The Rampage The Newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School
New York • Volume 47 • Issue 2 • October 2016 • Elul/Tishrei 5776/5777 • the-rampage.org
Five Star Caterer Comes to Ramaz Former Caterer FLIK Ends a 17-Year Run
Abigail Huebner ’18 “One of the most prestigious and creative caterers,” with a reputation “unparalleled for quality of fare, flexibility, elegance, customer service, and professionalism,” as they advertise themselves, Five Star Caterers has now come to Ramaz. FLIK has been replaced, after 17 years at Ramaz (ever since the middle school was established in 1999). When the FLIK contract expired at the end of June, Ramaz needed to look for other options. Johanna Shlomovich, Chief Operating Officer of Ramaz and the one in charge of the food service at Ramaz, is partially responsible for this switch. “It is best business practices to make sure that we are always getting the best for the money we spend,” she said. And so, at the end of May, Ramaz brought in two new companies to look at the lunch program. Five Star was “able to give us better service and better food.” Additionally, the caterer was able to provide a mashgiach for the Lower, Middle, and Upper schools, enabling Ramaz to fulfill the wishes of many students and parents by providing two meat days per week. This system makes it easier to serve a healthy and filling meal in the middle of the school day and also seems to be what most of the students prefer. Continued "New Caterer" page 3
School Introduces “Community”
Abigail Huebner ’18 At the end of the second week of classes, the entire school gathered in the auditorium for a new type of assembly - “Community time,” students were told. An email the night before had informed the student body that “one of our new initiatives is to have regular Community time” and that everyone should go to the auditorium immediately following period three. Once the entire school was assembled in the auditorium, the program began. We sang the anthems,
alcohol or substance related paraphernalia, whether in school or on any school related trip or activity outside of school, including athletic games and shabbatons” (Preludes). The policy also includes ways to help students who may be experimenting with illegal substances in their own private lives and spaces. In previous years, the Ramaz Upper School never had an explicit and formal sub-
Students Must Balance Indoor-Outdoor Temperature Inconsistencies
Rebecca Araten ’18 Returning to school after the summer vacation requires a number of adjustments, such as doing homework, staying indoors, and, this year, the freezing temperature. When walking through the school doors after the warm summer, students found the building colder than usual. Students came up with different strategies
stance use or abuse policy, although each case was treated very seriously. The present policy emerged out of an ongoing discussion with parents and students in small groups over the course of several years. There was a strong sense that the lack of a formalized policy missed an Continued "Drug Policy" page 2
Continued "Hot or Cold?" page 2
community and of all students requires a strong statement of disciplinary consequences in response to someone endangering other students by violating the expectation that Ramaz is a drug free environment.” -Dr. Zeitchik, Director of Guidance
Inside this issue...
Shifting School Temperatures Raise Concerns
to deal with the low temperatures. Hanna Sholes ’18 said, “It's insane that I have resorted to wearing sweatshirts, leggings, and uggs in the freezing temperature. However, the second I exit the building, I am immediately hot, for I am dressed for the wrong season.” Students and teachers alike came up with theories to explain the freezing temperatures. Dr. Aharon believes that “cold temperatures keep you awake and help you learn.” She enjoys “colder room temperatures, because [she] can always just put on a sweatshirt and feel comfortable,” whereas “if the room temperatures are warmer, it can feel oppressive,...and students have trouble staying awake when it's warm and it’s late in the day.” Others hypothesized that the lower temperatures were meant to inspire warmer and therefore more modest clothing. If so, it certainly worked, as female students began to wear leggings to combat the frigidity.
“The policy makes it explicit that the safety of the
and Ms. Bernfeld were involved in developing this new policy. It balances both disciplinary and therapeutic approaches and applies to any student who is “using, under the influence of, possessing, selling or distributing any illegal substance, including
Slomnicki invented and planned Community time, seeking to “foster a sense of community” within our school. It is not, according to Rabbi Grossman, a “break” from Ramaz, but rather, like many changes taking place, part of a Renaissance. “The idea of a Renaissance is to look back on the past and see how we reimagine the best parts of it for the future,” he said. “My overall vision is that we need more opportunities to come together as a community. [Community time] is not an add Continued "'Community'" page 3
Jewish musical enterntainer Yaakov Shwekey performs for the upper school students. See page 4.
New Substance Use and Abuse Policy
Derek Korff-Korn ’18 At the start of the academic year, students heard about a new school-wide drug policy. On the first day of school, Dr. Zeitchik, the Director of Guidance, spoke to each grade about the policy. Later in the day, advisors discussed the policy with their advisees in greater depth and read the new section of “Substance Abuse” in Preludes. The Ramaz administration, Dr. Zeitchik,
read our mission statement, watched a video describing some of our fellow students’ goals for the year, and heard Rebecca Araten ’18 read us a poem she had written. We then left the assembly and continued the day with fourth period. Assemblies are usually reserved for when something happens, whether it be good or bad, and the administration decides we should unite to hear about it. So what, exactly, was this assembly for? Rabbi Grossman and Rabbi
Saba's Pizza Relocated... The restaurant is now more accessible for students page 4 Mr. Lupinacci Shares His Summer Experiences... The Rampage's first faculty column page 8 The Transition to Ramaz... Freshmen reccount their first high school experiences page 7 Crossword... The best crossword yet! page 15 Welcome to Our New Writers!... The Rampage introduces its newest contributors page 9
News 2
The Rampage
The G.O. Corner
Student Government Debuts New Initiatives
Julia Levi ’18 September has been a big month for the G.O., especially because it was the first month of school. Starting off the year with “Stochella,” the G.O. has been working and planning to make Ramaz a place that students can enjoy as much as possible. Stochella proved to be a great program, with a photobooth, flavored ice machine, and a festive barbecue lunch to get people excited for the new school year. “We put in a lot of effort, and it seems like the students really enjoyed it,” said secretary Naomi Frelich ’18. Another initiative this year is Community, or “community time,” when the school gathers together to appreciate student volunteers, who showcase their talents. The
G.O. has decided to bring back 10-10 Wins, a daily announcement at 10:10am to recognize student and faculty accomplishments. The G.O. has also ordered new apparel to prepare for the upcoming fall pep rally that it is planning. Students, faculty, and the administration held the first SFAC meeting at the end of the month, and according to president Nancy Toussie ’17, “it was a huge success, and amazing ideas were brought to the table.” Currently, the G.O. is working on plans for Sukkot, thinking about potential ideas for chaggigas and school trips. The G.O. can’t wait to show us what it has in store for the upcoming weeks and is excited to make the school the best it can be!
continued from cover
opportunity to communicate an expectation of safe and legal behavior and establish a clear standard for responding to substance use and abuse. The school has always responded seriously to different situations in which a student is involved with either drugs or alcohol. The administration and guidance department want to provide a therapeutic solution to help an individual student, while simultaneously ensuring the safety of the entire student body. According to Dr. Zeitchik, a main contributor to the new system, “the policy makes it explicit that the
continued from cover
October 2016
Hot or Cold?
However, the temperature shifts did not occur only when entering and exiting the building. While most classrooms were cold, a few classrooms were lacking any type of air conditioning, leaving students and teachers sweating. Classroom 507 was particularly warm, and teachers resorted to
opening the windows to catch a breeze. The air conditioning on the fifth floor was fixed shortly afterwards, and the temperatures have been raised slightly in the other classrooms. Nevertheless, the temperatures remain unpredictable, and it is wise to carry a sweatshirt around the building at all times.
“ It's insane that I have resorted to wearing sweat-
shirts, leggings, and uggs in the freezing temperature. However, the second I exit the building, I am immediately hot, for I am dressed for the wrong season.” -Hanna Sholes ’18
Drug Policy
safety of the community and of all students requires a strong statement of disciplinary consequences in response to someone endangering other students by violating the expectation that Ramaz is a drug free environment.” Dr. Zeitchik, speaking for himself and the administration, noted that when dealing with basic safety concerns and with potentially illegal behavior, the school needs to be clear in drawing the line. “We’re not naive and realize that even
with a policy, some teenagers will experiment and test
limits, but minimally, we can make efforts to educate and decrease the probability of students making poor decisions,” he said. Dr. Zeitchik also pointed out that our health curriculum places a strong emphasis on decision making and the nature and risks of substance use and abuse. The policy resulted from a collaboration between the school, the students, and the parents, all trying to create an environment that prevents destructive behavior and promotes students’ wellbeing.
Brother of Hadar Goldin z"l Speaks at Ramaz
Josephine Schizer ’20 In the summer of 2014, Hadar Goldin z”l, a soldier serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was killed at age 23 while participating in Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. Only two hours after a ceasefire with Hamas was declared, Hamas terrorists captured Hadar in one of their terror tunnels, where he was killed. Today, more than two years later, Hamas still has not returned his body, in addition to the body of another IDF soldier, Oron Shaul z”l. On Friday, September 16, Tzur Goldin, Hadar’s twin brother, spoke to the Ramaz seniors after davening about his brother and his family’s efforts to return the body to Israel. Tzur and his parents have been working to convince the Israeli government to make returning Hadar and Oron’s bodies a condition of any aid deal with Gaza. To further this initiative, they have been speaking in various places in the United States to raise awareness within the American Jewish community and find support for their cause. “They’re holding the body
ing whether or not to spend a year in Israel. Tzur spoke about his brother, Hadar, and said that when Hadar disappeared in the tunnels, Tzur was nearby and was called to respond. At the time, however, he did not know that the missing soldier was his brother. “The most compelling thing Tzur said was the idea that he didn’t know who he was searching for, but [his] unit searched anyway. He heard it was his twin brother, and instead of breaking down, he fought harder to find his brother in hope of getting him back,” said Rachel Wahba ’17. Tzur discussed how his brother’s motto was “Oz v’Anva” - strength and humility and showed a sign he had made that proclaimed “Na lehikanes im chiuch” - please enter with a smile - which represents Hadar’s personality. Hadar was an artist who found “meaning and potential in every detail he saw,” said Tzur. “You could feel the room reverberate with empathy, awe, and a fierce, mournful sense of pride, for Hadar and for all those who fight to
“Until he is returned for a decent burial in Is-
rael, we won’t be able to reclaim our self-respect and our values...When we promise our fighters to bring them home - dead and alive - we mean it.” -Tzur Goldin, Brother of Hadar z"l hostage, and [like America, Israel believes], no soldier left behind. It’s dignity of life, through kiddush of the burial,” Ms. Benel said. Michelle Kvital ’17 agrees, saying that, “The family has the right to closure, which a proper burial could provide.” In Tzur’s own words, “Until he is returned for a decent burial in Israel, we won’t be able to reclaim our self-respect and our values...When we promise our fighters to bring them home - dead and alive - we mean it.” Ms. Benel explained how she got in touch with Ornit Dahari, the Director of Public Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel in New York, who set up Tzur’s visit. At the time of his visit, Tzur’s parents were visiting New York to speak to the United Nations General Assembly and spread the word about their plight. Tzur came to Ramaz instead of his parents in order to make his message more accessible to teenagers, who are relatively close to him in age. He spoke to the seniors in particular because they are currently decid-
retain a Jewish state,” said Moselle Kleiner ’17. “I think his charm was that he wasn’t coming in with some mantra. I think he looked at the kids during tefilah and said ‘I promise you won’t go to sleep!’ I’m with you, but I do want to share a little bit of my story, about my family, about how precious the medinah is,” said Ms. Benel. Both Kvital and Wahba said that Tzur’s talk was the first time they were hearing about this situation. Ms. Benel hopes that now that this important issue has been brought to the students’ attention, they will decide they want to help and take action, perhaps by setting up a board to display at school, starting a petition, or something else to show their support. While speaking at the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke strongly in support of the Goldin family’s cause, saying, “All they ask is for one simple thing - to be able to visit the grave of their fallen son, Hadar, in Israel.”
