Volume 30 Issue 1 by The Lion's Tale

the

lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

tale

charles e. smith jewish day school 11710 hunters lane, rockville, maryland tuesday, august 27, 2012 vol. 30 issue 1

Our minds are still adrift too, but we have landed. Welcome back.

• the lion’s tale • news

New teachers post about themselves compiled by Dore Feith, Dina Rabinovitz and Jeremy Kaplan

Kate Armstrong

Department: English Hometown: Fairfax, Va. Individual to meet: Charlotte

Department: Jewish History Hometown: Allentown, Pa. Favorite Olympic sports: Tram-

Bronte

poline, Dressage Most exotic job: Kid chauffeur; delivered kids to activities *Bergstein’s husband grew up with Miriam Stein’s husband

Most exotic job: Painted street

curbs

Rachel Bergstein*

Bismarck and Augustus, who was “just awesome.”

William Schatz II

Department: Arabic Hometown: Lancaster, Pa. Most exotic job: counted

money in vault at Hershey Park

Department: JTTP Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla. Most exotic job: Four years

as a navy ship electrician Favorite Book: The Little Prince

Noam Sienna

Department: JTTP Hometown: Toronto Favorite website: Smit-

ten Kitchen

Department: Jewish History Hometown: Danvers, Mass. Favorite Movie: The Big

Department: Administrative

Assistant Hometown: East Brunswick,

N.J.

Gymnastics because Alexandra Raisman is from Massachusetts.

Calvin and Hobbes* Individual to meet: Pablo Picasso *Bryer named her cat Hobbes.

Kelly Grosskurth

Raymond Hodges

Favorite Olympic sport:

Department: Science Hometown: Dixhills, N.Y.

Individual to meet: Abraham Lincoln Favorite superhero: Batman

Cliff Starkey

Department: English Hometown: Omaha, Neb. Favorite movie: Peewee’s

Big Adventure

Jean Bryer

Lebowski

David Greenspoon

Andrew Goldman

Department: Math Hometown: Rockville, Md. Favorite Food: Steak (rare) Individuals to meet: Otto van

Aaron Bregman

Favorite cartoon charac- Favorite book: Fight Club ter: Ysma

Favorite Cartoon characters:

Department: Science Hometown: Louisville, Ky. Favorite Olympic sport: Volley-

ball Favorite book: Ender’s Game

Dafna Tsukron

Department: Hebrew Hometown: Yerucham,

Israel Favorite Cartoon: Donald

Duck Favorite food: Fresh challah

Nancy Wassner

Department: English Hometown: Hershey, Pa. Favorite Book: The Great Gats-

by Favorite Olympic sport: The “strange and intriguing sport” of

curling.

*At time of print, new admissions Director Rebecca Weisman was not available for an interview. We welcome her to CESJDS.

news • the lion’s tale •

Local perspectives on London Olympics 2012 • nina simpkins and adina pollak • reporters

Whether at home, camp or in London, CESJDS students joined the world in the excitement of the Olympic Games. One exciting moment for the broader Jewish community was gymnast Alexandra Raisman’s gold medal performances in the women’s gymnastics team final and the floor exercise event final. Raisman performed her winning floor routine to the tune of “Hava Nagila. Sophomore Jordan Block watched various Olympic events on TV, including Raisman’s performances. He said that he mostly watched events to which he felt a personal connection but also all the others that were broadcast. “I watched gymnastics because a very close friend of mine’s sister is Aly Raisman,” Block said. “I only watched crew and kayaking because it was on while I was at camp. And as for basketball, I just love watching basketball. I watched the Olympics because I love sports and they

are just very interesting and fun to is worldwide, but until you go there watch.” and see people from almost every While freshman Emma Enig country and [hear] people speaking was not able to watch or follow the tons of different languages you don’t Olympics this year, she expressed an really understand how universal the interest in swimming. idea of sport is. You can’t really vi“I would probably have followed sualize or understand it until you’ve the swimming portion because I really been there and seen just how have many friends who are on swim many people from everywhere and teams, and it’s every backjust interesting ground are to watch,” she there.” said. Enig exSophoplained that more SJ Hyif she had the man attended chance, she the games in would not want London. She to attend or see described the the Olympics in Olympics as person. a completely “I’d prefer different experito watch it on ence when seen TV so I could in person. watch the high“It’s a much lights,” she said. different enviHyman felt photo provided by SJ Hyman ronment,” HyuncharacterisWENLOCK, ONE of the two Olympic mascots, man said. “You entertains pedestrians along the banks of the tically patriotic understand in River Thames, while St. Paul’s Cathedral stands when cheering across the river in the background. London on Team USA. theory that this Olympics 2012’s theme was “Inspire a generis an event that “I’m not ation.”

usually the most patriotic of people, but being there, you get so into it and so patriotic cheering on your country,” she said. Enig agreed. “I feel a strong connection to my country and when the U.S. team wins, I’m happy for them,” she said. “However, if they lose, it doesn’t make me feel any less proud of America.” Block disagreed with Enig. While he still felt proud of Team USA when it performed well, he felt disappointed when the athletes perform poorly. Freshman Bronya Lechtman supported the U.S. as well as the other winning teams. “For me, personally, I definitely hope that whenever the U.S. performs that they’ll win, but if they don’t I’m still excited for the other team,” Lechtman said. “…In a way I see the Olympics more as an opportunity to bring the world together. I do feel proud whenever the U.S. wins because it’s cool to know that these amazing people come from the same place that you do.”

