Jewish Life and College Collide: Exploring Jewish Life

אדר ה“תש‘‏ ע‘‏ א
February 2011 2011
Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 Volume 9 Issue Page 41
The Official Student Newspaper
of the
Abraham Joshua Heschel
High School
“We stand for what we utter…”
- Rabbi Heschel
Jewish Life and College Collide: Exploring Jewish Life on Campus
By Rebecca Mack
At the Heschel High School, the college advisors’
offices are located adjacent to the Beit Midrash.
For some Heschel students, college applications
are closely linked to their Judaism.
For others, the two are entirely unrelated.
Each year, as graduation approaches, high
school students are challenged to seek colleges
that will be good fits for their specific
needs. The vast spectrum of considerations in
this big decision gives students an opportunity
to pinpoint their personal values and priorities,
including their relationship to Jewish
life.
Both the quantity and the quality of
Jewish life at colleges vary tremendously by
school. Those who deem Jewish life at their
prospective college an important factor need
to think about what kind of Jewish life they
desire, and to what extent they wish their
Jewish life in college to differ from their Jewish
life in high school.
Charlotte Marx-Arpadi, a Heschel senior, is
not focusing on Jewish life when she looks
at colleges, but once she is at a school, she
intends to “look into their Jewish life as a springboard
to meet others and learn about the school.”
Marx-Arpadi said, “I want to stay away from my
comfort zone—as in, what I’ve grown up in…I think
that people grow most when they are uncomfortable,
and I think that by not relying on what you find comfortable,
and really surrounding yourself with the
unknown, you can learn a lot about yourself and about
others.”
Mia Appelbaum, another Heschel senior, said
the Jewish life on campus was a major factor as she
Illustration by Becca Schwarz
decided where to apply. Appelbaum comes from an
observant Jewish background and, though she seeks
diversity, she wants “a close group of friends [that are]
observant Jews.” She also added, “I need kosher food
because I’m not going veggie for four years.”
In addition to deciding whether Jewish life on
campus is important, students must decide what they
define as “good” Jewish life. Jake Sion is a Heschel
graduate and a Cornell sophomore. When asked
what he thought made for “good” Jewish life, he
spoke about “a campus where there are a significant
number of Jews that have a meaningful
connection to Judaism.” Sion mentioned that
this connection manifests itself in “Israel advocacy,
religious observance, cultural events,
etc,” adding that, “an active Hillel with a large
budget is certainly helpful in accomplishing
those goals.”
Both Appelbaum and Sion made a distinction
between the number of Jews at a school
and the Jewish life that exists there. Appelbaum
noted, “There are some schools that have
so many Jews but they are all secular and not
religious.” She believes that great Jewish life is
a college with “religious Jews, an active Hillel,
and kosher meal plan.”
Sion pointed out that, “there are a lot of
schools with large Jewish populations, but it’s
not just the numbers that matter. The Jewish atmosphere
is stronger when there are many students
devoted to Jewish life.”
For Eliana Lauter, a Heschel graduate and
president of the Jewish Student Union at University
of California Berkeley, sentiments towards Israel
and diversity within the Jewish campus community
are key. Lauter said, “A huge reason I was so attracted
to Berkeley’s Jewish community was because it
was so diverse, just like at Heschel.”
Continued on Page 5
Dream on for
the Dream Act
By Adam Chanes
Beyond the Ivies: Heschel Grads
Take Independent Path
Illustration by Becca Schwarz
By Shoshana Lauter
Teenagers across the nation would say that
the last two years of high school are all about college:
preparation, applications, and admissions. With S.A.T.
test takers and applications at an all-time high, applying
to college has become, as stated by The New York
Times in a recent article, “a high-anxiety journey that
thousands of students tread each year.”
It has become a social expectation for our society’s
high schools students to start thinking about the
future very early. For many, just getting accepted to
college is not good enough. What equals success for
them are universities that are highly esteemed, not
just in America, but all over the world, such as the Ivy
League schools, Stanford, and M.I.T.
The stress on American youth to be accepted
to prestigious undergraduate programs, and to build up
the “perfect” resume in order to do so, has been intensely
discussed and heavily criticized by the media in
recent years. The education section at Barnes & Nobles
offers both books about preparing a student for a successful
future and books condemning the entire process.
Not everyone, however, succumbs to the pressure
to get into these big name universities. Heschel
High School students have embraced the idea that finding
the paths that best suit their personal goals is of great
importance.
Some prospective parents and students have expressed
a concern that Heschel graduates all head in the
same direction – choosing to attend small, liberal arts
schools. Asked her opinion on why Heschel students
choose the schools that they do, Micki Talmadge, Heschel’s
college guidance counselor, explained,
Continued on page 6
On Saturday, December 18, 2010, the Senate
rejected a bill that would have created a path to
citizenship for illegal immigrants who were brought
to the U.S. as children. The main provision of the
“DREAM Act” (Development, Relief and Education
for Alien Minors Act of 2010) was that completing
two years of military service or college
could grant citizenship to an illegal immigrant. The
Senate voted down this bill after the House of Representative
approved it on December 8.
According to the New York Times, President
Obama personally lobbied for the bill, and
said that he, along with the other supporters, would
continue to press for the bill to be passed. Obama
called the blocking of the Dream Act, “incredibly
disappointing.” The President said that, “…[The
Dream Act is] the right thing for the United States
of America. Our nation is enriched by [the immigrants’]
talents and would benefit from the success
of their efforts.”
Opinions on illegal immigration vary at
Heschel. Sophomore Asher Elbaz said, “Although
I agree that people deserve better futures and better
opportunities, the economic pressure involved can
prove to be detrimental to America.” By taking this
two-sided approach, Elbaz believes that there are
definite consequences to this bill.
Continued on page 6
Joseph McNeil, a Member
of the Greensboro Four,
Comes to Heschel
Page 3
Inside this issue:
Heschel Takes
Kindly to the Kindle
Page 6
Top 5 Movies of 2010
Page 7

Helios Staff
2010-2011
Page 2 Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 February 2011
By Emma Goldberg
Debbie Friedman, Voice of the
Jewish Spirit, Dies at 59
Debbie Friedman, a well-known
Jewish folk singer, passed away on January
9 at the age of 59. Friedman’s tunes,
such as her melody for the Mi Shebeirach,
are sung at synagogues, summer camps,
and Jewish schools worldwide. She passed
away from complications of pneumonia
contracted while on her way home from
performing at a Limmud conference in
England.
