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  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

    1/8

    By Eytan Shamsian

    As the Shabbaton draws near,

    a feeling of excitement over-

    comes the students at Rae

    Kushner Yeshiva High School. Weeks

    of preparation lead up to a two day

    weekend spent with all our friends

    from school. The day nally comes

    and we board the busses to the hotel

    that we will call home for the next two

    days. Before you know it, the round

    robin of activities begins and the mur-

    murs start, Hey guys, why are westill here? Lets ditch.

    The schools goal of the Shab-

    baton is to give a more informal

    Jewish education experience that we

    hope students will nd relevant and

    enlightening, said Mr. Singman, for-

    mer Student Activities Director and

    current Guidance and Student Servic-

    es Counselor. Mr. Singman added that

    the school wants to give students the

    opportunity to engage in social inter-

    action with students and teachers with

    whom they might not have otherwise

    received the chance. However, is all

    this bonding time being well spent?

    Are the countless hours of sessions

    and singing looked at favorably in the

    eyes of the students, or does it give

    the students an opportunity to ditch

    something that is meaningless in their

    view?

    Many Kushner students do

    not see eye to eye with the school on

    this idea. As part of a survey, Kushner

    students were inquired if the sessions

    and singing add to their Shabbaton ex-

    perience. 23 percent of students said

    yes, 30 of students said somewhat

    and 26 percent of students said not

    at all. The polls portray that students

    may not be enjoying Shabbaton to the

    greatest extent because of the count-

    less programs and singing activities

    the school makes mandatory. As a re-

    sult, the students rst response is to

    nd the quickest way to get out of the

    singing or learning sessions.

    In addition the survey also

    says, 65 percent of the students sur-

    veyed have previously ditched a

    Shabbaton event and 63 percent of

    those surveyed think that it is ab-

    solutely worth it to ditch regardless

    of the risk of getting caught. Arthur

    Greeneld 16 said they are annoy-

    ing about small things, so people start

    to complain about everything and not

    want to do anything. Arthur also

    mentioned that the school makes ev-

    ery program mandatory. He added

    that the school should give students

    choices and at least cater more to the

    desires of the student body.

    An anonymous senior voicedhis opposition to the schools meth-

    od of conducting the program. I

    think the reason that people ditch on

    the Shabbaton is because theres not

    enough content catered specically to

    the students and the events are mostly

    cookie-cutter, some-people-enjoy-it-

    so-everyone-must-enjoy-it events.

    The student gave a very intrigu-

    ing solution to the ditching problem.

    Maybe if more breaks were given,

    the sessions ended earlier, or the stu-

    dents could choose which activities

    they wanted, fewer people would

    ditch.When asked in regards to

    whether ditching is worth the risks,

    another anonymous student pointed

    out that the worst thing that can hap-

    pen is that I get sent back to the same

    boring act ivity from where I started.

    Many students interviewed

    are not interested in what the Shabba-

    ton has to offer and plan to ditch again.

    Putting it simply, Arthur Greeneld

    16 said, I plan on having a good time

    without getting in serious trouble by

    the school.

    inside this issue

    page 2

    page 4

    HoK: Mr. Malitz

    page 8

    Sports on Shabbat

    The Curious Case of Ditchers on ShabbatonMajori ty of Students Admit to Skipping Shabbaton Programming

    Shabbaton Pricing

    The Student Run Newspaper of RKYHS

    Special Shabbaton Edition 2014

    I think the reason that

    people ditch on the Shabbatonis because theres not enoughcontent catered specically tothe students and the events aremostly cookie-cutter, some-people -enjoy- it-so-everyone -must-enjoy-it events.

    -Anonymous Student, 15

    page 5

    Dress to Impress?

    page 3

    Keeping Up with Shabbaton

    November 21-23, 2014

    Volume 17, Issue 2

  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

    2/8

    News2 November 21-23, 2014Volume 17, Issue 2

    By Alyssa S chnipper

    Electronics can have both positive and

    negative effects. Being addicted to devices can be

    unhealthy; however, using devices at a more con-

    trolled rate can have a positive effect on a person.

    The New York Times says that on average, kids

    ages eight to eighteen spend more than seven and a

    half hours on devices such as iPhones, iPods, com-

    puters , laptops, etc., a day. This means that most

    of a childs day, aside from school hours, is spent

    staring at a screen.

    Electronics can be harmf ul to a persons

    life. When device usage gets out of hand, and a

    person no longer reali zes that they are spending

    endless hours staring at a screen, things can get

    bad. Star ing at a screen for many hours can cause

    a strain on your eyes and can cause headaches,

    states The New York Times. Another harmful ef-

    fect is that, the persons focus will no longer be

    on school work and their grades will sta rt slipping

    lower. Many people use electronics to procras-

    tinate, instead of working they will spend hours

    on the internet, social media, and games. When

    Im doing my homework I usually end up on In-

    stagram or Snapchat. says Naomi Kestler 18.

    What started off as simple procrastination could

    result in piles of homework for a later time. As a

    result of this, the person might be required st ay upextremely late in order to nish their homework.

    This can later result in sleep deprivation, and the

    person being unable to func tion properly during

    the day. The people that spend endless hours on

    social media are really just hurt ing themselves. By

    focusing on what happens during their online so-

    cial life they are damaging their real social life.

    Mrs. Malashock says it is supposed to be a so-

    cial network, but instead, it is an Anti-Social Net-

    work. While we have such a long friend list, so

    many of us are friendless, because more relation-

    ships are broken because of social networking, so

    many of us are sitting at home and measuring our

    self-worth by the number of followers and Likes,

    ignoring those who ac tually love us.

    Instead of talking to their friends they will tune

    them out or half-listen to what their friend is say-

    ing, and let me tell you people do not enjoy be-ing ignored. Ruthie Lando 18 comments I would

    be t rying to speak to them and they would ignore

    me (because of their phone). Slowly they will

    nd themselves los-

    ing friends, and losing

    batte ry. Overall, elec-

    tronics can be harmful,

    but do not immediately

    assume that they are

    bad, they are a tool,

    and like any tool it can

    be used in both a good

    and a bad way.

