Maimonides Community

BH. Tishrei

26, 5776 / October 28, 2016‫ב”ה‬

Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District Candle-Lighting: 5:35 404 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 6:34 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

‫בראשית‬

This newsletter is sponsored in loving memory of

Esther Aidel (Rubin) Cohen yartzeit 25th of Tishrei by her family ELECTION VOTE ON MENU In the theme of this year’s heated election season, the Kochmans who prepare a delicious themed Chanukah dinner each year at school would like to open up the choice of theme and AND JACOB WENT ON HIS WAY menu to the students. We’ll have two parties: That’s the Hebrew verse inscribed on these Fleishig (meat) vs. Milchig (dairy) with blue paper “suitcases” Kindergarten students primaries for each, and a made on their first day back at school after general election once two Simchat Torah. These “suitcases” are filled themes are chosen to face off with pictures of their many Tishrei Mitzvot, against each other. Even the red from Shofar to Lulav, Teshuvah to Sukkah and blue colors of election and many more in between… The idea is not season match our theme! Only to leave the month of Tishrei behind us, but to students can vote! It will keep this year’s Raffle- HOW (AND WHY) SOAP WORKS take it along on our way, on the journeys of Auction Chanukah dinner food theme in In Science Enrichment class this week, Mrs. life in the year ahead continuing to “unpack” suspense, and will offer our students some Kirkley dropped tiny drops of differently these Mitzvot, their messages and holiness… insight into the electoral process. See box on colored food coloring in page 4 for specific dates in this process. separate bowls of water, regular milk and skim RAFFLE-AUCTION UNDERWAY milk. Then students used Q-tips to add drops Prize packages are now being worked on, if of different types of you’d like to solicit or donate a prize package liquid soap (which broke the surface tension please be in touch with Raizy: 772-7299. The allowing the colors to expand and penetrate annual Chanukah dinner, raffle displays and raffle drawing date will be Wed, Dec 28th, 5th and mix together). The most dramatic and Night of Chanukah, tickets can be purchased colorful results observed were made using ahead of time: at the office, online or by mail. drops of dishwashing liquid in regular milk (with its higher fat content) which had more rearranging and blending of the molecules.

MAZAL TOV J.J. & HECHT FAM On his Bar-Mitzvah celebration this Sunday!

FIRST FORAY INTO GEMORAH

After learning Mishna Sukkah, 3rd graders have begun to learn a piece of Gemorah from the 2nd chapter of tractate Shabbos about the story and laws of Chanukah. And they’ve also begun to learn in the Chavrusa (study-partner) method that’s common in Yeshivot. Rabbi Shmuly prepared Talmud lines & segments for them and they are piecing it together using these sheets. Chanukah is just about two months away now (this year it begins on Dec 25th) but this way they will be well-prepared.

And the post-Sukkot chill in the air, makes it feel like Chanukah can’t be that far away…

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

S.T.A.N.Y.S. FALL CONFERENCE

TALK OF MEAT AND MILK

Our science enrichment teacher Mrs. Sunnie Kirkley attended the Science Teachers Association of New York conference at Siena College over the Sukkot break. One of the workshops she looks forward to sharing with our students is about the process and effect of fermentation of yeast or beans etc.

Our students are now abuzz about meat and milk, as they must choose which “political party” they will belong to by Tuesday Nov 1st.

Questions like: Which has more meal options?

Which do I like better? And even: Knowing the Kochmans are doing it (as they cook the special themed Chanukah meal each year), does that sway my choice? And it so happens that this month’s “Better Together” study theme in about milk & meat/Kosher cooking, too!

BETTER TOGETHER RAFFLE Maimonides Students: Did you take a picture of you shaking Lulav & Etrog with a senior?

Email it to: maimonidesschool@gmail.com to be entered into a raffle for a gift card.

MISS B FOR ALEGBRA High School Girls now have a new math teacher for algebra, Ms. Jackie Blumenthal. Welcome!

