BH. Elul
6, 5779 / September 6, 2019
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 7:03 Shabbat Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel Rubin & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 8:02 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY
maimonidesschool@gmail.com
FOUNDED IN 1980...
MAIMONIDES
As Maimonides was founded in 1980, we’re entering our 40th year this 2019-2020! We look forward to celebrating this big milestone in various ways, to build on our beloved school’s strengths & history into the future!
404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208
This week’s MC Newsletter is dedicated in memory of a brilliant and warm Maimonides alumnus
Meir O’Brien
Meir Yisrael Hirsch ben Yonasan Chaim - may their memory be a blessing! Yartzeit: 11 Elul
START OF NEW YEAR TEACHERS MEETING Before students arrived on the first day of school on Wednesday this week, our Judaic and General Studies teachers spent the day earlier meeting and preparing for a great year of school!
MAZAL TOV TO THE GRAYS Mazal Tov to Beth and Lewis Gray (now of Queens, formerly of Albany) on the BatMitzvah of their daughter Nomi (a MHDS alumna!) with a lively celebration in Great Neck. Their oldest daughter Rivka/Rebecca (an MHDS alumna) is now off to seminary in Israel, along with other Maimonides alumni from her time! Much nachas…
FAREWELL TO RAMI AND CHANA MIZRACHI Last week many in the community gathered for a BBQ at the Caras home to say farewell to Dr. Rami and Chana Mizrachi who benefitted & enriched our community in many ways while they lived here before moving south to Monsey for Rami’s dentistry job. Warm words and fond memories were shared by friends, and they shared how much this community meant to them and how close they felt and have grown here, and hope we stay in touch and visit!
NOCHUM IS OFF TO THE MIR
MAZAL TOV RUBINS
At the end of the summer, MHDS alumnus Nochum Wildman went off to study in the illustrious Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, known as “The Mir” where he will be studying in Rav Asher Arieli’s shiur.
To Rabbi Shmuly and Laiky Rubin (of Chabad at Union College) on the birth of a baby girl Risha Miriam earlier this summer. Best wishes to grandparents Morah Rochel and Rabbi Rubin and the Cohens of Montreal.
MAZALTOV GOLDMAN-WITTELS To Dr. Chananya Goldman of Albany and Rikky Wittels of NJ on their upcoming marriage and Ufruf this Shabbos at CBAJ. Best wishes for much happiness always!
RIGHT DOWN TO BUSINESS... Several students commented that this year (aside for some classroom ice-breakers and games) many classes got right down to business and jumped right into learning right away. There seems to be an eager mood this year!
MAIMONIDES FLEXIBILITY
WELCOME NEW TEACHERS
HS GIRLS BEGIN KINGS II
Morah Rochel was excited to arrange a special surprise treat for the school on the first day, but an issue arose and it couldn’t happen as planned. Although students were prepped (via parents email) ahead of time, and eager to find out what the treat would be, Morah Rochel was surprised herself and very impressed with the students easy-going flexibility and resilience (important life skills!) when it didn't happen. Rabbi Rubin went to get a substitute treat instead, and we are finding out if the originally planned treat can happen perhaps at a later time. Stay tuned!
Mrs. Stephanie Hammond is our new 4th grade teacher. Ms. Jessica Barenboim will be teaching ELA to middle and High School. Mauri Paulsen is our new assistant in our Nursery classroom. Thanks for joining our faculty team!
Morah Dini and the HS Girls will be learning the second Book of Kings this year in their Navi (Prophets) studies. They tried to recap all of Kings I in one class this week!
ALBANY CAMP NACHAS!
IMPORTANCE OF A MENTOR
As our students and recent alumni returned from their summers we heard amazing regards and wonderful recognition of them at summer QUESTIONS ON THE WALLS camps: At least two of our girls won best As an intro to the new year, middle and high camper, one girl won best in Middot (that’s school Math teacher Ms. Coffey placed a series Maimonides Middos right of questions on cards all around the classroom there!), a bunk that was half walls so students had to get up Albany boys won best bunk in and walk about to answer them. camp, and a recent alum was awarded best learning teacher, two of our boys in a new LETTER TO FUTURE SELF camp felt that they had a much healthier and 6/7 grade girls each wrote a letter to their future self on the first day of English class, and more wholesome life balance … And if we decorated the envelope as well. If they do end missed any more wonderful regards, our up saving it for long enough, should be quite apologies, but Mrs. Gittel Laber insists that interesting when they open it years from now. this is worthy MC Newsletter news, much for our school and community to be proud of! But even for right now it is a meaningful exercise as to what to include and express in a letter to your own future?