    Although electron-

    ics can have harm-

    ful effects on

    a person, they

    can also have

    positive effects.

    Electronics are

    extremely use-

    ful, when used

    in the correct

    way. One girl

    says (students)

    often use them

    to jot down

    when tests are

    scheduled or re-ceive texts from

    their teachers

    informing them

    on upcoming assignments. Utilizing devices to

    assist and improve the way you do your school-

    work is a good th ing. She continued If student(s)

    use their devices as organizing tools electronic

    hours can be used to their advantage. Instead of

    using devices as distract ions, one should use them

    as tools to assist themselves in whatever they are

    doing. Electronics are also extremely useful to

    teachers. They can easily email the whole class

    about tests and homework. Using a website called

    Turnitin students can quickly and efciently turn

    in papers. In class, teachers use smart-boards tohelp them explain concepts. Mrs. Bochner, a teach-

    er at RKYHS, comments I rely on technology (for

    teaching). Without devices life would be ver y dif-

    ferent. You may not realize how much you depend

    on devices and technology. These electronics have

    become part of our daily routine, when you have

    a question you use google, when you need to go

    somewhere you use a GPS, when you are bored

    you might call or text a friend, and many more

    things. Electronics are our tools, to use to assist

    us. Electronics can be extremely useful, and thats

    why we use them practically every day, but that

    From The Editors Desk Its that time of year again. No

    not Christmas, but wonderful Shabbaton

    weekend we all adore. This years Shab-

    baton is lled with new exciting act ivities

    and opportunities to bond with your fel-

    low Kushner classmates. We hope that this

    years Shabbaton themed newspaper is go-

    ing to uncover any curiosities or evoke any

    thoughts one has regarding the Shabbaton.

    Also, if anyone is interested in

    voicing his or her opinion in the form of a

    letter to the editor, talk to anyone on the

    staff and we will point you in the right di-

    rection.

    Enjoy the paper,

    Eytan Shamsian

    Editor-In-Chief

    The Voice

    The Voice StaffJonathan Pedoeem, Editor-in-Chief

    Eytan Shamsian, Editor-in-Chief

    Dalya Dickstein, Editor-in-Chief

    Jacob Stein, Media Editor

    Joey Kirsch, Page Editor

    Editors

    Efe Auman, News Editor

    Eitan Scher, Opinion & Reviews Editor

    Joe Berger, Sports Editor

    Josh Degen, Sports Editor

    Ben Wagner, Science Editor

    Lindsey Blenden, Photography Editor

    Zach Caplan, Photography Editor

    General Staff

    Aaron Dickstein

    Alyssa Schnipper

    Anna Kaplan

    Ariella Shua

    Avery Bell

    Avi Bendory

    Becky Weisberg

    Daniel Moradi

    David Needle

    Doni Schanzer

    Estee Wagner

    Gabe Zuckerman

    Gideon Rubin

    Greg ArtmanJacob Nelson

    Jonah Bash

    Jordan Shanskalil

    Koby Stadtmauer

    Nina Kahn

    Sam Raab

    Sam Shersher

    Shep Gerszberg

    Yoni Kaynan

    Yonatan Raskin

    Mrs. Bohs, Advisor

    Distraction or Benefit?Do the Disadvantages of Technology Outweigh the Advantages?

    The Pricing of ShabbatonWhat Goes into Budgeting the Shabbaton?

    By Jonathan Pedoeem

    $265. What can you do with $265?

    You can purchase about 43 crispy ds fromthe after-school cafe, buy about 12 Kushner

    scarves, or pay the fee for the 2014 RKYHS

    Shabbaton. $265 is no chump change, so is it

    money well spent?

    According to a recent Voice student

    poll, 55% of the 80 students interviewed said

    that the Shabbaton was too muchwhile 44%

    said it wasfair. It is important to note that the

    students are not the ones picking up this tab;

    96% of students said that their parents com-

    pletely cover the costs of the Shabbaton.

    Yet, parents are paying $22,800 (or $23,100

    for seniors) for tuition. It is understandable

    that an extra fee for the Shabbaton may both-

    er parents who have several other bills to pay.Julia Labovits 17 explains that her

    parents understand: Its pretty expensive but

    my parents know the school does a good job

    with the money. I have a lot of fun so they

    think its worth it.

    We understand that it is difcult

    for families to pay the entire cost, student

    activity director Mr. Levy noted. There are

    a number of factors that drive Shabbaton

    planning, cost is one of the most important

    factors that we consider.

    Mr. Levy went on to explain how

    important price is when planning for the

    Shabbaton: When we go through the foodand the hotels, everything we think about has

    cost in mind.

    Price has been such a big factor

    that because of it the school decided to can-

    cel the extra day of Shabbaton, that has been

    traditionally for freshman, and changed last

    year to seniors. Rabbi Rubin, the principal of

    RKYHS and head of school, said that the de-

    cision to remove the extra day was strictly

    nancial.

    We heard from parents that the ex-

    tra amount for an additional night at a hotel

    and for food was a price they were not want-

    ing to carry, Rabbi Rubin explained.

    I think it is a good decision. Jamie

    Rubin 15 said. Parents already have to pay

    tuition, sports jerseys and a bunch of other

    fees. The extra day was good, but it was not

    worth the extra money.

    On the other hand, there were stu-

    dents who were disappointed with the schools

    decision. Alex Silver 15 is one of these such

    students: I think its unfair, and weird howtheyve been doing it for years and now sud-

    denly its nancially problem. I think that its

    a real experience, for either grade that gets to

    go up early, that the administration is taking

    away from us.

    Julia agreed. She offered a better

    solution : The administration could have at

    least made it an option to parents and if the

    majority was willing to spend it for their kids

    to go up early they still should have done it.

