments after their math tests, they just went home to study history.”

Ben Rabinowitz ’16 felt differently than most, “I did not care or feel that I was at a disadvantage because I stayed in school. I never thought that this would turn into such a big deal.” He continued, “Personally I did not leave because I had classes those last two periods.”

Eitan Schiller ’16, a student who left school early, expressed his view, “The

school’s decision was ridiculous. The rule makes no sense! Now, I can come to school take a test and if I know I bombed it I can just leave school and it won’t count. I also don’t think that the school can just pick and choose when they are going to enforce a policy. Either it’s a policy or its not.” Mr. Miller elaborated, regarding students leaving because they did not do well on a test, that when policies are made, they are made under the supposition that most students will act ethically.

“In general, I am proud of Ramaz students, because they care about missing school, notes and learning. Teachers also get upset when their classes are canceled.

This event violates the relationship of trust and appreciation that we try to engender in our community.”

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Freshman Shabbaton

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Sophomore Shabbaton

By Abigail Huebner ’18

By Gabriel Klapholz ’17

On November 14th, after davening and a special breakfast, the freshman buses departed and we were on our way to our shabbaton! Our first stop was the Bagota Golf Center where some golfed, some played basketball or baseball, and others took pictures. “The batting cages were really fun, though some of the pitches were low (even for me!),” said Amital Kaplan ’18. Kaplan continued, “The shabbaton was a great experience because I was able to talk to people who I hadn’t before. It was also a great way to make new friends!”

After another hour on the bus, we arrived at our destination for the weekend: Bushkill, Pennsylvania. Before long the hallway on the third floor, the floor with all the girls’ rooms, was filled with girls taking picture after picture. “I loved hanging out with everyone and bonding through picture taking,” said Leanne Honig ’18.

We then prepared for shabbat with singing, dancing, and a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv. Class president Naomi Freilich ’18 said, “It was great to be in a care-free environment that was so different from the everyday school environment!” After davening, students played a quick game of speed dating, ate Shabbat dinner, and then split into six learning groups. The theme of the learning sessions, centered around the book “My Many Colored Days,” emphasized the Dr. Seuss theme of the weekend.

After dessert and more singing, we had free time until 10:30, when we returned to our respective floors. The boys went to their own rooms, but the girls all managed to fit into one room, where everyone bonded together. “I really enjoyed this time together because it was fun to hang out with our whole grade. We hadn’t done this since orientation, when we didn’t even know each other’s names. I also really enjoyed having the seniors there,” said Melissa Adler ’18 said.

9:00 a.m. davening was followed by Kiddush and another learning session. We then had lunch and a whole afternoon of time to hang out together. Julia Levi ’18 said “My favorite part of the shabbaton was the free time. I became closer with many of the friends I had already made and formed other friendships with people I had not yet gotten to know so well. I now feel more comfortable around everyone in my grade!” After seudah shlishit we all pulled our chairs together and sang, which continued into post-shabbat singing and dancing. After Shabbat, the grade enjoyed bowling.

All in all, as Jonathan Dishi ’18 said, “Shabbaton was sick! We got to hangout with our old friends and make new ones, too!”

This past month, the sophomores went to the Hotel Somerset-Bridgewater in New Jersey for their annual shabbaton. Before leaving for the shabbaton on Friday, the excited sophomores watched a short video in the auditorium and enjoyed a quick breakfast to set the tone for the weekend. From there, they were off to the buses, where the Chasidic bus drivers spoke to students and would later lend out their straimels and gartels.

The special activity on Friday was ice-skating. Many of the sophomores had requested the activity beforehand, but were shocked to find that they had an entire private rink reserved. “The ice-skating was one of the best parts,” said Sam Freilich ’17. The sophomores had the alternative of enjoying arcade games and laser tag as well. “The rink had other activities, which was good for when you wanted to do something besides ice-skating,” said Elisheva Gold ’17. For many sophomores, the ice-skating was a learning experience. “It was hard at first,” continued Gold, “but once I got used to it, it was a lot of fun.” Some faculty members also gave ice-skating a try, including Rabbi Dov Pianko.

The mood entering the hotel was a positive one as students devoured the lunch that was set out for them. Freilich expressed his approval of the delicious menu and food throughout the shabbaton. After eating, sophomores were given a long time to relax, talk to friends and teachers, and prepare for Shabbat.

Later on Friday afternoon, the sophomores met up with those who had not yet arrived at the hotel, including a Ramaz alumnus who joined the grade to tell of his stories from

serving with the IDF. After all, the theme of the shabbaton was heroism. Pre-Shabbat singing and dancing encouraged greater spirit for the Shabbat. However, many sophomores had a good laugh when they found a whole group of suited Asian men in the hotel lobby, who took pictures of them and mingled with them. It was quite a scene.

Shabbat included more fun and games and many interesting divrei torah from students, administrators, and faculty. Over Shabbat, students developed an understanding of what it means to be a hero in the Torah and also got to test out their speaking skills in a dvar torah workshop and competition. Sophomores sent and received Shabbat-O-Grams and again enjoyed meals upon meals of food.

Shabbat went out with havdalah from Rabbi Albo, with the help of a one-man band hired for the event. After Shabbat was over, the sophomores packed up and gathered for a talent show. “Saturday night was just a fun time to relax and have a laugh with one another,” said Raquel Michel ’17. The tenth graders in the chamber choir performed and won the show, while Daniel Cahn ’17 recited 100 digits of pi. One thing is certain; the sophomores had a lot of sleep to catch up on when they returned. “I had a great time,” said Michel, “and I felt that all of our activities really helped us get closer to one another.”

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Student Teacher Conferences

By Tyler Mandelbaum ’17 Every year, student teacher conferences roll around amidst all the craziness. Students are expected to meet with all of their teachers to talk about their performance in the class.

While many students agree that the conferences are beneficial for both the students and teachers, the way that the entire system is set up can be problematic. There is chaos while all the students run around the building looking for their teachers and checking which have the shortest lines. Some feel that it would be smarter to sign up for time slots in advance, so everyone can have a schedule to adhere to. Jacob Aufzien ’17 said, “I never seem to be able to meet with all my teachers as quickly as others do; I wish I knew the secret!”

There are teachers notoriously known for having the longest lines. Not only that, but some teachers spend over 10 minutes meeting with students. Some people feel that the conferences are just overall unnecessary, because the students already know how they are doing in all of their classes. Some feel that the teachers do not have specific purposes for their conference, and they end up just sitting there. Estee Halpert ’16 said “Most of my teachers don’t have much to discuss with me, so we end up sitting there and schmoozing.”

Since the meetings are before parent teacher conferences, some teachers use this as a way to give a preview to the students of what their parents will be told.

Students are not allowed to leave the building until 12:00, though either by luck or skill, many finish before this time. Some students are unsure as to why they must sit around and do nothing until 12:00. Many think that it is because the administration does not want people to feel as though it should be a race as to who can finish the fastest, leading their conversations with teachers to be brisk and meaningless. While student teacher conferences may be beneficial, it is hard to know how to get the most use out of each meeting.

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November 2014/Cheshvan 5775

Student Profile: Edward Sasson Not many people would think of switching into America’s high school system for its infamous junior year. However, Edward Sasson is doing just that. Edward left his home in Italy to live in New York and attend Ramaz for the year.

Rampage: What brought you to New York, and specifically Ramaz?

ES: I wanted to learn English, so I came to New York. I also wanted to experience a year abroad. I came to Ramaz with my Italian school last year and liked it. So I decided to come here.

Rampage: Where are you staying?

ES: I am staying at Alex David ‘16’s house- it’s a lot of fun.

Rampage: How do you keep in touch with your friends in Italy?

ES: Whatsapp, Viber, Skype, Facebook…

Rampage: What do you like most about New York?

ES: The pizza!

Rampage: What do you miss most about Italy?

ES: The pizza!

Rampage: What is your favorite memory of Ramaz so far?

ES: When I failed Dr. Sclar’s test. I love history and Dr. Sclar! I do not understand a word in that class!

Rampage: Where did you live in Italy? What school did you go to?

