Maimonides School

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Maimonides School
ישיבת רמב"ם
image:Maimonides School Logo (Hebrew Only).gif
Established 1937
School type Private
Staff
Head of School Currently vacant
MS/US Principal Rabbi Yair Altshuler
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi David Shapiro
Total Faculty 119
Students 590
Religious affiliation Orthodox Judaism
Grades K-12, and Count Halomi
Location 34 Philbrick Road
or 2 Clark Road
Brookline, MA 02445
Information 617-232-4452
info@maimonides.org
Website Maimonides.org

Maimonides School (Hebrew: ישיבת רמב"ם) is a coeducational, Modern Orthodox, Jewish day school located in Brookline, Massachusetts. The school was founded in 1937 by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik zt'l' 'and it is named for Maimonides, the famous Jewish sage.

Today, Maimonides is a world-renowned Torah institution with over 600 students from kindergarten through grade twelve and over 1,450 alumni.

Contents

[edit] History

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, founder of Maimonides School
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, founder of Maimonides School

Maimonides was founded in 1937 by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. In its first year it had six students and one teacher and met in the upstairs room of a synagogue in Roxbury, MA. The infantile school faced difficulties at a time when the Modern Orthodox Jewish community was turning towards integration with American culture and public education.

By 1940, however, Maimonides managed to expand to six grades and in 1941 it moved into its first building in Dorchester, MA. In 1945, with 112 enrolled students, it achieved the milestone of elementary school accreditation from the Boston School Department.

1946 was another landmark year for the young school, as it added a seventh grade and hired its first principal, Rabbi Moshe J. Cohn. Four years later, Maimonides expanded to add grades eight through twelve and gained accreditation as a diploma-awarding secondary school. At that point its enrollment approached 300.

In 1959, Maimonides purchased the land in Brookline, Massachusetts where it is currently located. Over the next three years it built a US$1 million facility, which was dedicated in September 1962. Grades seven through twelve moved into the new building that fall. 1964 marked the completion of the new building’s elementary wing, which allowed the remainder of the school to complete the move out of Dorchester.

Maimonides continued to grow in 1968 when it purchased two adjoining lots across the street, where a basketball court and a small building to house the kindergarten were built. The kindergarten building was used for the next 27 years, until the Brener building was built.

Rabbi Cohn retired in 1978 after serving the school for 31 years. Rabbi Cohn was succeeded by his associate principal, Rabbi David Shapiro. Rabbi Shapiro served as principal of the entire school until 1996, when the school was divided into a K-6 elementary school and a 7-12 upper school. Dr. Kalmen Stein, who served as the director of general studies in the 1980s, also served as co-principal from 1989 until 1997, when he left the school to become principal at Hillel of Deal, NJ. Rabbi Shapiro continued as principal of the upper school until 1999 when he passed the torch on to Rabbi Mark Gottlieb. Rabbi Shapiro remains on the faculty to this day and is currently the Rosh Yeshivah, chair of the Talmud department, and holder of the Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky Chair in Talmud and Jewish Thought. Rabbi Stuart Klammer became the Elementary School principal when that position was first established and continues in that role.

In 1984 the school expanded further as construction began on the new Kurr Study Center, which included a library and classrooms, and the Judge J. John Fox gymnasium. Both were dedicated in 1986. Ten years later, the kindergarten building and basketball court were demolished and work began on the new 35,000 square-foot Brener Lower Elementary Building. In October 1997 the building opened and kindergarten through third grade moved in. Since then, the fourth grade has also moved across the street.

In the mid-1990s the school’s enrollment briefly jumped to near 680 as many immigrants from the former Soviet Union joined the school. The enrollment currently hovers around 600.

The school divided further on an administrative level in 1996 as the seventh and eighth grades were separated into a distinct middle school.