    But cutting it completely isnt really fair

    Ben Ronen 17 explains how he

    would have liked to have the extra day when

    he was a freshman. I think its not fair that

    they stopped doing for my grade when I wasa freshmen. However, he went on to concede

    that there is not much the school could do if it

    was a nancial problem.

    Mr. Levy also echoed the idea of

    cutting costs. He explained that: On the

    Motzei Shabbos activity we are going in yel-

    low busses. Why? Because they are cheaper.

    It is cheaper to go in the yellow busses than

    Both Rabbi Rubin and Mr.Levy were quick to say thatthe Shabbaton this year is $35cheaper than last year

    SEE TechnologyNEXT PAGE

    SEEPricingNEXT PAGE

  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

    3/8

    News 3November 21-23, 2014Volume 17, Issue 2

    does not mean that they are not overused.

    Why, one might ask, does a person become addicted to their

    electronics? While this is a very good question there is no

    denite answer, but there are many possibilities. I think

    people get addict ed to elect ronics because they are very eas-

    ily accessible and portable... (and) because it may sound eas-

    ier than actually doing what they have to get done (an easy

    route to distraction), says Emily Gruber 18. Another reason

    might be simply because we are bored. Alyssa Bloomberg 17

    says People use the electronic world as a break f rom the real

    world, but the further you slip into the false fantasy, the more

    danger you put your real self in. We get addicted to electron-

    ics because we use them to ll time, but then we start using

    them during times when there simply is no reason for them.

    When people get bored they do different things, some mighteat, others might exercise, and some might sit down with an

    electronic. Electronics can be very addicting so it is impor-

    tant that one lear ns how to control themselves.

    Electronics have both bad and good effects on the

    world. Once we learn how to manage them the effects will

    not be as negative. Self-control is all thats needed to pre-

    vent (device) abuse. says Mrs. Bochner. She continued to

    explain that there are apps that can be downloaded to help

    prevent overusing your device. A person that really wants to

    control their device usage has the ability to do so. Electronics

    have changed our world for the better in some ways, and for

    the worse in others. Whether it is worth it, well, thats up to

    you to decide.

    the coach busses.

    Has all of this cut back had any effect? Both Rabbi Rubin and

    Mr. Levy were quick to say that the Shabbaton this year is $35 cheaper

    than last year ($265 vs $300). Rabbi Rubin credited this drop in priceto the their conscious effort to reduce the price. We were able to re-

    duce the food costs by a recognizable amount, concurrently we have

    been working with some of the vendors to see if they can cut the fees

    and prices they charge the school for the services they give.

    Surprisingly, the price students pay is actually less than the actual

    cost. The cost of the Shabbaton is more than what you guys pay,

    Mr. Levy said. He went on to explain that,The students pay more than

    50%, but it varies by the year.

    All in all, price has been a signicant concern on both the

    side of the parents and the administration. Students who are caught in

    the middle understand the situation.

    Pricing (cont.)

    Technology (cont.)

    Keeping Up with Shabbaton

    By Yonatan Raskin

    Shabbaton, the one time a year whenthe entire school gets together and spendstwo days in a hotel somewhere in the magicalland of Connecticut. But what makes Shabba-ton what it is? Was it always like the Shabba-ton we know today? What is Shabbaton likefor a teacher, then and now? In an interviewwith Mr. Bryant, we were able to nd outhow teachers view the Shabbaton, and how ithas differed from different ones in the past.In another interview Joey Kirsch 15 sharedwith us what might be missing in this upcom-ing Shabbaton, and traditions that should bereinstated.

    How many Shabbatons have you been on inthe past?

    Mr. Bryant: Since the fall of 2008, so seven.

    What do you think are the most importantcomponents of the Shabbaton?

    I think its really neat to actually see thatwhen the teachers say Alright Shabbas isstarting lets go, everyone packs in the elec-tronics and gets ready for Shabbas. To actual-ly see people get into it is amazing. Honestly,I never appreciated it before I went on my rstone. Its an amazing bonding experience forfreshmen, and they get an opportunity to seethe amount of fun they can have in school.

    People who go on the Shabbaton never regretit, and the people who dont go really regretmissing out on it. As a Catholic, to see whatyou do, the sessions that you guys participatein, its incredible.

    Do you think the upcoming Shabbaton willsurpass previous ones or fall short? Why?

    We know its a good location, a really nice ho-tel. Weve been there in past years includinglast year. The hotel has the perfect set up forour needs. We can consolidate ourselves ona couple of oors and not bother anyone, notthat we bother anyone of course. We should

    have a good time.

    Do you know if there is anything specialplanned that will set this Shabbaton apartfrom previous Shabbatons?

    Im interested in the Saturday night activity.Im not sure what were doing this year butits usually a lot of fun. I think it helps thekids to see that their teachers come out ontheir own time to help on the Shabbaton andthat school isnt just a job and that theyre re-ally invested in their lives. I like being to beable to joke with the kids and tell them funny

    jokes about my wife and kids and just havea good time with everybody. Its a fun timefor me, and I really do believe what we do isimportant work and I love doing it.

    How many Shabbatons have you been on inthe past?

    Joey: At least 5 maybe more.

    Compare your rst and last Shabbatons,are there any signicant differences?

    Actually, yeah. One thing that really standsout is back then the seniors were able to per-form their song. They used to have a teacherand student sort of thing going on together.They also used to change up the hotel some-times and not have the same hotel for 3 or 4years.

    What do you think is the most importantpart of the Shabbaton year in and year out?

    I dont think the programs matter as muchas being with your friends and bonding withthem during free time.

    Are you excited for this years Shabbaton?

    Yeah. Its going to be good; its fun to have

    A Look at How Shabbaton has Changed Over the Years

    SEEKeeping UpNEXT PAGE

    Satire:A Tale of Two FreshmanBy Cynthia Lando & Gideon Rubin

    Caution: the following is a veryoverdramatic caricature of the

    freshmens view of high school

    and how the freshmen are treated

    .

