Volume 48, Issue 3 (November 2016) - The Rampage

The Rampage The Newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 48 • Issue 3 • November/December 2016 • Tishrei/Cheshvan 5776/5777 • the-rampage.org

Mr. Henkin Receives the Covenant Award Director of Music Shares His Reaction

Naomi Freilich ’18

The Covenant Award was established in 1991 to recognize educators for their excellence in teaching. This prestigious honor was recently awarded to the Director of Music at the Upper School, Mr. Daniel Henkin. Each year, this award is presented to three educators.

Along with Mr. Henkin, Rabbi Benay Lappe and Ilana Ruskay-Kidd were also recipients of the award.

According to the Covenant F o u n d a t i o n ’s website, the selection process for this award is “rigorous,” and each winner demonstrates Continued "Covenant Award" page 3

Ramaz Welcomes Dr. Deborah Lipstadt

Ayelet Monas '19 and Emily Podolsky '19

On Wednesday, November community, may not recognize the 2nd, we had the honor of hearing extent of this unfortunate reality – Professor Deborah Lipstadt tell us, many people, like Dr. Irving, do not the student body, her inspiring sto- believe that the Holocaust happened. ry. She started off speaking about the It may be hard to understand this difference between truth and opin- concept fully, but it is a real problem ion. Dr. Lipstadt explained that no that faces us. Yasmine Sokol ’19 said, one could deny the truth, and it is “I can't believe that someone could our obligation as Jews to defend our possibly deny the Holocaust.” Dr. truth. She then went on to explain Lipstadt did not sit back and allow that no matter where we go, we will Dr. Irving to go around and preach come across people who hate us and false statements about the Holocaust. want to bring us down. She told us Rather, she stood up to him and did the story of her trial against antise- something about it. Now, her inmitic, Holocaust denier, Dr. David Ir- credible story has become a movie, ving. Professor Lipstadt never gave up Denial, which is playing in theaters.

After the assembly, Esther and fought until her point was made.

We, the Ramaz students, who live and were raised in a Jewish Continued "'Dr. Lipstadt at Ramaz'"

TRUMP WINS. See page 8 for The Rampage's Election Recap.

Election Day Assembly

Abigail Huebner '18

On Monday, November 7, the day before America elected Donald Trump as our 45th president, Ramaz had an educational assembly about this presidential election. The purpose of this assembly was to “present a nonpartisan and educational program on the economic, social, political, and cultural shifts over the past decades, most notably among the middle classes in the United States, that help to explain the developments driving this election year,” as Dr. Jucovy informed the student body and parents in an email following this assembly. However, as he continued to explain, “the assembly did not fulfill these expectations and ended up being more one-sided and partisan, therefore less illuminating and educational” than intended originally.

The Ramaz Class of 1986 sponsored this assembly in memory of Ramaz graduate Josh Leibowitz. “Josh was avid about politics, history, and law, dedicated to participation in the life of America, American Jewry, and Isra-

el. His best characteristic, though, was that he was a friend to everyone, even those with whom he vehemently disagreed,” said Dr. Jucovy in his introduction to the assembly. “Having this assembly sponsored in his memory is a fitting way to honor him,” he continued. A few members of the Class of ’86 attended the assembly. This assembly followed discussions about “The Angry Voter” that took place in history classrooms the previous week and was meant to address and expand upon this topic.

Eric Alterman was the speaker at this assembly. Alterman is a historian, journalist, author, media critic, blogger, and educator. He has written ten books, including one entitled Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America’s Most Important Ideals. In fact, most of his books seem to be decidedly liberal. Alterman is also known for criticizing the media for being biased against liberals, not conservatives.

Given these facts, some students, like Naomi Freilich ’18, questioned the as-

Ramaz Institutes New Extra Curricular Policy Julia Levi '18

Every year, it is common for students, especially the upperclassmen, to create new clubs to add to the long list of already existing ones. This year was no different; at the Club Fair, a variety of new clubs were featured, such as the Russian Club by Rachel Katsner ’17 and Ilan Bley ’17 and the Ethics Club by Hyatt Aranoff ’18 and Sarah Shmukler Karpov ’18. However, this year, these clubs were created under a new extra curricular policy, supervised and implemented by Rabbi Dov Pianko, the Upper School’s Director of Student Activities. Under this policy, students must go through an official process in order to create their clubs: they must register their new club, explain the reason for making this club, and meet on a routine basis. Furthermore students must send updates to a designated email account regarding speakers, meeting times, and releasing publications in order to create a record of each club’s progress and work.

“There was a growing problem in

Continued "Election Day" page 3

the past years in which most of the clubs created were just for the name, and they would never meet; they were essentially fake,” said Rabbi Pianko. When asked what motivated him to actually institute this new policy, Rabbi Pianko said: “an article in The Rampage, an

Continued "New Club Policy" page 2

Inside this issue...

Exclusive Interview With Rabbi Grossman... Get the inside scoop from the Head of School Election Recap... The ins and outs of the 2016 election

World Series... The Rampage narrates the Cubs' first victory in 108 years Crossword... Good luck on this tough one!

Ramaz Students are Thankful For... See what your peers are thankful for this Thanksgiving

page 5 page 8 page 14 page 15 page 16

News 2

The Rampage

Dr. Lipstadt at Ramaz

The G.O. Corner

continued from cover

Keeping Up with the Student Government

Julia Levi ’18

As the year is moving along, the GO continues to work hard planning initiatives and events for the school. Chol HaMoed Sukkot proved to be an enjoyable time with games and activities in the sukkah during and after school, such as bingo. Since Sukkot, the November 17th Pep Rally has been one of the highlights of this month. Students came to school in Ramaz gear and participated in the annual pep rally traditions in the afternoon. First, they gathered in the auditorium to watch an original video made by the GO introducing the Ramaz Ram, and then, they were treated to churros before heading downstairs to the gym for a student-faculty volleyball game. Students were pleasantly surprised by the donuts and hot chocolate that followed the program. The actual “Blue Out” occurred that night and was also organized by the GO. This program, too, was a great success, and many peo-

ple stayed for both the Junior Varsity and Varsity basketball games. “I really enjoyed planning this event,” said President Nancy Toussie '17. “It was an even larger success than I could have even imagined,” she said.

To complement the pep rally, the GO also came out with a lot of new Ramaz apparel and sold the clothes during lunch periods.

There were also custom-made Ramaz pompoms, tattoos, towels, and bandanas at the Blue Out, as well as pizza and ice cream.

The GO started the new month with a Rosh Chodesh Chagigah, which included music and large trays of sufganiyot. The GO plans to take the whole school on a trip, but they are unsure about how soon this iniatiave will come into place, as the trip may be dependent on the weather outside. Overall, the GO is working on its job to make school a more enjoyable environment for the students. The GO is excited for future programming and events!

New Club Policy

continued from cover

opinion piece written in 2014 by Elianna Schwartz ’17 was what really started getting me thinking about how clubs were being run in this school.” In her article “Extracurricular Activities: What is our Motivation?”

Schwartz discusses the issue of the intention behind making a -Netanel club and how it seems that students create many clubs out of self-interest and to get into college and not for the actual club itself. She expresses how on the one hand, there are hard-core clubs that meet weekly and have existed for a while at Ramaz, such as Model Congress and Chamber Choir, while there are others that require no effort at all and never meet. Rabbi Pianko is trying to solve this problem. Many students seem to be unbothered by this change, as they know they can still make

new clubs with a little more effort. “I think we all were aware that it was getting a little of out of hand,” said Netanel Kamel ’18.

“It’s better to have clubs with leaders that are actually into what the club is about.

Clearly this slight change was needed,” he Kamel '18 said. Rabbi Pianko is very optimistic about this change and said, “I am very sure that this year will bring about a much more organized and logical way of running the clubs at Ramaz, and I am hopeful that through this change, people will enjoy their clubs, and maybe really learn something from one of them.”

“It’s better to have clubs with

leaders that are actually into what the club is about. Clearly this slight change was needed.”

Esti Beck '19

November/December 2016

Menagin ’19 said, “Before she came to speak, I did not know about Denial, but after hearing her story and what the movie is about, I can't wait to watch it.”

Many students are now so excited to watch her movie. Nancy Tousie ’17 said, “Professor Lipstadt spoke very well. I really liked how she explained the logic be-

hind Holocaust deniers even though she fought against them. This allowed us to understand all aspects of her battle and have a greater appreciation for it.”

Alyssa Garbulsky ’20 said, “It was very cool that we got to listen to a person who actually fought for us and proved that the Holocaust happened.” It

Ramaz Pep Rally!

Becky Tauber '19

On spirit day, all students and teachers assembled for the first school-wide pep rally of the school year. This pep rally’s purpose was to get every student excited and spirited for the boys’ basketball team's doubleheader against TABC that night. Everyone congregated in the auditorium for the pep rally, eager and anxious to know what this assembly had in store.

After watching the G.O.’s video, which consisted of all the captains of each sports team, students got a chance to win prizes by answering questions based on the video. Once the school’s mascot arrived, students made their way down to the gym to watch some of the school’s sports teams, such as girls’ varsity volleyball and boys’ varsity basketball and hockey, play volleyball games against the teachers.

Following these games, there were donuts and other snacks available, thanks to the G.O. This event brought the whole school together for a positive communal reason, highlighting the students’ participation in Ramaz’s sports teams. As one of the problems that the school faces is the lack of spirit and the small crowds at sports games, it was important that students enjoyed this event and were able to have a sense of unity and pride for the school.

“I thought the pep rally was much better than the pep rallies they had in the Middle School,” said Olivia Sakhai ’20. “I had a lot of fun and think it was a great way to bring

the whole school together. I think it got many students excited, and it was very fun that the excitement was brought to the games later that night.” For the first time this school year, many students came to cheer on their friends and classmates in the basketball games, showing spirit and pride for the school. Sam Mukamal ’19 said, “I thought the pep rally was great, and watching the teachers play volleyball was a lot of fun. The school did a pretty

good job getting spirited, and the basketball games were very intense and fun to watch.”

The students felt a sense of pride and unity after this pep rally, and hopefully, they will continue to feel like one student body, cheering on their classmates at future sports games and other events.

School on Chol Hamoed Sukkot

For several years, the Ramaz Upper School has decided to have school on Chol Hamoed Sukkoth, a time when many students and families would like to go on vacations or spend time together. While classes were only in session until around midday, yielding to after-school activities after lunch in the sukkah, many students felt that this break was not enough.

“It was nice having a shorter day,

but it would have been better if we just hadn’t had any school,” said James Auerbach ’20.

Others relished the food choices available to them in the form of a gala breakfast and simchat beit hashoeva, finding Chol Hamoed to be a shorter, more festive version of normal school days. The shorter schedule helped ease the transition from school to holiday for the students and lightened the mood, as did the after-school activities

was inspiring to hear from a woman in our community about how she never backed down when challenges faced her and remained committed to defending the truth.

of the G.O., such as bingo in the sukkah.

