Parent Page March 2011: Happy Purim!
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Transcript of Parent Page March 2011: Happy Purim!
1
M A Z E L D A Y S C H O O L
March—Adar 2011 ISSUE FOUR
Purim, celebrated on the 14th of Adar, is the most fun
and action-packed holiday on the Jewish calendar.
Many years ago, in the days of Ahashverosh, King of
Persia, the wicked Prime Minister Haman planned to
hang Mordechai for his disobedience and have all the
Jews in the kingdom killed on the 14th of Adar. Mor-
dechai‘s cousin, Esther, who was the queen at the time,
lobbied the king to spare her people. Ahashverosh ac-
ceded to the request, ordered Haman to be hung on
the gallows that Haman had built for Mordechai, Mor-
dechai became the Prime Minister and a new order was
issued allowing the Jews to fight back when attacked.
Because the Jews were saved, the 14th of Adar be-
came a day of celebration. Parties were held, baskets
of food were sent to friends, and poor people received
gifts. Esther and Mordechai became famous and
named this holiday Purim, which we celebrate to this
day!
These days, we read the Purim story from the Megillah,
have parties, dress up in costumes, give Mishloach
Manot and extra Tzedaka. Purim is a great holiday to
have fun and at the same time educate our kids about
the values of life and generosity. This issue is filled with
love and happy thoughts to celebrate and treasure this
special time of the year for Jewish people!
Editorial Team:
Anna Ashurov Irene Gabo
Chani Okonov Alla Vasserman
PAGE2: Help! How do I raise a happy
child?
PAGE5: Recipes
PAGE4: Irene’s March Picks Weekend Activities for the Family
PAGE6-7: Happy Purim! Ways to
Celebrate Purim + Purim Homemade
Costume Ideas
PAGE8: Parent Interview This Month: Vitaly Ganopolsky
Center Pull-out Section To Raise a Jewish Child
By: Rabbi Hayim Halevy
IN TH
IS IS
SU
E
B‖H
ma
zeln
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slette
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ma
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PARENTING IN THE TORAH:
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"He who guides his sons and daughters in the
right way... to him does the verse apply: 'And
you shall know that there is peace in your
tent'." (Talmud, Yevamot 62b)
PAGE10: Teacher Interview This Month: Nechama Dena Bergstein
PAGE9: PA—Yeladim Play Yard
Project Update
MARCH CALENDAR
Sunday, March 20—Purim Party
Purim in the 60’s! F.R.E.E. of Brigh-
ton Beach invites you to a Purim
party you won‘t forget: Purim in the 60's! See
page 4 for more details.
Wednesday, March 30—Parenting Discussion
Group Meeting for Moms & Dads. This month‘s
topic: ―How Can We Develop Good Character
in our Children?‖ See page 4 for more details.
2
B‖H
M O D E R N P A R E N T I N G by Chani Okonov
Chani: Let‘s first try to understand what exactly a ―happy
child‖ is. If we were to poll parents and ask: ―what do you
want for your child‖, the most common response would
certainly be ―to be happy‖. If we were to poll those very
same parents and ask: ―what do you want for your self‖,
we‘d probably get the same response. The question be-
comes: what defines ―being happy‖? In Western culture,
being happy comes with beauty, fame, great food, a
fabulous home, car, possessions & of course, the ―picture-
perfect family‖. It‘s all about what you have, gratifying
your needs/wants, and maintaining a certain ―image‖. In
contrast, Judaism describes happiness very differently.
Happiness, called simcha in Hebrew, is cultivated by think-
ing about others, by being less self-centered, by being
appreciative of others & of G-d. There is a type of happi-
ness called simcha shel mitzvah, the happiness of doing a
good deed. What a difference! Truth be told, we all
know that in real life, the Jewish version of happiness is
more sustainable than the ―fame and fortune‖ one.
Furthermore, in Judaism, happiness is a state of being that
a person can consciously choose to put his or her self in.
For example, it is said that when the Hebrew month of
Adar begins, one should increase in joy (in anticipation of
Purim). In other words, in a particular month, the Torah
believes that one can make a conscious effort to be in a
happier mood than usual. Similarly, Ethics of our Fathers
(Pirkei Avot) states: ―Who is rich? He who is
happy with what he has?‖ Again, the point is
the same; happiness is an attitude. Happiness
is making the choice to be happy.
I believe that the message for us as parents is
that just as a ―happy person‖ is not someone
with many ―things‖, we need to re-think what
a ―happy child‖ is – and it is certainly not a
child who is over-indulged. In fact, my experi-
ence has been that those children are often the most un-
happy.
So how does one raise an authentically happy child?
The first step is to be a happy parent! When we exude a
positive attitude toward parenting and toward our chil-
dren, they feed off our happiness. Sometimes, this requires
making a conscious choice to get into an upbeat mind
frame, but it will transform the way you feel and the way
you see your child(ren). As modern parents, juggling mul-
tiple roles and pressures, it isn‘t always easy to remember
to just enjoy our children. Taking those moments to laugh
with them, enjoy being with them and to be happy being
their parent is so valuable. Your happi-
ness will provide a strong sense of secu-
rity and belonging so that your child will
want to be around you and will feel
good in your presence.
