The Phoenix 2016-2017 Issue 7

A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Vol 51, Issue 6 • April 2017 / 5777

Ms. Chertok Leaves Legacy of Dedication

By Dorette Dayan Junior Editor

Ms. Eleanor Chertok, a beloved Yeshivah of Flatbush math teacher, passed away Monday, March 20, 2017, from lung cancer.

Ms. Chertok grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and lived there her entire life. Her father was originally from Poland and came to America to find work. Her mother was born in New York.

Ms. Chertok met her husband, Marvin, in 1967 at a bowling party during s’fira sponsored by the Young Adults of Borough Park. Like Ms. Chertok, her husband worked as a teacher for more than 40 years. They have a daughter, who is a teacher as well, and a son, who works at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Both are involved in the independent film business. In addition, Ms. Chertok has a two year old granddaughter who is named after Ms. Chertok’s mother.

“She always spoke with such pride and love about her husband, her children, and her granddaughter,” Señora Ovadia remembered.

When the Chertoks got married they planned to move to Borough Park, but

Ms. Chertok’s father became ill and they decided to get an apartment on the Lower East Side to be close to her parents.

Ms. Chertok began her teaching career at Flatbush in 1968, back when there were still chalkboards in every classroom.

For the next 49 years, Ms. Chertok gave her life to our school. “We were a part of her family, and she dedicated her life to our family,” said Ms. Shulman, the head of the Math Department.

Many teachers and students used similar words to describe Ms. Chertok. One characteristic often mentioned is that she truly cared about every one of her students. Ms. Shulman supported this statement by saying, “It was with real love that she cared about what every single person was accomplishing.”

A Flatbush alumnus and former student of Ms. Chertok, Dr. Richard Grazi, agreed, commenting, “Outside the classroom she took a deep interest in the lives of many students, especially those falling short of their potential.”

In recent years, Ms. Chertok was known for warning her students that they were going to fail the Regents exam.

Many students see this as another example of her concern for her students and their success.

Ms. Chertok’s daughter, Sandy Chertok disclosed, “My mother was always concerned about her students understanding the math curriculum. Her latest concerns were the changes to the math curriculum due to the core curriculum.”

Ms. Shulman explained, “She expressed her worry that, ‘Maybe this time they may fail, because they’re not doing their work.’ She just wanted so much that everybody should do their work and do well.”

Señora Ovadia recalled an experience years ago as Ms. Chertok’s student: “I remember taking my Geometry Regents during my sophomore year and I was so nervous. Ms. Chertok came into the class and walked over to me and reassured me. It was so comforting.”

Current junior Jacqueline Mizrahi said, “It was special to know she always believed I could do it.”

In addition, it was clear to all that Mrs. Chertok loved to teach, and she loved math. In a class discussion commemorating Ms. Chertok, students shared that she “brought math to life.” Her enthusiasm about math made students more enthusiastic as well. Mizrahi said, “After her passing, I began to reflect on the times in and outside her classroom, and felt inspired by the way she loved what she taught.”

Few of her students, however, knew that math was far from her only interest.

She also had a passion for the arts. “She preferred classic movies, like West Side Story, over modern ones. The last film she saw was Rogue One—she didn’t love Star Wars the way that my father, my brother, and I love it, but we always saw the Star Wars movies as a family,” Sandy Chertok revealed. She also enjoyed taking art classes, going to various museums, and seeing Broadway shows. The last one she saw with her daughter was Beautiful.

“Behind all those numbers was a personality that was worth learning more about,” explained Dr. Grazi.

Ms. Chertok also provided her students with advice. Junior Bella Feldman shared an example: “She once advised us to take AP Physics. She told us that it was the best decision she ever made. At first, she wasn’t interested in taking it, but be-

Students and faculty follow Ms. Chertok’s aron up East 17th Street

Tracks Aim To Keep Seniors Productive

By Albert Saad

Contributing Writer

From May 1–12, a new set of

In This Issue Alumnus: Erez Cohen, the singing dentist Page 2

mini-courses have been made available to 12th grade students. AP examinations are being given at that time so normal classes will not be meeting regularly. As

a result, all of the seniors, except those who are taking three or more AP examinations, must choose from one of several two-week courses, called “tracks.” Each

Special Section: 18 Under 18: Students UNDER excelling outside of the classroom Page 4-5

Entertainment: Review of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Page 7

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cause she did in the end, she understood how everything in the world works. It is because of this that I have decided to take AP Physics next year.”

Rabbi Blumenthal is another Flatbush teacher who was in Ms. Chertok’s class when he was a student here. He said Ms. Chertok was a very special person who treated everyone the way each deserved to be treated. “Whether I was a student and teenager or when I was an adult and colleague, I always felt that she just treated people the same; the same respect, same simplicity,” he said.

She was also known to be selfless, “Whenever asked how she is, even days before she left school, she would say she’s good,” Mizrahi stated. Ms. Shulman added, “She cared more about what other people were experiencing than what she herself was experiencing.”

As the faculty and students silentlystood as Ms. Chertok’s hearse drove up East 17th Street, it was clear that she had affected countless people during her 49 years at the school. Colleagues, students, and alumni described her as a kindhearted and generous person who cared deeply for teaching and for her students. The chalkboard in room 206 may have been replaced, but Ms. Chertok’s influence is lasting.

track has limited spots and begins minyan at a different time.

Students can choose fromm five different tracks. The Real Estate Track is a 75-hour course that will reward a preliminary real estate license to all those

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Ask Merle: Fighting the cookie addiction Page 8 www.theflatbushphoenix.com | 1

Meet a Flatbush Family:

Monique and Jack Zeitouny

By Sharon Chappan Contributing Writer

When most Flatbush students leave home for school they leave their families at the door, but that is not the case for siblings Monique and Jack Zeitouny.

Monique is a senior in class 4-HN and Jack is a sophomore in class 2-T. Both Jack and Monique enjoy having each other in school because seeing a familiar face in the halls makes a seemingly less-than-fun experience more enjoyable by. Monique said, “For some odd reason I get more excited when I see Jack in the school hallways than when I see him at home.” Though Jack said when he sees Monique around school he has the same level of excitement and gives her a more casual “hi.”

Monique and Jack’s older sister, Stephanie, also attended Flatbush and graduated two years ago. Monique said that when she first came to high school she enjoyed having Stephanie there because she made the transition much more comfortable. Monique strived to provide that same level of comfort for

Jack when he first entered high school.

Jack said that having a sister in high school makes things easier because, “she’s been through what I’m going through, so if I ever have a question there is always someone to ask.”

Jack said that most teachers who had Monique in the past recognize that he is her brother. He sees it as a good thing because Monique had good relationships with her teachers, which helps Jack make a positive first impression.

Jack also enjoys the fact that Monique had many of the teachers in school so she can give him advice on how each teacher operates and how he should approach their classes.

