One of his paintings (“Jumping Beatles”) was included in an earlier issue of NU.

During this past summer, Jeremy worked for the Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill on the construction of their new exhibit hall, the “Dinosaurium.”  The museum is a hands-on experience for children from 1 to 10 years of age and their families and caregivers. So this new dinosaur-focused exhibit included a pit for excavating dinosaur bones, activities under a paleontologist’s tent, a full-scale Pteradon suspended from the ceiling, and the head of a Triceratops that roars.

Much of Jeremy’s work included helping cut out, paint, and assemble the 15’ tall Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton built as part of a climbing structure for this new exhibit.

Periodically, the exhibit staff cleaned up the exhibit hall to make room for a new structure, to reduce the dust, and to make it easier to work in the space. Sawdust, scraps of wood, and other materials left over from fabricating the structures, the activity areas, and the dinosaur skeletons were piled into boxes and thrown away.

Many of these remnants had odd shapes and often had holes shaped like a bone, a clump of grass, or a tree limb. These irregularly shaped pieces were intriguing to the artist in Jeremy. So one night instead of putting the boxes into the dumpster, Jeremy put them into the car and took them home.

Over the next several months, Jeremy assembled and reassembled them into a number of different configurations on his garage floor. In celebration of his grandmother’s birthday, Jeremy chose his favorite “dinosaur remnants” to create a wall sculpture (“80”).

Painted in vibrant colors, “80” is dynamic with a great deal of energy and movement. The piece is big (7’4” wide by 9’2” high) and it is fragile since it is assembled from so many different pieces. Serendipitously, the sculpture comes apart in three sections, so it could get out of the garage and be easily moved in a truck.

“80” was first installed in the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) lobby for the center’s “Party with a Purpose,” an event to celebrate Milly Iris (Jeremy’s grandmother) and to raise funds to support the center.

The sculpture hung at SOPAC for six weeks, from the beginning of December to the middle of January. After that, the sculpture was disassembled, transported in the family’s truck, and reinstalled at the Garden State Discovery Museum.

“80” now greets museum visitors and demonstrates how the remnants of one activity can become the inspiration of a whole new idea.
Jeremy still has two more boxes of scraps in his garage…and will get to them eventually.

Jeremy Iris-Williams, 17, attends the Lewis School in Princeton.

This program is run through the Avi Chai Foundation and has expanded into our community this year. Write On For Israel is a two-year commitment designed for high school juniors.

Our trip to Israel focused on how to defend Israel on a college campus and how to advocate Israel’s moral army. We met with the official spokesmen for Israel’s prime minister, members of the foreign ministry, mayors of cities, authors, and more. Plus, we went to several borders: Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, and Gaza. The Golan Heights and Jerusalem were our main focuses, but we visited other cities as well, including Sderot.

A majority of the rockets launched into Sderot come from a Gaza town, Beit Chanun, that I could see as we stood on a high hill in Sderot.

Rockets are still being launched into Sderot today. In fact, two hours after my group toured Sderot, two Quassam rockets hit the town.

When a rocket is launched, a loud siren spreads throughout the city. Civilians have 15 seconds to run to the nearest bomb shelter. They have 15 seconds to run for their lives: they don’t know if the rocket is going to hit a mile away from them, or thirty feet away from them.

Split-second, life-threatening decisions are made constantly for the civilians of Sderot. Ninety four percent of children living in Sderot suffer from post dramatic stress disorder; tranquilizers are part of their daily diets.

Due to the extreme number of rockets being launched, the city is virtually a large bomb shelter. On our sunny day walking in Sderot, my group and I noticed that not many civilians were walking the streets, even though it was a perfect weather day.

Another surprising fact was the bus stops being bomb shelters. Ours was small, dark, and it smelled. Imagine hiding in this bomb shelter for hours, waiting for a bomb.

This anticipation is what the people of Sderot constantly deal with.

Shockingly, bomb shelters were incorporated into a children’s playground. A large, cement, snakelike tunnel was, in reality, a bomb shelter. To think that innocent children playing on sunny Sunday afternoons are targets of Quassam rockets is a disgusting and infuriating reality.

One of the main topics we discussed while in Sderot was why isn’t Sderot constantly in the Israeli media?

And why hasn’t the world taken notice of this awful occurrence?

A question repeatedly asked throughout our whole trip was, “If Canada was sending rockets into the United States, how long do you think the U.S. would wait to take action?”

