BH WED, Nissan
9, 5773 / March 20, 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 6:51
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:
7:52
IN EVERY GENERATION… AS IF WE OURSELVES LEFT EGYPT
This newsletter is sponsored in honor of the recent series of local Bar-Mitzvahs and the joy they brought our community and for the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Birthday on the 11th of Nissan May his teachings continue to inspire! By a friend of Maimonides
Just as the Haggadah (and Mishna) mandate, each generation of Morah Devorah’s students Look for this “Maimonides Windows” ad in this week’s pre-Passover edition of “The Jewish takes similar photos: Matzahs in hand with the World” newspaper. Our kids indeed “love the pyramids on the board behind them… R. has a answers” and are eager to learn as much as they blue pocketbook in hand, and Y. holds a tall can about Pesach and many other subjects… If staff (that’s really a broomstick). you’d like to subscribe to the JW to read many articles of local Jewish interest call: 334-7018.
“MW” IN PASSOVER’S “JW”
LINES, POINTS AND ANGLES 6th graders began learning geometry in math class. Mrs. Sahay is using the whiteboard with The City of Albany sent this Critical Asset laptop projection to teach some basic terms. Assessment Team to Maimonides as part of a Most Seder objects are round (and they’re not BEHIND THE SALE OF CHAMETZ visit/review of all area schools and institutions learning that yet) but they could use these skills after the Newtown incident earlier this year, to Rabbi Shmuly’s Halacha class learned got a to measure the angles on the pyramids behind snapshot of many Halachic issues regarding the look at safety and security issues and how to the kids leaving Egypt, and while Galut is a “sale of Chametz” including it’s first mention implement best practices, as well as for the “segment” that (hopefully soon) ends, Exodus city’s Emergency Services to have a better in a Tosefta regarding shipping and other is a “ray” starting at one point in history, in the historical background (including Jewish jobs as understanding of facilities & neighborhoods. Hebrew year 2448, and continuing on and on The team included representatives of police, tavern-keepers in Poland), the type of Kinyan fire and code enforcement, and did a detailed (“Peulah Nimsheches” as the Rogatchover Gaon that ought to be used, and whether an Arevwould say) down the centuries and generations walk through and walk-around with Rabbi Kablan (guarantor) is necessary, what type of until our day - and beyond! Rubin and Mrs. Marcia Rosenfield. Chametz needs/could be sold: actual Chametz, mixtures of Chametz, or vessels of Chametz… MAIMONIDES whether there is or isn’t an issue to re-Tovel 404 Partridge Street (immerse) dishes after Pesach, and many more questions. At least they know what’s involved… Albany NY 12208
REVIEW BY CITY SAFETY TEAM
PESACH IS SO SOON! Contact Rabbi Rubin 423-4103 or your Rabbi to: Arrange for the sale of your Chametz Purchase Shmurah Matzah (at least for Seders) Find a place for a Seder if not at your home Ask Halacha questions as you shop/prepare Contribute “Maos Chittim” for Passover needs of the poor in our community
COINS INSIDE THE COUCH?
AFIKOMAN BAGS
That’s a good way to fill up your Maimonides Pushka! Plus, if you find boxtops (on certain cereals, granola bars, bags of flour, yogurts etc), bring them into school after Pesach! Every bit adds up…
These Afikoman bags for use at the Seder were sewn and decorated by these students!
COPPER SULFATE EXPERIMENT
DESIGNING A SOCIETY After reading “The Giver” Mrs. Gray’s English students worked in pairs to design a fictional (but realistic) society using guidelines that included: type of government, educational systems, employment, current, recreation, natural resources, waste systems etc… They also had to draw a map of their “city/state” and based on their model create a Venndiagram that compared/contrasts their fictional society to the one that we live in.
6th graders reported on this in a newsletter or two ago, but we just found the pictures now. As part of an introduction to Earth-Science and learning about elements, Dr. Sahay had 6th graders experiment with copper sulfate being a crystalline structure ..they changed the color by heating and cooling it in a test-tube.