In the spring of 2006, the school announced a shift in the administrative structure of the upper school, which would become effective in the fall of 2006. Two new positions were created: that of "Head of School" and that of "Rosh Yeshiva." The new MS/US Principal is Rabbi Yair Altshuler, and the Elementary School Principal continues to be Rabbi Stuart Klammer. The school is currently in a Head of School search, the committee is chaired by Dr. Elliot Israel. Rabbi Shapiro will return to a hashkafic role as the Rosh Yeshivah. During the 2005-06 school year, Rabbi Shapiro was named the Chair of the Talmud department. At the end of the 2006 school year, Rabbi Mordechai Wecker announced that he had accepted the position of Head of School at Stern Hebrew High School in Philadelphia. The school's Chairman of the Board also retired in the spring of 2006 after serving the school for 18 years. The new Chairman of the Board is Jeffrey Swartz, CEO of Timberland Inc.

[edit] Education

All Maimonides School students study a dual curriculum; the students learn both General Studies and Judaic studies[1]. Maimonides School continues to maintain a reputation for ranking among the finest day schools in the country, due to its impressive accomplishments of its alumni and high rate of acceptance into the nations's top universities.[2] Additionally, at least 50 percent of its graduating class chooses a year of study in Israel following completion of high school.[3]

In keeping with the original structure established by Rav Soloveitchik, all classes are co-ed, with exceptions only for gym, Sex education and a seminar on the laws of family purity.

[edit] Curriculum

Upper School students at Maimonides School are offered a wide variety of courses in many fields. These include English Language Literature and Composition, American History, European History, Non-Western Cultures, Western civilization, Studio Art, Art History, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Ecology, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Physical Education and Economics[4].

The Judaic studies curriculum includes Talmud, Chumash, Navi, Hebrew Language, Jewish History, Jewish Thought and Family Purity.

[edit] Student body

The vast majority of Maimonides students come from one of three communities: Brookline, Newton and Sharon. Other communities, such as Providence, Swampscott, Lowell, Malden, Lexington and Natick are also represented in the student body.

[edit] Campus

Maimonides School currently is situated on a four acre campus in central Brookline, and is housed in two buildings.

[edit] 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 grades five though twelve, the business office, and other administrative offices. Other features of the Saval building are a full gymnasium, indoor basketball court, Synagogue, a 17,000 volume library and Bet Midrash (house of religious Judaic study), two laboratories, and additional office and study space on the recently completed third level. The inner courtyard now includes a student cafe area and a SprinTurf playing surface for touch football and soccer, while a new upper school student lounge is being constructed. The Esther Edelman Learning Center has also undergone a magnificent upgrade.

[edit] Brener building

The Kindergarten through fourth grades are housed in the Brener building, which is across the street from the Saval building. The building is newer, although it is mostly classrooms. However, it does have a small gym, music room and a library.

[edit] Fiscal situation

In late 2005, the school faced a significant budget deficit. To help alleviate the deficit, the School Board decided on cost-cutting, layoffs of about 9% of the faculty, and an extraordinary fundraising effort. The school has successfully balanced its budget for 06-07 and seems to have achieved what most Jewish Day Schools continually struggle with- correcting its financial course without severely damaging enrollment or the high quality of its education.

As a result of the layoffs, the school has been sued by some of the laid off teachers.[5] The 2006 Annual Gala (an event similar to the school's annual dinner) raised six hundred thousand dollars for Scholarships for the school, which have generally remained unaffected, even given the current budget crisis. Approximately half of all Maimonides Students receive some form of tuition assistance.

In January 2007, the cost of tuition and fees for a year at Maimonides' Upper School quietly exceeded $20,000 for the first time.

[edit] Student activities

[edit] 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):

  • Hessed Committee
  • David Project Club
  • Drama Club (produces annual high school drama production)
  • Girls Choir (Kol Isha)
  • Israel Action Committee
    • Publishes Israel Update
  • Jazz Band
  • Junior Achievement: Titan
The 2006 Titan team placed fourth in the northeast, and thirteenth nationally.[6]
  • Literary Magazine (The Current)
  • Math team
The 2006 team won second place in their division at the regional level. [7]
The 2006 team was the most successful Maimonides mock trial team of all time, reaching the "Massachusetts Sweet Sixteen" in the MassBar Mock Trial Tournament.[8] 2006 was also the first time the mock trial team defeated their arch-rival Brookline High School.

