The Phoenix 2016-2017 Issue 2

A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Vol 51, Issue 2 • November 2016 / 5777

Flatbush to Hold Mock Presidential Debate and Election

By Estelle Saad Senior Editor

The school’s mock debate and election will be happening on Tuesday, November 8th. There will be two separate assemblies, and during each assembly two students modeling the presidential candidates will be asked questions.

The program is meant to mirror the real election and educate the Flatbush population about help them become more informed voters, says Ms. Kaplowitz, who teaches the AP Government and Politics class and organized the event. Her AP students have been working on this project since the beginning of the school year. The class is broken up in to two, one group working on the Trump campaign and the other on the Clinton campaign. They have put in a lot of time working on posters, commercials, and polls, and have been prepping for the mock debate. Rena Weitzman will be modeling Hillary Clinton, and Max Shemtob Donald Trump. It has been a hands-on experience for

them to understand how politics work.

After watching the mock debate, students will have the opportunity to vote for one of the candidates. As in the real election, only those who have registered to vote will be able to. In previous years the school has usually voted Republican for presidential elections, Ms. Kaplowitz confirmed. However, she said that this year’s election is difficult to forecast. This is “such an unusual election year with so many unexpected things.

One would be foolish to predict how it’s going to go,” she said.

As usual, two reporters from The Phoenix will be moderating the debate, and students who have their questions approved by history teachers beforehand will have the opportunity to ask the candidates their questions.

Claudia Chera of class 4-R said she plans on voting for Trump on Tuesday, and doesn’t think the debate will change her mind. When asked why, she explained, “Clinton’s being investigated by the FBI! Why would we want this person to be our president, regardless of

Weitzman/Clinton

Shemtob/Trump

her beliefs?” An anonymous student revealed, “I don’t really follow politics but I will probably vote for Clinton because my parents are voting for her.” Albert Saad of class 2-HN is unsure of who

he supports. He said, “I am glad that we have the chance to understand the candidates’ views better. I do not usually follow politics, and this is a great opportunity.”

Student Cheating Survey Yields Several Surprises Honors Students Cheat as Often as Others; Cheating More Common Among Upper Classmen

By Naomi Sanders and Sarah Weingarten School News Editors

According to an anonymous online survey conducted by The Phoenix and given to students in all four grades of the Yeshivah, 66.7% of students who responded admitted to having cheated on tests; 16.7% said they cheat regularly. Cheating was found to be common in both honors and non-honors classes, and more common in upperclassmen than among the lower grades.

A total of 114 students completed the survey, representing approximately one-sixth of the school’s student body.

In This Issue Alumnus Interview: Originator of the Marcus sandwich Page 2

Respondents broke down by grade as follows: 12 freshmen, 41 sophomores, 25 juniors, and 36 seniors.

When asked if there are ever circumstances where cheating is acceptable, a majority of the students answered “No.” One senior said, “It’s never OK to cheat. And the fact that people justify cheating only shows they know its wrong.” The responses that justified cheating mentioned circumstances such as when the student didn’t study for an important test, when the tested material wasn’t taught, if you really don’t know it, and if the teacher is “stupid” enough to let the students cheat. One student said, “It’s always OK

to cheat. Not only is it OK, it’s even recommended.”

Despite technological advancements, the most common forms of cheating were found to be among the most old-fashioned: whispering answers came out on top, and the second most popular method was looking at someone’s paper. Passing notes, using smartphones, and using cheat sheets were cited as the least frequently used cheating techniques. Nearly 60% of students admitted to cheating with help from friends. Some unique cheating techniques include stealing tests, checking their notes during a test, letting a friend see their paper, switching

Scantrons, and using smartwatches.

Slightly more than half of the students who took the survey (50.5%) were honors students. Results showed that honors students cheat just as often as everyone else. One honors senior said, “Anything you imagine, we all do.

Honors cheats the most. It’s not that were book smart, it’s that we’re cheat smart.” According to the survey, 63.2% of honors students claim to have gotten higher grades by cheating.

Some students blamed their cheating habits on their teachers. Students have said that when the teachers haven’t taught the material properly or

School News: The Glass Castle comes to life Page 3

Entertainment: South Park enters season 20 Page 5

Fun & Games: Least popular Tsei U’lemads Page 6

continued on page 4

Alumni Interview: Matthew Marcus (’06)

By Isabel Lin

Contributing Writer

If you’ve ever ordered the Marcus sandwich at Bagel Hole, then you have a connection to Yeshivah of Flatbush alumnus Matthew Marcus, who graduated from the high school in 2006.

The sandwich—muenster cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and mustard on a bagel—is named for Marcus, an accomplishment he lists as one of his proudest. He says it came about because Marcus and his friend Avi Abadie would always order the sandwich before their hockey practices and games. Tired of naming all the ingredients every time, the two boys started referring to it as the Marcus, and before long that became its official name at Bagel Hole.

Of course, Marcus has accomplished more than a sandwich name.