Think happy thoughts out loud. In edu-
cation, there is a technique called
―think-aloud‖. It involves the teacher
articulating verbally her thoughts to the students in order
to demonstrate the thinking process required for a specific
task. When parenting, we can also use ―think-alouds‖ in
order to teach a particular way of thinking. For instance,
when our children hear us thinking out loud happy
thoughts, they learn that happiness is a state of mind.
Here are some examples: ―I am so happy with everything
that Hashem gave me: my family, my job, you!‖… ―I felt so
happy cooking dinner/helping you/making you happy.‖…
―I decided that I want to feel happy, so I thought a happy
thought and I feel much better.‖ Talk about finding hap-
piness in simple things, being happy with what you have,
making a choice to be happy, feeling happy after help-
ing others, and so on…
Be confident to discipline. Being given boundaries and
expectations gives a child security, which in turn, allows
them to develop a sense of happiness. Insecurity breeds
unhappiness. In order for discipline to be effective in this
way and create solid boundaries, the child needs to see
that you as a parent are secure in following through with
it, and are confident.
-------------------------------------
This leads to an overarching question about
how to discipline firmly enough to provide
boundaries, while also not too harshly as to af-
fect the child‘s self-image and happiness.
At our recent parenting group discussion this
issue arose in conversation among parents.
Shortly after our meeting, I read the much de-
bated book by Amy Chua, ―Battle Hymn of the
Tiger Mother‖. In the book, Amy, an Asian-
American mom describes how she raised her two daugh-
ters to be accomplished musicians and successful A stu-
dents. The underlying premise of her parenting approach
is that she, as a parent, knows what is in the best interest of
her children (very Jewish approach!), and is responsible to
train them along the correct path even if they don‘t like it
(also Jewish approach). She believes in focusing more on
helping her children achieve rather than on ―protecting‖
their self-esteem, since self-esteem is nurtured through our
accomplishments (a reasonable point). However, the
techniques she employs to motivate them usually involve
lots of yelling, pressure, name-calling and punishment.
She pays very little attention to her children‘s feelings. She
describes her home environment pretty much as a battle-
Help! How do I raise a happy child? I want my daugh-
ter to be happy, enjoy life and feel good about herself.
On the other hand, sometimes I avoid disciplining her
because I don’t want to see her unhappy. I am afraid
that if I keep this up, I will end up spoiling her.
...when the He-
brew month of
Adar begins, one
should increase in
joy (in anticipation
of Purim).
3
M O D E R N P A R E N T I N G by Chani Okonov
B‖H
field with her children. She feels that all this is necessary in
order to help her children achieve, and that she is
―sacrificing‖ for their success. This seemed to be produc-
ing brilliant results in her first daughter, who truly gives the
impression of a remarkable young girl. Her second daugh-
ter, on the other hand, is a child who values her independ-
ence and free-spirit. Strong-willed, she fights her mother
even as she goes along with her demands until she even-
tually rebels when she reaches her pre-teenage years. In
the end, Amy makes a choice to work on herself to give
her daughter more space, allow her to make more inde-
pendent choices, and be a less ―intense‖ mother, though
she ends the book with some ambiguity as to what par-
enting approach she believes is truly better.
Reading this book make me reflect on my
own beliefs as a parent and an educator,
& particularly to ask ―what does Judaism
believe to be true‖. My conclusion was
that having high expectations of our chil-
dren is important, so long as we are ready
& willing to support them in meeting those
expectations in positive and happy ways.
In Judaism, educating our children along
the correct path is the greatest responsibil-
ity of parenthood. From the point-of-view
of the Torah, when asked ―what do you
want for your child?‖, a parent‘s response
should first be ―to know right from wrong‖
or ―to be a good person‖. Yet a forceful
approach is not the way to achieve this. In Jewish history,
there are two times when the Jewish people as a whole
made a commitment to Judaism & to G-d. The first was
at Mt. Sinai, which did not last very long, since only 40
days later the Jewish people began to worship the
Golden Calf idol. The second was during the Purim story,
when, rather than denouncing their Jewish identity (and
sparing themselves from Haman‘s evil plans), they pulled
together as a community and reaffirmed their commit-
ment to Hashem. The difference given between the two
situations is that at Mt. Sinai, the Jews did not feel a true
sense of choice as to whether or not to accept the Torah.
The awesome revelations of G-d and the overall Mt. Sinai
experience (picture G-d‘s booming voice, thunder, light-
ening…) was so overwhelming that they were compelled
to go along with it. This is viewed as a ―forceful‖ top-down
approach. As a result, it did not take deep root in the
Jews‘ hearts. By contrast, in the Purim story, the Jews
could‘ve easily chosen to disassociate from Judaism. In-
stead, they made a conscious, independent decision to
express Jewish pride. This is viewed as a ―self-motivated‖
bottom-up approach –which was much more lasting.
Similarly, as Amy Chua experienced, with our children,
force does not achieve long-term results.
Motivate through a positive environment. In the Shema
prayer, the most central prayer of Judaism, we state: ―And
you shall teach them [the Mitzvot] diligently to your chil-
dren, & you shall speak of them when you sit at home, &
when you walk along the way, & when you lie down &
when you rise up.‖ In this way, the Torah takes a very posi-
tive approach to parenting. From the moment of birth, a
child is raised in an environment that focuses on preparing
them for their future life, through parental involvement &
interest to their everyday lives, through ongoing dialogue,
encouragement & coaching. Each of the customs associ-
ated around holidays focuses on the children, & engages
their interest to participate and understand their meaning
and relevance (thereby deriving important lessons for life).
