Maimonides Community

BH.

28 Adar I, 5774 / February 28, 2014

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 5:25 Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 6:26 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

This week’s newsletter is sponsored in memory of

Reb Moshe Rubin On the occasion of his 18th Yartzeit this Shabbos, 29 Adar Aleph, with a special Farbrengen Melava Malka on Motzai Shabbos.

By his son Rabbi Yisroel and Rochel Rubin and Family

SMILE, PURIM IS COMING! Morah Dini’s Kindergarteners made these oversized stick puppets of Purim characters for their pre-Purim singing at Senior Homes with their music teacher Morah Leah - Lynn Gross, bringing lively Purim cheer and celebration!

THANKS JOHN!

John is pictured here with two of the soup ingredients he went out to get for this week’s Soup of the Week.

But there’s another reason JJ HECHT IN SOCHI RUSSIA to put John on the front Well, not the JJ in 5th page: On weekends and grade, rather his uncle, over breaks, John takes the 6/7’s SOUP OF THE WEEK known in Ellenville as the We didn’t have a parent volunteer for this fish from the school to his home, to care for “Rollerblading Rabbi” them and make sure they’re OK when no one week, but the kids love it, so Morah Rochel who went to Sochi for the asked 6/7 grade girls if they would step in and is in school for a while. These aren’t his fish, Olympic Games. He went make a soup. They looked up a recipe, changed but it is his Mitzvah. He does it for the fish not as an athlete, but to which are not his, and for no special reward. the serving size (from 4 servings to 104), each assist the local Chabad student brought in a different ingredient and center in providing together they made a delicious, hearty tomato LITERARY TERMS religious services (Kosher, soup - that you can see pictured here, steaming Conflict (whether external or internal) is a Shabbos, Mitzvot) for the just in time for Wednesday’s lunch! Not only common literary theme, metaphor is a helpful Jewish athletes and visitors to the Olympic was the soup tasty, but it was also a great lesson literary device also used in Rabbinic writing, games that just ended this week. His Hecht figure of speech is often used in Tanach like in cooperation, organization, teamwork and nieces & nephews are very proud of him! “hand of Hashem”, mood and dialogue, and flavoring. It was hard to get the flavor, taste and texture exactly right, but as it says: Yagaytee even onomatopoeia (words that describe what NEW AT PRICE CHOPPER they sound like) are some of the literary terms uMahtzasee - If you try hard you will succeed!

Price Chopper Colonie Kosher Department is Mrs. Gray learned with the 6/7 graders. now selling David Elliot chicken, and also Chalav Yisrael Greek Yogurt. Hamantaschen MAIMONIDES (Reisman’s) are 2 packages for $5. And the 404 Partridge Street Passover shelves are filling up now!

Albany NY 12208

PROGRESS AT TERRA They recently announced Kosherizing already took place for their NuWave Café and Bar portion of the restaurant to open first, TBA!

LOCAL MATANOT L’EVYONIM Contact Rabbi Rubin for discreet donations to local families who could use some financial help for Purim Tzedakah and before Passover.

OUR HS GIRLS VISIT JUDY

PASSING AWAY AT AGE 110

The HS girls went over to St Margarets Center on Hackett Blvd for an hour on Wednesday, to visit Judy (she is 17 years old), sing songs to her and share a few words of Torah. Mrs. Rebekah Wildman is arranging visits, call her if you’d like to go over.

5th grade just finished Parshas Vayechi this week with Rabbi Mathless, completing the entire Sefer Breishis. It ends with Yosef’s passing in Egypt at age 110. They connected it with the news that also this week, the oldest Holocaust survivor, Alice Herz-Sommer, passed away at age 110 in London. She was a talented musician, and it was music that saved her life in the concentration camps, a documentary was made of her story. The next oldest Holocaust survivor is Yisrael Kristal a candymaker from Haifa, who brought his old world confectioners talent & recipes to Israel.

