A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Issue 8 • June 2016 / 5776
Students and Faculty Bid Farewell to Rabbi Levy By Michelle Harari and Miri Zenilman
Rabbi Levy To Remain as PartTime Consultant
Editors
Forty-three years and it still doesn’t feel like enough. Over the course of those years, Flatbush has grown and expanded in numerous ways. No more cheerleaders, no more dances, no more pool. There’s a new gym, new sports teams, an evening of the arts, new electives, seminars and kumzitzes. One constant through all these changes has been our beloved and irreplaceable Rabbi Levy. This is a bittersweet time for us all— bitter, obviously, being for seeing someone you love leave you is a difficult thing. In such a case, it quite literally feels as though Rabbi Levy is leaving each of us personally, for he interacted with so many of us on such a level. However, we must remember that on the contrary, it is not personal, which is where it becomes sweet. Rabbi Levy may be retiring from his title, but his leave permits him to embark on his next journey. It also allows room for his successor not to fill his shoes, but to create his own pair of shoes, leading Flatbush down an ever-thriving path filled with new ideas but the same foundations. And that’s the critical thing to remember: while our principal may be gone with a new replacement who brings a different perspective or plan, the foundations Rabbi Levy has instilled are impossible to remove. Thus Rabbi Levy shall remain forever in the Flatbush family through his teachingsand spirit. To help us transition through this change and to bid our farewells, we’ve collected a few anecdotes, experiences,
By Ezra Faks Contributing Writer
and feelings about Rabbi Levy’s departure from his colleagues and students. Rabbi Levy, this is for you. For English Department Chair Ms. Mica Bloom, meeting with Rabbi Levy at the beginning of her time at Flatbush differs greatly from meetings that followed. “I remember being called to his office and I was scared as a student would be,” she reminisced. But Ms. Bloom soon learned that Rabbi Levy was, in fact “a fabulous man who is fair, honorable, and kind.” She adds, “I am only too happy to be called to his office for a chat!” She’s not alone; it seems that many enjoy simply sitting in our beloved principal’s office to merely converse with him, highlighting his affability. Ms. Shelley
Kaplowitz’s fondest memories of Rabbi Levy are the ones of the two of them in his office, discussing anything from politics to school gossip. She calls him a friend, which is undoubtedly “a pretty rare thing to say about a boss.” Kaplowitz underscores Rabbi Levy’s good-natured attitude, saying that “even the sad moments in my life were made easier by his support.” “Because Rabbi Levy is in a position of authority and discipline, many students don’t realize how nurturing he can be,” said Mr. Adam Hofstetter. “Especially during my first year at Flatbush, he was a big help, offering advice and encouragement. I’m definitely better at my job beContinued on page 6
New Global History Regents Excludes Ninth Grade By Yvette Antebi Contributing Writer
New Common Core Regents Exams have necessitated adjustments to the Yeshivah’s Math and English curricula and teaching methods in the past two years. The New York State Board of Regents is now in the process of revising the Global
In This Issue D’var Torah: Reward vs. punishment in Parashat Bechukoti Page 3
History Regents Exam as well. The new test will cover a significantly shorter time period in history, essentially testing sophomores only on what they learn in 10th grade. “The curriculum is remaining the same but the Regents exam will no longer be a two-year exam,” Mr. Rothbort, chair of the History Department, stated.
The new exam will debut in June 2018, meaning next year’s freshmen will be the first to take it. The Common Core exam will limit its scope to the years 1750–present, meaning that less information will be required for the students to study and teachers to review. The Regents will not only change in terms of which information will be in-
Entertainment: Must-reads for the summer Page 4
School News: New grade advisers, new offices Page 5
Despite the fanfare related to Rabbi Levy’s imminent departure as principal, he will not be leaving Flatbush entirely. In his words, he has been, “hired to serve as an educational consultant/teacher mentor on a three-day-a-week basis.” Rabbi Levy said that he’ll be available on site to meet with any faculty members who choose to take advantage of his decades of classroom and administrative experience. He expects to help teachers with a range of challenges, including “curriculum, lesson planning, classroom management, insights into dealing with students and colleagues and professional development.” Thus his retirement is more accurately semiretirement. Why the change? Rabbi Levy said he has “reached a stage in my life where reducing the amount of tension, stress and anxiety that comes with being the principal of a large educational society such as the Yeshivah of Flatbush” is increasingly attractive. Members of the faculty appear to be pleased with the arrangement. “It allows us to access his knowledge from 40-plus years of education and teaching experience,” said Ms. Bloom, chair of the English Department. “This is of great benefit not just to the callow teacher but the master teacher as well.” cluded, but also the way questions are asked. The June 2018 exam will feature questions solely based on evidence. According to the New York State Education Department’s website, “Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) has been the foundation for the development of this exam.” Basically, every question will have a stimulus such as a reading chart or graph. Continued on page 6
Sports: Coaching class takes on girls’ football Page 8
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Alumnus Profile: Gil Agassi (’08)
Meet a Flatbush Family:
Yafit, Rachel, and Orly Kamkhehji
By Dorette Dayan Contributing Writer
After high school, Gil Agassi decided to follow a career path in psychology. However, once life threw him a curveball, he became involved in something he had never imagined. The path he followed led him to the rewarding world of nursing. Agassi, Yeshivah of Flatbush Class of ’08, is currently in the University of Pennsylvania’s postbaccalaureate Accelerated Bachelor in the Science of Nursing (ABSN) program and has been accepted to the Master’s (MSN) program. As an undergraduate, he majored in psychology and conducted a research project on the Makuya, a Japanese Zionist Christian sect. Upon graduation from college, with the support of the Fulbright scholarship program, he continued his research and taught at Michlala Hadassah. As part of the cultural exchange element of the program, he volunteered at the Israel Pulmonary-Hypertension Association (IPHA). After the death of his niece at the age of five from pulmonary hypertension, Agassi developed a personal interest in enabling better access to information and resources for pediatric patients and their families. Working closely with the CEO of the IPHA, he was able to improve communication between the IPHA and the variety of language speakers they serve, and to donors by translating the IPHA website into English. “Very soon, it became apparent that psychology was not going to be my focus,” he said. “It was through the IPHA that I realized that nursing would be the best fit for me.” Noticing that pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension were being underserved, Agassi encouraged the association to increase its focus in this area. However, it was not until after his meeting with Schneider Children’s Hospital in Israel that the overall needs became clear. Since then, the IPHA has expanded its pediatric patient services. Funding is always difficult, especially for a small organization. Therefore, in order to increase the donor base, Agassi secured U.S. nonprofit status for the organization. Due to personal experiences, Agassi claims to have developed an appreciation for the importance of culture and belief in peoples’ lives and the healing
