May 2013 - SWUSY Region

The
Swizzle
The Title Of This Article
May Edition 2013
IN THIS 27 PAGE ISSUE:
A Message from Maury 2
One Last Word 13
Chapter Spotlight: AAUSY!!! 2
The Mildly Depressing Fact Sheet! 14
The Red of our Affliction 3
An Alternative Spring Break 16
A GDXcellent Beginning 4
A Plethora of Passover Pizzas! 18
The Joy of Prayer. No, Really. 4
The Krazy Kadima Convention! 19
When the Jews Go Wash Their hands 5
Unwinding with Jews 19
Don’t Fence Us In: L’dor Va’dor 6
A Thank-You Note, From Freda 20
Our RECless Desperado, One Year Later 7
A SWUSY Synopsis, From Our SWUSY Prez 21
Operation 18,000 8
The Spectacular REC Timeline 22
To everything, there is a season 9
Alexa Price’s Mixer Recipe Book 24
The Last Israel Update of the Year 10
The Kippah 25
Spring into Sustainable Action 12
The Silver Lining 26
An Israeli Pesach 13
The
Swizzle
A Message from Maury
Dearest SWUSY,
It’s hard to believe that the year once again is
approaching its end. We’ve had another incredibly
successful year thanks to the hard work of all of you
– the chapter board members, RGB, chapter advisors,
REB, and each one of you who came to events and
added to the whole! I look forward to giving well
deserved thanks to all who made this year so amazing
at banquet on Tuesday night of Regionals.
I’ve always thought that there is something
really special and inspiring about the end of the USY
year. Chapters often hold some of their coolest events
of the year, and its Elections & Installations season.
Each year since I began staffing for USY, I’ve always
been awed and inspired by those who choose to give
back to our organization. I love hearing individual
passion come out during speeches and watching each
generation of boards passing on the torch (in some
cases literally) to the next leaders. The culmination
of the SWUSY year with our biggest and coolest
convention, Regionals, is especially exciting with our
new SWUSY University model!
Although the year is ending, I am especially
excited that International Convention is coming to
New Orleans and SWUSY Region for the first time in
USY history. This will be a momentous occasion for
us, and I hope that everyone will start preparing to
join us by blocking off the dates (December 19 -26) on
your calendar, and putting some money aside for this
convention.
I look forward to seeing many of you at
SWUSY University, June 9-12! For those of you
running for chapter or regional board positions in the
coming weeks, I wish you the best of luck! Get ready to
finish the year strong and look towards an even more
amazing 2013-2014!
B’ahava,
Maury Jacobs
SWUSY Regional Youth Director
2
May
May Edition
Edition 2013
2013
Chapter Spotlight: AAUSY!!!
A
s the year comes to a close, I would like to take a
look at this year’s host to Regional Convention:
AAUSY. This year has been a huge success for
one of the larger chapters in the region. Every holiday
was coupled with an amazing event and the Asian
Persuasion Dinner was one of the top events this year.
It’s safe to say AAUSY knows exactly how to throw a
chapter event. Chapter president, Iris Toth, who is in her
second term as president, talks about the success of the
programming, “we had a lot of social programs that the
board worked really hard on and we had high attendance
to show for it.” One of AAUSY’s proudest moments was
the silent auction they held which raised over $2,000 for
the chapter, most of which coming from items that the
board members obtained themselves.
Come June ninth, AAUSY is going to be even
more poppin’ than before. SWUSY University is
admitting students starting on that day at the Towers
dormitory at the University of Texas at Austin! This host
chapter is looking to continue on their streak of winning
awards such as last year’s “Best Annual Program.” Iris,
who won 2012 “junior of the year,” said, “I’m thuper
duper exthited!”
Jeremy Duchin
SWUSY President 2012-2013
The Red of Our Affliction
R
emember that red equal sign from way back
when? Let’s talk about that. Recently, the Supreme
Court heard various arguments about Proposition
8, the California law that outlaws Gay marriage, and about
DOMA, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which is
a federal law defining Marriage as between a man and
a woman. I am fully and completely against both laws.
Another entity that is against both measures is the Human
Rights Campaign, who created an image of an equal sign
with a red background that, overnight, became everyone’s
status image on Facebook as a show of support for gay
rights activists. At the same time, we Jews were celebrating
Passover, remembering our freedom by living for a week
as if it were we who were freed from oppression under
Pharaoh. As Liora put it, “It’s no coincidence that the
Supreme Court’s meeting about gay marriage happened
on Pesach, [there are] so many intertwining themes of
equality and freedom.” A discussion about freeing the
LGBT community from the oppression of being treated
like second class citizens and about freeing the Jews from
their house of bondage in ancient Egypt was in order. With
all these mixing ideas of equality and freedom floating
around, it was only a matter of time before someone made
the symbolic equal sign out of Matzah, but more on that
in a moment.
When I first discovered that my school had a QSA
(Queer-Straight
Alliance),
I
tracked
down
the president to
ask him a few
questions about
the group. One
question I asked
was about the
first letter of the
acronym. I asked
why they used
the word Queer
to describe those
who are LGBT. I had always been taught never to use that
word and had, until then, hoped it would go the way of
the N word or the R word. I thought that the only solution
to a word being turned into a slur was to run from it,
avoid it, and never speak its name in hopes that it would
die. Instead, he told me that they used the word Queer
because they hoped to remove the malicious undertone
from the word, to reclaim it as their own because when
you control the words that people use to define you, you
control the way the world defines you. I couldn’t think of
another instance of a perpetrated group taking what had
previously been a symbol of hatred against them and then
turning it into something positive, something they would
be proud of. That is, until this week, the week of Passover,
where we display “The Bread of our Affliction.” We proudly
remember our ancestors when we celebrate Passover by
eating their bread for eight days, refusing to return our
ways of actively running, avoiding, and refusing to speak
its digestive-tract-blocking name. We embrace the bread
of our affliction, and in doing so embrace our heritage.
Not only has Matzah become a symbol of our release from
the Egyptian house of bondage, it has become a symbol
of equality and freedom for all. May we as Jews wish for
freedom and equality for all people who only wish to live
and love.
A late Chag Sameach wish to all my SWUSY
friends, who embrace each other and their faith with love
and kindness every day.
