Volume 51, Issue 2 (September/October 2017) - The Rampage

The Rampage

The Newspaper of the Ramaz Upper School

New York • Volume 51 • Issue 2 • September-October 2017 • Tishrei 5778 • the-rampage.org

Emily Stemp ’18

Taking Steps Toward a More Colorful School

When students returned to school after last year’s winter vacation, many felt slightly disoriented. The staircase walls that had been adorned with a familiar color-block painted design were completely white. This seemingly bland choice of color spanning the stairways, however, was actually a preparatory measure for a long anticipated endeavor: The Ramaz Mural Project.

Over the years, some students have expressed their desire for a unique mural that would revamp the Upper School building in a way that reflects Ramaz and what it stands for. On August 21, 2017 (also the date of the Solar Eclipse), this dream became an ongoing reality. A mural, as defined by the Ramaz Mural Project mission statement, is “any artwork painted or applied directly on a wall… [that is] meant to have an impact on each person who encounters [its] image.”

As first sketches were made on the bare staircase walls at the start of this school year, the effort to achieve the status of an interactive, unique and authentic mural was launched.

The paintings that will span the entire East and West staircase walls will utilize ideas of Torah, poetry, and other areas of interest to illustrate not only Ramaz’s future state, but also its larger past

and future, highlighting the best qualities

Arielle Hadad ’17 stands proudly by her galaxy-themed mural, the first of many eventual sections of the mural to be completed.

Scanning Into School

Josephine Schizer ’20

of our school, culture and community.

In grade meetings at arrives to swipe into davening. orientation, students were ap- According to Dean of prised of several new school Student Life Rabbi Slomnicpolicies, including a new at- ki, the goal of the policy is to tendance policy. Now, when “foster an environment of exstudents arrive in the building, cellence, including timeliness of they scan their ID cards at one students.” The idea for this poliof the two scanners in the lob- cy came from meetings with the by, in order to record the time grade deans (then grade coordithat they arrived in the build- nators) at the end of last year and ing and the fact that they are over the summer. The ID cards at school. When they arrive at were chosen as the means to entheir davening locations, they force the attendance policy, beswipe again to document the cause technology is the best way time they got to davening; this to minimize human error. Howswipe determines whether they ever, as Rabbi Slomnicki says, are late or on time. If students it is important to “balance the are late to davening three times environment of excellence with in a quarter, they receive deten- being human,” and inevitably tion, and after three detentions everyone will be late sometimes, in a quarter, they are put on so- hence the allowance of two “free” cial probation. A student on so- lates per quarter. This policy cial probation is not allowed to will help “focus on timeliness.” participate in any clubs, sports “For the last few years, teams, extracurricular activities, attendance has been a huge isor shabbatonim for the remain- sue, because we didn’t have a der of the quarter. For students system,” says Dr. Aharon, who is who take school buses to school, the Freshman Grade Dean and a the rules are slightly different. In freshman minyan leader. She says a case where a school bus arrives she has seen an improvement in late, a student has a five min- attendance with the new system ute grace period after the bus because “it makes students reContinued "Sign-in Becomes Electronic" page 2

As stated in the project’s mission statement, the mural will be an illustration of our core values and “is a live action place of learning, where all involved gain new perspectives on individual and shared environments”. It is also intended to be “an analog response to our digital age. The act of making, which is a physical, mental and spiritual experience…instills a sense of pride and love towards oneself and community.”

When asked about her motivations and inspiration behind painting the mural on the walls of the “A” staircase adjacent to the fifth floor (dedicated to the sciences), Gabrielle Amar ’17 explained that “it is to encourage the curious minds of the school to embrace the fact that interesting scientific questions only add to the excitement of the world around us… There is so much beauty in the smaller dimensions… and I hope that this mural could magnify that.”

Arielle Hadad ’17, who recently completed her galaxy-themed piece on the wall of the “D” staircase (off the lobby), expressed, “It’s really special to transform a space and make it able to transport someone’s mind to an entirely different environment, even if just for a moment on their way down to the gym or college office. I’m shocked that paint and Continued "Ramaz Mural Project" page 2

Literary Seminar: The Newest Class

Natalie Kahn ’19 and Hannah Slager '19

This year, the English department, instituted a “literary seminar” for students of grades 10 and 11. The literary seminar is a class for kids who not only excel in English, but who also show a genuine interest in in-depth analysis of literature. The sophomore class is taught by Dr. Gaylord, and the junior class is taught by Ms. Litwack.

Before this year, class assignments for English were arbitrary, with usually three to four teachers each teaching one or two classes per grade. This year, the literary seminar is a small class with no more than ten or twelve kids per grade. All the possible candidates were recommended by their teachers, but some opted not to be in the class and to remain in the regular English class.

Last year, when asked about his reasons for creating the new class, Dr. Milowitz explained, “Kids at the top of the class who really love literature and writing are not getting the opportunity to talk about literature often enough, and when those discussions do happen, kids who aren’t reading the books zone out.”

The original idea was to have an honors English course, but that idea was met with resistance when brought up at a faculty meeting, as Ramaz has had a long-standing tradition of not tracking English and history classes. The literary seminar was the compromise: rather than being an honors class, it is simply a class for students who really enjoy the material and want to further explore it on a higher level.

“Rather than the teacher going through the plots of books, the assumption is that the kids have read the books and that the teacher can just skip straight to the analysis part,” said Dr. Milowitz.

“Literary seminar is more discussion-based,” added Naomi Levy ’19. “It gives students more of an opportunity to share and get feedback opinions in class and then further those ideas in writing.”

“I love it,” said Sophia Kremer ’20. “I love [Dr. Gaylord] and love how everyone in the class cares about English and and builds off of each other's ideas.” Elizabeth Aufzien ‘19 agreed and said, “The class discussions seem a lot more

in-depth than they were last year... everyone has a lot more to say, and it’s a far more conducive environment to learning if you feel like the teacher is reaching everyone.”

However, not all students recommended for the class were so enthusiastic about it, from both a social and an academic point of view. “I opted out of it because I missed the diversity that comes with being in a class that isn’t tracked. I love the kids in my other classes, but sometimes it’s good to be with a more heterogeneous group...kids you might not get to interact with otherwise,” said one student. “It’s not that I don’t love English, but I was comfortable with the pace at which we were going before,” another student said. “I [was] worried that if I had to read more and move faster, it would be too much to handle.”

As of now, the English department's creation seems to be a success. Those who are in the literary seminar are enjoying it, and those who don’t want to be in it can simply opt out.

Inside this issue...

Lunch Trays and Detention... The 2017-2018 school year brings about new policies pages 4-5 Changes in the Foreign Language Department...Dr. Roldan, the new chair, speaks about her plans page 8 Crossword...Solve the Rampage crossword puzzle! page 12

News 2 continued from cover

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sponsible. It creates a policy and consequences.” Additionally, Dr. Aharon says that the four grade deans are constantly in touch to adapt the policy as questions arise.

“It’s definitely an effective way to ensure that students come on time to school,” says Sammy Henkin '20. “However, for the people that live far away from school and don't take the [school] bus, three latenesses per quarter may not be sufficient.”

Many students seem to agree that the policy will work but feel that the specific parameters of the new policy are unfair. “I don’t think being late nine times is enough to deserve social probation,” says Sophia Kremer '20. Gail Hafif '20 notes that “there's usually a line for a scanner and there's little leniency with time.” Zach Buller '20 says, “Three latenesses in a quarter is putting students who do not come late on a regular basis in an unfair position, as they will get punished for coming late very few times. I think that a better version of this policy would be having the students receiving detention only after three latenesses per month, rather than three per quarter.”

SAR High School has a similar attendance policy, although late students are record-

Sign-In Becomes Electronic

ed manually by teachers, rather than by ID cards. At SAR, after three lates per month (not per quarter, like Ramaz), students receive RPT (Right Place and Time), which is essentially lunch detention. However, SAR’s policy allows for excused latenesses, unlike the Ramaz one. According to Rabbi Slomnicki, although the administration knew that many schools had similar systems, they

"It makes students responsible. It creates a policy and consequences" -Dr. Aharon didn’t research the specifics of these other schools’ policies before deciding on the Ramaz policy.

The policy seems to work for students who walk to school or take the school bus, but it doesn’t take into account the students who commute using public transportation. “It’s not fair that we’ll get in trouble for public transportation delays that are out of our control,” says Rina Marlowe '20, who has an hour-and-a-half-long commute from Stamford, Connecticut, every day. “I think it will serve as an effective deterrent for people who

tend to come late,” says Elizabeth Aufzien '19, “but it doesn’t take into account things like problems with transportation. Ramaz students are so sleep-deprived that instead of penalizing us for coming late because we’re exhausted, they should cut down on the work.

For example,” she continues, “last year I was late zero times first quarter, 12 times second quarter, and 36 times second semester” as the workload steadily increased.

If a student receives detention, they have the option to choose the day on which they would like to have their detention so that they don’t have to miss clubs or other plans. They are required to be in detention from 5:00 to 5:30 after school, and although electronics are not allowed, students are allowed to do work. “Detention is reasonable,” Slomnicki feels, “but uncomfortable enough to hopefully dissuade students.”

“Detention was fine; obviously it wasn’t enjoyable...I did get work done, so it wasn’t that bad in the end,” says Michal Rahabi ’20. “[The school has] been understanding about my situation, but I think that the attendance/ transportation systems are flawed; hopefully they’ll work it out.”

Other students disagree

Ramaz Mural Project

continued from cover a paintbrush could have such a powerful effect.”

The Mural Project is a long process that will require collaboration, cooperation and

mural’s mission statement asserts that “each participant…is an architect of our shared experience as we move through the school…

Arielle Hadad ’17 and Gabrielle Amar ’17 and senior Netanel Kamel ’18, community members of all ages and experience levels are encour-

Gabrielle Amar ’17 paints a biologically themed mural in the “A” staircase to enhance the scientific environment on the fifth floor and in the school as a whole. participation from as many people in the Ramaz community as possible. Ideally, the project will achieve a communal status where each individual feels as though the mural is partly his or her own, making the school even more of a forum for creativity and communication. There are no limits as to who in the Ramaz community can participate and to what extent. The

September-October 2017/Tishrei 5778

who gets to shape the way each person experiences our community.”

There are several ways to participate in this project, including designing, painting, preparing, documenting and of course, viewing and being supportive of our community as we, and future students, complete this project.

Although the current mural paintings are the work of Ramaz Alumni

aged to get involved in this long-term process.

