BH. Nissan
25 5777 / April 21, 2017
ב“ה
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 7:26 404 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 8:31 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
This newsletter is dedicated in memory of
Dr. Morton Berger Meir ben Yehudah Yartzeit Nissan 28
This newsletter is sponsored in honor of the birth and bris of baby boy
Menachem Mendel Caras by the Caras family
MAZAL TOV MORGENBESSERS On the birth of a daughter to MHDS alumnus Yaakov and Rachaeli Morgenbesser. Special Mazal Tov to Bubbe Maxine Morgenbesser!
SOL GREENBERG
BETTER TOGETHER ESSAYS Our school is now in the 3rd year of “Better 2 Write” essay contest about lessons from and interactions with seniors. There was a special ceremony at school this morning announcing 3 award winners in middle school and HS for their beautiful essays, that will now go on to national judging for the major scholarship prizes. Mrs. Johanna Steper had been a judge in past years, but this year wasn’t available due to her tending to her husband Salo during his illness and passing, so Rabbi Rubin asked her to come in to address the ceremony. This year’s local judges were: Ellen Kaplowitz, Sue Ann Grosberg and Barbara Rossi. Thanks all!
CONDOLENCES GORDONS Years ago the Gordons were very active at Maimonides. Just before Passover (and a very brief Shiva) Lee Gordon lost her father, Fred Goldfeder. May she and the family be comforted among all mourners of Zion.
Sol served as Albany County District Attorney for a quartercentury: 1975-2000. He GROPER CONDOLENCES is the first in the country Glenn Groper was cantor at Beth Emeth for to use DNA evidence in nearly 30 years before recently retiring with a murder case. A few years ago, over age 90, he his wife Micki to Florida last year. Tragically, came to our school with Ben Rosen and spoke Micki was killed this week in a hit-and-run to our students at Maimonides. He passed pedestrian accident in NC on a trip back up to away at age 95 after a long life and career. Albany. Condolences to her family & all who Condolences to his wife Barbara (they married knew and loved her. Memorial service for her in 1945) and their children and families. at Beth Emeth on Thursday the 27th, 2:30pm.
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
TWO DAY SCHOOL WEEK
ALBANY PLANNING BOARD
Thanks to Passover (and one day off following the holiday) we only had school on Thursday and Friday this week. Look for much more student reporting and more learning and pictures in next week’s MC Newsletter!
Thank to Mr. Dan Hershberg for presenting our Lab/Science STEAM Center expansion to the Planning Board. The overall concept was well-received, but some determinations have to be made regarding the north-side parking lot, and we will have a follow-up meeting in May. The project is gaining STEAM!
THE PESACH BRIS It’s always a special occasion to have a Bris in Albany, but its especially rare to have a Bris on Pesach! Yet, the Caras family pulled off a deliciously mehudar festive meal for all. Special guests at the Bris (in addition to the grandparents and visiting family, of course) was Rabbi Baron of Columbia MD and his son-in-law who served as the Mohel, who made the long trip because of their long-time connection with Michael and the Caras family from the start of his religious journey. Mazal Tov and much Nachas from little Menachem Mendel and their other children.
HOSTS? Are you interested in hosting guest athletes for the Maccabi games here this August? JCC is hosting several openhouse meetings in the coming weeks (see page 4 for more info).
“BETTER TOGETHER”
ESSAY TITLES AND WINNERS MIDDLE SCHOOL 1st Place: Eli G. Lessons from my Zaidy 2nd Place: Mussie R. Second Chances 3rd Place: Basya R. Wisdom from the Ages on Ageism Nesanel S. Jewish Service During WW2 Chana Malka R. Life with Risha Piekarski Riki V. Zaide David’s Hardships In Siberia Sara H. Making My Visits Special Mendel R. The Man who Avenged his Family Devorah Leah K. Thoughts of Elders: Now and Then Menachem S. Better Together Essay Menachem R. From Zeidy to Zeidy Rivkah L. My Great Great Grandmother Leah G. What My Zaddie Means To Me Hershy V. Samarkand Esther W. Better Together Essay Chaya R. Better Together HIGH SCHOOL 1st Place: Sara R. Busy is Better 2nd Place: Chaya L. Experience Matters 3rd Place: Goldie K. Jolly of having Molly Nechama K. Knowledge, Life Experience, & Understanding Raizel L. The Importance of the Past Shaina L. The Power of the Old Chaya H. Perspectives Malka W. Saba & Savta Yochanon S. Chain Reaction Aaron Meir M. My Zaidy
EREV PESACH AT THE SCHOOL There was no school Erev Pesach, but as is the tradition there was a nice Minyan followed by a Firstborn Siyum by Rabbi Nachman Simon. This Siyum on tractate Bava Metziah was dedicated in Salo’s memory, as it fell within the Shloshim (30 day) of his passing and it is the conclusion of the final Talmud tractate he began during his 3+ cycles of daily Daf Yomi study and teaching. Pictured above Rabbi Rubin continues another local Erev Pesach tradition (since 1974) of presenting Shmurah Matzah to the Clevensons of “The Jewish World” newspaper. There was a great Chametz fire out front, in a big old metal barrel.
