LAG B’OMER SPIRIT LINGERS The joy, the spirit & pride of the sunny Lag B’Omer parade remains vivid and fresh.. so see inside this newsletter for a few more pictures of this memorable event, that didn’t make it into last week’s MC two-page photo spread.

WASHINGTON DC TRIP Our 8th graders were away all week (Sun-Thurs) on their graduation trip to Washington DC. They raised all the funds with weekly bake-sales, lemonade/hot-cocoa, raking leaves and other small-jobs. We look forward to their pictures and reporting in next week’s MC. They took journals along to jot down tidbits, memories, insights as they went from museum to monument to Metro…

RECOGNIZING APPECIATION Secretaries Day at MHDS was featured a few MC’s ago, but the kids insisted we put in their picture with the giant card they made to show their appreciation of the many things Mrs. Backman does for them and their classroom… Learning to be appreciative is one of the most valuable character skills in life. Recognizing and highlighting positive behavior is one of the best things we can do to foster it. DINNER JOURNAL DEADLINE May 23rd is the last date for ads in the journal, after that date we place ads in the supplement. Ads can honor this year’s honorees (see left), congratulate this year’s MHDS graduates, or promote a business with an ad or greeting. Please call the school office 453-9363/3434 for invites/ad-blanks/additional info.

A BLAST FROM THE PAST That’s what Chazzan and attorney Usher Fogel called it when he was at a Long Island wedding and heard Rabbi Mendel Rubin honored to read the Ketubah... He remembers Mendel at age 5! The Fogels lived in Albany until 1996. Usher and his wife Sharon were active at Beth Abe, where Usher served as cantor, and their kids attended Maimonides. His daughter Lisa was at the wedding, too. He emailed his son Joel, now married with 3 children out in Los Angeles. Lisa is now working as a social worker at a girls school in Crown Heights (where Usher raves about the “Basil” restaurant).

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 Iyar 26, 5772 / May 18, 2012

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

Candle-Lighting:

7:56 Shabbos Ends:

9:05

This newsletter is dedicated

in loving memory of

Kay Greengarten Chasha bas Shimon

- Yartzeit Today Iyar 26 -

by her daughter

Debbie & Sid Stark

MAIMONIDES DINNER ‘12 This year’s dinner will be held on Tuesday, June 5th at the Shabbos House. Dinner honorees are:

Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Dr. Morton Berger Memorial Award The distinguished and renown Rabbi Dr. Lamm is former President and Chancellor of Yeshiva University, author, philosopher and

scholar, a colleague and mentor of our beloved Dr. Morton Berger of blessed memory.

Sage Colleges Community Service Award In appreciation of the

dedicated Sage students who enriched and assisted Maimonides as sports coaches, artists, and aides. Lewis & Beth Gray - “Eitz-Chayim” Award Dedicated school parents, communal pillars, and honorable “Mentschen!” Special Presentations to:

Dr. Leonard Morgenbesser Proclamation Tribute

Remembering Rivka Losice “Aishes Chayil” Tribute Invitations were mailed. If you didn’t get yours, please call the office at (518) 453-9363/3434. The Tribute-Journal deadline is May 23rd, ads arriving after that date will be included in the supplement. This important school fundraiser is a communal event, an annual memorable milestone. Take part!

A “TIMES-UNION” TZNIYUT MESSAGE They may not have the same Halachic or personal standards as we do, but this past Sunday’s “Ask the Expert” column in the TU’s Parent-to-Parent section shares the same message: “Clothing should reflect your values… regardless of what other people are wearing… you are smarter than that…” Outside our school code, different families may keep varying standards, but across the board the same message is true: Clothing ought to reflect our values!

