BH. 15
Adar II, 5779 / March 22, 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 6:52 Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel Rubin & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 7:53 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
WRITING YOUR OWN MEGILLA MHDS alumnus Eli K. wrote his own Megillah while yet a teenager! This is a very impressive accomplishment, especially for someone not doing this full time. His younger brother MHDS alumnus Sholom K. read the Megillah that his brother Eli wrote.
This MC Newsletter is sponsored by the Kudan family in honor of their daughter Miriam’s wedding to Avi Berman this coming week. Mazal Tov! MAZAL TOV KUDAN & BERMAN Mazal Tov to the Kudan and Berman families on the upcoming marriage of their children Avi and (MHDS alumna) Miriam this coming week. Mazal Tov to Albany for (this local Shidduch) and for having a local Shabbos Kallah celebration this Shabbos, 4pm at the Kudans (6 Peyster Street) for women and girls!
GIANT HAMANTASCHEN 2nd graders baked these very large size intact and delicious Hamantaschen at school.
THE “I SPY” GRAGGER This studentmade gragger does more than just make noise! Made by the Kindergarteners and Morah Chani this “I Spy Gragger” has a bunch of objects hidden inside the colored rice (which makes most of the noise when shaken) and a list and legend on the label outside of the bottle with things to find inside, their Hebrew names and accompanying illustrations. Can you shake & find them all?
A VOLCANO IS BREWING Ms. Ramsay’s 6th grade science students are building a volcano in their classroom! As the project nears its completion and the scheduled eruption they are reaching out to other classes with input of what to name this volcanic mountain? What would you name it? Put your idea in the volcano mountain suggestion box in the lunchroom. Thanks!
MAZAL TOV R’ MOSHE LOSICE On his grandson’s wedding this coming week, R’ Alexander Herbstman of Monsey to Dena Bald of Far Rockaway. Much Nachas!
PURIM, PURIM, PURIM, PURIM.. Purim was the big theme this week at school. Whether learning Megillah on many different levels, making all types of take-home Purim projects, baking Hamantaschen for seniors (enjoying them along the way), singing songs & adding Adar spirit, or the annual Shushan Purim Costume Parade (a post-Purim tradition at Maimonides), the big Purim Day Prunch (see inside for pics of both) its been a lot of Purim! Plus—many local & nearby Purim events & activities our students were part of!!!
QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
DISABILITY INCLUSION SURVEY FDR’S NEW DEAL PROJECT
Ms. Coffey’s 8th grade math students learned 5 methods to solve quadratic equations. When she taught them the graphing method which is something that learned and used in math applications before, it was familiar and boosted their confidence. Plus, all the funny songs Ms. Coffey played for them help them learn and remember all five methods.
The Jewish Federation has a disability inclusion survey accessible via their website through the end of March. If this is an issue that affects you or your family, please take a few minutes to fill it out. This will help the Federation and our Jewish community better service those with disabilities and may benefit people you know or others directly/indirectly. Find the survey here or online at: https:// www.jewishfedny.org/2019/03/capital-regionjewish-community-disability-services-survey/
Ms. Ramsay’s 8th grade social studies students are doing an independent research project and powerpoint presentation on FDR’s New Deal, how it worked and its impacts & effects.
TWISTED BALLOON SHAPES
ROCKIN’ ROBINS First graders made these paper plate rockin’ robins (they actually rocked back and forth) MISSING CHOCOLATE MYSTERY after learning about birds. They also made diagrams of birds labeled with their body Sherlock Holmes, anyone? Kindergarteners worked hard to imprint royal seals in a rounds parts—which were their spelling words, too. of melted chocolate. It’s harder than it seems, Robins are a sign of spring! because the chocolate has to be melted just right, in a Goldilocks Zone (not too hot where FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON it is liquid, not to cold where it is too hard, 8th grade English class is reading this short but) just right for the chocolate to capture the classic story about a lab mouse and efforts to imprint of the crown seal and keep its shape! apply this experiment to humans with Mr. It wasn’t easy to get it right. That’s why they Conley. Before they began the story itself, they were especially disappointed to find out that discussed multiple intelligences and someone (a chocolate monster? someone with types of mental agility, and how people sticky fingers? or maybe someone mistook think and learn in different ways. them for something else?) took them from the “Nathan’s Kitchen” freezer where they were kept! Alas, it was too late before Purim for them to make new ones. The truth is we’re not looking for Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew here, as much as we’re hoping for a Charlie-type from Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory who ends up with much more life chocolate getting it the right way than those who tried to get it dishonestly or greedily without considering rules or others. Hopefully this situation was just an honest mistake or slip-up. Either way, we hope all of our students will try harder to respect the property and work of others.