INVENTION IDEAS
POST-PESACH “CHOPPED” 7/8 grade had an usual Chumash Siyum party today at school. Morah Leyee had them work in teams to prepare fruit dishes/salads using a bunch of different fruits and vegetables—plus a secret ingredient (which happened to be bamboo shoots) that was observed by a bunch of eager onlookers and judged for taste and presentation by a panel of 3 teachers: Morah Devorah Leah, Morah Leyee and Mrs. Arika Ford. They came up with some pretty delicious and healthy concoctions, very pretty, too!
Ms. Ford’s students are writing up (& drawing diagrams) of their very own invention ideas! There are a few steps to this assignment: first the idea, then plotting it out, then writing it up on paper with an illustration…
COPIER IS STILL CHUGGING... Thanks to that fixed (hard-to-find) part we’re getting some more life out of the old machine, but we’re still looking for a new machine or solution on the horizon.
TRIP TO THE ART ROOM Mrs. Kirkley is taking her third graders on a trip to The Art Room on New Scotland Ave. They are very excited for this special outing planned for next Thursday. Parents, please remember to send $5 and dress kids in clothing that’s more arts & crafts friendly.
SCHOOL DINNER PLANNING
ALL TO GET TO SCHOOL...
SALO’S SHLOSHIM
Planning is now underway (a little later this year) contact Rabbi Rubin or Raizy Rubin if you’d like to be involved or have ideas. The tentative date is June 6th, the Tuesday after Shavuot, one week after Memorial Day.
Speaking of journeys—Menachem told his friends about how many different modes of transportation he took on Wednesday to get back to Maimonides after Pesach: He was aboard a plane and a subway, rode a coach bus and a city bus, was in a car and in a taxi, and maybe we missed one more??
Salo’s Shloshim (30 days since his passing) was on the last day of Pesach. Below are Mishna teachings shared in his memory by Rabbi Feldman at the Mishnayos Siyum at CBAJ & Rabbi Rubin at Shomray Torah:
PASSOVER GUESTS
FILLING IN MISSING LETTERS Morah Devorah’s first graders are filling in missing Hebrew letters from breakfast words, as they work towards their annual tradition of a Hebrew Breakfast late in the year.
Some classes had just enough reporting time to share about their Pesach guests: One family had a Sephardic guest who had interesting Seder customs, told them about eating rice and the post-Pesach Mimouna communal Chametz party. A student told about an artist they had at their family’s Seder who saw things from an artistic visual perspective. Two families had unexpected and uninvited guests that they didn’t know how to handle, but it all worked out in the end. One family was very excited to have their newly married sister and brother-inlaw at home the whole holiday.
CHOL HAMOED OUTINGS
We didn’t get to speak to all the children, but from the small sampling it seems that our students had a lot of fun this Pesach, even though Thursday was the only full day of Chol HaMoed. Families went minigolfing (one student even went real-golfing with his father), went swimming in a hotel pool, hiking in nature preserves, up to the beach on Lake George, to a Pesach fun evening and BBQ in Saratoga, seeing and wondering about the abstract outdoor sculpture at Omi, played bow & arrows with a playdate, went to the Trevor Zoo run by a High School… and much more! One family played with remote control boats in the water, another had fun with flying drones! The most detailed report we got was about the Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh: It has two trolleys on tracks going up a 70 degree angle hill, while it has been renovated and repaired, it dates back QUICKENED PACE! to 1870 or something, and it operates using Speaking of footsteps, 3rd graders learned two opposing weights, goes up while the about Eliezer’s accelerated pace, a very speedy other is going down and they got to see all journey to the well where he found Rivka. the inner workings of it in the engine They made maps and signs about this unusual room, and also enjoy the view at the speed, and why of all journeys in the Torah Observation Deck at the top. why did this need faster travel than others? Nursery students made these painted footsteps for their Omer chart, indeed— each day of the Omer is one footstep closer on our journey to Sinai on Shavuot for the Giving of the Torah! It’s their own footprints!
