The Phoenix 2017-2018 Issue 1

A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Vol 52, Issue 1 • September 2017 / 5778

Freshmen, Sophomores Get Chromebooks iPads Getting Phased Out

By Danielle Ohana Senior Editor

After five years of distributing iPads to students for use in the classroom, Yeshivah of Flatbush has begun transitioning to Chromebooks this year, with the entire 9th and 10 th grades receiving the new machines.

Students and select faculty members each have received their own Chromebook device as a technological tool for classroom use. Both students and faculty members underwent training, guided mainly by Rabbi Kramer and Ms. Lamm, to help them adapt to this technological change.

Rabbi Kramer and Ms. Lamm continue to educate teachers and students about the Chromebooks and how to best use them.

Rabbi Kramer explained, “I have begun (and continue to) meet with teachers and demonstrate to them the advantages of using Google Docs, Slides, and Classroom along with other effective tools that both draw students in and can be used to further a certain amount of indepen-

dent study before, during, and after class. We want students to become lifelong learners and that is best achieved by helping them discover both information as well as ideas on their own—guided by the teacher.”

Ms. Lamm said there were many reasons for the change from iPads to Chromebooks.

“Chromebooks have the potential to be a lot more powerful in terms of maximizing technology in the classroom. Having a keyboard makes it easier to manipulate. They are a lot more durable and stay charged for longer, which is an advantage as well,” she explained.

So why did the school introduce iPads at all, instead of going straight to Chromebooks five years ago? “Google Drive and Gmail are naturally integrated to the Chromebooks, so students will be able to save their work and share with each other and teachers easily. This was not possible when we started with iPads—Google was not ready then,” Rabbi Kramer said.

The power and flexibility of the

Freshmen work on their Chromebooks in Rabbi Safdieh’s class

Chromebooks are especially beneficial in coding classes, which Flatbush did not offer until this year.

Reactions from students and faculty regarding this change have been mostly positive. The freshmen say they are pleased to work with the Chromebooks, as opposed to refurbished iPads, since they’re faster and more up-to- date devices. Freshman Eden Yehoshua said, “Most of the kids in my class use the

Chromebooks and are happy with them.

My teachers sound enthusiastic about the laptops. They use them for Google Classroom and Google Docs.”

Many teachers are happy about this change as well, according to Ms. Lamm.

“The teachers I worked with are really excited about it,” Ms. Lamm said. “Most teachers are really excited to learn new things. They are committed to making

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New Bell Schedule Gets New Commission Will Pitch Startup to MIT Mixed Reviews

By Dorette Dayan School News Editor

Yeshivah of Flatbush students and faculty members have had both positive and negative reactions to this year’s new bell schedule.

Both students and teachers have raved about the later minyan. Senior Joseph Aini explains, “It allows for the students to wake up later and start their morning on a better note, which carries through the whole day.” Junior Ruthie Soffer solidified this statement by adding, “Class now starts at 8:30, which is better because I can actually concentrate on my work and be able to retain the information I learned.”

The teachers have noticed this behavioral change as well. Ms. Shulman, the chair of the Mathematics Department, stated, “I think the later start of the day

In This Issue

Religion: Yom Kippur, with apologies to Justin Bieber Page 3

really works very well for the students and for the teachers. I think that even if it sounds like it’s only a few-minute difference, that little bit in the morning just makes a very big difference for the students. And I see very refreshed students in the morning, and people are excited to learn, because they feel that the administration understands them and changed the schedule to accommodate them.”

In addition to coming to school later in the morning, students also enjoy ending the school day earlier. Junior Mazal Zebak said, “I appreciate the fact that we have 20 extra minutes at home in the morning, along with the 15-minutes-early dismissal that allows for useful extra free time.” However, in contrast, several freshmen shared their grievances about the long school day. Compared to the 8 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. schedule they had in el-

By Monique Abrahamson

Entertainment: Three must-see movies Page 5

Fashion: Weird eyebrows make waves Page 7

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School News Editor

Claire Lessler, a senior in class 4-HR, has organized a new commission for this year called MIT Launch, where students can use coding and engineering to create a startup that will eventually be pitched to a panel of judges at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Lessler explained that this commission, which is funded by MIT, is “a cool, fun, and innovative way to code outside the classroom,” and will be an effective outlet for students who know how to code and want to make use of their abilities. The commission will not only allow students to showcase their coding and entrepreneurial skills, but also it will help students develop their abilities.

By the end of the year, the commission will pitch their idea to a panel of judges

at MIT, who eventually will choose the best projects from similar commissions around the country. The teams that win the competition will get to attend a special conference at MIT and present their idea there. Lessler confessed that she already had planned on creating a generic Launch Club. However, once she learned about MIT Launch through Pathfinders, the prospect of MIT funding this commission only made it seem better.

Mrs. Hanon, who is in charge of Pathfinders, added that this initiative will give Yeshivah of Flatbush students practice giving oral presentations and will promote team building. “It will also encourage creativity and foster research, part of our aim at Pathfinders. And it will be a resume builder,” she added.

In order to get involved in this commission, you have to have some coding

continued on page 4

Sports: Flatbush Cross-Country? Yeah.

And they’re winning.

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Faculty Freshman:

Ms. Harcsztark

By Raquel Silvera Sophomore Editor

Ms. Talia Harcsztark, the latest addition to the Judaic Studies Department, is extremely excited to be the “new kid on the block.” From the minute she walked into the building she got such a positive feeling from all the students, which gave her an impression of the fun and good-hearted nature of everyone around her.

“Out of all the special aspects of Flatbush, I appreciate the warmth and kindness of the administration and my colleagues. I’m happy to be in an environment where I get to meet to many wonderful and talented people,” Ms. Harcsztark says.