By Monique Abramson Contributing Writer
process. Raised in a mix of the Modern Orthodox Israeli Sephardic Jewish community, Agassi was able to personally observe how peoples’ beliefs are vital to the decisions they make, including healthcare. During his time in Japan, he also noticed how peoples’ beliefs are not limited to prayer, but encompass every aspect of life. Healthcare often does not recognize the importance of spirituality and belief, because these things are not based on scientific fact. Agassi explained, “I want the care I provide to feel spiritually congruent to my patients. I hope to share my deep appreciation for the role of faith in dealing with illness with my nursing colleagues, in school and throughout my career.” According to Agassi, his time as a Flatbush student taught him how to manage enormous workloads, which has come in handy during the 18hour work days at UPenn. “I especially appreciate the guidance that Rabbi Rosenblum gave me through the college application process that has stood me in good stead to this day and has seen me through the application process when I applied for a semester abroad in Japan and subsequently for the Fulbright, nursing school and nursing scholarship applications,” Agassi said. With the scant spare time he has, Agassi continues to volunteer at the IPHA as a fundraiser, translator, and web developer. Additionally, whenever he is able, he comes to visit his family in New York, including his mother, Flatbush’s very own Ms. Agassi. On a final note, Agassi has some advice to offer the current students of Flatbush: enjoy your time in high school and keep an open mind about career opportunities. When you get to college or vocational school, he says, make sure to take advantage of the resource centers and scholarship opportunities. No matter how “out of the box” they seem at first, keep an open mind, because you never know.
How do you plan to study for finals/Regents? • • • • • • • • • •
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Left to right: Yafit, Orly, and Rachel
ence in school, these sisters “don’t like the idea of being in each other’s shadow.” But since they are all so different, they don’t feel the pressure to live up to any expectations. For example, while Rachel and Orly enjoy doing gymnastics, Yafit prefers other sports, including hockey and soccer. Even though Yafit, Rachel, and Orly all have different personalities and hobbies, one thing they all agree on is that the “only good part of being in school for 10 hours a day is that we are able to spend time with all of our friends.” They added that they all have the same sense of humor and love being around each other. Although each of these sisters has her own unique personality and style, when they come together you will see a family that loves each other dearly and helps each other out whenever they are in need.
The Phoenix Says Goodbye to 10 Senior Staff Members
By Marlene Levy Sophomore Editor
Without the help of this year’s senior staff, The Phoenix couldn’t have become the outstanding newspaper that it has been. Among other accomplishments, the newspaper has gone from second to first place among high school newspapers as judged by the American Scholastic Press Association. The seniors who worked all year to earn this prestigious award while producing eight informative and entertaining issues are Editor-in-Chief Michelle Harari, Managing Editor Miri Zenilman, Senior Editor Gabriel Vizgan, School News Editor Gabrielle Cohen, Religion Editor Sarah
Torgueman, Entertainment Editor Daniella Babaee, Music Editor Esty Fromer, Sports Editor Albert Dweck, Fun and Games Editor Merle Dweck, and Web Editor Joey Baum. We thank these seniors for their service to The Phoenix and to Yeshivah of Flatbush as each of them moves on to life beyond high school. Editor-in-Chief and Senior Council President Michelle Harari will be attending Brooklyn College in the Macaulay Honors Program in September. She is staying close to home so she can still keep an eye on the newspaper even though it will be under new management. Managing Editor Miri Zenilman will Continued on page 6
The Phoenix Staff
I’ve already been studying for weeks – 38 (15.4%) Review my class notes – 124 (50.4%) Review someone else’s class notes – 115 (46.7%) Make a review sheet and memorize it – 67 (27.2%) Practice with old tests – 131 (53.3%) Study group –70 (28.5%) Attend review classes – 52 (21.1%) Work with a tutor – 45 (18.3%) Cram the night before the test – 140 (56.9%) Wing it – 65 (26.4%) 0
Yafit, Rachel, and Orly Kamkhehji know the expression “School is your home away from home” a little too well. Yafit, a senior in class 4-HN, and Rachel, a sophomore in class 2-HR, have been together in high school for two years now, but this year their little sister, Orly, who is a freshman in class 1-HR, joined them. The idea of having their sisters in the same school is not foreign to them, as they all went to elementary school together. Unlike many siblings who tend to avoid each other in school, these three sisters often can be found talking in the halls and helping each other out when they need it. However, because they look and act so differently, many people do not realize that the Kamkhehjis are even related. In fact, the sisters said that sometimes even teachers don’t know! But once one Kamkhehji knows that her sister has left a good impression on a particular teacher, she is sure to let that teacher know they’re related. Despite enjoying each other’s pres-
Editor-in-Chief: Michelle Harari Managing Editor: Miriam Zenilman Senior Editor: Gabriel Vizgan School News Editor: Gabrielle Cohen Religion Editor: Sarah Torgueman Entertainment Editor: Daniella Babaee Music Editor: Esty Fromer Sports Editor: Albert Dweck Fun and Games Editor: Merle Dweck Standard of Fabulous Editors: Sylvia Ashkenazie, Aida Hasson Web Editor: Joey Baum Junior Editors: David Azrak, Diana Hoffstein, Mimi Lazerowitz, Esther Levy, Naomi Sanders, Jane Zakay Sophomore Editors: Daliah Ben-Ari, Mary Jajati, Marlene Levy Design: Therese Berkowitz Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter
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High School Administration Rabbi Raymond Harari Head of School Rabbi Ronald Levy Principal Ms. Jill W. Sanders Associate Principal Director of Admissions Ms. Sari Bacon Associate Principal Rabbi Joseph Beyda Assistant Principal
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New Assistant Principal Brings Experience, Enthusiasm By Michelle Harari Editor-in-Chief
Former Yeshivah of Flatbush alumna (Class of ’94) and former faculty member, mother of four, and teacher of various Judaic and secular subjects—all of these describe incoming Assistant Principal Ms. Esther Hidary, but they only begin to define her. After graduating Joel Braverman High School, Ms. Hidary went on to major in English and American Literature at NYU, where she completed both her BA and MA. She began her career as a high school English teacher in 1998 and then got married and spent a year in Israel with her husband, Rabbi Dr. Ricky Hidary (Class of ’93). When they returned to New York, Ms. Hidary decided to complete another MA, this time in English Education, at Columbia Teachers College. In 2003 she returned to the Yeshivah of Flatbush as a teacher, where she recalls some of her happiest memories. Although her new job at the Yeshivah does not officially begin until July, Ms. Hidary has already begun coming into school two or three times a week for the past few months to, as she puts it, “watch, listen and learn.”
