Parshat Behar Candle Lighting 7:55 p.m. Havdalah 8:56 p.m.

P² Parsha Perspectives This week, RMBA Upper School Judaic Studies Principal, Rabbi Chanania Engelsman shares his parsha perspectives, exploring the connection between the mitzvah of Shemitah and the revelation at Har Sinai, highlighting how both instances symbolize faith in Hashem's guidance and sustenance. Click here to read more.

Hakarat HaTov - Recognizing the Good

We are so grateful for all our volunteers this week! A huge shoutout and thank you goes out to: Adeena Mikhaylov, Regina Shamooelian, Simon Valera  If you would like to volunteer at RMBA please click here to view our opportunities.

Mazal Tov

Mazal Tov to Adina Passy ('17) and Spencer Brasch on their engagement. Mazal Tov to parents Elise and Marc Passy and siblings Avi ('15) and Miryl Passy, and Yael Passy ('21). Mazal Tov to Chana and Akiva Levy ('18) on the birth of a baby girl. Mazal Tov to grandparents Barbara and Robert Levy and aunt and uncles Avi Levy ('10), Eli ('12) and Yigal Saghian ('05), and Mecah Levy ('15).

Through the Looking Glass As we look to wrap up the year, we end off with a two episode series. In this week's episode, we focus on reflecting on the year that is coming to a close. What are we most proud of this year? What do we have to grow from and in to in the upcoming year?  Find out more in this week's Through the Looking Glass Podcast Episode #35!

#instaberen

Scholarly Achievements This past Sunday, the Tikvah Fund celebrated the graduation of their 3rd cohort from the Truman Scholars Program, a two-year enrichment initiative for exceptional 7th and 8th grade students from 58 Jewish schools, focusing on American and Israeli studies. Beren Academy is proud to have had graduates in every cohort. Congratulations to David Gross and Ami Kellerman on completing this prestigious program! Showcase Success  This week, our lower school hosted the annual Hebrew and Judaic Studies Showcase, highlighting special projects that demonstrated the students' accomplishments and learning throughout the year. The heartwarming event included a short guided parent-child learning session themed around Pesach Sheini and a fun, interactive Blookit game for all attendees. Congratulations to the Shavitzky family for their 1st place win, and to the Schlachter family for coming in 2nd place. Kol hakavod to all the students and teachers for showcasing such a successful year!

Stakeholder Engagement This past weekend we were delighted to welcome Rabbi Dr. Barry Kislowicz, our strategic planning process consultant, as we continued our year long endeavor to define our school's future direction. Engaging diverse stakeholders in this planning process is vital to our success. From teachers, administrators, parents, students, board members and lay leaders, every perspective enriches this process. By involving all these groups, we foster a sense of ownership and commitment while uncovering unique insights that drive our school's future success. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rick Guttman, our Strategic Planning Committee Chair, and our committee members who have devoted their time to this process. Historic Tragedy Examined Mr. Cell's 9th-10th grade on-level U.S. History class examined the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in Greenwich Village, New York City. They learned that most of the 146 victims were young Jewish and Italian immigrant women and girls working in sweatshop conditions. This tragedy helped inspire reforms and regulations that protect workers across the country today.

Book Talks Students in Ms. Ruben's middle school ELA classes are completing their final book talks of the school year. Book talks allow students to choose a book, create a digital slideshow, and present it to the class. Speaking is one of the four language arts, and book talks provide the perfect platform for students to discuss and share their interests from the books they chose. Unity Insights This week, our high school had the esteemed privilege of hosting Rabbi David Stav, Co-founder and Chairman of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization. Tzohar, dedicated to providing religious services and fostering dialogue within the broader Israeli population, reflects Rabbi Stav's commitment to unity and inclusivity. As Chief Rabbi of Shoham, Rabbi Stav brings invaluable insights into community-building and fostering solidarity. During his visit, Rabbi Stav engaged our students in a compelling discourse on the importance of cultivating harmony and solidarity within communities, providing enlightening perspectives on bridging divides and strengthening Jewish identity.

Book Tasting In their final library class of the year, upper elementary students (4th-5th grade) enjoyed a book tasting event. Students explored various book genres, gathering ideas for summer reading or for when they return in August. They used bookmarks to jot down books they're eager to dive into over the break. Friends and Fun Friendship activities were in full swing in Morah Aviva's EC4A classroom this week! As part of their Friendship/Lag BaOmer unit, students have been pairing up to create illustrations together on large poster boards, with each friend having a defined space for their creative pictures. This also provided a wonderful opportunity for conversations while coloring. Other students paired up to build castles with Magna-Tiles during Table Time. Morah introduced the stories of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in connection with Lag BaOmer and the important mitzvah of V’Ahavta Lereacha Kamocha (loving your fellow man as yourself). Everyone learned special friendship songs and discussed the middot of kindness and patience, focusing on what it means to be a good friend. The students also worked on a unique medurah (bonfire) project after Morah explained the bravery of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his students. They had a great time painting with Q-tips and stamping log prints with real Lincoln Logs.

Chesed Celebration The Better to Serve elective, led by Mrs. Rosenzweig, culminated in its final event last Sunday. Students and seniors from the Medallion program celebrated their friendship over a delightful brunch accompanied by a Klezmer band. A recap video showcasing the year's events was also played. Mrs. Rosenzweig reflected on the profound experiences the students had throughout the school year, creating lasting memories. She expressed gratitude to all students for their dedication and compassion towards others, and extended appreciation to the Medallion for providing opportunities for acts of kindness (chesed).  Founding Father Spotlight Students in Mr. Simon’s third-grade class delved into the life of John Jay, a prominent founding father of the United States. Jay, credited as one of the authors of both the "US Constitution" and "The Bill of Rights," hailed from an influential New York political family. Additionally, they discovered that Jay's father served as one of the early New York Governors. Notably, Jay also held the distinction of being the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court.