ES: I lived in Rome, and I went to school at Renzo Levi [a Jewish school in the Jewish quarter of Rome] Rampage: What the biggest difference between Ramaz and Renzo Levi?

ES: Here you get out of school at five, which is crazy. And there is not a lot of time to hang out with your friends. So, it seems like at Ramaz, the only thing kids care about is school. And the only purpose for coming to school is to be ready for college. I feel like students here don’t enjoy their time enough. Also, students here are very honest and don’t cheat at all!

OPINION

The Rampage Ramaz Upper School

The Rampage • November 2014

New York • Volume 77 • Issue III • November 2014 • the-rampage.org

Editors-in-Chief: Skyler Levine, Andrew Lobel, Eddie Mattout Online Editor-in-Chief: Alexander Leibowitz Design Editor: Olivia Hershkowitz Opinions Editor: Will Fried News and Arts Editor: Yale Buchwald Sports Editor: Avi Goldman Photography Editor: Michael Low Faculty Advisor: Dr. Milowitz Illustrators: Gabrielle Amar- Oumiet, Jill Adler Contributing Writers: Nicole Aboodi, Eliana Doft, Alex Glaubach, Akiva Gold, Olivia Hershkowitz, Abigail Huebner, Gabriel Klapholz, Julia Levi, Jasmine Levine, Tyler Mandelbaum, Sammy Merkin, Oren Oppenheim, D.J. Presser, Josh Sarachek, Elianna Schwartz, Tess Solomon

The Rampage is the student newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School. It is published on a monthly basis. Letters to the editor may be submitted to rampage@ramaz.org. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Rampage style and format.

A Failed Responsibility

By Sammy Merkin ’15

Should an ill student stay home, or should he come to school and threaten to infect over five hundred people?

If I were to objectively ask that question to any Ramaz student, I would hope, and I believe, he would say the student should stay home.

This dilemma has plagued most Ramaz students at some point in his or her high school career and unfortunately it is too often met with varied responses. Year-round, and especially during the winter, there are students walking around trying to hide their small, yet infectious, illnesses.

This is an unfortunate reality, and I personally am always wary of sickly students walking around, constantly trying to remind myself to “Purell” and even sometimes trying not to breath in an elevator after someone has sneezed or coughed.

The question is, if everyone would objectively agree that this is inherently selfish behavior, then why does the problem perpetuate? Why are there still kids who attend school with their own personal tissue packs looking like zombies? The most prevalent answer that I’ve received goes something like this: “Well I have a really important class today!” In my opinion, this is a prime example of Ramaz kids putting too much pressure into their work. It would

By Gabrielle Amar-Oumiet ’17

Illustration: by Jill Adler ’15

seem obvious that health should come before everything else, yet to many, not missing even a precious second of class takes precedence.

In this situation, the real failure in judgment is not exercised by the students but rather by their parents. It is the parents’ job to be able to view the bigger picture and

understand that their child’s health is far and away more important than the possibility of their child missing out on Dr. Gaylord’s free two point reading log. It is the parents’ duty to be levelheaded and understand that there are more important things than a fraction of a point that may ultimately be lost on their

child’s report card.

Bemoaning the issue doesn’t really get anywhere. This is a situation where Ramaz, as an institution, has to try to summon its warm and caring tone that it advertises. For example, receiving notes and being caught up on class should be made more easily accomplished by sick students. Additionally, Ramaz does have the website “Ramazhelp. com” which is a great resource. However, it is not nearly full enough with students’ notes. Ramaz should exert some effort into asking students from years’ past to post their notes, so that catching up after a missed class can be an expedited and easier process. If this weren’t enough, it would be great if an ill student could email a teacher and have him or her record class and send it back so that it as if the student was there. Ultimately, there is no excuse for students to attend school ill, and these arrangements would certainly help kids’ decision-making process and keep sick students out of the Ramaz hallways.

Jokes Going Too Far

Today, we live in a society that laughs at jokes about suicide, eating disorders, the Holocaust, terrorism, disabilities, racism, rape, pedophilia, cancer, AIDs, animal abuse, and murder. Sarcasm is evidently expressed way too leniently and often times without the slightest thought to what the impact can be to surrounding listeners.

Recently, there has been an upheaval in the number of jokes regarding the Ebola virus worldwide.

Although Ebola is a virus far from home and had a limited effect in the United States, students and even certain teachers continue to joke insensitively about the subject. Why does society joke about something that does not hurt us but in reality kills people on the other side of the earth? Why do people disrespectfully joke about things that are not even related to them?

Freud suggested that all jokes were true, serving purposes such as aggression (ex: sarcasm).

In Freud’s view, sarcasm is seen as hostile and may intimate a person’s true feelings or indicate a poor self-image of that person. Sarcasm is also used as a

mask to conceal insecurities and true expressions that are otherwise inappropriate. In other cases, jokes are used to relate to others, and more specifically to the fears of others. Sometimes, we tend to follow what other people are going on about these days. We either add our own opinions, thoughts and comments to a situation or so often we follow the wrong ones.

Although jokes concerning the Ebola virus should not deeply affect people living in our area, there are jokes that do. Rape jokes, for example, seem harmless but in fact, they promote rape culture and are extremely offensive to actual victims of rape. Why should society use a word such as “rape” to create a hyperbole in order to express emotions? Why should a very serious, harmful and deadly subject be spoken in such a flippant manner?

The use of certain words today is extremely out of place. Telling someone who is thin that they look “anorexic”, or calling something or someone “retarded” is not okay. For the people who have, have had, or know someone with the illness, this simple comment

creates a trigger. Additionally, for the person who the comment is directed toward, they may feel uncomfortable and at unease with themselves even though they are expected to take it as a “joke”. Sarcasm is not for everyone, and sometimes comments should be held back before being expressed.

Humor is an excellent part of life. Laughing leads to increased pleasure, more enjoyment, and a happier life. However, at times, attempted humor that is in fact extremely provoking crosses the line. Sometimes just thinking about what you are going to say really does make all the difference. Instead of saying something absurd and inappropriate, which actually reveals a part of one’s self-esteem. I think it would be much more worthwhile to bring a smile to everyone’s face, without blindly bringing others down.

Opinions 8

By Gabriel Klapholz ’17

The Rampage

Biker Danger NYC

The writing of this article was prompted by the tragic death of Mr. Irving Schachter, grandfather of Julia Levi ’18, this past August. A 17-year-old bike rider who “veered out of the bike lane, into the pedestrian-only space,” hit Mr. Irving Schachter, said his wife in her article in the Daily News.

75-year-old Mr. Schachter had been training for the marathon, running in Central Park on 72nd Street, when the collision occurred.

Ms. Schachter said, “The city will not solve its safety problems by excoriating cyclists” and that “the government allocates almost all traveling space to automobiles,” leaving cyclists and pedestrians to “share the leftover slivers.” Whether it is the city’s fault or the biker’s fault, the event underlines the problem that this city faces.

At first sight, riding a bike in New York City may seem beneficial for general society -- beneficial to the rider, who is getting an excellent workout, beneficial for the environment, as the rider is one less person driving a car and emitting gases into the atmosphere, and beneficial to traffic, keeping streets less crowded with honking cars. However, the biking situation in this city has become a serious issue, as bikers are confined to riding in pedestrian zones, lacking enough designated biking lanes and paths.

Even so, many bikers simply fail to adhere to the

By Alex Glaubach ’16 Mr. Klotz’s honors physics junior class is reputed to be one of the most challenging classes the school has to offer. There are two honors courses this year taught by Mr. Klotz and as the year progresses an issue is becoming more and more apparent.

The junior class has a math class of 10 students that is 1 year ahead and commonly called ‘the super honors class.’

Last year the current junior super honors class was taught pre-calculus which ostensibly (I have learned this year) is an extremely useful tool in the Physics course. Early on in the course it was clear that super honors math students were not only using acquired skills from their pre-calculus class and applying them to the Physics class but were also relearning material. Methods of solving problems were indeed taught

by Mr. Klotz, yet more effective approaches, which require more extensive math, were already learned by the super honors math kids. It was understandably not obliged of Mr. Klotz to teach us new math (for example: derivatives).

