MAZAL TOV ITKIN FAMILY Rabbi AB and Binie Itkin had a baby girl this past weekend, what a nice Chanukah present! They named her Chana at the Maimonides Minyan on Monday morning.

MAZAL TOV BACKMANS on the announcement of MHDS alumnus Yaakov Backman’s engagement to Chana Miriam Stone. Mazal Tov to Avremi & Sharona and the Backman family! Yaakov’s brother Efraim is getting married IYH at the end of this month to Devorah Leah Eisenberg.

MAZAL TOV KRAMERS on the birth of a baby boy (Bris IYH this Friday) to Sholom and MHDS alumna Kaila (Chanowitz) Kramer.

MAZAL TOV TO BEV SHOR on the birth of a granddaughter to her son Adam and wife Audrey in Florida. Simchas are especially sweet after a loss (Bev just got up from Shiva for her sister).

MAZAL TOV GOLDSTEINS MHDS alumnus Hershel Goldstein (son of Rivka and Zev) and his wife Chaya Mushka had a baby girl this week. They live in Monsey.

ROSENBERG CONDOLENCES Condolences to Stanley and Margie Rosenberg on the passing of Stan’s mother Eleanor. Shiva continues after Shabbos at her home at Ohav Shalom Ap artments #511, Saturday through Monday evenings, 6:30-8pm.

DREIDELS ‘N DOUGHNUTS Nursery students made their own mini-doughnuts (“Sufganiyot” without jelly) from ingredients to batter, placing the batter in the doughnut maker/oven (as Nachman Areyh is doing here), and waiting for theirs to brown and get ready for icing and sprinkles. In the interim they played Dreidel (Leah gets a good spin going on her orange Dreidel) and learn about patience. They are very excited for their performance on stage today (pics next week).

WELCOME BACK MORAH EVE Eve Cameron is our talented and energizing Israeli dance teacher, we missed her while she was away in Israel for the past few weeks. She came back this week and the girls got right back into it… Morah Eve also took some time to share with our students about being in Israel during Amud Anan Pillar of Defense when rockets were flying from Gaza. She described the protective rooms they had to run to when rocket alarms sounded. She gave each girl a souvenir bag with rocks she collected in Jerusalem and sand from Tel-Aviv beaches.

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 THURS, Kislev 29, 5773 / Dec 13, 2012

Candle-Lighting:

4:04 Shabbos Ends:

5:10

MAIMONIDES 404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208

SEE SPECIAL “MC” CHANUKAH MIDWAY SUPPLEMENT It would be too much to squeeze it all into just 4 pages, so in addition to this regular weekly “MC” newsletter, there’s a 2-page supplement this week with prize-winners, photos and reports from the “Chanukah Midway” Raffle-Auction & Dinner event on the 4th night of Chanukah. Thanks to all who made it a wonderful success and enjoyable evening!

This newsletter is

dedicated in honor of

Yaakov Backman’s

Engagement to

Chana Miriam Stone

And in appreciation of his mother

Sharona’s dedication in the School

Office assisting administration,

teachers & students in so many ways!

WIN OR LOSE... AND DREIDELS 5th graders each chose a Chanukah topic (oil, Hallel, Dreidel etc) to make a presentation on, using pictures, text, drawings… Shaina is holding up her poster on Dreidels for a TNT photographer (her fellow classmate) and it so happens that she is standing underneath a sign about good sportsmanship that reads “You Win or Lose” - what a good Dreidel message!

A HORSE’S SHADOW Mrs. Levin gave each of her art students an animal (horse, wolf etc) and had them try to sketch their outlines on paper using their animals as the model.

TWELVE ON 12/12/12 Guess what happened on 12/12/12 in the 5th grade? Rabbi Rubin tested them on

their Chumash studies about the 12 Sons of Jacob as the brothers were reunited for the first time after many years in Parshas Vayigash.

NURSERY REACHES THE TOP Every day the Nursery Morahs assign two students to help everyone give Tzedakah. One student hands out coins (parents are welcome to send in penny-rolls) and the partnering student holds the Tzedakah box for all his/her classmates to put the pennies in. This week they filled their Tzedakah box to the very top. And they can’t wait to reach the top again! HALLEL CHAZZANIM Chanukah is the only time we say whole Hallel at school (the other times are holiday days when school is not in session). Eli W. and Calev E. were the Chazzanim leading the Boys Davening for the “repeat-after-me” Hodu and Ana Hashem segments.

