Maimonides Community

‫ב“ה‬ BH. Tevet

1, 5777 / Dec 30, 2016

Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 4:13 404 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 5:19 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

RAFFLE-AUCTION RESULTS

This newsletter is sponsored by the Volovik Family in honor of

Thanks to all of this year’s ticket purchasers, prize sponsors & businesses, organizers and volunteers - this year’s Raffle-Auction raised $15,055 for Maimonides! See complete listing of winners on page 3 >>, and some pictures of the prize packages on display. Thanks ALL!!

Hershey’s Bar-Mitzvah Mazal Tov!

RESULTS OF THE FOOD VOTE...

Do you remember the meat vs. dairy primaries and general election at school earlier this year? Thanks to the voters (mostly the younger demographic below 3rd grade) Italian Dairy was the chosen menu, and Shmuel Kochman & Co did a great job at Nathan’s Kitchen preparing extraordinarily delicious lasagna, eggplant-parm, minestrone soup, salad and more, even a “poor man’s Tiramisu cake” along with xtra-fresh donutholes & refreshing clementines for dessert.

THE TEST-TUBE MENORAH Being that the big effort at school this year is the Science Center expansion project, with an ambitious goal to raise $360K ($150K of which to be matched by national organization) the Menorah lit for the event was a test-tube Menorah filled with oil and lit with floating wicks. Ted Levin, parent at Maimonides and very involved in the Science Lab effort, lit the Shamash candle and said the blessings, with each of the five candles for that night lit by another local scientist or engineer, pictured L-R: Dr. Yehoshua Rubin, Adam Selsley, Dr. Seth Chaiken, Ted Levin, Esther Miriam Vinitsky, and Sheldon ?????????? Other scientist and engineers were present at the event as well (but only five candles that night).

‫מקץ‬

SCOUT BIMA DEDICATION

NEW YEARS MONDAY

MHDS alumnus Eli Kochman’s Eagle Project was to build an elegant, practical and portable Bima for Maimonides. This Torah reading Bima was dedicated at the Chanukah event at school (Chanukah is related to the Hebrew words for dedication and education). Eli K. shared that Troop 33 (sponsored by the Jewish War Veterans) is not just another scout troop, their mission to integrate Judaism with nature and skill building is similar to the Maimonides School’s mission of beautifully blending Torah with Worldly Experience. He gave Torah and scouting examples which included keeping the laws of Kosher and Shabbat while camping, and making Minyan and reading Torah even in unusual settings. Adam Selsley, the scoutmaster, presented Eli with a “Family Life” to add to his many merit badges.

School resumes 8am on Monday for a full-day.

Even if it’s the day after Chanukah, and a legal holiday, our Chanukah Plays & Performances will be at 9:30am (parents welcome!). Some families were away this week and our students didn’t have much recent practice, but we’re excited anyways. Also on Monday afternoon, for those interested, a visiting guest will lead a short farbrengen for adults 2:30-3:30pm, a kids “Hey Teves” program 3:30-4:20, and conclude with Mincha/Maariv - all at school.

CHANUKAH HALF-DAYS Tuesday thru Thursday this week were halfdays at school but packed with interesting and unusual things, from learning to play “Go!” to making doughnuts in a bag, visiting seniors… read more about it all inside this MC!

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

LATKES-TO-GO FOR SENIORS Some 5/6 grade students are pictured here bringing Latkes and Chanukah spirit to seniors at Royce on the Park (formerly Bnai Brith Apts) and other classes did the same at Daughters of Sarah and throughout the community, as part of the “Better Together” intergenerational program.

MAZAL TOV HERSHEY His Bar-Mitzvah is just after this weekend and his celebration will be in the NYC-area on Sunday. Mazal Tov to Hershey, to his parents and siblings and to the whole Volovik family.

WELCOME YESHIVA STUDENTS We welcome back our own MHDS alumni now studying in Yeshivot near and far, we’re proud of them and pleased to have them back for a short visit. We also welcome a group of very fine Yeshiva students who assisted with area Chanukah outreach and programs who come from as close as Toronto and LA (including Morah Dini’s youngest brother) and as far as Prague and Moscow!

SEVIVON OF COLORED PAPER These Dreidels (Hebrew: Sevivon) won’t spin in a table game, but they do whirl around atop the classroom if there’s enough wind about.