Today he is a lawyer, handling complex financial and high-conflict custodial issues at the family group of Greenspoon Marder, P.C. He says that many of his relatives were lawyers, so this was something he always knew he was going to do. He didn’t, however, imagine himself going into matrimonial law, as his own parents had a contentious separation. But, he explained, “life has a funny way of taking you down paths you don’t anticipate.”

Marcus said that his Flatbush education greatly helped him to travel those paths. “My high school education was so rigorous that I felt like I had a huge leg up during college and law school,” he said. He believes his

rabbis and teachers taught him to look beyond the surface and deeply analyze concepts, skills he carries with him every day.

Marcus says he keeps in touch with many of his old classmates. “My best friends in the world are the friends I made at Flatbush when I was 14 years old.” His fondest memory at Flatbush is the Spring Concert in his sophomore year because it was the first time he played guitar in front of a crowd and it gave him a great rush.

As advice for current students, Marcus says to enjoy the time while you have it because “it’s hard to appreciate what a special place Flatbush is until you’re a bit removed.”

In his free time, Marcus enjoys surfing, when he can, but he’s been a busy man lately, as he just got married last month. He also has another claim to fame at Flatbush. His sister-in-law is English teacher Ms. Sarah Marcus, who can sometimes be seen at Bagel Hole ordering herself a Marcus.

This year, our ever-growing Flatbush family welcomed a new addition to our Mathematics Department.

Ms. Hindy Yoffe, who teaches Algebra and Geometry to freshmen and sophomores, previously taught 8th, 9th, and 10th grade in public school. She received her master’s degree in Math Education from the Teachers College at Columbia University.

Ms. Yoffe says the whole school has been extremely welcoming, especially her colleagues in the Math Department. Ms. Yoffe says that she has known Ms. Shulman, the department chair, for a while. Ms. Shulman knows her teaching style and asked her to join Flatbush to fill one of the department’s openings for this year.

Ms. Yoffe said that the “students are eager to learn and participate positively

Editor-in-Chief

191 responses

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Contributing Writer

By David Azrak

How do you watch most of your TV? Amazon Prime 1 DVR 6 HBO Go 2 Hulu 4 Live TV on an actual TV 34 Netflix 81 Network websites (ABC.com, etc.) 12 YouTube 23 Who has time to watch TV?!

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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 Music Editor: Rena Weitzman

By Robert Adler

in class.” Students who have Ms. Yoffe are already starting to see some of the many ideas she has implemented for her classes. She describes her teaching methods as being a “discovery-style approach.” This involves students learning a short lesson, then challenging themselves with more difficult problems, with a culmination of the short lessons learned at the end of each period. She explained that this allows for more critical thinking, as well as retention of the material. Students “own” the material by internalizing it through their own discoveries.

Many students and colleagues have given positive reviews of Ms. Yoffe and her teaching style, with Ms. Shulman commenting that “Ms. Yoffe brings new and creative methods to her teachings.”

Flatbush Family: Anderson and Mahana

Student Survey

The Phoenix Staff

Faculty Freshman: Ms. Yoffe

If seniors Atara Anderson and Morris Mahana don’t act like a typical brother and sister, that’s probably because they aren’t exactly brother and sister. For this month’s Flatbush Family, I had the privilege of sitting down with these step-siblings to ask them about some aspects of their lives. They are joined at Flatbush by Morris’s sister Florence, a sophomore, and Atara’s sister Alyza, a freshman (although the younger sisters were unavailable for this article).

Because this isn’t your typical Flatbush Family (Mahana’s mother is married to Anderson’s father), I was especially curious about just how they view their family dynamic. From my brief conversation, I could tell the family ties were strong.

“It’s great,” Morris said. “You get a sense of connection throughout the school, but not just a connection of friendship but of family. You feel more secure because you know they’re with

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, Marlene Levy Sophomore Editors: Sam Beyda, Ezra Faks Design: Therese Berkowitz Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter

you. They’re there for you if you need them. You’re able to create closer relationships with them. And when you’re together in school you almost feel like one entity, with everybody’s “resources” at your disposal. You have a greater sense of confidence and familiarity with the school and the people in it due to this.”

Atara, for her part, said that she likes to spend time with family and friends as long as she’s not stressing out about school. Morris said his favorite sibling is his baby sister, Linda, who has a long way to go before she gets to Flatbush, but Atara couldn’t pick a favorite.

That being said, the traditional family grievances are there. Whether it’s waiting for one sibling at the end of the day or just messing with one another in the hallway, the bonds and experiences that hold a family together, be they step or blood, will always be present.

Or, as Atara put it, “family is key for survival, and without them there’s no one worth living for.”

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

Brian Walls of The Glass Castle Visits YOF Jane Zakay Managing Editor

After reading the memoir The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls for their summer reading assignment, Yeshivah of Flatbush seniors were visited by one of the book’s major characters on October 10. Brian Walls, the author’s older brother, who appears frequently throughout the book, is a neighbor of English Department Chair Ms. Bloom.

She invited him to speak to the grade about the Walls’ childhood from his perspective.

The Glass Castle tells the true story of the four Walls siblings, whose parents moved them from one dilapidated house to the next while suffering through extreme poverty and frequent food and money shortages. Jeannette, Brian, and their older sister all end up moving to New York after high school, while their parents eventually choose to be homeless in New York.

