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Alysa Liu: Cultural Phenom

The Lone Representatives at Milano Cortina 2026

Team USA, Kash Patel and politics in sports

100 Years of Song and Poetry: The Modern Stanza of the Hebrew People

Regardless of how thoroughly extensive the cruelty of hatred can be, the Hebrew people have done more than just survive: we have thrived. “To thrive,” however, has nothing to do with tangible success; the Hebrew tribes celebrate the mere yet potent joy of being alive. Throughout history, our community has been forced into diaspora where we were chased by the Santa Inquisicíon, decimated by the rise of the Führer, faced the Russian Pogroms, had our practices outlawed by Colonel Mengistu Mariam in Ethiopia, and were once again forced into exodus by several Middle Eastern countries at the latter half of the 20th century. So, it is simple. Every waking moment that a Jew gets to be alive is a reason to rejoice. What is the lesson of our history if not to never take life for granted? Organized by Brandeis’ Hebrew Department and the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, 100 Years of Song and Poetry had this joy precisely as its central goal: to be a marker of our resilience, celebrating the modern revival of the Hebrew language and a unified Hebrew people. 

Persona: An exploration into the human story

A staple of Boston’s fine arts culture is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Opened in 1903 after the passing of her husband, John Lowell Gardner, the Gardner Museum was opened as a way for Gardner to share the expansive art collection her husband acquired through trips abroad. Gardner sought to personally connect to her community through the sharing of fine arts and to foster art education in Boston proper. Since 1903, the museum has featured pieces such as Titian’s “The Rape of Europa,” a piece considered one of the most important Renaissance paintings in art history, as well as Rembrandt’s “Self-Portrait, Aged 23,” another highly regarded piece in the art world. From 1903, when Isabella Stewart Gardner opened the doors to her art museum, to the present day, the people of Boston have delighted in the privilege to witness real art and real stories in modern times.

Road to the Oscars: “Sentimental Value” and “Train Dreams”

In the lead-up to the 2026 Academy Awards, many people try to watch all 10 Best Picture nominees to see which movies should be considered the best of the year. However, with the time that it takes to find and watch all of the films, it can be easy to miss a film and then have no idea why it was nominated for Best Picture. But now, you do not have to worry about missing a nominee: the “Road to the Oscars” articles have begun! Over the next two weeks, I will be watching and writing reviews for all 10 Best Picture nominees so that you, faithful Justice readers, can hear my opinions about the films and gain some insight into why each movie was nominated. These reviews will be published primarily on the website, but here in print is our first pairing, so you can read my thoughts.

Lunar New Year at Brandeis

Lunar New Year is a special holiday across many East Asian cultures that celebrates the new year according to the Lunisolar calendar: a year that uses both moon cycles and seasons to track months. Here at Brandeis, celebrations of Lunar New Year take many forms across several cultural clubs, but the one thing they share is a mission of bringing people together.

Celebrating Black Excellence

Across four days from Feb. 25 through March 1, the Brandeis Black Student Organization hosted its annual Black Homecoming, a celebration of Black identity and culture. The organization divided programming into distinct spaces: “Talk About It,” a Blackout party, “The Enchanted Forest Gala,” and the BLK Homecoming Showcase, titled “Tailored In Black: A Living Revolution.” Each event targeted a different part of campus life, from structured dialogue to public recognition to artistic performance.

Letter to the Editor — Laura Limonic

Dear President Levine and Members of the Board of Trustees,

Forum, Unfiltered — Keira Shear

Brandeis is far too harsh on its STEM students.

A snowy thank you to our professors and faculty

The snowstorm that upended campus activities on Monday, Feb. 23 and Tuesday, Feb. 24 has made travel back to campus after break difficult and unpredictable. This editorial board would like to express its gratitude to all of the Brandeis professors and faculty for being accommodating and flexible to their students, moving classes online, giving extensions and pushing bigger assignments and exams back a few days. We recognize that online classes aren’t preferable and moving around scheduled assignments can be inconvenient, and making those allowances for students has helped relieve the stress of frustrating travel. 

She’s just a dining hall, and she’s on fire

 As we are all aware of, following the fire in the Hassenfeld-Sherman building on Feb. 2, the Sherman dining hall and the Stein have been closed. As such, additional kosher options have been made available at the Faculty Club, in upper Usdan and the lower Usdan dining hall is currently the only all-you-can-eat dining option open to students. Brandeis students have been given relatively little information about the expected time that the Sherman dining hall will reopen. This editorial board is calling on the University administrative team to come forth with transparent communication regarding Sherm’s re-opening, the extent of the damage done and repairs happening to Sherman. 

Voter ID’s Jim Crow echo

 This February, the White House website published “The SAVE America Act: Voter ID is Popular with Everyone,” advocating for the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility America Act. At first glance, that argument works. Americans consistently say they support requiring photo ID to vote. That being said, this widespread support rests on the assumption that obtaining an acceptable photo ID is simple and universal. In reality, the steps behind obtaining a photo ID operate as a barrier that will make millions of eligible Americans effectively ineligible to vote on a scale not seen since Jim Crow.

