Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363/3434 www.maimonidesschool.org produced by Rabbi Mendel & students in the TNT (Torah ‘n Technology) Program

Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY maimonidesschool@gmail.com

BH. Shvat 3, 5775 / Jan 23, 2015

THREE BABY MAZAL TOVS To Rabbi Danny & Sarah Wolfe and the

Wolfe siblings at MHDS on the birth of a daughter/sister.

To KB and Lenny Goodkin on the birth of a son. Brit-Milah will be this coming week.

To MHDS alumna Nechama (Kudan) and Yossi Kagan on the birth of Chana. Mazal Tov to the Kudan grandparents and to her Kudan uncles at Maimonides.

May we always have joyous Simchas to share!

MAKING LEARNING STICK! Avremi, this first grader, is pictured pasting cotton balls to his blue sky papers for his science weather unit about the different types of clouds. Glue is what keeps it together, one drop at a time! Same with all of our learning, we need drops of “glue” to make it stick and keep connected to it. Maimonides focuses not only the learning but how we best connect with it. Sometimes the “connecting glue” may be more important than the learning itself!

PLAGUES IN THE PARSHA And in our classroom learning, too! These Kindergarteners are coloring them in now that they’ve learned about all ten Egyptian plagues.

COMING & GOING Our HS girls came back this week from an

exhilarating convention weekend in NY with 894 HS girls. They very much enjoyed themed exhibits (so much work went into them!), workshops. Speakers, camaraderie and overall energy and inspiration. In the giant swirling circle photo above, they are in the top right area. The magical thing is that although our girls could have been easily overwhelmed and swallowed up by the much larger crowd, they were proud of their school, our community and the quality education they are getting here, they held their own very well!

HS Boys have a Shabbaton this weekend at Saratoga Chabad, then heading north with Rabbi Kellman, Dr. Yitzchak and Rabbi Rubin up north to an Adirondack cabin for

fun winter activities and bonding. Hope they take some nice pictures for next week’s MC. The name of this week’s

Parsha BO literally means “Come” but in this context it’s “GO to Pharaoh”. So, too with Shabbatons, they are both a getaway and also a way to come closer!

SUPER SUNDAY - THIS SUNDAY Super Sunday is the Jewish Federations annual

Phone-a-thon for support of local agencies and community organizations (like Maimonides) as well as overseas and Israel needs. In addition to whatever individual organizations and

charities we support and are involved in, giving to Federation is supporting a broad spectrum of Jewish community both here and abroad. RABBI DOVID WINIARZ OBM Rabbi Winiarz of Staten Island was active in

Chesed and Kiruv organizations, and dynamic and outgoing on his own. He was traveling to the AJOP Convention in Baltimore when his car slipped on ice during the severe Northeast

ice storm. He passed away in that accident at age 49 and leaves behind a wife and ten children. May his memory be a blessing.

Candle-Lighting: 4:39 Shabbos Ends: 5:43

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

This newsletter is sponsored

in memory of

Leon Jacob Gronich Leib Yaacov ben Mordechai

On his 10th Yartzeit: Shvat 4

May his memory be a blessing

Dedicated by his son Marc

HAMLET AND THE LION KING (& VYATADTA MOSKVE, TOO) After reading William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Mrs. Crawford told her English students that Disney’s Lion King is based on the story of Hamlet. They didn’t see all the connections at

first, but as they watched it, they kept pointing out: ah! This point reflects that point, this animal is really that person, this part of the story is where that happens, with so many connections - but in a totally different context. Some of the HS boys

learned the Chassidic discourse V’yadayta Moskve (about the power of parable, and how all of Creation can be seen as a parable) last year after-school with Rabbi Shimon Andrusier, and seeing how Lion King and Hamlet parallel each other yet are in totally different settings and contexts, helped them understand V’Yadayta Moskve so much better! Essays coming next… ENGLISH KINGS AND QUEENS

Speaking of the bloody story of Hamlet, in history class the HS are learning about King Henry VIII of England, and his wives and

the all the palace intrigue, and his daughters who ruled after him: Mary I and Elizabeth I.

100TH PASUK OF CHUMASH 2nd graders were very excited to discover that they are approaching their 100th verse/pasuk of Chumash this week! Quite an

accomplishment… Why a speech bubble graphic? Because they say each word and each verse out loud. (BTW, there is much discussion whether the Mitzvah of Torah study can be fulfilled by thought alone without articulated speech, see Rabbi Rubin for his extensive research on this that brings together viewpoints of the Alter Rebbe & Vilna Gaon). A “BO” VERSE IN THE TALMUD The boys are learning in Gemorah Shabbos about how we know that you can’t burn Kodshim on YomTov - and the first verse quoted is in this week’s Parsha Bo (12:10)where it says “Boker, Boker” (morning, morning) twice. Seeing and seeking the interconnectedness of Torah (as well as connections to worldly matters and everyday life) is an important goal at Maimonides where we celebrate these “beautiful blends!”