Several weeks before Friedman’s
death she sent an email to David Ellenson,
President of Hebrew Union College and a
former Heschel parent, worrying that her
work would not be remembered after her
death.
Many—both within Heschel
and in the larger Jewish
community--would assure her of
the contrary. Friedman’s music
energizes many Heschel rituals
and assemblies with spirit. It is
her melody for the Havdalah that
is used during high school shabbatonim
and her song “Lechi Lakh”
is a mainstay at Lower School assemblies
and High School graduations.
Friedman’s tunes—such
as her Hnnukah-themed song “I
am a Latke”-- aim to enliven Jewish
traditions, making them fun for
all ages.
“When I think back on
my childhood, Debbie Friedman
songs definitely come to mind,”
said junior Sasha Gayle Schneider.
“We say words but make no decisions,
forgetting that in prayer words are
commitments, not the subject matter for
aesthetic reflection, and that prayer is meaningless
unless we stand for what we utter,
unless we feel what we accept.”
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
wrote this passage as part of an essay featured
in his book Moral Grandeur and Spiritual
Audacity, compiled and edited by his
daughter Susannah Heschel in 1997. Eight
years later, Helios adopted an excerpt – “We
stand for what we utter” – as its motto.
It would be easy to accept our motto
for what it is, to notice it and neglect it or
even to disregard it all together; but doing
so would be irresponsible. As the school’s
Helios is a newspaper published
approximately seven times a year by the
student staff of the Abraham Joshua Heschel
High School, 20 West End Avenue,
NY, NY 10023. Telephone: 212-246-
7717. E-mail: helios@heschel.org.
Helios is distributed free to all
members of the student body. The publication
is a member of the Columbia
Scholastic Press Association.
Commentaries and opinion columns
are the expressed opinion of the
author and not of Helios and its editorial
munity, had the capacity to find spirituality
within themselves. In a 2000 interview
with Religion &Ethics NewsWeekly she
said, “I think that each one of us is here for
a purpose, and that is really the focus of my
work—that each of us needs to acknowledge
what blessings we carry within us.”
Though Friedman’s songs were
world-renowned and her work widely celebrated,
she was also known for her humble,
even shy, demeanor. When dining with
friends for Shabbat dinner, Friedman could
often be found in the kitchen helping to
wash dishes. She was insecure about much
of her music, a quality that came out in her
email to Ellenson. She found it difficult to
Ceremony memorializes passing of Jewish folk
singer Debbie Friedman
Photograph by Emma Goldberg
be in crowds socializing, though her spirit
filled whole concert halls with energy.
Despite Friedman’s shyness, she
Friedman often came to the Lower
School to perform for music
classes, and enjoyed connecting with
students. Ellenson said, “She had a
unique ability to touch the lives of
the people with whom she came into
contact.”
Friedman believed that all, even
those disconnected from the Jewish comwas
considered a force for change in the
Jewish community. Her songs stress the
importance of inclusivity and egalitarianism.
She wanted to ensure that the Jewish
historical narrative also include the contributions
of women, recognizing the importance
of Miriam the Prophetess’ leadership
in the lyrics of “Miriam’s Song.” Friedman
herself said, “It was השא לוק (the voice of
women) for השא לכ (every woman) that
inspired me to write inclusive music. It
is beneficial not only for women, but for
men and children as well.” She hoped to
inspire a next generation of activists and
pluralists, writing such songs as “Build
This World Together” and “And the Youth
Shall See Visions.”
Openly gay, Friedman also
helped to bring the issue of pluralism
regarding sexual orientation to
the fore in the Jewish community.
Senior Esther Lenchner, president
of the Gay Straight Alliance, spoke
of the fact that even some Orthodox
congregations allowed Friedman to
perform and said, “I think it definitely
shows a sign of tolerance and
openness. After all, it’s all about
coming together in the worship of
God.”
Friedman was a force for change
not only within the New York Jewish
community, but worldwide. As
a singer, songwriter, and guitarist
she recorded nineteen albums. She
also served on the faculty of Hebrew
Union College’s School of
Sacred Music.
As Friedman herself said, “Singing
helps us learn how to be vocal. The
more our voices are heard in song,
the more we become our lyrics, our
prayers, and our convictions.” Friedman’s
songs were her voice to the Jewish
community, her conviction that traditions
and rituals should be wide enough
to include all who wish to engage, regardless
of age, gender, or sexual orientation.
Editorial: Heschel’s Role in Jewish Life
leading source of news and opinion, we
must strive to make relevant the words of
our namesake. We must write, in the words
of Heschel, as though “each word has a
soul.”
Of course, this applies not only to
Helios but also to the entire school community
at large. We must strive to welcome
Rabbi Heschel’s philosophies into our lives,
not only because he is our school’s namesake,
but also because doing so will repair
the way in which each of us uses words and
help us to understand the power of words, in
prayer and in daily conversation.
It is not enough to read Heschel’s
teachings for one week each year, to hear
his quotations over the loudspeaker without
board or its advisors. Furthermore, the
opinions are not those of the Abraham
Joshua Heschel School faculty or administration.
Letters to the Editor must include
the writer’s name and class. Helios
will not print anything deemed libelous,
obscene, or in poor taste, in accordance
with the Supreme Court’s justified standards.
Rights are reserved to postpone,
edit, or withhold from publication anything
submitted which does not meet
the specifications. The meaning of any
contemplating their meanings or the impact
that they can have on our lives and our relationships.
Each student and faculty member
must take it upon himself or herself to fully
absorb Rabbi Heschel’s philosophies and
then allow them to infiltrate everyday life. It
is, however, not something that can simply
happen; rather, it is something that requires
a bit of effort.
If every person, following in the
historic footsteps of Rabbi Heschel, were to
treat each word as a though it has a soul, as
though each word is a commitment in itself,
we might succeed in paying closer attention
to the words we choose when addressing
God and our peers, as well the manner in
which we deliver them.
Helios Information and Policies
submission will be not altered, but we
reserve the right to correct spelling,
grammar, and punctuation when necessary.
