Maimonides Community

BH. Nissan

7, 5778 / March 23, 2018

‫ב“ה‬

Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 6:53 404 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 7:54 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

GRANDPARENTS FOR PESACH? Will you be with your grandparents or greatgrandparents for Pesach? That might be a great opportunity to take a picture of children and grandparents (or any seniors) doing a Mitzvah, reading a book, cooking for Pesach, taking a walk or doing any activity together. HS Girls need these pictures for a special photo album they’re making for the seniors at the Massry that they visit. Please email the pictures (along with any questions, details or comments) to bnoschayaprograms@gmail.com. They need to get working on this right after Pesach. You don’t have to go to Maimonides to participate.

There are raffles for each age group, for all pictures entered… Thanks!

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

TECH CONFERENCE IN MALTA A nice delegation of Maimonides teachers, both from Jewish and General Studies attended a teachers tech conference in Malta NY for two days this week. It is titled: “Changing the Future through STEM”. We look forward to what they will bring back to our school!

This MC Newsletter is dedicated in loving memory of

Yosef Costa

by his Albany Friends remembering him at his Shloshim

KINDERGARTEN BLACK BOXES Morah Chani’s Kindergarteners painted nonChametz pizza boxes to create Seder-plate topped and Haggadah-filled centerpieces.

Their Haggadahs are colorful flip-books that open up to each step of the Seder. And there are other Pesach accessories that they made which come inside the big black Pesach box.

AND NURSERY SEDER PLATES Right now they are on their classroom wall.

CONTINUED TEHILLIM We all continue to daven for the complete recovery of Reb Moshe Losice, Eliezer Moshe ben Bracha Yospeh. Refuah Shlayma!

SEWING PESACH PILLOWS Morah Devorah’s first graders sewed & stuffed their own Pesach Pillows for Seder reclining ...you were a Jewish mommy in Egypt?” This with the help of Mrs. Gittel Laber. They complicated hypothetical question was a lesson couldn’t thread the needle by themselves, but in empathy and practicality in the Nursery this they kept stitching away, stitch by stitch. week. The children each decorated these 3/4 paper plates and Morah Rivka filled in the TYING PILLOWS “baby carriage” with their baby-pictures that Kindergarteners also parents sent in, along with each student’s made Pesach fabric answers to that question underneath the pillows, but instead of picture. Most of their answers had to do with needles and thread soothing or comforting the baby and (like first graders) they making sure its basic needs were met. used a tying method,

“WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF...

CHARADES AND TABOO GAMES were both part of 7th grade Gemorah Review (that rhymes!) this week. Good learning fun!

knotting the cut end strips of the felt and then stuffing it inside.

NINETY AND OVER!

TURN IT INTO A STORY...

Mrs. Mattice had her 2nd graders choose cutout pictures from a Jewish Art Calendar and told them to write a story about the picture.

They did a fine job and their work is hanging on the lunchroom wall outside their classroom. It’s great timing now for Pesach, because as the High School Girls learned, there’s a Mitzvah to remember the Exodus every day of the year but one of the things that makes the Seder Night Exodus remembrance unique is that it should be told in storytelling form.

7th grade was Ms. Coffey’s only math class for everyone to score over a 90% on their most recent test. To celebrate she’s giving them a free day on Friday and (with parents permission) she’s screening “Inside Out” for them instead of class. Rabbi Mendel told them to look out for Tanya chapters 26 and 31 lessons in the film (which he shared with UAlbany students) that addresses human emotion—and which of the emotions ends up to be the surprising hero.

GETTING INTO THE HAGGADA The goal isn’t only to tell the Passover story but to get into it and make it personal. As the Mishna teaches and the Haggadah quotes: “In every generation we should see ourselves as if we are going out of Egypt.”

This Kindergartner is getting into it, as he carefully colors the cover of his Haggadah.

And on each of the pages—they are pictured as part of it, to fulfill the Mishna’s message!

DID YOU KNOW YOUR SKIN… is the largest organ in your body? Did you realize your skin is waterproof? That it protects our insides against disease and infection? How fast it replaces itself? 7th grade science is learning all about skin in science class.