Sept. 11 ceremony aspires to honor, educate

Committee concentrates on students too young to remember attacks • allie wiener • reporter

Sept. 11 is a day of remembrance. For the past 11 years, CESJDS has held assemblies to remember and honor the nearly 3,000 people killed on Sept. 11, 2001. It has been one year since the opening of the Sept. 11 Memorial in New York City. This year, the assembly will focus on the heroes of the day, but it will also focus on how America bounced back in the immediate aftermath. Director of Jewish Life Miriam Stein formed a student committee to prepare the ceremony at the end of last year. The committee will continue planning through the first week of school.

The committee aims to capture the nation’s emotions directly after the attacks and convey them to the student body. The sense of American solidarity at the time has not been replicated since. The whole country gathered to support the victims’ families. American flags were displayed in storefronts, in yards and on buildings. Many could not believe that such a devastating attack could occur so close to home. “Our incoming seventh-graders were barely alive in 2001,” Stein said. “Part of what we want to do is educate people on what happened and part of what we want to do is also have a sense of the national tragedy.” Incoming science teacher Kelly Grosskurth, who grew up in New York City, said an

annual memorial ceremony has been held at her former school since the attacks. “We had art projects that revolved around Sept. 11 and we always have memorials because within my school there were parents that passed away during Sept. 11,” Grosskurth said. The committee thinks it is important for the students – particularly those in the middle school – to understand those emotions. It thinks that, as members of this American generation, it is necessary to understand America’s response to the Sept. 11 attacks. Stein highlighted the importance of ensuring that everyone remembers both the terrorist attacks and Americans’ resulting solidarity.

• the lion’s tale • chadashot

Bringing camp home • haley lerner •

chadashot editor

When students head off to overnight camp, many find themselves experiencing Jewish atmospheres different from those at home. Freshman Bronya Lechtman attends the unaffiliated Camp Saginaw, although “everyone who goes there is Jewish.” “They have Friday night services, where we light the candles and say the blessings ... and then after that we just sing camp songs,” Lechtman said. The camp itself does not keep kosher, though Lechtman’s household does. Aside

from this, Lechtman does not feel that she is “much more observant than at camp.” Unlike some who go to camp to enrich their Jewish heritage, Lechtman does not feel it necessary to engage in Jewish activities during the summer. “I guess I get enough of a Jewish fix from school, so it’s definitely nice to see other things,” Lechtman said. At the Zionist camp Tel Yehudah, Naomi Solkowitz attended services both on Friday night and Saturday morning. In addition, campers engage in all sorts of activities related to Judaism.

“Every other day we do an activity associated with prayer that our counselors plan for us,” Solkowitz said. Solkowitz feels that she is more observant at camp than she is at home, but also that it was not difficult to adjust to the slightly different lifestyle. “On Shabbat at camp I don’t use any technology and we don’t turn on lights or anything to respect the people that want to observe Shabbat,” Solkowitz said. Eighth-grader Avital Krifcher attended Moshava sleepaway camp. Moshava identifies with the Modern-Orthodox denomination, as does Krifcher. Like

Tel Yehudah, Moshava runs Jewish activities that promote an appreciation for Israel. At Moshava campers must wear modest clothes such as skirts or shorts down to the knee and shirts covering the shoulders. These restrictions challenged Krifcher at first. “My first year it was really hard getting into [the customs], but it kept getting easier,” Krifcher said. Like the dress code, Krifcher took time to adjust to the amount of prayer that

art by Annie Schtevie

the camp required. However, she eventually grew accustomed to the daily prayer services. “I became more excited to pray … it was easier because it was a camp thing to do,” Krifcher said.

Israel:

Something we can all agree on

We all enjoy spending our summers differently. Some of us go to the beach, • matthew others foldi • spend chadashot editor their time on their sofas, watching marathons of their favorite TV shows, and others go to summer camps. Four of the most important days of my summer were spent at American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) Saban Leadership Seminar. Guest speakers ranging from presidents of think tanks to professors to a bipartisan group of mem-

to Saban, and I was lucky enough to get our spot this year. One of the main themes of the conference was that although it doesn’t seem like we students can do much to change our government, it turns out that we underestimate the influence we have. The various members of Congress pointed out to everyone in attendance that students can, will and do make a difference in policy-making all the time. Members of Congress like Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) told us how her constituents lobby her about the issues which concern them, and that she takes their concerns into consideration when casting her votes on

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AIPAC’S Saban conference promotes, bipartisan American-Israeli relations

bers of Congress spoke on a variety of issues. Each year, CESJDS sends one student

their behalf. All the talk about youth involvement was terrific, but the most important lesson I learned at Saban was that despite living in a hyper-partisan political environment that shows no signs of improving, there will always be areas of consensus, and one of the most important areas of bipartisanship is in support for Israel. One of the biggest recent accomplishments the speakers pointed to was the latest round of sanctions targeting the Iranian regime. Some of the most significant advocates of these sanctions were students like you and me. Speakers stressed that Israeli citizens face the same threats we do as Americans.

