avenues of expression 2013
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Yeshiva University High School for Girls Literary JournalTRANSCRIPT
Avenues of Expression The Literary - Art Journal of the
Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls
86-86 Palo Alto Street Holliswood, NY 11423
www.YUHSG.org (718) 479-8550
Mrs. CB Neugroschl
Head of School
Ms. Beverly Segal Assistant Principal
Rabbi Seth Grauer Assistant Principal
Mrs. Shani Malitzky Activities Coordinator
Mrs. Judith Tiger Faculty Advisor- Literary Journal
Mrs. Gloria Rabinowitz Faculty Art Advisor- Literary Journal
May 2013 Iyar 5773
Dear Students,
Congratulations on completing this compilation of your original pieces. This literary journal reflects our belief that each one of you has wondrous insights into the world, yourselves, and the human experience. The process of giving expression to our ideas and convictions is often the very mechanism of our discovery and understanding. In putting down on paper and sharing your “Avenues of Expression” with our entire school community, you have offered us a glimpse of the many ideas and discoveries your learning here at YUHSG has nurtured.
Thank you for all these insights and may we continue to share the inspiration from the myriad “Avenues of Expression” that our learning together has the potential to spark.
Sincerely,
Mrs. CB Neugroschl
Head of School
Dear Reader,
With great pleasure and pride, I present Avenues of Expression, our literary-art journal. On these pages, you will find poetry, prose, and artwork that express the emotions and aspirations of our students.
Read and Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Judith Tiger
Faculty Advisor
Dear Reader,
It is my pleasure to showcase student artwork from the required and elective art courses at Yeshiva University High School for Girls. All works were produced in Art Appreciation, Foundations in Art, and Studio Art I classes. I am so proud of the student’s love and passion for beauty represented here.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Gloria Rabinowitz
Director of the Art Institute
A special thank you to Mrs. Gloria Rabinowitz and Mrs. Marci Karoll for their invaluable help.
~Editor-in-ChiEf~
Deborah Guterman
~AssoCiAtE Editors~
Tabi Fink
Michal Leibowitz
~Art Editor~
Ruchie Gross
~AssoCiAtE Art Editor~
Mindy Schwartz
stAff
Zoë Rothstein
Danielle Bayer
Shira Weinberg
Chloe Haber
Shoshana Guterman
Miriam Isakov
Leah Nouriyelian
Gitit Bachiry
Talia Edelman
Shira Levy
Elianna Sharvit
Malkah Manouel
Daniella Bressler
Rachel Fried
Tali Greenberg
Table of Contents
Writing:
It’s Strange 1
Michal Auerbach
Just Say It 2
Jordana Weissman
My Class Essay 2
Avital Habshush
Start at the Bottom 3
Chayah Rosenblum
Emotions 3
Chloe Haber
Writer’s Block 4
Avital Habshush
Forever Watched 5
Tami Berman
The Walls 6
Renee Wietschner
Consequences 7
Kayla Klein
Ode to Peace 9
Kayla Klein
We Lost Everything 10
Ariella Freedman
Red 10 Sharon Itzhakov
Israel In Smiles 11
Tali Greenberg
The Land 11
Esther Moriah Khalili Gilead
Silence 12
Yael Mayer
The Life of the Jaded 13
Chloe Haber
The Students 14
Michal Leibowitz
A Central Girl’s Dream 16
Faygie Feiner
The Voyage of a Sunset 16
Shaina Dier
Sweet Dreams 17
Daniella Bressler
The Night-Lily 18
Eli Sharvit
The Morning Star 19
Gitit Bashiry
Sleep 20
Tali Greenberg
Fears 20
Daniela Layliev
The Music Within Us All 21
Evelyn Abramov
Solitude 21
Sindy Fried
Nature’s Emotions 22
Daniela Farzadfar
Sunset 23
Lily Ottensoser
My Dear One 23
Eden Takhalov
A Privileged Soul 24
Sophia Adler
Start Again 25
Hudy Rosenberg
Expressions 25
Chana Setareh Shenas
Something 26
Michal Leibowitz
Break? 29
Ruth Malkah Rohde
And Then We Get UP 30
Deborah Guterman
Double Ribbons 31
Talia Levy
Run 32
Eden Takhalov
Nowhere 32
Michal Leibowitz
Through The Years 34
Evelyn Abramov