ONE SCHOOL YEAR’S WAIT
DAILY CHEMISTRY QUESTION It may only be the first day of school but each day Mrs. Brown gives her chemistry students one Regents question to solve and discuss.
Taking a cue from the Parsha with its Mitzvot of judges and kings, Morah Leyee and the HS Girls learned about the importance of having a personal guide and mentor, so that we don’t only rely on our (biased—for good & bad) selves, but have someone else to talk to. As Avot says: “Make for yourself a teacher!”
DOES THIS WORD DESCRIBE ME Morah Chani asked HS girls to cut out random words from a newspaper and then choose specific words that describe them or express something about themselves—to be shared with their friends in class.
SPANISH LANGUAGE Our HS girls now have a Spanish class, and spent this week learning basic words like colors and numbers using Nursery rhymes.
PERSONAL FINANCE
Unlike 6/7 grade girls above, Mrs. Maher’s 3rd graders won’t have to wait as long. They each wrote a description of their families, which will be saved away until the end of the year, when they will write another similar piece and compare their writing over the span of the year. Less than one year away…
12th graders are taking a course on personal finance, a very useful and practical skill.
PRE-BAR-MITZVAH CLASS 6/7 boys are now learning laws in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch relating to Bar-Mitzvah.
ASHER LEVY—ALBANY HISTORY RENEWING OUR COMPOST All those Passover peels have turned into dirt! The redworms have been hard at work in our school composter and the dirt generated was the basis for our summer (into Fall) garden. But we want to fill it up again and get it up to speed before the cold comes. The hand drawn compost reminder signs around school were WELCOME MENDY YARMOVE made by students this week. Students: Please It was exciting to see MHDS alumnus Mendy don’t throw peels or cores in the trash! Those Yarmove in the Shteeble for Shacharis this can go into the compost instead. Even plain week. His father Yaakov Yarmove managed bread (no cheese please) can go in, or Kosher Price Chopper for 7 years (by now shredded/cut-up newspaper. But please NO quite a few years ago) building up our local onions, oranges, lemons, Kosher department before moving to Chicago dairy or meat as they hurt to do the same and more for big supermarket our worms. Families are chains like Jewel and Albertsons. His mother also welcome to send Miriam Leah taught in our Nursery. He is their peels and food pictured here with Eli Kochman, Rabbi Rubin scrap waste to join the and our 9th grade Mesivta boys. school’s compost party!
5th grade history learned about Asher Levy, the first Jew to get citizen rights in America, who stood up against Peter Stuyvesant’s antiSemitic discrimination and was successful in business and earned the respect of others. And Asher was one of the prominent fur traders of Fort Orange, now known as Albany!
DISMISSAL NOTICE: This year’s new policy is that NO grades (including HS students) can leave the building without being formally called by the dismissal teacher. All students should wait inside the two large upstairs and downstairs waiting rooms (not on the stairs). No one should be out on the lawn or playing basketball. Parents should not come into the building. This is both for safety reasons and organizational purposes.
THANKS FOR ART BOOK Ed Marks brought our school a beautiful book titled “Joy of Jewish Art for Children” by Devorah Piha (donated and inscribed by the author). In addition to many practical projects and varied styles, concepts and ideas, it also discusses art in the lens of Halacha and Jewish education, especially geared for children.
PIRKEI AVOT STILL IN SEASON The teachings of Avot are always in season, and many do have the custom to still study a chapter a week all summerlong leading up to Rosh Hashanah. Rabbi Rubin may have thousands of books on Pirkei Avot, but especially appreciated this new work (by Rabbi Nosson Muller) donated by Maxine Morgenbesser. It lines up commentary styles in groupings to show varied approaches to the Mishnas, a path in learning which Rabbi Rubin likes to show our older students.
