BH. Sivan
11, 5775 / May 29, 2015
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 8:06 404 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 9:16 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
TO THE CITY AND THE COAST Some of our students are now away for an extended weekend on two exciting trips. 4th grade girls who scored high enough on their Yahadus tests are among 252 4th grade girls from across the country attending the Chidon Sefer HaMitzvos Shabbaton in Brooklyn, jam-packed with lots of activities. Their teacher Morah Dini is chaperoning, they left at 4am early on Thursday morning! Also this week on Thursday morning (though not as early) Rabbi Yossi and Leyee and the HS Girls left for their year-end trip to Maine, where they will be visiting their former teacher Amanda Toll and enjoying the beautiful coast and sites and attractions.
PLEASE, THANK A TEACHER! Go to: ThanksABillion.Target.com to write a quick thanks to a teacher (140 characters or less) choose a school via zipcode (Maimonides is in 12208) and that school gets $25 for your first thanks! Takes under 5 minutes. That’s it! Target still has Maimonides listed on Academy Road (we haven’t been there since 2000 or so) but it’s the same 12208 zipcode, so no worries.
This MC Newsletter is in memory of
Mordechai Goldin of Brooklyn, formerly of Russia, who passed away last night after a long illness at age 59. He was a beloved icecream man, bus-driver, ran a Shabbos Club, was full of zest and life, he loved Yiddishkeit. He will be very missed.
YES WE COUNT! Morah Devorah Leah’s bulletin board of kids holding up Omer numbers was completed on the day before Shavuot! Not only was it a great way to count upwards to Shavuos and to look forward to whose picture will be added each day, but it is a great message: each and every person counts! We need each one!
The school’s annual dinner will be this coming Monday, 6pm at Shabbos House. Parking is at Dutch Quad Gold/Student lot, with volunteer shuttle service to Shabbos House. This year’s honorees are Dr. Bill and Adrienne Rockwood, as well as recognizing the school’s Better Together Program. Over the weekend, please ABRAHAM’S ZIPLINE TO EGYPT call 438-4227 or 772-7299 2nd grade Chumash class made maps of Israel with any questions & Egypt with Morah Rochel & drew “ziplines” regarding the dinner. The Journal is already at for Avraham (with Sara hidden in his suitcase) the printer, a supplement will be made for ads traveling down to Egypt because of the famine. arriving after the deadline. Good map skills, and lots of fun!
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
UP, DOWN & AROUND AGAIN The music was turned up high, and Nursery students were having a blast going up & down the small slide in their classroom, and then going around again and again! A 5th grade photographer caught this moment, and said it fits in the “MC” Newsletter as “Maimonides Moves!”
MAIMONIDES DINNER ON MON
5 YEAR PLAN
TEHILLIM HARPS
Why are there two biblical start ages to Levite work at the Beis HaMikdash, age 25 and age 30? That’s because training and practice began at age 25, and if a person could not acclimate to it by 30, it was evident that he wasn’t cut out for it. 7th graders learned this in Rashi.
This is from before Shavuot, but still timely. Nursery students painted their own harp boxes which had rubber bands for END OF YEAR TEA-CUP GIFT “KADMISU strings. On the For the last “Better Together” visit of this year side of each harp PUMAYCHU at Parkview (formerly Bnai Brith) Apartments, box there was a L’UDNAYCHU” our HS boys brought Star of David ceramic printed chapter The students thought that mugs for both themselves and the seniors to of Tehillim, to this phrase sounded like a design and paint, and use it to enjoy hot tea or recall Tehillim’s Hungarian Yiddish dialect coffee (always in season with Russians). musical prayer poetry of King David who but its from the Gemorah Thanks to Morah Rimma for coming along passed away on Shavuot. Shabbos they’re learning with Rabbi Shmuly and helping with the translation to keep about Mattan Torah! It’s Aramaic for the conversation flowing. critique against the Jewish people for “putting your mouths before your ears” when they eagerly and willingly said “Naaseh v’Nishma” a powerful declaration of dedication so profound that a heavenly voice proclaimed in wonder: “who revealed this secret!?”
BIRDS IN FLIGHT THE REAL WA-GONE TRAILER
Mrs. Carroll’s first graders are learning all about birds and colored these birds in flight for their class’ bulletin board.