HEBREW SENTENCES ON SNOW Morah Devorah’s first graders drew these snowy winter pictures and they wrote these Hebrew sentences underneath in Hebrew cursive with vowels. This one reads: “The snow is falling and I am building a snowman.”

NEEDLEPOINTS FOR PARSHA

CITY ON A CUBE 2nd & 3rd graders were each assigned a city to research. They filled each side of these cubes with interesting facts: landmarks and tourist sites, famous people, how the city got its name, climate and other info about each city.

After learning several recent Parshas about the craftsmanship and artisan work to build the Mishkan, Morah Raizel gave each 6th grader a needle-point kit to do on their own, one piece of yarn at a time.

ELEPHANT TRUNKS ON HAND An elephant’s trunk is much more than a long nose, it is agile and very capable, quite like a human hand. It’s amazing how skilled elephants are with their trunks. Nursery students saw this firsthand when they stuck DOUBLE PIZZA SIYUM their hands through “elephant-shaped” paper- Rabbi Shmuly’s 2nd & 3rd grade Mishna students finished the 6th chapter of Brachos plates and used their own arms and hands as (about the laws of food blessings) and the 4th the elephant’s trunk! & 5th grade Mishna class finished Hamafkid, the 3rd chapter of Bava Metziah, and both enjoyed a delicious Pizza-Siyum.

ON SPORTSMANSHIP IN CONNECTION WITH THE RECENT OLYMPICS...

1

ACTION: Sports is one of the best types of exercise if you really get into it; Don’t be afraid of the ball; stay in the game; close to the action; stay alert and keep focused; give it your best shot and keep practicing; try and try again; keep your balance; and do what you do best and also try to learn new tricks and skills.

2

TRACTION: Keep the game moving, don’t let it fall apart; keep distractions out of the game; don’t dwell too much on little things that slow down or stop the game; don’t let discouraging words take the spirit out of the game; even if teams are not so fair just keep on going you can have fun anyways and sometimes there are surprises!

3

REACTION: Don’t be a sore-loser, you will win another day; If you got out and you didn’t think its right, just wait it out and come back in soon; if someone gets hurt worry first about them and not about the game as much; Try not to show too much disappointment if a teammate misses a goal or basket so they’ll be encouraged to try again next time; follow the coaches/teachers call even if you don’t think it is correct or fair.

4

INTERACTION: Be a good passer; know your fellow players strengths & weaknesses and build on their strengths; don’t try to do it all yourself; be supportive and encouraging of other kids even if they are not the best players; use positive language; be active but not too aggressive especially if there are smaller kids on the court;

5

SATISFACTION: I feel good when people play fairly and resolve all issues in a calm and positive way; I like a good game when the spirit and tempo are strong and we work up a sweat; It feels good when everyone is included and both teams have a great time; I like when I accomplish something I thought I couldn’t do so well.

AND A CHUMASH SIYUM, TOO 2nd and 3rd grade also completed the 2nd chapter of Parshas Vayera, just around the same time they finished the 6th chapter of Mishna Brachos. Very nice milestones!

WHERE THE LINE ENDS MENDEL V. READS TORAH Mendel V. (7th grade) became Bar-Mitzvah a few weeks back, and layned the Torah this week at the morning Minyan. These boys won’t get rusty! Jim Clevenson of the “Jewish World” newspaper is getting the aliyah.

6th grade is starting a new math unit on geometry and learned new terms this week with Mrs. Sanda. For example: Line (is endless on either end), Ray (has defined starting point, but no end point) and Line Segments (is a piece of a linear progression that has ends on both sides). They also learned about angles.

ALL AROUND PURIM!

AN ADAR 27 GUEST R’ Yisroel Yarmush was in town for work this Thursday, the 27th of Adar, so Rabbi Rubin asked him to speak to our older students (8/9 boys at Shteeble and HS girls at school) about his memories helping Rabbi Leibel Groner (one of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s secretaries) especially during the period after the Rebbe’s stroke on the 27th of Adar, and two years later another stroke on the same Hebrew date that led to the Rebbe’s passing on 3rd of Tammuz.

