BH. THURS Tevet
19, 5779 / Dec 27, 2018
ב“ה
Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District Candle-Lighting: 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org 4:11 Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel Rubin & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 5:17 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
MAZAL TOV ITKINS To Rabbi AB and Binie Itkin and the Itkin siblings at Maimonides, Mazal Tov on the birth of a baby girl! Much Nachas…
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
HALF-DAYS SCHOOL WEEK Monday thru Thursday this week were all halfdays and while school was a little lighter and some students were away, a lot was learned, enjoyed and accomplished, especially: Book Preparations & Breishis Chazak Fair Chidon Test #2 of Yahadus Curriculum Rambam Day of Learning All types of Judaic Learning See inside this MC Newsletter for more!
This MC Newsletter is dedicated in memory of
CONDOLENCES MRS RAMSAY
Joseph Saidel
Our condolences to our social-studies and science teacher Mrs. Abigail Ramsay and her family on the passing of her dear father.
Longtime Minyaneer at Shteeble & CBAJ, founder of local Daf Yomi, honorable attorney, avid bicyclist… Yartzeit: Tevet 24
CHUMASH-PARSHA MEET-UP This week it’s High School whose in-depth Chumash with commentaries class lines up with the Parsha of the week. They learned a detailed Ramban (Nachmanides) who explains the steps of the process of how Pharaoh’s antiSemitic plan started off subtly and innocuous at first, how its discriminatory aspects evolved gradually, until it become all-out persecution. Ramban’s commentary (as they learned it with Morah Leyee) addresses some psychological issues at play: motive and denial and how many were afraid to call it out and it was all part of the evil strategy. This is still relevant today!
THE TORAH OF BITCOIN Cryptocurrency is a big hot topic nowadays and Rabbi Caras put together an interesting NEW GREENHOUSE OUTSIDE detailed presentation on One of the best things about our new STEAM how money works and projects is how involved students are in setting how Bitcoin is somewhat it up. For example, this new greenhouse that the same and also they are seen pictured here putting it together different, a little bit of near the shed. They even helped with the solar how Blockchain works and tied it all in with panels that went up on the shed’s roof. You Jewish and Torah connections and Halachic might call this “Learning on the Job!” A big issues. Some of our upper grades part of the Makerspace concept is to increase enjoyed this out of the box concept hands-on learning, skills & experimentation— after their Chidon test on Wednesday. and this is already doing that!
CHIDON TEST #2 This is a big deal. All classes took the 2nd (of 3) Chidon test on Wednesday after much studying, review and prep, especially by students on their own, in their own time. Topics ranged the broad gamut of Jewish Law (depending on the Yahadus Curriculum Book #s 1-5 studied) including topics as diverse as construction of the Temple Altar, marriage and divorce documents and proceedings, laws of financial witness testimony, Jewish holiday observances and all kinds of things in between! Whether students do or don’t qualify for the Chidon Shabbaton, the breadth of learning is incredible and we’re proud of what they know!
AH, THAT EXPLAINS IT!
KINDERGARTEN GUIDED ART As Kindergarten learned the Hebrew letter “Pey” this week, they had another guided art lesson with Morah Chani drawing & painting these “Parah” cows. This type of activity combines instruction & independence, and helps develop and express a number of different important skills for that age.
Why is “8th Day” pictured here on the front page of the MC Newsletter? Are they coming to play in Albany? No, not yet. But their new album “Stronger, Closer” has a “Samach Tisamach” song that seems to be a mixed-up hodge-podge of quotes that our High School girls understood this week because of what they learned in Tehillim class. It all (or most of it) came together!
DON’T WANT/CAN’T Boys davening class this week had a discussion about some live contemporary examples of a Chassidic expression from the Freidiker Rebbe “A Yid, Nisht er vihl un nisht er ken” - “A Jew neither wants to or is able to…” and discussed the pros and cons of each part of that expression—is it better to want to or to have no choice, and how it is demonstrated in the difference of how different classmates come to school each morning.
ALEGEBRAIC TALMUD So, how about a Talmudic text that has 3 knowns (about carrying on Shabbos) and 1 unknown, first how do we figure out the unknown and then determine what the ruling would be in that situation based on what we know about the other 3 knowns? Boys in 5/6 Talmud got started on this algebra-style Talmudic piece but Chidon and Breishis Fair got in the way, so more on this next week!
