(01/29/13 5:00am)
"Vision is what one has, but visualizing is the active challenge to all of us and that is what we are about today," University President Frederick Lawrence said at the Brandeis Visions for Israel in an Evolving World conference on Sunday. Over 200 students from 17 schools across the Northeast attended the conference, which was held to help facilitate discussions about Israel on college campuses. bVIEW is a movement created by students who feel that current discussion about Israel can be polarized and unproductive. Lawrence pointed out that the V in bVIEW stands for visions. There are multiple visions for Israel, and all of them need to be talked about, he said. The conference, as bVIEW content and program director Natan Odenheimer '15 said in the introduction, would help students "think constructively about the future." Odenheimer said he had noticed that students have "difficulty discussing challenging issues regarding Israel." The bVIEW founders believe that in order for positive change to occur in Israel, the discourse on campus needs to be improved. The conference encouraged students, who bVIEW deem as the next generation that can influence the situation in Israel, to voice their opinions in a healthy, open environment. Following the introductory session, bVIEW Codirector Erica Shaps '13 moderated a panel on Israel programming on college campuses. The panelists included Lex Rofes, a senior at Brown University and a student representative on the Board of Directors of Hillel at Brown; Matt Lebovic, senior campus associate at Combined Jewish Philanthropies; Daniel May, director of J Street U; and Larry Sternberg, executive director of Hillel at Brandeis. The first question Shaps asked the panelists was about who plays a major role in dictating campus programming on Israel. Lebovic said that he believes students should make most of the decisions but outside organizations can still be important. Student organized programs can be heavily influenced by activists, Sternberg pointed out. May added that programs do not have to be adversarial in order to be productive. "The most successful student groups are the ones that understand that the university is a political universe," he said. He continued that it is important for students to lead the discussion, but it is impossible for it to be completely separate from the outside world. The panelists were then asked what they would like campus programming to look like in an ideal world. "I think that we learn a lot more when we associate very directly ... with people who differ from ourselves," said Rofe, adding that conferences such as bVIEW allow for the necessary "constructive discomfort." May also said that different ideologies should interact, to make the discussion "intellectually rigorous, diverse and politically engaged." Lebovic said that there can be a disconnect between what students are discussing in America and what is happening in Israel, and he would like to see students continue the discussion by going to Israel to see the situation for themselves. The final question posed to the panelists was whether or not there are boundaries to the discussion on Israel. May answered that there are no limits to who is included; all parts of the population in Israel need to be part of the conversation. There are, however, limits to what should be said in the discussion, he said. "There is such a thing as hateful speech." Sternberg brought up the example of a Knesset debate, where all of the members talk over each other. "The purpose of the convening is conversation. Conversations require listening," said Sternberg. He believes that the extremes should be included if everyone listens to each other. There is a difference between having boundaries on opinions and having them on actions, Lebovic said. "Universities should be able to self-select their members and strategies based on the actions of who wants to [join]." Only expression that leads to violence should be limited, said Lebovic. The questions asked by students, as well as the individual table discussions that followed the panel, reflected the goals of the event as a whole. Students wanted to know what their impact will be on the outside world and how to make that world what they want it to be. Thirty-eight bVIEW student facilitators led the discussions, including Hannah Kober '16. "I think that people should gain a greater understanding of what Israel discussion could look like on campus, as opposed to what is looks like right now, which is very polarized," Kober said.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
As I sat in my elementary school classroom 12 years ago, two planes crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex. New York City. Where I spent Thanksgiving, where my dad often worked and the emblem of everything American. Since then, the government has tracked down and killed many people responsible for the attacks, but most prominently spent an entire decade looking for the Al-Qaeda leader in charge-Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), chronicles the CIA's lengthy search for bin Laden and the obstacles it faced. In 2003, young CIA operative Maya (Jessica Chastain) is reassigned to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan where she joins Dan (Jason Clarke) in numerous visits to black sites, where Al-Qaeda suspects are brutally interrogated. Many of the opening scenes of the movie display these graphic, detailed torture scenes-Bigelow does not shy away from the brutality of the alleged torture that occurred throughout the bin Laden manhunt. Naturally, the scenes received mixed responses about the legitimacy of including something that controversial; some even called for the blacklisting of Zero Dark Thirty from the Academy Awards. But, let the record show, I was not surprised or shocked by the torture scenes-it was expected. We know that past and current administrations allegedly turned a blind eye to torture interrogations. It was all in the name of American security, and it is not this movie's job to judge such acts as right or wrong. As a whole, the 157-minute film left me in awe of the stellar acting, intense plot and masterful directorial vision. I was never bored, never checked my watch and never even questioned the length of the movie. The plot was fast-paced enough to keep viewers entertained, yet the drama and suspense added the substance that typical action movies lack. Though many critics may argue against the film's historical accuracy, I believe that Zero Dark Thirty is an outstanding portrayal of real events that changed the politics and culture of the United States. We know the real story, but Bigelow's adaption brings a realistic insight into this historical event. To avoid any spoilers, I can't go into detail about my favorite, standout scenes, but there are some shockers-moments that caught me completely off guard. There are also emotional appeals, leading to the turning point where Maya's search for bin Laden becomes more of a