Ms. Harcsztark (pronounced HARKstark) was born in New York, but grew up with her three younger brothers in Teaneck, NJ. She attended SAR Academy for elementary school, where her father was assistant principal, as well as SAR High School, where her father became the founding principal. Her favorite subjects included Tanach, Gemara, and English; she enjoyed the analysis and discussion of deep texts and writings. After high school, she spent a year in Israel at Migdal Oz and then attended Barnard College. After her four years there, she enrolled in Harvard Divinity School, where she studied religion and leader-

ship skills.

Ms. Harcsztark says that becoming a Tanach teacher was inspired directly by her love and appreciation for the Jewish tradition of learning that includes layers upon layers of meaning. From early on, Ms. Harcsztark knew she wanted to incorporate her love for Jewish studies into a career. Growing up with family members around her who were in Jewish Education, she knew she wanted to be creative and differentiate from their ways.

Her own high school experience was formative, thanks to teachers who inspired her and continue to impact her today.

Flatbush is her first teaching job and she describes it as everything she could ask for, including having a welcoming and generous staff always willing to help and offer advice.

She finds this to be what makes Flatbush so special.

She takes great pleasure in listening to the perspectives of all her students, turning the things she’s already learned into something new, an exciting aspect of her job.

As much as she loves being a teacher Ms. Harcsztark has a number of other passions. She enjoys most outdoor activities, especially hiking, and was part of the choir in her high school. It has been her number one aspiration in life to be a part of the Flatbush choir after hearing a tape and recalling its beauty, leading her to play the song repeatedly in her car. It’s probably why she considers becoming a teacher in Flatbush “one step closer to achieving her lifelong dream.”

Meet a Flatbush Family:

Nate and Prissy Baranoff

By Sharon Chappan World News Editor

When students head off to school, they usually leave their family at the door. That used to be the case for Nate and Prissy Baranoff, but now they will be spending his senior year and her freshman year together in the halls of Yeshivah of Flatbush. Nate is a senior in class 4-S, and Prissy is a freshman in class 1-HN. Nate says he made it his duty to make his sister’s transition from elementary school to high school go as smoothly as possible. “I informed her on the basics of how things work here. I told her that she should stay to right side on staircases and hallways, and how staircase C only goes to the second floor,” said Nate. He also went through her schedule and told her which of her teachers he had and he gave her tips on how to succeed in those

specific classes.

“Having a sibling in school makes it feel more like home because I have a friendly face in the hallways. Also, having teachers recognize me as Nate’s sister is also a plus,” Prissy added.

Even though Nate did not have most of Prissy’s teachers in the past, he went to the few he did have to tell them that Prissy was his sister. He says they were all happy to be teaching someone with whom they can form an instant connection.

Whenever Prissy and Nate see each other in the hallway, you will catch them smiling and saying hello to each other, although the first couple of times Nate saw Prissy, he got in her way. “How could I not? My little sister is in high school with me!” Nate exclaimed.

Nate also encouraged Prissy to try out for many of the athletic teams in order

The Phoenix Staff Editor-in-Chief: Daliah Ben-Ari Managing Editor: Sylvia Ashkenazie Senior Editors: Mary Jajati, Danielle Ohana School News Editors: Monique Abramson, Dorette Dayan Religion Editor: Danielle Duchan World News Editor: Sharon Chappan Entertainment Editor: Fortune Manopla Music Editor: Brenda Tawil

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Alumna Interview:

Avital Zenilman (’13)

By Sylvia Ashkenazie Managing Editor

Avital “Tali” Zenilman, Yeshivah of Flatbush JBHS graduate of 2013, has learned to take the bad in her life and turn it into something good. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, many people felt helpless or heartbroken at the sight of all the damage and destruction in their home towns, but not Tali; she was inspired.

A recent graduate of John Hopkins University this past May, Zenilman focused on civil engineering, hoping to one day join other engineers to help rebuild the world. Like many other students, she started college thinking one major would fit, but ended up switching to another.

Zenilman started as an International Studies major, but after taking a course called Perspectives on the Evolution of Structures, in which different buildings were compared over different periods of time, she realized her true passion lay within engineering.

Zenilman has chosen to stay in Baltimore, as an engineering assistant at Turner Construction. She works in estimating and preconstruction, which means she handles different projects, setting the scope of the work based on drawings and then taking bids from subcontractors.

“I love it because I am building relationships with different people from other companies and am learning about the construction process before it goes out into the field,” Zenilman said.

She hopes to further her career and work as a field engineer, and these relationships can be really helpful.

One of her favorite parts about Flatbush is its huge variety of extracurricular activities. It didn’t matter if you were interested in reading, sports, art, theater or for her to get the most out of her high school experience. Prissy said, “Having a brother who has done it already gives me an upper hand because he tells me about all the things that go on in school so I can

Standard of Fabulous Editors: Dubby Sasson, Jessica Vaysman Fun & Games Editor: Aida Hasson Sports Editor: Sam Beyda Junior Editors: Ezra Faks, Esther Hidary, Albert Saad, Julie Saadia Sophomore Editors: Sarah Dagmy, Raquel Silvera Design: Carolina Cohen Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter

Zenilman shows off her degree from Johns Hopkins chesed, Flatbush had something for you to do.

Zenilman said her participation in many afterschool activities at Flatbush really helped her learn to manage her time. In addition to her regular schoolwork, she played JV Basketball, was on the swim team for two years, was a yearbook editor, participated in Mock Trial, and served as a peer tutor. “Being on these commissions helped me manage my time between my commute to and from school from Long Island, school work, and extracurriculars, which has definitely helped me at work since I work on at least three projects at a time.”

If Zenilman could give any piece of advice to Flatbush students today, it would be, “Take advantage of everything Flatbush has to offer, whether it’s the relationships you form with the teachers and administration or the commissions you can get involved in. You’d be surprised how helpful it’ll be in college and when you’re working, and it may even influence your career path, so just be open to it all!” take advantage of everything Flatbush has to offer.” Even though every single student in YOF is family, there is nothing like seeing your actual family when you walk the halls.