    It was the best of times, itwas the worst of times. ( A Tale

    of Two Cities) Freshman thought

    life couldnt get any worse. The

    hatred towards freshman wasgetting out of hand; the revenge

    from the sophomores, the hatred

    from the juniors, and the disdainfrom the seniors creates the up-

    perclassmen aristocracy. I think

    everyone should be treated equal-

    ly except freshmen declared oneanonymous sophomore. Day by

    day the freshmen grow hungrier

    for a new status quo, wishing tobe treated as equals to the upper-

    classman.

    From the perspective of the

    boys they had it worse; living in

    darkness, fear, and despair everyday being called a classic fresh-

    man; being defined as nave,

    dolt, and annoying. According tothe aristocratic sophomores, who

    view themselves as gods, fresh-

    men are nothing; worthless as

    was stated by a sophomore him-self. The short freshmen citizens

    are towered over by the giant

    seniors wondering when their

    time will come, in other wordsfreshman boys are not living in

    a city of rainbows and unicorns.

    Through the eyes of a sopho-more this freshmen dilemma is

    thought of as divine punishment

    and the freshman deserve every

    ounce of it. The ostracizing of thefreshmen boys is not only limited

    to upperclassman; it ensues with

    the teachers, who view freshmenas more deserving of punish-

    ment. These citizens (freshmen)

    are called upon to the guillotine

    in Rabbi Hirscheys office where

    they receive a lunchtime impris-onment, a letter home or the loss

    of their heads.

    Meanwhile across the di-vide the girls are also experienc-

    ing torment. From being pushed

    in the treacherous halls, to the

    stereotype of loudness, rude-ness, and irritation that defines

    a freshman girl. It is experienced

    throughout the generations and

    is considered tradition by most,that no matter whom you are and

    what school you go to, if you are

    a freshman girl youre annoy-ing. You will spend your entire

    9th grade being the newbie, al-

    ways considered a child. But you

    dont want to be caught wearingchildish clothes because if you

    do you will be sent to change.

    For the rest of the day you willbe shamed by your peers. Some

    dont even bother ack nowledging

    freshman, Whats a freshman?

    is a question often asked by our

    prestig ious Kushner students. Allof these events pose as a wel-

    coming of newcomers says an

    anonymous sophomore, addingthat; the freshman should be put

    in their place for thinking that

    they are so cool to be in High

    school; because theyre not. Sothat leaves us all with one ques-

    tion whats a freshman?

    All in all, sure the stereo-

    type of freshman is not lovely butit is part of what compiles the en-

    tire high school experience, from

    being pushed , to the annual wel-coming of newcomers. Deep,

    deep, deep inside we are actu-

    ally enjoying it. Eventually as the

    years come and go so too do thefreshmen, and at least you only

    have to survive one year of it. As

    for this year: it was the best oftimes, it was the worst of times.

  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

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    News4 November 21-23, 2014Volume 17, Issue 2By Sam Raab

    In your early years, what attracted

    you to pursue a career in science?

    Mr. Malitz: A professor of mine in mygeneral Chemistry class was teachingabout certain chemicals and the way

    people used the language [on labelsfor food] when they are marketing.A lot of times the language that thecompanies used for marketing froma scientic point of view didnt re-ally match up. Such as if a companywouldnt really give the chemical rea-son why they were using a preserva-tive. So, [my professor] tried to ex-

    plain that it really wasnt to preserveit but it was to prevent the food from

    spoiling. From this, I got fascinatedwith other things that are misrepre-sented from a marketing standpointand I said I want to know the real sci-ence behind it.

    Where have you studied before

    coming to Kushner?

    I went to college at Illinois StateUniversity, and Ive studied varioussymposiums with other professors atuniversities dealing with aerosol tech-nology when I was doing research. Ialso did a little bit of masters workwith some dna.

    What lead you to come to Kushner?

    Initially I was looking for a teachersposition and I kind of felt that a small-er pool would be better for me. WhenI met Mr. Landau, who actually inter-

    viewed me, he talked about this place.The way he talked about it; with whatit has to offer and with the way thefaculty and administration are, be-came very attractive to me.

    What do you feel is the hardest part

    about teaching High School stu-

    dents?

    Making sure things are fair and con-sistent. Lots of times in the adolescentmind they think fair has to be equal,

    but fair and equal are not the samething. So, I have to be fair and consis-tent, which is not an easy thing to do,and make sure I am treating everyonethe same way.

    How do you feel like you havechanged religiously compared to

    how you were when you came here

    originally?

    Its denitely enriched me from a re-ligious standpoint. Ive gotten myown education from where I grew upas a reform Jew to orthodox judaism,learning more and more about someof the traditions and the meanings andit really has made my life more mean-ingful.

    Tell me about the rst time you put

    on Tellin.

    It meant that I truly belonged here,like it was a sense of somebodys

    people embracing me being here andembracing my willingness to shareand experience. I felt so accepted andwelcomed it was almost overwhelm-

    ing.

    How has the Shabbaton changed

    your connection to Judaism?

    I remember on my rst ShabbatonI was asked to give a dvar torah af-ter one of the onegs and I was verytouched by that. I think the studentsappreciated a different perspective

    that was not necessarily a rabbinicalone, so [the students] really embracedit and embraced me being there and

    being a part of their experience.

    What are some of your hobbies out-

    side of School?

    Well I like to read, ride my bicycleand motorcycle, and I really love go-ing to movies and broadway shows.

    What are you favorite TV shows?

    My favorite would denitely be Mod-ern Family, but I also watch Sons ofAnarchy, Homeland, Survivor, SharkTank, and football.

    Any Fashion advice for your stu-

    dents?

    This is really only to the guys: Losethe fohawk.

    Humans of Kushner: Mr. Malitz

    The Fault in Our Newspaper?Is it Ever Effective to Work in a Group?