BERNIE NOWITZ OBM Our condolences to Mrs. Reeva Nowitz and family on the passing of her beloved husband Bernie. For a quarter century, they ran Burns Pharmacy in Rensselaer, and were active in Troy and Capital Region Jewish and general organizations for even longer than that. Born in the Bronx, Bernie grew up in Troy and remained active in the community his entire life (his wife Reeva is from Cohoes). Bernie also contributed to Maimonides each year. DR. BENO STERNLICHT OBM The late Dr. Beno Sternlicht was a successful engineer and entrepreneur, who survived the Holocaust with his father (his mother died in the Warsaw ghetto) by escaping to various countries during the war. Despite being on the run, with limited resources, his father always took time to teach him math and science and other subjects, and most of all impressed on Beno the importance & value of an education: “Everything material can be taken from you, but not your education!” Beno came to America with nothing but a desire to learn. He got a degree in electrical engineering from Union College, and later a PhD in energy conversion from Columbia. He first worked for General Electric and then co-founded MTI - Mechanical Technology Inc. which later launched fuel cell manufacturer Plug Power Inc. both are important local hi-tech companies. Rabbi Rubin once spoke to him about the education of our youth, and Beno’s concern that today’s youth be instilled with a love of learning and a thirst for knowledge. Dr. Sternlicht was also a sponsor of the annual Bnai Brith Holocaust Essay awards, at which our Maimonides students were recognized numerous times over the years.

GEMORAH APPLICATIONS 8th grade Gemorah class (now on Bava Metzia 37a) explored these modern-day issues as they relate to the Gemorah discussion: Crime (malicious intent) vs. business

negligence in regard to monetary penalties Joint accounts vs. single accounts in terms

of banking/accounting accuracy Legal obligation vs. moral right These issues are in the news all the time, and its fascinating to see the relevance of the Talmud to real-world situations. PRE-SHAVUOS GEMORAH After spending all year learning the very relevant laws of Kiddush, Havdalah, Pesach Seder and more in the 10th chapter of tractate Pesachim, Rabbi Yossi’s 6/7 grade Gemorah class now jumped to tractate Shabbos for a study of the Giving of the Torah, just in time for Shavuot. They’re now learning about the timeline of days leading up to Shavuot, starting at Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the historical background, required preparation and focus of each of those days - which begins next week! AND GEMORAH FLOWCHARTS Rabbi Shmuly’s 5th grade Gemorah class made their own flowcharts! The chart shows

the flow of logic in the Gemorah: questions and answers, proofs and statements (all using different shapes). They took a whole amud (one-side of a 2-sided Talmud folio) of Brachos 28b and condensed it all into one long and busy flowchart.

NURSERY’S PROPELLER HATS In keeping with Lag B’Omer’s “Mitzvos to GO!” theme, Nursery students made and proudly wore propeller hats - made of yellow, orange, green and blue straws sticking up, out & about on their blue headbands painted with white fluffy clouds. Each Mitzvah we do, brings the 3rd Beis HaMikdash swirling closer down towards us, hovering just above us! LEADING UP TO CIVIL WAR 6/7 graders are each designing mini-books on five historical backgrounds to the Civil War: (a) Bleeding Kansas (b) the Dred Scott case (c) John Brown’s Raid (d) attack on Senator Sumner (e) Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.

PREPARING FOR SHAVUOT These 2nd graders are displaying their Shavuot booklets, a work in progress as Omer count ticks up toward Shavuot… Other classes are preparing for the holiday, too! Kindergarten made a papier-mâché Har-Sinai. 6/7 are learning about Shavuot in Talmud (see left) and also in Chumash (they just began Parshas Yisro). 2nd and 3rd graders learned the story of Ruth. 4th graders are designing a Shavuot themed bulletin board. Morah Devorah Leah is now doing a short Shavuot trivia game at lunchtime. More in next week’s MC!

SATELLITE MODELS 6/7 graders are learning about space and astronomy with Dr. Sahay. Each student was assigned a different satellite to research and prepare a paper model for display. Their different shapes & tools have to do with their orbits, uses and functions.

MATH TIME CLOCKS So many different ways to tell time! Mrs. Sahay’s math students each designed a unique clock for the bulletin board using a mathematical theme, principle or formula, including: Pi Clock (out of 360 degrees) Ternary Clock (base-3 numeral system) Angle Clock (based on hands-position) Square Root Clock (to arrive at time) Random Equations Clock (to find time) Time Flies Clock (with number of flies) Geometric Sequence (one at each hour) And a bunch of other unique clocks… Some from the old country remember a Jewish saying at Bar-Mitzvahs: “I give you a silver watch with golden minutes!” Realiz-ing the value of time - is in itself golden!

