(10/22/12 4:00am)
* This past Sunday I had the honor and privilege to join hundreds of thousands of people across the country in what has become one of the greatest and most exhilarating moments in any American's life; attend a live National Football League game. * A ticket costs more than I make in a month in my on-campus job and I may no longer be able to look at a potato knish the same way; they were the complimentary gift to the fans in our section. While sitting in traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike, after watching Eli Manning connect with Victor Cruz for the game-winning touchdown to beat the Washington Redskins, I reflected on how football has become an integral part of the American democratic culture. * The 2012 Superbowl featuring the New York Giants and Boston's own New England Patriots set a third consecutive television record, drawing in 111.3 million viewers. * To put that number in perspective, that is more viewers then the two presidential and one vice presidential campaign debates combined. * The question must be asked: How did a such a game whose violence may be the cause of severe depression, anxiety and numerous attempted suicides of former players due to repeated undocumented concussions, become such a classic American pastime? What is so attractive to us about giant, yet remarkably athletic men throwing themselves at each other, chasing a leather oval- shaped ball around a field? * Perhaps the answer lies in the structure of a successful football team. A team's compilation is remarkably similar to how a democratic society should ideally function. After all what is more American than democracy. * The sport of football has an inherent cooperative nature. Football is not a sport that can be won by a single player; it is the collective effort of all 53 players, the numerous coaches and athletic trainers. Each player must have the good of the team in mind in order to be successful. * Those players looking for impressive statistics and personal records simply do not succeed in the league. You can have all the talent in the world and fail without the proper mind-set and, more importantly, the proper team around you. A balanced team is almost always more successful then a team of flashy skill players. * Likewise, each football team is like a functional democratic society. Each role-player has the responsibility to follow the lead of, and help, the skill positions; the players in charge. * The quarterback must have the proper protection from the offensive line, the offensive line needs the skill positions to play a certain speed and the skill positions need the quarterback to get them the ball. * And, of course, all units are under the discretion of the leaders, the coaches, who decipher exactly which play-call allows each unit to play effectively. * The United States is no different. Every faction of the democracy has a certain responsibility that can only be achieved if, and only if, every other part of the democracy does their respected part. We as citizens have the right and responsibility to vote for our best personal interests. We elect politicians on all levels of government that ideally coincide with our personal agenda. * However, that is dependent on politicians running on platforms that express the views of many, hence the need for multiple political parties. If there were only one candidate, it would be impossible for agenda of the masses to take form. * A single player, no matter how talented, cannot win a game on his own. A politician cannot, and will not, be successful in office without the cooperation of his team, comprised of both his constituents and fellow politicians. * Too often throughout the country, politicians are elected on charisma and rhetoric; on pure talent. For any democratic government to be successful, the agendas of the citizens, individual representatives and Congress as a whole must be in unison. * Only then can the platform chosen by the masses, and by extension in the best interest of all involved, be put in place. * It is impossible for a quarterback to win a game without the rest of his team. Likewise, it is impossible for any politician to succeed without his constituents and fellow politicians working in unison. * Take the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles on paper are arguably the most talented team in the league, yet they failed to make the playoffs last year, let alone the Superbowl. The Eagles players were constantly fixated on the preseason hype, not the task at hand. It was impossible for the team to succeed without all members striving for the same goal. * To quote former President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid sports fan, from his early days in office, "In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is, hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard." The strategic plan for any football team is predicated on playing a hard-fought, physical and mistake free game. * This holds true for our government. In today's day and age, where we are surrounded by bickering politicians, a financial system standing on thin ice due to excessive personal agendas, unprecedented foreign policy danger in a nuclear Iran and social issues from gay marriage to abortion we must remember those lessons from our favorite sport. * Every single member of a representative democracy needs to "play hard" in order for the government to be successful. We must look past what look like insurmountable issues and remember it is precisely the combination of opinions and issues that makes this country great. * Only with this balance can we assemble that Superbowl team around our star quarterback; the next president.
(10/22/12 4:00am)
* This past Sunday I had the honor and privilege to join hundreds of thousands of people across the country in what has become one of the greatest and most exhilarating moments in any American's life; attend a live National Football League game. * A ticket costs more than I make in a month in my on-campus job and I may no longer be able to look at a potato knish the same way; they were the complimentary gift to the fans in our section. While sitting in traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike, after watching Eli Manning connect with Victor Cruz for the game-winning touchdown to beat the Washington Redskins, I reflected on how football has become an integral part of the American democratic culture. * The 2012 Superbowl featuring the New York Giants and Boston's own New England Patriots set a third consecutive television record, drawing in 111.3 million viewers. * To put that number in perspective, that is more viewers then the two presidential and one vice presidential campaign debates combined. * The question must be asked: How did a such a game whose violence may be the cause of severe depression, anxiety and numerous attempted suicides of former players due to repeated undocumented concussions, become such a classic American pastime? What is so attractive to us about giant, yet remarkably athletic men throwing themselves at each other, chasing a leather oval- shaped ball around a field? * Perhaps the answer lies in the structure of a successful football team. A team's compilation is remarkably similar to how a democratic society should ideally function. After all what is more American than democracy. * The sport of football has an inherent cooperative nature. Football is not a sport that can be won by a single player; it is the collective effort of all 53 players, the numerous coaches and athletic trainers. Each player must have the good of the team in mind in order to be successful. * Those players looking for impressive statistics and personal records simply do not succeed in the league. You can have all the talent in the world and fail without the proper mind-set and, more importantly, the proper team around you. A balanced team is almost always more successful then a team of flashy skill players. * Likewise, each football team is like a functional democratic society. Each role-player has the responsibility to follow the lead of, and help, the skill positions; the players in charge. * The quarterback must have the proper protection from the offensive line, the offensive line needs the skill positions to play a certain speed and the skill positions need the quarterback to get them the ball. * And, of course, all units are under the discretion of the leaders, the coaches, who decipher exactly which play-call allows each unit to play effectively. * The United States is no different. Every faction of the democracy has a certain responsibility that can only be achieved if, and only if, every other part of the democracy does their respected part. We as citizens have the right and responsibility to vote for our best personal interests. We elect politicians on all levels of government that ideally coincide with our personal agenda. * However, that is dependent on politicians running on platforms that express the views of many, hence the need for multiple political parties. If there were only one candidate, it would be impossible for agenda of the masses to take form. * A single player, no matter how talented, cannot win a game on his own. A politician cannot, and will not, be successful in office without the cooperation of his team, comprised of both his constituents and fellow politicians. * Too often throughout the country, politicians are elected on charisma and rhetoric; on pure talent. For any democratic government to be successful, the agendas of the citizens, individual representatives and Congress as a whole must be in unison. * Only then can the platform chosen by the masses, and by extension in the best interest of all involved, be put in place. * It is impossible for a quarterback to win a game without the rest of his team. Likewise, it is impossible for any politician to succeed without his constituents and fellow politicians working in unison. * Take the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles on paper are arguably the most talented team in the league, yet they failed to make the playoffs last year, let alone the Superbowl. The Eagles players were constantly fixated on the preseason hype, not the task at hand. It was impossible for the team to succeed without all members striving for the same goal. * To quote former President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid sports fan, from his early days in office, "In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is, hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard." The strategic plan for any football team is predicated on playing a hard-fought, physical and mistake free game. * This holds true for our government. In today's day and age, where we are surrounded by bickering politicians, a financial system standing on thin ice due to excessive personal agendas, unprecedented foreign policy danger in a nuclear Iran and social issues from gay marriage to abortion we must remember those lessons from our favorite sport. * Every single member of a representative democracy needs to "play hard" in order for the government to be successful. We must look past what look like insurmountable issues and remember it is precisely the combination of opinions and issues that makes this country great. * Only with this balance can we assemble that Superbowl team around our star quarterback; the next president.
