BH. Cheshvan
7, 5778 / Oct 27, 2017
ב“ה
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 5:36 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org Fast Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel Rubin & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 6:36 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
AND MORE CRYSTALS...
NURSERY’S CRYSTAL STARS This science activity matches this week’s Parsha where G-d blessed Avraham and Sarah with children “like the sand and the stars.” Crystal (often) comes from sand, so Nursery’s growing crystal stars includes both blessings! Top: Two nursery students with the jars of solution where the crystals grew. Above: These three Nursery girls are very proud to hold the tray with the star-crystals to hang on their classroom window to glisten in the sun.
Not only Nursery! More classes made their own crystals in the STEAM program. In addition to the sand and stars connection, Rabbi Yossi also connected it with R’ Shimon bar Yochai’s teaching about Avraham’s precious stone of healing. One idea of that Talmud teaching (the sun’s healing properties) can be seen today in circadian rhythms and that fevers tend to go up at night.
Salo Steper whose Unveiling is this Sunday and being Zayin Cheshvan, the yartzeit of Daf Yomi’s founder OUR STEAM IS CRYSTALIZING! This week’s hands-on multi-age crystal -making projects at school are another example of “Maimonides Integrated Connections” and our efforts to increase S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) into many areas of integrated hands-on learning at school.
J.E.P. NYC STEAM CONFERENCE Rabbi Yossi went down to NYC this week to attend UJA’s JEP Board of Jewish Education’s conference with workshops on integrating STEAM into cross-curricular learning.
ISRAEL REGARDS Morah Rochel was in Israel this week to commemorate her mother’s first yartzeit. She made special effort to visit Kever Rochel in BeitLechem (south-west of Jerusalem) and Shmuel HaNavi’s Kever in outskirts of Jerusalem—for 4th grade students with whom she is learning Chumash (Parshat Vayeitze—Rachel passes away and is buried by the road) & 7th grade Navi Shmuel!
This week’s MC newsletter is dedicated in loving memory of
“THE LAND I WILL SHOW YOU” TNT students loved this exchange that Rabbi Mendel shared between a first grader and a Ms. Ford’s first graders had a big giant spelling Nursery student: “Can you show me the farm test, on oversized sheets of paper that are you went to?” asked the Nursery kid. The first hanging on the board behind them. They grader said it was too far away to show her. But learned words like six, mix, wig, did, fix, sit, once she started to describe it with words, the tip, lip… do you know what all these spelling Nursery student said, “She is showing it to words have in common? me!” And that’s what a good article should do!
THE BIG GIANT SPELLING TEST
LECH-LECHA MEANS GO! As the first Rashi of this Parsha teaches us: going is for our own good and benefit. This can also a lesson about the importance of movement. These boys are having a good time playing on the basketball court! Can you tell if that ball will go into the basket? They are both looking up to find out.. In the bottom picture, it looks like they are doing a basketball dance! In this moving spirit (and thanks to a school family donation) this year’s Raffle-Auction (stay tuned!) will feature a “Fit-Bit” prize for the first time to make sure that each step counts!
FROM MRS. ARICKA FORD
STAV FALL POSTERS “Stav” is the Hebrew word for fall/autumn. Morah Devorah’s first graders made these posters for their classroom.
THE MANE THING Also in the fall spirit… Morah Rivi’s art class first colored in this outline of a lion’s head (left). It looked OK, but once they framed it (right) with a mane of colorful leaves they collected outside it looked so much richer! It shows how an accent can change everything.
I would like to thank my Maimonides family for all you have shown and taught me over the last 2 years. I have enjoyed taking part in each and every tradition. Thank you for sharing your school and your homes with me. Maimonides will always hold a special place in my heart. I have learned so much and I will take the joy I feel for all of you with me into the next chapter of my life. I'm not saying good-bye, instead I'm saying...see you later. Love, Ms. Ford
SURPRISE PARTY FOR MS. FORD 2nd graders made a beautiful surprise party for Ms. Ford, as she leaves for a different school. They made a beautiful very long banner card of appreciation for her teaching and all that they learned with her. The school is still in the process of finding a replacement, and ensuring a smooth transition and continued learning excellence for these wonderful students!
