On Thursday, March 28, the Model Congress team left school to spend the weekend at the University of Pennsylvania for their annual Model Congress competition. From Thursday night to Sunday afternoon, Ramaz students were Senators and Congressmen, supporting or opposing each bill their committee debated. Each student also wrote and presented their own bill about a topic of their choice.

Between sessions, the team spent time together, ate meals at the Penn Hillel, and explored Penn’s campus. On Shabbat, they davened and ate at Hillel and enjoyed a kiddush sponsored by Ramaz.

“Since it was my first Model Congress competition I was a bit nervous— especially due to all the preparation I had done prior to the trip,” said Adam Vasserman ’21, “[but] as the trip progressed I became more relaxed and eager to participate. Looking back I had such a great time on the trip as I got to meet new people from different schools, learn a lot throughout the sessions and just have a great overall experience with my Ramaz peers on the campus. Plus the Hillel food was really good!!”

In addition to their regular committees, Ramaz students had the opportunity to participate in several special programs. Esti Beck ’19, one of the team’s captains, served as the Secretary of State in the Model Congress Executive Branch and on the Model Congress National Security Council. Beck put together a policy proposal, debated with the rest of the presidential cabinet, and had to deal with crises in the middle of the night. Gail Hafif ’20 and Josephine Schizer ’20 argued two cases in front of the Model Congress Supreme Court, representing Jones in Clinton v. Jones and Trump in Trump v. Hawaii. Hafif and Schizer prepared oral arguments for each case and responded to questions from the Model Congress justices.

Although Ramaz students missed several conference sessions for Shabbat, the team still succeeded in winning five awards. Esti Beck ’19 won honorable mention in the Executive Branch and honorable mention in the National Security Council; Joey Kaplan ’20 won honorable mention in the Energy and Commerce committee; Gabi Potter ’20 won honorable mention in the Financial Services Committee; and Josephine Schizer ’20 won honorable mention in the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

“We really did quite nicely,” said Dr. Jucovy, the team’s faculty advisor. “I was proud of the team for having done so well.”

“In my first year on the team as a sophomore, I was extremely intimidated,” said Suzi Dweck ’19. “I didn’t want to speak or feel like I was being judged for voicing my opinion. However, as time went on, Model Congress taught me how to present in a way that was simultaneously respectful and convincing. The team gave me that confidence. Now, as a senior and the current co-captain of the team, I hope that Model Congress can teach other students to speak up and give them the confidence to express their opinions and beliefs.”