The most timely example of this is Syria, as it was announced shortly before Saban started that the Syrian regime was in the process of moving stockpiles of chemical weapons. Both the United States and Israel are threatened by the prospect of a nuclear Iran. At the AIPAC Policy Conference in March 2012, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out how his people live in “the shadow of annihilation” each day with Iranian nuclear threats, and emphasized that Iran is no friend of the U.S.” But situations like that are why AIPAC exists: to lobby on Israel’s behalf in a world stacked against it.

chadashot • the lion’s tale •

Spending summer in service CESJDS students strengthen connections to Judaism over summer break Sydney Greene ‘14

“On the SOS [Children’s Villages] trip we did a lot to help out the Jewish communities in Hungary, Romania, and the Ukraine. This included a lot of cleaning of cemeteries and synagogues, since most of the cities in photo provided by Sydney Greene these countries have very small Jewish populations because of what occurred during the Holocaust, so while there are many Jewish cemeteries there is no one to really take care of them.”

Avichai Ozur Bass ‘13

“I spent the summer as a Bronfman Scholar in Israel. It was the best experience I’ve ever had in my entire life. The goal is get people from very different Jewish backgrounds to talk about how they identify … and to talk about [things like] like accepting people who aren’t halachically Jewish …. I’ve always had a ... connection to the Land of Israel, but, I think this trip taught me about how people connect to Israel … in a non-political way.” photo provided by Avichai Ozur Bass

Eric Sayag ‘14 “This summer I went on a BBYO summer program called ‘Kallah.’ We explored our Jewish identity through classes, programs, and prayer. Many Rabbis, educators, and even comedians came to talk to us about Judaism while having a great time. We had so much fun and learned a lot more about ourselves and others.” photo provided by Eric Sayag

What’s new at CESJDS: • stu krantz • copy editor

As with every year, there are many changes at CESJDS this year, and naturally some of those pertain to the area of Jewish life. Among the most significant developments is the introduction of the Kehilah program. Every Monday and Thursday for 12 minutes after the second block, students will gather in mixed grade groups of six to 10 with a teacher to go over announcements, discuss issues in the world and make new friends. “It’s going to be another way for students to build relationships and community,” Director of Jewish Life Miriam Stein said. “If you’re in Tefilah minyan then you know those kids but there’s no program and there’s no opportunity to interact with each other. I hope it will break kids out of their shell. If you’re a quiet kid, a teacher might not pick up if you need a little extra [help]. If you’re in a small group then it’s one more person looking out for you,” Stein said. Stein stressed that the program was not conceived with the singular focus of making students more

outgoing. “It’s so everybody has touch points with other students and teachers,” she said. The Kehillah groups will begin on Aug 30, the first Thursday of the school year. ••• Stein detailed the set of Jewish values that the school will be stressing: achraiut, responsibility, derech eretz, courtesy and kavod, respect. “It ties in with Bring Your Own Device since there’s more expensive paraphernalia and we need to be more respectful,” Stein said. “We’re not building a new culture of these things, we want to reinforce them. We want to be deliberate in reinforcing these values.” ••• The minyan program will remain largely the same. One change is the establishment of two separate Chavurah minyan sections, one led by Stein and the other by math teacher William Kaplan. ••• The yoga minyan will be led by physical education teacher Carolyn Holmes. ••• Kabbalat Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh assemblies

Changes include assemblies, faculty, minyanim and new programming

will continue. However the Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony, which was held every Friday at the end of the school day last year, will now be held after minyan on Friday morning. “We did it to help with the schedule,” Stein said. “[Now] we don’t have to be concerned kids may miss their buses. It will help with attendance and respect. A lot of people were bothered by the disrespect.” ••• All seventh-graders will receive a special present when they begin the school year. Each student will get a JDS kippah in their bag. Stein also had some advice for them about the atmosphere at JDS. “JDS is an environment that supports questioning and respects different practices,” Stein said. ••• There are two new JTTP teachers, Noam Sienna and Rabbi David Greenspoon, and two new Jewish History teachers, Aaron Bregman and Rachel Bergstein. In addition, eight new general studies teachers join the JDS faculty.

