Taking

.."

•

•6 • Some views from high school

Russian Students Live A New Way of Learning

RACHEL TRAURIG AKIVA HEBREW DAY SCHOOL

hen Luda Lopatin
enrolled at Akiva
Hebrew Day School
three years ago, she
wasn't just another new
student starting a new
school.
She was a Russian emi-
gre beginning a new way
I of life — and learning.
Luda was required to
learn not only English,
but also Hebrew. She
struggled to adjust to
American society and was
determined to study her
Jewish heritage.
Each morning for three
years, Luda and three
other new Americans in
Akiva's high school pro-
gram were tutored in
Judaic studies. They stud-
ied secular subjects with
the rest of the Akiva stu-
dents during weekday
afternoons.
This year, teachers and
administrators decided to
mainstream the new
Americans.
"The new Americans
have done a good job
adapting to both the secu-
lar and Judaic subjects at
Akiva, and they have
enjoyed learning about
their heritage," said Avi
Ebenstein, a freshman at
Akiva.
The school, including
nursery through grade 12,
has 40 new Americans in
its student body.
When Luda first came
to Detroit she went to an
Oak Park public school.
But she felt isolated.
There were few new
Americans in the school.
After hearing about Akiva
from friends, she decided
that the private school
was the place for her.
However, Luda and
many other new
Americans knew little
about Judaism.
"In Russia it was very
difficult to be Jewish
because, if people knew,

Akiva
headmaster,
believes the high school
tutorial program is a
crutch.
After several years of
tutorial sessions, the new
Americans are prepared
for prayers, Hebrew and
Judaic studies classes, he
said.
Anna, another new
American, has been at
Akiva for 3Y2 years. In the

Americans face many
challenges. Many don't
come from observant
homes and their lifestyles
conflict with what they
learn in school.
Language, of course,
poses another challenge.
"(But) socially I believe
the kids are doing well
and the (American) Akiva
kids have befriended
them," she said. ❑

Opinion

Rachel Traurig

you would be forced to live
a hard life," she said. "But
now I am able to enjoy
learning Hebrew at
Akiva."
Rabbi Moshe Lichten-
stein, a high school Judaic
studies teacher at Akiva,
is impressed with the
progress new Americans
are making.
"It is difficult to imag-
ine that three years ago
they were living in
Russia," he said.
Rabbi
Lichtenstein
favored integrating new
Americans into the Judaic
studies classes. He is glad
integration took place this
year, even though he real-
izes it poses tougher chal-
lenges to learning.
"It has affected them
academically and it's hard
to cope with the Jewish
subjects, but integration
is much more important
than the knowledge they
would have gained sepa-
rately," he said.
Rabbi Lichtenstein and
other Judaic studies
teachers, however, still
have a separate curricu-
lum and different stan-
dards for new Americans.
Rabbi Zev Shimansky,

`Taking Notes': How To Take Part

Taking Notes... It's a
trick of the trade,
whether you're a journal-
ist, a student — or a stu-
dent journalist. The
Jewish News invites all
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notes on school events
and submit articles to
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"Taking Notes" com-
bines news with opinion

beginning, she didn't
know any Hebrew and was
only required to come to
one of the two daily
prayer sessions.
This year she is
required to attend both
prayer sessions. Her
English is improving and
she is making friends.
Susan Codish, a Judaic
studies teacher at Akiva,
realizes the new

pieces. Anything hip to
high-schoolers is of inter-
est to us and, we're sure,
our readers. Students
need not be writing wiz-
ards to participate.
Editors at The Jewish
News will assist anyone
who needs help.
To participate, call
Ruth Littmann at 354-
6060.

These Easy Days
Can Be Pretty Rough

LISA HOLLENBERG SOUTHF ELD LATHRUP HIGH SCHOOL

W

as high school more
fun for our parents'
generation? Every-
one has heard the story of
how his or her parents
walked three miles to
school, barefoot, in the
snow. This exaggeration
has been used to remind
today's teen-ager of just
how good we have it.
However, perhaps our
parents were able to enjoy
their youth more. Today's
teen-agers might have
cars and snow boots, but
the reality is that nothing
comes easy.
Today's teen-agers are
under a lot of pressure.
They are facing stiff acad-
emic competition to get

into schools of their
choice. Their competition
is intelligent, diligent and
well-rounded. Many stu-
dents juggle a full acade-
mic schedule with jobs,
homework and extra-cur-
ricular activities.
"Working every day has
affected me," said Rina
Mukh, a high school
senior at Southfield
Lathrup. "I've lost a lot
and have had to procrasti-
nate. I don't have as much
time as I need to get
things done."
Many youth are not able
to appreciate their teen-
age years as a fun, care-
free time. Kids are work-
ing hard to get ahead and

Lisa Hollenberg

some are sacrificing social
time for it. Others choose
jobs as a priority over
school. Their grades suffer
as a result.
Teen-agers need to keep
their priorities in perspec-
tive to maintain a good
balance for themselves. ❑

Fragmented Judaism:
Appreciating Everyone

ADAM FABER NORTH FARMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

I

am a Jew. According to
all the laws and tradi-
tions of my heritage, I
am Jewish. As we are all
told by our parents or in
religious school, I believe
that we all are regarded
as equal in the eyes of
God.
Some people, however,
look down upon me
because my personal
beliefs sometimes stray
from what most of us are
taught by our more tradi-
tional elders. As long as I
can remember, there have
been several main bodies
of thought within

Judaism. Followers of
each contend that their
way is the only right way.
For instance, Reform
Jews believe that
Conservative Jews are too
strict, and they can barely
comprehend what they see
as the rigid behavior of
the Orthodox. Conserva-
tive Jews, on the other
hand, believe that the
Reform movement is too
lax, but share the Reform
movement's attitude
toward the Orthodox: too
rigid. The Orthodox look
down on Reform and
Conservative. To cap it

Adam Faber

off, many members of all
three denominations
aren't fully aware, nor do
they comprehend,
Humanistic Judaism.
But let's face it: We are

FRAGMENTED page 82

