BH. Nissan
3, 5777 / March 30, 2017
ב“ה
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 7:03 404 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 8:04 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
This newsletter is dedicated in honor of the wedding of
Mushky Rubin & Moishe Denburg
May we share many Simchas!
OUR VERY OWN HAGGADAH These 2nd graders were careful to each display a different page of their own personalized Haggadahs in progress for this photo. Indeed, as the Mishna tells us (and repeated in the Haggadah) “In every generation… we should see ourselves as if we ourselves left Egypt!”
VERY COMFY WITH PESACH!
HEY, WHY THE SMALL LETTER?
MAZAL TOV REB MOSHE LOSICE
No mistake, the Aleph (last letter of Vayikra) is On the engagement of his granddaughter Ita a smaller font size than the standard size Torah Herbstman to Tzvi Eisenberg. Much Nachas! letter. Our sages tell us this represents Moshe’s MAZAL TOV SONENBERGS humility—there’s a lesson here for us as well. To Sam and Barbara and the whole mishpocha on the engagement of their daughter (MHDS MAZAL TOV MORAH MUSHKY alumna) Sara to Daniel Tobias. Much Nachas! AS IF WE LEFT and Rabbi Mendel & Raizy & family on her wedding IYH this Sunday in Crown Heights to EGYPT... The Seder’s goal is to Moishe Denburg of Coral Springs FL. Albany YES, WE’VE BEEN APPROVED! Sheva Brachos: Tuesday 4/4 at 7. See page 4. The Science Center project is ON! See page 3> create an engaging experience as Mishna MAIMONIDES says, “in every generation.. as if we 404 Partridge Street left Egypt!” Look Albany NY 12208 closer at this Splitting of the Sea on left: the people crossing between lanes of blue water are our Nursery school students with tambourines! Its not just history, it’s OUR story!
These first graders are very comfortable with our heritage and traditions, looking forward to Pesach with these comfy Seder pillows which they each made and decorated (Hebrew lettering & illustration) with Morah Devorah.
A FLAT STANLEY ARRIVES FROM ISRAEL
WHAT DO YOU SEE… LOOKING AT ME...
Nissim Shlomo got a Flat Stanley in the mail from his cousin in Israel and he brought it into school. Ms. Ford thought it was a great idea, and they read the story of Flat Stanley traveling the world in an envelope and then all her students made their own Flat Stanleys.
Nursery students with Morah Rivka are working on a Pesach book modeled after the famous “Brown Bear… What Do You See?” book. They are pictured here eagerly listening to instructions from Morah Rivka with pages ready and crayon box at hand.
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 with hosting the 700 (!) expected student athletes. They are also looking for volunteers. Events are in early August 2017 but the planning, arrangements and preparations start now.
ROSH CHODESH BIRTHDAYS
MAOT CHITTIM THE LEMON BATTERY
Also on Rosh Chodesh (first of the Hebrew month) HS Girls gave out a bunch of cupcakes to students whose birthdays fall this coming month. Some (but not all) of the birthday students are pictured above with cupcakes.
As Passover approaches, time to think of those who need holiday assistance. Speak to Rabbi Rubin 423-4103 rralbany@gmail.com or your synagogue Rabbi to discreetly support families or individuals in need, or to Mrs. Clara Simon 439-8280 who runs the Keren Yehoshua Fund for many years supporting local people’s needs, or contact Rabbi Zalmy and 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.
These Science-Enrichment students (5/6 on top, 4th grade above) are working to power up an LCD clock using zinc and copper sticks FIVE THINGS ABOUT A WORD placed stuck inside a whole lemon or a cup of 3rd graders are lemon-juice (which is a source of acid). It was a doing this now little frustrating when it didn’t always work as with words: draw planed, but that’s part of the scientific process, a picture of it (in to examine and recheck all steps and this case a “bay”), components, to try to narrow down what’s define it, use it in wrong. But some teams did indeed to get some a sentence, find a power going! And they also enjoyed using the synonym, and list battery tester on different voltage batteries to which part of speech it is. check the readings.
TIME TO SELL CHAMETZ!
DO YOU HAVE BOXTOPS?
Selling our Chametz before Pesach shouldn’t Each one is worth a dime to the school. It adds up! If you find a bunchof be left to the last minute. You can sell your boxtops while Pesach cleaning Chametz via Rabbi Rubin, your Shul Rabbi, please bring them into the or even online. Remember, we also need to do school office, thanks! the two other steps: nullifying the Chametz as well as searching for and destroying it.