HISTORY OF TELEVISION Did you know the first TV screens were made in 1925? Those screens were a very far cry Mrs. Mattice’s first grade students wrote these from the screens we have today. 5th grade read poems using spring-themed words: butterfly, an article about this. They learned how the flower, spring, etc, and decorated them, too! technology kept changing and upgrading over the nearly one hundred years since. It has HEBREW nothing to do with any of their subjects, but it was an example of writing where they had to PASSOVER find and select the facts in the article, and WORDS This new big list of learn the difference between fact and opinion. decorated verbs in Morah Devorah’s first grade classroom all relate somehow to MAKING OF A MOTORCYCLE Pesach, Bodek = Guess what Rabbi Yossi brought in this week search, Boh’er = for STREAM class? A simple model of a burn or destroy, motorcycle! It drove quite fast, but it kept Minakeh = clean, drifting, so 5th graders added gripping tape Tovel = dip or with small ridges which added friction and immerse, Misaper = made it drive much better. Might that be a tell a story, Shohver = break, Motzeh = find. Can message about ridges and bumps on Matzah? you find (guess) all the Passover connections?

SPRINGTIME ACROSTIC POEMS

PASSOVER CLOTH BASKETS Morah Rivi taught several grades a technique to make cloth baskets (to hold Matzah or other Seder items). The backing is a piece of cardstock within the fabric, which is folded over and tied at the corners to make short “walls” for this pretty cloth container.

MICHAL AND MEIRAV These popular Hebrew girls names were two daughters of King Saul that 7th grade Navi class with Morah Rochel are learning about. Meirav was to marry (later King) David, but in her sister Michal married him. Michal ended up in a difficult position as her father King Saul developed a jealousy and hatred for her husband David, and sought to kill him, but Michal remained loyal to her husband, she helped him escape capture.

CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR The north vs. south tensions and divides were brewing for a long time, but there were immediate factors that led to the Civil War, 7th grade history class is learning about them now with Mrs. Ramsay. Lincoln’s election, the beating of abolitionist Senator Sumner and the Kansas-Nebraska act led to the violence of Bleeding Kansas with many activists on both sides from both within and beyond Kansas trying to influence that state’s vote.

THE OTHER SIDE OF YAHADUS Until the Chidon, classes were so busy studying required sections of the curriculum that they had no time to get to the interesting “sides” of the pages with stories, inspiration, and additional information. That’s what some of those classes are doing now, especially with material that relates to Chametz and Pesach.

THE BIOME PROJECTS IN MRS. MAHER’S LIFE-SCIENCE CLASS Pictured here are 7 of the 18 biome projects researched and presented by students, including deciduous forest, bog and wetlands, estuary and savannah, coral reef and desert. As each student presented over the course of several days the rest of the students took notes thereby everyone learned about each other’s work. Their projects had to include five examples of both flora and fauna, their adaptations, the overall climate and maps of where these biomes could be found, whatever risks or dangers these biomes face, along with other interesting details.

JOURNAL ENTRY ON BELIEF Mrs. M. asked her 7th graders to do a journal entry on something that can’t be proven but they believe in strongly (aside for religion).

JUDAH & TAMAR IN CHUMASH 4th graders just completed this complicated Chumash story with many of the Rashis, too.

They reported on some of the Rashis that they found most interesting: One that contrasts Rivka and Tamar, and a contrast between the twins that were born. Also the famous life lesson from Tamar about not embarrassing someone!

ORIGINAL FOUR QUESTIONS 5th grade Talmud class learned a slightly different version of the Four Questions back in the times of the Temple. They also learned to categorize them by biblical Mitzvah vs. rabbinic (and how that difference changes by time period), law vs. custom.

NURSERY HANDS-ON PESACH There’s so much multi-sensory learning that’s part of the Pesach Seder. Nursery did a unit on the difference between pouring vs. spilling grape juice (we do both at the Seder) and even learned how to use a funnel and why it is helpful. They all smelled Maror horseradish root and some brave students even tasted it.