(10/22/12 4:00am)
* This past Sunday I had the honor and privilege to join hundreds of thousands of people across the country in what has become one of the greatest and most exhilarating moments in any American's life; attend a live National Football League game. * A ticket costs more than I make in a month in my on-campus job and I may no longer be able to look at a potato knish the same way; they were the complimentary gift to the fans in our section. While sitting in traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike, after watching Eli Manning connect with Victor Cruz for the game-winning touchdown to beat the Washington Redskins, I reflected on how football has become an integral part of the American democratic culture. * The 2012 Superbowl featuring the New York Giants and Boston's own New England Patriots set a third consecutive television record, drawing in 111.3 million viewers. * To put that number in perspective, that is more viewers then the two presidential and one vice presidential campaign debates combined. * The question must be asked: How did a such a game whose violence may be the cause of severe depression, anxiety and numerous attempted suicides of former players due to repeated undocumented concussions, become such a classic American pastime? What is so attractive to us about giant, yet remarkably athletic men throwing themselves at each other, chasing a leather oval- shaped ball around a field? * Perhaps the answer lies in the structure of a successful football team. A team's compilation is remarkably similar to how a democratic society should ideally function. After all what is more American than democracy. * The sport of football has an inherent cooperative nature. Football is not a sport that can be won by a single player; it is the collective effort of all 53 players, the numerous coaches and athletic trainers. Each player must have the good of the team in mind in order to be successful. * Those players looking for impressive statistics and personal records simply do not succeed in the league. You can have all the talent in the world and fail without the proper mind-set and, more importantly, the proper team around you. A balanced team is almost always more successful then a team of flashy skill players. * Likewise, each football team is like a functional democratic society. Each role-player has the responsibility to follow the lead of, and help, the skill positions; the players in charge. * The quarterback must have the proper protection from the offensive line, the offensive line needs the skill positions to play a certain speed and the skill positions need the quarterback to get them the ball. * And, of course, all units are under the discretion of the leaders, the coaches, who decipher exactly which play-call allows each unit to play effectively. * The United States is no different. Every faction of the democracy has a certain responsibility that can only be achieved if, and only if, every other part of the democracy does their respected part. We as citizens have the right and responsibility to vote for our best personal interests. We elect politicians on all levels of government that ideally coincide with our personal agenda. * However, that is dependent on politicians running on platforms that express the views of many, hence the need for multiple political parties. If there were only one candidate, it would be impossible for agenda of the masses to take form. * A single player, no matter how talented, cannot win a game on his own. A politician cannot, and will not, be successful in office without the cooperation of his team, comprised of both his constituents and fellow politicians. * Too often throughout the country, politicians are elected on charisma and rhetoric; on pure talent. For any democratic government to be successful, the agendas of the citizens, individual representatives and Congress as a whole must be in unison. * Only then can the platform chosen by the masses, and by extension in the best interest of all involved, be put in place. * It is impossible for a quarterback to win a game without the rest of his team. Likewise, it is impossible for any politician to succeed without his constituents and fellow politicians working in unison. * Take the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles on paper are arguably the most talented team in the league, yet they failed to make the playoffs last year, let alone the Superbowl. The Eagles players were constantly fixated on the preseason hype, not the task at hand. It was impossible for the team to succeed without all members striving for the same goal. * To quote former President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid sports fan, from his early days in office, "In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is, hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard." The strategic plan for any football team is predicated on playing a hard-fought, physical and mistake free game. * This holds true for our government. In today's day and age, where we are surrounded by bickering politicians, a financial system standing on thin ice due to excessive personal agendas, unprecedented foreign policy danger in a nuclear Iran and social issues from gay marriage to abortion we must remember those lessons from our favorite sport. * Every single member of a representative democracy needs to "play hard" in order for the government to be successful. We must look past what look like insurmountable issues and remember it is precisely the combination of opinions and issues that makes this country great. * Only with this balance can we assemble that Superbowl team around our star quarterback; the next president.
(10/22/12 4:00am)
This past Sunday I had the honor and privilege to join hundreds of thousands of people across the country in what has become one of the greatest and most exhilarating moments in any American's life; attend a live National Football League game.
(10/15/12 4:00am)
When I think of a talent show, I think of the movie Mean Girls-a boy singing Christina Aguilera to a chorus of boos. As I sat in the crowded Levin Ballroom on Friday, Oct. 13, I was filled with nervous anticipation for what I assumed to be amateur performances. However, the Fall Fest Variety Show proved me wrong. Instead of boos, the talented performers were met with fervent applause-and not only because much of the audience was comprised of loyal family members. The variety show is a compilation of different performance groups on campus, including a cappella groups, improv groups and dance ensembles. It is a chance for students to show their parents and peers what exactly goes into the Brandeis experience-which is, as it were, massive amounts of a cappella. This year, it was emceed by local celebrity and Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams and the nearly-as-famous student emcee Shaquan Perkins '13. The hammy duo are natural performers and interacted with the audience with an impromptu spelling bee, shout and repeats and plenty of jokes. The most memorable emcee moment by far was when Adams brought a 76-year-old audience member on stage, who did a remarkable 30 push ups, after asking if he had an oxygen tank on standby. Audience members were laughing, smiling and generally enjoying themselves. Adagio's Dance Ensemble began with a dance to Fun's "One Foot." As an avid Dance Moms watcher, I am a huge fan of choreographed dances. Sadly, if this were Dance Moms, Abby Lee would have put these girls at the bottom of the pyramid. The choreography fumbled, and the dancers definitely could have benefitted from more practice with a metronome. The So Unique Step Team performance combined body percussion and dance to engage multiple senses. The performance demonstrated the dancer's personalities as well as their incredible step skills. The Bellydance Ensemble followed with a dance to "Houdini" by Foster the People. Perhaps the dancers could have benefitted from a more intimate venue; the subtleties of their performance did not seem to translate to a large audience. Following was Jewish a cappella group Manginah with "Ito Lanetzach," sung by Jess Pullen '13, "Holech Lesham" by Matt Sidell '14 and "Ah Ah Ahava" by Coby Fleischman '14. Fleischman's standout performance conveyed her love and talent for singing, and the group's clear excitement about the song translated to the audience. Next was a hilarious set of sketch comedy by Boris' Kitchen and improvisational comedy by To Be Announced. The show ended with a passionate rendition of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by the Four Seasons and "My Girl" by the Temptations, sung by Voices of Soul. I was as enthralled as anyone when Kaos Kids began their office-themed dance to songs by Frank Ocean, Robin Thicke, Mikey J & The UK Female Allstars and Korean pop Internet sensation PSY's "Gangnam Style." For me, however, when it comes to any type of performance, it is not only the talent, but also the showmanship that matters. Do the performers look excited and passionate about what they are doing? Are they projecting to the audience? Do they look comfortable on stage? Is the performer emoting using the correct facial expressions and gesticulations? One example of a group that did not engage the audience was To Be Announced. While I acknowledge how empirically difficult improv comedy is, many of the group's members had no regard for the audience and not only did not project but were often facing the wall as they spoke. The awkward, low energy scenes made for an uncomfortable audience. Also lackluster was Voices of Praise, Brandeis' one-and-only gospel choir. "The Way They Praise Him," proved to be simply half-hearted swaying while singing passionlessly. Overall, the Variety Show was well received and went remarkably without a hitch. The performances overall were excellent and really captured the essence of performance art at Brandeis-diverse, interesting and, most of all, entertaining.
(04/30/12 4:00am)
Despite its magical nature, members of the Brandeis Quidditch team do not simply wave their wands to conjure up success.
(04/24/12 4:00am)
Author Colm T??ib?n already had a connection to Brandeis University before he entered Rapaporte Treasure Hall on Wednesday night. "There were two people that no matter what I did or how hard I worked came away better than me at everything: they were funnier than I was, they were better looking than I was, and they were certainly cleverer than I was." Those people were Richard Kearney, now a professor at Boston College, and Gerard McNamara, who obtained his graduate degree from Brandeis.
