January 2018 Volume 20, Issue 3 The TheVOiCE Student-Run Newspaper of RKYHS The Dirty School Epidemic This problem must be fixed By Jared Carmeli Inside This Issue Everyday, students at RKYHS are given 40 minutes to eat lunch in the Midterms dining hall, socialize with friends, or attend meetings for the various extra- curricular activities that are offered. However, there is an underlying issue that has managed to stay constant al- most every single day: the lack of stu- dents who clean up after themselves. Needless to say that anyone who walks page 2 down the main hallway, through the Multipurpose Room, or in the dining hall will surely find a countless num- ber of plates, utensils and even trays with full meals completely abandoned Month of the Arts and left for someone else to clean up. Moreover, this issue is certainly not ex- clusively limited only to food left from lunch. Students leave numerous papers lying around and garbage all over the floors in front of their lockers. school looks its best is tedious and, of not only have an impact on the job Although some students do not see this course, difficult. The very simple act of of the maintenance staff, but rather as a problem, if one were to look just page 3 not throwing out unwanted food or pa- the rest of the school community as a a little closer he/she would find that pers adds to their already laborious job. whole. Whether it is Lunch and Learn this lack of throwing away garbage This is not to say that students should or Mock Trial after school, there is al- affects many people. First and fore- be washing the floors or cleaning win- ways some kind of garbage leftover that Chromebooks most, this issue tremendously affects dows, rather to make sure we are not people need to clean up if they want to the job of our already hardworking adding to the workload of those people sit or work somewhere comfortably. maintenance staff. For those students that do wash the floors and clean the Given this is a rather straightforward that stay late for after-school activities, windows. problem, there are various different it is very obvious that the work these Furthermore, this issue does CONT. ON PAGE 6 men and women do to make sure our Hello From the Other Side pages 5 Left winged voices speak out By Hannah Kirsch vative, their influence is stronger than environment.” Luckily, at Kushner, we Play Review that of the more liberal Jews. have a wonderful administration which A student at a Modern Orthodox One student declared, “Our current is aware of this issue, and is willing Yeshiva may feel that finding your president is a big Israel supporter, and to assist in any possible way, to help own political voice can be extremely we have had a lot of discussions about educate students about the dangers of challenging. Students in this envi- that.” Could our school’s conservative- judging and alienating other students ronment often find themselves be- based, pro-Israel views impact students’ due to their political views. Many stu- ing influenced from both sides of choices about their political party iden- dents believe the administration should the fence. However, it has become tification? Moreover, it is often the ac- aid the students on their journey to find evident that in this contemporary so- tions and statements of their right-wing their political voice by stripping away page 6 ciety, many students feel pressured peers that make the liberal students feel biased conversations in the classroom into right-wing beliefs. During Ju- uncomfortable when discussing poli- and feeding the students straight facts. daic classes, or even just speaking tics in the classroom. I have personally High school is a journey to with peers, students who lean to the heard on several occasions the term(s), find yourself. Whatever that entails, HOK: Mr. Singman political left often feel they are the “he’s such a liberal.” In our school, politically or otherwise, society should obvious minority, and therefore, they this phrase has a negative connotation. want to assist in that journey. Sadly, choose not to speak during political Due to our very sheltered environment, many people are merely interested in discussions.I write this article not as many students often overlook the con- furthering their own agenda and will a left-wing student myself; I actu- cept of respecting an opinion that is not not hear or encourage views that do not ally lean more to the right. However, their own. The choice to not expose align with theirs. This is extremely un- I strongly believe in students’ rights oneself to other views is a large issue fortunate. As the next generation, we to freely speak their opinions and not and is often the cause of the intense should work hard to resolve this issue page 8 feel pressured by others’ biased views. judgement of certain students who may and eliminate these types of behaviors. This applies to right-wing students take a different approach when examin- I personally believe that in order to who attempt to express their views as ing societal issues. achieve any type of peace between the well. They, too, should be able to have Ultimately, an objective of ye- two sides, we need to start by agreeing a strong voice in our Kushner commu- shiva education should be to ensure to legitimize the other side’s opinions. Boston nity, without any influence from facul- that all students are comfortable in I hope to one day see this become a ty or other sources. However, I choose their opinions and are not judged for reality. For now, I will strongly advo- to focus on the liberal students; their them, and feel their opinion is respect- cate and work for this in an effort to suppressed voices are both saddening ed in the community. Unfortunately, transform our little piece of society, and problematic. we have not reached that goal, as one from two seperate sides into one co- What is the source of this right- student who leans more to the left said, hesive team. It is vital to our future wing atmosphere in our school? When “I have found myself in several differ- and future generations, that left- and page 9 surveyed, 33% of students said, it is ent classes, specifically Judaic studies right-wing leaning students should be because of our Modern Orthodox up- classes, where I felt ostracized from able to recognize and acknowledge bringing. They argue that because a the rest of the class. Teachers do not the other side, while having their own majority of Orthodox Jews are conser- always help in ensuring a comfortable voices be strongly heard. January 2018 2 News Volume 20, Issue 3 The Voice Staff Midterm Schedule Michal Shechter, Editor-in-Chief How do the students feel about it Becky Weisberg, Editor-in-Chief By Reva M. and Alexandra D. tics in the afternoon. On the second day, would be much more helpful if it was Zack Kaplan, Senior Editor in the morning there is Talmud, and in on the first day so that I would be able Zach Marcus, Senior Editor Before winter break, students the afternoon there is AP Government, to study more efficiently and get it out must take a midterm, which is a test in AP Biology, AP Physics C, and AP psy- of the way.” Leora Shua, Senior Editor a few of their classes on what they have chology. On the third and final day of One benefit of the schedule learned thus far in the year. Students be- midterms there is Math in the morning, is that students that do not take AP Editors lieve that their studying is more effec- and AP literature and language in the classes finish their midterm by eleven tive when certain subjects are earlier or afternoon. o’clock in the morning. This benefits Becca Cohn later in the midterm schedule first and The school puts the math mid- them because they can use the extra Aaron Dickstein vise versa. Students have been asked term last because it takes the fastest to time to study for their other midterms. Hila Gilmore about their opinions on the 2018 mid- grade, but some students believe that When asked about how they felt about term schedule. math should be first. The reason for this the midterm schedule, an anonymous Jon Kirsch In past years, students have felt is because it is one of the harder subjects ninth grader said, “Although I would Cynthia Lando that they receive better grades when cer- that students are tested on, and they want prefer history to be the last midterm, as Daniel Moradi tain subjects are first. This year’s sched- to get it out of way so that they can focus it is a tougher subject, math is also a ule is as follows. On the first day there is on other subjects without being worried tough subject, so I am happy that it is Alyssa Schnipper history, which is in the morning and AP about the math midterm. An anonymous last because then I have more time to computer science, AP physics, AP mac- tenth grader said, “Math is a harder and study and do well.” General Staff roeconomics, and Ap computer statis- is a more stressful subject for me and it Rachel Berk Eden Bendory Jared Carmeli Alex Degan Emily Gruber Emily Jurkevich Jamie Kaplan Chloe Katz Jakey Kluger Hannah Kirsch Josh Lando Hannah Mamet Shayna Mandelbaum Reva Matthew Liana Maza Maya Minsky Robotics in Action Noa Mobillio Celebrating Channukah one invention at a time Michael Pedoeem By Shayna Mandelbaum They were eventually Gideon Rubin able to figure out how Sophie Schanzer In honor of Chanukah, the stu- to increase the amount Danielle Shapiro dents in the Robotics class, along with of power but had an- assistance from Dr.