    By Avi Bendory

    The school newspaper isholding a meeting. Those in atten-

    dance are discussing the problem

    of widespread failure to meet dead-

    lines. A recurring theme is that peo-

    ple simply dont tr y hard enough to

    do things on time, and articles are

    often completed lazily and literally

    put off to the last minute. The con-

    clusion of the meeting is that people

    just arent working as hard as they

    should be.

    You trudge grudgingly into

    your last class of the day. Youve just

    nished an impossible test and the last

    thing you want to do is sit through yetanother class. Youre just about to put

    your head down for a nap when your

    teacher announces that your class will

    be working in groups.

    Groups? Excellent! You look

    to your right to your best friend whom

    you would love to discuss your test

    with. You look to your left to the clas-

    sic freshman that always does all the

    work when hes in a group. Youre just

    getting excited for the class that is to

    come when the teacher puts you with

    your fellow snoozer and your dreams

    of catching some sleep are crushed.

    You groan at the prospect of actually

    having to do some work in a group.

    The dislike of putting in in-

    tense effort in a group setting is not

    just exclusive to you. It is shared by

    64% of RKYHS students who re-

    sponded such in a survey. This ten-dency is a well- documented psy-

    chological phenomenon called social

    loang.

    Social loang is described in a

    University of Iowa study as a tenden-

    cy of individuals working in a group

    setting to not put in full effort. In the

    study, both individuals and groups

    took part in a series of tasks. Groups

    were noticeably less productive than

    individuals could have been working

    alone. The problem described is that

    everyone in the group thinks that his

    group mates will work hard enough to

    compensate for his lack of effort, re-

    sulting in a loss of productivity. This

    problem extends beyond the walls of

    the University of Iowa to the halls of

    RKYHS.

    Following the broad survey,

    a smaller number of students were

    asked whether or not they liked work-

    ing in groups in a classroom set-ting, and why. While answers varied

    greatly in content, two general themes

    emerged. Most correspondents liked

    working in groups because it allowed

    them to contribute less personally.

    Anonymous responses included Yes,

    because it means less work, Im ok

    with other people doing most of the

    work, and If my partners are help-

    ful/ if they do it for me.

    However, there were several

    a weekend to hang out with yourfriends.

    Do you think it will surpass or fallshort compared to previous Shab-batons? Why?

    Itll probably be mostly the samething, same hotel, but I thin k it could

    be bet ter this year.

    What do you want to see be changedthe most as a student?

    More free time maybe and someoneshould be going up a day early; its atradition. So there you have it. Accord-ing to both teacher and student, Shab-

    baton has had some pret ty signicantchanges compared to past years. Thisyears Shabbaton is shaping up to beone of the best.

    Keeping Up (cont.)

    SEENewspaperPAGE 8

  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

    5/8

    By Avery Bell

    Life on earth has become

    unbearable. The largest agricul-

    ture crisis the world has ever seen

    unfolds before the viewers eyes.

    Food is no longer abundant, the

    life span of earth is decreasing

    ever so rapidly and time is run-

    ning out. Faced with this problem,

    a four man team is sent into space

    to attempt to nd a new planet that

    is habitable. While this may seem

    like the plotline to many sci-

    movies, I assure you it is not any-thing close to what you expect

    Christopher Nolan deliv-

    ers once again. The Dark Knight

    Rises, Batman Begins and In-

    ception are just a few of Nolans

    phenomenal movies he has put

    together and written. Interstel-

    lar competes with all of Nolans

    past movies and some say that this

    movie triumphs over his others.

    The movie follows ex-NASA pi-

    lot turned farmer, Cooper, played

    by Matthew McConaughey who

    does a superb job as always. Mc-

    Conaughey delivers in his south-

    ern accent beautifully throughout

    the entire movie. McConaughey

    is chosen to pilot the ship, named

    Endurance, which will take the

    four-man crew through space. The

    only female member of the crew is,

    Brand, played by Anne Hathaway.

    When you think of Christopher

    Nolan you automatically think of

    Hathaway because of her stint in

    the Batman series so it was only

    logical to cast her in Interstellar.

    As always Ha-

    thaway is able to

    make the view-

    er feel directly

    what she is feeling by the way

    she portrays her emotions. While

    some of the cast members were

    a bit confusing in the decisions

    they made throughout the movie,

    the entire cast performed admira-

    bly, overal l.

    What makes any movie or

    TV show good in my opinion is the

    score (music). Interstellar does

    not drop the ball. The man behindthe magic is legend Hans Zimmer.

    It was a no brainer to have Zimmer

    work on the score because he and

    Nolan have worked together on

    the Batman series. Other notable

    movies, where Zimmer worked on

    the score, are; Black Hawk Down,

    Sherlock Holmes, and Pirates of

    the Caribbean: The Curse of the

    Black Pearl and numerous oth-

    ers. At times the music played too

    loud and it mufed what the actors

    were trying to say but I think I can

    attribute that to the sound quality

    in my local theater

    or it might have

    just been the de-

    sired effect Zim-

    mer was going for. What I person-

    ally like about Zimmer is that his

    choice of placement is extremely

    interesting. At certain points the

    music will just boom and you be-

    come completely engulfed in what

    is going on. In other times there

    is no music at all, just silence and

    you are still completely enveloped

    in the movie.

    The movie itself is beauti-ful. You know its a Christopher

    Nolan movie just because it is ab-

    solutely gorgeous and stunning.

    The movie was designed as an in-

    movie event and if you choose to

    watch outside of that format you

    will not be able to fully experience

    the greatness of the cinematogra-

    phy. The way space is depicted is

    stunning, I feel as if I have been

    there myself. Aside from the visu-

    als itself the movie at times fails to

    deliver the plot. For the most part

    the plot is coherent and the viewer

    is informed as to what is happen-ing, but at times the movie leaves

    you lling in the blanks and won-

    dering how this just happened.

    The movie deals with very

    complex scientic theories but the

    way it is portrayed on screen, you

    dont need a PHD in physics to

    understand what is going on. For

    the most part, the events that oc-

    cur throughout the lms are plau-

    sible, as in they can happen, and

    I loved that Nolan did that. No-

    body, including myself especially,

    likes when you are watching amovie and you know that half of

    the scenes that are happening are

    completely ludicrous and would

    never be possible.