WWW.TORAHPALACE.COM Play the online game and quiz for a chance to win prizes of Jewish books and Judaica! The Chanukah game will be up until Tevet 24, so you have time after Chanukah as well.

THE BENTSCHING AUCTION Morah Devorah Leah gives out coupons for students who do a great job with Birkat HaMazon (grace after meals) aka bentsching, and every few months there is a prize auction (this time there were 5 nice prize packages set up on stage) for students to use their coupons and win! As an intro they watched a Mendy Pellin video clip about his memorable, moving and funny visit to a home-bound Jew named Norbert/Noach (on his 90th birthday!) in Pasendena CA and helped him light the Menorah. All students also enjoyed a delicious brew of iced-tea lemonade at the assembly.

EDIBLE CHANUKAH IN KINDERGARTEN Many grades did some cooking (or frying!) in honor of Chanukah, but Kindergarteners did a lot with Morah Dini! They grated potatoes (see them working on the Rib-Ayzen hand-graters on left) and made Latkes from scratch (see them sizzling away on an electric skillet above), they made their own doughnuts and glazed them, and (above right) are patiently and eagerly watching fresh hot yummy popcorn pop right out of the popper into a bowl. More than just delicious fun, it’s also a way to learn processes, patience, teamwork, fine-motor skills, payback on effort, the effects of a little seasoning, and a bunch of other valuable and critical life lessons.

CHANUKAH PERFORMANCES These kids are up on stage practicing for the Thursday morning (today’s) Chanukah performances. They love singing! This “MC” newsletter has to be ready on Thursday, too, so we won’t have pictures of their actual performances until next week. Note the new “The Esty Library” sign above the bookcase. The new library was dedicated on the night of Midway Chanukah and the raffle-auction. The two bookshelves on the left are now filled with excellent reading for kids, and we hope to soon implement an organized lending-library system for the kids to use and enjoy.

THE WAVE 6th graders are now reading “The Wave” about a high-school social studies teacher who uses a class experiment to explain how a whole country like Germany could go along with all those terrible things. Then the classroom experiment gets out of control…

DAD’S LITTLE HELPER That’s what it says on his shirt, and that’s what little Mendel S. likes to be! He enjoys dress-up in Nursery, and below his right elbow is a picture-sign about praying in Shul! POLINOMIAL FUNCTIONS Algebra II/Trig students in HS are learning how to graph math equations using tools like degrees, roots, conjugates, and an shortcut using the exponent of the highest number…

TEHILLIM PRAYERS NEEDED “Yosef Yitzchak ben Chaya Luba” is a uncle of a family in our school and one of our HS girls worked for him during the summer. He suffered a severe heart-attack earlier this Chanukah and his family and friends around the world are praying for his recovery. PARTY AT R’ MATHLESS’ HOUSE 6th graders enjoyed jelly doughnuts, chips and salsa and a pass-the-paper-around game that every time the music stopped you had to answer a question at the Siyum/Chanukah party at Rabbi Mathless’ house on South Lake Ave, 10 minutes walk from school. They tried to spin as many Dreidels at once (each person kept a few going) - not as easy as they thought. HOMO VS. HETERO-GENEOUS Mrs. Sahay’s 6th grade science learned about two types of mixtures: Heterogeneous (parts remain distinct) and Homogeneous (all parts blend together as one). They had a party and students brought foods that represent either type: fruit-salad (hetero), soda (homo), trail-mix (hetero) and so on… This is also relevant in social studies as there are two theories on how diverse religious and ethnic groups come together in America: is it the Melting Pot? or a big Salad-Bowl? These 2 types of blending or unity are also reflected in two inspirations for Ahavas Yisrael (love of one’s fellow) found in Tanya 32 (re: the inner-soul-core which we all share) or Derech Mitzvosecha (we are all parts of one body, interdependent on each other).

SPONSOR A NEW BOOK? These books are not on our shelves yet, and can be sponsored for the prices listed. Contact Leah Hecht or school office for more info or to pick up this “not-yet-sponsored-books” flyer.