Alex Friedman
Hamayan and Swizzle Designer and Editor
3
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
A GDXcellent Beginning
G
by Lilly Kopita
DX has always held a special place in my heart. It was
my first true event, a precursor to conventions and the
amazing experiences that would soon be imprinted on
my memory forever. If I compared my first GDX with my last I
could say the whole “Meeting new people” anxiety wasn’t an issue
this time and the “I’m completely uncoordinated” dilemma, well
that’s something I’ve just come to accept and the people around
me know to watch out. But besides the insane ropes courses
and their rope swinging, wobbly bridge crossing fun and hours
of silly floor games, what really makes GDX fun is the bonds
you make with the people around you. At the end of the night,
when you’ve sprinted in every game of tag, dogged every ball,
crossed every tight rope and beaten everyone in bounce house
boxing, you know you can sit down with someone and tell them
everything about yourself, knowing that they accept you.
Lilly Kopita
Rashi President 2012-2013
The Joy of Prayer.
No, really.
4
T
his past weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Mount Zion Baptist
Church with my Hebrew school class. Mount Zion is an AfricanAmerican gospel church in East Austin. Visiting the church, I noticed
both similarities and differences between my own congregation and Mount Zion.
But there was one thing in particular that struck me as completely fascinating:
When the congregants of Mount Zion prayed, they did so with an overwhelming
sense of joy. Now, SWUSY is blessed with an amazing REC and others who help
to put together creative, engaging services that we all enjoy. However, there are
still probably going to be times when services seem boring and endless, and we
wish that we could be doing something else. But SWUSY, we must remember
that there is a reason why we spend so much time praying. We have so much
to thank God for in our lives. I feel that the congregants of Mount Zion pray
with so much joy and energy because they are truly grateful for all that God has
given them. Maybe if we all focussed on how blessed we truly are and tried to
pray with a little more joy, we could feel a greater connection to God and make
services more engaging.
Rachel Shapiro
When the Jews Go Wash their Hands
T
he ultra-sweet aftertaste of grape juice begins to settle as I
hear the familiar words being yelled: “Oh when the Jews!!” I
yell right back “Go wash their hands!”
Thirty seconds later
either to the left or the
we SWUSYites form two
right; the two lines run in
lines facing each other, jog
opposite directions. It is
in one direction, another
crucial that USYers run at
direction, do some weird
the same speed or else chaos
dance combination with
will unfold and the dance
our feet and switch lines.
will be ruined. No pressure.
This
traditional
3) After about 4 seconds of
dance done before washing
said jog/run, the two lines
our hands for Hamotzi is
will face each other and
not a Jewish tradition, no.
do a little dance. First they
It’s even better than that:
shall kick their feet in front
it’s a USY tradition that has
of them for a total of four
been practiced all around
seconds. Then they shall
America
and
Canada
quickly start a new dance
since the 1960’s (and even
combo where they bend
before that), particularly
their knees and make their
when the famous sweaterfeet touch from their toes,
vest donning former USY
creating a backwards V. As
director Jules Gutin was a
they do this they should
young lad. Gutin says the
say “In.” Then they should
dance has gone through
straighten their knees and
several
metamorphoses
make their heels touch,
and transformations since
then say “out.” Finally they
his time but it’s still as fun,
should touch the heel of
crazy, and weird as ever
one of their feet to the
and is observed in all USY
ground, say “heel,” then
regions and on summer
touch the toes of their foot
programs (imagine doing
to the ground, say “toe” and
it in a Bedouin tent in the
say “switch” as they switch
middle of a desert in Israel).
lines.
Steps to a perfect Pre4) Repeat and then repeat
Netilat Yadayim Dance:
dance halftime or double1) Two horizontal lines of
time or both if people are
people must stand facing
really into it.
each other.
Liora Zhrebker
2) USYers do a little run
REC VP 2012-2013
There is now an official USY
FaceBook Fan page.
I know what you’re thinking.
You’re thinking:
“Hey, wait-a-minute, isn’t
there already a USY
FaceBook Fan Page?”
WRONG.
There is only one official USY
FaceBook Fan Page where you can
keep up with the official going-ons
of USY.
facebook.com/unitedsynagogueyouth
5
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
Don’t Fence Us In: L’dor Va’dor
SWUSYites
go outside and form a
circle, some holding lyric sheets, some
holding lyrics to favorite USY songs in their
minds and their hearts. You may think this scene is
from the present year of 2013. But it’s really from 2012,
2011, 2010, 2009….all the way back to 1964 and even before
that. The Friendship Circle songs we sing today are pieces of
SWUSY history and were sung by hundreds of former SWUSYites
for years.
Take, for example, Regional’s of 1967. Winner of SWUSY
presidential elections that year, Byron Rubin, recalls how that convention
was unlike any other. Regional’s of 1967 was during the Six Day War in
Israel. USYers were up in anxiety, listening to regular updates from the
USY International President during meals. When word got around that
Israel won and there was ceasefire, I can only imagine how that much
more spirited Friendship Circle was and how the war, in which
Israel’s surrounding countries enclosed her, brought new and
more significant meaning to “Don’t Fence Us In.”
SWUSY, know you can always depend on
SWUSY songs as many generations before us have.
In every situation there is necessity for
some SWUSY-loving.
by Liora Zhrebker
6
Our RECless Desperado, One Year Later
A
s I write this, I am realizing that it’s been almost
exactly one year from my last Friendship
Circle, and a lot has happened since then. As
I’ve faced new challenges, I’ve had time to reflect on
some of my thoughts from this last year. And after some
more time, I’ve been able to put them on paper. So, here
goes nothing...
He was a big bold man,
He was a desperado...
Thursday night before Kandyland Kadima
Konvention 2012, or maybe at this point it is Friday
morning? I cautiously yet somewhat haphazardly staple
together long rectangular-shaped plastic tablecloth
cutouts. While doing so, I desperately pray to God
that everything for this project comes together. Ironic,
since this is for a life-size Candyland board game
prayer service for Shabbat morning. Hmm. This sheet
ought to be stapled here. Hope this turns out well. Will
this all come together? These squares took forever to
cut. Well, it’ll come together, eventually. Or rather, it
should... Maybe I bit off a little more than I could chew
in actualizing this crazy, insane, awesome scheme. I
guess we’ll find out tomorrow. But there’s still some lastminute torah reading I have to learn. Oh well, 22 verses
shouldn’t take that long. Oh, and I probably should
print out some Desperado lyrics for the Kadimaniks for
Friendship Circle, since it will be my last...
From Cripple Creek,
Right out of Colorado...