The administration's original intention for holding school on Sukkoth was to allow for the entire Ramaz community to celebrate this special chag together, something we are rarely able to do, as most holidays entail halachic restrictions that prevent us from coming to school. The idea is also that having school makes it convenient for many students who live in the city and may not

have the opportunity to access a sukkah easily.

“It allows for students the convenience and opportunity to perform the mitzvot of the chag together,” Rabbi Slomnicki said. “I think that the balance we struck this year of a shortened day without exams that recognized the chag, while coming together to celebrate with music, more free time, and celebratory food was spot on,” he said.

November/December 2016

Covenant Award

continued from cover a passion for impacting Jewish life through teaching. Mr. Henkin found out that he would be receiving the Covenant Award this past June, but the dinner that honored each winner took place in November in Washington, D.C. Mr. Henkin remarked that the experience of receiving this award was both “fun” and “exciting.”

The award ceremony in Washington D.C. consisted of many parts, including a video about all of the impactful work that Mr. Henkin has done.

In addition to directing the music program at the Ramaz Upper School, Mr. Henkin spends his summers at Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, where he directs the camp’s zimriah. Along with these two examples of his dedication to teaching music, Mr. Henkin directs a Jewish a cappella group at Queens College.

At the award ceremony, Mr. Henkin spoke about what motivated him to pursue a career in Jewish choral music. There was also a group of performers, notably some past Ramaz choir participants, that performed in Mr. Henkin’s honor.

When describing the whole experience of receiving the Covenant Award, Mr. Henkin said, “It felt good to be able to share my work with a larger audience. It was also exciting to meet other recipients of this award and learn about their work and the contributions they have made to Jewish learning.”

continued from cover

Becky Tauber '19 final in January,” said Gabby Schwartz ’20, “I think it will make it much easier to focus on and study for the other tests,” she said. While some people are thrilled with this decision, others are not sure if it is the best thing in the long run. Florence Chera ’20 said, “I don’t know if it is the best thing for us because then the math final in June is going to be that much more difficult when we don’t know exactly what to expect. It’s going to be on much more material, and it will be hard to figure out the best way to study.”

David Gad ’19 added, “I think not taking a math final in January last year would’ve been harder for me, because I would’ve struggled more in June…and it is good to know where you stand in math at the end of the semester. I think that if they are going to take away a final, it shouldn’t be math but instead one of the other subjects.” Students are also worried that the lack of a math final will hinder them from possibly making up for a math test during the first semester that they might not have excelled on.

Overall, students have mixed feelings about this new policy, and are unsure how it will affect future freshmen.

News 3

Election Day At Ramaz

sembly’s goal. “And how could Ramaz say that they didn’t think the assembly would be biased?” asked Freilich. Dr. Jucovy explained, however, that although Alterman’s political views are well-known, he was not supposed to be expressing these political views in front of the student body.

Alterman began his speech by telling the students about Desiline Victor, a 106-yearold woman who voted in Florida (for Hillary Clinton) this past election. He then traced presidential elections back to the first election in which this woman would have been eligible to vote (had she lived in America at that time), the 1932 election, and broadly explained the political changes from then to now. However, Alterman soon got sidetracked and informed the students about why Trump is a terrible choice for our next president. He criticized the current president-elect both politically and personally, stating that he would certainly not want his daughter to be in a room alone with Donald Trump and informing the students that if Trump wins, they will be telling their grandchildren about this election as the moment that America began to go downhill. Alterman finished speaking and left many students feeling upset about his bias. Even the faculty and administration looked shocked. When it was time for questions, a few hands shot up. Dr. Jucovy commended the students for their participation and questions, saying that “to their credit, our wonderful and thoughtful students were engaged, respectful and questioning, expressing themselves

Freshman Not to Have Math Final

In past years, nearly every student in the freshmen, sophomore and junior grades has been required to take at least seven final exams, with an additional foreign language exam for most students. During the two weeks of final exams, students rarely get a day in between finals to study for upcoming tests.

This year, the school decided to modify this system solely for the freshmen, replacing their math final with a study day in between two exams.

When transitioning from middle school to high school, students oftentimes have trouble adjusting to finals, particularly having to organize themselves in order to study for all of their exams in an efficient and productive way. The administration has begun to understand that giving freshmen no time to adjust to the challenge of finals ultimately hurts their chances of excelling. The administration hopes that taking away the math final would ease some of the anguish, thereby easing the freshmen into the Ramaz finals system.

Some students are very pleased with this decision, and they hope it will give them the extra time they need to succeed in all of their courses. “I’m very happy they decided to cancel the math

The Rampage

during the limited time available for questions.” Students used their question time to challenge Alterman’s one-sided speech, asking about Clinton’s email scandal and about her role in the attack in Benghazi.

Jacob Aufzien ’17, who asked the question about Benghazi, explained, “I felt he was not the right person to present an unbiased view of the situation. It’s perfectly fine for him to have his own viewpoint, but he shouldn’t have been advertised as an unbiased speaker.

His speech was more of a polemic against Trump than a speech on the angry voter.

In terms of my question, he had said many negative things about Trump, and I wanted to see how he would respond to problems brought up with Clinton.” Many students shared this opinion. “Election Day gone wrong” read the Snapchat story of Melissa Adler ’18 after the assembly. In fact, even those students who supported Clinton in this election agreed that this speaker was not the right choice. “I did not like the speaker because I felt that he riled up the students and did not even speak about the angry voter,” said liberal student Hyatt Aronoff ’18.

Following the speaker’s presentation, students had the opportunity to vote on several issues, including taxes, global warming, illegal immigrants, and, of course, which presidential candidate they supported. Some were surprised by the results; Dr. Jucovy, for example, expressed his shock that nearly a quarter of the students voted that global warming is a myth. However, the results of these votes may not have been entirely accurate. Richie Hafif ’18 said that

“bringing in a completely biased speaker to preach the views of Hillary Clinton is not fair to the students...therefore I can completely understand that the students acted the way they did. Although many of them were fans of Trump, many polled very proTrump (myself included) purely out of spite for this speaker. Ramaz...should at least show both sides of the spectrum. All I can say was I was extremely disappointed in Ramaz's decision to have this speaker.” Ultimately, the students who voted in favor of Trump at the assembly, as Hafif noted, were probably influenced by the speaker’s presentation - his unyielding defense of Clinton and his harsh criticisms of Trump. Dr. Jucovy and other faculty members maintained that the students were “respectful” throughout the assembly and expressed their opinions with sensitivity and politeness.

Eric Alterman, too, left this assembly with his own takeaways. “I gave an election talk to students at Ramaz HS this morning. Afterward, they held a vote: 60% Trump. A real Maazel Tov cocktail....” read Alterman’s twitter post that afternoon.

Juniors Have High Exposure to Fun Abigail Huebner '19

High Exposure is a “one-stop shopping, heart stopping, adrenaline pumping, extreme sporting facility.

Fun for families, tots, kids, teens and adults,” as its website claims. Many believe that “fun” and “junior year” do not usually appear in the same sentence; however, on November 10th, the administration gifted juniors with a trip to High Exposure. “There were two reasons for this trip,” said Rabbi Schiowitz, Junior Grade Coordinator.

“One is that junior retreat isn’t until the second semester, so we wanted to have a trip for the grade this semester. A second is that the 11th grade advisors all felt that the grade, especially because it’s junior year, would enjoy doing something outside of school together”.

Following third period, juniors boarded busses and drove to Teaneck for lunch, where they had the ability to choose from the plethora of kosher restaurants in the area. After lunch, the grade went to High Exposure. High Exposure is an indoor rock climbing facility, offering many different rock-climbing related activities. Rabbi Schiowitz believed that High Exposure was the right choice because it has “multiple activities, not just rock climbing”. The junior class presidents, Elana Shalamoff ’18 and Louise Sitt ’18, also had a large hand in planning the exciting trip.

“Louise and I decided to plan a trip for the juniors for several reasons. We felt that as juniors we haven’t had many fun trips in the school, and we really needed a break from all the stress of school work and SAT/ACT work. When we were speaking to Rabbi Schiowitz, Rabbi Sklarin suggested this rock climbing place to us which sounded fun, and so, we decided why not try something new instead of the classic bowling and ice skating,” said Shalamoff. Sitt added that “it was important to have this trip because our

grade needed a bonding experience outside of school. Also, as juniors with SATs and tests, this was a nice way for kids to relax and take a day off.”

The decision to do something different instead of going with “the classic bowling and ice skating” appears to have been a very good one. “This is the best trip!” said Hanna Sholes ’18.

“I’m actually having the best time. I just really enjoy being away from the pressures of school and being able to hang out with my friends in a relaxed environment,” she said. Sitt said that “the trip was definitely a success. Many people said at the end of the day that this was one of the first school trips

they really enjoyed.” Shalamoff added, “Honestly, I didn’t think the trip would go as well as it did. Once we got there, it looked better than I expected. Kids were actually participating, and we were all bonding with each other. After the trip, I was really happy with all the positive responses I was getting!”

The class presidents, along with Rabbi Schiowitz, are planning

to organize even more trips and programming to make junior year as fun as it can be. Shalamoff said that “this is only the beginning,” with the future hopefully containing “more grade breakfasts, an oneg, a game show, and more trips!” Sitt said that “we have a lot of ideas for the future, but for now, we are working on a B4 activity.”

However, trips still pose a problem that any non-academic day at Ramaz poses: some students don’t show up. “When color war was cancelled, all the kids were flipping out, but how could they want to have more fun activities if kids don’t show up and participate?” asked Shalamoff. It seems as if many kids will not come to school if they know that missing that day will not have any effect on their GPA - even if they are the same kids who complain about the lack of fun at Ramaz. In fact, many students complained about the fact that the trip interfered with a Talmud test (which was moved to the following day), saying that they would rather just have the test and not the trip. Rabbi Schiowitz, in an effort to ensure that people actually showed up, threatened to forbid anyone who did not come to the trip (without a viable excuse) from taking the Talmud exam the following day. Some students even brought their study materials along to High Exposure. “We try doing fun things for the grade, but the only way for more activities to happen is if kids show up instead of sitting at home and doing nothing,” said Shalamoff.

Nevertheless, the junior trip was still a success. “Most of our grade showed up and had a great time,” said Sitt, and many students are excited to see what the class presidents will plan next!

News 4

The Rampage

November/December 2016

The Freshmen's First Ramaz Shabbaton

Hannah Doft '20

This year’s freshmen enjoyed a great weekend outside New York City and away from the pressures of 78th Street. It has been a few months since orientation, and many freshmen were grateful for the opportunity to focus on nurturing their friendships. “The goal in planning Freshman Shabbaton is to provide an especially warm Shabbat atmosphere for the freshmen to connect, socialize, and bond, while enjoying fun activities, interesting discussions, inspiring davening, and delicious food. This year’s freshmen are a very special group, and their enthusiasm, ruach, respect, and outstanding middot helped to make the Shabbaton a wonderful experience for everyone that participated,” said Dr. Aharon, the Freshman Grade Coordinator.