MAIMONIDES JOINS THE LIFE AND LEGACY CAMPAIGN
EVEN IF YOU GO NOWHERE Sometimes the going can be exciting if you don’t go anywhere! Like these Nursery students having fun together outside on the big pink toy Jeep that lost its back wheels.
ZAYIN (7TH OF) CHESHVAN Rabbi Rubin makes sure to celebrate today’s Hebrew date at school every year, because the 7th of Cheshvan: (1) signifies the start of the rainy winter season in Israel, (2) symbolizes Jewish unity and empathy as we wait for the last Jew returning from the holidays in Jerusalem to reach the Euphrates River, and (3) also marks the yartzeit of pre-war Daf Yomi founder Rabbi Meir Shapiro. Also stay tuned for how Rabbi Rubin and our students are helping a Holocaust museum in Brooklyn!
PLANT VS. ANIMAL CELLS Mendel and Nachman display the different models of animal and plant cells from their science class with Mrs. Maher.
THE FERTILE CRESCENT 5th graders learned about ancient civilizations in that old part of the world: Babylonians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Phoenicians… their rise & fall, their inventions and accomplishments, key landmarks, rivers and geography. Some of this overlaps their Jewish history lessons of our interactions & experiences with those peoples.
JEWISH ART CALENDARS If you didn’t get yours in the Sukkot Jewish World newspaper mailing, call Rabbi Rubin at 518-423-4103. Make each day count!
A delegation of Maimonides administration, parents & friends attended Jewish Federations Grinspoon Life & Legacy planning meeting to promote the advantages of including Jewish education in people’s wills & legacy gifts to assure local Jewish continuity. Look for a renewed effort to increase legacy gifts to Maimonides. They are crucial for the school— Eve Kneznek’s major legacy gift willed to Maimonides enabled the building’s purchase. This new effort will also focus on smaller gifts, to collectively establish longer-term endowments for the school.
TRIP TO ELMS FAMILY FARM Grades K-1 went on a field-trip (literally!) to Elms Farm with Mrs. Hoffman and Morah Chani. Despite a rainy forecast, they had nice weather and a great time: from zip-lines to pumpkin patch, the jumping pillow to race cars and a wonderful farm ambience. They impressed a new local Israeli family who expressed interest in local Jewish activities…
YAHADUS CHIDON TRIVIA
PURITANS AND DISSENTERS In their studies of the 13 Colonies, 7th grade history learned about the irony of Puritan insistence in a colony established by those escaping religious persecution themselves. They learned about three prominent dissenters: Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson and Thomas Hooker.
In memory of Meir Obrien, first Maimonides student at Chidon
AND TRIANGLE TRADE ROUTE They also learned about the triangle trade route of that time period between Europe, Africa and the Americas. Sadly, part of that trade was the buying and selling of slaves.
RESPONSE LETTERS How did you like the book? What did you think of it? How did it affect your thinking on a certain matter? What might you have expected differently? These are the types of things Mrs. M. asked her 7/8 graders to address in their English literature class letters.
CAN YOU SEE THE BUBBLES? Kindergarteners made their own star (again, the Parsha!) Bubble (for letter Beis) wands out of pipe cleaners and beads, and they measured and poured and mixed to make our own bubble solution (including corn syrup which extends the durability of the fragile soap bubble). Then they went outside to test their special solution. It was a cloudy and windy so it was hard to blow and even see the bubbles, but some of the bubbles rose higher than the school building and even higher above towards the tallest trees. It was so much fun!
HOLES
BOOK ONE: How many Constant Mitzvot are there? Which Mitzvot are they? What are the 3 sins we should give up life for? Aside for those sins what type of a time should Jews give up their lives even for other sins? What’s the opposite of a Kiddush Hashem? What’s an example of Kiddush Hashem in Albany in 2017 when our lives aren't at risk? How many names of Hashem can’t be erased? Can letters written in the same word before or after Hashem’s name be erased or not? What conditions allow us to break part of a Shul? What does Hashem’s attribute of “Erech Apayim” mean? Which Mitzvah is that part of? Which 5 specific Mitzvot are officially listed under the umbrella of “Ahavat Yisrael”? Which other Mitzvah automatically comes along with loving a convert? What is something you shouldn’t say to the children of converts to Judaism? How many Mitzvot are part of “Tochacha— Rebuke”? How many positive/negative? When does the special Mitzvah of caring for orphans stop applying? Does the Mitzvah of caring for orphans apply even if the orphan is a rich prince? What does “the dust of Lashon Hora” mean? What’s the difference between Mitzvos against “Nekamah” and “Netirah”? Which is worse? The Mitzvah of Learning Torah also includes the Mitzvah of ____________. How many Brachos do we say before learning Torah each day? 3 parts to divide our daily Torah study into?