High up in the alpine deserts of middleof-nowhere, Colorado (also called Ramah in the
Rockies). Well, no plastic tablecloths to cut into
rectangles this time. Maybe yoga mats work insteada more environmentally friendly version. Those aren’t
disposable. They might not blow away in the wind
by Jonas Actor
either. Will this even work? After all, this isn’t SWUSY,
but again, this might just work a second time. I can’t let
go of SWUSY, I guess... I’ve tried to bring SWUSY along
with me, I just can’t let go; I taught my kids Desperado
at the end of our three-day backpacking trip. And, sorry
to disappoint y’all, but I taught my campers the lyrics as
I was taught them: Yes, Cripple Creek is in Colorado,
not Oklahoma. Since I was just hiking with my kids in
the actual Cripple Creek, it seemed apt to teach them
the version I learned while camping along the same
spots along the same trail just a few years ago, lighting
fires in the same fire rings, haunting the same campsites.
Has time moved at all? Yet, the world hastens; just five
weeks ago was Regionals. My time in USY is over.
Another three months brings college... Am I scared?
No, just apprehensive. Transitioning from the welldefined Jewish communities of SWUSY, Ramah, and
Brith Shalom to being Jewish completely independent,
on my own...
He rode into Chicago
Just to give the West a rest...
Wow. College is awesome, but being Jewish on a
college campus is hard. Especially here at the University
of Chicago- Toto, I’m definitely not in SWUSY anymore.
I am one of the few Texans searching for a Jewish identity
on campus. Doesn’t anyone understand, there’s a crucial
difference between “y’all” and “all y’all”? Come on, you
should know basic grammar. Didn’t you learn this kind
of thing back home? What, you say this isn’t the type
of thing you New Englander pondered back home? I
guess, back home I pondered different things as well.
Struggled with questions like, “Is Candyland a divine
enough method to communicate with cosmic powers
as to represent the established prayers and traditions
that we as a Jewish people have embraced? Is it even
possible for me to depict these ritualistic pagan rites in
a way that...Continued on the next page
7
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
Operation 18,000
I
...the modern,
sensible logic-driven mind can
empathize with? Would it even work, drawing this hope
into a vision, an actuality, sketched into reality by my
own means?” I guess I’m still pondering these. Same
damn questions. Same damn old answers. Same damn
mental process, same damn computational routine.
But wait. I have something novel, something new. I am
not the same as I was then. I am dynamic. A dynamic
representation, no, manifestation, of evolving Jewish
life. Thanks, SWUSY. I have learned, I have grown;
all the responsibility of chapter board, all the pain of
convention programs going awry at the last moment, all
the immense pleasure of creating ties and friendships,
all this has gotten me to where I am today, and if
now, besieged by the onslaught of a college campusnew modalities and wavering functions that are each
determined to splinter a chasm deep into my soul and
then bridge the newly-formed abyss with cold, hard
stepping stones to bridge my present with my futureand I cannot answer my own questions with the lessons
I’ve learned from my experiences, then I can no longer
rightfully call SWUSY an inherent part of who I am: a
proud Jewish Texan,
And everywhere he went he said YEE-HAW!
Stay strong and stay true to yourself, SWUSY.
With much appreciation, reflection, love, and esteem,
Jonas Actor
Your Has-Been SWUSY REC 2011-2012
8
A Message from our International Board
'm Rebecca (or Becca) Perl, the 2013 Social
Action chair on IGB!
This year we're working on many new and
exciting Social Action projects, including something
called Operation 18,000. Operation 18,000 is a new
volunteering initiative for USY! We are trying to
have all of USY reach a total of 18,000 volunteer
service hours for this year. I know it seems like a ton,
but through regional and chapter programming and
you going out into your community to lend a hand,
this is more than possible.
Each USYer will log their hours into an
online database, stating how many hours they
volunteered and what they did. You will be able
to track how many hours USY as a whole as
volunteered and watch as we reach towards 18,000!
To log your hours, simply go to http://www.usy.org/
Operation18000, fill in your name and region, how
many hours you volunteered, and what you did.
USY, start thinking about ways you want to
volunteer, add your hours to the google form, and
begin to log the amount of hours you volunteer!
Also, please take pictures of you volunteering or
write up a short blurb about one of your volunteer
efforts, and send it to USYOperation18000@gmail.
com. Coming soon will be other exciting aspects of
Operation 18,000, like databases filled with places
where you can go out and volunteer around each
chapter and ideas for volunteering in ways that
match what you like to do. Make sure to keep your
eyes out!
More information will be coming out soon
about the database and resources for USY, but in the
meantime, stay SA/TOlicious USY!
Rebecca Perl
2013 Social Action IGB
Katie Hamelburg
2013 International SA/TO Vice President
To everything (turn), there is a season (turn)
A
nd it seems my season is coming to an end.
Time is a mysterious thing. If you don’t
understand its power and the speed in which
it operates, you can become lost within it. And even
when you do understand it, you still become lost trying
to understand how it beat you at the game of life, and
the struggle of stopping perfect moments. But you can’t
become frustrated because of it; you can’t allow yourself
to give in to the constancy and the continuation of time.
The only thing that defies time? Memories. When you
forget that seconds and minutes are ticking away, when
you close your eyes, when you concentrate on a single
thing, when you say, “I will remember this moment for
the rest of my life,” time really can’t compete with that.
That seems comforting, no? It seems like that
would give us solace when we mourn for experiences
passed. But it doesn’t for me, at least right now. My
“season” in USY is ending….and it seems like the saddest
thing. Even though I wish I had a remote control for my
life when I could press pause, and rewind to the best
moments of my life (at USY conventions and during
pilgrimage), I know I am prepared socially, morally,
spiritually, and in all other respects as I enter another
phase in my life.
This may sound cliché but before I went to
my first SWUSY conventions, I was a lost soul. I was
troubled with my Jewish identity; I didn’t know where I
stood in the Jewish community and was confused in my
own skin. I tried following different Jewish extremes. I
looked at more Orthodox practices, to which my school
prescribed, wore skirts below my knees and swore to the
ways of shomer negiah. I didn’t feel like myself so I let go
of those practices…but still remained uncertain. I was
like a zombie, walking with no purpose. In services I was
antsy. My eyes wandered away from my prayer book and
the prayers I recited meant nothing to me.
At the end of my freshman year, I went to my
first SWUSY convention, SWUSY Regional 2010. I was
surprised by how much I changed in just four days. I
felt something bigger than myself: community, genuine
spiritual connection, friendship, happiness, and the
feeling like my soul was deeply touched. I gained a
better spiritual understanding after my first few SWUSY
conventions and felt like I had found a middle ground
where my values and Jewish observances connected.
