A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Vol 56, Issue 1 • October 2021 / 5782
Crackdown on fraudulent scan-ins comes a year late By Marc Lessler and Maurice Silvera Editors
There were eight of them. The evening of September 13, 2021, the administration cracked down on a seemingly new crime: attendance fraud. Eight seniors were accused of falsely scanning into school before their actual time of arrival in an email they received from Assistant Principal Rabbi Galpert. A copy of the email obtained by the Phoenix staff cites “integrity violation” as a punishment and warns of “severe consequences” for future offenses. The administration was taking the offense seriously. In interviews, both Rabbi Galpert and Rabbi Beyda cited increased vigilance, saying they take integrity seriously. Overall, though, according to Rabbi Beyda, fraud within the scan-in attendance system, which replaced the old biometric system, isn’t rampant. The biometric system was banned in
The Governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Flatbush pivoted to a QR code “scan-in” attendance system. Ruvna, a crisis management start-up, was tapped to provide the system, which meshed with the school’s Covid-19 Plan. “During Covid-19, [Ruvna] pivoted (they created this health module), [and] we saw the opportunity to use it for attendance,” Rabbi Galpert explained. But the system relies on static QR codes, with few external conA student scans in with his QR code trols, which was prone to fraud. 2020, by NY State Bill A6787D. That bill, Dozens of students described the which was signed into law by Gover- standard means of fraud: sending a nor Andrew Cuomo, “prohibits the use QR code to another student already in of biometric identifying technology in school to scan on your behalf. Yet, the schools.” It cites the “potential impact of administration maintains that this type the use of biometric identifying technol- of deceit was uncommon. ogy on student civil liberties” as justifiRabbi Beyda stressed that there was cation for the temporary ban. Hundreds “a little bit of it last year.” Rabbi Galpof schools across the state had to alter ert similarly maintained that the fraud their attendance-tracking systems, and continued on page 3 Flatbush was one of them.
State and city leaders show support after arson attack By Beverly Dweck Junior Editor
The anti-Semitic arson attack on the Yeshivah of Flatbush last week drew an outpouring of public support from city and state officials, including tweets from the mayor and governor, and a visit by the city’s police commissioner. A mentally disturbed woman poured gasoline along the iron gates that surround the school, then ignited the fire and fled the scene at approximately 8pm last Thursday. YOF security guard Richard Lewis quickly doused the fire with water, and the fire and police departments arrived on the scene within moments. No
Commissioner Shea (center) walks with Rabbi Beyda and NYPD officials
In This Issue People: Page 2 D’var Torah: Page 4 Fun and Games: Page 6
Entertainment: Bye, bye Bond! Page 5
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Fashion: Bringing back the 80’s Page 7
Flatbush remembers Rabbi Eliach
By Lydia Ezon Junior Editor
“Rabbi Eliach was a man for all seasons,” shared Rabbi Besser. “He had so many facets. He came from an Israeli Chassidic home, so he had a Chassidic and Israeli background. An amazing Torah learner, teacher, and giver. He was really just the ‘all around’ personality.” Long before becoming the most influential and iconic figure in the history of Yeshivah of Flatbush, Rabbi David Eliach was born in Jerusalem in 1922 and studied in Hebron. After graduating from school, he devoted his time to helping children who came to Israel after being orphaned or separated from their family during the Holocaust. In Israel, he met his wife, Yaffa, a Holocaust survivor from Lithuania. They were happily married until she passed away in 2016. After volunteering for a while, he began developing his passion and status for teaching in a Yeshivah in Israel. In 1953, Rabbi Eliach was recruited to teach at Yeshivah of Flatbush by Joel Braverman himself. He picked his family up, moved to New York, and has been connected with Yeshivah of Flatbush ever since. Rabbi Eliach’s classroom was no ordinary classroom. He understood exactly how to educate each student according to what one needed. Each of his students feared him out of the respect that they had for him and his tremendous knowledge. In 1967, Rabbi Eliach was promoted to head principle. Under his influence, he implemented speaking in Hebrew and
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Sports: Are students quitting teams to avoid vaccination? Page 8 www.theflatbushphoenix.com | 1
Faculty Freshman:
Coach Abie Rosow
By Linda Abramson Features Editor
Flatbush’s JV basketball coach, Coach Abie Rosow, has become a full-time member of the school’s staff. Coach Rosow has joined the Physical Education faculty, teaching the boys’ PE classes. After starring on the basketball team as a Flatbush student, Coach Rosow majored in accounting at Hunter College. Despite his major, his love of basketball remained as strong as his close relationships with much of Flatbush’s faculty, leading to a part-time coaching job while he continued his studies. Because of his connection to Flatbush, Coach Rosow jumped at the opportunity to coach basketball at the place where he developed his affinity for the sport. “I feel at home here,” he reflects. On top of his familiarity with the administration, Coach Rosow is also acquainted with the school’s machine-like efficiency. He explained that Flatbush always has a solution, no matter the problem, and there are many resources available to the students and teachers. Moreover, he admires the school’s demanding and challenging curriculum and its welcoming environment. Besides teaching the students at school about his favorite pastime, Coach Rosow has created his own training program to spread his expertise beyond the walls of Flatbush. He develops relationships with kids from the community and helps them improve their skills. His passion for training kids and taking them under his wing is shown through the supportive way Coach Rosow imparts his basketball skills. In addition to teaching Flatbush boys to shoot an effective three-pointer, Coach Rosow hopes the lessons go further than the gym. He wants each student to tap into his own potential without comparing himself to his peers. Although Rosow preaches the importance of being a team player, he believes that his students need to focus on their own self-growth to reach the best version of themselves.