Every milestone and achievement is celebrated from 3
years old to 13 years old and beyond. It is a cheerful,
positive and supportive approach.
Very often parents confuse discipline with
negativity and conflict. This should not be
the case. Discipline is a way of learning what
is or is not appropriate. A parent is responsi-
ble to be a child‘s guide in navigating this
learning process, not a child‘s military com-
mander. The Torah refers to this parenting
process as chinuch (loosely translated as
―upbringing‖), which connotes ‗education‘
more than anything else.
The same results can almost always be
achieved by using calm and encouraging
reminders, clarifying our expectations so that
the child knows what we want, giving the
child independence and through upbeat, positive motiva-
tion. Even on the occasions when it is time to be firm, we
don‘t need to be harsh or over-emotional. The key is to
be as business-like as possible, almost ―detached‖, when
assigning consequences. At that moment, you do not
pay attention to the child‘s unhappiness with being given
a consequence. You are doing what needs to be done in
order to help your child learn an important lesson for their
future. Of course, the child should also hear empathy
from you. As a parent, you communicate that you under-
stand the challenges they sometimes face in making the
right choice. Dialoguing with the child afterward, to dis-
cuss how they can achieve better next time is another
important component that helps the child take ownership
of their own learning process. This approach emphasizes
to the child that when they make a mistake, it is their ac-
tion that you do not approve of, rather than the child
themselves and that you are their coach and supporter
who will help them achieve success.
Parenting is by definition a balancing act. Knowing ex-
actly how much to give in and how much to be firm is a
constant question we must ask ourselves as a parent, hop-
ing and praying all the while that we find just the right bal-
ance. May Hashem give each of us the wisdom to make
the right choices in our children‘s chinuch, and the
strength to choose to be happy as we do it.
From the moment of
birth, a child is raised in
an environment that
focuses on preparing
them for their future
life, through parental
involvement and inter-
est to their everyday
lives, through ongoing
dialogue, encourage-
ment and coaching.
4
crafts, delicious Purim snacks (including Hamantashen, the
classic Purim cookie), and more! Kids can also try their
hand at making mishloach manot bags, a great Purim tra-
dition.
Little Club Heads, 80s party
Daily 03/27/11 , Broad Street Ballroom, 41 Broad Street,
NYC, 917.327.3268; http://www.littleclubheads.com,
Ages: 8 & under, Time: 12n-3pm
Cost: $15 at the door; Non-walking babies, free
A special dance party for kids, ages six months to eight
years, and their parents/caregivers, includes top DJs
spinning classics, hip hop, reggae, R&B, and old school in
a club setting.
Luria Lions Baseball Spring Training
Begins!!
for boys and girls ages 4 though 10
with no Friday or Saturday practices
or games.
First practice, Sunday, March 13,
12:30pm. Hannah Senesh Gym; 342
Smith Street, Brooklyn.
For questions, contact Michelle (347)
245-0602) or visit www.lurialions.com.
.R.E.E. of Brighton Beach
invites you to Purim in the
60's!
(think hippies, flower-
power, peace, and
groovy!)
Sunday, March 20, Start-
ing time: 3:00pm
Megillah Reading: 4:00pm
Open Bar, Music and
Dancing, Hot Buffet, Mas-
querade
$10 child / $18 adult
Brooklyn Museum, 200
Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn,
NY
Educational Program For
Children 4 to 7: Arty Facts,
Sundays, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
For children ages four to seven and their adult friends. Explore
the galleries, enjoy a family activity, and make your own art
in each ninety-minute class. Arty Facts offers a different
program each day.
March: From the Tipi to the Dutch colonial homes of the
Schencks, to the interiors of NYC apartments, discover how
people turn a house into a home.
A Child Grows in Brooklyn Expo
Daily 03/13/11, at Toren Condo, 150 Myrtle Avenue,
Brooklyn, NY, 718.596.9113
[email protected], Time: 11am-4pm, Cost: $35; $60/2
tickets in advance; $45 at the door
A Child Grows in Brooklyn presents an expo that
showcases top resources for Brooklyn parents and provides a
space where they can interact with other parents and chil-
dren, exhibitors, and experts.
Holiday Seasonal: Hamantaschen Hip
Hop with the Mama Doni Band
03/20/11, Museum of Jewish Heritage,
36 Battery Place, NYC, 646.437.4202,
http://www.mjhnyc.org,
Ages: 3-10, Time: 3:30pm; Craft Activi-
ties 1:30pm
Cost: Adults $10; Children (10 & under)
$7; Members $7/$5
Mama Doni and her band perform a funky Purim rock
concert featuring a costume parade and songs such as "The
Kooky Cookie," "Costume Conundrum," and "Hey, Man!
You're Acting Like Haman!"
Purim Carnival
03/20/11, 14th Street Y, 344 E. 14th Street, New York, NY
212.780.0800; http://www.14streety.org
Ages: All Ages, Time: 12-2pm, Cost: $5/person; $20/family
The 14th Street Y celebrates Purim with live music, arts &
I R E N E ’ S W E E K E N D P I C K S Compiled by Irene Gabo
B‖H
PA
REN
TIN
G D
ISC
USSIO
N
GR
OU
P
BOOK FAIR—THANK YOU
Dear Parents!
