BH. Kislev
26, 5778 / Dec 14, 2017
ב“ה
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 4:05 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org Shabbat Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel Rubin & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 5:10 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
TEN YEARS THIS CHANUKAH! & RETIRING THE AVI-CHAI LOAN Since the laying of the cornerstone for the new wing expansion of Maimonides School, a few years after the purchase of the old building. This December will be the final $7,500 loan payment of $300,000 to Avi-Chai Foundation which helped fund this building expansion, which Maimonides has been paying down at all this time since. If you would like to be part of the “Minyan” (ten people) contributing $750 to have the final merit of retiring this loan, please speak to Rabbi Rubin.
MAZAL TOV GRANOVETTERS Rabbi & Mrs. Rubin went to the wedding of MHDS alumnus Shmuel Granovetter of Cincinnati to Dvora Abrams of Cleveland. They met a past Rabbi Jonathan Horowitz of Beth Israel and his wife (now in Florida) past parents at Maimonides, many fond memories!
MAIMONIDES: ON THE BALL, HAVING A BALL! Thanks to a gift from Target and Hedstrom, the whole school got big rubber balls as a Chanukah present. Drawings and event on the last night of Middle grades pictured here. They Chanukah, Tues, Dec 19th, now is a great have their hands on the ball in the time to order online: maimonidesschool.org/ upper picture but are much happier auction or if mailed before the weekend we having a ball (with the balls up in will get it in time. Tickets range $5=$20 with the air) in the picture on right. prizes from A-Z! Thanks for supporting this Maimonides tries to emphasize both annual school fundraiser. Help get our in our educational approach: Skills Maimonides train over the daunting mountain and knowledge, as well as engaging to best reach our beloved boys & girls. We fun to love the learning, as well! think we can—with everyone’s help!
NOT TOO LATE FOR RAFFLEAUCTION!!! THIS TUESDAY…
This MC is dedicated in memory of
Avram Horowitz
Longtime Shomray Torah Baal Koreh on occasion of his yartzeit Today: Kislev 26, Chanukah Day 2
CALCULATING PERCENTAGES 7th grade has been learning percentages in math, a useful skill for calculating all types of everyday things, from sales tax to interest, or sales discounts to ways to measure growth.
MCGILL MATH PROFESSOR Dr. Teitelbaum was a math professor for 38 years at McGill University, all the while being a respected Chabad Chassid in Montreal. Rabbi Rubin introduced him as his algebra tutor! He was traveling through and Rabbi Rubin was eager for him to speak to our students at Maimonides. First he shared with them an inspiration he heard from the Lubavitcher Rebbe many years ago, about four words in last week’s Parsha: Maduah Pnaychem Rayim HaYom? (why do you look sad today?) That what Yosef asked the butler and baker why they looked sad that morning, when they had every reason to be sad in prison anyways. And he himself was in prison on false charges, alone and estranged from his family. Those four words of concern eventually changed Yosef’s own life and the course of history. This teaches us the great importance of reaching out to others, being sensitive to their feelings, being concerned with their welfare and wellbeing. HEY, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MATH? First of all his underlying message was that good character comes before knowledge! Then he discussed prime numbers with our 7th graders and took that conversation to “Perfect Numbers” where all the factors of that number add up to the number: 6 was his example: 1+2+3=6. But what’s the next example? Kids tried a few guesses, but he patiently added up the factors and they saw it couldn't work. He put on his fur Montreal hat, about to leave & leave them to figure it out for homework, when Nesanel got it: 28! (1+2+4+7+14=28) Dr. Teitelbaum was very impressed!
CHANUKAH CARDS These second graders are writing and decorating beautiful Chanukah cards for Morah Devorah’s class.
A LOOSE WIRE HERE OR THERE Once a week Rabbi Shmuly does some handson activity with some classes, this week they worked on fixing up some old car-Menorahs that weren’t working. They tested parts, looked for and isolated the problems, and got most of them working again, all the while learning about wiring, circuits, pipe fittings, supports, LED lights and more!
GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES First graders with Mrs. Mattise are learning about the differences between rural, urban and suburban communities.
