In a room filled with the delicious aromas of hot cocoa and pastries, the students of the Reader's Writer's Café learned how to create vivid images by using descriptive language.  We studied the writing styles of various authors through stories and poetry.  We comprised a writing portfolio containing their own poems and a narrative based on a particular author's style.  Here are some samples of their favorite works.  I am very proud of their accomplishments.       

Crayon Dance: Sky Blue!

By Ariella Mero (1C)

Hi Hi!  They chose me.  I'm sky blue. 

I am lighting up the dark sky.

Morning is here.

Around and around.

I color the sky.

The wind tries to push me away.

I stay and color the sky.

Crayon Dance: Lime Green!

By Noa Klein (1A)

Hi  Hi!  They chose me.  Lime Green. 

I am making the grass taller.

The grass looks inviting.

I quickly make more blades. 

I hear the sound of a lawnmower.  I quickly run away before I am crushed into bits.

Crayon Dance: Violet Red!

By Mia Lubetski (2C)

Hi, Hi!  I'm chosen from the box.  Violet Red.

I run across the paper to the garden.

I notice the garden needs violet red orchids.

I run through the grass.

I take my paint and make the most beautiful orchids.

Crayon Dance: Ocean Blue!

By Emma Kassai (2A)

Hi, Hi!  They chose me.  I'm ocean blue.

I'm drifting in the ocean. 

Making all the waves come to a point.

I swoosh and whoosh as I make the wave.

Bits of me are left in the ocean.

I float to shore; my job is done.

Crayon Dance: Light Blue!

By Nomi Benus (1A)

Hi, Hi!  They chose me.  Drip drop bloom.

I'm making light blue drops fall from the sky.

Drip drop plop.  I'm helping the flowers grow.

Lemondade

By Lea Berger (2C)

Tastes like a burst of sunshine.

Feels like sweet lemons in my mouth. 

Yellow as the sun.

Ice cubes floating in the cup.

Squeeze the lemons into the pitcher.

Ah!  Refreshing!

Lemonade is tasty.

• Mazal tov to Marc and Daniella Stadtmauer and Kayla (NA1) on the birth of a girl.

• Mazal tov to Rabbi Allen and Alisa Schwartz and Shani, Moshe, Eli, Esti, and Mindy (8G) on the birth of granddaughter and niece Meira to Chani and Joel Bloom.
  

• Ira and Marsi Tokayer and family sponsored a week of learning through the Limud program in memory of Harav Zechariah HaCohen, father of Mrs. Shula Khen.

• Yashar koach to Yosef Segal (6B) for coordinating last week's proclamation from the New York State Senate in Praise of MDS.  He met the senator at United Jewish Council dinner honoring his parents several weeks ago.  He spoke to the senator about MDS and asked for a proclamation to be issued. 
  

• If you have an MDS white shirt that you received from the office, please return it to Marlene.

• Next week's Messenger will be the last of the school year.  Please email all articles, ads, and images as soon as possible!
  

• Please save any files or links from eChalk, since we will have a new program for online classrooms next year, and we will not have access to the site after June 30th.

• Perhaps you borrowed one of our library reference texts but forgot to return it.  If so, please do so asap! 

  • Artscroll Talmud (large):  Volumes #2 (Berachos), #11 (Pesachim III), #20 (Megillah), #58 (Menachos)
    
  • Artscroll Saperstein Chumash with Rashi, translated: Bereishis, Bamidbar
  • Torah Temimah: Bereishis (new, large)

• June 12-13              Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

• June 15                  3C Publishing Party, 9:30 AM
• June 16                  3A Publishing Party, 9:30 AM
• June17                   Workshop for grades 3-5 with author Stuart Hample                

• 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

On the first day of school, the 6th graders were given the combinations for their lockers, but Moshe forgot the three numbers.  Can you use the clues below to help Moshe figure out his locker combination?

• The first number is three times the second number.

