Kol Bogrei Rambam Is the Alumni Council’S Monthly E-Newsletter for and About Maimonides School Graduates

Kol Bogrei December 2016 ~ Kislev - Tevet 5777 Rambam Page 1 of 8 CONNECTING MAIMONIDES ALUMNI WORLDWIDE Kol Bogrei Rambam is the Alumni Council’s monthly e-newsletter for and about Maimonides School graduates. Each month we share infor- mation on individual graduates’ ventures and accomplishments, as well as general news notes, all reflecting the school’s mission of preparing educated, observant Jews to be contributing members of society. Your ideas and accomplishments will help sustain and strengthen this key com- munications tool; please forward to [email protected]. Five 2014 Maimonides Graduates on Active Duty with the IDF Five Maimonides School graduates from training, was accepted into an the Class of 2014 are on active duty with infantry commander’s course the Israel Defense Forces. (where he joined classmate David Solooki). “Once I finish “Everybody decided by themselves,” the course in March, I will said Ariel Warren. “I didn’t know who become a squad commander else was in Israel until after I drafted responsible for about 10 (enlisted).” Ariel is no stranger to the soldiers,” said Doron. landscape of Israel. He lived there with his family when he was in tenth grade, and He noted that he originally his grandparents spend part of the year in intended to go to Yeshiva a retirement community near Jerusalem. University and then make aliyah. “I’m really enjoying the Ariel said he joined because “I wanted army, and am very happy that to actually make an impact.” During his I drafted,” Doron said. “I have gap year at Mechnat Ye’ud, “I was set to learned navigation skills and go to Rutgers. But then I decided around how to shoot a rifle. I have Pesach time that I was going to enlist spent a lot of time in the field, in the IDF through Garin Tsabar,” an IDF gotten into shape, and most program that accommodates new lone importantly learned to work soldiers. Ariel, who is an Eagle Scout, is well as a team. In commander’s training as a tank operator. Infantry was training I will learn leadership Doron Cheses ‘14 with Adi Levitz at a recent IDF tekes (cere- out because of his glasses, Ariel said; the mony) in Beit She’an. Adi is a former Bnei Akiva shlichah at skills, learn in depth about assignment is “based on your physical Maimonides. Her parents are one of Doron’s host families many weapons, and exercise a while he’s a lone soldier. profile.” Tanks are also considered one of lot.” the combat arms. “Very quickly in yeshiva I under- lenging, as we like to say ‘haKol baRosh’ “In general, I’m happy with it,” Ariel said stood that you didn’t need to be a big (the real challenge is in your head).” of his decision. He pointed out that the macho army guy in order to accomplish IDF experience “really helps religious and Ben Almekies is in advanced infantry impressive achievements in the army,” non-religious Israelis learn to depend on training, serving in the Givati unit. He he continued. “Every regular yeshiva each other.” When off duty he lives with has learned to handle the shoulder-fired bachur with a strong will and a desire others in his garin class at Yeshivat Maaleh anti-armor missile known as Matador. to serve and protect his country can be Gilboa. “It was created by Israel, and it is meant very successful in the army. I very much for blowing holes in buildings without As a student at Yeshivat Birkat Moshe in wanted to live in Israel and to be fully harming those inside,” he explained. Ma’aleh Adumim, Doron Cheses has an integrated into the society, and I felt that 18-month military commitment through being a combat soldier was a great way to Ben began his active service last April in the Hesder system — yeshivot that require integrate into the Israeli culture.” Machal, the platform for volunteers from a military component. He enlisted in the Diaspora, because “I wanted to do “The army is definitely more mentally March, and after four months of basic something for Israel, and I also wanted challenging than it is physically chal- training and three months of advanced to see Israel in a more realistic way.” He continued on page 8 Visit Maimonides on Facebook Follow our Twitter feed, KolRambam Subscribe to our YouTube channel, MaimoTube Kol Bogrei December 2016 ~ Kislev - Tevet 5777 Rambam Page 2 of 8 CONNECTING MAIMONIDES ALUMNI WORLDWIDE Alumna’s Research Aims to Help U.K. Avoid Fracking Liabilities The technology known as hydraulic places I’ve worked,” including geologists are problematic for landowners — new fracturing, or fracking, has propelled in the London Natural History Museum’s laws mean there is no requirement to the United States toward energy CT Core Research Lab and a London law ask owners’ permission to drill when at independence. But for many Americans, firm. least 500 meters under their land. In the the environmental consequences are U.S., while landowners can choose not to a cause for concern. Miriam Aczel ’08, Miriam acknowledged that “there’s lease their land resources, there’s a