Dr. Leonard Morgenbesser They Named Rivka Rochel
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BH. Nissan 7, 5775 / March 27, 2015 Candle-Lighting: Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District 6:57 404 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 7:59 Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY [email protected] MAZAL TOV KAUFMANS PESACH FIRE SAFETY TIPS This MC Newsletter is Mazal Tov to Dr. Nissim and Devorah Leah Some fire departments have listed Sabbath and Kaufman and the Kaufman siblings at MHDS holiday fire-safety tips. A few are listed below: sponsored in loving memory of on the birth of a daughter last Friday whom Be extra careful with the Bedikas Chametz Dr. Leonard Morgenbesser they named Rivka Rochel. candle, and don’t go too close with it near drapes, couches, beds or other flammables. Leib Yisroel ben Eliezer & Shoshana THE MIDWOOD FIRE TRAGEDY Be sure to turn pot handles inward so they Yartzeit on Erev Pesach Last Shabbat on Bedford Ave in the Midwood don’t extend out over the stove. by Maxine Morgenbesser, neighborhood of Flatbush, seven children of Keep children 3-feet away from a hot stove. the Sassoon family died in a fire and their Never leave burning candles unattended. children & their families mother Gila bas Francis and sister Tziporah bas Extreme care with overnight warming. Stove Gila were burned and injured, their father knobs can turn on accidentally. Hot plates Gabriel was away that Shabbos. The Jewish & crock-pots (only on non-flammable world and a great surface) should never be covered with towels many New Yorkers or blankets. Throw out any frayed cords. joined in mourning Do not use any aerosols or accelerants on a this tremendous loss. Chametz fire. Be sure it is in safe container. “Elian, Rivka, David, Yehoshua Moshe, PERU, DUBAI, SOUTH KOREA... Sarah, Ya’akov. Seven Mrs. Simon recently met a man at a Chabad lilies. They were such event in Delmar. Then she got an email from MATZAH-MEAL SAND DUNES pure children,” their him. He was traveling on a trip to Peru and Mrs. Maher’s students did this experiment in father said at the stopped off in the Lima airport coffee shop in “Nathan’s Kitchen” instead of the Science Lab, funeral. Later he said, “I had such nachas from where he met 2 Lubavitcher Yeshiva students blowing at piles of crushed Matzah (timely for my children. Earlier difficulties in my life enroute to make a Seder in a remote location. Pesach!) using straws to create sand dunes. didn’t bother me because I had my kids. The They talked a bit, “played Jewish geography” happiness they brought us made life easy. We and it turns out they know (MHDS alumnus, were privileged to have children like this. I Mrs. Simon’s son) Aharon very well! He was so worked hard. My wife worked hard. Our lives excited that he eagerly put on Tefillin with were all about our children. I know that I can them, and told Mrs. Simon, “This may be the say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu that the children highlight of my trip!” This week, Aharon is that you asked us to watch for you are as pure traveling to S. Korea to and as holy now as when you gave them to us.” help with Passover there. This tragedy is also an important wake-up call He and his friend took and reminder about fire-safety, to make sure this selfie with some PESACH PILLOW-MAKING there are enough working smoke-alarms in the white robed Sheiks in the Morah Dini’s 3/4 grade made their own home, and other fire-safety precautions. background at a Dubai Pesach pillows out of fabric and stuffing. They stop along the way. cut strips on all ends of two sides of the fabric EREV PESACH CHAMETZ BURN and tied each set of ends to hold it together. Here’s the history of the annual Erev Pesach MAIMONIDES communal Chametz burning: Years ago, before the Bach Library was built on New 404 Partridge Street Scotland Ave, there was a large empty lot Albany NY 12208 adjacent to the fire-station. To ensure fire- safety Rabbi Rubin asked the firemen if they would supervise a communal burning, which would be safer than a lot of small fires burning that morning throughout the neighborhood. When the Bach was built the Fire Department authorized a communal Chametz burning in a metal basin on the sidewalk in front of the Maimonides school, this year as well. HOUDINI’S TEFILLIN TEI: CLEANLINESS AS A VIRTUE A recent article by Joshua With all the Pesach cleaning going on this Spivack in the “Jewish week, and the emphasis on “cleaning up” the Forward” quotes a 1926 Harry alter ash in this week’s Parsha Tzav, 7th grade Houdini obituary from “The TEI topic was “why is cleanliness considered a Milwaukee Sentinel” that the virtue”. BTW they did an interesting historical famous magician (who wasn’t trace of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter’s 13 Middos known for Jewish observance) system of character improvement to a Maskil’s always brought his Tefillin along on his book called Cheshbon HaNefesh, which in travels! 3/4 graders were excited to hear about turn seemed to get the idea from Benjamin this because they read a lot about him (and Franklin’s autobiography. Here are some ideas reported on it in the “MC”) earlier this year. our students came up with on why cleanliness is so important and considered a virtue: KING HENRY VIII & YIBUM It’s easier to function in a cleaner space. “Yibum” is the laws of levirate marriage (re: a Some people sleep better with less clutter. brother marrying the Creates a calmer, less chaotic & stressful childless widow of his late environment. brother) from the Torah Much easier to prioritize and focus when that are discussed at great KITCHEN FIREWORKS things are orderly and organized. length in Talmud tractate These don’t explode or light up the sky but Helps you feel better about yourself. Yevamos. This was a big they did make beautiful swirls of color inside a There’s more space for things. personal issue for King Henry VIII of England small pan on the 5/6 classroom table. It’s just More pleasant for yourself and others. (who consulted religious experts, including 3 ingredients: milk, dish soap and just a little Cleanliness is not only about dirt and dust Rabbis of the time) and a matter of much bit of food coloring. They swirled it around but about keeping a clean mind and heart. royal and religious controversy that led to the gently with straws to make exquisite designs. Cleanliness can be an expression of dignity, founding of the breakaway Church of taking pride in yourself and surroundings. England. Mrs. Ramsay, the HS Boys and SEDER CHEMISTRY Its one of those things that depend a lot on Rabbi Rubin are working on an article about Dr. Joe McFeeran and the HS Girls are your mood, but also helps create a mood. this in time for the Erev Pesach Siyum on exploring the chemistry behind many of the Some people love cleaning up, some don’t. Talmud tractate Yevamos. Seder’s components: think saltwater, charoset, It depends on the person. bitter herb, why is Romaine lettuce considered a bitter herb, how does grape juice turn into wine - what elements & processes are involved, what gives these foods their properties? MISSING ESTY LIBRARY BOOKS Many of our students are avid readers so the books in the Esty Library are getting good use! This is especially true of our readers in grades 2-6. The following books are missing, we ask HAPPY HAGGADAH MAKERS parents to check for them during Pesach These Kindergarten students are happily cleaning or any other Esty Library book that making Haggadahs for use at the Seder. They needs to be returned so others can enjoy. learn about each of the Seder’s 15 steps, color The Three Merchants or decorate each page and make it their own! Room 210 GLAZING THEIR SEDER PLATES The Fur Traders Nursery students brushing glaze onto their “LO SASUR” IN TRIPLICATE Shikufitsky I ceramic Seder plates with Rabban Gamliel’s HS Boys learned the verse “Lo Sasur” about SuperShoes super-important 3 Seder words: Pesach, heeding the teachings of the Rabbis, 3x this Penina’s Plan Matzah & Maror. week: In Chumash class with Rabbi Simon, it was in their Rambam studies, and also came NAMING CLASSROOM TOOLS ELEANOR ROOSEVLET’S CAKE up in their Gemorah class with Rabbi Rubin! 5th graders named their classroom tools. The Mendel read a story “Eleanor and Amelia” in whiteboard eraser? Eraser Shmaser. Black- Mr. D’s 4th grade class. At the end of the story ENTERING A BIG CONTEST board eraser? Eraser Daser. The expo spray is the book had a recipe of an “Angel Food Cake Morah Dini’s 4th grade Yahadut class hope to Expo Rexpo. Fred IV the stapler goes back a with Pink Clouds” that Eleanor Roosevelt be entering national testing for the Yahadut few years, but every time a stapler retired, liked to make. Then Mendel’s mother’s Rambam curriculum they have been studying. another Fred took his place. The 3-hole punch birthday came up, and he decided to try that Some of our students may have the amazing hole-puncher is Holey Moly. A benefit of recipe at home to surprise her with a cake.