10 years later, Saban still just as busy Alumni Interview: Joey Saban (HS ’11) By Jeanette Cohen Junior Editor
Since graduating from high school in 2011, alumnus Joey Saban has been actively engaged in pursuing many of his passions. He has worked hard to do what he enjoys, stating, “I don’t really call them jobs because I love what I do.” Throughout Saban’s time at the high school, he took great initiative in everything he took on. To his recollection, he was a member of almost every extracurricular activity offered at the time. He also started the Israel Activism Club and The Finals Committee, which organized teacher-led reviews for each grade prior to their final exams. This is a great example of Saban’s go-getter attitude. After finishing all of his core classes in two years at Brooklyn College, Saban transferred to George Washington University, where he graduated with a degree in international affairs. He has always had a passion for politics, viewing it as his outlet to create change and make a difference. He did not ultimately pursue a career in politics, but Saban still finds time to run events, work on behalf of organizations, and finds himself frequently flying to Washington D.C. to meet with various Congressmen. Saban’s devotion to politics is still a substantial part of his life, as running for office is something he is certain he will take on in the future. Saban is the CFO of the Saban Consulting Group, a group that provides financial consultants for companies and individuals as well as underwriting for private lenders. He finds getting to meet so many different people with so many different issues interesting, and loves getting to use his experience to help guide them in the right direction. Additionally, Saban is a real estate investor and developer. He purchases properties, holds them, and rents them out, along with buying land and developing properties, whether they be commercial, residential or condominiums. Saban greatly enjoys how hands-on the development process is. He loves being able to foresee a finished product and be a part of the process of making it a reality. Saban’s list of professions does not end there, as he is also an avid entrepreneur. He credits his fascination with entrepreneurship to Ted Leibowitz, a professor whose invitation-only class got him “very interested in doing things that I had no idea about just to try them out.” The saying, “It’s not the destination that matters but the journey to get there,” resonates very much with entrepreneurship, according to Saban. The struggle of becoming over-
The Phoenix Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nicole Muravsky Senior Editor: Jack Saad School News Editors: Marc Lessler, Alison Mudick Religion Editor: Ronnie Mizrachi World News Editor: Sabrina Zami Features Editor: Linda Abramson Entertainment Editors: Jenna Ashkenazie, Marcelle Setton
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worked has never been of great significance to Saban, who believes the term “free time” is relative. He applies this term to his life as time that grants him opportunity to do something he wouldn’t normally be able to do, like expanding a business or marketing differently. “So is it hard to find balance? Yeah, but then again it comes down to what free time means to you,” stated Saban. Saban vastly attributes his success and the person he is today to Yeshivah of Flatbush, stating, “Flatbush truly made an unbelievable, unbelievable difference. When they say four years for the rest of your life, it’s true.” He says that after he left Flatbush, he greatly reflected on how much care and passion the teachers had for what they do and how everything they did was in order to turn the students
Saban honed his public speaking skills at Flatbush
Calendar of Events 1. October 24 - ACT Exams/40th Reunion - Class of 1981 2. October 25 - Yachad Party 3. October 26 - PSAT Exams for 9th, 10th, 11th grades 4. October 28 - Masterpiece trip to Ain’t Too Proud 5. November 4 - Senior Movie Night 6. November 7 - SAT Exam / Flatbush Open House 7. November 10 - End of Marking Period 1/ Cooking for a Cause/ Masterpiece trip to Company
Fashion Editors: Grace Hidary, Jennifer Neuman Fun & Games Editor: Joyce Louz Sports Editor: Simone Amkraut Junior Editors: Jeanette Cohen, Beverly Dweck, Isaac Dweck, Lydia Ezon, Maurice Silvera Sophomore Editors: Aliya Abergil, Jacqueline Halabi Design: Carolina Cohen Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter
into the best version of themselves. Some who really helped shape Saban are Rabbi Levy, Mr. Engel, Ms. Kaplowitz, Ms. Bloom, Ms. Mikhli, and Rabbi Beyda. He also mentioned how some of the things Rabbi Besser told him still apply to his life as if they were said to him yesterday. Some of Saban’s advice for the current generation of high school students is, “Sometimes you just need to pause.” He voices how we often take for granted the important things that make a difference in our lives every day and how, without a pause, we would never appreciate them. Lastly, he believes it is important to believe in yourself, keep moving forward, never lose sight of your goal, and eventually the dots of life that once seemed so chaotic will connect.