• The second number is 5 more than half of 14.

• The third number is 7 more than the second number.

 What is Moshe's locker combination?  _____  _____  _____

The seventh grade had a great time visiting various tourist attractions in Boston, from Plymouth Plantation to the Museum of Science.  Thank you to the middle school teachers for coordinating and chaperoning the trip.

The eighth grade had a fantastic time in our nation's capitol.  The White House and Congressional buildings were some of the famous sites they visited. Thank you to the middle school teachers for coordinating and chaperoning the trip.

This past week, the first grade class visited the Barnard Greenhouse. The Greenhouse contained many different types of plants. The students in the Barnard biology department study these plants and then share the results with visitors and students. The students enjoyed learning about the sensitive plant. The sensitive plant has a special feature that when you touch it twice, the plant closes up and traps insects. When the students came back to school, the students learned how to write paragraphs about non-fiction information. The students gathered their notes from the Greenhouse and turned the information into organized paragraphs. The Barnard Greenhouse was the talk of first grade class for days.

Last week, Zachary Schwartz's dad came to visit the 1st grade class to talk to the students about the business that he currently works in, known as the milk business. He introduced the lesson by posing questions about kosher and non-kosher animals. Then, he spoke about what he does in order to make the milk clean enough for the people to drink. The students were fascinated by his "cool job." Additionally, he brought in different flavored milk samples for the students to try. The students sampled organic chocolate milk and strawberry milk. He also brought in cute cow toys for the students to bring home as souvenirs. Thank you Mr. Schwartz for sharing such interesting information about cows!

In 2C, Mrs. Ellen Korn's group was reading two books, one fantasy and one realistic fiction.  The following is a fantasy story response written by Jordana Broome.   

Cookie!

By Jordana Broome

Oil Spills  

By Joey Podolsky, 3A

Oil spills are disasters because they kill animals.  They make the environment dirty because the oil washes onto the beach.  Oil spills kill the animals because they can't get food.  The toxins kill the animals.  The pelicans are in danger because they are covered in oil and they can't eat the fish.  I hope that the oil spill stops soon.

Oil Spills   

By Barry Cohen, 4B

Oil spills are a big disaster.  They affect fisherman, tourists, and the environment.  Oil spills also affect the economy.  The fishermen rely on fishing to make a living and the fish are being killed.  People won't come to the beach because there is tar on the beach.   The oil spill has already reached Florida.  We use oil for many things and we lost a lot of it. The latest oil spill has cost over $5 billion in damages.  That's a lot of money!  Oil spills are really bad for the world.

After the Salute to Israel Parade, my parents and I went to the concert in Central Park, and my dad signed up for a contest with a raffle whose top prize was a trip to Israel.  I wrote my name on the ticket.  We didn't stay long enough for the actual raffle.  A week later, the concert organizers called and told us that we won a free ticket to Israel.  At first, my mom didn't believe that it was for real.  Finally, we confirmed that we had really won this contest.  This summer, we might buy another ticket so my mom and I can visit Israel together.  I only visited Israel once, when I was three, so I don't have memories of the trip.  I'm very excited about hopefully visiting again soon!  The next time you have the opportunity to sign up for a raffle with a free trip to Israel, don't assume that you won't win!  Anything is possible!

After the classroom caterpillars wove their cocoons, they grew into butterflies!  And then the children in the Early Childhood Department took them to the park to wish them good luck in their new home-the great outdoors.

Thank you to Mrs. Anne Samet for coordinating another very successful year of Rosh Chodesh programs.  The final speaker of the year was Mrs. Tzippi Diamond, who spoke on Rosh Chodesh Sivan on the topic "Ruth: Paradigm of Chesed."  The shiur was sponsored by the Jaroslawicz family in memory of David's mother.  Thank you to Sharon Newman for all of her assistance with the Rosh Chodesh programs for parents and to all of the year's sponsors.

• 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.

