Teenagers are not ready to vote
Oren Minsk, Reporter
June 4, 2018
Political polarization and teenage activism have both become increasingly common in the US today, which raises the question of whether the federal voting age should be lowered to 16. The cities of Takoma Park and Hyattsville, MD, have already done so for municipal elections, prompting a discussion of wheth...
Should Zimriyah continue to be a competition?
Sabrina Bramson and Tali Kuperberg
May 30, 2018
Filed under Opinion
Below are two responses to the following prompt: Zimriyah lets students celebrate Israel's independence through a competition; however, many believe it distracts from the purpose of Yom HaAtzmaut. Should Zimriyah continue to be a competition? Features Editor Sabrina Bramson believes that Zimriyah ...
Arab-Israeli Conflict class should be required
Ilana Kaplan, Reporter
May 30, 2018
Filed under Opinion
Whether we realize it or not, going to a Jewish school inherently isolates many of us from exposure to negative and hateful speech surrounding Israel. When we leave the confines of the school, both before and after graduation, we must learn to effectively advocate our beliefs through informed and constructive...
Students must stand to make the most of our brains
May 30, 2018
Filed under Opinion
Human bodies ascend to their physical peaks during adolescence, the same time the mind becomes more sophisticated and refined. As a critical stage of human development, the teenage years should be among the most active periods in a person's life. Yet today’s average teenager is as sedentary as a...
The ups and downs of CESJDS’ GPA system
Matthew Rabinowitz, Reporter
May 17, 2018
As a new student at CESJDS with little prior knowledge of Hebrew, I have to take ECP level Judaic classes because many require higher levels of Hebrew. All academic classes at JDS, including Judaics classes, are graded on a four-point GPA scale for the ECP level and five-point scale for the advanced level, s...
From student to faculty: Math teacher Robbie Shorr reflects upon his years at CESJDS
Robbie Shorr, Guest Writer
April 26, 2018
Filed under Opinion
A lot has changed about CESJDS recently, but I’m going to explain something that has remained constant since my high school days at JDS until my return this year as a math teacher. (And, no, I don’t mean the fantastic cafeteria cookies. That’s an article for another time.) Since I started at th...
Simple ways to live sustainably today
Ben Robinson, Opinion Editor
April 23, 2018
In honor of Earth Day on April 22nd, here are a few avenues for you to reduce your environmental presence and help preserve the planet. Make a wind tunnel. How do you stay cool on a hot day without hurting the electricity bill? Open a window and a door on the opposite side of the room, which shoul...
Should students have been able to walk out for gun control without academic penalty or missing class?
Reilly Lowell and Ari Gershengorn
March 22, 2018
Filed under Opinion
Below are two responses to the following prompt: On March 14, CESJDS allowed participation in a school walkout for gun control in response to the shooting in Parkland, Fla. Should students have been able to walk out without academic penalty or missing class? Guest Columnist Reilly Lowell believes that ...
Audiobooks are worth the listen
Ilana Kaplan, Reporter
March 22, 2018
Filed under Opinion
From the moment we wake up to the second our heads hit the pillow at night, we rely on our eyes to observe and absorb information more than any other sense. By the time we sit down to complete assigned school readings, our eyes are exhausted, worsening our visual processing and ability to physically...
It is our generation’s time to lead change
March 22, 2018
Filed under Opinion
As students who are too young to vote, it’s easy to feel closed off from the world of politics. Even though we can follow local and national news, form opinions and debate with peers, our voices often feel futile in a political landscape dominated by adults. The students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas...
Stand in solidarity
Josh Diewald, Reporter
February 22, 2018
In the wake of the tragic shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, hundreds of high school and middle school students in the Montgomery County area staged walkouts from their schools on Wednesday, Feb 21, to show support for gun control laws. Students from Richard Montgomery High School...
Onward together
Alex Landy, Reporter
February 14, 2018
Filed under Opinion
President Trump delivered his first State of the Union address to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, Jan 30. Since watching the speech, I have had renewed thoughts about how both parties in Congress, as well as the American people, might respond to Trump’s volatile presidency in an effort to return to the p...
Administration reevaluates Zman Kodesh program
May 30, 2018
In preparation for the 2018-2019 school year, the CESJDS administration surveyed students, faculty and parents about the current Zman Kodesh program. They will be using the survey results to adjust the...
Beyond the stress: New club promotes dialogue about mental health
May 30, 2018
In the past several months, CESJDS students have partnered with the administration to pioneer a Mental Health Awareness Club that aims to end the stigma regarding mental illness. They strive to create...
Finals weight reduced to 10 percent
May 30, 2018
In a departure from past policy, final exams for CESJDS’ 2017-2018 school year will be worth ten percent of the grade for the year. In previous years, finals were worth 14 percent of the year’s grade. According...