The first stop of the weekend was the Bogota Golf Center in Bogota, New

Jersey, near Teaneck, where students could enjoy miniature golf, a driving range, basketball courts, and batting cages. The girls seemed to be busy taking endless numbers pictures, while the boys spent most of their time at the driving range and playing basketball. Once the students arrived and settled at the hotel in Asbury Park, New Jersey, a pre-shabbat concert greeted them, during which students could sing and dance. Two Ramaz graduates, Jeremy Gruen ’16 and Daniel Rand ’16, as well as Rabbi Albo, performed in the concert. Once it was time for Shabbat, the freshmen joined together for Kabbalat Shabbat and a maariv service.

After the students finished welcoming in Shabbat, they had their first educational sessions of the weekend. Teachers held sessions based on a Dr. Seuss story that taught

Locked In, or Locked Out? Third-Floor Terrace Problems

Jonah Scherl '19

At orientation and during the

days that followed it, new and returning students were greeted with a handful of new policies within the school.

While some were disciplinary, there was one which increased our freedom in and out of the building. To the students’ pleasure, an open-door policy was announced, in which the administration ensured that the third-floor terrace would remain open during all school hours. While this new policy got off to a great start, recently, there have been some hiccups. Many students began to notice these issues in mid-November and spoke out. While the Administration and G.O. said the terrace would be open daily, in recent weeks, the terrace has been locked during school hours.

After nearly three weeks of school in session after the holidays, the terrace had still not yet been reopened. Jacob Bengualid ’19 said, “I’d love to go outside in the fresh air, away from the stuffy school. I assume they haven’t opened the terrace because it’s so cold.” Nevertheless, the policy stated at the beginning of the year was meant to be followed year-round, regardless of the weather.

The faculty advisor of the G.O., Rabbi Slomnicki, stated that the disassembly of the Sukkah was standing in the way of the students’ enjoyment of the terrace. Sukkot at Ramaz included two days of fun, eating, and learning. Like all great things, the Jewish holiday season came to an end, and the students began their first real blast of fiveday weeks at school. Days passed, but the Sukkah lay untouched, and the students waited for the maintenance team to dissemble it and pack it away for next year. The process had not gone as swiftly as the students, faculty, and maintenance staff had hoped.

While the student body under-

stood the difficulty of taking on such a large task, the urge to be outdoors lingered in their minds. “It’s just a bit frustrating.

The terrace gives us freedom, and I feel like the administration went against their word,” said Leanne Honig ’19. Many students expressed their frustration with the fact that the Sukkah itself has been taken down, but the parts have not been removed from the terrace. Sammy Aschendorf ’20 exclaimed in dissatisfaction, “I understand it’s a big job, but it seems like it’s all done.

All they need to do is take away the few pieces left and reopen it daily.” The new policy involving the terrace was made to ensure that this exact scenario would not occur, but it has happened once again.

Furthermore, within the new policy, there was a possibility of new furniture being purchased for the terrace, but unfortunately, no such thing has happened thus far in the school year. Nancy Toussie ’17, President of the G.O. said, “The furniture was a such a big purchase that it had to be made by the big board. It was out of our control.”

When addressing Rabbi Slomnicki with the issue, he said, “I believe that maintenance staff has been overworked, and I will do my best to expedite this.” Rabbi Slomnicki, soon after, went to the third floor, where he requested to open the terrace, but the maintenance staff would still not allow it.

As each day passes, the days get colder and colder, and the terrace becomes less and less useful. For most students, the open terrace serves as the only opportunity in the school day to be outside school walls. Hopefully, the administration, maintenance, and G.O. will come to an agreement and open the terrace once again, living up to their promise.

a broader lesson. The theme of the weekend, the freshmen learned, was Dr. Seuss and his many books. “I loved all the stories because it taught me what I can learn from everyday items such as pants,” said Ben Silverman ’20.

After the two night sessions and dinner, it was time for the tisch, bringing smiles to all the participants’ faces. “My favorite part of the Shabbaton was on Friday night when we were all sitting around and singing. I really felt the happiness and the unity in the room. It made me realize how important it is to have such great friends,” said Judah Wahba ’20.

The next morning was a very similar schedule to the night before. Students lead a davening with a mix of Ashkenaz and Sephardic Torah reading. The students also had a chance to hear more sessions about Dr. Seuss and how his books relate to everyday

life. At the end of Shabbat, students participated in a havdalah service with dancing and singing. Daniel Jaspan ’17, one of the senior advisors on the Shabbaton, lead havdalah. “It was a really nice way to end the weekend and sum up the whole Shabbaton,” said Natalie Trump ’20. Overall, Shabbaton was a weekend away from school and homework that focused on bonding and creating new, lasting friendships. Freshmen are already counting down until their grade-wide Shabbaton next year and are appreciative for the hard work that went into the event, namely that of Dr. Aharon, Rabbi Pianko, the senior advisors, and the faculty members and administrators who added to the experience.

Ramaz Opens its Doors to Prospective Students Paola Mattout '19

Ramaz Open House 2016

The annual Open House is one of Ramaz’s most popular and important events.

The Open House took place on November 12, 2016, and eighth grade students from many different schools came to see what Ramaz is all about. The Open House gives the eighth graders a sense of how Ramaz works and the learning experience that Ramaz offers.

The night started off with students checking in and getting their schedules for the night. Some students looked frightened and overwhelmed when first stepping into the building, but as the night went on, they became more excited and interested in what the school had to offer. The program began with a performance by the Ramaz Chamber Choir, followed by speeches from Rabbi Grossman, Rabbi Stochel, and Olivia Schwartz ’17. After watching the Open House video, the prospective students’ faces lit up, and they seemed so intrigued by what Ramaz has to offer.

Following the opening assembly, the eighth graders followed their Ramaz student guides to their first class. The students went to classes, completed science labs, learned in the beit midrash, and even mastered some math with Mr. Lupinacci. While students were in their classes, parents were either in the auditorium in a question-and-answer session with a

panel of a few Ramaz students or at the club fair in the gym. Finally, all students went down to the club fair to look at the many clubs Ramaz has to offer and to hear a few performances, from the band, the percussion ensemble, and the choir. Both parents and students were amazed by the many clubs Ramaz has to offer.

This year’s Open House was different from any other year. This is the first time the parents and their eighth graders were split up. By splitting up the students and the parents, it gave the students the opportunity to interact with their peers as well as work independently, without having to rely on their parents. In addition, this year's Open House was the most popular one that Ramaz has ever had. With almost 600 guests and students coming from 32 different schools, Ramaz has been striving to bring more and more students every year.

The main goal of the Open House is to show prospective students and their parents what Ramaz is all about. As Naomi Freilich ’18 said, “The Open House allows us at Ramaz to really showcase all that we have to offer as a school, as a community, and as a student-body. We hope that all those who attended left feeling like they got to see at least a glimpse of all that we love about Ramaz!."

November/December 2016

Natalie Kahn '19

The Rampage

News 5

A New Era of Change: Interview with Rabbi Grossman

Natalie Kahn: In the last year in particular, there have been retirements or resignations of top administrators at the Middle and Upper Schools. Why do you think this is the case?

Rabbi Grossman: We are very grateful for the administrators you mention, who are moving on after long and productive careers at Ramaz.

Having contributed over a century of service between them, they are now proceeding to the next chapters of their lives. It is significant that they all want the best for Ramaz and are committed to a smooth transition and making sure that the school is set up for success as we all move forward. If you look at the administration of the Upper School and Middle School over the past decades, and if you look at other Jewish and independent schools, you will see that our current rate of administrative change is actually low. Of course, we will miss the individual people, with whom we have developed relationships, and we also embrace the change that is a natural part of life.

NK: Ramaz Upper School has lost market share to SAR and Frisch. How do you plan to recapture this share while maintaining Ramaz’s identity as a comparatively more rigorous school?

RG: Ramaz has a mission and program that sets us apart from other yeshivot and will always make us attractive for students who want our combination of yiddishkeit, menschlichkeit, chesed, and academic striving for each student according to his or her potential. It is a blessing that the New York

area now has many yeshivot, each of which offers different programs and can serve different students. Being the only Modern Orthodox yeshiva in New York City gives us opportunities for student growth and engagement that no other yeshiva can offer, and we are working with our teachers to take more advantage of the city as our classroom.

NK: A great number of students were surprised at Mr. Miller’s decision to consult at Frisch concurrent with his retirement.

Would you characterize this move as ethically challenging? Why or why not?

RG: I feel blessed and am grateful for the warm relationship that Ramaz and I have with both Frisch and Mr. Miller. Mr. Miller’s menschlichkeit and ethics are beyond reproach, and Rabbi Ciner, Head of Frisch, is both a Ramaz alumnus and a personal friend.

I feel great pride for Ramaz that, after benefitting from Mr. Miller’s talents for 35 years, Frisch will now have the opportunity to enjoy and grow from all Mr. Miller has to offer.

NK: What is at the top of your agenda regarding changes in Ramaz?

RG: My goal is to combine the academic rigor you spoke of earlier with more community, creativity, energy, warmth, and fun.

As you know, I call this the “Ramaz Renaissance,” reimagining the best of Ramaz’s past for the future. It is most important to me that, along with being intellectually engaged, our students and faculty love coming to school. Happy students and teachers are successful students and teachers. Stu-

dents need to know how much our teachers and administrators want them to succeed.

brant school community. In my personal and religious life, I am a very traditional and nostalgic person, and one of the things that attracted me to Ramaz was the school’s traditionalism. At the same time, as an educator, I embrace change with excitement—change that could make the school better. Helping a traditional community embrace change is a challenge, and one that I welcome.

NK: In the parent liaison minutes, you talked about possibly modifying the grading system at Ramaz, particularly with regard to humanities. How do you plan to change the grading system, and what are the benefits and risks of that?

Rabbi Grossman: Some of the most amazing advances that have taken place in the field of education since I became a teacher years ago are in the area of assessment. Notice, I did not say “grading,” since we now understand how much more effective assessment can be when we broaden it beyond just grading. We are empowering our teachers and giving them the freedom to experiment with more creative forms of assessment in their classrooms, and the initial feedback has been outstanding. Of course, with every experiment there is risk, as you point out. We need to be humble and cautious and understand that the success of Ramaz students for the past decades has occurred within the context of our current grading system. At the same time, we need to be open to the recent advances in assessment that can allow us to better serve our students, give them greater opportunities for success, and play to their different strengths.

NK: Is your main focus on changing the high school? If so, why? If not, what would you want to change about the Lower and Middle Schools?

RG: Many significant changes already happened in our Lower School prior to my appointment. For example, the amazing LS Hebrew immersion program was put in place about six years ago. Rabbi Koslowe is also new to Ramaz and is in the process of implementing very positive changes of his own. I am supporting him in his “Ramaz B’mercaz” initiative which, among other things, is bringing more student-centered learning to our LS. I would like to see this trend continue in the MS and US as well, and I am working with the leadership of both buildings on this project. Student-centered learning means shifting the focus from what the teacher is teaching to what the student is actually learning. It also means more focus on the student experience and on social, emotional, and religious growth.

