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Shalhevet news online: When we know it, you'll know it

The Boiling Point

Shalhevet news online: When we know it, you'll know it

The Boiling Point

Shalhevet news online: When we know it, you'll know it

The Boiling Point

Joshua Gamson

Joshua Gamson, Co-Editor-In-Chief and Sports Editor

Joshua Gamson, 12th grade, joined The Boiling Point in the first semester of his freshman year as a staff writer. He served as the Torah Editor in 10th grade and Community Editor in 11th. He has covered a range of topics from the use of ChatGPT in school to a failed proposal for a hotel on Robertson Boulevard, which won first prize in Ongoing News Coverage from the Jewish Scholastic Press Association. Now serving as Co-Editor-in-Chief, he also is co-president of the Shalhevet Choirhawks and co-captain of the Model UN team. Outside of school, he enjoys baking, music and science.

All content by Joshua Gamson
LIVE: Sophomore Sam Jacobson #11 shoots a layup in the fourth quarter against DRS. Click on the link in the story to watch this mornings game.

SARACHEK DAY ONE: Shalhevet advances to Tier 1 Quarterfinals

By Joshua Gamson, Co-Editor-in-Chief
March 29, 2024

Coach Ryan Coleman, middle, gathers his team for a fourth quarter time out.

CLOSE: In a hard-fought match, Shalhevet’s volleyball team was ultimately edged out in the game’s final set. “This season has been amazing,” said Coach Natalie Livermore.

[Photo] Firehawk volleyball team encouraged by CIF post-season appearance despite second-round defeat

By Shevy Gomperts, Staff Writer
October 30, 2023

CLOSE: In a hard-fought match, Shalhevet’s volleyball team was ultimately edged out in the game’s final set. “This season...

DISPLAY: Agenda Chair Rami Melmed and senior Keira Deutsch studied the Just Community Constitution in the second floor lobby on the day of Just Community elections last fall.

JC rep elections held after Town Hall-only campaign, but ballot mistakes delay results

By Joshua Gamson, Co-Editor-in-Chief
October 24, 2023

  UPDATE, 9:55 p.m: Freshman and sophomore elections were invalidated by the Elections Subcommittee today due to a ballot...

EMAIL: Ms. Singh, who has been at Shalhevet since fall 2021, also sang
with the Choirhawks and worked hard at Hebrew lyrics.

‘Just an email away’ – Priyanka Singh, college counselor who formed tight bonds with students, heading to Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
June 9, 2023

Ms. Priyanka Singh, who calmed college applicants while sharing her own and others’ cultural interests with the wider community,...

WIRED: Groundbreaking convenience or the end of writing? Whatever it is, ChatGPT adds shortcuts to schoolwork.

Chatbot or cheatbot? Students and teachers are finding ways to use, or not use, ChatGPT

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
June 1, 2023

  A Boiling Point survey on ChatGPT found that as of April, just five months after it was introduced, 61% of Shalhevet...

FRIENDS: Fellow juniors and Agenda Chair candidates Zion Schlussel and Rami Melmed shook hands at the end of a lively debate April 28 in the gym.

A blow horn to quiet Town Hall? Rami Melmed elected Agenda Chair after colorful debate

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
June 1, 2023

After a debate on topics ranging from how candidates would choose topics for Town Hall to whether they made their own beds in...

CAMPAIGN: Slogans in English and Hebrew adorned flyers on the door to Ms. Kong’s room, advertising candidates for Agenda and SAC in the second-floor hallway.

Just Community officer elections set for Friday after Agenda Chair debate

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
April 27, 2023

UPDATED MAY 3: Rami Melmed has won the election for Agenda Chair. See results of all JC elections at the bottom of this story. Election...

EMAIL: Ms. Singh, who has been at Shalhevet since fall 2021, announced her departure in an email to her students today at 4 p.m.

Priyanka Singh departing at the end of year, moving to San Diego

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
April 25, 2023

Ms. Priyanka Singh, who has been Associate Director of College Counseling and Academic Guidance since the beginning of last year,...

COMPLETE: The Boiling Point has profiled all 18 of this years new teaching and administrative staff, some of whom are pictured above. Stories are linked at the bottom of this page.

18 new faces bring range of backgrounds to faculty and staff

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
November 29, 2022

Eighteen new staff members have joined Shalhevet this year as 10 departed, making it almost certainly the biggest single year...

DRIVE: No. 6 Nathan Sellam heads to the basket in Wednesday’s opening victory over TABC.. Nathan was the game’s second-highest scorer with 18 points.

Firehawks win both opening games as Glouberman kicks off 8th season

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
November 3, 2022

Hundreds of Shalhevet students, faculty, and opposing teams’ fans lined the bleachers to cheer on the Firehawk girls and...

DISPLAY: Amalia Abecassis explained “Getting into Cars.” It shows children and mothers saying goodbye to one another during the liquidation of the Vilna Ghetto in Lithuania in 1943, when children and elderly were taken by cattle-car to the Sobibor death camp in Poland.

Art exhibit opens window on life before, during and after Holocaust

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
October 31, 2022

It looked like a regular Shalhevet art show, with some paintings displayed on easels in the front of the Beit Midrash, while...

RELEVANT: Before joining Milken and then Brentwood School, Mr. Moss was a reader of admissions applications at Wash U, Stanford, Yale and UCLA.