Additionally, Helios refuses to print
criticism that is not constructive and supported
by facts.
Helios will not intentionally
invade the privacy of any person and
will make every effort to correctly spell
names and make accurate class and position
identifications. Accurate reporting
of fact is the goal of the staff.
Opinions will be clearly marked
Editors-in-Chief:
Gabriel Fisher
Emma Goldberg
Art and Layout Editors:
Talia Niederman
Andrew Udell
Sports Editor:
Gabriel Klausner
News Editors:
Rebecca Schwarz
Zachary Stecker
Culture Editors:
Anna Rothstein
Shoshana Lauter
Contributing Writers:
Hana Joy Ain
Elliot Allen
Adam Chanes
Rebecca Cooper
Lizzie Davis
Rebecca Mack
Elizabeth Rauner
Ethan Rosenberg
Gabrielle Sherman
Zachary Spiera
Contributing Artists:
Joshua Ashley
Lizzie Davis
Cara Leiderman
Rebecca Leeman
Julie Maschler
Shipley Mason
Lizzi Rauner
Anna Rothstein
Sasha Gayle-Schneider
Rebecca Schwarz
Faculty and Staff:
Lisa Cohen
Gabe Godin
Audrey Sieger
Dena Schutzer
We would like to formally thank
Samuel Freedman. His dedication
has helped us move Helios to the
next level.
Printing courtesy of Tri-Star
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20 West End Avenue
New York, NY 10023
Send your
comments to
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on FirstClass
and found on the editorial pages or as
designated on other pages. Corrections
will be printed when mistakes are found
or brought to the attention of the staff.
Original stories will carry bylines, although
stories rewritten by someone
other than the original author will not
receive a byline.
Members of the staff are guided
by the Code of Ethics of the Society of
Professional Journalists, which outlines
principles of responsibility, fairness, and
accuracy.

February 2011 Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 Page 3
Mountain School Recap
Joseph McNeil, a Member of the
Greensboro Four, Comes to Heschel
By Gabriel Fisher
Joseph McNeil shares his story with Heschel
Photograph by Lizzi Rauner
Not many guest speakers at
Heschel receive a standing ovation before
they say a word. But, then again,
Joseph McNeil was no ordinary speaker.
On Tuesday, January 18, the day after
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the students
and faculty of the Heschel high
school crowded into the gym to hear
the life story of one of the members of
the Greensboro Four.
On February 1, 1960, McNeil
and three of his fellow classmates at
North Carolina A&T (Agricultural and
Technical State University) made national
headlines and history when they
sat down at the lunch counter in a Woolworth’s
store
in Greensboro,
North
Carolina. The
act, defying
decades of
segregation
and other discriminatory
laws, sparked sit-ins at lunch counters
nationwide, and eventually led to the
desegregation of white-only seating in
restaurants.
Fifty-one years later, the Heschel
high school had the privilege to
hear this amazing story from one of the
original members.
The program began with the
senior French class performing a poem
about racism by Senegalese poet, and
later President, Léopold Sédar Senghor.
The audience watched a documentary
about the Greensboro Four, and
then Mr. McNeil entered to roaring applause
and a standing ovation.
McNeil, a retired engineer for
the U.S. army, was a reserved speaker,
never raising his voice as he talked.
Yet, by maintaining his calmness and
composure throughout, he commanded
the respect of the entire room of
300, who sat quietly listening intently
to his every word.
McNeil described how he and
his friends decided to take action and
begin the sit in (which he claimed was
“more than about just a cup of coffee”),
saying, “If we weren’t going to
do it, then who was going to do it? It
was time to act, clearly, and to act nonviolently.”
After telling his story, McNeil
opened the floor, fielding questions on
topics ranging from his personal life to
advice he has for the next generation.
He offered that people should “find
what works for you” and said that
“If we weren’t going to do
it, then who was going to do
it? It was time to act, clearly,
and to act non-violently.”
Photograph by Lizzi Rauner
while people
may not always
take action they
should at least
form opinions
on important
subjects.
While many
people found
his story to be inspirational, they admitted
that they did not believe it
would affect their personal actions.
Sophomore Tamar Stein said, “I believe
that it was really important to
hear him speak because as a civil
rights activist he achieved many amazing
deeds, However, I expected to be
moved but the speech did not touch me
in the level I hoped it would.”
Junior Igor Gluskin said that, while
he enjoyed hearing McNeil speak,
he felt that Heschel students already
subscribe to the values that McNeil
preached. “The beliefs that he tried to
convey,” Gluskin said, “ have already
been instilled in us to a very deep level.”
To many, however, the mere
presence of such a figure was inspir-
By Andrew Udell
I knew
that I had found
the right place
to spend my
junior fall semester
the first
time that I sat
down to lunch
at the Mountain
School.
As I dug into
the string-bean
salad and tomato
mozzarella
dishes, a representative
of the
school made
the announcement
that over
70% of the
food served at
the Mountain
School was
grown on the
campus. Suddenly,
the egg
that I was in the process of eating took on
much more significance.
I have been attending the Heschel
School since nursery, making this my
fourteenth year here. In the middle of my
sophomore year, I realized that I needed
to try something new. I decided I would
do some research into semester programs.
Rafi Ellenson, who was at Heschel through
8th grade, told me about a program called
the Mountain School. All I knew about it
was that it was a one-semester program in
Vermont for forty-five students, centered
around environmental studies and farming.
As a life-long city dweller and,
more recently, environmentally conscious
eater, I have found it difficult to eat in a
sustainable way, buying foods grown locally.
When I learned about the Mountain
School, I saw the program as an opportunity
to put my ideals of being an environmentally
conscious eater into practice.
I can easily say that going to the
Mountain School was the best decision I
have ever made. When friends and family
ask me about the Mountain School, I never
know what to say. I can say it was the
most amazing experience of my life, but
that doesn’t do it justice. So, I usually resort
to telling them a couple of highlights.
Some of the most intense days that I
spent at the Mountain School were those
doing what is called “solo.” Solo is a fourday
and three-night trip in the wilderness
alone. Initially,
Andrew Udell juggles on the
Mountain School organic farm
“Where else do first semester
juniors get to take
four days off from school
to be in the wilderness?”
I was pretty excited
about it –
I thought I’d be
able to get a lot
of reading done,
do some journaling,
and just relax.
