BH. Kislev
27, 5775 / Dec 19, 2014
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 4:06 404 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 5:11 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
This newsletter is sponsored in loving memory of
Sonia bas Shmuel and Chaya Rochel who passed away on Chai Kislev by her niece Maxine Morgenbesser & Family
FULL PLATES OF CHANUKAH! Chanukah is everywhere at Maimonides! From the HS Talmud classes to Mrs. Carroll’s 1st graders Chanukah plates, and all the frying latkes and doughnuts in “Nathan’s Kitchen” there’s many sense of Chanukah throughout! See inside this MC Newsletter (last week’s and next week’s, too!) for more and more about Chanukah learning and experiences…
MORE THAN ONE WAY TO EAT A DOUGHNUT ON CHANUKAH Many have been enjoying Mt Pleasant Bakery’s of Schenectady’s jelly-doughnuts at communal events this Chanukah, but Morah Dini’s 3/4 went down to “Nathan’s Kitchen” to shape their own Pareve buttermilk-style doughnuts, which were fried and then they glazed and sprinkled them. HS Girls baked (not fried) mini-doughnuts, in both chocolate and cinnamon-sugar varieties for bake-sale at school. They also brought some to the Mayors Office (pictures next week..) and Mayor Sheehan and staff there enjoyed them.
THANKS FOR THE GENEROUS RAFFLE-AUCTION SUPPORT! To the Maimonides Alumni who have pitched in from out-of-town… DID YOU FUEL OUR SCHOOL To community members who bought tickets YET? (PLEASE) FILL ‘ER UP! even without children at Maimonides… The logo above, a twist on SUNOCO and our To those who put in even more money in FUEL THE SCHOOL theme, is a brainstorm the “Just a Contribution” check-box… of our HS Boys and Rabbi Mendel. Carasmatic You all FUEL THE SCHOOL! Like the adults Design helped switch the red arrow to point in the cartoon (by Marcus Anderson) your up instead of down, in the Chanukah spirit of encouraging support makes all the difference. increasing in light, each day a bit higher and Thanks to you, Maimonides can journey brighter than before. You can help fill the forward, keep the wheels moving with happy school’s tank, and narrow the deficit gap, by learning kids aboard who share joys of Judaism purchasing Raffle-Auction tickets by Tuesday, and worldly knowledge throughout the or just by making a year-end contribution. community! Not too late, You can still buy >
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
IT’S NOT TOO LATE!!!
AS THE SNOWMAN MELTS
There’s still more time to purchase tickets. Mail is no longer a good option, as it may not arrive in time. Online ticket entries will be accepted until 4pm on December 23rd. You can bring your tickets to the school office or call them in to 518-453-9363 during school hours. And of course, tickets are available for purchase at the school on the night of the Raffle-Auction up until 6:30pm!
Last week (when there still was snow outside) Mrs. Ballard-Hubble, our Enrichment teacher had a class go outside, bring back a cup of now and build a mini-snowman on their (covered) desks, using accessories like toothpicks and coffee beans. They were quite cute, but not for long. Before their eyes, the snowmen began to droop and melt. They cleaned it all up and then Mrs. Ballard-Hubble asked them to sit down and write up how they remember it, and how things changed… an integrated lesson: science and writing, observation & expression.
THE GREEN “FROG” GLAZE Rabbi Yossi and Leyee brought in ceramic mugs with Magen Davids for some classes to paint as they wished. They will be brought to a kiln in Troy to fire up (later toiveled - immersed in a Mikvah) before they are used. After they were painted with the desired color & design, each mug had to be painted (totally covered, inside and out) with this green glaze before being sent to the kiln (it becomes clear later). Rabbi Yossi’s Chumash class is now learning about the plagues in Egypt and thought of a cute connection to the green glaze: It says that the frogs jumped even into the Egyptian ovens, and frogs are green!
JANE GOODALL’S TEN WAYS Mrs. Maher’s 5/6 read about Jane Goodall, a famous chimpanzee expert & wildlife advocate and her “Ten Ways to Save Wildlife.” The students made small posters of each two are pictured here: (top) “Have Hope” because some people are too quick to give up and throw up their hands, (bottom) “Think of Animals as Individuals” that way, saving even one is worth the effort.
THE STRANGER This is a mysterious story 3/4 is reading in “Reading Street” about a stranger who lost his memory and is recuperating on the Bailey Farm during the Fall season. The story may seem strange, or it seem sad and haunting.