The Mural Project aims to not only represent Ramaz in its best light when the entire stairways are painted, but also to be a process of growth, bonding and transformation that in and of itself will bring out the best in the entire community as individuals and as a whole.

Suzi Dweck ’19

At the start of each year, Ramaz holds the club fair.

Here, club leaders have the opportunity to present their clubs to their peers with

the hope that new members will join, and students are able to walk around and see all the many clubs that Ramaz has to offer. Many students leave club fair with their names written down on far more club sign-up sheets than they anticipated before walking into the room; with dozens of clubs in many different areas, students are almost always able to find clubs that interest them. Whether students enjoy art, photography, debating, videography, music, math, business, physics or writing, the club fair can help them

and think that the attendance system has, in fact, restored a measure of justice. “I think that the new system rewards people who have made the effort to come on time,” says Elizabeth Newman-Corré '20. She believes that “it’s not fair to those who come on time” if everyone else can be late without consequence. “I feel that the new ID system is a really great way to acknowledge those that come to school and davening early every day,” agrees Rachel Araten '20.

“Even though I live far away, it is a good incentive to get up early and get out of the house on time.”

Freshmen have never experienced the high school attendance system in any other way, so for them, the automated system isn’t a change. “I think that it is a good way to incentivize students to come on time,” says Daniella Symonds '21. “I think it is extremely strict but definitely fair, and I think it’s a good system.”

Ita Newman-Getzler '21 agrees, saying, “I think it’s fair since [attendance] was less strict [in middle school], but it’s more serious now since it’s high school.” However, the system presents added challenges for seniors, especially when they don’t have class first period. “As someone who always

comes to school on time I really don't mind the system,” says Tamar Bacalu '18, “but now that I'm a senior I think it's unfair, since I have many days where I don't have class until later in the morning, and I still have to be at school before 8:00 AM. I think the system should have an exception for seniors.” Kyla Mintz '18 agrees that “it will definitely take some adjustment for us seniors, but thinks that “we all realize the benefits of this new system and why it was necessary to be put in place.”

“As a senior visiting colleges, I see that many colleges have the system of ID cards in every building, and every student taps in when they enter the building, so I think it is a good idea for safety reasons,” says Maya Shalom '18. “However, it is annoying that they are also using it to determine lateness.” Dara Doft '18 says, “At first it was annoying, because I'm used to just walking into the building and not having to take out my ID. But now I am simply amused, because I am always on time anyways.” The goal of the system is to encourage all students to follow Doft’s example and to arrive at school at a reasonable time, so that signing in with IDs won’t be a reason for distress.

Club Fair find and join a club that’s right for them.

Club fair took place during the three lunch periods on September 26th, and each

plain to prospective members what their clubs accomplish.

During club fair, students walked around the tables exploring the various

grade was able to go in separately and explore both old and new clubs. The new clubs included coding club, the public speaking club, and the anti-animal abuse club. Ayelet Monas ’19, one of the coding club’s founders, said, “I hope that students will show interest, so we can all learn to code in a fun and interesting way.” The leaders, captains, editors, and presidents of the different clubs went down to the auditorium during homeroom to set up for club fair, setting their clubs’ signs down at specific tables and preparing to ex-

clubs while the G.O. sold apparel and the Rock Band, accompanied by singers, played their instruments on the stage.

Candy, popcorn, and hot pretzels were

available for the students--many club leaders have found that buying additional candy incentivizes students to join their club (although students complained

about the fact that club fair was on a day with a meat lunch, and there was therefore no dairy candy or chocolate).

Many students feel that the clubs they were able to sign up for at club fair provide a good way to develop friendships with other students and create a sense of community throughout the school. Participation in these clubs provides opportunities for students to get to know new classmates, pursue a particular passion, learn more about an interest, or just have fun. Students often have a whole separate group of friends or community through their clubs that they

would not otherwise have, and are able to meet students in other grades with whom they might not otherwise interact.

September-October 2017/Tisrei 5778

The-Rampage.org

Ramaz Eliminates Two Midterms

Harry Shams '19

Traditionally, Ramaz students take eight midterms at the end of first semester. This year, students were surprised to hear that this is no longer the case. The school decided that it would administer only six midterms, eliminating the Hebrew and foreign language exams. Generally speaking, the school's new policy has received widespread support from the student body, with the majority of students supporting the administration’s decision as an effective way to reduce student stress. However, the policy has sparked some debate throughout the school.

Many students believe that while the school’s new policy does reduce stress, the Hebrew and foreign language finals should not have been the ones to go. Yonatan Weitzner ’19 said, “If the school really wanted to make our lives easier, they would’ve gotten rid of two different finals. It isn’t exactly Hebrew and Spanish or French that give students most of their stress during midterms—it's their math or history midterms.”

Additionally, many have expressed concern about the fact that eliminating the foreign language and Hebrew midterms may end up put-

ting certain students at a disadvantage.

Traditionally, midterms provide an opportunity for students to significantly raise their grades in a class. However, with the elimination of the Hebrew and foreign language midterms, the school is taking away students’ abilities to give their class grades this final boost. As Jack Ottensosser ’19 said, “I think it's good that the school is trying

Sophia Kremer '20

News 3

Stars of Hope

Stars of Hope is an organization that empowers people to transform communities impacted by natural and human-caused disasters. The organization, which recently held an activity for Ramaz students, encourages people to create colorful messages of hope on wooden stars that are ultimately displayed on the sites of the devastations.

This initiative was proposed

by Jacob Bengualid ’19’s mother, Ms. Bengualid, who was involved in an organization called Reut, a nonprofit policy institute in Tel Aviv designed to provide real-time, long-term strategic decision-support to Israeli policymakers. The Bengualids had a family friend who worked at Stars of Hope, and she proposed the idea of merging the two organizations into a chesed activity. The

plans came to fruition when Ramaz students painted their own stars in the art room. The program was well-received by many students who had already given food and goods to the relief efforts and wanted to give even more of themselves. “I love the simplicity of it,” said Ms. Benel, who organized the first meeting. Jacob Bengualid said, “I am overjoyed that this project worked out, because it makes such a difference, not just for victims of natural disasters, but for the Ramaz students.” Kira Berman ’20, a participant of the project, felt the impact of the chesed. “I especially loved this activity,” she said, “because with the effortless stroke of a paintbrush, I had the ability to lighten someone's heart and encourage them to not give up.”

to make midterms a little bit easier, but they should also take into account that some students rely on midterms to raise their own grades.” Overall, however, students are looking forward to the enactment of this policy, excited to have two fewer midterms to worry about.

The Search for a New Head of School Caitlin Levine ’21

Ramaz is in a period of transition, as it becomes acclimated to a new administration and the recent departure of Rabbi Grossman, the former Head of School. On July 17, Chairman of the Board Dr. Philip Wilner ’75 sent out an email to the Ramaz community, stating that Rabbi Grossman would no longer be the Head of School. He explained that the school’s vision did not match with Rabbi Grossman’s and that therefore the decision to part ways was in the best interest of both parties. Dr. Wilner stated that Ramaz is well-positioned during this shift in authority, with strong leadership in all divisions: Rabbi Stochel, Ms. Bernstein, and Rabbi Koslowe are at the helm of the Upper, Middle and Lower Schools respectively. Dr. Wilner also assured everybody that the financial well-being of the school was well-protected with the presence of Kenny Rochlin, Director of Institutional Advancement; Robin Greenfield, Chief Financial Officer; and Johanna Shlomovich, Chief Operating Officer. Nevertheless, the search for a new head had begun.

In mid-August, the school sent out an email to introduce a plan to integrate the parent body into the search process by establishing a group of meetings called “Transition Talks.” These meetings, the first of which was scheduled for the Wednesday after Labor Day, would allow the Chairman of the Board, in con-

junction with select Charter Trustees, to introduce the thought process of the lay leaders while also giving a forum for the parents to provide input. The board made it clear that this would be the first of several talks, which would help achieve the goal of transparency throughout the search process.

The first transition talk took place, as scheduled, in the Middle School auditorium on September 6. Dr. Wilner conducted the meeting, along with the Co-chairs of the Search Committee, David Stonehill and Tammy Winn, and board member Erica Schwartz, while the other board members were present. Dr. Wilner introduced David M. Arnold, a seasoned educator who spent his career in education at many fine institutions including the Dalton School, and who had been serving as a consultant for Ramaz dating back to the previous year, to help in this search for a new Head of School.

His introduction generated varying reactions, with some voicing great support for him and saying that they had known him for decades and could vouch for his integrity, intelligence, and educational knowledge. Others voiced concern that one of the key members of the Search Committee was someone who was not involved in Jewish education during his career.

The meeting lasted for two hours, and while it started out in an or-

ganized, polite fashion, emotions began to show as the end neared. While many parents remained positive and some offered advice, a growing number of parents used this forum to complain. Parents questioned, among other things, the trend of the same people repeatedly being chosen to lead Ramaz committees, and they wanted to know more about the exact vision of Ramaz and the role of religion in the search process. Numerous times during the meeting, Dr. Wilner reinforced the board’s desire to keep parents active in the process. The school set up two email addresses, transition@ramaz.org and search@ramaz. org to solicit input from the parent body.

Two days after the talk, Dr. Wilner sent a follow-up email to the parents, once again demonstrating the underlying theme of communication as being key. He clarified the Ramaz vision, how it would be executed, how the school measures success, how this search process would be different from previous processes, and the importance of communication and transparency. His email outlined a Ramaz vision that focused on Modern Orthodoxy, Israel, higher education, Torah, and social responsibility. Dr. Wilner described the Ramaz ideal as “a mix of Jewish learning, academic excellence, and good citizenship that helps our young children grow into well-rounded individuals and

leaders who contribute to the Jewish community and society as a whole.” He elaborated on the search process, calling it a proactive attempt to find the right person, which broke from the traditional method of having the candidates brought to the institution by a hired company.

While the first transition talk may not have passed without emotions and apprehension, it appears that the administration is trying hard to make parents as comfortable as possible with the current transition period. Change and uncertainty is usually unsettling, but with the great leadership in all three divisions, coupled with a comprehensive, forthright search, there is much hope that Ramaz will find an excellent fit for its newest leader.

News 4

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September-October 2017/Tishrei 5778

9/11 Commemorated Freshman Orientation

Zachary Buller '20

September 11, 2001 began just like any regular day: children went to school, adults went to work, and nobody suspected that anything unusual would come to pass. Many people remember exactly where they were and what they were doing at the time of the fateful attacks on the World Trade Center. Some employees of the World Trade Center survived the attack due to atypical circumstances that kept them away from the sight of danger.