Israel waited eight years to take action, Operation Cast Lead. The IDF took the extreme measures of protecting Gaza citizens by sending leaflets, texts, phone calls, and more.

It is ironic that the IDF, who take extreme cautions to not harm civilians, are being attacked by Quassam rockets that specifically target our civilian population.

Because there aren’t many casualties (because there are bomb shelters on every corner), the media has not given Sderot the global sympathy and defense it deserves.

Before my trip to Israel with Write On For Israel, I knew very little about Sderot and Quassam rockets.

Now, I become upset every time I think about the injustices thrown Israel’s way.

This knowledge about the unbalanced bias directed at Israel has widened my eyes to a new world. A world of complications upon complications.

I plan to passionately defend Israel with my newfound knowledge and experience, thanks to my extraordinary experience to Israel with my Write On For Israel group.

Knowledge is power and I now feel that I have the power to inform those uninformed of Israel’s dilemmas, and truly make a change.

Gabrielle Beacken, 16, attends Randolph High School and is a member of Nu’s teen board. The facts for her article were provided by Noam Bedein, director of the Sderot Media Center.

Last November, along with fellow students at Golda Och Academy, I attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit. The summit was held in Washington D.C. and ran from November 6-8. Attending were high school students from all over the country, delegations from schools, youth groups, and other Israel advocacy groups.

When we arrived at the hotel holding the summit, we were told that over the course of those three days, we would learn about Israel, the American-Israel alliance, problems in the Middle East and how they affect Israel. We’d discuss AIPAC and its positions on controversial issues, and how to advocate for Israel on a political level.

At the end of the summit, we would put the skills and knowledge that we learned to use, and lobby a member of Congress.

AIPAC succeeded in all of these elements promised, and made a lasting impression on me and the rest of the participants.

At our first session, we met with one of the AIPAC National Field Organizers. “You don’t need to know about Israel, you need to know how you feel about Israel,” the organizer said. “Then you can be an advocate.”

We were taught that AIPAC’s mandate is “to maintain and strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance through direct involvement in the American political process” and that “lobbying once” is an oxymoron.

Behind the issues

On our second and longest day of the summit, we attended many sessions which specialized in different areas. A few of them focused on the background of different issues in the Middle East. There we learned that it is not as simple as “Arabs hate Israel,” but that there are many underlying problems that cause the uneasy relationships in the Middle East and around the world.

Other sessions focused on the importance of lobbying Congress members, and how to do so effectively. We were familiarized with the positions that AIPAC takes on each issue, and how to present them in a professional yet personal and conversational way to our political representatives.

While most of the day was filled with structural information, it was nice to take a break from it all during lunch, when we heard four inspiring speakers.

The first speaker was Bakari Sellers, an African-American congressman from South Carolina who spoke of his support for Israel. The second was a Catholic girl from the South who got involved in pro-Israel activity in college. The third speaker was a Muslim who got involved at the on-campus Hillel in college and AIPAC, and has become a strong Israel supporter.

The fourth speaker was a Hispanic college student who attended an AIPAC policy conference and has become a pro-Israel leader on her college campus.

These four speakers inspired me because they all had such a passion for Israel and what the country symbolizes, and none of them was Jewish. It helped me realize that Jews are not the only people who care about Israel, and that we are not alone in our support.

Later that day, we selected from a few sessions led by different members of AIPAC. I attended a workshop titled “Engagement Petitions” by Jonathan Kessler, the AIPAC leadership development director. He challenged us to think of ways to increase support for Israel without money, speakers, followers, and help.

Then he told us to pick up pen and paper. “You are the most powerful person in the world,” he said. He spoke about the ways we can make a difference by simply writing the words “I support Israel” and getting people to sign it. He spoke of a few students on a college campus who gathered signatures for such a petition, and how their idea spread all over the country.

On our third day, my delegation had the honor of lobbying a staffer of Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ). We spoke to the staffer for 30 minutes, discussing the positions that AIPAC takes and putting the information and skills we had mastered to use. The staffer was very informed and he received our message clearly. He agreed that we must continue to support Israel in the U.S. and that the U.S.-Israel alliance is symbiotic.

Leaving Capitol Hill, my fellow advocates and I felt as though we made a difference and that we can influence people to support Israel. And yet to make a stronger and long-lasting effect, we must continue lobbying, and we must get more people involved because Israel needs all the support she can get.

