Maimonides Community

BH. WED Tammuz

7, 5776 / July 13, 2016

Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District Candle-Lighting: 8:13 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org Shabbos Ends: produced by Rabbi Mendel Rubin & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program 9:21 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

Albany) read the Grand Old Parsha for his Bar -Mitzvah this weekend in Cleveland Ohio (same weekend as GOP Convention in town).

‫חוקת‬

This is a mid-summer MC Newsletter. During the school year, this weekly newsletter can be dedicated in honor of a special occasion or in memory of a loved one Email: maimonidesschool@gmail.com

MAZAL TOV RABBI KOCHMAN! Mazal Tov to Rabbi Shmuel on recently receiving his Semicha (rabbinical ordination) pictured here speaking at the celebration ceremony in Brooklyn, the culmination of years of study via a distance learning program.

CONDOLENCES LEVINS

ELIE WIESEL’S LOCAL VISIT The world-renown author, speaker and advocate for Holocaust awareness & memory, Elie Wiesel recently passed away and he was mourned by a great many in the Jewish community and beyond. This photo dates back to the early/mid-1980’s when he spoke locally, and met a local woman Mrs. Leah Klein, a fellow Holocaust survivor, from his very same hometown: Sighet in Romania/Hungary.

INSIDE THIS “MC” ISSUE

OLDEST (JEWISH) AMERICAN Mrs. Goldie Michelson passed away this week just shy of her 114th birthday. She was the oldest American at the time of her passing.

She lived almost all her life in Worcester MA and endowed a theater and drama program at Clark University there in memory of her husband who passed away in 1974. She attributed her longevity to walking. She is pictured above visited by Rabbi Fogelman of Worcester, who has been bringing her Challah before Shabbos since she turned 108.

CAMP GAN IZZY IS UNDERWAY

See inside this summer edition of the MC Camp started this week (based at Maimonides Condolences to Mrs. Susannah Levin, her Newsletter for pictures and reports of year-end school) and kids are having a great time. There husband Ted and family on the passing of her activities at Maimonides that didn’t make it to is a really nice staff of dedicated counselors, father Mr. Lazar of Ohio, whom we remember a newsletter yet, including: let’s welcome them warmly to the from his visits here. Here is a photo of him community—though they will be (wearing the hat to fit the theme) lighting our ⇒ The Year-End School Trip to Saratoga at Shabbos House this weekend. ⇒ Moving-Up Day Ceremonies “Halfmoon Menorah” in 2009. Shiva at the Contact Dini Gordon or DL ⇒ The 8th Grade and HS Graduation Levin home: July 14-17, 11am-7pm.

Rubin if you’d like to host them.

MAZAL TOV SARATOGA RUBINS Mazal Tov to Rabbi Abba and Raizel Rubin of Saratoga on the birth of a baby girl Shterna Sara.

MATHLESS MAZAL TOV Mazal Tov to Rabbi Mendy and Devorah Leah Mathless on the birth of a baby girl Rivka.

RABBI & MRS RUBIN GOING TO HEAR G.O.P. IN CLEVELAND OH Rabbi Rubin and Morah Rochel are traveling to hear Mendel Goldstein (family formerly of

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

GETTING WET WAS A BIG PART OF THE FUN! The kids got right into the water, enjoying the rushing creek more than the sprouting geyser, taking in the natural beauty and enjoying the park nearly all to themselves. In fact, when it was time to head over to “Strike Zone” for bowling, a lot of kids wished they could stay on and frolic more in the refreshing water. After wading and hiking about in the water, we dried off and switched our hike into a path on dry land which led into the woods behind SPAC where we saw a raging waterfall in the trail’s end. Rabbi Mendel shared with several groups Torah-Water metaphors including: “just like water descends from the highest place to the lowest point…” and Rabbi Akiva’s lesson from water erosion, and the story of the Mittler Rebbe’s dream about the power and pressure that obstacles like rocks build up in a quiet stream…

AND THE SPRINGS THEMSELVES...