(03/20/12 4:00am)
While most careers involve the mundane numbers-crunching and marketing presentations, there exist paths to careers in business that are by no means conventional. Andrew Kahn '03 pursued one of those unconventional routes to his business career after graduating from Brandeis. Kahn began his journey into capitalism with a detour "down under." A first team all-conference outfielder and winner of the Athletic Director's Award for outstanding athletic and academic performance on Brandeis' baseball team. Kahn, however, was not ready to give up on his dream of playing baseball just yet, and so, he made the decision of a lifetime: he scraped up his savings and flew to Australia with fellow teammate Jon Brown '03 to play professional baseball for a year before returning to the United States. "It was amazing," said Kahn in a phone interview with the Justice. "[The Brandeis baseball team] had a great run in '02 and '03, making the NCAA tournaments in consecutive seasons, and Jon and I were looking to keep playing. An old Brandeis coach got us connected with the opportunity in Sydney, and so we took advantage of the opportunity to play professional baseball." "We lived out of a Suzuki Sidekick the team gave us, which we eventually had to sell because we ran it into the ground. It was an awesome experience." At Australia, Kahn got his first taste of the business world. Besides playing baseball, he and Brown ran baseball clinics at local elementary schools and gave private lessons. Following his time in Australia, Kahn decided to head back to the States. An Economics major who wrote his honors thesis on the economics of minor league baseball wanted to try his hand at sports business, reputed for its difficulty at getting a foot in the door. Luckily, a fortuitous opportunity arose with Mandalay Entertainment Group. "I had a family friend who connected me to Mandalay," he said. "They told me that if I wanted to learn the sports business the right way, I had to move to 'Frisco,' to which I replied, 'Sure, I would love to go to San Francisco. Little did I know that they meant Frisco, Texas," Kahn laughed. He worked at Mandalay for five years, eventually rising to the role of vice president of business development for the Frisco RoughRiders, managing a department of seven and $5 million in sponsorship funds. Eventually, however, Kahn's California roots tugged hard enough at his heartstrings that he began to look for a path back home. Kahn pursued his Master's in Business Administration at UCLA Anderson School of Management, graduating last spring. With the digital revolution taking place, in which many industries are forced to shift from paper to computers, a company's need to capitalize on the Internet and its many distribution channels is the norm. This has never been more true than at his current employer, Ticketmaster, where Kahn works in strategy and business development. "We are concerned about the way that the market changes," said Kahn. "We are very progressive and focusing on setting trends." His experience at Mandalay, Ticketmaster and his MBA internships at Universal Sports Network and a NYC-based hedge fund have helped Kahn learn the inner workings of business, especially in terms of strategy. "I am intimately involved in planning the strategy of our business," he said. "I work as an internal consultant, figuring out what the future of our business will be like. Mergers and acquisitions, business development, new product development, and solving general business issues are all things for which I am responsible." Just as there is uncertainty in the business world, Kahn admitted that, as a West Coast native, he was taking a chance in coming to Brandeis. "I did not know anybody and I was forced to start over in terms of making friends," he said. However, he added that Brandeis' academic strength and the camaraderie of the baseball team, where coach Varney and his teammates pushed him to become a "better teammate and person"-coupled with his decision to write a senior thesis on something that he was passionate about- proved to be key factors in career success so far. A former cartoonist for the Justice, Kahn still enjoys utilizing his creative talents in his spare time and remains an avid fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers. He admits that the best part of being in Los Angeles is the ability to surf. Just 31 years old, Kahn has had quite an illustrious career and looks to have a bright future ahead.
(01/30/12 5:00am)
It might just be the avid reader in me, but I cannot adjust to the new trend of reading textbooks online. Although I understand the financial reasons for buying e-textbooks and that classes are requiring more and more use of technology, I cannot help but feel like students are losing part of the fundamental experience of learning. Apple recently announced a new line of textbooks for the iPad that is designed to be "interactive" by including videos and pop-ups to help enhance the textbook experience. Call me old-fashioned, but I think interacting with a textbook is more than watching a supplementary video. To truly get a sense of what the text is saying, you have to highlight, underline and annotate. And while with many resources you can digitally add these tools, some students lose comprehension when not physically working with the material. It's the same and the difference between taking handwritten notes as taking notes on a computer—those that are handwritten stick in the brain better. However, while many professors complain about the use of e-textbooks because they are not usually the best versions of the work, technology is constantly being integrated into lecture plans and class discussions. Brandeis is ahead of the curve in some ways. Brandeis' LATTE site allows professors to post reading materials online rather than forcing us to buy a whole book when we are going to only read a section of it. In this way, e-books not only only save us money, but also prove to be an important step in the age of going digital. While I may prefer to use a physical copy of the work we're discussing in class, it does seem as if it would be convenient to use the e-textbook version. E-books may be useful for different types of classes and different reading materials merit different approaches to reading. A textbook for an introductory course in the natural sciences requires less interaction than a novel for an upper-level English class. The student taking the class in natural sciences might actually benefit from a 30-second supplementary video, whereas the student taking a class on Shakespeare may need written annotations to make sense of the literature. But who says the natural science student could not benefit from annotating in the same way that the literature student could benefit from a supplementary video to make sense of what he or she is reading? But if this is indeed where our education is headed, what really needs to happen is a complete overhaul of the e-textbook system. If we are going to proceed into the future with only our iPads and laptops and use e-books instead of real books, then we must have full online versions of books readily available, complete with the academic resources, such as footnotes, that are already included in textbooks. I understand that I may be in the minority with this old-fashioned-stereotypical-English-major-annotation philosophy. Just because I am a kinesthetic learner does not mean that the rest of the campus is. In fact, some people learn better by seeing a visual representation of what they are supposed to be learning, and therefore e-books may be a useful learning tool for them. As we as a community move into a digital future, we're realizing that we have to incorporate all styles of learning, even those who learn best by highlighting and underlining. Given the growing importance and significance of technology within the classroom, we do need to support and continue to grow with technology and embrace digital textbooks, while still finding ways for people with old-fashioned ways of reading to learn. But in the end, I know I cannot be the only one who still prints out the LATTE documents so I can read and highlight physical pieces of papers, rather than staring at a screen.
(11/07/11 5:00am)
Dreams, sex, jazz, cats, solitude, running, wells, sheep and the Beatles. To some people, this list may seem like an incoherent string of unrelated concepts. But to millions of avid readers, these words strike a chord of literary passion. They are none other than the motifs and fixations of internationally acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. For millions of people in the United Kingdom and North America, the wait for the next Murakami novel is finally over. On Oct. 25, stores unveiled Murakami's magnum opus, 1Q84. Containing a staggering 944 pages, the three-volume novel follows the converging exploits of two characters, Aomame and Tengo, in a parallel narrative across time, space and reality. Already a huge bestseller in Japan, 1Q84 is sure to mesmerize Western readers as well. I'm currently deeply immersed in it myself. 1Q84 presents an interesting mix of themes, ranging from murder to plagiarism. The most engaging component is the subtle accumulation of connections between the two characters' narratives. If there is any time to discover Murakami, this celebrated author, athlete, translator and cultural commentator, now is the perfect occasion. Murakami is the one author who I recommend to everyone. He changed my life significantly, transforming me into the avid reader I am today. I have a bit of an obsession with his work. I've consumed all of his books, with the exception of two novels not printed in America. I've read Murakami blogs online and seen modified movies and short films. I've downloaded all the musical tracks mentioned in his stories. I had a short running craze, after being inspired by the 62-year old author who runs marathons and competes in triathlons every year. I've even read the works of his favorite authors who pop up in his books frequently, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Mann. Since the first time I opened Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994), one of Murakami's largest novels, I've gained a great appreciation for literature. Reading Murakami is like peering into a dream, in that his scenes are both wildly imaginative and utterly realistic. He writes with incredible clarity, making even his quirkiest narratives accessible to the average literary mind. He is a perceptual amplifier who magnifies the slightest senses to supernatural proportions. His novels and short stories exhibit the characteristic qualities of magical realism. Raining sardines, parallel worlds, talking cats and lingering spirits—these fantastic images are a mere fraction of the paranormal scenes you will come across in a Murakami novel. Most of his protagonists are indifferent, passive individuals who somehow wind up in absurd situations paired with eccentric characters. They float through life like feathers caught in the wind, subject to both mundane breezes and irregular gusts without gaining a foothold. One Murakami novel which is especially indicative of this style is Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Published in 1985, this book follows two nameless male characters in alternating chapters. One of the protagonists is a data processer who takes on a mysterious assignment from an old scientist that leads him to distant physical and mental planes. The other character enters into a village where he is disconnected from his shadow and required to read the dreams of unicorn skulls. With all of its eccentricities, this novel is prime Murakami. But fiction is not the only genre in his repertoire. Murakami has written several distinguished essays and non-fiction pieces. While riding the subway to lower Manhattan this summer, I read Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche (1997), Murakami's gripping account of the 1995 subway terrorist attacks in Tokyo. I was probably insane to expose myself to the stark reality of an underground terrorist attack in such a similar setting, but, oddly, I did not become anxious or paranoid. If anything, Murakami provided me with feelings of security and awareness. I now know exactly how to perceive and respond to an underground gas attack after reading the recollections of the Tokyo victims. Underground should really be required reading for every New Yorker. On a less terrifying note, if you need a good read while strolling along the Charles River, I would recommend Murakami's memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007). As a busy Brandeisian, I barely have enough time to read leisurely or work out. If I can squeeze in a run or two into my crazy week I consider it a success. But Murakami manages to do it all. He reads and writes voraciously and runs miles upon miles, six days a week. At 62 years old, Murakami has a long history of running long races. In his memoir, he reflects on his running experiences while training for the annual New York City marathon. Though he refrains from calling himself an athlete, Murakami fits the label well. For over 25 years, he has been running, biking and swimming all over the world, from Boston to New York City, Hawaii, Greece and Japan. He has even completed a 62-mile ultra-marathon in Hokkaido, Japan. One of the author's favorite running spots happens to be along the Charles River, where he exercised while living in Cambridge for some scattered years over the past two decades. He regards running as an essential component to his writing. Like competing in a marathon, constructing a novel requires endurance, an open mind and a whole lot of energy. Murakami is my personal inspiration. He opened my mind to new cultures, ideas and great works of literature. If you are looking to pick up a new author, purchase a Murakami novel, find a comfy chair and lose yourself in his magical words. Your life may never be the same again. Editor's note: The writer is a member of the Class of 2013.
