Maimonides School
Encyclopedia
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| Established | 1937 |
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| School type | Private Private school Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory... |
| Staff | |
| Executive Director | Nathan Katz |
| MS/US Judaic Studies Principal | Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe |
| MS/US General Studies Principal | Judy Boroschek |
| MS/US Assistant Principal | Rabbi Dov Huff |
| MS Director | Brian Cohen |
| ES Principal | Rabbi David Saltzman |
| ES Associate Principal | Ms. Reena Slovin |
| Student Council Presidents | Batya Franklin, Elan Baskir, and Betzalel Kosowsky-Sachs |
| Total Faculty | 109 |
| Total Students | 578 |
| Religious affiliation | Modern Orthodox Judaism Modern Orthodox Judaism Modern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world.... |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Location | 34 Philbrick Road or 2 Clark Road Brookline, MA 02445 |
| Website | Maimonides.org |
Maimonides School (Hebrew: ישיבת רמב"ם) is a coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al, Modern Orthodox
Modern Orthodox Judaism
Modern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world....
, Jewish day school
Jewish day school
A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide Jewish children with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full time basis, hence its name of "day school" meaning a school that the students attend for an entire day and not on a part time...
located in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
. The school was founded in 1937 by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
Joseph Soloveitchik
Joseph Ber Soloveitchik was an American Orthodox rabbi, Talmudist and modern Jewish philosopher. He was a descendant of the Lithuanian Jewish Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty....
and his wife Tonya Soloveitchik. It is named after Rabbi Moses Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
.
Today, Maimonides is a world-renowned Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
institution with approximately 600 students from kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through grade twelve
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
and over 1,700 alumni, including multiple Rhodes Scholars, prominent professors, scientists and business leaders. About 200 of them are living in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Student body
The vast majority of Maimonides students come from one of three communities: BrooklineBrookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
, Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
and Sharon
Sharon, Massachusetts
Sharon is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,612 at the 2010 census. Sharon is part of Greater Boston, about 17 miles southwest of downtown Boston....
. Other communities, such as Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Marblehead
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
, Malden
Malden, Massachusetts
Malden is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,450 at the 2010 census. In 2009 Malden was ranked as the "Best Place to Raise Your Kids" in Massachusetts by Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine.-History:...
, Portland, ME, Lexington
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
, Bedford
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, Lynn and Natick
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
are also represented in the student body. Also, several exchange students from Europe, specifically Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, have joined the school in recent years.
Campus
Maimonides School currently is situated on a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) campus in central Brookline, and is housed in two buildings.Saval building
The Saval campus, named after Maurice Saval, a longtime school Chairman and benefactor, is the larger and the older of the two buildings. The Saval building houses the middle school (grades six though eight), upper school (grades nine through twelve), business office, and other administrative offices. Other features of the Saval building are the Judge J. John Fox gymnasium with indoor basketball court, S. Joseph Solomont SynagogueSynagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, 22,000 volume Levy library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and Bet Midrash (house of religious Judaic study), two laboratories, a student lounge, and additional office and study space. The inner courtyard includes a SprinTurf playing surface for touch football and soccer. The Esther Edelman Learning Center has undergone a cosmetic upgrade with new furniture, computers, air-conditioning and thermal pane windows. The middle school level includes the Study Zone, a nurse's office, an art room, a science lab and a social worker's office.
Brener building
The elementary school is housed in the Brener building, which is across the street from the Saval building and was built in 1998. In addition to classrooms, the building contains a lunchroom, small gym, music room, art room, admissions office, and library. Grades K - 5 also have their own playground for recess.The Brener building is named for Leonard Brener, noted philanthropist (to Maimonides and the Perkins School for the Blind among other worthy educational causes). A decorated detective with the Boston Police Department, Mr. Brener was known affectionately as 'Brennan' to his (mostly Irish) coworkers. After his retirement from law enforcement, he became a financial advisor, achieving the rank of Senior Vice President with Dean Whitter Reynolds. In addition to the Brener building itself, Mr. Brener donated the art room on the Saval campus in memory of his sister.