    The Good:

    Phenomenal cast lineup and superb

    acting. The cinematography is abso-

    lutely beautiful and leaves you want-

    ing more.

    The Bad:

    Some points in the plot were not ad-

    equately explained and leaves the

    viewer to form their own conclusions.

    The score in some parts mufes the

    actors voices. (It may have possibly

    been due to my local theater.)

    The Bottom Line:

    Christopher Nolan outdoes himself

    again. Anybody who sees this movie

    will immediately be sucked in and

    will leave wanting more.

    When/Where:

    Currently in theaters

    Opinion 5November 21-23, 2014Volume 17, Issue 2Dress to Impress?

    By Nina Kahn

    With Shabbaton impend-ing, a major topic at the forefront

    of the minds of many female stu-

    dents is what to wear. The fol-

    lowing are just a couple of ques-tions that girls have about attire

    on Shabbaton that causes them to

    be insecure: Is an outf it too casu-al? Is everyone going to be wear-

    ing heels? What if everybody

    else looks nicer than they do?

    Because there is so much atten-

    tion on the looks of women thesedays, it is an important issue to

    address.

    When anonymous femalestudents were asked why they

    like to dress up at Shabbaton, it

    came down to one basic answer;

    it gives them confidence when

    they know they look as good

    as, if not better than their peers.What is even more interesting yet

    not surprising, is that many girls

    linked their desire to look goodto impressing boys.

    A video was recently post-

    ed on YouTube called 10 Hours

    of Walking in NYC as a Wom-an. Throughout these ten hours,

    a woman recorded herself walk-

    ing through the city, minding her

    own business. She was verbally

    harassed over one hundred timesin this short time period. On a

    similar note, according to theNew York Times, women are

    12.8% more likely to be called

    back for jobs if they are deemed

    attractive. It is no wonder that

    the female stu-

    dents of our school

    feel pressured tolook presentable at

    Shabbaton. These

    problems can re-ally be traced back

    to men and women

    in society.

    For thesereasons, High

    School age girls

    should be confi-

    dent in themselves,

    no matter whatthey are wearing.

    Our schools strongenforcement of the

    rules of Tzniut illustrates this

    point and allows students to feel

    at home walking through the

    hallways. As the old adage says,

    true beauty comes from the in-side, and not from the outside.

    Does it Really Matter What You Wear?

    Movie Review: Interstellar

  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

    6/8

    Entertainment6 November 21-23, 2014Volume 17, Issue 2UnDivided

    Dystopian Novel by Neal Shusterman With an Exciting Plot

    By Gabe Zuckerman

    Parents of children ages of 13-17 are

    permitted and encouraged by the govern ment

    to rip their children apart and sell the pieces

    of their body for money. And the scariest part

    is: They do it. All it takes is a couple of minor

    offenses and before you know it youre being

    cut into pieces by surgeons. This is the type of

    society that protagonist Connor Lassiter aims

    to bring down in the epic end to the Unwind

    Dystology.

    The book was phenomenal, until itcame to t he end. Im not going to give it away,

    but it was way too good to be tr ue. In dys to-

    pian novel s it creates an unrealist ic feeling if

    all ends well. Now obviously any ending nev-

    er satisfies the readers. That being said it was

    a bad ending. On to the positives, I thought

    Shusterman did a really good job keeping the

    multiple plots going on simultaneously. Usu-

    ally, authors build up one, really intense plot

    following one person and then some other mi-

    nor and boring plots, and usually overcompli-

    cate the main story. Shusterman really came

    through and made me excited to switch plots

    and perspectives as opposed to dreading it.

    Shusterman took the situation of Unwinding,

    (parents selling their kids parts) and really

    explored every type of personality a charac-

    ter could have. Throughout the series you see

    different effects of unwinding on the world.

    Authors of dystopian books tend to only focus

    on a core group of people, whereas Shuster-

    man tries to give a glimpse of everyone. This

    really enhances the read and separates Shus-

    terman from all other authors. If you are new

    to the Unwind Dystology start with the first

    book, Unwi nd.

    The Good:

    Multiple plots done in a unique and exciting

    way.

    The Bad:

    Bad ending to an otherwise amazing series.

    The Bottom Line:

    Definitely one of the best series I have read in

    a while, maybe just skip the ending.

    Sports on Shabbat

    By Jonah Bash

    The question has been

    pondered for many centur ies

    and like with any issue in Juda-

    ism, there is a myriad of opin-ions. Should sports be allowed

    on Shabbat?

    The answer to the ques-

    tion isnt so simple, as there are

    many problematic factors that

    go along with playing sports.One problem is the possibility

    of violating Er uv. Another issue

    is changing into clothing thatis not appropriate for Shabbat.

    There are even some pe ople who

    say that it is ok to play with just

    a ball, but using other equip-

    ment such as a baseball bat or

    a hockey stick is problematic.And others say it depend s on the

    formality of the sports you are

    playi ng.

    Besides all of these more

    prac tical issues , the main ques-

    tion is whether it is appropriateto spend Shabbat in such a man-

    ner. Shabbat by definition is

    supposed to be a more relaxing

    day that is designated for moreholy activities such as learn-

    ing Torah, for example. This is

    where the real problem arises.

    There are many different

    opinions regarding this within

    our school. Rabbi Rubins opin-

    ion comes from the Gemara.

    The Gemara in Masechet Be-itzah writes that there are cir-

    cumstances that young boys

    can play sports on Shabbos,Rabbi Rubin said. He explained

    that the reason for this was for

    them to release their energy soit would be easier for them toenjoy Shabbat. It has evolved

    that boys at a certain age should

    stop playing sports on Shabbat.That age is a little bit socially

    determined by community and

    by society, Rabbi Rubin elabo-

    rated. The question is to whatage and what extent.

