BH. Iyar
23, 5774 / May 23, 2014
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 8:00 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 9:10 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
MAZAL TOV SHMUEL DOVID
This newsletter is sponsored in honor of the Lag B’Omer Weekend Bar-Mitzvah of
and his parents Rabbi & Mrs. Mirsky on his Bar-Mitzvah this past Lag B’Omer weekend, with both a Shabbos and a Sunday celebration. We will miss Shmuel Dovid and his family when they move to NJ next year but we are very grateful for their decade at Maimonides and in the greater community.
Shmuel Dovid
MAZAL TOV ANDRUSIERS
by his parents Rabbi Moshe & Karen Mirsky
Rabbi Shimon and Liba Andrusier had a baby boy on Wednesday. Mazal Tov to the baby’s brothers and sisters and the whole family.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE...
Yes, you can still RSVP to come to the dinner, call the school office 453-9363 or email GRADUATION MAZAL TOVS maimonidesschool@gmail.com. Ads can still Commencement Ceremonies for Touro in AT THE DINNER THIS WED... be submitted for the Journal supplement until NYC will be this Monday, with (at least) two This year, the Maimonides annual Scholarship Tuesday morning. Thanks for your support! Maimonides-connected graduates: Tribute (Wed May & Iyar 28th) coincides with MHDS alumna Mushky Rubin, megaYom-Yerushalayim which celebrates the 1967 JOE BRUNO AND THE TALMUD congratulations to her and to her parents reunification of Jerusalem. In addition to the Rabbi Rubin’s 8/9 Talmud class happened to Rabbi Israel and Rochel Rubin & family. honorees and support of the school, here’s a be learning about how long court sentencing Ben Kalish, husband of MHDS alumna few tidbits to look for on Wednesday: should take (it was a Talmud tangent, and yes Sarah Morgenbesser. Congratulations to Find out which Psalm was chosen (out of them & to Maxine & all the Morgenbessers. 150) to speak of Jerusalem… can you guess? “it depends”) right around the day that former Senator Joe Bruno’s second-trial jury handed Jerusalem of Gold, and Jerusalem of Bold? down a not-guilty verdict. They also came HEY, I DESIGNED THAT FLYER! Selected photos of the year at school are across a fascinating exchange about prayer vs. One of our High School girls was shopping at captioned in the Journal with matching Torah study between Rava & Rav Hamnunah. a clothing store in Monsey when she noticed a Biblical verses and Talmudic quotations, flyer that she designed for a client in their thanks to our students and faculty who PROFESSIONAL PICTURE DAY Maimonides Graphic worked on that. After several years hiatus, Monday, June 2, just Design class hanging up Elegant dinner buffet (will include some before Shavuot, will be professional Picture on the store wall! Now, Israeli style foods) precedes the compact Day at School by Michoel Caras. Parents are how gratifying is that? meaningful program, with a large dessert under no obligation to order, but all children Thanks to Leah Caras of buffet to conclude the evening downstairs. should dress and prepare for it since there will Carasmatic Design for teaching our HS girls Generally speaking, there are strict rules be school and class pictures as well. There are these valuable skills, giving them confidence against any food in the Library-Media several options for ordering, including digital and real-world experience working with actual Center, but there will be a Sushi Chef in clients and producing works that are used. there for dinner attendees this Wednesday. and/or print packages. See note going home.
GOING THE EXTRA MILE Stay tuned for a Middos Fair about character traits, including this project by grades 2&3 about “L’fnim M’Shuras Ha’Din” going beyond the letter of the law, doing more than is obligated or required, going out of your way. Other class projects are 4th & 5th’s “Love Peace & Pursue It!” we can’t wait to see their projects & messages!