For example, Gail Hafif ’20 shared, “My mom used to go for a morning jog and out for coffee at the World Trade Center

Suzi Dweck '19

events of 9/11. As a police officer at the time, Lopez was stationed at the site of the New York attacks and worked tirelessly for 12 hours a day, doing anything he could to help. Even when he had a day without any assigned work, Lopez remained on the site as a volunteer. Mr. Lopez recalled the “smell of death” and the feeling of fear and uncertainty that overcame him as he entered the site of the tragedy. Josephine Schizer ’20 said, “It was inspiring to hear how dedicated Mr. Lopez and the other emergency officers were in the aftermath of 9/11. Hearing how they risked their lives to

"...someone whose first-hand experience was so real, so horrifying, and so near to death." every day. On the morning of the attack, [she] had to stay home to take care of my brother who wasn’t feeling well. She didn’t know it at the time, but not going for her daily jog on that one particular day saved her life.” While unforeseen circumstances saved some lives, acts of human bravery and valor were responsible for saving many others. In order to honor these acts and to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the attack, five people who risked their own lives to help save others during and after the attacks came to share their experiences with the Ramaz Upper School students.

Rabbi Dr. Moshe Sokolow spoke to the seniors about his experience as a medical first responder in the aftermath of 9/11. After recounting his tireless efforts to rescue victims and transport them to emergency rooms, Rabbi Dr. Sokolow advised the students to find a way to use their own skills to make the world a safer place in which to live. “Since events like these do happen, everyone should be prepared,” he said. “You can become a doctor, an EMT...or whatever you want. At least have some sort of skill that could be of assistance to people that need it.” Tamar Bacalu ’18 described Rabbi Dr. Sokolow’s words as “moving” and said, “I was...able to tell that the events of 9/11 changed the way he lived his life from that point forward.”

His speech “made [her] feel as though [she] was there at the horrifying scene.”

To help the juniors internalize the seriousness of the day, Mr. Peter Bitwinski, an employee of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, came to speak to them about how he saved his paralyzed friend, John Abruzzo, from the 69th floor of the North Tower. Mr. Bitwinski risked his own life by carrying his friend out of the building amidst the chaos. “Everyone in America was impacted by 9/11,” said Natalie Kahn ’19, “but it was especially moving to hear from someone whose first-hand experience was so real, so horrifying, and so near to death. Mr. Bitwinski was not only close to death, being on one of the highest floors to get hit, but he also managed to save someone else, a friend of his, in the process of saving his own life.”

Mr. Larry Lopez, one of the security guards at the Upper School, spoke to the sophomores about his response to the

save others shows how the best part of people can come out in the wake of a disaster.”

Mr. Joe Deliro, a retired police officer, spoke to the freshmen about his experience as a first responder in a police unit that was sent to the South Tower to help with evacuation, safety and rescue. In the wake of the disaster, Mr. Deliro went 100 feet underground to recover as many bodies as possible. “Mr. Deliro was incredibly moving,” said Ita Newman-Getzler ’21. “It made me realize how many people were involved in the tragedy and the amount of effort it took to fix it.”

The Sephardic Minyan heard from Mr. Joseph Olidort, an engineer who worked at the World Trade Center.

He told the story of how he saved the lives of some of his co-workers along with his own. Judah Wahba ’20 described his story as “inspiring and amazing.” After hearing that there was a fire in the North Tower, Mr. Olidort ran down to see what had happened. Doing so may have saved his life, as the second plane ultimately crashed five floors above where he had previously been.

Olidort reasoned that in a matter of time, the buildings would collapse. He ran back upstairs and brought as many people as he could out of the building and to safety.

Hearing from these five courageous people helped students reflect on the tragic events of 9/11. While many of the students were not yet alive that day, it brought to life an event that for the most part they had only read about. “It made me realize... how many people have their own specific stories and experiences, and made it seem relatable even though I was not alive when 9/11 occurred,” said Newman-Getzler.

Freshman Orientation guided the incoming high school students as they entered their first year at Ramaz, and it helped them learn what to expect from the next four years of high school without the stress of having to run from class to class. Dr. Aharon, the Freshman Grade Dean, worked tirelessly with Rabbi Dov Pianko and Ms. Bernfeld to plan the two-day event, which focused on both the social and academic aspects of Ramaz.

By the time Freshman Orientation took place, each freshman’s assigned senior advisor had already called to introduce himself or herself and to answer any questions, while the faculty advisors had sent out postcards to welcome the freshmen to Ramaz. When the new students arrived at the building, they were greeted by their senior advisors, and they met their faculty advisors shortly afterward. The first day of Freshman Orientation focused mainly on the social parts of school, and it helped freshmen adjust to the new faces and the new building without yet introducing the classes. The day consisted of many different activities: a performance from Chamber Choir, a

scavenger hunt around the school to help students get acquainted with the building, a slideshow with pictures from students’ summer activities, and icebreaker games such as human bingo, which helped everybody get to know each other. “It was

a fun way to meet my new classmates, and I enjoyed interacting with everyone,” said Gigi Ashkenazi ’21. The day end-

ed with a special surprise: an ice cream truck distributed soft-serve ice cream to the students, and the Ramaz Ram showed up in full costume to participate as well.

On the second day of Freshman Orientation, the incoming high school students received their schedules and books in advisory sessions. These sessions provided time for the students to socialize and discuss their soon-to-be classes and teachers. The freshmen also participated in a workshop entitled “A Smart Start: Using your Brain Wisely,” which aimed to teach them how to manage their work and classes as they began high school. Later that day, the freshmen took a trip to Central Park. They played team-building games, walked around, and experienced New York City, the “backyard” of Ramaz.

Before returning to school to watch the slideshow of their scavenger hunt, they took a grade picture in the park. The activities brought the freshmen closer together, until they felt comfortable with the city, the school, and the students around them. Their first two days helped to eliminate their worries, and Gabby Sakhai ‘21 said, “The whole experience really helped ease my way into high school.”

Disciplinary Policy Revised

Esti Beck ’19 and Hannah Doft ’20

Over their years spent at Ramaz, many students became familiar with the classic punitive system; indecorous students were frequently sent to the office to fill out reports, and misdemeanors could theoretically cause students to earn detention. A student who misbehaved in class repeatedly or in a severe enough manner was sent to the office to fill out

a Disciplinary Report, while students who were late to class went to the office to fill out late notes. The Ramaz administration, in an effort to tighten the rules, reworked the attendance and disciplinary systems: detention has returned to Ramaz with more vigor, and students can earn it by incurring more than three latenesses or “Citizenship Reports.”

These Citizenship Reports are the new, updated equivalent of the Disciplinary Reports. Students no longer need to fill out handwritten sheets, but rather an online report. Later on in the

day, the teacher whose class was disturbed completes his or her half of the report online. Students found out at orientation that the Citizenship Reports are reserved for when a teacher or administrator feels that a student is truly disturbing the community, not simply misbehaving. Talking during a class, for example, does not merit a Citizenship Report. Many students

were pleased with this new change, because they felt it took a lot of the pressure off of them during both tefilla and class.

Three Citizenship Reports or latenesses lead to one detention, and three detentions lead to social probation.

A student on social probation is banned from clubs or teams, removed from leadership positions, and cannot attend school trips. This sweeping punishment is meant to serve as a deterrent for both misbehavior and tardiness, strengthening the rules set forth in Preludes.

September-October 2017/Tishrei 5778

Becky Tauber ’19

News 5

New Lunch Rules: Tray Takeover

At the schoolwide orientation in September, a new lunch procedure was introduced to students. Grade Deans explained that anyone who is eating lunch in the cafeteria must use a tray, as opposed to just having a plate. This initiative was started as a replacement for lunch duty, where about two to three times a year each student had to stay in the lunchroom to make sure all the tables were clean.

There were multiple problems that came with lunch duty, and so the faculty worked on a new plan to try to keep the lunchroom clean without it.

A main issue was that many students would leave their garbage behind because they knew that whoever was on lunch duty would throw it away for them. The faculty and administrators who came up with the tray solution felt it was unfair that students were forced to throw out other people’s trash, and the lunch room would be left with dozens of plates on the tables and floor regardless.

Sophia Kremer '20

The-rampage.org

An announcement informing students if they had lunch duty that day was usually made at each grade minyan, but when the announcement wasn’t made, nobody knew who had lunch duty. Lunch duty was an inconvenience for many reasons: students who were planning on meeting with a teacher, studying for a test, completing a homework, or even just hanging out with their friends during lunch were not able to do so because of it. Additionally, there are many students who prefer not to be in the cafeteria during lunch, and lunch duty did not allow them to be in the lounge or library. The new tray policy was therefore begun on the first day of class this year, along with an elimination of lunch duty and the hope for a cleaner lunchroom.

Some people, however, are not so fond of this new policy. Students seem to think that carrying a tray is a hassle, and doesn’t even produce the desired results of having a clean lunch room. The

trays also take up a lot of space on the table, which people don’t like. “I don’t think trays are necessary because if someone didn’t clean up their plate before, they won’t clean up their tray either,” said David Adler ’19. “I think they are also annoying for the lunch staff who now have to clean up the trays when they have enough on their plates, no pun intended.”

However, trays have so far proven to be a great start to a cleaner lunch room. “The decision to remove lunch duty for students was an effort to get students to be more thoughtful about their own individual responsibilities, especially as they relate to our school environment and community,” said Rabbi Slomnicki. “From what I have observed, despite the fact that there are still some students and faculty who neglect to clean up after themselves, there is a dramatic improvement in the overall cleanliness of the lunchroom. I actually asked Miryam from 5 star about

this and she agrees with me that there is a noticeable difference this year.” Additionally, trays might seem like a hassle to students, but many feel that this is just due to the fact that using a tray is something that needs a little getting used to.

Even though there is some opposition towards this new policy, trays seem to be accomplishing the goal of solving the dirty lunch room problem in a better and more practical way than lunch duty did in the past. Now, students can choose whether they want to eat in the lunchroom or schedule a meeting with a teacher without having to worry about if they have lunch duty that day.

Corrine Azizian ’18 said, “Even though I think the trays are kind of annoying, they do make sense and make it a lot easier to clean up. Since I’m a senior, I usually go out for lunch. Although the trays don’t affect me that much, if I wasn’t a senior I’d be happy that it gets rid of lunch duty.”