MORE SCI-ENRICH WITH SNOW Mrs. Ballard-Hubble had another grade pack a measuring cup filled with ice, and another measuring cup with snow. They put both cups on the windowsill inside their classroom. The experiment was to observe (a) which cup would melt faster? (b) which cup would end up UNUSUAL MENORAH DESIGNS with more water? The results? Snow melted There’s a contest at school to create a unique faster, ice ended up yielding much more water. and unusual Menorah (it has to Kosher for the This Friday they’re going to discuss WHY they Mitzvah and actually be able to work) here are think it happened this way, and was it different from what they expected? two that were already brought into school: (TOP) Eli proudly holds his “Tug-Boat Menorah” with two candles on each tug, and SWEATERS VS. BLANKETS the Shamash on a bigger tug. He cut out each Speaking of the cold, Mrs. Maher had her 5/6 of the wood pieces, with help from his father. do this comparison analysis for their Journal (ABOVE) Mrs. Carroll made “Lunch-enorah” entry: In what ways are sweaters the same as blankets and in what ways are they different? that’s made up of pasta boxes, pasta sauce, diced tomatoes and her favorite soda (in old TWO T.E.I. TOPICS IN SEVENTH fashioned glass bottles) Dr. Pepper! Last week’s Torah Emotional Intelligence (TEI) class differentiated between character traits that were totally undesirable, while other traits were only seen as problematic in an extreme or when there’s too much of it, but it can be fine in moderation or tolerable amounts. This week (in connection with the Menorah’s dancing flames) they talked about “yearning” and how its different than a regular “want” or desire and also when yearning is appropriate and when it can be harmful.
CHANUKAH ON A CARD
Morah Devorah Leah asked her students to each draw a Chanukah message or theme on a card, and she posted all of their cards on the main entrance bulletin board.
BOOK SPONSORSHIP The all-new “Yahadus” curriculum set of student textbooks and teacher guides, are still available for sponsorship (some have already been dedicated). Please speak to Morah Dini or Morah Rochel. Plus, the Esty Library is always interested in purchasing new books, as some of our students are especially avid readers with a hearty appetite for good books and stories…
#SHARETHELIGHTS A) If you post a picture of/with your Menorah use this Hashtag! It adds to the Pirsumei Nissah, spreading the miracle! B) Go to Tagboard.com and type in #ShareTheLights to see all types of Menorahs, events and Chanukah messages from all over! Keep scrolling down, there’s lots and lots to see…
AN ICE-SKATING TRIP Grades 3-7 went on a Chanukah Friday Ice-Skating Trip today at Empire State Plaza. We hope to have pictures for next week’s MC Newsletter. There’s also an ice-skating Chanukah event this Sunday afternoon in Saratoga.
NEW DIMENSION AT AUCTION RPI is advising us on our 3D printer project, and is loaning a MakerBot to start us off, we are getting it this coming week, and hope to have to running in the school’s Media Center by the Raffle-Auction on Tuesday…
What’s red and bad for your teeth? A brick. (OK, we know that’s so lame, but somehow when it was said, we couldn’t stop laughing!)
AT THE TEACHERS HOUSE Morah Chaya Bracha had her Kindergarten students over at her house (right across the street!) for a Chanukah Party. They all had a wonderful time, from doughnuts to puzzles, and just hanging out together! Pics next week!
What happened to the dog that swallowed a firefly? It barked with de-light!
PREP’nPROPS FOR WEDNESDAY Grades are preparing songs and skits for the school Chanukah performances the last day of Chanukah, Wednesday Dec 24th.
TWO “JERUSALEM DAYS” Dec 25th and January 1st will be “Jerusalem Days” at Maimonides open to parents & community.
12/25/2014: 8am Minyan at Maimonides followed by Breakfast with Teens from Eshkol. Group study about Jerusalem follows, with students & adults. Half-day only, dismissal 11:30am. 1/1/2015: Fast of Tenth of Tevet, and Arts & Crafts Day at School. Look for a collective Jerusalem mural, popsicle stick projects & more. Half-day only, dismissal 11:30am.
Jeremy was thanked by his classmates for bringing in an pretty electric Menorah to shine all Chanukahlong in their classroom. This follows the tradition of lifelong Albanian Nathan Rosenstein obm who insisted that a Menorah be lit without a Bracha every Chanukah morning at Shomray Torah. Jeremy was also mentioned as the new assistant librarian. He works hard to make sure the books stand straight! To the Teachers who are making this Chanukah tasty, fun and engaging! More excitement to come next week! To those students (and their parents) who brought in thoughtful gifts to their teachers or fellow classmates.
Whoever invented “Knock, Knock” jokes should get a Nobel (no-bell) prize!
STORY, STORY ON THE WALL Mrs. Carroll puts stories and work up on the board using computer projection and her students work both at their own desks and also up at the board. This short story is called “The Seed” and it highlights long “e” words like seed, Lee, tree, and green.