[edit] Inactive clubs and activities

The following is a partial list of clubs and activities that have existed in the past but are currently inactive.

[edit] Athletics

Maimonides is a member of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. The school's teams are named the M-Cats.

[edit] Boys teams

[edit] Girls teams

[edit] Students versus faculty

A teacher takes a shot in the 2006 seniors vs. faculty basketball game.
A teacher takes a shot in the 2006 seniors vs. faculty basketball game.

[edit] Faculty Basketball Game

This game is a longstanding tradition that matches the varsity basketball team against the faculty in a game of basketball, proceeds from which are donated to charity.

[edit] Major school events

[edit] 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 from which 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 of 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 always held at a hotel or other formal venue, such as the John F. Kennedy Library.

[edit] Chanukah Banquet

Every Chanukah, the middle and upper schools enjoys a uniquely themed banquet, such as monopoly or a casino, accompanied by according decor. The upper school jazz band performs before and during the meal and there is generally some other form of live entertainment afterwards. Many students choose to invite friends from other schools to the banquet, transforming the banquet into an annual gathering of the local high school Jewish community.

[edit] Upper school play

A scene from the Drama Club's 2006 production, Lend Me A Tenor, by Ken Ludwig.
A scene from the Drama Club's 2006 production, Lend Me A Tenor, by Ken Ludwig.

The drama production is performed once a year by the Maimonides Drama Club, generally in mid-March, in the Fox gymnasium. It is directed and acted by students exclusively.

Past plays:

In 2006, the school featured a short play directed by an underclassman, in addition to the annual play. The secondary play, which is considerably shorter and of lower budget than the major production, brings drama to students who are not chosen in the major play's auditions or do not want to commit to the major play.

Past short plays:

[edit] Purim Shpiel

Each year the Shpiel is performed by the Senior Class as a series of comedy sketches with the intent of making fun of faculty members..

In the past few years, there has been controversy over Purim Shpiel bits that are either derogatory towards specific students, sexually suggestive, or excessively offensive towards their subjects.

[edit] Chagigat HaSiddur

Chagigat HaSiddur is the 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 principles calling up each student individually to receive his or her inscribed and specially bound siddur. The event usually ends with food.

[edit] Chagigat HaChumash

The Chagigat HaChumash is the annual event where the second grade students receive their first chumash (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 principles calling up each student individually to receive his or her inscribed and specially bound Chumash. After the Students receive their Chumashim, everyone generally enjoys light refreshments.

[edit] Chessed Day

For the past few years, the Upper School Hessed Committee, with assistance from the Upper School Activities Coordinator, 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 such as the Blue Hills, Pine Street Inn, the Esplanade Association, the Coolidge House, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Greater Boston Food Bank, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, and the New England Veterans Shelter.

[edit] 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 judicial method of choosing a winner varies year to year from student voting to faculty judges. Past winners include two time winner Brown Iris and One Fish, Jew Fish.

[edit] Color War and Maccabia

[edit] Color War

This takes place annually in the Elementary School. Teams are led by 6th graders captains, who compose songs and cheers, make a poster, write a D'var Torah, perform skit and motivate their team to win.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Retreat

[edit] School Song

Sung to Ludwig van Beethoven's "Symphony Number Five In C Minor Andante Con Moto," the Maimonides School Song is currently obsolete.

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.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Graduation Requirements from School Website
  2. ^ List of Colleges to which Maimonides Students matriculate from school website
  3. ^ Israel Connection page from school website
  4. ^ School Curriculum
  5. ^ Brookline Tab Article on court cases
  6. ^ School website news story on Titan team success
  7. ^ School website news story on math team success
  8. ^ School website news story on Mock Trial team success

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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