BH
Tuesday, Kislev 6, 5773 / Nov 20, 2012
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:
4:08 Shabbos Ends:
5:11
This newsletter is dedicated in honor of
Marc Gronich’s Bar-Mitzvah Anniversary This past Shabbat- Parshat Toldos
THANKSGIVING HEADGEAR
ISRAEL’S IRON DOME DEFENSE
Mrs. Carroll’s first graders are wearing their brown Pilgrim hats with the buckle for men, white bonnets for Pilgrim women and a colorful Native-American headdress, too!
One of the most important features of Israel’s “Pillar of Defense” Amud Anan operation against Hamas is the new, innovative “Iron Dome” called Kipat Barzel in Hebrew, a hi-tech interceptor missile system which tracks and dismantles incoming rockets and missiles before they reach major population centers. It CHANUKAH IS COMING SOON doesn’t work every time, but it has already The school is already in the Chanukah spirit: saved against many Hamas rockets from hitting Kindergarteners colored in these big linking civilian areas. Baruch Hashem, and thanks to dreidels for their wall-hanging and learned the Israeli industry who developed this! some lively Chanukah songs; 5th graders are learning interesting Chanukah background REGARDS FROM BEIT-SHEMESH and tidbits before they start the Halacha on it; Mr. Stark of the Beit-Shemesh municipal more Chanukah learning and reporting in the government sent us a warm Thank-You email coming weeks as we get closer. See page 4 for a for what they called: “Avraham Avinu listing of communal Chanukah events, if we Hospitality” during their visit to Albany. They don’t have it this week, we’ll list it next week! were also excited to see the front-page feature about their visit in our MC newsletter! We asked them to share what it feels like in BeitMAIMONIDES Shemesh now: Beit Shemesh is about 25 miles (as 404 Partridge Street the crow flies) from Gaza. Schools are closed in Albany NY 12208 communities within 10 miles of Gaza. The closest that rockets have fallen to Beit Shemesh is 8 miles southwest from our city. There are Israeli air-force bases near Beit-Shemesh, so people hear airplanes and helicopters taking off. Some people from areas closer to Gaza have come to Beit-Shemesh for now. Even though it is frightening to rush into shelters when sirens go off (even in middle of the night, and once just before Shabbos) Am Yisrael is strong and no one wants to give in to the terror!
PETERS SHLOSHIM AT SCHOOL After davening class on Tuesdays, boys & girls joined for a short Shloshim (30 days since the passing) ceremony for Morah Clara’s mother. She wore an orange-red jacket from her mother Kaethe Peters, Kayla bas Volf, and spoke about the lasting value of her mother’s personal writings, and encouraged students to keep diaries and journals for future reading, and for their children & grand-children. Her mother was very strong about 2 things: (a) to help others with life’s challenges, that’s why she became a social worker, and (b) to enrich oneself as much as possible in order to have what to give to others. Morah Clara shared the Mishna from Sukkah about the joy of Simchas Beis HaShoeva, with the instruments (her mother worked a lot in her retirement years to
bring music therapy to kids with mental THE BAIS challenges in the Cambridge Schools), the YOSEF’S eagerness of Kohain youngsters clambering up FAMOUS tall ladders to fill up the oil in giant Menorahs, QUESTION and Rabbis juggling flaming torches, as her Rabbi Rubin’s mother loved colors and rich experiences and Jewish history Morah Clara encouraged the school to take class was spending quite a bit of time on R’ their talents all the way, be it art, or storyYosef Karo and the kids were already itchy to telling or bike-riding… whatever it may be! move on, when he showed them a piece of Beis-Yosef (Karo’s commentary on the Tur) about why we observe 8 nights of Chanukah, when there was only 7 days of miracle, not 8, since the first day’s worth of oil was not miraculous? It was timely with Chanukah coming, a fun question with many answers…
SURVEYS & GRAPHS IN MATH 5th graders took surveys on favorite cookie, color, and ice-cream flavor, best thing to do in your free time, etc then tallied their survey responses and created graphs based on their data, which are posted outside their classroom.
MITZVAH NOTES IN NURSERY Thanks to parents who keep sending in such wonderful Mitzvah notes to read aloud in class and then post on the growing Mitzvah-note wall, that’s helping to build the BeisHaMikdash!) Keep them coming!
