BH. RC
Sivan, 5777 / May 26, 2017
ב“ה
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 8:04 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel Rubin & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 9:15 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
This week’s MC newsletter is sponsored in memory of
Rosalyn Morgenbesser
Yartzeit today Rosh Chodesh Sivan and in honor of the first birthday of her great-granddaughter
Rivka Shoshana Morgenbesser and in honor of Sarah (Morgenbesser) Kalish’s Upcoming Masters Graduation
by Maxine Morgenbesser FUNNY START TO THE DAY
NOT TOO LATE FOR JOURNAL!
The Talmud says that Rava would start off the day’s lesson with a joke, to break the ice. No one saw this one coming, but Rabbi Rubin had a guest stay overnight, who was traveling between a gig in Brooklyn and one all the way up in St. Albans VT (near the border) the next day—so he asked him to speak to the kids at school. He said that Rabbi Rubin’s home is better than the Hilton. Because at Chabad you get help with Tefillin in the morning, but at the Hilton you’re left to your own devices! Eric Golub (no known relation to the local Golubs of Price Chopper fame) is a comedian, author and public speaker from Los Angeles, but is on the road most of the year. His latest book is titled “Jewish Lunacy” about “coming to terms with nearly 6,000 years of Jewish history without having been around for most of it”. He told jokes and stories, and it was a funny start to the day (peppered with some serious life lessons). He isn’t used to speaking to kids audiences (“too scary because of their brutal honesty”) but he enjoyed our group. Many of our kids enjoyed him, and got a good laugh!
Journal deadline for ads & greetings etc (originally Friday May 26) has been extended until Memorial Day, Monday May 29th. Thanks for your support of this important annual fundraiser, this year honoring Rabbi Mendel and Raizy Rubin, celebrating the Science Lab S.T.E.A.M. Center Campaign (gaining steam!), establishing Salo’s Talmud Studies at Maimonides (in memory of Salo Steper), and highlighting our school’s 3rd year in Better Together program. Journal ads can be submitted until May 29th, either online: maimonidesschool.org/dinner or via email: maimonidesschool@gmail.
CONDOLENCES KAPLOWITZ’S Our condolences to Mrs. Ellen Kaplowitz on the passing of her mother, Mrs. Marion Enos of Albany. Shiva this Sunday will be 1-4pm and 7-9pm at 36 Keeler Drive.
MAZAL TOV LEHRFIELD’S On the birth of a baby girl, Nava Rose, to CBAJ’s former Rabbi Binyamin and Orit, now of the Baron Hirsch congregation in Memphis.
MAZAL TOV TEITELMANS Mazal Tov to Joyce Teitelman and family on her granddaughter honored to be valedictorian at (Yeshiva University) Central High School!
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
MAZAL TOV MUSHKY RUBIN (an MHDS alumna!) on her graduation this week with a Masters of Psychology from Queens College. It took many victories, large and small, to reach this one—very well-earned!
AND ANOTHER ALUM MASTERS Sara (Morgenbesser) Kalish, also a Maimonides alumna, looks forward to her upcoming Masters graduation! Mazal Tov!
HAPPY SHAVUOT NEXT WEEK!
LATIN AMERICA That’s what HS Girls are learning now with Mrs. Ramsay in history class. They just finished a DBQ essay on the Aztec, Incas and Mayas, and are now learning about the various social strata after the Spanish conquest; the differences between Peninsulars and Creoles, Mestizoes and Mullatoes, natives and the imported African slaves.
RESEARCH PAPERS These were for Chumash class with Morah Leyee, about various topics in Chumash Devarim, each HS student was assigned a different topic to research.
MEFORSHIM PROJECT COLORFUL CLAY HAR-SINAI’S Morah Devorah’s first graders each designed beautiful clay blossoming little Har Sinai’s in preparation for Shavuos.
Morah Leyee’s 7/8 Chumash students have a different project. They were each assigned a different biblical commentator “Meforash” to research their story & style, using visual props including posters, timelines or illustrations.
YOM-YERUSHALAYIM–50 YEARS!