We have just introduced a mashgiach ruchani, to the MS, and I hope to bring more focus on spiritual/religious growth to all divisions.

NK: Of all of your goals for Ramaz, which ones do you believe are the most difficult to achieve?

RG: I think that the most difficult goal is having our community understand change as a natural and, often, positive part of a vi-

Commemorating Kristallnacht

Netanel Kamel '18 and Naomi Freilich '18

The junior students heard from Rabbi Lookstein after davening on November 10th in commemoration of Kristallnacht, the “Night of Broken Glass.” Nazis in Germany and Austria torched synagogues; vandalized Jewish homes, schools, and businesses; and killed close to 100 Jews.

In the aftermath of Kristallnacht, approximately 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to Nazi concentration camps.

Rather than giving the juniors a summary of the events that occurred, Rabbi Lookstein spoke about the privilege that Ramaz students have to live publicly as Jews today. Rabbi Lookstein spoke about how years ago, he did not have this privilege. Rather, he would cover the words of his Jewish books as

he was walking in New York City and kept his kippah hidden under his hat because it used to be “an indoor garment.” Rabbi Lookstein urged the Ramaz boys to keep their kippot on their heads and explained how lucky the students are to live in a time in which it is safe to display their kippot all the time.

Additionally, Rabbi Lookstein spoke about his book, Were We Our Brothers' Keepers: The Public Response of American Jews to the Holocaust, 1938-1944, which explores in depth the American Jewish response to the Holocaust as it occurred. Rabbi Lookstein gave the Ramaz Juniors a summary of the events that he discussed in his book. Rabbi Lookstein spoke about his book to discuss the correct way to

Class President Elections: Freshmen First-Timers

Welcome Winter Fridays!

Netanel Kamel '18

After getting our extra hour of sleep from daylight savings, it is time for the Winter Friday schedule to begin.

Now that Shabbat starts and ends earlier, Ramaz students need more time to get home and prepare for Shabbat on Friday afternoons. Therefore, Ramaz now ends school on Fridays at 12:45 pm rather than 1:40 pm, when it ends on “regular Friday” schedules.

Winter Friday schedules impact students’ Fridays because on Winter Fridays, the periods are 40 minutes long rather than 50 minutes long. Abigail Huebner ’18 said, “I always look forward to when we change the clocks and switch to winter Fridays. 40-minute periods go by more quickly and easily than the normal, long, 50-minute ones. Additionally, getting out at 12:45 pm makes such a differ-

ence!” In addition to making the schedule one with 40-minute periods, Ramaz also added “Community” to these Fridays about every other week. Community is a time when all the students gather together to appreciate each other’s talents and contributions to the school.

This time also serves as a way to reflect on the past week and look forward to the next one.

The addition of Community impacts the schedule even more, reducing some periods to 35 minutes. Some students argue that the 40-minute periods allow for a more meaningful class in the sense that students pay greater attention in class because they know that the period is shorter than a regular 50-minute Friday period.

respond to the events of the Holocaust. He explained how we should be proud of who they are and to never hide our identity.”

Rabbi Lookstein concluded his speech by mentioning the late Elie Wiesel who famously said,“Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” Rabbi Lookstein stressed the point that everyone should advocate for what he or she believes in and should not remain quiet.

Sophia Kremer '20 and Natalie Trump '20

Within all of the commotion of the national presidential election, the freshmen class received the opportunity to vote for its own president. The winners of the competitive election between six candidates were Judah Wahba ’20 and Maxine Pravda ’20. In Wahba’s statement, he promised to push for a test schedule that accommodates the freshmen’s preferences.

He also promised to consult his classmates before making big decisions. The freshmen saw Wahba fulfill this promise when he asked them how they would feel about a school-wide shabbaton in their Whatsapp group chat, and he took their opinions into consideration. One of Wahba’s peers, Ryan Leibowitz ’20, said that “after reading what each candidate wrote, I thought Judah would be the most reliable and trustworthy president.”

The other class president, Maxine Pravda, promised to initiate a program that would enable absent students to participate virtually in

the classes that they would otherwise be missing. Teachers and advisors would coordinate this program to allow students to participate in classes while they are in session using video chat, for example. Since students often feel pressured to come to school even if they are under the weather, in order to avoid falling behind academically, this system would decrease their anxiety.

It would also help prevent germs from spreading around the school. Pravda’s classmate, Gail Hafif ’20, said that she “voted for Maxine because I liked her creative ideas, and I really believe she will be a devoted and fitting person for the job.” Max Rubinchik ’20, who voted for both Wahba and Pravda, said that “they were the most suited candidates to run the affairs of the grade” and that they “are a good representation for our class.”

Opinion

The Rampage Ramaz Upper School

The Rampage • Nov/Dec 2016

New York • Volume 47 • Issue 3 • December 2016 • the-rampage.org

Print Editors-in-Chief:

Gabriel Klapholz* Elianna Schwartz*

Online Editors-in-Chief:

Jasmine Levine* Gabrielle Amar* Layout Editor

Moselle Kleiner*

Managing Editor:

Nicole Aboodi*

Associate Editor:

Tyler Mandelbaum* News Editor:

Oriya Romano* A&E Editor:

Caroline Jaspan* Sports Editor:

Jacob Hocheiser*

Faculty Advisor:

Dr. Milowitz Contributing Writers: Julia Levi Naomi Freilich Rebecca Araten Louise Sitt Abigail Huebner Derek Korff-Korn Melissa Adler Darbie Sokolow Brianna Rubinstein Netanel Kamel Alexandra Orbuch Zachary Buller Basia Fellner-Dublin Becky Tauber Suzi Dweck Sophia Kremer Josephine Schizer Natalie Kahn Esther Beck Harry Shams Jonah Scherl Talia Katz Rosie Adelman Amedeo Hasson Ayelet Monas Emily Podolsky David Grinberg Mark Marcus Yonatan Weitzner Jack Ottensoser 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.

The opinions expressed in the Rampage are of the author’s alone, and do not represent the views or opinions of Ramaz, the Rampage, or its Editors.

Denotes member of the Rampage Editorial Board. *

How Trump Empowered A Generation of Bullies

Hadley Kauvar '19 After an election fraught with controversy on both sides, for better or for worse, the new president-elect is Donald Trump.

Mr. Trump has been criticized for his contentious statements in the past and over the course of the presidential campaign, which have come across as prejudiced, racist, and misogynistic. In the wake of his success, it appears that Mr. Trump has given both credence and a voice to a new generation of bullies.

Since the election, the Southern Poverty Law Center has reported over 400 incidents of hateful intimidation and harassment. The highest concentration of incidents were in a K-12 setting. These occurrences range from high school students celebrating Trump’s victory with the cry of “white power” to middle schoolers chanting “build that wall” and shouting profanities at hispanic students, many of whom were second generation immigrants. Swastikas have been spray-painted in various places, such as school bathrooms, as well as on billboards and store windows. In Skokie, Illinois, a public school science teacher overheard her 9th-grade students discussing the age-old

question: “is it okay to burn Jews?” Some students thought that this act was intolerable; however, one students voiced that it did not conflict with his moral compass. Questions such as the one mentioned above, as well as accusations against Muslim students regarding their supposed status as fighters for ISIS and claims that “brown students are scary,” have become more frequent since Trump’s victory.

Trump has not condoned

these acts and stated in an interview that those committing these acts should cease. He expressed his sadness about his supporters’ bigotry. Nevertheless, Trump’s words have given a sense of empowerment to this rising generation of bullies. Perhaps, the racist and bigoted sentiments were always there, but seeing a successful presidential candidate rise to power despite the awful things he has said has emboldened the people who harbor these feelings.

There are those who disagree with the claim that Trump has fueled the fires of hate; rather, these bullies misinterpreted his words and warped them to validate their actions. Nevertheless, the ugly truth is that bullies are using and will continue to use Trump’s words to justify their actions, to the detriment of all of us.

Image by InsideGov.com

From Anti-Semitism to Anti-Zionism

Harry Shams ’19

This past October, Israel suspended its ties with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), following a resolution passed regarding the Temple Mount. Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and Sudan brought forward the draft of the decision. Although it began by asserting the religious significance of the “Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls for the three monotheistic religions,” the draft stirred up controversy due to its inability to mention why the city is special to Jews and Christians.

It refers to the city’s holiest Jewish site, the Temple Mount (as it is known to Jews), only by its Arabic name of Haram esh-Sharif and makes no mention of the site’s centrality in Judaism. The resolution, which Arab countries have heavily supported, was adopted by a 24-6 vote with 24 abstentions.

The resolution was immediately criticized by the Israeli government and specifically by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has condemned the resolution repeatedly since its adoption.

In a tweet posted on October 13th, Netanyahu said, “What's next? A UNESCO decision denying the connection between peanut butter and jelly? Batman and Robin? Rock and roll?”

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs applauded the decision, stating that the Palestinian Authority “will continue to defend the rights of our people through all available legal and diplomatic avenues,

including UN organizations."

Jerusalem is, and has for much of its history, been of major religious significance to all three Abrahamic religions. The city is unquestionably Judaism’s holiest. Jews revere the Temple Mount, as it was the location of both the First and Second Temples. Jerusalem is also central to Islam. It was the destination of Muhammad’s “Night Journey” and the site of his ascension to heaven. The city is home to Is-

mission on the Status of Women (CSW) even stated that there was only one country in violation of women's rights - surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) named Israel - despite the fact that in many Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, women are forced into marriage, forced to adhere to a strict dress code, and even banned from driving cars.

It is simply impossible to justify UNESCO’s recent resolution. Technically speaking, both

lam’s third holiest site on earth– the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

This sort of behavior from the UN regarding Israel has become typical. Over the years, the supposedly unbiased, multinational coalition has expressed a strong prejudice against Israel. Since 1967, the UN has issued a new anti-Israel resolution almost every year. In 2016, the UN Com-

Judaism and Christianity are centuries older than Islam. To have the audacity not to mention the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish religion is, at best, uninformed and, at worst, blatantly dishonest. And by failing to mention the Temple Mount by its Hebrew name (Har HaBayit), UNESCO and the UN displayed a position that is not only

anti-Zionist, but also antisemitic.

There have been anti-Israel resolutions before, and there will be anti-Israel resolutions again.

This resolution hits a more personal and unwarranted note. By attacking the validity of Jewish heritage in Jerusalem, UNESCO has essentially delegitimized itself and joined the ranks of other UN factions contaminated by a growing bias not only against Israel, but also against the larger Jewish population.

above

The Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock atop the Temple Mount, the subject of much recent U.N. contention.

Image by Times of Israel

November/December 2016

The Rampage

Should Teachers Express Their

PSAT: To Study or Not to Study?

Derek Korff-Korn '18

Each year, the juniors are faced with the inevitable standardized testing process, beginning with the PSAT. The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) has evolved into less of a “preliminary” test to get familiar with the SAT and a way to choose between either the SAT or the ACT. Now, the PSAT has become either an exam to be taken with a nonchalant attitude or a way to gain the National Merit Scholarship (an award given to the top percentage of scorers).

