Maimonides Community

BH Cheshvan

14, 5774 / October 18, 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 5:51 Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 6:50 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

SEE SUPPLEMENT THIS WEEK!

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

SAT & SUN DAF YOMI SIYUM

You can sponsor one week’s edition Our apologies for the wrong date in last week’s MC newsletter. Look for a two-part Daf Yomi of this Newsletter for a $54(or $72) Siyum on tractate Pesachim this weekend. contribution to Maimonides.

There will be an extended Shalosh-Seudos on Do it in honor of a special occasion, Sat (Daf Yomi 4pm, Mincha 5:30pm and Siyum at Seudah-Shlishit) and also a breakfast or in memory of a loved one at the on Sunday that will feature a live call-in from time of their yartzeit.

Rabbi Ziemba of Dallas TX, a grandson of Rabbi Call the School Office 453-9363 or Menachem Ziemba of the email: maimonidesschool@gmail.com Warsaw Ghetto. The ABRAHAM NEMETH, MATH Warsaw Ghetto Uprising BRAILLE PIONEER, OBM began on the eve of The Talmud says we can get inspiration from Pesach and this Siyum in those who study despite great challenges. on Pesachim. Each Abraham Nemeth is one of participant will receive a those stories. He was born blind copy of “Beyond the (in 1918), but never let that stop Ghetto Walls”.

Interestingly, Rabbi Ziemba him. He attended Jewish Guild wrote a brilliant book on the first chapter of for the Blind in Yonkers NY, tractate Shabbos titled “Totzas Chaim” some of studied psychology at Brooklyn which Rabbi Rubin shares with our BarCollege and got a masters at Mitzvah boys studying that Talmud chapter.

Columbia. He really enjoyed math but his academic advisors discouraged him because of his TOPOGRAPHY & TYPOGRAPHY HS girls are learning to make their own blindness. After some time doing other things, he persisted, topographical maps in Earth Science using Isolines (which connect THE DOCTOR IS IN got back into math and science all points on map that and got a job at the University In this week’s Torah portion we learn the have same elevation of Detroit, even founding that Mitzvah of Bikur-Cholim (visiting the sick) as level). It’s a method to school’s computer science Avraham recuperated from the Bris-Milah.

A younger and show a 3-D effect on a older Abraham program in the late 1960’s. As Nursery students took turns playing the doctor, Nemeth flat piece paper. They are checking pulse and symptoms of the playroom he advanced in math, he realized that a new form of Braille needed to be also learning about typography (the art of font- dolls using all sorts of “medical equipment” developed for higher forms of math & science. types, sizes, styles and spacing) in Graphic including sanitized gloves, x-rays and Design class with Mrs. Leah Caras. In both He developed the “Nemeth Braille Code for stethoscopes. It was an opportunity for them to Math & Science Notation” which allowed for typography and topography the lines and learn all about doctors visits. shapes tell a much richer and deeper story. new fields of study previously inaccessible for the blind. Since improved on and revised, it remains in use today. In retirement he worked MAIMONIDES on Braille Hebrew prayer books. He also made 404 Partridge Street a wristwatch that can tell him the time just by Albany NY 12208 touching it. In addition to all this, he also played piano! This amazing person is a relative of the Levin family. He passed away recently at the age 94, his memory is a blessing!

See this week’s “MC” 4-page supplement for pictures of our APPS trip to Miller Museum in Hoosick Falls & Hemmings Vintage Auto Museum in Bennington VT, plus a glimpse of the creative APPS projects our students did on Tishrei foods.

SCHOOL PARENT LIASION Morah Devorah Stark has been designated the parent liaison for any specific issues or concerns that may arise that can not be easily resolved with a teacher.

ASSEMBLY FOR MAMA ROCHEL

WHAT’S THE MATTER? Mrs. Maher’s class learning in science about matter, students took turns examining a bunch of different objects to determine and describe “the matter!” They looked at an apple, broken-stapler, a baseball, a crayon, a ruler, a piece of folded aluminum foil, an uninflated balloon, paper clip to determine the weight, color, shape, state (solid, liquid or gas), texture (smooth/rough), is it magnetic or not, does it sink or float. For tools they used a magnet, small container of water, and a scale, and recorded everything on a chart.