My Façade 35
Deborah Guterman
I Can See 36
Eli Sharvit
A Search for Direction 37
Faygie Feiner
Coming, Going 38
Golda Aharon
Graduation 39
Nili Greenberg
Illustrations
Cover -1
Ruchie Gross and Mindy Schwartz
Writer’s Block 4
Ruchie Gross
Ode to Peace 9
Deborah Guterman
Silence 12
Eli Sharvit
The Students 14
Sarah Levovitz
The Night Lily 18
Daniella Farzadfar
Morning Star 19
Danielle Bresslar
Nature’s Emotions 22
Danielle Bresslar
Double Ribbons 31
Ruchie Gross
Nowhere 33
Hudy Rosenberg
My Façade 35
Hudy Rosenberg
I Can See 36
Sarah Levovitz
Graduation 39
Mindy Schwartz
Art
Self Portrait
Eden Takhalov 41
Mask
Stephanie Raphael 42
Mask
Avigail Ziegler 42
Letter Design
Gitit Bashiry 43
Letter Design
Limor Brody 43
Letter Design
Amanda Komsky 44
Letter Design
Shifra Miller 44
Abstract Painting
Ruchie Gross 45
Abstract Painting
Amanda Komsky 46
Abstract Painting
Renee Weitschner 46
Mezuzot
Sarah Levovitz, Malkah Manouel 47
Mezuzot
Atara Levine, Eli Sharvit 47
Tree
Stephanie Raphael 48
Tree
Miriam Zisman 49
Decorated Letter
Malkah Manouel 50
Decorated Letter
Sarah Levovitz 51
Decorated Letter
Atara Levine 52
Cartoon Heads
Bracha Rosenberg 53
Cartoon Heads
Miriam Kreisler 53
Cartoon Heads
Shaindy Goldsmith 54
Cartoon Heads
Elizabeth Kikov 54
Fashion Design- Blouse
Sarah Levovitz 55
Fashion Design- Blouse
Malkah Manouel 56
Fashion Design- Figure
Sarah Levovitz 57
Abstract Painting
Amanda Komsky 58
Abstract Painting
Chana Goldhammer 59
Abstract Painting
Donna Aharon 59
Still Life
Eden Takhalov 60
1
It’s Strange All you see is yours.
Came from your eyes To your brain
To be processed by you And understood through your
Experiences.
But how do you look at them? The same sights Go to their eyes
To their brain To be processed by them
And understood differently
Even when they tell you what they see Do you really get it
When you say you do?
When you say you “Know how it feels”
Do you really? Because it’s impossible.
It’s strange.
You think you can get them But you can’t.
So why do you think you do?
-Michal Auerbach
2
Just Say It Is it so hard to say just what you mean,
Without rhyme or imagery? Sonnet, limerick, and haiku, Almost never impromptu. For a hero, he is blessed,
His true feelings he can express. Admit what you feel without ambiguity,
Instead of hiding it all in poetry.
-Jordana Weissman
In Class Essay Your teacher is quite generous
And says: “Write what you desire.” Just the thought makes you confused and
Gross! You begin to perspire. Myriad ideas run through your mind,
The world is yours to write. You’re flabbergasted, what do you do,
The befuddlement turns you white. The choice is yours and yours alone,
Write about something profound. Socrates, Plato, take your pick,
Or maybe why chocolate is brown.
-Avital Habshush
3
Start at the Bottom Start from the bottom.
So the question is why don’t we It’d be something we would just disregard.
Getting used to it wouldn’t be hard. Upwards our words will flow.
Let’s put it in practice. When we should say below.
We say line upon line, Then that’s what to our kids we’d impart.
If we were used to writing upwards instead, Who decided that would be smart?
Why do we start from the top of the page?
Chayah Rosenblum
Emotions How are you supposed to feel
When your decision brings relief and regret in the same moment When your emotions fill galaxies
And the range of your convictions Crosses from one plane to the next
Your reaction to something mundane
Is a spark – it barely fills a room But a reaction to the unknown
Fills worlds with its conflicted feelings -Chloe Haber
4
Writer’s Block Syntax issues get in the way
You don’t know how to say… The word is almost here but…
All of a sudden I just don’t know what… The idea is there but it will not… On the paper there’s just a dot
The pen’s in hand, but you’re stuck on… Wait it’s here! Oh man, it’s gone.