5th graders are excited about this book that they are reading now. BOOK TWO: More updates soon! What about Kiddush is from Torah and what is MORE GREAT MOVEMENT! from the Rabbis? Keeping with the spirit of Lech-Lecha, this is a NYS’ NATURAL WONDERS What distance of “Techum-Shabbos” is from the great shot of joyous movement—and skill! 4th grade Social Studies are exploring some of Torah and what distance from the Rabbis? our state’s natural resources and special places What does the word “Eruv” actually mean? What similar wording do you have in the positive that are considered natural wonders, from Mitzvos of Shabbos, YomTov, Yom-Kippur and Niagara Falls to Mountauk Point and the getting rid of Chametz? Adirondacks near where we live. What’s the max empty spacing in Schach cover? How many Mitzvos are related to not-eating FINISHED, NOW WHAT? Chametz? How many to not-owning Chametz? 3rd graders were assigned a project, but as some kids finished earlier, their How many of those Chametz Mitzvos are positive teacher told them they could enjoy some free or negative? What is Matzah Ashira? Can it be used at Seder? time. But that’s not what they chose to do, Eruv Techumin food can’t be placed in a location instead they all tried to help their fellow accessible only by __________. Eruv Chatzeiros classmates finish their work! YOUR LUCKY STARS Matzah can’t be placed in _______. Morah Esty and Morah Rivka did this What’s a punishment for a Beis Din that punishes PERFECT SPELLING SCORE interesting game in Nursery. Kids spun a dice on Shabbos? and got that number of stars (again, Parsha This week all of Mrs. Maher’s 4th grade What can be done about a non-Jewish apartment related) to put on their black card. It was also a spelling students got 100% on their spelling within an Eruv Chatzeiros? fun way to learn about numbers, and how to be test! The hardest word was “multicellular”, What’s the difference between Eruei Chatzeiros happy with your result, no matter the dice. which actually connects to their science class. and Shitufei Muhvaos?
at Maimonides and in the Community 10/27: ZAYIN CHESHVAN TODAY See significance on page 2. 5th grade actually learned about this date in Gemorah class—today!!!
wanted to know about Mikvah but hesitated to ask”. Suggested donation $18pp. Brunch served. Sponsored by Bnos Israel Mikvah.
10/27-28: ALBANY ERUV DOWN
11/5: WILD & WILEY TURKEYS
Eruv will be down this Shabbos to perform prewinter repair & annual reminder of carrying laws.
10/28-29: “KEEP QUIET” AT S-JCC Schenectady JCC ‘s Jewish Film Festival film about Csanad Szegedi, founder of Jobbik (Hungary’s extreme-right party) known for his outspoken antiSemitic views, in 2012 discovers that his maternal grandmother is a Jewish and Auschwitz survivor! He reaches out to Orthodox Rabbi Oberlander in Budapest. The film follows Szegedi through a 3-year process. 2 showings: Sat 7:15pm or Sunday, 2-4pm.
10/29: SALO STEPER UNVEILING The unveiling of Salo Steper’s gravestone will be this Sunday at noon at the CBAJ cemetery on Western Ave (across Crossgates). Light luncheon to follow at Bethlehem Chabad, 393 Delaware Ave.
10/29: FREE WKND AIR MUSEUM This weekend (10/28-29) is free admission at the Empire State Aerosciences Museum, 250 Rudy Chase Drive in Glenville. Open Sunday, 10-4.
10/29: FESTIVAL OF NATIONS Admission: $5 adult, $2 child. 12-5pm at Empire State Plaza Concourse. Anyone remember when Chabad had a Kosher Israeli food booth there?
10/29: COYOTES AT PINE BUSH
Another community program at the Pine Bush Discovery Center on Route 155. $3pp/$5 family, under 5 are free. 1:00-2:30pm. Online RSVP’s are appreciated. Includes craft, hike and program.