SCIENCE IDEAS? OUTDOORS? It’s a new year and we’re (always!) looking for new engaging hands-on experiments or activities or tools for our students of all ages to use and enjoy, learn and explore in the school’s Makerspace STEAM Room or out in our outdoor classroom (especially while the weather is still nice).
THINKING RAFFLE-AUCTION…
BAVA KAMA For the first time ever, our middle-school is now learning selected cases and Sugyot (Talmud topics) from tractate Bava Kama about the laws of damages. They already finished the first sugya (chapter Hamaniach, 27b) about a jug in a street and issues of assigning responsibility & liability and four opinions on possible clarifications and exceptions to the Mishna’s ruling that sides with the walking passerby. Their first test is early next week and then onto the next case…
NURSERY’S DAILY TORAH TRADITION Nursery has a beautiful Torah tradition: Each day a different student is honored to open their play Ark, and takes the (stuffed toy) Torah around, to one student at a time, for all the students to kiss as they sing together their daily Torah Song.
MICHZUR/MACHZOR Everyone knows that Machzor is the Hebrew word for the High Holiday prayerbook used on Rosh Hashanah on Yom Kippur. But did you know that the very similar (just an added letter Yud) Michzur is Hebrew word for recycling? That’s because KINDERGARTEN WELCOME Machzor refers to annual These eager lively Kindergarten students began their new year prayer cycle, and Michzur is with Hebrew name hats, drawn and decorated in their own about the recycling cycle! 5th hand. They can’t learn fast enough… happily soaking it all in! graders made this interesting discovery and connection.
RECONSTRUCTION OF SOUTH 7th grade history with Ms. Ramsay is now learning about the Reconstruction of the South after the Civil War.
TEACHER CONFERENCES Several of our faculty attended various Jewish and general educational conferences this summer to learn new techniques, resources and other ways to continue to improve and enhance our educational program as well as our administrative and funding side.
CANSTRUCTION PROJECT
What!? Who is thinking Chanukah now? Shalom Food Pantry has opened a junior Raizy Rubin is, because the A-Z prizes in the version of the CANstruction school’s annual Raffle-Auction (held on for kids at schools. Our Chanukah) have to come together sooner than middle school will be later. If you’d like to donate participating (but we’re a prize or would like to involving more classes on solicit a prize donation, the spirit level as well). Not please be in touch with only is this a Tzedakah Raizy. We already have project but it is also a great some new prize packages hands-on learning & doing that we never had before! experience at the same time!
EXTRA SCHOOL SUPPLIES? Most of our students did bring in their assigned school supplies but not all did, and some will run dry earlier in the year. If anyone has extra school supplies they bought at a discount, the school can certainly use them! Same goes for art supplies, too!
DEFINITIONS, DEFINITIONS... No, this isn’t English class. After a year of the the original “Chasynthesis” curriculum with the HS Girls, Rabbi Mendel is now working with them on a “dictionary” of sorts, with various definitions of biblical verses or Jewish terms and seeing how a changed (or deeper) definition really does change it a great deal.
KRAUTWIRTH MEZUZAH BOOK David Krautwirth worked as mashgiach & Sofer in Albany years ago. His book “Is It Kosher? Can It Be Fixed?” is timely for Elul (and year ‘round).
at Maimonides and in the Community 9/7: PARSHA SHOFTIM In addition to law & order and the famous “Justice, Justice, you shall pursue!” at the start of the Parsha, there’s “man is a tree of the field” and laws of Jewish kings in middle and a unique “Egla Arufa” law of communal responsibility at the Parsha’s end.