-Avital Habshush
5
Forever Watched The principal is watching
Sit up, pull skirt down, look in siddur
The teacher is watching Open up book, put phone away, take out pen
The boss is watching
Pick up phone, type few words, get coffee
Your parent is watching Watch language, be respectful, obey request
The coach is watching
Run a lap, do a stretch, take a shot
With the rest of time…Is that your own? What do you do when Hashem is watching?
-Tami Berman
6
The Walls These walls have witnessed too much. The screams, terrors, pains, and sorrows
Each father, mother, sister, and brother struggled to stay alive Trapped in a dark place called Majdanek.
These walls have witnessed too much.
All hopes, dreams, and aspirations…….shattered. Their only hope, the one thing they clung to,
The only thing they had was the thought of survival.
These walls have seen too many tears shed, including my own. The ground they surround is dark and lifeless. There is not a single bird or butterfly in sight.
There is nothing beautiful to be seen.
The only thing to hear is silence There’s so much death, it’s all too dark
Made tangible in the ash pit from the thousands upon thousands Of Fathers, Mothers, Sisters and Brothers
Who had hopes, dreams and aspirations.
Yet we were massacred at the hands of sadists. Zachor- I will never forget
-Renee Wietschner
(This poem was inspired by Julie Golicks poem- “Echos”)
7
Consequences I have yet to see the world When war does not exist,
When we are lacking graves, And both sides don’t persist. I have yet to read the paper,
And find only good things. All I see are hate crimes, And what disaster brings.
I have yet to glance outside, To see my neighbors talking.
The doors are locked, the windows shut. They ignore my knocking.
Now picture this: A world of Paradise,
Where there’s no end Of fire or of ice.
A world where sons And brothers don’t enlist. A world I've come to fear
Will not exist. A world where there's no sadness
When the old move on. A world with only love;
The hate is gone. But Paradise is lost,
And it’s very hard to grapple That it’s all because the first two ate
A juicy, blood red apple. -Kayla Klein
8
Ode to Peace Down the winding path unknown,
Where seeds of brothers’ fights have grown, Where, united, men all stand alone,
Their fates are sealed and tightly sewn, And in their cries, their passions thrown,
The soldiers walk the land. Fighting for a common cause,
The lonely men don’t stop and pause, With baring teeth and ready claws, For battle, their feet give applause,
How much can they withstand?
They wear their hearts upon their sleeves, And through the crowd do their swords weave,
Finding throats and chests to cleave, Fighting for what they believe,
For fallen men, no time to grieve, Don’t let them die for naught. Slashing through the open air, Leaving eyes to blankly stare,
Behind them lies dust of despair, In life and war, nothing’s fair,
There can be no second thought.
Each side trying hard to win, And rapidly the armies thin, The waning silences the din,
And all that’s left is what has been, It’s time a new world must begin,
9
Leave the past behind. But for those laid to rest, they lie
Beneath the sodden ground and nigh, Their brothers trying not to cry, And never shall their spirits die,
For they are intertwined.
And after all is said and done, Neither side has lost or won,
Left of what they had, there’s none, Bodies lacking graves, a ton,
Now beneath the white-hot sun, Forever war must cease.
Thereafter they must start anew, Fresh plants arise where old ones grew,
Together they will make it through, This time of grief they will subdue,
Begin, the Age of Peace - Kayla Klein
Deborah Gutermsn
10
We Lost Everything “We’ve lost everything” was all we could think
“Everything we’ve ever owned, all gone in a blink.” It all happened so quickly, with no time to prepare
Shocked by complete chaos- all I could do was stare I watched as darkness consumed my whole world
My past and my future disappearing- in one moment it all whorled I couldn’t see clearly, I could do nothing but worry
But after some time I saw along with that comes only fury Upon this awakening I saw I was not robbed in entirety:
I just had to reassess what was my priority For I know love and hope can never be taken
And now, for forever, my world can never be shaken. -Ariella Freedman
Red Red used to be my favorite color,
צבע אדום, צבע אדוםNow, those two small words are what scare me most.
When I hear them, I don’t think, I RUN! I run for my life!
And before I know it I’m in a bomb shelter Surrounded by scared people just like myself, Who live with this horror every day of our lives.
I pray for the day when this will no longer be my reality. I pray for the day when red will be my favorite color again.