SEATING ARRANGEMENTS 7/8 girls learned with Rabbi Caras about the specific seating of the wicked son next to the wise son, for several reasons: (1) for the wise son to positively influence the wicked son (2) humble the wise son to see that wickedness can be just one step away (3) so the wicked son have hope and recognize his potential.
STATISTICS IN MATH How you ask a question may make all the difference! Good timing for the Pesach Seder’s many questions. 7/8 with Mrs. Mizrachi are learning how to determine if a question is fair and unbiased or if it pushes a respondent to answer in a certain way. For example: "Do you prefer greasy meat or healthy veggies?" that’s a biased question, because you are pushing people towards choosing veggies against meat. The words "greasy" or "healthy" may affect their choice. Instead a more fair way of asking the question would be "Do you prefer meat or vegetables?" That way you’d have a better sense of knowing PASSOVER FOOD BASKETS TO SENIORS AT THE ROYCE what more people prefer. Shalom Food Pantry volunteers packed these food baskets which were personally delivered to their apartment door by these MHDS middle-schoolers in “Better Together”. Before going on the trip they read stories of the incredible sacrifice Jews in Russia had to get Matzah, especially APPROVED FOR SCIENCE LAB Shmurah Matzah, for Passover and brought a package of Shmurah Matzah to each of the After our submission of contributions and pledges at the end of February, we now finally residents they visited. Despite the language barrier (some of the residents spoke almost no English) they felt the warmth and appreciation for the packages and the visit even without heard back from the national funding words. The students said the feelings were mutual—both the seniors and the organization that we are approved to go ahead students felt very good about the pre-holiday visit. One group of students and to be matched—even as we are still short understood some of the Yiddish in one of the apartments they visited. $12,000 towards our $150K goal, providing that we get there soon. We are very grateful to the extended Maimonides family and friends DIGESTIVE SYSTEM for helping us reach this point, and look 7/8 just completed a science unit on the parts forward to making the of the digestive system, including small and $360K Science Lab and large intestine, mouth and esophagus, the Steam Center project a stomach and all. Now they are learning about reality at Maimonides! proteins, carbs—all about what we eat to digest!
THE GREAT DEPRESSION &FDR 7/8 history class is now studying the 1930’s in America, leading up to WWII.
REPORT CARDS WHY ROUND RICE CAKES? On Rosh Chodesh Morah Rochel gave out cheese & rice-cakes—round like the moon!
FROM GEMORAH MEGILLAH Rabbi Rubin has been learning Gemorah Megillah with 7/8 boys for their Girsoh (faster) Gemorah class, and here are a few interesting things they learned recently: They came across the source of having ten for a Minyan (why not 3 or 5, which would make life easier, especially in small towns!) An unusual Minyan of 9 + a Kohen is needed to buy/sell Beit HaMikdash land. “Gezeira-Shava” is familiar from the morning prayer, but they learned how it is used to learn things from connected verses. There was mention of (invalid) circular or golden Tefillin! They learned why there’s something very wrong (or suspicious) with a double-Modim. Acceptable prayer footwear, esp as Chazzan.
SETTLING SEDIMENT IN A JAR
Mrs. Maher’s 5/6 science class put a variety of 2nd marking period General soil types into a jar and then added water—and Studies report cards went then shook it all up and watched it settle. home last Thursday and the They saw how the sediment stacks up. Judaic report cards went home this week.
THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER HS is reading this classic in English class with Mrs. Crawford. They’re finding the wording interesting. May be an old setting, but the ideas remain ever relevant!
SOUNDS OF SILENCE HS learned about the stylistic difference between Kohanim and Levites in the Temple service, the former quieter, the latter loud & lively with musical instruments—and what these represent our own service of Hashem.
KIDDUSH CUPS Nursery students decorated their own plastic Kiddush cups for the Pesach Seder!
KINDERGARTEN SEDER PLATES These chargers are charged with Pesach info, meaning and significance!
