BH
Tammuz 6, 5773 / June 14, 2013
Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District Candle-Lighting: 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org 8:16
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
Shabbos Ends:
9:28
FINAL REGULAR “MC” 2012/2013 This is the last regular season “MC” newsletter for the school year with student reporting. Thanks to all the TNT student reporters & photographers for a great job and thanks to the community for your readership! We will have one more “MC” newsletter next week to cover Graduation and Moving-Up day ceremonies, after that only periodic newsletter updates over the summer (only via email distribution - if you don’t get the “MC” via email, contact us at LAST DANCE CLASS WITH EVE maimonidesschool@gmail.com to sign up). The girls are pictured above before their last Looking back, it was a great year at school! dance class with Morah Eve (who is moving to Brooklyn, and selling her home on Hollywood Ave). They’ll be performing on Tuesday’s Moving-Up. They sure will miss her!
BIOPHYSICIST LECTURER Dr. Zecharia Frankel of Haifa University, a DNA sequencing researcher (and a Chabad Chassid) spoke this week for an international conference at UAlbany titled “18th Conversation: Origins of Life” and on Thursday morning after Minyan came to speak to our 6-8 graders (HS was in middle of Regents testing). His educational background (mostly in Russia) is in molecular biology, physics, computer science algorithms and mathematics! Although it may seem ironic that he works for the Institute of Evolution at Haifa University, he does not struggle with conflicts between Torah and Science, on the contrary: he shared with our students a number of examples (specifically in the field of DNA: chromosomes proteins and amino acids) of how science helps him better appreciate Torah and get closer to Hashem. He also explained how the study of Torah also helps him with science, for in his department he is known for using Talmudic logic and is respected for that, and he feels that the study of Chassidus gives him a lot of perspective.
Happy Birthdays! This newsletter is sponsored in honor of the joint birthdays of Chana Laber and her father Rabbi Avraham Laber on the 8th of Tammuz. HALACHA DOWN TO THIS DAY
In one of their last “Jewish History” classes of the year, Rabbi Rubin studied with 7/8 about the laws of game-playing on Shabbos, in the modern Halachic practical classic set “Shmiras Shabbos KiHilchosa” which was written by Rabbi Yehoshua Yeshaya Neuwirth, who passed away this week in Israel. He was born in Germany in 1927, he and his parents (his father was a Rabbi in Germany) hid in LAST STANCE AT KUNG-FU Holland during the Holocaust and after the The boys are pictured here in their final 2x war came to Israel. He became a devoted monthly Kung-Fu class of the school year with student of the posek Rabbi Shlomo Zalman martial arts master Lucas Geller. They will also Auerbach (at Yeshiva Kol Torah), whom he be showing a few stances and moves they often quotes in his numerous Halachic learned this year at Moving-Up Day. writings. He lived in the Bayit Ve’Gan Jerusalem neighborhood, led a Yeshiva, and ALL THAT RAIN… AND GAGA also served as Halachic consultant for the Gaga (originally from Israel) was the boys’ Shaarei Tzedek Hospital and he wrote a sport of choice this week as it rained and guidebook for nurses about Shabbos and rained and its easier to play Gaga indoors! YomTov observance in a hospital situation.
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
ANY UNRETURNED BOOKS?