-Sharon Itzhakov
11
Israel In Smiles As small as a boy surrounded by giants,
That is how Israel is compared to her neighbors. As weak as a caterpillar in its cocoon,
That is how others think of Israel. As incorrect as a child challenging his father,
That is how those others are. For,
As strong as a lion when he roars, That is how Israel is in battle.
As brave as a knight fighting for his love, That is how Israel is for her nation.
As persevering as a hiker climbing the tallest mountain, That is how Israel is in keeping her country safe.
And as loving as a man is for his wife, That is how we are for Israel.
-Tali Greenberg
The Land Knowing all my life that His place has lived through history,
That glorious place forever flowing with milk and honey. Feeling the spiritual greatness of this chosen land,
The one the God protects with His hands. Now, I know this land and its nation have lived through the ages,
I know that this is all written in God’s holy pages. This gift, this present that is endowed upon me,
I can see the true beauty that is given to the nation I call my family.
-Esther Moriah Khalili-Gilead
12
Silence Silence.
It is the most and least tangible matter known to man.
In the void of speech, silence, thick and heavy, fills the emptiness.
It creeps up amid the chatter; it stalks the frivolous conversation.
It seeps into thoughtful discussion, weighty with reflection.
It flows freely through the philosophical engagement.
It tempers the noise; it scatters the scream of consciousness; it brings
trumpeted gossip to a murmur.
Of all the sounds in the world, there is none that is louder than
Silence.
-Yael Mayer
13
The Life of the Jaded I need inspiration
Some kind of motivation So I call on sadness And not on elation
‘Cause sorrow is stronger And yes it lasts longer
Than feelings of happiness That cause the mind to wander
I want a new sensation Some kind of revelation
A faith, a raison To give me concentration
‘Cause I’ve become jaded My spirit has faded
I’m long done searching But I am not sated
I’m hunting through the ocean
I’m yearning for devotion ‘Cause love is the only thing
That remains of emotion I will live forever
It doesn’t matter whether I pass here or stay here ‘Cause love is my tether
I’ll hold to the reverie And hold on to every Happiness and sorrow And live in the memory
-Aviva Haber
14
The Students They move like
The dead
They eat like Starving lions
They drink like
They have never seen water before
The skin under their eyes is Permanently purple
And
The greasy sheen on their hair never seems to
Fade
And
Whenever you speak they look like they are Far away
They turn and you see the load that they carry
Every day on their backs
Everywhere on their shoulders
It is bigger than
Sisyphus’ boulder
It is heavier than Atlas’ world
15
The longer you watch them
The more you realize
That they must not be
Human
At all
-Michal Leibowitz
16
A Central Girl’s Dream I am running, my legs moving involuntarily
It is as if a monster is chasing me scarily My heart is racing, my head pounding
But all I can hear is my stomach growling I can see it, only a few feet away
What a great ending to such a lousy day I’ve reached my goal, and I pick up the slice
One piece of pizza, two pieces, thrice Still starving, I go in for one more bite
Just then, my eyes open, it’s the middle of the night “What a great dream,” I thought in my head
“I’ll go have some pizza then get back to bed.”
-Faygie Feiner
The Voyage of a Sunset
As day concludes once again,
For everything has an end. Some may look and see in sorrow;
Some may take pleasure for tomorrow, It stretches far reaching every eye
Steals a breath, returns a sigh. It’s a farewell but not just yet
For it is the voyage of the sunset.
-Shaina Dier
17
Sweet Dreams Sweet dreams,
My little dearest, For the world you are about to open,
Is yours.
Here, everything is here, Your own world, It’s so beautiful!
Time, and space, doesn’t matter.
You’re here, in your own dream world, So free and alive!
Never care to say goodbye!
But at one point, you must awake, To the real world, which you might hate.
But you must know, throughout this time,
Soon you’ll be back, Your fairytales will come back to life!
You’ll feel exotic, and once again free, There’s nowhere else you’d rather be!
But once again, you’ll have to awake, To the world where you possibly hate,
But always know that little thing, Your dreams are waiting, ringing.
-Daniella Bressler
18
The Night-Lily
A lily on a pad, in a pond. The moon reflecting off the shallow, blue, water.
The green edges of the lily pad curve, Into the round reflection of the moon.
The pink and white night-lily sits, Open to the light of the moon.
It waits for the sunshine, It is mistaken, for it will never come.
A new day will dawn,
But the sun sets upon the night-lily. I often wonder,
How it can stand to just sit there, Right in the middle of the tranquil pond.