In celebration of the literacy month at Mazel
Day School, the PTA organized a book fair. Thank you all
for your participation ! This year the book sale sold just
under $3,200 worth of books. Some of that money will be
going toward our playground; plus about $350 to spend
in Scholastic. In addition, parents‘ contributions pur-
chased close to 60 books for the classrooms from the
wish lists. Thank you to all the parents who participated
and to the PTA for all the hard work they put in!
Mazel Day School's monthly Parenting Discussion
Group is for moms and dads. Gleaning insights
from Judaism's wisdoms, each month we will ex-
plore different topics that relate to modern-day
parenting.
Join us for our THIRD session: "How Can We De-
velop Good Character in our Children?". We all
hope that our child will grow up to be "a good
person". The question is how do we help them get
there. At what age can you start to develop good
character? What are appropriate expectations of
children in terms of character? How do you culti-
vate traits such as kindness, responsibility, honesty,
generosity...? Let's talk, share experiences, and
gain inspiration! Looking forward to seeing you
there. Bring a friend along! Please Note: This event
is open to the general community.
5
K I D S ’ F A V O R I T E S Compiled by Alla Vasserman
B‖H
TRA
DI TIO
N
NU
TRI TIO
N
Jewish Hamantaschen
Cookies Jewish Hamantaschen cookies are
shaped like a three-cornered hat rep-
resentative of Haman's hat and eaten
for the Purim holiday. They're usually
filled with apricot, prune or poppyseed
filling and, these days, even chocolate
and other fruit fillings.
This recipe makes at least 2 dozen
Jewish Hamantaschen Cookies.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups (2 sticks + 5 1/3 table-
spoons) margarine
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
Fillings of choice
Directions:
1. Cream together sugar and marga-
rine. Add eggs and cream until
smooth. Stir in water and vanilla.
Add flour, mixing until dough forms
a ball. Wrap in plastic and refriger-
ate a few hours.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line
baking sheets with parchment pa-
per. Pinch off walnut-size pieces of
dough and roll into a ball. Press ball
between two pieces of waxed pa-
per. Place about 1 teaspoon of fill-
ing in center of circle of dough.
Pinch to form three-cornered hat.
3. Bake about 15 minutes or until just
starting to brown. Cool completely
on a wire rack.
Apple Cartwheels
Nutrition Facts: 1 apple ring equals 50
calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0
cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 7 g carbo-
hydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein
Ingredients:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup miniature semisweet
chocolate chips
2 tablespoons raisins
4 medium unpeeled Red Delicious
apples, cored
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine peanut
butter and honey; fold in choco-
late chips and raisins.
2. Fill centers of apples with peanut
butter mixture.
3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut
into 1/4-in. rings.
Yield: about 2 dozen.
Tips: **Dip the apple slices in a citrus
soda like Sprite or 7-Up and they won't
turn brown.
**Try them using Nutella instead of the
peanut butter.
6
B‖H
Compiled by Anna Ashurov W A Y S T O C E L E B R A T E
Listen Up!
Head to your synagogue and get
the whole Megillah. The Megillah,
a.k.a. "The Book of Esther," is the
scroll that tells the Purim story. Listen
to the public reading twice: once
Purim Night and again on Purim
Day. This year, that's Saturday night,
March 19, and Purim day, March
20, 2011. Pay attention—it is crucial
to hear every word.
When Haman's name is mentioned in the reading, chil-
dren twirl graggers (noisemakers) and adults stamp their
feet to eradicate his evil name. Tell your kids that Purim
is the only time when it's a mitzvah to make noise!
Show Some Care
One of Purim's primary themes is
Jewish unity. Haman tried to kill
us all, we were all in danger to-
gether, so we celebrate to-
gether, too. Hence, on Purim
day we place special emphasis
on caring for the less fortunate.
Give money or food, "matanot la'evyonim," to at least
two needy people during the daylight hours of Purim. In
case you can't find any needy people, your synagogue
will likely be collecting money for this purpose. At least,
place two coins in a charity box earmarked for the
poor.
On Purim we give a donation to whoever asks; we don't
first ask to check the person's bank statement. As with
the other mitzvot of Purim, even
small children should fulfill this mitz-
vah.
Say It with Food
Giving Mishloach Manot
On Purim we emphasize the impor-
tance of friendship and community
by sending gifts of food, mishloach
manot, to friends.
Send a package containing at
least two different ready-to-eat
food items and/or beverages (e.g.,
pastry, fruit, beverage), to at least
one Jewish acquaintance during
the daylight hours of Purim. Men send to men and
women to women.
It is preferable that the gifts are delivered via a third
party. Children, in addition to sending their own gifts of
food to their friends, make enthusiastic messengers.
Feast!
Last but certainly not least, during
the course of Purim day, gather
your family, maybe invite a guest
or two, and celebrate with a fes-
tive Purim meal. Traditionally, this
meal begins before sundown and
lasts well into the evening.
The table should be festively be-
decked with nice tablecloth and candles. Wash for
bread or challah, and enjoy a meal featuring meat,
wine, and plenty of Jewish songs, words of Torah, and
joyous Purim spirit. Sing, laugh, have fun together.