    Rabbi Kirsch also has a

    strong opinion since he is thehead of the athletics depar tment.

    Its a complicate d question, hesaid. I feel that kids go throug hstages in terms of Shabbat ob-

    servance. In other words, is it

    the ideal way to spend Shabbat,

    to play ball? No, I dont thinkso. But, youre deali ng now with

    teenagers and Shabbat obser-

    vance doesnt happen overnightfor some of the se kids. So, if its

    heading in a growth position,

    then I feel that [a kid can dothat,] as long as theyre not vio-

    lating Halacha. Rabbi Kirsch

    also added that if it causes kidsto daven with a Minyan after-wards for Mincha and Maariv

    then he would support it.

    There are also a multi-

    tude of opinions within our stu-

    dent body. Eli Longman gave

    the simple answer of I dontsee a problem with it. Zach

    Ansel said, Its not right, but

    I do it anyways. Avi Bendory

    addressed the issue as beingmore complex. I think every-

    one needs to decide for them-selves how they want to spendtheir Shabbos in a meaning-

    ful way. If that means spend-

    ing time with friends, even by

    playing bal l, thats ok. Eve ryoneshould have something Shabbos

    means to them personally, not

    what someone else told them itshould mean.

    Should sports be condoned on Shabbat?

    ... the main question

    is whether it is appropri-

    ate to spend Shabbat in

    such a manner.

  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

    7/8

    Sports 7November 21-23, 2014Volume 17, Issue 2College Basketball on Shabbaton

    By Josh Degen

    After t wo fun days of hanging out

    with friends, flirting with the op-

    posite sex and dit ching the ses-

    sions that involve singing comes

    possibly the most enjoyable part of

    Shabbaton, college basketball. It is

    a time, at least for the g uys, where

    we all huddle around the standard

    hotel flat screen TV waiting for

    the clutch three pointer, acrobatic

    dunk and (the rare) buzzer beat-

    er for an excuse to go absolutely

    crazy. In fact, one of the great-est college basketball games ever

    took place the Saturday night of

    Shabbaton three years ago. In-

    diana hit a buzzer beater to upset

    top seeded Kentucky and every

    guy in the school was watching to-

    gether screaming their heads off

    said Joe Berger 15 recollecting on

    what happened during the game.

    When asked about why

    he watches college basketball the

    Saturday night of Shabbaton, Ja-

    mie Rubin 15 responded, When

    something crazy happens its bet-

    ter to celebrate with a bunch of

    people, it makes the game thatmuch better. He also then added

    We only watch the close games

    with the anticipation of what could

    happen and the ensuing dog pile

    making it more cr azy and intense.

    When also asked about watching

    college basketball on Shabbaton,

    Oren Mendelow 16 said that he

    watches it For the ruach.

    So this year, do not miss

    out on the fun. The notable match-

    ups to watch on Saturday night

    are North Carolina vs. Davidson,Eastern Washington vs. SMU, Ne-

    braska vs. Rhode Isl and, Boi se

    State vs. Wisconsin, and St. Thom-

    as Aquinas vs. Gonzaga.

    What to Watch on Saturday Night

    The Man. The Myth. The LegendBy Sam Bernstein

    What do you primarily do forkushner athletics?

    Im an assistant basketball coach

    for the boys JV and varsity basket-

    bal l teams and Im al so the assistant

    baseball coach. Additional ly I assist

    Rabbi Kirsch with some adminis-

    tration within the athletic depart-

    ment.

    What made you come back to

    kushner?

    I came back to Kushner because my

    coach, mentor, and friend Jan San-dusky came back after a seven year

    absence and our athletic director

    Rabbi Richard Kirsch is not only a

    mentor, Rabbi, and friend but one

    of the nicest human beings I know.

    What do you think of the basket-

    ball teams you are coaching this

    year?

    I think the JV basketball team has

    a great mix of talent, Im expect-

    ing a great year for the team, we

    return a great sophomore class

    that has played under our coaching

    staff for a full year as well as a tal-

    ented freshman class. Our varsity

    team returns with only three play-

    ers from last seasons playoff run,

    it will be a season of growing pains

    and molding new players with the

    juniors. We wil l def initely bat tle

    and make up for our inexperience

    and loss of talent with hard work

    and intelligent play.

    What are your thoughts on the

    upcoming baseball season?

    Im excited for t he baseball season,

    and not just for the nice weather!

    While we lose a great group of se-

    niors from a season in which wewere runners up in both the Jew-

    ish World Series and the Yeshiva

    League, we return with a great

    group of kids with talent and heart.

    During the interview process for

    our new head coach Rabbi Kirsch

    and I loved coach Larry Canales

    from the moment we met him. He

    is a great baseball mind, with an in-

    credible passion for the game. I am

    excited to coach with him this year

    and see what our squad can accom-

    plish.

    How has RKYHS changed in the

    athletic department since you

    graduated?

    Rabbi Kirsch has done an amazing

    job of bringing in top level coaches

    and improving our schedules and

    facilities including out of confer-

    ence games and getting a batting

    cage for the baseball program. This

    has led to a better

    all-around athletic

    department includ-

    ing more champi-

    onships and better

    per formances on

    the field since I

    was a student.

    What about the

    school itself?

    The school has also

    changed drasti-

    cally since I was a

    student, Rabbi Ru-

    bin has brought a

    focus and serious-

    ness to academics

    that wasnt always

    there when I was

    a student. Some

    of the technology

    in the classrooms

    and programs that

    are offered now are

    so much more ad-

    vanced than when I

    graduated in 2008.

    There are also some incredible ex-

    tra-curricular programs such as the

    marathon in Israel and the Aipac

    trip. Some class that are offered

    such as Rabbi Kirschs sociology

    class and Dr. Steins engineering

    class are classes I wish I was able

    to take when I was a student. The

    one thing missing is the Mifgashim

    prog ram, it was a tr ip we took to

    Israel during our second semester

    of sophomore year which had thebiggest posi tive impact for me as a

    student when I was in Kushner.