Garden to Table This week in Mr. Riklin's STEAM class, students in 4th-5th Montessori and 5th grade Traditional had a delicious hands-on experience making pizza dough and focaccia dough using herbs harvested from our garden. These flavorful bases will serve as the foundation for their final pizza creations, which will feature student-made cheese and a choice of either red pizza sauce or basil pesto, both crafted using fresh vegetables and herbs from RMBA's Grow Torah garden. Shmita Dance This week in Morah Sandy's EC3A class, students explored the concept of the shmita year in Parsha Behar, learning about the seventh year when farmers in Israel let the land rest as it belongs to Hashem. To reinforce this concept, they engaged in fun activities, pretending to perform tasks associated with farming to music, followed by freezing or stopping in a playful dance known as the "Shmita dance."

Senior Walk Last Friday marked a significant milestone for the Class of 2024 as they walked the hallways of RMBA together for the final time. Accompanied by cheers from their families, faculty, staff, and fellow students holding signs, it was a deeply emotional moment for all. The anticipation builds as we eagerly look forward to celebrating the seniors at their commencement ceremony on May 29th, to be held at Congregation Brith Shalom. Of special note, among the graduating class of six, three are the last in their family to graduate from RMBA, while three are the first, representing a beautiful continuum of tradition and new beginnings within our school community. Mitzvah Timepiece This week in Morah Tzippe's Judaic Studies class, Kindergarten students explored Pesach Sheni by crafting watches adorned with the phrase "it's never too late." This creative activity served as a reminder that it's never too late to perform a Mitzvah.

Pizza Fraction Fun This week, the first-grade traditional classes in Mrs. Schneider’s and Ms. Misba’s classes indulged in a yearly favorite—Fraction Pizza Cafe! Each student crafted their own tortilla pizza. As they sliced their creations, they delved into the world of fractions. Who says learning can't be delicious? Bonfire Fun In Morah Tsippi's EC2B class, students honored the "fire of the Torah" brought to the world by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Using their hands, they stamped yellow, orange, and red to create a vibrant bonfire. They also added sticks for the bonfire wood. Alongside this creative activity, the children learned about fire safety and enthusiastically sang a song called "Eish is Fire, Fire is Hot."

Seed-Saving Adventure Mr. Riklin's first-grade STEAM class embarked on seed harvesting this week! They initially grew arugula from store-bought seeds, but now they have an abundance of their own seeds. This ensures they can reintroduce this delicious green into the garden come spring next year! Lively Lag BaOmer Learning This week in Morah Clara's EC3B class, students delved into the significance of Lag BaOmer and the inspiring story of Rabbi Akiva. They enjoyed counting up to the number 33, refining their fine motor skills, and getting creative by shaping their hands into flames for a symbolic bonfire. Excitement fills the air as they eagerly anticipate baking a delicious chocolate cake to celebrate their ABC and Aleph Beit learning, culminating with the letter Z and the Hebrew letter Tav.

Culinary Showdown As the high school cooking elective draws to a close, students eagerly immersed themselves in a MasterChef-like competition. Armed with a mandatory array of ingredients including spinach, eggs, tomato, avocado, chickpeas, and bell peppers, they were divided into two teams and tasked with crafting culinary masterpieces within a tight 40-minute window. After presenting their dishes to a panel of three discerning judges, points were awarded for creativity, plating aesthetics, and taste. It was a close and delicious competition! Farmyard Fun Morah Hanna's EC4B class had a blast diving into this week’s farm unit, building upon last week’s discussion about kibbutzim. Engaging centers offered math activities, including identifying numbers and counting using playdough, dice addition, and crafting tractors and barns from various shapes. In addition to exploring the significance of Lag BaOmer while counting the Omer, the children got creative making bonfires by blowing on paint with straws to form flames. Emphasizing an essential concept Rabbi Akiva once said is a fundamental principle of the Torah, the class focused on Veahavta Lereecha Kamocha—loving your neighbor as yourself. To reinforce this idea, the children took turns discussing ways to treat others kindly, including using kind words, attentive listening, and refraining from harming others.

Save the Date

Lower School Talent Show Tuesday, May 28, 2024 2:00 PM We can't wait to see the unique talents our students bring to our fun annual tradition!

RMBA Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony Please join us as we celebrate the Class of 2024 Wednesday, May 29, 2024 6:00 PM Congregation Brith Shalom 4610 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, Texas 77401

Community Events

Combat Antisemitisism Movement presents: Voices of Heritage: Illuminating the Jewish American Experience Essay Competition To enter, submit your original works by June 15, 2024 Click here for details Up to $3,000 grant for winning works

Better Together presents Board Gams and Chill Bring your favorite board games for a relaxed afternoon, spent with old and new friends Shabbat, May 25, 2024 4:00 PM Lerner Home

Lag BaOmer Celebration with Dovid Pearlman (Miami Boys Choir Alum) Sunday, May 26, 2024 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Godwin Park 5101 Rutherglenn Drive Houston, TX 77096 Free Admission

Robert M. Beren Academy | www.berenacademy.org

‌ ‌ ‌