BIG SIYUM ON SHMUEL II
Please, please… if you have any books from the Esty Library at home, please return them on Monday so they can be here for students to read next year! Thankfully, students have been very good at returning the books each week, but there may be a few books still out. We hope to eventually get the proper equipment and staff time LAST JEW FROM 19TH CENTURY to get the growing library On the 3rd of Tammuz, Mrs. Evelyn Kozak computerized so it would passed away, she was 114! The picture above is be easier to keep track. from her 113th birthday. Born in 1899 in the Lower East Side, she clearly remembered the Titanic in 1912 (she was 13 at the time) and the two World Wars. Imagine the span of her memories - from the dawn of the automobile to the age of the Internet! Her parents were Chabad Chassidim from Nyezhin Russia. Her TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY father had a hat box factory and opened one Thanks to Raizy Rubin and Karen Mirsky for of the first shuls in Flatbush: Cong. Tzemach putting together a delicious lunch spread for a Tzedek Nusach Ari. At age 30, Evelyn fell ill, Teacher Appreciation Day earlier this week. her father went to the Previous Lubavitcher Mrs. Marcia Rosenfield is pictured above Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak who was then addressing the group about the blessings of visiting NY in 1929. The Rebbe blessed her working together with both the General with “arichas Yamim” (long life), and her Studies and Judaic faculty and the synthesis family always credited her longevity to that. and growth that emerges. The school also After her second husband’s passing in the presented each teacher with a card & a special 1950’s she managed a boarding house in NJ, bonus as a token of appreciation for their and worked up to her 90’s! She then moved to dedication. (Parents who wish to contribute Pittsburgh where her daughter lived, and was toward this gesture should speak to Rabbi doing pretty well until 110, when she suffered Rubin or Morah Rochel). 2 strokes and moved to her granddaughter in Brooklyn. Hey, when they say “until 120!” THE CHANGING & Mrs. Kozak was pretty close!
Rabbi Simon learns Navi with 7/8 twice a week, yet they managed to complete Shmuel Alef (started in 6th grade) and nearly all of Shmuel Bais, but they were missing a few chapters at the end, and classroom time ran out. What did they do? Last Shabbos the boys had a Shabbaton at the Simons, and on Shabbos afternoon, instead of playing around or resting, they were eager to finish off the last few chapters with Rabbi Simon, and they did!
EDIBLE STILL ART
For a fun end-of-the-year springtime project Mrs. Levin had students try to draw a slice of watermelon (a real slice) and then they ate a little of it, and had to draw the slice after that, then eat a little more of it, and draw the slice after that! There used to be many more 3-tier slices hanging on the wall, but by the time we took a picture there were only a few left. This (<) is quite a good one!
SLAVERY IN 1600’s 6th graders in Social Studies class with Mrs. Ramsay each drew cartoons/pictures of slavery in the 1600’s, and the settings and conditions, be it working in the fields or on the slave ships, the slave auctions, slaves codes etc.
MAZAL TOV BIENSTOCKS to Karen and Mordechai on the birth of a baby girl, and to her older siblings!
YEAR-END MHDS BBQ
Despite the rain, we had a full house & delicious BBQ (thanks to 7/8 boys who did the grilling) along with several salads THREE FUN EXPERIMENTS (cucumber, triAs the year draws to a close, and after a big test color pasta, cole-slaw etc) and 3 types of dessert on a science unit that included the circulatory, (watermelon, chip Mandelbrot & Italian ices). skeletal and muscular systems, Mrs. Maher did Thanks to all who paid $20 family fee (and to 3 fun science experiments with her students: Chaya for collecting) sometimes it gets lost in After covering their desks with garbage bags the shuffle but it’s needed to help cover costs. they poured bubble solution and then used a straw to try to blow the largest bubble they could (turned out to be much larger than they expected) and then quickly measured that bubble to estimate their lung capacity. Another project was based on the idea of optical illusions. They drew 2 pictures on opposite sides of a cardstock circle (say a fish on one side, and a fishbowl with water on the other) and tied yarn to both sides of the RASHI ABBREVIATIONS circle. By twisting the yarn, then releasing it, Rabbi Yossi’s 3rd grade Chumash class learned the circle spins quickly, and it seems that about different types of abbreviations and the fish is in the fishbowl, even though its acronyms used in Rashi text. He showed them really on the opposite side of the circle! modern examples like MHDS, JCC, ABC’s, They put sugar cubes in different cups of Mr. and Dr. or Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben water, some cubes crushed, some whole, and Maimon, the Hebrew name of our school). timed how long it took to dissolve. This The word Rashi itself stands for Rabbi Shlomo demonstrated how chewing food properly Yitzchaki, or as some say: Rabban Shel Yisrael. helps with good digestion. Their classroom whiteboard is pictured above.