A class for college counseling? New director says why not

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
October 18, 2022

Though he thinks the college application process is like a separate, “really challenging” course for seniors amidst their...

 COMMUNITY: Mr. Shavalian, shown above in his new office at Milken, said he’d miss Color War, hanging out on the turf, and Friday morning kumzitses.

Eli Shavalian leaves to direct college counseling at Milken

By Joshua Gamson, Community Editor
September 27, 2022

Mr. Eli Shavalian, who tried to make applying to college less scary and was seen by students as open and welcoming, left Shalhevet...

SOLUTIONS: Fairness co-chairs Eliana Kerendian and Elliot Serure of the Elections Subcommittee met with adviser Dr. Keith Harris in the Admin Conference Room yesterday while Josh Gottlieb and Kevin Orenshein of GottIT, left, worked on the school’s Wifi.

Ballot errors complicate voting for Just Community grade-level reps

By Sonya Katzin and Joshua Gamson
September 15, 2022

Technical difficulties created delays and confusion during Just Community Representative elections yesterday, with some grades...

EARLY:  Hashkama Minyan met before start of school April 2. Students enrolled in advanced Judaic studies classes that meet during breakfast are allowed to go to prayer before school starts, whereas in past years anyone could pray early. Attendance is much lower.

No proposals yet from students to fix Hashkama

By Joshua Gamson, Torah Editor
May 16, 2022

Two months after Head of School Rabbi David Block asked students for proposals to expand access to Hashkama Minyan while also...

Photo of Dr. Hori for BP by Evan Beller

New Chemistry teacher Dr. Hori has long background in science

By Joshua Gamson, Torah Editor
December 20, 2021

Though he’s now teaching four Shalhevet Chemistry classes, Dr. Roderick Hori -- one of two teachers replacing Mr. Chris St....

TIMED: Allan Abshez, top left, spoke for 12 minutes on behalf of the hotel’s developers at a Los Angeles City Planning Commission meeting last Thursday on Zoom.  He said other hotels in the area do not consider needs of the area’s Jewish community.

Housing wins out as Planning Commission votes down ‘Soro Hotel’

By Joshua Gamson, Torah Editor
November 24, 2021
Developers deciding whether to appeal to City Council
CENTRAL:  A proposed hotel being voted on by a city panel today would fill most of the block just south of the intersection of Pico and Robertson boulevards, the central corner that gives the neighborhood its name.

Hotel or housing? City Planning Commission deciding future of key intersection tomorrow

By Joshua Gamson, Torah Editor
November 17, 2021

Tomorrow, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission is expected to vote on whether to approve a hotel near the intersection of...

SPACED: Ikar once again held High Holiday services in the Shalhevet gym. But this year, chairs, posters, plants and the Torah ark were socially distanced and worshipers had to show proof of vaccination to attend.

Area synagogues tried to stay spiritual while managing pandemic policies for a second High Holiday season

By Joshua Gamson, Torah Editor
October 17, 2021

It’s 2021 and with many teens and adults now vaccinated against Covid-19, High Holiday services were different from 2020’s...

INTERESTS: Mr. Barishman brings a love for 3D design and a great understanding of history to Shalhevet this year, inside and outside of his Modern Jewish History classroom.

New Jewish History teacher loves reading and computer-aided architectural design

By Joshua Gamson, Torah Editor
October 7, 2021

If you can’t find Mr. David Barishman, new 10th-grade Jewish History teacher, teaching, helping students or reading nonfiction...

MOVING: Mr. Diamond got boxes ready for his cross-country move last week. He and his family are relocating to his home city of Philadelphia.

Mr. Diamond, who taught film writing from personal experience, moving to Philadelphia

By Joshua Gamson, Torah Editor
August 25, 2021

Mr. David Diamond, an accomplished screenwriter who personalized his lessons with his own experiences, is moving to Philadelphia...

FAREWELL: Dr. William Walton, who is math department chair, has taught at Shalhevet since 2017.

Dr. Walton, who mixed math with storytelling, will not return next year

By Joshua Gamson, Staff Writer
July 28, 2021

Dr. William Walton, known by his students for his kindness and for making his classes fun with interesting stories, will not be...

VIDEO: What does Shalhevet think about being back in person?

By Joshua Gamson
May 23, 2021

When the school year ended for the Shalhevet senior class, so did online learning for everyone. Seniors’ last day of school...

LIGHT: Rabbi Benny Lau says the instructions and meaning of Torah can guide all kinds of people, whatever their sexuality or gender identity.

For Orthodox LGBTQ, Rabbi Lau offers a guide to both religious and family life

By Joshua Gamson, Staff Writer
April 23, 2021

There is no map in Judaism to guide an LGBTQ person in family life, but Rabbi Benny Lau has tried to create one, blending what...

PERSEVERANCE: Zane says writing a book is hard but also enjoyable.

Zane Mendelson: A book called Jinx

By Joshua Gamson, 9th Grade
January 24, 2021

“I’m writing a book called Jinx. It’s about this guy who lost his mom and denies that she’s actually dead and because...

DEFUND? Measure J on the Los Angeles County ballot would reduce the percentage of county dollars available for sheriff’s and jail funding.

Measure J hopes to answer George Floyd protests by reallocating some county funds

By Joshua Gamson, Ninth Grade
October 30, 2020

Editor's Note: On Tuesday Nov. 3, Measure J passed with 57% of voters supporting the measure and 43% opposed.   With...

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