“TOP SHELF” DAF YOMI... Rabbi Shmuly and students worked hard to organize in order 733 (!) thin softcover Artscroll Talmud volumes on the tippy-top shelf of the Esty Library at Maimonides where Salo stored them as am active repository to be used when not in use in the Daf Yomi cycle…
at Maimonides and in the Community 3/30: CHAMETZ-TIME AT SCHOOL
4/9: PRE-PASSOVER EXPERIENCE
4/13: PASSOVER MAGIC & BBQ
TODAY! Get your last pizza fix before Pesach! 3:30- 12:30-2:30pm at Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library, 5pm at school. Order 2 pies ahead of time, get free 475 Moe Road. RSVP/info: 495-0772. fries. Sushi only by pre-order. Pre-Order at: bnoschayaprograms@gmail.com 4/10: EREV PESACH SIYUM @MHDS This year’s annual Erev Pesach Siyum is dedicated 4/1: SHABBOS VAYIKRA in memory of Salo, within his Shloshim, for he In contrast to last week’s double-header Chazak, enjoyed Talmud so! No school, but school is open these week’s Torah portion is only 111 verses. that morning for community: prayer, siyum, last Rabbi Feldman’s CBAJ talk is on Big Tent and chametz and later the Chametz burning outside. Orthodox Controversy. 8am Shacharit, followed by Siyum & Chametz.
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.
4/1: NCSY & USY JOINT AT SAAJCC
4/13: KINUS TORAH LEARNING
4/10: EREV PESACH TIMES
NCSY &USY youth groups are having a joint night Finish eating Chametz by 10:43am, Burn Chametz of activities at the Albany JCC this Sat Night, (communal fire outside Maimonides) before 8:30pm to 12am for grades 8-12. 11:50am. Candle-Lighting 7:14pm. The Seder Kiddush must begin after nightfall, 8:02pm.
4/2: GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW It’s very expensive, but should be dazzling. 3pm at Proctors Theater in Schenectady, see their website or contact box office for tickets, cost and info.
4/4: RUBIN-DENBURG SHEVA BRACHOS AT SHABBOS HOUSE
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.
4/6: SARATOGA MODEL SEDER
Mushky’s Albany Sheva Brachos, 7pm on Tuesday. Be better prepared for the Seder, enjoy an interactive model Seder, 5pm at Saratoga Chabad. NOTE TIME CHANGE: 7:00pm start instead of the originally announced 6pm. Those attending are All ages welcome! Call 526-0773 for more info. asked to RSVP: AlbanySimchaRSVP@gmail.com Parking is available in the Dutch Quad Lot closest 4/10-11: COMMUNAL SEDERS to Shabbos House but please note that there is a Saratoga Chabad’s warm family-style communal Seders with props and explanations for both kids major event on campus that evening and you may and adults 7:30pm on Monday and Tuesday have to look for a space. nights. Suggested donation is $18. 130 Circular Street, 526-0773 for more info and RSVP. 4/4: HENRY JOHNSON FILM Henry Johnson was an African-American US Army Bethlehem Chabad: Enjoy Passover with family and community at an inspirational Seder. Cost: soldier from Albany who fought valiantly in the $30 Adult, $10 Child, After 4/4 extra $10 pp. 369th Infantry during WWI. This film is the story RSVP: Info@BethlehemChabad.com 439-3310 of his life and the fight for his honor even after his CBAJ’s communal Seder (RSVP by March 30) passing. 6pm at the NYS Museum, free admission. $45 adult, $40 per child for non-members. Members save $5. 8pm on Monday Night. 4/6-7: HALF DAYS, AM ONLY University Heights Chabad on South Lake in Thursday and Friday before Pesach will be half-days Albany, 8pm both nights, for grad students and General-Studies only, ending 11:30am. This allows young professionals. RSVP to 522-1872 or by Judaic teachers some time to prepare for Passover. email to: rabbimathless@gmail.com Union College Chabad in Schenectady hosts 4/6: EVENINGS AT THE INSTITUTE student Seders both nights at 7:30pm. 479-9592 Free admission to Albany Institute of History & Shabbos House has 2 types of Seders both Art Thursday evenings 5-8pm. nights: Regular Seder 8-11:30pm, and a shorter one-hour Seder-within-a-Seder from 9:304/7: JOURNEY THRU THE BODY 10:30pm. Primarily for students, Seders are open 10am-9pm at Crossgates Mall, an interactive health to community. For more info & RSVP see: education experience with larger than life models shabboshouse.org/passover2017 of the heart and lungs, ear, teeth and colon. Get a Beth Tephilah on River Street in Troy, hosts close up look at how these organs work. Seders both night, no charge, 8pm. Please RSVP. Contact Elisheva Morrison: 894-3491
ANY IDEAS FOR CHOL HAMOED OUTINGS THIS YEAR? LET’S SHARE THEM IN PREPESACH “MC” NEWSLETTERS!
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.
4/25: DR BERK ON ANTISEMITSM Professor Berk to speak on new wave of antiSemitism—at the Jewish Federation. $5pp.
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
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!”