(09/27/11 4:00am)
Joseph E. Pechinsky, Brandeis' men's fencing coach from 1970 to 1980 and a member of the United States Fencing Hall of Fame, died at the age of 92 last Thursday at the Radius Health Care Center in Danvers, Mass.
(04/12/11 4:00am)
On Wednesday, April 6, the MLK and Friends club hosted a panel and discussion titled "The King and I." The panel explored the fight for justice told from the perspective of women who have made Martin Luther King Jr.'s "dream" their reality. The event was part of MLK Week, a week of events that commemorate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. by surrounding the date of his assassination. The panelists of Wednesday's discussion were Erika Smith, a staff member of the Transitional Year Program; Director of the Intercultural Center Monique Gnanaratam; and Prof. Jasmine Waddell (Heller). In an interview with the Justice, MLK Scholar Darlene Zephyrine '11, who helped organize the event, said that the panelists were chosen because "these three women embody the characteristics of those same women who helped reign in the Civil Rights Movement." Prof. Gordon Fellman (SOC) moderated the event. Of choosing Fellman, Zephyrine said, "We chose a male moderator because ... we didn't want to alienate the presence of the men since that would not be in the spirit of MLK's principles and ... we wanted to have [a] somewhat [of] a male-female balance." Brandeis club MLK and Friends organized the week's worth of events that commemorated the women who influenced King. Beginning with a memorial vigil on Monday, the week's programs continued through Thursday. MLK Week is usually held in January, surrounding the national holiday of MLK Day. "[This year] we wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate him throughout the semester by hosting events around the anniversary of his assassination," said MLK Scholar Lue-Hing '12, who organized the event with Zephyrine, in an interview with the Justice. "During MLK Week, we celebrate not only Dr. King's memory but ourselves as a family that avidly promotes his ideals of social justice" she said.When asked why MLK Week decided to focus on the influence of women, Zephyrine said, "It doesn't matter if it's the Civil Rights movement or a corporate office place, but the contributions of women in any major event in the world are often undermined or ignored. The club felt that this was a great opportunity to showcase the women behind 'the King.'" Lue-Hing said, "Throughout history and especially during the Civil Rights Movement, women had been true vectors of change and the purveyors of peace and needed to be acknowledged for that." MLK and Friends is a club on campus that was started in 2006 by MLK Scholars, recipients of the Brandeis University Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, and was recognized in 2007. According to the Brandeis Merit Scholarship site, the MLK Scholarship is awarded to entering first-year students on the basis of academic performance and extracurricular participation in secondary school, outstanding community involvement and demonstrated financial need.Lue-Hing said, "MLK and Friends was started in 2006 because the MLK Scholars felt that they needed a way to carry on the spirit of community service, leadership-building and community engagement that attracted us to campus as scholars in the first place. We wanted a way to collaborate with our friends and the rest of the Brandeis community to make this happen." Zephyrine added that "the club is not isolated only to the scholars and our friends but rather to anyone who wants to organize service-learning projects with the purpose of portraying the various ideologies of MLK Jr.
(03/15/11 4:00am)
Worldview is a new column featuring articles from students abroad.I stepped off the airport bus into the center of the city, and the first thing I saw (and heard, very loudly) was a bagpipe. Seizing on this stereotypically endearing Scottish tradition, a stout, balding man clad in a kilt and kneesocks in September had decided to wring some coins from tourist passersby by loudly bleating the Scottish national anthem on the deafening instrument in front of a McDonald's. Welcome to Edinburgh. As I braced myself for a very long-(and very loud)-sojourn in this quirky little city, little did I know that a sarcastic, self-effacing Jersey girl could feel so at home in a place full of men in skirts. Before arriving in Edinburgh, I'd romanticized my upcoming study abroad experience to the extent that when I thought of it, I was filled with rosy images of magnificent stone buildings, lush greenery and rough-tongued locals (a sort hybrid between Braveheart and Trainspotting). Instead, I discovered a city whose charm lay not only in its legacy but in its oddities. I live in East Newington Place, a University housing development conveniently located next to a graveyard and a coffin and hearse warehouse, so that we can be constantly reminded of our own mortality. This slightly off-putting backdrop to our humble abode is a strangely fitting symbol of our time at East Newington Place-As opposed to our decaying neighbors, the four of us living in flat 4, building 5, more than at any other time we can remember, feel very much alive. It all started with one Parisian, one Marseillese, one Milanese and one New Jerseyite. Clemence grew up in a suburb of Paris, and although none of us would admit it, we were all slightly intimidated by her sultry cat eyes and Parisian poise. Then there's Juliette, our charismatic thespian whose dramatic hand gestures and soulful shower serenades were instantly endearing. Giulia is our little Italian charmer. We like to joke that her blood is made of tomato sauce and her veins of spaghetti, but we all know that there is much more to Giulia than that. And then there is me, the wide-eyed member of Britain's ex-colony, tiptoeing into European territory like an elephant in pointe shoes. I remember my first encounter with the girls, all three of them clad in tailored peacoats and high-heeled boots, each with a cigarette dangling carelessly from between their fingers to dot the "i" of a perfectly constructed image. I approached them cautiously, an apologetic American eager to break the unflattering stereotype branded upon her-to warm herself in the glow of their European grandeur. At first it seemed as though we were from different planets, let alone different countries. But on closer inspection, we found that we were more similar than we could imagine. We were all artists, idealists, dreamers, thinkers, gourmets, jokers, fun-lovers, rebels, eccentrics, lovers and life-lovers. We all were here for similar reasons: curiosity, discontent, introspection, boredom, fantasies, fears, hopes, escape, escape, escape. We each burst into Edinburgh like conquistadors, eager to chart out a territory of our own, a life truly of our own. Little did we know, Edinburgh had a stronger personality than the four of us combined. The scrappy Southend of Edinburgh, where East Newington Place is located, is the leading lady of my walk to Edinburgh University every morning, demanding constant attention from the greedy eyes of its audience, those of yours truly. Firstly, you must always say hello to the temperamental neighborhood cat, Haggis, who will be waiting for you on the windshield of a Volkswagen Bug, staring with contempt at funeral-home workers carting a new shipment of coffins into the warehouse opposite. Next comes the bus stop in which a queue is forming of pallid, bleary-eyed commuters and, occasionally, a woman with bright-red hair who is a compulsive whistler. Up next the stationary shop that has its store window inexplicably filled with porcelain figurines of ferrets in various outfits: ballerina ferret, World War II fighter pilot ferret, two pornographically intertwined amorous ferrets. It is at this point that you may hear the sound of smashing bottles and, without much trouble, will be able to locate the source of the commotion-a wild-eyed, gray-haired man with very few teeth, furious about the local pub not being open yet. It is 10 a.m. There are a few other stand-out characters in this daily performance: the bearded man clad in a purple velvet suit and Indiana Jones-type hat with peacock feathers poking out; an old woman with green hair, lace-up combat boots and 1990s emo leather, complete with the choke collar and studded belt; and the muscular shirtless man with cornrows that brush the bottom of his back, to name a few. Did I mention that the Scots love to dress up? And, of course, the streets are peopled with Edinburgh's notorious "little old ladies" who flock to Marks and Spencers on Sundays for tea, as well as the infamous "men in skirts," who flock to the local pub. All of a sudden, your nose alerts you to the fact that you are getting close to the local fishmongers, and with slight trepidation, you glance into the store window to see its workers with little white hats perched jauntily over their foreheads, carelessly arranging a collection of the most gruesomely ugly fish you have ever seen. Deciding to stop off at the local café, you take a cursory look at the wallpaper of flyers: A women's anarchist knitting group is advertised next to an event called "Psychedelic Ceilidh," a form of square dancing and one of the most fun things to do on a night out in Edinburgh. To combat the dreariness of the weather, the locals of Edinburgh do their best to be the most vibrant and intriguing of people, as well as the friendliest. Even a misanthropic Brandeisian like myself has been able to meet people, whenever and wherever. There's Joel, the barrista and resident riddle-master at Black Medicine café, who tosses plates up in the air because it helps him think. Ronny, an avid book collector who owns one of the best used bookshops in Edinburgh, is working on a book about the history of human conception of outer space and has been looking for the first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird for over 2 decades. Rory, an environmental engineer and lover of German 1930s singing groups, works part time in a shop that sells locally produced bath and body products because he likes the smell. Yet among this cast of characters, places and things that will never cease to amaze, the most important of them are my fellow friends, flatmates, runaways, confessors and partners in crime. Subsisting on cigarettes, crisp packets and bottles of wine, our unlikely foursome has sifted through the grab bag that is Edinburgh and come across a world of unpredictability, fascination, love and immense beauty. In our little Ikea-furnished, plaster-walled apartment next to a cemetery, we have found a new, albeit unlikely, home. Our brush-ins with Edinburgh have been both thrilling and more than a little surprising: the whisky-fueled nights at the jazz bar; seeing Scottish actors impersonate Russian Jews in Fiddler on the Roof; attempting to share the United Kingdom's passion for tea, as well as Scotland's unpredictable hail storms in March; and the night I got a black eye, Clemence got a stalker, Giulia got bangs and Juliette got a lesbian tango dancer. Like Edinburgh, we have embraced our various quirks, oddities and idiosyncrasies-our own differences, as well as each other's. Smelly fish, bottles of whiskey (well, any type of alcohol for that matter), men in dreadlocks, tea, anarchists, knitting and black eyes will always transport us to this magical place where we are learning to be ourselves.