HELPFUL STUDENTS Morah Rochel very much appreciates all the students who pitched in both on Taanit Esther and on Purim Day to prepare and help with the food for the communal Purim Prunch at school. It’s beautiful to see students’ willing eagerness to volunteer and cheerful helpfulness—a big hallmark at Maimonides!
OLD SCHOOL CANDLE-MAKING Mrs. Maher’s social-studies students had fun making their own wax candles by hand, dipping long wicks into hot wax, dipping and re-dipping, waiting… just as they did years ago in Colonial times. They were also resourceful as back then, using stacked books and long yard sticks to prop up the drying candles.
These were leftover from a Thursday night Purim party and brought to school (still inflated and in shape) for some of our primary grades to enjoy. Indeed, the Purim spirit and flavor lingered on into Friday at school.
THE PURIM PRUNCH AT MHDS Purim Prunch was well-attended this year, by school families and others, some alumni and visitors! So many were in costume (see pictures on page 3) and there was a very festive and sharing spirit by all! Thanks to the Israeli lunar landing theme—we had round falafel balls (like little moons), Israeli salad, pitas shaped like half-moons and a vegetable soup that had little moon-shape lentils inside. Even this soda-sipping/guzzling costume enjoyed loading up his open pita with lots of healthy Israeli salad! In addition to the 10am Megillah reading by R’ Mendy Shepherd, a second Megillah reading was held to accommodate those who missed it.
WHATS WRONG WITH A PARTY HS Girls and Morah Leyee took a closer look at the King’s Party in first chapter of Megillah to find root causes of the unfolding story.
at Maimonides and in the Community 3/22-23: NCSY SHABBATON Here in Albany. Oneg at the Gurocks on Friday Night, a ChaBo game at noon on Shabbos, and a Junior (grades 5-7) NCSY event at 5:50pm. Laser Tag for grades 6-12 on Sat Night, $15pp. Info? Email krinskyS@ncsy.org or lichtmanY@ncsy.org
3/23: POST-PURIM SHABBOS TZAV This Shabbos we read a somewhat shorter Torah portion (whose number of verses matches the Gematria of its name!) and there’s no seasonal bonus Torah reading this week. But coming off Purim and Shushan Purim this Shabbos continues the festive, lively Purim spirit…
3/23: YARTZEIT KIDDUSH Kiddush at Shomray Torah this week is sponsored by Dr. Rami & Chana Mizrachi for the yartzeit of his father Aholiov ben Rachamim obm.
3/23: KUDAN SHABBOS KALLAH Women and girls: Join the Kudans 4pm at their home 6 Peyster Street for a celebratory Shabbos Kallah open house before the marriage of their daughter Miriam this coming week IYH. (Avi’s Ufruf will be down in New York).
3/23: RABBI REISMAN NAVI CLASS Sat nights live from Brooklyn at CBAJ now (that Shabbos ends later) at 9:30pm.
3/24: (INDOOR) GREENMARKET Year ’round farmer & crafts market at Proctor’s Theater Arcade, 10am-2pm every Sunday.
3/24: BUTTERFLIES BACK @ MiSci MISCI Museum in Schenectady has their indoor interactive butterfly exhibit house back through March or early April. Exhibit/experience is free with museum admission. (If you go, wearing bright light colors may help attract butterflies).
3/24: ARTS CENTER “TRY IT” Free for a few hours, open to all ages. 13 studios with hands-on activities: Drawing, Game Design, Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Pottery, Printmaking, Skateboarding, Stained Glass, Woodworking, and more! 12-3pm at Arts Center of Capital Region, 265 River Street in Troy.
3/24: FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW 17,000 SF of landscape exhibit on display at HVCC. $14pp for adults, kids 12 and under free.