High School Administration Rabbi Raymond Harari, Head of School Rabbi Joseph Beyda, Principal Ms. Sari Bacon, Associate Principal Ms. Esther Hidary, Assistant Principal / Director of Admissions Rabbi Craig Lubner, Assistant Principal

D’var Torah:

Is it Too Late Now to Say Sorry?

By Danielle Duchan Religion Editor

If you’ve been even vaguely paying attention to music over the past few years, you know there have been a lot of songs about apologies. From Justin Bieber wondering, “Is it too late now to say sorry?” to OneRepublic’s answer that, yes, “It’s too late to apologize,” we’ve heard many different perspectives on apologies and forgiveness over our airwaves.

However, the real question this time of year is: What are G-d’s views on repentance and forgiveness? After all, we are in the midst of the Aseret Yemei Teshuva, the 10 days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur during which we are supposed to ask for forgiveness from anyone we’ve hurt over the past year in order to go into the holiest day of the year with a clean slate.

If you look at Yom Kippur in the simplest way, it might seem like G-d is full of

fire and brimstone about our sins. Why else would we spend our entire Yom Kippur quite literally beating ourselves during vidui? It must be that the only way to gain forgiveness from G-d is to beat ourselves up over our sins.

Yet Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are referred to as Yomim Noraim, which literally translates as the Days of Awe. If we view Yom Kippur in the aforementioned manner, there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly “awesome” about enumerating all our sins. But if we view Yom Kippur as a great equalizer, a day in which nearly every Jew from the most pious to the least affiliated stands in awe before G-d asking for forgiveness, Yom Kippur becomes a lot easier to understand. We are not just beating ourselves up over our sins; rather, we are standing in awe before Ribono Shel Olam and telling him that we know we’ve made mistakes, yet we still fear him and we still believe in his power.

And that is the jumping-off point, both on Yom Kippur and in any other situation, for a sincere apology and genuine change. In order to gain forgiveness, we have to acknowledge that we did something wrong, yet understand that our wrongs don’t define our relationships. We can still move on and have a relationship with G-d, or with a person for that matter, even after many wrongdoings if we acknowledge our sins, recommit to the relationship, and commit to doing better in the future. While these are obviously not guaranteed methods to gain forgiveness, they can certainly help orient us to get closer to G-d in the new year.

May we all merit having an awesome Yom Kippur in which all our sins are forgiven and we are inscribed in the Book of Life, and may we all have a year of health, happiness, success, and closeness to G-d. G’mar chatimah tova!

Rohingya Refugees Fleeing Violence in Myanmar

By Sharon Chappan

Rohingya. Myanmar soldiers have been shooting the Rohingya, burning down their homes, and warning them to leave or die. Because of recent events and many years of persecution about 400,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar, escaping

Ambler of the Red Cross said, “I have no words to describe what I’m seeing out World News Editor there … wall to wall human suffering …

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya there’s little clean water and people are Muslims are fleeing from their homeland fighting over money and food.” of Myanmar to Bangladesh as a result of The top United Nations official on the murder of human rights thousands of called the MyanRohingya by the mar military’s Myanmar milactions a “textitary and civilbook example of ians. Many polethnic cleansing.” iticians around Myanmar’s demthe world are ocratically electcalling the proed leader, Aung longued attack San Suu Kyi, did genocide. not condemn The Rohingthe violence or ya are a Muslim even speak pubethnic minority licly about the who have been situation at all living in Rakhuntil September ine, a western 19, which has state in Myantarnished her mar, for over a Oma Salema, 12, holds her one-year-old brother Ayub Khan at a Rohingya refugee previously excelcentury. Myan- camp. Photo: New York Times lent reputation mar is predomaround the world. inantly Buddhist with a long tradition of to Bangladesh in search of a better life.

Critics of her silence are petitioning to persecution of the Rohingya, the largest Four of the five countries bordering get her 1991 Nobel Peace Prize rescindMuslim group in the country.

Myanmar have denied entry to all Ro- ed.

Since the 1970s, the Rohingya have hingya refugees. Bangladesh has desIn her speech to Myanmar’s parliafaced repression and persecution by the ignated land for refugee camps for the ment, Suu Kyi said she felt “deeply” for Myanmar government. The Rohingya Rohingya, but those are now becoming all the people suffering, and that her have been denied basic rights like cit- dangerously overpopulated. Another government is “committed to a sustainizenship, land ownership, and educa- problem facing Bangladesh is facing is able solution … for all communities in tion. The repression intensified in 2011 how to deal with the traumatized refu- this state.” However, critics of her speech when the government switched from gees who walked through the jungle for pointed out that she claimed that the via military administration to a civilian days or were packed on small, rickety olence is over, and that she waited too one. Since then, the Rohingya have been boats. The refugees are also becoming long to publicly address the crisis. denied even more of the resources that much more susceptible to diseases due Hours after Suu Kyi’s speech, the UN Buddhist citizens in Myanmar receive. to a shortage of water and clean sanita- Human Rights Council demanded full They are also forced to live in impover- tion facilities. access to the region so it could better ished villages in Rakhine and are denied On September 17 Bangladesh re- assess the situation. Meanwhile, aid orthe right to leave these towns without stricted the movement of Rohingya ref- ganizations and concerned individuals government approval. ugees, banning them from leaving the around the globe are trying to devise In the past few weeks the Myanmar designated refugee camps. Consequent- ways to help the displaced Rohingya military, with the help of civilian Bud- ly, thousands are facing hunger and ill- while those still at home in Myanmar dhist mobs, have killed more than 3,000 ness in the overcrowded camps. Corinne face continued violence and death.

“Israel Institute” Centralizes Programs

By Ezra Faks Junior Editor

A new initiative at Flatbush called the Israel Institute, headed by Mr. Rothbort, streamlines all of our school’s Israel-related programs under one umbrella.

The Israel Institute includes the Israel Activism commission, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut programming, AIPAC lobbying, and Israel guidance. The latter previously had been handled by Rabbi Lubner.

