Maimonides Community

BH. 19

Adar II, 5774 / March 21, 2014

Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 6:50 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 7:51 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

This newsletter is sponsored in honor of the recent Albany baby births. May we continue to share Simchas!

Photos taken at the Purim Prunch or at the Shushan Purim Morning Masquerade. See more on page 4 >>

MAZAL TOV LEHRFIELDS Policeman was a popular costume among the young boys. Being Shushan Purim, not all costumes were complete, but that’s OK because some young officers happened to be “off-duty” or “undercover”!

to Rabbi Binyamin & Orit Lehrfield on the birth of a baby boy this Wednesday. Much Nachas!

Chaya A. was a ceiling fan! Go Ceilings!

Chana made this homemade Lego-man from scratch, for her brother Mendel L.

MORDECHAI AND ESTHER Kingston’s theme was “Under the Sea” Henny was a sailor.

The Wildmans dressed as Waldo, Wenda & Odlaw…

Shmuel Dovid was a polar bear from the Arctic Circle.

Chana made this colorful Piñata, each color & cut one at a time, that takes time and persistence!

Big picture view of kids gathered in costume…

The newborn Labers bris was on Thursday morning at Maimonides. The baby was named Baruch Mordechai. Pictured above is Hadassah Esther Gordon sitting next to Baruch Mordechai Laber (born two days apart) with their mothers (and Tzvika Gordon peeking out). Most of the school children got to attend the ceremony, older classes participated in the Seudas Mitzvah while younger classes had delicious cake platters brought to their classroom. Mazal Tov!

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

Mr. Ted Levin (with help from his wife Susannah) wore giant oversized (fake) Tefillin!

Moshe K. wore a fake fur Shtreimel, Peyos and a full length black coat, and really looked the part. It might not be his usual personal style but he wore it with dignity and respect.

JUMPING 120 TALMUD PAGES Rabbi Rubin’s 8/9 Talmud class has been focusing primarily on the first chapter of tractate Shabbos, but in honor of the Laber Bris on Thursday skipped 120 pages to “R’ Eliezer d’Milah” the 19th chapter which discusses which aspects of a Brit-Milah supersede the laws of Shabbos. It was a way to get acquainted with an entirely different Talmud discussion and to feel the relevance of the study immediately after attending a Bris.

PURIM HIGHLIGHTS from student reporting in TNT class

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COSTUMES: Most students were really excited about the Lego-man costume; the Guess Who? Game costume was really clever for twins; there was also a motherdaughter pizza costume; I liked my butler costume; Mr. Ted Levin’s oversized Tefillin costume made a big imprint (which is the goal of Tefillin!); one “old Bubby” looked so real that people mistook her for the real thing; The Lorax family from Ballston Spa was complete with the Lorax, brown Barbaloots and even a Truffula Tree!

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EVENTS & PARTIES: There were themed parties all over region, from Purim in Israel (Saratoga) to Purim in Italy (Clifton Park), over to Paris (Pittsfield) and Under the Sea (Kingston). Kids enjoyed a Bubble-Master, a Mime, a caricaturist, and other entertainment. Some students enjoyed the CBAJ Bounce Party with IceCream. And there smaller parties (but big Mitzvahs) such as at Bnai-Brith Apartments or senior homes. The Purim Prunch at Maimonides was the best way to see the most families, mingle and give Mishloach Manot in a short time. After Purim, there was a late night Farbrengen at the Gordon’s until 3am!

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SEUDAH FOODS: At Pittsfield’s “Purim in Paris” people made their own crepes; there was a big selection of incredible tasting pastas & the best-tasting lemonade at “Italian Purim”; some families ate traditional Kreplach; a place we went to had potato knishes shaped like triangular Hamantaschen; Kingston’s “Under the Sea” had amazing and plentiful sushi made by a sushi-master; and good old delicious meatloaf…

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MISHLOACH MANOT: It was fun getting a little toy or gragger in my bag; I liked giving and getting to & from my friends; some had a neat theme like breakfast or Harry Potter, others had fun or Purim packaging; getting chocolate was a big treat...