“I want to build relationships with as many members of the school community as possible and really understand what they feel is needed to foster this school’s success. While I may have many ideas, hopes and dreams for the future, I will only be able to make any of them happen with the full help and support of the parents, students, and staff of our school. Connecting with them, supporting them, and finding inspiration with them is therefore my number one priority,” she explained. “If I haven’t found you yet—please find me!” Ms. Hidary takes the term “Flatbush Family” very seriously; she adds, “I currently have two nieces at the Yeshivah and probably 500 cousins and friends (interesting note: Rabbi Beyda is my first cousin), but I hope that everyone will feel like family soon!” In more recent years Ms. Hidary has been immersed in Tanakh, teaching adult classes and lecturing widely throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. Teaching and learning Tanakh have been a lifelong passions of hers and she said she looks forward to bringing her love for the subject to the Yeshivah next year. She also became involved with Barkai
Russians Accused of Cheating at Sochi Olympics By Jane Zakay Junior Editor
The U.S. Justice Department opened an investigation on May 10 into dozens of top Russian athletes accused of cheating at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Justice officials said. The case, based on the assertions of a prominent Russian doctor, has become a federal criminal case that involves several foreign officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration committed billions of dollars to the 2014 Games in hopes of improving the country’s image globally. Russian Olympians won more medals in Sochi than they have ever won at a Winter Olympics, and more medals than any other participating nation. The feat quickly became a point of pride for the country and for Putin. But international sports officials now say that the victories did not come fairly. In November, the World Anti-Doping Agency accused Russia of state-sponsored doping after they caught they caught Russia’s Track and Field team using illegal
performance enhancers. The chemist in charge of making these drugs was identified as Grigory Rodchenkov, a longtime head of Russia’s anti-doping laboratory. Rodchenkov told officials this month that he had been working for Putin to help give enhanced drugs to Russian athletes, and to help them avoid detection during routine drug tests. He said that he was able to do this by tampering with urine samples before they were analyzed by anti-doping officials. Rodchenkov, who left Russia soon after and has since embarked on a career as a filmmaker, has spoken to various American media outlets, explaining the process through which the Russian team was able to cheat. He had two other partners in crime, who both died mysteriously after Rodchenkov left Russia. Arrests have not been made as of yet, but industry experts speculate that several top officials in Russia could face charges.
The Phoenix Takes First Place in ASPA Awards By Mr. Hofstetter Faculty Adviser
For the second consecutive year, The Phoenix was honored by the American Scholastic Press Association. When the ASPA announced its 2016 Scholastic Newspaper Awards on April 28, The Phoenix was awarded First Place among high schools with enrollments of 500–1,000. This is an improvement over last year, when The Phoenix took Second Place in the same category. Congratulations to the entire Phoenix staff on this honor!
Yeshivah a number of years ago, serving first as a member of their Board of Education and later as a supervisor for the Middle School ELA department. Most recently, she has spent the past three years analyzing, re-imagining, and constructing a model for the ideal Jewish high school. In many ways, therefore, Ms. Hidary’s new position as Assistant Principal at Flatbush is a natural extension of all the work she’s done since graduating from the high school. Nonetheless, she said she had some initial fear about applying for the job, and her husband convinced her to accept it. Any initial hesitation is clearly behind her. Ms. Hidary invites all to her office to meet on a personal level, and also to discuss books and TV shows, as those are two of her favorite hobbies. While science-fiction is her favorite genre, it takes a back seat to Tanakh—Ms. Hidary firmly believes there are no issues or discussions in the world that the Tanakh does not discuss or address, and she again embraces an “open door policy” and invites anyone to discuss what she calls the “large and small mysteries of life.” Ms. Hidary said she un-
D’var Torah: Punishment and Reward By Danielle Duchan Contributing Writer
Parashat Bechukotai is a parasha of opposites. The parasha begins on a positive note, discussing the blessings Bnei Yisrael will reap if they keep G-d’s commandments. These blessings include rain, peace, and plentiful food. However, much of the rest of the parasha is the Tochacha, devoted to rebuke and detailing the awful punishments that will befall Bnei Yisrael should they not fulfill G-d’s commandments. Possible punishments include attack by wild animals and starvation. At first glance, it seems harsh to devote 29 pesukim to all the possible punishments that can befall Bnei Yisrael, yet devote a mere 14 pesukim to rewards. After all, is G-d not described as merciful and kind? What kind of G-d focuses more on punishment than reward? However, it is not that G-d focuses more on punishment than reward. In fact, it is quite the opposite. We’ve even seen so in previous parshiot, where G-d promises 2,000 generations of rewards to those who keep His commandments yet only five generations of deliverance and punishment to those who violate His commandments. According to Ibn Ezra, the reason
derstands the students’ mindset, because she, too, “woke up bleary-eyed and sipped heavily sugared coffee and photocopied people’s notes and tried to cram five months of material into 15 minutes of focused studying.” With so much experience in Flatbush as both a student and a teacher, Ms. Hidary, without a doubt, will acclimate quickly and become a major part of the ever-expanding Flatbush family.