CHOOSING BOOKS AT THE ESTY LIBRARY Tuesday is Library Day at school. The children pictured above are choosing books for take-out the bottom two pictures are of new oversized books that were added to the collection.
STUDENT READS & COMMENTS
This week’s story continuation was written by several students, and joined together for part 3:
The Mystery of the Library File Part 3 -- to be continued in next MC… …Tzvi wasn’t ready to share the whole truth with Yoel, but he didn’t want to lie to his best friend. He wasn’t sure what to do. “I’m OK, I guess,” he told Yoel, “maybe I didn’t get enough sleep last night. Let’s go down to the field and watch the game.” Inside, Tzvi's heart was beating furiously, he feared Yoel might hear it. They walked down the hill together, both deep in thought, neither saying much. Finally, Tzvi asked Yoel, “Are you enjoying the library? Do you take books out to read?” Yoel looked surprised, “Of course I do! I’m excited we have all these new books, I can’t wait for a new book each week…” To himself Yoel wondered: What is going on? What’s wrong?
The setting for the end of Avner Gold’s “Fur Traders” is in Albany! (7th grader) “Exiles of Crocodile Island” by Henya Mayer really gets you into the story! You feel like you’re friends with the character and have to be there to help though hard times. (5th grader) “Bakers Dozen” is humorous fiction. The settings are realistic & possible. (5th grade) I think my father will be happy that I took out “The Secret of Success”. One of the stories is a story that he tells me a lot. (2nd grader)
DANCING UP A STORM These Maimonides students are dancing up a storm at the Alumni Torah celebration and Moshe’s Bar-Mitzvah at Shabbos House on March 10th. There was more lively dancing at Azriel’s Bar-Mitzvah this past Sunday. Adar may have passed, but the joyous spirit lives on!
CLEANING UP THE HOUSE?
If you come across decent stuff that you no NEW BOOKS IN ESTY LIBRARY longer need, our General Studies teachers may be able to sell it at their Spring-time GarageThanks to these sponsors of new books dedicated in the “Esty Library” at Maimonides: Sale to benefit the year-end trip. Items can be brought into school to be stored at the sale site Dina Crane in memory of her mother. (at a private home). Limited pickups may be The Chandler family in honor of their possible, please also call the school office ahead granddaughter Shaina Brandel. before bringing in larger items. Please, no large The Wildman family in honor of Shlomo’s appliances and no TV’s. Last year this sale was 2nd birthday and Adina’s 4th birthday. very successful. Thanks a lot!
Some Bar-Mitzvah donations in the works...
BOYS OVERNIGHT TRIP TO NY Motti R. offered to take the Bar-Mitzvah boys on a bus trip down to NY for pre-Pesach & the Rebbe’s Birthday (11th Nissan) Farbrengens. Most took him up on it, and with parent and school permission will be headed down on Thursday and returning on Friday.
HAGGADAH FROM ONE VERSE Rabbi Shmuly showed his Gemorah class the background reasons for many parts of Maggid, why we say the selections we do, and in which order, - is based on a single verse (Shmos 13:8) that we tell to “the son who does not know to ask”. It is a great example of how so much info can be learned from each & every word of Torah. The “4 Sons Conference” cartoon pictured above was commissioned by Rabbi Rubin for his “Holiday Guide” newspaper a number of years ago, and reflects the Rebbe’s insight into the “son who does not know to ask…” which is different than the little baby often pictured in most illustrated Haggadahs. (BTW, the 3 sons on the left all have question marks, only depends how they use them: The wise son has them as bookmarks, the wicked son as boxing gloves and the simple son uses them as earrings…)
MORE PESACH PROJECTS 2nd graders made these with Morah Devorah, including their own Haggadahs, Seder-plates, and Sefirat Ha’Omer charts!