They’re hanging against the backdrop of some of the many Hebrew words and terms (in both Hebrew masculine and feminine) these young students learn throughout the year.

MENORAH BLESSINGS What blessings do we make when lighting the Chanukiah?

These Nursery students learned all about the 3 blessings recited and how the 3rd blessing is only for the first time and they made these decorated Brachot cards to use for Chanukah.

A JEW FOR… JOURNEY Our older girls watched a video of a woman, now a well-known speaker in Israel, tell the personal story of her family’s conversion first away from and later back to Judaism, with humor, insight & inspiration along the way.

PAINTING A PLAY BACKDROP Below you can see 2nd & 3rd graders at work painting a backdrop for their Chanukah play, and see above for the same piece of artwork nearly complete with these students putting on finishing touches.

SUFGANIOT MADE IN A BAG The preparations for Morah Dini’s Kindergarteners made the most Chanukah plays and delicious, freshest doughnuts, hot & fresh and performances began sweet (glazed and then before Chanukah and topped with sprinkles) continued somewhat and shared them with over Chanukah, and many others in the will be performed on the morning after school. They were so Chanukah break, without much practice time, yummy (and easy!) but exciting nonetheless! that Morah Dini made them with some older classes, too, on the Thursday of Chanukah, HALLEL SINGING the last of the half-days at school. The recipe has a few steps, so different classes pitched in No Minyan at school this Chanukah, but we did have boys & girls Hallel singing anyways, for different parts of the process. with nice tunes and good enthusiasm!

LEARNING TO PLAY “GO!” Mr. Randy Dovbear, a parent at Maimonides, came in two days this Chanukah week to teach our students how to play an old classic game called “Go!” The black and white pieces (called “stones”) placed on the intersections of lines may remind some of Othello, but these don’t flip, instead they get captured if they lose their “liberties” open avenues of exit or “air to breathe”. It’s a very old Chinese game with boards of various sizes found in archeological digs, the standard board size today is 19x19, but Mr. Dovbear first taught them on 9x9 so they could get the hang of it. How does he have so many boards? His father, an avid chess player, got interested in Go! many years ago, and raised his son (Mr. Dovbear) with a passion & fascination for this simple game that gets so complex with many possibilities.

REPORT CARDS General Studies Report Cards went home last week (before Chanukah) and Judaic Studies are being finalized over Chanukah and will be sent home soon.

This is the first of 3 major progress reports of the year, an opportunity to appreciate, value and build on strengths and seek areas to work CHANUKAH TRIVIA & GELT GENERAL STUDIES RETURNS on and improve as the year continues with Morah Rivi is holding a Chanukah trivia game this Monday, Jan 2nd for the start of 2017! more growth opportunities. she played with these students, who earned We had no General Studies classes all of chocolate gelt coins for correct answers!

Chanukah this year, but Monday is back for a AT ROSH CHODESH MINYAN full day of learning: Judaic & General Studies.

This morning there were some very special guests at the Shteeble Shacharis Minyan, RAPPAPORT CONDOLENCES including Maimonides alumni: Eliyahu Condolences to Dr. Paul Rappaport & family Morrison (Cincinnati) Yisroel Simon and two on the recent passing of his sister. sons (Kingston, ONT), and the two Moshe Rubins (now learning in New Haven and RAFFLE-AUCTION WINNERS Chicago, respectively). Plus, there was a man Everyone is a winner for supporting education! visiting named Mr. Shtrashun, and Rabbi A) Lenovo Flex Laptop: Norman Kudan Rubin spoke about his great-great-grandfather, CHANUKAH COOKIE MAKERS Mostly (but not all) Kindergarteners are B) Shopping Spree: Daniel Reznik R’ Shmuel Shtrashun, a familiar commentary pictured here making shaped & decorated C) Shabbos Package: Joyce Teitelman on the Talmud, and a note he writes on a cookies with Chanukah themes.

D) Canon DSLR: Maxine Morgenbesser recent page of the Daf Yomi study cycle.

