The Twilight books are absolutely fascinating.  I had never read a book with vampires before, each chapter was absolutely intriguing.  The main character, Bella Swan, is just an average 17 year old high school girl who finds true love with gorgeous vampire Edward Cullen. The action-packed plot is completely unrealistic, but in contrast the character’s personalities are so accessible and truthful.  Although Twilight is definitely no Gatsby or The Catcher in the Rye, its a great, pleasurable, and easy read for any girl my age.  

SO–ATTENTION ALL FEMALES 13-19: READ TWILIGHT.

I spoke last week at Schechter Upper School in West Orange at the induction ceremony for the National Honor Society. Here’s what I said:

Thank you so much - it’s an honor to be speaking here today, and I am flattered by those who thought to invite me. I don’t know if you know this, but the newspaper industry is struggling these days, and it’s heartening to know that there are young people who still care enough about the news business to want to hear from someone who is involved in it.

Nevertheless, when I hear myself introduced to today’s high school students as editor of a weekly newspaper, I feel a little like a steam ship captain being introduced to an audience of astronauts. Although I like to think of myself as young, you and I are speaking across a huge generational divide, specifically, and perhaps most importantly, having to do with media.

When I was your age, people got their news from the daily paper, one of the big three - yes three - television networks, magazines, and the radio. I fell in love with newspapers in my senior year of high school - specifically, the New York Times - and while I pretended to go to college I actually worked at the college newspaper while trying to sneak in enough credits to graduate. I went to work for a daily news service, and later worked for Jewish weeklies and a bimonthly.

But no matter where I worked in the Stone Age, I thought of news and information as something that was collected and digested by professionals, and that arrived either in your mailbox or television set at certain times of the day - the morning or the afternoon for the newspaper, at 7 p.m. for the television news.

But your world is very different. Thanks to the Internet, the news never stops - literally. Every news outlet must provide a nearly continuous stream of information, because people won’t wait for them to get their news. Think about the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last week - and I know Jewish schools like yours have taken time out to remember especially the Jewish victims. You could get minute to minute updates on Web news sites, instant commentary on blogs, live steaming video, quickly packaged highlight films on YouTube, 24 hour coverage on cable, calls for assistance and fundraising appeals on FaceBook. One news service was actually disseminating news of the attacks via Twitter.

The result is that newspapers are struggling to keep up. Every minute people spend in front of a screen - and that includes cell phones, which are rapidly becoming perhaps the most important medium of all - every minute is a minute they won’t spend looking at their newspapers. Advertisers know this, and the result is a financial tornado hitting newsrooms across the country. The Star-Ledger nearly folded, in fact.

Luckily, my paper is doing a little better than most, because we serve a so-called “niche” market, and because we have a loyal older readership that still likes to get their news printed on tree pulp. But as a colleague of mine likes to joke, “The average age of our readers is deceased.”

I bring this all up not to make you feel guilty for all the time you spend on line - except if you spend a lot of time looking at YouTube videos of cute kittens and the Numa Numa Guy, then you should feel guilty. Instead, I bring it up as both warning and inspiration.

The warning is this - the world is changing rapidly, so rapidly that the knowledge and training you’ll earn in college will almost be behind the times by the time you graduate. Whether you plan on being an engineer or a poet, professions are changing overnight, and you’ll need all the smarts and drive to keep up.

And you’ll need flexibility. Whatever your dreams are today, be prepared to adjust them in the future. If you embrace the change, rather than fight it, you’ll be better prepared not just to survive but flourish when the world turns upside down.

And I know you’re up to the challenge, not just because you are members of the National Honor Society, but because you are members of the Jewish people. I like to think that Judaism, like journalism, has a message that remains vital, even indispensable, in an era of fractured identities and short attention spans.

But Judaism, like journalism, never stands in place. You know how the worship of Temple times gave way, by necessity, to worship based in synagogues. You know how Old World traditions were turned upside down in the New World. You know how the Conservative movement has always strived to adjust these traditions to changing times.

That sense of Jewish reinvention has always served us well as a people, and suggests Jews just don’t “survive” - even though we do - but they adapt. Even from the depths of despair, Jews have found a way to adapt Judaism to a new and even alien culture and lay the foundation not just for survival, but for its revival.

