BH. Nissan
11 5777 / April 7, 2017
ב“ה
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 7:11 404 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 8:13 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
MAZAL TOV CARAS FAMILY
This newsletter is memory of
On the birth of a pre-Pesach baby boy!! Bris IYH on Thursday, Chol HaMoed Pesach.
Yaakov ben Yechiel By his daughter Maxine Morgenbesser
WHAT DO YOU SEE? Avraham Meir is proud to display his all-new color Haggadah picture book made in Nursery School modeled after the classic “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”
WHICH PLAGUE IS THAT?
EREV PESACH AT MAIMONIDES
Morah Rivka and the Nursery students used the ten plagues to learn about all kinds of things from textures and colors to the different ways animals move about and how things feel. They made books and pillowcases and decorated Afikoman bags and Kiddush cups..
Erev Pesach is always a busy time, so much to do before the holiday! And there’s a lot going on at Maimonides that morning, too! As every year there will be a first-born Talmud Siyum (this year dedicated to the memory of Salo Steper within the Shloshim of his passing) and an assorted Chametz Breakfast with an outdoor communal Chametz Burning. Salo’s Daf Yomi softcover Talmud repository was also better organized by students on the top shelf of the Esty Library for this occasion.
IN EVERY GENERATION That’s the line our 7/8 girls are crocheting as a gift for seniors in their current Better-Together program project. As the students put it: “In every generation we remember the Exodus, SO MANY PESACH PROJECTS and almost every project has a Better-Together These Kindergarteners are so ready for Pesach! component!” They learned how Yosef made They are very proud to display their many preknots to remember, knots of Tzitzit remind us Pesach hands-on study projects, from the Seder of Mitzvot, physical knots = brain connections reclining pillow to the flip book with one flip SYMMETRY IN ART & MATH which help us connect the dots and remember How does it line up, how do the two sides up for each step of the Seder, to Afikoman things. Crocheting and sewing etc. is match? Mrs. Maher’s 4th graders are doing a bags, even Bedikat Chametz sets. another way to make knots and unit on this now, how the two sides connections. And just as between the correspond to one another. They had fun with lines there’s writing, when crocheting these artsy and unusual art creations as well as or sewing—between the stitches there the math behind it. are feelings embedded.
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
LEADING THE WAY Our boys davening class has really taken to the new wooden Shtender (lecturn) they built with Rabbi Shmuly, and take turns being the Chazzan leading an energetic daily davening!
SCIENCE DIGESTION JOURNAL As part of a unit on digestion and nutrition, 7/8th grade are learning about the six food groups, the food pyramid, about healthy choices and not such healthy choices. To take a closer look at what they eat, they each (including the teacher) had to keep a detailed food journal for one full day–and that day was the Sheva Brachos at Shabbos House with so many different things to eat!
JCC MACCABI GAMES LOOK FOR LOCAL HOSTS THIS SUMMER
This is a big deal! Our local JCC’s are hosting the Maccabi Games this summer, and looking for local families to help THUNDERSTORMS with hosting the We had a lot of rain this week, and 700 (!) expected Mrs. Maher’s 4th graders learned in student athletes. different inter-connected ways about heavy They are also rain and thunderstorms, both in reading looking for volunteers. Events are in early “London Eye Mystery” and also in science. August 2017 but the planning, arrangements and preparations start now.
PHONE NUMBERS
Kindergarten with Mrs. Hoffman TIME TO SELL CHAMETZ! learned how phone numbers work Selling our Chametz (the seven digits broken into two, before Pesach plus the area code) and they made a shouldn’t phone book with their friends be left to the last numbers (and learned the importance of minute. You can sell getting both the numbers and the number your Chametz via order correct, because one number in the Rabbi Rubin, your wrong place will dial a different house) just in Shul Rabbi, or even time to have their friends phone numbers to online. Remember, we also need to do the two call to wish them a Good Yom Tov over break other steps: nullifying the Chametz as well as or especially when someone is out sick… searching for and destroying it.
SNAPPLE AT 11 NISSAN KIDUSH
THE RAW EGG DROP In time for the egg on the Passover Seder plate, for Science-Enrichment this week, Mrs. Kirkley brought in a dozen raw eggs and a bunch of random things: plastic shopping bags, wire hangers, diapers, Styrofoam, foam bowls, masking tape and more. She challenged teams of students to use 3 types of material to package/cushion their raw egg so it could be thrown out of a classroom window onto the parking lot below and not break! Working in teams, they came up with some interesting practical solutions, some used the plastic bag as a parachute, others used the Styrofoam as landing gear, some tightly wrapped the egg in layers of diaper… all these ways worked!
