Parashat Bamidbar Candle Lighting 7:54 p.m. Havdalah 8:55 p.m.

Parsha Talk In this week's parsha we learn how critical it is to financially support Torah study. We learn this via the concept that Zebulun's work to support the Torah leaning of Issachar was a complete partnership. Both the Torah study and the financial support are considered on a par, which is the highest of praise for those who choose to donate to Torah learning.

Adventure Awaits Congratulations to the Class of 2020! We are so proud of all of your accomplishments! We are thrilled to announce the following college acceptances: Brandeis University, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, College of Charleston, Cornell University, Hood College, Northwestern, Texas A & M University, Texas State University, University of Denver, University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas Austin, University of Washington, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, University of Maryland College Park, University of Chicago, USC, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, William and Mary, Yeshiva University Honors. Our students plan to attend the following programs in Israel next year: Lev Hatorah, HaKotel, Eretz Hatzvi, Shaalavim for Women, Young Judaea Year Course

One Text - Many Voices This week's One Text - Many Voices features Natanya Ruben, Nissim Ruben, Orly Lashak, Jacob Kupferman, Yael Passy, and Coral Yeudai. Click here for their views on this week's parsha.

Tell Us How You Really Feel

What is the best outdoor sport? Biking Select Hiking Select Swimming Select Boating Select Running Select

The results are in... How many books have you read in the last 9 weeks?

#instaberen

Scholarship Success We are excited to announce that two RMBA seniors were offered $80,000 from Brandeis, and one student was offered a Presidential Scholar opportunity at Chicago which comes with research grant money. Additionally, one student was offered the James Monroe Scholarship at William and Mary which comes with a $3,000 stipend for a Summer research project. We are very proud of the accomplishments and successes of all our students and look forward to following all the amazing things the future has in store for them. People Fair Students in Ms. Rantz's 2nd grade class celebrated the culmination of of the many skills they learned this year with a special People Fair presentation. The students worked hard researching, reading, writing, and then dressing up to act out their chosen people from history. Click here to see the various presentations ranging from gymnast Simone Biles to author Roald Dahl.

National Flag & Flare After learning 200 national flags from countries around the world this year, students in Mr. Duke's 6th grade class created flags of their choosing, made out of foods that are local to those countries. The project involved researching local food customs, writing recipes, and filming instructional videos of the students cooking up their national flag fare.  Budget Balancing Students in Mrs. Schneider's 5th grade class are working on learning Personal Financial Literacy. Each student was assigned a career and will use the starting salary to try to balance a monthly budget. The monthly budget will include expenses such as: taxes, rent, car, insurance, gas, food, clothes, and entertainment. All students agreed that paying taxes was annoying!

L'Chaim! The first cohort of Legacy Heritage's IDEAS program celebrated the completion of the seminars which focused on Jewish Day school sustainability. RMBA was one of 10 schools from around the country participating in this amazing program, which includes a matching grant (please click here to read more.) The group which included Board Chair Dr. Barry Diner, Dr. Paul Oberman, Raquel Cedano, Fannet Nater, and Tania Levenstein explored concepts of adaptive leadership in times of crisis and new strategies for developing practical and effective plans in the face of unique uncertainty, Cutout Collages Lower School students in Ms. Bryant's art classes studied artist Henri Matisse’s cutout painted collages, and then created their own collages in the style of Matisse. Students also learned about artist Wayne Thiebaud and how to draw a cake with a slice removed.

Educational Websites While learning about mammals in Ms. Goldstein’s life science class, 6th graders each chose an endangered mammal to research. Using the information they found, they put together websites that teach about the animal, why it’s endangered, and what efforts are being taken to conserve the species. Here are links to a few of the websites: Sarah Nevah: Bengal Tiger Gaby Brown:  Javan Rhino Rafi Miller:  Pygmy Raccoon Nathan Hafkin:  Chinese Pangolin Farm Animals Students in Morah Aviva's ECE4 class made their own creative sheep while learning about the farm and different farm animals. They also wrote the word sheep in both English and Hebrew.

ABC Soup Morah Esther's ECE2 class enjoyed reading the book Eating the Alphabet, a Soup for Shabbat! The students then matched cutout letters to their alphabet sheet. Marathon Miles Despite the heat this week, lower school students are committed to completing their 26.2 miles for the School Marathon project. There were only about 6-8 miles left prior to pivoting to distance learning. The students were eager to restart the project. Some students completed their miles within just 1 week!

Save the Date

This Yom Yerushalayim join us for our Judaic Siyum brought to you by the upper school students of RMBA Friday, May 22, 2020 9:00 a.m. Tfila and Hallel 9:45 a.m. Siyum Click here to join Meeting ID: 918 0322 4182 Password: 1700V4

Please join us for the Graduation Celebration of Robert M. Beren Academy's Kindergarten Class of 2020 Wednesday, May 27, 2020 2:00 p.m. Virtual details to follow

Community Events

Yom Yerushalayim Kotel Tunnel Tour Join UOS and Bnei Akiva for a live virtual tour of the Kotel Tunnels, and explore the world beneath the Western Wall! Thursday 5/21 at 8:30 PM Click here for Zoom link

Yom Yerushalayim Exhibit Stop by UOS whenever you choose, between Friday 5/22 and Sunday 5/24, to see the Yom Yerushalayim exhibit! Learn the history, some fun facts, hear the songs and take a picture and write a note at the "Kotel."

Kids' Bikkurim Contest Everyone is welcome to enter the contest! Learn about Bikkurim, create your own using recycled materials, and send an email to   houston@bneiakiva.org  with your name and a picture! Aviva and Ori Friedmann will come pick up the Bikkurim from you, and they will be displayed outside of UOS in honor of Shavuot. All participants will receive a prize, and the grand prize will go to the contest winner!

Follow us on:

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