Box Tops Summer Challenge:

If every student brings in 10 Box Tops, we will raise $500!  You can clip 10¢ Box Tops coupons from hundreds of your favorite products such as Cheerios, Ziploc, Kleenex, Hefty, Huggies, Pullups, and more! 

It's that easy to raise money for MDS! 

Thank you to our Box Tops Program Coordinators

Mindy Chassin Horowitz and Sharon Newman.

1. (a) When did Korach rebel (2 views)? (b) What does "va-yikach Korach" (Korach took) mean (6 views)? (c) Why did he think that: (1) Moshe treated him wrongly (4 reasons)? (2) he would survive a clash with Moshe (2 reasons)? (Bamidbar 16:1-3)

(a) Moshe: (1) was desperate, since this was the 4th time, after the cheit ha-eigel, mit-onenim and meraglim, that he appealed to Hashem to forgive Bnei Yisrael (Rashi). (2) prayed to Hashem (ibn Ezra). (3) showed he was humiliated by Korach's false and insulting charges (Chizkuni). (4) humbled himself to show that he sought no authority over others, as Korach claimed (Tiferet Tzion). (5) thought that perhaps Korach was right, i.e., he was acting vainly in leading Bnei Yisrael; he fell on his face for soul-searching and realized he was doing Hashem's Will (Ba'al haTanya). (b) Datan and Aviram brought the Torah into disrepute by publicly ridiculing Hashem's messenger Moshe; Korach claimed that Moshe made up some of the Torah laws. Had they gone unpunished for even a short time, they would have put the Torah's Divine origin in doubt; Moshe accepted their attacks on him and Aharon but not on the Torah (Malbim). (c) It showed that: (1) unlike Korach's, Datan's and Aviram's claims, Moshe was Hashem's true messenger; (2) Hashem chose only Aharon and his offspring as kohanim (Ramban).

3. (a) Why did Hashem assign Elazar to collect the 250 pans used to offer ketoret, and not Aharon (3 reasons)? (b) Why was the ketoret effective in halting the negef (plague) that was killing Bnei Yisrael after they complained about the deaths of Korach's followers? (c) Since the destruction of Korach's followers showed that Hashem selected only Aharon as Kohen Gadol, what was the purpose of showing that only Aharon's staff, among those of the 12 tribes, blossomed? (Bamidbar 17:2, 11-12, 17-20)

(a) (1) Korach had challenged Aharon's position as Kohen Gadol and Elazar's position as a kohen; Hashem had Elazar gather the pans to show Elazar's designation as a kohen (Rokeach). (2) Aharon was instrumental in their deaths; it would have been improper for him to collect their pans (Or haChaim). (3) It showed that Aharon did not rejoice in his opponents' deaths (Siftei Kohen). (b) Bnei Yisrael believed that ketoret was a poison responsible for Nadav's and Avihu's deaths and now the 250 men; using ketoret to end the plague, Hashem showed that sins cause death, not ketoret (Rashi). (c) Some of Bnei Yisrael believed that Korach's followers died from wrongly acting as kohanim by offering ketoret but that each sheivet's firstborn could do the levi'im's tasks; Sheivet Levi's staff's budding showed that Hashem chose only Sheivet Levi for Mishkan service (Ramban).  

4. (a) Why are the gifts to the kohanim called "brit melach" (salt covenant)? (b) Why were Bnei Yisrael required to provide gifts to the kohanim related to firstborn sons, first fruit, firstborn male kosher animals and firstborn donkeys? (Bamidbar 18:8-19)

Parent Update: We are now able to view our school's minutes. Once your child has logged in, click on the tab, next to Manhattan Day School Minutes Board, save your school. Follow the prompts to add your e-mail address.

In doing so, you and your child can view our school's progress.

Thank you for doing such a great job!  Let's keep those minutes rolling.

Julie Averbuch & Daphne Herskowitz, Reading Coordinators