Be Grateful
On Purim, we include the brief
V'al Hanissim section in all the
day's prayers, as well as in the
day's Grace after Meals. This
prayer describes the Purim
story and thanks G‑d for the
"miracles, redemptions, mighty deeds, saving acts and
wonders" that He wrought for our ancestors on this day
many years ago.
In the morning service there is a special Torah reading
(Exodus 17:8-16), describing the battle Joshua waged
against Amalek – Haman's ancestral nation – almost
one thousand years before the Purim events unfolded.
Masquerade
On Purim, children, and some ad-
venturous adults, too, traditionally
masquerade—an allusion to G‑-
d's hand in the Purim miracle,
which was disguised by natural
events. Make sure your children
dress up as good, cheerful char-
acters, such as Mordechai and
Esther.
Dress up your kids before taking them to the syna-
gogue for the Megillah reading. Many synagogues
have a masquerade party along with prizes for the
children during or after the Megillah reading.
Information is reprinted from chabad.org
and its Purim holiday wizard.
7
H O M E M A D E C O S T U M E I D E A S By Irene Gabo
B‖H
Here are some inexpensive and simple no-sew Purim
costumes that anyone can make with the supplies you
probably have lying around your house already. It's
easy and it's fun - and no matter how it turns out, you
can be proud of your efforts!
Flower Garden:
Cut out large flower petals from different
colored sheets of posterboard. Using a
hot glue gun, attach them to a dime
store headband. Then cut out large
leaves from green posterboard. Pin
them to your child's clothing - preferably
green leggings and a green turtleneck.
You can dress up all your children as dif-
ferent flowers, and then you or your
spouse can go as their gardener. Just don some gar-
dening gloves and work clothes, and carry a watering
can. What a cute way to watch your garden grow!
Ladybug:
Dress your child in a black
turtleneck and leggings.
Cut wing shapes out of red
posterboard and then cut
small circles (try tracing a
glass for the right size) from
black posterboard, which
you glue onto the wings.
Punch two holes at the top of each wing and thread
some black twine through them, knotting them over
your child's shoulders, backpack style. Then use two
black pipe cleaners to make antennae. Either twirl the
ends or attach a black or red pom pom to the end.
Wrap the unadorned end of the pipe cleaner around a
dime store headband and place on your child's head.
What a happy little bug!
Oreo Cookie:
Using black posterboard, cut out two cir-
cles large enough to cover the area from
your child's shoulders to his or her knees.
Dress your child in all white, to represent
the filling. Then attach the circles to your
child backpack style, with ribbon, twine
or lanyard. If you want to dress up your
whole family in this theme, try making one a chocolate
chip cookie, one a snickerdoodle, etc. Just use different
colored paper, glitter, markers, paint or felt to create
the decorations. You can even go dressed as their
baker, just slip on an apron and a chef's hat, and carry
a wooden spoon. What a yummy family!
Paradox a.k.a Pair of docs
This is a great ironic idea for two of
your older kids. Suggest that they
dress in scrubs, which you can usually
borrow if you don't already have at
home. Make them a little stetho-
scope out of pipe cleaners - or raid
your younger children's toy box. Just
be sure that they stick together as a
pair, so when people ask them what
they are dressed as, they can an-
swer, in unison: "A Paradox [Pair a docs]!"
Here are some Purim Costumes You
Can Make out of a Cardboard Box
(taken from chabad.org): Start by
cutting a hole in the box for your
child‘s head. Or, if the box is smaller,
then you‘ll attach straps to the edges
of the box when the costume is com-
pleted (like suspenders) and fit them
over your child‘s shoulders. Also, cut
armholes if you aren‘t doing the sus-
pender method. Then you‘re ready to get started. All
of these outfits fit perfectly over leggings and a long-
sleeved shirt (or jacket).
Tzedakah (Charity) Box—Cut holes in the box for the
child‘s arms and head. Wrap the entire box in silver
wrapping paper. Write ―Tzedakah‖ on the front in Eng-
lish or Hebrew with a Sharpie marker. Make ―coins‖ out
of gold paper and glue them on the front for extra em-
phasis.
Box of Cereal—Does your child have a favorite cereal?
Fruit Loops, Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs? Any box of cereal
can be painted onto a cardboard box and turned into
a costume.
Computer Monitor—Spray-paint the box gray. After it
dries, paint a white screen on the front of the monitor.
Of course, you can have fun decorating the screen
with your favorite website, or print a screen from your
favorite website and glue it onto the box for a more
realistic look.
Robot—Spray-paint the box gray or silver. Then, after
the paint dries, find a mish-mash of nuts and bolts and
glue them to the box. You may also create attach-
ments from aluminum foil, dryer vents, duct tape, or
whatever you have lying around the house.
A Wrapped Gift—Wrap the entire box in gift wrap
(whatever kind you like the best) and stick a bow on
your child‘s head.
We hope you find these useful. Most importantly, do
not forget to have fun with it! Happy Purim!
8
by Anna Ashurov
VITALY GANOPOLSKY is the father of two boys at Mazel
and is the only father serving on the board of the
school‘s PTA. He was born in Odessa, Ukraine and immi-
grated to the United States in 1992. He resides in
Sheepshead Bay with his family: his wife Nelly, his daugh-
ter Elana (23), and sons, Daniel (10) and Ariel (7) – stu-
dents at Mazel. Vitaly has a Civil Engineering degree
from Odessa, as well as from PRATT Institute in New York.