The issue, however, is whether or not these 10 super honors math students should be in the two Physics courses with students who have not yet stud-

November 2014/Cheshvan 5775

necessary regulations. They do not stop at red lights and they ride along the sidewalk, where unsuspecting pedestrians are generally walking. Bikers, according to New York City law, are only allowed to ride on the sidewalk if the wheels are less than 26 inches in diameter and if the rider is under 12 years old. Additionally, bike riders are required by law to obey “all traffic signals, regulating signs and pave-

ment markings.”

Unlike with cars, bikers do not usually receive tickets for violating rules on their bikes. There are too many bikes for the law to be fully enforced by police officers or the Department of Transportation (DOT). However, Mayor Bill de Blasio has a new plan to eliminate pedestrian traffic deaths. Recently, over 4,000 citations to cyclists have been issued for not adhering to the bicycle laws. In one weekend, 103 tickets were given. After the death of Mr. Schachter, there was an increase as well in animosity and legal penalization of cyclists from police, culminating in a government project called Operation

Safe Cycle, which Ms. Schachter described in her article. This new push for pedestrian safety is a step towards solving the current problem.

A number of times, I have been crossing the street during a green light when all of the sudden a cyclist whizzes past me, completely disregarding the right of way of the pedestrian. I am not saying that New Yorkers have no right to bike. I encourage biking as a way to exercise and respect the environment.

However, I also believe that bikers in general “They need to start must thinking of themselves be more respectful of the as people that could rules that have been also hurt others-- the established for them. pedestrians” The city should be more forceful in -Julia Levi ’18 penalizing those bikers who decide not to follow those rules and in providing more space for pedestrians and bikers to travel. While I’m someone who enjoys biking and who is part of a family that enjoys biking, I am constantly concerned about this issue during my commuting and traveling around the city.

Julia Levi ’18 spoke about her grandfather. She said, “My family is very into biking, especially my grandfather. He would take me on very long bike rides…and would ride every Sunday with my grandmother.” Levi ended with a message about her opinion on how the problem could be solved. She said, “I still really like biking and I like that more people are using their bikes to commute, but…they think of themselves as the victims because they think that a car will hit them…They need to start thinking of themselves as people that could also hurt others -the pedestrians.”

Super Honors Physics? ied a lot of math that is useful for the Physics course.

In the latter stages of the first quarter these super honors students were tested on a topic, vectors, for a second time.

They were tested on vectors during their sophomore year in pre-calculus and for a second time in Physics this year. The residual students of the Physics class learned vectors for the first time during their first quarter of junior year, as Alex Eisenstein ’16, a member of the super honors class explained: “ Last year with Mr. Jaffe, I had learned about vectors with 3-dimensional shapes, which made the learning of vectors in physics a review.”

The super honors math class is now learning BC calculus and using this math to solve physics problems. A class in which all of the students know or are learning calculus would be much more conducive to learning, expansion and possibility than a class with students who have not yet learned calculus. This class could benefit both kids in the super honors math class and kids not in it, if the two groups of students were to be separated.

Dr. Koplon said, “They [super honors math students] could learn a calculus based physics but that is for se-

nior year. Junior year physics at Ramaz is a springboard for senior year physics, where you learn calculus based physics.”

If they are one year ahead in math what’s stopping them from being one year ahead in science? Each group of

“There is a clear disadvantage to those of us who are not in super honors math” -Nathan Shams ‘16

students would be able to maximize their learning potential in creating a super honors physics class.

This potential solution to the issue was addressed before the year by the math department. Dr. Koplon explained: “We tried it three years ago and the benefit wasn’t so great. The super honors physics class covered more topics but it wasn’t significant enough to be worth it to continue. It made more sense this year to have two classes of fifteen rather than one class of twenty and one class of ten.”

In the wake of this controversy many students feel like there is an inherent

disadvantage for the non-super honors kids, as Nathan J. Shams ’16 explained: “There is a clear disadvantage to those of us who are not in super honors math.

The students in super honors math had the opportunity to learn many mathematical concepts that apply to physics.

Therefore, as a result of this, Mr. Klotz teaches his class at a significantly faster pace leaving those of us who are not in super honors math at a substantial disadvantage.” Another issue that is bringing worry to the class, as Nathan Shams ’16 said, is the pace of the class, and maybe the possibility that the super honors kids are affecting the pace. Daniel Gutkind ’16 said, “I think that for some areas that are very mathematical, like vectors, the super honors kids can dictate the pace of the class.”

At the end of the day it is too late for any change at this stage of the year.

There are four super honors kids in the class of ’17 and although the issue will not be at the forefront because they only have four kids, perhaps a super honors physics class could exist next year as the sophomores and freshmen also have super honors math classes.

November 2014/Cheshvan 5775

The-rampage.org

The SAT Revisited:

A response to Will Fried’s “It’s Time the SAT Sat Down”

By Alex Glaubach ’16

Each year college admissions officers are tasked with determining what kind of student and person an applicant really is. While this is an annual process, it never gets easier. In this process colleges have to take into account various elements of the applicant. The college entry exam or standardized test is just another factor in assessing a given applicant.

The three major considerations admissions officers take into account when reviewing applicants are the applicants’ high school GPA (Grade Point Average), the strength of the high school curriculum, and the college entrance exam results. In my opinion, if the college entrance exam results were disregarded, the whole college acceptance process would become flawed.

I think it is unfair to use only HSGPA and difficulty of curriculum. Let us take an arbitrary public school in Arkansas for instance. Let’s say several students in this public school have 4.0 GPAs on 4.0 scales. Suppose their school curriculum is measured and determined to be a petty poor education. Say out of the previous count of ten students with 4.0 GPAs, only two of those ten have scored near perfect on a standardized test such as the SAT. First of all colleges would

activities, a personal essay, and depending on the college sometimes a supplemental essay and/ or short answer essay. While it is true that the common application has become a useful tool for officers in accomplishing their task of discovering what the student is like, the application does not paint the full academic picture. It tests your ability to write and your interests beyond the realm of school. If a student does not use the common application he or she will still send in a similar list of credentials that were listed above in an application that will be all inclusive.

The standardized test was established to democratize access to higher education by providing an objective measure of a student’s readiness for college. The college entry exam represents a principle that exists in all walks of life: a standard. There must be a standard for the college process similar to any other process in life.

Another advantage to having standardized tests is that these test evaluate a student’s ability to apply everything learned in high school.

While schools test students, they don’t test on 3 years of applied knowledge. High Schools have 1 year curricula and have no way of seeing if a student can apply what he or she has learned

never be able to differentiate between the two genuinely intelligent kids and the eight others.

Moreover, colleges will just place all of these students around the country into one category, and chances are most of them will not get in to their top choices.

These two students could have more potential than any other student around the country no matter how strong the high school curricula. The only thing distinguishing between the eight and the two is the common application, which encompasses various facets of an applicant including: letters of recommendation, extracurricular

over a significant period of time. Application of knowledge is critical to success in college and what follows.

There are flaws in the college admissions system, but the college admissions process as a whole cannot function without a college entrance exam. Evidently there are ways to circumvent this system of standardized testing through memorization and tutoring, but a standard needs to be set in which students are placed on equal footing.

Opinions 9

Second Time’s the Charm

By Akiva Gold ’16

Having a teacher twice allows students and teacher to develop a strong relationship, which is great for a number of reasons. For example, the first few days of September are always a little awkward due of the new face(s) on both sides of the classroom. Perhaps, if there is a student in the class who has had the teacher previously, then that student and teacher are already comfortable with each other, and can ease much of the tension in the class.

Likewise, by having a teacher twice, when it comes time for recommendations to programs, schools, or jobs, if a student has a positive relationship with the teacher, then the teacher can possible write a superior recommendation, as they know the student much better than a teacher who has only taught the student for one (or fewer) years.

Some may argue that because some students have already had the teacher once, then come test time, these students have an advantage over their peers, leading to unbalanced grades. I do not believe this concern is valid.