נְחיל ִּ ַאָ ַמר ַר ִּבי יְהֹושֻ עַ בֶּ ן לֵ וִּי עָ ִּתיד הַ ָקדֹוׁש בָ רּוְך הּוא ְלה ,ֲש ָרה עֹולָ מֹות ָ ְלכָל צַ ִּדיק וְצַ ִּדיק ְׁשֹלש ֵמאֹות ַוע אָ ַמר ַר ִּבי.נְחיל אֹ הֲ בַ י יֵׁש וְאֹ צְ ר ֵֹתיהֶּ ם אֲ ַמלֵ א ִּ ֶַּׁשנֶּאֱ ַמר ְלה ל ֹא ָמצָ א הַ ָקדֹוׁש בָ רּוְך הּוא כְ ִּלי,ִּׁש ְמעֹון בֶּ ן חֲ לַ ְפ ָתא ֶּׁשנֶּאֱ ַמר ה עֹז ְלעַ ּמֹו,ַמחֲ זִּ יק ְב ָרכָה ְלי ְִּש ָראֵ ל אֶּ לָ א הַ ָשלֹום .ִּתן ה יְבָ ֵרְך אֶּ ת עַ ּמֹו בַ ָשלֹום ֵ י
The two statements in the very last mishna of the entire Shas seem to be unrelated. The first discusses what happens to tsaddikim (the righteous) the second is about Shalom (peace). Indeed, these are two things that don't often go hand in hand. Many times people on a quest to be a tzaddik and to do everything right end up diminishing peace in a family or community. When people try to achieve Shalom, it necessarily involves compromises, so it's very hard to be a tzaddik if you're also attempting to bring peace. Salo, ZT"L, somehow managed to do both. He was a true tzaddik, always doing the right thing and usually in hidden ways people did not SPECIAL SEDER STUFF One family makes their own Plague Candy! know about. He was also a man of shalom who valued peace and worked toward it within families, Red Jello Blood, Chocolate Frogs, Hail Marshmallows, Coffee Beans for Locusts… in the community & among klal yisrael.
many of our students also asked their own questions (and answered others) beyond the official traditional Four Questions.
FOOTSTEPS...
RABBI ROY FELDMAN:
RABBI ISRAEL RUBIN: המוכר פירות לחברו משך ולא מדד קנה מדד ולא משך לא קנה אם היה פיקח שוכר את מקומן Rabbi Rubin learned the Mishna of that day’s Daf Yomi (in the fifth chapter of Bava Basra) in a interpretative reading about Salo: When selling (grains or beans) to acquire it one must pull/draw them closer, for measurement (of the fruits or grains) alone isn’t considered an acquiring act. But if one were to pull/draw near without measurement, that would still be an act of acquisition. A smart person (especially if there’s a large amount of grain, beans or fruit) would simply rent the space from the seller (for a token amount) and thereby acquire all of it at once. Salo wasn’t one to only calculate and measure learning theoretically, he drew it (& people) near, brought the books from one shul to another, he tugged & pulled and drew it all together. Being a wise man, he also “rented the space” helping places of Torah study (including Maimonides) pay for their space—thereby spiritually acquiring it all! One more thing: The Talmud on this Mishna insists that such acquisitions are more legally tender in a Simtah smaller side street than in a Reshus HaRabim on the main avenue. Same with Salo: He believed in small towns, small schools—where one can really acquire, i.e. make a difference!
at Maimonides and in the Community 4/22: MISHNA & A KIDDUSH
4/25: DR BERK ON ANTISEMITISM
This Shabbos Day at Shomray Torah Rabbi Rubin will be speaking (before Torah reading) about Antiginos of Soho (see 3rd Mishna of Pirkei Avot) and Yosef Costa is sponsoring the Kiddush.
Professor Berk to speak on new wave of antiSemitism—at the Jewish Federation. $5pp.
4/25: MACCABI OPEN HOUSE
More than 300 local families and 1,000 volunteers will be involved in hosting the Maccabi games in It’s that time of year again again… the first womens Albany this summer. Want to be a part of it? JCC is shiur of the summer season, will be given by Rochel hosting an Open House this coming Tuesday at Rubin at her home, 122 S. Main Ave. at 4:45pm. 7pm, also on May 1st (6:30pm) and May 3 (7pm).
4/22: WOMENS SHABBOS SHIUR
Matzah and spreads as a special treat at school for this day. It means Lag B’Omer is coming up!