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
THE FLAG OF DAN & A CUPOLA 7th grade learned an interesting thing about the traveling order in this week’s Parsha. The Jews were divided into 4 camps of 3 tribes each, and traveled under the flag of the lead tribe of that camp. Judah and his camp went first and Dan and his camp went last. Dan’s camp is called “Me’asef l’Kol HaMachanot” collector of all the camps, because since they traveled last they came upon many lost items that other camps left behind and Dan would try to return them. Judah could be considered the locomotive, and Dan is like the Caboose. A caboose is no longer common, but it was the law for all freight trains until the 1980’s when technology named FRED replaced the need to have a manned crew at the end of a freight train. In order for a caboose crew to be able to look after all the train cars, it had a raised roof with windows called a cupola. And in Judaism one of the most famous cupolas is the one above the Abuhav synagogue in Tzfat, with 12 windows in its dome, according to the design of Rabbi Abuhav of Spain who did not make it to Israel but his students did, and they built it as he designed it. What a windy roundabout random loosely connected Parsha thought, but it all connected somehow…
JERUSALEM ETCHED INTO (OUR HEARTS &) COPPER SQUARES Morah Devorah Leah’s students sketched & etched Jerusalem symbols & motifs into very thin copper square sheets which they are holding up for the picture above, see inset for more detail.
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS with Dr. Sahay for her birthday today and her honor at the dinner this Wed
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AIR PRESSURE: Techniques in blowing up giant 50’ balloons outside school with relatively little effort. And the research and experimenting that went into making the aero-dynamic wind-powered Dreidel that spun at our Chanukah Raffle-Auction a few years ago. And many remembered the balloon-powered car races, and the balloons racing across the room on strings.
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MODELING: Tangible ways to learn abstract concepts, like the electron hats we made & wore, and the long string of beads we used when Dr. Naar visited. Using dance steps to illustrate symmetry and translations was a great visual. Dissecting frogs to learn biology was a great model, too.
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PLAYING WITH FIRE: Changing the color of the fire was neat, and putting out the fire with a cup (without even touching the flame) was cool, too. Changing the color of the penny felt like alchemy!
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WATER POWER: Making the hydraulic models of simple machines that worked was a favorite of many students. Also keeping the water inside the upside down cups was so simple but incredible how it worked. Making aluminum boats to hold pennies afloat was a great lesson, too.
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PLAYING WITH LIGHT: Mirrors, rainbows, the dark black box, and shadow imprints on pages… High-5 is too short but this is some of what students listed.
EACH DAY IS A FLOWER
This Kindergarten Omer chart has each day as another colorful flower adorning Har Sinai, and as we get closer to Shavuot, the mountain gets more full of flowers. It’s a custom to adorn our homes & HS IS OFF TO RHODE ISLAND synagogues with This past Wednesday was HS’ last Bake-Sale of flowers & greens for the year. The proceeds of Shavuot. Nathan Bake-Sales & Pizza-Nites Rosenstein obm would fund extra-curricular take special care to activities, especially their insert flowers or greens year-end (and graduation into the Torah cover for some) trip to Rhode mantels. They are also Island for an extended learning about the Bikurim first-fruit baskets Memorial Day weekend. that were brought on Shavuot, and how the They plan to take our recent Lag B’Omer baskets were decorated and adorned. “George Washington Letter to the Touro Synagogue” to the synagogue in Newport RI. HS FINAL NAVI PROJECT They will be spending Shabbos at the Chabad They recently completed all of Melachim Bais House in Warwick RI, visiting Providence, (Kings II) with Morah Dini. As a final project and spending time on Block Island (including they each are choosing one of the kings to following up on a secret tip from Sid Stark). create a project about in a creative way, using They figured a small school like ours would as many Navi details as possible. feel right at home in the smallest state.
DYKEN POND TRIP
THE BASRI FAMILY STORY
Second grade went to Dyken Pond this week for the school’s 6th annual visit to this outdoor nature classroom. Pictures of their visit and activities in next week’s MC.
Professor Basri (an accomplished attorney and adjunct law professor) was especially emotional retelling the story of her Iraqi Jewish grandfather at the JCC this week because our 6th grade students were present with Mrs. Sanda and she doesn’t usually get to tell her family’s story to young audiences. They learned a lot about Iraqi Jews, and about her grandfather’s travels which included Germany & Belgium at the time when Nazis came to power. She shared an Arabic-type Kristallnacht that deeply affected Jews in Arabic lands.