ACCORDIAN ART 5th graders worked with Mrs. Levin to create accordion art (using folded paper with sections) so that some art is visible at first, but when you open it - surprise! - more of the art appears. It is really two separate pictures that come together when you fully open the paper.
PARSHA ON THE FELT BOARD
BIRTHDAY GIRL @ B-DAY WALL
These Nursery students are enjoying a new hands-on way to “feel” the Parsha, as they post and move around Eliezer’s camels, Yaakov and Esav, Rochel and Leah, and all the 12 Tribes. Morah Rivka and Elisheva keep adding new Parsha characters as the weeks go by!
This week was Simi’s birthday, and it so happens that this week the Nursery class decorated a balloon-filled bulletin board all about birthdays because they were learning about Yom-Huledes. Happy Birthday!
TALMUDIC TONGUE-TWISTER
IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING
This weekend is one of the biggest travel In their fast-paced twice-a-week Talmud studies weekends of the year, as people try to spend with Rabbi Yossi, the 7/8 graders were excited this time with extended family. 5th graders just to come across a learned the pasuk in Vayigash (45:24) where Talmudic tongueYosef warns his brothers before their trip twister in Gemorah home “Al Tirgazu BaDarech” (don't argue on Sanhedrin 94a the way) and they learned the Rashi with a few about Moshiach... interpretations of what this travel tip meant.
GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE NOW It’s unfortunate that this is happening, but you can get a good deal on costumes, party-goods etc and give back some support to a local family business that has been so supportive of the community.
ABSTRACT BRUSHSTROKE ART BY HIGH SCHOOL Alissa from Sage College is working with the HS Girls on their art projects. This week they played with brush strokes to create interesting cool effects.
WAIT, WHOSE TIMELINE? This timeline posted in the lunchroom lists Jewish events (Creation, birth of Avraham, Jacob’s family goes down to Egypt, Giving of the Torah, destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, birth of Rashi and Rambam…) and goes by the Jewish calendar. Guess which class made it? Mrs. Carroll’s students were learning about timelines and chronological order, so she made this timeline with them (with a little help from the Judaic teachers) to help reinforce the concept. Another example of cross-curricular integrated learning at MHDS!
DISGUISED TURKEYS
COLLECTING FOR THE MAZAL SCHOOL OF BRIGHTON BEACH The Mazal School (newly renovated last year) lost a lot to major flooding during Sandy. Together with others in PEJE our school is collecting the following to help them recover: School supplies (for teacher, classroom and for student use, in all grades from Nursery thru middle-school). Books (new or in good condition, both Jewish and general, that would be appropriate and useful in a pre-school or elementary school). Board games are welcome, too! Bring them into our school office, and be sure to indicate that these are for the Mazal School.
Ms. Livingston’s 2nd graders read a story about a disguised turkey, CHANUKAH IRONY and then each 5th graders with Morah DL learned a few filled out a form surprising or ironic Chanukah things: about how they One of Antiochus’ decrees was against would disguise celebrating Jewish holidays… but because of their own turkey, him we have another 8-day holiday! along with an Although Chanukah is considered a minor illustration. In the forms pictured students holiday and is Rabbinic not biblical, this is have their turkeys as a: (a) Rabbi who can one of the holidays that non-Jews are most daven, (b) ninja, who can fight off the hunters. familiar with, and is widely observed among all types of Jewish people. PRAYING IN UNUSUAL PLACES The Gemorah has a basic mode for Menorah lighting, a deluxe mode and a Can you say Shema or Amida on top of a tree, super deluxe mode called “Mehadrin min or as a workman on top of a row of bricks? HaMehadrin”. This is perhaps the only time How about a Chassan just after his wedding? that all Jews, regardless of observance level These are cases in Mishna Brachos that 5th or affiliation, do the Mitzvah in the supergraders are learning with Rabbi Shmuly. deluxe way, adding one candle each night!