3/24: POST-PURIM CARNIVAL 12-2pm at the Schenectady JCC. Call ahead for
info: 377-8803. You can earn free tickets by coming Jewish Federation are bringing Dr. David Pollock, dressed in costume, or by bringing non-perishable Bernstein Fellow at the Washington Institute (who foods to donate or empty cans & bottles to redeem. has past experience at the US State Department) to speak on the politicians and issues in play. 7pm at Beth Emeth. No charge. RSVP’s appreciated. 3/24: PINE BUSH TRAIL WALK This trail leaves at Trail-head #7. Suitable for all 4/7: FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE GALA ages. Contact the Pine Bush Discovery Center on Route 155 for more info. 6:30pm at the Albany Elks Lodge. $54pp or $72/a couple. Register www.capitalfriends.org/events/gala honors Jeff Weiss of Glennpeter Jewelers & more. 3/25: TRAFFIC STUDY MEETING For info call Chaya: 518-488-8992. 5:30-7pm at St Peters Hospital Mercy Auditorium at 310 South Manning Blvd. This is the second such meeting and important for Shabbat-observant 4/19: EREV PESACH SIYUM community members to attend as it may impact Annual tradition at Maimonides. Shacharit, Siyum Shabbat walkability concerns & other issues. on Daf Yomi tractate Chullin, a First-Born BreakFast and Chametz Burning. Stay tuned!
3/26: CBAJ UNIVERSITY 3 Tuesday evenings at 8pm with Rabbi Feldman: 3/26: How it all Began: Who wrote the Bible & what really happened at Sinai? 4/2: How Rabbis Read Bible: Midrash & Medieval Interpretation. 4/9: Modern interpretation of the Bible & traditional response to Biblical Criticism.
4/22-25: CHOL HAMOED PESACH
3/28: NOSHER & KVELLER
6/4: MAIMONIDES DINNER
Monday thru Thursday this year. Does anyone have ideas for outing and activities? Keep us posted so we can share as it gets closer. No school all of Pesach, look for detailed school pre-Pesach off-dates in next week’s MC Newsletter.
Stay tuned for honorees and info. Important Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy presents a annual school fundraiser & communal event. Dynamic Duo: Kveller & Nosher, 6:45-8:45pm at Ohav Shalom. $20pp in advance, $25 at the door. Jordana Horn and Shannon Sarna will re-enact Kveller.com podcast “Call Your Mother.” Info? 518 PESACH IS COMING SOON! -783-7800x234 or email: lpollack@jewishfedny.org.
3/28-4/1: GIRLS CHIDON WKND We have a nice group of girls representing our school at the international Chidon Shabbaton this weekend. Boys who qualified will go the following weekend. Other Maimonides students who made an effort for this challenge will have a special trip with Morah Dini on the corresponding weeks.
4/1: GORDON UPSHERNISH
Not too early now start thinking of Selling your Chametz, Getting Matzah, Pesach Shopping and also Maot Chittim (charity for the Passover needs of others). Of course, it’s time to start cleaning!
R’ Itche and Morah Dini Gordon will celebrate the Upshern of their son Mendel at Maimonides.
SUPPORT LOCAL KOSHER DINING
4/1: A TAILOR’S TALE
is back on at UAlbany’s Indian Quad Dining Hall for lunch and dinner this coming week after a week off for Spring Break. And they will be open for Chol HaMoed Pesach as well!
KOSHER DINING AT INDIAN
Arnie Adler has a special way of sharing his father’s Holocaust survivor story. Our children heard it once at school, but now adults can hear it as well— 6pm at the William K. Sanford Colonie Town THE K.P.C. WEEKLY SPECIAL Library, 629 Albany Shaker Road (near Wolf Pesach season is now in full-swing at the Kosher Road). This event is co-sponsored by the library, Price Chopper. Best way to know if the weekly Colonie Chai Center Chabad and the Sage Colleges Colonie Jewish Community Lecture Fund. prepared dinner specials are on or what’s on the menu is sign up for a weekly email from Chef John Piccolo: JohnPiccolo@pricechopper.com to 4/2: BEFORE ISRAELI ELECTIONS be added to email list with menu, pricing... Big elections are coming up in Israel. JNF and our
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!”