K-2 YEAR-END TRIP TO THE “MAGIC FOREST” AMUSEMENT PARK IN LAKE GEORGE This trip was last week, but we got the photos this week. Two photos above are students on rides in the amusement park, the other two photos are students and their teachers at picnic tables enjoying their lunch (in the picture on far-right, they are eating in the shadow of Lady Liberty!). Most of the Magic Forest is set inside a wooded area (hence the name), and in addition to fun rides for all ages there are also live animals to look at, and lots of character spread throughout - even the trash bins have shapes and are dressed up! You can’t miss it on Route 9 because of the giant “Uncle Sam” statue standing in the parking lot. In summertime, after Tisha B’Av, the Lake George Minyan (run by Chabad) sets up its white tent and open welcome in a grassy meadow on Magic Forest property behind the amusement park on Bloody Pond Road.
YARTZEITS IN THE PARSHA
ACTION-PACKED NAVI PLAY
REBBE FAVORITES PROGRAM
Rabbi Rubin showed 6th grade “Torah-Times” class that Miriam passed away 10th of Nissan, Aharon on Rosh Chodesh Menachem-Av, and Moshe on 7th of Adar. He also tied the waterissue of this Parsha to the Rebbe’s Yartzeit one of the Rebbe’s favorite Niggunim: TzamahLecha Nafshi, is about our soul thirsting for Hashem (which also tied into their Navi class, for David sang this when in trouble with Saul, which is what they’re learning about).
6th grade boys (with help of 3rd grade) put on an exciting play re-enacting some Navi scenes learned this year with Morah Clara: David & Golias, Yonason & the Garrison, Shaul & the Spear. Noah & Calev made bows & arrows, they used cloth, sticks, & materials found at school to make costumes & props, making most of resources (as our school is known). Mendel W. & Sholom K. co-directed the skits (acted too), Noah & Morah Clara brought in old clothing & tzitzit for costumes. Despite only 2 days prep-time, it worked out well!
Although the “Rebbe Favorites” program was under an hour, it was meaningful and to the point - packed with personal stories, uplifting inspiration and local flavor. Thank you Yehoshua Sussman for a sweet rendition of Orech-Yamim song & Archimedes connection (“Give me a place to stand…”), Morah Clara and R' Feivel for sharing their first time with the Rebbe (and the Rebbe's same question to both.. “Do you speak Jewish?”), Clara at a women’s event (the Rebbe told her to be a light to others, even at the start of her religious journey), Feivel in his first Yechidus (and he quoted HaYom Yom how a first Yechidus sets the tone for life) with Rebbe (encouraged him to learn Shulchan Aruch and live life accordingly), R' Ruvain for sharing his first Lekutei Torah studied in college (about why Yitzchak thought to give the blessings to Esav) and how he feels that as a lens to see so much of the Rebbe's way to this day, Yisroel Bindell for his vurt on age-discrimination (the Rebbe believed in kids, took teens seriously, didn't write off older folks) and his Yechidus asking for a Shliach in Albany, Rabbi Mirsky for his memories of the Rebbe’s enthusiastic encouraging of kids at a Chanukah rally and also being present at the Levaya on the first Gimmel Tammuz, Rabbi Mendel shared several stories of SH students families with the Rebbe, Rabbi Rubin told of his Bar-Mitzvah yechidus and of a Farbrengen in 1966 when the Rebbe described Tan’anyim as real people with bios during a Siyum on mesechta Makkos. Morah Rochel shared 2 expressions of the Rebbe with her parents that showed the Rebbe’s humor, once when she was six weeks old with chicken-pox, the other when her mother worried about her Shidduch. There was a nice spread of snacks, and it was followed by Mincha and Maariv.
GIRLS GRADUATION TRIP Mrs. Kochman chaperoned our 8th grade graduating girls on a special trip (Sunday morning through Tuesday night) to Niagara Falls! They broke up the trip with a stop at the Utica Zoo, slept in Buffalo (their host told them about a nearby mini-falls and it was beautiful), and enjoyed both Canadian and US sides of the Falls. Their highlight was “The Maid of the Mist” a boat ride underneath the falls (complete with ponchos because you get very wet), they also saw a 4D film (3-D visual plus a sensory experience) about the Falls. At the Niagara Aquarium they enjoyed the sealion show and many varieties of fish and marine life, including penguins and turtles. No pictures yet, look in next week’s MC.