E) Morganite Earrings: Joanne Caras F) Better Home: Lawrence Teitelman G) Accessorize: Yitzchak Krimmer H) Night Out: Vicky O’Brien I) Look & Feel Great: Morgenbessers J) Stay/Go Pictures: Amanda Gurock K) Linens & Things: Vicky O’Brien L) Packed Getaway: Vicky O’Brien M)Toys & Books: Dr. Y. & C.B. Rubin MORE ON THE RAFFLE-AUCTION N) Kitchen Package: Chaim Simon O) Set for Shabbos: Sarah Calvo AND CHANUKAH DINNER P) Games Galore: Bluma Rubin See page 1 for the ceremony (Scout Bima dedication, Q) Song & Dance: Vicky O’Brien the Test-Tube Menorah lighting, and the delicious R) Mix It Up: Maxine Morgenbesser Italian-Dairy dinner made by the Kochmans) and the S) Handy Tablet: M & S Solomon column on right for this year’s winners! Above: This T) Super Clean: Vicky O’Brien picture above says a lot about the volunteerism spirit U) Time for Art: Wildman Family and dedication at Maimonides. The two in the V) Breakfast Package: Vicky O’Brien middle are High School students helping sell tickets, W) All Set with Lego: Simmy & Chaya with Ms. Ford on the right (our faculty are invested!)

X) Magnatiles: Yossi & Leyee Rubin and alumna Esti B. on left, who returned from Y) Active Family: Salo & Johanna Steper seminary in Montreal for Chanukah and a family Z) Gizmos & Gadgets: Abba & Raizel wedding, yet got right into helping out along with her incredible dedicated mother Sharona! Pictures 3 Mystery Package Drawings: on Left: are several photos of prize packages on A) Handcrafted Soaps by Leah Siegel, Basket display, (top to bottom): (A) Lego and Magnatiles from Albany’s Spa Wellington, and $100 packages (B) DSLR camera, Morganite Earrings, and at Bed, Bath & Beyond: Sara Marzel part of the Shabbos Package (C) the big Games B) Set of His & Her “Croton” Watches: Galore package (D) The Kitchen Package plus parts Tzemach Simon of the Toys & Books Package. Thanks to Raizy C) $100 at Whole Foods & $100 at Staples: Rubin, Raffle-Auction Coordinator, to all the Dina Kuperman volunteers and businesses who sponsored, solicited or donated prizes, especially Renanit Baker and Split The Pot: Moishe Kudan, to Rabbi Mendel for emceeing the Winner of $750 Phil & Linda Chandler auction, to all who came out on the 5th Night of (they very generously donated their Chanukah (we had a full house!) and most of all to winnings back to Maimonides!!) all who purchased tickets and supported the school!

at Maimonides and in the Community 12/30: EARLY EARLY MENORAH

1/2: HEY-TEVES PROGRAM

Menorah has to be lit before Shabbos candles, but has to last longer than usual, so that it continues to burn 1/2 into dark. Instead of the usual half-hour, Friday afternoon’s Chanukah candles should be able to last (even if they don’t actually make it that long) for approximately ninety minutes.

“Hey Teves” (5th of Teves) is a Chabad celebration from winter 1986 highlighting communal heritage and the eternal priceless value of books and teachings: basically, that the Rebbe’s library collection isn’t a personal inheritance but the heritage of its community. There’s even an Albany connection with Mr. Joe Saidel to the legal background that was resolved on this date. This year makes 30 years since 1986, and a multitalented Rabbi Hershkowitz of Montreal will be visiting town. Come join if you’d like!

2:30pm: Adults farbrengen with R’ Hershkowitz 3:30pm: Kids Program with R’ Hershkowitz 4:20pm: Mincha/Maariv Minyan at school.

12/31: SHABBOS MIKETZ This week we read of Pharoah’s dreams, Yosef being raised from prisoner to Egyptian viceroy, the famine and the brothers coming down to Egypt.

The Maftir and Haftorah are about Chanukah.

12/31: EIGHT CANDLE! Sat Night we light the 8th and final candle on the Menorah/Chanukiah. At home we first make Havdalah and then light the candles, but in Shul we light Menorah before Havdalah (but after minHavdalah in the Amidah).

12/31: CHANUKAH AT DELMAR’S FIRST NIGHT FESTIVITIES Bethlehem Chabad Menorah Lighting at Delmar’s First Night big celebrations, plus refreshments at the new Chabad House: 393 Delaware Ave.

1/1: ZOS CHANUKAH! This is it! The last day of Chanukah! We’re firing on all eight cylinders… no more Menorah on Sunday but we still say Hallel, read Torah, add Al HaNissim in the prayers and bentsching. And not too late for Latkes, doughnuts and Gelt!