The 11th of Nissan is the Rebbe’s birthday, and as a treat for the boys who davened so nicely on the last day of school before Pesach. They enjoyed pita and cheese—and Snapple. Why Snapple? Because it’s made (supposedly) from “the best stuff on earth” and one of the Rebbe’s teachings (originally from the Baal Shem Tov, but greatly expounded on by the Rebbe) is to seek out and discover the best stuff hidden all throughout creation and utilize it in the service of Hashem.
MAOT CHITTIM It’s time to think of those who need holiday assistance. Speak to Rabbi Rubin 423-4103 rralbany@gmail.com or your Shul Rabbi to discreetly support families or individuals in need, or to Mrs. Clara Simon 439-8280 who runs Keren Yehoshua Fund for many years supporting local people’s needs, or Rabbi Zalmy & Chani Simon 439-3919 who run the Kosher Food Pantry in Albany-area or Rabbi Abba & Raizel 526-0773 who do it in Saratoga/Schenectady-area. It’s a big Mitzvah!
SIGNS OF SPRING The weather has been a little crazy but the big bulletin board at the school entrance has this bold bright cheerful sign that reads: “Spring is here, Pesach is coming!” and its decorated with flowers. Soon enough they will start popping up outdoors, too!
CBAJ BUILDING MATCH CBAJ has a million-dollar renovation and capital improvements campaign going on right now and there’s a $50,000 match leading up to Pesach. See CBAJ.org for more info.
SOMETHING SHORT TO SHARE? With MHDS alumni back in town for the holiday, there’s Kinus Torah evenings to share short pearls of learning, especially on Thursday night, the one night of Chol HaMoed, at Shteeble’s Mincha/Maariv.
GREAT READS FOR PASSOVER? Shmos isn’t the Torah portion anymore, but you can read up on those Torah portions in the Torah Times, to make the Exodus story come alive, from the enslavement to the plagues, Splitting of the Sea and getting the Torah: You can still get it in time for part of Passover! Order your Book of Shmos “TheTorahTimes” now available to order on Amazon (Shmos for $18 or one joint convenient volume of Breishis and Shmos for $24.99) printed and shipped to your door. See Amazon link at: www.TheTorahTimes.com
BLANK SPACE? Not enough time, not enough student reporting, on this shortened pre-Passover week… we’ll get back to it after Passover!
GOING BACK A STEP EARLIER This year’s Matzah Bakery took a step back earlier in the process. Usually we begin with flour and water, this time we started with kernels hand-ground milled on the spot by students who took turns at the hand-grinder, which Rabbi Shmuly bought online. They substituted pineapple juice for water to allow this not-for-Passover Matzah to be eaten now when we aren’t supposed to eat Matzah as we save up an appetite for the Mitzvah!
APPROVED FOR SCIENCE LAB After our submission of contributions and pledges at the end of February, we heard back from the national funding organization that we are approved to go ahead & be matched— even as we are still short $9,000 towards our $150K goal, providing that we get there soon. We are grateful to the extended Maimonides family and friends for helping us reach this point, and look forward to making the $360K Science Lab and Steam Center project a reality!!!
at Maimonides and in the Community 4/6-7: HALF DAYS, AM ONLY Thursday and Friday before Pesach will be half-days General-Studies only, ending 11:30am. This allows Judaic teachers some time to prepare for Passover.
4/7: JOURNEY THRU THE BODY
10am-9pm at Crossgates Mall, an interactive health education experience with larger than life models of the heart and lungs, ear, teeth and colon. Get a close up look at how these organs work.
4/7-9: SELL YOUR CHAMETZ! Don’t forget! Time is running out! Don’t leave your sale of Chametz for the last minute…
4/7: CARAS SHOLOM ZACHOR Welcome baby boy Caras! After Shabbos dinner, 9:30pm Friday night at the home of Dr. Yehoshua & CB Rubin, across the Maimonides School at 419 Partridge Street.
4/9: PRE-PASSOVER EXPERIENCE 12:30-2:30pm at Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library, 475 Moe Road. RSVP/info: 495-0772.
4/10: EREV PESACH SIYUM @MHDS This year’s annual Erev Pesach Siyum is dedicated in memory of Salo, within his Shloshim, for he enjoyed Talmud so! No school, but school is open that morning for community: prayer, siyum, last chametz and later the Chametz burning outside. 8am Shacharit, followed by Siyum & Chametz.
4/10: EREV PESACH TIMES Finish eating Chametz by 10:43am, Burn Chametz (communal fire outside Maimonides) before 11:50am. Candle-Lighting 7:14pm. The Seder Kiddush must begin after nightfall, 8:02pm.