And for the first time in my life, I felt like I was
surrounded by people who (besides for my family) cared
about me. Truly, deeply cared. And they weren’t gonna
drop me and move on to someone else. I knew that most
of them, if not all of them, would be there for eternity.
And sometimes just knowing that brings tears to my
eyes.
So, SWUSY, I’m going to ask one last thing as my
term in USY and as your SWUSY REC VP comes to a
close. The very last thing I ask of you is not “Who’s that
man walking down the street???” or to lead services. It’s
to continue being who you are, as Jews, as human beings
walking on this planet. Because there’s no one else in
this world like you. Remember where you come from,
remember what SWUSY has done for you. Remember
what it means to you to be Jewish and what the most
sacred part of Judaism is to you: whether it’s closing your
eyes during Slowach, belting out during Ruach, linking
arms Havdallah, twiddling your thumbs during services
(say whaaat?), hearing some particularly inspiring
words from a Dvar Torah, or just simply walking into an
environment surrounded by people who you know are
just like you.
And if you
ever need a listening
ear, a hand to hold,
or a shoulder to lean
on, I am and always
will be here.
Always and forever
REClessly yours,
Liora Zhrebker
SWUSY REC VP
2012-2013
9
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
THE VERY LAST ISRAEL UPDATE OF THE YEAR
G
Highlighting Major Events in Israel from March to Now
By Sammy Lutes, your Dutiful and Loving Voice of Israel
Hush, children. This is no time for tears. Only love.
ood day, Swusyites! It’s time to catch up on
what’s been going on in our favorite middle
eastern majority-Jewish population state,
Israel! This last month and a half has been eventful,
and here we’ve tried to compress this smorgasbord of
happenings into one article for your reading pleasure.
So, without further adieu, let’s begin.
In science, early
this last March, joint
Syria
Israeli and Chinese
26 month long
Houses and supports Hezbollah
revolution still raging
scientists developed a
against Bashar al-Assad
Lebanon
Israel
Hamas (in Gaza)
Egypt
Sinai
Peninsula
Recently elected Muslim Brotherhood
member Mohamed Morsi has expressed
want to keep Egypt’s 1979 peace deal
with Israel, but has displayed anti-Israel
rhetoric before (calling Israeli leaders
“vampires”) and sided with Hamas in
2012 border conflict with Israel (aka.
Operation Pillar of Defence)
Jordan
breath test
that can easily
and non-invasively
test for stomach
cancer.
Though
not yet ready
to be used on the
larger scale (the method must be tested further), at a
90% accuracy level, the test is promising. Additionally,
not only can it diagnose stomach cancer accurately,
but it can identify how far along the cancer is – vital
information in deciding whether or not the potentially
fatal cancer can be operated on. With only one-fifth of
all patients diagnosed with the disease surviving five
years after diagnosis, the British Journal of Cancer
has praised the test greatly, and many believe that the
finding will lead to longer life expectancies on those
with the disease.
On a less happy note, last month we also saw
the UN release a report on a study conducted by Unicef
10
on the treatment of Palestinian children put through
the Israeli jail system, and it gave the state some…
mixed reviews. While the report does give Israel some
credit, stating that many “positive changes” have been
made, including new hand-tying methods meant to
p r e v e n t pain, a requirement to inform parents’
of their
child’s detention, and informing
the detainee of their right
to a lawyer, such positive
changes
do not
Iraq
Hates Israel,
but hasn’t
acted on it
since Saddam
Hussein
Iran
Supplies Hamas and Hezbollah
with weapons and money. Also
helping Abbas in Syria and
has been accused by the US
and Israel of trying to develop
nuclear weapons. Has also been
talking to North Korean leaders
about selling oil to North Korea.
o u t w e i g h
the
report’s
criticisms. Overall
it concludes that, in the
current detention system,
the “ill-treatment of children…
appears to be widespread, systematic
and institutionalized throughout the process,” and goes
on to outline “38 specific recommendations” to reform
the state’s juvenile military detention system. Israel
responded, saying that it was facing a “difficult new
reality,” where it had to deal with a “recent surge in the
involvement of Palestinian minors in acts of terror.” As
such, the state conceded that it would try to cease to
use such methods that were “unsuitable for children.”
Late March was a special time for Americans
and Israelis, as President Barak Obama made his
first trip as President to the state to meet with Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian
President (in the West Bank) Mahmoud Abbas, as well
as to tour Israel and perform certain diplomatic duties.
Although many US officials stressed he was not there
to try to make serious headway in the conflict, the most
notable thing he did was deliver a speech in Jerusalem
before an audience of students, addressing the history
of Israel and hopes for peace. Amid many comments
supporting Israel and its right to exist, decrying groups
such as Hezbollah for terrorist actions against civilians,
and even making some jokes, Obama
made one comment in his speech that
incited particular controversy among
some: A call for a two-state solution
between Israelis and Palestinians.
While the present audience cheered
at the statement, polls show that few
Israelis truly believe it will happen any
time soon.
On
April
16th,
Israel
celebrated its 65th birthday on Israeli
Independence Day, Yom Ha’atzmaut.
The celebrations were first preceded first
by Yom Hazikaron, the Day of Remembrance, when a
siren sounded throughout Israel in remembrance of
fallen soldiers who fought for the state’s independence
since its creation, as well as those who have fallen to
terrorism and violence in the state. All the day held a
somber tone until sundown, when the nation broke out
into joy and festivities as people danced in the streets
and celebrated the hardiness and durability of Israel
before its threats. On March 17, though, just the day
after festivities had come to a close, rockets fired by
terrorist cells in the Sinai peninsula hit the south Israeli
city of Eilat. Although none were harmed, the rockets
served as a reminder of the ever-present danger that
surrounds the country and its right to maintain the
independence it had just celebrated.
In other recent news from Israel:
After a great deal of bargaining, Prime Minister
Netanyahu swore in the new Knesset, forming a
coalition government between his conservative LikudYisrael Beitnu party and the centrist Yesh Atid party.
The “Women of the Wall” continue to call for
reforms towards Orthodox-based rules at the Western
Wall which forbid women from practicing many
common religious acts there, such as wearing tallit and
reading Torah.