Where else
do first semester juniors get to take four
days off from school to be in the wilderness?
Before we all left, we were given
the weather report: it was going to rain.
A lot. That didn’t trouble me too much;
I figured I could handle a bit of rain. Or
so I thought. During the first day I read
Catcher in the Rye, journaled, made myself
ramen noodles over a fire, and took
a nap in my hammock. It started to rain
heavily that night and, although I had a
tarp over my hammock, I got soaked. Day
one was the last day I remained at all dry
because, for the rest of the trip, Tropical
Storm Nicole would not stop its torrential
downpour. All of my clothes were soaked,
my sleeping bag was dripping wet, and
my books and journals were soggy. I was
pretty miserable, but instead
of returning to basecamp
with the teachers,
I decided I would tough
it out. When I returned to
school after four days I
hugged all 44 students and
most teachers. Solo transformed
time spent alone
into a bonding experience
because we knew that each
student had to go through
similar struggles.
The Mountain School
also focused heavily on
environmental learning. In
my Environmental Science
class I first learned about
macro-history and the way
the universe was formed.
As the class progressed we
kept narrowing down the
history of the earth until
we each chose one spot on
the 300-acre campus, and
researched the history of
that spot based on its physical
appearance today and
artifacts that we found.
The Mountain School, and this
class in particular, taught me that learning
can transcend the traditional borders of
classrooms. We took our learning outside
of the classroom during weekly hikes to
learn about our surroundings, later reflecting
on them in the classroom. Often I continued
these discussions walking with my
teacher to lunch. At the Mountain School,
learning goes beyond the classroom. It
follows you when you’re hanging out
with friends and teachers, and it certainly
does not end when you’re in nature.
The teacher-student relationships
were another key facet to the Mountain
School. I have two distinct memories that
represent how close teachers and students
are at the Mountain School. Two of my
close friends and I really wanted to milk a
cow. One day, while we were talking with
our science teacher, Pat, he offered us an
opportunity to come to his house and milk
his cows. The following week he picked
us up at 5:30 a.m., drove us to his house,
and taught us how to milk a cow. Pat went
out of his way to give us this unique learning
experience and afterwards he graciously
invited us into his house to share a
cup of fresh milk.
I also developed a close relationship
with my English teacher, Jack. I was
having a difficult time while my grandfather
was ill, and I had journaled about it
for English class. While driving around
with Jack and Molly,
a close friend
from New Mexico,
Jack invited me to
tell stories about
my grandfather.
He knew that I am
slightly reserved,
but still wanted to
give me the opportunity to talk about my
grandfather. We talked a lot, and he helped
me to deal with the loss of my grandfather.
He treated me as more than just a student;
I truly felt like I was Jack’s friend.
The Mountain School has been
the most amazing experience of my life.
Whether it was through the tough experiences
that taught me about myself, or
the classes where I was exposed to an entirely
new model of teaching, or the student-teacher
friendships, I have learned
so much. I have made friends from as
far away as Alaska and as close as New
York; I have learned how to farm; I have
learned how to fell a tree for firewood;
I have learned more about myself in the
first semester of junior year than I could
have ever imagined.

Page 4 Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 February 2011
Community Reels at Closing of Barnes and Noble
By Anna Rothstein
On January 2, 2011, the Upper
West Side lost its largest Barnes
& Noble bookstore, on 66th Street at
the intersection of Broadway
and Amsterdam. Only six
blocks away from the high
school, it was the perfect
place to go after school to
do homework, buy a book,
or wait for a friend. Soon, a
Century 21 department store
will be opening up in Barnes
and Noble’s stead.
The beloved store
closed because many people
– not only Heschel students
- were going there to hang
out, do their own work, or
use it as a peaceful place to
read; they were not actually
buying books. With the
increased popularity of the
Kindle, downloadable books
online, and audio books,
people are less inclined to
buy hardcopy books. Why
carry around a book when
you can have it on your Kindle
or iPhone? In addition
to low book sales, Barnes &
Noble’s “Nook” has not been
Illustration by Julie Maschler
Unveiling the Senior Planning
Committee: What’s Behind the Curtain
By Ethan Rosenberg
What exactly does the Senior Planning
Committee do?
In recent weeks the Senior Planning
Committee organized a schoolwide
game of Soofganiot, a new take
on the game more commonly known as
‘Assassin’. In the Heschel version, each
student was assigned another participant
whom they had to “assassinate.” A
player assassinated another by going up
to his or her assigned victim and saying
“Soofganiot,” without anyone else hearing.
Once the victim was eliminated,
his or her assassin was given a new target,
and the game continued. To protect
themselves from elimination, players
were able to carry a predetermined safe
item, which changed every few days.
Such items ranged from a pillow to a
handwritten quote by Rabbi Heschel.
After a few days, however, safe items
were removed to promote tougher competition
and more fun.
Photograph by Cara Leiderman
The game was received relatively
well throughout the student body - especially
among the freshmen. Yael Fisher, a
freshman, thought that the game was “a
very good bonding experience with other
grades. ” Another freshman, Leora Einleger,
said that the game was “ a fun way
of including the whole school in a activity.”
Some students thought that the game
needed to be changed so that it could be
more enjoyable and fun. Max Padway,
a sophomore said, “The safe items take
away the whole idea of the game, which is
that you always need to be on your toes.”
The Senior Planning Committee
is also in charge of many other schoolwide
events. The first activity this year
was “Heschel Idol,” a singing competition
during town meeting featuring volunteers
from each grade. Participants were judged
based on the quality of their singing and
how funny and creative their act was. The
committee is responsible for all senior
dress up days and organizing some of the
senior grade meetings¬¬¬, and is currently
planning activities for two more town
meeting slots.
popular. And on top of these problems, the
landlords raised the rent significantly.
Though some students were indifferent
to the closing of Barnes and Noble
on 66th, a majority expressed disappointment.
Junior Lizzie Davis stated,
“I’ve spent more time there than in
my own home! It had a great ambiance.”
But she was also an example
of the regular customer who did not
Heschel Takes Kindly to Kindle
By Hana Joy Ain
Junior Tsvi Tannin began to
love the Kindle when his dad gave him
his old one two years ago. Tannin said,
“It has been a fantastic experience.
