Party irks Superblock residents

If Wharton junior Steven Bisbee does poorly on his psychology midterm today, he may blame it on a boisterous party that took place in Superblock last night. Bisbee, who lives on the 16th floor of High Rise South, was one of many Superblock residents who voiced concern over the noise created by a Superblock celebration of Sukkot, a Jewish harvest holiday dating back to Biblical times. The party ran from 8:30 p.m. until 10 p.m., with live music running from 9:15 p.m. until the end. The Steinhardt Jewish Heritage Program sponsored the event and the program's advisor, Rabbi Ephraim Levin, noted that Physical Plant Facility and Conference Coordinator Flo Freeman gave permission for the event to take place. "[Sukkot is] a harvest festival so it is a joyful time to celebrate," Levin said. But students who were studying or writing papers were not rejoicing with those who attended the party. "I've been getting lots of complaints about it and I personally have midterms and a paper due tomorrow," said Wharton senior Gil Beverly, the Resident Advisor on duty for High Rise North last night. "It's just ridiculous -- regardless of what the celebration is -- that they would use amplified instruments to celebrate in midterm season," added Beverly, who is also the Undergraduate Assembly vice chairperson. But College sophomore Jennifer Kaufman, who attended the party, said people who wanted to study could have gone to the libraries. And Levin added that the party ended at 10 p.m. so students' sleep would not be disturbed and they could study once the event was over. According to Beverly, more people study on weeknights than on Saturday afternoons when parties, step shows and other events have been held in the past. He added that many do that studying in their rooms. The celebration was held under the Superblock sukkah -- one of the four built throughout campus for Sukkot. A sukkah is a booth made of wood and partially covered with foliage so that those inside can see the sky. Observers of the week-long Sukkot holiday eat their meals in a sukkah. The party included music performed by the Baal Shem Tov band, along with a variety of refreshments. The band, which performed a variety of Jewish music, was contributing to the celebration involved in the Sukkot holiday, band leader Rabbi Menachem Schmidt said. "I think it's great that they had this much noise because I wouldn't have known about it and I wouldn't have celebrated," Wharton junior Cheston Mizel said at the party. "It gives the opportunity for anyone to come see what it's all about." But College sophomore Whitney Namm said she did not want to join the party because she had a paper to write last night. "It's very distracting and a lot of people are affected because a lot of people live here," Namm said. Namm, who lives on the 19th floor of High Rise North, said she considers the hours of the party prime study time. But those who attended the celebration disagreed, noting that 10 p.m. is still early to most college students. "When it goes past 12 [a.m.], it's a problem but it's okay ending at 10," College junior Mick Lewis said. And some did not hear the noise at all. College sophomore Nansubuga Nubirumsoke, who lives on the second floor of W.E.B. DuBois College House and faces Superblock, said she was studying last night and "heard absolutely nothing."