They did various levels of saltwater dilution and tasted each one. They chopped their own ANIMALS OVER THE WINTER Charoset ingredients and packaged them in How do animals deal with the cold? Mrs. cute containers to take home.

Hoffman’s Kindergarten students divided these sheets into three: Hibernate (like bears), PROBABILITY IN MATH CLASS Migrate (like some birds) and Stay Active (like 7th graders are learning about two types of many mammals in our region). They cut out probability: theoretical and experiential. Coin various animals and birds and pasted them in toss is classic, they used other examples, too. the categories where they belonged.

VIRTUAL TRIP TO CHINA Well, at least via video. Mrs. Mattice’s students finished their work and got to see a fun video that a parent sent in with the acrobatic “Twins from France” doing their stunts at various places in China. It was fun to watch and they also learned about China!

CHOL HAMOED TRIP IDEAS? Email mhdsnews@gmail.com for next MC!

SHLOSHIM KIDDUSH Many joined in to sponsor this grand Shloshim Kiddush this Shabbos (last before Pesach) at Shteeble in memory of Yosef Costa, and many more have contributed to help in general.

“MAOS CHITTIM” PASSOVER FOOD FOR THE NEEDY As we prepare for our own holiday meals it is customary to contribute to help with the needs of others. Contact Rabbi Rubin 518-423-4103 for discrete distribution, or the Shalom Food Pantry or your Rabbis discretionary fund.

MAIMONIDES SCHOOL PESACH VACATION

at Maimonides and in the Community

3/28-29: Wed & Thurs Half-Day 11:30am dismissal 3/30-4/8: No School. Happy Pesach to all!

4/9: Monday, school resumes at 8am.

3/24: SHABBOS HAGADOL DRASHOS Shabbos before Pesach is a traditional time for Rabbis sermons: Rabbi Rubin will speak at Shomray Torah on: “Inclusion and Seder RSVP: Why does Torah insist on pre-registration for Passover?” Rabbi Feldman will speak at CBAJ on: “Why is the Seder so long?” After Mincha this Shabbos it is customary to practice read the key parts of Maggid in the Haggadah.

3/24: SHLOSHIM KIDDUSH FOR YOSEF COSTA After Musaf at Shteeble commemorating 30 days since his untimely passing.

There’s an opportunity to be helpful online, and you can also sign up to learn Mishnayot in his memory: Lzechernishmas.com/signup.php?id=6290

3/24: RABBI YISROEL REISMAN’S NAVI CLASS Now broadcasting 9:30pm on Sat Nights at CBAJ’s Media Center.

3/25: TERRIFIC TURTLES AT THE PINE BUSH 1-3pm at the Pine Bush Discovery Center. $3pp/$5 family. (518) 456-0655.

Call ahead to reserve. Includes hike at different Pine Bush location.

3/25: CAPITAL DISTRICT GARDEN & FLOWER SHOW In time for Chodesh HaAviv! 10am-5pm at HVCC, 80 Vandenburgh Ave in Troy. Cost is $14pp, kids under 12 are free with adult.

4/3: WILEY COYOTE PROGRAM AT FIVE RIVERS Free. 10am at the Five Rivers Educational Center off Delaware Ave in Delmar.

4/3: JEAN MEHLER-KELMAN ART EXHIBIT AT S-JCC There will be a reception for Rabbi Avraham Kelman’s late mother’s artwork at 4:30-6:30pm at the Schenectady JCC. She passed away in March at age 92.

Born in Crown Heights, she was married to USAF Captain Dr. Herb Kelman for 65 years. She began her artwork in the 1970’s in Forest Hills, Queens.

4/3: PESACH OUTING AT SARATOGA CHABAD 5:30pm program includes home-style Pesach meal, juggling entertainment, & live music. Cost is $10pp/$54 family. RSVP/Info: 518-526-0773.

4/3-5: BIRD LAB AT NYS MUSEUM Special activity to learn more about birds, two times over these days: 10am11:30am and 2-3pm in the Museum Lab. Other Spring Break activities as well.

4/3-5: SPRING BREAK AEROSCIENCES MUSEUM Tuesday thru Thursday of Chol HaMoed, 10am-4pm with special activities, simulated reality etc in addition to the regular exhibits. More info? ESAM.org.