A final word from your 2012-2013 Voice of Israel
(because it’s my article and that’s how I
roll):
SWUSY, I don’t know what
to say. I guess I thank you, faithful
reader, first, for not only taking time
to enjoy this beautiful product of Alex
Friedman’s hard work and dedication,
but for putting up with my second-rate
prose, perhaps consistently. A special
thanks to Jacob Perlmutter for being a
great friend since our first convention
and for convincing me to take this job
(even if I applied for it late), and another
to Alex Friedman for putting up with my consistently
late submissions (do you see a trend here?) Finally,
thank you to every single friend I’ve made over the last
seven years in Kadima and USY. Although I’ve fallen in
and out of involvement with this group, I know that I’ll
always remember this as an integral part of my youth, I
hope SWUSY and the collective USY never dies.
Oh, and Aaron Jacobs? If you’re reading this…
you’re still my favorite SWUSY president. And I read
your book, and it’s wonderful.
J-Duch is pretty cool too.
And Maury’s my favorite advisor.
I’m done here. Peace out, swusyites!
Sammy Lutes
2012-2013 SWUSY Voice of Israel
11
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
Spring into Sustainable Action
by Gabby Kasner
W
e all know Earth is the planet in the solar
system on which we happen to reside.
It’s just a planet, right? It can take care of
itself, right? If you think the answer to those
questions is yes then you would be
wrong. Earth is a magnificent place
filled with so many beautiful
things, but the Earth can’t
stay beautiful forever if
the humans living on it
don’t help out every
once in a while. We
as human beings are
sharing this planet
with a ton of other
plants and animals,
and we have the
responsibility
to
take care of it. We
should all strive to
live environmentally
friendly lives yearround by doing things
like recycling, carpooling,
and conserving water and
electricity.
This time of year,
however, is the perfect time to start
focusing/ continue focusing on helping the
Earth and making this world a more beautiful place in
which to live. Incase y’all haven’t noticed, it’s Spring,
12
also known as the time when it starts to rain a little more
often than usual (although in Texas the word “little” is
emphasized), and the flowers start to bloom! You know,
“April showers bring May flowers” and all that
good stuff. So what does this have to do
with us? How can we help? Well,
I’m glad you asked. Flowers
don’t just appear and bloom
out of thin air. We have
to plant them! Start a
garden outside your
home, or offer to plant
flowers in a neighbor
or friend’s garden!
There might even
be an organization
in your city that
plants flowers, picks
up trash in parks,
and does a plethora of
activities to make the
Earth a cleaner and more
beautiful place.
There
are so many ways you as an
individual can help the Earth.
The possibilities are endless, and I
encourage you to make an effort to make
our planet an even more wonderful place to live.
Gabby Kasner
SA/TO VP 2012-2013
An Israeli Pesach
B
by Eliana Horwitz
Pesach, no matter where you are, is always a magical
time. A holiday to be with family and relive generationsold traditions. A time when you hate the main feature of
the holiday – the matzah – yet love every other food associated.
This past Pesach, however, was very different for me.
It was my first Pesach away from my family, and my first Seder
that was not led by my father. In fact, that was the biggest
change for me. In Israel, as opposed to the rest of the world,
there is only 1 Seder, and 1 day of yom tov at each end of the
holiday. There is a sense of majesty and anticipation as the
country prepares to commemorate our nation’s exodus from
Egypt thousands of years ago.
EVERYTHING in stores is marked kasher l’Pesach,
including whether it includes kitniyot (legumes, which
Ashkenazim traditionally don’t eat on Pesach but Sefardim do)
or not. While people do eat/buy/sell chametz on Pesach, it is by
law forbidden for it to be sold during the 7 days of Pesach.
During the holiday, it seems as if everyone goes hiking.
An especially popular route is yam l’yam (sea to sea), which is
when you hike from the Kinneret to the Mediterranean Sea.
The weather is perfect for hiking and everyone is on vacation,
so there is time to go on hikes for a few days.
Throughout my Pesach vacation, I spend time with
family and friends, including one family I hadn’t seen in over
10 years. In religious areas especially, the ruach of the holiday is
in the very air you breathe. It was amazing walking around, not
seeing a SINGLE car on the road, and being able to wish every
single person you passed a chag sameach, a gut yontif, a happy
holiday.
While it was a little bittersweet saying l’shana haba’ah
b’Yerushalayim (next year in Jerusalem) at the end of my Seder
knowing fully that I was likely not going to be in Jerusalem, let
alone Israel next Pesach, it was still amazing to recite that along
with millions of Jews around the world, all yearning for the
same goal.
I wish you all a great end of the year, and next year may
we all be in Jerusalem.
B’ahava,
Eliana Horwitz
SWUSY President, 2011-2012
One Last Word
M
by Alexa Price
y dearest SWUSYites,
It is with a little bit of sadness and a
whole lot of pride that I write to you my last
Swizzle article as your 2012-2013 Membership/Kadima
Vice President. When I ran for Regional board at the
start of the 2012-2013 year of USY, I had butterflies in
my stomach about how this year would be. Little did I
know that every single one of you would make this year
one of the best years ever. To all of you, I have nothing to
say but thank you. Thank you all for electing me as your
Regional Membership Vice President and for believing
in me. Thank you all for letting me help to lead your
region. Thank you all for letting me be myself every
step of the way this year. Thank you all for helping me
grow into the leader I am today. Thank you all for being
the best USYers on the planet. Thank you for being the
SWUSY region, always having so much ruach, and for
loving USY. Without all of you guys, the things that
myself, the REB and the region accomplished would
not have happened. You are all the heart that makes
our region the best in USY and without you, SWUSY
wouldn’t be the same. I just really want to say thank you
to each and everyone of for helping to make this year the
best it could possible be.
Thank you guys so much,
Alexa Price
2012-2013 Membership/Kadima Vice President
13
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
With the ever increasing negative media attention Israel receives regarding their
relationship with the Palestinian people, it has become even more necessary for us, as
Jews, to be informed on the facts surrounding this controversial issue. With that in mind,
I present to you a mildly depressing fact sheet aptly named:
The Mildly Depressing Fact Sheet!