Monique said, “I drive Jack to school every day, which made us get much closer.” Going to the same school at the same time gives them the opportunity to bond and form memories on the way to school each day. Jack also enjoys their daily rides to school, which give them time to bond despite their busy schedules.

Jack and Monique have similar hobbies. Jack is on the JV Boys Soccer team and Monique is on the Varsity Girls Soccer team. Monique also plays piano and paints.

Monique and Jack Zeitouny enjoyed having each other around school for the last two years, and they have each benefitted from it greatly in their own distinct ways. With Monique graduating at the end of this year, both Zeitounys will be on their own in school beginning in the fall.

Alumnus Interview:

Erez Cohen (’03)

By Julie Saadia Contributing Writer

Erez Cohen, a 31-year-old Flatbush graduate, is not a typical dentist. Most other dentists, for example, don’t take one day off every week to work on their music careers, or play gigs on nights and weekends. Cohen also makes music videos, most of which are Judaic parodies of popular songs, and his YouTube channel has several hundred thousand views.

Cohen said his love for music started right here at the Yeshivah. “Flatbush had great choirs and extracurricular classes that fed my interest and got me to realize my singing voice,” he said. His parents helped foster his love of music by starting him on guitar lessons at age 15.

His best memories from high school are the good times he spent with his friends, and the time he spent nurturing his musical passion. Like many Flatbush students, Cohen worried about the heavy workload, but he says all the hard work

paid off because “it made college a joke” in comparison.

After Flatbush, Cohen attended Brooklyn College, which helped to shape him as a person today. He said it kept him humble and is also where he met his rabbi, who has been a major influence in his life.

College was followed by dental school, after which he took a year off to teach himself how to curate his own YouTube channel. Today, the musician is still close with many of his high school friends. He is still “single and ready to mingle.”

As a Modern Orthodox Jew, Erez enjoys traveling and bringing people together on Shabbat by hosting meals, singing Shabbat tunes, and learning Torah.

While trying to balance all of the aspects of his life, he has learned that you have to finish one project before you tackle another.

The ambitious go-getter leaves us students with a few other pieces of advice: Firstly, “Hashem gives you what you need, even if it’s not clear” right away. So don’t get too stressed out when things don’t go your way; just do your best and G-d will do the rest. Secondly, “you have to know your limits and be realistic.”

Keep up with Erez and his music by subscribing to his YouTube channel, ErezCohenMusic, or following him @ erezcohenmusic on Instagram.

Student Survey

Where are you spending Passover?

Home 94 (53.3%) Florida 30 (17.6%) Grandparent’s House 14 (8.2%) Israel 7 (4.1%) Elsewhere in U.S. 6 (3.5%) Caribbean 6 (3.5%) Other 6 (3.5%) Central America 5 (2.9%) South America 1 (0.6%) Europe 1 (0.6%)

The Phoenix Staff Editor-in-Chief: David Azrak Managing Editor: Jane Zakay Senior Editors: Esther Levy and Estelle Saad Religion Editor: Deborah Coopersmith School News Editors: Naomi Sanders and Sarah Weingarten World News Editor: Mimi Lazerowitz Entertainment Editor: Allan Kurland

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Music Editor: Rena Weitzman Standard of Fabulous Editors: Sylvia Ashkenazie and Aida Hasson Fun & Games Editor: Diana Hoffstein Sports Editor: Victor Allaham Junior Editors: Daliah Ben-Ari, Dorette Dayan, Mary Jajati Sophomore Editors: Sam Beyda, Ezra Faks Design: Therese Berkowitz Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter

171 Reponses

High School Administration Rabbi Raymond Harari, Head of School Rabbi Joseph Beyda, Principal Ms. Jill W. Sanders, Associate Principal / Director of Admissions Ms. Sari Bacon, Associate Principal Ms. Ester Hidary, Assistant Principal

Witness Theater Hits the Road

By Fortune Manopla Contributing Writer

Witness Theater, a unique and beloved Flatbush production in which students act out true stories of Holocaust survivors as the adults narrate, will be performed at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan this year in addition to being performed at school.

On Thursday, April 27, museum-goers will be able to attend this year’s show, called “The Spirit of Hope.”

“It’s such a unique program and we are honored to share it with as many people as we can!” exclaims Ms. Sally Shatzkes, Witness Theater program director.

Selfhelp, the nonprofit human service agency that brought the Witness Theater program to New York City from Israel, reached out to the museum to see if it would host the performance. This is not

the first time the Witness Theater group has taken their show on the road; three years ago the Manhattan JCC hosted the program.

Lenore Wolff, a gallery educator at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, stated, “Witness Theater is one of the best programs offered at the Museum. … It’s truly unique.”

The performance depicts not only the survivors’ experiences, but the deep bonds developed among the members of the group. Students have been preparing since September, and meet with survivors weekly to discuss their experiences and connect with them. “All year our students have been fascinated by how the adults never lost hope and always found strength to survive,” Shatzkes said. “This is the foundation for our show.”

For senior Max Shemtob, these weekly meetings are the highlight of the program. “I think it’s made me a better person and more conscious about the

world,” he said. However, it isn’t always easy. Working with the survivors was intimidating at first, Shemtob admitted, and hearing their stories every week can be emotionally taxing. But ultimately, “they’re there to comfort me and I’m there to comfort them,” he explained.

Witness Theater participants are especially excited to be performing at the museum and sharing the incredible impact of the show. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and a fantastic way to spread the stories to more people,” said cast member Amanda Heskiel.

For Heskiel, the best part about Witness Theater is creating genuine friendships with the survivors. Through weekly discussions, “dinner dates,” (catching up over dinner), and spending time together on Seminar, Witness Theater members have created a “happy, tightknit family that will be so hard to leave,” Heskiel said.

Witness Theater participants at a recent Wednesday session

Nashir Choral Festival Comes to Flatbush

Robert Adler

Contributing Writer

On March 22, the beat came to Flatbush in the form of the Nashir Choral Festival, a yearly gathering of high school vocalists that includes workshops and performances.

Several yeshiva high school choirs from the Tri-State area attended numerous workshops taught by professionals, followed by a special luncheon and kumzits hosted by Rabbi Besser, the MC of the event. The workshops were designed to advance the performances of the different vocalists and gear them up for a possible career in music.

Finally, the Yeshivah of Flatbush freshmen and sophomores, as well as family members of the performers, were treated to a final performance in the auditorium by the choirs of the attending schools.

Mr. Gelfand, the Flatbush choir director, said Nashir was “really an amazing gathering of so many musical communities.”

Each school performed one traditional and one contemporary piece for the festival, each conveying a separate message to the audience. As hosts, Flatbush performed first, singing “Malu Asmeinu Bar” by D. Zaba, and Pentatonix’s “Na Na Na.” But the most electrifying event was saved for last. Maestro Mathew Lazar conducted a stunning performance of “Keren Or” featuring the entire choirs of each school.

