BH. Tevet
3, 5778 / Dec 21, 2017
ב“ה
Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 4:07 404 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 5:13 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
PAGES 2 & 3 INSIDE THIS WEEK Not much room for student reporting in this week’s MC Newsletter as pages 2 & 3 are filled with photos of Tuesday’s Raffle-Auction and Wednesday’s Chanukah performances. Next week we have half-days at school, so it will be a good time to catch up with a lot of TNT student reporting we couldn't fit in this week!
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
S.M. RUBASHKIN’S RELEASE On the evening following Zos Chanukah last night, Jewish communities all over the world, and from across the communal spectrum, celebrated the freedom of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin after 8 years, from a harsh and extreme prison sentence that many felt was very unfair and unjust, even anti-Semitic. His sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump on the last day of Chanukah, in which he credited bi-partisan support and support of many in the legal community and 100+ former leaders of the Justice Department. The beauty was the outpouring of such incredible joy from all types of people, many of whom didn’t even know him “to rejoice in the rejoicing of one’s fellow” this is a very laudable and praiseworthy character trait. Speaking of character traits, a theme that R’ Sholom Mordechai lived and breathed in prison was “Emunah and Bitachon” (faith and trust in Hashem) and upon his release he said that Alef (Emunah = faith) Bais (Bitachon = trust) leads to Gimmel (Geulah = redemption!)
RAV SHTEINMAN, OBM—104! Rav Aharon Yehudah Leib Shteinman was a great scholar and leader of the Yeshiva/Litvish community in Israel, who passed away at age 104 (!) this Erev Chanukah. His will asked for no eulogies or titles. He lived very simply himself and was insistent on Shalom between people & religious communities (indeed, he made efforts to bridge some of the gaps between Orthodox groups). Interestingly, even some secular and religious Zionist Israelis recalled his tolerance of career pursuits for Yeshiva students despite his advocacy for lifelong Torah study, and for his unhappiness with the extreme elitist selectiveness of some Yeshivot, saying that Avraham Avinu himself would have a hard time getting accepted because of the family he came from.
LOOKING FOR A MINYAN Its not ten years 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. There are already a few members of this “Minyan” help complete it!
This MC is dedicated in honor of all those who donated or sponsored prizes in this year’s Maimonides
Raffle-Auction
Thanks for your support!
LOOK FOR IN AN UPCOMING “MC” NEWSLETTER:
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 ROBOT MENORAHS In STEAM class with Rabbi Yossi they learned Manifest Destiny: Coast to Coast about Rube Goldberg contraptions, including Fossils & Galapagos Island in Science Class a very elaborate one made by the Technion to The Hamotzee-Mezonot Blessing Dilemma Eli’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor at MHDS light a Menorah! One of the Yeshiva students Story about Sugihara in English Class: (from Barranquilla Columbia) here helping for New-old Playground equipment at school Chanukah said that he made such a Menorah A Mikvah-Social Studies connection of NXT Logo as a kid, and indeed, we found it Helpful students at school as the first search on YouTube! Multiplying mixed-fractions Scoops-Chips, Salsa and Chanukah REGARDS FROM DR. SAHAY! Heat: Convection, Conduction, Radiation Confucius in history class From a holiday letter from our long-time Math Sequencing science teacher: … May these eight days of Chanukah songs at Nursing Home celebration bring you peace and joy. You were a Hopefully in a future “MC” newsletter… starting great source of inspiration and I learned a lot from next week! you. Happy Chanukah!
SAHAY!
From a holiday letter from our long-time
MAIMONIDES RAFFLE-AUCTION 8TH NIGHT OF CHANUKAH A few of the A-Z (plus Mystery & Split the Pot) prize packages pictured above. Special this year? The pearls were magnificent, our first Arts & Sciences prize, mystery prize was Lenovo Netbook, a really nice DSLR camera, and Split-the-Pot was $920 to the winner—probably the highest it’s been! The Kochmans prepared a delicious Hawaiian feast (see some pictures below) with pulled BBQ (tender, soft, flavorful) that Reb Shmuel (who dressed up in Hawaiian, too!) prepared for 18 hours (!) hundreds of delicious chicken kabobs, hearty corn soup, Hawaiian punch, fruit (pineapple, of course!) cake, & more! The sand on the tables? It was brown sugar! The auction raised over $13,000 for the school, thanks all for being invested & making this happen!