NURSERY IS FULL OF COLOR
These kids love coloring! Markers, crayons, See www.tinyurl.com/RealWa-Gone for the EGG TEMPERA PAINT whatever gets color onto the page… and they HS Boys movie trailer for the demolition of One class did this in Art Class with Mrs Levin. improve their skill along the way. the veggie cart project they’re doing with Dr. They crushed bits of pastel crayons and added Joe. It’s a fun hands-on activity, but he’s doing WHAT TIME IS IT? lots of science (and life) lessons along the way. whisked-up egg yolk and some water to create an ancient form of art paint later superseded Morah Rivi’s 7th grade by oil-based paints, but some artists still use Ivrit class did a unit on egg-tempera paint even to this day! telling time - in Hebrew.
LORD OF THE FLIES
100+ INVENTIONS AFTER AUTO Mrs. Maher’s students brainstormed more than 100 inventions that came about after the automobile was invented, including headlights and windshield wipers, speedometers, stop signs, car chargers, rearview mirrors, highways, gas pumps and gas stations, license plates, GPS, transmissions, cup holders, speed limits, crosswalks, radar detectors, traffic lights, arm rests… you name it! It goes to show how things lead off each other and build upon them.
HS Boys finished reading this 1954 book by William Golding this week. They compared it to the teaching in Pirkei Avos: “If not for authority, people would swallow each other alive”.
2:30 = Shtayim v’Chatzi, 10:45 = Revah L’Achat Esray; 3:15 = Shalosh v’Revah. And then there’s B’Diyuk = exactly at the hour, like at 1:00pm.
WRITING FOLKTALES
Mrs. Crawford’s 7th graders each are writing their own creative folktakes, 2-5 pages long, Mrs. Dubarry is reading this book by Judy with its own cultural and religious setting, a Blume with (you guessed it!) our (3rd and) 4th hero/ine with a villain or issue to overcome. graders, and they are enjoying it quite a bit. They have to make up characters, describe the It’s about a kid named Peter and his dog setting. Cinderella was a common model named Fudge, there’s lots of humor and (because that’s the folktale they studied, in 5 situations and expressions that kids can relate different cultures) but some students did other to well. We’ll get more details when they story models, too. finish the book!
.. A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING
FIVE SENSES OF SPRING collected from students musings
SOMETHING (FROM) NOTHING Everyone knows how Morah Devorah and her students add these Hebrew word strips to their classroom wall (in this case on their door). The two words above are L-R: Ayin = nothing, Yesh = something. Interestingly, HS boys learned the very same terms this week (a little more sophisticated) in understanding Creation.
1
SIGHT: I love to see bluejays & centipedes, there are bright yellow dandelions growing everywhere, the grass gets a lush green look again. Flowers are budding, each at their own time. Washington Park’s annual tulips are a sure sign of Spring. Looking at people’s landscaping and gardens, as it all begins to grow and blossom. The seasonal changeover to summer-type clothing at area stores (though that change-over surprisingly already happens midwinter).
2
SOUNDS: The steady hum of fans and airconditioning, the sounds of lawnmowers. Birds chirping more than ever. The tinkling dingling sound of the neighborhood icecream truck. The calming babbling sounds of a waterfall on a hike that is frozen during the winter months. The sounds of the street louder now that the house windows are wide open. The buzzing of bees & insects.
3
TOUCH: I like to touch the soft, moist earth. All winter its hard and inaccessible but in springtime you can feel the earth. The feel of water in pools and streams and lakes, or even in a lawn sprinkler. Summery clothing has less layers and feels lighter than winter clothes and overclothes. The feel of sandals instead of shoes (or boots!) The tickling feel of grass. Or the feel of pollen allergens that some people feel very strongly this time of year.
4
TASTE: Watermelon starts to get that rich sweet flavor, it’s time to drink freezing cold lemonade or ice-tea with ice-cubes. And dairy ice-cream of course! Blueberries and strawberries come down in price so we eat more of them. Making your own ices in the freezer.
5
SMELLS: You smell more BBQ’s this time of year, or breathe in the refreshing smell after a heavy rain. The fresh smell of cut grass. Flowers in a vase. The smell of fresh fruit.