REMEMBER: OMER COUNTING Remember, we start counting the Omer on the night of the 2nd Seder! Try to get off on a good start and don’t miss a night…
PESACH KOSHER QUESTIONS? Call your Rabbi or the Vaad HaKashruth at: 489-1530 or email: vhcd51@yahoo.com. The Vaad’s yellow Pesach booklet has lots of info (pick it up at Price Chopper Colonie etc).
FAMILY PESACH CUSTOMS Morah Devorah Leah asked students in a few classes to write down Pesach family traditions or customs, and posted them on a “V’hee She’omdah” bulletin board. A nice twist on this Haggadah passage: “For this has stood for our ancestors and ourselves…” Here are a few: Before the meal, instead of dipping egg into saltPESACH ELEPHANT MASKS? water, we crush it up to make egg-salt-water-soup! Nursery made these one day this week for the My birthday is on the 8th day of Pesach. We plague of Arov (wild beasts) that overran Egypt celebrate during the Moshiach Seudah with a before the Jews were Matzah cake and frozen fruit. I usually say a allowed to leave. They Dvar Torah then, too. also made these Seder We make sure to have delicious fresh Chametz pillows with the words (not whatever is left) on the morning before “Kulanu Mesubin” (we Pesach morning, usually doughnuts. are all reclining) from Once when my father was a kid, they accidentally the Mah Nishtana, called the Shank-Bone a “Shark-bone” and that among their various stuck, and we still joke about that every year! Pesach learning and We put a scallion at each person’s place-setting. projects to take home! (First of all, it gets guests to ask questions!) It is a Sephardic custom for people to “whip” each other with the scallions at a certain part of Maggid. Our family makes a quick hour-and-half seder for people who can’t stay long, then we stay for a longer Seder for our family and those who want to stay on with us. We go down to NY every year on Chol HaMoed.
NANO VISIT Last Friday our middle school students enjoyed a tour of the Nanotech facility at UAlbany. They watched a cool film on the progressive improvement of computer video games and how that is directly connected to the advancement of the “chips” that power computers and do the processing. Each student got a “CNSE” cap, and Noah got to put on a “bunny-suit” worn by all those who enter the “clean-rooms” with all the fancy, neat-looking and expensive equipment. The monthly classes with Mr. Levin have helped them connect the dots between computer technology, mathematics and engineering, and this tour showed it to them on-site, first-hand. The extreme carefulness with even the slightest particle in the “clean-room” was a way to think about our obsession against Chametz!
at Maimonides and in the Community 3/21-22: HALF-DAYS @ MHDS
4/4: POST-PESACH PIZZA NITE
Thursday and Friday, half-days. Dismissal at 11:30am, send snack but no lunch.
Taste fresh-baked Chametz Pizza two days after Pesach, Thursday evening 5-7pm at Nathan’s Kitchen at Maimonides. 3:30pm earlier take-out is available only by advanced orders to: bnoschayaprograms@gmail.com.
3/21: NISSAN 11 FARBRENGEN After Mincha (6:55)/Maariv at Shteeble, as well as discussion about Lag B’Omer plans (this year is too early for Hoffman’s season).
3/23: SHABBOS HAGADOL
4/8: HOLOCAUST LECTURE Center for Jewish Studies hosts NYU’s Prof Marion Kaplan (3 times National Book Award winner) on “Extraordinary became Ordinary - Jewish Life in Nazi Germany” 7pm at UAlbany Performing Arts Center.
Shabbos morning pre-Passover lectures: Rabbi Rubin (Shomray Torah): “Should father also ask Questions? Why/why not?” plus a journey into a “page of Rambam” in 4/9: VT GOV KUNIN @ J-FED honor of his Erev Pesach birthday. Rabbi Lehrfield (CBAJ) “Is there room for Madeleine Kunin was Vermont’s only Jewish Yosef at the Seder?” at 10:45am. and female governor and will speak for the Federation’s Womens Philanthropy event, 3/23: RABBI REISMAN’S CLASS 7pm at Nanotech South Auditorium. Cost is Now begins 9:30pm on Sat Nights, screened $20pp. Call 783-7800 x234. at CBAJ. Rabbi Frand on Thursdays 9pm.