• the lion’s tale • in–depth

The Year to Come Preparing for the challenges of the new year • dina rabinovitz •

asst. in-depth editor

With the completion

of summer comes the anticipation of a new school year. Some students are nervous about dealing with the challenges and responsibilities that come with moving up a grade. Freshman Eli Davis is concerned about the extra effort that he will have to put forth once he enters high school. “My grades will now matter a lot more, which means I need to put in more work and devote more time to academics,”

Davis said. Other students are apprehensive about how much time they will have to spend on their schoolwork. “I do worry that I might have to drop an extracurricular or sport to handle the increased workload,” junior Joshua Bloch said. As senior Madison Roll enters her last year at CESJDS, she is worried about the overall result of her hard work. “I’m nervous that I’m not going to get into my colleges of choice and that applications are going to be really overwhelming,”

Roll said. Many older students can give guidance about how to deal with the stress of a new grade to those concerned about the coming year. Sophomore Zoe Orenstein, who found that she did not have to change her work habits ninth grade, offers assurance that freshmen will be able to cope with the high school workload. “I thought that my previous teachers had helped me prepare well enough so that when I got into ninth grade, I was ready,” Orenstein said. “You should just do what

New Responsibilities

you have been doing since seventh grade, and you will be fine.” Senior Yaly Levy offers advice to juniors concerned about their workloads. “Relax and [do] not let the stress get to you,” Levy said. “Take everything step by step and do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself just do your best. It’s a challenging year with school work, and SATs [and] ACTs, but don’t freak yourself out, that does no

• dina rabinovitz •

asst. in-depth editor

For high school

photo by Allie Wiener

Sophomore Samantha Berman prepares for the trip home

students, getting older means learning how to drive, entering senior year and graduating. These transitions, among others, are defining moments in the process of growing up and journeying from childhood to adulthood. Some students believe that the feeling of growing up comes from having more responsibility. Although

good. Don’t stress yourself about college either.” Levy also stresses the need for balance. “If you do your work and stay on top of things you will be fine,” she said. “And balance out your priorities, but make time to relax and breathe and have some fun.”

photo by Steven Reichel

Juniors in Paul Blank’s “Rendering Legal Decisions”

gaining responsibility is a typical part of getting older, many believe the knowledge that their actions have a significant effect on others is a sign of maturity. “The difference with driving and other household responsibilities is that driving can have big repercussions, of even life and death,” sophomore Maya Bornstein said. Bornstein also felt people can attain a sense of maturity when they accomplish tasks

they once believed were only for adults. “I used to think [driving] made my siblings so grown up because they can drive, and now I get to drive,” Bornstein said. Others, like senior David Schonfeld, feel mature simply because they are now upperclassmen. “I feel grown up when I realize that this is my last year of high school, and I’m part of the oldest grade in school,” Schonfeld said.

in–depth • the lion’s tale •

Tracking class levels • steven reichel • in-depth editor

year ago, the Class of 2015 entered the new year unlike any previous high school class at CESJDS. They were the first grade in JDS to experience the two leveled Advanced-Enriched College Prep system in core classes. As their second year in the system approaches, older and younger students alike have thoughts about its effects. Sophomore SJ Hyman was part of the first grade to participate in the Advanced-ECP system. Although she thinks that students tend to romanticize the old system, she believes that the new system poses some problems to student learning at JDS. “I think it is affecting the learning experience we have at the school, and I think the focus of the administration should be on the learning experience we have while they can control it, because in the long run an enjoyable learning experience will help us the most,” Hyman explained. Though it will not directly affect him, junior Andrew Siegal opposes the new system because he thinks it will have adverse effects on students that learn in different ways. “I dislike the system because the advanced class will bunch together two groups of students that learn at different levels,” Siegal said.

He added that he thought Honors students will either wind up struggling in Advanced classes or not being motivated enough in lower-level classes. “In [E]CP they aren’t going to be pushed hard enough and they will not become as smart as they would have been.” Siegal said. “The real kids that are being shortchanged are the kids who would have been in the Honors classes. They will either be pushed too hard, or not hard enough,” While some older students are unsure about the new system, students who haven’t been in a leveling system before, like seventh-grader Rachel Serfaty, are more excited for the two level system. “I think that [it’s] a good idea because then people can learn at the level that they need to be learning at,” Serfaty said. Eighth-grader Sara Hughes thinks that having levels at all is an improvement from the Lower School. “I like having different class levels, because there may be some people that need extra help, or people get understand the material quicker than others,” Hughes said. Even though he opposes the new two level system, Siegal appreciates having separate levels. “Overall, having different levels has really helped me learn here,” Siegal said.

Get Your Sleep! Upperclassmen share their tips for catching zzz’s “Basically the way to get rest is don’t procrastiphoto provided by Sydney Greene

“I personally never continue doing homework after 10 p.m., so I can get to sleep around 11 p.m. and get at least seven hours of sleep. I find that when I go to sleep later than that I am really cranky and not fun to be around, plus it is really hard for me to focus in my classes.” — Sydney Greene, junior

nate. Everyone says ‘of course’, but what happens is you end up having to stay up late to finish. If you get all your work out early you can still mess around until as late as you want, but you can also sleep when you want, which for me led to being well rested. Basically—do your work!!”

