BH
Shvat 7, 5773 / January 18, 2013
Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org
produced by Rabbi Mendel & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
Candle-Lighting:
4:32 Shabbos Ends:
5:37
This newsletter is sponsored in honor of
Moshe Cohen’s Bar-Mitzvah
in Manchester England this Shabbos, Parshas Bo Mazal Tov! from the Rubin Family
ESTY LIBRARY OPENS FOR SCHOOL LENDING Since the “Esty Library” dedication on the 4th night of Chanukah, students have been eyeing the bookshelves filled with new books for all age groups and eagerly awaiting the day when borrowing would begin. This week was the first day for each class to come in for about 20 minutes each to browse the collection (now about one thousand titles!) and choose one book to sign-out and take home for the week. We plan to hopefully implement a database and scanner for computer sign-out, but in the meantime we don’t want to keep the kids from these books any longer! Pictured above are students of various classes browsing through books and enjoying a little “Library Time”. To donate a book in honor of a special occasion (birthdays etc) or in memory of a loved one, contact the school office (518) 453-9363/3434
KIVORT CONDOLENCES Stanley Kivort passed away this week after a long illness. Born in Kingston, he lived in this area all his life. Stanley worked with steel, he built up his father’s business, working with used and new steel from 1965 to 1998, but his passion was being a solid steel pillar of support for community, locally and around the world. He was very involved with Schenectady JCC, its Jewish Federation (and later the creation of the joint Federation of Northeastern NY), Bellevue Hospital in Schenectady, and HIAS (the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society).
MAZAL TOV SIMONS Mazal Tov to MHDS alumnus Mendel Simon & his wife Elana Arian on the birth of a newborn daughter Maya Kate. Mendel is an attorney & Elana is a 3rd grade teacher. Mazal Tov to grandparents Rabbi Nachman & Clara Simon and family.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
While much progress and improvement has been made in the past two years through a HEIDELBERGER SCIENCE FUND combination of methods (the Sage Coaches, Lisa Kellman made a special educational techniques, heightened awareness, and many efforts by both teachers & students) donation to Maimonides in we are now renewing efforts to help students in loving memory middle school develop improved social skills and interactions, and heightened sensitivity to of her father others. We have begun working with the Charles Heidelberger, a students to help them become more aware and prominent scientist who contributed much to better understand their own and their peers’ cancer research by synthesis of 5FU & studies emotions, and ways to express them better. While this will take time, this remains an of chemical carcinogenesis. He was former president of American Association for Cancer important long-term focus and we hope to make this a positive growth experience for the Research & member of National Academy of students and an improved safe, healthy, fun Sciences. These funds will help fund science and conducive atmosphere for all. projects & experiments at Maimonides.
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
some Lemon-Heads. They played a version of Pictionary (and Guess the Pasuk) while they enjoyed the delicious and healthy nosh.
MAZAL TOV WARRENS Mazal Tov to Ruth & Barry Warren on the birth of a granddaughter Micha'ela Binah to Mara &David Rotbard
LIVING LIBRARY LINK Link to video students showing :Torah Times, TnT, Mishna PPT, library/media partnership www.tinyurl.com/MaimonidesLibrary
NEW FEATURE: BOOK REVIEW SAVTA S. & CINNAMON TREE
This book is a continuation of Savta Simcha and the nutmeg tree (I guess it should be 5th graders shared their “Respect and called the tree series! ). It is about Savta Responsibility” packet with the 3rd and 4th Simcha in Israel with her younger brother graders. They each paired up with one or two Uncle Nechemya and Ezra. Ezra is a orphan of the younger students and explained each boy Uncle Nechemya took him in his house page and set of questions/activities. The 5th since he had no place stay. It is a great happy, graders also wrote essays on respect and shared funny story for kids. them with their classmates. BOOK REVIEW II: SHIKUFITSKY
RESPECT & RESPONSIBILITY KORBAN PESACH IN K’GARDEN Kindergarten learned about the “Korban Pesach” lamb at the bedpost in this week’s Parshas Bo, and had a good time playing with a big stuffed sheep in their classroom.
ALL7/8 BOYS NOW IN TEFILLIN! The Shikufitzky book is an amazing book! It is a joke book. It has very creative jokes and I can spend hours just reading it. I can even spend a whole entire day! Its really an awesome book and I really like it, the jokes are hilarious. You should try reading it. Its for all ages from probably 1st grade until you get very old. All ages will enjoy it!
BOOK REVIEW III: A LONE STAR It’s an amazing novel with lots of action. a spy for the Mossad is in Iran finding info for Israel. He ends up escaping with some Jewish children after saving one of their relatives from death. -rated 4 and a half stars.