FIFTH GRADE BOOK REPORT Mrs. Maher’s 5th graders have a book report due at the start of 2019, at the end of this break, so don’t forget about that!
BABY MOSHE IN THE BASKET We don’t have a picture of it yet, but Nursery learned all about baby Moshe in the basket. They stuffed old socks to create a baby Moshe and put him inside cut paper bag baskets. The concerned and empathetic Nursery students all made blankets for him!
MAAMUL COOKIES HS Girls baked these exotic Sephardic/ Middle-Eastern stuffed date cookies called “Maamul” with Mrs. Chana Chava Mizrachi.
NOT PICTURED AT THE FAIR
MOVING ANGELS BY MAGNET In this 8th grade boys booth, players had to try to move “angels” up & down Jacob’s Ladder using the hovering push or pull of magnets!
FIND THE GOBLET INSIDE
WHAT’S THAT SMELL LIKE?
Somewhere deep within the bowl of rice, with gold coins mixed in, just like Benjamin’s sack!
This 5th grade girls spice-guessing booth is based on Rashi/ Medrash about the spice caravan Joseph was on during his sale to Egypt. Hmm.. Yum… They also ran the “Find the Goblet” booth in a bowl filled with raw rice & gold choco-coins.
> PIN THE SPEAR Blindfolded, of course! 5/6 grade boys drew Eisav And then attached velco pads to various spots on the drawing, including some that were way off the intended target. It wasn’t easy but it was a lot of fun to try!
< CAN YOU FEEL WHAT IT IS?
2nd graders created this elaborate 4 compartment hideaway box where students stick their hands Also at the exciting Chazak Breishis Fair were inside and feel around and see if they can tell if two more booths not pictured here: 4th grade those things hidden within belong to the Domem made a tasty version of Lavan’s speckled and (inanimate), Tzomaiach (plant), Chai (animal) or spotted sheep using cookies, fluff & chocolate chips! 3rd grade turned Avraham’s “Covenant Medaber (human) kingdoms. They actually thought of a few different ideas, but voted on this booth concept for Parsha Breishis (which they are now in middle of learning in Chumash class) and then of the Parts” into a cut-up puzzle to solve! It painted and prepared this 4-compartment box complete with recycled/up-cycled yellow towel flaps. was great hands-on learning for all…
AVRAHAM HOSTS GUESTS IN A TENT Children sit inside a tent, enjoy treats and listen in rapt attention as Foli and Esther animatedly and enthusiastically tell Nursery students about Avraham & Sarah & how they welcomed guests.
EDIBLE JEWELRY MAKING The youngest kids especially enjoyed this, stringing bracelets and necklaces out of fruit-loops and sweet-flavored Cheerios cereal—in honor of the necklaces and bracelets mentioned as Rivka’s presents in Parshat Chayei Sara.
JACOB’S LIFE JOURNEY
SORTING KOSHER & NON-KOSHER At this Parshat Noach booth run by the Kindergarten you had to sort the Kosher and non-Kosher animals between the red and green papers. Some were obvious, some were a little tricky!
One of 5/6 grade’s booths was a marblerun with so many pathways and pitfalls like Jacob’s journey throughout life. Here Nursery’ Yossi C. gets a big high-five for successfully getting his marble through to the goal from Yitzchak R. who was running the booth at the time. This Marble-Run is part of a larger group of sets purchased for the new science-lab hands-on Makerspace, and it’s a fun way to learn angles, speed, momentum etc!
MEETING UP WITH EISAV One of 8th grade boys’ booths was an elaborate detailed board game of options and choices branching off in different directions, each with dual tags—based on how Yaakov prepared for and then greeted Eisav. The options on the board reflected Torah texts and commentary as well as a healthy dose of humor!
at Maimonides and in the Community 12/27: RAMBAM DAY LEARNING AT SCHOOL
1/12-13: JUNIOR NCSY SHABBATON
Today’s special Rambam (Maimonides, our school’s namesake) learning and CBAJ Albany hosts NCSY Hartford CT for a 5-7 grade Shabbaton. Contact presentation about the 14 Books of his Mishne Torah will be featured in next NCSY/CBAJ for more details. week’s MC Newsletter, as this newsletter goes to print just as that is underway.