EIGHT LIGHTS THAT COULD! Alumnus Eli Kochman (recently awarded his Eagle Scout pin at school) said the blessings and lit the 1st candle. Steve Caruso, a literacy volunteer at school lit the 2nd, Mr. Gurock & Jacob lit the 3rd, Don Stracher lit the 4th, Reb Moshe Losice lit the 5th (very symbolic for he and his family arrived in Albany from Poland just before the Holocaust on the 5th night of Chanukah), Leah Siegel (who donated handcrafted soaps for the auction and is a parent and grandparent of Maimonides) lit the 6th, Johanna Steper (long-time friend of Maimonides and in memory of her husband Salo) lit the 7th candle, and Mendy Shepherd (married to MHDS alumnus and the “newest one on the block”) lit the 8th!
RAFFLE-AUCTION WINNERS Of course, EVERYONE is a winner for investing in our children and our future and for supporting local Jewish education. The following is a listing of the winners who won prize packages at the Raffle-Auction event: A) DSLR Camera: Maxine Morgenbesser B) Shopping Spree: Sheryl (Hoffman) Cepler C) Pearls & Purse: Maxine Morgenbesser D) Touch Laptop: Maishy Backman E) Shabbos Package: Shabbos House F) Better Home: Johanna Steper G) Silver Breeze: Beth Gray H) Night Out: Vicky O’Brien I) Look & Feel Great: Vicky O’Brien J) Picture It: Dr. Joshua Rubin K) Kitchen Package: Vicky O’Brien L) Games Galore: Clara Simon M) Lego Package: Stark Family N) Get Fit: Samson Family O) Wood Toys: Vicky O’Brien P) Set for Shabbos: Rabbi L. Teitelman Q) Party Prep: Rabbi L. Teitelman Family R) Bake Up A Storm: Motti Rubin S) Handy Tablet: Laber Family T) Super Clean: Teitelman Family U) Arts & Sciences: Johanna Steper V) Breakfast Package: Kudan Family W) Books for Kids: Morgenbesser Family X) Open-Ended Play: Chanie Rapaport Y) Active Family: Chani Simon Z) Gizmos & Gadgets: O’Brien Family Mystery) Lenovo Netbook: M. Backman Special) $920 to Winner! Levin Family
NOT TOO LATE FOR RAFFLE-
AUCTION!!! THIS TUESDAY…
Drawings and event on the last night of
NURSERY’S HATS-ON FOR A “HAPPY CHANUKAH” Nursery students each cut out a letter for their hats, which together in a row spelled “HAPPY CHANUKAH”. They also sang a song about the doughnuts disappearing from the bakery shop.. They counted them down until there were no more Chanukah doughnuts in the bakery!
KINDERGARTENS MACCABI SHIELDS Kindergarten students each decorated their own Maccabee shields, and sang a few Chanukah songs on stage including “I want to be a Maccabee” and “Sevivon: Sov, Sov, Sov!”
FIRST GRADE LATKE RECIPE After coming up with big orange (paper) flames singing a “Banu Choshech L’Garesh” about chasing away darkness, first-graders did a song performance with costumes and props (that they made) about the ingredients that go into making a delicious Latke, from onions & potatoes to eggs &flour, oil, of course, & a pinch of salt!
MACCABEES AND HELLENISTS Second graders did a Chanukah play on children of Jewish Hellenists and Maccabees (their parents perspectives and reactions to the other) and how it played out as these children grew to adulthood in the Chanukah story.
DO THE NEIGHBORS EAT LATKES? Above: This play by third grade shuttles between different Jewish cultural traditions, from Ashkenaz to Sephardic, Hasidic to Zionist, and eventually an American Jewish family—the play first highlights the differences in language and Chanukah traditions and eventually reaches the realization that we’re all one people celebrating the same Chanukah holiday as the play’s title (inscribed on the backdrop scenery says): “United We Ignite!