personal vendetta. In that same vein, Chastain explodes on the screen in her role. As a rising star, Chastain completely blew me away in her complex portrayal of a woman often in dangerous situations, following her own intuition despite the adversity she faces. Even when no one else believes the leads Chastain has on tracking bin Laden, she sticks to her guns and doesn't give up-nonstop for ten whole years. As for the supporting cast, Clarke's ruggedly handsome appearance mixed with badass, no-nonsense attitude make a great counter to Chastain's tough, yet feminine demeanor. His interactions with Ammar (Reda Kateb), the prisoner, are especially compelling and the two characters build an interesting cat-and-mouse dynamic. Despite the brutality, the scenes are incredibly believable and I really enjoyed watching Clarke's more psychological interrogations of Ammar, like teasing out information in return for food or cigarettes. By the time bin Laden's compound in Pakistan is stormed by special forces, the movie spirals rapidly through the raid of the building. They encounter over a dozen people in the massive house as they painstakingly search through every room for the target. This introspective into the life of bin Laden was surprisingly touching and gave a sense of humanity to one of the most hunted men in American history. I strongly recommend Zero Dark Thirty, not only as a highly entertaining movie, but also as something every American should be aware of. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the subsequent capture of bin Laden are an integral part of American culture and I believe this movie does both events justice.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Between running to class, balancing extracurricular activities and maintaining some sort of social life, college students barely have spare time-let alone time to watch hours of television. In honor of the new year, with so many television series back from hiatus and even some new shows celebrating their winter premiers, four Justice editors have compiled their favorite TV shows (or at least those that are worth watching). Consider this your four-step guide to televised bliss. What do you think? Check it out and tune in! 'Girls' displays real life HBO's new series Girls certainly made waves at the Golden Globes, but not all viewers are convinced of its merit. The show, which follows a group of twenty-something post-college white elite living in a stereotypical hipster neighborhood in Brooklyn, can sometimes hit a bit too close to home. The graphic, rather awkward sex scenes and the fallible, irrational characters are both easy to criticize. Yet it is the rawness of the show that, if you can bear to watch it, makes it so relatable. After all, real life includes making poor decisions and learning from them. The girls struggle in their romantic relationships, but the true beauty of their characters is found in their interactions with each other. Each female character represents a different personality that resonates with the audience: Shoshana represents a certain na??vet?(c); Marnie comes to terms with her own loneliness, dealing with rejection for the first time in her life; Jessa is that free spirit we are all somewhat envious and skeptical of; and Hannah demonstrates what it means to struggle with reaching adulthood, being cut off from her parents and losing her jobs. Writer-director Lena Dunham, who also plays Hannah, describes a double-standard in society's expectations for girls. They pursue men who treat them badly, balance their personal finances poorly and act unprofessionally at work. The behaviors are bad, but the characters are not. The writing encapsulates what has traditionally defined Jewish humor-a low self-worth and high self-confidence. Despite their flaws, Dunham hopes that ultimately the audience is rooting for them. With the new winter premier, and ratings as high as ever, it seems we all have the faith in Dunham's characters that she hoped for. -Robyn Spector 'Mindy' sasses up doctor drama Since last fall, Mindy Kaling's show The Mindy Project has fully captured my attention with its subject matter, witty writing and superb acting. On the show, Mindy plays an Ob/Gyn working with two other male doctors, creating a great dynamic for each episode because Mindy is the complete opposite of the two male doctors. The supporting cast surrounding Mindy is dynamic, adding a lot of depth to the show that some TV shows lack. The two receptionists are complete opposites, and the male nurse Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) could probably have an entire show based solely off of him-he is completely nuts and 100 percent amusing. What I find most appealing about The Mindy Project is that it seems very honest. While some aspects of the show (Mindy crashing her ex's wedding and giving a drunken toast to the couple) are probably somewhat embellished for comedy's sake, I find myself believing that these incidents are based off of ones that Mindy experienced in her own life. In the same vein as HBO's Girls, the more realistic (a.k.a. not perfect) characters add to the honesty and allure of the show. As much as I love HBO's huge hit Sex and the City, the lives of those four women were often too neatly packaged. In The Mindy Project, the characters have dilemmas that us "normal" people have. While some critics of the show complain that the problems Mindy faces are too relationship-focused for such a strong female character, I find it's the opposite: Mindy is a strong female character and she isn't afraid to go out and find exactly what she wants from a relationship. Luckily for us, her journey in her personal and professional life makes for great television. -Marielle Temkin Perry resurrects himself in 'Go On' As a Friends lover, I started watching Go On hoping Matthew Perry would continue his role as a witty and hysterical character. In his new role as Ryan King, a big time sports reporter, he attempts to cope with the loss of his wife, Janey. In doing so, he joins a therapy group containing anything but ordinary characters, all of whom are dealing with some sort of a loss, ranging from the death of a cat to the death of a child. The group, which is lead by Lauren (Laura Benanti), who has no formal training, somehow manages to encourage the members to lean on each other, creating a family-like bond and support system. They help one another move on through weekly get-togethers and supporting each another in and out of their meetings, including birthday celebrations and family events. While he has struggled to transition to new roles after finding success with Friends, Matthew Perry makes the leap brilliantly into this comedic, yet realistic series in which he once again immerses himself in a television pseudo-family. In Perry's past role, he was one of the six gifted actors who equally contributed, but in Go On he establishes himself as the clear star. Initially skeptical of joining this group of misfits, Ryan soon finds he's