5/14: LAG B’OMER ON SUNDAY Stay tuned for a Lag B’Omer communal event with Chabad—perhaps again another communal outing at Huck Finns Playland downtown. Stay tuned!
5/29-6/2: MEMORIAL DAY WKND & SHAVUOT SCHOOL SCHEDULE
4/22: RABBI REISMAN SHIUR
4/26-27: ROSH CHODESH IYAR
Now with the changed clock and longer Shabbos days, the broadcast of Rabbi Reisman’s shiur will begin 10:15pm at Maimonides.
Wednesday and Thursday are both Rosh Chodesh, the Minyan at Maimonides will be Wed at 8am.
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, School resumes 9:30am
4/27: GROPER MEMORIAL
6/6: MAIMONIDES DINNER
2:30-3:30pm at Beth Emeth in memory of Micki Groper offering condolence to her family.
Stay tuned for invite, updates and information for this annual communal events and fundraiser for the school. This date is tentative, so stay tuned!
4/23: YOM HASHOAH GATHERING
Communal Holocaust remembrance, this year at Beth Emeth on Academy Road, 7:30pm. There will also be a communal remembrance in Schenectady 5/1: TEKES MA'AVAR AT CBAJ 7pm at Gates of Heaven. On Monday, May 1, at 7:30 pm (Mincha at 7:15), CBAJ hosts other Albany synagogues for a Tekes 4/23-24: HOLOCAUST VIGIL Ma'avar (ceremony of transition) beginning with a 24-hour student vigil at the Small Fountain on ceremony for Yom Hazikkaron commemorating UAlbany’s Podium, reading names etc. the fallen soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, and transitioning into a celebration of Yom Haatzmaut. A special festive Yom Haatzmaut Maariv service will 4/23: FREE NATIONAL PARK DAY follow the ceremony at 8:30 pm. This Sunday is another one of the select days this year (celebrating 100th year of the National Park Service) or free admission to all US National Parks. 5/2: THE SHUK AT THE EGG Some are free all the time, but on this day all of the The Jewish Federation is hosting “The Shuk” band parks are free, including FDR’s home in Hyde Park at The Egg for $5pp ticket prices in honor of Yom and others around New York State. Ha’Atzmaut. For more info see JewishFedNY.org, contact The Egg Box Office for tickets and you can find out more about the band at: The-Shuk.com 4/23: NYS-M WWI GALLERY TOUR 1pm reception at NYS Museums’ South Lobby, 5/3: BEHIND ENEMY LINES 2pm Gallery Tour led by Aaron Noble, senior historian to explore WWI-related artifacts at the True story of Jewish spy in Nazi Germany 7-9pm at museum for the war’s centennial: 1917-2017. Bethlehem Chabad 393 Delaware Ave.
4/24: FREE PAPER SHREDDING
5/4: KEEPING IT HONEST W/JNF
Have important documents to get rid of safely? SAAJCC is offering one-time free shredding for area households, 9:00am-12pm or until the truck fills up. Outside the JCC on Whitehall Road.
JNF hosts Joe Hyams, CEO of “Honest Reporting” to speak on media bias. Program 8-9am, (a breakfast at the Marriot precedes at 7:30am with registration). No cost to attend. Info? Contact Sara Hefez, JNF ExecDirector, New England & Capital Region: shefez@jnf.org or 617.423.0999 x811
4/24: “NO PLACE ON EARTH” “No Place On Earth,” a Holocaust documentary will be screened at Clifton Park Library (475 Moe Rd) at 6:30pm. It’s the story of 38 people (kids, too) in the Ukraine who hid underground for 511 days in a deep cave to survive the Nazi Holocaust. American caver Chris Nicola took 4 survivors back to the cave 67 years later—this film tells their amazing story. Info/RSVP: 495-0772/9 or email: info@cliftonparkchabad.com
6/11: FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE WALK 10am-12pm in Tawasentha Park, Guilderland. More info: tinyurl.com/Walk4Friends
STILL OPEN FOR CONTRIBUTIONS: www.maimonidesschool.org/ScienceLab We’re getting there! Thanks!
THINKING SUMMER? Think Gan Israel Day Camp! Contact Morah Devorah Leah for more info… Program is based at the school, staffed by great team of very fine nurturing counselors, with a whole schedule of activities, crafts and trips.
5/4: CHOP, MIX & ROLL AT D.O.S. A fun evening out and dinner with a twist for those in their mid-20’s to mid-40’s. RSVP $20pp by 4/28 to foundation@DOSSC.org or 724-3261.
5/10: PESACH SHEINI The biblical holiday of Second Chances, one month after the first day of Pesach. Look for
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!”