4/4: ZOO IN THE SKY AT ALBANY VISITORS CENTER 3/30: NOT JUST FOR FIRST-BORN! THE ANNUAL EREV 11am-12pm at 25 Quackenbush Square for pre-school thru grade 2 students PESACH MORNING TRADITION AT MAIMONIDES & their families. $3pp. Astronomy show & craft. Info/RSVP: (518) 434-0405 A longtime annual tradition at the school. Morning Minyan, Siyum Bechorim and Chametz Breakfast treats, with special Matzah presentations. Communal 4/8: MAJOR PLAGGE—A NAZI WHO SAVED JEWS Chametz Burning later that morning. 8am Shacharis Minyan, 9am Siyum, Hear about “The Search for Major Plagge-The Nazi Who Saved Jews,” 10Chametz Burning outside school to start approx. 9:30am, but go until 11:30am at Ohav Shalom, 113 New Krumkill Rd. Author Dr. Michael Good 11:30am (as many first go home, eat Chametz and return for the burning). will retell how Major Plagge saved his mother. Info: 518-489-4706.

3/30-31: PESACH SEDER NIGHTS The first Seder is Friday Night, March 30th, second Seder on Saturday Night.

See below for some communal Seders for those not making Seders at home:  CBAJ’s Friday Night 3/30 communal Seder. Non-members: $45pp, $40 per child. Register by March 13th online at www.CBAJ.org/passover-5778/  Bethlehem Chabad Community Seder 3/30th 6:45pm, $30pp, $10child.

2nd Night Simon family-style Seder 3/31 Info? 518-439-3310  Saratoga Chabad communal Seders both nights, call 518-526-0773 for info.  Shabbos House communal Seders both nights for students and young adults, see ShabbosHouse.org/Passover2018 or call 518-526-0770 for info.  Colonie Community Seder, 6:45pm at Holiday Inn Express, 16 Wolf Rd., $25pp, kids $10, Info/RSVP: ChaiCenterColonie@gmail.com 368-7886.  Beth Israel Community Seder, 8-11pm 2195 Eastern Parkway, Schenectady. $45pp; kids 5-12: $18. RSVP required: 518-377-3700.

4/2: KIDS CHOL HAMOED PROGRAM w/R’ MOTTI 10:30am on Monday, first day of Chol HaMoed. Plan for Ridgefield Park, if inclement weather will be inside Shteeble/Shomray Torah instead. Suggested $2 per child. Games, prizes, stories, Pesach nosh and good kids Pesach energy!

4/10: CHLOE VALDARY SPEAKS FOR J-FED WOMENS Open to all, Federation’s Womens Philanthropy presents a multimedia presentation by Chloe Valdary using pop-culture to talk Israel. 6pm (with buffet dinner) at Beth Emeth. Cost: $36pp, $40 at door. $20 ages 12-40.

4/18: YOM HA’ATZMAUT COMMUNAL CELEBRATION 6pm-10pm at the Sage College Armory. 7pm “Tekes Maavar” 8pm Rami Strosberg and orchestra music and dancing, visiting food truck and more.

4/22: FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE AUCTION EVENT At 184 Washington Ave Extension. Stay tuned for details.

6/5: 30TH ANNUAL MAIMONIDES DINNER HONORS RABBI YISROEL AND MORAH ROCHEL! Save the date! More details soon. This year, the 30th year of the dinner & the Dr. Morton Berger Memorial Award honors Rabbi Yisroel & Rochel Rubin who founded the school in 1980 and continue to shepherd it daily to this day!

4/2: FOX TROT AT THE PINE BUSH Two types of foxes live in the Pine Bush, find out more about them at a workshop and hike, 1:00-3:30pm at the Pine Bush Discovery Center on Route 155. Cost is $5 per family. Call head for info and to RSVP: 518.456.0655

7/9-8/17: CAMP GAN ISRAEL DATES Gan Israel Day Camp announces its dates for the Summer 2018 season. Dedicated staff, engaging program, meaningful memories. For more information call Morah Devorah Leah: 518698-1836.

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!”