“CLEAN 14” APPS PROJECTS
On Thursday this week students presented their recent APPS projects, some of which are featured below. The topic was “Clean 14” on physical or spiritual cleanliness, tools or tips etc. MOST CREATIVE might go to Aharon Meir, who brought in a big red bucket ENJOYING PIPI of cleaning supplies and a Mrs. Maher’s 4/5 are chart that read: “Pharaoh’s very much enjoying Palace Cleaning Supplies” Pipi Longstocking’s for the mess left after each outrageous ideas and of the plagues, each tool escapades. And in all matched a certain plague! the nonsense at Villa MOST SCHOLARLY Villekulla there are content goes to Mussie who some nice life-lessons, made a small book of 14 of too, believe it or not! the Rambam’s poetic and inspirational endings to his IN OUR PRAYERS 14 books of Halacha, and how they help us be more We continue to pray for two-year-old VERY GOOD RICH DIRT clean and pure spiritually. MOST RELEVANT EVERY Menachem Mendel ben Menucha First graders were on hand, and helped a bit to -DAY might go to Hershy V. who made Rochel for a complete recovery. unload a pickup truck tips on how to keep a car clean even with We are also praying now for a 10 year a family full of kids. MOST filled with compost -old girl Chaya Mushka bas Hadassah IMAGINATIVE is probably split for the garden, thanks Sheina. between Shmuel Dovid’s 3-rack folding to City of Albany, and The school-girls abducted in Nigeria, Ironing Machine that also has a cooling Mrs. Carroll, Rabbi cycle and turns into a chair, and Shira & #BringBackOurGirls, we hope they Rubin and Jennifer. Ita’s two-person Time-Machine are safe and that they will be The kids are excited (complete with dials returned & reunited. to get the annual and buttons) that allows you to Richard son of Alfred, the father of garden started even if escape to the future & reappear one of our teachers, who is suffering some of them will not after all the cleaning is already done from a serious form of cancer. be around this summer to see the fruits of (by others). MOST TECHNICAL their labor. Think of Choni HaMe’agel story was Azriel’s on Vacuum cleaners JERUSALEM OF PASTELS in Talmud tractate Taanis “Just as I found history and trivia. MOST POETIC trees planted for me, I plant for others.” “Jerusalem of Gold” is more famous of was Chaya A’s, that ends off with course, but our younger students hope these great lines >. MOST SCARY to have a giant Jerusalem of Pastels TEFILLIN EXHIBIT goes to Sholom K’s big list of poisonous and hazardous popular & effective cleansers. Good for the 6th grade girls with Morah Leyee just finished ready in time for the dinner on Wed, which is on Yom-Yerushalayim. countertops but highly toxic if Parshas Bo, with two of the chapters that are swallowed. MOST JEWISH written inside the Tefillin. So Rabbi Rubin might fit Sarah’s spray-bottle of KEEPING IT CLEAN came in to tell them all about Tefillin, they saw “Shprintza’s Shpritzes” which it from the inside and outside, how the knots In addition to all the wonderful APPS cleans grape-juice stains, pine-sap work, how the head Tefillin and hand-Tefillin projects featured on right, Schach goo, Cholen spots, etc each have the 4 Torah chapters that mention there were a few that chose with funny instructions. MOST Tefillin but in the hand Tefillin it is all on one the topic of spiritual HUMOROUS goes to JJ and scroll in one compartment, but in the headcleanliness, and offered tips Mendel A. who included a few Tefillin it is 4 separate scrolls in separate to clean-up our act and be as pure as jokes about clean in their compartments, and they learned the difference possible. It was nice to hear some of the project, and also Chaim K whose between Rashi and Rabbeynu Tam Tefillin. suggestions or tips on sensitivity, being vibrant Spray vs. Stick