BIG MOUTH MATH MONSTERS 1st graders were proud to display their still unfinished (teeth and more to come) “Math Monsters” basically glorified “greater than” and (flip it around for) “less than” signs.

PLAGUE NUMBERS Nursery students decorated each of these big numbers with something about that plague: green little frogs on #2, animal stickers on #5, fiery marshmallows on #7, and a very dark #9.

TEI: HARD HEARTS/THICK SKIN 7th grade TEI class discussed Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness in this week’s Parsha. They made T-charts for when “thick skin” is positive and when it’s a negative, and the same for positive and negatives when it comes to “sensitivity”.

A HAT TO WARM YOUR HEART These are more than just colored paper hats. Take a closer look! Nursery students stitched the rims of the hat with yarn, and that’s quite a task, but they did it well! While, this hat will not warm your head, the diligent persistence of these kids, doing it one stitch at a time, not giving up when it didn’t seem to work right, will certainly warm your heart! It did theirs!

“TRIBES ON PARADE” A FEW FRIDAYS AGO AT SCHOOL This is from a few weeks back on the Friday of Parshat Vayechi (when we read of Jacob blessing the tribes, and the passing of the 12 sons), but we didn’t get the picture into the newsletter at the time. Each grade wore decorated headbands for a certain tribe (some accessorized it further as 4th grade girls above wore Choshen breastplates and held musical notes) along with flags that are associated with that tribe. The HS Boys put on a skit about Jacob blessing Menashe and Efraim, described at the beginning of Parshat Vayechi.

WIRE SCULPTURE Mrs. Levin had a bunch of strips of wire, so she brought them in for 5/6 grade to create fun and fanciful sculptures which they placed all around their classroom including this one atop their classroom door. Wire (especially plastic coated wire) is neat because it holds it shape but its flexible enough to shape it. It’s been an interesting progression doing 3D sculpture art first with paper, now with wire, what’s next?

ALIEN ELEMENTS Dr. Sahay “commissioned” her HS students to create a fanciful periodic table of “Alien Elements” supposedly found on some far-off planet. But they had to use all the specs and guidelines of the real Periodic Table, with atomic numbers, organized placement on the table according to category: metals, metalloids, non-metals and nobel gases. All the names and properties are made up but it all had to be consistent and reflective of the real table.

VERY HAPPY ABBA AND IMMA These Nursery kids are delighted to be the Shabbos Abba and Ima at their Shabbos party this week. They sang songs, enjoyed snacks and got into the mood of Shabbos - with two candles in candlesticks, two challahs under the challah cover and cup of Kiddush. (Rivka S. captured this adorable picture just in time).

ELIEZER BEN YEHUDA WORDS In addition to developing the guidelines for modern Hebrew language, Eliezer ben Yehuda also invented and re-imagined many words that are well-worn classics today. Morah Rivi’s 7th grade Ivrit class made this bulletin board of some of his famous Hebrew word creations that are known to our 7th graders, too. Rabbi Rubin and Morah Rochel love to trace sources and root (pun-intended) to Biblical and Talmudic texts, and how Eliezer ben Yehudah very cleverly adapts them. There’s no umbrella in the Torah, but there’s a word for rain Matar hence Mitriah = umbrella. They traced his source of words including Aviron = airplane, Hagirah = immigration (4th grade just learned the word Garti that Yaakov said to Eisav), Chavitah = omelet, Taarucha = exhibit (from the Showbread in the Temple), even Milon = dictionary. Perhaps more on this a different time, it’s so interesting!

SCRAPBOOK OF PLAGUES Rabbi Yossi’s 6th grade Chumash class did a visual scrapbook project about the 10 Plagues which included interesting Midrashim. They’re putting it on display for other classes since this week we read in the Torah Parshat Bo about the last 3 of the 10 plagues.

RATIOS, PROPORTIONS, INEQUALTIES IN 7TH GRADE Mrs. Roland’s 7th graders are working on the above in math class. Interestingly, they are now also learning “The Bill of Rights” with Mrs. Ramsay in Social Studies where the word “inequality” has another meaning. In terms of modern day application ratios and proportion matter to Bill of Rights issues as well! DON’T REJOICE AT ENEMY FALL This verse was the Pitgam quote in Morah Raizy’s 7th grade this week. They discussed it in the context of current world events and

how different people/cultures react to the human tragedies of other peoples - and what we can learn.

