Beren Buzz 💙 February 4, 2021

Parashat Yitro

Candle Lighting 5:44 p.m.

Havdalah 6:46 p.m.

Parsha Talk

This week's parsha, Yitro, reminds us of the importance of names. Yitro had been a priest and an advisor to Pharaoh. Rashi tells us that he had seven different names in the Torah. Yet when he comes to join the Jews, and when he gives sage advice to Moshe about splitting up Moshe's responsibilities, he is referred to as Moshe's father-in-law first and foremost. Why?

Merch Sale!

Check out the awesome new line of RMBA merchandise that is on sale by the High School Student Council. These items sell out fast. You can order yours here. All funds go to support High School Student Council activities and programming.

"A Mussar and a Mitzvah"

This week's Mussar and a Mitzvah features Noah Frydberg (10th grade) and Natanya Ruben (12th grade). Click here to read about a mussar and mitzvah in Parashat Yitro.

#instaberen

From the desk of the STEAM Lab

This week in STEAM we learned and played with two of our five senses. We had a sensory walk, played guessing games for both our sense of smell and touch, and also had fun making rolling artwork with textured (bumpy/smooth) soft balls painted in strawberry (red) and banana (yellow) smelly paint. We had so much fun!

Portraits of Black History Month

In observance of Black History Month, middle school students in Mr. Duke's social studies class researched famous writings by African-American leaders, then used graphic design apps to create word-cloud portraits of those leaders, composed of their most famous works.

Virtual Siyum

Students in Mrs. Gelman's 7th/8th grade class (section 1) finished learning Parshat Chukat (in Bamidbar). Even though the middle school has been virutally learning this week they had their own "Virtual Siyum" where they discussed through the Padlet tool which parts of the Parsha they had enjoyed learning. The class also filled out an "Answer Garden" where they suggested ways to celebrate when they are all back together. Answers ranged from pizza to ice cream to a free period!

10 Commandments

For Parshat Yitro, Morah Aviva's ECE4 class created their own Aseret Hadibrot (10 commandments)! Chalk rubbing, writing the letters Aleph-Yud, and pasting rectangle shutters were some of the steps which led to their awesome projects. The best part is that if you ask them to name some of the Ten Commandments, all hands are raised to offer up what they learned. Kol Hacavod (congratulations) to all the chaverim (friends)!

Newton's Laws

While learning about Newton’s Laws of Motion, 8th graders in Ms. Goldstein’s class have been researching real life applications of Newton’s Laws. They each chose one of Newton’s Laws and designed a model of a system that exhibits that law. They will be 3D printing their systems and will use them for experiments to test how physics and Newton’s Laws govern the world around them.

Board Games

Students in Morah Miriam's 4th grade Hebrew class had a great time playing games in class, that they created by themselves, entirely in Hebrew. Students were paired in groups, and worked together after school to create their own board games following a list of guidelines, and presented them to their peers with all the rules in Hebrew.

Color War

This week has been full of teen team spirit. High school students have been having the greatest time participating in a multitude of color way activities and competitions. On Saturday night both teams will present their signs, team mascot, song, video and stomp band!

Make It Rain

In Mrs. Schneider's fifth grade, students developed a model to explain how water cycles from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and back again. In the activity, Make It Rain, students created simple models of the ocean and sky to see how these two systems interact. Students compared how the temperature of the ocean and the temperature of the sky affect evaporation and condensation.

Life in Israel

Rabbi Ouzzan's high school seminar class was privileged to hear from Austin Yigal Chandler, a native Houstonian who decided to go to Israel, learn for a year in Yeshiva, and then serve for two years in the IDF as a lone soldier! Students had the opportunity to discuss life in Israel and local issues with Mr. Chandler.

Bracha Bee

Students in Morah Tzippe's Kindergarten Judaics class enjoyed learning all about brachot and practicing for the upcoming Bracha Bee by playing a bracha sorting and matching game.

Save the Date

YOM LIMMUD 2021

Sunday, February 14, 2021

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Our event will be entirely virtual this year. This offers our community the incredible opportunity to hear from presenters from around the world! Each presenter will either currently live or have lived in the country they discuss. We will host 20 sessions including a PJ Library program, a family program for middle school ages and up, as well as a teachers' track.