APPS “FUEL” IDEAS? Think: all types of fuel (wood, gas, oil, coal), history of fuel, ways its used (to heat, to cook, to light, to get a car moving), better efficiency, alternatives, lessons and metaphors from fuel, etc etc. It has been a hectic time for many students with the Chanukah holiday and all, but let’s do the best we can. Bring it Monday!
SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRAYERS & WHAT THEY MEAN... Morah Devorah Leah’s young students learned the meaning of the “Al HaNissim” prayer header said on Chanukah and Purim, in the Amidah and Bentsching. Its deeper than just a lively popular holiday song. (There’s actually an interesting & meaningful Nusach variation between “Milchamot” and “Niflaot”). And we have been singing Hallel in school for Chanukah!
KIDS MENORAH CONTEST! Win prizes for most original, creative and unusual Menorah! It must be Kosher for use on Chanukah, actually light-able. In addition to the winners prizes, everyone who enters gets free bake-sale! Due on Mon Dec 22nd!
MANY KINDS OF DREIDELS aside for the usual plain playing Dreidels, of course
1
EDIBLE DREIDELS: It’s fun to get the fillable kinds: crack them open and find all kinds of sweet treasures and goodies. Then there are chocolate Dreidels that you can actually eat the Dreidel itself! And some put water or sweet drinks in the Dreidel molds to make Dreidel ice-cubes and the like…
2
OVERSIZED PROPS: Two students have large inflatable Dreidels on their front lawns that pop up and down inside an inflatable box. And some of our students have been inside a “Dreidel House” that’s basically a mini-Chanukah Museum. And there’s the giant steel Dreidel outside on the street corner in front of the Jewish Childrens Museum in Crown Heights.
3
DREIDEL DECORATIONS: There are all kinds of Dreidel decorations you can hang, and also Dreidel crayons that you can use to decorate Chanukah posters with. Then there are Dreidel stickers and Dreidels in coloring books… some people have silver dreidels, real fancy like for a china closet.
4
THE FEITEL VON ZEITEL: Anyone remember that tape from Shmuel Kunda, and the play at school. We did it twice, so both students and alumni remember it!
5
THE ROBOTIC DREIDEL: About half our school is too young to remember the big giant robotic remote controlled Dreidel that was built for Maimonides at RPI, and which our HS students had some involvement and learning experience. It spun outside Maimonides at one of our earliest Raffle-Auction Chanukah events at our new home on Partridge Street.
at Maimonides and in the Community 12/15-22: DISPLAY AT CROSSGATES 12/22: APPS FUEL PROJECT DUE
1/4/2015: WORDS TO ACTION
Look for the Chanukah display and info table at Please bring in your APPS Project on Fuel so we Crossgates Mall. Spread the light! It will be manned can have it on display for the Raffle-Auction. by Yeshiva students on Saturday Night & Sunday.
12/18: MENORAH & SHABBOS This Friday we first light Menorah first, after that we light Shabbos candles. The Menorah has to last longer than usual, until a half-hour into dark.
12/19: CBAJ ACAPPELLA SHABBAT
Federation hosting ADL’s “Words to Action” program for teens and college-age students to prepare students to deal with anti-Israel, Holocaustdenial, hate-speech etc. in their schools. 12-4:30pm 12/22: LATKES & LATTES PARTY 4:30pm at East Greenbush Library, 30 Community interactive workshop at the Federation, facilitated Way, w/Drum Circle! Call Rabbi Laber 727-6037. by Beverly Geisler and Evelyn Loeb Garfinkel. Call 783-7800 for more info or to register.
12/23: MHDS RAFFLE-AUCTION & ANNUAL CHANUKAH DINNER
Shabbos Chanukah Dinner and Concert by prior reservation & payment. Silver, Gold & Platinum sponsorships are available. RSVP by Dec 14th online at CBAJ.org. Shabbos daytime classes, NCSY program, and more acappella singing as well.
Just a few days left: www.maimonidesschool.org/ auction. The prize viewings & drawings, 5-7pm at Maimonides, will be on 8th night of Chanukah, together with a delicious Chinese-themed dinner prepared by the Kochmans at “Nathan’s Kitchen”. The dinner costs $7pp or $25 per family.
12/20: TEENS FROM ESHKOL
12/24: MOSHE PUTS ON TEFILLIN
Havdalah and Menorah Lighting at 5:30pm at the SA-AJCC at 340 Whitehall Road, with Maor Rosenberg, the Federation’s new Israeli Shaliach.