Top: Morah Rivi and art students in various classes made those copper-colored squares (indeed, Naomi Shemer’s famous song REVIEW OF SAMUEL II “Jerusalem of Gold” also calls it a city of That rhymes! And it has reason, too: 7/8 copper and light…) with drawn silhouettes and grade Navi class is finishing the second book imagery of the Jerusalem, from its walls to of Shmuel and is now reviewing it from the windmills, skyline to symbols. Above: 7/8 very beginning with a big question-packet, grade baked this delicious Jerusalem 50 Years because “learning without reviewing is like planting a field of wheat and never harvesting Cake for the whole school to enjoy at a special Jerusalem-Day program during lunchtime. it.” From the beginning of the school year, they’ve been learning stories of David running Notice the cleverly placed walls around the cake made of cut wafers, jutting in and out away from King Shaul, overcoming his son Avshalom's rebellion, and how David became and up and down. Rabbi Shmuly showed the students video clips from the Six Day War in the king over the Jewish people in the first 1967 as well as video from a light show on the place, among many other interesting stories! wall of Jerusalem this very week in Israel. The Gurock children just returned from a family trip to Israel and Jacob excitedly shared how SHIRTS FROM THE COURT they stayed at the King Solomon Hotel right 5/6 already enjoyed their trip to the Federal across from the King David where President Court downtown, so it was a nice surprise Trump was staying, and how many streets in bonus to get these Justice shirts with the court the immediate radius where blocked off. Mrs. indicia and high-quality water-bottles with the Dank shared her memories of Jerusalem presame, more than a week afterwards. 1967, with all the sharp barb-wire cutting the GETTING THE SLIME RIGHT city in half and keeping the Jews away from TIPPY TOP SHELF It’s actually a science to getting the slime right. the Old City and the Kotel which were then TALMUD Last week’s MC front page showed students on the Jordanian side since 1948. Rabbi Yochanan scaled great experimenting with varying Mendel taught some classes Psalm 122 which heights to reach the stored amounts of water, this week speaks a lot about Jerusalem, has quote a few travel Artscroll Talmud set 5/6 grade tried their hand at songs to on the top shelf of Esty it. One test is if it can pick those Library—to get a certain up newsprint, it has to be words, and segment of a certain pliable enough but also firm some of its volume that Rabbi Rubin enough—a happy medium, verses and phrases are so appropriate for the needed for the Daf Yomi! indeed! Mara’s came out sentiments of Yom-Yerushalayim! great, Mrs. Kirkley agrees!
JERUSALEM POSTERS Morah Devorah’s first and 2nd graders made beautiful posters about Yerushalayim, hanging in their classroom, some read “Next Year in Jerusalem!”
READING TOOLBOX Mrs. Hoffman’s kindergarten early readers made their own “reading toolboxes” (in brown paper bags) with cards that have illustrations of the symbolic tools needed for reading skills.
SIYUM TRIP TO THE NEW ELM PARK Many classes got refreshingly chilled Kosher Speedway Slurpies this week (lots of sugar but a special treat) but first graders were the only ones to try out the new playground at Elm (Bethlehem Town) Park! They had so much fun climbing and swinging about on the new play equipment, including some things they’ve never seen or tried before. Thanks Morah Devorah for this special trip!
BEANS IN A POD THE KINDERGARTEN ALEPH-BEIS PARTY! Kindergarteners planned this from start to finish: they decorated, baked, so proud to share this milestone with their families! They sang several Alef-Bais songs, including “Oyfen Pripitchik” the Yiddish classic and a song that had words for each letter. Rabbi Rubin spoke about the power of the smallest letters, Morah Dini was so proud of their early reading skills and enthusiasm. They served chocolate mints with Hebrew letters, watermelon cut up in shape of Hebrew letters, letter-shaped cookies, they even drew circles of Hebrew letters around the edges of each of the paper-plates and on all of the colorful hanging balloons!
This is no metaphor or euphemism, Nissim Shlomo’s bean plant actually grew beans! He is pictured here holding his first bean pods...
LEARNING NEVER ENDS We might not have school all next week, but Shavuot is a time to INCREASE in study, even on your own!
at Maimonides and in the Community 5/26: ROSH CHODESH SIVAN
and R. Chaim Falagi of Baghdad to the Gerer 8am Friday Minyan at Maimonides. Rosh Chodesh Rebbe—all at midnight at Shomray Torah. is the date when Jews arrived at Sinai, Torah Free Shavuot Dinner at CBAJ describes it in the singular, Rashi explains it to be a at 9pm, followed by a shiur by message about unity: “as one man with one heart!” Rabbi Roy Feldman part of a Shavuot “Judaism in America” 5/27: BIRTHDAY KIDDUSH on Coca-Cola Kashruth, & Kiddush this week at Shomray Torah by Ted Levin Shabbat Candle-Lighting time in honor of his birthday. in the New World. Tour-Tours will be back for varied learning opportunities all night. 5/27: WOMENS SHABBOS SHIUR 4:45pm on Shabbos afternoon, this week given by Shavuot TED Talks at Bethlehem Chabad, 393 Susannah Levin at her home, 167 Holmesdale. Delaware Ave, 9:15pm on Tuesday night. 10 Community members present 10 Torah topics. 5/28-29: MEMORIAL DAY PARADES Salads and dip buffet served. There are a number of area Memorial Day parades with marchers & bands, veterans, flags and 6/4: C.P. JWC GALA & AUCTION fanfare… including these two parades: Clifton Park Jewish Womens Circle’s 9th annual 5/28: Rensselaer Parade: Ceremonies 1pm at Gala & Auction features Tamar Helfen guitarist & Doane Stuart School, Parade begins 2pm at the percussionist. RSVP $18 before 5/25, $25 after. school, marching down to Rensselaer City Hall. 495-0779/JWC@cliftonparkchabad.com Program 5/29: Albany Parade: 10am start at Partridge & includes buffet, silent auction, drum circle, etc. Central down to State Ed Building near Capitol.