BAKE-SALE RETURNS (w/TAB)

Tuesday, the 11th of Cheshvan, was the yartzeit of Rochel Imenu, but since many grades were away on the APPS trip that day, the assembly was the THREE BOOKS IN 4/5 following day on Mrs. Maher has different reading levels (and Wednesday. Rabbi some students already read certain books) in Rubin got a little her class, so her students are now reading 3 emotional as he spoke different books. “Stone Fox” by John Reynolds about the tomb in Beit Gardiner, “Little House on the Prairie” by -Lechem and how Laura Ingalls Wilder, and “From the MixedRochel cries for her Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler”. children, the Jewish people. He spoke DATELINE OF THE COLONIES about a Kallah named 7th graders with Mrs. Ramsay learned about Naava Applebaum that the establishment of each of the original 13 was killed with her colonies, back in the 1600’s, most more than father in a terror attack 100 years before the Revolution. They learned just before her about Jamestown, the pilgrims & early settlers wedding, and how they and about their trade with Native Americans. took her wedding dress and wove it into a covering at Rachel’s Tomb in Beit-Lechem.

Shira L. just returned from a family trip to Israel and said that she saw that wedding dress at Rachel’s tomb herself, and she said that the main covering is now blue, while Rabbi Rubin (who was there years ago) remembers it red. It was very special to have a personal regards from a student who was just recently there.

HS girls will be doing Bake-Sale this year, each Wednesday at morning recess-time. New for this year is a tab “account” option, where parents can put a specific amount of money into their child(ren)’s “account” with a designated spending limit for each week, which the girls keep a careful record of.

Weekly sales usually include: sprinkle-cookies, peanut-butter cookies, Zebra cookies, PAPER PUMPKINS brownies, cupcakes, Rugelach etc. Each item is Mrs. Carroll’s students made these bright 25 cents each, while cupcakes are 50 cents. paper pumpkins out of paper, with (It’s possible that 8/9 boys may also do a compartment sections. popcorn & hot-drinks sale, timing and logistics need to be worked out, stay tuned for WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS details on that).

HS is now reading this book with Ms. Gray, about a young boy’s determination to get coon NOT JUST ANY OLD STICK -hounds and raise them to be the best. It took Calev brought in a stick from the mountains him two long years to save 50 dollars, and he that has a distinctive root-beet smell when you managed to keep this a secret from his friends peel away a bit of bark. It’s a branch from the and family. The girls write journal entries on Sassafras tree which certain themes in WTRFG and learn lots of was often the natural vocabulary & word-usage along the way! flavor ingredient in root beer before most THE GREAT RIVERS companies started using artificial flavors. 6th graders with Mrs. Sanda are learning about ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia.

Nature has so many hidden, interesting & They were excited to learn of the same great rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates that they wonderful surprises! know from Chumash Breishis.

AND MORE ON MENDEL BEILIS Also at the Assembly, Rabbi Rubin shared a humorous story from the otherwise very serious Mendel Beilis blood libel trial in 1913: A Russian priest was brought as an expert witness for the prosecution, saying that he knows Hebrew and is familiar with the Talmud. The defense attorneys (for Beilis) cross-examined him. They first ask him what “Chullin” meant (it’s the name of the tractate that deals with non-sacrificial meat, ie. Laws of Kosher) but he did not know. They asked about another tractate, he also did not know.

Then the defense attorney asked: “Where did Baba Basra live & how did she dress?” The priest thought the question was about an old grandmother (Bubbe) & many in the courtroom burst out in laughter (because Bava Basra is the name of a Talmud tractate) which discredited the priest and his fictitious claim that he was learned in Jewish texts. Rabbi Rubin also described the clay-mixer in the Kiev brick factory which kids from the neighborhood sometimes snuck in to use (perhaps unsafely) as a merry go-around after factory hours. And how a pillowcase from a set was used to help prove who the true murderer was, but the Russian government wasn’t quite as interested in going after her.