more like them than he thought and ends up establishing himself as their new leader. They seem to idolize him, not only because he is a famous sportscaster but also for his phenomenal sense of humor. With his "too good" attitude Ryan ridicules the group members for their strange characteristics, yet also pokes plenty of fun at himself along the way, and joins in their antics. Although Perry excels at his role, the show's plot, while often humorous, can seem uncreative at times. All of the plot's most basic elements have been seen before, such as a lonely, successful man searching to find love, and a seemingly strange group of people who happen to get along. Overall, Go On is a simple yet immensely satisfying show. With the seemingly depressing theme for a show, the writers do a great job of deciding what about the subject of loss is funny and what is just sad. It may not have won any Golden Globes, and I'm not sure it should, but I still find the time to keep up with the episodes. -Rachel Burkhoff First family isn't all it's cracked up to be NBC's new comedy this season has been compared to The West Wing and Modern Family, two masterful shows in their respective genres. But 1600 Penn, a sitcom based on a fictional first family and their life in the White House, doesn't live up to the promotional hype. The show has funny moments but it largely disappoints due to predictable and caricatured characters. 1600 Penn follows President Dale Gilchrist (Bill Pullman), his second wife Emily (Jenna Elfman) and his five children from his first marriage. Josh Gad, the Book of Mormon star, plays Gilchrist's young adult son, Skip, who has moved back in with his parents after seven unsuccessful years of college. He is a sweet-hearted idiotic buffoon who acts like a kid in a candy shop while running around the White House. Becca (Martha MacIsaac) is a goodie two-shoes, and an impressive and intelligent daughter. However, in a moment of weakness, she makes one of the first poor decisions in her life and doesn't use a condom, leading to an embarrassing pregnancy plastered all over the media. The show has moments of true humor, like when son Josh Gad mouths off at a racist old senator at a public reception--or when he inadvertently lets slip details of his sister's pregnancy to the media. But as much as Gad brings the humor, his character's flaw is that he is too lucky to believe (he secures an international trade treaty by giving a pep talk to a room full of Latin American ambassadors). Aside from Gad, wit is hard to find in the first three episodes of the simplistic comedy that defines 1600 Penn. In all, it's a decent new show for NBC, which is facing some significant losses in its sitcom repertoire. The good news is that the characters have the potential to grow and improve. -Andrew Wingens
(01/21/13 5:00am)
The American narrative is composed of stories of struggle, triumph and coexistence. The promise of happiness and freedom is literally written into the fiber of our country, but it is a promise systematically kept out of the reach of the country's minority populations. Between two of America's most culturally conspicuous minority groups, blacks and Jews, there has been a tumultuous discourse that follows both groups in pursuit of these promises through a shared history of oppression, disparities in the allotment of privilege, rise in socio-political awareness and access to the American power infrastructure. And it is these themes in our history that have led the two groups from zenith to nadir to hiatus over the last six decades. If we posit Brandeis, like all colleges and universities, as a microcosm of society, we can follow these trends in the social interactions between black and Jews on campus. A mass influx of Jews to the North following WWII was met by a mass exodus of blacks from the South-the Great Migration. It was in the North that the first substantial contact between black and Jews was made. Until this point there was little to go on in terms of black and Jewish relations. Out of this northern context grew the first strands of tensions between the two. While both groups faced discrimination, Jews, who typically were seen as white, were in a more privileged position. As Civil Rights picked up during the mid-50s there was massive Jewish interest in the fight against injustice in the South. The majority of whites involved in the movement were Jewish as well as its funders. This is the atmosphere that Brandeis University was created in, the 'zenith of the coalition' both groups drawing on their oppressive histories working together for the greater good. Our University's history offers a unique approach in addressing the need for greater diversity on college campuses. The institution was founded in response to quotas place on Jewish applicants at elite institutions. Since its inception, Brandeis has been dedicated to promoting the virtues of equality and social justice in honor of our namesake Louis Brandeis. But there came a time when more radical identity politics were necessary for the true advancement of the black race and this created an awkward space for white involvement. At Brandeis, the 60s witnessed what was happening at universities throughout the nation when black students voiced their needs and demands in radical ways. Black students forced Brandeis to take more aggressive steps to bridge the gap between diverse communities and different peoples. While there are currently no major tensions flaring, black and Jewish relations, on- and off-campus, are embarrassingly stagnate. We are two sub-cultures that have drifted so far from our beginnings-our world changing marches, our paradigm shifting clashes of opinion. We have become so content in this distance that there is no room for mutual growth. This is dangerous in a society so drenched in hierarchy that silence implies consent. With this in mind, the leaders of Brandeis Black Student Organization, MLK and Friends and the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, have joined together, despite their different interests, to challenge our communities to candid discussion, hoping to change the way black and Jewish students at Brandeis interact with one another. In an effort to 'lay the wood' for these fires, these groups have joined to create a joint pilgrimage to Israel with a delegation of five black and five Jewish students. The aim of this trip is to use education and cultural immersion to bridge the gap of cultural differences and create an environment in which the participants understand each other better, and bond over what brings us together, rather than what separates us. Called Brandeis Bridges, the intercultural pilgrimage will be the first step in enhancing and developing student leaders of various backgrounds knowledge and appreciation for all the Brandeis has to offer -exposing non-Jewish students to the importance of Israel in the lives of Jews around the world, as well as exposing students of Jewish descent to a culture that often goes overlooked