NEGATIVE SPACE TESSELATION Mrs. Roland showed her students a simple artwork project where you see multiple pictures of the same animal, but then in the negative space there’s a bird, and it all fits!!

1/23-24: CBAJ SEFARDIC SHABBAT this week at CBAJ, meals by prior reservation only. Also NCSY programs this weekend. (interestingly, it just so happens that this very same weekend there is a Bukharian Shabbos at Shabbos House). 1/24: RABBI REISMAN SHIUR Sat Nights 7:30pm at CBAJ Luchins Media Center with Rabbi Y. Reisman, televised from Brooklyn. Rabbi Frand’s class is viewed 9pm on Thursdays. 1/25: J-FED’S SUPERSUNDAY School parents and friends are encouraged to sign up for a shift at Federation’s Super-Sunday which raises money for communal agencies (including Maimonides) and overseas Jewish needs. There are also follow-up phone-a-thon dates, but we want to get representation for SuperSunday itself. 1/26: WOMENS BEIT MEDRASH 8pm at Maimonides, this month learning about Sara our Matriarch, led by Aviva Rossman who is putting in lots of time to prepare it. Women in the community are encouraged to come and discuss Torah texts together. 1/27: KITA ALEF SIDDUR PARTY Morah Devorah’s first grade students are eagerly preparing for their much-anticipated Siddur Party, an annual rite of passage in first grade. 1/27: BETTER TOGETHER HEALTH HS Boys are doing an after-school Better Together Health & Wellness day at Bnai Brith Apartments with Raya Ioffe. Plus they will be going afterward to City Hall to view “The Neighborhood that Disappeared” about the Italian Neighborhood that used to be where the Empire State Plaza is now. 1/28: BETTER TOGETHER HEALTH 7th grade will be doing a Health & Wellness day with Raya Ioffe at Ohav Shalom Apartments. 1/31: MELAVA MALKA: M. SINAI SHLOSHIM, SHIRA & YUD-SHVAT Melava Malka to be held at Maimonides, 7:15pm all are welcome. This commemorates the Shloshim of Reb Moshe Sinai obm and in honor of Shabbos Shira and Yud-Shvat. Inspiring stories will be shared from Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (Yartzeit Shvat 10) on the wonderful virtues of the Chassidic working-man of yesteryear (which is also a tribute to Moshe Sinai).

2/1/15: ALBANY WOMENS As it’s the Sunday before Tu Bishvat, Albany Womens Circle will be painting flowerpots, and there will be related inspiration as well. Stay tuned! 2/4: THE ANNUAL MHDS TU BISHVAT BREAKFAST A long-standing and eagerly-anticipated annual tradition at Maimonides! 2/4: WIDOW & WIDOWERS Jewish Family Services is hosting a support group for widows and widowers, 6-8pm at 877 Madison Ave. Call JFS for more info. 2/6-8: NCSY SHABBATON Upstate NY Regional NCSY Winter Shabbaton, lots of guests and activities contact youth@cbaj.org for more info. 2/7: MIFGASH WINE TASTING AT GLENNPETER 7:30-10:30pm at Glennpeter Jewelers on Central Ave, $18pp or $25 per couple. Call: 489-4706. 2/8: MEGA CHALLAH BAKE AT SPA 10TH ANNUAL FOR BODY & SOUL 10th annual communal womens event: Special for this year, a Mega-Challah Bake! Spa treatments precede the program. Guest speaker is Challah Baking expert Ruchie Pinson who ably led numerous mega-Challah Bakes around the USA and takes it to a new level. For info/RSVP call Clara Simon 439-8280 or Leah Rubin 495-0779 or CapitalChabad.com/Challah 2/21: LAST WINTER PIZZA NITE As Shabbos ends later, final one for the season. 2/22: WRAPUNZEL HAIR WRAP A hair-wrapping workshop event sponsored by the Albany Bnos Israel Mikvah, with support from the Jewish Federation. Simple & exquisite wrap ties. 6:30pm at CBAJ. $10pp suggested donation. RSVP: albanymikvah@gmail.com / 618-7423. www.tinyurl.com/MaimonidesPayPal Contribute any amount, anytime! Thank you!

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!”

at Maimonides and in the Community

This humorous piece has been circulating the Internet