FOURTH BEGINS YAHADUS

ELI’S NEW TORAH BIMA Alumnus Eli K. built a beautiful rich dark wooden (and portable) Bima for Torah readings when Minyan is at Maimonides—as his Eagle Scout project. The top removes for transport between rooms. We hope to use it for the first time this Tuesday, Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan. If anyone would like to sponsor a embroidered Bima cover and dedicate the Bima, please speak to Rabbi Rubin.

4th grade has now begun studying Yahadus curriculum, and are eligible to enter for the FINALLY, PHONES BACK UP Chidon HaMitzvos in Brooklyn. Parents (of It’s been a long process, but grades 4-8) interested in the Chidon should finally the school office register their children online, Morah Dini can phones are back up and provide details on how to do that. Either way, running, the electronic exciting Chidon or not, it’s a good way to main door system is learn all the Mitzvot of the Torah! working again. Thanks to Verizon for covering much of the extensive repair cost (due to a surge after road construction). Office: (518) 453-9363.

READING BUDDIES One day this week our 2nd graders teamed up with first graders to read books together in Ms. Ford’s classroom. They chose any book they wanted and took turns reading to each other.

COOKING IN HALACHA HS Girls are now learning the laws of (pre and on) Shabbos cooking “Bishul” in Halacha class with Morah Dini and also came across similar laws with Rabbi Yossi in this month’s “Better Together” study on Kosher cooking. Learning from different angles compliments and supports the ideas.

SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION SUKKOT WRITING Mrs. Ford’s first graders wrote about their Sukkot experiences and what they remember or loved most about it, and did some artwork above the lined section of the pages to illustrate their work. Ms. Ford hung it up on their classroom “clothesline” for display.

2nd graders are now learning Parshas Breishis, just in time for the Torah reading of Breishis this week! They colored in and illustrated the numbers on their classroom bulletin board to reflect that which was created on each of those days of Creation.

AGE OF THE UNIVERSE

In time for Parshas Breishis and the story of creation, Rabbi A. Kelman discussed with the 7th of Cheshvan is R’ Meir Shapiro’s (founder THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LEAF 7/8th grade boys some very different types of Morah Rivi had her art students collect leaves, resolutions to the seeming conflict between of pre-war Yeshiva Chachmei Lublin and then cut them in half vertically, and try to founder of the Daf Yomi) yartzeit. Rabbi science (billions of year) and Torah (year 5777) draw the other side. It was a lesson in art Rubin and our Bar-Mitzvah boys learned about the age of the Universe. This (or similar symmetry, allowed for some interpretation, & questions) seems to be the topic of Rabbi Roy about his life, vision and teachings—even also gave them a much closer look at a leaf. things learned via our Oral History project.

Feldman’s speech this week at CBAJ.

RABBI MEIR SHAPIRO

BALANCE, MODERATION In Yahadus class, 7/8th grade boys learned about the Rambam’s Happy-Medium advice: not too stingy but not spendthrift, either; don’t overeat but be sure to eat enough; not too needy nor too satisfied; not too arrogant nor humble to a fault.

INNER & OUTER PLANETS From middle school science class: Learning about the differences between planets in the solar system closer to the sun (much hotter) vs. those further from the sun (much colder) are separated by the asteroid belt. Earth is in the “Goldilocks Zone” which is just perfect (not too hot, not too cold) to sustain life. BTW—do you see how this article connects with the one directly above it?

THE SPECKELED BAND 7/8 are reading this Sherlock Holmes story in Mrs. Crawford’s class. The writing both leads and misleads the reader. Mysterious, indeed!

MANY TYPES OF BREISHIS PROJECTS IN NURSERY Parshat Breishis is so filled with visuals! Light and darkness, heavens and earth, water and dry land, trees and vegetation and so much more.. Nursery students did all kinds of art depicting many aspects of it in hands-on tactile projects. They even made pom-pom fish using fine-motor-skills tweezers.

HOLIDAY FAVORITES based on some of our classes responses

SIX DAYS IN FIRST GRADE These first graders are holding up their illustrations of the Six Days of Creation as depicted in six boxes, but as of this picture—their sixth day isn’t yet complete, and they don’t have Shabbos yet…

TORAHPALACE.COM Just after the long holiday season is a good time to take a few minutes to play the holiday game answering questions at the TorahPalace.com game site. It is run by the Morrisons and you can win Seforim prizes if you keep at it for a few holidays.