So whether you are a high school student, on a college campus, at Capitol Hill, or anywhere else, you can make a difference. Get involved!

Kineret Brokman, 15, attends Golda Och Academy and is a member of Nu’s teen board.

After a few bumps the first night (an hourglass breaking on stage, tech issues, etc.) we thought that the next two nights would be smooth sailing. Think again.

My school doesn’t spend an overwhelming amount of time or money on our winter musical. With only two months to prepare, we do work tirelessly to make the show as successful as possible. All of the hard work and dedication leads up to a measly three performances, but most would say that it’s worth it.

Not to toot my own horn, but it was sort of a big deal being cast as Dorothy, the lead, as only a junior. Generally the lead is reserved for seniors.

Naturally, I was excited, proud, and motivated to prove myself deserving. I memorized all my lines early, stayed late to rehearse choreography, and sang “Over the Rainbow” more times than I could possibly count. My peers and I practiced until it was near perfect.

I think tonight’s performance will be the best one yet. I wake up, and I feel…off. I can’t put my finger on it, but something just doesn’t seem right.

Still, I convince myself that it’s the excitement from last night’s opening performance, get in my car, and drive to school.

First period: Acting. I get into class, sit down, and my head feels like a hammer is being thrashed into it with the force of gravity and Hulk combined.

I start to feel a little woozy, so I make my way to the nurse’s office. After 10 minutes of lying down there, I realize I’m going to be sick.

On the night of the second of three performances, I had a stomach bug.

I went home, vomited more times than I could count, and sobbed on the floor of my bathroom until I couldn’t speak.

How could this happen to me?

On my big night, on the night of all nights, I doubt my ability to perform.

We call doctors and nurses and somehow get some sort of intense medication to stop the nausea. By this time, it’s only a few hours before the curtain opens. I rest.

I never really understood the phrase “the show must go on.”

Now, it could not be more ingrained my mind.

Sure, I was sick, but there was no chance I was throwing away two months of hard labor not to reap the rewards for my work.

Armed with garbage cans on stage right and stage left, and my escape line in case I was sick: “Whoops, I forgot Toto’s bone! I’ll be right back!” I felt somewhat comfortable stepping onto the stage.

Somehow, I made it through.

Despite the urge to run off stage at several points in the show, I stayed on the whole time with a big ole’ Dorothy smile, too.

I guess the point is: you can plan, and plan, and plan some more, but things can always go wrong.

What’s important is how you deal with those variables, and how you overcome them.

I learned that lesson in the truest of ways. I hope that someone else realizes that, even though things really stink sometimes, only you are in charge of making them better.

Rachel DeChiara, 17, attends Newark Academy and is a member of Nu’s teen board.

The good Samaritan that you are, you waste no seconds in rushing to the man’s aid. You are a foot from the scene when the man leaps up, grinning.

“Did you get it?” he asks the man with the iPhone.

They laugh. “Let’s post it on YouTube!”

You just witnessed planking.

“Planking,” or the “Lying Down Game,” is an activity that has recently become a worldwide popular fad. In it, people lie face down in unusual locations, while someone takes a picture or records it.

The competition is on to plank in the most bizarre and impossible places, whether it be on a car, a pole, or on the roof. Supposedly invented as early as 1994 by Tom Green, a Canadian comedian, only in recent years has it spread to the rest of the world like wildfire, spawning additional weird activities, such as “owling,” “teapotting,” “horsemanning,” and “batmanning.”

Crazy as planking may seem, there are always those select few who take it to entirely new levels of lunacy. Here are some examples: A teenager planking on two camels, a woman planking on bags of ice, a man planking on a buoy in the middle of the ocean, and a woman planking on a police car.

No country, no region, is free of this all-pervading trend. The basketball player Dwight Howard and 100 of his fans planked together on September 2, 2011 in Beijing.

Max Key, son of the prime minister of New Zealand, John Key, uploaded a picture on Facebook on May 29, 2011 of himself planking on a lounge suite with his father standing behind him. That caused quite a political uproar.

Even Ivy League universities aren’t safe anymore, as demonstrated by a planking event at Princeton University earlier this year.

Planking may be, I admit, hilarious and wild, but it has already led to numerous injuries and at least one confirmed death. So, please, plank all you want; there are some benefits, if you think you’re getting exercise by doing it, but be careful.

Don’t plank on the roof of a seven-story building, or on top of a flag pole. And please, for you non-plankers, watch out for plankers in the streets.