SHARING FOR TZADIK These Nursery students were caught gently sharing paintbrushes on camera by student TNT photographers, as they paint Tzipor bird masks while learning the letter Tzadik. Sharing doesn’t begin with the letter Tzadik, but it is certainly a wonderful step in righteousness!

ADAR FISH The zodiac sign for Adar is a fish, which never close its eyes, and swim & live in their element.

Morah Devorah’s first graders colored these fish, they are hanging high up in the classroom near the ceiling.

NEW APPS PROJECT: CIRCLES! We had a brainstorming session this Thursday, and the APPS projects are due in 2 weeks, on the Thursday before Purim so they can be displayed at the Circular Purim Prunch. It’s a much shorter window than the last APPS project. Think out of the box: coins and buttons; round foods like Matzah & MatzaBalls, meatballs, lollipops & doughnuts, pizza-pies and sushi; pipes, tubes & wheels; merry-gorounds, polka-dots, hoola-hoops, carousels & Ferris Wheels; traffic lights & volume dials; even other shapes that spin in circles such as Graggers & Dreidels! There’s Kabbalistical infinite spheres and finite linear revelation; thinking about circles can get you going on and on, in circles!

PI (3.14) Day falls this year “around” Purim, on Friday before. This year’s Purim Prunch on Purim morning (3/16: 11-Noon) at the School will feature a circular theme. How many Hamantaschen does it take to make a circle?

Come around to meet and greet and share Mishloach Manot, a well-rounded opportunity to see people from around the community…

UKRAINE ON OUR MIND Some of our classes discussed the current situation in Ukraine, including background history, political alignments, socio-economic conditions and other factors leading to the current situation. After Russia, it’s the largest country by land mass in Europe and is home to 46 million people! In addition we learned about the many vibrant Jewish institutions there, including the world’s largest Jewish community center (at 538,000SF!) and there FLOOR PLANS TO SCALE Mrs. Sahay’s 8/9 grade math students learned are Yeshivas, seminaries, orphanages, soupkitchens and more! We found out that while about measuring to scale, with architectural drawings and maps, & made these imaginative there is no anti-Semitism at this time (despite the well-known history of it in that region) and interesting floor plans - all to scale. may it continue to be so - Jewish institutions have steep new expenses of round the clock LOCAL WITNESS TO STORY security, and some major donors had accounts Excepted from a letter from Bruce Lorence: I frozen due to the crisis. Not only are donations recently had opportunity to visit the Tang Museum helpful, but they also are a sign of support to at Skidmore College and the current exhibit: the 35 cities that have active Jewish "Graphic Jews-- Negotiating Identity in Sequential communities: FJC.ru/Ukraine.

Art" featuring work by Leela Corman, Vanessa Davis, Ben Katchor, and James Sturm. This exhibit BUG OUT runs until 4/13. As previously reported in the HALACHA “MC” newsletter, in Ben Katchor's graphic art are EXPERIMENT panels that document the Lubavitcher Rebbe HS with Rabbi Laber climbing over the locked entrance gate of the learned two opinions Brooklyn Botanic Gardens on Tashlich 5717 how to remove a bug (1956). I along with the future Rabbi Haber (who from soup on Shabbos as a USAF chaplain arranged for the construction of the first mikva in the State of Alaska, and spoke and did an experiment in class to see how they about it some fifteen years ago at a lecture he gave each would work. This is because of the laws of removing the undesirable from desirable on here at SUNY-Albany for the entire Jewish community) witnessed the actions of the Rebbe and Shabbos. This frog cartoon is quite insightful because defining undesirable and desirable his chassidim at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. I was on my way down Washington Avenue to make may be subjective according to the person. a holiday visit to my paternal cousins Ted Stein, DDS, and Natalie Stein DDS. MORE HAMANTACHEN BAKING This time by 6/7 with Mrs. Sanda as a handsCONDOLENCES on, tasty and timely connection with their new unit on geometry, learning about shapes and  to Mrs. Reeva Nowitz (who donated her husband’s extensive library to Maimonides) angles and the methods of measurement. Just in time for Circular Purim Prunch & Pi Day! on the passing of her brother William Rosenblum of Albany.  to Mr. Neil Levine (of Colonial Cleaners LIBRARY DAY: THURSDAY AM who always supports our school’s auction) A new schedule is being developed for most on the passing of his mother Barbara of classes to have their library-time on Thursday Schenectady. mornings, to return old books & take out new May they be comforted among the mourners books from the Esty Library at Maimonides. of Zion and Jerusalem.