FLORIDA THEN AND NOW
7th grade history is learning about the United States acquisition of Florida just shy of two hundred years ago which involved President Monroe, SHAPES Secretary of State Adams, and WRITING General Jackson (all of whom In addition to also served as President making some themselves). Nowadays Florida is such an very pretty integral part of the United States, one of its snowflakes, Mrs. largest states, and one of its highest Jewish Mattise’s first populations. Many Albany area seniors either graders did go down there for the winter or have moved some good there in retirement. Especially on freezing cold writing about its weeks like this one, warm sunny southern six-pointed Florida can be quite appealing! shape with a hexagon base and its beautiful and unique CHANUKAH AT MAIMONIDES! composition as a frozen crystal of water. See page 4 for big listing of communal events. THE SUGYA OF (MINI-) SUGYOS Maimonides-wise: No School Friday (12/15) for NURSERY A Sugya is a Talmud topic. Sometimes a single an extended Chanukah weekend. Sunday DREIDEL Sugya can stretch pages long, sometimes every morning (12/17) we’re hosting a Scout’s “SNOW” few lines can be its own mini-Sugya. This time Court of Honor as MHDS alumnus Eli K. formally becomes an Eagle Scout. Tuesday GLOBES! 7th graders encountered Talmud Sukkah 3b evening (12/19) last night of Chanukah is the It looks clear now, where there are several mini-Sugyas all annual Raffle-Auction and Chanukah Dinner but once you turn clustered on one page, one after the other. it over or shake it This Chanukah they got to the bottom of that by the Kochmans (this time a Hawaiian theme). School plays and songs will be 9am on up there’s a purple page and finished the set! It ranged from Wednesday (12/20), the last day of snowstorm of implied allowances based on omissions, Chanukah. Parents and Families etc. are glitter inside! Then Shabbos carrying and Shabbos intercity it all settles down.. walking to dividing property and use of yards. welcome. Happy Chanukah to all!
MYSTERY OF THE WILD FLAME As is the tradition to light a Menorah at a Shul Minyan to “publicize the miracle” we did the same in our davening class. But a strange thing happened! The flame on the far right was twice the size of the others, and it was burning down twice as fast, too. This strange phenomenon gathered the students around (like Moshe was drawn the burning bush) guessing and hypothesizing why this was so (like a good science experiment) until Menachem S. realized the candle has two wicks instead of one! (This also connects with Tanya 35 that HS Girls learned about people being compared to a wick, that acts as a valve and conduit connecting Mitzvah fuel with the Shechina’s flame). But soon after the flame got smaller and the pace slowed! How to explain this? Again, more ideas, and a closer examination: It only had one wick but in the upper part of the candle it split off into two… One more observation: The Shamash candle burned the longest of all three, though it was the same type of candle. Why? The 2-ended wick candle burned so hot that it hastened the burning of the candle to the left of it. Ah, this teaches us how students in a class can affect one another, either positively or negatively, hopefully positively!
YAHADUS CHIDON TRIVIA VISITING In memory of Meir Obrien, first Maimonides student at Chidon JUGGLER BOOK ONE: FROM JERUSALEM Why does making an idol for yourself violate 2 Steve Phaff and his family lived in Albany and went to our school before they moved to Jerusalem. Josh Phaff, an alum of Maimonides is a regular juggler and entertainer in Israel and has a business called “World of Fun”, this time his youngest brother Binyamin (a yeshiva student at Torahs Simcha—a fitting name!) visited Albany with his father and he happily and ably juggled five balls at a time for us! Last time he visited was ten years ago, and he was pictured in our MC Newsletter with his father when we had the Noah’s Ark activity in the new wing construction… he remembered that!
LUNG CAPACITY
LETTING OFF MATH STEAM! Ms. Coffey did a bunch of STEAM activities with her math students this week, for handson Chanukah fun, to encourage teamwork and for applying theoretical concepts. They made bridges of popsicle sticks & woodenclips, paper-towel gravity gap pathways for pompom balls (pictured above) and symmetrical snowflakes!