In terms of the first test, it is a common pattern in Ramaz that the first test in a class is one of the toughest, as the student does not yet know the teacher’s testing style, making the test that much tougher to take. While it can be argued that students taking a teacher a second time have an advantage, this is not necessarily true. This is because the students who have already taken the teacher can help newer students, and prepare them for the test in

ways merely reading old tests or seeing sample questions cannot. Because these students have already taken the teacher a first time, they know the ins and outs of the teacher’s testing style, and can pass that information on to newer students, negating any possible advantage repeat might have over newer students.

One may argue that by having a teacher multiple times, it can be hard to transition to a different teacher later in high school. This may or may not be true, but that does not outweigh the positives of learning from the same teacher twice.

By learning from the same teacher twice, a student avoids the difficult adaptation to a new teaching style, and can possibly learn better in class.

This is extremely true in classes like math and history, where different teachers have vastly different pedagogical styles. By having one continuous style for an extended time in high school, a student can become used to his or her teacher, and can learn more effectively.

Though many people will point out a number of problems that may be associated with having teachers multiple times, many of these concerns are not only unfounded, but can also be viewed as positives.

Whether it be the removal of the first-test-struggle for the whole class, or the easing of September awkwardness, or even just the simple act of recommendation writing, having a teacher multiple times in a high school career can undoubtedly help a student, and the class as a whole.

The Real Health Crisis

By Akiva Gold ’16

At the beginning of November, the wall on the 6th floor dedicated for the Humans Rights Club switched from information about the summer protests in Ferguson, Missouri, to information about the recent Ebola outbreak in Africa. Although the wall was created with the right intention and with the mindset to educate, the wall does not go far enough to educate about current Human Rights Health issues. I think it misses many important current health issues that are taking place throughout the world at this time.

Although the current outbreak of Ebola in Africa is extremely worrisome and is most definitely a cause for major concern, it is only one of many current health issues that are a cause for concern for people of the world. In addition to having information about Ebola, the Human Right’s Club could have put up information on other Human Rights health crises that do not

receive as much attention as the non stop, 24-hour Ebola coverage.

Take for example the influenza virus. Every year, 53,826 Americans die from influenza and pneumonia, making this virus the seventh highest cause of death in the US, just above suicide, and just below diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Another important issue is obesity.

Obesity is an issue that can be linked to heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, and even some forms of cancer. In America alone, over two thirds of the adult population is considered overweight or obese, and just over one third of the child population is considered overweight or obese. But these are problems that are prevalent worldwide as well. Although these two issues do not receive as much press time as Ebola, they are both extremely dangerous and extremely important, and could have also been put up on the 6th floor wall,

in order to make the board a well rounded source of information about current health issues worldwide.

In today’s 24-hour news cycle, with social media and constant news access, Ebola has received an intense amount of news coverage, and that has perhaps led to a massive fear of the disease. In order to recognize Ebola and its harm, and in order to teach that it is only one of many pressing Human Rights health issues, the Human Rights club should have included many other types of pertinent health issues. This would have made for an extremely informative presentation, and would be very positive for our school, as the wall would teach about all current health issues, not just the one covered most by the media.

FFeatures eatures

The Rampage • November 2014

Masks of Plastic After waiting for more than an hour in line to enter VIP Room NYC, Kurt* ’15 headed straight for the restricted, 21-and-over beer garden. He approached the bouncer, pulled out his fake Maryland state identification card from his back pocket, and presented it. The bouncer examined the card under a flashlight and a magnifying glass, bending it a few times. He looked up at Kurt and said, “Sorry this is a fake. I’m going to need to take it.” “He asked me for my zip code but I forgot. Just five digits and my ID was gone. Thankfully I have a second one at home,” Kurt* said.

Kurt is not the only student that uses a fake ID. Many high school and college students own Fake IDS; either showing identification that one is 21+ or using a friend or sibling’s extra 21+ ID. Of

242 students polled by the RamPage, 42 said they own a fake ID. The price for a fake ID can range from $75-$250, based on the quality of the ID, i.e. how real the ID actually looks. “Which state would you like for your ID, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, or Arizona? Most underage teens would answer, “Whichever one looks the most realistic.”

But why do students even want to spend all this money on a fake ID? Given we go to Ramaz, our hometown is New York City; the city of nightlife. There are concerts, bars, nightclubs, and of course liquor stores that all require showing identification that you are legal.

When Robert ‘16* was asked what he uses his fake ID for, he responded, “I use it to get into R rated movies and get my ears

pierced… NOT!” And then seriously answered, “To simply have fun on the weekends. It does not even feel unsafe because I am doing it with everyone and we all look out for each other.”

Although in New York City, there are serious charges if one gets caught using a false identification, underage teenagers continue to use them.

First of all, it’s a crime to buy a fake ID in New York. According to the Vehicle and Traffic Law, Section 392-a, it is prohibited to buy and sell a false, fraudulent, stolen license, or identification card. A first offense is a misdemeanor.

A second, within five years, is a felony.

Second, getting caught using a fake ID to buy alcohol will cause you to face vehicle and traffic, or even criminal, charges.

Lastly, you will be charged with violating Section 509(6) of New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law; the section that makes it illegal

(but not ‘criminal’) to “possess or use any forged, fictitious or illegally obtained license, or any use of license belonging to another person.”

You can be fined up to $300

(plus a $93 surcharge (almost double the amount of money one pays for the actual false ID)) and the law would allow the judge to sentence you to 15 days in the county jail as well. Since there are various different ways of being caught with a false ID, if you have a fake license and you plan on using it, you are intending to ‘deceive’ someone (a bartender, or a bouncer, for example), you have committed the misdemeanor

Continued on page 12

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The-rampage.org

Features 11

Mannequins: A Distorted Body Image

By Nicole Aboodi ’17 Walking into a department store, most girls become giddy and excited over all the new clothing they will buy. A girl will immediately rush into the store, load her arms with articles of clothing on hangers and try them on for her mother or friend in the dressing room. However, what no one thinks of when they hear about girls shopping, is how many insecurities girls must have through the shopping process thanks to society’s image of the ideal girl and how clothing stores, companies and their advertising isn’t helping, but just enforcing that image.

Calvin Klein, a widely adored clothing brand, recently hired a new “plus” sized model. Plus sized applies to women in clothing above a certain size, usually above a size 12. However, Calvin Klein’s new model, Myla Dalbesio, is a healthy size 10. Even though the company technically didn’t hire her as “plus sized”, Dalbesio confirmed that she is the largest girl the company has ever hired to model. This sparked enormous outrage on social media. People became furious with the fact that Dalbesio was the “biggest” girl in the campaign, tweeting things like “The fact that Calvin Klein’s plus-size model is a size 10 absolutely disgusts me.” People are saying that just because she isn’t skin and bones, like the rest of the models, is why she is considered plus-sized.

Victoria’s Secret, a popular women’s wear company, received backlash for one of their most recent campaigns titled, “The Perfect Body.” Of course the ad featured Victoria’s Secret thin, leggy supermodels, which set unrealistic, idealistic and impractical goals for any girl or woman. Three British students took pictures next to the campaign, holding signs that read “#iamperfect”, and tweeted them. The students asked people to sign a petition to get rid of the advertisement, as it promotes unhealthy body image. The petition reads, “Every day women are bombarded with advertisements aimed at making them feel insecure about their bodies in the hope that they will spend money on products that will supposedly make them happier and more beautiful. All this does is perpetuate low self-esteem among women who are made to feel that their bodies are inadequate and unattractive because they do not fit into a narrow standard of beauty. It contributes to a culture that encourages serious health problems such as negative body image and eating disorders.” The petition received over 27,000 signatures. Another response was from a different underwear brand called Dear Kate. Dear Kate released its own “perfect body” campaign including diverse women of all shapes and sizes. Victoria’s Secret responded to the uproar by changing their slogan from “The Perfect Body” to “A Body for Every Body”. Although this is a slight victory, the change isn’t great enough. All of the company’s models are the exact same shape; the models should differ at least slightly in their appearance—height, weight, or shape.