(11/02/10 4:00am)
A trap can only be sprung so many times before it breaks. But Saw, the successful horror film franchise, has been springing its traps for the past seven years, and it hasn't managed to break down thus far. With Saw 3D, however-supposedly the final installment of the series-things unfortunately start to come apart. The franchise has long taken criticism for putting too much emphasis on its macabre traps that pit unwitting subjects against themselves, forcing self-mutilation and psychological torture as a way for people who are unworthy of their lives to reclaim them. This has been the titular villain Jigsaw's (Tobin Bell) mantra for the past seven films, and despite its flaws has been an unyielding device for what has been a surprisingly strong story. Despite all the torture and gore, Saw always had a wonderfully intricate story at its center, delicately plotted over the course of these films and containing twists that have an impact on the story's development. At the heart of this development has been Jigsaw himself, who went from being a body laying on a bathroom floor in the original Saw, to a multilayered character with increasingly deep motivations. Even after the character's death in Saw III, he has been kept alive through flashbacks, videotapes and his ever-increasing band of apprentices. At the end of the last film, the surprisingly strong Saw VI, Jigsaw's last remaining apprentice, former detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandaylor) was seen tearing off half his face in order to bust his way out of the reverse-bear trap planted on him by Jigsaw's ex, Jill Tuck (Betsy Russel). This exciting ending built up anticipation for an upcoming power struggle between Hoffman and Tuck. But unfortunately this struggle, while one of the highlights of Saw 3D, was downplayed in favor of meaningless filler with a self-help guru named Bobby Dagen, (Sean Patrick Flannery) a self-proclaimed Jigsaw survivor who organizes a support group for fellow survivors. As Dagen is once again lured into a game, the majority of the film's runtime is taken up by him walking through a series of traps in which he must rescue victims with whom he is associated. This scenario proves a huge problem for the film, as it adds very little to the overall plot and provides nothing other than filler to pad out the story. It doesn't help that we already saw a version of this idea in Saw VI, except its execution was far more interesting. Here the traps are meaningless, serving merely to boost the film's 3-D engine, providing fodder for those waiting to see body parts launched from the screen. However the emphasis on the 3-D portion of the film proves a major detractor, as the traps' outcomes become increasingly predictable, and whatever former ingenuity they contained is dropped in the favor of spreading as much blood as possible. Bobby Dagen's support group also acts as a mean of reintroducing Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes), the main character of the original film, and a character whose ultimate fate has been a topic of heated fan debate until now. I myself have been an avid Dr. Gordon fan since the beginning and eagerly anticipated his return. Sadly, his presence in this film is used more as a way to appease the fans than anything else, and his actual impact on the film's events is very minimal. He appears only in a few brief scenes-including the film's excellent opening-but afterwards remains almost entirely absent until the ending. His ultimate impact, however, does provide a certain amount of satisfaction that should leave fans pleased. Nevertheless, I find the character's motivations to be somewhat questionable. Those who remember Dr. Gordon in the first film will be hard-pressed to identify with his portrayal here.The aforementioned war between Hoffman and Tuck, meanwhile, fares better than the other half of the story but still plays out very differently than I imagined. Rather than a war of wills between the two, it turns into a manhunt, with Tuck fearing for her life and Hoffman relentlessly pursuing her. Seeking protection from Hoffman, Tuck turns to police Detective Gibson (Chad Donella), who she believes is the only person who can protect her. This is another weak aspect of Saw 3D, with Gibson proving the least interesting of all the film series' various detectives. Gibson's backstory and former association with Hoffman is also a bit of a stretch, with no real bearing on the plot, seeming to be only an excuse to extend the film's runtime. However, this story's conclusion is handled well, with Hoffman slaughtering an entire police station to get to Tuck, and their ultimate confrontation is quite satisfying.Despite some great moments, Saw 3D fails to deliver. It's definitely one of the weaker installments of the series, and screenwriters Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, who handled the growing franchise so well in the past, seem to have forgotten how to balance the traps and gore with a good story and appealing characters. The film's directing by Kevin Greutert is serviceable, though fairly unimaginative. Greutert's style, vivid and frenetic in Saw VI, is rather muted here, with dull color tones and fairly straightforward camera usage. The best sequence from a directorial standpoint is the first trap sequence, which takes place outside in front of a massive crowd. This idea is a huge departure from the series' usually well-contained traps. By placing victims into a public arena, Jigsaw's influence suddenly seems more widespread and significant. This idea isn't followed up on, and the rest of the film's traps are returned to the usual underground rooms and tunnels. The acting is pretty good overall. Bell appears for what amounts to little more than a cameo, but during his few scenes, he brings to the table the usual shimmering menace and reserved bravado that makes Jigsaw such an intriguing character. Mandylor does a good job as the sadistic and brutish Hoffman. Despite my early uncertainties of Mandylor's ability to portray a worthy successor to Jigsaw, over the course of the past few films, he's managed to prove himself as a ruthless villain and a far greater physical presence than Jigsaw ever was. Russell doesn't have much to do this time other than cower or scream, but her performance is still effective. Flannery is rather unremarkable as Dagen, who proves to be an entirely unnecessarily character, and Donella is laughably bad as the equally uninteresting Detective Gibson. Elwes, meanwhile, does a good job in his few scenes as the bitter and resentful Dr. Gordon. It's a performance very different from his portrayal of the earnest doctor fighting to save his family (who aren't even mentioned this time out) in the original Saw, and it will leave many fans scratching their heads. Nevertheless Elwes manages to just barely justify this offbeat new Gordon.Saw 3D suffers from subpar writing and directing, and an over reliance on traps that should have served as the background. It didn't help that Jigsaw is barely featured in the film. I suppose this was inevitable, considering the character has been dead since Saw III, but Bell's great performance was missed here. It's uncertain at this point whether the film series will return for an eighth installment. Despite the film's vicious promotion as the final installment, money talks, and if Saw 3D does well, I wouldn't be surprised if more films come along. Judging from Saw 3D's ending, another movie could prove interesting, but only if writers Dunstan and Melton can recapture the magic found in some of their earlier writing. If that is possible, then hopefully this broken trap can be fixed.