Relief After Natural Disasters

The month of September 2017 was filled with multiple tragic natural disasters. First came Hurricane Harvey, which hit the city of Houston on August 25th, resulting in more than 40 inches of rain and catastrophic floods, inundating hundreds of thousands of homes, and displacing more than 30,000 people. Then came Hurricane Irma, causing 124 deaths in the Caribbean and Florida Keys, followed by Hurricane Jose, which lasted from September 5th to 26th, hitting Leeward Islands, Bahamas, Bermuda, the East Coast of the United States, and Nova Scotia. Be-

ginning on September 16th, Hurricane Maria--considered the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, the worst natural disaster in Dominica in its recorded history, and the strongest to make landfall in Puerto Rico since 1928--struck the Caribbean. A Central Mexico Earthquake on September 19 caused tremendous damage in the Mexican states of Puebla and Morelos and in the Greater Mexico City area, including the collapse of more than 40 buildings, 361 deaths, and at least 6,011 injuries.

When the Kehilath Jeshurun Congregation and the Ramaz School

heard about the disasters, newswires were sent around informing the community, calling for donations toward relief efforts, and sharing information on food drive opportunities. Students across the three divisions gathered supplies from a list received from Houston relief coordinators on the ground and packed boxes of donated items including gallons of bleach, disinfectants, rubber gloves, sponges, packing tape, underwear, socks, and more. In response to Hurricane Irma, the school requested kosher, non-perishable food products to be sent down to those impacted by the disaster.

In a program organized by Stars of Hope, an organization that empowers others to transform communities impacted by natural and human-caused disasters, Ramaz students had the hands-on opportunity to create colorful messages of hope on wooden stars that will be displayed in public in the communities affected by the disasters. Hopefully, the stars will help to lighten the spirits of the heavy-hearted victims of the disasters as they cope with their losses.

Teshuva Assembly William Kremer '21

As usual, this year’s back-toschool season closely coincided with the High Holidays, which are traditionally a time of self-reflection and evaluation. Therefore, the student government created a Teshuva Assembly, which was broken up based on grade, to help students understand what teshuva is and how to perform it.

Rabbi Steinmetz, leader of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, addressed the freshmen. He began by describing the sin of acting like a fool, which he saw

as the worst aveirah. He described this sin as being the equivalent to naiveté and close-mindedness, both of which prevent people from reaching their full potentials. Rabbi Steinmetz also spoke about the positive deed of acting seriously and following words with actions, encouraging the students to go out of their ways to be kind. “Rabbi Steinmetz’s message that at this point in our lives everything is changing because we are in a new environment and [that] we have the opportunity to change for the better was very mean-

ingful,” said Samantha Sinensky ’21.

The sophomores listened to Debbie Stone speak about the limits of forgiveness. She discussed situations in which it is impossible to forgive, such as was the case with Holocaust. Stone drew examples from the book The Sunflower,

by Simon Wiesenthal, a Holocaust survivor who posed his question on forgiveness to 53 world leaders.

Meanwhile, juniors heard from Rabbi Stochel, who shared the tragic story of the destruction of his home, and

Rabbi Lookstein addressed the seniors about the problems with using prayer as a medium for praising and thanking G-d.

All in all, the student body found the assemblies to be an impactful way to begin the year. Joey Kaplan ’20 felt that the assembly created a sense of unity amongst the students of each grade. He said, “It was well done in that it was just our grade, and it opened the year off with a shared group experience with a meaningful message.”

News 6

Zachary Buller '20

The Rampage

9/11 Day of Service

In honor of the 16th anniversary of 9/11, Ramaz students had the opportunity to participate in the annual 9/11 Day of Service. The day featured a wide range of meaningful Chesed activities, including assembling Rosh HaShanah bags for American-Jewish soldiers, packing backpacks for children in homeless shelters, and working at the Friendship Circle carnival. In between each event, speakers that had personal connections to the Chesed activities shared their stories. According to Ms. Benel, the coordinator of the event, the intention was for students to “connect through giving” and have a great time while performing generous acts of Chesed.

First, Ms. Beverly Wolfer, founder of the Major Stuart Adam Wolfer Institute, MSAWI, told the students the story of her brother. Beverly and her family created MSAWI to honor the memory of her brother Stuart z”l, who was killed while serving in Iraq. MSAWI is an organization that provides packages and care to American Soldiers stationed worldwide. Students put together care packages for American-Jewish soldiers that included dried apples, honey, and other Rosh HaShanah-themed delicacies as well as personalized letters, a star from an American flag, and card worth 60 minutes of free calling time, giving the soldiers the ability to communicate with their friends and families. “It was

very meaningful to me that all I had to do to make a soldier smile was put a few items in a bag. Chesed activities like these really show you how much of a difference you can make without realizing,” said Ben Silverman ’20. What the student participants may have not realized was the amount of effort that goes into sending these care packages all around the world. With the help of several students, Ms. Benel has been working hard organizing the packages, putting on shipping labels, and filling out forms declaring that the packages contain food items to be sent around the world. Ms. Benel said, “It is so interesting, yet so sad

"Find what you can do.

Find what you like to do. Find what you love.

And believe me it will have its effect." -Ms. Benel to see where all of the packages are being shipped. I can tell how far the package is going by the price of the shipping label.

If it costs $7 to ship, I know it’s not going too far, but if it costs $37 and then I see that it’s going to Kuwait, it makes me sad to think that American people are being stationed so far away. The least

we can do is send them these packages.”

After the students finished packing the care packages, Ms. Zuheilly Talavera shared an inspiring story. After having some financial troubles, Zuheilly, a single mom, was forced to live in a homeless shelter for a year with her four-year-old daughter. When she was able to get her life back together, she got a job at Coalition for the Homeless, an organization that strives to end homelessness in New York City. Zuheilly was able to empathize with the Coalition’s cause, and today works hard to ensure that others do not end up in the same situation that she did. “Zuheilly recognized the need to help someone after she herself needed help,” said Ms. Benel. Following Zuheilly’s speech, the students filled 100 backpacks with new school supplies for children living in homeless shelters all over the city.

Next, the students heard from Ms. Julie Elencweig, a former Ramaz Upper School computer science and coding teacher, who spent her summer volunteering at Neve Michael Children’s Village, a home for children at risk.

There, she taught children of all ages both basic and advanced coding. While Julie did not know how to speak a word of Hebrew, she still managed to work with Israeli children and enrich their lives by teaching them a very important skill. Elizabeth Newman-Corré ’20 said,

New Club Policy Becky Tauber '19

September-October 2017/Tishrei 5778

One of the many changes that have been instituted for the 2017-2018 school year is the new club policy. The new co-curricular guidelines now contain some rules which are unfamiliar to most students. For example, for all teams, clubs, societies, and publications, advisors are required to submit a report by the end of the week, and each group must take at least one picture during their meeting to use for Zmails, club updates, and the yearbook. While in previous years there was no specific number of times a co-curricular activity had to meet per quarter, this year teams must hold five meetings per quarter, clubs must hold three, societies one, and publications must have at least one meeting per published issue.

Additionally, faculty leaders are now in charge of appointing club leaders and presidents. Director of Student Activities Rabbi Dov Pianko now oversees all clubs, and any time leaders of a program want to schedule a meeting or post flyers around the school, they must meet with Rabbi Dov for approval prior to the meeting.

Rabbi Dov worked on the new club guidelines with the G.O., but specifically with AVP of Student Life, Amanda Koptyev ’19. With these new rules in place, the idea is that there will be a calendar containing the meeting times and locations of every co-curricular activity, making it easier for students as well as faculty to stay in the loop of where and when their clubs are taking place. “We set minimum times that clubs need to meet in

order to actually be a club,” said Koptyev.

“It is frustrating for students who sign up for a club they are very interested in at the club fair, and then it never meets. We want participation in clubs to mean something to everyone, whether it is the president or just a member. Now that faculty advisors must choose the leaders, the idea is that the process will be more fair, and anyone who wants a leadership role in that club has an equal chance to get one.” Rabbi Dov Pianko explained his idea for what he hopes the after school programming will look like: “My vision for the co-curricular program for the Ramaz Upper School is well beyond this year. I wanted to be able to create infrastructure to help students create, participate, and maintain their co-curricular interests for the present and the future. I think that this new infrastructure will create standards which will hold both advisors and presidents accountable and create a sense of stability for our co-curricular program… I believe that a positive co-curricular program is essential to the student experience in Ramaz, and my vision is to create infrastructure that takes the standard of excellence, which already exists inside our classrooms, and bring it to our co-curricular experiences.”

After all of the work done by the Director of Student Activities, AVP of Student Life, and the rest of the G.O. and faculty, these new guidelines will hopefully allow for a more organized, official, and enjoyable experience in co-curricular activities at Ramaz.

“Hearing from Ms. Elencweig was inspiring because it taught us the importance of using our talents in productive and kind ways, ultimately making me want to do similar acts of Chesed in the future.”

Following the Chesed presentations was the Friendship Circle carnival in the gym. For their annual Friendship Circle Kickoff Event, Ramaz housed a carnival for children with special needs in Friendship Circle with a giant Moon Bounce, basketball, and various arts and crafts activities. Each Day of Service participant was partnered with a child with special needs and played with him or her throughout the carnival. For many students, this was their first time working with Friendship Circle or any similar organization. This was a special experience for both the student volunteers and the children in Friendship Circle. Maya Hoff ’20 said: “The carnival was really fun and I really enjoyed spending time with the kids.”

The 9/11 of Day of Service was a humbling experience for many students, giving them the opportunity to share smiles with people that are in challenging situations. Ms. Benel’s advice for students’ pursuit of more Chesed in the future was to “find what you can do. Find what you like to do. Find what you love.

And believe me it will have its effect.”

G.O. Ball

Paola Mattout '19

It has become a G.O tradition to plan a fun activity for the first day back at school to get the students in the spirit of the new school year. This year’s event came in the form of the G.O Ball, inspired by the Gov Ball music festival. The G.O worked tirelessly to prepare this fun day to welcome the students back after a long summer, with signs around the school announcing the event. There was a special barbeque lunch, complete with snacks and ices, and a photo booth where students could take pictures.

This event was one of the freshmen’s first experiences at Ramaz, and gave many of them a clear sense of the purpose of the G.O. and excitement for their upcoming year. As Gabby Sakhai ’21 said, “As a Freshman on my first day of school, the G.O clearly put a lot of work into making the day an enjoyable experience for everyone. The photo booth was a fun way to start off the year and take pictures with my friends. I didn’t think my first day of school would be filled with such enjoyment and excitement!” The G.O ball aimed to start off the year on this positive note, as well as giving the student body a taste of what the G.O. plans on accomplishing this year.