By profession he‘s an architect, but he also has a passion
for various causes, mainly causes supporting Jewish cul-
ture and traditions. He is a member of the Jewish Com-
munity House of Bensonhurst Synagogue and a board
member of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Ben-
sonhurst (COJO).
We met with Vitaly to learn more about his background
as well as his experience at Mazel and its PTA board.
Let us begin with the discussions about PTA. It is not a
secret that it is usually mothers who are involved in their
kids’ education and fathers usually ―guide‖ and
―approve‖ – or in other words, nod in agreement. Why
did you decide to get involved?
It felt almost natural to be involved. I volunteer a lot,
including some of my involvement with Jewish
community organizations, and it goes without a question
that spending time for the benefit of my children‘s friends
and school community is time well spent. I joined with
the hope to positively influence my children‘s
educational experience.
How is it being the only male on the PTA? Would you
suggest fathers should get actively involved in school
activities?
I will be honest with you – it‘s tough! However, I wouldn‘t
suggest that fathers should get involved, because I do
not want to lose my ―unique‖ status.
(Laugh…) That is fair. About Mazel – what do you value
most about the school and its environment?
More liberal (in a good sense of the word) environment,
educational flexibility, Russian Language. I also
appreciate the fact that the school has small classes,
with more attentive teachers that do not stretch
themselves thin and are able to spend as much time as
needed with children. Kids are also of similar
backgrounds, which makes it easy to make friends.
Tell us a little more about yourself.
Have you always dreamt of becom-
ing an architect?
I always wanted to be an architect.
Being strong in math and having
passion for graphic art did the trick.
I can honestly say that I enjoy my
profession.
What do you do in your leisure time?
I love reading. In my leisure time (as rare as it is), I read
detective books.
Tell us an interesting fact about you – something most of
us don’t know?
During my tenure with New York City Transit I was a
member of the design team for Stillwell Avenue Terminal
in Brooklyn, for which I received the Circle of Design
Excellence Award in 2004. The cost for the project
totaled two hundred and seventy five (275) million
dollars and it took us about five years to finish the design
and construction. It was an amazing experience.
Every month we will publish
business cards of the parents
that wish to advertise their
services. If you wish to ad-
vertise in the future issues,
please do not hesitate to
contact the Editorial Staff at
This month we feature:
MILANA FELDMAN (Etelle
and Dovid Moshe‘s mom) at
Zori‘s Fashion women‘s wear
SHARONA SILVA
(Daniella‘s mom), makeup
artist and creator of high-
end skincare products
PARENT SPOTLIGHT
P A R E N T I N T E R V I E W
B‖H
9
E D I T O R ’ S C O R N E R
B‖H
―Yeladim Yard‖ project. Remember that all donations are
tax deductible.
The area is ready for the blacktop and we are only $5,000
short to get that phase of the project completed. We would
like this work started as soon as possible and hope that we
can at least raise that amount by the end of March so that
our children can have a large open space to play in.
Please spread the word to your friends, coworkers,
neighbors and other community member so help make this
happen!
The ―Yeladim Yard‖ project also provides a unique oppor-
tunity to permanently link a donor's family name, or hon-
ored name, with a worthy cause. The Campaign offers the
following named gift opportunities ranging from a specific
play area to entire play yard.
Play Yard | $20,000
The Yeladim Play Yard will feature numerous outdoor
activities for children. It will be a place where they can run,
play, climb, jump and have fun!
Garden | $5,000
The garden will provide for children their very own natural
oasis right in the heart of Mazel Day School. Children will
plant and care for the garden while learning and exploring
their environment. This hands-on garden area will present
a fun but educational approach to the natural world.
Mural | $3,000
A wall mural will provide children with friendly and fun im-
ages of their favorite story-time heroes, animals and activi-
ties to stimulate their imagination and love for learning.
Shade Tree | $2,000
A single tree trunk surrounded by seating will provide chil-
dren with natural setting and allow for imaginative play,
social gatherings, resting spot and many other wonderful
activities.
Ball Zone | $2,000
The ball is rarely seen on playgrounds anymore, yet is a tre-
mendously positive developmental activity for children of
many ages and stages of development; this is destined to
be a popular location in the play ground.
Toys and Toy Shed | $1,500
What‘s a play yard without toys? Put your family name on
the shed that will hold the toys for all the children to enjoy.
Hand Print | $500
What a great way to support the cause and memorialize
your family name with a hand print the play yard wall.
Thank You and Kind Regards,
Mazel Parents Association
PA—YELADIM PLAY YARD PROJECT Dear Mazel Parents, Community Members and Friends,
We are very happy to share with you the new develop-
ments for our ―Yeladim Yard‖ project.
You may have noticed that the old run-down house where
the play yard used to be has been demolished and now we
have a great big space for the new and improved
―Yeladim Yard.‖ We have the opportunity to make this new
yard space beautiful, enjoyable and fun for our kids.
The new ―Yeladim Yard‖ will feature play areas as well as a
garden and rest area. It will be a special place for our
children to discover and explore the natural world and
experience through creative and imaginative play.
So far we have received great support from Mazel Parents
and their families and friends and raised around $32,000.