4/10-19: PESACH SCHOOL BREAK Maimonides is off for all of Passover, plus the day before (Erev Pesach) and the day after (Isru Chag). School resumes 8am on Thursday, April 20th.
4/10-11: COMMUNAL SEDERS
Saratoga Chabad’s warm family-style communal Seders with props and explanations for both kids and adults 7:30pm on Monday and Tuesday nights. Suggested donation is $18. 130 Circular Street, 526-0773 for more info and RSVP. Bethlehem Chabad: Enjoy Passover with family and community at an inspirational Seder. Cost: $30 Adult, $10 Child, After 4/4 extra $10 pp. RSVP: Info@BethlehemChabad.com 439-3310 CBAJ’s communal Seder (RSVP by March 30) $45 adult, $40 per child for non-members.
Members save $5. 8pm on Monday Night. University Heights Chabad on South Lake in Albany, 8pm both nights, for grad students and young professionals. RSVP to 522-1872 or by email to: rabbimathless@gmail.com Union College Chabad in Schenectady hosts student Seders both nights at 7:30pm. 479-9592 Chabad of S. Rensselaer County will be having Seders on Monday and Tuesday both at 8pm. For more info call Rabbi Laber at 727-6037 Shabbos House has 2 types of Seders both nights: Regular Seder 8-11:30pm, and a shorter one-hour Seder-within-a-Seder from 9:3010:30pm. Primarily for students, Seders are open to community. For more info & RSVP see: shabboshouse.org/passover2017 Beth Tephilah on River Street in Troy, hosts Seders both night, no charge, 8pm. Please RSVP. Contact Elisheva Morrison: 894-3491
4/13: PASSOVER MAGIC & BBQ
4/20: FIRST DAY BACK AT SCHOOL 8am start, after a very long Pesach break!
4/20: MY ITALIAN SECRET Film screening 7pm at Proctors, $5pp. The story of an Italian resistance that also saved Jews during the Holocaust. La Rabinessa Liora Kelman of Beth Israel will share her family’s story of survival. The Saranos of Milan were saved in the small Italian village of Mobaroccio during the Holocaust. RSVP with Proctors online or by phone: 346-6204.
4/23: YOM HASHOAH GATHERING Communal Holocaust remembrance, this year at Beth Emeth on Academy Road, 7:30pm.
4/25: DR BERK ON ANTISEMITSM Professor Berk to speak on new wave of antiSemitism—at the Jewish Federation. $5pp.
5:30-7:30pm at Saratoga Chabad featuring a magic show, bingo game and a Passover BBQ. Cost is $36 per family or $10pp. Those interested in the Kosher for Passover BBQ must RSVP by the start of Passover or at least by morning of on 4/13 to saratorah@gmail.com or call 526-0773.
5/2: THE SHUK AT THE EGG
4/13: KINUS TORAH LEARNING
5/14: LAG B’OMER SUNDAY
Stay tuned for a special “Kinus Torah” session this year (especially) on Thursday evening of Chol HaMoed Pesach. MHDS alumni returning for the holiday share short words of Torah between and after Mincha/Maariv at Shomray Torah. This year hoping for an expanded edition in the days leading to Salo’s Shloshim.
4/16: FREE NATIONAL PARK DAY All National Parks have free admission this last day of Chol HaMoed in honor of 100 years since the National Park Service.
4/18: SIYUM MISHNAYOS There will be a Siyum Mishnayos learned by many in the community in Salo’s memory on the morning of Achron Shel Pesach at CBAJ.
4/18: MOSHIACH’S MEAL & SONGS As is the Chassidic tradition, there will be a end of Pesach Moshiach-Seudah with Matzah and wine and heartfelt melodies at the Shteeble in the last hours of the holiday. While not a Chassid, Salo especially cherished these songs and the fact that they each had a recorded history that was kept as a tradition and enjoyed the Moshiach Seuda each year, so this year—as it falls on his Shloshim—it will be dedicated in his memory.
The Jewish Federation is hosting “The Shuk” band at The Egg for $5pp ticket prices in honor of Yom 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
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 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
6/11: FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE WALK 10am-12pm in Tawasentha Park, Guilderland. More info: tinyurl.com/Walk4Friends
STILL OPEN FOR CONTIBUTIONS: www.maimonidesschool.org/ScienceLab We’re getting there! Thanks! All of our Talmud study at Maimonides (from grades 3 thru HS) is dedicated in Salo Steper’s memory. Our students are now studying tractates Bava Metziah, Pesachim, Megillah..
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!”