The price for paying attention

 The term “Loneliness Epidemic” is often used in today’s discourse to summarize the mass isolation people have reported feeling — whether it’s due to the lack of third-spaces, a dissatisfying dating market, rising political polarization or decreases in the marriage and birth rates. Often, these alarmist reports point to Gen Z’s divergent trends in comparison to previous generations. Some of these sensational headlines read “Gen Z is drinking less alcohol,” “Gen Z isn’t going to the club” and “Gen Z is having less sex.” Ironically, the data is pointing in the opposite direction of what the term literally says: Loneliness is not spreading; rather, social connections are shrinking, and they have been for a long time. Trends of diminishing social lives began in the 1960s, and Gen Z is left holding the ball.

The use of AI at Brandeis: trends, ethics and the future of teaching and learning

Has the use of Artificial Intelligence in academia become inevitable? How is Brandeis University dealing with ethical and trust concerns among students and faculty members regarding the use of AI? A small-scale survey and interviews with various members of the Brandeis community provide insights into these questions.

Propylene glycol and water leak in Heller building lounge temporarily moves classes online

On Monday, Feb. 2, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management closed for repairs. Professors were sent an email on Friday, Jan. 30 by the University Associate Registrar, Kristina Law, citing a leak in the Alumni Lounge. The Justice reached out to Kristina Law for a comment, but she did not respond for press time. The leak included “both water and propylene glycol, which may cause respiratory irritation as well as eye irritation/tearing and nausea,” according to the email. Professors were encouraged to move their classes online on Monday or email the Registrar to find another meeting place. 

Community Circle: what colleges can do to support students and their wellbeing

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Women’s Studies Research Center hosted a community circle in collaboration with the Student Union. The focus of the event included a discussion of what colleges can do for students’ wellbeing, with special emphasis on student life at Brandeis. Led by the Dean of the School of Arts, Humanities and Culture, Harleen Singh (WGS), as well as author and Brandeis alum, Michelle Bowdler ’86, the event was an inviting space for students to share their experiences. Bowdler, also preparing for her 2026 book release, focused on the change in data regarding youth wellbeing in relation to current events — and is also looking for relevant insight from students.

Psychology, Subtle Storytelling, and Allegorical Interpretation: Here’s What You Missed in Zootopia 2

As a dear friend and I walked into the movie theater, the anticipation of the new Disney movie, “Zootopia 2,” made us wonder about the quality of the movie we were about to see. Was this going to be another hit from the company that carried on the legacy that movies like “Snow White” (1937), “The Lion King” (1994) and “Encanto” (2021) left behind? Or — and this option we feared the most — would this follow the company’s recent unfortunate streak of movies like “Wish” (2023) and “Snow White” (2025) that, though not as bad as people make it out to be, look subpar by Disney standards? 

Brandeis’ men’s tennis team overpowers opponents to clinch a 4-1 victory

Hot Take

  Thanks for sending in this week's hot take, Alyssa. Draymond Green has been the starting power forward for the Golden State Warriors for the last 14 years. During this time with the Warriors he was a major contributor to four championships and the best win record in NBA history, the 2015-16 season, where the Warriors went 73-9. He is a Defensive Player of the Year and recorded the only ever triple double without points. He has revolutionized the way power forwards and centers play, often being the most ball dominant player on his team which allows his point guard, Steph Curry, to play off the ball. The archetype of a passing big, a model of player seen often in the modern NBA, is heavily influenced by Green’s playstyle and the role he plays in the Warriors offense. He is also heavily criticized for being one of the most unstable and violent players in the NBA, being sixth all time in technical fouls and second all time in flagrant fouls. I could spend all day listing distasteful things Draymond has done on the court, so I will stick to the highlights. He punched Jordan Poole in the face during a practice, leading Golden State to trade Poole and likely dashing their chances for a back-to-back championship. He stepped on Domantas Sabonis’ chest during a game, a potentially career-ending injury. He kicked Australian player Stephen Addams in his down under after getting blocked by him. He went on his podcast and called Karl Anthony-Towns “soft” for missing a game, then doubled down on his statements after learning Towns missed the game for his family friend’s funeral. I think Jusuf Nurkic got it right when asked about Draymond, he replied “That brotha needs help,” a quote that quickly went viral. It goes without saying that basketball is a very competitive sport and Draymond is not the only player to have gotten carried away during a game. Historically, he’s not even the worst player, but he’s definitely criticized the most. Dennis Rodman and the bad boy Detroit Pistons did much of the same in the ’80s and ’90s, but they receive praise for their efforts. It’s true, the game has changed since then, but that doesn’t excuse the demonization of Draymond as opposed to other players in the NBA. He himself has been outspoken about people's perception of him. Green in 2023 apologized for his behavior and agreed that changes are necessary. In 2025 he again commented saying that when people criticize his overly-physical playstyle, they are forcing him into the stereotype of “an angry black man.” While he has certainly gone too far in some instances, his contributions to NBA culture have been enormous, and he has made efforts to be better. I agree with Alyssa that Green might deserve some criticism, but the hate goes too far.