THE GREAT SEAL OF NY STATE

GRAPH CHARTS IN MATH Ms. Brennan’s 5/6 math students are working in pairs to collect data from other students on a variety of “What’s Your Favorite?” topics, including: ice-cream flavor, baby animal, board -game, best type of electronics and so on. Once they collect and record the data they will have to depict that visually in a graph.

Mrs. Maher’s 4th grade READ TO SUCCEED IS BACK is learning about the Some of our students symbolism of each of the enjoyed a free ticket to items on the Great Seal Great Escape last summer of NY State. And the thanks to “Read To motto “Excelsior” which Succeed”! Start logging reading hours again to means: Ever Upward! submit in early March. Keep track of your book titles & amount of time read each time

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER

It’s getting colder, please dress accordingly, so students are equipped for outdoor recess...

LOOK FOR BIG LETTER “BAIS” And why doesn’t Torah begin with an “Alef”?

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FOOD: Pumpkin pie made with fresh pumpkin; roasted & salted pumpkin and acorn squash seeds; fresh homemade sprinkle cookies; Shephard’s Pie; warm apple pie; stuffed cabbage; Kreplach in soup; hot cider with cinnamon sticks in the cold Sukkah!

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SONGS: “The Sukkahleh Song” in English, some did it in Yiddish, too; “Horachamon Hu Yakim Lanu” from Sukkos bentsching; songs for each night’s Ushpizin; Simchas Torah was full of song!

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TRIPS/OUTINGS: Kids and families did all kinds of things ranging from laser-tag, gokarting, bounce-houses and ice-skating, to the Norman Rockwell Museum and Uncle Moishy concerts, games at arcades, and craft projects at home. One girl wrote that she liked to see the giant bottle aquarium at a wine store (speaking of which—an all-new aquarium should be open this November 13th at the ViaPort Mall in Rotterdam).

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GUESTS: A family was delighted to host the Providence Team of Torah-Tours (at CBAJ) and why Providence Team ended up in Albany—that’s a whole story! Having cousins over was big excitement for some.

Seeing travelers enjoy Shteeble’s Sukkah.

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HAPPENINGS: It was so windy that our Schach blew off the Sukkah! At Shomray Torah Hakafos there was an MBC (Maimonides Boys Choir) which sang some of the hakafot songs. The candy at CBAJ for Torah being sweet.

at Maimonides and in the Community

LAST OF THE SHORTER WEEKS It hasn’t been easy making full newsletters with 3-day school weeks this holiday season. This will be the last 3-day week at school for a while.

be screened in honor of Kristallnacht, on the night before election day, at the Clifton Park Library, the This week we read the first Parsha of the Torah. premiere screening of this film in upstate NY. For Being Shabbos Mevorchim, some have custom to more info call Rabbi Yossi: 495-0772/9. say extra/whole Tehillim. CBAJ’s new Torah365 will study one chapter of Chumash Breishis weekly.

10/29: SHABBOS BREISHIS—ANEW!

11/11: CBAJ NEW MEMBER SHABAT

Reserve online cbaj.org or by calling: 489-5819 by This weekend, the local Daf Yomi study group ends November 4th. New/Prospective Member Dinner.

“Eilu Metziyos” the 2nd chapter of Bava Metziah 11/13: VIA—AQUARIUM OPEN (all about lost and found) and begins “HaMafkid” the third chapter (on renters and borrowers, bailee Opening Day is now scheduled for Saturday 11/12. and bailor laws of responsibility & exemption) Plan is to have 25,000sf of oceanic treasure, 2000+ which is the very same chapter our 8th grade boys fish & aquatic species, including walk-thru tunnels are now learning. They skipped the first Gemorah and a sting-ray touch-tank. Cost is $19 per adult, after the Mishna (for now) but just completed the $10 for ages 4-17 and kids under 4 are free. piece on 34a whether the penalty funds can be claimed by the “Shomer” bailee, even if he only 11/15: BLIND HERO: OTTO WEIDT pledged responsibility without actually paying for it, 7pm at UAlbany Page Hall (downtown campus) and how this may or may not apply to a borrower. 135 Western. Free screening of: “Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt” the story of a blind Berlin 10/31: PJ LIBRARY EVENT SIGNUP brush-maker who tried to keep his Jewish employees from being sent to concentration camps Would you like to do a personal event or outing by the Nazis until 1943, and how he to tried to save with a fellow PJ Library family or two? See box on one of them, Alice Licht, from death in the gas right. Deadline is October 31st. chambers. Sponsored by the Jewish Federation and 11/1: ROSH CHODESH CHESHVAN the Judaic Studies Program at UAlbany.