BLOSSING PURPLE PETUNIAS These aren’t exactly “something from nothing” as Mrs. Carroll and her students planted them from seed and carefully tended to them, but it is still exhilarating to see the flowers finally blossom and look so bold and beautiful! Their gladiolas and tomato and bean plants are starting to get bigger and more promising, too!
THE NAZIR IN NASO Morah Aviva’s Kindergarteners learned about the Nazir in this week’s Parsha. The girls made puppets with very long hair, and the boys drew pictures of some of the Nazir’s restrictions.
BIRKAT KOHANIM: WITH LOVE NO MORE SENTENCES This week’s Parsha Naso has the Priestly Blessing which is prefaced in the prayer service with “bless His people Israel, with Love!” Rabbi Mendel told 3/4 and HS boys a funny but true story that illustrates the need for a blessing to be filled with love and intent.
All year long Mrs. Crawford began her English class by assigning a single sentence that needed to be corrected grammatically. No more! Her 7th graders are now preparing for year end tests, so they won’t be doing these daily sentences any more. But they learned quite a bit from doing that exercise every day.
MISSED ONE SHAVUOT NAME What happened to the wooden car w/ wooden wheels & wooden engine? It wooden go! A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two-tired. Q: What has a head but never weeps, a bed but never sleeps, can run but never walk, and has a bank but no money? A River! When William joined the army he hated that line “Fire at Will!” A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse replied: 'No change yet'.
In last week’s MC Newsletter we listed 4 Names of the Shavuot holiday but missed Atzeret (literally means STOP!) which is listed in the Torah. So, there are 5 names!
INFORMAL PRACTICE Some of the best learning happens when you don’t realize you are learning! Teachers need parents help to facilitate varied and valuable opportunities for informal learning/practice outside the classroom. Kids can read roadsigns/cereal boxes, do math in a supermarket or using mile-markers. But keep it fun!
PARENT VOLUNTEERS for Field Day and Cookout. See page 4. Speak to Mrs. Levin to see how you can help out.
CAMP GAN ISRAEL FORMS Morah Devorah Leah Mathless is this year’s Camp Gan Israel director, with help from Morah Dini. Israeli staff is coming for the summer! And we’re looking add some new exciting programming. Contact Devorah Leah with questions or for forms: 518-698 -1836. Registration forms are available! Please submit them as soon as possible. Thanks!
at Maimonides and in the Community 5/30: PARSHAS NASO
6/5: BETHLEHEM J.W.C. SHABBAT
6/17: HUCK FINNS PLAYLAND
This week’s Torah portion has more Pesukim than any Parsha: 176! Some parts may be familiar, such as the Kohanim Blessing and the Nesi’im reading which is also read on Chanukah. It also mentions two unusual situations: Nazir and Sotah.
Bethlehem Chabad’s Jewish Womens Circle will cap off a year of events with a 3rd annual Womens Shabbat dinner at 493 Delaware Ave in Delmar. Call Chanie 439-3919 for more cost & info.
The old Hoffmans Playland is moving to Huck Finns on Erie Blvd near where the 787 and 90 meet to become the new Huck Finns Playland. They hope to be up and running by this date!
6/7: MILLENIAL ENTREPRENEUR
6/18: MOVING UP DAY
5/30: WOMENS SHABBOS SHIUR
Shimon Levy, works for Secret Sauce Capital and is This week’s Womens Shiur will be given by Mrs. a senior strategic advisor to Metro Detroit’s Jewish Susannah Levin, 4:45pm at the home of Chaya Tal Federation and has an impressive resume of Israeli (the Womens Shabbos Shiur coordinator) 4 Naval service and business development. He will Halsdorf (just past Manning off New Scotland). speak here at Agudat Achim in Schenectady. Call Federation 783-7800 for RSVP, cost and info.
This is the last day of school, with AM Moving-Up ceremonies for all grades. Dismissal is at the end of the program. Maimonides is already planning for and looking forward to next year!
5/31: WILTON WILDLIFE FESTIVAL
8th grade graduates & families, teachers, friends &community are welcome back on Thurs evening, the last day of school, for graduation ceremonies.
Look up www.WiltonPreserve.org for the Wildlife Festival 11am-3pm this Sunday, including a fire tower climb (for ages 5+ with adult), amphibians and reptiles, Karner Blue butterfly walks, Pond Life, Silent Wings presentation and more.