on campus with a second pilgrimage to a site of equal importance for people of African descent. Additionally, the trip will expose students to the holiness and history that Judaism, Christianity and Islam holds in Israel. Most importantly, Brandeis Bridges will serve as a vision of unity for current and future Brandeis students to reach out to the strange and unfamiliar. Many say that Brandeis is the microcosm of the greater American Jewish community, a center of thought that produces innovative and forward looking ideas during any given generation. We would like to go further; to see Brandeis become the microcosm of intercultural dialogue on college campuses across the United States. We hope to change the way peoples of different backgrounds, cultures and religions interact with one another. The only way to achieve this is through our common voice and action. Bringing together the Black and Jewish communities at Brandeis will serve as the first step. Alex Thomson and Ryan Yuffe are the co-presidents of Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, Amanda Dryer is president of MLK and Friends, Ra Imhotep is president of Brandeis Black Student Organization and D'Andre Young is treasurer of Brandeis Black Student Organization.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Despite having only one week of training under their belts since winter break, the men's and women's track and field teams had yet another weekend to remember. Following a solid showing at the Dartmouth Relays on Sunday, Jan. 13, the squads turned in several strong performances at the Greater Boston Track Club Invitational this past Sunday.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Few authors would be able to write a New York Times bestselling memoir as a rowdy and uncontrollable ape wreaks havoc on their daily thought processes. For Daniel Smith '99, and his "monkey mind," it has become second nature. Smith, author of the critically acclaimed Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety and a contributor for such notable publications as The Atlantic, The New Yorker and New York Times Magazine, has suffered from a lifelong battle with anxiety. It all began in 1993, the moment in which, at 16 years old, he lost his virginity to a middle-aged woman in an upstate New York motel. Smith's decision to engage in this spur-of-the-moment threesome, and the persistent sexual and moral ruminations that ensued, laid the foundation for his "monkey mind," a mental planet of the apes. From there, his harrowing journey continued as a student in the "epicenter of anxiety" at Brandeis, through his turbulent years as a staff editor at The Atlantic Monthly, and eventually, to a moment in which his ever-growing anxiety extended into the irrational. Faced with an impending libel lawsuit and failed relationship, Smith stood immobilized at the condiments counter of a Roy Rogers restaurant, convinced that a choice between ketchup and barbeque sauce meant life and death. In addition to its critical success, Monkey Mind is groundbreaking, as it is the first memoir to confront the pervasive problem of anxiety in American life. "Although there were many memoirs of depression, there was no book that detailed what it is like to live a life of anxiety," Smith said. "Everyone talked in metaphorical terms about anxiety, either through the lens of clinical or self-help psychology, but no one tethered it to work, family, love and relationships." Anxiety consumed every detail of Smith's life, figuring prominently in his sexual, professional and even routine decisions. It caused him to wear sweat pads under his armpits and chew his cuticles until they bled. Despite all of this, Monkey Mind reads less like a taxing account of anxiety and more like a stand-up comedy routine. Smith noted that this memoir marked a return to an approach he had not practiced since his short-lived stint as a humor columnist for the Justice. He diverged from the hard-hitting stories about anxiety and psychotherapy, and instead, just "wrote funny." "Monkey Mind was something I had not done since my time at Brandeis," he said. "I finally just sat down and reverted back to my humor writing days. While I may have agonized for days, for the first time, I truly enjoyed writing." Yet, after resigning from the Justice, he channeled his nervous energy as a Brandeis student into one of the most anxiety-inducing professions: acting. Smith's involvement with the improvisation group False Advertising caused him to emerge as an entirely different person. He explained that acting allowed him the opportunity to engage with the present and, in turn, dissociate from past and future thoughts that continually plagued him. "Anxiety is related to time," he said. "I always looked forward to something that could be wrong or reflected upon a past mistake. I wasn't anxious on stage because I immersed myself in the present and displaced time. More importantly, I enjoyed myself." As Smith reflected on his college experience, he noted that Brandeis allowed him to establish a system of order and expand his scholarly horizons. "Brandeis signaled to me what would be at the core of my anxiety," he said. "It also allowed me to explore things that presented order and lent me the opportunity to engage in the intellectual world." Smith used that opportunity to his advantage, beginning his professional career as a staff editor in the hallowed halls of The Atlantic Monthly. Anxiety didn't figure prominently into this decision. Smith relished the prospect of working with the mythic giants of literary journalism and, after college, brought the battle to the legendary North End office. "In my college experiences, I discovered that communication was an art form and I wanted to join the priesthood," he said. "I breathed in the air of literary giants and found that journalism was the safe way to get to writing." It wasn't too safe though. After his highly controversial feature on shock therapy for The Atlantic, the prospects of a lawsuit and the intense criticism overwhelmed Smith's tireless efforts to manage his anxiety. It nearly destroyed his relationship with his future wife and threatened his sanity. Yet, after the latest chapter in a heated battle with anxiety, Smith is winning the war. He boasts a storied literary career including the publication of his first book Muses, Madmen, and Prophets: Hearing Voices and the Borders of Sanity, currently holds the Mary Ellen Donnelly Critchlow Endowed Chair in English at the College of New Rochelle and is already in the process of writing a third book. Monkey Mind taught Smith a valued lesson: He learned that anxiety does not preempt the ability to exhibit self-control and change one's lifestyle. "If I could provide any advice for those suffering from anxiety, it would be that you can actually exert discipline and change habits," he said. "It can in fact change how you think to not be a train wreck." For Smith, that means his next trip to Roy Rogers will hopefully be a smooth one.