Current clubs and activities
The following is an incomplete list of different middle and upper school student-run clubs and organizations, and other extracurricular activities (listed alphabetically):- Mock trialMock trialA Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
- The 2009 team was the most successful team in Maimonides history by far, winning the state championship and receiving an invitation to attend the National Championships in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. The only previous time the team had qualified for the Massachusetts State Tournament was a Sweet 16 finish in 2006. The 2010 team also reached the Sweet 16.- Troop 54, Boy Scouts of America
- ChessedCommunity serviceCommunity service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
Committee - Chidon Hatanach (National Bible Contest)- Menachem Shindler, the 2009 North American Champion, won 2nd in the Diaspora and 5th in the World contests in the Yom Haatzmaut Chidon HaTanach HaOlami contest. Alexander Kahan was the 2010 North American Champion, competed in the 2011 Chidon HaTanach HaOlami contest. Past Chidon Hatanach champions from Maimonides include Yechiel Robinson and Yochanan Stein.
- David Project Club
- Drama Club (produces annual high school dramaDramaDrama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
production - http://www.freewebs.com/maimonidesdramaclub) - Girls' Choir (Kol Isha)
- JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
BandBand (music)In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band... - Junior Achievement: Titan
- The 2006 Co-state-champion Titan team placed fourth in the northeast, and thirteenth nationally.
- Literary Magazine (The Current)
- Has won several awards in the past, noted for its creativity in original music pieces, photography, poetry, and short stories.
- School Newspaper (Spectrum)
- Published on the last day of every month, the Spectrum contains school news, world news, sports, entertainment, and opinion sections. The Spectrum is now online at http://www.maimonidespectrum.com.
- The Weekly Briefing
- "The Weekly Briefing" is a weekly newspaper containing articles about various news stories pertaining to the last week's worth of current events. The paper also posts the weekly schedule and events, a list of student birthdays, puzzles and trivia. It is posted every week.
- Math team
- The 2006 team won second place in their division in the New England region.
- MAC (Math Appreciation Club)
- Mayim Achronim (Torah Journal)
- Short essays from students, teachers, and alumni on Torah subjects. Published at the end of Fall and Spring semester.
- Model United NationsModel United NationsModel United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
- RecyclingRecyclingRecycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
Club - Soup kitchenSoup kitchenA soup kitchen, a bread line, or a meal center is a place where food is offered to the hungry for free or at a reasonably low price. Frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods, they are often staffed by volunteer organizations, such as church groups or community groups...
- Student CouncilStudent councilStudent council is a curricular or extra-curricular activity for students within elementary and secondary schools around the world. Present in most public and private K-12 school systems across the United States, Canada and Australia these bodies are alternatively entitled student council, student...
- YearbookYearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
(Halapid) - Mishmar Talmud
- Model United Nations
- Once taught by Rabbi Dovid Shapiro, now taught by principal Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe. Each Thursday night following the days worth of classes, high school students are invited to learn extra gemara. In 2010, the group studied masechet Sanhedrin.
- Boys Choir-- "Kol Dodi Dofek"
Athletics
Maimonides is a member of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic AssociationMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , comprising 365 high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is an organization that sponsors activities in more than thirty sports. The MIAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules...
. Interscholastic sports include basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, and tennis. The school's teams are named the M-Cats. In November 2010, the school's athletic teams received the MIAA Sportsmanship Award in recognition of their good sportsmanship.
Boys teams
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
(VarsityVarsity teamIn the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
and Junior Varsity - Division III North) - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(Varsity, Junior VarsityJunior varsityPrimarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...
and Middle School - Division IV North) - IntramuralIntramural sportsIntramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
HockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:... - Soccer (Varsity - Division III North)
Girls teams
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(Varsity, Junior Varsity and Middle School - Division IV North) - IntramuralIntramural sportsIntramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
HockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:... - Soccer (Varsity - Division III North)
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
(Varsity - Division III North) - VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
(Varsity - Division III North)
Students versus faculty
Faculty Basketball Game
This game is a longstanding tradition that matches the male members of the senior class against the male faculty in a game of basketball, proceeds from which are donated to charity. The 2008 game was particularly exciting, as the seniors raced back from a large deficit to tie and win the game in the last few minutes. In 2009 the faculty won the game for the first time ever, only to lose again by one point in 2010.Annual Gala
The Maimonides School Annual Gala is a formal event for benefactors of the school's endowment to gather under the school's auspices. Proceeds are apportioned for academic scholarships to the school. The gala also serves as an opportunity for the school to recognize the contemporary year's graduating class through a ceremony in which each member of the class is introduced to the guests.In the early days of the event (then called the Annual Dinner), Maurice Saval, one of the major benefactors of the school (for whom the Saval Campus is named) invited each member of the senior class as his personal guest. Since then, the tradition has been upheld.