12/20: SAT NITE w/ SHMALTZ BEER 6:30pm at the Brewery: 6 Fairchild Square in Clifton Park. A Chanukah night for singles and couples (no kids please) with Clifton Park Chabad. Taste their new Hanukkah Beer: it’s made with 8 Malts and 8 Hops, and is 8% ABV.
1/8/2015: CAMPAIGN TRAINING A training session for SuperSunday volunteers, led by Ann Levin, past President of Boston’s CJP and an account director at an advertising agency. 6pm with dinner. Register www.JewishFedNY.org or call 783-7800.
1/11/2015: WIN BATTLE 4 ISRAEL
Linda Scherzer, former Middle East correspondent for CNN, will be the Federation’s Joint Society Moshe Rubin (Saratoga/Albany) is putting on speaker at Temple Israel, with dinner & desserts Tefillin for the first time, and there will be a little beginning at 7:15pm. Cost $25pp or $10 for those Kiddush after Davening. Younger boys will join the 22-40, prices rise if not pre-reserved 783-7800 or via Minyan at Shomray Torah (Shteeble) that morning. www.JewishFedNY.org by Jan 9th.
12/24: CHANUKAH SONGS & SKITS Half a day, Hebrew only. Chanukah class performances begin 9:45am that morning at Maimonides followed by dismissal and pickup.
1/25: J-FED’S SUPERSUNDAY
School parents and friends are encouraged to sign up for a shift at Federation’s Super-Sunday which raises money for communal agencies (including Maimonides) and overseas Jewish needs. There are 12/25: “JERUSALEM DAY” (I) also follow-up phone-a-thon dates, but we want to 12/21: CHANUKAH BREAKFAST Many people have off on the 25th, some our school get representation for SuperSunday itself. HS Boys will help present Rabbi Rubin’s public families will be away, but we do have a half-day at Menorah Bracha Chiddush at a breakfast after Maimonides, so we’re inviting adults to come learn 2/1/15: ALBANY WOMENS CIRCLE Shachris. 5th Day has significance, it’s also the date with us! The day’s theme is Jerusalem! Morning that Losices came to Albany before the Holocaust. Minyan will be at Maimonides (instead of Shteeble) As it’s the Sunday before Tu Bishvat, they’ll be painting flowerpots, and there will be related It will also be the debut of new Chanukah t-shirts! at 8am, followed by an in-school Breakfast for all inspiration as well! Stay tuned for details. (visiting Teens from Eshkol will be joining) and 12/21: CHANUKAH XTRAVAGANZA then adults & children study in groups all about 2/8: SPA FOR BODY & SOUL Meets at Four Corners in Delmar with a Menorah Jerusalem… until 11:30am dismissal. The 10th annual: Special for this year, MegaCar Parade that heads to the Normanside for a Challah Bake! Stay tuned for more info.. Glow in the Dark Chanukah event. Call Rabbi 12/25-28: JGR WINTER RETREAT Zalman & Chanie Simon 866-7658 for more info. This year back at Dunhams Bay on Lake George. Please note some changes & updates! For more info call Nechama Laber: 727-9581.
12/21: CHANUKAH ON ICE
Spin about! 3pm at the Saratoga Springs Ice-Rink, 30 Wiebel Ave in Saratoga, call Rabbi Abba & Raizel 526-0773 for more info.
12/29: WOMENS BEIT MEDRASH
WINTER VACATION SCHEDULE
12/24: Half-Day Hebrew, Performances 12/25: Half-Day Hebrew, Minyan at School, Big Breakfast, Parents & Community Welcome to join morning study for “Jerusalem Day” (I). 12/21: TROY ATRIUM MENORAH 12/26-30: Winter Vacation, No School 5pm Menorah lighting and celebration with Troy’s 1/1/2015: TENTH OF TEVET FAST & 12/31/2014: Half-Day Hebrew Only Mayor. Call 274-5572 for more info. 1/1/2015: Half-Day Hebrew Only. Fast of the “JERUSALEM DAY” (II) AT MHDS Tenth of Tevet. “Jerusalem Day” (II) at MHDS. Half-day at Maimonides. Special activities and 12/22: MONDAY MINYAN AT MHDS crafts all centered on Jerusalem and the Holy Other elementary school children welcome. Lots of crafts and activities about Jerusalem. It’s the first day of Rosh Chodesh and we’re having Temple, as we commemorate “Asara b’Teves”. the 8am Minyan at Maimonides. Day II of Rosh Children who don’t go to Maimonides are welcome 1/2/2015: Also Half-Day, please note change! Chodesh (Tues) Minyan will be back at Shteeble. 1/5/2015: First day of regular full-day school. to join our school for this morning. Raizy Rubin will lead this month’s learning, focusing on our matriarch Rivka. 8pm at Maimonides, open to women of all learning levels.
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!”