No one could sum up the feeling of achdut in that moment better than Rabbi Besser, who commented that, in music, a difference in opinion is simply called harmony. No matter our background or which school participants call home, the Nashir festival showed all attendees that a love of music unites us all.

The Nashir grand finale featured all schools performing together

Deeper Meaning on the Seder Plate

By Bella Douek Contributing Writer

As Pesach, one of the shalosh regalim, approaches, we prepare not only physically (scrubbing every crevice of the house for chametz, dipping our pots, buying special foods, etc.); we also mentally and spiritually. But with so many mitzvot associated with the holiday, which is the most important?

Rabban Gamliel used to say: “Whoever has not explained the following three things on Pesach has not fulfilled his duty: Pesach, Matzah, and Marror.”

We all know what these three things are, but what are their deeper meanings?

Pesach: Just like the Jews thanked HaShem for skipping their houses and saving them from the fate of the Egyptians, we, too, should thank God for the everyday miracles, the times when he protects us from harm in the first place.

For example; not getting sick, not being hungry, not getting into an accident.

Matzah: From the Matzah we learn that God doesn’t need time. HaShem has the ability to turn any situation around in an instant, teaching us to never give up hope because at any moment God can save us. Paralleling this, when things are going well, we have to remember that this is also a miracle; HaShem is with us in these moments, even when it seems like life is just continuing the way it should.

Maror: Just like the Jews experienced salvation from Egypt, when we are going through seemingly rough times, the light is just around the corner. From maror we learn to recognize that our obstacles are a necessity to achieve success. The Jews wouldn’t have been able to leave Egypt had it not been for their prayers and tears; without struggle, we don’t reach our fullest potential.

This Pesach, when you look at the shank bone, think about all the hidden and open miracles that God has done for you, and thank Him for the seemingly infinite number of “ordinary” moments in which HaShem saved you from harm without you even realizing it. When you look at the matzah, think about the times in your life when you’ve experienced major plot twists, as if without any warning or putting in effort, and how God can do the same for you today, no matter what your challenges may be. When you look at the maror, think of a struggle you have gone through recently and how it helped you become who you are today.

Pesach, matzah, and maror symbolize gratitude, hope and perseverance. With these three gifts, we sit around our Seder tables and thank HaShem for the miracle of our freedom.

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18 UNDER

Illustration by Cammi Cohen

Yeshivah of Flatbush regularly celebrates the students who excel in the classroom and on our many teams. But many Flatbush students’ most impressive accomplishments occur beyond the school’s walls.

In this special feature we shine a spotlight on 18 Flatbush students who are achieving remarkable things in a variety of fields and activities outside of school.

By Estelle Saad and Sarah Weingarten

Joshua Wicentowsky, 9th Grade Sports

Wicentowsky is not merely the best golfer at Flatbush, but is becoming one of the best young golfers in the country. During the school year he practices a few times per week, and during the summer he plays in tournaments. He has won numerous competitions, including the AJGA, US Kids, and Brooklyn Open tournaments.

He first took up golf because his uncle and cousins played, and would sometimes take him along. He used to take lessons, but now only has a coach join him for his games. He is considering going professional when he gets older, and is currently being scouted by colleges.

Toby Zibak, 12th Grade Finance

Since he began buying stocks in his freshman year, Zibak’s investments have grown exponentially. He started by opening an account with ScottTrade, and buying a small number of shares of just a couple of stocks. After some research, he taught himself how to work the stock market and developed a system for determining what types of companies to invest in. He checks the stock market “every second,” he says. He currently holds stock in American Express, USB, Apple, and Tesla, to name a few. Zibak plans to study finance and turn his investing skills into a career.

Isabel Lin, 11th Grade Writing

As part of her Blumenthal Scholars project, Lin has written a crime novella. The junior plans on being a criminal prosecutor in the future and has a passion for writing; she has found a way to combine both law and writing in her novella.

Lin started drafting her crime novella, Sinfull, last year.

It focuses on a man who is currently on trial for multiple counts of first-degree murder. Every chapter goes into the mind of a different character who embodies one of the seven deadly sins.

Lin’s mother is a lawyer and has been a great mentor throughout the process, helping get Lin’s “creative juices” flowing. The book is at its final stage of being edited and tweaked, and she hopes to publish it in the near future.

Ikey Benzaken, 12th Grade Technology

Benzaken was already on this list last year for creating three apps that are available in the App Store. Now he’s taking things a step further by running a coding camp this coming summer so he can pass on his skills to others. He

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plans to teach his “campers” the basics of coding, programming, and app-making.

The goal of his camp is to get his students familiar with the coding language Swift, and for them to learn how to make simple apps.

Benzaken has always been interested in programming, and after his sophomore year he attended MakeSchool programming camp. He learned much of what he knows from this course.

Sheila L. Franco, 12th Grade Medicine

When Franco interned at Maimonides Hospital last summer, she shadowed doctors and sat in on all different kinds of surgeries. She witnessed brain and heart surgeries as well as others, sometimes lasting for up to six hours. Franco was also required to do a research project and present it in front of many doctors. Her research project was on the PRP healing technique. Franco plans on becoming a doctor in the future, though not a surgeon because of the amount of schooling required.

Elie Pariente-Cohen, 12th Grade Food

Pariente-Cohen, known throughout the senior grade as EPC, taught himself to make sushi by watching videos and restaurant workers, and by reading cookbooks. He also took online courses and learned to speak Mandarin last year, though he says has forgotten most of it. He makes many different types of sushi and other Asian cuisine, and continues to perfect his knife skills. He is interested in opening an Asian restaurant in the future.

Rachel Davidovich, 12th Grade Sports

Davidovich has been swimming since she can remember, but it wasn’t until she was 12 years old that she decided to take it seriously and put more work and effort into it. She now competes with a team called Matchpoint Senior Team, and follows a rigorous schedule. She practices six times a week, sometimes even before the school day begins, and sometimes even twice a day.

She says that “swimming is a very individualized sport; it’s up to me to win.” And most of the time, she does win. Davidovich hopes to continue her swimming career next year by joining her college swim team.

Mikey Darwish and Charles Zeitoune 11th Grade Music

Lifelong friends, Darwish and Zeitoune had been DJing individually since seventh grade. In high school they joined forces as a duo, hiring themselves out as DJs for parties and events in the community. They also use music production software called Ableton to create original EDM songs, putting them on Soundcloud as singles people can download.

Calling themselves 2UO, they released their first track, “Giza,” on March 28, 2016. The song got so many plays that they released a second single and plan to continue. Now they are working on a remix for 2016 Flatbush graduate Sonny Setton, who has been releasing music of his own recently. They have also been sending their singles to record companies, and are hoping in the near future to seal a record deal that will boost their music career. Meanwhile, they plan to continue releasing tracks independently.