The gala is typically held at a hotel or other formal venue, such as the John F. Kennedy Library.
Chanukah Chagiga
Every Chanukah, the Student Council and student activities director plan an upper school black-tie banquet/chagiga. Each year's banquet has a different theme, which is expressed through decor and furnishings. The upper school jazz band performs before and during the festive catered meal and there is generally some other form of live entertainment afterwards. Magicians, hypnotists, Blue FringeBlue Fringe
Blue Fringe is an American Jewish rock band. The band's songs cover a range of genres including pop, rock, punk and R'n'B, based around Jewish themes. Blue Fringe was formed in 2003 and has released 3 albums...
, and Hello Sid have performed in the past. Many students choose to invite friends from other schools, transforming the banquet into an annual gathering of the local high school Jewish community.
Student chessed leaders typically run chessed (charity) drives throughout the year and run a Toy Drive in memory of beloved English teacher Sharon Steiff and beloved parent Judy Epstein during the holiday season. The leaders often coordinate with the administration for students to pay reduced admission to the chaggiga when they bring a toy for the Toy Drive.
Upper School plays
Past plays:
- Awkward 2011, an original play written and directed by Naftali Ehrenkranz
- Flip 2010- Directed by Stephanie Guedalia
- Lost in YonkersLost in YonkersLost in Yonkers is a 1991 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Neil Simon. After eleven previews, the Broadway production, produced by Emanuel Azenberg and directed by Gene Saks, opened on February 21, 1991 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where it ran for 780 performances...
by Neil SimonNeil SimonNeil Simon is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has written numerous Broadway plays, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and The Odd Couple. He won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Lost In Yonkers. He has written the screenplays for several of his plays that...
- 2009- Directed by Jesse Turk - The MousetrapThe MousetrapThe Mousetrap is a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie. The Mousetrap opened in the West End of London in 1952, and has been running continuously since then. It has the longest initial run of any play in history, with over 24,500 performances so far. It is the longest running show of the modern...
by Agatha ChristieAgatha ChristieDame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
- 2008- Directed by Davida Wolfson - The Children's HourThe Children's Hour (play)The Children's Hour is a 1934 stage play written by Lillian Hellman. It is a drama set in an all-girls boarding school run by two women, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. An angry student, Mary Tilford, runs away from the school and to avoid being sent back she tells her grandmother that the two...
by Lillian HellmanLillian HellmanLillian Florence "Lily" Hellman was an American playwright, linked throughout her life with many left-wing causes...
- 2007- Directed by Doron Bloomfield - Lend Me a TenorLend Me a TenorLend Me a Tenor is a comedy by Ken Ludwig. The play was produced on both the West End and Broadway . Although it received seven Tony Award nominations, it won only one, for Best Actor. A Broadway revival opened in 2010. Lend Me a Tenor has been translated into sixteen languages and produced in...
by Ken LudwigKen LudwigKen Ludwig is an American playwright and theatre director.Born in York, Pennsylvania, Ludwig was educated at the York Suburban Senior High School, York PA Haverford College , Harvard Law School, and Trinity College at Cambridge University...
- 2006- Directed by Ross Eisenberg - Noises OffNoises OffNoises Off is a 1982 play by English playwright Michael Frayn. The idea for it was born in 1970, when Frayn was standing in the wings watching a performance of Chinamen, a farce that he had written for Lynn Redgrave...
by Michael FraynMichael FraynMichael J. Frayn is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce Noises Off and the dramas Copenhagen and Democracy...
- 2005 - RumorsRumorsRumors is a farcical play by Neil Simon.At its start, several affluent couples gather in the posh suburban residence of a couple for a dinner party celebrating their hosts' tenth anniversary. When they arrive, they discover there are no servants, the hostess is missing, and the host - the deputy...
by Neil SimonNeil SimonNeil Simon is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has written numerous Broadway plays, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and The Odd Couple. He won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Lost In Yonkers. He has written the screenplays for several of his plays that...