The portability and versatility the device
offers are truly revolutionary and
it keeps on getting better.”
Other students and teachers
who own a Kindle also offered positive
reviews. They pointed to the various
features of the Kindle, including internet
access, a built-in dictionary, and
a multi-tasker, which allows someone
to read more than one book at a time.
Kindle users pay less for virtual books
and can also receive subscriptions to
newspapers and
magazines. A
brand new bestseller
that costs
$25.95 in book
form would
cost about $9.95
for the Kindle.
N i n t h
The portability and
versatility the device
offers are truly revolutionary
and it keeps on
getting better.
grade dean
Judith Tumin finds the Kindle tech
support extremely helpful. She said,
“When I needed tech help, I just went
on the internet, found the tech help
section and it only took one minute for
it to direct me to a live chat.
One question is if the Kindle
can be used as a tool for learning.
Freshman Asher Ades does not believe
that the Kindle is helpful to use in
school because it does not offer many
textbooks. Judith agreed, adding, “I
never even bring it to school.” Although
Asher Ades and Judith shared
that opinion, Tannin’s view on the
situation was different. “Absolutely [it
could be beneficial]. During class if I
want to look up a quote or notes I have
everything a search away. “
buy books. “I don’t think I ever bought
anything other than coffee there, but the
magazine floor was a delight.”
Sophomore Aaron Mayer and
junior Isabelle Merrin agreed and said
they will truly miss it. Merrin said,
“It was in the perfect spot, so at 10:30
p.m., it was the perfect place to meet
up with people on Saturday nights. I
also got all of my books for school
there and [even] my first Bananagrams.
It had such a convenient bathroom
and the café was the best.”
Mayer agreed with Merrin
and commented, “I live on 69th and
Broadway, and when I heard that it
was going to close, I nearly cried. I
blame the Kindle. Let’s gather as
many as we can and smash them all!”
As for what he liked to do at Barnes &
Noble, and whether or not he bought
books, he said, “For the most part, I
would just hang out there. I would go
to the second floor and read things
with my father.”
In defiance of the closing,
Mayer stated, “I was actually in the
middle of reading Atlas Shrugged, by
Ayn Rand, when I found out the store
was going to close. Because of it, I resolved
never to finish that book as a
tribute to the bookstore.”
A lesser-known function of the
Kindle is its ability to let the user take
notes and make annotations, which is
not complicated to learn. “The Kindle
actually has fantastic built-in note taking
functionality,” Tannin said. “You simple
move the cursor over where you want to
take a note and start typing. If you want
to highlight a portion of text you simply
move the cursor to the starting point, select,
move to the end point and select and
you’re done.”
The Kindle can be read in the
sun because it has an adjustable backlight.
Judith said, “It is better to use in the
sunlight because I can see much better. I
love reading it in the summer time.”
As the Kindle becomes ever
more popular, people
are beginning to wonder
whether it is making
bookstores obsolete.
Judith, though,
still goes to the bookstore
and the library.
She is also part of a
book club in her building
where she shares
books that she enjoyed
reading with other members. On occasions,
Ades also journeys to bookstores
or libraries because, “ Sometimes I enjoy
having the feel of the book instead
of holding an electronic device.” Tannin,
on the other hand, finds himself enjoying
the Kindle much more than a book.. “Personally
I have never been a library person
but I definitely don’t go now with the
Kindle,” he remarked.
Judith feels that the only people
who own a Kindle are avid readers to begin
with, which is the reason to buy one in
the first place.
She said, “I find that since reading
was already such a big part of my life,
I still read about the same amount as I did
before.”
Continued on Page 5

February 2011 Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 Page 5
She also spoke about a challenge she
faced, remembering that a “major issue
was having to confront anti-
Israel sentiments on campus.”
Lauter explained
that she took steps to combat
anti-Israel sentiments. “As
president of the Jewish Student
Union I befriended the
president of the Muslim Student
Association and we have started
to create joint initiatives to bring our
communities together, because they
Jewish Life and College Collide Continued from page 1
had previously been so torn due to
anti-Israel sentiments.”
“No matter which path you take
when you get to college, Hillel
will always be a great resource.”
-Eliana Lauter
Though Lauter has chosen
to integrate Jewish life into her
college experience, some of Lauter’s
high school friends have made different
decisions. Lauter said,
“Some have chosen to be active
at Hillel, and some have
not.” She added, “No matter
which path you take when
you get to college, Hillel
will always be a great resource.
It allows you to create
a smaller, more familiar
community, within the bigger university
setting.”
Heschel Takes Kindly to Kindle
Continued from page 4
already such a big part of my life, I still
read about the same amount as I did before.”
However, Ades finds himself
reading more because it is much easier for
him to buy books for lower prices on the
Kindle than to buy them in a bookstore.
Tannin finds that he has begun
reading more for pleasure because it is so
easy to switch from a book for school to a
book just for fun.
If students are interested in trying
it out, the school owns a few Kindles
that John Hutzler will lend students who
expresses interest.
Construction Underway For Heschel One Campus Plan
Photographs by Lizzi Rauner

Page 6 Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 February 2011
Beyond the Ivies: Heschel Grads Take Independent Path
(Continued from Page 1)
“Picking a college is determined
by a lot more than a prestigious
name, or the hours one spends in class.
The physical environment, majors,
sports and clubs are all factors that Heschel
students take into consideration.
And there is not one ‘typical’ direction
in which Heschel students head.”
Maya Matalon, class of 2008, is
in her third year at Oberlin College in
Ohio, and chose to attend a liberal arts
school “because of the free and open environment.
It is a place where school is
taken seriously, and the people aren’t all
conventional.” Regarding how Heschel
High impacted her decisions, she said
that, “Heschel’s environment definitely
drew me to want to go to a liberal arts
college. Heschel is a place where we
have such personal relationships with
our teachers and peers, and I did not
want to lose that.”
Though many students love Heschel’s
smaller environment and go to
colleges that have similar atmospheres,
others choose to branch out and attend
large state universities, such as the University
of Michigan or the University
of Maryland, as well as schools on the
West Coast, such as the University of
Southern California.
Applying to college is an extremely
exciting time, and marks a transition
in a young adult’s life. Society
puts tremendous pressure on this generation
to strive for success. Micki Talmadge
strongly wishes, “for students,
not just at Heschel, but all over the
country, to have more discretion about
where they are applying. Ultimately, applying
to college is a personal process.”