Since Azriel L. had Hanachas Tefillin this Thursday, (which the boys davening class SHAPES BECOME A CLOWN attended, 3rd grade &up) all boys in that class Nursery is learning about shapes, and how the are now wearing Tefillin each morning, either different shapes can come together with clasps as practice preparation for their Bar-Mitzvah or THE WAVE - BOOK & VIDEO and make a moving clown! post their Bar-Mitzvahs. It’s on their minds The 6th grades class finished the book of The and close to their hearts (literally, too!) Wave and are now watching the video. We SCIENCE FIRE EXPERIMENT Mrs. Sahay burned up a paper and showed us hope we get good grades on our diorama's since we worked so hard on them (see below) that a paper or anything that changes in to something and that cannot change back is a chemical change. Then Mrs. Sahay put in 5 glass cups with vaseline, sodium and other chemicals She lit it and the flames were green, red and other colors.
NEW BOOKS IN ESTY LIBRARY
DOUBLE-(TRIPLE) SIYUM 3rd & 4th (below not all pictured ) celebrated a Chumash Siyum together (3rd finished Lecha -Lecha and 4th finished Vayeitze) with Traders Joe’s Pareve ice-cream in cones and half-moon cookies, as they watched the dramatic “Young Avraham” animated film. 5th grade had their own Siyum on Vayigash, with healthy nosh in their classroom, including cantaloupe, raisins, New books were recently sponsored by Rabbi olive-oil popcorn, chocolate, juice and also Mendy & Devorah Leah Mathless in memory of Nachman Aryeh ben Aharon; by Rabbi Mendel & Raizy Rubin in honor of Sarah’s 10th birthday; and 25 books by R’ Mendel Notik and family of Seattle WA in memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn as we REFRESHED TALLEISM approach her 25th yartzeit on Shvat 22. Thank Thanks to Mr. Marc Gronich and Colonial you, our kids will put these books to good use! Cleaners (on North Allen Street)
FIFTH GRADE VISIT TO FORT CRAILLO (DUTCH) 4th and 5th grade visited Fort Craillo last week as part of a unit on pre-NYS history, back when this area was a Dutch settlement. This fort was owned by the Van Rensselaer family in the 1700’s. They were very wealthy, and owned thousands of acres in what is the Capital Region. Inside the home, they saw old furniture and other period objects, including a “sitting-up” bed which was then thought to be good for improving posture. Also back then they drank beer as we drink water, and thought smoking was good for you! The kitchen was in the basement so it wouldn’t get as hot. Their tour guide Erin was Ita’s neighbor on Glenwood Street. What a small world!
WINTER ACTIVITIES & FUN
CHOREF POSTERS –2ND GRADE PARSHAS BO- we read the last 3 makkos and in kindergarten they recreated as well the Jewish home in Eygpt with red paint painted on the doorposts as mock blood from the Korban Pesach.
THE TOP TEN MAKKOS B’ IVRIT
1st GRADERS CHICK POSTERS
BRACHOS STUDY ……
SLEDDING, SNOWMEN & MORE The new fresh snow brought teamwork skills to build an huge snowman (with a tire as a streimel/ hat) sledding and fun snow activities
HS Halacha - we started learning about all the Brachos before and after eating. we started off learning why we say a blessing, b/c everything belongs to G-d and without a blessing we are "stealing", and we also learned the six blessings. it can get very complicated with adding two foods together or processed foods. HS SCIENCE - learning cell division /cycle ……...AND BEE We will be sharing with through the phases G1, S, G2, and Mitosis the different grades/levels brachos lists for all HS MATH -learning how to find the slope different types of food,and have grand schoolwide Brachos bee in honor of Tu B’shvat. and y-intersect and graph the equation...
PHOTOSHOP GRAPHIC DESIGN TANYA & SPIRAL STAIRCARSE We finished our flyers & sent to our clients… HS ENGLISH - To Kill a Mockingbird, we are in the middle of the court case.
HS are learning the second part of chapter four. it talks about thought, speech and action. also about the histalshelus –chain of worlds, or "spiral staircase" -spiritual DNA of the world!
at Maimonides and in the Community 1/19: T.C.N. LECTURES AT CBAJ
1/30: BOYS MISHMAR RETURNS
Screened live at the CBAJ Luchins Media Center, Rabbi Reisman’s Navi lecture Sat 7:30pm. Rabbi Yissachar Frand’s Parsha class is Thursdays 9pm.
3:40-5pm (sharp) for boys in grades 3+ (the same weeks as the Yaldah after-school program for girls). Eli and Moshe K. who run the Mishmar, would appreciate if parents could occasionally send in refreshments (cookies, chips, pretzels etc) or contribute a small amount towards raffles/prizes.
1/19: PIZZA NITE III
Eat-in or take-out! Pre-orders help HS girls be best prepared: BnosChayaPrograms@gmail.com (there’s also delivery option available in zipcodes 12208-9). 2/1: EXTENDED WEEKEND Look for pizza pies (medium size, $10 w/ toppings No school on the first Friday in February. Enjoy or $9 without), sushi rolls, French-fries, garlicthe extended weekend. School resumes 9am on knots, drinks w/ free-refills (for eating-in) & more! Monday, February 4th.