deodorant They got to take a close look at the scroll’s text understanding of others, not getting poster had some funny lines. MOST HISTORICAL and recognized the verses they just learned! dirty or down with negativity, to find would be Moshe R’s clean-speech research on the They learned why Tefillin is extra difficult for a the good in others, make the best of Chafetz Chaim. MOST Sofer to write because they have to be written life’s situations, and being clean PRACTICAL could be a tie in order, so you can’t go back to fix a mistake. physically helps, too! Very meaningful! between Moshe’s box of “Contain-It” tips for lazy cleaners, Shaina & Raizel & REVOLUTION & ROTATION THE TEFILLIN RING Orley’s posters on everyday 6th grade science learned about the planets in Many have the custom to recite the last household items that also work the Solar system and the difference between line or two from this week’s Haftorah as as cleansers like toothpaste, revolution (annual cycle) and rotation (daily they wrap the Tefillin strip around their ketchup, Coke, lemons etc… or Chaya R’s recipe for cycle) and how the axis tilt and where we are finger, because it refers to Hashem homemade soap. MOST INTERACTIVE would be located on earth and the time of year is how betrothing the Jewish People. Whether Goldie & Shaina or Rivka’s board game or the “Cleanwe have our seasons, and why Shabbos begins this is your custom or not, its certainly a Find” drawing by Emmunah. Great job by all, sorry not or ends later or earlier, and much more!! beautiful message of love & connection. all the projects could be listed or pictured here!!
at Maimonides and in the Community 5/24: SPECIAL THIS SHABBOS
5/30: ROSH CHODESH SIVAN
This week we bless the new month of Sivan. We begin the new Chumash of Bamidbar.
8am Minyan at Maimonides, as has been the custom for Rosh Chodesh, this month on Friday.
5/24: WOMENS SHABBOS SHIUR
6/2: PROFESSIONAL PICS DAY
4:45pm this Shabbos afternoon at the home of Devorah Leah Kaufman 27D Weis Road, given by Debbie Costa. Come to study, mingle and keep up this long-time Albany summer tradition!
Monday morning, June 2nd, by Michoel Caras at Maimonides. All children should prepare for photos, although parents are under no obligation to order. Print and digital packages are available. Individual, class & all-school photos will be taken. Be sure to check note going home.
5/24-25: AGGADAH IN DAF-YOMI There’s some Aggadah (inspiration, stories, lifemessages) on tractate Rosh Hashanah pages 16 & 17 studied this weekend on Shabbos & Sunday. Even if not a regular, stop in for study!
5/26: MEMORIAL DAY - NO SCHOOL Enjoy the extended weekend! Here’s are some local Memorial Day activities: Albany’s Parade begins at the corner of Partridge Street and Central Ave at 9:30am and ends up at the State Education Building across the Capitol. Saratoga’s Parade begins 10am at City Center, goes down Broadway & ends at Congress Park. FunPlex’s website has coupon for buy-1, get-1 for Go-Carting & Mini-Golf in East Greenbush.
5/27: WOMENS TUESDAY TORAH Morah Rochel’s Torah class for women, Tuesday nights 8pm at her home, 122 South Main.
5/28: CBAJ TORAH & TEA with Rabbi Lehrfield, 10:30am at CBAJ.
5/28: MAIMONIDES TRIBUTE DINNER ON JERUSALEM DAY
6/3-6: SHAVUOT EXTENDED WEEKEND MHDS SCHEDULE 6/3: Half-Day AM English only, Erev Shavuot. 6/4-5: No School, Shavuot Holiday. 6/6: No School (one day between Shavuot and the Shabbos Weekend).
6/8: SOUL OF SHABBAT CONCERT Featuring singer/song-writer Chaya Bracha Rubin plus silent-auction and luncheon by Clifton Park Jewish Womens Circle, 5pm at the Shen Adult Community Center at 6 Clifton Common Court. Call 495-0779 for cost & more information.
6/10: SCHOOL TRIP DATE
anyone in the community who’d like to join. Check back for exact times and costs.
