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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

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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

marco@torencondo.com, 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

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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.

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K I D S ’ F A V O R I T E S Compiled by Alla Vasserman

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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.

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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.

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H O M E M A D E C O S T U M E I D E A S By Irene Gabo

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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

mazelnewsletter@gmail.com.

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!

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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:

mazelnewsletter@gmail.com

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.

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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!