Student Profile: Tali Schulman
Photograph by Anna Rothstein
By Zach Stecker
As the 2011 school year comes
to a close, Heschel’s seniors will begin
the next stage in their lives. For most,
that means starting college, while others
choose to spend a gap year abroad.
Tali Schulman, however, following in
the footsteps of her father and her sister,
will join the Israeli Defense Forces.
Born in Israel, Schulman has always
been a dual-citizen of Israel and the
United States. When she was six years
old, her older sister joined the Israeli
Army. “I thought it would be a good experience,”
said Schulman of her decision
to join the army, “and I really loved being
in Israel.”
For American teenagers like
Schulman, joining the IDF has become
an increasingly popular and realistic decision.
In 2007, Israeli newspaper Yediot
Ahronot reported that one hundred and
fifty Americans between the ages of 18
and 23, a record number for the country,
requested to join the IDF. According to
YNet News, the recruits “are the most
enthusiastic soldiers in the army today…
imbued with Zionism and sky-high motivation.”
As of now, Schulman does not
have any plans for after her two years in
the army.
While the Dream Act is not a
pressing issue at Heschel, students at
other high schools across America advocate
for the Dream Act. According
to Kensington Patch — a general-news
website focused on students (regarding
happenings in Kensington, Maryland)
— Victor Benitez, a senior at the
Albert Einstein High School, informs
people about the bill and advocates for
it. Benitez, once an undocumented immigrant
himself, believes that it is imperative
that the Dream Act be passed
because it addresses the plight of children,
often helpless ones. “We’re not
talking about hardened criminals that
have killed, shot up, raped, murdered.
We’re talking about children that came
here, who have no foundation in their
home country.”
Miko Zeldis-Roth, a former
Heschel student, expressed his opinions
on the Dream Act. “The issue of trying
to bring disenfranchised members into
Illustration by Gabrielle Belok
Dream on for the Dream Act
Continued from page 1
the heart of the American community
is vital, and we can only live up to the
Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution by doing it.” Zeldis-Roth,
now a student at The Fieldston School,
asserted that although illegal immigrants
should be granted citizenship,
“There needs to be a method
of internal motivation for illegal immigrants
going to college [to be granted
citizenship]; also [although one is
standing up for his country], I have
moral misgivings about [goiing to the]
army [to be granted citizenship].” He
reported that groups at Fieldston “work
actively” for the Dream Act and similar
issues.
Heschel students do not seem
to be as involved in public affairs issues
such as the Dream Act. Senior Skyler
Siegel said, “There is a lack of political
activism at Heschel in general.”
The Dream Act will be re-introduced
in the 112th Congress. Prospects
for the bill’s passage are questionable.
Gracefully’s Opening Excites Heschel Students
By Gabriel Fisher
Heschel students have
found a new hangout hotspot in
the upscale deli and supermarket
Gracefully. At any hour of the day,
Gracefully is filled with Heschel
upperclassmen who have free periods.
While some have criticized
Gracefully for being overpriced,
most are pleased with the service
and quality of the food at Gracefully.
Junior Maya Miller exclaimed,
“Gracefully is delicious!”
Photographs by Lizzi Rauner

February 2011 Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 Page 7
Concert Review: Not Your Average Mountain Man
Illustration by Lizzie Davis
By Lizzie Davis
The phrase ‘Mountain Man’ inspires
visions of wistful, old wise men with
beaver-pelt hats atop their mottled hair and
by Elliot Allen
bearskins slung across their shoulders.
Three girls from Bennington
College are out to change that.
Molly Erin Sarle, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig
and Amelia Randall
Meath make up the band Mountain
Man. They are not butch trappers
but dreamy twenty-somethings
with ethereal voices that weave
together in haunting harmonies.
Their poignantly beautiful recordings
make one wonder whether
such delicate vocals can hold up
in the concert setting.
However, at 92YTribeca last
month, the women of Mountain
Man managed to be even more
magical live.
A small man named John Shade
opened for Mountain Man. Mr. Shade
seemed dazed throughout his set, frequently
mumbling, “John Shade. 92YTribeca.
December 11,” between songs, as if he
feared the audience would forget where
they were mid-performance. His songs
were only slightly more lively than his
stage presence. They often took a turn for
the morbid and gave the impression that he
was a profoundly sad man.
After Shade departed, the previously
modest crowd doubled in size. Suddenly,
the audience grew still as the women
of Mountain Man nervously hopped onto
the stage and took their places at three
equidistant microphones. Many in the audience
were a bit confused at first, for the
timid women standing before them with
horn-rimmed glasses and progressive haircuts
looked like the antithesis of “mountain
men.”
As they began to sing their first
song of the night, though, any skepticism
about their prowess instantly vanished.
Over the course of an hour, they jumped
from their own brand of eerily mesmerizing
balladry to Appalachian folk music and
then back again. Any somberness lingering
between songs was brushed away with
humorous anecdotes from the band members
about everything from their personal
health to life in Minnesota.
In fact, the balance the band maintained between
profound and easygoing was almost
as impressive as the music itself; this sentiment
was clearest at the end of the night,
when the smiling crowd and band joined
together on the song ‘Animal Tracks’ in a
glorious demonstration of the true might of
Mountain Man.
You can download Mountain Man’s debut
album, Made The Harbor, at mountainman.
bandcamp.com.
Movie Reviews: Elliot Allen’s Top Five of 2010
These are my personal picks for
the 5 movies of 2010 that I thought were
interesting enough to write about. They
are presented in alphabetical order as all
of them are equally worth your time.
Batman: Under the Red Hood- The best
Batman movie ever made. This pick may
seem very strange to most people. How
could a direct-to-DVD animated cartoon
be superior to Christopher Nolan’s recently
made and universally lauded The
Dark Knight? For many reasons. First,
this movie actually treats Batman as a
real human being. The Dark Knight was
praised for its realism, yet this cartoon
manages to be more realistic than that
movie. In all other Batman films, Bruce
Wayne is treated as a brooding, robotic,
and overall unlikable man who rarely is
given the opportunity to show that he is
still human. Yes, Batman is dark, and calculatingly
somber, but he is still human,
and he still has feelings. Most other Batman
films completely miss that aspect of
his character, but not this one. This movie
features what is widely believed to be the
greatest tragedy in Batman’s life (besides
the death of his parents, of course), and
because of the emotional turmoil and
stress that both Batman and Bruce Wayne
go through, we as the audience grow attached
to him as a character. We see that
although he is obscenely wealthy, implausibly
strong, and slightly insane, he
is still a man. This character insight is just
one of the many reasons why this movie
is fantastic and should not be missed by
any fan of cinema. The only critique I
have is that Mark Hamill is not the voice
of the Joker—such a shame, but not big
enough to ruin the movie.