(10/26/10 4:00am)
Guy Raz '96 knew he liked journalism as soon as he entered college, when he joined the Justice and an on-campus magazine. He covered tons of events, became an editor of both the newspaper and the magazine, thought of innovative ways to change his section and fell more in love with journalism, particularly with National Public Radio. Fourteen years later, not only is he still an avid NPR listener, but he is the weekend host of the NPR program All Things Considered. Raz, originally from Los Angeles, came to Brandeis because of the school's strong Politics and History departments. He started his involvement in journalism on campus as a first-year and was already an assistant editor at the Justice by his second semester."We were going through a very creative time. We were doing some new things with the newspaper. [Raz] approached the Forum section in very much the same way; he tried to be very creative and innovative," said Howard Jeruchimowitz '94, the paper's editor in chief during Raz's time as the Forum editor, in a phone interview with the Justice. Jeruchimowitz remembers that Raz was interested in the whole editorial process and would often stay late with Jeruchimowitz after finishing his section's work."[Raz] was motivated by the creativity of his section, and he was interested in what I was doing," he said. During production night, the night the newspaper receives its final edits and is put together, Jeruchimowitz remembers Raz expressing interest in foreign affairs and in NPR. "My senior year, I listened to it all the time. I loved it. I couldn't get enough. I just loved the stories and the voices and the way the stories were told," Raz said in a phone interview with the Justice. Upon graduating, Raz went on to receive his master's degree in History at Cambridge University in England, and, in fall 1997, he applied for a paid internship at NPR. After being an avid listener, Raz listed specific people and programs he had heard in his application. He believes this was the edge to his application that got him the internship."We get a lot of letters at NPR, and I would say 90 percent of the letters are, "I'm writing to you because I'm very interested in pursuing a career in broadcast journalism to broaden my horizons, and NPR would be the perfect place for me to do that." . The problem is when they say that, is there is nothing original," Raz said about the applications he now reviews. "I was specific. I gave names of people I wanted to work with. I gave names of specific programs I had heard and liked. That's why I got an interview," he continued.Raz started at NPR doing research for other journalists at the station, such as the late Daniel Schorr, an Emmy award-winning television journalist and senior news analyst at NPR. He did tedious work searching through encyclopedias and running to the library for Schorr-one of Raz's personal mentors-and other hosts but noted that this was a "transitional period, and was not permanent" Raz has been at NPR since then, with only a 2-year break to work at CNN as its Jerusalem correspondent, according to his profile on NPR's website. After returning to NPR from CNN, Raz covered news happening at the Pentagon and events in the Middle East. In 2009, Raz became the official weekend host of the program All Things Considered. "Being a reporter [was] just a different job than being a show host, because you generally cover one issue. This job is different. We're doing everything from pop culture, to folk segments, to books, to thinkers, . to scientists, to hiphop," Raz explained. Raz approaches reporting and hosting his program with the wisdom he acquired from his time in Brandeis classrooms. He learned about compassion from Prof. Antony Polonsky's (NEJS) "Destruction of European Jewry," which according to Raz, is applicable to journalism. "It wasn't about the science of a historical event but also about the people who were affected by those events. I think that is also an important thing you need to do in journalism," he said. He then told an anecdote about the story of a flood and noted that it is important to tell the facts of the flood, such as why the flood happened and why the city was not prepared for it. It is also important, Raz said, to talk to people whose houses were destroyed. "Part of what makes telling a news story is not just telling the news but also making sure that you can make a connection between people affected by the news. There are real people behind the news," he elaborated. According to Raz, the way that Polonsky taught history maintained that similar balance between "academic detachment" and a "tremendous amount of empathy."During his time at Brandeis, Raz also learned about critical thinking and having an open mind from a campus full of varying political and academic opinions. The focus on strong writing and the heavy workload has also helped Raz in his journalism career."I read a lot, had to read a lot. . The class expectations [were] big, so by having to read a lot and being exposed to a lot of ideas, it just got [me] prepared to do that as a professional," he said. Raz does about 15 to 18 in-depth, highly researched interviews per week. These interviews are with people from all disciplines and walks of life; Eminem and Bill Gates have both been on the show at different points. "All of those interviews require a lot of preparation. I have to read a book, I have to listen to music. If it's a member of Congress, someone involved in national security, ... you have to be prepared. To get to that point, you have to do a bit of reading," he said. Like in college, though, the great thing about all the reading for Raz is that he is learning something new every day. "You're learning about topics and issues that you may not know a lot about, but you have to gain some understanding quickly. That's what I think is the best part of the job," he stated. Before these interviews, Raz and the staff of about eight people met early in the week to come up with ideas for the weekend shows. The team tries to balance out how much a story has already been covered that week and how much they think a story needs to be looked at from a different angle. "We try to use the obvious big stories and kind of a take step back and look at the deeper stories. We come up with the ideas and turn it into radio," Raz explained. Raz works at a job he loves in a field he knew he always loved. He believes that the key to his success and advice that all students could use is simple: hard work. "You have to be prepared for setbacks, [and] you have to be willing to do anything. At the same time, when you come in after you graduate, if you're a Brandeis graduate, you're smart and you're capable and come up with great ideas. [But] you have to do work that you [do] not feel [is] particularly valuable for a while. It ultimately is valuable," Raz said. He understandingly continued that even though starting jobs and internships are not the most glamorous, they are just part of what recent graduates have to do. These days, Raz has a massive audience but still feels connected to the University."I think that, to me, the most important part of [Brandeis] was what I learned there and that sort of thought process I retained, and that, to me, is a very important connection," Raz said.
(10/12/10 4:00am)
Anyone who is an avid musical theater-goer knows the routine: House lights down a little past the time it says on your ticket, grandiose overture representing the music to come over the next 2 to 3 hours, curtain up and the show begins. Right?Wrong.Let's rewind. I entered the theater amid swarms of people of all interests and backgrounds while hawkers wearing cooler bags around their necks sold beer and handed out LED concert lighters. As I approached my seat, I was greeted by a cloud of concert haze filling the welcoming interior of The Bourbon Room, surrounded by the exterior of the 1980s Sunset Strip. People scrambled to get to their seats as the band (which looks more like an AC/DC tribute band than any pit orchestra I've ever seen) took the stage. Lights and lasers flashed to a few chords before a rock legend was projected onto an LED screen, proceeding to satirically lecture the audience about theater etiquette.Already, I knew that this was going to be unlike any other show I'd ever seen, and I was right.Rock of Ages is not your typical Broadway show. Nor does it strive to be. In fact, what makes Rock of Ages such an enjoyable experience is that it, much like its audience, does not take itself too seriously. Rock of Ages begins with Lonny (Patrick Lewallen), the sound engineer for The Bourbon Room and narrator of the show, addressing the audience, who, he assumes, has arrived to see a traditional theatrical story. So what better way to tell one of the oldest musical theater stories of all time than to do it the way he knows best-through rock.Drew (American Idol's Constantine Maroulis) is a busboy at The Bourbon Room who dreams of one day becoming a rock star. Sherrie (Rebecca Faulkenberry) is a poor girl from the Midwest who has traveled out to the Sunset Strip in hopes of becoming a big-time actress. When the two meet, it is love at first sight, though each is too shy to tell the other.What ensues is a series of ridiculous antics by the cast to telling this traditional story using arena rock songs. The show features classic hits such as Journey's "Any Way You Want It" and Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock," along with other songs from Bon Jovi, Poison, Slade, Foreigner, Whitesnake, Styx, Survivor, Jefferson Starship and many, many others.I will be the first to say that I am not a fan of jukebox musicals. But rather than trying to squeeze a series of songs into a fairly weak plot, Rock of Ages acknowledges how ridiculous this process is and, instead, makes the audience laugh every time a new song is sung or musical reference is made. The show even takes it a step further, making meta references to its existence as merely a story within a theatrical show and constantly breaking the fourth wall.What made the evening even more enjoyable was the vast talent pool that made up the show's cast. Maroulis's voice outshone his abilities as an actor and made the character of shy-guy Drew genuinely loveable. Faulkenberry was able to handle everything asked of her character, Sherrie, from the intense, more metallic songs to sweet ballads with very little effort, truly shone during her dance numbers. The man who deserves most mention, however, is Lewallen, whose sense of comic timing for Lonny was impeccable and in many ways carried the show. His interactions with the audience and cast made everyone roar with laughter.Rock of Ages is not a concert, and it is not a Broadway musical (not like you've seen in the past, anyway). So what is it?Rock of Ages is an experience unlike anything you have ever experienced before. Its combination of beautifully simple, yet detailed set and concert aspects (cue LED screen, grid full of moving lights and a half-dozen haze and fog machines)-along with a very funny storyline and some of the most famous rock pieces ever written-has created something that can be enjoyed by all, whether you like musical theater, like the music or just lived through the '80s. So grab your jean jacket and lighter, leave your mullet at home, and see this show at Boston's Colonial Theatre before it closes on Oct. 17.