8. November 11 - Junior Chesed Day (Veterans Day) 9. November 12-14 - Junior Seminar 10. November 14 - 25-Year Reunion - Class of 1995 11. November 15 - Progress Report Notification / Freshman Ice Skating Trip 12. November 16 - Sophomore Self-Discovery Day 13. November 17 - Parent-Teacher Conferences 14. Ms. Chabot classes every Wednesday at 4:30 15. Mishmar - every Thursday
High School Administration Rabbi Joseph Beyda, Head of School Ms. Esther Hidary, Associate Principal Rabbi Yigal Sklarin, Associate Principal Rabbi David Galpert, Assistant Principal
Hebrew curriculum Yerushalmi exam gets an overhaul discontinued By Nicole Muravsky
taught last year, titled כשהכל יגמר, was written in response to the pandemic, Editor-in-Chief asking what will life be like after months The Hebrew Curriculum has been of isolation and immense longing for changed from the Yerushalmi curricu- others. The curriculum for seniors is entirely lum to a new curriculum developed by different from what the other grades are the Hebrew department. The main focus of the updated cur- learning. The seniors are exploring tefilriculum is language acquisition through lah, learning the language of the siddur reading, writing, discussions, and com- so that their tefillah will be more meanprehension. The goal is to have students ingful as their command of the language better able to carry on conversations in expands. Rabbi Beyda explained that the readay-to-day language. To bring this about, son this approach is being taken only grammar books will be administered to with seniors is that the topics being covthe ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders. As a supplement to focusing on lan- ered require a higher level of maturity guage, the three grades will also learn and are experimental at this point. He new Hebrew literature pieces, in addition emphasized, “Religious growth is a high to some that were used in previous years. priority. Twelfth graders are moving “The same way that our students onto the next stage in life, and [undergraduate having learned Shakespeare, standing] the Siddur is crucial to living there are important Jewish writers that a Jewish life.” Moreover, Rabbi Beyda wants to raise all students should know, such as Bialik, Agnon, Peretz, etc. Some of our literature students’ bilingual confidence. He exwill remain the same, but there have also plained, “We want to teach the students been a lot of additions,” explained Mrs. how to use Hebrew skills to pray better and for each of them to realize and think, Winkler. The freshmen will be learning works ‘I have Hebrew skills.’ Some students that focus on the theme of responsibility believe that their Hebrew isn’t so great. to one’s family, community, and [Learning about tefillah] will be a conficommitment to one’s values. The dence builder through practice.” Flatbush’s adaptability and flexibilsophomores will cover literature discussing the Aliyot and the pioneers ity to changing the curriculum reflects who came to Israel during the late 19th how the school listens to its students’ century until the founding of Israel in opinions. On top of the primary reason 1948. In addition, they will gain an in- that the Yerushalmi exam ended, Rabbi depth understanding of what it means Beyda explained how student input also to build a country from a barren land. brought about the curriculum change. The juniors’ material will concentrate on One student in particular, senior Alan the time period between 1948 and 1973, Shamah, was so adamant about the curdiscussing what it meant for the psyche of riculum needing to be changed that he the Jews to have fought four wars during set forth to reform the Hebrew curricua short period of time immediately after lum as one of the main items of his election platform for SGO. He worked hard gaining independence. On top of poems, songs, and literary on a formal proposal titled “An Appeal to pieces from the 20th century, students Reform the Hebrew Curriculum” detailwill be learning works from the 21st cen- ing the faults of the previous curriculum tury, including some poems from Rabbi and various possible curriculum options and ways to resolve the issues with the Eliach Z”L. In addition, songs are an important previous curriculum. Many of his ideas part of the curriculum, including mod- have been implemented. ern Israeli songs. For example, a song
Crackdown on attendance comes a year late continued from page 1
wasn’t “vastly widespread.” But interviews of dozens of students involved in the fraud reveal the frequency of fraud-related incidents. Those students acted with impunity. The System Confusion about the use of scan-in attendance was widespread. Students held differing views of its use case. Some maintained that its use was purely for daily attendance. Others thought that it was used for minyan attendance. But even for those who understood scanin timestamps as a means of gauging missed minyans, there was a wide spectrum of views. Numerous students all understood the purpose of scan-in attendance differently. Some believed it was just for daily attendance, others believed it counted for “missed minyans,” others believed it
confirmed minyan attendance and could change it. But what was understood was that scanning in early had shielded dozens from missed minyans, and it had worked for months. According to Rabbi Dushey, who supervises daily attendance, scan-in times are used for daily attendance but are still cross-checked with minyan attendance, taken by minyan mentors, to maintain accuracy. Only if minyan mentors don’t take attendance, which is rare, the timestamped scan-in times are used directly for minyan attendance. The Fraud Even with the cross-check embedded in the system, dozens of students cited instances in which they bypassed the system. Arriving after the late cutoff time of 7:40, students had their QR
By Alison Mudick
The Jerusalem exam, an international Judaic studies test, is no longer an option for seniors to take. The exam, also known as the Yerushalmi, consists of Tanakh, Navi, Hebrew grammar, literature, and some Jewish history questions. The annual exam was sponsored by Hebrew University and administered by the World Zionist organization. It’s been offered to high school seniors since 1975 and was abruptly discontinued without explanation. According to Ms. Schulman, who taught seniors Hebrew in the past, the test has been canceled because “it wasn’t so popular anymore.” She stated, “The material is very heavy and different from the modern Hebrew language today. It costs money for the organization to operate, and it’s just not worth it anymore.” Students in the past received up to 12 college credits for taking the Yerushalmi. Ms. Theil, a veteran Hebrew teacher with over 20 years at Flatbush, lamented the end of the exam, stating, “It’s the end of an era. For 40 years, our students took the Yerushalmi and did tremendous[ly well] on the test, and saved a lot of college credits… [For] every other AP you needed a 4 or 5 to get credits; in the Yerushalmi, if you get a 75 or 80, you still get some credits.” Ms. Schulman thought that the exam material was more about the culture of the Jews and didn’t help teach the seniors the Hebrew language. She said, “You’re getting these terms that were nice and poetic, but it was written almost 100 years ago so it’s not surveying the purpose of learning current Hebrew. It is really teaching you the culture of being Jewish and it’s beautiful.” On the other hand, Mrs. Theil argued that the content was significant for students to learn. She expressed, “Part of the literature, I think, should still be taught, especially the golden age of Spain. Our
students are missing out on an era that was a tremendous contribution to Jewish literature.” The Yerushalmi was given during the first semester of senior year. It included the material from all four years of high school. Four days before the exam, the Hebrew Department ran a “marathon,” reviewing all of the material that was taught through all of the years prior. Originally offered only to the honors classes, the exam grew to include all classes. Last year about 33% of Flatbush seniors took the exam. Many seniors are upset about the Yerushalmi exam not being a choice for them to take. Senior Esther Mizrachi explained, “I think that it gives people an opportunity to add to their application. I feel like it’s been given every year before us and all of a sudden we’re just not allowed to have it. It just doesn’t seem right.” Another senior, Rebecca Dweck, added, “I don’t get credits for any of my Hebrew studies, and I felt like the Yerushalmi would’ve been a great way to get college recognition for my Hebrew studies.” Others see potential in the demise of the exam. Elie Esses, SGO President, said, “Although many students may view the Yerushalmi as an easy way to get college credits, I feel like it also limits the potential of the Hebrew department. When the teachers are forced to teach for a specific test using obscure stories, it disengages students and takes away from the importance of learning our holy language.” SGO Vice President Alan Shamah also had a similar outlook: “While the Yerushalmi being taken away this year disadvantages the seniors—because we learned the majority of the material on the exam and could have received credits—the removal of the outdated irrelevant-to-high-schoolers exam opens up an opportunity of reshaping our Hebrew department and proceeding to teach future classes the Hebrew language before Hebrew literature.”