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SPECIAL MITZVOT: My family went to visit an old-age home to make them happy and bring them Mishloach Manot; we went to bring Mishloach Manot to an old lady who would never get it otherwise; we ran a Mitzvah booth at a Purim carnival; we had a mini-Megillah reading for a few students who wouldn’t go elsewhere to hear it…

CIRCLE OF FRIENDSHIP

MISHNA TOUCH

This isn’t about the Friendship Circle, rather it is Emmunah’s idea for the Circle APPS project. Think about it, we speak of circles of friends, but never squares of friends. Why? Because in a circle everyone can see each other at equal distance, and there’s no top or bottom, front or back. The circle is an equalizer!

Here’s one advantage to this school’s new touch-screen computers: Students can simply draw illustrations using their fingers, as Rivka is doing above to illustrate her Arvei Pesachim Mishna powerpoint about the importance of the Seder’s Four Cups that even poor people should do. JJ’s Mishna screen on top discusses pouring of the first cup on the Seder Night BOYLE’S LAW, AND THE and the disputed order of the blessings in the MARSHMALLOW TEST Kiddush. Learning Mishna is such a tangible, Dr. Sahay’s 6th grade students put Boyle’s Law visual and tactile way helps the students best (of the inverse relationship between pressure understand it, and remember it, too! and volume) to see how reduced or added airpressure will expand or contract the volume size of the marshmallow. It worked! They also used smaller syringes in a similar test.

INDIAN FOODS FOR HISTORY This actually was from a few weeks back, but we didn’t get the details on exactly what they made, so here it is now. In connection with a Social Studies unit on India, Mrs. Sanda’s GEOMETRY ON MANY LEVELS students made potato Samosas with chutney, Through TNT reporting we discovered that a Naan (pita-type bread), Mango Lassi (a drink), few classes happen to be learning geometry at Saffron Rice, Red Curry, and other specialties. the same time. First grade (pictured above with It was quite ambitious to try so many exotic 3-D shapes on the table), 4/5 and 6th, too are foods, but they really enjoyed doing it and it all learning about shapes, how to categorize gave them a taste of their studies. them and measure them mathematically. It’s the same subject, yet each class learns it on a different level. The Talmud classes (in Sukkah DIGESTING IDEAS 8/9 learned with Rabbi Mendel what Tanya 5 and Shabbos) have been doing some of this, says about the use of the word “digesting” for too! Speaking of shapes: Have you noticed both ideas & food, in both cases its beneficial how differently shaped pastas (all made with and effective when it is chewed over, broken the same exact ingredients) taste different? Is this purely psychological or is it that they have down, absorbed and internalized, and this is especially true of Torah study. The goal is not different textures, or hold sauce differently? merely to know information but to become What other factors can you think of? one with it, so that we are changed by it.

MAZAL TOV WEISSTUCHS

RECENT WILDMAN UPSHERN

Mazel Tov to Chava and Ashi Weisstuch on the birth of a baby girl earlier this week whom they named Liana Shira. Much Nachas!

On Shushan Purim after school the Wildmans celebrated the Upshern of their son Shlomo Avraham at Maimonides. R’ Josh Wildman spoke beautifully about the significance of custom and how they enrich one’s Judaism, and his special feeling for this particular custom for three year old boys.

MAZAL TOV KELLMANS To Rabbi Yaakov and Lisa Kellman on the upcoming marriage of their daughter MHDS alumnus Naama Sara to Nathan Green on Lag B’Omer near Denver Colorado.

UPCOMING KOCHMAN B.M. Sholom will be turning Bar-Mitzvah this week, we wish him, his parents and family a hearty Mazal Tov and much Nachas!

AND A BAT-MITZVAH, TOO Mazal Tov to the Andrusier’s on the upcoming Bat-Mitzvah of their daughter Shaina to be celebrated next week.

BUBBLE-WRAP MATZAH SHADOWS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM Nursery painted pieces of bubble-wrap and NOW ONTO A NEW CHUMASH These student completed all of Sefer Breishis and are now beginning Chumash Shemos just in time for the pre-Pesach preparations. They each received a new Chumash with clear lettering and Rashi commentary with vowels.