Certainly people will soon tire of planking, and it is anybody’s guess what the next wacky activity will be. My prediction is… “coneing.”

Amanda Glatt, 14, attends Livingston High School and is a member of Nu’s teen board.

Zac Brower, 18, attends Livingston High School and is a member of Nu’s teen board.

After finally achieving the honor of becoming a bat mitzva in June, I decided to continue to learn more about Judaism by enrolling in Hebrew High School at my temple.

The decision to attend Hebrew High was an important choice because I believe my journey of becoming a true Jew has only begun.

By attending Hebrew High, I am displaying a dedication and passion to my religion, and an eagerness to learn more about it. Although a bat mitzva may seem like an end to your education in Judaism, there are always more lessons and information to learn.

Being a Jew requires commitment and devotion. Hebrew High is a wonderful opportunity to allow young adults in the Jewish community to follow through with Judaism, and set a good example for the younger generation.

A part of being a good Jew is making an effort to give back to the community, and always trying to help others that are less fortunate. I have volunteered at a local day care for underprivileged children and spent several hours with them, and kept them company.

Giving back to your community is very important and means much more then it may seem, which is why I think community service is something to be proud of and makes a person feel accomplished. Another component of being a good Jew is acting like a mensch, which means being a good person all around.

A mensch is a key aspect to being a good Jew, and the type of person who is kind, generous, and always open to doing things for the good of others. Being a mensch is hard to achieve because it requires someone to go out of their way to help others and stay consistent with it.

Even though I have accomplished a milestone in my Jewish life, I strongly believe over time I will continue to follow Judaism and stay devoted to my religion.

Abby Ingber, 14, attends Warren Middle School and is a member of Nu’s teen board.

During junior year, we concentrate exclusively on academics, namely schoolwork and standardized testing (like the SAT and ACT). In contrast, senior year involves a myriad of issues beyond academics.

August through October revolve around college applications, which involve all-important essays, which can vary from school to school, not to mention sending in transcripts, getting teacher recommendations, and deciding which schools to apply.

I decided to apply to the University of Miami, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, Tulane University, Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, and George Washington University.

Then, November through February focus on hearing back from schools, while trying to maintain good first-semester grades to be sent to those colleges.

I found these months to be the most stressful; I knew they would be the determining factors of my future.

The first school I was to hear back from was luckily the first school I was accepted to: Tulane University. Following that was an acceptance to the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Then came my deferral from the University of Michigan, an email that caused me much anguish. Luckily, to my surprise, I heard from the University of Wisconsin a month later, and was accepted a week before my 18th birthday. Upon my acceptance, I knew the University of Wisconsin was the place for me, having fallen in love with the school after doing a summer program there.

From that point on, I was under the illusion that all my stress would be relieved; little did I know there were more issues to deal with, primarily social ones.

Who was I going to room with at Wisconsin?

Did I know anyone going there?

Luckily, social media was a tremendous help and I was invited into a group on Facebook for an upcoming meet up of incoming freshman going to the University of Wisconsin.

There were about 30 girls in the group, some of whom I know. It was this Faceboook group that allowed me to connect with some girls on a personal level and find the ones that will be my future friends.

Although the meet up was a little awkward and uncomfortable for many of the girls, I was lucky enough to meet one of my future suitemates, a girl who shared many interests with me. Following the meet up, I made sure to stay in contact and build on our friendships.

Since the meet up, I have met with some of the girls again and have my three suitemates for next year all figured out. I feel much more stable and excited for the upcoming fall knowing that I already have a group of friends formed.

As my academic load has definitely lightened, I am transitioning into college mode by focusing on what dorm I am going to be living in this fall, the classes I want to take, and becoming prepared for a brutal Madison winter by purchasing a new coat and snow boats.

I feel so happy and blessed to have been accepted to the college of my choice and I hope that other students will be as fortunate as I am. There were many days this year when it seemed like things were spinning out of control for me, but in the end, everything worked out for the best, and is all coming together for me.

Go badgers!

Stephanie Ingber, 18, attends Watchung Regional High School and is a member of Nu’s teen board.

When the snow falls,
outspread branches
lean to embrace
the dusting of flakes.

When the snow falls,
the sky covers the land,
and children form angels
in a transient heaven.

When the snow falls,
snowflakes of a thousand faces,
smile down upon
the covered earth.

Shannon Stocks, 18, attends Livingston High School and is a member of  Nu’s teen board.