9/15: PRE-RH HONEY FESTIVAL
1-5pm at the new Jewish Girls Unite/Retreat property at 5 Mannix Road, East Greenbush to meet the honey bees, see 9/7: ASHER LOVY AT CBAJ honey extracting demos, Asher is an outspoken abuse survivor and advocate enjoy boating, crafts and and will discuss abuse in the Jewish community more. Admission is $5pp with Rabbi Roy Feldman at CBAJ Shabbat services. and $36 per family (BBQ food and Rabbi Avraham Laber’s honey will be sold separately). 9/7: KIDDUSH(IM) THIS WEEK > Shomray Torah’s Kiddush is sponsored by Vicky 9/15: CARROT FESTIVAL IN SCHEN O’Brien to commemorate the yartzeit of her son Meir Yisrael Hirsch ben Yonasan Chaim obm. May Long-standing annual tradition at Agudat Achim in both their memories be a blessing! Schenectady. 10am-4:30pm with vendors, crafts, > CBAJ’s Kiddush is sponsored by Rivky Wittels sales and exhibits. More info? 518-393-9211. and Chananya Goldman in honor of his Ufruf and their upcoming marriage. 9/15: CLIFTON PARK FARM FEST These Clifton Park farms are participating this 9/7: WOMENS SHIUR Sunday: Bowman Orchards, Predel's Ranch, This week’s Womens Shiur will be given by Gittel Riverview Orchards, & Shepherd's Hey Farm. Laber at the home of Debbie Stark (233 South There will also be related farm fest activities at the Main) at 4:45pm. As Rosh Hashanah falls later this Clifton Park Halfmoon Library on Moe Road and year there’s a few more weeks of the Shabbos the Vischer Ferry Fire-Station. afternoon women’s shiur!
9/8: USED BOOK SALE
9/21: MOTZAI SHABBOS SELICHOT
CBAJ has a Motzai Shabbos Selichot and concert Open-house used book sale 2pm-7pm this Sunday beginning with Havdalah at 8:45pm. Shomray at Chaim and Simma’s home on Lenox Ave. There Torah’s Midnight Selichot at 1:00am. might be some books you or your kids would enjoy!
9/8: WATERFORD TUGBOATS Annual Tugboat Roundup in Waterford at Lock 2. Sunday’s activities include tugboat tours (9-3, pony rides (12-3), a Line-Tossing contest and a nose-tonose tugboat competition.
9/8: FAMILY FARM DAY With Cornell Cooperative Extension at a working sheep farm. Free admission, rain or shine. 10am4pm at Two Rock Ranch, 78 Turner Rd in Berne.
9/22: ADK (HOT) BALLOON FEST This hot air balloon festival begins on Thursday the 19th through Sunday the 22nd, mostly at Floyd Bennet Field in Queensbury. The colorful huge balloons lift off very early in the morning, on Friday (Sat) and Sunday, weather permitting. Free Admission. More info? 518-222-4593
9/22: MADISON STREET FAIR A street fair on “Upper Madison” just before it meets Western Ave. 12-5pm. activities, shows etc.
9/8: CHILL & SCHMOOZE IN TROY
HOLIDAY MONTH OF TISHREI Troy’s Beth Tephilah Chill & Schmoose Lounge will feature Shofar-making, Lulav-binding and other MAIMONIDES SCHOOL SCHEDULE hands-on Tishrei Mitzvah preparations. 5:30pm. Sept 30-Oct 1—No School Rosh Hashanah Call 518-894-3490 to RSVP. $5pp suggested. Oct 2—Fast of Gedaliah, 9:30am Late Start 9/10&17: HIGH HOLIDAY MUSIC Joshua Sussman will be doing a 2-part series about Chassidic High Holiday melodies and music 7:30pm at CBAJ on evenings of the 10th and 17th.
Oct 8-9—No School Yom Kippur Oct 10—9:30am Late Start Oct 14-22—Sukkot Break, No School Oct 23—9:30am Late Start
THANK YOU! To our all of teachers and each of our students, the school families, community friends, alumni and supporters, to all the volunteers and helpers behind the scenes—who helped get this year 5780 (2019-2020) off to a great start! A full-service Jewish day school of this size and quality in an out-of-town community is nothing short of a miracle. And it takes all of us working together to make this miracle happen, year after year, now into our fortieth year! We’re looking forward to a Shana Tova (good year) at Maimonides. With our best wishes for a Ksiva VaChasima Tova, a Happy Healthy & Sweet New Year!
The Maimonides School
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!”