codes scanned earlier by other students already in school. And despite minyan attendance, few were ever cited for missing minyans. One senior who wished to remain anonymous told The Phoenix that he came to school every day at about 8:00, long after the cut-off time for being late, but got scanned in before 7:40. “And I never got any missed minyans,” he explained. Another student, who also requested anonymity, described his daily routine, “I would set my alarm clock 10-15 minutes before I would be marked late.” Filling out the health questionnaire, this students would send the generated QR code to the class chat, where “normally there’d be 3-6 people sending their barcodes as well but only 1-2 people who would scan for us. Usually, people who scanned for us would take a max of 3 scans.” Students reported observing troves of individualized QR codes flood class chats between 7:30 and 7:40. These “micro scans” of individuals scanning in a few others was the most common technique, but other students
scanned in others on a larger scale. These so-called “super scanners” scanned up to 30 students in one day. One “super scanner” who asked to remain anonymous estimates that up to 70% of the senior grade scanned in before their actual time of arrival last year. The Response Administrators admitted that fraud was occurring. Rabbi Galpert said, “Maybe students weren’t aware that we were aware like this year, but we were.” Yet, no student interviewed by for this article was reprimanded until this year. Meanwhile, the system was inherently flawed. “We’re using [the Ruvna system] for different purposes from what they originally intended,” Rabbi Galpert admitted. After last month’s crackdown, attendance fraud essentially died out. Increased vigilance by the administration, cited by Rabbi Beyda, appears to have worked. Chats appear less crowded with students’ QR codes, and few students admit to fraud. “They figured it out eventually,” said one student, “but it took them a year.”
School News Editor
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Millions quit their jobs, D’var Torah: a record for one month Akedat Yitzhak: Lekh Lekha #2 By Ronnie Mizrachi Religion Editor
Businesses nationwide are struggling to fill positions
By Sabrina Zami World News Editor
More Americans quit their jobs in August than ever before, government officials said. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, which reports how many jobs have opened up, how many people quit, are hired, or were laid off per month, reported 4.3 million quits, the highest number ever in August. The effects were felt particularly in the retail, food service, and healthcare industries. This is a 242,000 person jump from July, or a 0.2% increase, in the quit rate of the workforce. In addition, the hiring rate slowed considerably; in July, there were 1.1 million open jobs in the country, which dropped to 10.4 million in August. What are the reasons for these trends? There are many answers to that question. Some people had to quit due to concerns over the pandemic. Many also felt overworked and underappreciated. There were people who reconsidered
their entire career during the pandemic. Maybe they wanted to continue to work from home. Perhaps they felt like they were not trusted. Or that they could get a much better job elsewhere. But all of this leads to one main reason: people have options. The 10.4 million vacant jobs in the country represent a drop from July, but it is still a considerable number of opportunities for anyone looking for a better job. If people are dissatisfied with elements of their current job, they don’t have to suck it up and stay for fear of not finding a new job; there are plenty to choose from. Many companies have begun to find it hard to keep employees and fill vacant positions. Some have been successful by raising pay, but so many companies are competing for the same people that there may not be enough employees to fill positions. This can be detrimental to these companies and to the economy, but also possibly beneficial to the millions of people who are unemployed and can quickly fill these empty positions.
Flatbush remembers Rabbi Eliach continued from page 1
started תכנית י״ג, which is the program to send students to Israel for the year. The main values that Rabbi Eliach embraced and spread throughout the school were Torah, Eretz Yisrael, Ahavat Israel, and the significance of בין אדם לחברו. In addition to teaching students, Rabbi Eliach assisted teachers as well. Rabbi Beyda explained, “Rabbi Eliach worked with countless teachers in their formative years as educators; his influence and impact upon our school will be felt for generations to come.” This practice continued long after Rabbi Eliach’s official retirement, and many current Flatbush teachers enjoyed learning from him in the school library during his weekly visits. One of those teachers was Ms. Zaltzman. She shared, “I had the privilege and great honor to be mentored by Rabbi Eliach for close to 10 years. His advice and guidance on education matters, Torah lessons, and life in general is priceless and will continue to impact me as a teacher and as a person always.” Tanakh teacher Ms. Rosenbaum remembers teaching at Flatbush when Rabbi Eliach was principal. “Something I will never forget about Rabbi Eliach is
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that he always backed up the teachers when it came to situations with students. This is something that rarely exists between administrators and teachers anywhere else,” she shared. Moreover, because of his love for Israel and love for the Hebrew language, Yeshivah of Flatbush is one of the most actively Zionistic schools in the United States. The impact that Rabbi Eliach left on not only Yeshivah of Flatbush but the entire world is indescribable. Rabbi Eliach loved the Torah to his fullest and would study Torah regularly, even during the last days of his life at the age of 99. “We have much to learn from Rabbi Eliach’s life, ” shared Math department chair Ms. Shulman. “Rabbi Eliach did so much to improve this world. The day each of us was born was the day that Hashem declared that the world needs us in this world. You don’t need to do what Rabbi Eliach did; you need to do what YOU can in your way to make our world a better place. Choose what works for you and make your impact on this world. You can start with small steps. The sum of all these impactful small acts can yield great results. Learn from Rabbi Eliach; make a difference!”