James Goldberg ’13 with Tzur Goldin, his former commander in the IDF.
Leah and Simcha Goldin, Hadar's parents, who have been advocating for the return of their sons's body to Israel.
October 2016
New Caterer
continued from cover In addition to catering for bnei mitzvah, weddings, engagements, and dinners, Five Star has a lot of experience catering for schools. Five Star is the caterer of Frisch, Moriah, MDS, Har Torah, HAFTR, Solomon Schechter of Queens, and North Shore Hebrew Academy. And now, of course, Ramaz. At Ramaz, Five Star shows “more dedication and care” on the corporate management level than the previous FLIK catering, says Shlomovich. In fact, the owner of Five Star has already visited Ramaz multiple times to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Ramaz students and faculty have mixed feelings about Five Star. Some are still disappointed with the switch. Rabbi Sklarin, for example, feels upset about far more than just the food. "I loved FLIK,” he said. “Since I joined ramaz, I got to know the staff, from Carmen to Chef Chris. For example, when my wife had a baby, Daisy would prepare food for me to take home to her. They felt like close colleagues. It was shocking to get to school and see them gone. It was doubly hard when the quality of the food and the presentation was not at the same standards we at Ramaz had been used to. I still miss FLIK,” said Rabbi Skarlin. Most, however, seem to agree that Five Star has greatly improved since its debut at Ramaz and is only getting better. “On the first day of the year, the food was horrible and the salad bar was empty,” said Netanel Kamel ’18. “It seemed more like a two-star caterer to me. However, as the school year progressed, Five Star Caterers has definitely improved to be potentially even better than FLIK!” he said. Sam Freilich ’17 agreed, saying that “at first it wasn’t so good, but over time, I feel that it got better.” Everyone seems to be hopeful about our future with Five Star. Even Rabbi Sklarin said, “Hopefully, Five Star will continue to improve, and we will all be happy with the service.”
The Rampage
continued from cover
News 3
“Community”
on, a frivolous thing, but an important one. We are all happier and better students, teachers, and administrators when we spend more time together,” explained Rabbi Grossman. This first Community time was only the beginning; Rabbi Slomnicki hopes to have Community time two times every month, and Rabbi Grossman thinks that once a week would be ideal. “This is not my vision or Rabbi Grossman’s,” Rabbi Slomnicki said. “Students come forward and showcase what they want. Everyone who works in the building - faculty, kitchen staff, and security staff - has a chance to contribute. It’s about having shared experiences; it speaks to our mission, to why we are here,” he said. Rebecca Araten, the first student to “showcase” her talents, said that “it felt good to share something that I was proud of with the school, and I’m glad that the school is encouraging art among the students. Community time seems like a great step in the process of the Ramaz Renaissance.” GO President Nancy Toussie ’17 agreed, explaining that “Community time is going to be a time where we can showcase our talents, clubs, art projects, and more. I think it’s a great idea because there are many clubs or talents that go unnoticed, but thanks to Community time we’ll be able to see what the 3D printing club made or what clothing the fashion club is working on.” Rabbi Grossman hopes to have Community time showcase “things that reflect our values; music
could be an important component, as well as celebrating students’ accomplishments, giving opportunities to demonstrate talents, showing fun videos like at the opening assembly, learning what’s going on in Israel, focusing on upcoming chagim, having the GO update the student body, and once in awhile some surprising, out of the box things.” Anything important to the Ramaz community, or to individual members of our community, can be brought into the spotlight
Rabbi Slomnicki said. Indeed, Rabbi Grossman spent his first year at Ramaz listening to what people want in Ramaz and then initiated these Community times as a response to what people have requested - namely, the “expressed need people feel to gather together as a community.” Although initially confused about the program, many Ramaz students found themselves appreciating this Community time even after only one program. “It made
“ Let’s not call it community time.
Let’s call it Community, with a capital C. I want it to be a proper noun.” -Rabbi Slomnicki through these assemblies. Both Rabbis spoke with excitement about all the possibilities for Community time. “Let’s not call it community time. Let’s call it Community, with a capital C. I want it to be a proper noun,” explained Rabbi Slomnicki. The idea of “Community” is supposed to be something that the students take with them out of the assemblies, into school itself, to improve the atmosphere of Ramaz. “It would be wonderful if through these experiences there was a change in how we view our community, so we felt, acted, and behaved like a community. [Community times] are not meant to be experiences for themselves,”
me feel connected to Ramaz as a new freshman,” said Isaac Schertz ’20. “ I definitely think we need more of these,” he said. Nicole Bensadigh ’19 agreed, saying that “it will change the atmosphere of our school and make people feel closer.” Rabbi Grossman understands that this initiative is not something that can be integrated into the school all at once. “It needs time to evolve; we are very responsive to what students think,” and are looking forward to “tweaking the program” to make it reflect our community.
Freshmen Enjoy Two-Day Orientation
Sophia Kremer ’20 Where did I get to know a dancer from Stamford, CT, a hockey player from Scarsdale, NY, a music producer from Englewood, NJ, a swimmer from Queens, a coin collector from Manhattan, and so many more? The two-day freshman orientation at the Ramaz Upper School allowed me to meet many new and interesting classmates, with whom I will spend the next four years. We kicked off the first day with a powerful dvar torah from Rabbi Stochel and then filed into the cafeteria for a large breakfast of donuts, fruits, and beverages. There, we met our senior advisors, who had contacted us over summer break. Senior advisor Nicole Aboodi ’17 said, “It was really nice bonding with the freshmen. I love to see them in the halls and see how they are doing.” Next, we split up into advisories, where we got the chance to really get to know each other with icebreakers and fun activities. We also discussed school rules, and our advisors tried their hardest to help us navigate our schedules. After advisory, we headed down to the auditorium for a creative game of bingo. We each received a grid with activities as diverse as milking a cow and playing in an orchestra and had to go around to our classmates, asking them which activities they
have completed. “It was a very innovative way to get to know our classmates' names,” said Avery Sholes ’20, “and learn a little more about their hobbies and interests.” It was very fun, but understandably, it took about an hour for someone to finally get bingo.
There we were, piled up high with textbooks, struggling to open our lockers, lost in the wrong lounge (who knew the entire fourth floor was off limits?). Next, we split up into our advisories for a scavenger hunt. Senior advisors took us around the school and the city streets. We went to Butterfield to take artsy pictures and Starbucks for a delicious beverage. This helped the students who were new to the city to get a feel for the Upper East Side. “I’m so ex-
cited to have a Starbucks so close to school!” said Ian Mauer ’20. When we got back to school, an ice cream truck was waiting for us. The ice cream truck reminded us that even in this great big city, we will always have our small community back at Ramaz. The next day, we came back to school, joined by over 300 new faces! There we were, piled up high with textbooks, struggling to open our lockers, lost in the wrong lounge (who knew the entire fourth floor was off limits?). To cool things down, we enjoyed a “Stochella” lunch with a photo booth and its very own snapchat geotag. We spent the rest of the day in Central Park and came back to refreshing ices and a slide show of the photos that we took on the scavenger hunt on the previous day. When it finally came to our first full school day, many remained very nervous. Even for students who had attended Ramaz Middle School, everything and everyone still seemed so new. The activities that the faculty and the senior advisors prepared for us helped us learn a lot about each other and gave us the opportunity to start forming close bonds.
News 4
The Rampage
Sophomores Receive Chesed Hours Project with Assembly
Natalie Kahn ’19 Sophomores have a requirement to accumulate at least twenty chesed hours per semester. Chesed hours are those spent doing community service. In order to give students some ideas for chesed opportunities and projects, sophomores attended a chesed assembly on September 14, 2016. The program started with a speech by Manny De La Cruz. Mr. De La Cruz is in a wheelchair, and he came to share his story with the sophomores. Born to an underprivileged family, he was able to attend a prestigious private school by acing the admissions test. After going to a top college and working in finance, he was paralyzed in a car accident, and afterwards, he devoted his life to the Axis Project, an organization designed to help kids with disabilities integrate into society. “His story was very inspirational because it shows that even though he was injured and his life was forever changed, he continued to thrive and refused to let it stop his life. For most people, an injury like that brings you down, but Manny’s injury only brought him up,” said Jake Amaltov ’19. “It was very thought-provoking and made me think about other people in the world who have disabilities. We take so much for granted, and Manny put everything in perspective,” said Lia Michel ’19. The next speaker was Abbey Lepor ’16, who graduated Ramaz last year and is currently a freshman at New York University. Abbey told us about her community service work. As a tennis player, she chose to spend her sophomore year chesed hours playing tennis with kids in wheelchairs, and eventually, they were able to compete in tournaments and join
their schools’ tennis teams. “As a tennis player myself, Abbey’s speech showed me that I can do the things I love and help other people at the same time,” said Hadley Kauvar ’19. Although this initiative started because Abbey had to fill her twenty mandatory chesed hours, she
Lenox Hill Hospital. He spoke about Bikur Cholim at the hospital. Rabbi Silver organizes volunteer visits to bedridden patients, provides kosher food for Jewish families of patients, and gives these families apartments that are close to the hospital. He discussed
Sophomores with Mr. Manny de La Cruz, a main speaker at the assembly. loved it so much that she continued to do it even after sophomore year ended. She continued coaching kids in wheelchairs, playing with them until she graduated. Abbey encouraged the sophomores to fill their hours with projects that they love, so the students do not view their acts of chesed as part of a school requirement. Rather, she explained, their chesed hours should include projects that the students find meaningful and enjoyable. The last presenter was Rabbi Simcha Silver, chaplain at
how one visit to the hospital can be so meaningful; it can brighten a patient’s day after he or she has been lying in bed for hours on end. This example demonstrates how one act of kindness can have such a great effect, both on the person doing the deed and the receiver, showing exactly why the school has a sophomore chesed program. As Emily Abraham ’19 said, “It is a way to make us feel grateful for everything we have and serves as an opportunity to give back to the community we know has given us so much.”