- 2004 - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)The Complete Works of William Shakespeare is a parody of the plays written by William Shakespeare with all of them being performed during the show by only three actors. Typically, the actors use their real names and play themselves rather than certain characters...
by the Reduced Shakespeare CompanyReduced Shakespeare CompanyThe Reduced Shakespeare Company is an American acting troupe that writes and performs unsubtle, fast-paced, seemingly improvisational condensations of huge topics.- Overview :...
- 2003 Directed by Chanan Berkovits - A Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
by William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"... - The Importance of Being EarnestThe Importance of Being EarnestThe Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at St. James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae in order to escape burdensome social obligations...
by Oscar WildeOscar WildeOscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
- 1985 - Arsenic and Old LaceArsenic and Old Lace (play)Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by American playwright Joseph Kesselring, written in 1939. It has become best known through the film adaptation starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust, and opened on January 10, 1941. On September 25, 1943, the...
by Joseph KesselringJoseph KesselringJoseph Otto Kesselring was an American writer and playwright known best for his play Arsenic and Old Lace, written in 1939 and originally entitled "Bodies in Our Cellar." He was born in New York City to Henry and Frances Kesselring. His father's parents were immigrants from Germany. His mother was...
- 1984
In 2006, the school Drama Club introduced the Secondary play (renamed The S.P.O.T.Y, or The Second Play Of The Year), a short play directed by the next year's producer of the Primary production. The one-acts, which are considerably shorter and of lower budget than the main production, bring drama to students who have no prior experience acting, or who cannot commit the time to the full-length play.
Past short plays:
- Sorry, Wrong NumberSorry, Wrong NumberSorry, Wrong Number is a 1948 American suspense film noir directed by Anatole Litvak. It tells the story of a woman who overhears a plot for murder. It stars Barbara Stanwyck, Burt Lancaster, Ann Richards, Wendell Corey, Ed Begley, Leif Erickson and William Conrad.The film was adapted by Lucille...
by Lucille FletcherLucille FletcherLucille Fletcher was an American screenwriter of film, radio and television. Her full name was Violet Lucille Fletcher...
-Directed by Stephanie Guedalia 2009 - Plaza SuitePlaza SuitePlaza Suite is a comedy play by Neil Simon.-Plot:The play is composed of three acts, each involving different characters but all set in Suite 719 of New York City's Plaza Hotel...
by Neil SimonNeil SimonNeil Simon is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has written numerous Broadway plays, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and The Odd Couple. He won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Lost In Yonkers. He has written the screenplays for several of his plays that...
- Directed by Jesse Turk 2008 (only the third act) - Act III, Scene V by Terry Ortwein - Directed by Jessica Kasmer-Jacobs 2007
- The Actor's NightmareThe Actor's NightmareThe Actor's Nightmare is a short comic play by Christopher Durang. It involves an accountant named George Spelvin, who is mistaken for an actor's understudy and forced to perform in a play for which he doesn't know any of the lines.-Inspiration:...
by Christopher DurangChristopher DurangChristopher Ferdinand Durang is an American playwright known for works of outrageous and often absurd comedy. His work was especially popular in the 1980s.- Life :...
- Directed by Doron Bloomfield 2006
Purim Shpiel
Each year the ShpielPurim spiel
A Purim Spiel, or Purimshpil, meaning a Purim play—shpil means 'game' or ' play' in Yiddish. .A Purim Spiel is usually a comic dramatization, as a traditional type of Jewish play, or informal theatrical production, with participants, usually children, wearing costumes that depict the characters in...
is performed by the Senior Class as a series of comedy skits with the intent of poking fun at faculty members. Shpiels have traditionally featured only stage performances, but recent spiels include multimedia comedy (which can be found on youtube. For the class of 2010 videos, look for MaimoShpiel2010). The Purim Shpiel is an annual source of tension between administrators, who review drafts for defamatory and unsavory material, and students, who often sneak in inappropriate material. The only known instance of a Purim Shpiel ever being shut down mid-performance by the faculty was in 2006. In light of certain teachers taking particular offense to the 2009 Shpiel, though it was reviewed by the administration, the administration took further precautionary measures and watched a full run-through of the 2010 shpiel before granting full approval. The 2010 shpiel, however, was immediately declared a success by Rabbi Altshuler, Mr. Weinstein, and the rest of the faculty.