Mrs. Maher science class learning the respiratory system used balloons to get a sense of lung capacity for both regular breathing & deep breathing.
INDOOR CARD GAMES Some days are just too cold for outdoor sports especially when the courts are frozen over. Not all students enjoy indoor Gaga or elimination, so they asked for a card games like Uno, Cover Your Assets, Monopoly Deal etc.. Or a Jewish card game like R’ Shmuly brought in.
Mitzvos? Can you make them just as decoration? What Aveira requires at least 100 people to be involved? What does the Torah call someone who negatively influences one person? Many people? Is there a difference if their efforts succeed or not? How many commandments are there about a False Prophet? How many positive/negative? Is there a difference whether his false prophecy is about idol worship or not?
BOOK TWO: Minimum & maximum Menorah height? What’s Mehadrin, & Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin of Menorah Lighting? Earliest and latest lighting times? Why can you light Menorah earlier at Shul? In Eretz Yisrael how many days a year have full Hallel? Outside Eretz Yisrael? Which holidays at least a week-long say full Hallel? What are the 3 opinions what Chuppah means? And how do we do all 3 at weddings nowadays? What are the 10 Rules of a Kosher Divorce? Can a Get be written generic and fill in the names afterward? Can you cut the paper down to size once the Sofer finishes writing it? How many judges for a Chalitzah Beit Din? Who can Kohain marry but Kohain Gadol can’t? BOOK FOUR: Does Parah Aduma have a negative Mitzvah? For how long before Parah Aduma prep did the Kohain have to be set aside and separated? What 3 portions were Parah Aduma ashes separated into? How much Mei-Chatas from the Parah Aduma was needed to make a person pure again? What problems could invalidate the waterashes mixture process? What role could a minor Kohain (under BarMitzvah) play in the Tzaraat diagnosis? What about a blind Kohain? How should a Metzorah greet passersby? What does a man-Metzorah have to do that a woman-Metzorah does not? Could a Metzorah study Torah or bathe, or use creams? Can dyed wool develop Tzaraas? How about wool that was naturally black from a black sheep? Can a house less than 4x4 get Tzaraas? How about a teepee or pentagon-shaped house? Or a house in Egypt or the USA?
at Maimonides and in the Community 12/15: CHANUKAH EVENTS No school this Friday, enjoy the extended Chanukah weekend.
12/12-19: CHANUKAH EVENTS 12/12: Tuesday, first night of Chanukah, public Menorah Lighting at the Four Corners 12/12: Menorah Lighting at Monument Square in Troy, will continue each night of the holiday, too 12/12: Also all Chanukah, look for the Chabad Chanukah display and table in Crossgates Mall 12/12: “Chanukah at the Gallery” for 20’s & 30’s at Opalka Gallery, New Scotland Ave, 7pm. 12/12: First Night of “Final-ly Chanukah” at Shabbos House for college students 12/13: Chanukah Balloon Extravaganza, 5pm at Boscov’s in Clifton Park Center. 12/14: Chanukah Bowling at Saratoga Strike Zone, 32 Ballston Ave, 5pm. 12/14: “Latkes & Lights” at East Greenbush Library, 5-8pm. 12/15: Final-ly Chanukah Shabbat Dinner for college students at Shabbos House, 7pm 12/16: NCSY Chanukah Carnival at CBAJ, 7-9pm on Sat Night. $5pp or $20max per family. 12/17: Sunday Friendship Circle Program. 12/17: Bethlehem Chabad’s Chanukah Chocolate Wonderland preceded by a Car-Menorah Parade from a Menorah lighting at the Four Corners. 12/17: Chanukah Party at Saratoga Library, 1-4pm. 12/17: Latke Variety with tastings & contest, 24pm at Troy’s Beth Tephilah historic synagogue on River Street. Call R’ Leibel: 894-3490 12/18: 6pm public Menorah Lighting in Saratoga’s historic and beautiful Congress Park 12/18: Chanukah Children’s Program 3:30pm after dismissal at Maimonides, Car Menorah Parade leaves 4:15pm Maimonides ending with Menorah Lighting outside NYS Capitol 4:45pm. 12/19: “Baby Loves Chanukah!” 3-4pm at Clifton Park Chabad. 12/19: The Maimonides Raffle-Auction with the Kochman’s Delicious Hawaiian Chanukah! 12/20: Chanukah Songs & Plays at School. 9:30am. Last Day of Chanukah!