CONDOLENCES TO MS. ZALAK on the passing of her grandmother, so close to her wedding. May her memory be a blessing. BIOME PROJECTS IN PROGRESS Desert, grassland, rainforest, swamp, ocean twilight zone, deciduous forest, coral reef - are habitat eco-systems that Mrs. Maher’s 5th graders are researching & preparing for display in their classroom. The project requirements include: a map on where these biomes can be found, pictures and names of animals who live there, the predator and prey food-chain, facts and data about the foods and plants to be found there, and a description of the weather. READING “THE CAY” 5th graders started this WWII-era historical novel. They’re eagerly checking up definitions in dictionaries & discussing chapter themes.

CAUTION: LAPTOP FIRE 6 members of the Shaer family in Rechovot

tragically died in a fire caused by an overheated laptop computer left on a bed, the mother was the sole survivor. The Israeli fire commission

found that soft materials of the bed blocked the ventilation vents and caused it to overheat and catch fire. Be sure to keep laptops cool! BATTERS-UP TEE-BALL SETS Thanks to Batters-Up USA for donating 2 tee-

ball sets, complete with bases, just in time as we now have access to the small Little League field (just behind the soccer field at the park) thanks to Albany 9th Ward’s Mr. Jim Sano, and the National Little League of Albany.

CROSS-SECTION DIAGRAMS Cross-sections “cut-through” layers allowing viewers to see “inside” the picture. 4th graders each made their own: one allowed you to peek inside the rooms of a house, they also did it with a coconut, layers of cake, & a sandwich…

DAH-BEAR COMES TO ALBANY In addition to the black bear sighted around the area, and put down yesterday at UAlbany, our school welcomes “Dah-Bear” (a play on Chicago’s “da-Bears!” and the Hebrew word for speak) as an online Hebrew language curriculum enhancement (in addition to our Ivrit curriculum) with aids and tools for school & home, courtesy of Legacy Heritage Fund.

A FEW MORE LAG B’OMER PICTURES Last week’s 2-page spread just wasn’t enough! As the Lag B’Omer spirit lingers on at school, we’re including here a few more photos of the “Mitzvot on the GO!” banners, the parade festivities & fun in Washington Park.

6/7 Grade “Going Up to Jerusalem” banner Bnai Brith residents greeted us on Hudson Ave with flags and balloons 8th grade girls’ banner gives direction!

8th grade boys’ twist on the AAA... Thanks again to Albany Falcons marching band! 1st graders “Tefilat Haderech” amidst road-signs Up on Playground…

at Maimonides and in the Community

5/19: CHAZAK & MEVORCHIM This Shabbos we read a double-header Torah reading, concluding the book of Vayikra. We bless the new month of Sivan (Rosh Chodesh on Tues). 5/19: WOMENS SHABBOS SHIUR 4:45pm, given by Mrs. Shayna Kudan at her home, 6 Peyster Street (just off Ridgefield Park). 5/20: BABY ANIMAL DAYS @ I.L.F. 9am-5pm at Indian Ladder Farms. Chicks, duck-lings, bunnies, lambs, goats and calves now in the Baby Barn! $5 per child, 1 free adult per paid child. 5/21: MISHMAR AFTER-SCHOOL Mishmar for boys grades 2+ 3:30-5pm at MHDS. 5/22: ROSH CHODESH SIVAN 8am morning minyan at Maimonides. 5/23: WOMENS YOGA AT MHDS 1:20-2:20pm now in the last 6-week set, ending Wednesday June 6th. Come and get right into it! 5/23: JLI MARRIAGE COURSE (III) “The Art of Marriage” 6-week course Weds 7:30-9pm at Chabad of University Heights, 147 South Lake. Sign-up/info: myJLI.com / 522-1872. 5/23: JOURNAL DEADLINE Ads after this Wednesday will go into the journal supplement. Ads can be a tribute to the honorees, congratulate graduates or promote a business. 5/25-29: SHAVUOT / MEMORIAL Friday 5/25 no school (note change). Shavuot is on Sun-Mon, it falls over Memorial Day Weekend. School resumes at 9am Tuesday 5/29. 5/30: ZALAK BRIDAL SHOWER (Note date is 5/30, not 5/31 as listed last week) Faculty, parents & friends (adults only) are invited to a bridal shower for our own Ms. Zalak (getting married in late June) 4pm at Mrs. Debbie Stark’s home. Contact Mrs. Jen Mulder (or the office) to pitch in for group gift or purchase your own. 5/31: JERUSALEM CELEBRATION JERNY’s 3rd annual Unity Celebration of Jerusalem, this year Thurs, 5-9pm at Beth Emeth. 6/3: C.P. WOMENS LUNCHEON 4th annual Clifton Park Jewish Womens Circle: “The Gift of Joy - Wrapping it Up!” starts 1pm at Shen. Adult Community Center: Judy Clements