Mannequins provide the fashion world with a whole other issue. They are supposed to show what bodies actually look like, but really just display the ideal. There has been uproar against Topshop’s mannequins. A girl, Becky Hopper, posted a picture on twitter of her friend who is a size 4 in the U.S. next to a ridiculously skinny mannequin, with long legs that appear like they are about to snap in half. After Hopper’s tweet went viral, her account has been flooded with similar mannequins in other stores. For instance, La Perla’s mannequins exhibit visible ribs. These unrealistic and unhealthy looking mannequins just further promote unhealthy body image.

Only 5% of American women naturally obtain the body type the media depicts as ideal. Girls from 5th to 12th grade were surveyed and almost 50% answered that they want to lose weight because of magazine pictures. Another survey was taken of girls from ages 14 to 18 and over 18% said that they had starved themselves for a day or more, 11.3% said they had used diet pills and 8.4% said they had vomited or taken laxatives in order to lose weight. 42% of 1st to 3rd graders want to be thinner and 81% of 10 year olds’ biggest fear is getting fat. Even Dalbesio herself has insecurities as working as the largest model within a company.

The model told Elle.com, “I’m definitely bigger than all the other girls Calvin Klein has ever worked with, so that is really intimidating.” Perhaps if media was more realistic to the average girl and didn’t campaign towards being “perfect”, girls and even models like Dalbesio would feel more confident with themselves. On average, women experience 13 negative thoughts about their body each day. And that is too much.

A distorted body image can lead to eating disorders, which typically begin during adolescence, experts say, with teenage girls more vulnerable than boys.

Features 12

The Rampage

Faking it?

Continued from page 10

of Criminal Possession of a Forged instrument in the Third Degree (Penal Law Section 170.20). This is because a fake license is a ‘forged instrument’, as far as the Panel Law and the courts are concerned. Penal Law Section 170.00(7) defines a ‘forged instrument’ as a “written instrument, which has been falsely made, completed or altered.” Case law, in turn, has determined that a driver’s license is a ‘written instrument.’

So, if all of these charges are up in the air, why do so many teenagers still own fake ID’s? Maria* ’15 answers, “I am not scared because I am never using it alone. It is always a group of kids who also have fake IDs. I know that it is illegal, but when I am using it, it does not feel illegal because not only am I going out with my friends, but when I am at a nightclub or bar, I often run into many groups of kids who are also underage doing the same exact thing.”

A survey taken by the majority of the school shows that 75% of our student body does not have a fake ID and that 25% does. Students are increasingly getting fake IDs as they get older; for example, only 3% of Freshmen answered ‘yes’ in the survey, while 75% of the senior class answered ‘yes.’ This survey was titled, “Do you have a fake ID?” Meaning, one from someone who is already legal or a fake ID made in one’s

own name.

Maria* ’15 says, “I didn’t spend one dollar on it, I think those are stupid and more dangerous. But I got from a sibling and it works totally fine. I use it to go to clubs.”

Kids not only risk getting caught by authorities with a fake ID, but they also risk getting duped when ordering them from shady card sellers.

Seth* ’15 got the contact of a fake ID maker from his friend during the summer and ordered a few cards for himself and his friends through email. He sent $300 in cash through the mail, but he never received the cards.

“I tried emailing him after a few weeks of not getting the cards in the mail, but he never responded,” Seth said. “I emailed him like 10 times, but I got nothing and it wasn’t I could go to the police or anything, even though he technically robbed me. I was pretty infuriated, but what can you do?”

Getting caught is another source of stress for students, too.

Last year, Lara’s* friends had asked her to pick up alcohol so she went to a grocery store. A bottle of vodka in hand, she waited in line to pay when a police officer came and stood behind her.

“I was obviously freaking out,” Lara said.

Her hands shaking, she quickly got out of line and waited in an aisle for five

minutes so that the coast would be clear.

Ever since then she’s much more cautious of her surroundings when using the card, but the situation didn’t scare her out of using it.

Some students find that having a fake ID is actually a hassle at times if they are the only ones in their friend group with one.

When asked what he thought the school’s responsibility toward the issue of fake ID’s was, Dr. Zeitchik stated that “the school cannot do something about every unethical behavior that students do outside of school.” He said, “I think we can’t do something about every unethical issue, and I also don’t think we should.

The school, however, can influence and try to shape kids’ characters so that students do not make those dishonest dangerous decisions.” He continued, “The school must effectively communicate the effects of being dishonest and the importance of having good judgment. The way we can do that is by having faculty who project honesty and integrity, not by tackling the issue directly.” *Names changed

November 2014/Cheshvan 5775

Arts&Entertainment The Rampage • November 2014

Are you Hungry for More Hunger Games?

By Jasmine Levine ’17

the tortured and lost captive.

The acting generally was great and the cinematography was better than that of the first movie, but this movie fell short of expectations. Some of this has to do with the questionable decision on the part of the producers to divide the third book in the trilogy into two movies. The third book was the weakest story of the three and the decision to divide it smacks of Hollywood money making.

I think this was not lost on the large Hunger Games groupie following as interest was smaller than it was for the previous two movies. For the previous two installments, when I went to midnight showing, there were lines out the door, and many camping out, in order to get the best seat. This time, however, I arrived at this midnight showing at 11:40, and there were still many seats available. I have to wonder, has The Hunger Games lost its thunder? Has the decision to drag out the series alienated the fan base? Or maybe similar films like Divergent and The Maze Runner have yielded the Hunger Games irrelevant?

Despite all of this, Mockingjay Part I was entertaining and worth the two hours, especially for this Hunger Games aficionado.

Mockingjay Part 1, the penultimate movie in the 4 movie series of The Hunger Games, premiered on November 20th. This movie has become synonymous with Thanksgiving as it is the third time that this movie series has premiered prior to thanksgiving.

The movie picks up right after the surprising end to the second movie where Katniss along with Finnick and Beetee escape from the Quarter Quell Games to the underground District 13. Despite the fact that Peeta has remained under the control of the Capitol, this getaway has sparked a rebellion throughout the various districts.

The rest of the movie presents the battle between those seeking freedom from the Capitol and the Capitol trying to regain control of all Districts. This clash takes place through both fighting and media.

Though the movie picks up towards the end, the first half is a little bit dull and very depressing. Most of it is spent watching Katniss cry and fight. There is also virtually no romance. The emotion and romantic angst which was so aptly displayed in the first half of the third book installment of the Hunger Games is lost when brought to the silver screen.

Despite the dragging, boring plot, the acting of Jennifer Lawrence was stellar as usual, as she truly exhibited the pain of a girl who lost her home, her youth, and many friends. Josh Hutcherson gave his best performance to date as a very convincing Peeta,

By Yale Buchwald ’15 Fury, one of this season’s biggest movies, is an American war drama set during World War II. Written and directed by David Ayer (Training Day), this film takes the viewer through the eyes of five American soldiers operating a tank as the Allies make their final push into Nazi Germany. The commander of the tank, Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt), who is joined by Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf ), Norman “Machine” Ellison (Logan Lerman), Trini “Gordo” Garcia (Michael Pena), and Grady “Coon-Ass” Travis (Jon Bernthal), bravely fight off the Nazi forces, all from the confines of a small tank.

In the film, Don “Wardaddy” Collier commands a tank named Fury, and leads a crew of five men that have stayed together since the North African campaign. Soon

Fury: Reviewed enough, however, the tank’s gunner is killed in battle. Much to the dismay of the group, their new replacement is Norman Ellison, a post pubescent Army typist who has never fought in battle. After the other members of the tank jokingly haze Ellison, they soon educate him on the real horrors of battle. Wasting no time, the movie takes the audience into the battlefield, which is portrayed from the perspective of the five-team crew in the tank. For much of the movie, the tank crew is involved in battle, and their brotherhood, unity, and bravery is evident throughout the film.

As typical as any war movies get, this film has it all: gore, death, and a close group of soldiers who bond over their horrific experiences. Additionally, the acting is great and Brad Pitt puts on another excellent performance. Pitt fits the role of the battle hardened, and experienced leader excellently.

Fury provides an entertaining experience and a recommended watch.