4/23: PESACH SHEINI
3/25: EREV PESACH MORNING 8am Shachris at Maimonides (instead of Shteeble) followed by a First-Born Siyum by Rabbi Simon and a communal Chametz burning (special permission granted by Fire Captain Alex Kapczynski). Finish eating Chametz before 10:57am, finish burning by 11:59am. Earliest Seder Kiddush at 7:50pm.
3/28: CHOL HAMOED THURS This year (weather-permitting) Thursday seems to be the best day for an outing, because Friday is Erev Shabbos, and Sunday is already Erev YomTov for the last days. Is anyone up for a family-group trip? Ideas?
3/28: KINUS TORAH NIGHT Between Mincha/Maariv and following, will be the annual Alumni Kinus Torah at the Shteeble, come hear some learning shared.
3/31: KIDS PESACH PROGRAM 11am in Ridgefield Park, near\ the corner of Peyster & Ridgefield streets. Holiday games, prizes (include a scooter, remote helicopter, Lego set, Matzah cover etc), stories, Mitzvos.. Info? 522-8478 or Mottel770@gmail.com. RSVPs help, too, and sponsors are welcome.
4/3-4: POST-PESACH SCHEDULE Wed 4/3: No school on the day after Pesach. Thurs 4/4: School resumes after the long Pesach vacation at 8am.
Matzah & Shmears at Lunch at school, in honor of “Pesach Sheini” the 2nd Passover.
4/28: LAG B’OMER DAY Stay tuned for special festivities! TBA…
STUDENT ART ON DISPLAY AT “BACH” “Making Faces” and expression was a big theme for 6th grade art this month with Mrs. Levin. Their self-portraits in Warhol style went on display this week at the Bach Public Library on New Scotland Ave. Go check it out! You can even stop by before a Mincha-Maariv time on Chol HaMoed at Shomray Torah. After Mrs. Levin took the Warholtype faces artwork to post at the Bach Library, the abstract “Faces” project continued with a sculpture activity using a variety of junk materials including spent toilet paper rolls softened in water & used aluminum foil pieces. That’s what Calev is doing here, shaping cardboard and painting.
COMMUNAL SEDERS AROUND TOWN If you are not planning a Seder of your own, many local families love having guests - or you can try one of these communal Seders: CBAJ (1st night) $40 adult/$36 child (members: $36 adult/$30 child) RSVP by 3/10: cbaj.org or 489-5819. Shabbos House (2 nights) primarily for students, community please call to RSVP: 438-4227 / mail@shabboshouse.com Beth Israel Schen (2 nights) Members $32 non-members $38 Kids 5-12 $18 free under 5. RSVP by 3/20: 377-3700 Beth Tephilah Troy (2 nights) contact/ RSVP: 894-3491. Bethlehem Chabad (1st night) Normanside Country Club $25 adult, kids $10, RSVP by 3/20. BethlehemChabad.com Saratoga Chabad (2 nights) $18 adult, $10 child. 526-0773 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Or if interested in getting away for a stay-away holiday, check out the Laber’s Pesach Holiday Retreat at Ft. William Henry Hotel in Lake George. Call 727-9581 for cost and details.
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!”
THE ART OF PESACH PREPARATIONS Grades 3 & 4 did some artwork on Pesach Prep, it’s on the bulletin board inside the old entrance. Here are two: (L) Cleaning for Pesach (R) Burning the Chametz.
SPELLING & VOCABULARY PRACTICE Mrs. Carroll’s students are hard at work practicing their weekly words, using a variety of worksheets & activities. Just after this picture was taken they were getting ready to read a story on Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
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