To know that doom is impending, But still oblivious it sits to the world,
Waiting for the dawn to break, For morn to come.
If only we were like this lily,
Well, we’d all be sitting Awaiting death With open arms.
Just like the night-lily does.
-Eli Sharvit
19
The Morning Star The moon and the stars,
Are hiding behind clouds. With the country so far,
And the city so loud. Looking up, you see the lights, Wondering what they can be.
There are so many amazing sights, But the stars are all you can see.
As you walk down the path, You smile and smell the fresh air. The stars appear to take a bath,
We stop our walk and stare. The morning star will rise,
The boats will sail through the lake. The burning sun will never die,
And once again the morning star will awake.
-Gitit Bashiry
20
Sleep
Dreams. A place to get away.
Imagine. Let your mind be free.
Adventure. You never know what is around the corner.
Explore. Find things you never have before.
Relax. It all comes naturally.
Sleep. Time for peace of mind.
-Tali Greenberg
Fears As I feel butterflies in my stomach,
I can hear my heart pound. Running through the woods,
Hoping to be found. While I pull my braid,
I want to scream. I feel so afraid,
Then I realize it was only just a dream.
- Daniela Layliev
21
The Music Within Us All Constantly singing, continuously pumping
Life into our souls Day in day out, day in day out Never resting, never stopping
Unlike any other music The heart’s melody is never ending As it pumps blood into our arteries
And receives it from our veins It circulates the life within us
Every breath we take The music of the heart
Heard by all, known by all Bringing hope into our lives
And happiness into thoughts
-Evelyn Abromav
Solitude I grazed in the sand swiftly,
Listening to the cold ocean’s breeze As I think to myself Of all the wonders, Of all the miracles,
There must be in history Under all this stone.
There must be memories Under all this water.
There must be dreams, That never died,
That live here, On the beach today.
~Sindy Fried
22
Nature’s Emotions The bright sky turns gray and pale Fills with clouds and seems so frail.
The clouds begin to cry like the eyes of a soul. The mood and the air changes, becoming scared and cold
Tears drip down Mother Nature’s face, one by one. My cheeks become moist and my soul weighs a ton
Rain drops, tears drip, drip,drip and shower the ugly, the anger, the guilt
It hits the ground and seems to first make the flowers wilt
But air rushes, blowing softly, pushing away the clouds and the pain. The sound of the soothing ocean like a peaceful song, is beautiful
and plain The plants absorb the magic, beautiful to see
Oh, what the world could truly be
-Daniela Farzadfar
23
Sunset I look into the sunset
I see my day develop As time goes on
The sky filled with orange, purple, pink
The different emotions I go through
Changing patterns emerge in the sky
A rollercoaster Of a long day
Today’s sunset was beautiful
I wonder what tomorrow’s sunset will be
-Lily Ottensoser
My Dear One Let me tell you a story, dear one,
About the man who died. He always did what he was told, dear one,
And, willingly, gave his own life. He never questioned authority, dear one,
He never thought for himself. Following orders was a priority, dear one,
Left his options back on a shelf. When questioned about his obedience, dear one,
When asked if it was wise, He’d reply with the words of another, dear one,
Stand tall, and fervently cry: “Theirs is not to make reply, Theirs is not to reason why,
24
Theirs is but to do and die” Do and die he did, my dear one, With Tennyson’s words on his lips.
Under the orders of another, dear one, Into the valley of death he skipped.
-Eden Takhalov
A Privileged Soul I feel myself smile
As the wind sweeps through my hair As the water runs through my fingers
I look out And see the bright sun
I can’t help but be thankful Because I am here. At this time Because it has all been given
To Me I didn’t ask, I didn’t even think
That beauty is in my reach I feel myself smile A privileged soul
-Sophia Adler
25
Start Again Standing in the rain I am free
Free to be anything in a world of possibilities The water washes away my fears and doubts
Rain is falling but the sun is shining As if to say ‘this isn’t the end.’
It’s a new beginning with clean, crisp choices All that I was has brought me here
The good and the bad, happiness and pain The choices I chose and the chances I took
When I get overwhelmed I go outside The rain allows me to start again
-Hudy Rosenberg
Expressions People talk Birds tweet Dogs howl
And floors creek Owls hoot
Ducks quack Water swishes
And wings clap Feet stomp
Winds whistle Trees tremble
And rain stampedes Nails scratch Teeth grind Eyes widen Faces cry
All in hopes of one day’s redemption.