That’s where I get inspired - by young people coming up with fresh ideas, whether it’s an idea for a new way to collect and deliver the news, or a new way to excite other young people about being Jewish. I don’t know if there will been be Jewish newspapers by the time some of you graduate college, even, but I know there will be an exciting medium that will serve a similar function for a new audience.

But let me leave you with another warning, and this is based in what I know about Judaism and journalism. Even in the middle of rapid change, it is important to preserve certain traditions. That’s not because the old ways are better ways, but because certain traditions and standards have withstood the test of time.

In the case of journalism, that means a sense of professionalism. No matter how many ways we get the news, we’ll always need smart, enterprising, and fair people who will do the reporting. People who will ask the smart questions and not settle for poor answers. People who will hold powerful people accountable and give a voice to the people with no power.

Judaism, too, is a constant conversation between what’s new and what’s stood the test of time. I’m a person who is proud of the way Judaism adapts to change, but I also like to see tradition have a seat at the table. And that’s how I view my Jewish newspaper - we’re always reporting on what’s new, but we’re also deeply aware of tradition. It’s a blanace I hope you will be able to strike throughout your lives.

Thank you.

As thanksgiving break approaches us, we are also getting closer and closer to the single most busy shopping day of the year: Black Friday.  Notorious for its great sales, black Friday traditionally attracts millions to malls and department stores around the country in search of holiday gifts. In a recent November 14^th article, the Star Ledger claimed “The Commerce Department today said that retail sales fell by 2.8 percent last month, surpassing the old mark of a 2.65 percent drop in November 2001 in the wake of the terrorist attacks that year.”  With such a drop in retail sales, how will the traditionally busy holiday-shopping season play out?

According to whiz.com news reporter in her article, The Economy and the Holiday Season, Jennifer Steck says that black Friday will continue to be a busy, profitable day for retailers across the country. She claims that because of the lowering of gas prices, families have been able “to save a few extra bucks for one more present for a friend or family member.”  She then continues to say how the great sales of Black Friday will attract just as many, if not more buyers then in previous years because of the great holiday bargains.  In a time where more and more people are becoming conscious of there spending, Black Friday will provide an excellent opportunity to buy cheap.

CVS KIMT, Iowa and Minnesota’s CBS news channel, predicts in an online article for revenue to be low for retailers this holiday season, because many people may be looking to give homemade gifts. Iowa artist Glennda Metzen said, “In these times of our economic recession that we are in, people are looking for a way to create and make homemade things rather than buy them.”  In some places this year, homemade gifts may become more popular then the normal, store-bought holiday presents.

The Pacific Buisness News newspaper of Honolulu, Hawaii brings up another issue concerning the economy and the holidays: business holiday parties.  An annual survey the newspaper conducted from a New York-based executive search firm claimed, “Only 81 percent of businesses will have some type of holiday celebration this year, the lowest level in 20 years, [and] additionally, 37 percent say their event has been impacted by the economy in some way—either cancelled or scaled back.” With so many companies struggling with their financial situations, the holiday season at work may be very different for many working Americans.

Finally, travel and airfare are being greatly affected by the recent economy.  The Daily Collegian Online’s Kevin CIrilli wrote an article on November 11^th about the travel dilemna facing many Penn State students.  Thanksgiving day will host the last Penn State home football game of the year- against rival Michigan. Many students are now deciding to miss the game and go home a day early, because of the cheaper air-fare on Thanksgiving day. Allison, a student and huge football fan, says she would sell her Nov 22^nd football ticket. “I definitely want to be there for the game,” she said. “But because the ticket prices were cheaper for Thursday, I’ll forgo the game.”  Allison is one of many students who now has to more clearly consider airfare and flights because of the hurting economy.             

Before reading all of these different articles, I did not really understand the affect the current situation of our economy would have on the holiday season.  Now I can see its effects trickle down in so many different ways, and how everyone will be affected somehow by a change in their holiday season.  So, this year although the sales might be better then ever before, spending during the holiday season in general is going to be very difficult for families across America. 

This election, while being still at the cusp of the 21st century, will define an era for civil rights. The mere fact that an African-American was able to break through amid much controversy over particular policies, etc. represents a progression from the racist America that many of our parents grew up in; something we as the youth should be proud of.

I too had my doubts about this candidate as was articulated in previous posts, however, I feel very strongly for Barack Obama, and have for over a month now (once I took the time to evaluate his positions).