big a doctoral student at Imperial College so much research and data on the issue with lack of transparency.” in London, is undertaking research to environment and fracking, but it often help the United Kingdom learn from Miriam is spending several weeks as a experiences in the United States. visiting researcher at the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, DC. “I am working in the Centre for “Lawyers here work on a range of issues, Environmental Policy so my project from environmental compliance and really is about using good science to pollution, to air quality, citizen science, make strong policy recommendations,” and fracking and property laws,” she said. Miriam explained. “The U.K. is likely going to start using techniques of hydraulic “Part of the problem is that after water fracturing to extract natural gas. I am or land is contaminated, gas firms can looking at the experience of the U.S. and pay settlements to landowners but they trying to use that experience to identify have to sign non-disclosure agreements,” strategies to make sure that if fracking she explained. “Also, the chemicals is done in the U.K., risks to public and used in drilling are ‘proprietary blends’ environmental health are minimized.” so companies can consider them trade secrets, which leaves doctors and vets Miriam, who earned an undergraduate in a situation where they’re trying to degree at McGill and her master’s at treat symptoms resulting from a mystery Imperial, said “since Maimonides, I’ve cocktail of chemicals. Another key issue been looking for ways to bring together in the U.S. is the patchwork of local, state, my multiple passions: the compelling Miriam Aczel ‘08 and federal regulations, and a lack of need for tikkun olam; languages and enforcement ‘teeth’ at all of these levels.” cultures; understanding how the seems to get lost in translation to policy. world works; and the need to express “Political instability and changes in One of the issues that I’m particularly government only make environmental complicated science concepts to those passionate about is the role of ‘citizen in charge of policy. I have found a way to regulations harder to enforce,” she science,’ where members of a community added. “When I finished my master’s, my bring all these passions together in my can volunteer to participate in a range of research subject.” conclusion was that fracking in the U.K. activities, like taking pictures of streams would likely be better regulated because She expects her efforts to take more than and water sources, and recording water of the country’s position within the three years, addressing issues ranging and air quality through the use of pocket European Union and its strong regulatory from comparing systems of laws and measuring devices that can be linked to framework. But by the time I started my regulations to managing environmental smartphones.” Ph.D, they had Brexited.” and health protection. “What’s exciting to “Some of the biggest policy issues me is that my work is at the intersection Eventually, “My interest in translating we’ve seen with fracking in the U.S. science into policy makes me want of public policy and science: How do have been the lack of baseline data on we ensure that the science is as good as to work on policy in an international water and air quality, and the lack of setting,” Miriam said. “As the possible and that policy is as effective as public engagement and participation possible?” she said. environment is a field that doesn’t in decision making, so implementing respect borders, there’s a great need to “I have wonderful support from the citizen science programs could help with improve frameworks for collaboration. Centre, which is a close-knit community tackling these problems.” I’m also interested in environmental and very multidisciplinary, comprised Every country has unique issues, Miriam quality as a common need and a vector of climate and energy scientists, commented. “The technology of for political action and peacebuilding, barristers and lawyers, policy experts, hydraulic fracturing is banned in France, and would like to work on using and environmental and health experts,” but there’s a massive loophole if they language and communication as a Miriam continued. She added that she develop a way to break the rocks without tool for encouraging and promoting also has “great support through various using water. In the U.K., property laws collaborative environmental protection.” Kol Bogrei December 2016 ~ Kislev - Tevet 5777 Rambam Page 3 of 8 CONNECTING MAIMONIDES ALUMNI WORLDWIDE Three Siblings Recall Student Years at Maimonides Educational Institute (Editor’s note: This is one of a series of arti- Hashomer Hadati/Bnei Akiva, so we One second-floor classroom was adja- cles profiling some of the first 80 graduates davened together and had our tochniot cent to a stairway, and students made of Maimonides School, as we approach the together.” “Since the school was in an old an “emergency exit behind the map Mr.

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