Saba's Pizza Relocated Now More Accessible for Upper School Students
Mark Marcus ’18 Saba’s Pizza has moved from its original location on 91st Street and Lexington to 82nd Street and Lexington. The change in location serves as a welcome sign to Ramaz students, who no longer have to trek nearly a mile for a slice of pizza. The move shortens the students’ walk time from nearly 20 minutes to only seven and leaves ample time to eat and arrive back at school promptly. Saba’s Pizza has also recently expanded to the Upper West Side, located at 79th Street and Amsterdam. Recognizing the Ramaz students as potential customers, Saba’s Pizza has started offering a “student special,” which allows students to purchase two plain slices and a drink for only $6.
“The pizza could be better,” said Noah Brill ’18, “but I like taking advantage of the Ramaz discount from time to time.” In addition to pizza, the restaurant offers a variety of menu options, such as pastas, salads, and calzones. It is always an active spot during lunch periods. As Tammy Krikheli ’18 said, “The line during lunch is always way too long; there are people waiting out the door.” As of today, Saba’s Pizza has garnered a respectable Yelp rating of 3.5 stars. Saba’s Pizza is chalav yisroel, pas yisroel, shomer Shabbat, and has kosher supervision from Rabbi Aaron D. Mehlman. The Ramaz Upper School students are taking advantage Saba’s Pizza now that it is in the neighborhood.
October 2016
Shwekey Performs at Ramaz Lower, Middle, and Upper School Students Enjoy Shwekey and His Band
Louise Sitt ’18 On Friday morning, September 16, many upper school students were excited to hear that Yaakov Shwekey, the well-known Jewish musician, would be performing in a private concert at KJ. When the students arrived at the shul’s main sanctuary, Shwekey and his band were ready to start their show. Shwekey had performed a concert for the lower and middle school students just before the high school students arrived. The concert was approximately one hour long, and Shwekey performed his most popular songs. For example, he sang the song I Can Be, which was written in dedication to the Special Children’s Center, a charity that his wife runs for children with disabilities. He also performed celebrational music, which improved the students’ mood. By the end of the concert, few students were sitting in their seats. Students and teachers were dancing together near the stage. Many thought that the Shwekey concert was a nice surprise before Shabbat and a great way to ease the students into the weekend. G.O. president (and fan of Shwekey) Nancy Tousie ’17 said, “Everyone loved the surprise! Hopefully that enjoyment will come in other forms in the future.” Rebecca Hershkowitz ’17 added, “Singing and dancing at the Shwekey concert was definitely the right way to start off the school year!” Overall, the Shwekey concert was a great success.
Yaakov Shwekey
Creepy Clown Attacks Rattle Country
Sophia Kremer ’20 Many young children experience a fear of clowns. Places where you would normally find clowns–circuses, parades, and birthday parties–should be fun and happy. However, often, clowns have the opposite effect and cause children to become anxious and terrified. Now, children may have a reason to be scared. For the past few weeks, news stories and videos of people dressed in horrifying clown costumes have been going viral on the internet. Spotted all around America and Canada, the clowns have appeared on the sides of roads, on people's private property, and in other public areas. They are usually armed with some sort of weapon, often a kitchen knife or wooden bat. When the clowns spot a target, they start off with their signature slow walk that breaks into a sprint. The clowns have not caused any deaths, but they have injured victims while chasing them and wrestling them to the ground. There have also been multiple robberies and social media reports of clowns threatening to attack schools and public places. Recently, a knife-wielding clown was spotted in the 96th and Lexington Subway station, chasing after a 16-year-old boy from New Jersey at about four in the afternoon. Nonetheless, the NYPD said that it has found clown threats in the city to be harmless. Deputy Commissioner John Miller of the New York Police Department said, "Our main message is: don't believe the hype and don't be afraid of the clowns." Perhaps, the most harmful part of the clown sightings is that all those who
earned their living working as clowns are now being asked not to attend birthday parties and other events. Clowns who worked at hospitals, going room to room to cheer up patients, are being asked to stay away. The entire clown industry is now at risk. “You’d think we were spreading around the Zika virus,” one clown comedian remarked when asked not to show up to all his usual events. To ensure your safety and that of others, here’s some useful advice: 1) Do not dress up like a clown. 2) Report any suspicious activity to authorities, including social media activity. 3) Do not joke about the clowns in any dishonest way that will scare others and concern the police or schools.
October 2016
The Rampage
News 5
The New Orientation System, Reexamined
Becky Tauber '19 and Suzi Dweck '19
Ramaz decided to change its orientation system this year, organizing programming for the whole school, not just the freshmen. In past years, the incoming freshmen would have orientation on their own day, while the rest of the school would arrive on the following day for the first real day of school. This system gave the freshmen a day to get to know the school and their grade before getting started with their first year at Ramaz. Previously, the school probably assumed that returning students didn’t necessarily need an orientation, because they were already familiar with the school. This year, however, freshmen, as well as returning sophomores, juniors, and seniors, were required to come for an orientation on Thursday, following a freshmen orientation on Wednesday. “As a freshman, it was great to have not just one, but two days of orientation,” said Gabby Schwartz ’20. “It really gave me the chance to get a feel for the school before the start of classes,” she said. At this orientation, the stu-
“I think that the new orientation
system was a great way for the students to ease into the school year and catch up with their friends. As a senior, I wish they would've implemented this idea earlier, so the past grades could've enjoyed it as well.” -Rebekah Fenster '17 dents had advisory, got their books, and were able to catch up with friends before the official start of the school year. This day gave the
As opposed to arriving at school on the first day and starting classes right away, students, as well as faculty, had the chance to catch up with one another and to hear about how friends and colleagues spent their summers. Students thought that this new system was more successful than past orientations, when they had to jump into a strenuous year right away. “I think that the new orientation system was a great way for the students to ease into the school year and catch up with their friends,” said Rebekah Fenster ’17. “As a senior, I wish they would’ve implemented this idea earlier, so the past grades could’ve enjoyed it as well,” she said. The students really enjoyed this new orientation system and hope that the administration will continue it next year.
returning students the opportunity to reunite and reconnect with their fellow classmates and get used to the school atmosphere again.
Schoology System Starts in Full New System Meets Mixed Response from Students and Faculty Alike
Talia Katz ’19 and Rosie Adelman ’19 This year, Ramaz has adopted a new website for accessing assignments: Schoology. Schoology is a course-managing site for both teachers and students. Teachers can post necessary updates and materials for their students to access in a single place. There are some individuals, however, who find this new system to be difficult to understand and prefer the previous organizational tool, web.ramaz.org. Schoology has many important features. The website allows for class folders, class discussions, a list of posted assignments, and a record of all one’s assessments. Nevertheless, with many teachers choosing different methods or folders for posting their homework and curriculum information, some students are unable to keep track. In addition to the site’s structure, some students feel that
their teachers, now having this new website as a resource, no longer inform the class about assignments far enough in advance for students to complete them. As a result, some students don’t receive the online or cellular notification about the post or message and end up with incomplete homework assignments. Although this problem doesn’t deal with Schoology directly, evidently, multiple students have had this issue, including Megan Herskowitz ’17, who said, “When my teachers post homework, and I don’t get the notification, it’s really annoying.” Sarah Genachowski ’19 encountered a similar problem saying, “...It’s hard to plan out my schedule for the night and decide what clubs to do if I don’t know I have homework until eight o’clock [at night] when the teachers decide to post [on Schoology].” Despite those who find the new system frustrat-
ing, others have offered positive feedback about Schoology. “I think Schoology is better because it allows students to keep track of all aspects of a class,” said Sarah Cabot ’17, who has no problem navigating the new website. While students have shared both positive and negative opinions on the efficiency of Schoology, some teachers seem to be relatively indifferent. “I think [Schoology is] a fine site. It’s different. I don’t have any feelings about it,” said Dr. Sclar, who uses Schoology often to post reading assignments. Ms. Maccabee has been posting on Schoology since the start of the school year and has shown positive feelings towards it, saying [Schoology is] a very new thing; we don’t really know about it yet, but it is good; it works.”
clockwise, from top
Among the assorted features of the new Schoology system are tabs for courses, groups, and resources; the traditional Ramaz login mirroring the Outlook email service; an iconic logo; recent activity and messages pages on the Schoology site.