Esther Levy, 12th Grade Politics

In addition to serving as the commissioner of JFem for the past two years in school, Levy took her passion for Judaism and feminism to another level last summer when she interned at the Jewish Orthodox Feminism Alliance (JOFA) last summer. Her job was to research different women and write Wikipedia profiles for 100 women. The purpose was to increase the presence of women on Wikipedia by writing entries about prominent women who did not already have them. Levy said she learned a lot through her research and plans on continuing to stand for women’s rights in the future.

Yaron Sternberg, 11th Grade Writing

There are many deep thinkers at Flatbush, but only one has written a book of poetry. After a friend of Sternberg’s took her own life last year, Sternberg decided to cope with his feelings through writing poetry. Ms. Agassi encouraged him to turn his poems into a book, and Ms. Bloom edited it for him. He is currently looking for a publisher, but if necessary he plans to self-publish his book.

Joey Berkowitz, 12th Grade Technology

Berkowitz has been interested in technology and computers for years. He taught himself most of what he knows and was helped further by the IT department at Flatbush Elementary when he was in seventh grade. He is the head of the AV squad, and is almost finished creating a new ticketing program that will track all of the events in the school and load AV squad members’ schedules, showing them who should be doing what.

He runs a website where he uploads his notes, and at the beginning of the year he upgraded it so that it displays his notes in a more convenient way for himself and for the students who rely on it. Additionally, his improvements now allow him to format equations in his notes. When asked why he goes to the trouble to help his classmates, Berkowitz simply said that he wanted to help his friends, and he decided to put his skills to the task in order to do so.

Jacob Shammah, 10th Grade Sports

Long before most Flatbush students even knew that riding horses could be a competitive sport, Shammah was winning competitions. The sophomore has been riding from a young age, and currently practices once every four weeks at the riding school right off the Belt Parkway. In order to win Regionals this year, his team needed to earn a total of 18 points from five different shows; Shammah’s team won 17 points, falling just short of victory.

Aside from competitive horse riding, Shammah breeds dogs. He has buyers lined up already for the future litter from his English golden retriever, and is planning on keeping one of the new puppies for himself.

Madelyne Deutsch, 12th Grade Fashion

While you were busy picking out which socks to wear, Deutsch was designing them. The senior interned at Orly Shoes, a wholesale shoe company, this past summer. She worked in the sock division of the company, where she organized the show room and designed socks. Deutsch chose the patterns and colors of the socks and sent the designs to a factory. The factory sent her samples of her designs on socks and she told them how to modify it. She plans on making fashion her career in the future. What draws her to design is the “sense of accomplishment I feel when something that I designed myself becomes a reality,” she said.

Claire Lessler, 11th grade Technology

After spending last summer being a part of the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program, Lessler got together with three of her friends from the program and together created Feskee.com, a website that helps high school girls find internships. As of now the internships posted on the site focus on coding, but Lessler and her friends are looking to expand to all areas in the future. In order to network with different startup companies so that they can set up girls with internships, Lessler often attends startup fairs and different conferences. Within the first week they launched their website 2,000 “customers” visited it and inquired about internships. The website is nonprofit for now but Lessler, who also started the Girls Who Code commission at Flatbush this year, hopes to turn Feskee into a money-maker in the future.

Rebecca Coopersmith, 10th Grade Music

Coopersmith has been playing the piano for six years, and the cello for three.

She practices each day for a total of one and a half hours. Coopersmith decided to start playing the piano because her sister played it, and picked up the cello because she wanted to play something similar to the violin but more unique. She said she loves the feeling of accomplishment from playing an instrument, and the beautiful sounds that the instruments create.

Coopersmith is just as dedicated to music when she’s in school; she currently takes Music Theory with Ms. Mauskop and plans on taking AP Music Theory next year, as well as going to a music school after high school. She also sings and has been trying to write her own music.

Amanda Heskiel, 12th Grade Politics

Avid Israel lover, supporter and advocate, senior Amanda Heskiel seems to attend Israel advocacy conferences and events more often than she attends class. As co-commissioner of the Yeshivah’s Israel Activism Commission with fellow senior Ben Wade, Heskiel attended the AIPAC Policy Conference last month with 18,000 people, where she heard numerous supporters of Israel speak, including Vice President Mike Pence. Heskiel wasn’t just a member of the audience; she also spoke to a large group of people while on a panel of high school activists.

In February Heskiel organized Symposium, an event in school where an author, a rabbi from Israel, and other speakers met with the Israel activists from Flatbush and five other schools. And earlier in the school year she spent a day at the United Nations as one of a handful of high school students invited to meet Israeli dignitaries.

Of course Heskiel’s love for Israel doesn’t stop there. She plans to take her passion for Israel to the next level next year, combating BDS and advocating Ifor Israel in college.

Abie Rosow, 12th Grade Sports

Known for his height, great sportsmanship and phenomenal basketball skills, Rosow is now taking his talent and transmitting it to the younger generation.

Rosow who has played on the Flatbush basketball team all four years of high school and was chosen last year to play for the U.S. team at an international youth tournament in Santiago, Chile, has become a role model to younger children. Rosow works as a personal trainer for young boys in fifth and sixth grade in Marine Park every Sunday. Last summer he worked at the Center as the assistant basketball trainer. His bosses recognized his talent and chose him to be head coach of the Center’s sixth grade basketball team, which made it to the championship game this year.

Aida Hasson, 11th Grade Art, Writing, Science

Despite her busy schedule, junior Aida Hasson makes sure to make time for her numerous passions: singing, songwriting, origami, and photography.

Hasson composed and recorded the song for Book Day that was played at the Book Day assembly, and continues to compose music for a chamber choir song.

Meanwhile, she is taking her passion and talent for origami to a new level this year. She currently has three photographs of her origami on display at the Center, and she will soon begin conducting a study on the benefits of origami art therapy for kids with ADHD and how it can help them focus. She is conducting this study as her Blumenthal Scholars project, and she chose ADHD because her father is a neurologist and her sister has ADHD. Hasson is hoping her study will yield results that will help children with ADHD and spread the practice of origami therapy to help many people.

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Faculty Freshman: Ms. Salem

By Sarah Dagmy Contributing Writer

Ms. Paulina Salem, a part-time English writing teacher new to the high school this year, attended the Yeshivah of Flatbush herself.

She says the Yeshivah has impacted a large part of who she is today for the better. As both a teacher and former student, what she loves most about Flatbush is “how much it can feel like home.”

Ms. Salem has worked in the elementary school for six years as a second-grade teacher, and this year she’s joined us here in the high school as well.

She now teaches both second graders and 10th graders, and she’s loving every second of it.

Ms. Salem is not only a teacher, but also a mother of three young children.