(08/31/10 4:00am)
During the summer, the calm, woodsy Middlebury College campus in Vermont is like many other liberal arts campuses in the summer. It is a bit more desolate than usual, but because of the nice weather, the students seem happier. However, the conversations of the passing students are hard to eavesdrop on, and greetings are cryptic: "Ciao! Come stai?"; "Hola! ¿Cómo estás?"; "Bonjour! Comment allez-vous?"; "Shalom! Mah Shlom'cha?"While school is in session at Middlebury and the campus is bustling with students, only foreign languages are taught. The college offers summer language programs in their language schools in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. For the past three years, Brandeis has also found a home in the campus famous for language immersion. The Brandeis University-Middlebury School of Hebrew, a program designed to accelerate language development, requires English speakers to sign a contract promising to push aside their native language and speak only Hebrew for seven weeks.According to the program's website, "[The school is] dedicated to the premise that without real competency in language there can be little true cultural understanding, and to be truly effective, language teaching must provide meaningful insight and access into other cultures."Middlebury College approached Prof. Vardit Ringvald (NEJS), the Brandeis director of the Hebrew and Arabic language program, about five years ago. "Middlebury wanted for many years to open Hebrew, and [the college] knew about the [Brandeis Hebrew Language Summer Insitute]," Ringvald says. The Brandeis Hebrew Language Summer Institute is a four-week Hebrew learning program, still in existence, on the Brandeis campus. However, it is not an immersion program like Middlebury's. The idea moved forward as Middlebury's language philosophy coincided with Ringvald's. "Besides being more marketable, having more cognitive abilities, [language gives you] access to knowledge of other cultures. The more I understand that language, I understand the culture. I don't need secondhand resources. I can go right to the language. We can be more educated about the other culture," Ringvald says. Ringvald and the directors of the language schools met for the first time in 2006 and then opened the Brandeis Middlebury Hebrew School in 2008. In the program's inaugural year, it was small. There were 20 students. "There was a sense of pioneering. We were trying to learn about the place," Ringvald notes.The Brandeis Hebrew professors, leaders in the country for Hebrew education, had to readjust their teaching methods in the new environment."Don't forget we were all experienced teachers, but this was different. It was a lot of fun to adjust," Ringvald says. Usually, during the semester, the professors would not teach entirely in Hebrew and taught shorter classes.Since those first pioneering years, the program has grown to about 40 students every year, five teachers and one teaching assistant. The program has grown primarily by word of mouth due to its impressive results, according to Ringvald. This year, four Brandeis students, Yoni Dahlen (GRAD), Karen Schwerin (GRAD), Bella Shapiro (GRAD) and Abby Kulawitz '12, learned Hebrew alongside students from all over the country and some from abroad. Unlike many summer college programs, the intensive language school is not limited to only students and attracts people from all walks of life. "[There was] one guy from the Navy and one from the Air Force. ... There was a 17 year old going to the [Israeli Defense Forces]; there was an Arab Islamic professor who was in his mid-40s. All religions, all walks of life, all ages," says Shapiro, who has just started at Brandeis this fall as a graduate student in the Hornstein Jewish Professional Program and also working on a graduate degree in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. Before spending her summer on the beautiful Vermont campus, Shapiro had spent 10 months in Jerusalem."Amazingly enough, Middlebury is 10 times more of an immersion program than Israel. In Israel, I lived in Jerusalem, [and] everyone speaks English," she says. Shapiro says that she could have a basic conversation in Hebrew during her time in Israel, but without signing an agreement to speak solely in Hebrew, she often fell back on English. In the Middlebury program, every aspect of student life is in Hebrew. Students are in class for about five hours a day, but they are constantly practicing and learning. When students are not in class, they fill their time with extracurricular activities and sports like any college students. The only difference is that they are all in Hebrew."There are different activities you can participate in: dance, Israeli radio, sports. You can do fun stuff, [but] even when you're doing fun stuff, you're still learning," Shapiro says. Shapiro was an avid fan of the language's sports teams, which competed against students in the other language schools. During the games, whether they were soccer, volleyball or any other sport, teams were allowed to have one bilingual on the team in order to communicate with the referees. Despite this, some things on the field were universally understood. "Certain things were shared on the field like [profanities and hand gestures], but still you keep things in your language," Shapiro says. Shapiro participated in Yoga with fellow Brandesian Kulawitz. Kulawitz, having spent the past 13 summers at her summer camp, felt like she had stopped progressing after her three semesters at Brandeis in Hebrew. "I had heard of Middlebury and [the] timing made it possible to go this summer," Kulawitz says. Before going to Middlebury, the American Studies and Sociology double major and NEJS minor ranked herself as a beginner at the language, who was able to read but could not speak a lot."Brandeis taught me a lot before I went, but I was still pretty beginning before I went," Kulawitz says. Before the program, Kulawitz was in HBRW 34, Intermediate Hebrew II: Aspects of Israeli Culture. This semester, after completing the summer, she is in Hebrew 161, "What's up?: HBRW Through Israeli News Media." "It was extremely difficult. We had to point to things a lot, act things out a lot. I really think it's the best way to learn a language," Kulawitz says. A large part of what makes the program so worthwhile, according to its students, is the strong teaching staff.Bonit Porath (NEJS), a Hebrew instructor from Brandeis, taught advanced students at the summer and claims that this program of immersion is the best way to learn a language."What we do in one day there is like one month at Brandeis. We can see the difference from the day to day. Improvement was incredible," Porath says. Professors at the program live among the students and are encouraged to bring their families so that students can interact with native speakers of all ages. Ringvald, the program director, says this helps to create a close community."We lived in the same dorms [as the students]. All the teachers were on the second floor, but we shared a common area. You know them personally. It was nice," Porath says. Each language school runs on a different schedule so as to prevent students studying different languages from socializing with each other, which might tempt them to speak English. Despite this, the Hebrew school held Shabbat dinners, which students from other schools often attended. Shapiro says the Hebrew students did not stray from their pledge, though."My friend spoke to someone in Hebrew; the other student spoke Hebrew, and they would respond in Spanish," Shapiro says. Students in the school, even if starting from a beginning level, left the rugged campus with not only strong language skills but also a strong community."[It's a community]. The higher levels support the lower levels. It's a wonderful way of improving their language levels. At the end of the program, it feels like a family to us," Ringvald says.
(04/20/10 4:00am)
Walking from one end of campus to the other can be a long trek, forcing students to pass heavily congested areas such as the Goldfarb Library, the Usdan Student Center and the Shapiro Campus Center. Day after day, you might start to recognize the nameless faces you pass as their presence becomes a part of your daily routine. However, there might be that one person whom you just keep seeing. It seems as though you see this person twice as much as anyone else on campus. Why? Brandeis is filled with twins. Vice President of Student Enrollment Jean Eddy says that in all 10 years she's been at Brandeis, she's seen at least one set of twins per class. As for the University's stance on twin admissions, Eddy says, "While we are aware that a student may have a twin applying, we really do review each application based on the merits of that individual student." In other words, the University recognizes twins but does not give them an advantage or disadvantage because of that fact. Some of the twins at Brandeis ended up at school together by chance, while others consciously decided to go to school together. Annie and Julia Livit '13 hail from the state of Pennsylvania. Both are of similar height and body type and have straight brown hair, but even though they share a physical appearance, they are actually fraternal twins. Yet their strong bond led them to not only apply to the same colleges but also to ultimately decide to room together. When talking to the twins, their complementary personalities become obvious. One begins a sentence and the other immediately jumps in to finish it. So it was not surprising when Julia explained their college decision by saying, "If a school only accepted one, we ruled it out." Annie continued, saying, "There's no better thing than going to school with your family."The Livits live in a triple with one other roommate, Maya Tydykov '13.Maya says all three of them decided to live together because they had spoken on Facebook during the housing selection process, and she liked the fact that they shared a similar Russian heritage. The fact that they were twins didn't have a major role in Maya's decision to live with them. Maya says that at the very beginning, she "had trouble [distinguishing] them and avoided calling them by their names, but it soon became clear they were very different." Now she says, "The best part about living with them is they are so close that they barely fight." Annie says they are very content with this situation because it allows "independence, but at the end of the day it's better. You do your own thing and then you go to your best friend at night." Some hobbies the twins have are related to their different areas of interest. Julia is an avid dancer, and she is involved with popular campus dance groups such as Adagio and Hooked on Tap. In contrast, Annie is involved in intramural sports such as volleyball and tennis. They seem happy with their living situation and call themselves best friends. However, for next year the Livit twins have decided to share a double room in East. They feel like they have met many new people and gained experiences in their first year, yet they are still most comfortable when sharing the same living space. The Livit twins feel that their sibling connection is too special to break, but some twins ended up at Brandeis together unintentionally.Ruthy and Jacklyn Dabah '11, who have big eyes and long, dark hair, go to Brandeis together, although they were also content with the idea of going to separate schools. "We applied to some of the same schools but also applied to other schools separately. In the end, Brandeis was the first choice for both us and we were okay with coming together," says Jacklyn. "If nothing else, having a twin on campus is like having a little bit of home here at Brandeis."Nevertheless, unlike the Livit twins, the Dabahs decided it would be best not to room together. "Both freshman and sophomore years, we lived in the same dorm building but in different rooms. We enjoyed living close to each other but not being roommates," says Ruthy. Since they have the same group of friends, they still see each other regularly. Also, they are both involved in B'yachad, the Israeli dance group on campus, as well as Adagio. Both are members of the Brandeis Chabad Board. Still, another approach the twins use in order to see each other is to take at least one class together per semester. Since they have similar academic focuses, this is not a problem: Jacklyn is majoring in Psychology with minors in Teacher Education and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, and Ruthy is majoring in Judaic Studies and Education Studies with a minor in Teacher Education. A close friend of the twins', Nicole Milhem '13, describes them "as two independent people who pursue separate interests and support each other along the way." Aside from a mole over Jacklyns left eyebrow, they have an almost identical physical appearance. Their personalities, though, differ. Nicole explains that "Ruthy is typically seen as the goofier twin, while Jacky is a little more reserved."Aidan and Dotan Horowitz '12 are twins who claim to spend 90 percent of every day together. Aidan and Dotan spend a lot of time together because they have the same friends and are both members of the a capella group VoiceMale. In addition, they will be playing the brothers Mario and Luigi in the upcoming musical, Super Mario Brothers. When asked about how much tme the brothers spend together, Dotan says, "It's not always by choice. We just have many of the same interests and are part of the same groups." Although the Horowitz twins take many of the same classes, Aidan says that they "try not to sit next to each other in class." He adds, "Being one entity is very frustrating; people constantly call us the twins, the boys, and it's really frustrating. I want to be known as my own person." Mara and Ilyana Rosenberg '12, two identical twins with curly auburn hair who come from Portland, Ore. also view having a twin on campus as a positive thing. "There are many benefits about having my twin on campus that I fail to recognize just because this is the life I am used to," says Mara. "The best part about having my twin with me at school is that it has led to some great conversations and hilarious situations," Ilyana adds.-Abby Kulawitz contributed reporting.
