Upper School Weekly Update

March 2, 2018  -  Ki Tisa

In This Issue
D'var Torah
Thoughts of the Rav
Division Newsletters
Purim Fun
Division Newsletters
ARTICLE HEADLINE
Division Newsletters
Division Newsletters
Division Newsletters
Division Newsletters
Social Media
Next Week 
Sun., March 4
Seniors at AIPAC 
 
Mon., March 5
Seniors at AIPAC
 
Tues., March 6
Seniors at AIPAC

X-block: 10th-grade PSAT pre-administration meeting 
 
Wed., March 7
Seniors no classes
AIPAC Reflection 12:00
 
Thurs., March 8 
X-block: 10th-grade PSAT pre-administration meeting

4:45 dismissal

80th anniversary concert
 
Fri., March 9  
Regular Schedule
In Two Weeks
Sunday, March 11
Daylight Saving Time Begins


SAT Tests

Monday, March 12
Regular Schedule

Tuesday, March 13
Regular Schedule

Wednesday, March 14
9th-grade: PSAT

Thursday, March 15
Regular Schedule

Friday,March 16 
Resume 2:30 Dismissal

End of Third Quarter

11th-grade Shabbaton 

Having a
MAIMO MOMENT?

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D'var Torah
by Rabbi Dov Huff  

There is a dispute between Rashi and the Ramban as to what motivated the cheit haegel. Both are analyzing the following statement of the people to Aharon Hakohen:
 
Arise and make us a god to walk before us because the man Moshe who brought us up out of Egypt, we do not know what happened to him
 
Rashi, in focusing on the first clause, explains that they were looking for a deity. 
 
The Ramban, however, focusing on the second clause, explains that it was not G-d they were trying to replace, but Moshe Rabbeinu
 
The Rav has a unique perspective on the cheit, which in a way bridges these two ideas. He juxtaposes man's sin in Gan Eden to that of the cheit haegel. The Rav says that in Gan Eden, Adam and Chava thought that they had divine potential - they were, after all, created in G-d's image. They thought that all they needed was to eat from the fruit of the tree, and then they could be like their Creator. 
 
On the other hand, the golden calf, says the Rav, was about man's poor self-image. Idolatry in general, he explains, stems from a belief that lowly man cannot access a deity without the help of some medium. Not that the idol itself is a deity, but that it is a vessel in which some divine spirit will rest. Without the help of this intermediary, lowly man cannot dream of an audience with the divine. 
 
So for the Rav, Bnei Yisrael, who had been surrounded by the idolatry of Mitzrayim, saw Moshe Rabbeinu filling this purpose. Moshe Rabbeinu had performed miracles, extracted them from Mitzrayim, and safely guided them across the Yam Suf, delivering them from the hand of Amalek. He was their radio to Hashem. Without him, they would be lost. According to the Rav, with the eigel, the people were in fact searching for both. Because the loss of Moshe Rabbeinu by extension meant the loss of connection to Hashem.
 
The new, groundbreaking idea of Judaism is that each individual has access to G-d. We do not need a great rabbi, an idol, or a golden calf. Hashem has granted us the ability to speak to him as individuals. With all of our shortcomings and inadequacies, we have a direct link to our Creator. 
 
And how does that link express itself? Hashem grants us the ability to talk directly to Him through tefillah. The ability to daven is our backstage pass, allowing each and every one of us to do the impossible - to speak to the divine and unreachable G-d. The gift of tefillah allows us to cultivate our own special and unique relationship with Hashem.
 
Questions for the Shabbos table:
  1. Is tefillah something you take for granted? If so, how can you remind yourself how truly unique it is?
  2. Which aspects of our tefillah and avodat Hashem go counter to this idea and make it hard for us to have access? How might we overcome them?
Thoughts of the Rav 

by Rabbi David Saltzman  
The Rav asks: How is it possible to stand upright in prayer in front of G-d when we daven Shemona Esrei? Really we should prostrate ourselves, praying bent over as we plead to G-d for our lives. What allows us the audacity to speak to G-d while standing upright, in a near-equal manner?
The answer is in the parasha this week. The source for tefilla b'amidah (standing upright during prayer) may be the description of the process by which the 13 middot were given to Moshe. It is a detailed and unprecedented description of Moshe standing with Hashem and calling out His name. "Calling in Hashem's name" is indicative of the closeness of the relationship as you eliminate the distance between two parties. Another example given is when Moshe and Hashem stand together, and there is a beautiful description in the Talmud of Hashem wrapping Himself in a talit as if He is our shliach tzibbur.
 