JAPAN’S SAMURAI & NINJAS

Mrs. Carroll’s 2&3 grade are learning about then pressed the bubble-wrap onto paper to the sun’s light affects the planets and moons in create a Matzah-like effect. Quite clever! the solar system in varying degrees, and how lights, shadow and celestial movement work in TIMELINES FOR TUCK creating phases of the moon. They also learned 6th grade is working on timelines for the about angles and how that affects shadows.

“Tuck Everlasting” book they just finished.

PASSPORT TO ARABIA Nowadays Jewish people or Israeli citizens can not get passports or visas to Saudi Arabia, but the 6th grade is on a virtual trip there now in their history class with Mrs. Sanda. They learned about spices that were popular there, the long legacy of Arabian horses, the natural resources and geographic landscape.

IS IT AN ACID OR A BASE

In Friday’s Science Enrichment with Mrs. BallardHubble, these students are using cabbage juice in a dropper as an A SUKKAH UNDER A TREE indicator to see if 7th grade Gemorah various household learned about items are acids or Rava’s clarification bases. They used all on when a Sukkah kinds of things including coffee grounds, under a live tree dishwashing liquid, even pickle juice! might be OK, and how he derives that THURSDAY IS LIBRARY DAY from the Mishna’s wording. The Gemorah Most classes have Library time on Thursdays adds a subsequent clarification to Rava’s MAIMONIDES DINNER THIS so remember to return your book so you can original one. Rashi adds the source how we YEAR ON YOM-YERUSHALAYIM know Schach can only be valid when it is cut take out a new book on Thursdays. Keep up What’s the connection between Maimonides (not attached) vegetation, and why tucking-in the good reading! and Jerusalem? Many! The verse says “Torah non-Kosher Schach may be helpful in certain KOSHERIZING FOR PESACH comes forth from Jerusalem” as it does from circumstances.

Maimonides. The Talmud says that the Walls Rabbi Shmuly’s 8/9 Halacha class has been (around Jerusalem) which protect it and CONCERNS OF CHILUL HASHEM learning the laws of Koshering, and recently preserve its character are those who study worked on powerpoints to visually explain the This Shabbos we read the Haftorah of Parah Torah or its houses of study. And it was on instead of the weekly Haftorah for Shmini. A many laws, applications and exceptions as it this day (Iyar 28, this year on May 28) in 1967 key message that High School focused on in pertains to Koshering for Pesach. that a divided Jerusalem was reunited, just as the Parah Haftorah is the concern that Jews Maimonides places great emphasis on unified will desecrate Hashem’s Name (aka “Chilul MATZAH, SELL YOUR CHAMETZ wholesome integrated education. Save the May Hashem”) while amongst the nations. Our job Contact Rabbi Rubin 423-4103 or your Rabbi.

28th date and look for the invite and info. is to make a “Kiddush Hashem” instead!

These words may conjure up images of fierce fighters with swordsmanship and martial arts fighting techniques but Mrs. Ramsay’s 8/9 grade history class learned the complexity of the societal changes of the time in Japan, as the Samurai struggled against modernization and for the preservation of their old codes of conduct and ways of life. Agree with them or not, Samurai lived by a philosophy and honor code, while the Ninjas were mercenaries soldiers or assassins for hire. This class was another way to view conflict and realize that there’s usually much more to the issue or argument, and it’s not all black and white.

at Maimonides and in the Community 3/21: SHALOM ZACHAR AT THE LEHRFIELDS 8:45pm after dinner at their home on Cardinal Ave. The Brit Milah will be Wednesday 7:20am at CBAJ after 6:40am Minyan. Mazal Tov!

3/22: SHABBOS PARSHAS PARAH “Parah” (about Red Heifer) 3rd of 4 Special Torah Readings this time of year.

3/23: JFED EVENT ON BDS, ISRAEL BOYCOTTS, ETC. 7:15-9pm at Beth Emeth JFed Joint Society hosts Dr. Jonathan Adelman on recent Israel boycott/divest efforts. Young adult $10, admission is $25.

3/23: DONNA GRACIA MENDES AT BETH TEPHILAH History comes to life! 1pm reenactment of the historic period of this famous Jewess with foods from 1500-1600’s. Adults & 12+. RSVP/Info: 894-3491.