To address many common issues/fears:

1. Barack Obama is NOT Muslim: his father was, a man whom he has had very little connection with throughout his life.
2. With regard to Israel, both Obama and McCain’ plans were in essence the same. And, in his short 24 hours as President-Elect, he has approached Rahm Emanuel, a Jew of Israeli descent, as Chief-Of-Staff.
3. Many believe that Obama is too liberal to run this country, to that I would like to remind you of a safeguard  put in place by the Constitution; Checks and Balances which ensure that he can do no major damage without the approval of Congress and the Supreme Court.
4. Obama’s Foreign policy regarding Iraq and Iran, to pull out troops can do no more harm than has already been done. America needs to concentrate its efforts on internal problems rather than meddling in other countries affairs, breeding hostility.

These are just a few of the concerns I have heard being voiced. Face it: Elections are over and Barack Obama was victorious (with the majority of America’s popular vote in addition to just electoral votes as in 2000).

Change is upon us, embrace it.

Everyone who participates will have the chance to win a 50″ flat screen TV and the evening will end with a pizza party.

Email supersunday@ujcnj.org, call 973-929-3010, or visit www.ujcnj.org/supersunday.

Since I was little, I kew I wanted to serve in the military. And not just in a desk job; I want to fight as a Marine. I started to get really serious about this in 8th grade. At the time, Barack Obama was a nobody and Bush’s approval rating hadn’t tanked too horribly yet. I had set my mind on going to one of the five military service academies: West Point (aka Army); Annapolis (aka Navy); the Air Force Academy; the Coast Guard Academy; or Kings Point (aka Merchant Marines). I had heard of 4 of these 5. I hadn’t heard of the Merchant Marine academy. But when I found out that it was a maritime school, I set my mind on going there. I had figured that I would get my education in naval architecture/marine engineering there, and then fulfill my military commitment. All of that was well and good, until the Fall of 2007…

In the Fall of 2007, this year’s election race really took off. The primaries were crazy. Things got really heated. And then Barack Obama became the only Democratic nominee. Thats when things got nuts. Obama appeared to be (at least to a Conservative thinker like myself): a left-wing nutjob who loved all Arab nations: a socialist; a terrorist sympathizer; and a black rights radical. It turned out to be worse than that - Obama said that he would meet with the leaders of Iran with no preconditions. That was the day I decided that if Obama got elected, I was going to enlist in the marines. I felt that I’d rather risk my own life for my country than sit idly by at university. I want to get an education,  but if there was nuclear attack, all of my education would be for naught.

Needless to say, my parents are supportive of the military completely, but they want me to get an education, and they would fear for my safety. At the same time, sometimes one must do his own thing if he feels that it is the only right thing to do. So on Tuesday, when all of you get out your calculators and begin to, for the first time, compute what your taxes under Obama will be, I will be sitting by the television with the business card for my local recruiting station in one hand and the business card for the admissions building at Kings Point in my other hand, waiting to see who will get my call.

Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read “Vote Obama, I need the money.” I laughed.

Once in the restaurant my server had on a “Obama 08″ tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference — just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need–the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I’ve decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy liked that, but left to do I don’t know what with the money without saying anything to the server.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not have to work for, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he had worked for even though the actual recipient “deserved” money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

Usually spirit week is all in fun, and maybe a little competitive… My grade (the juniors) won  the whole week our freshman and sophomore years, and tried once again to dominate the school in tug of war, a grade skit at the peprally, and decorations.  However, our seniors put up a real fight this year, and spirit week 08 proved to be the most competitive spirit week NA has seen in recent years.

The week began all fun and “spirited” but soon transformed into an overly competive, intense mess.  The seniors made it their duty to diss and insult the juniors at any possible moment, while the juniors spent ridiculous amounts of money on decorations and costumes in the hopes of impressing the faculty judges.  Both grades got WAY to into it, and predictably, tied for first place at the end of the week.

I had always remembered spirit week as an underclassmen to be a week of fun, not a week of stress and aggressiveness towards other grades.  The juniors and seniors were so neurotic and frustrated with a tie, we had to have a “tie breaker” today to decide a final winner.  A co-ed field hockey game was arranged as the deciding game (dumb I know) and the seniors came out victorious.

I don’t know about anyone else’s spirit week experiences, but our this year was just… INSANE.