5/29: LAST DATE JOURNAL ADS The deadline for Tribute Journal ads and greetings has been extended until Monday, Memorial Day, 5/29. Online at: maimonidesschool.org/dinner or via email to maimonidesschool@gmail.com. Thanks for your support!
6/4: ISRAEL PARADE NYC Federation buses leave 7:30am for $25pp (includes round-trip + tshirt!) Parade in NYC is 57th to 74th St. on Fifth Ave. Buses return 8pm. Participants must be able to walk entire parade route, adult must accompany children. RSVP by 5/17: 7837800 mgalinkin@jewishfedny.org or online: jewishfedny.org/events/israelparade2017.
5/29-6/2: MEMORIAL DAY WKND & 6/6: MAIMONIDES DINNER SHAVUOT SCHOOL SCHEDULE 5/29: Memorial Day Monday—No School 5/30: Erev Shavuot (Tuesday) No School 5/31-6/1: Shavuot Holiday—No School 6/2: Friday, Isru Chag—No School (note change!) 6/5: School resumes on Monday, 8am.
5/30: SHAVUOT NIGHT LEARNING 12am-1am at Shomray Torah: “Not just a Children's Story!” Following individual tikkun Leil Shavuot study, a midnight indepth study of Talmud Kidushin 31a with Rabbi Rubin, the famous "Dama Ben Nesina" story of the Gentile who refused to disturb his father's sleep at great financial loss, and the drama of Dama's unusual "hitting the Lottery" with a Para Adumah win, also how Dama dealt with his mother’s dementia (not usually addressed). Rabbi Rubin will address 15 puzzlers in this story from 10 great luminaries, Maharal of Prague to the "Ketzos"
6/11: FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE WALK 10am-12pm in Tawasentha Park, Guilderland. More info: tinyurl.com/Walk4Friends
6/15: YEAR-END TRIP Grades 2+ stay tuned for details. The school will be renting a bus, the trip has at least two components that are 1.5 hours away from Albany. There will be a minimal cost per child (tentatively $6) with the rest of the cost subsidized by the school.
6/21: THE LAST DAY: MOVING-UP, SCHOOL BBQ, & GRADUATION This will be a big Wednesday at school, with the Moving-Up Day ceremonies in the morning, followed by a big brunch family BBQ, and 8th grade graduation in the evening.
7/2-25: JGR SUMMER CAMP Jewish Girls Retreat gearing up for another great summer, overnight camp for girls. See online: JewishGirlsRetreat.net or call 727-9581.
7/9: JEWISH WOMENS CONCERT AT WAMC—”THE LINDA” A special JGR Summer concert open to women and girls in the community. Stay tuned for details. Contact Nechama Laber 727-9581 for more info.
7/10-8/18: CAMP GAN ISRAEL
Local Jewish day camp, with amazing This year’s Dr. Berger Memorial Award will be devoted & nurturing staff, for presented to Rabbi Mendel and Raizy Rubin for 20 campers ages 3-10. (Two special week years of dedication to Maimonides and Shabbos program for girls 9-11). Free camp House. Recognition will be made of this year’s tshirts if you sign up by June 4th. Call Better Together III, a celebration of the Science Morah Devorah Leah 698-1836 for Lab/STEAM Center campaign and a memorial forms, details and more info. dedication at school for Salo Steper, obm. See invitation in the mail or use this page online: www.maimonidesschool.org/dinner Thanks!
6/7: JERUSALEM CELEBRATION AT ROYCE—COMMUNITY WELCOME! “Better Together” is hosting a communal program (all welcome!) at The Royce on the Park (formerly Bnai Brith Apts) 400 Hudson Ave, culminating another year of Better-Together visits with MitzvahMoments and a celebration of Jerusalem (50 Year celebration) with live Klezmer & Israeli music by Jonathan Greene and Sergei Nirenberg. The free program will be 2-3pm on Wednesday afternoon. Call Rabbi Yossi for more info: 495-0772.
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!”