—Ben Steren, senior

• the lion’s tale • opinion the

lion’s tale editors elana schrager

editor-in-chief •

shira becker, samantha wiener managing •

abby birnbaum, aaron boxerman & stu krantz copy •

jacob dorn, ass’t: jeremy kaplan web •

jonathan reem design •

r’ay fodor, annie schtevie graphic •

miriam israel, ass’t: rebecca panitch photo •

jon galitzer

business •

david kulp

social media •

dore feith, jesse zweben news •

matthew foldi, haley lerner chadashot •

alison kraner, yael krifcher features •

eitan snyder

entertainment •

steven reichel, ass’t: dina rabinovitz in depth •

ari charnoff, jeremy etelson & alexander flum sports •

senior reporters cole aronson • reuben cohen gefen kabik • matthew halpern david solkowitz

reporters robbie belson • isaac dubrowsky maddie dworkin • rachel evans kobi fodor • malka himelhoch emma hofman • evan kravitz matt litman • adina pollak brian schonfeld • alec schrager nina simpkins • shira ungar joseph vogel • danny waksman hannah wexler • allie wiener

photographers ari fontheim • symon ginsburg max greenberg • sam hofman hannah josovitz • jessica kamjou evan satinsky

staff adviser claire burke

adviser emerita susan zuckerman The Lion’s Tale Editorial and Ethics Policy As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale is a forum for student opinion and expression. All content is determined by students. Its purpose is to inform the CESJDS community and to express the views of its staff and readers. The staff has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of its news. Signed columns reflect the opinion of the writer; staff editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of The Lion’s Tale editorial board. The Lion’s Tale staff welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, all of which must be signed. The staff reserves the right to refuse any material and may edit letters or columns for length, clarity, libel, obscenity and/or disruptiveness. Submissions may be emailed to lionstale@cesjds.org, mailed to The Lion’s Tale at 11710 Hunter’s Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852, or brought to room 328. The Lion’s Tale is funded by The Simon Hirshman Endowment for the Upper School Newspaper and The Kuttner-Levenson Endowment for the Upper School Cultural Arts and Student Publications, and community advertisement. The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisement for any reason. The staff will adhere to the ethics policies of The Society of Professional Journalists and the National Scholastic Press Association. The adviser will be held to the Journalism Education Association’s Adviser Code of Ethics.

New technology along with a new design As the media moves toward formats that use modern technology to present news in real time, so does The Lion’s Tale. Even as a high-school publication, it is our responsibility to ride the waves of change as we continue to inform our readership in the most effective ways possible. We are excited to present our new print format, which you now hold in your hands. As we publish only once a month, the newsmagazine format we have adopted allows us to design more visually attractive spreads while includ-

ing only the most substantive stories. Our new format is closely connected to our revamped website, www. lionstale.org. We promise to upload new material every day to ensure that there is always a reason for you to make a daily visit to our site. Coverage will be presented through stories, photos, opinions and videos. Our website allows us to be more timely than ever, and more environmentally friendly. This year The Lion’s Tale is redefining what it means to be informed about the JDS community. Now you can read

about occurrences regarding your peers in a way that is entertaining and interactive. This is a job that goes beyond our staff. It is also up to you to help keep this movement strong. Submit story ideas and photos that you may catch on your smartphone in the heat of the moment. Stop by our new office in room 328, or email us at jdslionstale@gmail.com. With your support and involvement we can continue to evolve. —Shira Becker, Elana Schrager and Samantha Wiener

Learning to finish excellently Building community in bits to keep an eye out One topic that will be If you ever learned With for ducks, to pick up my covered in the Kehilah meetsee a granite walker, you’re probably one yourself. They live in • elana the highest schrager • reaches of editor-in-chief the mountains, in the forgotten spaces in valleys, on the open slabs of sticky rock that wallpaper the wilderness from top to bottom. Find a green and clear river, and watch as it spits upwards as it attempts to choke the boulders in its path. Follow the flight of the spray, and there they’ll be: a line of them, huge humped backs stacked on top of spindly legs, each one following the other, up and across, a liquid line of bodies, until one by one they disappear over your horizon, searching for their own. For four weeks this summer, I got to be a granite walker. Loaded down under a 30 or 40 pound backpack, I tripped down trails, next to river and through places that had no signs of previous human passage. I

feet and to love the taste of iodine. As a granite walker, I accomplished things. I kept a campfire burning all night. I spent two days by myself, not eating and speaking to anyone. I walked up huge, steep slabs of granite. I descended cliffs. One morning, I hiked four miles, ran five and jumped in a glacial river—all before 8 a.m. At the end of junior year, I felt as though I had not finished anything. I had turned my assignments in, mostly on time, but I did not feel as though I had truly completed all that I wanted to. I came out of the mountains knowing that I had done things. I had finished with excellence. I know now that I am capable of finishing anything that I want to finish. I have promised myself that I will not simply do things this year—I will do them all with excellence. I will finish high school with excellence, and I will be proud of what I have accomplished.

the hectic schedules and homework that welcome us back to • samantha school, we wiener • are also welmanaging comed with editor a new program that will give us two 12-minute blocks a week that are designated for community building. This time is intended for students to form bonds with each other, facilitate communication among students and relieve the stress that comes with being in the Upper School. The Kehilah program will cover topics ranging from current events to Jewish values to issues in class. Two years ago, the administration implemented a Start It Up program, which brought together students in different grades to give advice to one another. The Kehilah program will have more regular meetings than Start It Up did, which will allow students to experiment with ways to make the program most effective.

ings will be school policies. By discussing school policies in small groups with teachers, it will give us the opportunity to understand the purpose of a policy and suggest changes or improvements. The new Kehilah program presents the opportunity for students to develop meaningful relationships and grow intellectually by discussing important issues of the day with teachers and other students, independent of grades and homework assignments. By creating bonds between students of different ages, our community will be strengthened. Along with this strengthening of our school community, it is my hope that the program will help to lower the level of stress associated with school. With any program or change, in order for it to be successful we must give it a chance to grow. I am excited to see how the school’s initiative to strengthen the school community.