The total project cost is $51,000. We have collected 63% to
make the play yard for our children and this is a great
accomplishment! Special thanks to all those who have con-
tributed thus far. Below is the itemized list of expenses
associated with the project:
As you can see our estimated costs have increased by
about $11,000. The increase is primarily due to increase in
the amount of space that we will need to cover with the
blacktop, initially we were only going to cover the area
where the old house stood, however after the demolition
we decided that it makes sense to cover the entire area
with new blacktop. In addition we decided to add
additional features such as picnic tables, shed for toys,
basketball hoops and murals to name a few.
We need everyone‘s help (without exception!) to cover
$19,000 or 37% of the cost. Remember--- every dollar
makes a difference - especially at this point, when we are
so close to our goal. Whether you can contribute $25 or
$20,000, we are counting on you for your support! For your
convenience, you can donate online at
www.mazeldayschool.com . Don't forget to choose the
10
By Alla Vasserman
B‖H
Interview with Nechama Dena Bergstein,
Fourth/Fifth Grade Teacher (General Studies)
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
My name is Nechama Dena Bergstein, and this my
econd year here at Mazel. I grew up in Farmington Hills,
Michigan, a quiet suburb near Detroit. I began
teaching when I was quite young, and still in High School,
believe it or not. I taught a
Kindergarten class every Sunday in my junior and senior
years, which made an easy choice to then enroll in an
intensive Teacher‘s Seminary in Israel after graduating. I
attended Beth Chana Teacher‘s Seminary for two years
in a track for Early Childhood and earned a Certificate
for Teachers in the Diaspora. My diverse exposure to
many types of classroom models - ranging from
Traditional to ―Democratic‖, in religious as well as secular
settings throughout Northern Israel - formed a unique
foundation for my continuing education.
I‘ve taught a variety of ages and subjects in Preschool,
Primary, and Elementary School across the Judaic and
Secular curriculums in both English and Yiddish. I‘ve
taught in regular-education settings as well as in a
Resource Room setting. I‘m a Touro College graduate
with a dual major in Education and Psychology. I find
these fields intertwined: understand your students better,
and they will learn better! Aside from teaching, I love to
read and draw. I‘ve illustrated a children‘s Yiddish book,
as well as illustrated two covers of children‘s CDs.
What are you currently reading and how do you select
your books?
I‘m currently reading a very moving book called Serena,
about a Jewish girl who was abducted by nuns in the
early 1900s in Krakow, Poland. It describes her family‘s
fight to find her and return her to her Jewish faith. I‘ve
been reading Decision Points by former President G.W.
Bush which is fascinating to me; it gives a real behind-the
-scenes on presidential decision making. My book
selections usually involve a recommendation by friends
or family, or a specific interest at the time. Sometimes
after reading one book, it will lead to another by the
same author, or a book that somehow connects to the
other. For example, I was reading books about Yiddish
Language, which inevitably led to Jewish Humor, which
led to the Psychology behind the humor… and, of
course, to Jewish Folk Tales, and then rabbinic stories
from the Talmud.
What is your favorite activity with the students in your
class?
I have a couple of favorite activities in class, so that‘s a
tough question! One of my favorites is
our Book Discussion Group. We are
reading The Jacket by Andrew
Clements and much like in an adult
Book-Club we analyze and discuss our
impressions of the book
together. A major theme in this book is
prejudice, and this has opened an in-
teresting discussion in our classroom.
Another favorite is our Friday Index Card activity: every-
one chooses a random name of a classmate, and then
writes a couple of compliments to their friend. That puts
a smile on everyone‘s face!
Fourth grade is the last one offered by the school so far.
Keeping this in mind, what is your goal as a teacher at
the moment?
My goal remains the same whether the students stay on
or move elsewhere for Middle School: to provide them
with a sound, solid, and well-rounded education that
will enable them to succeed wherever they choose to
be. That includes strong reading, writing, math, and
science concepts and skills.
What is a basic structure of class preparations for the
State exams?
Preparation for State Exams is built in to the curriculum
by looking at the concepts and skills that are expected
for this age level and then including them in the
teaching material; In other words, it affects the choices
we make as to which chapters to concentrate on,
which workbooks to use, and which skills to focus on.
The test style is practiced using prep-books with tests
from previous years.
We will often use the questions as a means to review a
specific subject-area. For example, after completing our
Unit on the Water Cycle, we answered the
corresponding questions in the State Science
prep-books.
As you know, some of your students’ parents choose
public middle schools. How do you think they may
keep and develop their children’s Judaic education?
I believe the choice of sending a child to Mazel shows a
parent‘s commitment to engraining his/her child with a
strong Jewish identity, along with the desire for quality
education. In Mazel we aim to build a foundation of
Jewish awareness, tradition, and values. The culture and
environment parents create at home, and the school
choice and extracurricular choices they make in the
future will inevitably direct the continued path of their
T E A C H E R I N T E R V I E W
11
T E A C H E R I N T E R V I E W by Alla Vassernan
B‖H
children‘s Jewish Education. Brooklyn (and the NYC area
in general) has so many Jewish educational opportuni-
ties: Day Schools, after-school programs and clubs, Jew-
ish summer camps, etc.
What are the greatest challenges for 4th Graders and
how can we as parents help them overcome?