News 6
The Rampage
October 2016
Dr. Gaylord Institutes New Grading Methods Ayelet Monas '19 and Emily Podolsky '19
Dr. Gaylord has incorporated a whole new grading system into his English classes this year. Through his newly designed “Assignment Menu,” Dr. Gaylord is offering his students the option to complete as many assignments as they want. Each assignment on the menu has a specific point value. The students are able to choose whichever assignment they want to do, whenever they want to do it. Dr. Gaylord gives a grade (out of the number of points specific to that assignment) and then adds it to the student’s ‘score’ in the class. With this new system in place, students are allowed to skip certain assignments and make up for the points by doing an assignment of their choice from the menu. When Dr. Gaylord introduced the new “Assignment Menu,” students felt immense relief. "It allows anyone to get the grade they want as long as they work hard, and if you mess up on one test, you can still make it up with another assignment,” said Isaiah Goldberg ’19. Similarly, Sophie Dahan ’19 said, “I think it's a great idea, and most students would think it's an easy A when they hear it. But Dr. Gaylord knows we don’t have time to do all of the extra work. Nonetheless, I think it’s very nice of him, and I'm hoping I can get an A in English this year.” Alex Doppelt ’19 said, “It’s a really great method, and it really helps struggling, hard-working students get the grades they deserve.” Students who had Dr. Gaylord in the past wish they had this same opportunity. Brittney Kohler ’17 said,
“I had him last year, and I have him again this year. I do wish he had this system last year because then I'd be able to do more work for more points, and I would have been able to do the assignments whenever I had the time.” Dr. Gaylord explained the motivation
“It’s a really great method,
and it really helps struggling, hard-working students get the grades they deserve.” -Alex Doppelt '19
behind this innovative switch. “I was inspired by Rabbi Grossman's encouragement to try new ways of going about old things–and I didn't want to proceed under the assumption that the traditional forms of grading and assessment were unassailable just because they were traditional,” he said. Dr. Gaylord continued: “So I thought about what I felt my old assessment policies were missing and what new and original ways I might restructure them. In my redesign of the system, the two
big goals for me were simple: one, getting students more personally and creatively invested in the work they do for class, and two, providing students the feeling that, with enough hard work, they always have the opportunity to get a good grade. I really believe that the student work I get will be better if the students feel the freedom to pick and choose what kind of work they are inspired to do. I've already seen the evidence of it: students are excited to find ways to express themselves creatively and get points for doing so. Of course, the danger is that there is greater individual responsibility on the student's part to complete work on his/her own timeline, and even though there is more opportunity than ever for students to get high grades, a more open system such as this might also allow some less driven students to flounder–so we'll have to keep an eye on that. But, overall, I'm excited to see how this experiment works.” Teachers also responded positively to Dr. Gaylord’s new system. Ms. Cohen said, “I think it's fantastic, and I definitely plan on incorporating aspects of Dr. Gaylord's new grading system into my own curriculum.”
Junior and Senior Teshuva Assembly Rebecca Araten '18
In honor of the chagim, the school organized a “teshuva assembly” for the juniors and seniors, respectively. The assemblies took place on the Friday before the Ashkenazim began reciting selichot. While these assemblies often feature divrei Torah from different rabbis of the Ramaz/KJ community, this year’s program had more of a kumzitz style and focused on singing as a group. Rabbi Avraham Willig led the singing. He played guitar and told brief stories. While there were some initial issues with the students’ rowdiness, they ultimately enjoyed the uplifting environment. The students had an opportunity to distance them-
Becky Tauber '19 A few weeks ago, students joined together in order to perform acts of chesed in honor of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks. In this event, which Ms. Benel organized, a number of chesed projects took place in order to commemorate one of the most tragic events in American history. Some students gathered at the Upper School, while others assembled in Brooklyn for their “Day of Service.” At Ramaz, students participated in three different projects, packing various items for people who need support. Beverly Wolfer, the founder of the Major Stuart Adam Wolfer Institute, introduced the first project. Ms. Wolfer is the sister of the late Major Stuart Adam Wolfer, who died tragically during his service in Iraq. Beverly and her family started the institute in order to make sure that the legacy of their loved one is not forgotten. The organization sends packages to American troops who are stationed overseas or who are with their families at home. The students worked together in order to pack ten boxes of gift bags to be shipped across the globe. These bags included food items for Rosh Hashana, such as honey and dried fruits. They also contained special
selves from the busy week and focus on the spiritual atmosphere that the chagim generate. “I thought that it was really great when everyone got into it,” said Naomi Freilich ’18. “It was a really nice way to bring in Shabbat as well,” she said. At one point, Rabbi Willig played a tune and told the students to make up their own words to go along with it. By doing so, students could make their own personal prayers. The students felt inspired after the assembly, especially after Rabbi Willig offered parables about the love/fear relationship we have with G-d during the High Holidays. Aside from the music and stories, many students enjoyed the bond that came from spending time
together. “It was really nice to have our whole grade come together in a meaningful way,” said Abigail Huebner ’18. The students were not the only ones who enjoyed the program. Teachers also danced around the Beit Knesset, including Rabbi Weiser, who joyously sang with the students. “Some kids have a lot of ruach and some don’t, so you have to get [the students] into it,” Rabbi Weiser explained. “The ruach was there, you just have to make it overflow,” he said. Rabbi Weiser succeeded in his goal and helped the students to enjoy the program.
9/11 Day of Service cards for the soldiers and a star cut from an old American flag, showing gratitude to the soldiers who protect are country. D’vora Biderman, a dental hygienist, lead the second project. Every year, D’vora travels all the way to Uganda in order to help a small Jewish community. She goes with other dental professionals, providing dental work for the people of the village. The students packed dozens of dental gift bags, which contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss, for D’vora to bring on her next trip to Uganda. The students watched a short video that took them through D’vora’s trip, offering a better understanding of how exactly a toothbrush and toothpaste can have such an impact on the villagers. The last project was for kids in New York City homeless shelters, whose mothers are victims of domestic violence. Students filled backpacks with various school supplies, including binders, notebooks, folders, pencils, and other items. “It was really nice to provide food and necessities for people in so many different places,” said Rebecca Douer ’19. Some students later participated in Friendship Circle. They
joined kids with special needs in various fun activities, such as arts and crafts, a moon bounce, and sports. “Friendship Circle was very moving and inspiring, and I will continue to do different kinds of chesed with kids like those from Friendship Circle,” said Jacob Bengualid ’19 While all of these acts of chesed were going on, students in Brooklyn assembled at the Masbia soup kitchen, where they spent the day cooking and serving food for people who cannot afford their own meals. Masbia soup kitchen allows anyone who cannot afford a proper meal to come for one free
meal per day. “I went to the Masbia soup kitchen in Brooklyn, and it really impacted the way I saw everything,” said Paola Mattout ’19. “I saw the number of people that didn’t have a daily meal, and it really stunned me. We should all be thankful that we have meals to eat everyday,” she said. The 9/11 “Day of Service” was a successful and memorable day of chesed. Through acts of kindness, it brought students of different grades together to honor the victims of the terrible tragedy that occurred on 9/11.
Features The Rampage • October 2016
Transitioning to High School: Two Perspectives Alexandra Orbuch ’20
The transition from Ramaz Middle School to Ramaz Upper School was definitely challenging. Nevertheless, this change to a new environment was not as radical as I had anticipated. In middle school, I worried that the upper school was going to be very difficult. I even went so far as to believe that I might not be able to handle it. Even at the age of 11, I had already begun thinking about the intense work that awaited me. When thinking about entering high school, it did not occur to me that I had an advantage; I was already familiar with nearly half of the incoming freshman class. Before high school, I was only able to focus on the fact that I would be entering a mostly unfamiliar environment. I was nervous about receiving a new group of students, who would make up half of the freshmen class. I was concerned that I would not become close with any of them. Before the new experience had even begun, I allowed my angst to get the best of me. At long last, the first day arrived. I found that I gravitated to the people I already knew, rather than reaching out to the newcomers. The multitude of new faces left me overwhelmed. My worst fear was that I would not meet any new people. In a moment of fear, I envisioned myself four years later without any friends. My other major fear was that the work would be at a pace that I could not manage. How was I going to understand my schedule and my classes and manage all the work that was to come? All in all, it seemed like a potentially disastrous high school experience awaited me. After spending my first few weeks in the upper school, I have realized that most of my initial worries had no true foundation. The workload was manageable and fit what is to be expected of an academically rigorous institution such as Ramaz. The
Louise Sitt ’18
previous eight years at Ramaz had, in fact, prepared me for high school. Additionally, my worries about not making friends turned out to be equally unfounded; the new students were friendly and approachable. Many of them introduced themselves and were open to forging new friendships. These new relationships not only made high school seem less intimidating and played a major role in calming me down, but also allowed me to see that clinging onto my past was unnecessary. With time, I gained a new perspective on change; change is an essential part of life, and in order to move forward, one must embrace it.
Zachary Buller ’20
Initially, the thought of beginning high school unsettled me. Coming from SAR Academy and knowing that Ramaz was a completely new environment, I did not have enough information to make accurate assumptions about high school. I felt underprepared because the teaching style and workload was different at my old school. The possibility of not making friends was also very worrying. I felt I was at a disadvantage because I was a newcomer. I was under the impression that the students coming from the middle school were familiar with each other; many of them had known each other for 14 years. Would it be possible for me to fit in and break social barriers? How long would it take? A week? A month? A year? When I walked into the upper school on the first day, I was still worried about the possibility of not making friends. I felt like an outsider. It seemed as though I would never be able to develop friendships with these strangers. As
I walked into the auditorium for davening, I was inundated with many new faces. But, as the day progressed, I became more comfortable with my peers. Lunch played a key role in this change of perspective because I was able to sit with a smaller group of people, allowing me to socialize with only a few classmates at a time. Overall, as the day went on, I slowly became more accustomed to the Upper School. To my surprise, coming to Ramaz from another school did not put me at a significant disadvantage; spending almost a month in the Upper School had completely eliminated my original worries. Transitioning into high school was not as bad as it seemed originally. Looking back, I realize that many of my intense concerns on the first day were irrational; now, I know that all the freshmen were nervous as well. No matter what middle school you are coming from, entering high school is sure to be challenging. Settling in, making new friends, and being academically successful can be very difficult tasks. It has only been three weeks, and although we cannot predict what will come next, we can already see that many of our initial challenges are disappearing. As Winston Churchill once said, “Every day you may make progress... yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path... this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.”
Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe
Do you have extra time in the morning before school? These pumpkin-flavored pancakes are great for a cozy fall breakfast! Prep. time: 10 minutes Total time: About 20 minutes
Ingredients: 1 cup pumpkin pie filling 2 eggs 2 cups milk 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions: Whisk pumpkin pie filling and eggs together in a bowl until smooth. Add milk, flour, baking powder, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whisk until batter is smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle at medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
Witness Theater: Interview with Ms. Litwack
Naomi Freilich ’18
Q: How and why did you introduce Witness Theatre to Ramaz? A: Self Help, an organization that provides services to survivors, introduced Witness Theater to Ramaz. They approached Mr. Miller in the spring of 2015 and Mr. Miller asked me if I wanted to be the Ramaz coordinator of this program. I was eager to participate because of my background in theater and interest in psychology, as well as my commitment to the sharing of the survivors' stories. Q: What does the process of being part of Witness Theatre entail? A: The process begins in September and concludes with a performance of the stories
on Yom HaShoah. We will do three performances this year: one on the erev of Yom HaShoah in coordination with K. J., one in the afternoon for the Ramaz students, and one on the Thursday evening following Yom HaShoah for the community. Two social workers, a drama therapist and I run the sessions, although the drama therapist plans the weekly activities. We begin each session by having dinner together and socializing. In the beginning, the students and adults engage in activities and games that allow them to get to know each other. Then, after about a month, the survivors begin to tell their stories to the students in three parts: Before the War, During the War, and After the War. Students record
these stories in notebooks and retell them to the group. During the winter break, the drama therapist– with some assistance from me– creates a play that portrays the survivors' stories and assigns students to play the survivors' parts. Then, students begin a rehearsal process, and the survivors act as assistant-directors alongside Andrea Stefans, the drama therapist. The creation of the drama is collaborative; students and survivors help determine which sections need to be added, eliminated, expanded or revised. In February, the students begin to attend rehearsals on Sundays; however, the weekly Thursday meetings continue. After the performances, we meet two or three times to conclude the therapeutic process.