At perhaps the most significant, early stage of Abraham’s life, G-d commands him to leave his homeland and his father’s house, and to follow Him to an unknown land, where He would bless Abraham, assist in his legacy, and make his name great: “ּומ ֵבית ִ ּומּמֹולַ ְד ְתָך ִ לְ ָך ֵמ ַא ְרצְ ָך-לֶ ְך לְ גֹוי, וְ ֶא ֶע ְשָך. ָ ֲא ֶשר ַא ְר ֶאך,ה ָא ֶרץ-ל ָ ֶא,ָא ִביָך ְב ָרכָ ה, וַ ֲאגַ ְדלָ ה ְש ֶמָך; וֶ ְהיֵ ה, וַ ֲא ָב ֶרכְ ָך,גָ דֹול.” Placing his faith in God without much hesitation, Abraham followed Him to Canaan, where he and Sarah would eventually raise Yitzhak and birth the Israelite nation. Toward the end of Abraham’s life, God commands him with another “לך לך,” though He does not promise Abraham a legacy, a name, or any of the great things in the beginning of Parashat Lekh Lekha. Instead, Abraham is commanded to travel to the land of Moriah (a curious name that might indicate the word להראות, to show, much like G-d “showed” Abraham the path to Canaan: “)”אשר אראך, to offer his beloved son Yitzhak as a sacrifice to God: “-יְ ִח ְידָך ֲא ֶשר-בנְ ָך ֶאת-ת ִ נָ א ֶא-ַקח
א ֶרץ-ל ֶ ֶא,לְ ָך- וְ לֶ ְך,יִ צְ ָחק- ֶאת,ָא ַה ְב ָת ַעל ַא ַחד, לְ עֹלָ ה,ַהמ ִֹריָ ה; וְ ַה ֲעלֵ הּו ָשם ֲא ֶשר א ַֹמר ֵאלֶ יָך,ה ָה ִרים.ֶ ”. While this “-לך ”לךcommand similarly demands a certain degree of blind faith in God from Abraham, it threatened to undermine Abraham’s entire life mission in pursuing justice and righteousness, צדקה ומשפט, which would be perpetuated by his only son. It was for this reason that the text contextualizes G-d’s command as a test: “א ְב ָר ָהם-ת ַ נִ ָסה ֶא,ֹלהים ִ וְ ָה ֱא.” To ensure that Abraham and his descendants would serve as the ideal representatives of G-d’s will for humanity, G-d tested Abraham once more to ensure his complete and unwavering commitment to His will, even if it meant sacrificing what he valued most: his legacy. And Abraham, despite the possibility of losing everything, committed himself to G-d (much like how he had faith in G-d when he left his home and his family to Canaan), because he knew that G-d’s command carried the utmost significance in his life. May we strive to place as much trust as we can in G-d and in His will, just as Abraham did.
State and city leaders show support continued from page 1
injuries were reported from the incident, and the school suffered no damage. Both the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force and the state’s hate crimes unit investigated, and on Sunday the NYPD announced the arrest of Sharee Jones, 39, who is facing both reckless endangerment as a hate crime and fifth-degree arson charges. The day after the incident, as news organizations reported what happened, Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed his support through Twitter saying, “An attack on one of our yeshivas is an attack on all New Yorkers, and we WILL bring this person to justice. If you have any information on who perpetrated this vile act against our Jewish brothers and sisters, please contact the NYPD.” Eric Adams, a candidate to succeed de Blasio as mayor, tweeted, “What a despicable and vile act—and outside of a school, no less. We must find the person responsible for this hate crime and immediately bring her to justice.” Governor Kathy Hochul expressed, “These cowardly acts of hate have no home here.” New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea visited the Yeshivah of Flatbush with several police officials on the morning of Sunday, October 17th,
meeting with Rabbi Beyda and walking with him down Avenue J. As part of his visit, Shea announced that the suspect had been found and detained. According to CNN, anti-Semetic crimes have increased by 37% since 2020, and there have been several recent incidents of violence in Brooklyn. Given the uptick of this frightening statistic, many Jews in New York City — as well as throughout the country — are feeling uneasy and nervous. Many people in the Flatbush family were thankful for the public support from so many of those in power this past week. “We appreciate the support of our police department and elected officials,” Rabbi Galpert said.