the punishments are described in such vivid detail in this parasha is to cause the people to be in awe of G-d and see His abilities. In fact, one can say that the descriptions of the blessings and the descriptions of the curses and punishments serve the same purpose. The same way that the people will be awed and impressed by the great blessings they stand to receive if they fulfill the mitzvot, they also will be in awe of the great punishments G-d will visit upon them if they don’t fulfill the mitzvot. Therefore, they will do the mitzvot out of awe for G-d’s ability and capacity to reward and punish in equal measure. After the description of the blessings and the punishments, the parasha discusses the redemption of animals and fields that were promised to G-d and the tithes, or maasrot, that the people must bring to Jerusalem. This seems pretty disconnected from the rest of the parasha. What do animals and redemptions have to do with blessings and curses? These details and commandments may seem irrelevant, but in fact, they further serve to prove that G-d is merciful and intends to bless Bnei Yisrael more than he intends to punish. After all, if Bnei Yisrael would not receive the blessings of abundance G-d promised, why would there be an entire perek devoted to what Bnei Yisrael must do with the abundance of crops and cattle? Therefore, despite the large amount of detail devoted to describing curses and punishments, this parasha teaches us above all that G-d’s primary attribute is mercy, and that He rewards and punishes in equal measure.
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30 Books to Read This Summer By Esther Levy Junior Editor
With APs done and Regents around the corner, there’s no denying that summer is fast approaching. While there’s no way we could possibly forget school (thanks to summer homework), here’s another way to keep your home away from home closer to your heart during the summer. Try any of these 27 faculty-recommended books if you’re looking for a good read in any genre, from memoirs to science fiction. Whatever you choose, just keep on reading. 1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813): Ms. Lamm recommends this book to anyone who has not yet read it, insisting that, although it is an old classic, it’s timeless with messages and themes that still reverberate today. 2. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown (2014): Recommended by Rabbi Lubner, who says it teaches, “the art of simplicity.” 3. A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz (2003): Recommended by Mrs. Halper, this book was first written in Hebrew before being translated into English and 27 other languages. It’s nonfiction, as it chronicles Oz’s life growing up during the early days of the establishment of the state of Israel. 4. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (2013): This historical book was recommended by both Mrs. Rosenbaum and Ms. Pahuskin. Ms. Pahuskin described this book as a story “about a time period in history that few people know about…where orphans were put on trains and shuttled across the country to be bid on at different states. And if they weren’t lucky enough to be bid on they’d be sent back to New York to live in a dirty, disgusting home.” 5. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Dimond (1997): Mr. Lazar recommends this book to “anyone who wants to work in broadening their perspective of how the world came to be.” 6. The Color of the Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride (1995): Ms. Berkowitz classified this book as an autobiography that follows “the journey of a black man with interracial parents, the youngest of 11 children, goes on when he finds out his mother is Jewish.” 7. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006): Mr. Hofstetter recommended this postapocalyptic novel, which tells the story of a father and his young son
as they try to survive. Mr. Hofstetter described the book as “deeply depressing and somehow uplifting at the same time. It’s a book that stays with you long after you finish reading it.” 8. A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman (2015): Recommended by Ms. Coopersmith. This book is about Ove, a so-called cranky old neighbor, and how all of our exteriors are just that, exteriors. 9. The Adams Chronicles by Jack Shepherd (1976): Eddie, the Flatbush security guard who recently received his BA in Political Science, calls this “a great book that talks about Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams, and the feud between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.” He recommends it to any history buff looking for an enjoyable yet informative read. 10. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926): Mr. Engel, who has the students in his Childrens Literature Tsai U’lemad read this book, called it, “a great book with a surprising twist.” 11. Roots by Alex Haley (1976): Although this book is more of a serious read, Ms. Kaplowitz says it’s worthwhile. She describes this Pulitzer Prize-winning book as “a multigenerational saga that tells the story of impact of slavery on slaves themselves and America. It traces the lives of Kunta Kinte, a kidnapped African, and the generations of descendants that followed him and shaped American history.” 12. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998): Ms. Berkowitz called it one of her favorite books. Kingsolver tells the story of a family that moves to the Belgian Congo in 1959 and how the move changes them. 13. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016): Recommended by both Rabbi Lubner and Ms. Mayer (and by Mrs. Rosenbaum and Dr. Frutcher, who both read the book based on Rabbi Lubner’s recommendation.) Rabbi Lubner called this book “very sad but deeply profound” and Ms. Mayer commented, “In the memoir Kalanithi, a neurosurgeon, discusses his reaction to being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, his reflections on his life, and how he chose to spend the time he had left. The book was incredibly well written and moving. It is one of those books that doesn’t allow you to just close and move on—it causes you to introspect and think about your own life and what you wish to accomplish before the end of your (hopefully long and healthy) life.” 14. Ender’s Game by Orsen Scot Card (1985): It’s Mr. Lazar’s favorite book, “simply because it is inspirational for me to see how a true leader acts.” 15. The Legends Club: Dean Smith. Mike Krzyzewski, Jime Valvano and an Epic College Basketball Rivalry by John Feinstein (2016): Mr. Rothbort recommends this, saying, “If you love college basketball, March Madness, and great coaching personalities then you will love this book! A
