THE VERMONT
CYNIC Nov. 6, 2018
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“This is white supremacist funding.” Donation from Zionist group intensifies Israel-Palestine debate on campus Sawyer Loftus swloftus@uvm.edu
A $100,000 grant offered to UVM Hillel has student groups on campus concerned about the money’s ties. UVM Hillel, a chapter of the Jewish student group Hillel International, has been offered a grant by the Maccabee Task Force, a pro-Israel group created to combat the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement on college campuses, according to the group’s website. Students for Justice in Palestine, a pro-Palestine political group, and members of the left-leaning Jewish community at UVM have raised concerns over the Maccabee Task Force’s purported links to Zionist groups and suppression of free speech across the United States, according to a statement they released on Facebook Oct. 19. The BDS movement aims to target pro-Israel organizations through the removal of funding and the sanctions against these companies, organizations and countries that support Israel, according the BDS website. Matt Vogel, executive director of UVM Hillel, stated in a Nov. 2 email that the money would go toward funding a trip to Israel for 20 non-jewish student leaders and five jewish student leaders. UVM Hillel has not officially accepted the money, Vogel said.
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The trip would allow students to develop their own thoughts and opinions about the Middle East, Vogel stated. Previously, UVM Hillel had only been able to offer 10 yearly birthright trips to Israel, according to Hillel’s website. Students for Justine in Palestine’s side Junior Zoe Albion, a Jewish SJP executive, said she’s concerned this money is being brought to UVM to silence pro-Palestine groups on campus. “This is white supremacist funding,” Albion said. “This is funding from a group who specifically wants to silence student activists and specifically target student activists. This is a concern for every identity group on campus.” Albion agreed to use her full name, while others from SJP declined, citing concerns of being doxxed or labeled as anti semitic by Canary Mission, a website that “documents people and groups that promote hatred of the U.S.A., Israel and Jews on North American college campuses,” according to its website. Personally identifiable information like pictures and contact information are published on the website to blacklist individuals and groups, leaving the door open for harassment. Albion and fellow SJP executive Dan Dedomenico, a
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junior, wanted to use their voices to represent those who couldn’t, they stated in a Nov. 2 email to the Cynic. “Neither of us made the choice to use our names in this publication lightly,” Albion and Dedomenico stated. “But, after significant deliberation, ultimately we’ve done so because we believe that our stories and the stories of others unable to be
$100,000 offered to UVM Hillel
25
the number of students who would be funded to go to Israel
10
the number of students brought on Birthright yearly by Hillel
named are truths that need to be heard.” Albion said that the Maccabee Task Force’s funding would further suppress the conversation around Israel and Palestine on campus because of the group’s links to Zionist organizations. “For Maccabee Task Force funding to come on cam-
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pus, first of all, that narrative [around Israel and Palestine] would be even more severely limited,” Albion said. “I think that there would be direct backlash in the form of disruption of groups on the left in general.” Albion has never found the environment inside Hillel comfortable or inclusive to her views, she said. “I’ve never felt 100 percent comfortable being there, especially within the last few months,” she said. “It’s been really challenging for me to even enter that space.” Dedomenico said that no matter how open UVM Hillel says they are, their international organization’s bylaws state that they can’t work with or recognize clubs that don’t acknowledge the legitimacy of the state of Israel. The international bylaws of Hillel state that Hillel groups can neither host or house groups, organizations or speakers that support the BDS movement or the illegitimacy of the Israeli state, according to Hillel’s website. “To be clear, we don’t want to be in an argument with Hillel,” Dedomenico said. “We think that it’s good that an organization exists to facilitate religious practice, but they insert themselves in the conflict.” Hillel and Catamounts Supporting Israel’s side Vogel stated that he is familiar with student concerns over the Maccabee Task
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Force’s affiliations and the stifling of free speech, but affirmed that UVM Hillel does not support those values. “UVM Hillel condemns white supremacy in the strongest possible terms and we denounce any efforts, from any group or individual, to stifle free speech,” Vogel stated. Vogel believes that UVM Hillel is a place where students of all perspectives are welcome for a conversation, he stated in a Nov. 2 email. “I’m proud that Hillel is an open space where we can talk together,” Vogel stated. “The Maccabee Task Force funds will enable students from all backgrounds and viewpoints to engage in different perspectives on Israel and Palestine.” Junior Sami Weinberg, a member of UVM Hillel and cofounder of Catamounts Supporting Israel, said that UVM Hillel has not done much in terms of Pro-Israel programming but that this funding would largely go towards a Pro-Israel mission. “I think about $40,000 is going to be allocated for pro-Israel programming,” Weinberg said. “I also know Maccabee Task Force provides a trip for college students who haven’t really been introduced to the pro-Israel world to go to Israel.”
Hillel grant continued on page 3
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NEWS
2
The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
Students organize to protest gender memo Sawyer Loftus swloftus@uvm.edu
Members of the UVM and Burlington transgender and non-binary communities gathered to send a clear message to President Donald Trump: “We will not be erased.” Nearly 250 students, faculty and community members organized Oct. 29 outside the third floor of the Davis Center to protest a memo obtained by the New York Times that showed potential changes to the federal definition of gender. First-year Jordan King was one of the organizers of the rally, they said. King and other members of the UVM Queer Student Union felt like they needed to respond after learning that the Trump administration may seek changes to the legal definition of gender, King said. “What we really felt was necessary was getting support on campus, letting people on campus know that we are here and we’re a community that exists, that won’t be erased by a federal administration,” King said. Students and community members gathered to demonstrate the impact these rollbacks would have on the transgender community at the University. Demonstrators assembled and chanted “the gender system must be broken, I am not your
TAYLOR EHWA/The Vermont Cynic
Students gather and cheer Oct. 29 on the Andrew Harris Green while Ben Kennedy, a learning coordinator at the Tutoring Center, makes a speech. Nearly 250 students, faculty and community members were there to protest a memo obtained by the New York Times that showed potential changes to the federal definition of gender. fucking token,” and “L-G-B-T, we demand equality.” The demonstrators marched down from outside the third floor of the Davis Center to the Andrew Harris Green between the Davis Center and the David W. Howe Memorial Library to continue the rally. The changes proposed in the memo would define gender by
an individual’s biological sex at birth, according to the Oct. 21 Times article. The changes proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services would narrowly define gender under Title IX, a federal law banning gender discrimination in education. If the changes being considered by the Trump admin-
istration were formalized, they would roll back progress made under President Barack Obama to loosen the rules and regulations around gender, according to the article. Members and supporters from the transgender community were invited by QSU to speak, share stories and discuss the impact the law change
would have. President Tom Sullivan joined the demonstrators to let students know he and the administration are working to address concerns raised by transgender students. “I would note, in terms of progress, we still have concerns on campus,” Sullivan said. “The University has been working for two years diligently and we will continue to make progress on your issues and on your rights with regard to facilities and related issues.” The University and Sullivan stand behind students despite the challenges that are coming from around the country and Washington, Sullivan said. “There is nothing more important that we can do on this campus than to ensure your safety, your wellbeing and your dignity,” he said. “We as a university are going to protect [you] and your status and recognition.” The University will continue to work toward addressing the issues put forth by the trans and non-binary communities on campus, Sullivan said. Ben Kennedy, a learning coordinator at the Tutoring Center, began his transition nearly five years ago while at the University, he said in his speech. To Kennedy, the Trump memo is another “abhorrent” act against the trans community, he said.