(01/15/13 5:00am)
This past year, the nation witnessed two major public shootings in the United States. Both the movie theater shooting in Aurora Colo. and the Newtown Conn. school shooting sent waves of emotion and despair through the country.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
Sunday night, the little hall in Slosberg Music Center struggled to contain the music performed by the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra. They played selections from Hansel & Gretel, Vltava (The Moldau) and the "1812 Overture." These three pieces come from three distinct countries: Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Russia. Prof. Neil Hampton (MUS), the conductor said a few words before the "1812 Overture," comparing the concert to a voyage across the European countryside. His comparison seems correct, considering Hansel and Gretel get lost in a German forest, Vltava is a river that runs through Bohemia, part of the Czech Republic and "1812" interprets the French Campaign through the Russian Countryside. The concert began with Hansel & Gretel, an opera based on the story from Grimm's Fairytales, adapted by Engelbert Humperdinck. Instead of hiding in a pit, the orchestra took center stage, with the singers walking on to sing their roles. The singers each acted their parts, but the star of the show was clearly the orchestra. When the music began, I immediately felt a relationship between the forest referred to by the music and the orchestra performing the music. At times I forgot I was in the hall as the sounds took the form of the story. There Hansel was picking berries with Gretel, while the forest was getting darker. The music was condensing time, and the story seemed to pass in stages, with each flux in rhythm referring to another passing hour. When Hansel, Prof. Pamela Dellal (MUS), and Gretel, (Andrea Matthews, Professor of Music at Wellesley), walked on, I was struck by the fact that two older women were chosen to play the roles of children. However, they approached the music with such enthusiasm that I was again engaged in the story, and I could link their two voices to the imaginary children. Tamar Forman-Gejrot '16 sung the "Sandman's Aria" sweetly, changing the mood to the calm night of the woods that invites the children to sleep. The Dew Fairy (Elizabeth Crisenbery, a master student in Musicology) brought with her the morning light to wake the children, singing punctually with the orchestra. The witch (Marion Dry, Professor of Music at Wellesley) was well performed, as the singer seemed to conduct the music with sudden movements of her arms, empowering the witch she was playing. Sitting close to the front, I was hoping she wouldn't mistake me for Hansel. The piece ended triumphantly with Hansel and Gretel pushing the witch into the oven. A nationalistic spirit characterized the next two pieces. "Vltava" is the second of six symphonic poems under the title of "Ma vlast" (My Fatherland) composed by the Czech musician Bedrich Smetana. I have heard this piece many times before, and I always felt it was very personal despite its nationalistic reference. Brought to life again in Slosberg, I felt it maintained its vigor, and the strings kept playing the difficult passages in complete unison. The conductor developed the pacing and included his own interpretation in the piece. When the melody was introduced, it sounded free and almost uncontrolled, like the very river it was describing. Every time the melody retuned the notes sounded more deliberate and definite. This emphasis gave each return to the melody a more developed character. I felt like the piece was maturing during the performance, just as a child's personality traits solidify through the passing years. The "1812 Overture" is a sweeping depiction of the invasion of the French into Russian territory. The piece begins with only a few members of the orchestra, reflecting the image of an army approaching in the distance. Once the rest of the orchestra joins in, the piece is almost frightening in its description of movement, synchronizing rhythms, pointing to the massive movements of an army through wide plains, from the foot soldiers and the cannons, to the officers on their horses. The French national anthem rings in at certain points, identifying the French army through the melody of the music. Electronic canons blast through when the anthem "God Save the Tsar" sounds, reflecting the coming victory for the Russians. The performance successfully brought to life the war between the French and Russians through the music of Tchaikovsky. Overall, I left the concert quite enthralled. These pieces were each played well, and each member of the orchestra seemed engaged in the material. The result was a lively concert and a standing ovation that challenged the very cannons preceding it.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As I settled into my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Sunday, images of past Rather Be Giraffes memories played across the large projection screen-from previous performances to behind the scene moments. The coed a cappella group also played songs from their album, mostly featuring songs from last year. As I heard "The General" by Dispatch playing, it reminded me of RBG shows I saw last year and immediately put me in an a cappella mindset. The show this semester was called Rather Be Giraffes Travels Through Time, in honor of its 10th anniversary as a group.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As I settled into my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Sunday, images of past Rather Be Giraffes memories played across the large projection screen-from previous performances to behind the scene moments. The coed a cappella group also played songs from their album, mostly featuring songs from last year. As I heard "The General" by Dispatch playing, it reminded me of RBG shows I saw last year and immediately put me in an a cappella mindset. The show this semester was called Rather Be Giraffes Travels Through Time, in honor of its 10th anniversary as a group.