6/18: DAVID NESSENOFF SPEAKS 7pm at the Normanside, 150 Salisbury Road in Delmar, $12 advance, $18 after June 15th. David, a blogger, filmmaker, songwriter and whistle-blower is best known for exposing Helen Thomas, and he speaks on media bias, cyber-hatred and the hand of G-d. Call 866-7658 to RSVP or for info. Presented by Bethlehem Chabad with Capital Chabad.
6/19: MOVING UP DAY - LAST DAY Moving-Up Day will be on Thursday and school ends (with dismissal) when that program does, usually around 11am that morning.
MHDS END OF YEAR DATES 6/13: Last Day of HS Classes, Regents Prep 6/17: 8th Grade and HS Graduation Night 6/18: After-School BBQ 6/19: Last Day of School, Moving Up Day 6/23: Maimonides Staff Day
7/2: COMMUNAL SHEVA BRACHOS Wed evening, celebrating the (by then recent) marriage of Simmy Rubin and Chaya Tilson at Shabbos House.
In addition to Siyum outings, graduation trips and other exciting fun, teachers & parents are planning an multi-age end-of-the-year full-day field-day outing 7/3: THE REBBE’S SPECTRUM with special activities on Tuesday, June 10th. Rain- This year marks 20 years since the Rebbe’s passing, on the 3rd of Tammuz, this year on July 1st. Look date would be the Thursday, the 12th. for communal event Thursday evening 7/3 at 6/11: JOANNE CARAS @ SARATOGA Spectrum Theater on Delaware Ave. Stay tuned!
Mrs. Caras, the author of the “Holocaust Survivor Cookbook” and the new “Miracles & Meals” will Wednesday, 6pm at the Maimonides School, with speak at Saratoga Chabad at 7:30pm. $5 suggested elegant buffet dinner and desserts, honoring: Rabbi donation, plus autographed cookbooks ($36) will be available for sale. To pre-order or with any Moshe & Karen Mirsky (the Dr. Morton Berger Memorial Award), Mrs. Reeva Nowitz and her late questions contact Raizel Rubin 526-0773. husband Bernie OBM (“Eitz-Chaim” Award), & 6/12: DAF YOMI SIYUM Dr. Madhavi Sahay (Exemplary Educator Award). Couvert $72pp/$126 couple. Since the first year in on tractate Rosh Hashanah, and start of Taanis, a 1989 this is a much anticipated annual communal tractate about praying for rain, fast-days and filled event & important fundraiser for the Maimonides with Aggadah stories, inspiration & life-messages. Scholarship Fund. For info contact the school: 4539363 or email: maimonidesschool@gmail.com. 6/17: MAIMONIDES GRADUATION Join us as we take pride in graduating our 8th grade 5/29: HACD ACADEMY AWARDS and 12th grade students. 7pm at Maimonides. The Hebrew Academy honors 7 alumni with “Academy featured speaker will be Mrs. Amanda Toll, who Awards” at its annual Heritage Dinner held at has taught our HS students yoga and relaxation and Temple Israel: Yosef Birnboim, Deborah Isser, spent meaningful times with them. Cantor Shira Ginsburg, David Katz, Dr. David Morrison, Dr. Simcha Pearl & Avi Rasowsky. For 6/18: END-OF-YEAR BBQ AT MHDS info contact Rachael Woren at Hebrew Academy. After-school afternoon BBQ for school families and
7/7-8/8: CAMP GAN ISRAEL DATES The Gan Israel Day Camp (held at Maimonides) will run from July 7th to August 8th this year. For more information or to register please contact Mrs. Rivka Kochman: campganizzyalbany@gmail.com
7/12: ANOTHER DAF-YOMI SIYUM The current tractates in the Daf-Yomi study cycle tend to be smaller (and more filled with Aggadah), so the Siyum completion celebrations (this time on tractate Taanis) are more frequent. The new tractate will be Megillah - all about Purim!
A CHESED DETOUR STOP Anyone driving Monsey/NY-Albany & back can do a mitzvah by taking along a family member to the Northeast Center for Rehabilitation & Brain Injury in Lake Katrine, NY, 10 minutes off NYS Thruway Exit 19. Call S. Deutsch: 845-521-8111
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!”