The idea is for these clubs and events to become more open to our student body and to the community as a whole. Mr. Rothbort said his goal is to promote the Yeshivah’s and community’s modern Orthodox Zionistic values.

Additionally, the Israel Activism commission has been renamed and rebranded. Now known as Students Supporting Israel, our advocacy and activism for Israel is now a part of a broader movement. The Flatbush chapter of this wider movement is being led by commissioners Charel Zeitoune and Elie Feldman, who are very excited about the new changes.

“We’re affiliated with an expansive organization that is on a ton of college campuses across the US, including Columbia and UPenn,” Feldman explained. “This affiliation will really help our commission grow and get us, and the school, recognition.”

Moreover, connecting with this larger organization will help bring new tools to grow and promote the commission. This includes the opportunity to attend events, host speakers, and get nationwide recognition.

Further benefitting the Students Supporting Israel Commission is the new Friday lunch schedule. “As a result of the single lunch period on Friday, we’re hoping our meetings will result in a larger crowd and more productive gatherings,” Zeitoune said.

Of course, the commission will continue the traditions of past years.

As usual, they are planning a student lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. This yearly trip not only helps Israel and the American-Israeli relationship, but also helps our students understand their civic duties and our legal system.

Feldman and Zeitoune also are planning a symposium next semester at Flatbush for Israel advocacy groups from various high schools. They will be inviting speakers to come and collaborate with us to improve what we do to help Israel. The Israel Activism commission has long been a vital part of the Yeshivah’s culture and it continues to persevere, evolve, and grow, especially now in light of the new Israel Institute.

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Summer Robotics Team Excels at NYU Competition

Ms. Lamm Balances Teaching With New IT Duties

By Julie Saadia

Even the most tech-savvy teachers at Flatbush would have a difficult time working in the Yeshiva’s IT department.

This is not the case with English teacher Ms. Lamm, who now splits her time between the classroom and the IT room.

Ms. Lamm now specializes in education technology, or “Ed Tech,” helping the faculty use technology to enhance their students’ learning.

Ms. Lamm says she always has been interested in technology and the way it can enhance learning for students. She feels that technology has the potential to help children learn and to assist teachers while teaching. She is completely selftaught in the field, first by following Ed Tech bloggers on social media and eventually working her way through Google’s certification programs. She became a Level 1 and Level 2 certified Google Educator and is almost finished with the process of becoming a Google Certified Trainer. Ms. Lamm also earned Apple Teacher certification.

Ms. Lamm got the job in Ed Tech when she saw that IT needed this position filled. Rabbi Beyda urged her to apply, and after a short demo and interview she was hired. Her new job entails many responsibilities. She mostly works with teachers to train them to use tech programs such as Google Classroom. She

Junior Editor

Sophomores Sarah Dagmy and Brian Khaimov attended a four-week robotics seminar at NYU Tandon over the summer, which enabled them to participate in a robotics competition later on in the summer.

Each team was required to have a minimum of one teacher and two students. To Flatbush’s advantage, the team advisor was Mr. Horowitz, who has attended robotics competitions with his robotics class and team. During the four week program, Dagmy, Khaimov, and Mr. Horowitz attended lectures about robotics from college professors and learned how to use the equipment; only then were they ready to compete during the second half of the program.

For the first round of the competition, the teams had to effectively build a robot that included specific sensors that enable it to pick up a cup, carry it to a certain point, lay it down, and then repeat with two more cups.

“Throughout the project, many of the sensors broke down, but we still continued alternating our robot to function with different sensors,” Dagmy explained.

The Flatbush competitors’ base of knowledge from a combination of STEM class in school and the summer program’s engineers helped them work around obstacles throughout the competition. The participating students prevailed, despite setbacks, and constantly revised the code to get the robot functioning properly.

Flatbush was one of the few teams that was able to complete the task and even tackle a new assignment. For the second round, the students applied the codes they previously conceived to create a more complex machine that can be used by a farm or garden, and again the Flatbush team succeeded.

Dagmy was impressed by how many of the participants were female. “I’m excited by the amount of girls interested in coding. It was really nice to see that women are part of this and are closing the gender gap in the tech world,” she stated.

During this expedition, our students learned complex engineering skills. They advanced in coding, excelled at teamwork, and showed resilience. By any measure, their summer was a success.

Dagmy and Khaimov with their victorious robot

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By Albert Saad Junior Editor

also is very involved with the new Chromebooks the freshman and sophomores got this year.

This new position has affected Ms. Lamm’s teaching job as an English teacher tremendously. To make time for her Ed Tech responsibilities, she cut down the number of periods she teaches by almost half (from 27 last year to 14 this year). When she does teach her classes she constantly tests out new Ed Tech tools in her classes. Her new schedule has her helping teachers in the morning and teaching her students in the afternoon.

This is not an easy feat.

She said that she’s “getting used to balancing multiple responsibilities and this is a very different set of responsibilities than what I’ve had in the past. But I’m loving every minute of it. The teachers with whom I’m working with are super enthusiastic about learning about technology and I love sharing what I know with them. Also I’m really lucky to have such awesome classes this

New Bell Schedule Gets Mixed Reviews continued from page 1

ementary school, 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. does not feel like an improvement.

Complaints from other grades include the elimination of late minyan, which some have claimed is unfair to those who have a free first period. Senior Bella Douek revealed, “I like the later start, but there needs to be a late minyan, because it’s not fair for the people who have a free and still have to come in at 7:30.” Another senior added, “When you don’t have a first period elective or your teacher isn’t here, you have to come in early and just sit somewhere for 40 minutes.” Another change that many are happy about is the use of the same bell schedule for the entire week. Senior Yaron Sternberg stated, “I am personally a fan of the uniform periods in which Wednesdays and Fridays are not simply getting to class for attendance.”

To achieve the shorter school day each period is 40 minutes, two minutes shorter than in previous years. This shortening of periods, combined with later minyan, has had an impact on first-period electives. English teacher Ms. Agassi explained, “Long AP first periods are not one hour, but 55 minutes.”