THE SHANGHAI MIRACLE Preview the trailer and support the documentary

at Maimonides and in the Community 2/28-3/2: NCSY SHABBATON CBAJ is hosting the NCSY Upstate NY Har Sinai Regional Winter Shabbaton this weekend.

3/1: SPECIAL THIS SHABBOS It’s Chazak! and Two Torahs - as we conclude Sefer Shmos, we bless the new month of Adar II, for Maftir we read the first of the 4 Special Parshiyot: Shekalim, and while it is Machar Chodesh (Rosh Chodesh begins Sat Night) we read the Haftorah of Shekalim (though some add a few lines from the Machar Chodesh Haftorah, too).

3/1: THE DAMA B’ NESINA STORY

production effort: http://igg.me/at/shanghaidocumentary or speak to Rabbi Rubin.

children and teens at summer sleepaway camps, Israel programs or other Jewish enrichment etc are due on Friday March 7th. See school office for application forms or contact the Federation.

3/7-9: REGIONAL WKND AT S.H.

3/17: SHUSHAN PURIM

Shabbos House is hosting a regional upstate NY Chabad on Campus Shabbaton, with Shabbos guest speakers Izzy Ezagui (see Izzy-Speaks.com) and Dr. Yehoshua and Chaya Bracha Rubin, and a Sat Night extravaganza with a Hebrew airbrush artist, fire-pit, drum circle, photo-booth and more!

9am school start with davening at 9am. (BarMitzvah boys 8am at Shteeble as usual). Not everyone gets to see everyone else’s Purim costume on Purim Day (especially those that live further away) so bring your costume on Shushan Purim, for a special costumed assembly and festivity during the morning and regular classes in the afternoon.

3/9: CHECK OUT THE AUTO SHOW

In honor of his father’s yartzeit this Shabbos, Rabbi Adults $8 (cash), $12 & under free. 160 new cars Rubin will discuss the famous Talmud (Kiddushin displayed 10am-5pm at Times Union Center. Free parking Sunday in TUC Parking Garage (behind 31) story about honoring one’s parents Arena, entrance: Beaver Street & Market Street).

3/1: RABBI REISMAN (TCN) @CBAJ Weekly TCN broadcast of Rabbi Reisman’s Navi class 8pm at CBAJ. Rabbi Y. Frand’s class is shown at 9pm on Thursday nights.

with energetic dedication. It’s only one day of Purim so slots are limited, but please contact Rabbi Rubin 423-4103 or rralbany@gmail.com if you know someone who can benefit!

3/23: DONNA GRACIA MENDES History comes to life once again at Beth Tephilah in Troy! 1pm reenactment of the historic period of this famous Jewess with foods from 1500-1600’s.

Please only over age 12. RSVP/Info: 894-3491.

3/13: EARLIER FAST OF ESTHER Being that the Fast of Esther falls on Shabbos this year, the fast is pushed back to the Thursday prior.