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As students prepare to leave the University campus for winter break, many are looking forward to the three weeks during which they will be unencumbered by coursework, club listservs and campus jobs. However, too often the long stretch over winter break devolves into an unproductive period. To help students better utilize this period of time, the University can adopt winter sessions of study, more colloquially known at other universities as a January term. By incorporating this optional abbreviated academic semester into the University's curriculum, students will have an additional opportunity to earn credits, study abroad and complete their courses of study. A January term is a concentrated period of study prior to the start of the spring semester that is utilized by students at other universities for a number of reasons. The January term could function as an extended form of the existing Justice Brandeis Semester over the winter break. Whether students want to accumulate credits to graduate early or catch up on their major's requirements in order to graduate on time, a January term session at Brandeis would provide students the flexibility to potentially complete a number of courses in a short period of time. While we understand the economic burden the University would have to undertake to hire professors and employees and to maintain campus facilities for an extended three weeks after the conclusion of the fall semester, there would also likely be a demand for these courses. Students that have studied abroad recently, were on medical leave or generally unable to complete their course requirements would find an extra three weeks of study a worthwhile alternative to not graduating with their class. Aside from satisfying requirements, Brandeis could also include intensive courses or research seminars of interest that may not be available during the year. Given this demand, the January term would also serve as a source of revenue for the University to compensate for the costs of implementing the program. Further, the University should consider using this winter session as a study abroad opportunity, as do the University of New Hampshire and New York University. Currently, the UNH offers a politics course in Costa Rica, a class looking at plant ecology in the West Indies and a Classics course in Rome, among other opportunities. Perhaps the University could offer the Brandeis in the Hague program currently in place for the summer and spring semester during this January term. Students who may not have been able to afford to take an entire semester abroad, could still have a similarly enriching experience over their winter break. Moreover, as the University has recently joined a consortium of other schools in the "Semester Online" initiative, it could consider providing these courses during the January term. Other universities in the consortium would also likely have to participate in the winter session and have a demand for those courses. Washington University in St. Louis, one of the ten schools in the consortium, has a January term for its Engineering program. As the initiative is still in the early stages, we hope the University will consider incorporating these online courses into the January term to further expand on the nontraditional learning opportunities available to students. While we understand this initiative will not be able to be put into effect immediately, other universities like Middlebury College and the University of Maryland have recognized the benefit of the initiative to students. A January term at Brandeis would provide students more convenience and flexibility in their course load than what is currently being provided by the University. *
(12/11/12 5:00am)
Last Friday, a free speech wall was erected in the Shapiro Campus Center by Young Americans for Liberty, with support from Brandeis Democrats and the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union. The groups made a formal request in an effort to spread awareness about and amend University speech codes on sexual harassment. The wall will remain in the building until tonight.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
The Brandeis Academic Debate And Speech Society held a public debate last Friday against the Yale Debate Association during this past weekend's Brandeis-hosted tournament. The public, informal debate, which had no announced victor, examined whether or not Israel should assassinate Iranian nuclear scientists, and, also, if assassination is an appropriate approach. Both the Yale and Brandeis teams are members of the American Parliamentary Debate Association, which is comprised of over 50 universities primarily along the East Coast, including Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University and the University of Chicago. The Yale Debate Association currently holds first place for APDA Club of the Year, while BADASS holds second place. Brandeis acted as the opposition team and chose the stance in favor of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists. The Yale Debate Association was left to defend the argument that such assassinations are unjustified. The debate featured one two-person team from Brandeis and one from Yale. Yale Debate Association members Michael Barton and Zach Bakal, both sophomores, who are currently ranked 10th and eighth for APDA Speaker of the Year, respectively, and sixth for Team of the Year, took on BADASS president Russell Leibowitz '14 and Keith Barry '13, who are currently ranked third and seventh for Speaker of the Year respectively, and third for Team of the Year. "We've worked really hard to build our team. It was just a few years ago that we weren't even top 10," said Leibowitz in an interview with the Justice. "We've moved all the way up to second now, which is the highest that Brandeis has ever been in history, so it's pretty cool." After all four speakers completed their arguments, the floor then opened for any of the approximately 45 spectators to make a one-minute speech and convey their own opinions. Barry, for Brandeis, and Barton, for Yale, concluded the debate. Only two students volunteered to speak when the floor was opened; one supported the assassinations and one opposed the assassinations. "We just really want to bring discourse to the Brandeis community, and we thought that holding a public debate ... would really have an opportunity for people to hear about an important issue that's going on now, and start some dialogue about it," said Leibowitz. Leibowitz also made it clear that much of the team's success is due to an emphasis on open participation, and with this public debate the team had an opportunity to get this point across to the University community. "We've spent a lot of time making sure that everyone knows we have an all-comers policy, that we're open to anyone who wants to join," he said. "So people just make a really good group of friends on our team, and that encourages practicing more, going to tournaments and really just building a good environment to people who care." Although no winner was announced and the event was only an opportunity to interest the Brandeis community, both BADASS and Yale Debate Association members were engaged and elated to be a part of this public debate. "Debate is amazing because it allows for an interchange of ideas at a very logical level with lots of different comparative analysis about different arguments and different things people say," said Bakal in an interview with the Justice. "We love coming out here and debating with our friends at Brandeis ... and we really do like being out with them, so it's fun to just come here, but it's also really fun to engage in this debate."