SO MANY CHANUKAH EVENTS! Our students participated in so many communal events, whether it was the tallest local Menorah, the one made of Lego or Ice, and all the fun activities, shows and crafts… our HS visited the Capitol, met Jews at Cross-gates… there’s not enough space this week for reporting and photos, maybe next week!

“ESTY LIBRARY” SET-UP AND DEDICATION Mrs. Leah Hecht is pictured here with the 5th graders as they put library pockets in the back covers of books and dedication labels in the front of the books. Thanks to her efforts, more than 120 (!) new books were already purchased as a jump-start for our new library, and they (and other classes) sorted through stacks and stacks of English-language Jewish books that our school already has (quite a few!) and kept on the shelves books in good condition, appropriate for our students (of various reading levels). We are still finalizing the lending process. We hope to be able to get a digitized computer (and scanner) lending system which would be ideal. The older kids were delighted to see books of all age levels, even for them! Students in TNT are interested in starting a weekly “Book Review” column in the “MC” newsletter… lots of interest!

at Maimonides and in the Community

12/14: CHANUKAH WEEKEND No School Friday, for extended Chanukah Wknd. The 8th Chanukah light is on Sat Night, and the holiday festivity ends on Sunday afternoon. The 8th day is known as “Zos Chanukah!” 12/14: ROSH CHODESH TEVET Thursday night into Friday is Rosh Chodesh. We add Yaaleh v’Yavo and Al HaNissim in both the Amidah and Bentsching, and at Minyan we sing full Hallel and add Musaf. There won’t be school so older kids are encouraged to try and make it to a morning Minyan (6:30am at CBAJ or 8am at Shomray Torah) to get the full deal! 12/15: R’ ELAZAR OF MODI’IN Modi’in is the birthplace of the Maccabees and plays a big role in the Chanukah story. Rabbi Rubin will speak about a teaching of R’ Elazar HaModiai (from Modi’in) on Shabbos morning at Shomray Torah before Torah reading, followed by an after-Musaf Kiddush. 12/15: T.C.N. CLASSES AT CBAJ Screened live at the CBAJ Luchins Media Center, Rabbi Reisman’s Navi lecture Sat 7:30pm. Rabbi Yissachar Frand Parsha class is Thursdays at 9pm. 12/15: DELMAR CHANUKAH Annual Chanukah party & celebration 7:30pm at the Simons, 109 Elsmere Ave in Delmar. 439-8280.

12/15: CBAJ & HACD CONCERT Live concert led by Rabbi Rami Strosberg hosted by CBAJ & HACD at CBAJ. Doors open 6pm, begins 6:30pm. Advance tickets are: $10pp, $45 max per family; at door: $15pp/$60 per family - includes dinner. Call CBAJ 489-5819 or online at: cbaj.org. 12/16: WIESENTHAL DIRECTOR The Jewish Federation hosts Mark Weitzman, the director of Task Force against Hate & Terroism at the Wiesenthal Center to speak on “Growing Anti-Semitism Worldwide - and what we can do about it” at Temple Israel, 7:15pm light dinner (by Saati), 8pm talk. $20 prepaid, $25 at door, Age 22-40: $10 pre-paid. Call 783-7800 for RSVP/info. 12/16: F.C. CHANUKAH BOWL Annual event for for children w/special needs & families and FC volunteers, 3-4:30pm at Del-Lanes in Delmar. Call 438-4220 for info. This is the last local communal Chanukah event of 5773, your final opportunity for some festivity and flavor!