12/28-1/1/2019: EXTENDED NEW YEARS WKND OFF
1/12: PIZZA NIGHT III BY MAIMONIDES HIGH 7pm-8:30pm. Save the date! Eat-in or take-out, stay tuned for updates…
No School Friday through Tuesday. Enjoy a long New Years Weekend.
12/28: TRAINS AND TOYS AT MISCI MUSEUM
1/21: ANNUAL TU BISHVAT BREAKFAST AT MHDS Fruity breakfast and “New Year for Trees” program at school.
Model trains are running at the MiSci Museum in Schenectady and they also now have “Toys: The Inside Story” hands-on exhibit exploring inner workings of some classic 20th century toys. See website or call for hours/admission etc.
1/25: FRIDAY OFF, NO SCHOOL
12/28: FABULOUS FIRE ENGINES AT NYS-MUSEUM
2/17: “JEWISH DATA” TALK AT GUILDERLAND
No school this Friday (start of long New Years Weekend). NYS Museum has 10am-11:30am activities centered at their historic fire engine exhibit.
12/29: SHABBOS SHMOS/T & TWO (3!) YARTZEITS This Shabbos we start a new Chumash! This Shabbos is also sandwiched between 20th of Tevet Rambam’s Yartzeit on Friday and 24th of Tevet Alter Rebbe’s yartzeit on Monday. Both Rabbis (some 600 years apart) wrote philosophical & halachic works, both had a deep understanding of human nature and were original, creative thinkers with broad scope & spectrum. ALBANY NOTE: 24th of Tevet is also the yartzeit of Mr. Joe Saidel, obm.
12/29: RABBI REISMAN NAVI CLASS BROADCAST Sat nights viewable at the CBAJ Media Center at 7:30pm.
FYI. An extended weekend off at the end of January.
Rabbi Laber will be presenting his extensive “Jewish Data” research database with tools and interesting examples of the many things that can be learned from gravestones and public records, 2pm at the Guilderland Public Library.
3/3: WOMENS SPA FOR THE BODY AND SOUL Featured presenter is the humorous and meaningful Miriam Lipsker of Emory University Chabad in Atlanta, Georgia. Stay tuned for updates & details.
3/10: JEWISH FEDERATION’S SUPER SUNDAY Call-a-thon reaching out to Capital Region area donors to support the Jewish Federation and its local beneficiaries (including the Maimonides School) and its overseas and Israel partners for the Jewish community. Maimonides parents are asked to kindly volunteer a shift for this effort.
12/30: (INDOOR) SCHENECTADY GREENMARKET
RAMBAM DAY PROJECT PREP
This year ’round farmer and crafts market (as many as 60 vendors) moves indoors for winter inside Proctor’s Theater Arcade, 10am-2pm every Sunday.
Details and pictures in next week’s MC Newsletter
12/31: NOON YEAR EVE PARTY AT COLONIE CENTER A daytime event for kids 10:30am to 12:00pm with balloon drop & fun!
12/31: BETHLEHEM CHABAD 1ST NIGHT KOSHER 6:30pm Bethlehem First Night Fireworks, Kosher Food Festival with Babka, Hot Cider, Knishes and more begins 7pm at Bethlehem Chabad. Call for more info/cost etc: 518-439-3310, or email: info@bethlehemchabad.com.
1/1/2019: FIRST DAY HIKES AT AREA PARKS 9am-11am at Five Rivers in Delmar. 10am at Saratoga Spa State Park and at Peebles Island State Park in Cohoes. The First Day Hike in Grafton Lakes State Park starts at 1pm. Contact each place for further details.
1/2/2019: SCHOOL RESUMES ON WED MORNING 1/2/2018: School resumes 8am. Back to full-day learning!
1/4: HIRSCHPRUNG & ARONSON YARTZEIT 27th of Tevet (Friday) is the yartzeit of Rabbi Pinchas Hirschprung and Mrs. Marlene Aronson—both benefitted our local community in different ways.
1/7: ROSH CHODESH SHVAT—MINYAN AT SCHOOL 8am at Maimonides. 1-day Rosh Chodesh begins Sunday night thru Monday.
Please note these UPCOMING SCHOOL DATES 12/28-1/1: No School Friday through Tuesday. Long New Years Weekend. 1/2/2018: School resumes 8am. Back to full-day learning!
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!”