We become a close community and often celebrate holidays together. Last year, we met on Purim and shared shalach manot. And sadly, one of the adults passed away during the year and we came together in grief and mourning. Q: Would you recommend Witness Theatre to all students? A: I wouldn't recommend Witness Theater to every student, but I would encourage students that would like to have the opportunity to interact with and learn from survivors to apply. It is a serious time commitment and an emotional one as well, but everyone that has participated has said it was one of the most important and meanContinued “Witness” page 6
Features 8
The Rampage
October 2016
Neighborhood Eateries Locations by Esti Beck '19, Graphic by Moselle Kleiner '17
For a cup of coffee?
Seven Local Kosher Restaurants For frozen yogurt? That Deserve a Try
Starbucks Distance: 3-minute walk Location: 1117 Lexington Ave, between 77th and 78th Hours: Weekdays 5am-11pm *some coffee flavors may not be kosher The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Distance: 10-minute walk Location: 1469 Third Ave at 83rd Street Hours: Weekdays 6am-10pm
Petite Shell Cafe E. 86th and Lex *dairy Tevere Restaurant E. 84th and Lex *meat Saba’s Pizza E. 82nd and Lex *dairy
Butterfield Market Distance: 3-minute walk Location: 1114 Lexington Ave, between 77th and 78th Hours: Weekdays 7am-8pm 16 Handles Distance: 11-minute walk Location: 1569 Second Ave, between 81st and 82nd Hours: Weekdays 11:30am-11pm
Mocha Burger E. 83rd and Second Ave. *meat
Nargila Grill E. 84th and York *meat Va Bene E. 82nd and Second Ave. Eighteen Restaurant *dairy E. 81st and Second Ave. *meat
map
The Upper East Side has many kosher eateries. Here is a breakdown of these lunch and dinner spots and their locations.
Witness continued from page 7
ingful experiences of his or her life. It is a process filled with learning, bonding, growing and performing mitzvot. The relationships established are deep and close. Q: What did you get out of participating in Witness Theatre? A: I personally have learned so much about history, faith and strength through this process. I have also learned through the diverse stories of the survivors that their experiences– as well as their responses to those experiences– were complex and varied. I have gained a sense of what they suffered and endured in a more intimate way than I had by reading or by visiting Yad V'Shem. It has been and continues to be an enriching and sobering experience. Q: Witness Theatre for this school year already began. Can you describe what the group has begun to do? A: This year, we have been moving through the getting-to know-each-other stage. Today, the adults will begin sharing the stories of their lives before the war with the students. These stories are filled with both joy and fear, and they require close listening and great empathy.
From the live performance of Witness Theater last spring in honor of Yom HaShoah. The group onstage is composed of Holocaust survivors and Ramaz students, including current seniors Sarah Cabot '17, Mariah Hubert '17, and Atara Hubert '17 (image by SelfHelp).
October 2016
The Rampage
Features 9
Which Presidential Candidate is Better for Israel?
Natalie Kahn ’19 and Esti Beck ’19
The 2016 presidential race is coming to a close, and the two candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, are neck and neck. Unfortunately, with the candidates’ unfavorability ratings hitting a new low, a lot of people are choosing the candidate they hate the least instead of the candidate they like the most. Although each candidate’s position on Israel is not set in stone, there are arguments for both sides as to which candidate would be the first president to bring peace to the Middle East.
in the West Bank. Trump said that if Israel was ever in trouble, America would jump to its aid. On the other hand, Hillary said that Israeli settlements in the West Bank were her biggest complaint about the Israeli government.
Beck: Clinton’s AIPAC speech highlighted many of our fears about a Trump presidency, at least regarding Middle East policy. She spoke about his flip-flopping on the topic and how he went from “neutral” in an MSNBC interview in February (his cam-
sends her kids to Ramaz, an adamantly Zionist school. Trump would never do anything that could hurt the Jewish people, for his connection to them is too strong, given that his daughter is one of them. Trump also said he believes that Jerusalem should be declared Israel’s legitimate capital, and he, along with the other Republican candidates, wants to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Clinton is not only opposed to this, but also has already said that she advocates for a two-state solution, even though we know the Palestinians
Kahn: The relationship between Benjamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama has been a very rocky one, primarily due to Obama’s endorsement of the Iran Deal, which gave Iran limited access to nuclear power. Clinton, as secretary of state, rallied for the Iran Deal. Now, running for president, she has the support of Obama and the political capability to make her presidency basically a third Obama term, which could be disastrous for Israel. Beck: Obama’s relationships with foreign leaders provide no indications of what Clinton will bring to the table. Many times, consecutive presidents from the same party have taken power and had completely different stances regarding foreign powers and America’s role in intervention overseas. While Clinton does seem to be advocating a similar platform to that of Obama, at least to win over voters, we must acknowledge that they are different people. His legacy is no indication of what hers will be, and she’s been bitter rivals with him in the past. Clinton has been Secretary of State, and she knows how to deal (positively) with foreign leaders, including Netanyahu. Kahn: At the AIPAC conference, Trump declared that one of his priorities will be to dismantle the Iran Deal, because it does not prevent nuclear military capability, and Iran has been backing jihadist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. He also reinforced his support for Israeli settlements
paign website still expresses this view) to pro-Israel at the AIPAC conference in March (and when addressing Jewish donors). It’s clear that even he can’t decide where he stands, and we can’t trust him. It’s so hard to know what he will end up doing, and we can’t run the risk of him deciding that he’s “neutral” in the negotiation between Israel and Palestine. We need a clear pro-Israel stance, and he just doesn't have it. Clinton’s comment about the settlements as a complaint about the Israeli government is only a complaint. There is no way that any candidate would see the Israelis as 100% foolproof, and even at Ramaz, we don’t advocate for that view. Kahn: A reason Trump would support Israel is that his daughter Ivanka converted to Modern Orthodoxy and even
will never be satisfied with their own state as long as Israel is still in existence. Beck: The line “my daughter is Jewish” is going to become the new “I have a black friend.” We can’t judge a man by his daughter’s religious beliefs and temperament. It’s great that he’s supportive of Ivanka’s conversion, but that doesn’t mean automatically that he’s adopted everything we stand for as Jews and as the Ramaz community. As for Clinton’s two-state solution, she’s not alone in her thinking. There’s an entire political party in Israel - Likud - that shares her belief. Natalie: Still, Trump’s connections to the Jewish people are much stronger than Clinton’s. In fact, one of Clinton’s biggest donors to her campaign, George Soros, has said that Israel is “racist and anti-democratic,” and he has also giv-
en numerous contributions to organizations that are blatantly focused on delegitimizing Israel, such as Adalah and Media Center for Arab Palestinians. Even more significant is the fact that Clinton’s running mate, Tim Kaine, has shown support for organizations affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and boycotted Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. He appointed the Muslim American Society’s (MAS) president to Virginia’s immigration commission, but MAS was revealed to be part of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2008. Beck: For the record, on Kaine, not a single major news outlet has embraced the claims of his anti-Israel stance, with the notable exception of Breitbart news, which we all know is run by the Trump campaign’s CEO, Stephen Bannon. Also, Clinton is not the only one with donor issues. Many high-profile Republican donors - including a significant number of Jews - have shied away from supporting Trump, most notably Sheldon Adelson and Paul Singer. While Adelson has donated to Trump’s campaign, the donations are not nearly at the levels of previous years, and as of September 20th, Adelson has shifted the majority of his resources to congressional races. Singer, in the meantime, has denounced the Trump campaign and has joked about adding his own name to the ballot, as opposed to voting for the Republican nominee. We can’t determine what led to the donors’ hesitancy about supporting him, although it may have been Trump’s comments to the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), stereotyping Jews as “negotiators.” From what we can tell, however, the donors aren’t too thrilled about the prospect of four more years of Trump.
clockwise, from top
Washington D.C., the Trump campaign's slogan and logo, Jerusalem, the Clinton capaign's slogan and logo
Features 10
The Rampage
October 2016
Faculty Column Mr. Lupinacci
Mr. Lupinacci Travels The Globe
At the start of the school year, we all ask each other the perennial question, “How was your summer?” This past summer is one that I cannot easily summarize. I decided to make up for some lost time and visit some of the places that I always hoped to see for myself. It was a truly wonderful journey. I stopped in London and Paris very briefly to see some friends and to adjust to the new time zone. I then spent two weeks in Israel. I travelled exclusively by bus all throughout the country: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Eilat, the Dead Sea, Tzfat, Galilee, Haifa, and Caesarea. I also spent a day in Jordan to visit Petra. My Ramaz affiliation enriched my trip in so many ways. I was hosted by two of my former faculty colleagues and spent time with fifteen recent graduates (and a couple of Ramaz parents) in various places throughout the country. The Istrael part of my trip alone would have made the summer worth it, but I felt that I had more to do. I also visited Sicily for the first time. I have copies of the ship’s logs when my grandmother came to the United States in 1915 and wanted to see the small town where she came from. I rented a car and drove throughout Sicily for ten days, staying at a vineyard, the small mountain town where scenes from the film The Godfather were shot, and beautiful seaside towns, such as Cefalu, and Agrigento, the site of some incredibly well-preserved temples dating back to the sixth century BCE. From there I went to Herrang, a small town in Sweden, to participate in a swing dance camp (one of my hobbies). I stayed in a small cottage owned by some local people and rode my bike past a beautiful
Photos and Captions by Mr. Lupinaccci
view of the sea, where the sun starts to rise at three in the morning. Herrang is far enough north that it never gets completely dark. I felt very fortunate to have these experiences. I had a chance to rest up after a long school year and to learn so much about parts of the world outside the U.S. Now I was ready to get back to work. I wanted to do something useful. I was reminded that before I left the States, I was deeply moved by some of the reporting I had seen regarding the Syrian refugee crisis. One video that made a particular impression on me was of an eighty-yearold Greek woman who took in an entire family of refugees and hosted them in her home for a week until they were able to move on. Earlier in the summer when I was in London, I had dinner with a former Loyola student from many years ago whose family is originally from Greece. Now that I was in Sweden, I reached out to her and asked if she knew a way that I could volunteer in Greece. She put me in touch with two organizations. One of them responded to my subsequent email immediately. The next thing I knew, I was given the address of a small café in Polykastro, Greece, about an hour’s drive from Thessaloniki. I was to meet one of the members of a new NGO in the café. I would be given a brief introduction to the group and I would start work the next day. I would be lying if I said that I went to Polykastro without hesitation. This NGO, Northern Lights Aid, didn’t even exist a year earlier. I didn’t know anyone in Greece and I had no idea what kind of work I would do once I got there. Uncharacteristically, I dove in. A day later I was driving to a refugee camp in Sindos, Greece (thank goodness for Google maps) where a shovel was put in
Tent city, inside of an abandoned wearhouse. The children here are incredible. Their spirit comes shining through. Despite incredibly difficult circumstances, they are friendly and loving at every turn. The way they conduct themselves shows that their dignity is completely intact. I am so impressed by them and their parents.