Women’s Fund event aims to close gender gap Lily Young ehyoung@uvm.edu
Prominent female activists spoke at a UVM event Oct. 30 in the Grand Maple Ballroom. The Vermont Women’s Fund, the group that held the event, is a nonprofit organization that gives grants to programs that support women and girls across the state. The goal of the night was to raise $35,000 that would go directly to programs for women. This goal was reached and surpassed by the end of the night, said Meg Smith, director of the Women’s Fund. Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, was the keynote speaker at the event. Girls Who Code is a nonprofit organization that teaches girls coding in hopes to bridge the gender gap in computer science, Saujani said. The event focused on programs that support women, like the Vermont Women’s Fund and Girls Who Code, Smith said. Today, women make up less than 18 percent of those in technology fields, Saujani said. Saujani said this can be
traced back to culture and stereotypes set on women and men from a young age. Today, there are 90,000 girls being taught to code through Girls Who Code in all 50 states and in some U.S. territories, she said. Lisa Dion, a computer science lecturer at UVM, opened up the first chapter of Girls Who Code in Vermont. she teaches around a dozen girls how to code every week through Girls Who Code, she said. She worked as an instructor in a Girls Who Code summer program in 2017 where she, along with two other instructors, taught coding to 40 girls. After the summer program, she came to UVM to teach and decided to open a chapter of Girls Who Code in Vermont, she said. “Just being able to spread the exposure and awareness that technology and computing is a thing to girls this young is amazing,” Dion said. Sophomore Kayley Noterman is a female STEM student who appreciates the work of the Women’s Fund. “To see females have this opportunity is really important,” she said.
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NEWS
Nov. 6, 2018
3
SGA raises funds for hurricane relief Julianne Lesch jlesch@uvm.edu
SGA worked to unite the UVM and Burlington communities to raise money after Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael. Various organizations within the Burlington community have partnered with SGA to sponsor a raffle to raise money for relief efforts following the two storms. This fundraiser was created after a UVM student from North Carolina reached out to SGA asking if there were any fundraising efforts already created for hurricane relief efforts, SGA Vice President Gillian Natanagara, a junior, said. “We do have 269 students from the states that have been affected by the past two catastrophic hurricanes,” Natanagara said. It’s important for UVM to participate in a fundraiser like this since it extends the University’s reach beyond the small community borders of Burlington, Outing Club President Lulu Orne, a senior, said. “These are people who need help, and we’re going to give them our resources because it’s of no issue to us,” Orne said. The Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael relief fundraiser raffle was a collaborative effort between SGA and campus organizations such as varsity basketball and hockey teams, the Outing Club and the Ski and Snowboard Club. Local businesses like Ben & Jerry’s, Greenride Bikeshare,
Hillel grant cont. from page 1 Senior Aaron Goren, another student on Catamounts Supporting Israel, attended a meeting with a Maccabee Task Force representative to talk about how the funds could be used. “A lot of the times, people move past the line of legitimately criticizing Israel into anti-Semitism. “The Maccabee Task Force funding will help us to combat this, as well as help us counter any potential calls for BDS on campus,” Goren stated in a Nov. 4 text message exchange. “[BDS] in and of itself calls for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people who inhabit the country.” In an Oct. 17 email sent to Weinberg, Vogel stated that the money would be used to “fund UVM Hillel's vision of Israel and that means your vision,” and that the Maccabee Task Force wanted Weinberg’s specific input as to how the funds would be used. As one of the organizers of Catamounts Supporting Israel, Weinberg said that her group has not officially affiliated with a national Israel group
SAM LITRA/The Vermont Cynic
(Left to Right) SGA vice president Gillian Natanagara, a senior, sophomore Jacob Weinstein, junior Kaylie Haberstroh and sophomore Owen Doherty table Oct. 26 in the Davis Center atrium to raise money for hurricane relief. The Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael relief fundraiser raffle was a collaborative effort between SGA and other Burlington organizations. Mr. Mike's Pizza and Kountry Kart Deli have all donated items to be raffled off, Natanagara said. The Outing Club has donated nine available spots on an Outing Club trip in December, Orne said. First-year Sunny Fox said she felt it was important that UVM was doing something to support those affected.
“I just really like the message behind this. The whole country needs to work to help those with hurricane damage,” Fox said. Prizes are listed on SGA’s purchase portal, a website where people can browse the list and buy their tickets for the raffle. Prizes range from single-day lift passes to Smuggler’s Notch
Resort and Sugarbush Resort, apparel from the UVM Bookstore and a signed basketball from the men’s varsity basketball team. “I think that the prizes are really great and it’s nice that they are making it so easy and accessible to do, making it online and everything,” senior Haley Brown said. One hundred percent of
2016 Maccabee Task Force Donations by Location $28,050
Santa cruz Hillel
$86,500
Hillel at UCLA
Santa Barbara Hillel
$238,739 $22,500
Hillel Foundation of Orange County hillel of silicon valley
$112,500 $97,500
New York University
$222,719
hillel the foundation for jewish campus life
$103,000
b’nai brith Hillel House at Boston University
$34,400
hillel at the university of washington northeastern university hillel
$77,000 0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
Data courtesy of Maccabee Task Force's 2016 IRS 990 form
like Students Supporting Israel because of the implications that come with taking resources from these groups. “Whenever you accept funds from an organization, the money that you accept almost always comes with strings attached,” Weinberg said. “So the events that we would theoretically be putting on with the money from the Maccabee Task Force would have strings at-
tached.” The national stakes The Maccabee Task Force Foundation was created in 2015 by multi-billionaire Sheldon Adelson, according to the Maccabee Task Force’s 2015 tax filings. Adelson was one of the biggest Republican donors during the 2016 election, donating more than $80 million to the
party, according to Federal Election Commission data. The foundation’s mission is to “combat” the BDS movement on college campuses across the United States, according to the Maccabee Task Force’s tax filings. Specifically, Adelson donated money to groups including Trump Victory and two prominent Super PACs: the Senate and Congressional Leadership
proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit All Hands and Hearts Smart Response, Natanagara said. Tickets are $3 and can be bought online on the purchase portal, Natanagara said. The Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael Fundraiser will end Nov. 15 when winners will be drawn, Natanagara said.