At the assembly, Walls said that the book brings awareness of the way other people grow up. He said he be-

lieves that the underlying causes for homelessness in the world are mental health issues and lack of education. If people understand that, he explained, then they can come up with a plan to improve the system for the homeless.

The seniors had the opportunity to ask Walls questions about how his life has developed. He spoke about moving to New York from Welch, West Virginia, after both his sisters did the same.

He said that it wasn’t very difficult to leave because the situation at home was so obviously dysfunctional.

Walls answered even the most difficult and uncomfortable student questions. He said he remembers his childhood very differently from his sister. “She is an idealist, whereas I am pragmatic,” he said. When asked about some of the most painful parts of his childhood, he replied that most of the time he prefers to block out those memories so that he can go on with his life.

Walls now works as a police officer for the NYPD. He said that sometimes he gets put on a case involving a situa-

Sophomore Editor

With the start of the school year came the start of a few new commissions. Visitors to the school’s annual Commission Fair saw booths from all of the school’s existing commissions, but also saw the addition of the Spanish Heritage Commission and the Girls Who Code Commission, as well as the resurrection the Crochet Commission.

Senior Samantha Chabot, Crochet Commissioner, said that she brought the commission back from the dead, combining her love of crocheting with a passion for chesed. She said, “It’s a commission where I teach anyone who wants [to know] how to knit or crochet and then they can make something for

tion similar to how he grew up. When that happens, he deals with it the same way he deals with life; he doesn’t let it affect him.

Walls stays as positive as he possibly can: “Life itself is difficult, but you have to look for the beauty around you.” He says that there always is a silver lining to a bad situation.

Walls now lives with his daughter.

Kosher Food Truck Parks on Avenue J

Three New Commissions Debut at Commission Fair

By Ezra Faks

Brian Walls

By Jessica Vaysman Contributing Writer

chesed hours since it will be given to a homeless shelter.” The commission is open to students of all grades and all levels of experience. Veteran crotcheters can trade tips and hone skills, and beginners can learn the basics, all while helping people who really need it. The chesed hours are also a big incentive.

The new Girls Who Code commission is headed by junior Claire Lessler.

After spending the summer in a Girls Who Code program, Lessler wanted to continue her progress and open the same opportunity to all girls at Flatbush. This commission overlaps a bit with the STEM Commission, but is focused specifically on coding and empowering the female student body to learn and hone the valuable skill of coding comfortably without pressure or judgment from boys. It goes along with the continuously expanding STEM program in our school.

The Spanish Heritage Commission is also new this year, but did not respond to requests to comment for this article.

Lunch options on Avenue J became a little bit more interesting on Monday, October 31, thanks to a kosher BBQ food truck parked right across the street from school. The truck, Judd’s Holy Rollers, was there as a trial to see if there’s enough business to merit making the location its permanent home, according to Yehuda Joffree, who owns the truck along with business partner Yisroel Mordowitz. He said their current plan is to bring the truck back to Avenue J every Monday and, if business is good, then maybe more often.

The menu was limited, offering essentially two options: a hamburger or sausage. This was not an ordinary hamburger, however—it is topped with pulled smoked veal and homemade southern cole slaw. The sausage comes in two varieties: smoked Italian sausage, which is a bit sweet and spicy, or smoked Polish sausage, which is garlicky.

Several Flatbush students and members of the faculty took advantage of the new lunch option. Senior Jacob Chera was impressed, declaring, “It really was so good.” Sophomores Albert Heffez and David Saad said

He said raising her is not easy and he knows he has to compensate for the way he grew up and has learned from his parents’ mistakes. Asked if he would have liked to have grown up any other way, he surprised many students in the audience with his answer: “No. I like the way I am.” the food was great, but a bit pricy. The burger is $16, and the sausages are $5.

Topping the sausage with pulled veal is an extra $2.

Teachers were spotted at the truck as well, including Rabbi Lubner and Ms. Mikhli. “So yummy!” Ms. Mikhli exclaimed. “The hamburger was outof-this-world good.”

Judd’s Holy Rollers officially opened on September 1, but both owners were in the food business beforehand. Joffree owned a catering business and Mordowits had a food truck called Holy Rollers Kosher Kart; they decided to combine forces to open the new food truck together. While not working on the truck, Joffree still runs his catering business, and Mordowits

The first customer of the day

works in an advertising business.

Mordowits said his idea to run a food truck came from his desire to make kosher food more accessible so that no Jew should be tempted into eating nonkosher food because there are no kosher options around. He came up with the idea of a food truck because of its mobility, and said it is incontinued on page 6

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D’var Torah: Avraham vs.

Lot

By Deborah Coopersmith Religion Editor

In the beginning of Parashat Lech Lecha we see Hashem commanding Avraham to leave the land of his ancestors and move to Canaan in order to fulfill G-d’s prophecy. Avraham travels with his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot. On this spiritual journey, Avraham reaches tremendous spiritual heights necessary to become one of the forefa-

Cheating... continued from page 1

refuse to answer questions during the test, they feel that cheating is justified.