Although students take the test in early November, a majority of them have already begun studying for either the SAT or the ACT. I, personally (and most students would say the same), began studying in July and found only one value to the PSAT: attempting to become a National Merit finalist. But does this aspiration mean that, in order to “properly” prepare for the exam, one must stack up on textbooks and take multiple practice tests? Most of my classmates would say: “No.” “I think people

shouldn’t study for it because if people are using it to tell which test they should take and how much work they need to do, the test should show them that and what they already know,” said Brianna Rubenstein ’18.

The college advisors, such as Dr. Honig, who spoke to the grade a month before the test, agree that the only appropriate and necessary course of action is to sleep well and show up. Why? – one may ask. Because, as stated before, a bulk of the juniors has already begun the studying process for either standardized test, meaning that a lot of juniors have learned many of the strategies needed to do well on these tests. Thus, one major aspect remains: aptitude. This facet of testing cannot be enhanced. Hence, the best way for a student to maximize his or her score is to be well-rested. Studying for this exam, especially if one is already studying for either standardized test, is useless and only takes up more of juniors’ precious time.

Opinions 7

Political Opinions?

Natalie Kahn '19 and Yonatan Weitzner '19

As the election drew near, Ramaz students engaged in many political discussions with their teachers. One issue students began to notice was that instead of informing the students about the current political situation and letting the students form their own opinions, some teachers attempted to guide students towards a certain conclusion.

When teachers would discuss politics in class, they would present the argument in a completely one-sided manner, instead of remaining impartial.

If a student asks a teacher his or her political opinion, the teacher has a right to refrain from answering (or the teacher may tell the student if he or she desires), but the real problem is when

teachers end up incorporating their political views into what is supposed to be a bipartisan informational discussion.

A teacher’s responsibility should be to state the political status quo in a mostly impartial manner. Though it is understandable that some bias may creep into the discussion, a teacher should try to remain as committed as possible to impartiality.

Many current students will have the opportunity to vote in the next presidential election of 2020. It is imperative that the students be educated on the current events of our country, free of as much bias as possible, so that every student can make his or her own decisions based on the facts.

Track English and History

Rebecca Araten '18 Ramaz is known for its rigorous and intellectually stimulating curriculum in both Judaic and secular studies. Students who excel in Talmud have the opportunity to learn the subject for over an hour each day and to practice the necessary skills until they come naturally. Students who pick up languages very quickly can take honors Spanish or French to challenge themselves in that area. For those who are strong in mathematics, honors math and science classes are available to challenge them. However, students who excel in English and history have no honors class designed to cater to their abilities and needs. While there are AP and honors options in senior year, these classes are not available for the three other years at Ramaz, and in senior year, these courses might conflict with students’ complicated schedules. It has been a longstanding Ramaz tradition to have no honors English or history class, yet it is time to appeal to the needs of the student body and change this feature of Ramaz.

History tests are a dreaded feature of Ramaz student life, as are history papers and analytical English essays. This sentiment is a direct result of the lack of tracking in English and history classes. With tracking in these courses, students with more difficulty in these subjects would be able to seek help, rather than be in a class with people of all different levels. In a class of 20 randomly selected students, there is bound to be some variety in skills, as is the case with all subjects. While this adds diversity to the classroom atmosphere, it also means that the class will never be suited perfectly to all of its students. En-

glish teacher Ms. Litwack said, "I enjoy the diversity of opinions by having heterogeneous classes. However, sometimes I feel that it could benefit students if they could have a class to their pace. Some students are automatically lost, and some are automatically bored." Furthermore, she said that teaching a class with a mix of students on different levels is more difficult because "you can't just assume universal understanding.

There will be some students struggling to grasp the material."

The lack of tracking in English and history classes lowers students’ confidence in their abilities, as it seems to imply that students who are strong in the liberal arts are not inherently gifted. Elizabeth Newman Corre '20 said that what bothered her was “the fact that some people's skills, such as in English and history, are deemed less important than other skills, such as math, science, and other classes.” Meanwhile, those who struggle cannot even attribute it to the fact that the class is an honors class, and with nowhere to go, they are forced to accept unsatisfactory grades. In terms applying to college, liberal arts candidates are at a disadvantage, as they cannot showcase success in any honors liberal arts classes in the same way that students who are interested in the sciences can show their qualifications through top scores in honors science classes. Furthermore, for students who struggle in these classes, the bad grades on their transcripts are not helpful in the college process. As an institution known for sending students to prestigious colleges and universities, Ramaz should make an effort to level the playing field for

Stressful November

Paola Mattout '19 and Becky Tauber '19 The month of November is notorious for being the hardest month of the entire school year, as it follows all of the days off from the holidays. This situation forces the teachers to pile on homework, and the school to pack in tests in order to fit everything into the busy schedule. Without a single day off until Thanksgiving, the long and full weeks tire all students out, often leaving them overwhelmed. While students complain to their grade advisors about the stressful schedule, the faculty does not fully take notice and attempt to adjust for a less cramped schedule for the students.

For freshmen, this situation is extremely difficult, and November is probably the hardest time for them, because coming from middle school, they are not used to the workload they are now getting in high school.

As Gabby Schwartz ’20 said, “Coming from the middle school I was not accustomed to having more than two tests a week and more than three homework assignments.

This month has been the hardest so far because I had to manage my time with all the tests we have been

getting within three weeks.” Even though the school has a limited amount of time to test the students, they are not so open or willing to change the test schedule to make it an easier month for the students.

While November can be known as “Stressful November,” the school recently took the juniors on a rock climbing trip in order to take a break from the work and tests they have been having. “There’s an abundance of work and barely any time off from school, so everything gets very hectic,” Hannah Sholes ’18 said. “The junior trip did help relieve stress for the day, but it is still hard to manage all of the work we get,” she said.

Although the school has begun to recognize the stress level of November, it has still been a crazy and tiring month for all students. Hopefully, in the upcoming years, the faculty and administration will continue to recognize the challenges and overwhelming schedule of the month. It is important to help the students deal with the stress by being more open to change and implementing more fun activities in order to make the students’ experiences more enjoyable.

those who are gifted in areas other than math and science.

Some people claim that keeping English and history classes mixed has some positive aspects. For example, Dr. Stone said, "I think in a school of our size that you need certain courses that are flexible, that can move around in your program. You need some flexibility when you have as many moving parts as a Ramaz schedule allows for." Nevertheless, these scheduling difficulties could be resolved by shifting around other classes, such as art and music classes, and possibly by reorganizing the current schedule system so that lunch periods are not always at the same time for students in the same grade. This would allow for more flexibility in terms of the schedule. In terms of diversity of classes, there are other classes that allow for this diversity, such as art, music, gym, and health. A new scheduling system could allow for more diversity in these classes, to make up for any diversity lost from tracking English and history classes.

Additionally, sometimes, students are placed in classes with extremely difficult teachers while others have teachers who are not quite as difficult. In these cases, students in the more difficult classes are less likely to perform well, which is to their detriment on a transcript or for a GPA. With tracked classes, students would be taught to their levels, and English and history classes would be a much more comfortable experience for all. The benefits of tracking the liberal arts classes definitely outweigh the drawbacks, and as such a respectable institution, Ramaz should address these problems to benefit all students.

Hello from the Other Side

Rebecca Araten '18

As a girl in the junior minyan, I find it very difficult to have a meaningful tefilla at school. On a bad day, private conversations (that are not with G-d) constantly interrupt the tefilla, serving as reminders that we should not be speaking. On a good day, the tefilla progresses uneventfully and unimpressively.

One reason for this situation is simply the amount of other things that are constantly on our minds as juniors. Perhaps, the problem is that we are so exhausted that we cannot concentrate. However, as I thought about it, I realized that the feeling of uneventfulness was rooted from the fact that, on my side of the mechitza, nothing was actually happening.

Davening has the potential to be an extremely moving and powerful experience, but in the junior minyan, it seems to have lost some momentum. The best solution to this problem is to increase involvement so that each person feels that their role in tefilla is important and necessary. The men’s side of the mechitza can come closer to the tefillot by leading sections of the prayer, by reading Torah, or by having aliyot. Being involved in the process of tefillot causes people to focus and concentrate more, which can inspire better tefillot. Noticing this phenomenon, I asked that the Torah be carried through the women's side of the mechitza so that all the girls would be able to kiss it. As a result, the girls are all actively engaged during this short 20-second interval, many waking from stupors to reach over and kiss the Torah.

While this period of time with the Torah enhances our davening experience, it is all too short, and it

leaves me thinking about what our tefilla could be.

Last year, in the sophomore minyan, girls were allowed to carry the Torah on the girls' side of the mechitza, a moment to which I constantly looked forward. Anybody who has taken Rabbi Lookstein's Jewish Family Ethics course knows that there is nothing halachically problematic with girls carrying the Torah and that we are not, as many believe us to be, “impure.” This year, I was very disappointed to find out that our minyan does not give girls this opportunity, and as such, I have been turning more frequently to women's tefilla.

Women's tefilla at Ramaz is an incredible experience, in which each person who attends really wants to be there. We all pray together in harmony. Days with Torah reading are even more special, as girls approach the Torah and are given aliyot for their first times. While women's tefilla helps me pray with greater emotion and concentration, women's tefilla only takes place once a week, and I want girls to have a meaningful davening every day. I remember the days in the Ramaz Middle School, when girls were given the privilege of leading shir shel yom and delivering weekly Divrei Torah. It is my wish that davening as a whole can inspire both men and women by actively engaging all of them and that changes will be made to make women feel more comfortable in the grade-wide minyanim. Otherwise, we are just giving the men’s side of the mechitza another reason to say, “Blessed is G-d...that he has not made me a woman.”

Features The Rampage • Nov/Dec 2016

Election Recap

Derek Korff-Korn '18

All of the controversies, scandals, criticism, and drama spanning over 18 months came down to less than 24 hours.

The person who would lead our country for the next four years, possibly eight, and the legislative branch that would determine our country’s laws would be determined on one day.

In March 2015, the lengthy election season began.

With seventeen Republican candidates originally in the race, the road toward the Republican nomination was rocky; throughout the Republican primary campaigns, candidates focused less on policies and more on criticizing one another. The greatest wildcard was Donald Trump.

Announcing his campaign in mid-June 2015 outside his luxurious Trump Towers in New York City, and starting with his stance on Mexican immigrants, Trump began his long list of controversial statements that would provoke both enormous criticism and fervid support. He attacked his fellow candidates for the Republican nomination until he won in a landslide in the Republican primary elections.

Many attribute his increasing popularity to the desire for change among American voters. Donald Trump expressed different than the Republican establishment, tapping into American fears of a rigged system. Trump’s most contentious announcement was his call for the “complete shutdown for Muslims entering the United States.”

For the Democrats, the two main contenders for the party’s nomination were Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Like Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders appealed to a specific group of anti-establishment voters, calling himself a “Democratic Socialist” and advocating for contentious policies, such as free tuition for public colleges.