Funds. Both Super PACs aim to keep the Republican majority in both the House and Senate, according to their websites. Adelson has close connections to Benjamin Netanyahu, the current Prime Minister of Israel, according to a June 8 Guardian article. In the United States, Adelson’s Maccabee Task Force donated $100,000 to the David Horowitz Freedom Center between 2015 and 2016. The Freedom Center is self-described as a “school of political warfare,” according to its website. The Freedom Center’s central mission is “to defend free societies which are under attack” and devise ways to “neutralize” the enemy, according to its website. In 2016, the Freedom Center was found responsible for distributing posters around University of California campuses labeling members of the SJP as “Jew haters” and “terrorist allies,” according to a 2016 LA Times article. Michelle Moreh, a spokesperson for the Maccabee Task Force, said that the organization couldn’t comment on this story.
OPINION
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EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Greta Bjornson editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Ben Elfland newsroom@vtcynic.com Operations Manager Sorrel Galantowicz operations@vtcynic.com
OPERATIONS Distribution Manager Harmony Edosomwan distribution@vtcynic.com Social Media Peter Hibbeler socialcyniceditor@gmail.com
EDITORIAL Copy Chief Sophia Knappertz copy@vtcynic.com Culture Bridget Higdon cynicculture@gmail.com Features Caroline Slack cynicfeatures@gmail.com News George Seibold news@vtcynic.com Opinion Mills Sparkman opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts Chloe Chaobal Kim Henry vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Sports Sabrina Hood sports@vtcynic.com
Illustrations Holly Coughlan illustrations@vtcynic.com Layout Kyra Chevalier layout@vtcynic.com Photo Alek Fleury photo@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Allie O’Connor (Culture), David Cabrera (Podcasts), Nickie Morris (Sports), Sawyer Loftus (News), Lee Hughes (News), Kian Deshler (Features), Caroline McCune (Layout), Sam Litra (Photo) Copy Editors Elise Becker, Zoe Sheppard, Lindsay Freed, Mariel Wamsley, Tori Wilson, Fallon Clark, Liv Marshall, Dalton Doyle Page Designers Courtney Feldman, Lindsay Freed, Meilena Sanchez
ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu
Nov. 6, 2018
“It’s okay to be white” returns Staff Editorial
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hen signs saying “It’s OK to be white” went up around campus for the second time last week, many students who saw them online may have thought they were seeing last year’s news. The intense backlash to these signs was both immediate and unsurprising to most of the student body. One would assume that most people on campus are aware that the empowerment of people of color does not mean the disempowerment of white people. However, the return of the signs shows us that not everyone has gotten the message, and it’s time for white people to step up and educate our own. Though there have been efforts in recent years to diversify campus, UVM is still a very white university. According to its website, students of color make up only 11 percent of the University’s undergraduate population. When the majority of people do not share certain experiences, such as microaggressions, it is far less likely that they will be talked about by the general public. There is a certain degree of oppression that white people can never truly experience. As movements like Black Lives Matter and #KeepFamiliesTogether have grown over time, so has the opposition.
HOLLY COUGHLAN Blue Lives Matter is a movement that emphasizes the value of law enforcement, and exists to combat the “false narrative” of the Black Lives Matter movement, according to its website. However, the fact that it did not exist before Black Lives Matter calls into question whether its members are truly looking out for the lives of law enforcement, or looking to stop Black Lives Matter in its tracks. The “It’s OK to be white” signs are not showing up in the face of any legitimate white oppression. Indeed, they come at a time
when white nationalism is finally being recognized by the mainstream media for the true threat that it poses, according to a Nov. 3 New York Times Magazine article. No one is saying white lives don’t matter when they say “black lives matter.” They are only saying black lives are threatened, and we should pay attention. We need to emphasize to those who haven’t gotten the message. The only problem with being white is unfairly benefitting from white privilege and then not doing anything to level the
playing field. No one is saying that a white person’s life cannot be difficult. However, their life will not be difficult due to their whiteness. Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the Vermont Cynic. Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. Please send letters to opinion@ vtcynic.com.
America’s killer obsession comes at a cost
Video Ruby Bates video@vtcynic.com Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com
The Vermont Cynic
Gabby Felitto gabby.felitto@ uvm.edu
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veryone is flocking to the newest installment of “Halloween” to see America’s favorite killer, Michael Myers. Unknown to many Americans, there are teenagers across social media romanticizing the real Michaels. They’re the True Crime Community. Many in this community, excluding bloggers who post solely for educational purposes, romanticize murderers like Jeffrey Dahmer and school shootings like Columbine. When searching the True Crime tags on Tumblr, blogs joke about the Columbine killer’s fetishes and create fanart and fanfictions of them as friends or lovers. It’s fascinating until we realize that there have been 297 shootings in 2018 in America, reported by an Oct. 29 Sun article. This romanticization of serial killers isn’t a new phenomenon.
People fell for murderer Richard Ramirez in the ’80s. Meeting after his arrest, Ramirez got married to journalist Doreen Lioy while imprisoned, according to a November 2014 Rolling Stone article. David Smidt, an English professor at the University at Buffalo and author of “Natural Born Celebrities: Serial Killers in American Culture,” said that women like Lioy believe that they can save these killers, according to a October 2017 article on Bitch Media, an online feminist news source. Many on Tumblr identify as hybristophiliacs, defined by the 2012 Medical Dictionary as “a paraphilia in which a person is sexuoerotically attracted to a person who has committed a ... gruesome crime.” Society is quick to write off these teenagers as creepy. However, America needs to consider its history of glamorizing murder. We televise murder cases and have shows like “Making a Murderer” and other dramaticizations that become hits because of our love for the thrill. America immortalizes killers, leading teenagers to devel-
LILI TRAVIATO op obsessions with them. This means admiring them or becoming like them. “Serial killers are for adults what monster films are for children,” criminologist Elizabeth Yardley said in a November 2017 ShortList article. Through coverage, we get to know the murderers instead of the victims. The killers are the ones who get the majority of the press. We need to stop releasing murderers’ names if we want violence to stop, since giving them a platform influences many to continue brutality,
according to a November 2017 WBUR article. Blogs try humanizing mass shooters, causing people to joke about murder instead of understanding it. We will never grasp the reality of the actions we’re glorifying until we or our loved ones are a part of this body count.