sportswriter gives an insider’s account of the greatest rivalry in college basketball: UNC, NC State and Duke.” 16. Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson (2015): Recommended by Mrs. Rosenbaum, this historical fiction novel recounts the Siege of Leningrad. 17. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink (2009): Ms. Lamm recommends this nonfiction book, which “explains what truly motivates us.” 18. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005): Ms. Kurtz said she “highly recommends this luminous book for those who have not yet read it.” 19. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard (1966): Mr. Lazar recommends anything by this brilliant playwright, especially Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, but only after having read Hamlet “and, if possible, Waiting for Godot” (Samuel Beckett). 20. The Road to Character by David Brooks (2015): Rabbi Lubner recommends this book and says the title explains it all. 21. Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (1948): Recommended by Ms. Bloom, who actually knows the author’s son, Jonathon Paton; he was her teacher and mentor in college. She describes it as, “a classic, which tells a poignant story about injustice and heartache in apartheid, South Africa.” 22. The Lonely Man of Faith by Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1965): Rabbi Harari recommends this essay, calling it “one of the most influential writings on Jewish faith.” 23. Hired Girls by Laura Amy Schlitz (2015): Recommended by Mrs. Rosenbaum, this book is about the life of an underappreciated 14-year-old girl who is hired by a wealthy Jewish family. 24. The Seven Good Years by Etgar Keret (2015): Recommended by Mrs. Rosenbaum, in this memoir Keret reflects back of his life, his father’s cancer and death, and the unity his family experiences as a result. 25. Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser (2013): Mr. Rothbort recommended this book and called it “a great read about our nuclear stockpiles and a shocking account of how the U.S. has maintained
our large arsenal. The book explores past accidents and near misses with a historical narrative about weapons of mass destruction. This book reads like a thriller!” 26. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende (1982): Recommended by Ms. Berkowitz. It’s about the takeover of Argentina in 1973 and tells the story of the Trueba family and the evil and oppression they face. 27. How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization by Franklin Foer (2004): Coach Gurock described this work of nonfiction as “an awesome book that follows the author as he travels around the world going to different games and interacting with the fans of those countries and how they represent the political natures of where they’re from.” 28. The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck (1961): Recommended by Mr. Engel, who characterized it as “mildly depressing and a little disturbing.” 29. The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishman (2011): Nonfiction recommended by Mr. Lazar, who says it “explains the major crisis our world will be going through during the next few decades and what has been done to deal with it.” 30. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (1952): Mr. Hofstetter says this Pulitzer Prize-winning novella about a fisherman battling the elements and his age is “a great choice for anyone who is looking for a shorter read without sacrificing quality. If you enjoyed Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, there’s a good chance you’ll like this, too.”
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Minor Administration Changes Planned for September By Diana Hoffstein Junior Editor
In addition to the new Principal and Assistant Principal, the upcoming school year will bring some other noteworthy changes to the leadership, particularly in the Science Department and among the grade advisors. Rabbi Beyda will be vacating his current position as Senior Grade Advisor when he becomes Principal; as a result, current Sophomore Grade Advisor Mr. Engel will become the new Senior Grade Advisor. Mr. Engel’s shift is due largely to his duties as a history teacher. He no longer teaches freshmen or sophomores and thus doesn’t know many of the rising sophomores. However, he now teaches upperclassmen and thus will know the senior grade much better in the coming years. Ms. Mikhli will be the new Sophomore Advisor, taking Mr. Engel’s place. She says she applied for the position in part because her own students encouraged her. They felt that she can truly do a great job
since she cares deeply for every student. The Junior Grade Advisor will also be changing, as current Junior Advisor Ms. Goldberg says she wants to focus on teaching her students in the classroom and forming personal relationships with the students she already has. Many teachers applied for the open position, and Rabbi Skolnick was selected for the job. He says he applied because he knows how overwhelming the junior workload can be and he wants to make sure the students feel comfortable to come and talk and get support. The grade advisors are not the only administrative positions changing for the 2016–2017 school year. Dr. Fruchter will be stepping down as chair of the Science Department, and Rabbi Lubner will be filling that role. Dr. Fruchter will still be teaching at Flatbush, but says she’s taking a step back because she feels it’s “time to pass down the torch to Rabbi Lubner.” The administration may look different next year than it currently does, but we all hope they will have a very successful year.
Several Offices Getting Shuffled in September By Naomi Sanders Junior Editor
With Rabbi Beyda moving up as Principal and Ms. Hidary joining the administrative team, the era of our current office arrangement is coming to a close. This coming September, Rabbi Beyda will be moving from his current office in the basement into what is now Rabbi Levy’s office; other changes are a bit more complex. The new team of grade advisors will be moving from their shared first floor office into Rabbi Beyda’s current basement office, which, as Rabbi Beyda put it, will give them an opportunity to learn from each other. Soon-to-be Senior Grade Advisor Mr. Engel said he is excited about the new arrangement with his new colleagues, Ms. Mikhli and Rabbi Skolnick, with whom he will share his experience navigating the ins and outs of the position’s responsibilities. “The new advisors are very good choices and are capable of bringing a lot to the position. I look forward to working with them,” he said. Mr. Engel also thinks that having the grade advisors’ office in the basement rather than in the main office forces the grade advisers to be more proactive in interacting with students and walking around the building more. It’ll also keep students from parading through the main office in search of their grade advisor. Moving the grade advisors out of the main office paves the way for a new Pathfinders office. Over the past few years the Pathfinders program has expanded so much that Ms. Hanon has both Doris Anteby and Paulina Mann at her side. Rabbi Beyda explained, “Making a Pathfinders office shows the continued growth and importance of Pathfinders in the school.” Mr. Engel also agreed that this was a good use of his old office and pointed out that giving Ms. Hanon her own space to call
in students and meet with them is beneficial. The transition from a Pathfinders corner to a Pathfinders office also allows the conference room behind Ms. Hanon’s current desk to turn into an office for our new Assistant Principal, Ms. Hidary. This move consolidates all principals into the main office, making interaction among principals easier. Major office moves are happening elsewhere in the building as well. For those students who don’t visit the guidance trailers due to harsh weather, fear no more. With construction on the new section of the school progressing, anyone who works in a trailer will be moving into the main building. As of now, the plan is for college guidance to move into the back half of the Ashkenaz Bet Midrash. Regular guidance office locations are still being discussed.