A&E 14

The Rampage

November 2014/Cheshvan 5775

Doctor Who: A Look At Season 8

By Oren Oppenheim ’16

If you’re a fan of Doctor Who, chances are you’ve seen the whole season 8 already. But what if you’ve never seen it before and are interested in trying it out? Is it worth starting from the current season, which had its finale on November 8th? Or is it not a show worth testing out if you don’t start from the beginning?

For those unfamiliar with this English science fiction series, Doctor Who follows the Doctor (his name isn’t “Who”, it’s actually unknown), a time-traveling human-like alien, on his adventures through time and space. In each season he’s joined by a fully human companion or two, and as they travel together they start unraveling mysteries about both the universe and each other.

Now, some TV shows are easy to start watching. Sure, you could bingewatch your way through the whole thing, but you could also just hop around and pick it up at any episode without any problems. Sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are good examples of this. They have plot arcs and it’s fun to follow their storylines, whether it’s about Ted Mosby’s latest girlfriend or whether Leonard and Penny will get together. But other shows have dense, deep storylines, where there’s a whole mythos behind the world and the characters that’s been built up from the start. Shows like Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, for instance, are very plot-arc heavy and while you could still enjoy any random episode out of context, you’ll definitely feel a little lost about what’s going on.

Doctor Who is a mix of these two styles, in my opinion. The series has

By Nicole Aboodi ’17

The newest Nicholas Sparks movie, The Best of Me, is intriguing, heartbreaking and beautiful. It follows a married woman, Amanda, and a single man, Dawson, who had just survived a near-death experience, coming back together for the first time in twenty years after the death of Dawson’s guardian. The flashbacks to Amanda and Dawson in high school throughout the movie give insight into the beginning of their relationship and the problem that caused its end. Although the cliché of the wealthy girl falling for the underprivileged boy is overdone, the film barely focuses on that aspect, so it doesn’t diminish the quality of it.

The character of Amanda is fascinating. Played by Liana Liberato, young Amanda is displayed as fearless, sassy and free-spirited. She is depicted as hungry for adventure, because she never experienced any real pain, until her relationship with Dawson and even that wasn’t painful until the end of it. However, adult Amanda, played by Michelle Monaghan, is more reserved, because

technically been around for fifty years, although it was really canceled in 1989 and launched again in 2005 under a much different style. For the most part, each episode can stand on its own with its own unique plot arc and style. But there’s also a whole mythology behind the show—who is the Doctor (pun

up with this show. I’ve been okay just watching some of it and occasionally looking up online any in-show references that I don’t get.

But can you start right from the new season? What makes this one unique is that it features a new actor in the titular role of the Doctor, Peter Capaldi.

intended), where he came from, what are the aliens he faces, and so on. Some of the episodes still feature elements introduced back from when the show originally launched!

Obviously I’m a major fan of the show and am pretty familiar with its back-stories, but I have definitely not seen every episode. Rather, I’ve watched some episodes from prior seasons sporadically and stayed current only with the two latest ones (seven and eight).

In other words, it’s not like I’ve ever felt the need to be completely caught

(Some back-story: whenever the Doctor is killed in the show, he “regenerates” into a different body. It’s a convenient way to expand the lifespan of the show beyond just one main actor.) Capaldi is older than some of the show’s previous incarnations, and his Doctor has a much more impulsive, sharp personality. He’s still definitely a protagonist and not a villain, but the line between the two for him gets very blurry sometimes, and occasionally he’s outright mean to the people he’s meaning to help. His companion, the human Clara Oswald

(Jenna Coleman, whose acting on the show is beyond excellent), knew him in his previous incarnation—so she’s struggling now to adapt to a person who’s both the same person she knew and yet someone very different at the same time. Plus, now she has a boyfriend— Danny Pink, played by Samuel Anderson—and has to juggle her double life as a regular schoolteacher and as a traveler of the cosmos with the Doctor.

In other words, this season feels like somewhat of a series reboot. It’s the most different the series has been since it began back in ’05, and that’s a good thing—it’s great to have the show go in a new, darker direction, and Capaldi proves himself to be an amazing Doctor.

So overall, I think starting from this season is fine. You might want to read up on the back-story and mythos of the show, so that you don’t get completely lost. But each episode stands on its own for the most part (exception: the twopart finale, obviously) and if you enjoy the show as a stellar sci-fi series without thinking too hard about the continuity, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Now, a word about the season itself: season 8—pardon the rhyme—is pretty great. Some of the episodes aren’t as strong as the others, but overall there’s plenty of exciting moments and the show establishes a fun yet surprisingly dark tone. And the season-long mystery, about a mysterious woman who seems to be welcoming people killed in the show to the afterlife, is compelling enough to keep you watching throughout.

The Best of Me she experienced unimaginable pain in twenty years, which she confesses to Dawson. Her marriage is a disaster after

away from a home where his father beats him and his brothers, he is taken in by an old man, who becomes his

revealed in a flashback and is the climax of the movie.

Movies based on Nicholas Sparks’ books are always recommended for romantics, but this one has action as well. A true film based on one of his novels is never fulfilled without a plot twist, tragedy, romance and an ending that gives viewers the chills even once they are out of the theater. I highly recommend seeing this movie, but make sure to bring a box of tissues!

a tragedy within the family, leading her straight into Dawson’s welcoming arms.

Even though Amanda’s character is exciting, the real subplot that grabs the viewers’ attention is Dawson’s. Running

honorary father and guardian. Even after running away, Dawson never escapes his past and is confronted by it multiple times. After being pushed too far, Dawson goes after his father, which is

Columns

The Rampage • November 2014

Illustration:

by Jill Adler ’15

Are We Dressing for Success?

By Devil’s Advocate

Hello again. The columnist behind this monthly outlay hopes that the readership enjoyed the first installment. This time around, I strip down another favorite topic at Ramaz: the dress code.

The traditional trope: The dress code is an antiquated idea and the school should lighten up, especially for boys who are forced to where “a regular dress shirt with traditional collar…at all times” and ties or sweaters throughout the winter (Preludes, 2014-2015). Girls have it slightly better due to leniencies allowed by the faculty. However, when they do get reprimands, girls often feel they punishments are arbitrary and uncalled for.

The devil’s response: If you actually read through Preludes, you will find something interesting. The authors make a very interesting case about how the Ramaz dress code developed. The first point supplied is regarding the halakhic issue of tzniut. I think most students would agree that at a Modern Orthodox Jewish Day school, attention to tzniut is expected. The third point is also a reasonable one: the administration and school want the dress code to be clear and unambiguous so they lay out specific rules instead of a general blanket statement like: We expect all students to dress appropriately.

The second point, however, is the one that strikes a chord.

The handbook states, “A second aspect of the dress code has less to do with halakhic norms than it does with the more amorphous dictates of social convention and etiquette. This certainly makes a code more subject to the whims of fashion and the debate of conflicting tastes than halakhic norms.” Ramaz’s dress code is not entirely a religious one. The young men do not have to wear ties because halakha demands respectful clothing, but rather because Ramaz is trying to instill a sense of etiquette within the student body.

In a world in which a knee length skirt and appropriate neckline are really all that govern the workplace wear of young women, there is not much else that Ramaz need add to the girls’ halakhic regulations. The norms for young men in the workplace tend to be more focused on the necessity of a tie and proper pants than norms in Judaism might be. For this

reason, it is logical that Ramaz needed to add to the buys guidelines where they did not for girls.

Our school, for better or worse, wants us to be functioning members of society. It is preparing the students for a time in their lives where they might find it useful to know the right skirt length or how to properly wear a tie.

In past years, the push against dress code has gained traction. Especially amongst juniors and seniors, students are rebelling against sartorial constrictions.

They take every opportunity, whether it be Cancer Awareness Day or maladjusted radiators to shove off extra layers and constrictions. I was not surprised to find a senior boy walking around in a pink t-shirt—no tie and no button-down—on the school’s annual “Pink Day.” Nor is it uncommon to find boys shedding sweaters or un-tucking shirts when a classroom is too hot.

And certainly, the brunt of the weight actually falls on the girls. Nigh 95% of the female population suffers from the condition, which I like to call “the ever-shortening skirt”. This is not necessarily out of disrespect for Judaism or Jewish law, but more out of an issue of fashion or an issue with an antiquated restriction.