K-1 FALL TRIP TO ELLMS FAMILY FARM IN BALLSTON SPA This was from last week, but now we have the photos! Mrs. Carroll and Mrs. Hoffman took their students up to Ellms Farm to enjoy a fall outing, learn about farming, and get energized in the crisp fall outdoor weather (although warmer than usual)! They picked pumpkins (families made some delicious recipes: pies, muffins with chocolate-chips, salted roasted pumpkin seeds etc) and schlepped them home, rode trikes on a rocky trail, checked out these pretty sunflowers, and bounced up and down on a huge orange pumpkin “pillow”. They also found their way through a tall corn maze, and got a close look at how corn grows on a stalk.

5 THINGS ABOUT

RAFFLE-AUCTION UPDATE The prize packages are being finalized this weekend and the auction will be sent to the printer for mailing, and an online version to be prepared soon as well. There are returning and new prize packages and we are excited for this annual fun fundraising opportunity.

VOLUNTEER THANK YOU’S SURPRISE B-DAY MRS. MAHER 4/5 worked together to surprise Mrs. Maher with a birthday party. Ita used the bathroom pass to go get the cake! They made her a big card using ladybugs in the font because she really loves ladybugs.

SILVERMAN CONDOLENCES

Special thanks to these school parents for donating and/or actively soliciting a broad spectrum of prize packages for this year’s Raffle-Auction, including: Devorah Leah Rubin, Dini Gordon, Tzivie Hecht, Chani Simon, Rabbi Yossi Rubin, Rabbi Abba, Laiky Rubin, Morah Rochel and Raffle-Coordinator Raizy Rubin. And we loo forward to the Kochmans once again preparing a delicious one of a kind themed Chanukah dinner.

We offer condolences to Mrs. Phyliss Silverman on the passing of her brother. May & THE BUSINESS SUPPORTERS she be comforted among the mourners of Zion Thanks to all the generous businesses who and Jerusalem. have contributed valuable goods and services for our annual Raffle-Auction fundraiser, BRATSPIS MAZAL TOV including: 1sale.com, Shadora.com, Tara Mazal Tov to David (originally from Albany, Music, Ruthie’s Unique Boutique, Kosher now Israel) and Bat-Chen Bratspis on the birth Keepers, Jewish Educational Media, Modern of a baby boy this past Shabbat. The BritCarpet on Broadway, Wolberg Electric, Milah will be G-d willing this Shabbat in Alon Sherwin Williams, Home Depot, Normanside Shvut, Israel.

Golf Club, Drimmers Housewares, KidKraft, Green Mountain Coffee, Benz’s Fish, Shmaltz SOUP OF THE WEEK Brewery, New Mt Pleasant Bakery, ThinkFun Rebekah Wildman will be once again Games, Canvas on Demand, Caras Photo, Zen coordinating Soup of the Week, parents are Again Spa, Serebryanski Sofer, Lapiner asked to sign up to make a soup for a specific Brothers, StampIt!, StepItUp!, Stark’s Auto, Wednesday (soups need to be cooked in Turf & Spa, Honibe, Honest Weight Food school and clean-up is part of the Coop, Tofutti, Trader Joe’s, FunPlex, TreePad, commitment). Kids really look forward to this Tumbling Tykes, Bounce N’ Party, Shaina weekly winter treat, and it’s a healthy and Ettel Wigs. More in the works… Thank you!!! nutritious addition to lunch-time.

ANTIQUE CARS Based on the APPS trip visit to the Hemmings Auto Museum in Bennington VT

1 2 3 4 5

SPEED: We took a look at the speedometers in many of the old cars in Hemmings Vintage Auto Museum, and for some the top speed was 40 or 50 miles an hour. Cars today list speeds that are so fast they are illegal. We also noticed that a lot of the earlier tires were much thinner than today’s tires.