During lunch at picnic tables in the shade of gorgeous trees alongside the stream, we met a man who cares very deeply about each of the mineral springs at Saratoga, and has very interesting theories about each springs individual qualities and healing benefits… One of our 3rd graders found it so humorous that he memorized a good part of his speech by heart! Rabbi Rubin taught him the bracha of “Shehakol”.

MORE FUN AT “SARATOGA STRIKE ZONE” After so much fun out in nature, we headed over to Saratoga Strike Zone where Rabbi Abba arranged for us a good deal for two games of bowling and bumper cars, and some kids played the arcades and games. The Rabbis and teachers bowled, too!

#ALBANYJEWISHCOMMUNITY

STAR-GLASSES, ART-BALLOONS, AWARDS AND MORE (Above) Nursery students are thrilled with their star-glasses for being such stars as they put them on—on stage, after their Moving-Up Day performance. (Right) The room was festively decorated with colorful paper balloons, each individually illustrated and expressed by a different student.

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION FROM MS. FORD’S CLASS Ms. Ford’s students made a jumbo book of favorite books that Amy Drucker (Above Left) read to them in the weekly PJ Library visit. Mr. Steve Caruso (Above Right) is a literacy volunteer and sent our classes handwritten postcards when he was away, so Ms. Ford’s students made him a jumbo collection of postcards in return.

FAREWELL FIRST GRADE… & AKIVA

MORE CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENT

First graders are each holding up certificates of their individual achievements, Akiva has a soccer ball, too, with handwritten best wishes from his classmates as the Horan family moves to Baltimore next year.

3rd graders (pictured here) also received certificates of achievement, each highlighting their individual talents, efforts and growth, and contributions to classroom learning.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN PAT FAHY PRESENTS THE MEDALS The students pictured above (as well as additional middle school students) wrote essays for the “Better 2 Write” contest and were presented these medals by our own Assemblywoman Pat Fahy during our Graduation Night ceremonies.

BEST IN CLASS FOR ART Although it was hard to choose just one, Mrs. Levin chose one student from each class who excelled in art class this year, and presented each of them with a flower plant—so they continue to grow their artistic talent!

OY!! OUT OF “MC” SPACE FOR GRADUATION NIGHT..

This year we had 13 graduates between 8th grade and HS, and each of them spoke beautifully on Graduation Night. It was a very special evening, with humor and emotion, nostalgia and appreciation for a Maimonides education. We may have yet one more “MC” summer newsletter and be able to include some of the photos and tidbits of their speeches in that edition. A few pictures on right > Stay tuned!

Amarit R. began promoting this hashtag for

anything and everything related to Jewish

communal life here, to help promote the

YARTZEITS in Jewish Art Calendar for $18 Email: calendar@capitalchabad.com

at Maimonides and in the Community 7/11-8/19: CAMP GAN ISRAEL

7/19: SARATOGA CTY FAIR OPENS

Now in full swing! What a very sweet staff we got! for several days at Ballston Spa Fairgrounds. Look Call Camp Director Devorah Leah Mathless 698up hours, attractions, shows and prices.

1836 for more info. Based at Maimonides, but you don’t have to go to Maimonides to attend and have a really fun, enjoyable and meaningful time. Sign per week or for the whole summer season. Check out FB page “Camp Gan Israel of Albany” or visit: tinyurl.com/ganisraelalbany for registration forms.

7/16: WOMENS SHABBOS SHIUR This week’s shiur will be given by Debbie Stark at the home of Devorah Leah Kaufmann, 4:45pm at 27D Weis Road.

7/17: THE CARILLION CONCERT Sundays in the summer (June 19 thru July 31st) at 1pm, the historic carillon in the tower of Albany City Hall is played by a talented musician. Best spots to hear it is at Academy Park (in front of City Hall across the Capitol) or in the Corning Park (behind City Hall further towards Hudson River).