Hillary Clinton, however, despite her troubling email

Breaking it down: 2016 electoral college results vs.

2016 electoral demographics Data by 270ToWin and TheHill.com

scandal, secured the nomination and continued on to the general election with the hope of beating Donald Trump. She chose Tim Kaine, a senator from Virginia and former governor of the state, as her running mate.

On the eve of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, a leak of DNC emails exposed Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairperson of the DNC at the time, for plotting from the beginning of the election season to prevent Sanders from gaining the necessary delegates to becomes the Democratic nominee. Earlier in July, the Republican National Convention took place in Cleveland. Mike Pence, Indiana’s former governor, was announced officially as Trump’s running mate.

Over the course of the following months, the two presidential candidates competed in three debates, and the vice-presidential candidates debated on two occasions.

A big concern of the election was the media’s bias toward Clinton. People felt that the media was covering up her scandals while constantly discussing Trump’s faults and controversies. Trump claimed multiple times that it was a “rigged election” because he felt that, from the start, the media set him up to lose the election. Less than a month before the election, the national polls displayed Clinton and Trump neck-and-neck. Trump only led in the demographic of whites with no college degree, while Clinton surpassed Trump in every other voter group, including women, Hispanics, blacks, millennials, and more.

The night before the election, when FBI Director James Comey closed the investigation on Clinton’s private email server, there was a national consensus in the media that Clinton would become our new president. On Tuesday, November 8th, the key states that would decide the election were Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida. At 9:00 P.M. that evening, the results started to arrive. Florida went to Trump. Two hours later, Pennsylvania went to Trump. With Trump less than 30 electoral votes away from victory, the night was starting to look grim for Clinton, whose election party was located at the Javits Center in New York City. The two states that determined who would become the next president were Wisconsin and Michigan. Trump only needed to win one state. The two candidates were locked in a close race in both states, and were less than 5,000 votes apart at one point. At 2:39 A.M., Donald Trump managed to capture the state of Wisconsin, and against all odds, he became president-elect of the United States of America. In addition to Trump’s victory, the House of Representatives and the Senate both ended up with Republican majorities. The election is likely to give the Republicans control over all three government branches, as Trump plans to nominate two (or at least one) Supreme Court justice during his tenure, allowing for Republican control over the judicial system as well.

November/December 2016

Derek Korff-Korn '18

The Rampage

Features 9

Trump's Administration Controversies

Since Donald J. Trump was elected as the next President of the United States, there have been multiple cabinet contenders pouring in and out of Trump Tower, including former staff members of the Trump campaign and people outside of Trump’s “inner circle.”

With each announcement, Trump’s decisions have faced large amounts of criticism, whether warranted or not, especially from the media. For example, Steve Bannon, Executive Chairman of the conservative news outlet Breitbart, who was also the Trump Campaign CEO, is now the future chief strategist of the Trump administration. After the announcement of his position in Trump’s cabinet, there was mass criticism regarding his expression of racist, misogynistic, and antisemitic views.

Bannon disregarded these claims, saying that the mainstream media was

painting him as a “cloven-hoofed devil.”

Not only was the appointment of Bannon seen as controversial, but also the demotion of Chris Christie was viewed in a similar light. As one of the first politicians to drop out of the presidential race to endorse Trump, he was essentially assured a seat in Trump’s administration. However, only days after the election, Christie received a phone call from Trump, who told him that Mike Pence, the Vice President-elect, would be replacing him as the chief of the transition team. With this announcement, Christie’s chances of becoming a part of Trump’s cabinet plummeted, despite previously being a contender for Attorney General. Many attribute this dismissal to Christie’s connection with the Bridgegate scandal, which has hurt his approval ratings. The perception is that Christie’s unpopularity could harm support for Trump. However, sources claim

that Jared Kushner, son-in-law to Trump, influenced the dismissal due to a personal grievance. In 2004, Christie, the New Jersey Attorney General at the time, prosecuted Jared Kushner’s father, sentencing him to two years in federal prison.

For Director of the C.I.A., Trump has chosen Mike Pompeo, a Kansas congressman. He was a severe critic of Hillary Clinton during the investigation of the 2012 Benghazi attacks. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama has been selected to serve as the Attorney General. He is a strong advocate of strict immigration laws and tough-on-crime measures. However, Sessions faces some lingering controversy, as in 1986, his nomination for a federal judgeship was rejected due to racially charged comments, which will most likely become an issue in the confirmation hearings.

Last but not least, Michael Flynn, a retired army general, will be the next

National Security Advisor to Trump.

He is very outspoken about the threat of radical Islam and has been a staunch advocate of Trump since the very beginning of the election. Many representatives in Congress have already declared opposition to the multiple contenders for Trump’s administration.

From left to right

Trump's cast of characters: Steve Bannon, image by Politico; Chris Christie, image by The New York Times; Jeff Sessions, image by The Huffington Post; Mike Flynn, image by The Los Angeles Times; Mike Pompeo, image

by McClatchy D.C.

Faculty Column Dr. Rotenberg Responds to "Innocent Until Proven Guilty" and "Colin Kaepernick’s America: Political Stunt?"

Dr. Rotenberg "Yes, and how many ears must one man have Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, and how many deaths will it take 'till he knows That too many people have died?"

-Bob Dylan

As I was reading the October issue of The Rampage, I felt the need to respond to two opinion pieces—one by David Grinberg and the other by Yonatan Weitzner. Grinberg's piece criticizes San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to sit or kneel during the national anthem in protest of the shootings of black Americans by police over the past two years. Weitzner's piece criticizes those who see racial bias in those shootings.

Grinberg’s piece centers on his claim “that Kaepernick decided to do this political stunt as a way to protect his failing football career.” No evidence is offered for this ulterior motive. Rather, the author offers arguments that Mr. Kaepernick either had no reason to protest in the first place, or that his protest should have taken a different form. Grinberg makes the claim that “[m]ost of the claims about systematic racism after the police kills a member of the black community are excuses for people to riot and loot.” Weitzner similarly writes that claims of racial bias in police shootings are "used constantly to incite protests and riots, which are destructive and disruptive to society." These claims desensitize us from the motives of hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of Americans who feel that their lives are in danger if they are pulled over for a speeding ticket or even walking down the street.

Grinberg's writes, "The United States is not a country that systematically oppresses people of color because, as I write this, we have a black president." Weitzner makes a similar claim, that there cannot be bias in the Baltimore or New York City Police Departments because they are 44% and 20% black, respectively. The logic of these claims is simply flawed and incorrect. One could just as easily argue that there is no antisemitism in the United States today because one-third of the

Supreme Court and 10% of the United States Senate is Jewish!

Yet of the 1,140 religiously motivated hate crimes reported by the FBI for 2014 (the last year for which statistics are available), 56.8% of those were motivated by anti-Jewish bias. Similarly, the FBI reported 3,227 hate crimes motivated by race, and 62.7% of those were motivated by anti-black bias. Yet, I hardly think that anyone in the Ramaz community would claim that antisemitism in the United States is dead—nor ought anyone in our community to claim that racism (or sexism, anti-LGBTQ sentiments, or xenophobia) is dead, either. To be sure, the claim is not that there is no bigotry at all in the United States, but that there is no “systematic oppression.” However, the claim of those who are concerned by shootings of black civilians by police is not necessarily that there is explicit institutional racism and deliberate targeting of blacks, but that the system, as a whole, is biased. And I will return to this point below.

In the same paragraph, Grinberg makes the claim cited above that charges of bias by police are just excuses for people to riot and loot. His proof for this is that Asian Americans need to score higher on SATs than blacks in order to be accepted to the same colleges. I have no idea if this is the case—and I suspect you could find myriad counter-examples—but it hardly matters. One cannot equate being shot to death with having to work harder or less hard in order to be accepted to college.

What gets lost in both pieces is what we mean by bias. Police officers work tirelessly to keep citizens safe. Police officers are authorized by those same citizens to use deadly force when necessary. But police officers are human beings and like all human beings, they have biases.

Those who are entrusted to use deadly force have the highest responsibility to keep those biases out of their work.

The argument of critics of police shootings is not necessarily that each of those police officers is a racist who deliberately targeted unarmed black men as part of a police department policy. It is much more subtle than that. It is that police officers, like everyone, have their own biases and prej-

udices, and that in some circumstances, when confronted by black civilians, they act differently from how they do when confronted by white civilians in similar situations. And that—as you will see below—in a statistically significant way, more often those confrontations with black civilians end up with black civilians being shot dead by police than when white civilians confront police officers. According to a Washington Post study:

White people make up roughly 62 percent of the U.S. population but only about 49 percent of those who are killed by police officers. African Americans, however, account for 24 percent of those fatally shot and killed by the police despite being just 13 percent of the U.S. population. As The Post noted in a new analysis published last week, that means black Americans are 2.5 times as likely as white Americans to be shot and killed by police officers.

U.S. police officers have shot and killed the exact same number of unarmed white people as they have unarmed black people: 50 each. But because the white population is approximately five times larger than the black population, that means unarmed black Americans were five times as likely as unarmed white Americans to be shot and killed by a police officer.

We cannot ignore these numbers. Weitzner's column appeared under the headline "Innocent Until Proven Guilty;” if this is the case for a police officer after a shooting, is it not the case for unarmed civilians as well?

More than any other people, Jews should be sensitive to the suffering of others. When we hear a community cry out that they are the targets of racial bias, we should be the first ones to stand with them and support them until we see proof that there is no bias—as we did in Birmingham and Washington in the 1960s, just to name a relevant example. We should certainly not be looking for reasons to undermine their claims. We have a moral and religious duty: "ve-ahavtem et ha-ger ki gerim heyyitem be-erets mitsrayim" – "Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 10:19).

Features 10

The Rampage

Basia Fellner-Dublin ’20

November/December 2016

been put up on the wall in the 14th Street stations.

Communities all around the world are beginning to incorporate this idea of Subway Therapy into their lives. “People are very supportive. I think a lot of people have reacted very positively, and many people all around the world are taking this and using it as a sym-

bol for inclusion that we are all together,” said Levee.

“I think people are feeling better after being able to express their feelings like this. It’s very important when something happens that destabilizes our ability to trust each other that we do things that encourage community,” Levee said.

Autumn Squash Soup Recipe

This recipe is adapted from my mother’s recipe. She makes this soup every Thanksgiving. After trying it out once, you will look forward to cooking it year after year!

Julia Levy ’18

Subway Therapy

In the aftermath of the presidential election, many New Yorkers felt shocked and scared. They became silent, unable to express what they were feeling.

Fortunately, 28-year-old street artist Matthew Chavez changed this. Due to his efforts, the subway tunnel that connects the 14th Street stations at 7th Avenue and Avenue of the Americans now serves as a place where New Yorkers can express themselves without outwardly speaking about the shocking outcome of the election.