COST: We saw a truck’s original price listed at $900 and a car at $400. Then again, money was worth so much more back in those days.

So, it may very well be that the true cost of cars (measured against earnings or average life expenses) may actually be cheaper today.

We’d have to take a look at that from an economics perspective.

SHAPE: Those old cars had lots of flowing curves or sharp edges, with large protruding front grills. Partially because of changing styles, and also because of aerodynamic shape to increase fuel efficiency, today’s cars have simpler shapes and crisper lines.

SEATING: Were seats smaller then or less supportive? It seems that way. Bench seats were more popular (and they do allow you to squeeze in more passengers) but weren’t as comfortable (or as safe?) as today’s seats. And seat-belts! Air-bags! Many more safety features today.

REAL STEEL: Today’s cars are made out of composite materials which are lighter, and use less fuel, but also don’t hold up as well in car crashes. There was a lot of chrome finish on these old cars, especially on the front-grills, hubcaps and fenders.

at Maimonides and in the Community 10/18-19: GREEN SCHOLAR-INRESIDENCE AT BETH ISRAEL Rabbi Morey Schwartz, originally from this area, now Director of Education for Melton School of Hebrew University is this year’s Green Memorial Scholar-in-Residence at Beth Israel in Schenectady.

He will speak at Friday Night Dinner: “Status Quo: Interface of Jewish Law & Modern State” at Sat Lunch: “A Radical New Approach to Binding of Isaac” & Sat Night 8:30pm: “Rethinking Miracles a New Set of Lenses”. Info? Beth Israel 377-3700.

years since the 1913 trial of Mendel Beilis on a blood libel, he died in Saratoga Springs in 1934.

HS girls history class are working on a mini-float to remember Beilis at this event.

10/29: “JUST SAY YES!” RABBI TAUB SPEAKS ON ADDICTION

10/19: DAF-YOMI PESACHIM SIYUM

8:30pm at Shabbos House, open to students and community, part of the “A4A@A” JSAM Project.

Rabbi Taub authored “G-d of Our Understanding” a Jewish view of the 12 Steps, & an advice column in AMI magazine. No charge. Desserts served.

Please park in nearby Dutch Quad Student Gold.

Note earlier 4pm Daf-Yomi, 5:30pm Mincha, with extended Shalosh-Seudos at Shomray Torah.

11/3: ONE-DAY BIG SKIRT SALE Large load of skirts donated to Shabbos House will

10/20: DAF-YOMI PESACHIM SIYUM be available for $3 each or 5 for $10 with proceeds Breakfast Siyum at Shomray Torah after 8am Shachris prayers. Look for Warsaw Ghetto theme, as the uprising began on the eve of Passover. Live call-in with Rabbi Ziemba of Dallas, grandson of Rabbi Zemba of Warsaw. All participants receive “Beyond the Ghetto Walls” publication.

10/20: FIRST F.C. SUNDAY CIRCLE

Jewish Family Services is hosting David Glickman, “Eat, Drink and Be Jewish” 7:30pm at Steamer 10 Theater in Albany. $36pp. Look up David’s trailer video on: www.davidglickman.com. RSVP required: JFSneny.org or call: 482-8856.

10/27: WALK FOR ADDICTION $5pp includes t-shirt for sign-ups & as supplies last see www.tinyurl.com/Action4Addiction to register your shirt size. 10:30am registration at UAlbany Collins Circle (main entrance) Walk begins 11am sharp. Parking available in Dutch Quad Student Gold Lot. Business sponsorships on shirts are $100. Walk benefits Hope House & Senior Hope.

10/27: SARATOGA TORAH SIYUM! Join Saratoga Chabad 4pm for a Torah completion & dedication ceremony, procession from Saratoga Public Library to Chabad on Circular Street, followed by dancing, food etc. It also will mark 100

11/4: “DISOBEDIENCE” FILM ON SOUSA MENDES’ WWII VISAS

11/7: SUSTAINABLE MEAT A panel on “Economics, Politics and Regulation of Sustainable Meat Production” includes Naftali and Hanna Hannau of Grow & Behold Kosher, and Albany’s own Prof. Tim Lytton, author of a recent book on Kosher and private regulation systems.