(04/13/10 4:00am)
The pre-frosh sitting next to me couldn't stop his mouth from dropping open in awe as a parade of lingerie-clad girls scampered down the runway. "So," his first-year host asked him with a sly grin, "think you wanna to come to Brandeis next year?" SKIN, the highly anticipated fashion show that the Brandeis Asian American Student Association puts on once a year was in full swing, and the answer was yes, the pre-frosh was definitely choosing Brandeis. The SKIN fashion show is a part of the month-long celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and its goal is to demonstrate the talents of Asian American designers while celebrating diversity by using student models from different races and ethnicities. All of the proceeds of the night were donated to The Hunger Project, a non-profit organization striving to end world hunger by implementing programs that encourage people to lead more self-reliant lives. Though these are all important and serious goals, the SKIN fashion show was anything but serious. Gorgeous Brandeis students sashayed down the catwalk to the pulsing beats of electronic hip-hop, some with more skill than others, but all with an excellent sense of fun. Cat calls such as "Take it off!" and "Ow oww!" could be heard from the enthusiastic crowd, which only further encouraged the already confident models. The clothing displayed ranged from casual wear, to formalwear and lingerie, with additional accessories such as sneakers designed by the talented Ari Tretin '12. Though the exaggerated hair and makeup that the models wore was extremely high-fashion, most of the clothing was both stylish and wearable. Students modeled colorful cropped jackets, bright bubble dresses, impossibly high heels and beautiful scarves and ties by designer Rachel Park. One of the most surprising aspects of the event was how blatantly sexual it was. Male models walked shirtless with lipstick marks on their necks and knowing grins on their faces that practically screamed, "I know I'm sexy!" Meanwhile, the female models strutted down in lingerie that was so risqué it made me, an avid Cosmopolitan reader who doesn't color easily, blush! Still, it was very entertaining watching the models pout, kiss and wink their way down the aisle, pulling scarves out of their bras and at one point even pulling underwear out of a pair of cargo shorts. I wondered if my Jewish Orthodox background (where in high school I would have been sent home if I wore a skirt above my knees) might have affected how surprised I was; but guessing by the looks of shock and delight in the crowd, I wasn't alone.Though the event itself wasn't a complete success, (the crowd was sparse, at points the models looked like they didn't know what they should be doing and there were long interludes where the crowd was left staring at a blank runway) it was still a very fun show to watch, and by the looks of it, a very fun show to be a part of. During the longer intermissions, the crowd was entertained by two amazing dance performances: one artistic number performed to Jason Mraz's "Details in the Fabric" by Nika Vizcarra '10 and one entertaining hip-hop performance by Brandeis dance troupe Kaos Kids. But the real entertainment stemmed from watching your friends and that hot guy you always stare at in math class be transformed into models. For a school that is notorious for having unattractive students (ever hear the term "Brandeis Goggles"?) SKIN proved that Brandeis is hotter than people think. Coordinator Stephanie Lau '11 perfectly sums it up, stating, "There are confident, attractive people at Brandeis who know how to work a catwalk!
(08/25/09 4:00am)
The start of a new school year at Brandeis means many things: new classes, new first-years and new book purchases. One thing that should not go unnoticed is the incredible theater season that this semester promises. Complete with two Brandeis Theater Company productions, three undergraduate straight plays, a Shakespearean play, an undergraduate musical, three sketch comedy shows and a festival of student-written one-act plays, this semester will offer productions for those who have never seen a staged production and avid theatergoers alike.As always, the Brandeis theater season begins with a sketch comedy show by Brandeis sketch comedy troupe Boris' Kitchen. On Sept. 25, BK will bring side-splitting laughter as they revive classic sketches from the depths of their archives for all to see in their Old Sh*t Show.On a more serious note, the Brandeis Theater Company will begin its season with a production of Everything in the Garden, running Oct. 8 through 18. This lesser-known Edward Albee play centers around two suburbanites in the quest for the balance between happiness and material possessions. Directed by Eric Hill (THA), Everything in the Garden is an intriguing social commentary that questions whether money really is the key to happiness.Oct. 15 through 18, Brandeis Ensemble Theatre will present Big Love, a contemporary tale of 50 brides fleeing their grooms. Based on The Supplicants by Aeschylus, this tale of mayhem, murder and romance will surely thrill and amuse all who attend.Fall Fest weekend, Oct. 22 through 25, will play host to two remarkable productions. The Brandeis Undergraduate Theatre Collective will follow BET's presentation of Big Love with Lot's Daughters, staged by Brandeis Players. This remarkable tale of lesbianism in 1940s Kentucky explores the boundaries of love and authority set forth by social and religious norms.If the verses of the Bard are more your cup of tea, Brandeis' Shakespearean society Hold Thy Peace will present Shakespeare's most beloved tragedy, Romeo & Juliet. This production will take the classic tale and present it in a more contemporary style.Nov. 5 through 8, Tympanium Euphorium follows a group of aspiring dancers and singers as they audition to be in the ensemble of a Broadway musical with its production of A Chorus Line. With such classic Broadway hit songs as "One" and "What I Did for Love," this Tony Award-winning musical is sure to find a new home at Brandeis.Nov. 12 through 22, BTC will end its fall season with The Game of Love and Chance. Directed by Janet Morrison (THA), this romantic farce deals with mistaken identities and is billed to be "as delightful as it is provocative."From Nov. 19 through the 22, Hillel Theater Group will present S. Ansky's classic Yiddish play The Dybbuk. This tale of mysticism and exorcism tells the story of a bride possessed by a malicious spirit called a dybbuk on the eve of her wedding.The Brandeis theater season will come to a close on Dec. 4 and 5 with BK's 10th annual Sketch Comedy Festival. A refreshing theater experience after returning from Thanksgiving break, this show features sketch comedy troupes, both professional and collegiate, from around the country (varying each night), as well as the ever-humorous styling of Boris' Kitchen.If side-splitting sketch comedy is not enough to relieve the stress of your finals preparation, BET will stage its fourth annual Quickies One-Act Festival the same weekend. This one-night performance showcases an always impressive collection of never-before-seen one-act plays written, directed and performed by Brandeis undergraduate students. Submissions will be accepted throughout the semester.Sir Laurence Olivier once said, "A great theater is the outward and visible sign of an inward and probable culture." If all rings true in Sir Olivier's statement, this fall semester of theater is sure to make the Brandeis community proud.