12/22: PIZZA NITE II The first pizza-night was a great success, the HS got lots of positive feedback on the improved, speedy service, and new offerings! Look for updates! 12/24-27: HALF-DAY AM ONLY Monday through Thursday, AM Judaic classes only at Maimonides. Stay tuned for some special activities on these days. Send snack but no lunch (see below: Tuesday 12/25 will be different). 12/25: ACTIVITY DAY AT SCHOOL Tuesday’s half-day AM will include special themed activities including a “Sefer-Breishis” Carnival with lunch-time & soup-of-the-week. Tuesday’s dismissal will be 12:45pm. Parents of children in other schools who wish their child(ren) to join that morning should contact the school office. 12/28-1/1: EXTENDED NEW YEARS No school for an extended New Years weekend, from Friday 12/28 through Tuesday, January 1st. School resumes at 8am on Wednesday Jan 2nd. 12/26-30: JGR WINTER RETREAT Jewish girls ages 8-15 at Dunham’s Bay Resort in Lake George, Dec 26th to Dec 30th. This year’s theme: “Hidden Treasures Within” with creative writing, art, crafts, drama, choir & dance. Schedule includes tubing, bonfire, swimming, performing arts, yoga, crafts, talent show and DJ nite. Girls are expected from far and near. A project of YALDAH Media, Inc. and Chabad of S. Rensselaer County. Info? JewishGirlsRetreat.net or call: 727-9581. 12/31: CONCERT & NIGHT-OUT Shloime Kaufman will be back for a concert and dinner at CBAJ. RSVP $30pp, $15pp. Concert only: $20pp, $10 child. Call Shul Office; 489-5819. 1/7: WOMENS BEIS MEDRASH 8pm at Maimonides. Call Leah 495-0779 for info. 1/13/13: SPA FOR BODY & SOUL Save the date for this annual womens communal event, with an inspiring speaker, delicious luncheon and hands-on workshops, held once again in Clifton Park. Call Leah 495-0772 or Clara 439-8280 for more information or to volunteer. 1/27: FED’S “SUPER-SUNDAY” Jewish Federation’s annual fundraising phone-a-thon date. Volunteers needed - this helps fund our school’s allocation. Parents, be in touch with the school office if you can sign up a shift that Sunday.

MAIMONIDES SCHOOL (Nursery / Elementary / High School) & COMMUNITY

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!”

Time is Running Out! MATCHING OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW DAY-SCHOOL DONORS PEJE (Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education) and the Jewish Funders Network is offering a one-time match for school donors contributing $10K who have not previously given more than $2,000 to a Jewish day school. This matching program runs through January 15, 2013 or until funds are maxed out. This

Chanukah, as we strike the match to light the Menorah, please consider this match opportunity, or reach out to someone who may have the

means and desire to invest in the Jewish future, today! Chanukah literally means dedication, it shares the same root as Chinuch (children’s education). Maimonides is that miraculous little cruise of oil that could! Please contact Rabbi Rubin 423-4103 with any questions/interest regarding this special opportunity.

WHY THE “MIDWAY” THEME?

This year’s Chanukah event was on the 4th night of Chanukah, midway through the holiday. In that spirit our Raffle-Auction event, dinner and Chanukah celebration had a “Midway” theme.

MIDWAY “POPCORN” MENORAH In 2009 we did a Half-Moon Menorah for Henry Hudson, in 2011 a Penny-Menorah, and this year a “Popcorn-Menorah” to fit the Midway theme. Rabbi Mirsky led the Brachos, and the four candles were lit by R’ Moshe Losice, Mr. Sandy Rosenblum, Mr. Sam Candib (who made many new electrical tops for the public Menorahs) and Mr. Norman Mann of Saratoga (who graduated Torah v’Daas just as Moshe Losice came there).

THEMED DINNER BY KOCHMANS Once again R’ Shmuel & Morah Rivka Kochman prepared a unique and delicious dinner at “Nathan’s Kitchen” matching the evening theme, with foods right off the Midway including corn-dogs, fries, peppers-onion & meat that made an great sandwich on sub rolls, salad & doughnuts...

KIDS MIDWAY ENTERTAINMENT Our 7/8 graders twisted balloons into hats, flowers and animals; juggled balls; did magic tricks and card tricks; ran a “Guess How Many Dreidels” & a few carnival games - all in the big room with all the prize packages set-up, until the program portion started in the back room, with the Popcorn Menorah lighting, dedication of the library, and the excitement of 27+ prize drawings & winners!