my hands. The small band of my fellow volunteers consisted of young people from all throughout Europe. Some of them intended to stay for a week or two, which turned into a month or two, instead. None of them knew how to dig trenches or pour concrete when they arrived, but they all learned on the spot and were intent on getting the job done. The pictures and related captions tell the story of my experience. I thought of so many of my Ramaz students while I was there. The children and teenagers I met reminded me of all my students so much. They were bright, kind, funny, and eager to learn. When the editors approached me and asked me to share my experiences with the Ramaz community in the pages of Rampage, I was happy to do it. Maybe this can lead to more learning about what is happening with the ongoing refugee crisis and perhaps allow for some exploration regarding what we may want to do to help. I have a friend, Eliza, who is working in a permanent position in the camps in Greece. She has helped to create a women’s center and a school. Without the efforts of people like her, the refugees would have nothing to do all day and they would be lacking many of the basic resources (books, paper, pencils) that we take for granted. I am still in touch with Eliza and I know that her organization is in need particularly as winter approaches. My time volunteering was short, only ten days and I felt the need to do more. I didn’t want the experience and my connection to the people I met there, both the refugees and the volunteers, to end once I left Greece. When I returned, I started a Go Fund Me campaign and sent about $6,000 to my friend Eliza to support her
literacy program and I am Facebook friends with many of the people you will see in the pictures that accompany this article. On a personal note, I almost didn’t go to Greece, but I am incredibly gratified that I did. I was motivated by many factors, but what finally compelled me to take action was the example set by two of my former students, both of whom tragically passed away last year within months of each other: John Mark, a member of the class of 1996 from the Loyola School (right down the street from us on Park Avenue), and Daniella Moffson, Ramaz class of 2012. John and Daniella both exemplified the best of their respective communities. They were both incredibly giving, loving, and charitable people. Even though I was their teacher, I learned a great deal from both of them about how one should aspire to live one’s life. They both served as role models for me. I was heartbroken twice over by the loss of these two incredible young people. I made a resolution to myself that I would honor their memory by actively engaging in volunteer work. They provided the inspiration for me to make this journey. The accompanying pictures were all taken at various camps near Sindos, Greece, where there are large open spaces, including remote areas with abandoned warehouses. In some of the warehouses, the Greek government and the UN have installed tent cities where the refugees live. In other camps, the tents are outside and exposed to the elements. During my brief time there, I was involved in some basic infrastructure projects as well as teaching English to teenagers and young adults.
Diab and his two daughters. When I asked him why his English was so good, he explained that in Damascus he was an electrical engineer. He continued, “But what can we do? Michael, we had three choices: fight for Assad, and probably die, refuse to fight and go to jail, or leave the country.” Like many of the refugees, Diab was an educated person and his family had a normal, middle-class life until the civil war obliterated the world they were living in. There wasn’t a trace of anger in his voice or body language. It was as if he were my next door neighbor and we were having a casual conversation about the latest news in our lives. His daughters are a delight. His demeanor and the family’s circumstances are completely at odds. The only word that kept entering my mind was ‘dignity’.
Razan is 11 years old. Her English is excellent and now she’s learning Spanish and she’s so happy and proud of herself for it. I’ve been teaching for a while and I can say that this is one talented young person.
I made them show me their work before they went to school.
We all use water throughout the day - to bath, to drink, for the toilet, to wash the clothes. The water has to keep moving. Drainage systems have to be built by someone. An article that appeared in The New York Times in August described how the Greek government, the EU, and the media have basically been ignoring the 50,000 refugees in limbo in Greece after the EU closed their borders. The refugees can’t go back. They can’t go forward. But they need to use water everyday and that water had to keep moving. This is part of the team that built the drainage system for this particular camp: Florian (Switzerland), Shafid (Syria), Antonio (Spain), Mike (USA), Muhammad (Syrian), Ahamed (Syrian).
A big day. Desks arrived. Razan’s friend took some pictures.
The tent is their school. They eagerly lined up every day and were genuinely crestfallen the one day a week when there was no school.
These guys invited me to their tent for dinner and conversation. Don’t be fooled - they decided to make funny faces for the picture. They are as nice, thoughtful, intelligent and kind as anyone I have ever met (and good cooks, too.) Abdullah, Abud, Bashar, Ahamd. Abud is 19 years old and learned English in six months in his last camp. He did a lot of translating. I was amazed by the breadth of his vocabulary. Among other topics, we eventually spoke about the war. At the end, Bashar apologized to me and said that he hoped they didn’t upset me by talking about this difficult topic. I am re-learning the meaning of the words humility, dignity, and respect. They are from Dier ez-Zor, Syria.They are in limbo and they are ready to move on, but neither Greece nor the EU have a plan for them.
The Rampage Ramaz Upper School
New York • Volume 47 • Issue 2 • October 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. *
Opinion The Rampage • October 2016
Is Five Star Catering Living Up to Its Name? Julia Levi ’18 When I entered the lunchroom on the first Friday of school, something seemed slightly off. The tuna fish sandwiches were served on hamburger buns instead of the classic rolls, there were no pizza bagels, and the salad bar seemed emptier than usual. On the following Monday, when the first full lunch was served, the lunchroom was even more disorganized than it was on Friday. The quesadillas tasted unusual, there was no pasta served on the side, and again, it seemed like there were almost no salads from which to choose. I was informed quickly that, over the summer, Ramaz had switched its catering from FLIK to Five Star Catering. Of course, I, along with many other students, was shocked and annoyed. I felt that it was a mistake on the school’s part to just change the catering without telling us in advance. I had gotten used to FLIK’s catering during my seven years at Ramaz, and although the food wasn’t gourmet, I knew what would be served and that I would have a pretty decent lunch every day. Over the next few days, I
kept noticing more examples of how the lunches were worse than they had been. The lack of side dishes, two meat days instead of one, and a salad bar that was set up differently than in previous years disoriented me. I have to say that during the first week of school, I missed FLIK. However, something changed after the first week. On the second Friday of school, the classic Friday lunch was completely different. There was a variety of tuna fish sandwiches from which to choose, all served on different breads (whole grain, French rolls, etc.) with lettuce and tomato, something I had never seen before at Ramaz. There were cookies, brownies, and cake, along with the classic pizza bagels and a fully stocked salad bar (which, although slightly different than previous years, proved to have better options). After this day, which basically superseded most of the classic FLIK lunches that I had eaten in previous years, I was curious to see what would be served in the next week. Again, I was taken by surprise, as I entered a lunchroom
Innocent Until Proven Guilty Yonatan Weitzner ’20 Recent shootings of black men by police officers in Tulsa and Charlotte have reignited racial tensions across the nation. This issue has been at the forefront of American politics since last summer, as new stories of protests and violence are reported. Some Americans claim that these killings reveal the systematic racism embedded within the judicial system and that reform is needed urgently. However, this claim is premature and lacks sufficient evidence. After a shooting occurs, the media and social justice advocates rush to the scene and immediately declare that a black person has been wrongfully killed by a white racist police officer, proving that the justice system is broken. But further investigations almost always disprove this narrative. For example, regarding the shooting in Ferguson, many thought that Michael Brown had his hands up when he was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson. This belief turned out to be false. The same was true about the death of Freddie Gray. In that case, Judge Barry Williams, who is black, acquitted all the officers involved. Most of the police departments involved in the shootings are also ethnically diverse. The Baltimore Police Department is 44% black, and the New York Police Department is about 20% black. So, how would it be possible for such departments to be racist as well? The media also fails to distinguish between a normal crime and a racially motivated crime. If a white cop kills a black person, it does not mean that the cop is racist, and it certainly does not mean that the police department is racist. Yet, this argument is used constantly to incite protests and riots, which are destructive and disruptive to society.
with an incredible smell. First of all, I noticed that the menu was written on a chalkboard at the entrance of the room, adding to a nicer decor. On that day, falafel was served, and I thought I knew what to expect: decent (but not great) falafel, pita bread, and Israeli salad at the salad bar, along with hummus. Of course, all of the above were served, but the whole lunch felt much more Middle Eastern. There was a Moroccan soup on the side, along with warm pita bread and falafel that was much
closer to the real Israeli dish than it had been previously. The hummus also tasted much more authentic. Whatever the reason, the school lunches seemed to be getting much better and even surpassed previous expectations. The new caterer also sells slightly different snacks on the cart in the lobby after school. One day, the kitchen staff was selling a variety of vegetable burekas, each for a dollar. I bought a few, and they were quite satisfying. Overall, I feel that the new Five Star Catering has proved to be a positive change for Ramaz. Although I was feeling nostalgic about FLIK during the first week of school, I have come to realize that the quality of Five Star’s food is actually better. After the first week, there has been more to choose from. I am excited to see what food is to come.