Chagigat HaSiddur
The Chagigat HaSiddur is an annual event, commonly known as the "Siddur Play", where the 1st graders receive their first siddur (prayerbook). Before the Chagigah they pray from either abbreviated siddurim or siddurim owned by the school. Afterwards they pray each day from their very own complete siddur. At the Chagigah, each 1st grade class performs a musical skit that addresses some aspect of prayer. The ceremony concludes with the teachers and principals calling up each student individually to receive his or her inscribed and specially bound siddur. The event is looked forward to with great anticipation by the students and their families, and usually ends with a festive party for the students and community.Chagigat HaChumash
The Chagigat HaChumash is an annual event where the second gradeSecond grade
In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
students receive their first chumash
Humash
The Hebrew term Chumash is one of the Hebrew names for the Five Books of Moses, also known by the Latinised Greek term Pentateuch or as one of the uses of the Hebrew term Torah, "Law." The word comes from the Hebrew word for five, ḥamesh...
(Bible). At the Chagigah, each 2nd grade class performs a musical skit that addresses some aspect of Torah learning. The ceremony concludes with the teachers and principals calling up each student individually to receive his or her inscribed and specially bound Chumash. After the students receive their Chumashim, everyone enjoys light refreshments. The students start learning from their new Chumashim after parshat Lech Lechah.
Chesed Day
For the past few years, the Upper School Chesed (charity) Committee, with assistance from the student activities director, has organized a day when the entire middle and upper school student body leave school for a day and volunteer at different area community service destinations. Past recipients have included the Blue HillsBlue Hills Reservation
Blue Hills Reservation is a state park in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, it extends into Milton, Quincy, Braintree, Canton, Randolph, and Dedham south of Boston.-Description:...
, Pine Street Inn, the Esplanade Association, the Coolidge House, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Greater Boston Food Bank, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, Rosie's Place
Rosie's Place
Rosie’s Place is a sanctuary for poor and homeless women located in Boston, Massachusetts.- History :It was founded in 1974, by Kip Tiernan and was the first shelter specifically for poor and homeless women in the United States...
, Cradles to Crayons, The Franklin Park Zoo and the New England Veterans Shelter. Currently, in order to make planning of Chesed Day easier, each grade has its own Chesed Day.
Battle of the Bands
Every holiday of Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles), the school holds a Battle of the Bands. Bands typically form for the sole purpose of competing in Battle of the Bands. The competition is generally made up of rock, jazz, and blues bands, though there has been music of other genres. The method of choosing a winner varies year to year from student voting to faculty judges. Past champions include two-time winner Brown Iris and One Fish, Jew Fish. For the first time in Maimonides history, in the 2008 Battle of the Bands, a 7th grade band ("Etai and the Others") won, beating four other bands including Brown Iris.Color War
Color War takes place annually in the Elementary School. Teams are led by grade captains, who coordinate the action as their teammates compose songs and cheers, make a poster, write a D'var Torah, perform skits and motivate their teammates to win.Maccabia
The Maccabia is a series of sporting events that takes place every few years in grades seven through twelve. Generally organized by the Student Council, it is led by two captains from each class. Upper school Maccabia took place in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.Finances and Governance
In late 2005, the school faced mounting budget deficits. To help alleviate the deficit, the School's Board of Directors initiated cost-cutting, layoffs, and an extraordinary fund-raising effort. The school successfully balanced its budget for 2006–07 and seemed to have achieved what most Jewish Day Schools continually struggle with - correcting its financial course without severely damaging enrollment or the quality of its education. At the same time, the school's governance structure changed. Formerly managed by a 7-member school committee, the school was now governed by a new board and a new board chair, Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz. The school committee became much smaller (3 members) and supervised only one person, the school's Rosh Yeshiva.Subsequent to the cost-cutting measures, the school was sued for age and gender discrimination by three of the laid-off teachers. On July 3, 2009, The Jewish Advocate reported on the outcome of the Deborah Onie case: "The court found, however, that the reason the school gave for not renewing the contract was non-discriminatory, as it related only to her refusal to accept the authority of [principals] Klammer and Posner. In 2005, Onie brought the allegation of age discrimination to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the state's chief civil rights agency, which was unable to conclude that there was a violation of statutes." The Evelyn Berman and Phyllis Schwartz cases were settled out of court.
