Volume 10 Number 79
Produced: Wed Dec 22 23:13:47 1993
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Bontsche Schveig
[Mike Gerver]
Censorship
[Sue Kahana]
Maariv before tzais hakochavim and lighting Chanuka candles
[Yechiel Pisem]
Pollard & Pidyon Shvuyim
[Yisrael Medad]
School Curricula (2)
[Yapha Schochet, Aryeh Blaut]
Shmonat Y'mei Hanuka (2)
[Gedalyah Berger, Rick Turkel]
Talmud on CD-ROM
[Moises Haor]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: <GERVER@...> (Mike Gerver)
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 1:17:34 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Bontsche Schveig
The story was written by I. L. Peretz. An English translation appears in
"A Treasury of Yiddish Stories", edited by Irving Howe and Eliezer Greenberg
(Viking Press, 1954).
Mike Gerver, <gerver@...>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Sue Kahana <SUE%<HADASSAH@...>
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 93 09:03 JST
Subject: Censorship
I decided to put my two cents into this one, since the same kids that
Najman wrote about are mine too, and we both feel very strongly on the
topic.
On December 20 or so, the lights go up in Beth Lechem, and as we drive
through on our way to Jerusalem, we see them, and discuss the fact that
this is a sign of a holiday, and that there are three Different
Christmases celeb- rated in Bet Lechem, because of the different
Christian sects. We also explain what the holiday means to them, and
that it's nice to see the lights, but it's unconnected to us.
The Pinocchio was a totally different story. In that video, the USE of
a crucifix solved a problem, and the message was clearly that the only
way out of the dangerous situation was holding up this (to me) pagan
symbol. That is NOT a message that I want my children to get!!
The censorship of children's TV viewing is a general one, I don't let
them see violent junk either. But, the idea of not letting them see
what to us is missionary material is even more important.
We were simply shocked that a video which had been translated to speak
Hebrew for Jewish kids in Israel, was so different from what it would be
expected to be.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Yechiel Pisem <ypisem@...>
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 93 19:03:15 -0500
Subject: Re: Maariv before tzais hakochavim and lighting Chanuka candles
[Mazal Tov Yechiel, on your Bar Mitzva! Mod.]
If one davens maariv before tzais hakochavim, is it then the next day
for purposes of chanuka candles etc? I think it is but as usual no
answers are halacha lemaaseh around here!
Remember today is my Bar Mitzvah day so this is my age and that is why I post
such questions!
Yechiel Pisem
(the IY"H future Talmid Chochom)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: MEDAD%<ILNCRD@...> (Yisrael Medad)
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 93 05:07:54 -0500
Subject: Pollard & Pidyon Shvuyim
Further to V10 No70:
In October this year, over 25 of the major Roshei Yeshivot and Morei
Halacha (Instructers of the Halacha) issued a plea to all Jews
everywhere to work on behalf of Jonathan Jay Pollard within the
framework of Pidyon Shvuyim after carefully studying the issue for over
a year. When I was in the States I saw a copy of the poster that was
distributed to all the synagogues and I'm sure it was published as a
full page add in the Jewish Press during that month.
Yisrael Medad
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Yapha Schochet <YAPHA@...>
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 93 05:07:57 -0500
Subject: School Curricula
In v.10 #73 Pinchas Edelson reposted a query from Joel Seiferas for
information on day school curricula. The Pedagogic Center of the Melton
Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora at the Hebrew University has
a large collection of texbooks, journals, videos and other audiovisual
materials as well as teacher's guides and information about Jewish
education, including curricula. The catalog of the Pedagogic Center is
available on-line together with that of the Central Education Library.
Many gophers and other servers offer access to the ALEPH system
libraries in Israel. You can also telnet to ALEPH.huji.ac.il.
Select the Central Education Library with the command: LB/ZF.JED
I recommend that anyone interested in day school curricula look it up under
the subject: SH/JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS-CURRICULA or SH/JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS-CURRICULA
-UNITED STATES.
I hope this information will prove helpful.
Yapha Schochet
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Aryeh Blaut <ny000592@...>
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 93 03:13:35 -0500
Subject: Re: School Curricula
>The matter of school curricula came up here briefly on mj in v6.
Being new to this e-mail system, I am not sure of the origins of this topic.
I came to Seattle, Washington in 1992 as a 4th grade Rebbe. The
following summer, the school created a position (filled by a long time
teacher at the school (who is also a graduate of the school) and myself.