This gives classes less time to complete the curriculum.

Despite the benefits of the uniform periods, some students have complained about the random period start and end times. “I spent two years learning when each period ends,” junior Sonny Setton said, “Now, periods end with an array of numbers, like 9:53 and 11:19.”

The teachers also have struggled to adjust to the new times. History teach-

er Mr. Lazar said, “The difficult thing is getting used to the new end times for periods, I don’t like having to check each period when it’s time to sum up what we have learned, but since every day is the same it shouldn’t take long to remember the times.” Also, the single lunch period on Fridays has had a large impact on the student body. Senior and Israel Activism Commissioner Eli Feldman is a fan, saying, “I really like single lunch Fridays because it’ll help me run my commission better. This way lowerclassmen can get more involved.”

However, having all four grades have lunch at the same time can be chaotic.

Lunch on Fridays “can be very nerve wracking,” one senior said. “The lines on Avenue J are extremely long, and it takes an unnecessary amount of time to get my lunch. When I want to sit in the lunchroom to eat, there is not one seat for me. I believe that it would be 100 times better if we had two lunch periods, just like the rest of the week.”

Students also complained about the new one-minute bell in between lunch periods Monday through Thursday.

Senior Sarah Tessone suggests, “Maybe there should be a two-minute bell between lunches, because sometimes it takes you a long time to get upstairs if, let’s say, you have class on the fourth floor.” Junior Rebecca Coopersmith added, “It’s annoying if you have to walk up four flights of stairs for the period directly following lunch, because you only have one minute to get all the way upstairs.”

year who are responding really well to being my technology guinea pigs. I’m exhausted at the end of every day, but it’s a good exhaustion that comes from doing things I love!”

YOF Switching to Chromebooks continued from page 1

this work around the school.”

Nevertheless, the school did have some concerns before implementing this change. The main concern was similar to that of iPads: that the Chromebooks could be used more for play than for work. Rabbi Kramer stated, “I believe that until teachers use them more interactively in class, they will be more of a distraction than an effective tool. They should be put away if they are not helping learning.”

Juniors and seniors, who will not be given their own Chromebooks this year, can still utilize the technology when needed. A mobile cart full of charged Chromebooks is kept in the IT room so that it can be wheeled into various classrooms on a temporary basis when upper grades require their use for an assignment or activity.

New MIT Commission continued from page 1

experience if you want to work on the actual project. “However, business positions are open to everyone,” Lessler revealed. She also promoted the other commission she runs, saying, “If you don't know how to code, but want to learn, you can join Girls Who Code (provided you are a girl).” Even though Lessler did not want to disclose any specific plans for the commission’s product just yet, she did admit that they are still brainstorming ideas, and if you wish find out more, you need to join the club.

Entertainment One More Light and the Suicide of Chester Bennington

By Brenda Tawil Music Editor

On May 19, rock and nu-metal band Linkin Park released its most recent album, One More Light. Indicative of thoughts of depression harbored by lead vocalist Chester Bennington, the album is a more serious one, featuring somber songs such as “Heavy” and “One More Light.” Those two songs in particular speak volumes about the album’s purpose; perhaps they’re the most significant, or perhaps simply the most heartbreaking.

It easily can be said that both bleed notable melancholy, but “One More Light” definitely ends with a tinge of hope. Maybe that’s why Chester Bennington’s suicide two months after the album’s release shocked the musical world; maybe that’s why it hurt fans beyond reason.

Linkin Park gave a concert on May 19 in Las Vegas to promote One More Light. Their setlist featured “Heavy,” the lead single of the album. But before their performance of that song, they received word that Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, a friend of Bennington’s, had died the day before. His death was being treated as a suicide; it was later confirmed by authorities that Cornell had hanged himself. Upon hearing the news, the band members of Linkin Park quickly convened and decided

to scratch “Heavy” and instead play “One More Light,” a song about losing a friend and how it affects everyone who remains. Choked up, Bennington sang it as a tribute to Cornell; the song was incredibly relevant and remains wonderfully touching.

Two months later, almost to the day, Bennington was found dead in his home. His cause of death: hanging. It was July 20— what would have been Chris Cornell’s 53rd birthday. Friends and relatives describe Bennington as sweet and kind and gentle, and interviews with Bennington himself reveal the truth in that.

In his last-ever interview, Bennington discussed his depression. He described his head as a “bad neighborhood,” and said that he’s fine when he’s not trapped in his own mind and that he needs other people to get him out of himself. He was married twice, and his six children survive him; he had his bandmates and friends as well, but it’s difficult to say what would have been enough and what couldn’t have been.

Bennington’s death gives new meaning to the band’s final album, and leads fans to wonder if he had been considering suicide while the songs were being writ-

ten. One More Light presents hints and contradictions.

“Heavy,” for instance, isn’t subtle in its lyrics. It begins with “I don’t like my mind right now, stacking up problems that are so unnecessary,” ends with “Why is everything so heavy?” In this song Bennington and Linkin Park are “holding on,” but it’s difficult, and they “keep dragging around what’s bringing [them] down.” The song feels like an explanation sung

by Bennington himself.

But then we listen to “One More Light.” “We saw brilliance when the world was asleep,” Bennington sings, and we believe him. Then “there are things that we can have, but can’t keep.”

The song was written before Cornell’s death, but it’s as if it was written especially for him. “Who cares if one more light goes out, in a sky of a million stars? It flickers, flickers, who cares when someone’s time runs out, if a moment is all we are? We’re quicker, quicker.” Bennington concludes each chorus and the song itself with, “I do,” and we’re relieved, because he cares, because we think he feels that more than he’s affected by his depression, but we’re wrong, or maybe we’re right and we’ll just never know.

September Movie Releases The Walking Dead Returns Seek to Thrill

By Jessica Vaysman SOF Editor

By Fortune Manopla Entertainment Editor

Summer’s over, but with that bleak point comes some uplifting news: September’s movie releases have never looked so good. From racing thrillers to poignant dramas, here are the films not to miss before the end of the month.