This year’s G.O aims to make sure the student body’s voices are heard, and to ensure that this year is the best year possible. Under the leadership of Rabbi Slomnicki and Rabbi Dov, the G.O has already been working to ac-

complish many of their goals. Dov is optimistic about this year’s G.O. and the changes in the structure, saying that “I have many goals for the G.O. for the upcoming year. We are working with a new structure for student government this year, which I think is working out very well. Working with both the executive board and board members (class presidents), I want students who have positions of leadership to feel empowered to make changes, and to know that they can make a difference in the school. I hope that we can work together to create a more positive student experience, and foster a sense of community for everyone in the school.

I think that the G.O. members are some of the most influential members of our community, and I look forward to working together to enhancing our school now and for the future.”

As the G.O. members approach the new school year, their main goal so far has been to make each school day enjoyable for the students, while showing that they care about the students’ opinions. They’ve been pushing students to send in ideas or concerns to be discussed during SFAC meetings, so that each student’s thoughts can be addressed. In order to make this year as successful as possible, the G.O hopes to work with each and every student and create connections with the student body, fostering a more friendly and enjoyable environment at Ramaz.

Features

The Rampage • September-October 2017

The Return of G.O. Apparel Club Spotlight:

Public Speaking

Hannah Slager '19

This year, the Upper School hallways will be filled with less Adidas or Brandy Melville and much more Ramaz.

No longer is G.O. apparel only for spirit day or fatigued Monday mornings when all one cares about is being comfortable.

At last, the G.O.’s newly designed apparel contains garments that students will want to wear on a regular basis. Olivia Bourkoff ’19, who designs and sells the clothing with Vice President of the G.O. Sarah Issever ’18, explained that they “look at the things people wear at school and try to incorporate those trends into Ramaz apparel so people will genuinely want to buy them.” Issever added that “people don’t realize how much hard work and communication is needed to produce the apparel,” which must all be approved by the Parents Council. So what went wrong in the attempts of previous years? “It’s such a long process between designing and actually producing a product that everyone approves of that I think the past G.O. lost hope,” said Issever. She and Bourkoff both affirmed that their main goal in revamping the Ramaz wardrobe is to improve the school’s environment. “It’s

Natalie Kahn '19

so worth it,” Issever said, “when you see someone wearing [Ramaz apparel] and

representing the school with that pride.”

The new apparel will be released at the end of the month, with prices ranging from $20 to $40, and hopefully the halls will soon be filled with more school spirit than ever before.

Yasmine Sokol '19

One of the several new clubs created this year is the Public Speaking Club, founded by Danya Jacobs ’19 and Alex Doppelt ’19.

Jacobs explained her motivation in forming the club, saying, “I've noticed over my years at Ramaz that oftentimes students shy away from speaking in front of a class or in front of the whole school just because of nerves. I hope this club will be able to teach students ways that they can be less

nervous and feel comfortable speaking in front of others.”

Jacobs believes that this might be especially appealing and interesting to G.O. members and class presidents who are often expected to speak in front of large crowds. This club is a great opportunity for students to improve their public speaking skills and learn to respect others who are speaking.

Interview with Dr. Dunitz

Where in the UK were you born, and how is the UK education system different from the American one?

I grew up in Northwest London in a suburb called Hempstead Gardens, and I went to an all-girls, non-Jewish school. Even though my family was Modern Orthodox, the Jewish school in London wasn’t such a strong school, so it was more common for families like mine to send their kids to non-Jewish, single-sex private schools and then to give kids supplementary Judaic studies. In the UK, learning is more in depth, because we specialize at a younger age. By my last two years of high school, I was only taking three classes: history, english literature, and French, and as an undergraduate, I only studied history.

While there’s something good about having all that real rigorous training, I think it’s also good to have breadth.

Who knows what he or she wants to do at age 15 or 16?

What about history most appeals to you?

If taught well, history challenges the way you think and teaches you to question things you always took as a given. Take American national identity, for example--you don’t really think about where it came from, who created it. You can really only understand the present — our political fabric, economic underpinnings of society — with a nuanced comprehension of the past. Teaching history is very dynamic. I enjoy interacting with people much more than just sitting in the library doing research, and this is a really active and engaged student body, making it really fun to teach.

Which area of history interests you the most?

My dissertation was about the British Empire in the early 20th century. I looked at both British and American thinkers and examined how their ideas played out in British colonial Africa. It was a period of internationalism, making connections. You’re getting to the beginning of this globalized world system. I really like seeing the way one nation’s past influences another, so in terms of British versus American history, I don’t prefer one; I like looking at both and seeing how they relate to each other.

How did you end up teaching in the US? Well, in the UK, they have a law conversion course, sponsored by law firms, to train you to be a lawyer. So I started doing that, and I really hated it, so I then applied for a job at the New York Historical Society. I

"You can really only understand the present — our political fabric, economic underpinnings of society — with a nuanced comprehension of the past." came here, thinking the job would just be for a year or two, but I loved the research part of it so much that I applied to PhD programs while I was here.

How is teaching high school students different from teaching college students?

High school students are more receptive, more fresh.

There’s something exciting about this time of life when students are discovering the world. In university, class is more discussion-based. Before each class, students are expected to read a monograph, and there’s a more focused topic of study. Here, there’s much more material to cover, so it’s less detailed.

Since you’re British, does it feel strange to teach about the American Revolution to Americans?

I wouldn’t call it strange, but it’s interesting. When we learned about the American Revolution back home, the way it was taught was so critical of America. I never felt this sort of patriotic affiliation towards the UK, while here, there’s a real indoctrination of patriotism, which just doesn’t really exist in the UK. Teaching it here, you get to view it less critically and more from a nationalistic point of view.

How has being Jewish affected your perception of world history?

I’m more conscious of this idea of the outsider status. I was drawn to this idea as an undergraduate, writing my undergraduate thesis on Jewish involvement in the Civil Rights Movement in America. If you think about it, history isn’t really much more than looking at the world from the perspective of an outsider, almost like a foreign society, and to me, that’s what makes it so interesting.

Features 8

The Rampage

September-October 2017/Tishrei 5778

Interview with Dr. Roldan Josephine Schizer '20 and Harry Shams '19 This year, Dr. Roldan took over as the new chair of the Foreign Language Department. Her appointment marks the beginning of a new era for a department that has, more or less, remained stagnant for years. Along with Dr. Roldan’s promotion comes an opportunity for the department to change its long-standing practices and its approach to teaching students a new language. We had the chance to speak with Dr. Roldan about some of the changes she plans to introduce to the department.

Schizer: This is your first year as the head of the Foreign Language Department. Are there any changes you want to implement?

Dr. Roldan: We are trying to expose our students to the Hispanic and Latino culture in New York City. We’re open to taking them to museums or plays this month or next month. I’m trying to take them to Museo Del Barrio or the Museum of the City of New York. For French classes, Mr. Perea is open to taking the students to interesting exhibitions related to French art and Francophone culture, maybe from Haiti or Africa. Not only that, but exams are going to have a small cultural section. What I really want is for students to have a broader sense of the Spanish language and culture. Let’s say, for instance, that we learn about Mexico or about Salvador: I want students to at least know about the indigenous populations, the main religions, the main natural resources, the capitals, and the main sites, such as museums and beaches. The cultural exchange is very important, and if students really start doing this from the 9th grade, it’s a straight path to the AP, because the AP is really about making cultural connections.

Shams: Historically, students at Ramaz have felt that while they may learn the fundamentals of Spanish or French, they don’t actually gain fluency. As the new department chair, how do you plan to ensure that every student has the chance to gain a lifelong understanding of the language they are studying?

R: We are working to make sure that the curriculum of each class is made in accordance with the specific needs of the students. To that end, the first thing that we did was replace the usual eight-unit curriculum with a sixunit curriculum. This was done because we want students to really understand the fundamentals of the language before moving on to more difficult material.

Shams: What are some new testing methods that you plan to introduce to the Foreign Language Department?

R: One of the main focuses of the department is to provide the students with the necessary tools to develop oral communication skills. One of the ways we plan on doing this is by making sure that each foreign language exam has an interview section. That way, students can begin to speak the language proficiently, instead of simply being able to write the language proficiently.

Schizer: This semester there is no language final. Do you have any thoughts about that?

R: It’s not a problem because we’re always doing assessments in the classroom, and we are going to have two exams and a final project. Assessments take place every

day when we’re teaching. When we’re practicing the language, if students answer a few questions orally before they write them, that’s an assessment because it's proving that they know it. It’s a different kind of assessment.

Shams: In the past, the Foreign Language Department has emphasized vocabulary. Do you feel like you’re taking an opposing position by emphasizing oral skills?

R: Vocabulary is important, but the most important part of learning any language is building an understanding of the language that allows you to retell your own experiences. It’s important that students don’t just learn random words, but rather words that are relevant to their own experiences. It’s also important that students be able to describe those experiences in conversations.

Shams: Do you think that the current tracking system of foreign language classes is in need of improvement?

R: I am open to reconsidering the current placement levels. For instance, one initiative I’d like to explore is the creation of a separate class of native speakers, or speakers with at least one fluent parent.

Schizer: Ramaz students already speak Hebrew.

Does this present added challenges to the Foreign Language Department? Does it make it easier?

R: I think it’s easier because students already have a bilingual mind (or many times they're trilingual: there are children that speak Hebrew, English, and Portuguese or Arabic as well). Students already have an open mind for many languages, and that complexity is great.

It’s fantastic, because they can always compare. For instance, when I’m teaching the articles, I can explain that this agrees with number and gender just like in Hebrew.

Not only that, but I believe that students are aware of the importance of Spanish in New York and in the United

"The most important part of learning any language is building an understanding of the language that allows you to retell your own experiences."

States. Certainly, if they go and apply for school or want to pursue a complex career such as being a doctor or judge, they are going to have a great advantage if they speak Spanish.

Schizer: Many schools offer other languages like Latin or Mandarin in addition to French and Spanish. Has Ramaz ever considered this? Do you have an opinion about it?

R: I can always bring this suggestion to Rabbi Stochel. I don’t have a problem with it, because we do have a faculty member, Mr. Cabot, who can teach Latin. So yes, it’s an opening; you never know whether a child would be interested in pursuing Latin.

Schizer: I remember that in previous years the Foreign

Language Department directed the publication of a Spanish magazine.

Will that continue under your watch?

R: This year we’re going to have an open call for papers for the Spanish magazine, El Ramillete. I really believe in letting each child have the opportunity to write. I believe that the magazine will have an opening for creative writing as well, because we may have a hidden poet that we don’t know about!

Schizer: There are several new teachers in the department this year. Did you hire them?