RAFFLE-AUCTION UPDATE
Raffle-Auction was mailed to area homes on the school list. Did you get yours yet? If not, call the school office at 453-9363/3434. Raffle-Auction is now also available online at: www.maimonidesschool.org/auction you can view and purchase tickets and packages online. Share the link! The “Games Galore” Package (sponsored by the Gray Family) now features about 20 board-games, including: Rummikub, Monopoly, Mastermind, Words w/ Friends, Apples to Apples Junior Edition, Electronic Backgammon, Blokus travel edition, Uno, Jenga tower blocks, Trouble, and more! Along with a microwave, the “Fast Food” package includes a Jumbo family-sized George Foreman indoor-grill. Early Bird Special (free $10 ticket with any ticket order) expires at end of November.
TOMORROW’S (TODAY) EVENTS Due to the shortened week of Thanksgiving, this “MC” newsletter was prepared on Tuesday to be distributed on Wednesday. So the Wednesday school events listed below will be reported on in next week’s “MC” newsletter: “Soup-of-the-Week” at lunchtime. One class’ Navi reports & presentations The “Yaakov & Rochel Wedding” in “Torah-Times” fashion Special After-School Niggunim Sing-Off
MISHNA POWERPOINTS Rabbi Shmuly’s 4th graders are now learning Mishna Rosh Hashanah about Rosh Chodesh and sanctification of the new moon. They each make Powerpoint slides of each Mishna they learn, with Hebrew text and English translation and accompanying relevant photos.
FEDERATION’S “RED RALLY” OF SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL The Jewish Federation suggested that Tuesday’s rally participants at Beth Emeth wear the color red, in solidarity with Israelis living now under “Red Alert” from rockets and missiles from Gaza. The main speaker was Hank Greenberg who spoke of today’s situation with historical perspective and urgency, and what makes the current challenge to Israel’s safety and security more frightening and worrisome and yet also in some ways more reassuring than previous ones. The whole program was only 40 minutes.
at Maimonides and in the Community 11/24: RABBI REISMAN ON T.C.N. Rabbi Reisman’s Navi lecture is screened at the CBAJ Luchins Media Center, 7:30pm. Rabbi Yissachar Frand gives a Thursday Parsha class, also screened at CBAJ at 9pm.
11/26: SCHOOL RESUMES AT 8AM
this Shabbos at Shomray Torah for added flavor, learning and warmth, and a communal Melava Malka Farbrengen (with kids program) will be that Saturday Night held at the school (for an upstairs Farbrengen and downstairs kids program). Families wishing to help out and prepare should contact Rabbi Rubin 423-4103.
We hope everyone enjoys a nice Thanksgiving break (from Wednesday afternoon through Sunday) 12/2: HALFMOON HOME DEPOT Menorah workshop at the Halfmoon Home Depot and comes back refreshed and ready for learning! with Clifton Park Chabad. Spaces are limited, since last year’s crowd was too much for Home Depot. If 11/27: ART VIEW OF HOLOCAUST you are thinking of attending please check first with Mr. Tibor Spitz of Kingston NY survived the Rabbi Yossi at 495-0772/9. Holocaust at age 15. He was born in a little town in the mountains of Slovakia where his father was a 12/8: SHABBOS HOUSE SCHEDULE Chazzan and his mother was a teacher. Tibor expresses his experiences and memories through art As Chanukah falls this year during the academic semester (leading up to and during finals) Shabbos (painting, sculpting, ceramics, wood-carving etc), House is hosting a series of events for students, and also has a remarkable story of his escape from including Latke Making & Game Night with Bingo Communism. He will present his art and his story benefit for Sandy Relief, Sunday Chanukah Minyan at 7pm at the Clifton-Park-Halfmoon Library on Bagel Brunch, on-campus Menorah lighting on Moe Road. This presentation is not intended for Monday, Midnight Breakfast on Tues, and Friday children. Call 495-0772/9 for info. Night Chanukah-style. Events are for students, contact Shabbos House with questions: 438-4227.
11/27: CHANUKAH ESSAY DUE
Each year, American Friends of Lubavitch lights the “National Menorah” in Washington DC and in addition to greetings from dignitaries and music by the US Naval Band, the event honors two school children with reading their essays about “What Chanukah Means to Me” (this year on Dec 9th, Sunday, the 2nd night of Chanukah). 2 essays will be submitted from each school (a 3-4 grade essay and a 5-6 grade essay). It is due at the school office by Nov 27th. Winners receive free airfare and hotel for the student and one accompanying adult.