The grade advisors’ office will no longer be on the first floor
Rabbi Skolnick and Ms. Mikhli will be grade advisors next year
AP Poli Sci Survey Yields Confounding Results Are Flatbush Students More Liberal Than They Think? By Mary Jajati Sophomore Editor
The survey we all took about our political beliefs for Ms. Kaplowitz’s AP U.S. Government and Politics class last month offered some surprises and contradictions, Ms. Kaplowitz said. According to Ms. Kaplowitz, the purpose of the survey was to open students’ eyes to the beliefs of both major political parties and to see how well students’ beliefs matched up with those of the parties. “Few students followed the news regularly or understood the issues being discussed by the candidates. Many students didn’t hesitate to label themselves a Republican or Democrat even though they had no idea what either of the two main political parties stood for,” she explained. Hence, a project was created to explain this phenomenon and to help fix it. The project consisted of a video and a survey. The video was made by the class, which consists of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. The class supported a wide range of candidates so when the issues were explained by each student, there was no bias toward one side. Many of the most pressing issues were explained from the perspective of both the Democrat and Republican position but, to prevent any prejudgment, the issues weren’t labeled as Republican or Democrat. Students were asked to self-identify themselves at the beginning as Republican, Democrat, Independent, or “I’m not sure.” This was followed by an online survey that asked them how they felt about the issues explained in the video, as well as others in the news. Their answers were collected in a huge, though anonymous data bank, where Rabbi Kramer worked with Ms. Kaplowitz to analyze the data and figure out what it all meant. Approximately 65% of the student body, 444 students, submitted results. A majority of the school (237 out of 444) self-identified as Republicans, and the second largest group (120) said “I’m not sure.” 53 self-identified as Democrats and 34 as Independents. After answering the policy ques-
tions, students received scores that were based on how well their answers matched up with either party’s official position on each issue. The scale went from 0 to 16; if a student agreed with the Republican beliefs on every issue, his or her score would be 0, and someone perfectly matching the beliefs of the Democratic Party would score a 16. Despite self-identifying overwhelmingly as Republican, overall the students leaned slightly to the Democrat side on the issues, as the average score from all students was 9.25. Self-identified Democrats scored an average of 12, while self-identified Republicans scored an average of 8—the midpoint on the scale. So what can we make of all this? “First of all, Flatbush is not nearly as politically conservative a school as some people believe. The 9.25 strongly suggests our student body is more Independent than Republican once they understand the actual issues,” says Ms. Kaplowitz. She went on to say, “This result illustrates the strong pull of personality (and family influence) in presidential elections, rather than voting on actual issues. Last month, The Phoenix ran a Presidential survey in which Donald Trump won handily. But our results show that, if the students actually voted based on what they said they believed in when they took the survey, the winner should have been John Kasich—or even one of the Democrats!” In addition, “the results show that self-identified Democrats have a stronger sense of what it means to be a Democrat than self-identified Republicans. Their score was 12—solidly Democratic, while the self-identified Republicans scored an 8, which is more of an Independent,” Speculating on why this discrepancy appeared, Ms. Kaplowitz added, “The reason for this is probably because Democrats in this school are a minority and they get challenged for their party affiliation far more often than do Republicans. So they are more likely to know why they are a Democrat, in order to defend themselves and their choice,” she noted. The students’ answers to individual survey questions were illuminatContinued on page 8
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Entertainment & Fun Music Review:
Misadventures by Pierce the Veil By Esty Fromer Music Editor
After being off the map for four years, Pierce the Veil has finally released their fourth album, Misadventures. The album shows growth and potential for the band while still sticking to their roots, unlike many bands in the same genre. Misadventures was spawned from the lead singer’s personal mishaps and misdemeanors, and this album is probably one of my favorites already. “Circles” is one of the top songs here, as well
Ask Merle By Merle Dweck Fun and Games Editor
Merle, My nap schedule is getting out of hand. I am quickly turning into an 80-year-old but I just can’t seem to shake the naps. Please help me stay young. Sincerely, Zzz... Zzz, Let’s not stereotype 80-year-olds as the only ones who nap. I have never encountered a high school student who doesn’t take at least one nap a day—it’s the best part of staying young. Sleepily yours, Merle Merle, Who is the chillest faculty member to hang with around school? L0nelyb0y
Farewell to Rabbi Levy... continued from front page cause of him.” Rabbi Levy clearly has had a profound effect on Flatbush’s teachers. However, countless students have seen and benefitted from his nurturing side as well. Senior Ralph Missry developed a close
Phoenix Says Goodbye... continued from page 2 be attending Wesleyan University in Connecticut. She plans to study English and to join the College of Letters, which is an interdisciplinary major for the study of European literature, history, and philosophy. Senior Editor Gabe Vizgan and School News Editor Gabi Cohen will both be studying alongside Harari in Brooklyn College’s Macaulay Honors Program. Cohen is looking forward to majoring in medicine and to studying abroad at some point.
as it being the debuting single off the album. Lyrics like “Hey, what’s on your mind? I think about my life without you” make it easy to listen to the songs from cover to cover as they tell a story of a forlorn love, starting off with an ominous steady guitar riff on the opening track, “Dive In,” and then ending in sadness at the death and disappearance of his lover on the final track, “Song for Isabelle.” Misadventures can never be too unfortunate, for it tells the precarious tales of love and loss and dealing with rocky waters.
L0nelyb0y, Wonderful question. Wonderful, wonderful question. I-value-my-reputation-and-don’thave-favorites-if-you’re-my-teacheryou’re-chill-ly yours, Merle Dear Merle, I heard you have exciting news and I’ve been chewing off my nails waiting for this issue to come out to hear it! Merle Dear Merle, I am so glad you asked! Indeed, I have some news. IT’S THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PHOENIX! You have just witnessed the utmost celebration experienced during this year. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to say: Sam Says, I just discovered your existence and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a bit threatened. So, Sam Says, consider this war. Battle #1: My name is rarer than yours. Merle 1, Sam 0.
