"Life is a series of gestures. At first our gestures are wordless - facial expressions, body language, and primitive images. Then we learn to use words - we speak to each other, but often find it difficult to express ourselves spontaneously. Finally, we progress to the written word and learn the power of poetry."

This is the theme of this year's Parallax, the Ramaz literary magazine. It is also a good explanation of what we do each week in Parallax, the writing club. Each Monday afternoon we get together to try a new creative writing project and to test out our results on each other. The process is freeing and fun and promotes creative growth. We learn to write by writing. Anyone can join and the best work may appear in Parallax.

Parallax 2004 has just been awarded a Gold Medal from Columbia University's Scholastic Press Association. Student editors of this issue were Michael Gluckstadt, Neil Goldman, and Rachel Trager, literary; Neil Goldman and Sarah Sultan, art. Barbara Abramson is the art and design adviser of the magazine. Ellen Rosen is Parallax's art adviser. Dr. Edith Honig advises the weekly Parallax group and serves as literary adviser of the magazine.