-Chana Setareh Shenas
26
Something
We watch the girl with the dead hollow eyes
She walks so
slowly She speaks so
softly She smiles so
rarely
She looks at no one
What’s happened to you?
We ask the girl
Your eyes used to flash off of rolling waves
Your voice used to bring all the robins flocking
Your smile used to melt hearts made of
stone
The girl looks down at the dirt speckled floor
Nothing has happened
she says to the floor I am the same
I am unchanged
27
But her voice wavers and we know she is lying What happened to you?
We ask again
You used to dance in the hallways
You used to sing to the trees
You used to look us in the
eyes
The girl looks down
at her blue tinged knees
Nothing has happened she says to her knees
I am the same I am unchanged
But her hands shake and we know she is lying
What happened to you?
We ask one last time.
You used to laugh like fluttering snowflakes
You used to speak above a whisper You used to be so
happy
The girl looks up
at our watchful eyes
28
at our waiting ears at our steady hands
She takes a breath that smells of fear
Her mouth opens
and the
words fall
out
Something happened She says to us
Her eyes flick
down Her whole body
quivers a tear
escapes
We open our arms
-Michal Leibowitz
29
Break? When you break up, You can’t fall down.
You must pick yourself up off the ground, And put yourself back together now.
You must sew yourself up,
With the heart of your loved ones. Attach yourself
To anger or passion. You must do what you can to survive,
So somehow, you must strive…
You put in all your strength. You try to keep your faith.
This has to be enough. You put in all your stuff!
But if it doesn’t exist,
But if the love, It just won’t persist. It won’t stay strong.
Then will you be here for long?
When you break up, Will you fall down? If you don’t have
Your passions
What happens When you don’t have a string.
What happens If you don’t have a thing on which to cling?
- Ruth Malkah Rohde
30
And Then We Get UP Plummeting fast from the mountaintop
And then we get up
Failure seizing our hearts and holding on tight And then we get up
Despair’s cold clutches deep in our bones
And then we get up
Strangling lonesomeness claws at our souls And then we get up
Back-breaking pressure weighs us down
And then we get up
Hurt and battered, betrayed and lost But we will always choose this path
We will always get up
-Deborah Guterman
Ruchie Gross
31
Double Ribbons
Survivor of two ribbons One pink, one green
Wasn’t one enough God? What does this mean?
So many questions, too much for a teen
Survivor of two ribbons Little did I know my world has changed
Can she just take a rest? Maybe this was a test?
Oh Mother, you are so brave
Survivor of two ribbons Difficult as can be
Struggles and pain for her and me Watching as a tear fell
But then there was a happy bell
Survivor of two ribbons My mother came back to care
As did my mother’s hair It’s with us for life
Oh why the strife? I’m so thankful for my survivor of two ribbons
-Talia Levy
32
Run Run, walk, leap, bound Smile, laugh, cry, crown Sleep, rest, laze, lounge
Learn, study, stress, drown Yes, no, explain, confound
Steal, take, lost, found Reach, stress, ignore, deprive Toil, damage, neglect, survive
Say, promise, swear, lie Pretend, fake, avoid, deny
Starve, succumb, regret, regorge Work, strive, try, forge Come, wait, stay, go
Run, jump, dodge, throw Fix, change, correct, improve
Go, walk, hurry, move Hope, win, succeed, fly Doubt, fail, jump, die.
-Eden Takhalov
Nowhere
Have you ever wondered, what it would feel like To be the hamster
running on a wheel
Pulse racing Blood pumping Breath shallow
Going nowhere
33
Have you every wondered, what it would feel like To be the oak tree
standing on a street
Roots tangled Trunk frozen
Leaves falling
Going nowhere
Have you ever wondered, what it would feel like To be the bird
with a broken wing
Body heavy Feathers aching Predators circling
Going nowhere
Have you ever wondered, what it would feel like
To be the girl without a future
Fists clenching Eyes streaming
Dreams crushed
Going nowhere
-Michal Leibowitz
34
Through the Years On my first day of Kindergarten, my friend asked me
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” “I want to be a ballerina,” was my answer.
As I entered middle school, my brother asked me “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
To that, I answered, “I am going to be an interior designer.”
When I started high school, my teacher asked me, “What do you want to be?”
