Last week's riddle:  What kind of table does a zucchini use?  A zucchini uses a vegetable.

Yashar koach to Harrison Brooks  (NA3), Eric Ajdler (2A), Shmuel Halpern (2A), Shelomzion Steinmetz-Silber (4G) for answering last week's 2+2 does not equal 4 challenge:  Take a look at these amazingly creative answers!

1. Two triangles + two triangles (overlapping) = 2 magen davids      2. 2 circles plus 2 circles (overlapping) = 1 chain.

3. 2 V's + 2 V's = 2 W's                                                              4. 2 m's + 2 a's = 1 mama

5. 2 upside down V's + 2 lines = 2 A's                                          6. 2 b's + 2 a's = 2 sheep sounds (ba ba)

7. 2 l's + 2 a's + 2 notes (la la)                                                     8. 2 lines + 2 lines = 1 tick tack toe board

9. 2 h's + 2 a's = 1 laugh (haha)                                                   10. 2 m's + 2 u's = 1 Hawaiian dress (mumu)

11. 2 t's + 2 u's = 1 tutu                                                              12. 2 10's + 2 10's = great eyesight (20/20)

13. 2 drops of water + 2 drops of water = 1 small puddle                14. 2 lips + 2 lips = 1 kiss

15. '2' + '2' = '22'                                                                         16.  two + two = twotwo

17. 2 triangles + 2 triangles = 2 diamonds                                    18.  2 semicircles + 2 semicircles = 2 circles

By popular demand, this week's challenge is similar to last week's challenge: Why is 1 + 1 not 2?  I look forward to seeing your creative answers.  I would like to thank the 3A for assisting me with the examples.

1. 1 raindrop upside down + 1 raindrop upside down = 1 heart        2.  1 line horizontally + 1 line vertically = a "t"

3. 1 + 1 = a window (you need to draw the picture!)                       4.  1 "r" + 1 "ing" = ring

5. 1 "m " + 1 "e" = me                                                                6.  1 relation + 1 ship = 1 relationship

7. 1 pine seed + 1 apple seed = 1 pineapple tree

Email your answers to mwolf@mdsweb.org by Tuesday.  Any student who answers the challenge of the week will receive a prize!

Drums in School

By Tomer Mandelbaum, 3A

Drums are awesome, so I think everyone should have drum class as an afterschool program. We do not have drums in school right now, but if we did, it would be great.  Having drum class would be fun and awesome. Kids would like it and would get creative. Drumming is an art like drama, painting or cooking.  Drumming is good for you.  Playing the drums makes your arms stronger. It also makes your legs stronger when you use the pedal.  Drumming makes you smart. You learn music notes and beats. You also learn about different kinds of drums.  Drums are a smart choice for an after school program. The school would keep kids happy, strong, and smart. I know that if the school offered drum class I would sign up!

Art in School

By Liat Levy, 3C

We should have art every day in school.  Making artwork is fun.  I learn about different artists and paintings.  Art makes me feel calm.  Painting is enjoyable because you make pretty pictures to hang on the walls of the school.  I feel cheerful when I see the pretty colors of the paintings.  Art is educational.  We learn about different artists and different paintings.  The paintings on the walls and in books give me ideas of what to draw or paint.  Art helps me talk about my feelings.  Art is a quiet project that I like to do.  Art is an entertaining and fun way to learn.  It is also relaxing.  We should have art all week.

• Weeks of March 15-May 2nd: In honor of the Yahrzeit Shimon ben Moshe (grandfather of Noam Marciano).  Bronze sponsorship by the Marciano family.  

• April 26                    ECD Baby Chicks begin to hatch!

• April 27                    Grade 2 Math Fair
• April 27                    Afterschool Clubs: Make-up Cooking class for the 4:30 pm group only                  

• April 27                    Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, 7:30 pm

• April 28                    Hatzolah Visits Nursery Alef
  

• April 29                    6B Trip to Living Torah Museum

• April 29                    3A trip to Children's Galleries for Jewish Culture
  

• April 29                    National History Day State Competition, Cooperstown, NY

• May 2                      Lag BaOmer                                         

• May 3                      ECD Lag BaOmer Celebration

• May 5                      Grade 5 trip to Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City

• May 7                      7B Bar Mitzvah Breakfast Celebration

• May 7                      Toddlers Mother's Day Program

• May 12                    Yom Yerushalayim

• May 12                    Kindergarten trip to Theatreworks production of Seussical