Jordan:
Lebanon:
338,000 Palestinians living in Refugee
Camps (which resemble poor cities)
Naturalized the majority of their
refugees
Has set up schools and healthcare but
is grossly underfunded
Often refuses refugees fleeing the
violence in Syria
Egypt:
Estimated 70,000 Palestinians
living in Egypt
Denied education
If Palestinians leave the country
for more than 6 months, their
residency permit is liable to be
taken up
14
There are over 400,000 Palestinians
living in Lebanon
They cannot own property and are
required to fill out a form to leave
(temporarily) the refugee camps
Today, roughly 350,000 Palestinians
in Lebanon are denied citizenship
Kuwait:
Expelled more than 450,000
Palestinians
when
Arafat
declared his support for
Saddam during the Gulf war
Syria:
There are over 470,000 Palestinians living in Syria
Never granted citizenship to the Palestinians,
however they enjoy roughly the same privileges
Syria led assaults on Lebanese Palestinian Refugee
camps during Lebanon’s civil war (including the
Tel al-Zatar massacre which killed nearly 3000
Palestinian Refugees)
With the political instability in Syria, Refugee
Camps have been under attack (albeit indirectly)
displacing thousands
Israel:
Naturalized over 1.5 million
Palestinians (Citizens)
98% of East Jerusalem Palestinians
have Israeli residency/citizenship
Currently 1 million Palestinians
living in the Gaza Strip, where
health care is made available
It is important for you, as humans, to be able to
discern and anticipate bias (especially
ANYTHING even tangentially connected to the
media). So please, even though this came from
your wonderful Israel Affairs VP, I encourage you
to research the subject for yourself to gain a better
understanding.
AND! To lighten the mood a little, here’s a baby
chinchilla.
Jacob Perlmutter
SWUSY IA VP 2012-2013
15
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
An Alternative Spring Break
F
rom March 28 to 31, while Jews (and especially
whiney teenagers of the SWUSY variety) the
world over complained about matzah and
avoided eye contact with peers in the school cafeteria,
nearly 80 USYers from across North America went on
Spring Break. Alternative Spring Break, that is.
In its maiden year, ASB’s premise was simple,
and draws on one of the essential pillars of USY – social
action and tikun olam. USYers travelled to New Jersey
to help rebuild communities that were devastated last
fall by Hurricane Sandy. While this project was close to
home for many in USY, as New Jersey’s Hagalil is one of
International USY’s most successful, teens from all over
the country participated.
One such USYer is Far West’s Max Sigel, who
also participated in L’Takayn Olam Israel Pilgrimage
this summer (the Israel summer program geared toward
volunteering, attended by SWUSY’s Liora Zhrebker). “I
wanted to go on ASB because all of my friends living
on the east coast had been affected by the disaster and I
thought it was my job to help,” Max said.
The participants of ASB helped to clean up areas
of the coast which, after nearly half a year, are still left
in ruins. “While there we moved debris from destroyed
houses so new ones could be built and we dug up old
belongings that were left behind by the owners of the
house,” Max said.
While the goal of ASB was ultimately SA/TO
oriented, USY managed to sneak a convention into the
weekend. “We did work cleaning up around different
areas. We also did all of this then had a meaningful
Shabbat,” Hagalil USYer Evan Benson, another L’Takayn
Olam participant, said.
“It was extremely rewarding because I got the
opportunity to work with some great people to help
fix a part of my state that needed a lot of help,” Evan
continued.
16
Participants of ASB were able to reflect on the
experience while all together over the weekend. “The
most impactful part of the trip was when we as a group
spoke about why each of us was there and what it meant
to us, and that really moved me because I loved hearing
everybody’s perspectives of it,” Max said.
The convention-like weekend was both
successful and accessible, costing only $75 plus airfare.
Evan summed up the experience in a few eloquent
words. “The most impactful part of the trip to me was
being able to do something I love more than anything
in the world (volunteering) with people I love (USY),”
he said.
Although a tragedy and natural disaster the
magnitude of Sandy is never easy of hoped for, the
way various communities, including our own, flock to
the cause is a source of inspiration for many. Max was
surprised to learn that “when a group of people want to
do something they can set their minds to it and do it.”
Freda Coren
2012-2013 COMM VP
A moment of silence
for our Bostonian family
who found out too late what they were running from.
“May we see the day when war and bloodshed cease, when a great peace will embrace the whole world”
May their memory forever be a blessing. April 15th 2013.
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
A Plethora of Passover Pizzas!
How did SWUSY end passover?
Nathan Worob
Sarah Silverberg
Maury Jacobs
Jeremy Duchin
Alex Eisenberg
Freda Coren
Rachel Steiner
Alex Friedman
Liora Zhrebker
Rachel Shapiro
Jonas Actor
Yoni Gershon
Alex Eisenberg
18
The Krazy Kadima Convention!
Inkredible Inklusion
A
pril 5-7 was the first time for me to co-chair an
event. We started planning a month early having
weekly calls with my other co-chair, Rachel
Steiner, the REB, and Maury. We planned, designed, and
made the write-ups all on our own. Calls and write-ups
took a decent amount of time, but all paid off once the
convention started. When people were just starting to
arrive, there was a sixth grader standing off in a corner,
shy because he didn’t know anyone. Knowing what it’s
like to be that awkward kid who doesn’t know anyone, I
walked over to him and we started talking. Then, I started
up a simple game once I didn’t have anything else to talk
about. We played that game where you have to say a kind
of an animal whose name starts with the last letter of
the previous person’s animal. We started a game before
convention even started. We started with three people,
which quickly grew to eleven or twelve people. Instead of
that awkward guy feeling uncomfortable, he was having
fun playing the first game that came to my mind with
people whose name he didn’t even know yet. Him having
fun counted as a win for me. Throughout the convention, I
found myself legitimately bonding and becoming friends
with fifth through eighth graders. I also had a lot of
influence over them, which could be a good or bad thing…
but for instance during Yigdal on Friday night, when we
do that ridiculous crossing-leg-switching thing every
time the word ends with “toe.” I started doing it, and then
everyone
around me
started doing
it too. I’m
not
going
to lie, I felt
pretty cool
around my
kadimanick
followers. For
the Saturday
Let the K Puns Begin...
evening event, we had color wars, the co-chairs being refs
with the REB being group leaders. At first, it was stressful
trying to get everyone’s attention then speaking off the
top of my head, but it eventually got easier. I’m not sure if
it got easier because of experience or if I was getting used
to it, but it got less stressful and more fun. Everything
went very smoothly due to the preparation before the
convention. Saturday night we went to play broomball,
which was a ton of fun. It seemed like everyone was
having a blast, including me, who was probably being
overly competitive as usual. Once the convention was
over, I was relieved that everything went so well, hoping
everyone would come back because they had a good time
and so I could see my newly made friends again.