Two days of Rosh Chodesh, Tues & Wed. The 12/27-29: CALENDAR CHANGE 8am Minyan at Maimonides will be on Tuesday, the first day of Rosh Chodesh. We hope to be Parents: Stay tuned for a possible school calendar reading the Torah from Eli’s new beautiful Bima! change for the 3 half-days (mornings only) of Chanukah to be Tuesday thru Thursday, instead of Wednesday thru Friday as originally scheduled. We 11/1: CHOOSE MEAT OR MILK Students coming to school on Tuesday should have will have special activities and learning activities for already chosen whether they want to join the Milk part of these half-days. or Meat “parties” in the election for the Chanukah Dinner menu. This does not mean that you have to 12/28: SCHOOL AUCTION NIGHT vote milk or meat for the final election but it will Wed, 5th night of Chanukah. This exciting annual allow you to vote in the meat or milk primaries! school fundraiser includes the celebrated themed Chanukah dinner by the Kochmans (TBD by our special election) the prize packages on display and 11/5: MELAVA MALKA @MHDS last chance to buy tickets before the drawings that Stay tuned for a communal Melava Malka at night. Menorah Lighting and some type of Maimonides. More details soon. entertainment as well. Tickets can also be purchased in advance (most are) though US Mail, 11/6: JEFF JACOBY TO SPEAK AT the office, and an online link.

10/30: DAF YOMI UPDATE

JACK LAUBER LECTURE AT B.I.

Many remember Jack Lauber obm and his stand-up advocacy for Israel. Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe will speak on “In an Anti-Semitic World, Why does FOR PJ LIBRARY FAMILIES America love the Jews?” Sunday, 7pm at Cong.

Visit: PJLibrary.org/GetTogether You can get up Beth Israel in Schenectady. $10 donation. to $150 to pay for the cost of a

11/7: PERSONA NON-GRATA FILM This is a new Japanese feature film on Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of lives during the Holocaust by issuing transit visas including Rabbi Rubin’s father. It will

get-together with other PJ Library families, but you have to sign up

by October 31st. It can cover the cost of an informal outing or activity together!

SCIENCE CENTER PROJECT This is a major ambitious project to expand the MAIMONIDES STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) program with new, improved facilities, equipment and program.

Speak to Rabbi Rubin (518) 423-4103 if you’d like to get involved in this great effort to raise the funds necessary to receive dollar-for-dollar matching funds from a national organization eager to get us new state-of-the-art hands-on

KOSHER DINING UALBANY Visitors are welcome at Kosher Dining at UAlbany under supervision of the Vaad HaKashruth for an all-you-can-eat cook-to-order Kosher meal. Now (no longer on Dutch, Kosher is) on Indian Quad (its tower is the closest of the four to Maimonides School). See more info: www.ualbanydining.com/dining-choices/kosher -kitchen.html Visitor parking is located very close to Indian Quad on the eastern side of the campus perimeter road loop.

CHANUKAH DINNER ELECTION 2016 DATES 11/1: Deadline for each student to Choose a Party (Milchigs or Fleishigs) 11/3: Party Meeting to Think of Candidates (Hawaiian, Mexican, Italian, etc..)

11/8: Primary Voting (you must be a member of that party to vote for that party’s candidate, i.e. only Fleishig can vote for Fleishig) 11/17: General Election (any student can vote for either candidate, regardless of party) 12/28: Everyone: students, parents & community get to enjoy the elected meal cooked by the Kochmans at the Raffle Auction!

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!”