R: It was teamwork! I’m very glad that I have such a supportive team, not only in my department but also in the administration. We’re thrilled about all of the changes. I think teachers feel quite comfortable with what they're doing, and I’m having weekly departmental meetings. I’m open to their inquiries and suggestions, and we’re doing everything as a group. Without their initiative, it would have been impossible for me. And so far, no students have complained. Everyone's happy!

Schizer: I know that in the past the high school and the middle school shared language teachers. Is that still the case?

R: No, I was the very last person that did that. It was exhausting and it was very hard, not only for the teacher, but for the students. The teacher really needs to stay in one place and have their students know that they can come if they have questions. Last year I never had a minute for questions, and I never got to know my students or help them, because I always had to run back to the other building. So no, the middle school has their own Spanish teacher now, and they are not offering French this year.

Shams: Were you at all nervous to take on the position of department chair?

R: Not at all; I think that I am 100 percent ready for this positionandthatmytenyearsofexperiencespeakforthemselves.

Schizer: Is there anything you want students to know about the department?

R: I want students to know that if they do very well they can always move up to the next level. What I really want to have is a strong track towards the AP, because every student should have the opportunity to pursue the AP. It’s great training for college. I’d really like to integrate the French students as well. I’m trying to welcome them all to my department and my office so they know that they can come to me with all of their questions.

Schizer: What do you like about Ramaz?

R: Oh, I love it! I wouldn’t change it for anything. I think it’s the best experience of my life. Students at Ramaz are very energetic and bright. And you know what is the most beautiful thing about it? They challenge themselves, and it’s proven by students who choose to move up in their tracks.

It’s challenging every day, but I look forward to it!

Adjusting to Ramaz: Life as a Freshman

Rebecca Massel '21

Over summer vacation, dominating eighth graders have to learn how to transform into bottomof-the-food-chain freshmen. The adjustment creates many challenges for the incoming students, and the new freshmen are handling this transition in different ways.

The Ramaz Upper School is known for its strive for academic excellence. This can cause stress for some students who consider the tests, grades and workload the most concerning part of the Upper School. Many students were anxious when they received the test schedule for the entire first semester during the first week of school. Some, on the other hand, appreciated the ability to plan ahead.

Jacob Davis ’21 said, “I didn’t feel nervous [receiving the test schedule so early] because I like to know about my tests a week or more in advance.” Freshmen also struggle to open lockers, understand the rotating schedule, find classes, navigate the stairwells and get to class on time.

Another challenge for the new students is making friends and feeling integrated into the school. This year’s freshmen class is made up of 102 students from over twenty schools in the five boroughs, New Jersey, Connecticut, Westchester and Long Island. New students face the particular challenge of integrating into a class that’s around 50 percent Ramaz Middle School graduates.

Sara Kagan ’21 said, “It’s different being in an environment where you don’t know anyone.” After having the same school friends in elementary and middle school, some students find it challenging to make new friends.

There are, however, a variety of ways for the new freshmen to meet one another. The two-day orientation enabled the freshmen to both socialize with old

friends and make new ones. In the “iPhone Age”, people meet and get to know each other through Instagram, Snapchat or grade WhatsApp group chats. According

to Charles Spielfogel ’21, “[Social media] helps you talk to kids and get to know them more.” Dr. Aharon, the Freshman Grade Dean, encourages students to connect during lunch, homeroom and Shabbatons. She says, “Be involved in the Ramaz community beyond the classroom -- join clubs and come to chesed programs!”

Many freshmen have also become friends with upperclassmen who are available and willing to support them. Each freshman was assigned a senior advisor, who dedicated his or her time to making sure that the new students felt adjusted. Adam Vasserman ’21 said, “It made me feel like I was gaining an entry into super cool friendships!” Michal Seinfeld ’21 said that on the bus she can always “ask older kids for help with homework.”

Ramaz tries to get the freshmen excited to be part of the school in ways other than just orientation.

“Ramaz swag”, including laptop cases, phone pockets and t-shirts, was distributed to new students to create school spirit. Jacob Kadoe ’21 said that he is excited for the “sports teams, clubs and breaks.” Many freshmen are enthusiastic about being in a school which, according to Adam Vasserman ’21, is “bigger, faster, stronger, and more productive” than their middle schools.

Opinion

The Rampage • September-October 2017

The Rampage Ramaz Upper School

New York | Volume 51 | Issue II&III | September-October 2017/Tishrei 5778 | the-rampage.org

Editors-in-Chief: Rebecca Araten* Abigail Huebner* Julia Levi* Associate Editor-in-Cheif: Naomi Freilich* Layout Editor: Netanel Kamel* Online Editors: Derek Korff-Korn* Mark Marcus* Faculty Advisor: Dr. Milowitz

Music Banned in the Lounges Naomi Freilich '18 Have you ever experienced the frustration that comes with taking a test or trying to focus in class while music is being blasted from the lounges? It seems as though many have experienced this annoyance, as a new rule forbidding music speakers in both the fourthand sixth-floor lounges was introduced at the start of the 2017-2018 school year. Although many students were reluctant to accept this rule at first, claiming that the

Contributing Writers: Esti Beck Zachary Buller Hannah Doft Suzi Dweck David Grinberg Gail Hafif Natalie Kahn Hadley Kauvar Sophia Kremer William Kremer Caitlin Levine Rebecca Massel Paola Mattout Gabi Potter Josephine Schizer Harry Shams Samantha Sinensky Hannah Slager Yasmine Sokol Emily Stemp Becky Tauber 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. *

lounges are designated recreational areas, the lack of loud music has actually caused a

Sophia Kremer '20

positive change for students and teachers, both inside and outside of the classrooms.

The absence of blaring music

talking to one another take a forefront position.When loud music was permitted, partaking in the lounge activities

"the lounges have now become a communicative environment where students are able to sit around and hear what others have to say" has resulted in a change in the environment of the Ramaz Upper School. The lounges are no longer confined to being places of texting, scrolling through Instagram, and talking only with the person standing close by. Rather, the lounges have now become a communicative environment where students are able to sit around and hear what others have to say. Loud music is no longer the only overwhelming sound emerging from the lounges; the sounds of people

was overwhelming. The lack of music has brought about a more comfortable setting, in which people can put aside technology and have human-to-human interactions.

Beyond vastly changing the social atmosphere, the new prohibition has increased the efficiency of classes. Due to the quiet hallways, teachers no longer need to stop their classes constantly to call the office, nor do they have to leave their classrooms in order to shush the

students in the lounges. A quiet classroom is necessary for the ideal learning environment, and it allows students to take tests without worrying about outside noises beyond their control.

Although many responded with initial outrage at the introduction of this new rule banning speakers in the lounges, the rule has, in turn, produced an environment throughout the school which could not exist with loud, blaring music. With the advent of technology in the 21st century, face-to-face conversation is a rarity. However, the quiet environment of the lounges has saved it from its endangered state, enabling students to communicate verbally with one another and enhancing the overall atmosphere of the school.

Freshman vs. Sophomore Year

Imagine yourself in the middle of an eight-floor maze, surrounded by three staircases that are all painted in different colors. You recognize only a few faces and know very few names. Suddenly, what used to be a five-day week, with days named “Monday” through “Friday,” is now a seven-day cycle, with “M” days, “R” days, “A” through “E” days, and yet no “D” day. All the kids around you seem mature and experienced as they navigate the halls like native New Yorkers making their way through crowded Times Square. The teachers expect a lot more from you than they did in middle school, your locker is crowded, and you have a huge stack of textbooks waiting to be organized. This is how I felt at the beginning of my freshman year.

Luckily, this year I do not have to start off fresh. I am already adjusted to the schedule and the way the school works. I am no longer struggling to remember the names of all the kids in my grade, and I have already formed relationships with a few of the teachers.

This year, I won’t be manipulated into joining clubs at the club fair with sub

jects I’ve never even heard of. I won’t give up my seat in the lounge for the upperclassmen, and most of all, I will not get cut on the toaster line in the cafeteria by sophomores and juniors that have a later

lunch but just want a “quick snack.” I’m not alone in feeling like the word “sophomore” has lifted a weight off of my shoulders. “I feel a lot more free, as if I don't have this constant pressure of making the right first impression, because mine was already established,” said Cayla Todes ’20.

Beyond merely offering new liberties to the sophomores, my second year seems to be offering more opportunities to freshmen, and I can already tell that there will be a different atmosphere in the lounge this year. During the first days of my freshman year, I, along with the

"I'm not alone in feeling like the word "sophomore" has lifted a weight off my shoulders" rest of the freshmen, was intimidated by the lounge and avoided the sixth floor altogether. Within the next few weeks, we all edged our way onto the sixth floor, but we only stepped foot in the lounge during the freshmen sixth-period lunch.

We weren’t completely comfortable in the lounge until after our grade shabbaton. Flash forward to this year, and you'll find that the freshmen have practically taken over the lounge and its atmosphere. I have seen homerooms when the freshmen have completely occupied the lounge and not a single sophomore or junior had space to sit. “It felt like the younger grade was completely taking over,” said Avery Sholes ’20. Inconvenient as it might have been, the freshman takeover of the lounge nevertheless showed promising signs for a newly empowered group of underclassmen.

Not only do I feel more at home in the school’s lounges and social environment as a whole, but as a sophomore I feel more academically prepared. Now I know who all the teachers are, and I have the inside scoop on how to prepare

for their classes and what to expect from them. Tanach teacher Ms. Benus, who is a Ramaz alumna, alluded to this advantage when she said, “My friends and I would compare our history teachers from freshman year to sophomore year and see which would be more challenging.” Indeed, at the beginning of freshman year, the names of the teachers on my schedule did not conjure up any sort of image, and the names became jumbled up in my head. However, after having spoken to students in different grades and having seen the teachers in the hallways, I now understand the distinct styles that the teachers have.

All in all, as a sophomore, I am used to my new classmates and the school, which will help give me the confidence to form new relationships with my teachers.

The first few weeks of school having been flowing smoothly; I have been building bonds, and freshman year is behind me, acting as the foundation from which I will continue to grow as a student.

Opinions 10

The Rampage

September-October 2017/Tishrei 5778

Better Uses for B4

Gabi Potter '20

Each 4th period on a B-day, the entire school has a scheduled free. This period comes right after homeroom, allowing for nearly an hour of possible free time. A B-day occurs only twice every three weeks, and so the school usually attempts to fill this period with scheduled activities or advisory sessions, both of which often end in students finding themselves in the lounge conversing with others, or in the library studying. While this routine may be pleasant for some, it is a clear example of how the school does not maximize its opportunities to enhance student life. If the administration were to scrap B4 advisory sessions and use the time in different ways, students would find that there is a lot more to offer in this precious time.