The fire was extinguished quickly
Entertainment 007 Finally Retires in No Time to Die By Belle Shatzkes Contributing Writer
Bond. James Bond. Everyone knows the name. He’s the secret agent who defines the terms “spy,” “assassin,” and “womanizer.” The man who sits behind the wheel of the Aston Martin as he rushes to save the world. The British action hero who works for the Secret Intelligence Service, more commonly known as MI6. The name that has made a movie franchise $8 billion over the course of 25 movies and six actors. James Bond is an icon. A book-turned-movie action hero that every little boy aspires to be. He gets the job done every time, and he makes sure he looks good while doing it. Every Bond has a stylish outfit and a snazzy haircut. No matter who the actor was, every Bond character was unique and alike in so many ways. Unfortunately, it seems as though Agent 007 is retiring from the movies. No Time to Die looks like it’s bringing the end to the blockbuster franchise; however, James Bond will never be forgotten. Let’s go over all six actors who had the honor of playing the witty spy over the 59 years of the franchise. Of all the Bond boys, Sean Connery is regarded as the most famous. He starred as the hero in seven movies, including the first five. He was the actor who turned the bad-boy killer into the memorable hero. And although his portrayal of Bond is one that would be frowned upon in our time, the audiences back in the ’60s loved his adventures and exploits that are still watched today. George Lazenby starred in only one official movie, and critics regarded it as one of the lesser movies, but fans loved the way Lazenby’s dark version of Bond remained true author Ian Fleming’s original book character. Lazenby portrayed Bond in many unofficial 007 roles and parodies as well. Roger Moore then took the role for
seven movies. He is the longest serving and oldest Bond actor. He is often compared to Connery, but his humor sets him apart from Connery’s determined and focused character. Moore is commonly regarded as the farthest removed from Fleming’s original book character. Timothy Dalton then played Bond for two consecutive movies. His Bond was a big change from Moore’s lighthearted one; Dalton’s was darker and grimmer. It was a more realistic Bond. Critics welcomed the switch, but fans who had grown up on Moore’s portrayal didn’t love it as much. Pierce Brosnan’s character gained much critical and fan praise. He starred in four movies. His Bond yielded the highest grossing movie up until that time. His Bond also has the highest kill count. Brosnan played the spy well, with his charm, wit, and emotionless, carefree adventures. Daniel Craig is the most recent Bond. He stuck with the character until the end in No Time to Die, which is said to be the last James Bond movie going forward. After a five-film run, Craig is retiring from the iconic role that he helped shape into the current Bond character. Craig’s serious adaptation was a fan favorite. Also, in No Time to Die, he reverses Connery’s playboy scoundrel into a relatable, heroic role model for teenagers and adults everywhere. So is this really the end of James Bond? With Craig’s last performance, it seems to be the agent’s final bow. Looking forward, there seems to be no way to bring the character back from where Craig left him. However, who’s to say another person won’t take over and perform a movie that takes place before Craig’s time? Perhaps we may get an origin movie. Or perhaps we might find a movie set in between two others, where we may get more adventures and escapades. One thing’s for certain: however the rest of Bond’s story turns out, he will never be forgotten.
T-Swift re-records albums By Jenna Ashkenazie Entertainment Editor
Taylor Swift is back again. After she left her label, Big Machine Records, Scooter Braun—an investor, record executive, and manager to many wellknown celebrities such as Justin Beiber— bought the masters of the five albums Swift recorded at the label. After months of back and forth, Swift announced that she would be re-recording all of her old albums and releasing the new versions to the public, and will retain the masters, restoring her power over her own music. Her contract with her new label, Republic Records, gives her the rights to all her new music as well. In April, she re-recorded and re-released her album Fearless, now dubbed Fearless Taylor’s Version. She has also re-recorded her 2012 album, Red, and is set to release it on November 12. The release date may come as a shock
to many fans due to the fact that it was previously set for November 19. While many are confused as to why Swift moved up the release date, some believe that it has to do with the release of Adele’s upcoming album, 30. With many billboards flashing the number 30 and all Adele’s social media profiles posting a matching 30, fans believe that Adele will be releasing her album soon. And with the release of the album’s first single, “Easy on Me,” on October 15, fans are convinced that Adele will be releasing her album mid-November. Adele and Swift are known to be good friends, and Adele attended one of Swift’s concerts in 2018. Coupled with the change to Swift’s release date, fans have been speculating that Swift moved up the release date for Red to avoid competing directly with her good friend Adele. Regardless of the reason, Swift continues to delight her fans and take back control of her music, one album at a time.
Broadway is back!
“Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda outside the theater shortly before showtime
By Marcelle Setton Entertainment Editor
Broadway reopened in June after its year-and-a-half hiatus because of the pandemic, and fans are ecstatic. In addition to the return of shows from before the pandemic, several new Broadway shows are opening, such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Diana, Girl From the North Country, The Music Man, and MJ the Musical. Even Beetlejuice is coming back, despite an announcement in June of 2020 that it was closing. In the near future, we’re expecting revivals of Funny Girl and Company. Tempering the excitement are new
COVID-19 protocols designed to keep audiences safe. To see a Broadway show, you have to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask, but if you aren’t vaccinated, there are some alternatives. You can show the results of either a rapid test that was taken within six hours before showtime or a PCR test that was taken within 72 hours before showtime. Even with all the safety protocols, Broadway’s Aladdin managed to shut down the day after opening night because several cast members tested positive for the virus. The show reopened shortly after the incident to deliver a very welcome performance to its eager fans.
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Fun & Games Ask Merle
Dear Merle, What do I do if I see my teacher in public? Do I say hi? Do I run away? Do I hide behind a bush and take a picture? It’s like seeing a celebrity that you’re not even a fan of, but you just want to let everyone know that you saw them so that you can get clout. Sincerely, Deeply Troubled Student
Dear Deeply Troubled, Don’t be troubled. It’s a story to tell. Be as bold and uncomfortable as you’d like. Taking sneaky pictures is a no-no, so just walk up and see if you can get a one-onone photo for the grade chat. Hey, maybe you’ll even make it in the yearbook. Keep me posted. Best of luck, Merle
Dear Merle, What do you think of the new James Bond movie, No Time to Die? Signed, Smith, Joe Smith Hey Joe, Heads up! Maybe you should turn back to page 5 of this issue. I know you probably didn’t know about that when you asked this question, but gosh! That’s pretty disrespectful considering the Phoenix editors spend serious time and conduct legitimate research to write their articles. And for me to just come up with a whole review for people to read on a different page would be a pretty sneaky move. So, I see what you’re doing. Trying to get editors to turn on each other. Well, that’s not gonna work on me. To you, I’d recommend the movie Fast and Furious (the fifth one, of course). That’ll teach you something about turning your back on family! Warmest wishes, Merle
of broken telephone. What there really is on the roof is a yoga resort. The school needed to make some extra money a couple of years back to pay for all of the new water fountains around the building. It still functions and I have intel that certain teachers go up there to let off steam after teaching back-to-back periods. That’s why some teachers e-mail the class at the very last minute to say that they’re going to be absent for your period, even though you saw them in the hallway earlier that day. That’s also why the school is so cold every day. They need to let all the steam release from the
roof for their hot meditation sessions. If you get a chance, you should check it out. With love, Merle
Phoenix Cartoon
By Tyler Davidovich
Hey Merle, Is there actually a tennis court on the roof? From, Me Dear Me, Is that short for Megan? I sincerely apologize that you’ve been completely misled. The thing about rumors is that they’re always getting swung out of proportion, straying off from the original message. It ends up like a game
Flatbush Progress Report By Joyce Louz
Fun & Games Editor
High Maintenance • Crawford’s cookies with ice cream • The new ping-pong table • Our new computers in the graphic design room • Having a two-floor library in school
• • • • •
• Gym walks • Chock bagels • The NYT crosswords available in the library • Having a 7/11 next door to school • Señora Birman’s birthday brownies • The Phoenix Fun & Games section
F
A+
• Having barcode scanners to catch you when you’re late • Crawford’s prices • Overpopulation • College Board School’s free lunch Those yellow masks by security Periods going back to 45 minutes long Not having Jus salads anymore Lockers in the basement
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Standard of Fabulous Raid your parents’ closet The resurgence of the ’80s By Jennifer Neuman Fashion Editor
As they often do, old fads and brands are making a global resurgence, rising from their graves to take over the fashion industry once again. One of these comeback brands is Champion, the athletic apparel company whose boxy sweatshirts were icons of the 1980s. Now, Champion apparel is being sold for more than double the price of what it once was. Even at our own school, students can be seen sporting different colored and styled Champion hoodies. And they’re not hard to find in stores: Champion is being sold in a bunch of retail department stores like Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom, and Macy’s. Other ’80s brands that are spreading through Flatbush’s Student Commons and the shelves of department stores include Fila and Stussy, whose hoodies and sweatshirts are most popular amongst teens.