1/20: SQUIRREL APPRECIATION
2/3: ICE-SKATING CLINIC
Join Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center for a brief inside presentation on three squirrel species that live in the Pine Bush followed by a 1 mile hike to explore squirrel habitat and investigate the many signs they leave behind. $3 pp/$5 per family 1:00pm-2:30pm Registration required. 456-0655
Learn how to skate 2-4pm at the Empire “Skate” Plaza (between the State Museum & the Capitol buildings) presented by BlueShield of NENY and the Hudson Mohawk Figure Skating Club. Visit ogs.ny.gov to register. Skating is free, skate-rentals are $3 for kids under 12 and $4 for adults.
1/20-3/1FINE ART FEATHERS
2/4: WOMENS BEIT MIDRASH
Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center An exhibit of paintings, illustrations and wood carving celebrating North American birds in various natural habitats. No charge 434-0405
8pm at Maimonides, monthly text-based learning and discussion, this year focusing on the classic 7 Rabbinic Mitzvot. Call Leah 495-0779 for info.
1/21: YUD-SHVAT LUNCH TREAT Kids, look for a special treat served at lunch-time!
1/25: TU BISHVAT BREAKFAST Annual tradition at Maimonides, anticipated by kids of all ages! This year on Friday morning, Erev Tu Bishvat. Stay tuned for “Brachos Bee” to be arranged by the HS Girls.
11am-2pm at the Sidney Albert Albany JCC on Whitehall Road, indoor farmers market includes farmers, food and craft vendors.
2/10: WINTER SUMMER BLOWOUT Overcome the winter blues at the Schenectady JCC's Mid Winter Summer ! Please join us while we celebrate the best of both the summer and winter seasons!
3/1: DEADLINE J-FED CAMP GRANT CBAJ hosts a Tu Bishvat Friday Night dinner at the synagogue ($12pp, $8 child, $45 family) prayers Federation offers scholarships to area children to at 4:40pm, the festive themed dinner at 5:45pm. attend overnight Jewish camps that provide Jewish Call 489-5819 or online: www.cbaj-albany.org. enrichment and inspire Jewish continuity for summer of 2013 Applications in school office. Fruits (fresh and dried) and nuts, plus fruit for thought at Shomray Torah’s Shabbos Kiddush.
1/27: FED’S “SUPER-SUNDAY” Jewish Federation’s annual fundraising phone -a-thon date. Volunteers needed, this helps fund our school’s annual allocation. Parents, please be in touch with school office if you can sign up for a shift that Sunday (or for a follow-up evening).
donors who contributed to the $10K match challenge, Maimonides is very appreciative of your generous donation and devotion.
ALUMNI, GRANDPARENTS, AND ALBANY COMMUNITY Can you think of someone who’d enjoy reading this “MC” newsletter? See pictures of the kids, keep up with what is going on in school and in the extended community? We now have readers far beyond the Capital Region and some who’ve never been to our area but enjoy reading about our school! Sign up friends and family to receive this weekly “MC” newsletter, full-color via email or in b/w via US Mail, by contacting the school office (518) 453-9363/3434 or emailing: maimonidesschool@gmail.com.
2/10: FARMERS MARKET @ JCC
1/25: CBAJ TU BISHVAT SHABBAT
1/26: TU BISHVAT KIDDUSH
Thank You! To new school
3/10 CCJE 4TH GRADERS @ NYSM The Community Coalition for Jewish Education invites 4th graders to Celebration of 350 years of Jewish Life in America at NYSM 10-11:30 am. An interactive visit of Jewish immigration to America using the New York State Museum exhibits as a backdrop.
MAIMONIDES SCHOOL & COMMUNITY (Nursery / Elementary / High School) 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 maimonidesschool@gmail.com Founded in 1980, Maimonides is chartered by the NYS Board of Regents and is a JF-NENY Beneficiary “A Beautiful Blend: Torah & Worldly Experience!”
CAN YOU “LIKE” THE POUGHKEEPSIE JCC ON FACEBOOK? One of our school families is involved with an effort to rescue the Poughkeepsie JCC from bankruptcy and keep its services open and running in that community. Your Facebook “LIKE” can help get the word out and show grassroots support of this major undertaking:
Facebook.com/savetheJCC DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
SUPPORT MAIMONIDES! It’s takes small miracles, lots of dedication and communal support to keep a small school like this going in an out-oftown community! Now there’s another way to support Maimonides, using the online secure platform of PayPal. Simply use this link:
tinyurl.com/MaimonidesPayPal Thank you for your generous support, all size contributions are helpful & make a difference!