This position is that of Judaic Cooridinators. She handles preschool
through 3rd grade 1/2 of the day (and teaches 1st the other 1/2) and I
handle grades 4-8 for 1/2 of the day, and teach 4th grade the other
half.
Our first job (before our contract went into effect) was to research
other curriculums and write one of our own. (The general studies staff
also received a new director, and also had to write a curriculum.)
We published (after hours of work) what we call a working curriculum.
This means we came up with guide lines in a vaccumn. Now we are
receiving teacher feedback as to the workings of the curriculum. We
gleaned from several different curriculums as well winged it here and
there.
Do we have compitition? Yes, there is another day school in Seattle.
No, we do not view ourselves in compition with them because we serve
different people. Do we realize that we have a heyuv (obligation) to
supply the best education in all areas as possible -- you better believe
it.
One other note on the topic of curriculum -- it is my firm believe that
the only curriculum for another school is the one written for that
school. The different factors involved in a school day: are the classes
mixed (boys/girls; strong/weak; etc.), how long is each class, class
size, etc. will cause part of one curriculum to be good or bad depending
upon the school.
If I can be of any help to anybody on this topic, please feel free to
contact me either by mail c/o SHA; 1617 Interlaken Drive E; Seattle, WA
98112 (206) 323-5750 or fax (206) 323-5779. At the moment, my e-mail
address is <ny000592@...>
Rabbi Aryeh Blaut
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Gedalyah Berger <gberger@...>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 93 11:34:54 -0500
Subject: Re: Shmonat Y'mei Hanuka
In #68, Eric and Cheryl Mack asked:
>
> In "hanerot halalu", we say "shmonat y'mai hanuka".Why is it
> not "shmona (shmone?) y'mai hanuka"?
Well, it's something like this: In Hebrew, numbers can be both nouns and
adjectives, unlike in English where they are always adjectives. In
other words "sheloshah" can mean either "three" or "a threesome." In
normal circumstances, numbers are understood as adjectives, e.g. "three
candles" is "sheloshah nerot." (Note, though, that while normal
adjectives in Hebrew are placed after the noun that they modify, numbers
are placed before it.) But, when the noun is definite, for some reason the
number itself changes into a noun; hence "the three candles" is
"sheloshet hanerot," which really means "the threesome of candles." The
"...et" ending is a semichut, or construct form; it basically means
"of."
Now, the final confusing piece. When a noun is in semichut, it does not
get a hei hayedi`ah even though it is definite. Note that, e.g., Medinat
Yisrael, means THE State of Israel, not A state of Israel, even though
it's not "Hamedinat." Same goes for the word "yemei," which means "THE
days of..." ("...ei" is the masculine semichut ending). So, since it is a
definite noun, the number which comes before it becomes a noun instead of an
adjective. That's how we get "shemonat yemei Chanukkah" - "the eight-some (?)
of days of Chanukkah."
Gedalyah Berger
Yeshiva College
[Related responses explaining "semichut" came from:
Benjamin Svetitsky <bqs@...>
Aryeh Blaut <ny000592@...>
Mod.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: <rmt51@...> (Rick Turkel)
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 93 09:46:23 EST
Subject: Re: Shmonat Y'mei Hanuka
In this context, 'shmonah (masc., but not shmoneh, fem.) yemei' would
also be correct. 'Shmonat yemei' is a smichut, or genitive
construction, meaning 'all _of_ the eight days of chanukah,' and is a
somewhat literary form which is rarely encountered in everyday spoken
Hebrew except for certain fixed phrases. It is similar to that found in
'shiv`at haminim' (the seven food species mentioned in the report of the
returning spies), or 'sheloshet yemei hagbala' (the three days of
demarcation, before Shavuot), or 'milchemet sheshet hayamim' (the
Six-Day War).
Rick Turkel (___ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ ___
(<rmt51@...>) ) | | \ ) |/ \ | | | \_) |
Rich or poor, / | _| __)/ | __) | ___|_ | _( \ |
it's good to have money. Ko rano rani, | u jamu pada.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: <mhaor@...> (Moises Haor)
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 93 21:53:37 -0500
Subject: Talmud on CD-ROM
Shalom from Venezuela !
I tried to contact kabbalah software by email, but got no response
yet.
Do anyone uses their Talmud on CD-ROM? Any comments? I even
heard that they will include the soncino translation...have they
finished it ?
Moise Haor
ps. Yes, Haor = The light
----------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Volume 10 Issue 79