REBBE CUBE
Sara & Nechama helped Rabbi Mendel make this “Rebbe Cube” each side featuring a different dimension of the Rebbe and some of what he meant to so many people. At the assembly for Rebbe’s Yartzeit (Tammuz 3), each time the cube was turned, kids shared what they knew or heard about: 1) Brachos & Miracles - kids were eager to share! 2) Action - single Mitzvah campaigns, with bold emphasis on physical action Mitzvot 3) Ahavas Yisrael - Rebbe’s unconditional love of every Jew, like family, regardless of any.. 4) Inter-connected Torah - weaving levels and Torah types together plus life-connections POE’S “A TELL-TALE HEART” 5) Leader - encouraging - brought out best in Mrs. Gray read with 7/8 the short suspense people, empowering - made others leaders… horror story by Edgar Allen Poe, and then 6) Visionary - ahead of times (ex. Pioneering assigned them to each write a similar type Outreach, foresaw Fall of Iron Curtain etc). story. Their stories included pickpockets, karate billionaires, gambling, gangs, ATF, FBI, After the Cube, younger grades did a “Pass the snipers, reunions, the Powerball- you name it! Parcel” question game, older grades watched a Rebbe video with Boy-Scouts and “Challenge” urging us to increase, do more! Morah Rochel SAVING PRIVATE RYAN made a yummy Pasta & salad for school lunch, After a history unit on WWII, 7/8 watched & an individually wrapped baked dessert treat! selections of this film, based on a true story.
at Maimonides and in the Community 6/14-15: FLAG DAY & CHUKAS
6/19: ANTS OF THE NORTHEAST
7/11: SARATOGA 9-DAYS SIYUM
Saratoga has its own Flag Day parade (this past Shabbos) and Troy’s Flag Day Parade (last Sunday) is reportedly the largest in the country. But the actual date for Flag Day is June 14th, this year on Erev Shabbos Parshas Chukas, when we are about to read in the Torah about Moshe’s staff with the copper snake held high to heal the people (which is the source of the medical caduceus), the word used is “Nays” which is Hebrew for Flag! And as the Mishna in Rosh Hashanah explains the role of the copper snake - for us to look up - as with a flag…
Lecture, book-signing & field visit, 6pm at Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center on Route 155, with senior Harvard ecologist. Free. 456-0655.
6pm at Saratoga Chabad, 130 Circular Street. Suggested $5pp or $25 family for meat/Pareve dinner. Call 526-0773 for more info.
6/20: TAMMUZ 12 FARBRENGEN
7/16: TISHA B’AV FAST
6/23: ADIRONDACK KLEZMER
experiences (that continued after the war under Communism) at Saratoga Chabad. $5 suggested.
6/15: WOMENS SHABBOS SHIUR 4:45pm by Chaya Tal at Wildman’s 18 Marwood.
6/16: FREE REPTILE SHOW Is this in connection with the copper snake in Parshas Chukas? Either way, enjoy this free handson show with snakes, turtles, frogs etc. 2-3pm at Faddegon’s Nursery (785-6726) 1140 TroySchenectady Rd, Latham, by Reptile Adventures.
6/16: FATHERS DAY CONCERT Free at Albany’s Riverfront Corning Preserve Park. 7-9pm. Bands playing are Liberty Bells and the 94th Army Band (families, please check your Halachic appropriateness level). Ends with fireworks. Call City Hall special events: 434-2032 for more info. Even if not for concert: fun day to stroll riverside, check out the pedestrian bridge to downtown, buy an Italian ice, enjoy the playground, see fireworks!
6/17: MHDS GRADUATION NIGHT Program to begin at 7pm at Maimonides (so no conflict with 8:20 Mincha times). All welcome! This year, instead of a guest graduation speaker, one parent of each of the graduates will share a few words of congratulation and inspiration.