Teachers do occasionally “skirt” girls wearing garbs of inappropriate lengths, but the girls often polarize these occurrences due to the prevalence of the crime.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be so hard on the teacher for doing their job and perhaps we should actually accept responsibility. Maybe just once, Ramaz will finally achieve a day on which about 50% of the student body arrives in dress code. It’s hard to imagine, I know, and it might seem hard to understand why we should bother at all. But maybe, just maybe we should give it a shot and see what happens when we “dress for success.”

The Shabbos App: User Discretion is Advised

By Jasmine Levine ’17

Exciting and innovative apps are constantly being introduced. Some are for fun and others for practicality. Here I wish to introduce the latest and most controversial app I have yet to encounter, created to avoid halachic transgression, and targeted specifically for the Sabbath observant Jew – the “Shabbos App.” Have you ever needed to use your phone on Shabbat? Wanted to send that last email right after candle lighting but sadly it was too late? Have you ever wished to make a note of something you have to do right after Shabbat in fear that you will have no way to remember it? Perhaps you have wanted to look something up online but knew it was wrong. Possibly, you have chosen to use your android or I phone on Shabbat and have felt badly about it.

The “Shabbos App,” developed by The YidTec, is advertised with the tag line, “Nisht shver tzu zein a Yid,” Yiddish for, “it is NOT hard to be a Jew”. The creators state, “The Shabbos App is a new and innovative app that enables Frum Yiddden to enhance their Shabbos experience by using a Smartphone on Shabbos, le’chatchil’ah!” What makes this app so appealing is that, “using the phone on Shabbos to connect with friends and relieves stress as to the whereabouts of kids and elderly parents en-

hances the Shabbos.” The developers claim that smartphone use will not break the biblical prohibitions of Shabbat.

Why, you may ask, is a smartphone problematic on Shabbat in the first place?

There are many acts involved in smartphone use which are prohibited on Shabbat.

These involve writing, lighting the screen, creating sounds, charging, and draining batteries.

The Shabbat App is designed to run in the background controlling and preventing these issues.

It works most smoothly with androids but can work with the Apple operating systems as well.

Although this app may at first sound like a great invention for the Orthodox Jew, it is hard to imagine that an app can enable halachicaly acceptable smartphone use on Shabbat. While the creators of this app have studied the issues involved and believe there is a way around the Shabbat restrictions, this is certainly a controversial claim.

I am certainly not espousing this app, merely pointing out its existence. Nonetheless, I marvel at the ingenuity of the creators and am most interested to see the response that this app will generate.

Columns 16

Food Lovers Association (Meal 2): Butterfish Are Food, Not Friends

By Eliana Doft ’16 and Tess Solomon ’16 When choosing the location for our next meal, we took into consideration the two gastronomic elements Ramaz students love the most: sushi and Prime. The perfect combination of the two is located in the Sony Center on 55th and Madison, Prime’s new restaurant, Butterfish. For this excursion, we brought along a seventeen-year-old with the palate of a seven-year-old, and a sarcastic, adventurous eater to balance her out.

The restaurant was quiet for a Sunday night, but we did happen to run into another family of Rams enjoying their meal (loudly). Butterfish does not look like an ordinary sushi restaurant; the sushi bar is tucked away in the kitchen, and the décor is not particularly Japanese, save the contemporary Japanese artwork on the walls. The restaurant includes three private enclosed rooms, for larger parties. The quiet and relaxed atmosphere provided the perfect setting for discussing important topics, like the previous issue of the Rampage, or the quality of the Friday homeroom cookies.

The options on the menu all sounded appealing. If we were not restricted by the size of our stomachs (and our wallets) we would have ordered it all. Instead, we settled on the ramen soup (a delicious, elegant take on the college all-nighter staple), the grilled chicken salad (the insufficient amount of chicken and the “jewishy” addition of pickled onions did not satisfy the adventurous eater), and the tuna tartar (it did not disappoint!).

Shortly after, a yellowtail tempura roll, a salmon lover roll, a spicy tuna roll, and a grilled chicken (for the juvenile eater) arrived at our table. We quickly devoured the rolls, each of them topped off with awesome sauces. The rolls were so flavorful that soy sauce was hardly even necessary! And some good news for all you unsophisticated eaters, the grilled chicken was pretty awesome too.

The desert menu is not extensive, so we ordered the green tea cake and the coffee ice cream. The green tea cake was good when paired with the whipped cream on top. However, the coffee ice cream reminded us of sand. We’ll let it slide because parve deserts are notoriously mediocre.

While waiting for the bill, we took some time to reflect. We decided that our favorite part of the meal were the rolls, so when you are ordering, focus on that. Don’t worry about over-ordering sushi, because you can skip desert. By following our advice, you are guaranteed to leave the restaurant with instagram-worthy pictures and a satisfied stomach.

The Rampage

November 2014/Cheshvan 5775

Just a gRAM of Sugar: Dr. Koplon’s Delectable and Healthy Cauliflower Soup

By Naomi Freilich ’18 Over this upcoming year, this column will feature many quick and delicious recipes. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil or butter 1/4 cup flour (whole wheat if possible) 1 medium head chopped cauliflower 1/2 cup chopped onions 4 cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Directions: 1. In a medium saucepan, make a roux by heating oil on low heat. Add the flour and stir for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the broth, onions and cauliflower and set heat to medium. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

3. Add salt and pepper.

4. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth.

Sports

The Rampage • November 2014

Mid-Season NBA Review

By Josh Sarachek ’17

We all have something to be thankful for: friends, family, and being able to enjoy the NBA for another season. The NBA, too, has plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: endless highlight reels, great TV ratings, and a healthy profit. However, there are some teams in the league that do not have much to be thankful for.

The New York Knicks should be thankful that their fans still show up to games. Carmelo Anthony has posed many problems for the Knicks. In a 109-102 overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the team looked the best it has all year- while Anthony looked on from the bench with an injury. Carmelo is a player that will not win your team a championship but he will get your team to the playoffs. He is a very skilled scorer, but does not bring much else to the table. When a team makes the playoffs but is not truly skilled, it is very hard for it to improve the next season because it does not receive a high draft pick. Moreover, Anthony’s expensive contract makes it hard for the Knicks to acquire other quality players. This has been a recurring problem for the Knicks the past couple of seasons.

While many people may think Anthony is the savior of the franchise, evidently he is not.

The Pelicans should be thankful for Anthony Davis.

He is blossoming into a power forward the league has not seen in years. He is proving to be a great number

one pick and the third year player is definitely going to keep up the production. In fact, many analysts say Davis is the favorite to win the MVP award this year.

Cleveland is thankful to see their hero, LeBron James, back in town, but it’s tough to tell where exactly the Cleveland Cavaliers are as a team. They clearly have a ton of individual offensive talent—between LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and (to some extent) Dion Waiters—but overall, the results have been mixed- just as they were this past week. They were blown out in Washington on Friday and at home by the Raptors on Saturday before doing the same to the Magic on Monday and turning the tables on the Wizards on Wednesday. All of which leaves the Cavs with many of the same questions that have plagued them from the preseason remaining unanswered.

It’s too soon to say the Los Angeles Clippers have “found” themselves after winning four of their last five games because those W’s have come at the expense of weak Eastern Conference competition. Their lone loss was a blowout to Memphis. That being said, the Clippers have been playing with noticeably better tempo since they hit the road about two weeks ago. More pace-pushing means more easy baskets for Blake Griffin with the help of Chris Paul. Griffin’s reliance on his newly sharpened jumper isn’t great for his game. A return to the Lob City days would make Clippers fan’s very thankful.

The Toronto Raptors are clearly the East’s best team right now, and they owe that to their back-court, and not just the starting tandem of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Their second-string pairing of Greivis Vasquez and Lou Williams is very darn good, too.

Those two combined for 43 points to propel the

their games and the likes of John Wall and Damian Lillard are on the rise. But, like Jackson before him, Kerr has a point. Curry ranks among the NBA’s top five scorers, thanks to a 40-point explosion in Miami and a 28-point outburst in Orlando. His defensive effort has also improved vastly, though he’ll always be at something of a disadvantage due to his slight frame.