Most students would agree that they don’t have enough free time during their day; the schedule allows for almost no free time (especially for underclassmen) during school hours, and students who participate in clubs often don’t arrive at their homes until hours after school ends. This lack of time also creates tremendous issues for clubs—namely, a lack of both student commitment and legitimate meet-

ings. As Hannah Doft ’20 put it, “Clubs are struggling to thrive because they lack infrastructure.

Captains don’t set up meetings and students don’t attend anyways. People aren’t finding the time.”

Both issues could be solved in one way: by restructuring B4 periods to utilize the time differently.

The administration should stop using B4 periods for advisory meetings. Many students feel that advisory is not effective, so cutting it out would not be so problematic. Having no advisory would provide the freedom to create something new out of the time, such as a study hall. Many schools actually incorporate a study hall into their schedules, so it would not be out of the realm of what is normal.

During a B4 period, there are many possible ways for students to use their time; clubs could meet, the gym could be open, students could meet with teachers, faculty members could run clinics. Students could even choose to just sit in the lounge and talk with friends. But this list of possibilities doesn’t even acknowledge the option of out-of-school trips and activities. The school constantly boasts of its prime location in New York City, even claiming the

city as its “backyard.” However, barely any day-trips actually take place within the local neighborhood, let alone in the rest of the city. B4 could be a perfect opportunity for optional out-of-school adventures.

The possibilities for using this period are seemingly endless, but the most important thing to stress is that students should be able to choose how to spend this time and not have another scheduled event forced upon them. This plan is feasible as long as class presidents and members of the G.O. represent the students’ needs and desires, and as long as the administrators and grade deans are flexible and understanding. All it would take is some organization and communication.

Pro-Con: Forced Participation in Clubs Esti Beck '19 and Natalie Kahn '19 Beck: Clubs, teams, and other after-school activities are not only the easiest paths to distinguishing yourself on applications, but they are also one of Ramaz’s greatest prides. The school has a wide variety to offer, from teams as unusual as table tennis to many clubs in the arts and sciences. Socially, academically, and skill-wise, a student can grow from their participation in even just one of these activities. For that reason, I think the school should institute a policy which forces every student to participate in at least one club. It wouldn’t make sense to argue that some students simply do not have an interest in any of the activities or the ability to do any of the teams: there is such a wide variety that even if a student doesn’t have the academic ability to do, say, Engineering Club, they might have the artistic ability for Stage Crew or Guitar Ensemble or the political bent for RamPo, and if all else fails, there are self-help clubs such as Study Skills.

Kahn: You can’t force someone to stay in school past 4:45. Extracurriculars contain the word “extra” for a reason! For some people, almost nine hours in school every day is enough already—forcing them to stay after school won’t necessarily make their Ramaz experience more enjoyable. In fact, it might only increase stress or competition. While ideally there’d be at least one club that appeals to every student, that just isn’t a realistic expectation. Sometimes students might like the idea behind a club but not the way the club itself is run, or sometimes students may not feel that their interests or passions are properly accommodated by a club. Some clubs are more intense than others, and if an intense club happens to focus on what a student is interested in, then great; if not, then a student shouldn’t be forced.

Beck: We already force people to stay in school from eight to five. What difference does an extra half hour make in the grand scheme of things? That’s what the late buses are for. Besides, most clubs meet only once a week, and some even less. The amount of time a student would be sacrificing is

negligible. If a student truly couldn’t find a club that appealed to him or her, then there’s always the option of starting one, though I don’t think that would be necessary most of the time. No one’s being forced to do an “intense” club. If anything, the idea behind clubs, even the more relaxed ones, is that the students explore their passions and eventually grow attached to the other participants, acquiring new skills in the process. As such, I can’t imagine that more than a small minority of the school isn’t currently involved in one club or more. It’s only this tiny percentage that would even be affected by this new rule.

Kahn: If you’re forcing students to join a club, they might join a club that

barely meets, but being in a club that meets once in a blue moon will hardly allow a student to grow socially or academically, the reason stated above for mandating at least one club. And sometimes a student might want to be on a more rigorous club that meets more frequently, but it might be hard to get accepted to that club, so the student wouldn’t be able to be in it even if he or she wants to be. Alternatively, the club’s weekly meetings might conflict with another appointment on the student’s schedule. Making the student then create a club in place of joining one just may put additional stress on someone with an already hectic schedule. Imagine, for example, someone who has an extracurricular not affiliat-

ed with Ramaz that meets every day, or four days a week, for two hours.

How can you force that person to try to squeeze another club into the schedule or to put in hours of work in creating a new club on top of schoolwork and standardized test preparation?

Beck: I’ll bet that even going to one art club meeting enhances your art skills, or attending even one Parallax would make you a stronger and more confident writer. The frequency with which a club meets is inconsequential in the bigger picture. If you can’t get into the “rigorous” clubs, then as I mentioned previously, there are other options; for example, someone who was determined to debate but couldn’t make the team could simply go to RamPo.

Someone who didn’t make Chamber Choir could still be on High School Choir, and so on. Someone who has extracurriculars that are not associated with Ramaz could, I’m sure, appeal to the administration for an exemption.

The point of a policy like this isn’t to torture the students, but simply to foster talent and social interaction.

Kahn: So then you’re saying that just going to one meeting counts as joining the club? You might as well not have the policy at all then. Whoever doesn’t really want to join a club can just go to one club meeting and then say that that counts as joining the club, and then we’re basically back where we started. Every Ramaz student has prob-

ably gone to at least one club meeting during his or her Ramaz career, so what would the new policy even do?

Beck: That point that I made about going to one club meeting was in response to your point about how some clubs meet less frequently than others and therefore don’t allow the student to grow. Of course I don’t think one meeting constitutes the entire club experience. As is, some students, myself included, participate in too many clubs, while others can go through four years without selling their souls to a single team or activity. These students who stay after school every night aren’t given any more leniency by teachers in terms of homework or study time. Now, I know that we volunteer to do these clubs, and nobody forces me to sacrifice my study time, but I can imagine that if everyone were to stay after school, it would be easier for the administration or the teachers to understand missed or late homeworks, and maybe it would cause them to ease up on the workload.

Or, at least, they might make assignments due later than 12 AM, because that’s honestly too early for those of us who get home at around 10:00 PM. Kahn: In most cases, I doubt that there’d be much leniency if a student were to turn in a late homework and use the excuse that he or she had a club.

And besides, 99 percent of students would agree that when it comes down to choosing between schoolwork and extracurriculars, they should choose school first. Students who are forced to join a club and stay late after school would be faced with that decision more often and might show less commitment to the club or shirk extracurricular responsibilities. The fact that some students are in too many clubs while others aren’t in any is irrelevant. Someone who isn’t in any clubs has chosen not to be in any clubs, a choice that they can easily change. High school is about independence—it’s about students making their own choices, and deciding whether or not to take part in any clubs should be one of them.

Arts& Entertainment

The Rampage • September-October 2017

Hadley Kauvar '19

Game of Thrones Review

The seventh season of the HBO hit Game of Thrones was perhaps less of a hit than its predecessors. The show was once lauded for its originality, unpredictability, and writing, yet it now seems to have lost these elements.

Despite its defects, this season brought the biggest and best in terms of battles and special effects. HBO spared no expense in creating the three massive battles that dominated this season, filling them with stunning visuals, dragons, and hordes of undead zombies.

H o w e v e r, due to the lower number of episodes (seven instead of ten), important dialogue was left out while the focus was given to extending the battle scenes.

The quality of the writing has suffered a sharp decline now that the showrunners, David Benioff and DB Weiss, are no longer able to base their material off the books, the last one having come out six years ago. The dialogue in this season was much more banal and exposition-filled, replacing what had once been elegant prose layered with nuance and subtlety.

Several characters also appeared to be diminished; Tyrion and Littlefinger, political masterminds of the grandest scale, were in this season frequently manipulated by almost everyone around them.

Samanths Sinensky '21

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is currently showcasing an exhibit entitled Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World. It consists of contemporary art created in China from the years 1989 through 2008, including works by 71 artists, some famous and some yet to be discovered, on loan from international collections. The exhibit presents art in many forms such as ink, video, installations, painting, and photography. However, it was the work involving animals that was controversial and caused protests weeks prior to the official opening.

Three major works that were to be included in the exhibit have been pulled due to the negative backlash that the Guggenheim received from both the public and anti-animal abuse organizations.

The first work, and perhaps the most controversial, is a video conducted in 2003 called “Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other.” It presents an experiment done in Beijing by the husband and wife artist team of Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. In it, four pairs of pitbulls, all trained to fight, are tethered to treadmills facing each other. Encouraged to run faster and faster, each dog attempts to reach the one in front of it in order to initiate a fight. As the minutes pass by, the dogs begin to salivate and sweat intensely, angry that they are unable to ever reach the dog across from them.

The Guggenheim supported this work, claiming that the piece is purposefully vexing and that none of the animals in the video were harmed. Ignoring claims of animal abuse, Mrs. Peng said in an interview last year, “Where is the soft spot in all of this? Were the dogs being abused? The answer should be no. These dogs are naturally pugnacious.” However, many people on social media and animal rights groups considered the video to be a display of cruelty towards the dogs. The American Kennel Club said that “dogfighting should not be displayed in any manner and certainly not as art.” Originally, the museum disregarded the protests,

In addition, the showrunners frequently toyed with space and time in the newest season. In the earlier seasons, medieval travel was accurately portrayed as a long and arduous affair, taking multiple episodes to traverse long distances. However, characters now seemed to travel at lightspeed around Westeros, with a total of perhaps thirty seconds being dedicated to travel time, making the actual timespan feel far shorter than intended.

However, that isn’t to say that the entire season was a disappointment.

This season’s special effects were by far superior to those of previous seasons.

Instead of the usual single large battle per season, this one boasted three. With the aid of extensive CGI, Benioff and Weiss brought to life a naval battle, an engagement between the Lannisters’ forces and the infamous Dothraki as well as a dragon, and a desperate last stand against an army of the undead. The sheer scale of the effects, from practical effects such as prosthetics, to the CGI, was utterly breathtaking.

While this season fell short of my expectations, I am hopeful that the final season will be better. Given that Game of Thrones has surprised audiences for years, I think Benioff and Weiss are not likely to disappoint.

Hadley Kauvar '19

It Review

Imagine Stranger Things meets A Nightmare on Elm Street; the resulting combination is perhaps the best way to describe It, the latest film adaptation of a Stephen King novel.

Director Andy Muschietti manages to bring to life the title character, and he shows us the terrifying, child-killing clown-demon that is It.