12/9: MENORAH & WONDERLAND Grand outdoor Menorah lighting at Delmar’s Four Corners (where Delaware & Kenwood meets), 3:30pm followed by the Chanukah Wonderland in Bethlehem Town Hall with a magician, sand art, build your own menorah, cooking demo and more! Free admission, food is for sale. For more info call: 439-8280 or email: info@bethlehemchabad.com
12/9: DREIDELS & DONUTS C.P.
4pm Lego Menorah construction, and 5pm event with Menorah Lighting, Dreidels and Donuts, live 11/28: PARENT-TEACHER CONF. music, arts & crafts and Chanukah activities at the Classes will be held as usual, with a scheduled list Clifton Park Center (Mall) near Hilton Garden Inn of meeting (sent home) for parents to meet with teachers. Please call the office if you will not be able entrance. Call 495-0772/9 for more info. to make this appointment or with any questions.
12/10: DREIDELS & DONUTS E.G.
11/28: BAKE SALE II 7/8 will sell cookies, popcorn and hot-cocoa at morning recess to benefit their year-end trip.
11/29: ALL ABOARD NOAH’S ARK Saratoga Chabad hosts a traveling Noah’s Ark exhibit at this year’s Victorian Walk on Broadway. Cal 526-0773 for info. This hands-on and walk-in educational exhibit is also scheduled to make an Albany stop, stay tuned for additional info.
12/1: YUD-TES KISLEV WEEKEND Motti and Yeshiva Bochurim friends will be up for
Dreidel Games! Arts & Crafts! Storytelling! Latkes and Donuts! 4pm at the East Greenbush Public Library, 10 Community Way with 5pm Menorah Lighting. For more info, call Rabbi Laber at (518) 727-6037 or visit www.JewishGreenbush.com
12/11: MHDS CHANUKAH 4TH NITE “MIDWAY” AUCTION & DINNER Raffle-Auction has been mailed, school families are mailing and emailing to friends and family, and it is now online: www.maimonidesschool.org/auction or you can get tickets at the event itself, which will be lots of Chanukah fun on the 4th night!
MAIMONIDES SCHOOL (Nursery / Elementary / High School) & COMMUNITY 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!”
12/12/12: CHANUKAH ON ICE Saratoga Chabad will once again host Chanukah on Ice as well a public menorah lighting, along with a dairy buffet and crispy latkes and doughnuts, plus arts and crafts at the Saratoga Springs Ice Skating Rink, 30 Weibel Ave, 4:30-6pm. $5pp. For more info call 526-0773 or email: saratora@aol.com
12/13: SCHOOL PLAYS & SONGS The annual Chanukah plays and performances will be on Thursday morning, parents and friends are welcome. In addition our students will also be performing at area senior centers and will be assisting with a variety of area Chanukah programs.
12/14: CHANUKAH WEEKEND No School on Friday, to allow for an extended Chanukah weekend.
12/15: DELMAR CHANUKAH Last Night of Chanukah Party at the Simons in Delmar. 109 Elsmere Ave.
12/16: F.C. CHANUKAH BOWL Annual tradition for children with special needs and their families, 3-4:30pm at Del-Lanes in Delmar. Call 438-4220 for more info.
12/22: PIZZA NITE II The first pizza-night was a great success, there was lots of great feedback on the improved, speedy service, and new offerings! Look for updates as we get closer to the 2nd Pizza night of the season.
12/26-30: JGR WINTER RETREAT This year’s Winter Retreat for Jewish girls ages 8-15 will be once again at Dunham’s Bay Resort in Lake George, Wed Dec 26th to Sunday Dec 30th. This year’s theme is “Hidden Treasures Within” with workshops in creative writing, art, crafts, drama, choir and dance. The schedule includes snow tubing, bonfire, swimming, performing arts, yoga, crafts, talent show and dance night w/ DJ. Girls are expected from as close as Albany and as far as Virginia and Atlanta. This is a project of YALDAH Media, Inc. and Chabad of Southern Rensselaer County. Info? visit www.JewishGirlsRetreat.net or call Nechama Laber 727-9581.
1/13/13: SPA FOR BODY & SOUL Save the date for this annual womens communal event, with an inspiring speaker, delicious luncheon and hands-on workshops, held once again in Clifton Park. Call Leah 495-0772 or Clara 4398280 for more information or to volunteer.