It: Stephen King fans should be thrilled by the release of the newest adaptation of his novel, It. Seven young boys form the Losers club, a group established to fight Pennywise—a demented clown that rises from the sewer every 27 years to terrorize the town and prey on young children. It’s up to Bill Denbrough and his friends to destroy this horrifying creature for good. Jaeden Lieberher and Bill Skarsgard star as Bill and Pennywise, respectively, and director Andrés Muschietti is best known for the 2013 horror film, Mama. Though it’s rare for movie adaptations to ever be as good as their novel counterparts, IT is one a select few films to make it to the big screen without sacrificing its greatness.

First They Killed My Father: Angelina Jolie may be best known for her acting skills, but in First They Killed My

Father she’s proved just how talented a director she is. Based on a true story, the film follows the tale of seven-year-old Loung Ung as she fights to survive the horrors of the Cambodian genocide. Jolie spared no detail to bring this story to life; everything from the deaths of Ung’s family members to the mutilated bodies of soldiers is displayed in full view, adding to the film’s potency. Sareum Srey Moch delivers a striking first-time performance as Loung Ung, starring along with Run Malyna, Mun Kimhak, and Phoeung Kompheak as her family members. The movie is available to stream on Netflix and truly should not be missed.

Flatliners: This thrilling sequel to the 1990 film Flatliners will be sure to give its audience a shock. Ellen Page, Diego Luna, and Nina Dobrev star as a group of medical students who undergo a series of near-death experiences by stopping their hearts for short intervals of time.

As they move further into the realm beyond life, they’re forced to confront the mistakes of their past. The original film starred Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts and Kevin Bacon, and Sutherland makes an appearance in the sequel. Director Niels Arden Oplev is most famous for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and We Shall Overcome. The film is set to hit theaters on September 29.

We hope you got plenty of sleep over the summer, because each of these three September films will haunt you and keep you up at night.

The long awaited return of The Walking Dead is set to air on AMC on Sunday, October 22 with the show’s milestone 100th episode.

Based on graphic novels written by Robert Kirkman, the post-apocalyptic zombie drama revolves around the main character Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln. The series starts off with Rick Grimes waking up from a coma and finding himself in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. He forms a group to work together in order to survive. They face many struggles while trying to adapt to a world full of zombies and other groups of survivors, who are often more dangerous than the zombies themselves.

In season 6 we are introduced to a group of survivors called the “Saviors.”

In the first episode of season 7 we officially meet Negan, the leader of the Saviors. The Saviors are a much larger group than Rick’s and have far more supplies and ammunition. Negan raids Rick’s town of Alexandria each month, forcing Rick’s group to give the Saviors half of their supplies. Rick astonishingly finds three communities full of survivors

that are being similarly tormented by the Saviors, and they collaborate and come up with a plan of attack to take down the Saviors. However, in the season 7 finale, Rick learns that one of his allies, the Scavengers, betrayed him and were only using him to steal his supplies and learn his plans to take the Saviors down. The Saviors and the Scavengers raid Alexandria, although they eventually retreat after Rick’s loyal alliances both unexpectedly show up to help Rick.

While there is much uncertainty about season 8, viewers can be sure to expect a lot of fighting, explosions, zombies, death, and most importantly, the long-awaited war. Rick Grimes will finally round up his people and set an attack plan, but rumor has it that Alexandria might be in serious trouble this season.

With Rick sending most of his men to the Savior community to fight Negan, it’s likely that he doesn’t have many people back in Alexandria protecting it, making it an easy target for the Saviors to attack.

Based on the suspenseful trailer, it looks like Grimes’ group is luring zombies to the Saviors’ community, and exploding their outposts. Will it work? We hope to get the answer as season 8 unfolds.

www.theflatbushphoenix.com | 5

Fun & Games Ask Merle

Dear Merle, As a dedicated reader I have so many questions for you, the new Merle, but I’ll start with one. Are you qualified to take over this position?

Sincerely, Concerned Dear concerned, No. Dear Merle, As a senior living in 2017’s new schedule, I’m upset that I have to stay in school until 5:15! I’ve been waiting since freshman year to get out at 3 and now my dreams have been crushed. Help!

In Distress

up refreshed and ready because of the later schedule. My advice: forget about the new times and enjoy your last year in high school before you’re thrown out into the real world.

Good luck, Merle Dear Merle, This year I decided to buy a ton of cute school supplies to make the year a bit more colorful. I was shopping around and I saw the cutest mini backpack. I just had to get it along with heaps of mini school supplies. It’s now about a month in and I realized that mini backpacks are just too small! And when I take notes in my mini loose-leaf and the teacher wants

Dear Distressed Senior, I hate to burst your bubble but there’s nothing to be done. Instead of focusing on how you have to stay later, you should focus on being able to sleep later, which is pretty cool. I myself have been waking

Student Survey

New locker locations

What is the best change to happen to school this year?

New art room Chromebooks New bell sounds New bell schedule

174 responses

Cartoon

New teachers

to collect what we did in class she won’t accept my mini paper! Now I don’t have time to go buy new stuff but I need somewhere to put my books.

Miniature Mess Dear Mess, Yes, you are a mess. My sister actually did the same thing and after one day of school she switched to a bigger backpack. Going mini is just not possible to do unless you’re a senior in your second semester. My suggestion is to use your backpack from last year even though it might not be so appealing. If not, you can always hold your books in your hands and pray you won’t break your arms.

Good luck, Merle Dear Merle, My new locker is gross. It’s old, rusty, and for some reason a bit sticky. I don’t want to ruin all of my books, but I need to use my locker. There are also no empty lockers around that I can use. What should

I do?

Grossed Out Dear Grossed Out, I would try to clean it with some good ol’ soap and water. If that doesn’t work, then you can cover the inside of your locker with something to cover the gross spots.

If that doesn’t work, then you can take over a new locker on the fourth floor. If that still doesn’t work, then get used to being sticky.

