Summer 2009 - Tammuz 5769 - Maimonides School

34 Philbrick RoadBrookline, MA 02445R E T U R N S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E DNon-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePaidBrookline, MAPermit No. 59990Judge J. John Fox Gymnasium was packedwith hundreds of enthusiasts May 13 for theMaimonides Middle School performance ofFiddler on the Roof. Students and teachersenjoyed a reprise of the production thenext afternoon. The show was directed byMelody Michaelson ’07, a student at BrandeisUniversity, assisted by Middle School teachersJack Fidler and Estie Reidler.News & NotesRabbi David Ehrenkranz, Upper School limudei kodesh teacher and Grade10 dean, received a Keter Torah Award—the Rabbi and Mrs. M.J. CohnAward for Jewish Education—at the annual meeting of the Bureau ofJewish Education May 14. Keter Torah honorees are recognized for “outstandingcontributions and achievements in Jewish education.” RabbiEhrenkranz, who is also Maimonides’ softball coach and a teacher in theHebrew College Prozdor, joined the faculty in 1996. Previous Keter Torahwinners from Maimonides include Rabbi Jon Bloomberg, Mrs. DevorahCohn, Rabbi Cohn, z”l, Rabbi Seth Farber, Mrs. Ahuva Halberstam, Mrs.Brenda Hefter, Mrs. Sheva Wieder and Rabbi Isaiah Wohlgemuth, z”l.Mrs. Galit Konstantine’s Grade 4 Ivritclass celebrated Earth Day on April 22with a double-edged recycling project.They collected caps from discarded sodabottles and glued them in attractive floralpatterns to recycling containers in theBrener Building. “My fourth grade andI took Earth Day seriously,” the teachersaid. “We spoke about the importance ofkeeping the environment clean.”Students in Grades 4-12 were the first ever to hear the powerful story of UriCarmel, as the guest speaker shared it with them to keynote Yom HaZikaronobservances. Mr. Carmel, one of the government of Israel’s top legal officials, isstudying in the Boston area as a Wexner Fellow. Mr. Carmel told the studentsthat his father, an Air Force navigator, died in 1964 at age 21—weeks before hisbirth. “I never met my father, but the stories of his life and mine are one,” said Mr.Carmel, who served as a naval officer. The theme of the observance was “Fathersand Sons,” and also featured student readers; a vocal quartet of Meron Amar,Harry Chiel, David Rubinstein and Yaakov Schiff; a video tribute to a fallen hero;and memorial candle-lighting ceremonies recognizing relatives of students, staffand alumni who made the supreme sacrifice.Members of the Maimonides School Class of 2009and their parents participated in a Gift of Life bonemarrow registry screening on Thursday evening,June 11, as part of Senior Class Night activities. TheMichael E. Osband Gift of Life Program is consideredthe culmination of the school’s efforts to instillthe importance of chesed, social responsibility, andgiving back to the community. The program has beenendowed by the Osband Family in memory of MichaelOsband, z”l, father of four Maimonides graduates anda dynamic volunteer leader who was renowned in thefield of pediatric hematology-oncology.Reproductions of powerful art worksby Holocaust survivor Samuel Bakmade Yom HaShoah 5769 meaningfuland memorable for Maimonides UpperSchool students. The art work, loanedby Pucker Gallery, depicted a varietyof symbolic images, all based on theiconic Warsaw Ghetto child with hisarms raised in surrender. The printswere displayed in the student lounge,and small groups quietly absorbedthe series, called “Icon of Loss,”throughout the day. The program wasarranged by Mickey Blechner Nyer,director of student activities.