Sam is anonymous and that gives him a mysterious aura. Merle 1, Sam 1. UGH, YOU’RE CATCHING UP, SAM! Game on. Competitively yours, Merle Dear Merle, Do the female teachers plan their pregnancies together? Uh, Ms. Ginsberg! A little help over here! Awkwardly yours, Merle Merle, A senior told me to go to the nook how do I get there? Nook Newbie Newbie, Based on my thorough analysis on your question I have come to eight conclusions: 1. You are not a senior. If you were, you would say “a friend,” not “a senior.” And you would know where the nook
is. Or you would figure it out, because seniors can never admit they don’t know where something is. 2. Because you are not a senior, you do not get senior privileges. No nook for you! 3. All other grades except for seniors are feeling a little bit victimized at not being granted access to the nook. 4. You have never heard of the fan room. If you had, then you would create the alcove, a copycat of the nook. 5. Your copycat nook will never be as good as the real nook. 6. I just realized I’m not a senior anymore, I’m basically a freshman in college. So farewell all, may the odds be ever in your favor in finding the nook. 7. Who will be the next Merle?! According to my calculations, my cousins named Merle aren’t in high school yet and Merle Cohen (class of ’15) is not yet a grandmother. 8. The Phoenix will never be the same without any Merles. Nervously yours, Merle
relationship with the principal after coming to his office one day to see if he could be of any assistance. “From there I knew I made a friend,” Missry said. “He was the perfect balance of what it meant to be a principal and a friend.” The Rabbi became a mentor to Missry, who feels sorry for incoming students who will not know his close friend. “He’s one of the pillars that Flatbush stands on.”
It is Missry who described Rabbi Levy’s relationship with his students in the best, most accurate words possible: “He’s not graduating Flatbush as just an esteemed principal and teacher. He’s graduating Flatbush as one of Seniors ’16.” Outgoing SGO president Danielle Ashkenazi compliments Rabbi Levy on his love for Flatbush as a whole: “The normal thing
to see is Rabbi Levy cleaning up garbage in the hallway because he genuinely cares about the school.” He is the one who got Color War started and “fought for [it] every step of the way,” showing his genuine care for us students, as well as for our study of Torah. Forty-three years and it still doesn’t feel like enough.
Religion Editor Sarah Torguman, not surprisingly, is going to attend Yeshivah University’s Stern College. She has not yet decided on a profession that she would like to pursue but she plans to continue her Israel advocacy while also doing volunteer work and chesed. Entertainment Editor Daniella Babaee will be a student at Hunter College, studying in the Roosevelt Scholars Program. Music Editor Esty Fromer, who reviewed music in a wide and eclectic range of genres for The Phoenix this year, will be joining Harari, Vizgan, and Cohen at
Brooklyn College, and will soon become known as the go-to person on campus for all music-related knowledge. Sports Editor Albert Dweck will be a student at Baruch College in the Scholars Program, which allows him to continue to be a bad-luck charm for the Mets, who always seem to lose when he’s at the game. Fun and Games Editor Merle Dweck will be going to Queens College, where she will be dorming during the week and coming back home to Brooklyn on weekends. Lastly, Web Editor Joey Baum will be going to the New York University’s Tan-
don School of Engineering and continuing to pursue his lifelong passion: computers. Seniors on the staff will be dearly missed, but can move on to college with the confidence that their legacy at is in good hands. Next year’s Editor-in-Chief, David Azrak, along with Managing Editor Jane Zakay and a team of talented, enthusiastic student journalists will take good care of your baby. Thanks for all your hard work, and good luck in college!
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Standard of Fabulous
Women’s Fashion Leads to Women’s Rights By Aida Hasson SOF Editor
In the first Phoenix issue of this school year, SOF featured an article on Japanese fashion and how, all around the world, fashion creates an image that you give off to others. That applies in every aspect of what you do. If you’ve ever been to a National Park you’ve probably noticed the Park Rangers’ uniforms. OK, maybe you haven’t, but they are pretty awesome. When you go to a National Park you’ll see plenty of Rangers, both male and female, in their well-known green pants and gray shirt with the National Park arrowhead on the left sleeve. However, it wasn’t always that way. At first, women were not seen as “real” Park Rangers. They were given the more interpretative positions at historical sites rather than natural parks, while the men dominated the profession in the most popular parks. The women didn’t even have real uniforms, while the men quickly developed standardized and comfortable apparel. Many women working for the parks adapted their own uniforms from any material available to them. Many uniforms looked more like a military uniform. In the 1960s, the women tried to take
Ivy Park: Strong Beyond Measure By Jessica Vaysman Contributing Writer
Singer, songwriter, record producer and actress Beyoncé Knowles has started her own clothing line called Ivy Park. She teamed up with TopShop, the British multinational fashion retailer, and
control and forced the agency to ask fashion designers to create a standardized uniform for the women. Although it was a slight improvement, there were many complaints about the design looking more like an “airline hostess” uniform, which was in fact based on Delta and United Airlines patterns. Later, women were allowed to substitute culottes for their uncomfortable skirts, as long as they were made out of the same material. Finally, in the late 1970s, a more unisex uniform was officially created. Historically, women have been discriminated against in every aspect of life. In the National Park Service, they were seen as not smart enough, too girly for science, and unworthy of the real natural stuff. Fashion was a big part of this attitude, as women were expected to wear certain things and act a certain way. Today women are working in National Parks in all capacities. Although you may think that it’s just clothing, the fight for a standardized uniform was very important. Once women started to look like real Rangers, they started to be treated like real Rangers. The clothes you wear truly do affect how people see you and how you are treated.
officially launched the line on March 31. The collection comprises more than 200 pieces, from accessories to body suits. It merges fashion-led design with technical innovation, creating an all new kind of performance wear. This new activewear collection is meant for both lounging and exercising. The name of the clothing line was inspired by two very important things in Beyonce’s life. “Ivy” comes from her daughter, Blue Ivy, and “Park” is from Parktown Park, Houston where Queen Bey was born and raised. “It’s really the essence: to celebrate every woman and the body she’s in while always striving to be better,” Beyoncé said. “I called it Ivy Park because a park is our commonality. We can all go there; we’re all welcomed. It’s anywhere we create for ourselves. For me, it’s the place that my drive comes from. I think we all have that place we go to when we need to fight through something, set our goals and accomplish them.”
Fashion Fact: Christian Dior was a strong believer in psychics and would visit one to determine which day would be best to show his latest collection.
Sam Says By Sam
This is your last chance of the year to try and figure out who I am! If you think you found me, e-mail me at thisissamsays@gmail.com. See you next year!
Contributing Writer
Hey guys! Sam here, and this month’s issue is all about belts. When you wear the right belt, you look like you’re ready for business. If you wear them right, belts can change your look from “I woke up 10 minutes ago” to “I know what I’m doing.” Belts come in all different sizes, styles, and colors. One tip for looking great in a belt is to match it with your shoes. You can find me this month wearing my belts to match my blue shoes.