(12/10/12 5:00am)
The Judges were in their element this past Friday at the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Both squads were able to display their mettle in front of a supportive home crowd through several strong finishes. The men's and women's teams finished fifth-44 points for the women and 55 points for the men-out of eight teams, which included Stonehill College, Bentley University, Lasell College, Emmanuel College, Keene State College, Connecticut College, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Vincent Asante '14 started off the evening with an impressive win in both the preliminaries and the finals of the 55-meter dash, recording a finish of 6.52 seconds. And Asante was quick to point out that he enjoyed this opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd. "The competition rises as the performance level rises," said Asante. "So at a meet like this where we are just out to compete and not out to win, we just like to make sure that we are happy with ourselves and we have fun. We look for good results and enjoyment, because that's what's important in the end." Kensai Hughes '14, Galen Karlan-Mason '16, Jacob Wilhoite '15 and Jonathan Gilman '15 then rounded out the field in the 55, finishing in 6.78, 6.91, 7.01 and 8.15 seconds respectively. Asante, Hughes and Brittany Bell '13, who sprinted to a third place finish in 7.43 seconds, all qualified for the finals. Asante and Hughes ran in 6.52 and 6.78 seconds for first and fifth places respectively, while Bell ran 7.44 for fourth place. Mik Kern '13, Greg Bray '15 and Grady Ward '16 all headlined a formidable field in the one-mile run. The trio ran in four minutes, 24.22 seconds, 4:33.54 and 4.40.15 for second, sixth, and eighth places respectively. Amelia Lundkvist '14 finished second in the women's mile, finishing in 5:25.78. Maggie Hensel '16 and Molly Paris '16 rounded out the field in 5:35.34 and 5:56.97, good for third and eighth places. "It was an interesting first collegiate race," said Paris. "I came in the middle of the pack and we started out kind of slow, and I think that affected my time." Pace is certainly not a problem for the 400-meter dash. Joshua Hacunda '16 and Trevor Tuplin '16 bolted ahead of the field for seventh and tenth place finishes with times of 53.65 and 54.48 seconds, while the veteran Joshua Hoffman-Senn '13 ran 55.09 for eleventh place. Senior runners Casey McGown '13 and Anifreed Sinjour '13 ran side-by-side in 1:03.54 and 1:03.59 for fourth and fifth place finishes. Newcomer Matthew Becker '16 excelled in his first collegiate 600-meter race, finishing third in 1:36.73. He later joined Hacunda, Hoffman-Senn, and Tuplin in the 1600-meter relay for an overall time of three minutes and 37.24 seconds for fifth place. In the 800-meter run, Carl Lieberman '16 finished fourth in 2:04.22. Nora Owens '16 and Gabriella Guillette '15 ran for fifth and sixth places on the women's side in 2:42.65 and 2:43:82, respectively. Newcomers continued to make their presence known, especially in the 1,000-meter race. Liban Aden '16 took fourth place in 2:47.66, while Kelsey Whitaker '16 and Rachel Keller '16 ran for second and sixth places in 3:09.18 and 3:22.96. Asante reappeared in the 200-meter dash, fresh off his 55-meter win, looking to replicate his success. He came quite close, securing a third place finish in 23.21 seconds. Karlan-Mason and Wilhoite followed Asante with finishes in 24.53 and 25.84 seconds, good for 15th and 32nd place. First-years Adam Berger '16 and Brandon Odze '16 continued to make noise for the bright core of first-years, rounding out the field in 24.71 and 24.78 seconds for 18th and 29th places. Odze later came back to sprint another race, the 55-meter hurdles, in 10.29 seconds for 10th place. Brandeis fielded three standout finishes in the competitive 3000-meter run. Alex Kramer '13 took a noteworthy second place in 8:37.93, while Ed Colvin '14 and Jarret Harrigan '15 ran for 11th and 13th places in commendable times of 9:02.89 and 9:06.89. In the shot put, Kris Stinehart '14 and Jonathan Gilman '15 threw the shot at 12.40 meters and 7.74 meters for eighth and 22nd places. Alyssa Fenenbock '15 and Ashley Klein '16 threw 7.46 meters and 7.21 meters for 12th and 13th places. Hansen Yang '16 participated in the high jump, jumping 1.72 meters for eighth place, while also jumping 11.41 meters for ninth place in the triple jump. Berger joined Yang in the latter event, jumping 12.31 meters for sixth place, as well as Kim Farrington '13 who jumped 10.70 meters for fourth place. Berger returned to jump 5.63 meters for sixth place in the long jump, while Hughes jumped 5.96 meters for fifth place. Bell also landed at 4.91 meters for sixth place. The teams will next compete at the Dartmouth College Relays on Jan. 13, 2013.
(12/10/12 5:00am)
On Sunday, a relatively large group of 19 out of 23 Student Union senators recognized two education-related clubs, chartering one, while they turned down the umbrella organization Brandeis Associated Nerd Groups for recognition. The Senate also approved a $2,000 Senate Money Resolution to support an effort between various groups to bring CollegeHumor to campus.