Morning Glory: Seeing this movie on
my list may also raise some eyebrows.
In my sea of critically acclaimed movies
this one stands alone for having received
a mixed reception. Do not let the lack of
critical laurels dissuade you from watching
this movie. This is a very smartly
written film, driven by the charisma of its
lead stars, Rachel McAdams and Harrison
Ford. Both play very likeable characters,
making this film very pleasant to
watch. In fact, likeable and pleasant are
both perfect words to describe this film. It
is formulaic, following the classic romantic
comedy structure, but the formula became
a formula in the first place because
it is so successful. This is the movie to
be watched when you are having a cozy
night at home with loved ones. The safety
of this film makes it amazing, not to mention
funny and sharp witted, having been
written by Aline Brosh McKenna (The
Devil Wears Prada). If I were to compare
this movie to a drink it would be a nice
cup of apple juice, joyful and exuberant.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Scott Pilgrim
Vs. the World is a nerd’s perfect
movie. The film injects video game logic
into reality to create
a crazy, action-packed adventure. Another
plus is that it was written and directed
by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot
Fuzz) who I believe
is the best
director of our
generation. His
script is clever
and hilarious,
perfectly capturing
the spirit of everything fun in the
world, i.e., comic books, martial arts
movies, alt rock, and video games. This
whimsical spirit is what really makes
the movie work; it is a simple story of
a guy wanting a girl, but it becomes so
much more thanks to its vigor. The film
not only is an amazing comedy, but it is
an amazing martial arts movie as well. In
fact, this film is the best action movie of
the year. The film completely exists in its
Movie Collage by Jordon Katz
own universe where logic is thrown out
the window for the sake of fun, because
the film understands completely what the
very essence of nerddom is: it is the fact
that reality is an awful place where you
don’t fit in, that just brings terrible ordeals
upon you, i.e., the opposite sex, school,
and expectations. This contrasts with the
joy of fantasy where one may leap fifty
feet in the air and
not be questioned. This is what makes
Scott Pilgrim utterly sublime as a fantasy/
comedy/action/romance. If you are interested
in any of
Disney is back and they
have returned to their roots
that we all know and love.
those genres
check out this
film; it is sure to
be a cult classic
judging by its
abysmal boxoffice
performance and huge internet fandom.
The Social Network: Ah, the movie that
I predict will win best picture at the Academy
Awards; the reasons for which it will
win may be questionable, but it shall win
nonetheless. At least we can rest in peace
knowing that this year a movie deserving
of praise will probably win the award
(Note: The King’s Speech is appearing
as fierce competition to this film and is
a better movie, yet it is far less interesting
to write about, so I did not put it on
this list).)This is a very modern movie.
It is not so much about the founding of
Facebook as it is about how one man’s
greed can lead him to great loneliness
and isolation. I know I am not the first to
compare this movie to Citizen Kane, but
the comparisons are really quite evident.
They both feature main characters who
are overcome by their inner demons, and
their youthful ideals give way to cynicism
and regret. Of course, I think the fact that
this all happens in the span of 6 years for
Zuckerberg, as opposed to the lifetime of
Charles Forrester Kane, does take away
some of the impact. This film is without
a doubt masterfully directed and written
very well. The only complaint I have is
with Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Mark
Zuckerberg. He casts him as a complete
and utter robot with an utter lack of morals
or human decency. This may have
been intentional on the part of the director
so as to tell the timeless tale of how greed
leads to intense loneliness, which I believe
is where this movie really finds success.
A great film, it is just tainted by the
inescapable feeling that it was made for
profit and pretentious self-righteousness
rather than artistic merit.
Tangled: Speaking of Facebook, when
The Princess and the Frog came out in
2009 I proudly proclaimed, “Disney is
back” on my Facebook status page. I am
now proudly proclaiming that my previous
assertion stands the test of time. Yes,
Disney is back and they have returned to
their familiar and beloved roots. Sure,
Tangled may be computer animated, but
it still beats with the heart of a classic
Disney princess movie. Plus, unlike The
Princess and the Frog, Rapunzel (which
is what this movie should be called) is
not weighed down by idiotic pandering
to a certain demographic….oh, wait, it
is! Why can Disney executives not understand
that their movies have a universal
appeal because they are based on the
timeless fairytales that have become ingrained
into the collective subconscious
of the human race?! Uch…I have gotten
off topic; back to the film. This movie is
really amazing. Wonderful visuals and
an incandescent soundtrack that harkens
back to the classic Disney musicals of
yore are all present in this film. (In fact,
while writing this I had the sudden urge to
play the soundtrack… and I am listening
to it repeatedly. Damn, it’s addictive!) See
this movie if you want a nostalgic blast
and, simultaneously, a viewing of what I
believe to be a future classic.

Page 8 Helios Volume 9 Issue 4 February 2011
Sports Column: Knicks Cause a City to Rock Once Again
By Gabriel Klausner
Despite what has been a brutal
winter thus far, New York City is alive
again. The people of the Big Apple are
coming together, woven together by a
common thread. Turn on your TV, dial
up the radio, and pick up that newspaper,
folks – the New York Knicks are
back.
For years, the Knicks were the
laughing stock of the National Basketball
Association, failing to make playoffs
year after year. As an organization,
the Knickerbockers were an embarrassment,
going through five head coaches
in a span of 7 seasons (2001-2008).
General Managers Scott Layden and
Isaiah Thomas traded away nearly every
draft pick. (Traditionally the high draft
picks awarded to the league’s worst
teams provide poor squads a way to rebuild
a winning roster.) They also made
many poor signings and trades, taking
By Zachary Spiera
Photograph by Andrew Udell
on some of the game’s highest-paid, yet
lowest performing players. Fans became
so fed up that websites began to pop up
calling for a franchise makeover starting
from the top, pushing for the ousting of
team owner, chairman of Cablevision
and Madison Square Garden Inc., James
Dolan.