3/23: MAPLE WEEKEND ACROSS NY STATE 10am-4pm at Mountain Winds Farm, 12 Williamson Road in Berne. Free demos on Maple Syrup, Maple Cream and Maple Leaf Candy. Call 872-0513.

Shira was a skunk “Pepe Le Pew” with no negatives!

Mendel W. was a mime, in keeping with Pittsfield’s “Purim in Paris” theme. He dressed and played the part! Maaseh (action) Hu HaIkar (is paramount)!

3/23: CAPITAL REGION FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW 10am-5pm at HVCC, 80 Vandenburgh Ave in Troy. Adults $12pp, kids 12 and under are free. Landscaping, garden and flower exhibits, vendors etc.

3/24: WOMENS BET MEDRASH NIGHT RE: PESACH Before the season of cleaning takes hold, take time to study about Pesach at a womens Bet Medrash geared for all levels of learning. 8pm at Maimonides, this month’s study led by Mrs. Leyee Rubin. Call 495-0779 with questions.

3/24: JOURNEY THROUGH THE BODY FIELD TRIP Grades 2-5 will be going on a school field trip to Journey through the Body.

3/30: PRICE CHOPPER KOSHER OPEN HOUSE 10am-2pm showcasing Colonie’s Passover products w/vendors & samples.

3/30: A PRE-PASSOVER MUSICAL HAGGADAH

Chaya’s family all wore homemade full-length costumes of various Mitzvot, she is a big blue Tzedakah box. Generosity is a mindset, not an amount, and children at Maimonides learn early on the importance of happily giving of oneself and one’s resources.

The Lorax & one of the Barbaloots from Dr. Seuss’ parable on environmental consciousness which concludes with the demanding, empowering & personally engaging one-word missive: “Unless…”

4/14: NATL GEOGRAPHIC “JERUSALEM” FILM

7pm at Saratoga Chabad, 130 Circular Street. Join Rabbi Israel Rubin for a Pre-sale $5 tickets (by April 14) for JFed showing on May 6th at Proctors for discussion of the Seder songs, accompanied by Yehoshua Sussman on violin Yom Ha’atzmaut, use “Israel66” code at Proctors or via Jewish Federation. with a musical medley. Suggested donation $5pp. For more info call 526-0773.

3/31: AEPI ROAD TRIP TEFILLIN STOP AT MHDS A Minyan of AEPIers on a Jewish Identity Road trip will stop off to put in Tefillin at school around noontime on Monday.

4/3: HARRY ROSENFELD SPEAKS ABOUT HIS BOOK

4/14: CHAMETZ BURNING AND FIRSTBORN SIYUM As every year, with Shachris, Siyum and communal burning at the school.

First Seder is that night. Pesach is quickly approaching!

5/10: CBAJ DINNER HONORING KAGAN & POZNERS

“From Kristallnacht to Watergate - Memoirs of a Newpaperman.” 7:30pm at the Schenectady JCC. No charge. Call 377-8803.

At CBAJ honoring life-long Albanian Ethel Kagan and community leaders Louis-Jack & Rona Pozner at a special Mother’s Day dinner at the synagogue.

For dinner & journal info, contact CBAJ office at 489-5819 or: www.cbaj.org.

4/3-4: AFLAC INSURANCE/SAFETY-NET REP AT MHDS

5/28: THE MAIMONIDES TRIBUTE DINNER

Rep available Thurs & Friday after 3:30pm dismissal up in Teachers Lounge.

4/8-23: MAIMONIDES PASSOVER SCHEDULE Parents, please note the following dates: 4/8-9: Half-Day Nursery. 4/10-11: No Nursery, Half-Day English only for all grades. 4/14-23: No School (including the day before, the day after, and all intermediate days of Passover).

Wednesday, 6pm at the Maimonides School, with elegant buffet dinner and desserts, honoring: Rabbi Moshe & Karen Mirsky, Mrs. Reeva Nowitz & Dr. Madhavi Sahay. Couvert $72pp/$126 couple. For info, journal ads/tributes, contact school office: 453-9363 or email: maimonidesschool@gmail.com.

Since the first year in 1989 this is a much anticipated annual communal event and important fundraiser for the Maimonides Scholarship Fund.

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!”