(12/04/12 5:00am)
* "Sold out? The entire weekend?" I started panicking. I needed to get into this show. "We can put you on a waiting list," the calm woman at the ticket booth offered. As I sat in the foyer of Spingold Theater Center, I met a man whose guest was unable to attend the Friday night performance and jumped at the opportunity to join him. I hurried down the hall to the newly renovated Merrick Theater, where Brandeis Theater Company's production of Tennessee Williams' classic play, The Glass Menagerie, was being performed. The play, which ran from Nov. 29 through Dec. 2, was directed by professional actress Paula Plum and featured a cast solely composed of Brandeis undergraduates. * Before the play began, the actors sat at the front of the white-walled cozy theater, in a modest 1930s St. Louis parlor. The set, designed by the scenic paint charge for BTC, Kristin Knutson, was immaculate-a claw-footed Davenport, wooden rocking chair and matching dining room setup, table lamps and a throw rug. The walls of the 'apartment' were draped with white, gauzy linens. Light-colored laundry was strung up to dry. The dreamy-white color scheme of the room reminded audience members that the play is simply a series of memories. * For those unfamiliar with Williams' original script, the play is built upon two parallel premises: the dynamics of a broken American family, and the conflict one faces when he feels he lives an unfulfilled life. The play is very much a reflection upon the past, present and future of each character. * The family, the Wingfields, is led by a washed-up Southern belle of a mother, Amanda (Ellyn Getz '13), who struggles to protect her two adult children, Tom (Justy Kosek '14) and Laura (Corrie Legge '14), after their father, represented in the play only by a portrait hanging on the wall, runs away. Laura is plagued by a self-consciousness about her crippled leg, and instead of leading a normal life, she sits at home most days and plays with her collection of glass figurines, which her mother calls 'the glass menagerie.' Tom, who narrates the play alone in between scenes with other characters, works grueling hours at a factory to keep the family afloat and spends his nights at the "movies," always dissatisfied with his limiting job and dreaming of liberation from his family. * Plum's direction of the play does more than animate the original script-it brings to life elements of the story that, even though I have read Williams' script, I never quite seemed to get. In perhaps the single most important scene, Laura shows her glass menagerie to gentleman caller Jim (Ahmed Kouddous '14), who she is all too fond of, yet finds intimidating. Seeing the play acted out as opposed to reading it helped me to understand Laura in an entirely new way. While the script portrays Laura as potentially disturbed, Plum's production shows that she is, in fact, more fragile than anything else. * Jim has just enjoyed supper with the Wingfields when Amanda leaves him alone with Laura, hoping to catalyze a romantic interaction. The young man sweeps her up to dance to the victrola music but clumsily bumps a table upon which Laura's favorite figurine, a glass unicorn, sits. It falls and its horn is broken off, and it becomes just a normal horse. From the script, I gathered that this scene represented a loss of virginity, innocence and a crushing of dreams. But under Plum's direction, it became clear how violent the emotions in this scene are-Laura is not just disillusioned by the figurine breaking, she is devastated; it seems that this episode is something she is not to recover from. * Indeed, the entire play is laden with instances from which the characters are not to recover: like Amanda's choice to marry an alcoholic dreamer who abandoned the family years ago, or Tom's failure to pursue a life more promising than his meaningless factory job. But even in the throws of such material, the actors incorporated comedy and skill into their delivery. Amanda is quite difficult to take seriously, as she is the only character who dons an unflinching Mississippi accent established in her youth growing up on the Delta. Even though her children have grown up in St. Louis and would not naturally have comparable accents, hers was so pronounced that it makes her seem a bit too comical when she is actually quite an angry character. Getz's stamina with a character as incessant and volatile as Amanda is nothing less than impressive, though the humor she injected into the role undermined the seriousness of Amanda's manic nature. This is easily seen in a truly desperate Amanda's still laughable attempts to court a suitor for her daughter. * Tom provides a valuable perspective to the audience, as he is the only one who sees the other characters as they truly are, and is separate from the circumstances that limit them. Jim and Laura both slide perfectly into their roles; the conversations they have about being comfortable with oneself despite one's flaws are a pleasant balance to the tense relationship evident between Amanda and Tom. The beauty of BTC's production of The Glass Menagerie lies in these students' capacities to inject new, dynamic life into each character. It was truly as if I was experiencing the story for the very first time.
(12/04/12 5:00am)
At the end of this calendar year, Frances Drolette will leave her position as senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer, announced Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Steven Manos last Tuesday. Marianne Cwalina, the current associate vice president of finance, will take over the role on Jan. 1.
(12/04/12 5:00am)
Tucked away in the Usdan Student Center is a small office that directs all fellowship efforts on campus. Joined by active professors, these are the forces that support the fellowship and award searches for students at Brandeis, whether they are searching in University or outside channels. This academic year, this support system has already seen great success: Last week, it was announced that four bright Brandeisians had made proposals that won prestigious awards. These ranged from plans to help midwives in Timor Leste to academic endeavors in Christian ethics. Shota Adamia '15, Natan Odenheimer '15 and Sarah van Buren '13 have been announced as the 2012 Maurice J. and Fay B. Karpf and Ari Hahn Peace Awards winners, and Elizabeth Stoker '13 is the fourth-ever Brandeisian to be awarded the Marshall Scholarship. Sunday school to university theology
(12/03/12 5:00am)
After three weeks of rest following a tough cross country season, the Brandeis distance squad was joined by sprinters, jumpers and throwers for the winter track and field team.
(12/03/12 5:00am)
The Senate held its weekly meeting on Sunday, voting to recognize one club, charter another and reconsider a third at a future meeting. With 12 senators in attendance, the first order of business was the consideration of a Brandeis chapter of Alex's Lemonade Stand, a foundation that seeks to "raise money and awareness of childhood cancer causes" and to "encourage and empower others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer," according to the organization's website. The purpose of the Brandeis chapter will be to "give Brandeis University students the opportunity to join a national movement to find a cure for childhood cancer." The Senate voted unanimously to recognize the club. Next, the Brandeis Vegan/Vegetarian Club, which was recognized by the Senate earlier this year, requested charter from the Senate for events and posters. The Senate voted to grant charter to the club. The final club seeking to be chartered by the Senate was the Brandeis Triathlon Club, which seeks to "unite a community of student athletes who want to swim, bike, and/or run together for exercise or for competition," according to their constitution. The club was seeking charter for swim gear, open dinner events and competition fees. After a heated discussion, the Senate voted against chartering the club, but remained open to considering a revised proposal. The meeting ended with Committee Chair Reports. Dining Committee co-Chair Danny Novak '15 revealed that Einstein Bros. Bagels will "probably" be open 24 hours a day on Monday through Thursday next semester. In Gloria Park's '14 Executive Senator report, she announced the creation of a new university committee called the Student Health Advisory Committee. In the executive session that ended the meeting, senators were nominated to be Executive Senator next semester. The voting for that position will take place at next week's senate meeting. -Sam Mintz