Gabby Felitto is a first-year Communication Sciences and Disorders major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.
The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
OPINION
5
When social and fiscal beliefs clash Jackson Schilling jackson.schilling@ uvm.edu
Priority to the people: expanding STEM dept. Letter to the Editor
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ollege is, and should be, a place to openly express your political views. A common stance is the “socially liberal, fiscally conservative” attempt to strike a balance between two very divided parties. While I agree that partisan politics are destructive to our democracy, it must be made clear that claiming to be socially liberal and fiscally conservative is a contradiction. This phrase refers to someone who advocates for progressive liberal values, such as health care for all and government programs that support infrastructure, but still believe in conservative fiscal policies such as decentralized government and low taxes. What these people fail to understand is that these liberal values can’t be executed with conservative fiscal policy. Liberalism is more than saying “I support these programs.” It’s a machine that relies on taxpayer money as an input to create government programs. If you are socially liberal and fiscally conservative, you are saying you support the output, but aren’t willing to
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GENEVIEVE WINN supply the input. It can’t be broken down into a social element and a fiscal element because these two rely on each other. Abortion rights have been a controversial topic recently, and it serves as a good example of this contradiction. If you claim you support Planned Parenthood but don’t want your taxes going towards it, you’re not really supporting it. This can also be applied to environmental issues. If you believe climate change is a real problem
but don’t believe that the government should be spending money on renewable energy, then you’re effectively a conservative. You’re saying that you care about the issue, as long as you don’t have to do anything about it. This isn’t to say that one party is right and the other is wrong. Believing in conservative values and supporting them with conservative fiscal policy is still a rational argument. Additionally, it’s completely reasonable to have moderate
political views, but it’s important to understand that fiscal policy and social policy are inseperable. You can’t simply pick and choose your favorite conservative values and liberal values if they inherently contradict each other. The idea of being socially liberal and fiscally conservative is completely false.
Jackson Schilling is a sophomore environmental science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.
Which pressing issues take precedence? Ask the press Henry Mitchell hdmitche@uvm. edu
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n an Oct. 30, 2018 piece I wrote, I tried to defend the benefits that come with a nonpartisan, representative press. I admit that it was a rather optimistic outlook on the state of freedom of speech in our country and one that doesn’t hold up very well in our current political climate. The question I sought to answer was: How can newspapers remain objective when one side isn’t telling the truth? Ideally, other sources would point out the lies and mistakes in hopes that the offending source will correct itself next time. This seems to be the strategy chosen by most journalists regarding President Donald Trump’s habit of disregarding the truth. However, as long as journalists devote time towards fact-checking Trump, important issues will continue to go under-reported. A Sept. 13 Washington Post article reported that he
JULIA BLISS made “125 false or misleading statements” as of Sept. 7, 2018. In the same article, he is said to have told more than 5,000 lies in his first 600 days as president. Newspapers could continue reporting every false accusation and exaggeration, despite it being a tedious effort. Some claim that ignoring Trump’s false narratives is our best tool of defense, as Jim Rutenberg did in an Oct. 28 New York Times article. Many would disagree with that view, as it ties back to the press choosing what
is important to cover, which could be seen as biased. To see an example of the problem of unbiased reporting, look at the differences between the migrant caravan and voter suppression stories. While the issue of voter suppression has fortunately gotten more attention the closer we get to Nov. 6, for a while it had roughly even coverage as Trump’s fearmongering depiction of the caravan. One is a couple thousand people, still thousands of miles away, coming peacefully to
seek asylum. The other is government officials blatantly disregarding hundreds of thousands of our citizens’ democratic right to vote. Of course both issues are worth covering. An Oct. 26, 2018 statement by the New York Times explains that: “It’s not our job to pretend that the caravan and the president’s response are not happening. “To the contrary, it’s our mission to explain, with clarity and fairness, what is real, what is not and why it matters.” However, media sources have to be careful how much attention they give any particular topic. An Oct. 29, 2018 Washington Post column stated: “Obsessed with all things Trump — caravan invasion, anyone? — and occupied with breaking news about hurricanes and mass shootings, the networks have almost ignored voter suppression.” Remember, you can’t spell “pressing” without “press.” Henry Mitchell is a sophomore political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.
he phrase “let’s get this degree” embodies the sentiment many, perhaps most, hold towards university. To respond to last week’s “public school, private donors” editorial, this trend is not just at UVM and is not just the University’s fault. As a group of people, Americans are very focused on the practical, and as such university is becoming an institution about the pursuit of a degree, not the pursuit of truth. The University cutting funding to the humanities while simultaneously building a second STEM building is not just to keep up with other universities, but with the people attending them. Just as there is cause for classes designed to identify students not cut out for mechanical engineering, there is cause for why there isn’t a class weeding out art history majors; engineering is our nation’s priority. Just as I assume there are more engineers using Chegg to find the answers to their homework than not, I am sure that their reason for being here is less pure than the pursuit of truth as well. Now this is not a “holier than thou” situation, because I am human, too and will have moments of weakness when I succumb to the pursuit of the degree instead of knowledge. But we must remember our place within the system we’re in. Strength lies in unity, not divisive rankings of each other. On literally the next page there is a call to collective action with respect to environmentalism. To collectively demand that the priority of our University be shifted against the predominant trend towards a more balanced education is something we need to spearhead. The reason collective action is the solution is because it’s a cry from those in a system saying: “this is not the way it needs to be.” They know that the system will continue as it does unless stopped, and they know without them the system will stop. Without the students what is a university but empty rooms, a community abandoned? Genuine change requires you to be willing to spend less time on Netflix and more time picketing; without skin in the game no game will occur. Sincerely, Kieran Edraney ’21 B.S. computer science and mathematics