7:30pm, at 1928 Building of Albany Law School.

11/23: YUD-TES KISLEV SAT NIGHT Communal Farbrengen Melava Malka, stay tuned!

CHANUKAH NIGHTS Wed 11/27: Bethlehem Chabad w/Our Towne Thurs 11/28: Kosher Thanksgiving & Chanukah Dinner at Saratoga Chabad RSVP: 526-0773 Sun 12/1: Celebration at Clifton Park Center -Mall Mon 12/2: Chanukah on Ice in Saratoga Mon 12/2: Afternoon Menorah Lighting at UA Tues 12/3: Clifton Park Chanukah Bowling Wed 12/4: School Auction & Chanukah Dinner

SCHOOL HALF-DAYS AHEAD Look for special programming and educational activities on these half-days, AM Judaic only: 11/27: Wednesday Erev Thanksgiving. No School from Thurs 11/28 until Monday morning 12/2.

Stay tuned for finalized December Half-Day Schedule, with engaging educational programs.

Looking ahead… Save the Dates!

11/16: First Pizza Night of the Season, stay tuned!

12/4: Chanukah Dinner & School Raffle-Auction 1/11: Chabad 40th Year Melava Malka @ SH 2/9: Annual Womens Spa for Body & Soul 5/28: Annual MHDS Scholarship Tribute Dinner

11/8: 2:15PM FRIDAY DISMISSAL As we change the clocks, and Shabbat begins much earlier, Friday dismissal changes to 2:15pm.

11/11: PARENT TEACHERS CONF. No school, but Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held, stay tuned for your appointment schedule.

Due to the many early holidays, instead of “OpenHouse” evening, class goals/format were sent home for parents. Conferences on November 11th.

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!”

 Pre-Chanukah Menorah Making at Home Depot, call Rabbi Yossi 495-0772.  FC’s Sunday Circle with Chanukah theme, Call Liba at FC 438-4220.

to Maimonides. Selection is limited to a few styles, mostly for women and girls ages 10+ but all are new More Chanukah events to be announced soon... and good quality. 12pm-3pm on Sunday, Nov 3rd at Shabbos House. Call 438-4227 for more info or 12/25-29: JGR WINTER RETREAT for appointment if you can’t make it on Nov 3rd.

Find out more at www.JewishGirlsRetreat.net. This year its based out of the Best Western in Albany.

This Sunday will be the first of monthly Friendship Monday 6:30pm at the Clifton Park Library, 475 Circle “Sunday Circle” events this year. To sign up Moe Road. This film tells the story of a righteous or find out more: capitalfriends.org or 438-4220. gentile, a Portuguese Consul in French Bordeaux who (against official orders) granted visas in 1940 10/25: CBAJ NEW MEMBER DINNER allowing refugees to escape France in WWII. Following the movie, Varda LeMonds and Harry RSVP 489-5819 by October 20th, $12 adult, $8 Osterreicher will share their family stories of this child, $45 family. Free for New Members. life-saving escape. Info? Call 495-0772/9.

10/26: JFS HOSTS COMEDIAN

11/17: PRE-CHANUKAH ACTIVITY

Action for Addiction at Albany is the theme of this year’s JSAM (Jewish Social Action Month) project run by UAlbany’s Lchaim Student Group. A4A@A features:  10/27: Walk on the UAlbany campus, 10:30am registration, 11am walk. $5pp participation includes t-shirt (supplies limited), $100 for business sponsorship (on t-shirt & promotions).

Walk benefits Hope House Inc. & Senior Hope  10/29: Rabbi Shais Taub, author of “G-d of my Understanding - a Jewish take on the 12 Steps” will speak on “Just Say Yes!” a Jewish addiction perspective, you do not have to be an addict or know an addict to benefit from this talk.

In addition there will be a volunteering project at a Hope House’s residence. For info call Shabbos House 438-4227 / visit: www.shabboshouse.com