7/17: THE TROY FLEA MARKET Troy’s celebrated Farmers Market is on Shabbos, but the flea market is open on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. See more at TroyFlea.org

7/17: MHLC SUMMER FEST @ILF The Mohawk-Hudson Land Conservancy hosts a summer festival at Indian Ladder Farms, 12-5pm, with guided hikes, musicians, hayrides, activities and more. Info? Lea@MohawkHudson.org

7/20: JGR CONCERT @ THE LINDA a FREE Jewish concert at The Linda (WAMC’s concert hall on Central Ave corner Quail Street) for women and girls only, co-sponsored by JGR (Jewish Girls Retreat), JGU (Jewish Girls Unite), Ladies First of Capital Region, The Seymour Fox Foundation and WAMC. 7:30pm at 339 Central Ave. Featured singers: Chaviva Elharrar, Rachaeli Benaroch, Devorah Serraf, and Miri Meschaninov.

7/21: SEE THE “ARRANGED” FILM The film will be screened 7pm at Saratoga Chabad as part of the Saratoga Jewish Cultural Festival series of events this summer. More info? 526-0773

8/8: SIYUM BBQ IN DELMAR An annual “9 Days” tradition. As Rabbi Simon says, “Stay tuned!” More info 439-8280.

7/18: YUD-BAIS TAMMUZ WITH GUEST FARBRENGER FROM MA 8:45pm at Shomray Torah (following 8:05 Mincha and Maariv) with Rabbi Chaim Wolosow of Sharon MA. This farbrengen is open to all: men, women and children (who can stay up that late) celebrating the Previous Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950) and his release from Soviet imprisonment on 12th of Tammuz, 1927.

Those who’d like to help with refreshments and/ or help sponsor the speaker (traveling for us from Sharon, MA) please contact Michoel Caras.

OSNIEL BEN KENAZ AND OUR 4/5 GRADERS NAVI SIYUM One more tidbit from the end of study at Maimonides this year, which didn't make it in time for an earlier newsletter, but it’s quite an amazing story:

On one of the very last days of the school year, Morah Rochel took her 4/5 grade Navi students to her house for a Siyum party. They sang the list of Judges (because that’s the Navi book they studied), which they knew via acronym and tune, and therefore they all knew that Osniel ben Kenaz was the first judge after Joshua. Now, that very day, Rabbi Rubin (who was home during their Siyum party) was researching (in connection with his “even one Torah letter” ideas) about this very same judge, Osniel ben Kenaz, whom Rashi (mysteriously!) quotes as one of the “Sofrim” (scribes or counters of letters) mentioned in Divrei HaYamim (Chronicles) and Talmud Kiddushin 30a. He showed them the verse says that his (Osniel’s) mother was depressed when he was born and therefore originally named Eytzev (sad) and later renamed Yaavetz (the name persists to this day—Jacob Javits was a US Senator). The kids popped up, immediately making a connection to Rachel’s naming her second son Ben-Oni, which Yaakov changed to Binyamin. Guess what? What the kids said, is exactly what the classic commentaries say on this verse in Divrei HaYamim! Now, aside for trips, treats and goodies, can a Siyum celebration get better than this with students engaged and excited about new and interesting connections and applications of their learning??

A SAD POSTSCRIPT: Rabbi Mickey Mark hy”d of blessed memory, was a scholarly and beloved teacher and principal, father of ten children, killed by terrorists recently in Israel.

The name of the Israeli yishuv where he lived:

PARENTS, FOR THIS SUMMER: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Families with a 4th grader: Get free entry to all US National Parks, download your family pass here: www.everykidinapark.gov Sunset Lanes on Central & Del-Lanes in Delmar (other places, too) participating in: KidsBowlFree.com for 2 free games of bowling for kids, every summer day! Find out more online.

Earn free book at Barnes and Nobles for keeping a reading log and answering Reading Olympics questions this summer. Find out more in store.

If family movies are your thing, there are many free (or $1) family movies shown this summer, outdoors on giant screens, at Proctors & The Palace, even at theaters on select days. Look them up.

Nature abounds! There are so many hikes around for all levels. State and city parks, creeks and lakes, even beaches! There are a few zoos within 2 hours drive. Enjoy the outdoors this summer!

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!”