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Sports Girls’ Football Program Run by Student Coaches By Victor Allaham Contributing Writer
The Flatbush Athletic Department, led by Athletic Director Eric Amkraut, began an afterschool flag football program for Middle Division girls (grades 6–8) a few months ago, adding to the department’s many changes this past year. Every Thursday at approximately 5:30, players and coaches meet in the Elementary School gym to play. Instead of hiring outside coaches to run the games, the Athletic Department has enlisted the students in Coach Gelber’s 11th grade coaching and refereeing class. So the flag football games are not just a learning experience for the players, they also provide handson coaching experience for the students looking to develop more knowledge of the game and better their coaching skills. Even though the players are divid-
ed into four separate teams, all the student-coaches work together to make it a great experience for the players. To many coaching students, this whole idea seemed improbable and unlikely to happen, but it turned out to be quite doable. Mostly everyone involved in the program seems to be loving it and it looks as if this could become a yearly program. Junior Abie Rosow, one of the many coaches, said he’s always ready for game day and for the opportunity to become a better coach. “I’m excited for this great opportunity that I have to teach kids on how to carry themselves on and off the court,” Rosow said. “I love sharing my knowledge on how to work and get better and to spread it to the kids and coach them to be the best that they could be. There is no replacement for hard work.”
Middle Division girls practice as student coaches David Cohen (left) and Al Tawil (right) look on
PoliSci Survey... con’t. from page 3 ing, and sometimes contradictory as well. 64% of the school felt that the rich should not pay more taxes, even if it helped the middle class and poor. Yet, 69% believe that businesses should give paid maternity and family leave and 53% believe the minimum wage should be raised. 52% of the respondents believe we need to commit large numbers of combat troops to fight ISIS, yet 58% believe we should talk to any group to achieve peace—which would include ISIS. 41% of respondents do not believe climate change is a serious problem, but 56% believe the government should make more laws to fight climate change. Despite their obvious self-interest, only a slight majority of students (53%) think the government should pay for college. And the social policy results also belied the supposed conservative bent of the school: 59% of the students said they support government funded healthcare, 57% support abortion rights in the first trimester, 52% support gay marriage, 56% believe that we cannot deport 12 million people and there should be a path to citizenship, 55% said businesses should not be allowed to refuse service to someone whose religion offended them,
and a whopping 76% said it is not OK to ban people from entering this country based solely on their religion. Ms. Kaplowitz said, “Generally speaking, the results showed a school that very much mirrors the country itself: conservative on some issues and liberal on others. Which is why the average score was a 9.25. The students whose responses were close to 0 or close to 16 have an easy task; they are clearly Republicans or Democrats, based on the issues. But anyone who ended up in the middle range (7–11) is not going to find a candidate they agree with across the board. They have to figure out which of these issues are more important to them, and then go with the candidate whom they agree with on the majority of those issues.” After presenting the video and survey results to the students, the AP US Government and Politics students reported hearing comments like “Now I’ll finally understand what’s going on in those debates my teacher makes me watch,” or “I never thought I’d actually care about politics, but now I want to argue with people about why I’m right.” Some even heard a student exclaim, “My parents are going to kill me when they find out I’m a Democrat!” The Poli Sci students expressed the
Sportsman Spotlight: Samantha Chabot By Albert Dweck Sports Editor
Occupying a star role on both the basketball and soccer teams since freshman year, Samantha “Sam” Chabot is known for always giving 100% and setting a competitive standard to which her teammates aspire. Chabot has been playing competitive basketball since sixth grade. But she is reluctant to talk about herself and her accomplishments. She said the best part of playing for the Falcons “is the cheer and huddle at the beginning of the game. F-L-A-T Bush! Bush! Bush!” Her best moment as a Falcon, she says, was when the basketball team won two consecutive tournaments. Though Sam’s personal accolades continue to add up, including winning an XBox One at the Hausdorff Memorial Basketball Tournament, and almost single-handedly winning all the sports events at this year’s Color War, she still has a year left at Flatbush, and she knows exactly how she wants to spend it. Chabot says her number one goal, not surprisingly, is more about the team than it is about herself: to take home the championship. Chabot, who is an honors student, importance of this project to them. Dylan Sutton said, “We gave the students something that many of them would not have obtained otherwise, and it feels good to have taught many of them something about themselves.” Rachel Chehova noted, “I had always assumed teenagers, especially ones in my school, were apathetic to towards politics. However, seeing fellow classmates and other students rave and bicker about the surveys disproved my theory. Students were not just somewhat interested, but completely intrigued by politics … once they were given the tools to follow it.” Overall Ms. Kaplowitz said the project served its purpose well: “My goal in doing this project was to teach the kids in the Poli Sci class about the issues and how the parties differ, and then to have them teach the students the same thing. It was not to make kids into Democrats or Republicans, but rather to make students understand that they will be voting soon, and that our democracy survives only if we have an educated populace voting, not on personality or looks or who cracks the best jokes, but on what issues they stand for. This project was my way of helping that to happen, and I think it was a great success on both counts.”
admits that it is often difficult to manage her course load while starring in two sports. With tests and games frequently occurring in tandem, she is often studying on the bus right before games. Despite the hardships and inconveniences, Chabot says, as many student athletes do, that the best part of playing for the Flacons is camaraderie with her teammates. “That’s one reason I’m thankful for Flatbush sports,” Chabot said. “You make so many close friends from different grades. Sports creates a special bond because the only way to win is by working together. Win or lose you always have your teammates.”
History Regents.. con’t. from page 1 Answering questions correctly will require analysis of the information that is provided. Why this change now? The Board of Regents is changing the exams to resemble what the A.P. courses are doing, based on the conclusion that students’ academic success relies almost entirely on their ability to interpret and analyze. “The common core standards finally make real the promise of American public education to expect the best of all our schoolchildren,” said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools. Starting in 2018, Regents review books, like this one from Barron’s, will cover a much shorter time period to match the new Regents exam
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