The story takes place in the small town of Derry, Maine, a place that is far less innocent than it seems.

The main characters are a group of misfit pre-teens who dub themselves “the Losers’ Club.” Once they realize that they have all somehow encountered It, the members of the club decide to band together to destroy the creature. Bill Skarsgard delivers a fantastically terrifying performance as the creepy titular character, somehow making clowns even more frightening than they were before.

For those loyal to the books, the film’s differences are minimal and insignificant for the most part.

The most substantial missing pieces are the flashbacks that show It’s long history of terrorizing Derry.

Despite the unsettling plot and characters, It is a better comingof-age film than it is a horror movie.

Indeed, Muschietti could have benefitted from adopting a “less is more” style that would have amplified the actual horror. His use of jump scares becomes rather repetitive and undermines Skarsgard’s performance. Also, instead of showing off the special effects and showing the audience every

grisly detail, in many cases it would have been even more terrifying for Muschietti to have let the imagination of the moviegoers invent the unspeakable horrors taking place.

Despite its flaws, It remains a wonderful film, full of both horror and human interest. Fans of the book will not be disappointed, nor will those unfamiliar with it. It is a movie worth seeing, full of adventure, intrigue, and one terrifying clown.

Art or Animal Abuse?

and a representative for the museum said that “it was not a question that it would stay in the exhibition.”

However, judgement only grew as the opening day neared. The president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said that only “sick individuals” could enjoy “Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other.” The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) said, "the ASPCA fully supports artistic expression, but [is strongly opposed to] any use of animals in art or entertainment if it results in pain or distress to the animals, which is clearly the case in this video.” The curators of the exhibition expressed the hope that “viewers will consider why the artists produced it and what they may be saying about the social conditions of globalization and the complex nature of the world we share.”

The second piece that has been pulled from the exhibition is called “A Case Study of Transference,” by Xu Bing. This piece is a video showing a pig and sow mating in front of an audience. Presidents of the Ramaz Anti-Animal Abuse club, Yasmine Sokol '19 and Alexa Polinsky '19, said that “this [video] should have been displayed, because that is just a part of their natural reproduction, but that [“Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other] is disgusting.” Art teacher Ms. Abramson agreed, saying, “We, especially here in New York City, are pretty much removed from the natural world. I think it's fine to show nature in all of it's glory and gruesomeness as long as it's not gratuitous or causing unnatural harm.” The question still remains: does this video qualify as art?

Lastly, “Theater of the World,” the primary and titular installation, created by Huang Yong Ping, led to a dispute. This work would have been a live presentation; originally displayed in 1993, animals ranging from African Millipedes, Goliath beetles, hissing cockroaches, house crickets, lubber grasshoppers, and stag beetles, all the way to leopard geckos, snakes, and Italian wall lizards would have been placed to-

gether in a wood and steel structure made of wire mesh. While swarming in the dome under a large lamplight, these creatures would have been enclosed together, and therefore forced to devour each other alive in the fight for survival.

Eventually, only the larger reptiles would survive, and during the three month period the exhibition would have been open, a local New York City pet shop would have refilled the dome with insects. While this may seem torturous to the animals, it is merely a representation

fighting and death. You shouldn’t actually see the behavior in front of you as it is happening live. Art should be a depiction of a biological process, not it actually happening.” Ms. Dashiff feels that art can be a representation of life sciences; otherwise, it is just biology.

A petition was signed opposing the Guggenheim’s decision to include all of these works, and it said that "animal cruelty holds no place in art in the United States, nor should it anywhere in the world." It gained 720,000

of real-life occurrences in nature.

In the animal kingdom, organisms must either eat or be eaten, and the Guggenheim’s exhibit would have portrayed this reality. Nonetheless, animal rights organizations were quick to condemn the exhibit.

PETA said, "People who find entertainment in watching animals try to fight each other are sick individuals whose twisted whims the Guggenheim should refuse to cater to.”

This same installation was going to be presented in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2007, but Huang Yong Ping extracted it from the show rather than adhere to demands from animal rights groups to remove the scorpions and tarantulas from the mix. In response to this exhibit, Ms. Abramson said, “As an animal lover, I couldn't endorse art or an exhibition that includes cruelty towards animals. I simply can't witness such work. I have a very low tolerance for violence of any kind.” Biology teacher Ms. Dashiff added, “I don’t think in an art museum there should be live

signatures rapidly. In addition, people expressed their disapproval on Twitter, with the hashtag #tortureisnotart. Protesters holding signs against the works stood outside the museum weeks before the show even opened. Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA sent an open letter to Richard Armstrong, the Guggenheim’s director, denouncing the works and requesting them to be removed. She said in the letter that all animals, including minute insects “experience every emotion that you, I, and our beloved dogs and cats do.”

After considering all these negative responses, the Guggenheim decided to remove these three works, not because they disagreed with the work itself, but because they were receiving "explicit and repeated threats of violence." They were concerned “for the safety of staff, visitors, and participating artists." The museum reacted in a statement by saying, “As an arts institution committed to presenting a multiplicity of voices, we are

dismayed that we must withhold works of art. Freedom of expression has always been and will remain a paramount value of the Guggenheim.” Their choice was met with mixed reactions. Ingrid Newkirk thanked the museum “for withdrawing these vile acts of cruelty masked as creativity.” In contrast, an organization that strives to defend free expression called PEN America said the Guggenheim’s choice was “a worrying precedent.”

They said, “That threats of violence became grounds for the cancellation of the works represents a major blow to artistic freedom.”

Chinese contemporary artist, Ai Weiwei said, “When an art institution cannot exercise its right for freedom of speech, that is tragic for a modern society. Pressuring museums to pull down artwork shows a narrow understanding about not only animal rights but also human rights.” Unfortunately, the animals were unable to share their opinions.

What remained of the exhibition opened to the public, and it depicted a cage, a turtle, and a snake slithering overhead. According to Chinese mythology, these creatures represented the creation of the world. By still putting the cage on display, the Guggenheim showed that it still stands by the work. They are not ashamed to publicize that they were in favor of the exhibitions. But is it just an empty shell of what it used to be?

Overall, there is no right answer as to whether or not the three controversial works should have been included in this exhibition. Ultimately, it comes down to the definition of art. However, there is no specific definition; art is different for everybody, and everybody interprets art in their own personal way. To some, these works seemed to display cruel, abusive behavior towards animals. To others, it was solely the many processes of life. Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World will be held from October 6 through January 7, 2018.

Anybody who visits the exhibition will have to keep an open mind.

Sports

The Rampage • September-October 2017

Gail Hafif '20

Protests in the NFL

The highly controversial sports-demonstration movement started by Colin Kaepernick, former player on the San Francisco 49ers, is one of the most discussed topics in sports and political news today. Although Kaepernick protested during the national anthem in his first two preseason games (August 14 and 20, 2016), the famous August 26 game against the Green Bay Packers was the one that sparked a national frenzy. Kaepernick initially protested by sitting during the national anthem in an attempt to protest racial injustice, and due to the speed of social media, his story went viral overnight. Millions of people were tweeting, snapping, and posting an influx of messages in support of or in opposition to Kaepernick’s actions.

The question of whether Kaepernick was right to protest elicits many different responses, as there is a wide variety of opinions on this issue. James Doft ’18 said, “I believe that what makes America a great country is that everyone is entitled to their opinion. I support the NFL players in their right to protest, but I myself would not choose to protest in the same way.” Eddie Catton ’20 added, “It’s okay to protest if you do it to make a statement; I think it’s fine”. Meanwhile, others believe that protesting the national anthem was and is disrespectful to American soldiers, who risk their lives fighting for the country. Gabriella Davidson ’20 said, “The singing of the national anthem is the time to give respect to our country and the people fighting to protect it—not the time to be protesting. It is overall disrespectful and un-American.” Some people argue that NFL players are being paid to play football—not to exploit their platform to state their political beliefs.

Others combine the different approaches and believe

that the NFL players have a right protest, but that they are doing so in an unacceptable manner. Avery Sholes ’20 said, “This is the way they’re choosing to protest our president, his remarks, and this country.

However, I believe there are better ways to do so.”

Since Trump commented on the Golden State Warriors basketball team’s unwillingness to immediately accept an invitation to the White House, the amount of protests have multiplied. In week four of the 2017 season, the Ravens took a knee prior to the singing of the national anthem and were booed by fans. Texan players linked arms during the national anthem but all stood together. Rishard Matthews of the Titans remained in the locker room rather than stand with his teammates during the anthem. Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Steve Longa, of the Detroit Lions, kneeled during the national anthem, while all of the other Detroit players locked arms.

The list of protests goes on and on, and despite any opinions on this topic, it is clear that the sports protests have become a widespread national movement. Some people are hopeful that this movement, spearheaded by some of the most revered sports players, will result in a national recognition of racial injustice, and perhaps a change.

Reviving the Swim Team

Hannah Doft '20

This year, Ramaz decided to bring back the Girls Swim Team, after a year-long hiatus. “My senior year was the last year of the swim team,” said Eliana Doft ’16, a former captain of the team. “I think the reason they took a year break was because the team was very expensive to pay for, but I am happy that they are starting it up again.”

The swim captains, Abigail Huebner ’18 and Naomi Freilich ’18, worked last year with Rabbi Stochel, Rabbi Grossman, and Mr. Dulny to reinstate the team. They finally managed to bring it back for this school year, and it now meets every Thursdays at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, which is on 70th Street between First and Second Avenues. The team practices at this location, and it also competes against other schools.

Many students are enthusiastic about the return of swim team, including students who were on the team previously, those who never got a chance to join because it did not exist last year, and new freshmen who did not experience last year’s lack of a team but just see the team as one of the many offered at Ramaz. Either way, students see the benefits of the revived team, and many look forward to participating. “I am excited to join the swim team this year,” said Aliza Freilich ‘20. “It allows me to join a fall sport, but is less intense than basketball or volleyball.”

Crossword

Down: 1. Completely Committed 4. Angry with 5. Traffic court judge, at times 6. Tedious work 7. Neat 8. Yellowfin e.g.

10. Broadway Award 11. Mindset?

12. 3.7%/year interest, e.g.

14. Winner when heads loses 16. Wager 17. Final Four intits.

19. Permit

Across: 2. Employee discount e.g.

3. Supreme Court's sphere 6. Start making all one's shots, say 9. Brought into the world 13. Tudor ___ 14. Observes, with "of " 15. Duck, as a question 16. Not straight 19. Agressive Texas Hold'Em bet 21. Tampa Bay team 24. Where "operators are standing by" Mark Marcus '18