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It’s official. The Kennedy Center has announced that “The Book • eitan of Morsnyder • mon,” the entertainment part-satire, editor part-religious experience and all-Mormon musical sensation is coming to the DC area. The musical follows Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, two Mormon missionaries, as they attempt to convert a Ugandan village to Mormonism. The show, written by Robert Lopez (“Avenue Q”), Trey Parker and Matt Stone (“South

Park”), is hilariously vulgar and walks the fine line between satire and anti–religious group propaganda. It lead my family to discuss the possibly offensive quality of the jokes about Mormons. My dad argued that if the show was based on Jews or Muslims, it would be criticized for being too offensive. In fact, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints released a statement, saying that “the production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people’s lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.” The Church does not seem to be offended. So

should we, as Jews, be offended for them? After all, Jews have been targeted by anti–Semitic propaganda throughout history, both satirically and seriously. I do not think that anyone should waste their energy being offended by the show. I believe that “The Book of Mormon” is a brilliant musical that actually supports organized religion, as Lopez tried to explain. “[The Book of Mormon] is such a load of baloney,” Lopez said about the sacred text in an interview with The New York Times. “But people believe in it so strongly, and their lives are demonstrably changed for the good by it.” In the musical, Elder

features • the lion’s tale •

“The Book of Mormon” brings its zany satire to D.C. — don’t be afraid to laugh

Cunningham, who has never actually read the Book of Mormon, tries to explain the sacred text to the Ugandans and convince them to convert. He adds fanciful new features such as AIDS-curing frogs and Star Wars references, to cover up for his lack of knowledge. The villagers begin to believe very strongly in this version of Mormonism. Their lives are improved greatly by the religion, even though it strays from Mormonism’s actual laws. The purpose these villagers find in their lives through the religion is the change for the good that Lopez mentioned in the interview. “The Book of Mormon” mocks the quirks and eccen-

tricities of organized religion, but also celebrates the empowerment that it gives people when channeled to fuel hope instead of violence. The point of the show is not just to make fun, but also to prove that organized religion is worthwhile as long as it does not influence evil acts. So go see The Book of Mormon when it comes to the Kennedy Center in August, and don’t feel bad about laughing at the religious jokes. Considering how tense religious conversations tend to get in the public sphere, it’s refreshing to see a work of art that comments on religion in a positive and constructive way with humor and wit.

Summer of science, summer of dance

Exploring similarities between different summer programs • dina rabinovitz •

asst. in depth editor

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Deciding how to spend your summer means choosing anything from academic courses to foreign exchange programs. Sophomore Aviva Braier took advantage of the diverse options available to her, and chose to study genetics and genomics at a scholarship program through the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) called the Center Scholars Program (CSP). CSP students attend classes and programs with CTY participants. Braier decided on the program based on its content and reputation. “[I chose CSP because]

it’s ambitious, it’s an opportunity, my sister did it, it looks really good for college, my parents wanted me to do it and I’m interested in biomedical sciences,”she said. Junior Diana Bender-Bier also chose to spend her summer away from home, traveling to Brazil with Citydance Conservatory of Strathmore on a cultural exchange. The company partnered with Ballet Jovem, a Brazilian young adult dance company. “We had dance class every morning and, afterwards, some days were spent touring and some were spent on the beach,” Bender-Bier said. In addition to exploring Brazil, students in the

program were exposed to the country’s unique dance style. “In one class they put on a little show for us. They put on costumes and some people put on stilts, it was all so colorful and bright,” Bender-Bier said. “They were just so happy and proud of their culture.” Bender-Bier selected her program purely for the experience. “I chose to go to Brazil, because I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to travel out of the country and connect with other teens and young adults from out of country who shared my passion – dance,” she said. Despite their initial

apprehensions about the foreign atmospheres, Braier and Bender-Bier both enjoyed enriching summers. “CSP is easily one of the best experiences of my life,” Braier said. “... CTY in itself is an amazing summer experience, there are crazy traditions and activities in addition to really fun and interesting classes. And every single person there is quirky and amazing.” Bender-Bier liked the cultural exchange because it allowed her to connect with people across the world, without having to speak. “We survived because we shared a passion for dance – a universal language,” Bender-Bier said.

