FO CU S The Official Newspaper of Friends' Central Upper School Issue Two - November 2018 Read Online at fcsfocus.org Page 1 Ar tists in Focus: Casper Hoffman Athletes In Focus: Daniel Saligman and Aiden Kemph and Ben Meyres Reflecting On Their Musical Journey to On Keeping Hope Afloat This Water Africa Polo Season By: Julian Duvivier ?22 By: Max Mar nelli '22 A s the weather outside grows increasingly brisk and the fall sports season draws to a close, inside there is still hope for There are the Boys? Water Polo Team. With just a few games left in the season, the fact that the few things team has yet to win any meets hasn?t come as close to dampening the optimistic spirits of universal two persevering players, freshmen Ben as music. Meyers and Daniel Saligman. Daniel has been One could attending FCS since kindergarten, while Ben came in venture to any nation and discover a sixth grade meaningful song. This was the experience of after Aiden Kempf ?21 and Casper Hoffman ?21, studying at who tell the story of their musical journey to the South Africa. They traveled to South Africa Perelman this summer with the Keystone State Jewish Day School. Both Boychoir and its counterpart, the Ben and Pennsylvania Girlchoir. COTD. on Page 11 COTD. on Page 15 In This Issue: Reflecting on Pittsburgh (P2) This Month In Film (P6) Sweets At School (P5) Monthly Sports Review (P12) Welcome New Trainer (P4) Student Council Update (P14) Tech Tips (P10) Super- Commuting to FCS (P8) Issue Two - November 2018 Read Online at fcsfocus.org Page 2 Ther e Ar e No Wor ds: Jewish Students Reflect on Pittsbur gh By: Anna Volpp ?20 and Jane Whellan ?20, Guest Contributors As most of you know, on Saturday, of it does not make it to the news. confirmation from sources other The numerous tragic events in the than my sister, it was my inability to October 27, a shooter, entered the past few weeks are a sign that all accept that such a horrible thing Tree of Life Congregation in Squirrel affinities of people need to come could occur within my community, Hill, Pennsylvania, during Saturday together. Attacks on specific races, the Jewish community. Shabbat services and a baby naming. gender identities, religions, abilities, Screams of hatred and desires to I spent the whole day processing the political affiliations, and other murder Jews were heard. Twenty news, going about my life as I usually marginalized groups all may seem minutes later, 11 lives were lost, would while trying to come to terms like different, isolated problems. In hearts were broken, and families with what the countless notifications reality, minority groups are all facing were shattered. This was an attack on my phone, which started rolling the same discrimination, the same not only against the 11 victims but in shortly after my sister left my violence, and we all need to come against the Jewish community as a room that morning, were telling me. together and advocate for equity and whole. The murderer now faces 44 A man had opened fire in a place of justice not just for our particular Federal charges, including counts for worship with the intent to kill people affinities, but all marginalized using a firearm to commit murder, solely because of their religion, my people?s identities. This is why Beth counts of hate crimes, and counts for religion. Imagine that: in America, David Jewish Reform Congregation, impeding the right to religious the place thousands of people, not along with many other places of freedom, a founding principle of our only Jews, came to in order to escape worship, held an interfaith vigil on nation. According to the religious persecution, people were the morning of Sunday, October 28. Anti- Defamation League, this was facing just that, and being murdered There were also vigils in the deadliest attack on the Jewish because of it. communities all around Philadelphia Community on United States soil. and Lower Merion. On Sunday, I went to two different But sadly, none of this behavior is vigils for the Pittsburgh shooting. new. In 2017, according to the On that tragic Saturday morning, at The first was at my synagogue, and Anti- defamation league, antisemitic around 9:30, my little sister came afterwards all of the teenagers incidents in the United States into my room. ?There?s a shooting at present went to have a conversation increased about 60%. 1,986 cases of a synagogue,? she told me, as I lay in with the rabbi about how we were vandalism, physical assault, and bed, mindlessly scrolling through my feeling after having processed the harassment were committed against phone. Even after she elaborated on horrors of Saturday. What struck me Jews just last year. the situation- - that there was an the most was not a message active shooter and the synagogue Everyday, Jews and other delivered by a teenager, but what the was in Pittsburgh- - it still didn?t sink marginalized groups, including but rabbi told us. in. I had not received any New York not limited to political affiliations, ?I?m so sorry.? Times notification on my phone, and religions, gender identities, abilities, social media remained silent. But it She apologized on behalf of her face this type of hatred, though most was more than the lack of Issue Two - November 2018 Read Online at fcsfocus.org Page 3 entire generation, and generations organizations. Though each person current predicament with gun before her, for creating a world in worded it differently, the overall violence. If we do not stand up for which tremendous acts of violence messages I received at the vigil were ourselves and push for change, how and hate have become almost about the importance of coming can we expect that our normal, even expected. She together despite racial and religious representatives in government will apologized for letting today?s youth differences, the value and power of stand up for us? If we do not come grow up with regular active- shooter love, particularly in the face of hate, together for others when they are drills where they were trained to and the desperate need for us to take struck by tragedy, how can we expect flee, hide, and as a last resort fight by action to ensure that acts of violence that they will rally behind us? And if throwing whatever they could at such as Saturday?s never happen we do not hold ourselves and our someone armed with a much more again. generation accountable for making powerful weapon, a gun. And, while Speakers at the vigil included change now, how can we expect that this may have just been how I congressmen, members of state future generations will do so? How interpreted her message, she legislature, religious leaders of four can we expect to raise our children apologized for the fact that it is the different faiths, and representatives in a world that we don?t have to challenge and responsibility of our from a variety of Jewish apologize for? I never want to look generation to clean up this mess of a organizations. And though each into the horror stricken eyes of my world. Sure, we can receive help person worded it differently, the child, or any other child, and have to from older generations, and they are overall messages I received at the say ?I?m sorry.? ? certainly valuable to our cause, but vigil were about the importance of ultimately it is up to us, the youth, to coming together despite racial and enact our voices and create change. religious differences, the value and We need to ensure that one day we power of love, particularly in the face are not apologizing to our own of hate, and the desperate need for children for the world we give them, us to take action to ensure that acts but instead telling them stories of of violence such as Saturday?s never resilience, collaboration, and love. happen again. The second vigil that I went to on "If not now, when?" I?ve been Sunday was city- wide. People of all thinking about this saying a lot in races and religions came to a recent days, and how it relates our synagogue downtown to grieve together over Saturday?s shooting, and to lift each other up and gather strength to move forward and take action. Speakers at the vigil included congressmen, members of state legislature, religious leaders of four different faiths, and representatives from a variety of Jewish Issue Two - November 2018 Read Online at fcsfocus.org Page 4 New Tr ainer Strengthens FCS By: Julian Brenman ?20 When I stick my hand into The gym is not just a place for something new, it?s a really athletes. It?s a safe place for rewarding experience,? says the everybody to learn and grow, both coach about his career. physically and mentally. You never know how much stress you can Though Sean just came to handle until you start adding Friends? Central two months ago, stress in with the gym.? To those he?s already developed a deep who may feel nervous or unsure if appreciation for his new ? itness leads to happiness, and strength and conditioning is the F student- athletes. He reflects, right activity for them, Sean happiness leads to fitness,? asserts ?Everybody here likes to work advises, ?Come to the gym. You Coach Sean Campbell, Friends? hard. Nobody comes down to the can?t get strong if you?re afraid.? Central?s new strength and gym and shies away from conditioning trainer.