Throughout her day, she faces many challenges from her many roles. Yet even with her abundant responsibilities she still aims to set an inspiring example for her children, showing them that their mother works hard yet still provides them with the love and care that they need.

However, Ms. Salem did not always want to be a teacher. While studying at Barnard College she initially wanted to be a lawyer. However, one summer while working at a law firm she realized the law just wasn’t her true calling, and decided she wanted to do something else.

She joined an extracurricular program called Peace by P.E.A.C.E., a program that teaches nonviolent conflict resolution to elementary school classrooms in inner-city schools. She also took some tutoring jobs that required her to break down complex ideas for students.

Through these experiences, she realized how much she enjoys being with children and being in a classroom, so she decided to become a teacher.

It may come as no surprise that one of Ms. Salem’s favorite hobbies is reading. She also loves listening to music. To her, reading and music can take you anywhere and there’s no limitation to your imagination. One book that Ms. Salem highly recommends is I Am Malala, the autobiographical story of Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai’s struggle against the Taliban as a child and her quest to give Pakistani women the right to an education.

So, what’s Ms. Salem’s advice for students who want to succeed? She believes that students should try everything that interests them. When she was in school she was in about 15 different extracurricular activities and tried out for about 10 more. While the primary focus should always be academics, finding something that interests you and trying it out allows you to enjoy an enhanced learning experience, Ms. Salem said.

Russian police arrest protesters

Russian Anti-Corruption Demonstration Leads to Mass Arrests

By Mimi Lazerowitz World News Editor

On Sunday, March 26, a large demonstration took place in Moscow to protest against corruption. Nearly 8,000 people attended the protest in Moscow, and there were similar protests in 100 cities in Russia. Such protests are both illegal

and exceedingly rare in Russia, whose government has spent decades stifling dissent and punishing outspoken critics.

Hundreds of people were detained in Moscow as a result of these unauthorized protests. Among them was Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny. Navalny, a prominent opposition figure, said that the importance of publicly condemning

corruption justifies the consequences.

(Police also raided anti-corruption organizations that Navalny heads.)

These protests were part of a campaign called “He is not your Dimon,” which refers to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Navalny has accused Medvedev of amassing a property empire of huge pieces of land in the most sought

after areas, financed through bribes from oligarchs and state bank loans. Medvedev’s spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, dismissed Navalny’s accusations as “propagandistic outbursts” that are just part of some election campaign.

On the Thursday before the protest, the Moscow Police Department released a statement urging people not to attend the protest, calling the event “illegal” and a “provocation.” Police said that the organizers of the protest were offered an alternate location for the event, but declined it.

The arrests earned worldwide condemnation, including from the United States government. American State Department spokesman Mark Toner voiced his disapproval of the detainment of the “hundreds of peaceful protesters throughout Russia on Sunday.” Toner also said, “Detaining peaceful protesters, human rights observers, and journalists is an affront to core democratic values.”

The fact that these protests even occurred has many ramifications and is greatly significant. It was a tremendous display of power and leadership for Navalny, who announced that he would be running for President of Russia in 2018.

It also shows that Navalny was able to reach a wide audience despite the government’s complete control of television and much of the media.

These protests do not have any direct consequences for Putin, but they do show the Russian populace’s willingness to protest, even at great personal risk.

Senior Tracks... continued from page 1 who complete it. The Computer Skills Track teaches advanced use of Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and website building.

This course, taught by an outside ​computer-training company, will cost $200.

The Chesed Track works together with Sephardic Bikur Holim (SBH), scheduling multiple day trips to do chesed for various organizations in the community.

The Internship Track, developed by the

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Pathfinders Department, has a multitude of two-week-long internships at places including the SCC, the YOF elementary school, a hospital, an event planning company, and some small businesses.

The final track is the Academic Track.

This track is taught by various faculty and, according to the gradewide e-mail, “will give lessons relevant to students transitioning from HS to college and be-

yond.”

Rabbi Beyda said that the administration devised the new Tracks program because they “wanted to establish some creative programming in the students’ last few weeks of school that offered alternate styles of learning that would speak to their interests and set them up for greater success in life.”

The tracks have faced generally pos-

itive reviews thus far. Suzy Mosseri, a senior, said, “If you take it seriously and choose something that you are generally interested in, it can help you for your future. I am taking the Internship track at Flatbush Elementary because I plan on working at Flatbush in the future.”

Entertainment Game Review

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

By David Azrak Editor-in-Chief

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild epitomizes the attention to detail and trademarked expertise exhibited by Nintendo in its 100-year existence, a true culminating point for openworld games since The Elder Scrolls revolutionized the genre in decades’ past. It stands as not simply an excellent Zelda game, but perhaps one of the most expertly crafted worlds in all of video game history.

The game’s beginnings break the mold of traditional Zelda titles by eschewing tiresome handholding and constant companion-based interruptions by presenting you with an errant plateau, a geographically convenient starting area for venturing into the sprawling, open world, and allows you to explore it to your heart’s content. In keeping with this new freedom-based approach, you’ll be

Book Review

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

By Esther Levy Senior Editor

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose TED talk and published essay titled “We Should All Be Feminists” inspired Dior’s recent fashion show and has popularized shirts with the slogan, calls for greater reform in her new book, Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions.

The book takes the form of a response to her friend Ijeawele, who wrote to Adichie asking how for advice on how to raise her daughter, Chizalum Adaora, as

given all puzzle-solving and physics manipulation-based items (“runes,” as the game calls them) within the first hour or so, as opposed to the slow drip-feed of mildly useful key items of past Zelda titles.

The opening quest, your eventual key to exiting the Great Plateau, is orchestrated in such a way that explains game mechanics with subtle, player-based interaction; it tasks you with surveying the landscape from atop an ancient tower, always with something interesting over the next horizon. Given Link’s newfound ability to climb nearly everything in BotW’s landscape, you’ll find yourself journeying to the highest mountain peaks in search of something new, further facilitating more and more exploration in what amounts to a thoroughly satisfying and tantalizing gameplay loop that had me enamored for hours. These areas all present respective hazards (blizzards and sun-soaked deserts) that facilitate the use of alternate equipment or concocted potions to ensure survival.

And this is easily Zelda’s biggest strongpoint: a world with space that feels deliberate, that it wasn’t simply created as mere filler for more interesting landmarks in the distance.

Combat, a more controversial aspect of the game to be explained later, is marginally simpler yet so heavily intertwined into Zelda’s core gameplay. Without Link’s trademark Master Sword, BotW provides

an intimidating number of weapons, ranging from clubs and spears to electrically charged swords and elemental magic to be found in chests or scavenged from enemies. But Zelda’s new weapon durability system, one borrowed from classical RPGs, presents itself as an either genius or overtly aggressive mechanic that forces unneeded choice upon the player. Most weapons, especially early game ones, will break within a few hits, which means you’ll constantly scrounge for new weapons as they comically shatter after several swings. This makes finding new and powerful weapons less and less exciting considering you’ll only get so much use out of them. Essentially, finding money is much more worthwhile in the long term, something thoroughly boring to say. But it is as a necessary evil, an extension of the game’s masterful craftsmanship and a way of preventing the player from venturing off into more difficult areas and securing something that makes short work of early game enemies and trivializes Zelda’s brutal opening hours, which is paramount to the experience.