Colin Kaepernick’s America David Grinberg ’19
Before a preseason game in 2016, Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, sat down during the national anthem. Kaepernick explained during an interview, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” He says that he will continue the protest until “[the American flag] represents what it’s supposed to represent.” Many veterans agree with what Kaepernick is doing, especially after he decided to start kneeling during the national anthem to show respect for the veterans. But I am not so sure that respect for veterans is his real reason. I am convinced that Kaepernick decided to do this political stunt as a way to protect his failing football career. If the 49ers drop Kaepernick, then he can just say that they dropped him for having different beliefs and play the racism card. So, he forced the management of the 49ers to release a statement to support him because if they did not, then they would be labeled racists. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” said Kaepernick. Now, America is not what it was during the 1960s (and I acknowledge the fact that there was systemic racism until the late 1960s). The United States is not a country that systematically oppresses black people and people of color because, as I write this, we have a black president. Most of the claims about systemic racism after the police kills a member of the black community are excuses for people to riot and loot. In fact, Asian Americans deal with the most racism. Asian Americans have to score roughly 230 points higher than African Americans on the SAT to get into the same college. “It would be selfish on my part to look the other way... and people [are] getting paid leave and getting away with murder,” said Kaepernick. First of all, if
Kaepernick wanted to make a difference, he should have organized a coalition of professional players to back his argument so that people did not just think that he is pulling a political stunt. Kaepernick should be donating money to organizations that help the black community, if that’s what he is so worried about. The second problem I have with his statement is that people are not getting away with murder. We have a court system that consists of unbiased white and black judges. Just because Kaepernick does not agree with a certain court ruling does not make it unlawful or unconstitutional. Kaepernick claims he will continue to protest until the American flag “represents what it’s supposed to represent.” Colin Kaepernick clearly does not understand what our flag represents. Anyone who has taken a Civics course should know that the white signifies purity and innocence, the red signifies hardiness and valor, and the blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice. I respect Kaepernick for protesting peacefully and exercising his First Amendment rights, but when he protests with what I believe are ulterior motives, his actions are wrong. Colin Kaepernick should stop making a fool of himself and protest in another way.
Arts&Entertainment The Rampage • October 2016
Narcos: Season 2 Reviewed Harry Shams ’19 Every experienced Netflixer has a personal “go-to” original series. From the hilarity of Orange is the New Black to the suspense of House of Cards, Netflix never disappoints, offering a wide variety of shows addressing an even wider variety of topics. However, on September 2nd, Netflix released its best project yet. The first season of Narcos was a masterpiece. Following the notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, the pilot season was a cascade of violence, suspense, and cocaine. Ending with an array of unanswered questions and unfinished story lines, the first season left its viewers impatient for more. Viewers didn’t know what to expect - would the second season do justice to the first? Remarkably, with the recent release of season two, viewers got to see an even darker side of the Escobar tale. While the first season focused on Escobar’s rise to power, the second season focused on his downfall. Season two grabbed viewer attention by introducing a host of new characters, each more vicious and deceiving than the next. With a new plot line focused on Escobar’s struggle to maintain the familial bond between himself and the people of Medellín, viewers got to see what would ultimately lead to the infamous tyrant’s downfall. Perhaps, the most unique quality of Narcos is that there is something appealing about the drama for every type of viewer. Whether you’re fascinated by the violence, or intrigued by the politics, season two of Narcos simply satisfies. Watch it now!
J.K. Rowling Releases New E-Book Series Three new wizarding books open for all kinds of witches and wizards to read! Basia Fellner-Dublin ’20
After the opening night of the London play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J.K. Rowling announced that she is finished with writing about Harry Potter and ready to move on. “Harry is done now,” said J.K. Rowling. She is, however, not finished with writing about the magical wizarding world and, more specifically, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A few days after the statement, Ms. Rowling announced that she will be writing a new e-book series. This series will include J.K. Rowling’s short stories and writings from her website, Pottermore, as well as some new stories about Hogwarts characters. The e-books will cost $2.99 each and will be sold on Pottermore, Amazon, and other digital sellers. On September 6, Ms. Rowling released the first three books in the series. These books are called Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide; Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists; and Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies. Each book will depict a different Hogwarts theme. Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide will present a deeper look into the school. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists explores the dark side of the wizard-
ing world and includes an original story from J.K. Rowling on Horace Slughorn, a Hogwarts teacher. Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies focuses on the Hogwarts staff. Readers will learn about Silvanus Kettleburn, a Care of Magical Creatures teacher, and Hogwart’s new headmistress Minerva McGonagall. Although this new digital series cannot
substitute for a full novel, it is a great way for all the Potter fans to learn interesting facts about this magical world. “So, for those who want to quench their thirst for more knowledge about the wizard-
ing world, such as why the Black family bestow such odd names to their children, how a witch or wizard becomes a portrait, or what J.K. Rowling really thinks about Professor Umbridge, step right this way to find out,” said the release. Harry Potter and his magical world have come a long way, from the seven-book series to movies, stage productions, theme parks, and now an amazing e-book series.
October 2016
A&E 13
Sully Reviewed
Jonah Scherl ’19
The Rampage
“GET LOW, STAY LOW,” the flight attendants shouted repeatedly as the people braced for impact on the crashing plane. In January, 2009, US Airways flight 1549 lost both its engines and began to descend over the lofty New York City skyline. Captain Sully needed to make a choice that determined the fate of 105 people; he could either splash land on the Hudson River or take a risk and try to make it to a local airport. Although most Americans recall watching the happy ending of this story on live television, hundreds of thousands of people poured into theaters to see the story unfold on the big screen in the new movie called Sully. Tom Hanks, who starred as the pilot, Captain Sully, is renowned for his heroic roles and mature acting in many award-winning movies, such as Captain Phillips, Forest Gump, Bridge of Spies, and Cast Away. From the start of Sully, the story is noticeably slow-moving. Ironically, because the events unfolded so quickly in the cockpit, the director faced an artistic challenge in expanding those few moments into a ninety-minute film. The majority of the movie consists of Captain Sully’s
brief flashbacks, as he recalls the fateful day and all that led up to the dangerous splash. Only twenty minutes into the movie, I realized that the movie’s tagline is “the untold story of the miracle on the Hudson,” as opposed to “the miracle on the Hudson.” In other words, the film does not reveal solely the events of the
splash landing, but rather focuses on the background, technicalities, and effects of the landing. One of the movie’s best qualities was its ability to demonstrate the aftermath of the splash landing through the international lens, the pilot’s viewpoint, as well as the experts at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Although Sully became a hero for saving all the lives of his passengers, the movie instead emphasizes the NTSB’s doubts about Sully’s judgement and the investigation that stemmed from the landing. The visual effects of the crash itself and the suspense are magnificent, despite coming under harsh criticism for embellishing the true events. While the film is entertaining, it does not quite live up to the hype. The scenes may be suspenseful and thrilling, yet the viewer can see clearly how the directors struggled to provide suspense, especially when the public already knows how a particular situation in Sully’s real story ended. Ultimately, if not for Tom Hanks’ superb acting skills, the movie probably would not have achieved such positive ratings at the box office. Many scenes with other actors fall
short and often feel dull and superfluous. Although keeping the audience interested is important, the film may have stretched the idea too far. Only in the final moments of the film does the audience learn about the outcome of the NTSB investigation. The NTSB investigation is the only true suspense in the movie (which was the “untold” aspect of the story), and the movie remains vague in how it explains many of the story’s events. The NTSB and the press criticized these vague scenes due to the movie’s harsh and biased portrayal of the board members of the NTSB investigation. While I think Sully was a wonderful film, it is not the right movie if you crave a drama or thriller. Rather, Sully is a time-consuming feel-good American heroism film. Despite its dull moments and the criticisms about inaccuracy, the movie was a huge success, raking in $152 million dollars in the box office — and still counting.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Reviewed The eighth story. Ninteen years later. Rebecca Araten ’18
Ardent Harry Potter fans had been waiting for a new development in the magical work of J.K. Rowling and, once again, the author did not disappoint. J.K. Rowling announced that she would be writing a play about Harry Potter’s future with his family. This prospect was thrilling to the large Harry Potter fanbase. While the play was completely sold-out and only appeared in London, the screenplay of this new installment, entitled Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was set to be released at midnight on July 31st, the birthday of both J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter. Bookstores around the country were covered with Harry Potter posters and decorations, and fans could be seen lining up to receive copies of the play. While fans were thrilled to return to their favorite childhood stories and characters, there was a lot of dissension and disapproval. I could not help but agree with many of the claims that the play did not compare with the books, and I felt that it seemed like fanfiction. I believe that one of the main issues with Cursed Child is that it addresses Harry Potter’s future. Many of the fans
already have their own image of what Harry’s future looks like. The new play does not leave room for imagination. Furthermore, fans had specific expectations regarding plot complexity, as a play should be instantly
understandable to all audiences. Additionally, one of the highlights of reading the Harry Potter series was the beautifully written descriptions, which the play format does not provide. I am willing to forgive
all of these issues, as I am grateful to have had an opportunity to re-enter the wizarding world. I also feel that, in truth, I cannot judge the plot and descriptions without having seen the play on stage. I deeply enjoyed
Cursed Child and the themes that it brought up - loneliness, forgiveness, friendship, and legacy. J.K. Rowling has certainly established a magical legacy that cannot be undone, and for that, I am grateful.