CULTURE
6
The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
Guerilla Girl tackles inequality in the arts Anna Kolosky akolosky@uvm.edu
“This isn’t your typical lecture. It’s a party,” Donna Kaz said. With no preamble, she began to throw bananas into the crowd seated in the Fleming Museum’s Marble Court. The Fleming Museum hosted Kaz, a retired Guerrilla Girl, Oct. 30. The talk was titled “Push/Pushback — 9 Steps to Make a Difference with Art and Activism.” It featured a stepby-step process that the group used to help form its activist platform. The Guerilla Girls, formed in 1985, is an intersectional feminist group dedicated to fighting sexism and racism within the arts. Members wear gorilla masks in public in order to protect their identities, Kaz said. “For 40 minutes, this will be a sexist-free zone,” Kaz said. “For the duration of our time together, everyone is a feminist.” Kaz wanted to be an actress when she first went to New York City. She ended up joining the Guerilla Girls in 1997 when the group was experiencing a lull in activity, she said. She adopted the name Aphra Behn after a 17th century female poet. All of the Guerrilla Girls take names after dead female artists to bring awareness
AMANDA MARTINO/The Vermont Cynic
Donna Kaz, a retired Guerrilla Girl, gave a presentation Oct. 30 at the Fleming Museum titled “Push/Pushback — 9 Steps to Make a Difference with Art and Activism.” to the existence of these women in the arts. She explained the various ways the Guerilla Girls raised awareness about issues of sexism and racism in the arts, from putting stickers in various theater bathrooms to teaming up with the Art School Cheerleaders, another feminist activist
FOLLOW YOUR
PASSIONS
group from Boston. First-year Olivia Nye found Kaz’s presentation to be refreshing and inspiring, she said. “I hadn’t heard about the Guerilla Girls before this,” Nye said. “I liked that her presentation was very accessible.” First-year John Miranda liked how Kaz looked at activ-
COLLEGE OF
laugh, you can get them to listen.” After years of being behind a mask, Kaz felt that she could inflict more change by telling her story at college campuses. “My book came out and then Trump happened, so I thought there was more that needed to be said,” Kaz said. “I’m just try-
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ism as a process. “It makes me want to attend more events on campus and spark change as well,” Miranda said. Kaz explained that humor has always been a tactic the Guerilla Girls have used. “Humor is a weapon,” she said. “If you can get people to
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— Nikki Allen CS Student
‘19
The UVM theater department put a contemporary spin on an old classic with “Tartuffe,” the second production of the semester, running Nov. 7 to Nov. 11. The play was originally written in 1664 by Moliere, a prominent French playwright. The play follows a wealthy family headed by Orgon, who becomes enthralled with Tartuffe, a con man posing as a clergyman. The play details his family’s exploits as they try to make Orgon see this deception. Professor Sarah Carleton, “Tartuffe’s” director, said the fashion of Christian Dior inspired the play’s costumes. The set is a single large room that has 16-foot windows with sheer drapes, columns and a staircase. It’s furnished with a bar, gold couches and a marble table. Jeff Modereger, the scene designer for “Tartuffe,” said Carleton’s vision was clear from the first creative meeting. Carleton wanted it to be clean, simple and large in scale to accentuate that the characters are a wealthy family in the city, he said. “[‘Tartuffe’] is about how
people can be susceptible to con artists. We see this happening in our country,” Carleton said. “The emperor’s not wearing any clothes, but people are too scared to say anything.” The cast and creative team have worked for the past month to put on the show, said senior Katherine Reid, who plays Elmire. “You start with table work,” Reid said. “You learn how to imbue your character with energy and physical vitality.” Carleton said one of the greatest challenges of the show is the physicality. The show is being performed in a large space, so the vocal energy and physical presence of the actors is vital, she said. Sophomore Shanley Kirk, who plays Orgon’s daugther Mariane, said the rhyming couplets were a challenge when the actors first read through the play. In spite of the challenges, “Tartuffe” is a comedy at heart. “I still laugh every time I watch it,” said sophomore Ben Bieri, assistant stage manager. The comedy allows the audience to see relevant themes without over-stating, Reid said. Tickets for “Tartuffe” are available at the Royall Tyler Theatre box office and online.
The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
CULTURE
7
Senior curates Winooski art show Kelly Duggan kuggan@uvm.edu
Senior Mak Baker has a sketchbook they filled with penand-ink drawings during their time abroad in Denmark. A sketch of a classic Danish girl with blonde hair and blue eyes fills one page. “She knew I was drawing her, so I left,” Baker said. Beyond their studies as a studio art and psychological science double-major, Baker is highly involved in Burlington’s art scene. They are currently curating an art show, set to debut Nov. 17. The show is called “alone_ together,” and will be hosted by Winooski’s Monkey House, a bar and music venue. This past year, Baker became involved in the publication of Crossroads, a student-run literary magazine. “I approached [former publishers] Ders Ellis and Jack Wheaton and was like, ‘how can I get involved with this?’ They were like ‘well ... ’” Baker said. Before he was formally introduced to Baker, Ellis heard them read poetry at the Light Club Lamp Shop on N. Winooski Avenue. Every Monday the club hosts Lit Club, an open mic night for poets. “I was blown away by their poetry,” Ellis said. Baker’s connections to the University’s art department have been helpful in getting unique cover art for the maga-
TORI SCALLA/The Vermont Cynic
Senior Mak Baker lays out their new “Corrupted Image” series of collages Oct. 30 in Williams Hall. The pieces focus on manipulating images to create a bigger picture around the theme of mental health and living with bipolar disorder. zine, he said. “I noticed a lack of space [for young, local artists],” Baker said. “I just wanted to make a space for myself and others.” Baker is excited about the opening of “alone_together,” they said. The collaboration began when Emma Gilfix, who coordinates artwork for the Monkey House, saw an issue of Crossroads at the Lamp Shop’s Lit Club, she said.
Gilfix approached Ellis about the magazine’s cover art, who then referred her to Baker. “I hope [the collaboration] will create more access to artists around Burlington, rather than just Winooski,” Gilfix said, noting that there has been a “dry spell” of local art in the area. She believes this kind of cross-student collaboration helps young artists feel more comfortable displaying their
work. The show will feature art by Baker and Ellis, as well as seniors Mackenzie Murray, Liz Trombino and Peter Crummey. “There isn’t a theme between us artists,” Baker said. “Everything we’re showing is very different … alone, but together.” Ellis’s paintings will be on display as part of the show. He’s thankful for the opportunity to work on more arts-related proj-
ects with his co-editor, he said. “It all compounds as you meet people in these networks, and you get involved in similar projects,” he said. Art for the show will go up Nov. 2 as a part of the Winooski Art Walk, where local businesses host arts-related events on the first Friday of the month. The official opening will take place 7 p.m. to 10 p.m Nov. 17 at Monkey House.