About six months ago, Matthew Chavez organized a project called Subway Therapy, in which he offered to help people with their frustrations within a subway station. Recently, he noticed how quiet New Yorkers had become as a result of their astonishment at the election results, so he decided to try a new kind of therapy to help them. Mr. Chavez put up sticky notes on the walls of the 14th Street station, encouraging people to “express themselves.” He also changed his name to “Levee” for this project. A levee, according to the Oxford dictionary, is “an embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river, a ridge of sediment deposited naturally alongside a river by overflowing water, or a landing place.” Levee said that he was "curious about how people feel better about the things they feel bad about. A lot of people walk around with stress, fear, and anxiety, and I was curious about exploring how I can help them feel better.”

Post-it notes now line the walls of the subway, most of them depicting encouraging and inspiring thoughts that New Yorkers have put up. Since the day after the election, about 10,000 notes have

Naomi Freilich ’18

Ingrdients: 2-3 lbs. butternut squash (cubed and peeled) 1 sweet potato (cubed and peeled) 2 tbs. olive oil 1 white onion (chopped) 6 cups chicken stock Nutmeg Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions: Lightly brown the onion in olive oil. Combine the remainder of the ingredients. Cook for forty minutes until squash and sweet potato are soft. Use a hand blender to puree. Garnish with cilantro and pita chips.

Club of the Month: Ethics Club

The start of this year brought with it many new clubs to chose from at the September Club Fair.

Ethics Club, founded by Hyatt Aranoff ’18 and Sarah Shmukler Karpov ’18, is a club that has gained a lot of popularity among students of various grades over a short period of time. In this club, students have the chance to debate different ethical topics with their peers. What makes this club different from other debate clubs at Ramaz is that there are no requirements to make a team, and in the debates, there is no winner or right answer. The topics debated are not spoken about in school and are somewhat taboo. This club is not only a place to learn and discuss these subjects, but also a place to improve public speaking skills and to

“We are excited for more and

more participants to join and for our upcoming meetings. We can't wait for what's in store for the future of our club.”

-Hyatt Aranoff '18

learn how to respect each other’s opinions. “Our goal is to create an environment in which all teens can feel like they have a voice and no one would judge them,” said Aranoff. This goal is clearly appealing to many students throughout the school, as the first meeting turned out to be a major success, with about 25 students attending and participating in the discussions. Ethics Club meets every other Monday at 5:00 pm in room 307, and pizza is served alongside an exciting debate. “We are excited for more and more participants to join and for our upcoming meetings,” said Aranoff. “We can’t wait for what’s in store in the future of our club,” he said.

November/December 2016

The Rampage

Features 11

Should the Government Subsidize College Education?

Natalie Kahn ’19 and Esti Beck ’19 Kahn: There’s a misconception that a col-

lege degree leads to a more lucrative profession. No matter how much America claims to be a meritocracy, a college education won’t necessarily put you at the top of the food chain. There are so many other factors that come into play: college major, gender, ethnicity, etc,. Companies look for diversity, and not all majors are helpful when it comes to getting jobs. Some majors, like political science or english, are overly popular. Other majors, like sociology, history, and art, don’t provide many job opportunities unless one is interested in teaching the subject. Statistics show that at least 50 percent of college graduates are unemployed.

privileged class, feel less special? First of all, that’s the argument that you see throughout history - with the nobility losing their power to the c o m m o n man, then the white man losing his domi-

fewer jobs and money wasted on education.

We also have no obligation to pay for other people’s higher education. There was a belief that literacy is essential for society to function and the involvement of the lower class in political and public affairs.

However, going to college is a personal choice, and more people having college degrees would not benefit society as a whole. Therefore, we should not be obligated to pay for someone else’s higher education as we are obligated to pay for national defense, police force, and public schools.

Beck: So what if everyone who graduates

Beck: Everyone having college degrees doesn’t result in fewer jobs. It results in a highly educated population, one that can share its knowledge with future generations and help spread innovations in various fields. Teaching people advanced maths and sciences can’t hurt them, but it can teach them independence and the ability to be self-sufficient. Also, saying that we have no obligation to pay for other people’s higher education - well, we pay for other people’s lower educations, don’t we? And maybe we, specifically, in the private school environment, don’t benefit from taxes paid for the public school system, but it’s an everyone-chips-in model that ties us all together as a country. We benefit from having a more educated society.

college doesn’t end up with a prestigious job? Not everyone can be Mark Zuckerberg or Jamie Dimon. There’s going to be income inequality no matter how the dice roll on college, but the very least we can do as a nation is provide everyone with equal education and opportunity. I agree, a lot of the factors in success come from birth and early education - that’s why the overhaul of the American education system needs to come from the top down. Let’s fix our colleges and then let’s help people actually get there - one step at a time.

Kahn: But “fixing our colleges” means

having the government play a more significant role in subsidizing college education. If college was subsidized, both the government and the school would end up wasting a lot of money because the government wouldn’t differentiate between the majors people are choosing. So, in the long run, if 25 percent of the people whose education is subsidized major in the humanities, they won’t be helping the economy grow or setting themselves up for a livelihood, and we can’t go around controlling what major people choose.

Beck: That’s right. The government should

play a bigger role in subsidizing our college educations. Your “wasted” money might make the difference between someone being able to afford an education or not. The argument that subsidizing college means that we might turn out more art majors is ridiculous. We can’t just kill our entire higher education system because we’re worried about Jamie from Chelsea pursuing a future in bringing peace to the world through her art. Culture’s a major part of our economy as well - art is an entire industry onto itself and one that generates a lot of tourism, especially here in New York.

nance over the black man, then man losing his patriarchal standing over women. Nowadays, it’s the one percent scared of losing its power over the other 99 percent of our country. Even if we overlook all of the moral aspects of that argument, there’s still going to be a disparity i n

Kahn: But, you see, if we are obli-

gated to pay for people’s higher education, where does it stop?

Are we also then obligated to pay for their law school or medical school? Also, as stated before, more college education doesn’t mean that everyone suddenly becomes more successful or efficient. People from lower-income backgrounds are often unprepared for college, and there is a very high rate of dropouts or repeated classes from that demographic.

Tax dollars should be spent only where we are fairly certain they will be effective.

Kahn: If more people are getting college

degrees, it would dilute the significance of a college degree. College graduates would no longer be in demand, and people would be overqualified for jobs. You could have someone with a bachelor’s degree from Harvard working as a sales clerk and not utilizing his education, since jobs are so difficult to obtain.

No one would want to take jobs that remain essential for our society to function, such as shopkeepers, because everyone would be fo cused on finding work that he or she feels befits their education.

Beck: So what you’re saying is that putting everyone on equal footing is making us, the

Beck: People from lower-income back-

where you go to college. Someone graduating with an engineering degree from Cooper Union is not going to have equal opportunity as someone with the same major from U. of Phoenix.

Kahn: It’s not a question of

making the upper class feel special. It’s a question of what would be most beneficial to society as a whole.

Everyone having college degrees results in

grounds are sometimes not ready for college because, like I said earlier, we need a total overhaul of our education system. That’s what we have to work on next, but our most pressing issue is the tons of student debt that are crippling college graduates. You can’t honestly tell me that you’ve never looked two or three years into the future and worried about where our generation is going to be once we graduate college. “Free” college is definitely something to consider.

Arts&Entertainment The Rampage • Nov/Dec 2016

The Boys in the Boat Reviewed

Derek Korff-Korn ’18

When one thinks about the 1936 Berlin Olympics, one thinks about racial tension. Specifically, one thinks about Jesse Owens, the black athlete, who, against all odds, won four gold medals. However, in The Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown depicts a feat that gained less attention; nine men, the members of the American team, impressively won the gold medal for rowing.

The nonfiction work consists of two backstories. The main backstory illustrates how all nine members of the Washington University team primarily came from lower-class families and had to struggle to earn enough money to make it through school during the depths of the Great Depression. Along with the account of their victories and defeats in domestic competitions, the reader also appreciates the importance of synchronization for the eight rowers, as they react to the aggressive commands of the coxswain, who ensures con-

sistent pacing and well-timed sprints to the finish line.

The book’s finale contains a description of the final race. During the 1930s, especially in the 1936 Olympics, rowing was a popular sport with millions following the action on the radio. Narrowly defeating Italy and Germany, the victorious U.S. Olympians became national heroes. As usual, with the limits of amateur athletics, the men descended into relative anonymity after their victory, but were still better off than their families and those who lived in their childhood neighborhoods. This book tells the phenomenal story of nine scrawny boys from Washington University, who, despite enduring indescribable adversities, brought home an Olympic gold medal. Although the book’s ending is always known to the reader because the novel is a work of nonfiction, the narration of how these athletes achieved their dreams makes a worthwhile read.

The finish line at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin

Before the Flood Reviewed

Harry Shams ’19

Climate change is generally recognized progressed to a dangerous point and can only be as one of the most polarizing issues facing this country (and perhaps the world). There are stereotypical positions assigned to members of each political party in the realm of this topic. Democrats believe that Republicans, in direct rejection of all scientific evidence, do not believe in climate change. Republicans, on the other hand, believe that Democrats spin tall tales of climate-inspired cataclysm in order to hinder the immediate benefits of business development and capitalism. In other words, Democrats believe that Republicans want the earth to melt, and Republicans hold that Democrats believe the sky is falling. Nowhere are these distorted and superficial views more prevalent than in Leonardo DiCaprio’s newly released documentary Before the Flood.

For those unaware, Leonardo DiCaprio has been an advocate for climate change and other environmental issues for most of his life. In September of 2014, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made him a Messenger of Peace with a special focus on climate change. DiCaprio decided to produce a documentary in an effort to help raise awareness for the long-term effects of climate change,.

Painting this issue in an apocalyptic light, DiCaprio claims that climate change has already

beaten back if all humans become environmentally conscious. He attributes the lack of a concerted American effort to the special interests of Republican senators like Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, who deny climate science to protect the business interests of major corporations like Koch Industries.

While the film does offer a thorough and evidential summary of the causes of climate change, it fails to encapsulate the whole issue.

The film takes a one-sided approach and fails to even consider the economic repercussions increasing environmental regulations would have on the lives of working and poor Americans.

For those looking to gain some basic knowledge about the causes and potential effects of climate change, this documentary is not a bad place to start. But it is important to be aware that behind the science, there is a highly politicized message. Ironically, in attempting to unite the world against the dangers of climate change, DiCaprio creates an “if you’re not with us, you’re against us” attitude that is deeply rooted in one’s party affiliation.

The film debuted on the National Geographic Channel last month and can be seen for free on YouTube.

November/December 2016

The Rampage

A&E 13

Denial Reviewed

Zachary Buller ’20 and Josephine Schizer ’20

The movie Denial, which recently came to theaters, is based on true events that Professor Deborah Lipstadt spoke about when she came to Ramaz.

The movie depicts the trial between Professor Lipstadt, a historian of the Holocaust, and David Irving, a British historian and Holocaust denier. Irving brought a libel suit against Lipstadt, accusing her of using defamatory language about him in her books, thereby hurting his reputation. Irving sued Lipstadt in Britain, where there is no presumption of innocence. Essentially, Professor Lipstadt had to prove Irving’s accusation false instead of Irving having to prove himself correct, as in America. The film shows the process of preparing a court case and then focuses on the trial itself.