    So, what have you done since

    graduating?

    Since graduating I attended the

    George Washington University,

    where I majored in Political Science

    and was a manager for the basket-

    bal l team

    Tell me about the i njury.

    During the summer of 2009, I wasworking as a camp counselor when

    I was struck over the head with a

    karate stick and suffered a traumat-

    ic brain injury. It was about a 5 year

    recovery and rehabilitation process.

    What were some of the effects

    from the injury?

    From the injury I developed Pos-

    tural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syn-

    drome, which is a form of dysau-

    tonomia. It was a difficult process.

    Whenever I stood up there was a

    risk I would pass out; I had bad mi-

    graines, dizziness, tinnitus etc. It

    was an extremely difficult ordeal

    but I thank hashem ever yday that I

    was able to recover and that during

    the process I had such an amazing

    support system.

    Where are you working now?

    Since then I have worked as a busi-

    ness development director at a glass

    installation company, and have re-

    turned to academic life at Rutgers.

    Interview with David Pitalis, Assistant Coach for Boys JV and Varsity Basketball, and Baseball Teams

  • 8/10/2019 Shabbaton Issue

    8/8

    Schedule8 November 21-23, 2014Volume 17, Issue 2

    TIME FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

    8:15 AM Wakeup

    8:45 AM Wakeup Davening (Grove)

    9:00 AM Breakfast

    9:30 AM Davening (Grove)

    9:45 AM Breakfast

    10:00 AM Board busses

    10:30 AM Leave Kushner Kiddush (Grand Ballroom) Leave Hotel

    11:00 AM Torah & Mussaf (Grove)

    12:00 PM Arrive at hotel & Lunch Arrive at Kusher

    12:15 PM Session 2 (Choice Session)

    12:30 PM Distribute keys and rooms

    1:00 PM Girls Swim Shabbat Meal (Grand Ballroom)

    1:45 PM Mincha (Grove)

    2:00 PM Basketball & Boys Swim Opt. Krave Maga

    3:00 PM Prepare for Shabbat

    3:15 PM Photo Shoot (Lobby, Mezanine)

    3:30 PM Pre-Shabbat Ruach (Ballroom)

    4:00 PM Candle Lighting (Ballroom)

    4:05 PM Dinner (Ballroom)

    4:20 PM Davening (Grove)

    5:17 PM Maariv (Grove)

    5:30 PM Seudah Rishona (Ballroom) Havdalah (Ballroom)

    6:30 PM Friday Night Circle

    7:15 PM Session 1 (Choice Session)

    7:30 PM Motzei Shabbos Program

    8:00 PM Sergeant Anthony (Grove)

    8:45 PM Board Busses

    9:00 PM Oneg (Ballroom)

    9:15 PM Tisch (Ballroom) / Freshman (Grove)

    9:30 PM Optional Tisch (Ballroom) Night Activity

    11:00 PM

    11:30 PM Bed time (12AM for seniors) Go back to hotel

    12:15 AM Melaveh Malka (Ballroom)

    1:00 AM Bedtime / Senior Kumzitz (Ballroom)

    2:00 AM Senior bed time

    Shabbaton Schedule

    Newspaper (cont.)

    Please dispose of newspapers properly. Leave a Kiddush Kushner, not a mess.

    ing those students who end up bear-

    ing the brunt of the responsibilities.

    I hate having to do all the work and

    everyone slacks off. Then whatever

    grade I get, I feel like its unfair that

    the other person did well if I pulled

    all the weight said Ariella Savitz 17.

    Anonymous 18 responded Nothing

    ends up getting done and then one

    person gets stuck with all the work,

    and anonymous 17 said If the people

    whom Im working with are going to

    use me for my work, then no. The

    general consensus is that the slackers

    enjoy having others do the work for

    them, and the hard workers do not en-

    joy having others take credit for their

    work. If this is the result of group col-

    laboration, then what is its benet in

    a classroom setting? Why bother to

    work in groups at all?

    Despite the clearly appar-

    ent negative effects, group work

    does have potential benets. Doni

    Schanzer 17 described it best. It al-

    lows people to be more exible, be-

    cause say you dont like taking notes

    or writing, but you love thinking

    (or whatever), then you can do what

    youre good at. Jonah Braverman 18

    reafrmed this opinion, saying of his

    chavruta learning in Talmud class, It

    gives me another view on the text.

    All in all, working in groups can be

    benecial to a learning environment

    if properly organized. Group partici-

    pants must each contribute work in a

    way that is best for them and use their

    advantages to contribute to the group.

    Group members can then assist each

    other in areas where they work best.

    Group collaboration clear-

    ly has its benets, but as described

    above, creating an environment where

    all members put in full effort can be

    difcult. Individuals must have incen-

    tive to fully contribute to ensure full

    group participation. English chairper-

    son Diane Bohs described her vision

    of best- case scenario group work.

    I think working in groups can be a

    positive experience. However, I also

    believe that each person in the group

    should be held accountable for his

    piece of the material; rather than just

    have one group grade, its a group

    grade, but its also individual grades.

    As described, an excellent way to pro-

    mote individual effort would be to

    grade based on independent perfor-

    mance as well as group performance.

    In such a case, each participant would

    have to contribute individually and to

    the group as a whole to obtain a good

    assignment grade. This would ensure

    that slackers do not take credit where

    it is not deserved, but that each indi-

    vidual also participates in the group

    effort.

    In nal analysis, social loaf-

    ing is an unavoidable result of group

    work. Some individuals will always

    rely on others for their work, while

    others will always be relied upon.

    Group collaboration can be promoted

    by grading students based on both in-

    dividual and group effort. Learning

    in a group setting, when properly or-

    ganized, can serve to create a better

    learning environment for all members

    of the group by allowing students to

    share their different perspectives and

    contribute where they are most pro-

    ductive. The virtues of working in a

    group are accessible to both slackers

    as well as hard workers.