Along with these specific brands, more general trends are on the rebound as well. Thick hair scrunchies are becoming an essential accessory for women today, whether they’re wearing it in their hair or on their wrist. Following the scrunchies is neon-colored apparel. These neon colored clothing are becoming so popular, some retail companies, like Zara and Forever 21, have even come out with neon collections, which feature assortments of different kinds of brightly dyed clothing. And speaking of dye, tie-dyed clothing and accessories have been hot for over a year as well. Now, even designer brands like Off-White, Gucci, and Palm Angels want in on a piece of the tie-dye trend, coming out with tie-dye tees and sweaters for men and women. So, you may want to run over to your parents’ closet because you might just find an old piece of clothing that you should wear!
Teenagers spending more on clothes By Michelle Belenkiy Contributing Writer
Shopping for clothes is one of the most addictive pastimes of many U.S citizens. It’s easy to understand why! The shiny bags. The thrill of getting new clothes. The anticipation of friends’ reactions. The feeling of spending money on something for yourself. Shopping is known to lift your mood and lower stress levels. With the stress of school, an incredibly competitive college admissions process, and the challenges of mental health
in the age of social media, it’s no wonder teenagers have turned to shopping en masse to relieve the stress. However, they may be overdoing it. In fact, new data shows that teenagers spend a lot—even most—of their money on clothing. According to data compiled by the Wall Street Journal, teenagers’ self-spending is upward of $2,000 dollars per person just within the clothing and beauty industry. That number represents 22% of teens’ total spending, or wallet share. This makes clothing the number-one expense for teenagers, ousting food for the first time since 2014.
Trend Forecast:
Wired headphones are the new vintage accessory By Grace Hidary Fashion Editor
Wired headphones are making a comeback this year as a new vintage accessory to people’s everyday wardrobe. While Apple creates new and more advanced technology each year, it’s surprising that there’s an interest in older inventions. In 2019, Vogue Magazine published an article about Bella Hadid trying to bring back wired headphones. The response to the article had a lot of backlash, and Vogue was widely satirized for it. However, two years later, there is evidence today that girls are replacing their airpods for the older, wired headphones. Gen Z is a generation who grew up with technology and social media. Nowadays, people try to make everything they do look aesthetically pleasing on their accounts; one type of aesthetic is being loose and carefree. People like looking like they don’t care about anything. Wearing wired earbuds shows that you don’t care about the new, expensive, or nicest “next thing”; it shows people that you prefer the simpler things in life. Buying wired earbuds is similar to how Gen Z is buying more vinyl than millennials do. From the 2010s, vinyl records began being considered cool and aesthetic, just like wired headphones today. Things related to music, like vinyl and earbuds, are making a comeback
Only 8% of teenage shopping time is allocated to second-hand buying. Even with the rise of thrift store popularity and sustainability trends, teenagers prefer shopping at retail brands. Nike is the most popular apparel brand among them. Amazon has also become a fan favorite for clothing by more than 51% of teens. It’s not all about clothing, either. As many fervent shoppers know, accessories make or break an outfit. The right shoes or bag can help style up or down an article of clothing, transforming outfits in a blink of an eye. It should be no surprise that as apparel shopping increased, so has accessory shopping. Handbag and footwear spending have both gone up by 10% to match the increase in clothing bought. Of course, the beauty industry, being a billion-dollar industry, has also been popular in teenage shopping. For example, hair care shopping has increased by 8%. Fragrances/perfumes have also seen a 14% increase in sales. Ulta, a wellknown beauty brand, has gained four hundred BPS (basis point, or one-hun
because they have a major impact on the “look” teenagers hope to achieve. In 2014, Rihanna was seen using a flip phone, which was unusual even at that time. Even so, many people got excited about it because people love when they can relate to celebrities. Most people don’t enjoy spending their money on expensive phones, so seeing Rihanna, a billionaire, using an old phone makes people feel connected to her. Therefore, when celebrities are photographed wearing earbuds or wired headphones it makes people have the urge to buy them also.
dredth of a percent) share. To shop extensively, teenagers need funds, and have slowly been amassing them for themselves. For example, 38% of teenagers hold a part-time job, and 9% of teenagers claim to have traded cryptocurrency. The money earned by these teenagers supports many industries, but the fashion industry is on top.