happiness workshop, buffet luncheon and silent auction. $15pp advance/$18 at door. 495-0772/9. 6/5: MHDS ANNUAL DINNER Save the date! See honoree info on page 1… If you didn’t get your invite in the mail or need an ad-blank please call the school office: 453-9363/3434. 6/10: F.C. WALK AT CENTRAL PK “Walk for Friendship” will be at Central Park, 500 Iroquois Way in Schenectady. See www.walkFC.org for info, support walkers or a team, and/or register. Free admission. First 300 registered via website will get free t-shirt. iPad Raffle, Kosher BBQ for purchase. Family/5K Walk 11-12, registration 10am, entertainment (outdoor gaming, bounce-houses, face-paint etc) 12-2pm. Rain or shine! 6/11: DANCE & SONG AFTERNOON 2-3:30pm at MHDS. Dance teacher Eve Cameron and her dancing students will present for Mothers & Daughters (all women welcome). Fathers & Sons will have a Niggunim sing-off at the same time (all men welcome). 6/11: WOMENS BET MIDRASH 8pm at Maimonides. This month focuses on Shir-HaShirim - Song of Songs. Call 495-0772/9. 6/18-19: GRADUATION NIGHT AND MOVING-UP DAY @ MAIMONIDES Graduation will be on Mon evening, June 18th and Moving-Up Day (last day of school) will be on Tuesday June 19th (half-day AM only). 6/21: REBBE INSPIRATION In commemoration of the Rebbe’s yartzeit on the 3rd of Tammuz (this year on Shabbos), brothers Rabbi Mendel Samuels of Farmington Valley CT (humorous, engaging and insightful speaker) and Cantor Yehoshua Samuels (lyric tenor) of Howard Beach NY, will jointly share inspiration from the teachings and vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Suggestion donation is $10pp, Sponsors: $100. Thursday evening, 7:30pm at the Shabbos House, 320 Fuller Rd (please park in adjacent University lots) hosted by Capital Chabad and area Chabad Centers. For more info call: 866-7658.

MAIMONIDES SCHOOL AND 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!”

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR CGI Call Mrs. Clara Simon camp director (439-8280) for info, cost, forms etc. Gan Israel is based out of the Maimonides school building, with new, dedicated staff, crafts, activities, sports, trips, enjoyable learning, and lots of memorable, meaningful fun! Stay tuned for updates, there’s a lot new this year...

P.S. LOSES BELOVED PRINCIPAL Our condolences to the Philip Schuyler school & his family, on the untimely passing of their new principal Mr. Anthony Clement (at age 47). TICK SEASON IS UPON US Ticks aren’t only out in the countryside, so parents should be aware and check kids for ticks after playing in (tall) grass - anywhere. PLAY THE NEW TORAHPALACE The Shavuos game is up on TorahPalace.com. After Rosh Chodesh Tammuz R’ Leibel will tally points earned by game participants from around the world! to award valuable prizes! So, with your parents permission, be sure to play! CIVIL WAR SPIES & MORE... couldn’t fit in this MC… check back next week!

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ADDITIONAL MHDS DATES May 31 - 2nd grade goes to Dyken Pond June 6 - K-2 goes to Colonie Crossings & Picnic etc, 3-7 to Erie Canal &Herkimer Diamond Mine June 12 - K-3 sings at The Massry with Mrs. Gross June 12 - Last Day of regular HS Classes June 13-20 - NYS Regents administered for HS