3/1: R’ MOSHE RUBIN 18 YARTZEIT 3/15: PARSHAS ZACHOR READING 8pm at Maimonides. A special Sat Night Melava Malka to remember Reb Moshe Rubin, his songs and stories, his warmth and special flavor, on the evening of his 18th yartzeit. All welcome for this informal evening of memory & inspiration.

It’s an important Mitzvah to hear the special reading about Amalek on the Shabbos before Purim (this year on the day before Purim).

3/15-16: PURIM CELEBRATIONS!

Sat Night into Sunday is Purim this year! In addition to Megillah & festivity at local synagogues The world famous violinist plays 8pm at Proctors in here’s some of the communal events (so far): Schenectady, call: 346-6204. Price range: $20-$90.  SAT NIGHT “PURIM IN ISRAEL” Megillah, Israeli food and festivity at Saratoga Chabad, Call 526-0773.

3/2: ANDY STATMAN AT THE EGG  SAT NIGHT PURIM AT BETH ISRAEL in Playing with his Trio, 7:30pm at the Swyer Theater Schenectady, masquerade & Megillah etc. Call at The Egg. Mr. Statman is a Baal-Teshuva, beloved 377-3700 for more information.

Klezmer and Chassidic musician, and acclaimed in the broader musical world as well. $24pp. 473-1845  PURIM-PRUNCH, Megillah 10am, Prunch 11Noon (or 12:30pm) at Maimonides. Look for a Circular theme, “All Around Purim” and come 3/2-3: ROSH CHODESH ADAR II to see, meet and greet circles of friends from Sunday & Monday are Rosh Chodesh Adar. around the community in costume and with Shomray Torah’s 8am Monday morning Minyan exchanges of Mishloach Manot.

(3/3) will be at Maimonides.

KRAV MAGA DATES These classes are by private arrangement (this is separate from bi-monthly at Maimonides for boys in grades 4+). Sundays: 10:30-11:15 coed ages 5-9, Girls only ages 10-14 11:15-12.

Sundays of March: 9, 23 & 30. April 6 & 13th. May: 4, 11 & 18. Cost is $8per child per class. For info / questions call Liba 894-1088.

3/1: ITZHAK PERLMAN CONCERT

3/6: SAAJCC PURIM CARNIVAL Pre-Purim, 5:30-8pm on Thursday at the Albany JCC, free admission, 10 tickets for $8 or 20 for $15 for booths, games and activities. Food served is by Vince Catering through the JCC Kitchen, and should be under Vaad supervision, to be sure check if/what meets your personal Kosher standards.

3/7: J-FED ENRICHMENT GRANTS The Jewish Federation’s enrichment grants for

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ITALIAN PURIM Sunday afternoon in Clifton Park: theme, food, Megillah & festivity. Call 495 -0772/9 for info.

PURIM AT THE STADIUM with Bethlehem Chabad Sunday afternoon at the Normanside, with a sports theme and festivity. Call 439-8280 for more info.

ROVING MEGILLAH-MEN! Like last year, 4 Yeshiva students are returning to assist with Purim celebrations, read Megillah at Nursing facilities, for shut-ins, bringing Purim cheer spirit

MHDS PURIM CARDS Do you have out-of-town friends and family that you’d like to think of on Purim? Order the school’s virtual Mishloach Manot $18 for 10 colorful cards that say that a donation was made to Maimonides in lieu of sending an actual package. While this doesn’t fulfill the actual Mishloach Manot Mitzvah it certainly is thoughtful and is certainly a Mitzvah of supporting Jewish education!

MIFGASH WINE SALE Mifgash Jewish Community High School is having a kosher for Passover wine sale. All purchases will receive a 15% discount.

Proceeds benefit Mifgash. Order via: mifgashpassoverwine@gmail.com and ordering instructions and timing details. Plus option of receiving your wine before Purim - if ordering in time and desire to pick up for the Purim Holiday. Pick up will be a University Wine in Liquor located at 1225 Western Ave.

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!”