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Sports Vaccine mandate affects Boys varsity basketball athletes, team rosters team heading to L.A. By Isaac Dweck Junior Editor
After a school year without a single league game for any Flatbush sports team due to Covid restrictions, yeshiva league sports are finally back, but some Flatbush athletes won’t be rejoining their teams thanks to a league-wide vaccine mandate. The Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Athletic League (MYSHAL) has issued a requirement that all students who want to participate on a sports team must be vaccinated. Since most Flatbush students are unvaccinated, this news was not taken lightly. Some student athletes have gotten vaccinated just to play; others have quit playing the sports they love in order to avoid vaccination. The school has 28 sports teams, and in a typical year almost half of the Flatbush student body is on at least one team. But only about 22% of Flatbush students have submitted proof of full vaccination so far, according to Assistant Principal Rabbi Galpert. Director of Athletics Mr. Barry Neuberger doesn’t think there is reason to worry. Mr. Neuberger acknowledged the possibility that a team might not have enough vaccinated players to fill a roster. In that case, he responded, “we just won’t be able to have a team. Anyone who wants to play must be vaccinated, and it is my job to enforce the rules the administration has given me.” However, when asked if he is concerned about this possibility, Mr. Neuberger responded with one simple word: “No.” Many student athletes are not very
fond of the vaccine mandate and are choosing to give up the sports they love instead of getting vaccinated. Senior Esther Mizrachi is one of these students. Mizrachi is a dedicated student and athlete who has participated on the basketball team, the soccer team, and the track and field team. But not this year. “The league’s vaccine mandate is the reason that I am not playing on any of these teams or trying out for any new ones,” she explained. “I feel that the league should offer an alternative, maybe like wearing a mask [while playing] or testing prior to a game. Something along those lines. I don’t think it’s fair to say vaccinate or not. It isn’t fair in the sense that some athletes have [had to give up] a part of Flatbush that they looked forward to while coming to this school.” Another athlete affected by MYSHAL’s vaccine mandate is junior Sammy Weinwurzel. A star of both the baseball and softball teams, Weinwurzelis known for his contagious love for sports. When asked if the league’s mandate is preventing him from playing sports, he answered, “It’s just sad that we’re forced to stop being athletes and representing this school if we aren’t comfortable with the vaccine. It just doesn’t seem fair to me at all.” At the same time, MYSHAL’s mandate has prompted some students to get vaccinated just so that they can play. Junior Yitzhak Kroub, a member of both the basketball and softball teams, explained, “I got vaccinated because I had to. I love playing basketball and wasn’t willing to give up the sport over not get-
By Michelle Baum Contributing Writer
The Flatbush Falcon boys’ varsity basketball team is once again flying out to Los Angeles for the annual Steve Glouberman A”H Basketball Tournament, hosted by Shalhevet High School on November 3. They’ll be playing against teams from around the United States, including HAFTR, Frisch, YULA, Berman Academy, Ramaz, Hebrew Academy Miami, and TABC. “It is one of the most prestigious high school events in the country,” Flatbush’s new athletic director, Mr. Neuberger continued. Falcons players will be staying in Shalhevet families’ homes for a shabbaton, a perfect time for the players to grow ting vaccinated.” Additionally, vaccinated students who may not have been selected for teams otherwise will now have new opportunities to play for teams and fill the void of the unvaccinated players.
closer as a team and get to know athletes from the other schools. Yitzchak Kroub, a junior on the team remarked, “I’m psyched to go to L.A. and chill with my boys.” The Flatbush team attended the tournament last year as well, but that tournament was held late in the school year due to Covid. Mr. Neuberger highlighted the opportune timing of this year’s tournament, explaining, “A tournament like this, that happens before the league play begins, is extremely helpful to the coaching staff. We definitely want to win the tournament, but the ultimate goal is to be fully prepared for league play whenever that starts. Our coaches have to balance what they learn about their team during that week and what they need to do to improve.”
It will be interesting to see how Flatbush teams fare as the regular season approaches and whether or not the MYSHAL’s vaccine mandate will have an impact on the performance of different teams.
Sportsman Spotlight:
Jake Laniado brings passion to four varsity sports By Shirley Jajati Contributing Writer
Senior Jake Laniado is on multiple sports teams, including the floor hockey, ice hockey, baseball, and football teams, and still manages his school work and other clubs’ commitments. Instead of viewing sports typically as a stress-reducing, fun activity, Laniado is known to take sports very seriously. He believes that sports teams aren’t like other extracurriculars; they require a much greater obligation to his teammates and the school. “My team is always pushing me to be a better player. We aren’t just there to have fun. We take our games seriously, for our school and for us. We represent our school and play with heart and motivation, because we know that they’re counting on us,” Laniado explained. Having your school depend on you
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and your team to win games is a lot of pressure that Laniado handles head on. He does his best to do everything in his power to be prepared for all his games; he’s almost always practicing, and the night before a big game he goes into fullon game mode. “Game day is something special to me, and to prepare, I go into full focus, eat lighter, and try to preserve my energy a little more during the day.” Laniado admits that the hardest challenge he faces is getting up in the morning after a tough loss the night before. But no matter how many games the team loses, Laniado and his team keep getting back up again. “After every game, even if we win, my teammates and I will analyze our mistakes and focus on getting better,” he says. Laniado practices multiple times a week with great effort and determination. He mentioned NFL star Tom Brady
as a role model, “because of the way he leads his team and because of his passion to play the game he loves.” Playing on a sports team, with so much pressure to win every game, could
take away the fun and love the players have for the game, but just like Tom Brady, Laniado won’t ever stop doing what he does and loving the sports he plays.