However, not all students agreed.One student argued, “There are circumstances where I can understand someone would want to, but it doesn’t make it OK.” Students also disagreed about which actions constitute cheating. The survey presented several scenarios and asked if each action counts as cheating.

Perhaps most surprising, 66.1% of students answered that paying someone to do their work is not cheating. An even higher percentage—71.9%—said that asking other classes who already

thers of the Jewish nation. On the flip side, the Torah tells us that Lot become smorally corrupt and his reputation is forever ruined.

How does this happen?

The pasuk, “‫בן–לוט ואת–ויקחו את‬ ‫”בסדם וילכו והוא ישב אחי אברם–רכשו‬ leads us to the right scene. It comes from perek ‫ יד‬when Lot is kidnapped by the four kings. The pasuk is translated as, “And they took Lot and his property the son of the brother of Avram and they left and he was dwelling in Sodom.” Why does it say “and his property” before it states Lot’s heritage? Shouldn’t it say they took Lot, Avraham’s nephew, and his property?

The overtone is irrefutable; Lot and his property are considered as one. The two were so merged that there was no one without the other.

took the test for details isn’t considered cheating either. However, 71.9% of students also say that having a picture of the test beforehand is, in fact, cheating.

Peer pressure appears to be one factor in cheating. Whether students admitted to cheating or not, 86.6% said that they have been asked by a friend to help them cheat. “I don’t cheat, but when a friend asks me for an answer during a test I feel pressure to answer,” said a sophomore.

Many of the students who said they don’t cheat expressed strong opinions.

A sophomore explained, “I hate when people do it. I don’t get how people live with themselves knowing their work isn’t their own.”

50% have peeked at someone’s paper

Hashem tells Avraham that it is necessary for him to leave the land of his ancestors because Hashem needs him to disconnect from his ancestors’s society to rid all the immorality, Avodah Zarah, hedonism and impurity from his being. Avraham has already accomplished a great deal in his homeland; however, God is signifying that there is still a great distance he has to go to completely divest himself from his society. The move is not merely a geographical move but a spiritual move as well.

Avraham manages to succeed while Lot does not. Although Lot also moves geographically, he never lets go of his hedonism, which in turn blocks him from attaining Avraham’s great spiritual heights. Lot’s hamartia, his fatal flaw, is his dogged connection to material-

ism. Unlike Avraham, Lot never truly understands when enough is enough, or that it is in Hashem’s hands to give or not give a person wealth. This is why, when Lot and Avraham split, Lot settles in Sodom; the people there have the same values. Lot is “half baked.”

He does good things but he doesn’t do them with full-hearted intentions. After Lot and Avraham separate we never see them speaking again in the Torah.

This demonstrates to us that Lot is no longer in Avraham’s group and he will never come back.

As descendants of Avraham, we must always remember to guard ourselves against hedonistic pursuits, and to remember that material wealth is only a facilitator toward a goal, rather than the goal itself.

These photos are for illustrative purposes and do not depict actual cheating.

57% of students have cheated by whispering answers

19% have looked up answers on their phones

14% have written answers on their hands

Fight for Mosul Heats Up as Troops Close In

By Mimi Lazerowitz World News Editor

Since mid-October, the United States has been fighting with Iraqi and Kurdish military forces to gain control of Mosul, a major city in northern Iraq that has been held by ISIS since June 2014. Retaking Mosul is a key part of America’s fight against ISIS in the Middle East. A senior U.S. Central Command Officer said the plan is “to isolate Mosul, cut it off, kill it.”

Iraqi forces have been fighting in the south, making their way through populated villages in order to get to Mosul. In the north, Kurdish troops,

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called Peshmerga, are trekking through depopulated cities. However, they have been held back by various traps set

by ISIS, such as setting off car bombs and lighting oil wells on fire to obscure their movements, making them hard to see from the air.

This battle against ISIS becomes more ethically complex as the troops get closer and closer to Mosul, a heavily populated city. The troops have to figure out how to continue the war on ISIS without disrupting the hundreds of thousands of civilians living in Mosul. The residents there are facing the dilemma of whether to stay in the city and risk being injured or killed in the

war, or to flee their homes. So far, about 9,000 people have fled due to the fighting. The Islamic State has made life even more dangerous for these civilians, moving hundreds of people from villages around the city to act as human shields. United Nations officials report that ISIS fighters have killed close to 200 people within the first week of fighting.

In order to divert attention from Mosul, Islamic State fighters have initiated attacks on other parts of the country. On October 21, a major attack was launched on Kirkuk, a city that lies 175 kilometers southwest of Mosul. Two days later, ISIS struck Rutba, a

town that had recaptured from ISIS by the Iraqis in May. These assaults have deterred the Americans, Iraqis, and Kurds from their fight to get to Mosul, and have caused tension between Arabs and Kurds living in those areas.

In terms of the larger fight against ISIS, if Mosul is overtaken, the battle will move to Syria, where city of Raqqa is considered the capital for the Islamic State. However, there are not currently enough ground troops to put up a strong offensive against ISIS. More local troops must be sent to Raqqa to fight on the ground, in addition to the American airstrikes, in order to finally defeat ISIS.

Entertainment TV Review: South Park Season 20

By David Azrak Editor-in-Chief

I was initially quite weary of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s commitment to the continuous storyline that went on to define season 19, in part because South Park lost one of its most admirable aspects: its flexibility. The week-to-week creative nature of the show allowed Parker and Stone to parody to an extreme any topic they wished; not so much when dealing with a specific, continuous plotline (the Yelper episode being arguably the best of the season despite it having hardly anything to do with plot continuity).

Season 20 marks an interesting shift, though. Unlike season 19, 20 gets to the meat of the plot dramatically faster (albeit due in part because of

the lengthy set up provided by 19) and, in turn, suddenly surrounds you with four or five plot points that all present themselves to be interesting while varying in quality to a degree. Be it the election, protests by famous NFL stars, or gender wars, season 20 gets the ball moving rather quickly with Parker and Stone’s surreal blend of satire, camp, and social critique, making the continuous storyline restrictions somewhat moot this time around.

Strictly from a content viewpoint, 20 starts off incredibly strong while seemingly blending the conventional ridiculousness inherent to South Park with that new style of storytelling. The main difference is that everything begins with extremely high stakes and the varying plot lines all mesh well and develop from each other. We get to the see

Book Review: The Jane Austen Writer’s Club

By Esther Levy Senior Editor

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in want of a great and timeless tale need look no further than anything by Jane Austen. Rebecca Smith’s The Jane Austen Writer’s Club offers readers the closest thing they’ll ever get to a manual on how to pen their own version of Austen’s classics.

Smith, a distant relative of Austen, provides insight into Austen’s writing process while helping readers find their own voices as writers of both fiction and nonfiction through the compilation of several of Austen’s letters, excerpts from her books, and autobiographical details.

Austen’s 19th-century English novels deal with universal themes—pride, prejudice, love, social class, economic status—and thus her quick-witted and

graceful implementations of social and political commentary within her lovestory-filled-dramas have transcended time. Beyond that, her novels are unique in the sense that the framework of the stories proves to be as timeless as the stories themselves.

But before there was a whole genre dedicated to reimagining Austen’s novels filled with vampire Darcy, zombie-hunting Lizzie, and yoga-instructor Jane, Austen’s own relatives borrowed her themes, ideas, and characters for their own writing. Austen’s sister Cassandra and niece Anna had the privilege of receiving direct feedback and detailed advice from Austen herself, but the rest of us can still learn how to write (and surprisingly, how to live) from Austen through her writings and through Smith’s carefully thoughtout remarks and add-ons.

Smith is effectively able to build a bridge to Austen for her modern readers. Featured writing advice from Austen includes eliminating perfect or idealized characters, the secrets to writing great dialogue, or different writing or style techniques. Smith provides examples from Austen’s novels and then includes her own exercises so readers can try putting the advice in any given chapter to use.

Whether you’re looking to pen the next great American novel, need help with your college essay, are interested in Austen and her writing, or need inspiration for your next Phoenix article, this book is a great choice.

the developing (and cringe-inducingly heartwarming) relationship between Cartman and, for risk of spoilers, a girl whom shall remain nameless, as well as the ridiculous nature of the election between Mr. Garrison and Hillary Clinton. J.J. Abrams and the Danish are thrown in there all for good measure.

It’s funny, it’s absolutely ridiculous, but, above all, it’s tremendously entertaining in the best of ways.

All that being said, bear in mind this is strictly a half-season review and, therefore, any and all critiques or assessments can only be based on these half developed plots. Now more than ever, Parker and Stone

need to prove to the fans that this style of storytelling can provide an outlet to deliver that same South Park experience we’ve had for the past 20 years.

While I can’t say so with any sort of definitive nature, I am extremely and wholeheartedly confident in their ability to deliver on the gold set before me.

To quote Kaitlin Jenner, “Buckle up, buckaroos,” it’s going to be a fun ride.

Movie Review: Battle of Algiers 4K Restoration and Limited Release

By Allan Kurland Entertainment Editor

Gillo Pontecorvo’s revolutionary masterpiece is a shocking display of not only the power of cinema, but the development of cinema as an art form capable of cultural and sociopolitical influence and analysis. Like the revered Battleship Potemkin and War Game, Algiers is a harrowing exhibition of conflict, achieving its fiercest moments through Pontecorvo’s and cinematographer Marcello Gatti’s efforts to freeze the spirit of the oppressed and their crusade towards independence and immortalize it with unsettlingly gritty realism. “Not one foot,” the credits state in the beginning of the screening, “Not one foot” of documentary or newsreel footage was used in the film and not one viewer in the crowd would be caught believing otherwise if the credit was omitted; not one. In this I truly believe and in this one can find the accomplishment of the 1966 Italian treasure.

The essence of the film remains true to form but perhaps exists in a different paralleled reality for the modern audience. This is the great pleasure of the film molded only from the chisel of time; it’s not a tightly bound retelling of the Algerian insurrection of the authority of the French government but rather a cinematic presentation of the emotional understanding of colonial opposition to imperialism, a study of Marxist nationalism, and a

story of war. This truth swells through Manhattan’s Film Forum theater and maintains an unwavering grip on the New York crowd sat in the darkness of the room.

The 4K remaster, reminiscent of the Criterion Collection’s devoted restorations of the great works of classic cinema, is expectedly impressive, ensuring the filmic experience one can only assume Pontecorvo initially intended as the piece’s ideal form. Ennio Morricone’s score embodies with unnerving precision the film’s unadulterated militaristic vigor. As for the great debate on the presence of a score in a film, Morricone’s theme crafts for itself a new character marching stoically behind the imperialist French yet desolately weeping amongst the Algerian nationalists.

“Acts of violence don’t win wars.

Neither wars nor revolutions. Terrorism is useful as a start. But then, the people themselves must act.” The potency of the film is as alarmingly arresting as its message, a message as undyingly present and relevant today as it was on the streets of Algiers. This film, a manifestation of the pain for independence, breaks free of being only the spirit of the Algerian struggle and becomes an entity far more encompassing, capable, and frightfully powerful. It stands to be one of the greatest works of political cinema to date, done the great justice it has so long deserved.

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Fun & Games Ask Merle

Hey Merle, School is so crazy. I spend hours in class taking notes and then go home to several hours typing pages and pages and my hand is totally cramping. Anything I can do to minimize the workload?

Frustrated Freshman Frustrated, You can’t possibly minimize the workload, but if you want to stop your hand from cramping you should probably take a break. Breaks are in fact allowed in the great scheme of things. Just sit back relax with your copy of The Phoenix and let your eyes do all the work. This will allow your hands to take a well needed and deserved break.

Read it and stop weeping, Merle Hello Merle, Was just wondering if you have any favorite procrastination activities?

Stalling Senior Stalling, Once you procrastinate you can’t go back. My first piece of advice is don’t start because if you do it’s very hard to stop. Procrastination is a neverending hole in the ground. If you have found yourself in the abyss of procrastination, I have five simple tips to attempt to be free: 1. Make a rope out of existing material around you (I find its best to make it out of clothing because it’s easier to tie together).

2. Ditch any unnecessary weight (large objects, bad friends, your Netflix password, etc).

3. Find somewhere to attach your DIY rope.

4. Climb out of the pit that is procrastination.

5. Stop reading this and just do your work. Just kidding—always make sure to read The Phoenix from cover to cover.

Stay out of the pit, Merle Merle, I’m not used to the long Flatbush hours and have found myself falling

asleep in not one but four of my classes daily. Any advice on how to stay awake?

Sluggish Sophomore Sluggish, I know exactly how that feels. If I were to condone sleeping in class I might say that you should probably rotate your sleeping habits so that you don’t fall asleep in the same classes every day. However, I can’t possibly say that dozing off in class is OK. Therefore, my advice is that you should have a friend constantly poke you when you feel yourself dozing off. Ditch the pillow and the blanket and find one trustworthy friend who can save you from yourself. True friends will wake you before your teacher does.

Don’t let the bedbugs bite, Merle Merle, Every morning I have class on the fourth floor. I am always out of breath once I get to class. What can I do to get in better shape?

Please help.

Misshapen Misshapen, I have a few pieces of motivation that will help you with your current conflict: 1. Rabbi Prag, whose classroom is on the fourth floor as well, uses the stairs every day and is faster than most students.

2. Think of it as a Miley Cyrus song: There’s always going to be another mountain (staircase A, B, and C); you’re always going to want to make it move. It’s always going to be an uphill battle (unless you’re going downstairs, which I find is easier). Doesn’t matter how fast you get there (so say those with elevator privileges), ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side (although in this case it probably is).

3. Once you get to your destination, you can sit in a chair for 45 minutes.

4. They lied when they said you’ll get used to it #3yearsgoingstrong I’ll be cheering you on from the elevator, Merle

Least Popular Tsei U’lemads

By Diana Hoffstein

AP Unintentional Rhyming Fun and Games Editor Ever find yourself rhyming out of the blue? If so, this class is for you. If you join, then I will, too!

AP Conspiracy Theory You’re not paranoid if they’re really out to get you. Wake up, sheeple! Be ready to debate the world issues that everyone seems to ignore.

How to Procrastinate Have an English essay due next week and want to get it done as soon as possible? You’re going about it in the wrong way! This class will teach you how to push off all your work until the night before, making your life a little more difficult but much more thrilling.

Don’t miss the deadline to sign up!

The Essentials of Sleeping Tired? Feeling the need for a break? You can learn how to maintain a healthy sleep schedule, and on Wednesdays we take naps!

AP Avenue J Appreciation Want to know where to get the best coffee? Which restaurants serve which foods? Learn all the hidden secrets to our home away from home.

Advanced Pig Latin If you’re frustrated that you speak only English, Hebrew, and Spanish, we have good news. Sick and tired of feeling inadequate when your friends whip out their trilinguality? Well now, you can prove them and those colleges wrong with your excellent ability to speak Igpay Atinlay!

Journey to the Center of the Stomach A class where you literally just eat your favorite foods and receive credits for it.

Social Media Anonymous If you can’t look up from Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, etc., then you’re probably not reading this, so the class won’t help you. Would it make a difference if we told you that you can attend class via FaceTime?

Advanced Self-Photography Think your selfies are the best of your generation? What if we told you there was always more to learn? Come on in for a riveting class on the concept of self-photography.

Introduction to Navigation For all those with a bad sense of direction, we have a class for you—if you can find it!

Food Truck... continued from page 3 teresting to visit many different places and serve many different people. The new truck is always on the move, but it is mainly parked in New York City outside of big events like concerts and festivals.

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Joffree said that they picked the specific location outside of Touro College because he is a Touro alumnus and has many friends who are Flatbush graduates. He said that this location would be easier for students

in both schools because they wouldn’t have to walk far to get great food.

The dream of Judd’s Holy Rollers is to open many more food trucks in many more locations, and to provide delicious kosher food to as many peo-

ple as possible. Mordowits said that enjoys visiting many different places and serving many different people. He said, “We want to build a strong foundation for success.”

Standard of Fabulous Gender-Free Fashion: Freeing or Confining?

By Aida Hasson SOF Editor

While I was visiting Amsterdam this past summer, I came across a clothing store called NHTK (Nobody Has To Know).

It is marketed as a “he she gender free” store. The Amsterdam-based clothing line has fashionable clothes that are not labeled by gender and can be worn by anybody. Shoppers can chose anything they like without having to worry about the gender association to the clothes. Each clothing tag reads, “With this purchase you contribute to an open-minded and tolerant society regardless of physique, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, color, status or religion. To be worn and handled with love.”

NHTK’s stated message is, “We inspire people towards a fashion-attitude that is just about the cut, the shape and the character of the garment, rather than seek approval from society or to follow set norms.”

Historically the Netherlands has been a very liberal and accepting country. It has offered groups of people such as Spanish Jews and French Protestants opportunities to live freely, along with others of all religious, political, and social views. The country is known all over the world for its progressive and practical attitude, and the open-minded and pragmatic fashion of the country reflects that.

Do gender neutral clothes like those at NHTK allow people to love fashion without worrying about how others in society perceive them? As the world moves toward more open-minded acceptance of all people, the fashion industry can be a big facilitator of change. Lately menswear for women has been trending, as well as gender-free fashion. Even mainstream fashion brands are embracing this idea; Louis Vuitton recently featured

“man skirts” in a campaign that shows actor Jayden Smith wearing a skirt and standing among a group women. Even Zara and Guess have created gender-neutral fashion lines. Fashion is all about not being afraid to think outside of the box, and these new gender-neutral clothes express that approach. As fashion grows more inclusive toward all people, the rest of the world may follow.

On the other hand, the idea of the NHTK brand is that no one has to know who you really are. Is that an indication that as a society we are moving away from being comfortable with who we are? Shouldn’t we be proud of who we are and proud to show it? Also, men and women have different bodies and maybe we should wear clothes that accentuate those differences and be proud to wear clothes designed specifically for our gender. Should a person’s gender be something that other people have the right to know? With more and more people getting offended by being called by the wrong pronouns these days, perhaps we should be announcing our gender loud and proud to everyone around us.

Whether gender-free fashion is right or wrong, good or bad, fashion is an important indicator of how people and our society feel as a whole. Changes in trends and fashion concepts give us insight into the minds of our society and where it’s going. It seems that regardless of our opinions on gender-neutral and gender-free fashion, expressing individuality is important to everyone.

Fashion Fact: The word “jeans” comes from the cotton pants worn by “Genes,” the local term for Genoan sailors.

Katy Perry’s Footwear Line

By Sylvia Ashkenazie

Spring 2017 is going be a very exciting season for fans of pop princess Katy Perry, who is releasing her very own line of footwear.

SOF Editor Perry partnered with Hong-Kong based Global Brands Group to put together her own unique and totally Katy line of shoes. The partnership will extend over the next several years and Perry hopes to see accessories and even an apparel line in the future.

“I’m not doing it because of anything other than it’s my baby and I need someone to help me distribute it across the world,” said the singer when she was asked why she decided to start the shoe line.

Perry says she’s not in it for the money; she just wants to spread her love for fashion.

When we think of Katy Perry, we think of a bold personality matched with an equally bold fashion style. Cupcakes, wings, bunny ears, bright colors, and prismatic wigs are all things that can be associated with this fashion-forward singer and she plans to incorporate them into her shoes.

Sandals, sneakers, stilettos and pumps are all part of the plan, along with bold prints, metallic, florals, furs and so much more.

Much of the design was inspired by Perry’s travels around the world.

Sam Says

Hey everyone! Sam Says here, and this month I wanted to find out what fellow male students in this school think about gender-free clothing. (See above article.) One male junior student said, “It’s very

By Sam respectful. With the whole gender crisis going on globally, it really Contributing Writer gives people the comfort of going to buy their clothes, and not be

To top it all off, these colorful eye-candy shoes are going to be affordably priced between $59 and $299.

“I didn’t grow up with any money and I was always getting by by the skin of my teeth, so affordable is just ingrained in me,” Perry explained.

The full ad campaign will debut in January, just a few months before the big release. So, start saving up for your very own pair of statement-making Katy Perry shoes! judged by others. It lets people be who they want to be, who they are. It makes them feel special.” What’s your opinion? Don’t forget to e-mail me at itssamsays@flatbush.org if you think you’ve figured out who I am! This month I’ll be wearing a pair of gender-neutral shoes.

Keep your eyes peeled, and I’ll see you next month.

www.theflatbushphoenix.com | 7

Sports Girls’ Hockey Working Toward League Debut

Outdoor Soccer Has Modest Goals

By Netanel Ben-Shabat Contributing Writer

Without a League, the Falcons Play for the Love of the Game

By Albert Dweck Contributing Writer

As the third season of the Flatbush Boys’ Outdoor Soccer team begins, the team has no chance to win the league championship. That’s not due to a lack of talent, but rather to the lack of a league.

While Flatbush’s other teams play in official leagues, the outdoor soccer team can’t because the school’s schedule interferes with the local league’s schedule. Playing in the league would involve missing classes one afternoon every week. So without a regular league schedule, the team trains once a week and plays in whatever exhibition games it can schedule.

Last year the team played in the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Soccer Tournament in Philadelphia against yeshivot from across the northeast, such as Kushner and Kohelet Yeshivah High School. Our team came

in fourth place in that tournament, and is hoping to push up to the number one spot this year.

The Flatbush team, coached by Rabbi Skolnick and Mr. Amzalag, also plays other local teams such as Golda Och Soccer Academy in West Orange, NJ. So why field a team that has no league to play in?

Rabbi Skolnick says it’s for the purity of the game.

“Soccer is really meant to be played outdoors on a field, with 11 players, and not indoors with 5 players,” he said.

Both outdoor and indoor soccer are intense, but the larger area in outdoor soccer allows students to showcase their skills and stamina. Team captain Marvin Azrak said, “Soccer is not super popular in the United States, and is especially not popular in Flatbush, but once you play it competitively you will realize why everyone around the world loves this sport.”

2017 is shaping up to be a fun and interesting year for the Yeshivah’s newly formed Girls’ Hockey team.

The team was first formed last year, due in part to changes in the Physical Education curriculum. When hockey was added to the curriculum for girls’ PE classes, Coach Black realized that many of the girls enjoyed the sport, and some were playing on a very high level. She soon organized the interested girls into a formal team.

Last year the team played a practice season. They started off with several players, but at the end of the year they had only six permanent players at practices.

This year is looking much more promising; 20 players were named to the team after tryouts, all of whom are excited and are committed to play.

Returning players from last year’s squad include seniors Jane Zakay (4-R) and Shelly Alkaada (4-HN) on defense, forwards Mary Jajati (3-HR) and Esther Beyda (3-HN), and goalie Talia Ovadia (3-S).

The season does not begin until the spring, but with such an experienced student body, Coach Black held tryouts early so that the girls would be able to learn the game well and practice enough to bring themselves up to the level of the rest of the league.

For now, the Falcons have practices every other week for about two hours each time.

Beyda says that the team has a lot of potential, and with hard work she believes that they will win games. Ovadia agreed, adding, “We are playing well in practice. Even though the season hasn’t started all the girls are motivated to win.”

Sportsman Spotlight: Becky Warren

By Sheila Levy Contributing Writer

As a freshman, Becky Warren was devastated not to have made the Flatbush Falcons basketball team; however, she decided not to give up on sports. Warren had more success when she tried out for the Junior Varsity Volleyball team, and she quickly realized that she was meant to play volleyball all along.

Trying out for the team freshman year, Warren was unsure she would make it. To her, and the team’s advantage, she made the team and couldn’t be happier. “I did not know how to play as well as everyone else did, but I tried my best at each practice,” she said.

“I gave it my all, and eventually I became a starter, my dream since day one.” Warren didn’t become a starter by chance; she stresses the hard work it took for her to get here.

In Warren’s first game, she aced the opposing team. The coaches were impressed. Warren felt confident, excited, and was most of all ready to improve

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her play. The great start fueled her for the rest of the season.

Warren certainly did get better, winning the Most Improved Player award at the end of the season. This year, she’s seen as one of the team’s leaders and one of its most skilled players. If you ask Warren she’ll tell you it was all due to hard work. She claims that when she tried out she couldn’t even serve, and lots of practice got her to where she is now.

One of the highlights of Warren’s career that she’ll never forget is when “they put me in for a game while they were losing. They counted on me to bring us home even though I was uncertain about my serves. I got the last four serves over the net and won the game. I knew then that volleyball was definitely my sport.”

This year she’s hoping to show the freshmen and first-year sophomores how to play to the best of their ability. “I hope that they will look up to me and ask for my help or support when they need it.”

With a skilled leader like Warren on the team, the

Warren, second from right, with teammates last year

JV Girls’ Volleyball is aiming for a championship this year.