Daniel Seelig
Co-Chair of The InKredibles Kadima Convention
Unwinding with Jews
By Jacquie Mitzner
Kadima and Swusy conventions are the
most fun I've ever had and being in 8th
grade you get to go to both (which is
awesome). This past Kadima convention
was one of the best I've ever been to,
getting to hang-out with amazing
people and participate in some really
fun activities like color war! My favorite
part, as always, is getting to hang-out
with other Jewish kids. Coming from
a school with no other Jewish kids, it’s
a great chance to connect with others.
USY and Kadima is a place where you
don't have to be afraid to be yourself and
just let go of all your troubles.
19
The
Swizzle
D
A Thank-You Note, From Freda
ear SWUSY,
Since I was a child, my mother, the very
same Sara who bakes cookies and opens her
home at 2 a.m. to SWUSYites, has made me write a
thank you note for every gift I receive. From the dinky
$5 Starbucks gift card to money-in-the-bank graduation
check, I have hand-written dozens of these notes. As I
get older, these notes become less of a drag and more of
an opportunity to not only thank my friends and family
for material gifts, but also gifts of love, friendship, and
compassion.
So then, SWUSY, allow me to write a thank you note for
everything you have given me over the past three years.
Thank you, SWUSY, for helping me to find and to
become myself - and, more, a version of myself that I
never thought existed. You’ve held my hand and guided
me from a self-conscious introvert to a wacky (and
damn proud of it!) extrovert who speaks her mind,
dances to the music, and introduces herself to strangers.
Thank you, SWUSY, for giving me confidence
in my capacity to lead, and then the opportunities to
do so. Thank you for trusting me with your traditions,
and allowing me to initiate new ones. My time on
Rashi board, the RGB, and the REB have been the most
rewarding experiences in leadership in my life. I quite
literally never thought I would be granted the honor of
leading and molding my community.
Thank you for encouraging dialogue on all subjects Jewish and secular, comfortable and awkward, grave
and asinine. I appreciate you always letting me explore
my feelings, speak my mind, and ask all the questions
in the world.
Thank you for showing me that age doesn’t
matter when forming friendships, and neither does
geographic distance. Thank you for proving to me
that I can simply DO it. For helping me overcome my
anxieties, nerves, and greatest fears.
Thank you for giving me my best friends in the
20
May Edition 2013
entire world. As I prepare myself to leave next year, to
go live half a country away in Haverford, Pennsylvania,
I realize how deeply I will miss my still-new community,
and my best friends. The people in SWUSY have
integrated themselves into my very being, and, though
we may be far away next year, I know they will never
leave me.
At the end of this ode, SWUSY, I find myself
on a conveniently-rhymed road. Behind me is my past;
shyness, hesitation, and two years of finding myself.
Ahead of my is my future; the person I will become
because of the tools and gifts SWUSY has given me in
my formative years. I only ask that you join me on the
trek down the rest of this road, and, as you always have,
just walk beside me and be my friend.
With love, adoration, and endless fishy kisses,
Freda Coren
2012-2013 Communications Vice President
I
A SWUSY Synopsis, From our SWUSY Prez.
would like to take a moment of your time and reflect
on the year thus far. It has been EXQUISITE! I am
proud to say that every chapter this year has been
fantastic and has held some amazingly creative and fun
programs. All of this year’s conventions have been off
the ‘hizzle, including Kadima Convention, which was
the first Kadima Convention I have ever been able to
attend. Every time we get a chance to meet up, SWUSY,
I always find myself making new friends and catching
up with old ones.
My first USY event was Rashi Group Dynamix
when I was in 8th grade. I can’t remember why I went;
I didn’t know anybody, I had never been to GDX before
and surely as the youngest one there I would not make
any friends. Afterwards, I never looked back. It was
the most fun I can ever recall having. The feelings of
acceptance and friendship were overpowering and I
knew I had been a part of something magical. At the
time, though, I still didn’t know what. Then, I went to
Regional Convention: Timewarpapalooza. Since I look
like my older brother, the upperclassmen called me
Steven (my brother’s name) or little Duchin. Even more
people became my friends and I started to grasp why
USY exists. Why Jewish teens from the Southwest can
get together to learn, to pray, and to have fun.
Sometimes, describing USY can be difficult, but I will
try by recalling a few moments in my USY lifetime that
I felt can define United Synagogue Youth better than
any dictionary.
Lap tag at International Convention with my
pilgrimage group. Flash mob attempt number 1. Kalia
Popp told me how much she loved USY after attending
her first regional convention. Flash mob attempt
number 2. Star gazing in the middle of the desert on
Pilgrimage.
Last year at a chapter event, a group of us were
sitting around the table at Freda Coren’s house playing
the outrageous game that is Quelf. As it was getting late,
Alex Eisenberg got out his phone, set it back down and
said “my mom is waiting in the car. I’m making her wait
because I’m having fun.”
This year could not have been filled with
more InKredible conventions. Scooby Doo LTI was
a blast and I still can’t get over how bad my Scrappy
Doo accent was (and still is). Back at my home court
of Camp Young Judaea for Fall Kallah/Kamp Kadima
was awesome and I will never forget that senior auction.
Between getting read a poem by Yoni as grapes or
wrestling in a onesie, it will go down as the most fun
I have ever had in one Sunday morning. In contrast
to that, Sunday morning at Spring Kallah was a little
bit of a colder experience. I have never been so happy
to raise money. Kadima Convention rocked my socks
off. Who can forget the InKredible broomball game or
Kadimakabia? International Convention in Boston was
the most Jews I have ever gotten to hang with at one
time and opening session will forever be replaying in
my head. And now, our final and biggest convention of
the year approaches. It will be a bittersweet graduation
from the SWUSY University to say the least.
To quote a good friend of mine, there are 3
F’s that stand for USY: Fun (which includes learning),
Food, and, wait for it... Friendship.
Jeremy Duchin
SWUSY President 2012-2013
21
The
Swizzle
Sydney Byrne
SWUSY REC VP 2006-2007
May Edition 2013
Eliana Gershon (2007-2008) and
Becky Schisler (2008-2009)
THE
SPECTACULAR
TIMELINE OF
the RECently RECalled RECless
SWUSY RECs!
Compiled by Liora Zhrebker
22
Benjamin Goldwater
SWUSY REC VP 2009-2010
Alex Hamilton
SWUSY REC VP 2010-2011
Jonas Actor
SWUSY REC VP 2011-2012
SWUSY’s Got Culture!