According to varying news reports, the private Maurice Saval trust, whose sole beneficiary is the school, lost between three and eight million dollars due to the Bernard Madoff scandal. In April 2009, the school did not renew several teacher contracts due to the financial crisis caused by the Madoff scam, and to increased demand for financial aid caused by the recession. The school also raised tuition 9.9% to meet rising expenses, its highest increase.
Additional teacher layoffs occurred in the spring of 2010 due to a decline in enrollment in the elementary and upper school divisions. Class sizes were increased and the number of high school sections was decreased. With these decreases in the number of faculty came an increase in the size of the administration. In 2009, Barry Ehrlich, a former NH high school history teacher and Head of NYU's school for children with Asperger's Syndrome was hired as the school's K-12 Director of Curriculum. In 2010, the administration was expanded again with the hiring of a high school assistant principal, Rabbi Dov Huff, an alum.
Former Personnel
In October 2009, former Maimonides staff member Rabbi Stanley Levitt was charged with allegedly sexually abusing two students more than thirty years prior. Despite the case's being far in the past, the fact that Levitt had moved to Philadelphia meant that the statute of limitations, which would have prevented his being charged after such a long period of time, did not apply. Levitt was arraigned on four counts of indecent assault and battery on two different children who attended the school. Levitt was a sixth-grade teacher at Maimonides at the time, though the alleged incidents took place off campus.Notable alumni
- Binyamin AppelbaumBinyamin AppelbaumBinyamin Appelbaum, a reporter for The New York Times, grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he was editor of the Daily Pennsylvanian...
'96, journalist at the Boston Globe - Steven BaymeSteven BaymeSteven Bayme is an essayist and author. Currently he is National Director of Jewish Communal Affairs at the American Jewish Committee, and holds the rank of Adjunct Professor at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University...
'67, essayist and author - Arthur BergerArthur BergerArthur Victor Berger was an American composer who has been described as a New Mannerist.-Biography:Born in New York City, of Jewish descent, Berger studied as an undergraduate at New York University, during which time he joined the Young Composer's Group, as a graduate student under Walter Piston...
'62, external relations director for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial - Rahel Berkovits '87, Talmudist, teacher at PardesPardesThe soundtrack was composed by the duo of Nadeem Shravan while the lyrics were penned by Anand Bakshi. It was released under the label of Tips Music Films. The album was very successful amongst the audience. The tracks "I Love My India", "Meri Mehbooba", "Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain" and "Nahin Hona Tha"...
, author and editor at JOFAJofaJofa, originally short for Jonssons Fabriker is a maker of sporting equipment for sports such as ice hockey, bandy, horseback riding, based in Malung, Sweden.Niss-Oskar Jonsson founded Jofa in 1926...
, founding member of Congregation Shira Hadasha in Jerusalem - Abigail Beshkin '91, journalist, WBUR
- Eliav Bock '95, rabbi, director of Ramah Outdoor Adventure summer camp, CO
- Sarah Bronson, '90, noted journalist
- Etan Cohen '92, Hollywood screenwriter
- Eliot Cohen '73, influential neo-conservative and professor of foreign policy at Johns Hopkins University
- Roselyn Farren '92, director of Ma'ayan: Torah Studies Initiative for Women
- Shmuel Feld '88, Principal, Baltimore
- Noah FeldmanNoah FeldmanNoah Feldman is an American author and professor of law at Harvard Law School.-Education and career:Feldman grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, where he attended the Maimonides School....
'88, Rhodes Scholar, Harvard law professor, critic of Modern Orthodoxy - Marc GopinMarc GopinMarc Gopin is director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. He is an expert on the role that religion and culture play in conflicts and conflict resolution. In 2008 he received the Andrew Thomas Peacebuilder Award from the New York State...
'75, director of the Center on Religion, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County... - Scott Kahn '88, Rosh Yeshiva of Yesodei Hatorah
- Eli Kazhdan '86, CEO of CityBook Services, one of Israel's largest outsourcing companies, specializing in real estate services. Internationally renowned competitive Backgammon player.
