קול “רמבם a`-fenz-`לeל SUMMER 2014 cŠryz KOL RAMBAM The first day of school is a time to greet classmates and friends, new and old, including third graders Lior Baker, left, and Roee Weglein, and Kindergarteners, from left, Dalia Horowitz, Leah Milgram, Ayelet Horowitz and Dillan Mishkin. Early Childhood Center Opening Fall '15 Maimonides School is excited to share that education degrees from Columbia Univer- encourages and supports collaborative in September 2015, we will open the doors sity and Bank Street and most recently was learning and strong parent partnerships. of our new Early Childhood Center. the Director of the Early Learning Center at Jewish values, love of Israel, and Torah will The center will have classes for two-, three-, Yeshiva Girls School in Pittsburgh. be threaded throughout the curriculum. and four-year-olds, and will be directed “We are really fortunate to have Robin lead- The center’s first event, held on Oct. 5 and by Mrs. Robin Meyerowitz. Robin holds ing this initiative. She is a highly-capable attended by 26 families, generated lots of and innovative educator who is passionate excitement and was standing-room-only. In This Issue: about early education. Her deep experience “Watching so many young children and directing and launching early childhood their parents design and construct dazzling programs will ensure an extraordinary ex- Student Life Team .................2 mini-sukkot from arts and crafts materials perience for all of the children in her care,” was truly a sight to behold,”Mr. Katz said. commented Naty Katz, Head of School. New Electives ........................3 Robin is eager to continue discussions with The Early Childhood Center will feature prospective families and will be hosting a Successful Campaign .............4 a Modern Orthodox, Reggio-inspired series of parlor meetings in parent homes program with an emphasis on Hebrew beginning in late October. Generous Donors ..................5 language. Registration materials for the center, which The Reggio-inspired approach is one in Alumni in Israel.....................6 will be located in the Brener Elementary which children are seen as naturally curious School building, across the first-floor hall- and creative, and the curriculum is flex- Class Notes............................7 way from the Kindergarten, will be avail- ible, emerging from the children’s ideas, able in early November. More details will be thoughts, and observations. News Briefs ...........................8 announced soon. This very child-centered philosophy also 1 New Student Life Team Enhances Upper School Just days into the new academic year, the Upper School’s expanded and reinvented Student Life Team was shifting into high gear. The student activities office now encom- The new team also plans to work with passes a team, whose goal is “to help the Alumni Relations office to assemble students find ways to enhance their high a database of parent and alumni inter- school experience by participating in ests and skillsets. This will “serve as a a balanced mix of clubs, activities, and comprehensive resource for any of the teams, both in and out of school,” accord- segments of the school. Student Life ing to Rabbi Dov Huff, assistant principal can use it as a wonderful resource for a and coordinator of the new structure. mentorship, a senior project or helping Amy Sholiton Rosen, mother of three track down a summer job or internship,” graduates and a long-time Maimonides Mrs. Rosen said. volunteer, leads the new team. Rabbi In addition, she said, Student Life is “deal- Huff describes her as “the force behind ing on an educational level with some this vision." Working with Mrs. Rosen are of the broader issues students face. For Karyn Spero, new member of the limudei example, there’s a three-part approach kodesh faculty, and Efrat Lipshitz, Ivrit to the dress code that we are coordinat- teacher and Grade 8 dean. ing with the school social workers and The team is striving to build relation- some of the rabbis.” ships with the students, enhance pro- Mrs. Rosen, attorney-coach for mock trial gramming, elevate ruach, and enhance for several years, is a former PTA presi- spirituality, through education and dent. She has also chaired Senior Recog- creative programming around topics like nition Night and serves on the Parents of tefillah and tzniut. Alumni Committee. “My goal is to meet individually with Mrs. Spero, who received a master’s each kid, starting with the ninth graders, degree in Near Eastern and Judaic to talk about what kinds of things they Studies from Brandeis University, “is a are interested in and how we can help highly-skilled and passionate educator them find outlets to express those inter- whose love for Torah shines through in ests, in or out of school,” Mrs. Rosen said. her teaching,” Rabbi Huff said. “As part of “The idea is that what goes on in the the Student Life Team, she will provide classroom is paramount, but certainly in meaningful learning opportunities for the eyes of kids what goes on outside is students outside the classroom, whether also important,” she continued. “Students it be through Shabbatonim or learning are passionate about the activities they during lunch.” choose and we want to foster those pas- Mrs. Lipshitz is “already a force behind sions.” many of our Shabbatonim and school “Students are very excited about our events,” Rabbi Huff said. He noted that her role as eighth grade dean will be Promoting their organizations during the Upper School clubs new clubs — all student-driven initia- valuable in the transition of new Upper and activities fair are, from top, left to right: Shifra Berg '16, tives. They include the Book Club, the School students. Tori Bergel '17 and Shoshana Ehrenkanz '16 ; Shimon Sher- Film Club, Adopt-a-Bubbe, the Latino man '18, Perry Kangoun '15 and David Kotler '17; and Charlie Club and a reconstituted Business Club,” Kramer '17 and Yonatan Diamond '17. Mrs. Rosen reported. 2 Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik, z”tl Nine Limudei Kodesh Electives Founder Rabbi M.J. Cohn, z”l Greet Juniors and Seniors Principal Emeritus Abraham Levovitz, z”l A few months ago, Rabbi Dov Huff, assistant “Halacha and Science,” taught by Rabbi David Eh- President Emeritus principal, Middle and Upper School, posed a renkranz; and "Lessons from the Rav's Life,” with question to Rabbi Mordechai Soskil, Judaic Rabbi Reuven Cohn. Rabbi Cohn, whose father Sam Wald ‘92 studies principal: "How can we allow students was hired by the Rav as Maimonides principal, Chairman, Board of Directors to have more control over their educational includes personal reminiscences. Jeffrey Swartz experience?" Also, "Modern Orthodoxy,” Rabbi Zev Eleff; "The Chairman Emeritus One response was inaugurated a week after the Brisker Derech,” Rabbi Dov Huff; "The Five Megil- Nathan Katz ’73 start of school: an array of nine limudei kodesh lot and Sifrei Emet,” Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe; and "The Head of School electives for juniors and seniors. Jewish Woman: Ancient Laws and Modern Sen- sibilities,” Yael Jaffe. Topics include the study of Last spring Rabbi Soskil asked Judaic stud- Barry Ehrlich Talmud and co-education, with special attention Director of Curriculum and Instruction ies teachers to propose new courses, and all paid to Rabbi Soloveitchik’s view. sophomores and juniors had a chance to weigh Robin Meyerowitz in about which topics would be most popular, Rabbi Soskil is teaching an elective entitled Early Childhood Director Rabbi Soskil said. As the new school year began, "Philosophy of the Rav.” The course complements the administration assigned students in Grades work done in the 11th grade Jewish Thought Frederique Smits Director of Institutional Advancement 11 and 12 to one of their top three choices. class. Each class meets one session per week, all at the Initial reaction among students has been posi- Faun Zarge same time, for the entire semester. The electives tive. “When teachers share personal memories, Director of Strategic Engagement they’re giving us a little bit of themselves,” said include: Ami Blaszkowsky senior Austin Edelman, who is learning with “Defending the Torah Against the Documentary Director of Admissions Rabbi Cohn. “I love the fact that we had the op- Hypothesis and Other Forms of Biblical Criticism,” portunity to choose,” said senior Atara Saltzman, Mike Rosenberg with Rabbi Roy Rosenbaum; "Extreme Makeover: who chose Rabbi Eleff’s course. Editor Early Judaism Edition,” with teacher Karyn Spero; Naomi Ribner Designer Opening Day Replete with Smiles MIDDLE & UPPER SCHOOL Rabbi Mordechai Soskil Principal, Judaic Studies Scott Mattoon Principal, General Studies Rabbi Dov Huff ’00 Assistant Principal Brian Cohen Associate Principal, Middle School ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Rabbi David Saltzman Principal Reena Slovin Associate Principal Kol Rambam is published quarterly by the Maimonides School Office of Alumni and Community Relations. Comments, questions, and suggestions should be addressed to: Maimonides School Clark and Philbrick Roads radiated with the excitement of the first day of school, as illustrated by, clockwise, from top: 34 Philbrick Road seventh graders Maytal Storm, left, and Or-El Ankori; Emmanuel Mamane, a third grader; from left, Haeli Serels, Shira Brookline, MA 02445 Trabelsi, Adina Abrams and Tara Sanieoff, all in grade 3; and Natan Levin, left, and Eli Scharf, Grade 7. (617) 232-4452 x405 [email protected] 3 Campaign's Depth Ensures Success Maimonides School’s 2014 annual An anonymous alumnus also matched the school’s donor recognition groups: campaign drew to a close at the end of every new and increased donation from Rambam Society and Atid Circle. (See June, having exceeded its goal of raising graduates up to $180, adding a match opposite page.) $1.6 million. of almost $10,000 to the campaign Planning is already well underway for Contributing to the success of the total. the 2015 Annual Campaign.