6/1: MAIMONIDES DINNER 6pm at Shabbos House. Please park at UAlbany’s Dutch Gold/Student lot. Look for the volunteer shuttle service. This year’s Dr. Morton Berger Memorial Award recipients will be Dr. William “Bill” and Adrianne Rockwood, and the school’s involvement and our partners in the “Better Together” teen-seniors program will be recognized and highlighted. As we near the dinner, call 4384227 or 772-7299 with any questions.
6/9: FIELD DAY & COOKOUT To celebrate the end of a great school year, grades K-HS will be heading out to Thacher Park for a day of hiking, picnicking & games. Transportation will be provided by Folmsbees yellow bus and several private cars, leaving school at 9:00am, returning at 3:30pm. Arrive at school at 8am for davening. All students must wear walking shoes, protective clothing to prevent tick bites, as well as insect repellent, sunscreen, and sunhats. After school we will have a family cookout in front of the school -all are welcome. We will need parent volunteers to help with all aspects of this day. Please call Susannah at 518-813-0633 to volunteer. Permission slips will be distributed next week.
6/10: TOKAYER AT FED’S W.P.
6/18: 8TH GRADE GRADUATION
6/20-21: REBBE’S YARTZEIT The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Gimel-Tammuz yartzeit falls on Shabbos Korach this year, there will be a farbrengen Kiddush at Shomray Torah. On Sunday, at the Daf-Yomi study Rabbi Rubin will share an insight of the Rebbe to that day’s study of Talmud tractate Nedarim on the “no-fault exemption” along with a breakfast. Look for a Day of Study a little later on (probably start of July) with a variety of presenters. More details soon.
6/21: CBAJ MEMBER MTG & BBQ 5pm Membership Meeting, 5:30pm BBQ.
6/2: TERRA RIBBON-CUTTING
Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, author of “Pepper, Silk and 6/25-7/19: JGR DATES Ivory” who lived many years abroad in the Far East This year’s JGR overnight camp will be at a scenic will speak for a Federation Womens Philanthropy boarding school in Hoosick, near the Vermont Lunch & Learn at Terra. Call Linda Pollack 783border. Info? nechama@JewishGirlsRetreat.net 7800 x234 for more information. (BTW, google: “Marvin Tokayer Rebbe Chabad” for some very 7/6-8/14: CAMP GAN ISRAEL DATES interesting stories he had with the Rebbe). Day Camp located at Maimonides. Call Morah 6/3: PRICE CHOPPER WEDNESDAY Devorah Leah for info: 698-1836. Many activities 6/9-14: HALFMOON CARNIVAL It’s been going on a while now, Price Chopper and trips planned. Israeli & local staff! Midway rides and fun activities by Gillette Shows Kosher in Colonie has a Wednesdays take-out special with a different menu each week. This Wed at Halfmoon Town Hall, 6-10pm Tuesday through is Chicken Cacciatore for $10.99, feeds four. They the weekend, and Sunday 1-8pm. Admission is say to order ahead: 800-727-5674 / (518) 456-2970. free. 20% of ticket sales benefit Relay for Life. One price wristbands on Thursday & Sunday. For more 6/7: PEDDLERS @ BETH TEPHILAH information call: 376-8680 Open quite a few months now, this official ribboncutting is at 11am. Call Terra for more info: 4635600. (BTW, be sure to check out the 1/2 price pizza coupon in the Terra ad in this year’s Dinner Journal, and see more offers on Terra’s FB page).
History comes alive again, 1:30 at Beth Tephilah in Troy! Go back to the days of Jewish peddlers who worked hard to earn a living in Troy and Cohoes, and were a common interface between Jews and non-Jews. This event will also remember Harry Pearlberg, a Jewish peddler who was killed in Cohoes for no other reason than being a Jew. Event includes light luncheon. $5pp, free for members, open to all, ages 12+. RSVP: 894-3491.
6/14: JWC C.P. GALA w/CRISPE Clifton Park Chabad’s JWC will cap of their year of internationally-themed events with their 7th annual gala event at the Hyatt Place featuring Sara Esther Crispe: “Israel - the Womens Land”. Call Leah: 495-0779 for RSVP, cost and more info.
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!”