Rustic Roots welcomes all with comforts of brunch Sophie Avantaggio savantag@uvm. edu
I
constantly find myself bored by the restaurant choices in Burlington, so I asked my dad, a food connoisseur, to help me find somewhere new. I think he may have led me to a new gem: Rustic Roots. Located a mere 20 minutes from Burlington on the village green in Shelburne, Vermont, Rustic Roots looks like a house at first glance. People often drink mimosas while waiting for their table on the restaurant’s wrap-around porch. “It’s an inclusive and welcoming breakfast experience in a hamlet away from Burlington,” junior Julia Markowitz said. The walls are decorated with a rotating display of local art, including prints of fresh produce and animal skulls. A pumpkin carved by co-owner Ashley Campbell that references the popular TV show “Stranger Things” perch-
es on the counter, illuminated with a candle. “We’re all about creating a unique and inviting experience,” Campbell said. The food options range from sweet breakfast choices like the baked apple caramel pancake to savory choices like the eggs benedict. The eggs benedict is served over house-made bread and doused in the best hollandaise sauce I have ever tasted. Rustic Roots also serves lunch. Dinner is served only on Friday and Saturday nights. Everything in the restaurant is made from scratch by Chef Mike Orfan. I tried Rustic Roots’ famous meal, the “Rustic Breakfast.” It’s made up of two eggs your way, Orfan’s famous fennel bacon, coffee maple sausage and a house-made popover lathered in herb butter. Campbell told me “we serve up a killer Bloody Mary,” so I had to try it. The drink came with a tater tot, pickle, bacon, brie cheese and cherry tomato on a skewer. The second time I visited, families gathered in costume
PATRICK LANGLOIS/The Vermont Cynic
The restaurant Rustic Roots, located on the village green in Shelburne, Vermont, offers “an inclusive and welcoming breakfast experience,” according to junior Julia Markowitz. for a Halloween parade where they watched as firetrucks, sponsored floats and community members moved down the main street. The patrons watched through the windows of the restaurant with intrigue. “It felt like it was from the movie ‘Halloweentown’ because of all the kids running around with their family and
the spooky atmosphere,” junior Madison Hajjar said. The community event painted an image of what the restaurant represents. I asked our waitress, Francesca Blanchard, what she felt the restaurant was really about, and she told me to look around. I saw families eating in costume and old friends getting together while I was surround-
ed by my own close friends. If you are looking for a community experience and a place to gather with friends and enjoy food, then Rustic Roots is a must.
Sophie Avantaggio is a junior public communication major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.
SPORTS
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The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
St. Michael’s players kneel in protest Nickie Morris Nicole.R.Morris@uvm.edu
Protests for racial equality were present at UVM Nov. 4, but this time in the Patrick Gymnasium. Seven players on the St. Michael’s College men’s basketball team kneeled during the National Anthem in support of Black Lives Matter. This is one year after they were booed for kneeling during the National Anthem Nov. 5, 2017. In 2017, the kneeling was met with hostility from Vermont fans, according to a November 2017 Cynic article. This year, the St. Michael’s players received less criticism from the sold-out crowd. There was only one loud scream of “Where’s the respect?” from a UVM spectator. “I barely noticed the kneeling and didn’t hear anything from any fans other than that one angry guy,” junior Abigail Strauss said. The St. Michael’s team asked to read a statement before the Nov. 4 game to reflect on the incident from last year, stated Ferene Paris Meyer, who is married to St. Michael’s head coach Josh Paris Meyer. UVM athletics stated that St. Michael’s couldn’t read this statement aloud, according to a
ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic
Junior Everett Duncan goes up for a lay-up against a St. Michael’s College defender Nov. 4. Several players on the St. Michael’s College men’s basketball team kneeled during the National Anthem in support of Black Lives Matter. Nov. 3 Instagram post by Paris Meyer. “It’s not only important to demonstrate, but to also explain the why behind it,” Paris Meyer stated. “I feel leadership was scared about how folks would react to the statement, but taking a side of neutrality is
still taking a side.” The UVM team wore practice shirts with the words “Love Respect Togetherness” during warmups before the game. Forward Anthony Lamb, a junior, said that the crowd was more respectful of the choice to protest this year versus last
year. “The fans were way better about the kneeling this year and respecting the choice to protest,” Lamb said. “It’s a good sign for our community and for society moving forward as a whole, and that more progress will improve things for all going
into the future.” First-year Molly Mathes was impressed with the St. Michael’s protest, but believes UVM should not be obligated to allow the statement to be read before the game, she said. “Protesting shows they care about something more than just sports, which is good, but it’s not St. Mikes’ home turf to speak on,” Mathes said. “If UVM wanted to speak, it would be their place since it’s their gym.” St. Michael’s plays most games directly after their women’s team games. Because they are in the Northeast 10 league, the anthem is only played before the first game, Paris Meyer stated. This means the UVM gamewhere this is not the case, is one of their only opportunities to kneel. Head coach John Becker said that he was supportive of the visiting team’s protesting efforts. “We support their peaceful demonstration,” Becker said. “We had a more respectful crowd this year so I would say it was well done by everyone involved.” Becker said that he didn’t know about UVM athletics’ denial of St. Michael’s request to address the crowd.
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india house restaurant
the men’s room hair stylists
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shaws supermarket 570 Shelburne Rd, Burlington
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monelle 75 Church St, Burlington
bare medical spa + Laser center 95 St. Paul St #110, Burlington
The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
SPORTS
9
Women’s soccer looks to next season Aryanna Ramsaran Aryanna.Ramsaran@uvm.edu
After making it to the playoffs four years in a row, the UVM’s women’s soccer team wrapped up the 2018 season with a loss against University of Massachusetts Lowell Oct. 25. UVM made it to the America East quarterfinals tournament this season. They had seven seniors graduate and welcomed eleven first-years this season, according to UVM athletics. Head coach Kristi Huizenga said that even though the team didn’t make it to the championships, the team has made it to the playoffs four consecutive years. “Our goal is always to win a championship,” she said. “We didn’t accomplish that, but we’re proud to have had our senior class in the playoffs all four years.” UVM lost to UMass Lowell Oct. 18 before playing them again in the quarterfinals, according to UVM athletics. After tying the quarterfinals match 0-0, the teams moved to penalty shootout where UMass Lowell won 4-3, according to UVM athletics. Graduate midfielder Brooke Jenkins said there’s importance in building the program. “Obviously we didn’t accomplish that goal,” Jenkins said. “Despite that, there’s always the goal of building the program and taking steps toward a better program.” Sophomore goalie Kacey Lambertson said that the team worked well together. “I love the dynamic of our team this year. It’s very inclu-
Sophomore Ella Bankert takes on a defender in UVM’s 1-0 win against Sacred Heart University Sept. 9. sive. We all got along well,” Lambertson said. The team had seniors Casey Garfinkel and Anna Keimel, both defenders, senior forward Aly Spencer and senior midfilder Savana Yurick play in the final game. “They raised the bar for the future classes,” Huizenga said. Jenkins said that the firstyears helped this season. “A lot was asked of the firstyears and they stepped up and made a big impact,” Jenkins said.