“I want to be a doctor,” I replied. My teacher smiled as if he knew something I did not before saying,
“That’s not what I meant.” I stood, puzzled, not sure of what to say.
But now, as I start my first day of college, my professor asks me,
“What do you want to be?” I knew how to reply.
“I want to be me.”
-Evelyn Abramov
35
My Facade My façade is everlasting It holds strong and fierce
You will never see through it You will never know my fears
I work hard to uphold it
Sacrifice so much But it is my fortress, my salvation
I cannot make it stop
My façade keeps me sane It doesn’t have to be sincere
I don’t care if it’s real I will never show I’m here
Long after I’m gone my façade will still stand
Just as strong and just as proud No one will have known me
Yet no one will have been wiser
I may have been secluded I may have been trapped
But I was kept safe in my everlasting prison, my essential façade.
-Deborah Guterman
36
I Can See I can see the yellow sun in our sky,
So high above the world that it appears to be in a world of its own. I can see the grass below my feet,
Its greenness blinds me so that it leaves a mark in my eyes, I can see the ocean bright and blue,
Teeming with life beneath the surface. I can see the mountains tall and high,
So they can touch the edges of our universe. I can see the kite flying,
Higher into the never – ending blue. I can see the people,
And see the sounds they make. I can see you,
Clearly in my mind. But then I remembered I could never see any of these things,
Except for in my head. All I can see is never ending metal cells.
Running down the halls.
-Eli Sharvit
37
A Search for Direction I stand there
paralyzed
People rush by me
but I am alone in my
mind
I can’t decide Which way to go
Which path to take I have no
direction
I think I know what I must do
I’ve made my decision My path is
sure
I walk to the sound of my thudding
heartbeat
No turning back No stopping now
I am taking staircase ‘B’
-Faygie Feiner
38
Coming, Going
To ninth grade, I hurdled Combating my fear.
This semester, I am eager To relish my last year.
As Freshmen, we wandered
Through unfamiliar walls. A senior, I stumble
Through puzzling waterfalls.
At fourteen, I fit in Blending with the crowd.
By sixteen, I stand out Dissimilar but proud.
On entrance, I worried
Who’d be friends with me? In leaving, I consider The sisters I received.
This building, it’s all there
The times I’ve laughed and cried. I look back, I smile
I whisper my goodbye.
-Golda Aharon
39
Graduation I can’t Believe
It’s almost Over.
Four years. Gone. Friends,
Teachers. Memories.
Will they last? Where will we go? New beginnings. Israel. College. Independence.
Where do I go from here? What comes next?
Can I handle it? Alone?
-Nili Greenberg
41
Self-Portrait: (charcoal on paper), Eden Takhalov
42
Mask: (Pariscraft), Stephanie Raphael
Mask: (Pariscraft), Avigail Ziegler
43
Letter Design: (pencil on paper), Limor Brody
Letter Design: (pencil on paper), Gitit Bashiry
44
Letter Design: (pencil on paper), Shifra Miller
Letter Design: (pencil on paper), Amanda Komsky
45
Abstract Painting: (Acrylicr), Ruchie Gross
46
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Abstract Painting: (Acrylicr), Amanda Komsky
Abstract Painting: (Acrylicr), Renee Wietschner
47
Mezuzot (Poylmer Clay), Sarah Levovitz, Malkah Manouel
Mezuzot (Poylmer Clay), Atara Levine, Eli Sharvit
48
Tree (acrylic on canvas), Stephanie Raphael
49
Tree (acrylic on canvas), Miriam Zisman
50
Decorated Letter (Watercolor), Malkah Manouel
51
Decorated Letter (Watercolor and Craypas), Sarah Levovitz
52
Decorated Letter (Watercolor and Craypas), Atara Levine
53
Cartoon Heads: (Sharpie), Top to Bottom: Bracha Rosenberg, Miriam Kreisler
54
Cartoon Heads: (Sharpie), Top to Bottom: Shaindy Goldsmith, Elizabeth Kikov
55
Fashion Design - Blouse: (colored pencil), Sarah Levovitz
56
Fashion Design - Blouse: (colored pencil), Malkah Manouel
57
Fashion Design - Figure: (colored pencil), Sarah Levovitz
58
Abstract Painting: (Acrylic), Amanda Komsky
59
Abstract Painting: (Acrylic), Chana Goldhammer
Abstract Painting: (Acrylic), Donna Aharon
60
Still Life: (pencil), Eden Takhalov