TWO MENORAHS AND A DREIDEL Morah Rivi’s Ivrit class students translated this play from Hebrew, about two menorahs and a dreidel stuck on high dusty shelf in an antique shop. But in a thoughtful twist are separately purchased by a father and son and happily reunited for Chanukah in a home!
at Maimonides and in the Community 12/23: SHABBOS “HEY-TEVES” This Shabbat we read Parsha Vayigash and it is the 5th of Tevet, which marks the day that a federal judge ruled the library of Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn was not a personal collection but the legacy of the community. This is a time for to recommit to books, studying with and cherishing the ones we have and purchasing new ones. It’s also reason for a Kiddush (this Shabbos at Shomray Torah) along with Ruvain Kudan’s birthday.
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.
12/26-29: WEEK AT NYS-MUSEUM Look up the NYS Museum website online and find the Holiday Week programs. The emphasis is on WWI (now marking 100 years since) and the Erie Canal (now marking 200 years since construction first began in 1817!). There are films to watch, activities for kids, special exhibits etc.
It’s getting cold out, we like to take the kids out to play… DRESS WARM for Winter!
benefit many organizations & institutions in local & overseas communities, 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. She “weaves soulful music with healthy living.” Spa treatments 1:00pm, Program & Luncheon 2:00-4:00pm.
DAYS OFF AND HALF DAYS AT SCHOOL COMING UP 12/25: Monday, No School. Enjoy the extended weekend. 12/26-28: Half-Days: Tues to Thursday, Judaic Studies until 11:30am each day. The second Chidon test will be on Wednesday, 12/27. 12/29-1/1/2018: No School, Friday to Monday. Enjoy this four day weekend.
YAHADUS CHIDON TRIVIA In memory of Meir Obrien, first MHDS student at Chidon
BOOK ONE: Is there a problem with taking Avodah Zara into It’s coming up fast! Timing isn’t great, coming after your home without benefitting from it? Is there a Chanukah and on one of the school’s half-days, punishment, when would it apply? Do the utensils and we will be missing a bunch of Fridays between and accessories of Avodah Zara have the same now and then, so make sure to start studying now! rules as the idols themselves? What’s the difference between Neder and Shavuah oaths? Can you insist 12/28: MOTION MAN SHOW a non-Jew swear by his idol for business reasons? Colonie Library is hosting Jody Scalise, a mime and What’s wrong with trees & the Beis HaMikdash?
12/27: SECOND CHIDON TEST
magician with physical humor, free entertainment for kids and adults, 6:30-7:30pm.
BOOK TWO: What are the 3 opinions about Nesuyin portion of 12/31: KOSHER AT FIRST NIGHT marriage? How do we do all 3 today? What are 3 Bethlehem Chabad will have Kosher food and ways of Kiddushin? Can a messenger be used for activities at Bethlehem’s First Night Celebration, Kiddushin? Give two examples where a husband Sunday Night, New Years Eve. can’t remarry his wife after a divorce. Why can’t a Get template be printed from online and filled in 1/6: GREAT RIVALRIES III as needed? Do witnesses sign on the Get itself or 3rd in Rabbi Feldman’s Great Rivalries series, “Reform vs. Orthodox” Shabbos morning at CBAJ. just observe the transfer? Can a Get paper be trimmed after writing? Can a messenger be used?
1/6: PIZZA NIGHT AT MAIMONIDES
HS Girls are at it again! Come out to Nathan’s Kitchen for some freshly made delicious pizza and a nice casual Motzai Shabbat with community. This wintertime fundraiser supports High-School’s extracurricular programming and trips.
1/28: J-FED’S SUPER-SUNDAY We need Maimonides parent volunteers to assist with Federation’s Super-Sunday, as funds raised
BOOK FOUR: What’s the difference between Maga/Masa, Heset and Midras when it comes to impurity? How is Av HaTumah different than other forms of impurity? What role does water play in allowing for Tumah? Can impure foods be immersed to purify them? How big does food have to be to become impure? How big does it have to be to transfer impurity?
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!”