11/5: ALBANY AUTO SHOW Do you like new cars? ENYCAR.org presents 150 new cars 10am-5pm at Times Union Center. Free parking. Admission: $10ppm, kids under 12 free.
11/5-6: SANHEDRIN SIYUM
11/5: MIKVAH REFRESHER CLASS 10:30am at CBAJ with visiting Yoetzet Avital Weissman, for women only. “Everything you
10/30: Albany Jewish Womens Circle Challah Bake at Shabbos House for Community Women Info? Call Chaya Bracha: 646-545-1228 11/5: Challah Babka Bake with Clifton Park Chabad, 3pm at the Clifton Park Senior Center. $10 suggested donation. Info? 495-0779 or jwc@cliftonparkchabad.com
11/12: DOUGLAS BLOOMFIELD This year’s Jack Lauber Memorial Lecture at Beth Israel features Douglas Bloomfield (syndicated columnist in the local “Jewish World” newspaper) of Washington DC. 7pm at Beth Israel. Free.
11/13: MINDFULNESS KABBALAH Rabbi Dr. Laibl Wolf, founder of SpiritGrow—the Joseph Kryss Center, “Practical Kabbalah” author will speak on “Kabbalah of Mindfulness” 6pm at Clifton Park Library, 475 Moe Road. This freeadmission communal event is in commemoration of 79th anniversary of Kristallnacht, co-sponsored by the Library, Nigro Companies, the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County & Clifton Park Chabad.
11/14: THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE
Rabbi Roy Feldman first of four Jewish history lectures: on the Pharisees vs. the Sadducees.
10/25: Bethlehem Chabad’s Great Babka Challah Bake, 7-9pm. $5 student, $15 non-member, register and more info at BethlehemChabad.org
Daf Yomi will finish the long tractate Sanhedrin (the last chapter—end of October and early Nov— has beautiful Aggadah, especially about Moshiach) and will begin Makkot, a shorter tractate (that has one of the most beautiful endings in the Talmud).
Doubtful you’ll see a live coyote, this informative workshop (including a hike) is about this cunning wild animal found in our area. 1pm-2:30pm at Pine 11/14: THE FIRST CHIDON TEST Bush Discovery Center on Route 155. Program is This is the first of 3 qualifying tests for the Chidon. $3pp or $5 families. Pre-registration is preferred. These tests are administered by the school but run by the national Chidon office. The tests are not 11/2: HINCHEN’S CITYSCAPES ART easy, so its important that students who want to Stop by Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, 25 succeed continually study and review for them. Quackenbush Square, Broadway & Clinton Aves, There are some online resources: Chidon613.com BEFORE THIS DATE to see David Hinchen’s art including audio classes and practice tests. of urban landscapes (especially Albany). Mon—Fri 9am-4pm; Info: 518-434-0405. Free admission.
11/4: GREAT JEWISH RIVALRIES
3X AREA CHALLAH BAKINGS
Look up this film, it’s an amazing Holocaust story. Federation, Holocaust Survivors & Friends and UAlbany Judaic Studies present a one-time free communal screening 7:00pm at UAlbany Page Hall, on the downtown campus. PARENTS NOTE: There are some scenes in this film that may be inappropriate for children. Please check this out for yourself/family before viewing.
GET THE TORAH TIMES! This is the best season for Rabbi Rubin’s “Torah -Times” as we read the story-rich Parshiot of Breishit and Shmot. Order your own copy, get the book of Breishis and Shmot online via Amazon, delivered right to your home in time for the return of these Torah portions! Order online at: www.TheTorahTimes.com
EAT OUT ON CAMPUS UAlbany’s Kosher Kitchen in the Indian Quad Dining Hall is open for lunch and dinner and is under Vaad Supervision. Visitor parking is located just outside Indian Quad. Call 518-4422668 for more info, menu and cost.
12/19: ANNUAL MAIMONIDES RAFFLE-AUCTION & DINNER The Raffle-Auction display and prize drawings will be on Tuesday, the 8th night of Chanukah, along with a delicious themed Chanukah dinner prepared by the Kochmans. There are some exciting new prizes this year that we’ve never had before! Stay tuned for details on both the raffleauction itself (now being prepared) and the evening’s theme.
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!”