6/18: SCHOOL MOVING UP DAY Last Day of school moving-up ceremonies, dismissal & pickup late morning after presentations and refreshments. This year’s performances will include Mrs. Lynn Gross’ music with K-2, Girls Dance class with Morah Eve (men and older boys can step out if they choose - to a short program downstairs), a selection of stances & techniques by Kung-Fu class with Lucas Geller, & year-end song by 6/7/8 boys. Nursery & Kindergarten will perform as usual. Awards to students for exceptional behavior, academic achievement and effort.
6/19: CBAJ TEA AND TORAH Weekly class with Rabbi B. Lehrfield, 10:30am.
The Nine-Days (and 3 weeks) ends following day. After Maariv at Shomray Torah (approx 9pm), a Farbrengen of songs, stories & inspiration for the release of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak from Soviet prison 7/24: FARBRENGEN VIEWING and the recent yartzeit date of the Rebbe on the 3rd 9pm at the Shabbos House full video of fabrengen of Tammuz. All welcome! of Lubavitcher Rebbe with subtitles, Niggunim etc, in honor of “Chaf-Av” Yartzeit of Rebbe’s father. Call 438-4227 for details. 6/23: DAF YOMI ERUVIN SIYUM 8am Shachris, 8:45am Daf-Yomi, and 9:15 Siyum breakfast celebration at Shomray Torah, featuring 7/25: RABBI SIMON’S BIRTHDAY film by Akiva Bomzer about the background of the Rabbi Nachman Simon’s turning 29! Not quite, Albany Eruv. Granted, Eruvin was a tough tractate, but it is a big birthday. 6pm at 109 Elsmere Ave. but now onto Pesachim (while not the Passover time of year) much easier and more accessible. Now 7/28: HOLOCAUST ART & TALK that its summer consider joining Daf Yomi for this Tibor Spitz of Kingston, a Holocaust survivor and new tractate of Pesachim (or part of it)! artist will share his story and fascinating life Lively music, local musicians… 5pm at Saratoga Chabad, 130 Circular Street followed by a BBQ ($5 7/28: CHALLAPALOOZA CONCERT suggested). Just in time before the 3 weeks begin! Sam Glazer performing at summertime Jewish music festival, contact www.JewishBerkshires.com
6/23: CBAJ MEMBERSHIP BBQ
5pm Shul’s annual meeting w/election of officers, followed by 5:45pm membership BBQ with bouncey bounce. $5pp for non-members.
6/25: FAST OF 17 TAMMUZ Ends 9:12pm. Start of “The Three Weeks.”
7/1-8/9: CAMP GAN ISRAEL DATES
8/19-22: F.C. END OF SUMMER CAMP Friendship Circle 4-day end-of-summer day camp for children with special needs and looking for volunteers to staff it. capitalfriends.org /438-4220.
8/25: SHALOM FESTIVAL Stay tuned for details, in Saratoga’s Congress Park!
This year’s day-camp season opens July 1st, Mon -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------thru Friday until Aug 9th. Mature, responsible and www.tinyurl.com/LchaimUnite2013 dedicated camp counselors will be on staff this year. A $5 or $10 vote supports Shabbos House/Lchaim For info call the new camp director Mrs. Rivka Kochman/email: campGanIzzyAlbany@gmail.com
7/4: JULY 4TH FIREWORKS Price Chopper sponsors the area’s largest fireworks display at the Empire State Plaza. You can view it there, or across the Hudson, elsewhere downtown.. Lake George Village has a nice show, too, at the Waterfront near Shepherd’s Park.
7/7: SHMALTZ BREWERY OPENS Open since 1996 in San Francisco, crafting beers like He-Brew, and now re-opening in Clifton Park.
7/10: DELMAR 9-DAYS SIYUM BBQ 6pm at 109 Elsmere Ave. Rabbi Simon 439-8280.
YARTZEIT DATES IN JEWISH ART CALENDAR It costs just $18 to put a yartzeit date on the “Jewish Art Calendar” published annually by Chabad. Call 495-0772 or email: calendar@capitalchabad.com to list the yartzeits dates & names of your loved ones to be remembered locally by the community.
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!”