• the lion’s tale • features

Starting school on the right foot • stu krantz • copy editor

Students participate in a variety of activities over the summer. Some choose to do programs at distant locations, while others stay in the area to work a day job. Some do nothing at all. But no matter what they do, their return to school is always nearing, and the nagging question remains: How is what I did this summer going to help me at school? Junior Jacob Serfaty, who attended the Junior Statesmen of America Summer School at Stanford University, found that the academic program helped to mentally prepare him for the school year. “The good thing about taking summer school classes is that it keeps you in a

work rhythm so that you’re not struggling to get back on your feet once you get back to school,” Serfaty said. Senior Molly Schneider attended the Young Women’s Leadership Institute at Barnard College, where she participated in a number of leadership exercises and classroom sessions and heard from several women who wrote books on feminism. “I think this year I’ll know what’s expected of me in college in terms of papers, reading, giving presentations,” she said. But, she noted, as important as her senior year of high school is, she did the program mainly looking ahead to college. “I figured the program would be a great way to

learn about [Barnard], see how I liked it and the other students and learn about a subject I had never studied before: feminism,” Schneider said. Junior Hilary Druckman chose to spend her summer outside of the classroom, working as a counselor at the Outdoor Education company Calleva, where she led mostly water-based activities. “I ... learned most importantly to be happy, even in tough situations,” Druckman said. “Your attitude completely changes the atmosphere. But if you tell yourself to be happy and energetic, even when you aren’t, soon the whole group is energetic. Obviously in school it’s really easy to have a negative mindset. But if

• evan kravitz • reporter

Once summer begins, students have more time to focus on personal goals. Eighth-grader Reuben Winston had to wake up early five days a week to go for a multiple-mile run in order to fulfill his summer goal. “For running, I just wanted to build up a base for the [cross country] season,” Winston wrote in an email. Though he did not

end up running as much as he had hoped, Winston feels confident that he can reflect on the summer and say that “it was enough.” Others chose to participate in Jewish social group activities over the summer. Sophomore Rachel Silverman attended Chapter Training Leadership Convention (CLTC), the BBYO summer camp that teaches its members the skills to become better leaders in their hometown chapters.

“Over the summer I was expecting to gain new knowledge about how to be a leader,” Silverman wrote in an email. “I think it panned out pretty well and I gained a lot of new knowledge.” Not all students planned productive summers. Senior Ethan Walfish’s ambition this summer was to rest and enjoy his time off. “My expectation for the summer was to have a very relaxing summer, [a]

very simple goal,” Walfish wrote in an email. “I think I did achieve my goal for the summer, because it was so simple.” Walfish believes the complexity of other students’ goals might make them harder to reach. “I do think it is practical for other students to achieve … what they set out to do, however they have to be realistic about their goals, and remember to just have fun with everything,” he wrote.

SUMMER

Reviewing realities of

you can tell yourself that you are having a good time, the whole situation will seem to change.” Junior Jacob Borenstein spent his summer taking classes to become a firefighter. He spent many hours in the classroom in order to earn CPR and Hazardous Materials certification, as well as EMT qualification. “I improved my studying techniques by taking that many classes,” Borenstein said. “I realized that the studying techniques I was taught in school apply to real life also.” Plus, being a firefighter taught him one skill that is helpful for every high school student. “I learned how to push through exhaustion,” Borenstien said.

sports • the lion’s tale •

Nationals draft Max Ungar (‘12) Chooses college over pros

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With the No. 1,104 pick in the 37th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, the Washington Nationals selected catcher Max Ungar (‘12) from CESJDS. Ungar made school history, becoming the first JDS athlete to be drafted by a professional sports team. Prior to the draft, Ungar took part in a workout at the Nationals’ minor league team’s stadium in Hagerstown and took a personality test administered by the Nationals at JDS during a professional day. In his junior year at JDS, Ungar had a batting average of .545, 13 RBIs, stole eight bases and hit one home run. When Ungar found out he was going to be drafted, he was en route to Denison University for college orientation. “My mom was in the car with me and she told me not to talk on the phone while driving, but I had a good feeling about the 301 area code that popped up on my phone,” Ungar said. “So, I picked it up and heard someone from the Nationals say ‘This is the Washington Nationals, we just wanted to let you know that we will be drafting you in about 10 minutes, congratulations.’ I went nuts, my mom went nuts. I started swerving along the road, so we pulled

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sports editor

off to a gas station and called a bunch of people.” When the news of Ungar’s achievement reached the JDS community, the enthusiasm was tangible. “I was very excited for Max and his family and for our coaches,” Athletic Director Mike Riley said. Ungar’s choice to attend college instead of signing

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• alexander flum •

with the Nationals did not take too much thought. “I had my mind made up before the draft that I was going to go to college,” Ungar said. Ungar’s decision was strongly supported by Varsity Baseball head coach Steven Forestieri. “Max understands the importance of education as well as the opportunity to continue to grow and develop as a baseball player,” Forestieri said. Ungar’s main goals the next four years include winning an NCAA Division III championship, getting re-drafted by a major league team, earning his degree and expanding his website, www.cavemancollege.com. According to the MLB’s official rules for drafting college athletes, “College players from four-year colleges who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old [are eligible to be drafted].” Forestieri believes that Ungar will be able to achieve his goal of getting drafted again. “If playing MLB is a true desire for Max, I have no doubt that he can make it happen,” Forestieri said. “Having the honor of being drafted could be a great motivational piece that keeps Max focused and determined on and off the field during his undergraduate studies.”