Let’s be honest: the position of REC VP is the most
awesome one. Too bad not all the regions in USY get to
appreciate it! That’s right, folks, you heard it right here—
SWUSY is the only region with REC; all other regions
have some genetically mutated version of it called “Rel/
Ed” so they only cover “religious” and “educational”
aspects, nothing “cultural.” But did those regions
ever have the position “REC”? The truth remains to
be unknown. Some say REC has never been part of
any other region. Yet it seems according to METNY
(Metropolitan of New York) USY’s constitution, they
did in fact have the position REC VP once upon a time
and it has been said that other regions have played
around with the idea of adding culture to the positon.
But one thing remains to be fact: SWUSY has always
been the region most loyal to REC VP and the cookies
that come with the position…and we always will be.
Liora Zhrebker
SWUSY REC VP 2012-2013
23
The
Swizzle
May Edition 2013
Alexa Price’s Mixer Recipe Book
SWUSYites,
It with a deep amount of pride that I, Alexa Price,
your 2012-2013 Mem/Kad Vice President, introduce to
you something you have never had before: a back stage
pass to view part of the job I do for all of you! As you
know, the Mem/Kad VP is responsible for mixers at
conventions, so I thought it would be a special end-ofyear treat to share some of my favorite and best mixers
with you guys. Please feel free to test these out with your
chapters or even with your classmates in school because
they are all fun to play.
T
he first mixer I am going to tell you about is a
mixer I consider one of the best for USYers- it
brings smiles, laughter, and happiness to whoever
you play with! It is called Mix Matched Questions and
Answers. Here is how it works: Everyone will stand in a
circle and have 1 minute to think of a question, serious
or funny (works better if it’s a funny question) but it can’t
be a yes or no question. Once everyone has thought of
their question, the leader will turn to their right and the
person to their right the question they thought of. The
person who was asked will then respond with an answer
to the question. This will go on until all participants
have both answered and asked a question. It is very
important
that
people remember
both their exact
answers
and
questions. At this
point, the leader
will yell switch and
everyone in the
circle must move
around. No one can
be standing next
to the person they
were
previously
standing
next
24
to. Once everyone has moved, the leader will turn to
their right and ask the question they asked in the third
round. The person to their right will then answer with
THE EXACT answer they answered with in the first
round. This will go on until all people have both asked
and answered a question. This game works really well if
all parties are willing to come up with fun and/or funny
questions!
The next mixer I have is one for Kadimaniks.
In my opinion, this is one of the best mixers you can
use with Kadimaniks because it is so important that
they get to know each other’s names and things about
each other and this game is the perfect way for them to
do that. It is called The West Wind Blows and here is
how it works: Everyone stands in a circle and takes their
shoes off to act as spot markers. Make sure there is 1
less pair of shoes in the circle than there are people. The
person who starts will stand in the middle of the circle,
introduce himself or herself and say, “the west wind
blows to whoever…”. They may say whatever they want.
For example: “the west wind blows to whoever has an
older sibling”. After that person has said that, everyone
in the circle who that statement applies to will run to a
different place in the circle. They cannot just go to the
spot next to them. The person who is left without a place
in the circle will be the next one in the middle. That
person will repeat what the previous person did but say
a different description. The person in the middle should
only say things that apply to them and the people in the
circle should only run if the description applies to them.
It is super fun and the Kadimaniks really get a feel for
whom everyone is!
This next mixer is one that I believe to be a great
game for Kadimaniks and USYers to play. When USYers
and Kadimaniks are together, it is less about getting to
know each other and more about getting out of their
shells and being comfortable around each other. This
game is a little awkward at the starts, but once people get
into it becomes a fun experience for everyone involved.
It is called Angry Vikings and here is how it works: Everyone
stands in a circle. One person starts as the “angry Viking”.
The people on either side of him are his sailing companions.
The angry Viking will put his pointer fingers on either side of
his head to make a Viking helmet. He will jump up a down
and yell at the top of his lungs. His sailing companions (on
either side of him) will make rowing motions while jumping
up and down and yelling. When the angry Viking feels as
though he is done, he will stop all his motions and point to
someone else in the circle. The person who got pointed to
will become the next angry Viking. He will begin to do all of
the motions the angry Viking does while the people on either
side of him act like the sailing companions. After that one is
done, he will point to another person in the circle, and so on,
and so forth. This game is really fun and guarantees that both
the USYers and Kadimaniks come out of their shells.
The final game I want to share with all of you is my
personal favorite. Not only does it get USYers to come out
of their shells but it gets them having fun and laughing with
each other. The game is called Screamer and it works like this:
Everyone will stand in a circle. One person (group leader) will
be the caller/leader. Everyone will either stand up straight or
half squat, whichever they prefer. The caller will say, “heads
down” and everyone will put their heads down. Then they
caller will say, “Heads up!” and everyone will immediately
put their heads and look at another person in the circle. If 2
people make eye contact after they put their heads up, they
must scream loudly and then run out of the circle because
they are out. This game will continue until there are only 2
people left in the circle. When those 2 people are left, the
caller will say, “Heads up!” and those 2 people will make eye
contact, and scream for as long as they can. The person that
screams the longest will be the winner and will become the
next caller. This game is super fun and you can play as many
rounds as you want!
I hope that you guys are able to take at least one of
these mixers home to your chapters or even your schools and
test them out for yourselves. They are super fun to play and I
hope you enjoy them!
Yours truly,
Alexa Price
2012-2013 SWUSY Mem/Kad Vice President
The Kippah
Editor’s note: for those who don’t know, the Kippah
referred to in this poem is the one that was worn by
former REC (and one of my personal heroes) Jonas
Actor and was bought for hundreds of dollars at the
2011 Senior auction by current REC Liora Zhebker.
In his culture,
They worship
The blues, the reds, the yellows
As bright as the Crayola over which
My second grade classmates quarreled and contested.
But in my culture,
Well I hate to say the colors are childish
The mosaic, plastic
An item overly embellished for worship.
And yet they love it.
I have told this to his face,
And to mind he responds
That the sacred is not the colors or the gems
But the friends who saw the fabric peak
And didn’t understand
So they glued until they found satisfaction.
A choice I can see
But how can the holy be so
Ugly?
By Nomi Small
25
The
Swizzle
The Silver Lining
Swusy Artists Unite!
Our New Mascot
by Freda Coren
26
May Edition 2013
Rainbow Ruach
by Gaby Morgan
Let’s Fly a Kite
by Sarah Silverberg
27