The first-years did great, she said. “Alyssa Oviedo came up with big goals,” she said. “We had Lydia Kessel step up being in goal and Alex West is another who played a lot.” UVM had wins against New Hampshire and Maine before facing UMass Lowell, according to UVM athletics. UVM beat UNH 2-0 and Maine 2-1 going into overtime, according to UVM athletics. They won the Sept. 23 military appreciation game and Oct.
7 rally against cancer game, according to UVM athletics. On military appreciation night, UVM beat Binghamton University 1-0, according to UVM athletics. At the Rally Against Cancer, UVM beat University of Maryland Baltimore County 3-0, starting a three game win streak, according to UVM athletics. “A highpoint was knowing we had to get a few crucial wins, and we just just kept getting W’s,” Lambertson said.
Courtesy of UVM Athletics
The team has been playing soccer since July and is now in postseason and won’t be playing again until January. “They’re pretty much focusing on academics, lifting and staying strong and healthy right now,” Huizenga said. The team is currently working in the gym, with one day off every week to catch up on academics. “Our spring goal is to rally together and improve our team chemistry,” Lambertson said.
All star Red Sox team claims victory in World Series Seneca Hart Seneca.Hart@uvm. edu
G
ame three of the World Series lasted 18 innings and over seven hours. This made it the longest World Series game in Major League Baseball history. The Boston Red Sox solidified their legacy by winning the five-game World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that ended Oct. 28. Fans and experts alike established this as the best Red Sox team. A home run by the Dodgers at 3:30 a.m. ended the game with a final score of 3-2, their only win in the series. The Sox started game one with a 108-54 regular season record and fresh off an exhilarating win against the Houston Astros Oct. 18. Boston’s all-star cast of young hitters made for an en-
gaging season. The team averaged nine hits per game. Mookie Betts also hit 32 home runs. Boston took an early lead during game one. They won 8-4 with help from hitter Eduardo Nunez who hit a three run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Dodgers led part of game 2 with a single in the top of the fourth. Boston took this lead in the fifth inning winning 4-2. The series was defined by the much-anticipated matchup of pitchers Chris Sale from Boston and LA’s Clayton Kershaw. VALENTINA CZOCHANSKI
Kershaw won the Cy Young award three times, a prestigious pitching award decided by baseball writers across the country. Sale has been nominated for the award six times. The most impressive pitching came from Nate Eovaldi in game three when he entered as a relief pitcher and pitched six grueling innings, only allowing three hits. Sox hitter Mitch Moreland cut the Dodgers’ lead 4-3 with a pinch hit three-run homer in the seventh inning. Boston’s Steve Pearce hit the game, tying home run in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth inning making a final score of 9-6. Pearce hit a two-run homer in the first inning, followed by LA’s David Freese and later Sox’s Mookie Betts and J. D. Martinez. Pearce hit a second home run in the eighth inning and earned a MVP title. Sale was brought in to pitch
at the bottom of the ninth inning. At the final out, he struck out Dodgers hitter Manny Machado to win. Red Sox fans have had four World Series parades in the last 14 years. Dave Roberts stole second base when he played for the Sox in the 2004 American League Championship Series, helping to end the Curse of the Bambino, an 86-year drought. This made Roberts a Red Sox hero and 100 years after the last Boston World Series win Roberts got a standing ovation in Fenway Park. Radio announcer Joe Castiglione called the Red Sox the most exciting team Boston’s ever had and this win sealed that title. The Red Sox players from this year’s team will shape the MLB for years to come. Seneca Hart is a first-year microbiology major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2018.
SPORTS
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The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
Women’s hockey plays to fight cancer Ashley Miller Ashley.E.Miller@uvm.edu
The University of New Hampshire arrived at Gutterson Fieldhouse Nov. 3 looking for revenge, head coach Jim Plumer said. The UVM women’s ice hockey team played a double header against the UNH Wildcats, beating them 1-0 Nov. 2 and tying them 2-2 Nov. 3. “Whenever you beat a team and play them again the next day, they’re going to come out with an edge,” Plumer said. Saturday’s game was played in support of UVM’s Cancer Center. The Rally Against Cancer match is an especially significant game for senior goalie Melissa Black, who lost her mother to breast cancer five years ago, Plumer said. “I’m really proud of Melissa today,” he said. “This game meant a lot to her. She played all three periods and played them well.” The Catamounts commenced the game with strong pressure in their offensive end, but UNH gained control of the puck and scored within the first eight minutes. After their opponent’s goal, UVM quickly responded with a goal shot by junior forward Audrey Picard. As the remaining minutes of the first period wound down, sophomore forward Alyssa Holmes put one in the net for Vermont. UNH returned to the ice and scored a second goal with one
VALERIE COURTRIGHT/The Vermont Cynic
Junior Ali O’Leary bites her tongue as she sets up for a face off in a game against the University of New Hampshire Nov. 2. UVM won 1-0. minute remaining in the period. “That first half was tough, letting in those two goals, but as a team we bounced back quickly,” Black said. The second period was filled with penalties taken by the Wildcats, giving UVM numerous opportunities to score. “We had so many quality chances on those power plays in the second period, but sometimes you just don’t get that right bounce from the puck,”
Plumer said. The two teams hit the ice for the final period with a tied scoreboard. “Hopefully UVM can get a goal in the third to wrap this thing up,” Paul Black, Melissa Black’s father, said during the game. The Wildcats accumulated three more penalties in the third period. Although UVM was able to connect passes, they were un-
able to score. In the final second of the game, UVM had a tripping penalty called on them, resulting in a penalty shot for the Wildcats. Black successfully blocked UNH’s shot and the game progressed into overtime. “Melissa appeared to stay really calm and cool going during that penalty shot, which could have significantly changed the outcome of the game,” Plumer said.
Neither team was able to keep pressure in the five minute overtime period, resulting in the 2-2 tie. “It was a hard fought game. I would’ve rather come out of this weekend with two wins, but I’m proud of how we performed,” Plumer said. The Catamounts’ next game will be 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at Dartmouth University.