Perhaps the game’s only faltering point is the dungeons the Zelda series has been known for since its inception.

In place of Zelda’s double digit multiroomed offerings are shrines (around 120 of them) hidden throughout the land that typically center around a single physics-based puzzle concept. The ultimate reward is a Spirit Orb that, once four are collected, allows you to upgrade your maximum health or stamina, and four more grand-scale dungeonlike af-

a feminist. This personal approach actively engages readers through references to specific shared friends or happenings, while still speaking to the universal female experience.

Throughout the book Adichie struggles with the perception of female identity and the skewed misconception of the female experience expressed both by the world at large and by her people, the southern Nigerian Igbo. She comprehensively maps out her hopes for the future of the feminist movement by highlighting the problems facing girls and women today, allowing for an honest conversation on what can be done to modify the behaviors within our communities, homes, and ourselves to effect change.

As the title indicates, Adichie offers 15 suggestions for how a mother can raise a strong daughter. Each suggestion starts with a seemingly straightforward instruction (her first suggestion is to “be a full person”) that is then explained, supported, and developed through the use of quotes, anecdotes, statistics, and Adichie’s beliefs.

Explaining her first suggestion, for example, Adichie quotes Marlene Sanders, the first woman to report from Vietnam during the war. Sanders, when advising a younger journalist, said, “Never apologize for working. You love what you do, and loving what you do is a great

gift to give your child,” daring working mothers to take pride in their work lives.

And while a 2011 Reuters study found most women feel guilty that their work interferes with their household responsibilities—even if it actually doesn’t—Adichie counters, writing, “I have no interest in the debate about women ‘doing it all’ because it is a debate that assumes that caregiving and domestic work are singularly female domains, an idea that I strongly reject.”

She confronts the notion of being a “traditional” mother by exposing the contradicting way in which people selectively choose tradition to justify anything.

She writes that while Ijeawele’s sister-inlaw may suggest she stay home and be a “traditional” mother, “a double-income family is actually the true Igbo tradition because not only did mother farm and trade before British colonialism, trading was exclusively done by women.” Adichie rejects the misconception of there being only one reality, what it means to be a “traditional” woman, and the idea that female empowerment and adherence to tradition are mutually exclusive.

Although Adichie grew up in Nigeria, it is easy to apply her arguments to the Sephardic community and to the larger American Jewish community as well.

While Adichie is referencing the tradition of the Igbo people, it’s easy to see

fairs that are excellent in concept but far too short to be considered worthy replacements. Adding to that is the fact these dungeons can be played in the order the player wishes or not at all, as the game gives you the freedom to face the final boss almost immediately. The corrupted Hyrule castle acts as a towering obelisk for the game’s culminating endpoint and a further testament to BotW’s lassiez-faire design philosophy. Even so, the overall package shimmers with such unbridled excellence that the complete experience is hardly marred.

From the moment it began, Breath of the Wild tasked me with looking far into the distance and asked of me one simple thing: go. Never before has a game given so much unparalleled freedom, such varied landscapes each with their own masterful touches, such detail in every facet of its design. By the time the credits rolled I’d been presented with an experience unlike no other, an experience that saw me climb the highest peaks and tallest towers, staring out into the distance yearning for more adventure. To put it simply: I came, I saw, I conquered.

her arguments in terms of the Judaism, in which mesorah, our tradition, is often the barrier prohibiting an expansion of women’s roles or opportunities. With the Orthodox Feminist movement gaining momentum, these advancements are completely exclusive to certain sections of the Ashkenaz world and still generally foreign to the Syrian community and Sephardic world at large. If not exteriorly, certainly within the realm of the community, there is a pervasive culture surrounding the strong emphasis placed on girls getting married.

continued on page 8

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Fun & Games Ask Merle Dear Merle, I have a very urgent and important question. Like many of us before learning the true spelling of Mr. Hofstetter’s name I previously naively envisioned it with 2 f ’s, thus resulting in my viewing the abbreviation of his name as “Hoff.” Once I was enlightened with the singular-f spelling, it took me a long time to get use to “Hof ” and truly struggled with normalizing the loneliness of the one-f existence. I argued persistently that despite the lack of the double f in “Hofstetter,” the abbreviation still needs a double f, but my cries were shut down and my pleas ignored. Time has passed, and at last “Hof ” is normalized to me. However, in a weird and cruel turn of events I have now recently seen multiple people (aware of the correct spelling of Mr. Hofstetter) write “Hoff ” and insist it is correct! I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Please help and solve this long unsolvable Flatbush mystery.

Spelling Revolutionary Dearest Revolutionary, His name is indeed spelled “Hofstetter,” but the abbreviation is all in your hands.

When said aloud, the double f doesn’t create a significant difference than a single f. I believe there’s a senior by the name of Diana Hoffstein; she spells her name with two f ’s, so perhaps she started the double f in Hoff. I suppose to differentiate between Hoffs, one might add a “Mr.” or exclude one f for the teacher, and include the second f for the student. Ultimately, people will spell it how they want.

As the saying goes, the number of letter f ’s is in the eye of the beholder.

Good luck with your revolution, Merle

Dear Merle, I’ve been trying to eat healthier but I can’t resist the Chanies’ chocolate chip cookies. Any healthy alternatives up your sleeve?

Cookie Addict

Cookie Addict, Admitting you have a problem is the first step! I remember the days when I used to eat at least one Chanie cookie a month. It’s absolute heaven on an otherwise mundane day, especially when they warm it in the microwave. It takes a lot of self-control to refrain from going full Cookie Monster right now, but I have some solutions to your cookie dilemma. Instead of eating a whole cookie you could split one with a friend and just eat half. Instead of having a cookie every day, have it once a month. I do believe that you can have anything in moderation. Or you could always just trade me your cookie for my apple. Seriously. Give me the cookie.

Love, Merle

Dear Merle, I miss the flowers and the sunshine. I wish all the snow would just go away.

When is Spring coming to Flatbush?

Snow Day Hater Hater, I, too, miss the Spring. Technically, the first day of spring was March 20. However, the lack of spring in my step begs to differ. However, I have found that some classrooms feel like summer all year round, so if you’re ever looking for a warm place, avoid rooms like Mar’s; room 207 is in perpetual winter. As for when spring is coming, it seems that the weather is slowly warming up, the snow has melted, and now we have the showers of April promising us flowers in May. Pesach is almost here—a time of exodus for the Jews, especially if you’re a senior or, in the lunchroom, a freshman. Don’t fret, Hater: Spring is coming.