• May 12-13               Grade 7 Boston trip

• May 13                    Rosh Chodesh Lecture Series for Women

• May 14                    Rosh Chodesh Sivan

• May 14                    Nursery Alef Mother's Day Program

• May 17                    Last day of Monday afterschool clubs

• May 17                    Memorial Day Ceremony and Program
  

• May 18-21               Shavuot recess

• May 19-20               Shavuot

• May 23                   Salute to Israel Parade

• May 24                   Afterschool clubs: Make-up class for Readers Writers Cafe
  
• May 25                   National History Day Presentations + Art Fair
  

• May 25                   Last day of Tuesday afterschool clubs

• May 26                   Last day of Wednesday afterschool clubs

• May 27                   Last day of Thursday afterschool clubs

• May 28                   Last day of Friday afterschool clubs

• May 28                   Nursery 4B Mother's Day Program

• May 31                   Memorial Day

• June 1                    Grade 7 Parents: Orientation evening to prepare for eighth grade

• June 2                    Afterschool clubs: Karate Graduation / Belt Promotion
• June 2                    Afterschool clubs: Make up date for all Wed. afterschool clubs: Yoga, Karate, JV Girls
  
• June 3                    Afterschool clubs: Make up date for Mixed Media
  

• June 1-3                 Grade 8 Washington Trip

• June 11                  Kindergarten End-of-Year Program
• June 11                  Grade 4 Play, 9:30 am in the Beit Midrash
  

• June 12-13              Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

• June 17                  Grade 8 Graduation

• June 18                  Last day of Preschool

• June 20                  Father's Day

• June 21                  Last day of school grades 6-7

• June 22                  Last day of school grades 1-5

• June 29                  Fast of Tammuz

• We are delighted to let you know about a brand new weekly chessed project, Zeidy and Bubby Chat at the Esplanade. 
  
• Parents Tehillim group meets each morning at 8:15 am in the library
• We are continuing to collect cell phones in the lobby for the Major Stuart Adam Wolfer Cell Phone Drive.  These phones will be exchanged for calling cards which Jewish U.S. soldiers can use to call home. 
• Please label your childrens' clothing and other items.  We have a large lost and found for misplaced items.
• Thank you for keeping our school nut-free.

1. (a) When he performed the Yom Kippur avoda in the Kodesh Kadashim, why did the Kohen Gadol wear only his white linen garments (3 reasons)? (b) Why does the Torah call the requirements of shevita (resting) and i-nui (affliction) on Yom Kippur "chukat olam" (a statute forever) 3 times? (c) What does "Azazeil" - where the Kohen Gadol sent one of the goats - mean ? (d) For what 4 kinds of sins does Yom Kippur not atone? (Vayikra 16:1,4,8, 29,31,34)

(a) (1) Aharon's 4 golden garments bring to mind the previous time he was connected to gold - the golden calf. If he entered the Kodesh Kadashim to achieve forgiveness for Bnei Yisrael, the "accusing angel" could argue: "After making the golden idol, you come to serve Hashem dressed in golden garments?!" (Rosh Hashana 26a). (2) The Kohen Gadol resembled an angel - Yechezkeil haNavi envisioned the Heavenly host wearing linen garments; (3) these garments symbolize humility in the Shechina's presence (Tiferet Tzion). (b) (1) When the kohanim performed the avoda in the Beit haMikdash, Bnei Yisrael nonetheless had to refrain from labor and fast on Yom Kippur (verse 29); (2) shevita and i-nui apply on Yom Kippur even when there is no Beit haMikdash (verse 31); (3) Yom Kippur itself atones for Bnei Yisrael's sins, when there is no Beit haMikdash (verse 34) (Sforno). (c) (1) The cliff off of which the goat was thrown was "azaz" (strong) and "eil" (mighty) (Rashi).  (d) (1) Yom Kippur atones only for sins committed against Hashem; sins committed against another person are not atoned, without the victim's forgiveness; (2) if someone sins while assuming that Hashem will forgive him on Yom Kippur, he receives no atonement (Yoma 54a-b). (3) If the sin entails the penalty of kareit, Yom Kippur provides only partial atonement; the sin is erased through personal suffering; (4) if the sin involves a chilul Hashem, only the individual's death atones for the sin (Mechilta).

 2. (a) Why was blood sprinkled on the mizbei-ach for atonement?  (b) Why does a kosher bird's or wild animal's blood have to be covered after shechita, but a domesticated animal's blood is not covered? (Vayikra 17:11,13)

(a) Since blood contains the animal's nefesh (soul), the korban's nefesh sprinkled on the mizbei-ach atones for the offerer's nefesh's sin (Rashi). (b) Since eating an animal's meat while its life-spirit is poured out before us leads to ketzat achzariut (slight cruelty) in our souls, birds' and wild animals' blood must be covered. Since sprinkling domestic animals' blood was vital to Bnei Yisrael's souls' atonement, it could not be covered, and the Torah did not differentiate between kodshim (animals for korbanot) and chulin (domesticated non-holy animals). Since the Torah did not concern itself with the small number of birds that are kodshim, birds' blood must be covered, too (Seifer haChinuch - Mitzvah 187).

 3. (a) What are 4 violations of u-vechukotei-hem lo teileichu (do not follow [the gentiles'] laws)? (b) Why does the Torah list the arayot (forbidden relationships) after the commandment of "ve-chiy bahem" (he shall live by [the mitzvot])? (Vayikra 18:3,5)

(a) Do not: (1) attend their theatres, circuses or stadiums; (2) follow their superstitions; (3) celebrate non-Jewish holidays; (4) wear their religious garb (Shabbat 66b-67a). (b) Although ve-chiy bahem tells one to forego a mitzvah when it threatens one's life, arayot are an exception, requiring yei-horeig ve-al ya'avor (being murdered, but do not trespass) (Ba'al haTurim).

 4. (a) How does one fulfill the commandment of kedoshim ti-hiyu (you shall be holy) (2 explanations)? (b) Which mitzvah prohibits: (1) a storekeeper from selling non-kosher food to Jews, a dress shop from selling immodest clothes or a bookstore from selling obscene or blasphemous books? (2) a parent from hitting an adult child? (3) lending money to a Jew without witnesses? (4) withholding testimony that would help a fellow Jew? (5) ignoring a hungry pauper's plea? (Vayikra 19:2,14)

(a) By: (1) separating oneself from the immoral arayot described in Parashat Acharei Mot (Rashi). (2) imposing on oneself restrictions and moderation in the physical pleasures the Torah permits; (not overdoing it with things that are permitted) (Ramban).  (b) (1) Lifnei iveir lo titein michshol (do not put a stumbling block before the blind) by helping someone to sin (Rambam - Sefer haMitzvot). (2) Lifnei iveir - the attack could cause the child to violate the mitzva to honor one's parents; (3) Lifnei iveir - by causing the borrower, through forgetfulness, to falsely deny taking the loan (Bava Metzia 75b). (4) Lo ta'amode al dom rei'echa (do not stand by while your fellow's blood is shed) - your silence could cause him to lose his life or property (Torat Kohanim). (5) Lo ta'amode - your failure to help could cause him to die (Ta'anit 21a).

 5. (a) (1) What are 5 ways to fulfill "ve-ahavta le-rei-acha ka-mocha" (you shall love your fellow as yourself)? (2) From where do Chazal learn that: (i) a beit din must carry out a capital punishment in the least painful manner? (ii) a man should not betroth a woman before physically seeing her? (b) Why does the Torah prohibit: (1) the crossbreeding of animals? (2) mixing wool and linen (sha'atneiz) in a garment (2 reasons) (Vayikra 19:18-19)

(a) (1) (i) Do not take advantage or cheat him; (ii) be as careful with his money and property as you are with your own; (iii) speak to him in a respectful manner, without causing pain; (iv) share his happiness and do not be envious of him; (v) help him as you would want others to help you (Sefer haChinuch - Mitzvah 219). (2) (i) ve-ahavta le-rei-acha ka-mocha (Ketubot 37b). (ii) ve-ahavta le-rei-acha ka-mocha - so that after they marry, he will not find something displeasing in her (Kiddushin 41a).  (b) (1) When Hashem called the Creation "tov me-ode" (very good - Bereishit 1:31), He indicated that the created creatures serve His purpose; by crossbreeding, we act against His will (Sefer haChinuch - Mitzvah 249). (2) (i) In Bereishit 4:4-5, Kayin offered a korban to Hashem of flax, from which linen is made, and Hevel offered sheep, including the wool; refraining from mixing wool and linen reminds us of Kayin's crime, encouraging us to maintain non-violence and peace with others (Radal). (ii) Since idolatrous priests used to wear garments of wool and linen, we may not wear them (Rambam - Moreh Nevuchim).