12/17: SCOUT COURT OF HONOR Maimonides will be hosting an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on the Sunday of Chanukah, 10am12:30pm with the award ceremony for MHDS alumnus Eli Kochman as an Eagle Scout. Community is welcome to attend.
12/18-19: ROSH CHODESH TEVET Two days Rosh Chodesh, Monday and Tuesday. 8am Minyan will meet at Maimonides on Monday.
It’s getting cold out, we like to take the kids out to play… DRESS WARM for Winter!
DAYS OFF AND HALF DAYS AT SCHOOL COMING UP 12/15: Friday of Chanukah, No School 12/25: Monday, No School. Enjoy the extended weekend. 12/26-28: Half-Days: Tues to Thursday, Judaic Studies until 11:30am each day. Second Chidon test is on Tuesday, 12/26. 12/29-1/1/2018: No School, Friday to Monday. Enjoy this four day weekend.
12/19: ANNUAL MAIMONIDES RAFFLE-AUCTION & DINNER Raffle-Auction display and prize drawings on Tues, the 8th night of Chanukah, with Hawaiian-themed Chanukah dinner prepared by the Kochmans. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the event or online at: www.maimonidesschool.org/auction
12/20: SCHOOL SONGS & PLAYS 9am on Wednesday, last day of Chanukah. Class performances at school, parents/families welcome!
12/24-26: J.G.R. WINTER RETREAT Sunday thru Tuesday in Albany NY, an exciting fun-filled meaningful winter retreat overnight program for girls ages 8-18 with workshops, activities and winter fun: JewishGirlsRetreat.com/ Winter or call Morah Nechama at 614-JGR-CAMP.
12/27: SECOND CHIDON TEST It’s coming up fast! Timing isn’t great, coming after Chanukah and on one of the school’s half-days, and we will be missing a bunch of Fridays between now and then, so make sure to start studying now!
12/31: KOSHER AT FIRST NIGHT Bethlehem Chabad will have Kosher food and activities at Bethlehem’s First Night Celebration, Sunday Night, New Years Eve.
1/28: J-FED’S SUPER-SUNDAY We need Maimonides parent volunteers to assist with Federation’s Super-Sunday, as funds raised benefit the community, including Maimonides.
1/21: SPA FOR THE BODY & SOUL Stay tuned for details on year’s women’s program! Rivka Krinsky, Australian singer and songwriter will be this year’s featured presenter.
NOT ENOUGH ROOM... Not enough room in this week’s MC to fit it all in! Yitro’s advice for judicial systems Rhythm schemes in English class poetry Shiur w/ Rabbi Rubin on Public Menorahs Prep for School Plays & Songs Next Wed Black paper glowing Chanukah artwork Doughnut-making (& eating!) at school Painted Wood Balance Menorahs Pre-BM Chess Tournament Hebrew Chanukah C-haikus Pin the Candle on the Menorah Game Chanukah Cookie Making & Decorating Nursery Menorah Candle Hats Hopefully in a future “MC” newsletter…
PLEASE SHARE RAFFLEAUCTION LINK… THANKS! Time is running out for the Raffle-Auction an important annual school fundraiser. Not even a week left now! Please share the online link with family, friends, alumni: tickets can be purchased online until the afternoon of the drawings on Tuesday December 19th.
www.maimonidesschool.org/Auction This year’s prize packages include a DSLR camera, jewelry, a touch laptop, stuff for the home, big box of vintage-style wood toys, a nice Lego package, big stack of board games, lots of small kitchen appliances, gift-card shopping spree, a tablet, Arts & Sciences and much more! EVERYONE IS A WINNER FOR SUPPORTING LOCAL JEWISH EDUCATION & odds are pretty good, too!
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!”