Yours truly, Merle Dear Merle, I’m a freshie who is excited about school and wants to get involved in extracurriculars but I don’t know how.

Wide Eyed Freshie Dear Freshie, You’ve come to the right place.

There are a few things you can do.

1) Explore the Commission Fair.

2) Ask people in older grades for advice.

3) Well, that’s pretty much all I can think of.

You’re welcome!

Merle

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by Niffler Midget

The Food Corner Hi! Welcome to the Food Corner.

Here you can find monthly food tips and tricks, fun facts, recipes, experiments, and more!

During the cool months of autumn, what’s better than sitting outside and savoring a warm cobbler after a stressful day at school? This is the easiest, fastest, and yummiest recipe for a delicious homemade cobbler, so that you can get back to your studying with a happy tummy. Got a global test tomorrow? Peaches can help reduce anxiety! Make this recipe to feel prepared.

Blueberry Peach Cobbler For One 1/4 cup flour 3 tbsp oats 2 tbsp of light brown sugar 2 tbsp white sugar, divided A pinch of cinnamon A pinch of salt

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By Hannah Hasson 1 peach cut into small cubes (Don’t have peaches? Try other fruits or berries!)

A handful of blueberries 1 tsp cornstarch 2 tbsp softened butter (+ more for tin) Directions: 1. Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 375. Butter a ramekin or small square tin.

2. In a small bowl combine flour, brown sugar, 1 tbsp white sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in softened butter and stir in oats.

3. In the tin, toss together the blueberries, peaches, cornstarch, and 1 tbsp white sugar. Sprinkle on the oat mixture and bake for 20 minutes.

Hope you enjoy!

Did you know...? Peaches are part of the rose family.

Standard of Fabulous 5 Essentials You Need for School

By Dubby Sasson SOF Editor

1. Always have an extra sweatshirt in your locker in case it’s cold.

Eyebrow Trends Get Creative

By Jessica Vaysman SOF Editor

From thin eyebrows to thick eyebrows to ... wavy eyebrows? The wavy eyebrow trend has taken the Internet by storm! A beauty blogger by the name of Promise Tang has been credited with starting the trend by posting a picture on Instagram on August 21 that shows her with bizarre, squiggly makeup. Tamang has said she was inspired to create this look after she saw an edited photo that made an eyebrow look wavy. In an interview with Huffpost, Tamang said, “I am always ex-

2. An extra T-shirt or long-sleeve shirt that you like in case you get dirty.

3. A cardigan, in case you want to dress up your outfit.

4. A baseball cap in case it’s raining.

perimenting and trying different makeup looks on my social pages. It was done for fun to show my followers something

new.” Thousands of other beauty bloggers and beauty gurus are following the trend. There are now hundreds of wavy eyebrow photos on social media, as well as YouTube tutorials on how to achieve the look.

Like many other outlandish fashion trends, most beauty bloggers just achieve the look temporarily for the perfect Instagram photo or for their followers to see, but do not go out with their squiggly eyebrows.

Predictably, the trend has morphed from squiggly eyebrows to squiggles in all sorts of places. Many makeup artists have started playing around with a total squiggly makeover, squiggling their eyebrows, lipstick, eyeshadow, and even eyeliner.

Supreme’s Quirky 5. A blanket scarf that is super Marketing comfortable for class.

Helps Its Popularity Summer Fashion Dilemma n o i h Fas Fact:

as zine w . a g a m 6 hion n 158 rst fas ermany i fi e G Th hed in publis

By Dubby Sasson SOF Editor We all definitely took a hit this summer with the weather. Some sacrifices had to be made in order to accommodate the unexpected cold. For starters, a lot of girls stopped wearing sleeveless because it either rained or was windy out so often.

Girls started to wear cool long sleeve shirts that go really well with jean shorts. That way you’re still warm and still look chic. There were also a lot of light-colored ruffle shirts going around that looked really cool. Colorful midi skirts and dresses made the rounds as well. Fashion blogger SomethingNavy wore a lot of jean jackets, which are really starting to become popular, as is a lot of denim overall. This trend was a way to still look like you’re dressed for summer despite the cooler wather, so this was a great compromise.

Overall, it wasn’t the hottest summer and that definitely made girls have to change their wardrobe slightly, but the new trends really helped make up for it.

Note from the Editors Hey, we’re Dubby Sasson and Jessica Vaysman, Standard of Fabulous Editors for The Phoenix. We’re excited to give our insight on fashion, new styles, and the trends in the school! If you guys have any article ideas, or if you’d like to write for SOF, contact us at standardoffabulous@gmail.com

By Jessica Vaysman SOF Editor

Supreme is a company founded by James Gebbia in 1994. The first store opened up in Downtown Manhattan, selling skateboarding gear and clothing.

Supreme is a company known for selling random items with their logo on it.

Whether toothbrushes, chopsticks, or even crowbars, Supreme has sold it all!

They also are known for manufacturing products in small quantities. This makes their products extremely difficult to buy because they get sold out so quickly. Once their products sell out online, they are often resold on other sites for two to three times their retail price.

Supreme gained popularity by collaborating with other mainstream companies like Nike, The North Face, and even Louis Vuitton. The company also gained popularity because huge celebrities like Kanye West and Odell Beckham, Jr. continue to wear their clothing.

Now, millions of people around the world are trying to get their hands on some Supreme merchandise.

Squiggles are not even the first crazy eyebrow trend of the year. Back in April, makeup artist Stella Sironen posted a picture to her Instagram with a new weird eyebrow look (below) captioned, “So I’m starting this new brow trend. Please recreate it and wear it every day.”

Two days later Sironen posted another picture of her brows captioned, “Note to self: when u make a joke about starting a funny brow trend people will take it seriously and.... well, start the trend anyways THANK YOU for all the love and hate on my last pic! I think we should call this #featherbrows.”

Whether it’s for a joke, for Instagram, or for wearing out into the real world, it seems that 2017 is the year that crazy eyebrows became the norm.