BH Kislev 29, 5773 Thurs, Dec 13, 2012

A - IPad (IV) Norman Kudan B - Laptop Computer Sara Kudan C - Beautify Home Leah Ehrenpreis D - Breakfast Special Shmuly & Laiky Rubin E - Living Torah Pinny Kievman F - Silver Spectacular Alan Auerbach G - Healthy Food Devorah Kaufman H - Shabbos Package Shechtman Family I - Games Galore Ethel Kagan J - Sleep in Comfort Marc Gronich K - Fast Food Vicky O’Brien L - Dress-Up Maxine Morgenbesser M - Tablet Plus Vicky O’Brien N - Kitchen Gadgets Levi Jacobson O - Set Out to Saratoga The Plotkins of LA P - Judaica Package: Michoel and Leah Caras Q - Chanukah Party Vicky O’Brien R - All-Set Benjamin Zaientz S - Camping Out Deena Kuperman T - Time for Him & Her Carol Simon U - Wood Toys Mendy & DL Mathless V - Super-Clean Maxine Morgenbesser W - GPS Garmin Vicky O’Brien X - Digital Camera Debbie Green Strosberg Y - Keep Talking Mrs. Mathless Z - Multi-Media Abba & Raizel Rubin

? - Mystery #1 Seiko Watch Sid & Debbie Stark ? - Mystery #2 iPod Nano Hershel Graubart

Special - Split-the-Pot $635 Rosemary Levin

mid· way adverb, adjective

1. in the middle of the way or distance; halfway.

noun

2. a place or part situated midway.

3. the place or way, at a fair or carnival where

sideshows or amusements are located.

APPS PROJECTS: MEANINGFUL MIDWAY MESSAGES ON DISPLAY In keeping with the evening’s Midway theme, our 6-8 “APPS” (stands for application of concepts, a monthly project in middle-school) students designed posters highlighting various aspects of a Midway and life-lessons or Torah applications to be learned from them. They did a great job and added much meaning to the Midway theme! Here are a few of the lessons: An Unicycle teaches us to keep moving so we can keep balance; The Ferris Wheel tells people at the top not too be too arrogant, and people on the bottom to keep hope; The Dart-Board says stay-focused and keep on target; The Ducks Game says to keep reloading and trying and not give-up; Coke is sweet and refreshing as Torah is - and it rushes to the top just as Mitzvos should be overflowing; Clowns are not afraid to dress different and they bring people joy; Cotton-Candy is sweet like Torah, and you make it using Dreidel spinning technology, it also sticks to you, just as we should stick to Torah; Balloons represent the effort to rise upward and to stay wholesome and complete; Popcorn is like davening as the heat (warmth) gets it going; a Roller-Coaster tells us to keeping going forward despite ups & downs!

PLEASE SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES WHO SUPPORT US!

These local businesses contributed to this year’s Raffle-Auction (to be sent out soon).

Modern Carpet Co on Broadway, Albany Wolberg Electric on Industrial Park Rd

Party Warehouse on Fuller Road Mt Pleasant Bakery in Schenectady Brickman Produce in Menands A Silver Breeze Wilton & Aviation Zen Again Spa, Spa & Turf Motel, Saratoga Inn & Saratoga Guitar. Lapiner Bros supply in Menands Colonial Cleaners on N. Allen St Yaldah Magazine (the publisher lives here now!) R’ Mendel Serebryanski, local Sofer

Thanks to these web/out--of-town businesses who have been very supportive:

1saleaday.com huge thanks to them for donating several prize packages!

Shadora.com discounted Jewelry Drimmers.com based in Brooklyn NY DrimmersHousewares.com NerArtGallery.com Fine Judaic Art Natural & Kosher Cheese (by Anderson) Keurig Coffee Makers JEMstore.com Rebbe Videos etc. Tribes-a-Dozen specialty bread-mixes DailySteals.com Benzsfish.com Gefilte Fish +other products KosherMeatStore.com Ruthie’s Unique Boutique in Monsey Ancient Harvest Quinoa Raw Revolution Live Food Bars Levana’s & Divine Kosher Cookbooks Vital Choice Sea Food Happy Family Organic Foods HaChai Publishing quality kids books Step-it-Up-123 Jewish D.D.R.

A huge thank-you to all the school families who donated prize packages, or solicited them, who sold tickets to friends and family... all these efforts helped make this year’s Raffle-Auction a wonderful success! Everyone is truly a winner for supporting Jewish education and the children at Maimonides!