Sports The Rampage • October 2016
Predictions: Fantasy Football Rankings Jack Ottensoser ’19 Quarterbacks 1. Cam Newton (CAR) 2. Tom Brady (NE) 3. Aaron Rodgers (GB) 4. Drew Brees (NO) 5. Andrew Luck (IND) 6. Matt Ryan (ATL) 7. Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) 8. Russell Wilson (SEA) 9. Matthew Stafford (DET) 10. Phillip Rivers (SD) 11. Eli Manning (NYG) 12. Carson Palmer (ARI) 13. Derek Carr (OAK) 14. Jameis Winston (TB) 15. Blake Bortles (JAX) 16. Andy Dalton (CIN) 17. Marcus Mariota (TEN) 18. Carson Wentz (PHI) 19. Kirk Cousins (WAS) 20. Tyrod Taylor (BUF) Running Backs 1. David Johnson (ARI) 2. Le’veon Bell (PIT) 3. Ezekiel Elliott (DAL) 4. Demarco Murray (TEN) 5. Todd Gurley (LA) 6. Lesean Mccoy (BUF) 7. Lamar Miller (HOU) 8. Mark Ingram (NO) 9. Matt Forte (NYJ) 10. Melvin Gordon (SD) 11. CJ Anderson (DEN) 12.Jamaal Charles (KC) 13.Doug Martin (TB) 14.Carlos Hyde (SF) 15.Devonta Freeman (ATL) 16.Christine Michael (SEA) 17.Tevin Coleman (ATL) 18.Eddie Lacy (GB) 19.Jonathon Stewart (CAR) 20.Jordan Howard (CHI) 21.LeGarrette Blount (NE) 22.Isiah Crowell (CLE) 23. Frank Gore (IND)
24.Latavius Murray(OAK) 25.Terence West (BAL) Wide Receiver 1. Antonio Brown (PIT) 2. Julio Jones (ATL) 3. Odell Beckham (NYG) 4. Aj Green (CIN) 5. Mike Evans (TB) 6. Allen Robinson (JAX) 7. Deandre Hopkins (HOU) 8. Brandon Marshall (NYJ) 9. T.Y Hilton (IND) 10. Doug Baldwin (SEA) 11. Amari Cooper (OAK) 12. Demaryius Thomas (DEN) 13. Alshon Jeffery (CHI) 14. Brandin Cooks (NO) 15. Kelvin Benjamin (CAR) 16. Dez Bryant (DAL) 17. Jarvis Landry (MIA) 18. Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) 19. Marvin Jones (DET) 20. Micheal Crabtree (OAK) 21. Julian Edelman (NE) 22. Stefon Diggs (MIN) 23. Jordan Matthews (PHI) 24. Jermey Maclin (KC) 25. Emanuel Sanders (DEN) Tight End 1. Rob Gronkowski (NE) 2. Greg Olsen (CAR) 3. Joran Reed (WAS) 4. Travis Kelce (KC) 5. Delanie Walker (TEN) 6. Tyler Eifert (CIN) 7. Jimmy Graham (SEA) 8. Gary Barnidge (CLE) 9. Kyle Rudolph (MIN) 10. Martellus Bennett (NE) 11. Zach Miller (CHI) 12. Colby Fleener (NO) 13. Hunter Henry (SD) 14. Julius Thomas (JAX) 15. Dennis Pitta (BAL)
eSports: A Rising Phenomenon Amedeo Hasson ’20 Have you ever considered the possibility of getting
paid to play your favorite video game competitively? eSports is the newest form of competition. Video game players compete against each other in rigorous demonstrations of focus and skill. While sports differ in popularity depending on one’s country, tens of millions of people worldwide play video games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends. Teams from across the world fill stadiums, from Madison Square Garden to the Staples Center, as well as similar venues in Europe and Asia, to play in tournaments. Organizations such as Riot Games and Electronic Sports League run these tournaments. Money fuels the rapid growth of eSports. The industry, which only became popular in 2013, now has an estimated worth of $493 million and is predicted to rise to $1.9 billion by 2018. Amazon bought the popular streaming platform Twitch, which has 108 million monthly viewers who come to watch eSports competitions or live streamers for an average of 86 minutes per day, for almost $15 billion in 2014. The purchase has certainly paid off, as Twitch has grown immensely since Amazon acquired it. In another example of eSports’ growth in recent years, Turner Sports and the entertainment agency WME/IMG agreed to a big partnership that would bring Counter Strike: Global Offensive to prime time on TBS in a show called ELeague. The first season of ELeague averaged a few hundred thousand viewers per broadcast, which was a good start for the first show of its kind. For fans of sports video games, there are professional FIFA, NBA2K, and Madden leagues that compete all over the world. Recently, EA Sports announced the $1 million Madden 17 Championship Series, which will run from this August to June 2017. The series will include online qualifiers in which anyone can participate and offline quarterly tournaments that showcase the best Madden talent. Germany, a country with one of the biggest communities of FIFA supporters, hosts the Electronic Sports League (ESL) and, previously, the nationally televised World League eSport Bundesliga in 2006. Also, 2K Games hosted its own “Road to the Finals” open tournament between February and June of this year. The tournament pit-
ted over a 100,000 teams against each other in the popular online game NBA2K16. 16 teams made it to the offline finals. Ultimately, the American team “Drewkerbockerz HLZDB” won against “GFG” for a prize of $250,000. eSports has gained the interest of investors across the globe. Mark Cuban invested $7 million in the eSports betting website Unikrn. The co-owners of the Sacramento Kings, along with former center for the LA Lakers Shaquille O’Neal and actor Gerard Kelly, founded NRG eSports last year with teams in popular eSports, such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch. Pro-
fessional sports teams are taking interest in eSports. The German soccer club FC Schalke 04 organized a team of eSports players. The Philadelphia 76ers signed a contract with eSports teams Dignitas and Apex earlier this month. The best part about eSports is that anyone can try to become a professional. Open qualifiers for different eSports are easily accessible all the time. Open competitive platforms like FaceIt and ESEA make it easy for anyone to start playing a variety of eSports. The future of eSports is bright and could one day rival the NBA and NFL in fans and viewership.
Welcome to the Upper School, Coach Darcota! Suzi Dweck ’19 This year, Mr. Dulny is no longer coach- able and pumped for a great year,” said Coach Dacorta. ing the junior varsity girls’ basketball team. Coach Dulny will be keeping his coaching role for the varsity girls’ basketball team, but Ramaz has brought in the basketball coach from the Middle School, Joseph Dacorta, to be the new JV coach. From Yonkers, NY, Coach Dacorta went to Stepinac High School, where he was named his basketball team’s captain throughout his high school years. Since a young age, he has enjoyed playing, refereeing, and coaching basketball. “So far, the transition [between the middle school to the high school] has been pretty easy. Coach Dulny has been a huge help and, of course, having some of the 9th graders that were on my middle-school team last year makes me feel very comfort-
As this year’s JV girls basketball season begins, the team has been practicing and working hard with Coach Dacorta to do well in the upcoming season. “Coach Dacorta is an amazing and very welltrained coach. He knows exactly how to help us during practice,” said Paola Mattout ’19. Running, shooting, and passing drills are only a few of the elements of JV basketball practices. “Having Coach Dacorta last year, as well as this year, as my coach has been great. He believes in our team and wants to help us improve our skills throughout the season,” said Olivia Sakhai ’20. Hopefully, with hard work, determination, and the help of their new coach, this year’s JV girls’ basketball team can bring home a championship!
October 2016
The Rampage
Crossword 15
Crossword Sam Berman '17
Across
1. ___ stole the cookie from the cookie jar? 4. Popular show on A&E, Abbr. 8. Ramaz art magazine 12. The sound made by a car when you hit the gas 14. Cyclops feature 15. Less common 16. Jonah Sobel position 18. Tests taken by all Juniors in the fall 19. Current 43-across 21. Oh my ____! 22. Western Indians 23. ____ for igloo 26. Cow sounds 28. It might make you stand out in religious circles 30. Dress not allowed at Ramaz (but fine at SAR) 31. Horse disease Equine Herpesvirus, for short 32. Preceded 30-down 34. Peer 36. ___ mediocritas (golden mean – ask Mr. Lupinaci) 37. Safari hats 38. ‘It’s safe now!’ 41. Book about cross-dressing Yeshiva Boy (ask Ms. Litwack) 42. Spheres of Influence 43. Job description of 19-across, 30-down and 32-across 48. Obama campaign adviser David 51. Ramaz has more spirit ____ they ___ 52. You have to try out to get one in the Ramaz play 53. A gift one might get themselves for father’s day (they would be a nice addition to the senior lounge, too) 56. Mass. college, in singular 57. Unable to be harmed 58. Golf bag item 59. First man 60. Something a Ramaz parent might do after their child gets into college
See page 16 for answers.
Down
1. Something you learn to do in English class, abbr. 2. The opposite of there 3. Common Ramaz political concern of some politicians 4. You might get some on Rosh Chodesh if you’re lucky 5. Northwest ____, Canada, abbr. 6. Two meanings of shalom 7. If she gets up she may ask you to save _____ (two words) 8. Tabula _____ 9. Derogatory phrase for Hassan Rouhani 10. Card game where you match shapes and colors 11. Hosp. areas 13. Sony laptops 15. Engine stats 17. Ms. Brachot is the head of this department, abbr. 20. Myers or Rogan 24. Confession from a dishonest person ending in ‘lot’ 25. Detection device 26. The opposite of Donald Trump’s hands 27. ‘Well, shucks’ 29. Poem of praise 30. Preceded 19-across 32. Prison guard 33. Something one can do on Hillary Clinton’s website during the debates 35. Someone in Rabbi Stern’s club 38. “Yo te ___” 39. Measurement instead of a Newton 40. Obey 42. Number on either side of a + sign 44. Home of the muses 45. Let _____ (leave someone alone) 46. First name of a well liked WR 47. Scoundrel 48. Ms. Rabhan’s class 49. Cross off 50. A sprite in Mr. Alvarez’s class 54. Penn. Neighbor 55. ____ O’Brian (author of a soph. must read)
Welcome 16
The Rampage
Rosie Adelman '19 From: Brooklyn Favorite Subject: English Fun Fact: My favorite color is yellow.
October 2016
Welcome to Our New Writers! Natalie Trump '20 From: Westchester Commute Time: 1 hr Favorite Subject: Math Fun Fact: On the JV volleyball team.
Sophia Kremer '20 From: Upper East Side Commute Time: 10 mins Favorite Subject: Math Fun Fact: I know how to surf.
Josephine Schizer '20 From: Morningside Heights Commute Time: 35-40 mins Favorite Subject: Math and Talmud Fun Fact: I like to cook and to bake, and I make up my own recipes.
Yoni Linder '18 From: Teaneck Commute Time: 1.5 hrs Favorite Subject: History Fun Fact: I wake up at 5:45am every morning to make the school bus.
Esther Beck '19 From: Five Towns Commute Time: 2 hrs Favorite Subject: English Fun Fact: (Distantly) related to Pablo Escobar.
Talia Katz '19 From: Scarsdale Commute Time: 45 mins Favorite Subject: History or English Fun Fact: I love skiing.
Zachary Buller '20 From: Upper West Side Commute Time: 10 mins Favorite Subject: History Fun Fact: I have three siblings.
Benjamin Klahr '19 From: Riverdale Commute Time: 40 mins Favorite Subject: Math Fun Fact: I learned how to juggle on YouTube.
Crossword Answers