- Sharon Karger Kay '87, teacher, founder of Triangles of Truth
- Michael Kosowsky '09, Nobel Prize, President, Quarterback for the New England Patriots
- Matthew LevittMatthew LevittMatthew Levitt is an American expert on Islamist terrorism. Levitt is a senior fellow and director of the Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and professorial lecturer in International Relations and Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins...
'88, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, specializing in terrorism and US policy - Josh Levisohn '85, Head of School, Silver Spring MD
- Asher LopatinAsher LopatinAsher Lopatin is an American rabbi. He is rabbi of congregation Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Chicago.Lopatin is a graduate of the Maimonides School, received a B.A. in International Relations and Islamic Studies from Boston University, and was awarded a Master of...
'82, Rhodes Scholar and congregational rabbi in Chicago - Barry LowenkronBarry LowenkronBarry Lowenkron is an American specialist in foreign relations. He is Vice President of the Program on Global Security & Sustainability at the MacArthur Foundation....
'69, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor - Joel Mael '75, vice-chairman of the Florida MarlinsFlorida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
- Esther PetrackEsther PetrackEsther Alexandra Petrack is a Jerusalem-born, American fashion model. Petrack was a contestant on Cycle 15 of the American reality TV show America's Next Top Model...
'10, Contestant on Cycle 15 of America's Next Top Model - Pamela Potter '77, Professor of Musicology and Director of Center for Jewish Studies, University of Wisconsin- Madison http://www.music.wisc.edu/faculty/bio?faculty_id=46
- Chen Reis '90, Sexual Violence Research Initiative; Department of Gender, Women and Health; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
- Jessica Singer Rich '98, founder of Gittel's Kitchen, the only kosher soup kitchen in the Greater Boston area
- E.B. Solomont '97, journalist, New York Correspondent & Bureau Chief for The Jerusalem PostThe Jerusalem PostThe Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
, formerly for ForwardThe ForwardThe Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
and The New York Sun - Haym SoloveitchikHaym SoloveitchikRabbi Dr. Haym Soloveitchik is the only son of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. He graduated from the Maimonides School which his father founded in Brookline, Massachusetts and then received his B.A. degree from Harvard College in 1958 with a major in History. After two years of post-graduate study...
'54, historian at Yeshiva UniversityYeshiva UniversityYeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
and the only son of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik - Michael StrassfeldMichael Strassfeld-Biography:Michael Strassfeld is rabbi of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism, a Manhattan synagogue. He was formerly the rabbi of Congregation Ansche Chesed....
'67, rabbi, co-author of The Jewish Catalog - Mayer TwerskyMayer TwerskyMayer E. Twersky is an Orthodox rabbi and one of the roshei yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. He holds the Leib Merkin Distinguished Professorial Chair in Talmud and Jewish Philosophy...
'78, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva University-RIETS
Notable faculty
- Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe, principal and former worldwide leader of Chidon HaTanach
- Sharon Pywell, English Department Head and novelist
- Rabbi Roy Rosenbaum, former chair of Jewish Theological Seminary
- Yael Jaffe, winner of National Chidon HaTanach and participant in Chidon HaTanach HaOlami
- Rabbi David Ehrenkranz, winner of the Keter Torah Award
- Rabbi Jon Bloomberg, published author and noted historian in Near Eastern and Judaic studies across the academic community
School song
The Maimonides School Song was last revived at the school's 50th anniversary Gala in 1988. More recently it was brought back by the Fifth Grade Chorus at the 2010 Maimonides Gala. It is sung to "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth SymphonySymphony No. 9 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is the final complete symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. Completed in 1824, the symphony is one of the best known works of the Western classical repertoire, and has been adapted for use as the European Anthem...
. It was written by Ralph Tucker, an English teacher in the early years of the school. The following text is taken from the 1965 yearbook.
Praise to thee our alma mater;
Hail to thee Maimonides;
Homage at this time we pay thee
Whom we laud for all of these:
For the wisdom of the Torah,
For our training secular,
For the light of learning shining
Bright before us like a star.
Guide us in our way of living;
Teach us as the torch we seize
Values true and everlasting,
Hail to thee, Maimonides.
In addition, there is a Hebrew version of the song.
External links
- Maimonides School - Official School Website
- MIAAMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic AssociationThe Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , comprising 365 high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is an organization that sponsors activities in more than thirty sports. The MIAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules...