CESJDS’s first fake homecoming dance since the outbreak of COVID-19 was held this past Sunday. Although JDS has no football team, the seniors typically plan FOCO in order to replicate the experience of an actual homecoming weekend. This year’s theme was math teacher and senior grade advisor Robbie Shorr’s bar mitzvah.

Shorr is now 26 years old, so it’s as if he’s celebrating his double bar mitzvah this year. He likes to look at this “bar mitzvah” with excitement because it seems like a real welcoming to adulthood for him, as opposed to the so-called coming of age that occurred when he turned 13.

“Something I think about is when a kid has their real bar or bat mitzvah which is about becoming an adult, but they’re so young,” Shorr said. “When I was 13 I really didn’t feel that way but in a sense now, I’m married now and I’ve been teaching for a while, so it does kind of feel like a new ceremony to enter adulthood.

There was great anticipation from students leading up to this event, especially because the senior grade government put in a lot of effort in order to make it as enjoyable as possible for students. They chose to really play into the bar mitzvah theme with fun prizes, games like Coke and Pepsi, and even some MCing from math teacher and Assistant Dean Tori Ball.

“[The bar mitzvah theme] started as a joke but we realized we could actually make it really fun especially for high schoolers who’ve probably not been to a bar mitzvah in a long time,” senior Eliana Mannes said. “I think Ms. Ball’s MCing is going to be really fun so I’m looking forward to that.”

The dance got a great turnout and tickets were sold out two days prior to the event. The overall consensus of the event was positive and students agreed that it was a great bonding experience between grades.

“[The dance] really brought my grade and the freshman class together in a way I haven’t seen before at JDS,” Senior Co-President Oren Swagel said. “Ms. Ball’s MCing also exceeded my expectations… [but] the best part was winning Coke and Pepsi with Mr. Shorr.”