UVM club football ends season with a No. 2 ranking Stephan Toljan Stephan.Toljan@uvm.edu
The UVM men’s varsity football team has been undefeated since 1974. It’s hard to lose games when the team doesn’t exist. Although varsity football hasn’t been at UVM for 44 years, Catamounts who want to pad-up and hit the field can still do so with the men’s club football team. The team has 31 players from different graduating classes, according to its website. The Catamounts are led by head coach Jeff Porter, who has been with the team since 2011. The team has changed a lot in the past eight seasons, he said. “We are playing much, much better,” he said. “[The] new group of guys has made a big difference.” UVM has a conference record of 2-1-0, earning them a No. 2 ranking, according to the National Club Football Association. The team’s success can be attributed to the players and the enthusiasm that they bring to the field, Porter said. “[We have] a great team
leader in Eddie Hockenbury,” he said. Hockenbury, a senior, has been with the team since his first year at UVM. He is a running back and is also the program’s president, Hockenbury said. Hockenbury has spent 15 years as a football player in Burlington, according to the team’s Facebook page. “My town had a good youth program,” he said. “So I started playing and I fell in love.” Hockenbury agrees with Porter on the reasons for the team’s success, he said. “Over the last few years there has been a real attention to detail,” Hockenbury said. “Attendance is sometimes spotty, but the guys who show up care about the program and want to do well.” Wide receiver Logan Park, a first-year, said he discovered the team from the club fair at the beginning of the year. “I’ve always loved sports and I’ve always wanted to play football, but my school was too small to have a team,” he said. “When I walked by the table the guys told me to come play, so I said, ‘sure.’”
RYAN KIEL-ZABEL/The Vermont Cynic
Senior and captain of the UVM Club Football Team Eddie Hockenbury reaches out to stiff arm an opposing player Oct. 14. Park said he has loved his experience on the team. “The team’s awesome,” he said. “People are really invested.” The team played North Atlantic conference champion Sa-
cred Heart University Nov. 3. The Catamounts were defeated by SHU 37-6, which ended their season. According to UVM club football’s Facebook page, the team had a number of injuries
during the second half. Although UVM will not have the opportunity to compete at a national level this year, Porter said that he is proud of his team.
The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
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FEATURE
12
The Vermont Cynic
Nov. 6, 2018
Campus reels in wake of deadly Pittsburgh synagogue shooting Alec Collins alec.collins@uvm. edu
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hen I first heard the news about the shooting in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, in which a white nationalist murdered 11 members of the Tree of Life synagogue, the first thing I felt, strangely, was annoyance. “Of course this was bound to happen sometime,” I thought to myself. “But couldn’t it have waited until next week?” I would have been surprised in that moment to know that in an hour I would set about organizing a vigil for the victims of the shooting. This initial sensation of paralysis was compounded by the fact that, atypically, I had spent that afternoon alone, which was the only reason I was even using my phone. Many people don’t use their phones on Shabbat, which lasts from Friday night at sundown to Saturday at twilight, because it’s designed as a day of rest and disconnection from the larger world to spend time with friends and family. This doubles Oct. 27’s tragedy, since millions of observant Jews first learned of the shooting when they turned on their phones after 25 hours of peaceful time with family and friends. Because I was alone and unable to speak with people affected by the news as deeply as myself, I felt myself slipping into a coma of numbness and cynicism. Then, about an hour after the headlines had overtaken my Facebook feed, I saw a text message from a close friend who was also home by themselves and using technology. It simply said, “how are you doing?” I explained that I was really mostly feeling numb. Even as I wrote this, though, I began to feel a sense of comfort. Just this simple message had affected me deeply. In just a few words, my friend reassured me: “It’s OK to feel overwhelmed. This is a big deal. You’re not overreacting.” As I continued scrolling through my Facebook feed, I saw an event that a liberal Jewish group from New York that I follow had created. It was called “Havdalah Vigil for Squirrel Hill.” Not more than five minutes after I had first replied, I sent my friend another message. “I think I’m going to organize a Havdalah vigil.” Havdalah is the ceremony at the end of Shabbat; it marks the separation between the rest of the Sabbath and the work of the rest of
the week. I broke the Sabbath in about 10 different ways in the next few hours. It was a blur of text messages, editing prayers, buying candles and gathering supplies. By the time I arrived in front of the David W. Howe Memorial Library at 6:20 p.m. with three bags of supplies, I was agitated, emotional and nervous. I was comfortable leading Havdalah, but how would everything else go? Would people come? Suffice it to say, nearly 40 people did come, and things happened as they were meant to. We did Havdalah with the intention of separating ourselves from the pain the day had held. Together, we recited the traditional Mourner’s prayer, the Kaddish. We sang a song praising the world’s beauty that was written by a Hungarian Jewish woman named Hannah Szenesh while she was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. We sang the traditional concluding song, which speaks of the prophet Elijah coming to usher in a world without strife. As the last notes faded away, I finally felt the surge of emotion I had been searching for all day. I first choked back tears, and then I wept. Across campus, students and faculty had been dealing with the tragedy in their own ways. “It’s hard to see all of the hate that is growing in this world,” said junior Neilah Rovinsky, a member of UVM Hillel’s student board. “To see [this happen to] such a beautiful and socially active synagogue just breaks my heart.” President Tom Sullivan sent a campus-wide email Oct. 28 addressing the tragedy.
ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic
(Top) Candles are lit Nov. 2 in the Hillel House on Colchester Avenue for Shabbat. (Bottom) Sharon Lifschutz, assistant director of UVM Hillel, prays during Shabbat Nov. 2. “The Jewish community is in real need of [our support and compassion] now,” he stated. “I know that our caring UVM family will respond with kindness and understanding.” The next day, UVM Hillel director Matt Vogel sent out his own statement. “The entire Hillel movement is in mourning as we reflect on the abhorrent murder of Jews who had come together to worship in Pittsburgh,” he stated. He said that the Hillel house would be open all day to offer snacks, blankets and a safe space for students to mourn. Emma Bauer is a Jewish student and leader of Vermont Youth for Gun Sense, a gun reform advocacy organization formed by the student organizers of last spring’s March for our Lives Montpelier rally. “This past weekend has been filled by immense hopelessness,
anger and fear that my school or my synagogue could be next,” she said. She said she draws hope from the dedicated survivors and activists she works with. First-year Alexis Cady, a student from Squirrel Hill, echoed this sentiment while addressing the Oct. 30 interfaith gathering that packed City Hall’s Contois Auditorium. “I never thought this could happen to me,” she said. She was hoping for a day in which no young person ever has to grapple with the same sense of disbelief and hurt, she said. How soon that day may come can’t be said, but this week, Jews on campus are yearning for it. Alec Collins is a junior English major. He is active in UVM’s Jewish community and has been writing for the Cynic since spring 2018.