1/1: FIRST DAY PARK HIKES  3.5 mile guided hike (flat terrain and small hills)

at Moreau State Park off the Northway just south of Glens Falls. 10am-12pm: Cost $2pp. 24hour advance RSVP required: 793-0511.  Free guided hike through Saratoga Spa State Park, highlighting architecture, mineral springs, geology.. 11am. Pre-register as space is limited: 584-2000 Ext. 116. This walk is intended for those above 9 years of age.  Another free hike, begins at 10am. This one is a 2-mile hike at Peebles Island State Park where the Mohawk & Hudson Rivers meet.  Or a free 5-mile walk on Schodack Island State Park, meeting at the Eagle’s Nest pavilion at 1pm, walking to Ice Chimney remains and back.

1/2: CHANUKAH PERFORMANCES 9:30am at school. It’s a legal holiday (New Years nidche) but we’re having full school that day starting at 8am, with the plays and performances at 9:30am.

Parents & friends very welcome for the program.

1/8: ASARA B’TEVET FAST DAY This important fast commemorates the start of the siege around Jerusalem, it is only a daytime fast.

1/13: CBAJ SEPHARDIC SHABBAT with Sephardic song and foods, communal Shabbat dinner and a lunch for middle-schoolers, with special guest Rabbi Yosef Albo, director of Sephardic programming at Ramaz Upper School.

RSVP at cbaj.org or call: 489-5819.

1/22: LAURIE LANS TO SPEAK AT WOMENS SPA FOR BODY & SOUL Lt. Commander Laurie Lans of the US Navy (and wife of US Army chaplain Rabbi Moshe Lans) will be the guest speaker at this year’s spa for the body and soul. She has a unique story, both of her career and personal journey. Save the date and stay tuned!

1/28: PIZZA NITE III Stay tuned for more info! All at “Nathan’s Kitchen” at Maimonides, run by the HS Girls.

1/29: J-FED SUPER SUNDAY Federation’s Super Sunday fundraiser supports both local and overseas beneficiary organizations, from Maimonides to Sderot. Parents: please sign up for a shift to call, or for one of the follow-up calling nights. It benefits the community and our school.

THIS CHANUKAH, OUR STUDENTS...

In addition to all that we did at school, our students reported on some of the fun and exciting things they did this Chanukah at home or in the community: 

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2/3: UALBANY’S SHABBAT 360 #ualbanyShabbat360 co-sponsored by Hillel, Shabbos House, Lchaim, Aish and other campus orgs, largest unified Shabbat dinner of the year, held in the Campus Center Ballroom. Open to college students from nearby campuses as well.

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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!”

Saw a Balloon-Menorah being made while they munched on egg rolls and homemade doughnuts at Beth Tephilah in Troy.

Crawled inside a circular hollow fishtank and walked under a tunnel of fish holding a Menorah at the new Via Aquarium for a Chanukah Under The Sea experience as part of a #PJLibraryGetTogether outing event on Monday.

Drove along as part of Bethlehem Chabad’s Car-Menorah Parade.

Made their own “meat-latkes” (like burgers) which the family enjoyed for supper.

Had fun ice-skating in Delmar as part of a Frozen Chanukah celebration.

Helped #sharethelights at a Chanukah table giving people a taste of the holiday either with a latke, or menorahs and candles.

Bowled for the first time at Saratoga Strike Zone where they lit a Menorah atop bowling pins & saw the Lights video on big screens.

Volunteered at the Friendship Circle winter camp for children with special needs.

Ate all kinds of latkes: storebought, homemade, big ones, little ones, ones with just potato, others with zucchini and carrot…

Glow in the Dark crafts at Clifton Park’s Glow The Dark Chanukah at Boscov’s.

GLOW was a big theme at this year’s JGR Girls Winter Retreat at the JCC. And they went snowtubing down Hunter Mountain on: doughnuts! (tubes are shaped that way).

Helped make more Car-Menorahs using PVC pipes and LED lights.

Watched online big Menorah lightings at interesting places all over the world.

Lit an oil-Menorah for the first time.

Got Chanukah presents in the mail.

Got both edible chocolate Chanukah gelt, and real money Chanukah gelt, too.

Spoke to my family who are far away and wished them a Happy Chanukah.

Had fun Chanukah activities at the Shul.

Watched videos about Chanukah: Lights and Professor Pella’s Place.

Peeled a lot of potatoes.

Ate too many Sufganiot - jelly doughnuts.