These examples, from the process of how the 13 middot were given to Moshe by Hashem, allow us to stand upright in prayer, to come close and pray as if with Hashem, instead of only to Hashem.

Financial Aid Application Deadline
The deadline for filing a financial aid application for the 2018-19 school year is March 19.
 
The deadline for submitting the required tax documentation is April 19.
 
The link to the financial aid page on the school website is
 
Please contact Arline Tannenbaum at ext. 425 or atannenbaum@maimonides.org with any questions.

Purim Fun
There were lots of hi-jinks in our Upper School this week as the students celebrated Purim with the senior auction, a carnival, and a costume contest. Chag Purim Sameach!


 
Dinner and Concert with Gad Elbaz on Thursday!
Maimonides is 80 years strong!  Join us next Thursday, March 8 as we celebrate our 80th Anniversary with dinner at 5:00 p.m. and a concert featuring Israeli superstar Gad Elbaz at 6:00 p.m.  All Maimo families, faculty and staff are welcome to attend, but you must reserve your spot by this coming Monday, March 5. 
Click here to sign up!
 
For more information, visit www.maimonides.org.  


Basketball Tourney Updates
The Maimonides girls' basketball team added to the Purim celebration on Thursday by defeating Snowden International 35-28 in the MIAA Division 4 North quarterfinals. The fifth-seeded Lady M-Cats won their first MIAA post-season game since 2014 and will meet the winner of Matignon-Lowell Catholic on Tuesday at 7 p.m.   at Malden Catholic High School. Senior Daniella Hanau opened the scoring Thursday with a three-point field goal and ended up leading the scorers with 14. The girls' overall record for 2017-18 is now 14-4.

 
The boys' basketball season ended with a gallant effort at second-seeded Austin Preparatory  Tuesday  night, as the M-Cats fell 62-52 in overtime in the opening round of the MIAA Division 4 North Sectional Tournament. "The team came ready and focused, and battled through adversity the whole game," said Rabbi Ed Gelb, head coach. "I was really proud of how they played."

Trailing by four with less than a minute in regulation, sophomore Judah Kosowsky (10 points) converted an off-balance shot.
After Austin missed the front end of a one-and-one, Josh Weiss (17 points, 12 rebounds) tied the game at 52 with one second left. But the M-Cats were shut out in overtime. Maimonides led through much of the first half and never trailed by more than six in regulation. Sophomore Eytan Pomper scored 14 and junior Aaron Weinstock had 10 rebounds. Coach Gelb praised seniors Doni Berg and Josh Weiss for "incredible leadership" 
Tuesday  and all season. He added, "The future looks bright."


Alumni Newsletter Online
The monthly alumni newsletter for February is now online, and can be found here. This issue's articles include:
  • Young Grad's English Skills Help Dominican Ballplayers Pursue Their Dreams
  • Retired Alumnus Now a Volunteer with Religious Families in Galilee Community
  • Maimonides Alumni Here and There
  • Class Notes 
If you would like to receive the alumni newsletter each month, contact Mike Rosenberg at (617) 232-4452 x 405 or   mrosenberg@maimonides.org .

PTA Skating Party

Ezra Schwartz Memorial Baseball Tournament
There are still three weeks until spring, but planning is already well underway for the second Ezra Schwartz Memorial Baseball Tournament in Sharon, scheduled for April 19-22. Visiting teams will be from the Frisch School, Yeshivah of Flatbush, and Yeshiva University High School of Los Angeles (YULA). Ezra, זק"ל , a 2015 Maimonides graduate and varsity baseball player, was killed by a terrorist in Israel in November 2015. The tournament was established by family and friends to honor Ezra's passion for baseball and create a fun environment in which to remember him. More information can be found at http://ezraschwartzbaseballmemorial.com/
 
See What's Happening in other Divisions
Lots of wonderful things are happening at Maimonides School! 

If you'd like to take a peek at what's happening in the other divisions, click to visit the Early Childhood Center, Elementary School, or Middle School newsletter pages.

If you would like to contact a specific school office, please use these emails:
Let's Get Social!
There's so much going on here at Maimo! Be sure to check out our social media to get the inside scoop (with lots of great photos) on happenings at school.
 
  
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