Throughout the film, the audience notices both the obvious external conflicts between Lipstadt’s party and Irving and also the internal conflicts between Lipstadt and her counsel as they disagree about strategies to argue the case.

One of the main internal conflicts is whether or not to have Holocaust survivors testify as witnesses. Lipstadt believes that as eyewitnesses to the atrocities committed, the survivors should have a chance to speak. However, Lipstadt’s lawyers disagreed because, in reality, the trial was not about whether or not the Holocaust happened, but rather about the truthfulness of Lipstadt’s accusations about Irving. Putting the survivors on the stand would validate Irving’s prerogative to question whether or not the Holocaust happened. If these

survivors testified, it would give Irving a chance to attack and attempt to discredit their testimonies and memories.

Outside of the trial, the movie included some poignant emotional scenes, especially one taking place at Auschwitz, where Lipstadt and her lawyers went to collect evidence. The scene allows the viewer to feel the scope of the horror committed at Auschwitz.

At this point, the viewer understands Lipstadt’s desire to say Kel Malei Rachamim as she stands on the remains of a gas chamber. This instance is another example of internal conflict, as Lipstadt fights with her lawyer over

him seemingly treating the trip as one solely for collecting evidence, with no emotional significance whatsoever.

Another integral component of the film was the intentional similarities between David Irving and Adolf Hitler, which turned the Holocaust denier into a symbol for the German dictator. There are scenes in which Irving gives speeches to a crowd of neo-Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. The salutes and shouting in German are unnervingly reminiscent of videos of Hitler speaking to large crowds. The palpable anger in the faces of the two speakers is identical.

Ultimately, the movie address-

es the balance between the right to free speech and the right to truth. As it says in the movie, Irving’s statements allow the perpetuation of Holocaust denial and gives validity to lies. He turns lies into valid opinion, which can have very dangerous consequences. However, limiting free speech also has its problems, and the movie leaves the viewer to decide his or her opinion.

Overall, this movie is extremely meaningful and has many important messages. It was also interesting and captivating to watch. We highly recommend that you see it.

The Next App to Download: Houseparty Netanl Kamel ’18

Houseparty is the new app that everyone is now downloading. The app is a combination of both ooVoo and Facetime but adds its own twist to its video chatting service. Once you go “online” and open the app, all of your friends get a notification letting them know that you are “in the house” and available for video chatting. Then, different friends can join the chat, and you may video chat with your friends (up to 6 people). If you have a mutual friend who is “house partying” with someone else, you can join video chat and meet new people. Although it may seem slightly strange to be video chatting with random people, the only way this situation will occur is if you have a mutual friend video chatting at the same moment.

Houseparty gives you a few options to avoid encountering strangers on the app. The

first measure is that if you are about to enter a room or video chat with people that you are not friends with, Houseparty will give you a “stranger danger” notification letting you know that the there may be people you do not know in the chat. Also, if you go onto Houseparty to video chat with friends and do not want anyone else to join, you may “lock the room,” so other people cannot join the video chat session. Louise Sitt ’18 said, “Houseparty is the best app because it allows us to study with many different people.”

Houseparty allows you to have study sessions via video chat with friends, and all of your friends will be notified that you are chatting so that they can join the study session, too. Download now at the app store!

Leonard Cohen Dies at 82

Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)

Derek Korff-Korn ’18

Leonard Cohen passed away last week at the age of 82, leaving behind a rich legacy. The Canadian-born singer, songwriter, and prolific poet touched millions of fans, most profoundly with his song “Hallelujah.” Cohen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, and was awarded the highest literary award in Spain, the Principe de Asturias Prize, in 2011. He published his first volume of poetry at the early

age of 22, but at age 32, he decided to write songs instead of poems and novels. Cohen’s songs primarily explored religion (he was Jewish) and personal relationships. His first signature song was “Suzanne,” which was labeled a love song. In “Suzanne,” Cohen wrote about a woman who was married to one of his friends.

After Suzanne divorced, however, Cohen never formed a relationship with her. Multiple artists, including Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Nina Simone, have performed his songs,

namely “Hallelujah.” Cohen released “Hallelujah” in 1984 with his album Various Positions. The song soon became one of the most commonly performed musical works in America. Over the course of his music career, Cohen released fourteen albums and more than three hundred songs and went on fifteen tours. Leonard Cohen’s legacy will live on forever, as his entire career will no doubt continue to influence the music industry.

Sports The Rampage • Nov/Dec 2016

Jeremy Ascher ’19

A World Series to Remember

The 2016 World Series featured two teams that were looking to make history for their respective cities. The Chicago Cubs wanted to break their 108-year streak of failing to win a World Series. The Chicago legend, “the curse of the Billy Goat,” had plagued the team since 1945.

Supposedly, the owner of Billy Goat Tavern, William Sianis, cursed the Cubs after they asked him and his pet goat, Murphy, to exit the ballpark because of the goat’s odor. The Cleveland Indians were looking to claim their third World Series title, which they have not won since 1948. The 2016 World Series was a classic matchup between two teams, with some of the greatest pitchers in baseball today.

The Chicago Cubs’ star pitchers, Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks, took on some of the greatest hitters in baseball from the Cleveland Indians. While the Cleveland Indians star pitchers, Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, and Andrew Miller, pitched against the best team in the National League. The battle between pitchers was the highlight of the World Series.

Ultimately, the Chicago Cubs pitching roster ended up with the stronger perfor-

mance and helped the Cubs win the title.

To start off the World Series, the Indians in Cleveland crushed the Cubs in a six-to-zero game. The Cubs won the second game by a score of five to one. The win for the Cubs showed that they were not going to let “the curse of the Billy Goat ” control the series for them and that they were going to put up a fight. Two consecutive defeats for Chicago followed their victory in game two. The Indians needed only one more victory to become champions. The Cubs, instead of accepting defeat, rallied together as a team to win games five and six, tying the series at three games for each team.

Anyone who watched game seven of the 2016 World Series will never forget it. Both teams needed just one more win to seal the victory. After nine innings of intense play, the score was tied at six, and the game was going into extra innings. After a short delay due to the rain, the game continued with the top of the tenth inning.

The Cubs scored two runs in the tenth inning and beat the Indians. After 108 years of waiting, playing hard, and perfecting their game, the Cubs won the World Series, putting “the curse of the Billy Goat” to rest.

The victorious Chicago Cubs celebrate their World Series triumph.

JV Basketball Team Defeats WDS

David Grinberg ’19

The game began with the Ramaz JV Basketball Team forcing fast breaks against Westchester Day School. The score quickly rose to a 16-2 Ramaz lead. As Westchester kept turning over the ball and making poor passes, Elan Bettinger, #41, took charge and started to drive to the basket with increased aggression. Ramaz had difficulty playing defense against Bettinger and resorted to double teaming him on the drives.

The score was 22-10 in the middle of the second quarter. Yehuda Goldman ’19, #44, began pulling up from the 3-Point Line and kept on making shots. However, Elan Bettinger quickly responded with some surprising deep 3-Point shots. Ramaz’s lead over Westchester was slowly decreasing, and by the end of the third quarter, the score was 44-40, with Westchester trailing.

There was a lot of energy coming from

the audience, and the crowd began to cheer for several Westchester players who were acting very strangely. For example, after scoring a layup, a Westchester player ran around the perimeter of the court with his hands up screaming, “WEEE! I am an airplane!” Following his moment of glory, this player ran straight into the wall of the gym. After refusing to run a play that his coach was begging him to try, Elan Bettinger swished an almost halfcourt shot and walked back to play defence. At one point, Bettinger was shooting free throws, and after missing the first shot, he threw the ball at the rim and charged to the basket in an attempt to dunk it. However, Bettinger stumbled and failed to get near the rim. The referees began to blow their whistles, shouting that Bettinger had made a violation at the

line and that the ball did not touch the rim.

The Ramaz starting lineup had not played a lot, and it was only during the fourth quarter that they were cycled back into the game. The fourth quarter quickly turned into what appeared to be a layup drill for Ramaz.

Elan Bettinger fouled out, and with Westchester’s constant turnovers, Ramaz was able to keep Westchester to 48 points. In the three remaining minutes, Ramaz scored 28 quick points against Westchester. The game ended with an astonishing score of 72-48, and a Ramaz home victory.

The Ramaz JV Basketball Team ended the night with a record of 1-2, one victory and two losses. Ramaz suffered two consecutive defeats against Heschel and TABC but won a much needed Thanksgiving victory against Westchester.

November/December 2016

The Rampage

Crossword 15

Crossword Sam Berman '17

Across

1. Common bagel topping 7. “Fee, ___, Foe, Fum” 10. Place to give a life?

14. “It’s not just me, right? “ 16. A light can be turned _____ off 17. Ramaz punishment, perhaps?

18. Common place to hike in Israel 19. Not better 20. Last color of the rainbow 22. _____-stasis (bio term) 25. Ramaz Mechiza, perhaps?

26. Got on a plane 29. One ____ time 30. Bank fig.

31. FedEx rival 32. Ramaz nurse, perhaps?

34. Summer in Mr. Alvarez’s class 35. Isr. neighbor 37. Who you may look for if you’re lost 39. Ramaz sporting event chant 41. What you may do in “Clash of Clans” 42. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 _____ 46. Donald Trump could have this profession?

48. The end of _____ 49. “Am ____ only one?”

50. Synchronized memory used for videos, abbr.

51. Ramaz injury, perhaps?

54. People from England and Australia have them 56. Dry, as in a party 57. Units of time that may be used on Mars 58. Perhaps the fifth pile of thin wood pieces, on a construction site 59. Newspaper with good crosswords, abbr.

60. Attempt

See page 16 for answers.

Down

1. Ramaz rival, abbr.

2. Pitcher stat.

3. SC-___ 4. What you bubble in on a multiple choice test 5. Ore. skiing destination 6. Possible fighting app?

7. Made up 8. Sick 9. What you might say a great davening did 10. Exclamation while playing video games 11. Where you may find your name on the first day of school 12. Centrist 13. More likely to crumble 15. Prefixes for outside 21. What the designer of the Ramaz Ram could boast 22. Something you might wish someone on FB 23. “How cool?”

24. Redundant term for a person with a Y-chromosome 25. Ramaz clothing, perhaps?

27. What Elan Musk might wish for pointing to Mars 28. Soggy 33. Yankee great Rodger 36. What you might say if you were guessing which garbage can thrown garbage would land in 38. A great come-back 39. Video game involving amusement parks, for short 40. Slow animals 43. German Nobel Prize winner in chemistry 44. Speaker 45. How you could describe this crossword, slangily 47. Iraq war threat 51. Hosp. workers 52. IM pioneer 53. Business Degree 54. Ancestor in German 55. Sob

Graphic 16

The Rampage

November/December 2016

What are Ramaz students thankful for?

In honor of Thanksgiving, The Rampage asked students about what they are thankful for... here is what they said:

Crossword Answers

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