Always, Merle Dear Merle, I always see seniors in the elevator and I was just wondering, do Flatbush students lose their ability to walk up the stairs once they hit 12th grade?

Fear of Elevators Fear of Elevators, It wasn’t always this way. There was time when we avoided the elevator. A time when we were afraid of what was behind those doors.

Something changes when you become a senior. It’s not that we can’t walk up the stairs.

Most of us are perfectly capable. The fear that we all had as freshmen changes. In fact, it com-

pletely reverses itself into a fear of taking the stairs. Now we avoid the stairs like a plague. Not because we can’t, but because we’re afraid.

Fears never quite evaporate, Merle Dear Merle, Has going out for lunch become obsolete? Ever since Jus, Very Juice, and Ouri’s became more popular, my friends have refused to go out for lunch with me. Will I never see the light of day again? Is Avenue J dead?

Deprived of Light and Chock Deprived, Going to lunch is only obsolete if you make it obsolete. If you want to go out for lunch, just go for it. If your friends refuse to go with you, just go by yourself, then bring back food and rejoin your friends.

You’ll receive the much needed fresh air and your daily green tea. Remember that you don’t need to follow the majority; I recall a poster in Dr. Fruchter’s room illustrating a colorful fish that swims against the current.

There are still people who don’t eat “Jus, Very Juice, and Ouri’s.” If you really can’t find someone, I’ll come along with you.

As long as you’re paying, of course.

Always, Merle

Book Review... continued from page 7 Adichie writes, “I do not believe that marriage is something we should teach young girls to aspire to,” exerting that girls should not be raised to be mothers; they should be raised to be people. Girls should not be taught to cook and clean so they will make good wives, they should be taught theses things in order to live as independent women. Girls should not be taught to be loving and kind because it’ll make them good mothers, but because it’ll make them good people. Every girl should be taught to live as a full person with multiple facets to her identity—sister, daughter, granddaughter—and yet still maintain singular sense of self and of personhood, not dependent on anyone.

Girls, particularly in the Sephardic community, often have limited choices, be it in terms of studying in seminary for a year in Israel or dorming in college, because their parents worry such an action is antithetical to the misogynistic belief that girls shouldn’t be away from home, and thus will hinder her chances of marriage. Marriage is sometimes seen as the ultimate goal, overshadowing character

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and achievement.

Adichie’s second suggestion is to “do it together,” stating, “when we say fathers are “helping we suggesting that child care is a mother’s territory, into which fathers valiantly venture. It is not.” This message is especially timely with Pesach approaching, a holiday for which women usually handle most or all of the preparations, from cleaning to cooking to even the clean up after the meal.

Later in the book, Adichie firmly states, “You must be selective—teach her to embrace the parts of Igbo culture that are beautiful and teach her you reject the parts that are not.” So too, as Jewish women, we should encourage our daughters to learn about the origins of Judaism’s treatment of women, rather than blindly accept things as they are. It is important, Adichie argues, that we teach girls that it’s OK to wonder, that education is vital, and that it is in no way sacrilegious to doubt the legitimacy of certain issues.

At a different point, she writes, “Tell Chizalum that women actually don’t need to be championed and revered; they

just need to be treated as equal human beings.”

Dear Ijeawele does more than allow readers to deconstruct their own misconceptions of motherhood—it leaves them with a strong conviction to consciously live her life in line with Adichies’ 15 suggestions.

Adichie is funny, honest, and quite sure of herself. She writes not just on how to raise a girl, but also on how to work to

change the future. This essay isn’t just for women raising daughters, but for everyone. Rather than a simple how-to feminist indoctrination manual, this book brings to light all the overarching problems the feminist movement still faces and the specific ways in which we, ourselves, are contributing to the problem.

Dear Ijeawele is strong, powerful, and unapologetically radical—just as feminism should be.

Standard of Fabulous

Why Is Runway Fashion So Crazy?

By Jessica Vaysman Contributing Writer

Would you ever wear a purse on your head? How about a ball gown that covers only your lower half? These are some outrageous styles that have been seen on the runway. When watching fashion shows of famous designers I always get so baffled by the fact that their clothing that is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars often times look ridiculous and unwearable. So why do fashion designers create such weird clothing?

Runway fashion is sometimes so crazy that it’s beautiful. That is what makes it so unique and differentiates one designer’s

Modesty Goes Mainstream

By Fortune Manopla Contributing Writer

With fashion blogs and new styles on the rise, one trend stands out in particular: modesty. Once scorned upon in the fashion industry, modest designs have started to become an integral part of mainstream fashion. Luxury modest fashion websites are popping up everywhere, including Modista, which sells modest designer clothing that is trendy and high quality. More is more in this new movement, and observant women of all religions couldn’t be happier.

Chaya and Simi, two Jewish Brooklyn-based fashion designers, started The Frock NYC in 2010, a pop-up shop turned blog dedicated to putting a unique twist on modest fashion. The Frock boasts a large following of women, and has blossomed into an online store offering “a high-fashion approach

Sam Says

By Sam Anonymous Student

Hello fellow fashion friends, it is I,

clothing from another. Runway designs are like artwork, and often artists make random abstract art that lands in large museums and art shows.

“Runway designs are a form of wearable artwork; the emphasis is on beauty and innovation, not functionality,” fashion designer and professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology George Simonton said. “Very few of the truly wacko designs are meant to be worn.” In other words, extremely odd accessories and clothing seen on the runways aren’t a mistake, they’re a statement.

The intent of runway shows isn’t to sell designer’s designs or clothing, but rather it’s about publicity and prestige.

The intent is just to get the overall feel of

the designer’s style and collection. Despite the impracticality of many runway outfits, some celebrities will often wear some items seen on runways to award shows or out in public. Often they only wear these clothes for the brand names, not because they like it or because it’s considered stylish.

Runway shows can also be boring if the fashion isn’t avant-garde. Imagine sitting at a fashion show (which could last as long as 6–8 hours) seeing the same basic dresses and blouses over and over. It’d be way too boring! Designers want to take risks and entertain the audience and the reporters with interesting, unique, and funky styles so no one can really know what they’re about to see next.

Many times some absolutely ridiculous clothing that you see on the runway gets great reviews. Sometimes this is because lazy or insecure critics assume the designs are wonderful because of the name behind them. Other times it’s because the critic or publication is trying to cozy up to the designer, especially if the design firm is likely to place ads in the publication.

Designer’s intents aren’t to sell their runway designs. They create crazy runway designs to show off their individuality and interest the audience. Designing strange clothing is their form of abstract art, not practicality.

to easy dressing.” Chaya and Simi have since been featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, and other A-list publications.

Similarly, sisters-in-law Mimi Hecht and Mushky Notik created Mimu Maxi, a modest clothing line invading the closets of women everywhere.