One of the greatest challenges for Fourth Graders is
critical reading of non-fiction texts. A great way to
exercise this is by reading to them as well as providing
reading experiences in informal, relaxed ways. Showing
that we adults are readers, too, can help cultivate a
―reading culture‖ at home. Value books and they will,
too! We all read news articles, current events, interesting
news tidbits that are worthy of sharing; Dinner time, car
rides, walks to the bus, or whatever time works for you
can become opportunities to discuss what you‘ve read.
Use vocabulary words that will make them curious and
ask questions! I‘ll never forget some great vocabulary
words one of my favorite teachers used because we got
such a thrill out of it!
Take trips to the library to research an area that you
notice interests your child; Modern inventions, space,
cars, early inventors, and famous historical figures are
often high-interest areas. Children naturally want
information and if given the opportunity will readily
absorb it. We need to take the stress out of non-fiction
reading comprehension. These activities can become
leisurely, everyday experiences.
What is the most challenging part in the transitioning
between new schools, between elementary and middle
schools? Do you prepare your students for this transition
and if yes, how?
Transitioning to a new school is a critical time for children.
I believe the challenge depends on the type of child; for
some children the academics may be slightly different
while for others it‘s the new environment that throws
them off. Academically we are competitive and on-par
with our counter-parts, so it would simply be a matter of
getting used to. In regard to the social challenge: In
Mazel we have a strong focus on social-emotional skills
that explores appropriate behaviors and interactions. We
also cultivate a warm and safe atmosphere where
children learn to see themselves as team-players, and as
active members of the class. Our class slogan is ―Good
Friends Work Together to Be Great Students‖. It is with this
foundation that we send them off to their next schooling
stage, and hope that we‘ve given them the confidence
and resiliency to make a smooth transition.
What do you value most about Mazel?
I value the positive working atmosphere and the bal-
anced outlook on education; I think there is a healthy
blend of traditional and progressive styles. The curricu-
lum is current, and is constantly monitored and reevalu-
ated for relevancy. There is also a low student-teacher
ratio which really allows the teacher to discern individ-
ual learning styles and cater to their needs.
What do you think might be challenging for your stu-
dents in Yeshiva Schools? Most Yeshivas have separate
boys and girls classes. What is your opinion about divid-
ing classes by gender?
As mentioned, we attempt to prepare Mazel Students
to succeed in the school of their choice, which may in-
clude Yeshiva schools as well. Many traditional Yeshiva
schools have separate boys and girls programs, while
some do not; this obviously is a choice that can be
made with your child‘s input. My personal feeling is that
at the middle-school stage, separate classes is advanta-
geous for both social-emotional and academic reasons.
I believe separate classes can help maintain environ-
ments that are uniquely catered to gender-specific
needs/styles. We‘ve been conditioned by modern cul-
ture to believe that ―separate but equal‖ is a bad thing.
I say unique and equal is great! We can give girls and
boys equal opportunities while developing their G-d-
given, distinctive makeup.
Would you encourage parents to keep in touch with you
after their children’s graduation from Mazel?
Absolutely! I‘d love to hear how my students are doing
in their new schools and be available to help if needed.
My greatest ―nachas‖ is hearing from my old students!
How do you motivate your students to read more?
We have a year-long Official Book Challenge in our
class, to read as many books as we can from our class
library. The students are recognized for their achieve-
ments in our ―Reader‘s Hall of Fame‖ and earn great
prizes along the way. Students who reach the 25-book
mark will be rewarded and recognized with an person-
alized trophy. Readers write reviews on the books
they‘ve read, and make recommendations to their
classmates. This creates dialogue in the classroom, a
―reader‘s atmosphere‖ in which book choices, genres,
and authors become an important topic of discussion
between students.
What do you wish for your graduates?
I wish the graduates the best of continued success in all
their future endeavors. I have great confidence in my
students that they will achieve great things!
12
SP
EC
IAL TH
AN
KS
W E A P P R E C I A T E I T . . .
B‖H
MAZEL DAY SCHOOL 2901 - 2915 Brighton 6th St
Brooklyn, NY 11235
Phone: 718-368-4490
E-mail:
We’re on the web!
www.mazeldayschool.com
QUALITY RUSSIAN-JEWISH
PRIVATE SCHOOL
CARTOON OF THE MONTH A special note of appreciation to those parents who made gift dona-
tions to school over the past month… The Greenwald family (Pre-
Nursery) donated a toy set to the class pretend kitchen area in honor
of Yakira and Estee's birthday… the Gabo family donated books to the
Nursery… the Goldsteyn family (Pre-K) donated an Alef Beis game in
honor of Noson‘s birthday… the Tokarsky family (Pre-K) donated
books… the Permyak family (First Grade) made a contribution for
books in honor of Daniel's birthday… the Zarkh family (First Grade) do-
nated toys and puzzles… the Oz family donated books to the Kinder-
garten, as well as, in honor of Shira‘s birthday, books to the Second
Grade. In addition, lots and lots of books were donated to ALL
CLASSES through the book sale! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Whether you want to give a gift to your child's class in honor of his/her
birthday or just because... check out your class's online wish list of care-
fully selected items that will be greatly appreciated and used by your
child's teachers.
MO
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IN P
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FEBRUARY LITERACY MONTH
AN
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Y V
ISITIN
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G LITE
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From a Visiting Author to Trips to the Library… From buying our
own books at the Book Fair to having our parents visit our class
for read-aloud… in this month, we‘ve fallen in love with reading!