Moreover, like any great floor general, Curry—a sharpshooter by trade—is making plays for everyone.

It certainly doesn’t hurt Curry’s case that his team has won its last seven games in a row to boost Golden State’s franchise-record 12-2 start.

Raptors to a 126-115 win over the Hawks on Wednesday. That was just the latest in a string of impressive performances from Williams, in particular. The Georgia native chipped in 17 points against the Suns, 36 at Cleveland before that and another 22 prior to that at Milwaukee’s expense. It seems safe to say, then, that Williams has recovered from the ACL tear he suffered two seasons ago—and that the Raptors got the best of the summer trade that saw them send John Salmons to Atlanta.

The Memphis Grizzlies still own the best record in the NBA Marc Gasol, their All-Star center, has been on a tear since the season began, posting a line of around 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists with nearly three combined blocks and steals. Not surprisingly, the Grizzlies have been on a tear since Gasol returned from injury this past January: Memphis has the best record in the NBA since Gasol returned.

Since then, they have been legitimate title contenders and Gasol could be the NBA’s MVP. Indeed, the best offensive and defensive player on the NBA’s best team deserves plenty of publicity for the sport’s most coveted individual award.

The Golden State Warriors have become a popular subject for bravado. Last year, then-head coach Mark Jackson declared that Stephen Curry and Klay

Thompson constituted “the greatest shooting backcourt in the history of the game.” They backed that up by finishing first and second in the NBA, respectively, in three-point field goals. This time around, current Warriors coach Steve Kerr has upped the ante, touting Curry as the league’s best point guard. “The guy has taken another level,” Kerr declared, “I think he’s the best in the NBA right now at that position.”

Normally, that would be a tough argument to back up when Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo are back on

There are still roughly 65 more games per team left in the NBA season and anything can happen. That being said, I am certainly thankful I have so much to look forward to the rest of the season.

Sports 18

The Rampage

The Shot Heard ’Round the World:

Gabe Roth ’15 Injured: Sidelined 4-6 Weeks

Frisch Beats Ramaz at the Buzzer

By Avi Goldman ’15 The Ramaz Varsity Basketball team was dealt a huge loss during the opening game of the annual Sam Gyenes Memorial Basketball Tournament. In the second quarter against Yeshiva Derech Eretz, center Gabe Roth ’15, a leader both on and off the court, suffered a severe sprain to his ankle. Upon further examination, he discovered that he would not be able to play for at least six weeks. The team was shocked: “Gabe is one of the real anchors of this team,” said Joseph Cohen ’15, “seeing him go down like that was terrible, but nobody was more disappointed about it than he was.”

Gabe was on the Varsity team last year and was looking forward to leading the team to success this season. When asked about the injury, he responded, “It’s definitely very hard for me to sit on the sidelines and watch my teammates play, nearly unbearable. We’ve all worked so hard and for me not to be able to contribute as much as I could really hurts. But I’m proud of the way the team has rallied around my injury and used it as motivation to only get better and better.”

Since Roth’s injury, Ramaz has lost two games: the first a close game to SAR in the Sam Gyenes tournament finals and the second a nail biter against Frisch that literally came down to the final second and a single point. Captain Jack Tauber ’15 said, “Those losses were very tough and we definitely would have had a better shot

November 2014/Cheshvan 5775

By Josh Sarachek ’17 at winning if Roth had been playing but we can’t think like that right now, we need to focus on being the best we can be with the players that we have and move on from there. Once Roth comes back we can show the rest of the league how much better we are with him on the court.”

While the timing of an injury is never good, Roth’s injury may have come at the time where he can have the most recovery time possible while still missing the fewest possible regular season games. The team will only have one more regular season game until he returns, against DRS later in December. Until then the team will travel to Baltimore to compete in the Weiner Basketball Tournament- a fun yet inconsequential tournament with regard to the team’s standing in the Yeshiva League.

Despite its two losses since Roth’s injury, the team is moving in the right direction to be primed for a special run once he returns. Captain Sammy Merkin ’15 said, “Roth was obviously an integral part of our team, and we all knew losing him would be really tough. However, not having him has been a blessing in disguise as other guys have stepped up to take his place.

I’m confident that once he gets back we’ll be stronger and deeper than ever, continuing the grind toward March 15th, the day of the championship.”

There were 2.9 seconds left on the clock.

Our Varsity Boys’ squad was winning by 2 points. The students were getting ready to storm the court. Everything seemed perfect until a player on Frisch hit a three pointer at the buzzer. The Frisch fans stormed the court and Ramaz was left speechless. All the fans were in awe. Josh Goodman ’17 said, “ The intensity of the game and fans was college like.”

Nobody could believe what had just happened. With 4 minutes left the Rams were winning by 8 points, a seemingly comfortable lead. Now they were stuck with watery eyes and a horrible loss. Playing our rivals from across the river is always a big game. The Varsity basketball team was extra excited because this game had so much on the line. There was also an exchange of trash talking via Facebook.

Daniel Dishi ’15, a passionate fan said, “It was great to see the whole school come together on Facebook and everybody get ready for the game. ” Players and fans alike felt the trash talking made the game all the more intense.

The Rams were without starting center Gabe Roth, who was not playing due to an injury- a tremendous loss considering he is one of the strongest and tallest guys on the team. Nonetheless, the Rams put up a fight to the finish. The first three quarters were close but the Rams maintained the lead for the most part. With four minutes to go the Rams were up 8 and you could already hear murmuring around the Ramaz student section that the fans were going to storm the court if they win. But, you should never speak to early, and with a minute left it was a tie game. Many fans were already nervous wondering how the team could have blown the lead, but that is not what the team was thinking. They were not going to give up now. Thanks to clutch shooting from Allie Haber ’15 and a big play from captain Sammy Merkin ’15 the rams were up 2 points with 2.9 seconds left. Which brings us back to where we started.

Everyone in the gym was their feet for

these last 2.9 seconds. Scott Levine, a starter on the Frisch team, caught the ball five feet from the three-point line. He faked a pass to a teammate, then put up a shot hoping for the best. The ball dropped through the net as time expired. As the ball went in, the gym became silent and the Frisch fans rushed the court. Jack Tauber ’15, a captain of the team, said, “I will never be able to unsee that shot going through the hoop. It is hard to even put to words the devastation I felt at that moment after the team worked so hard and played so well.” Gabe Roth ’15 also said “It hurts to lose, especially to Frisch, and especially to a lucky long shot.” Both Gabe and Jack stated that this was not the last of Ramaz and their efforts will pay off the next time these two rivals face off.

The game was definitely an amazing event to be at and even though the team lost they showed a great deal of effort and class. Captain Sammy Merkin’s message to the fans is this: “The loss hurts like hell but it’ll fuel us to work even harder and keep grinding toward March 15th (the championship game).”

Ramaz vs. TABC: Shots Fired on Facebook, and on the Court

By Josh Sarachek ’17

On November 11, Ramaz Varsity Hockey squared off against a powerhouse TABC hockey team. Whenever a good team comes to Ramaz to play the varsity team, it is a big game. In this case TABC happens to be the best in the league.

Leading up to the game there was a lot of trash talking between the Ramaz GO Facebook account and the TABC Student Council Facebook account.

It started with the TABC Student Council commenting, “Can’t wait” when the Ramaz GO posted information about the prep rally. After that, the fighting got out of hand. Bradley Brecher ’17 said “ It is always fun to do a little trash talking before an important game because you want to get the mental edge.”

The highlight of the trash talking was when the Ramaz GO replied to a comment

by the TABC student council, “Enjoy prom.” Sadly, during the game there were two defensive lapses and TABC had a 2-0 lead going into the third. Bradley Brecher scored in the third but Ramaz could not find the net again and lost 2-1. Andrew Lobel ’15 said, “it was a devastating loss but it is what it is.”

Ramaz Hockey and its fans showed great spirit in a tremendous effort in the teams loss. The TABC hockey team then went to have their regular boys night at Chickies to celebrate their win.