Women like these design not only for the sake of looking chic, but for breaking the stigma around dressing modestly. This modesty phenomenon is taking the fashion world by storm; high necklines and floor-length skirts can be found sweeping the runways of Cèline to Valentino, and celebrities have been quick to hop on the trend.

The Big Bang Theory actress Mayim Bialik sticks to her roots on every red carpet she attends, choosing to ditch plunging necklines and short hems for more modest gowns.

This modesty movement isn’t limited to orthodox Jewish women. Melanie Elturk, a religious Muslim woman, is the

CEO of Haute Hijab, a clothing company that advertises colorful headscarves and wraps.

Additionally, Halima Aden became the first woman to compete in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant wearing a hijab. “The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads, but I want people to know that it is my choice. I’m doing it because I want to,” she said. She went on to walk the runways of Yeezy Season 5, Max Mara, and Albert Ferretti.

And just last month, Nike released the “Pro Hijab,” designed for Muslim women who want to work out in style.

These examples illustrate how, for the first time, mainstream companies are striving to cater to a new, modest market.

Many women agree that dressing modestly is about far more than just covering up. It’s a statement about feeling comfortable in your own skin and dressing to impress no one but yourself. Modest fashion acts as a slap in the face to traditional styles, which tend to glorify a woman’s body instead of her values. Dressing modestly, contrary to

popular belief, is not about adherence to a strict set of rules. It is a conscious, empowering decision made by women to show the world that they aren’t afraid of being different.

Sam Says, here with your monthly fashion advice. Though it might be a bit cheesy, I would like to give you some overstated but truly important words of fashion wisdom. Here it goes: be yourself. I know you’ve all heard this before. I would like to point out that not many people actu-

ally take it to heart. If you’re a boy or girl who looks longingly at those brave ones who do walk around in cool, interesting outfits, wishing you could pull it off, I’m here to tell you that you can. You don’t have to jump in head first if you’re nervous, but start with something simple.

You’ll eventually get more comfortable and realize that people like those who are brave and willing to try new things.

Dress how you want to dress, not how you think others want you to dress. Trust me, it’s worth it in the end. Enjoy your month of fashion exploration!

Fashion Fact: Engagement rings originate from a Russian custom in the 1400s in which wives would wear small rings with keys attached to symbolize their husbands’ ownership of them.

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Sports JV Goal Squad Has Squad Goals

By Sam Beyda Sophomore Editor

In recent years JV Boys soccer has become an increasingly popular spring sport, but on-field success has yet to follow. The Varsity team has no issue attracting talent, since seniors can play on two spring sport teams, but the JV team has struggled at times, losing potential talent to popular spring sports like baseball and volleyball. Yet the start of this season for boys JV soccer looked like it could change that.

In a season-opening 10-2 rout of YDE, led by freshman Michael Soussan’s four goals, the Falcons looked impressive. But they followed it up with an equally crushing defeat to SAR, by the same 10-2 score.

Before the third game of the season,

Sophomore Jack Shalom

starting striker Abie Soussan, Michael’s older brother, returned from a broken foot that had kept him out of the first two games. He scored, but it was the team’s only goal in a 4-1 loss to first-place Magen David.

Even after losing two in a row the

Michael Gammal (left) and Albert Hamui (center) try to take control

atmosphere around the team hasn’t changed. The players speak of their loss to Magen as a victory. The MDY Warriors previously defeated SAR, the team who earlier demolished the Falcons, and yet the Falcons kept the score relatively close against MDY. Soussan’s return, and

High Hopes for Varsity Baseball

Bert Robinson pitches while infielder Teddy Beyda looks on

By Ricky Levy Contributing Writer

It’s springtime, and that means it’s

time for baseball. This year is one of great optimism for the Falcons, as they come in with one of the best rosters in the Yeshivah League. With a stacked lineup

and a pitching rotation filled with aces, the championship is the ceiling for this year’s team.

Head coach Elliot Zakay said, “This team really has a chance to do something special. With all the talent they have, they could go down as one of the best baseball teams in Flatbush history.”

Led by All-American captain Sam Laniado, the team looks to avenge last year’s first-round playoff exit, and then some.

“There were definitely some questionable calls in that playoff game and that definitely wasn’t the way we wanted to go out,” Laniado said, “but this year we’ll make sure to write a different ending to our season.”

Laniado isn’t the only senior motivated to make a championship run. Star pitcher Kevin Haddad, fresh off a demoralizing last-second loss in the Varsity Basketball quarterfinals, is more determined than ever to bring home a title. “The loss to Frisch in basketball still stings and

Sportsman Spotlight: Eliane Navarro

By Morris Matalon Contributing Writer

In her final season at Flatbush, Indoor Soccer captain Eliane Navarro has only one goal in mind: win her first championship. Navarro’s class has never seen a Flatbush championship, and Navarro hopes to change that very soon.

However, Navarro hopes to do more than just win. She hopes to show her teammates the importance of giving it your all and having fun. When asked about what advice she has for the younger members of the team, the captain re-

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plied, “Try your best! It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about staying positive and having fun on the field.”

As a three-year veteran of the Indoor team, Navarro knows exactly how to bring that positive energy, come game time. “I know that I have to be positive and energetic during games because my fellow teammates should feel confident while playing. It’s important to show them if we lose that it’s not the end of the world and at the end of the day we’re all winners.”

Another key factor Navarro believes is essential to success is the team’s chemistry. “It’s key, because with it we become

a family and that creates a bond that can’t be broken,” she said. With the combination of positive energy and good team chemistry, the bar is high for Navarro and company. Hopefully that energy will combine with crisp play to result in a banner in the gym to remind everyone of Navarro’s hard work, success, and dedication to the team.

This season seems to be shaping up to be a good one. It’s a hungry Falcon’s soccer team, with a competitive captain at the head. Will Navarro be able to guide her team all the way to Flatbush’s first championship in more than four years?

We’ll find out soon.

his incredible goal, also made it feel like a new season despite the team’s 1-2 record.

The Falcons made the playoffs last season, and quickly exited in the first round, but this year, led by the offense of the Soussan brothers, they are looking to go at least that far.

that’s definitely something that will fuel me throughout the season,” said Haddad.

This will be the last chance for this talented and athletic senior class to raise a banner in the Flatbush gym, which will only inspire the team even more.

As talented as this Falcons team is, a playoff run will not come easy. They opened their season on April 4 against Frisch and will face tough competition when they go up against Kushner and MTA later in the season.

The team also plans to pause from regular season play for one weekend in May to compete in a tournament in Columbus, Ohio. This will mark the fifth straight year the Falcons will participate in the Columbus Baseball Invitational.

The expectations for this year’s baseball team are high, but this is certainly a team that can live up to the hype. With experienced upperclassmen and several skilled sophomores and juniors, there’s no reason this team can’t go all the way.