8 Fall Fashion Must-Haves

By Jessica Vaysman SOF Editor

1. Infinity scarf 2. Combat boots 3. Plaid button-up 4. Bomber jacket 5. Beanie 6. Chunky sweater 7. Statement necklace 8. Crossbody bag

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Sports Cross-Country Team Excels Under the Radar

The Cross-Country team at practice

By Jack H. Dweck Contributing Writer

Cross-Country running is perhaps the best Falcons team you’ve never heard of. Led by our own Coach Black, the Flatbush Cross-Country team is second to none, winning multiple competitions last

year. Although the team is almost completely unknown within the school, its members take it quite seriously.

Cross-country running differs from track in that teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. In traditional track, races are shorter and limited to—

you guessed it—tracks.

“It is a sport of mental and physical toughness. We have to run for miles through the woods, racing on an uneven track,” junior Ezra Faks stated. To train for their races, the team runs together over rugged terrain under the watchful eye of Coach Black. While this may seem tough, players view it as merely an obstacle that they will overcome to ensure their success.

Aaron Nadjar, a junior on the team, said the team’s success is no accident.

“The team is focused on one goal, a goal that we usually reach, and that goal is to win.”

While some may believe that constant success bleeds into a sense of overconfidence among teammates, Faks believes this team is a rare exception to that rule.

“We know our limits, and we know what we can achieve, and at the end of the day, we will go to each meet expecting to win.”

Runners describe the team as tight-

ly knit, and are hoping that continued success will help raise the team’s profile throughout the school.

While many Flatbush students may not even know what being a cross-country runner entails, the runners know one thing: that they represent the Yeshivah of Flatbush. And this season, they plan to represent us well, as usual.

Left to right: Natanel Nemet, Michael Gammal, Aaron Nadjar

Sportsman Spotlight: Boys Hockey Aims for Deep Playoff Run Murray Dweck

By Morris Esquenazi and Sam Beyda

Dweck waits for his pitch

By Sol Franco Contributing Writer

Coming up on his fourth year of dedicated effort to Flatbush sports teams, Murray Dweck isn’t ready to call it quits as he tries to get the Flatbush Falcons a new championship banner. Dweck, an Honor Roll student, is well known for his loving personality, his family connections to the school, and his excellent grades.

Dweck, who has been playing hockey for Flatbush since the fifth grade, decided this year he will try to hang a basketball banner instead of a hockey banner, and has joined Varsity Basketball for the first time.

“I chose basketball over hockey because it’s been something I wanted to do since freshman year but never had the time for it,” he explained. “I’ve always wanted to play a season of basketball before my high school career was over. I

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have more of a drive and passion to play basketball; every practice feels like it’s my chance to go out there and prove myself.

I didn’t get that feeling from hockey.”

Dweck is a multisport athlete who is also the star of the Falcons Varsity Baseball team during the spring. In a game against Ramaz last year Murray belted 3 hits, including 2 doubles and 2 RBIs. “I just squared the ball up, kept my eye on it and focused on my swing. What matters to me personally is that we win; I don’t really look at my personal stats.” It was Dweck’s best game of the season. He is looking to continue to find ways to bring in runs for the team while doing his best to limit the other team as one of the Falcons’ top pitchers.

Dweck says that versatility has become part of the game. “I look at all these great players nowadays—they can play any position you ask them,” he said. “I just play where the coaches tell me and hopefully I can help the team drive in

The 2017-2018 year looks like it’s going to be a great one in the Flatbush athletics department, and Boys Hockey is a prime example.

In recent years the team has performed well enough to make it to the playoffs, but they never seem to go deep into the postseason. Last season, the Varsity team went home early, losing in the quarterfinals to the Frisch Cougars. The JV team lost in the playoffs as well.

This year, though, there is a feeling that the fate that the team has long suffered will change. Fans and players alike are excited that Ruvin Levavi has taken over as new coach for both the JV and Varsity. Junior Albert Saad believes that Coach Levavi will propel them to a championship. “I really think that his coaching style can fit with this group of players that we have, so we can really do well this year,” Saad explained. runs to win the ballgame.”

Faced with comparisons to Michael Jordan for playing both basketball and baseball, Dweck responded, “I love watching MJ play. Whether it was baseball or basketball I would always look at highlights and ways to improve. Michael Jordan was a double threat with baseball and basketball.” He joked, “I will have to be a lot better in baseball than Jordan was if we’re going to win.”

What keeps Dweck going is his self-confidence and his dedication to the team. “Everytime I go out there, in my head I think I have teammates that I have to produce for. After all, these sports are team sports. I think that’s important to anything you’re going to do in life. If you don’t believe in yourself who will?

Levavi previously had a successful stint as coach of the HANC Hurricanes.

He also is a YOF alumnus and the husband of Flatbush guidance counselor and teacher Ms. Erika Levavi.

Assistant coach Elliot Zakay is confident that the team can put together something special this season. “Ruvin and I work well together,” he said. “We’ve known each for a long time. I think we can get something going, especially with the talented guys we have this year.”

One big challenge facing the team this year is the loss of its best player, senior Murray Dweck, who has decided to focus on basketball this semester.

Nonetheless, this year’s team is filled with young talent willing to work as hard as it takes to win. The confidence is at an all-time high and the teamwork is there as well.

Saad declared, “This is the greatest that we have been as a team in all my years at Flatbush. We want to win, and we really have a chance this year.”

And that’s a big reason why I love playing these sports.”

The biggest challenge for Dweck has been balancing two sports and his schoolwork. “Balancing the team with work was a struggle throughout high school.

I had a lot of sleepless nights because of practice two times a week, mixed in with games. You have to use Sunday morning to catch up on your work, and you have to tell yourself that no matter what happens, you’re getting the work done late night after practice.”

Besides keeping his grades up, Dweck’s main goal for this upcoming season is to “bring home a banner for the Falcons.”

Can he do it? We’ll find out very soon.