But the past is the past. The
Knicks are a different team with a savvy
team president in Donnie Walsh, a proven
head coach in Mike D’Antoni, and a
bevy of young, talented basketball players.
Most notably, the Knicks made noise
this past off-season by signing perennial
all-star Amare Stoudemire to a $100 million
contract and point guard Raymond
Felton, who has been the team’s general
on the floor.
This revival of a team with such a storied
history has brought life to Madison
Square Garden as well as invigorating
fans at Heschel who have been waiting,
not so patiently, for a return to winning
ways.
Senior Jacob Feld noted his joy at the
new and improved Knicks. “I’ve been a
fan a long time and I haven’t seen a team
like this since before 2000. Every night
I see intensity, I see teamwork, but most
importantly, I see a desire to win. This
is a desire that every true New Yorker
carries.” Barely coming up for air, Feld
continued, “It is a
team, a consistency,
and a feeling that
temporarily satiates
our constant feelings
of nostalgia, a feeling
that this city has been
waiting for.”
I can’t help
but notice that there
seems to be Knicks
fans crawling from every corner, supporting
the new Knicks. But where were
these folk when the team was mired in a
long string of embarrassing seasons?
I watched night after night, year after
year, through Stephon Marbury taking
twenty-five shots a game, Isaiah Thomas
signing Jerome James to a five-year contract,
and the franchise’s $130 million
payroll (the highest in the NBA) despite
the second worst record in the league.
Yet now I blend in with the rest
of the Knicks fans who only are supporting
their hometown team in this time of
long-awaited triumph. Do I welcome all
Knicks fans? Of course. But there are
far too many fans who didn’t tune in to a
single game over the past decade of misery
that I, along with many others, suffered
through.
Daniel Kressel, a fellow senior and loyal
Knicks fan over the years, shares my
sentiment: “It’s despicable. I’ve been
through the worst of times as a fan, never
giving up, and now, when the Knicks are
Turn on your TV, dial
up the radio, and pick
up that newspaper,
folks – the New York
Knicks are back.
finally returning
to respectability,
everyone
jumps on board.
Let’s see what
happens if the
Knicks tank.
Let’s see who is
left.”
The bottom
line is that the
Knicks are back. It’s time for everyone
in this school and across this town to
rise up and support our team. But just
know all you bandwagoners out there,
no matter how energized and overjoyed
you feel at the thought of a competitive
New York Knicks team, it doesn’t touch
the sweet taste in the mouths of all loyal
Knicks fans who have been devoted to
their team through thick and through
thin.
To my fellow true Knickerbocker
faithful I say, Go New York! Go New
York! Go!
Girls Junior Varsity Basketball: Where’d Ya Go?
It is only January, yet the basketball
season is already over for the
2011 junior varsity girls. What went
wrong?
According to the
players, the team started out
on a very positive note. Practices
were effective, and the
team was developing. “It was
a good learning experience, it
was very fun, and we felt like
we were improving,” said Ariela
Orgel and Jessie Wachtel,
two freshmen who had been
on the team.
Another freshman,
Nava Sido, agreed, “Because
of the level of seriousness
that we had during practices, I
thought that our team was getting
stronger and developing a
certain chemistry as we went
along.”
But the downfall began
early in the season. It
started when a few of the
players on the team decided
to leave the team for personal
reasons. “People had
their own individual problems
about various things
that caused them to leave the
team,” said Nava.
In early December,
sophomore Leah Dorfman moved up
to the varsity squad when they needed
an extra player for a Yeshiva League
tournament in Baltimore. After playing
well and having a great time at the tournament,
she decided to stay on varsity
permanently.
Meanwhile, the team started
experiencing some commitment problems.
“Some people decided coming to
practice wasn’t worth it anymore,” said
Rachel Sanders, another freshman who
had been on the team. The team was losing
every game, and attendance at practice
was dwindling.
Then came the pivotal Kushner
Illustration by Joshua Ashley
game in mid-December at home. One
hour before game time, only three girls
were warming up when a fourth member
of the team ran up to Larry Rispoli, the
Athletic Director, to tell him that nobody
else was coming. Larry was forced to
tell the opposing team after a long drive
into New York that Heschel had to forfeit
the game. “It was a bad scene, a
very embarrassing scene for Heschel,
for the Athletic Department, for me, for
the coaches, for those who did show up,”
Larry said. He continued, clearly upset,
“I was really heartbroken, because I had
never had this happen in the history of
Heschel.”
This was only the beginning
of the girls’ troubles. After that embarrassing
forfeit, only the same three girls
showed up for practice. Before their
next game, Larry, not wanting another
embarrassing moment for the school,
took it upon himself to go find each
member of the team and ask if she was
planning to show up. To his frustration,
only the same three loyal players said
yes. Larry was forced to call the opposing
team, to cancel the game, and forfeit
once again. He then consulted Ahuva
Halberstam, Head of the High School,
and Roanna Shorofsky, Head of School,
before calling the league to tell them that
he was disbanding the team. “I should
not have to go hunt down bodies to
find out if they’re going to show up
for a game,” Larry said.
With no junior varsity girls’
team, the sophomores were allowed
to bump up to Varsity, leaving
the committed freshmen with
nothing but workouts and Larry
with the question of how instill a
sense of responsibility and dedication
in student athletes. This problem
is more widespread than just
the JV girls, though. As Larry was
sharing his side of the junior varsity
girls’ basketball fiasco, several
players from other teams walked
into his office to complain about
having to practice during the AFC
Championship Jet game and on
Super Bowl Sunday. “As an athletic
department, you can’t have
athletes who do this,” Larry said.
So what does he plan to do to
fix this problem at Heschel? He
intends to make sure that all potential
student athletes and their
parents understand the commitment
required to be on a team at
Heschel. “Next year I’m going
to implement an orientation for
the student athletes and their parents, because
of the word ‘commitment.’ You’re
only going to be allowed to miss something
if there is a religious event or a
death in the family.”
“We need to be committed and
focus on one goal: trying to do well and
win a championship. That’s it,” he added.