Boys varsity basketball team participates in summer league • robbie belson • reporter

The CESJDS boys varsity basketball team ended last season with a disappointing early exit from the playoffs, when they lost in the first round. They entered the summer with a feeling of unfinished business. This summer, the JDS varsity basketball team competed in a league during June and early July. They played in hopes of building skills and teamwork for next year. Despite lacking a complete roster for most games, the team finished the summer league with a strong record of 7-3, with key wins against Walt Whitman High School and the Avalon School. Head Coach David McCloud looked forward to his team playing against more difficult opponents than they play during the PVAC regular season. McCloud said that

competing against these non-conference schools was a challenge for his players but thought his team was successful. “I wanted them to get a feeling for what I was looking for in terms for continuity on the offense that we run ... We put a lot of effort into driving to the basket,” McCloud said. Senior Ethan Walfish is looking forward to leading this year’s team. “[This season] I’ll be a more vocal leader and I’ll just try to help everyone on the court and get everything organized,” Walfish said. McCloud is excited to contend for the PVAC Championship this season. “I’m looking forward to challenge for the PVAC championship,” McCloud said. “I think that we have a lot of talented young players and I’m looking forward to playing Grace Brethren or Covenant Life in the PVAC championship.” Advertisement

Get excited for the launch of “The Lion’s Tale’s” new website! Friday, August 31@ Kabbalat Shabbat. The next generation of CESJDS news.

• the lion’s tale • sports

CESJDS at the JCC Maccabi Games 2012

The JCC Maccabi Games is an Olympic-style sports competition featuring Jewish teams from different regions of North America. This years Maccabi games were held in Houston, Memphis, Tenn. and Rockland County, N.Y. Many CESJDS students competed as part of Team Greater Washington, based out of the JCC in Rockville, MD. For more coverage of JDS athletes at the JCC Maccabi Games, please visit www.lionstale.org/sports after the launch of the “The Lion’s Tale” website on August 31.

Daniel Zuckerman

Sport

Girls Dance 16U

Boys Track and Field 16U

Medals

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Participant Sara Kresloff

Medals One silver, two bronze

Two gold, one silver, two bronze

Participant Brian Shorr

Sport Boys Basketball 16U

Medals Did not medal

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Girls Swimming 16U

Rachael Schindler

Six gold, two silver

Sport

Participant

Participants Talia Gasko and Emma Hofman

Sport Girls Basketball 16U

Medals Each won one silver

Jewish gymnast wins gold while showcasing heritage • stu krantz • copy editor

Being Jewish at the Olympics took on special meaning at this summer’s London Games after the International Olympic Committee opted not to hold a moment of silence during the opening ceremony for the Israeli athletes killed by Black September terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics. While a healthy number of Jewish athletes competed in London, there was one who stood out above the rest. Eighteen-year-old Jewish gymnast Alexandra Raisman, who came to London largely overshadowed by fellow

teammates Jordyn Wieber and Gabby Douglas, became a worldwide sensation, and especially in the Jewish community after performing her floor routine to the tune of the classic Jewish folk song “Hava Nagila.” “Hava Nagila” took on an important meaning for the entire U.S. women’s gymnastics team after Raisman’s floor routine clinched the gold medal for the Americans in the team allaround event. Raisman went on to win another gold in the individual floor competition, as well as a bronze on the balance beam. The medals, which Raisman dedicated to the victims of

the Munich terrorist attack, boosted her international profile so much that Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuri Edelstein invited Raisman and her family to visit Israel. According to the Jerusalem Post, Raisman accepted the offer by way of a phone call set up by U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro. “I am sure you know that beyond your wonderful personal achievement,” Edelstein wrote to Raisman, according to the Post. “You also brought great pride to millions of Jews in Israel and around the world ... hearing why you chose the song made me realize that the concept of Kol Israel Arevim Zeh Lazeh

[all Jews are responsible for one another] still holds true and that the Jewish people remain united no matter how far apart we may live.” Raisman noted that although she did not choose “Hava Nagila” expressly because it was the 40th anniversary of the Munich attack, she is proud to be Jewish and wanted to display that at the Olympics. She also said she would have supported a memorial for the victims. Another Jewish gymnast who earned recognition in London was rhythmic gymnast Julie Zetlin. Zetlin, a Bethesda native placed 21 of 24 competitors.

Other Jewish athletes competing in the wide shadow that Raisman cast in London included swimmer Jason Lezak, who became famous at the 2008 Beijing games after he chased down French swimmer Alain Bernard in the last leg of the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay in what ESPN said “might have been the greatest comeback swim in Olympic history.” Lezak, in what were likely his final Olympics, earned his only medal after swimming the qualifying for the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay and helped team USA qualify for the finals, where they won the silver.