Parshat Vaera
Candle Lighting 5:24 p.m.
Havdalah 6:25 p.m.
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This week we are thrilled to share Rabbi Johnny Ouzzan's, High School Judaic Studies Teacher, Parsha Perspectives, exploring the paradox of free will and divine intervention in Parshat Vaera, delving into Pharaoh's hardened heart and the complex dynamics of Hashem's simultaneous punishment and empowerment.
Click here to continue reading. |
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Hakarat HaTov - Recognizing the Good |
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We are so grateful for all our volunteers this week! A huge shoutout and thank you goes out to:
April Amsalem, Tali Bublil, Laura Harroch, Reut Mizrahi, Regina Shamooelian
If you would like to volunteer at RMBA please click here to view our opportunities.
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Mazal Tov to Devorah and Rabbi Yudi Filler on the birth of their daughter.
Mazal Tov to big brother Shmulik Filler.
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It is with great sadness that we inform you of the recent passing of
Daniella Hampel z"l
Wife of Ori Hampel
Mother of
Gilad ('16), Gavriel ('19), Gali, and Gayah Hampel
May her memory be for a blessing, and may the family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem
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Through the Looking Glass |
What does a school on fire look like? Hear about what we have discovered since we started our new Math curriculum in the lower school. Then you will know exactly what it mean! Click here to check out Episode #18 from RMBA's Podcast Studios. |
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Empowering Minds
This Monday, our Lower School children were treated to an exciting visit from N.E.D, a captivating mainstream theater production on campus! N.E.D, which stands for "Never give up, Encourage others, and Don't ever stop learning," is on a mission to teach children about the power of a growth mindset. During this 45-minute adventure with Jonny and NED, our young learners absorbed valuable lessons. They discovered the importance of leveraging the "Power of Yet" to persist in the face of challenges, the significance of fostering courage by encouraging their peers, and the mindset of continuous learning and resilience, even when they believe they already possess all the knowledge!
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Profound Exploration
This week, Mr. Cell's 9th-10th grade AP U.S. History class delved into the unsettling history of the eugenics movement and its profound, tragic consequences. The class critically examined the roles played by progressive and nativist advocates, government entities, major philanthropists, the U.S. Supreme Court, and even its unfortunate admiration by Hitler. The exploration aimed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of this complex and dark chapter in history.
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Mishna Discussions
This week, in Rabbi Yudi's 5th-grade boys' group, the focus was on Mishna discussions! The boys thoroughly explored each case, providing examples, and actively engaging with the material by asking insightful questions.
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Nature's Classroom
This week in Morah Sandy's EC3A class, students explored Tu BiShvat, the New Year of the Trees. They had a delightful time gathering leaves and acorns on a windy afternoon. The following day, the students collaborated to glue their nature finds onto a large, beautiful class tree, adorning the classroom with their collective creation. Additionally, they strengthened their number recognition and one-to-one relationships by identifying the numbers on their "acorn cards" and counting out the corresponding number of acorns.
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Compound Magic
This week, Dr. Arnold's 8th-grade class delved into the fascinating realm of creating chemical compounds. The students kicked off their exploration with hands-on projects, crafting homemade lava lamps and experimenting with color-changing properties. The visual impact of indicators taking over the oil and water can be observed in the collage above.
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Math Adventures
This week, in Ms. Morrison's 2nd-grade class, math concepts came to life through engaging games! In a particularly exciting activity, students began with the number 51. Drawing cards determined the number they had to subtract, and they repeated this process until reaching zero, making for a fun and interactive learning experience!
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Decoding Differences
This week, Ms. Pollak's high school Chumash class delved into the study of the two portions of the Aseret Hadibrot (Ten Commandments): one in Parshat Yitro, specifically in Perek 20, and the other in Parshat VaEtchanan, found in Perek 5. The class meticulously examined the disparities between these sets of "Ten Commandments," contrasting the version given the first year after their Exodus with the one articulated 40 years later, just before entering Eretz Yisrael. The outcomes of their exploration will be thoroughly discussed in the upcoming class sessions.
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Winter Wonderland
This week in Morah Clara's EC3B class, students embarked on an exciting journey to discover the wonders of winter. They explored the magical transformation of raindrops into snowflakes, discovered the fascinating world of animals that thrive in extremely cold environments, and gained insights into the lives of polar bears and penguins. The students also learned about hibernation, discovering that animals like owls sleep for extended periods during the winter. To enhance their understanding, the class even experienced a make-believe snowfall within their classroom. In addition to expanding their Hebrew vocabulary, the students learned about this week’s parsha and the concept of the 10 makkot (plagues).
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Heartfelt Tefillot
This week in Morah Ester's 4th-grade Judaic Studies class, students engaged in a meaningful discussion about tefillah. Each student took the opportunity to articulate their prayers to Hashem, sharing the heartfelt wishes they had written. Morah Ester observed that the focus of their expressions centered around positive and altruistic wishes for others.
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Seminary Visit: Midreshet Harova
This week, the 11th and 12th-grade girls warmly welcomed Dara Unternerg from Midreshet Harova. She shared valuable insights about the significance of diversity and the personal growth that stems from interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds. During her presentation, Dara also spoke to the girls about the unique and enriching experiences offered by the seminary.
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Summer Camps and Israel Programs Scholarships
Applications are now open for Jewish Federation’s need-based scholarships for Jewish overnight summer camp and Israel teen summer and gap-year programs. Scholarships enable children and teens to participate in these transformative Jewish educational experiences. This year, the Federation increased its Scholarship Fund for camp and Israel travel to $120,000 to emphasize the importance of supporting families in need and ensuring all children have access to meaningful Jewish experiences. Scholarships are for children in the greater Houston area and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to submit your application is May 12. Learn more and apply now.
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Exploring Math and Literacy
This week in Ms. Sarah's Upper Elementary Montessori class (4th/5th grade), students engaged in a diverse range of lessons. The collage above showcases their work on fractions, operations with decimals, and book summaries.
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Chemical Marvels
This week in Dr. Arnold's AP Chemistry class, students delved into the fascinating realm of precipitate reactions, showcasing their knowledge by successfully extracting silver from a liquid compound.
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Mastering Multiplication
This week, in Ms. Klausner's 4th-grade math class, students focused on honing their mental math skills for multiplication! Together, they tackled word problems collaboratively as a class. The process began with a discussion about the problem, identifying the target, and collectively working through the solution.
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Blossoming Celebrations
This week, Morah Roza's 4th-grade Judaic Studies class had a wonderful time getting ready for Tu Bishvat by engaging in outdoor planting activities. They are eagerly anticipating watching their plants flourish and are excitedly counting down the days to the celebration in two weeks.
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Snowy Discoveries
This week in Morah Susie's EC2A class, students discovered the exciting world of winter, exploring concepts related to weather and snow. Their newfound knowledge coincided perfectly with the arrival of our local cold front.
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Navigating Knowledge
This week in Morah Chaya's 5th-grade Judaic Studies girls' class, students conducted a comprehensive review of their learnings in Navi up to this point. Building upon this foundation, they are poised to deepen their understanding and knowledge in the coming lessons.
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Blending Brilliance
This week in Ms. Misba's 1st-grade class, students engaged in activities focused on blends! In one game, a picture featuring a blend was presented, and students were tasked with identifying and selecting the correct blend that belongs in the corresponding word.
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Step Into Action
The School Marathon kicked off on Wednesday! About 60 enthusiastic students have pledged to participate in the School Marathon Program. If your child (grades 1-5) hasn't signed up yet, this is the final week to join the runners. Click here to register your child.
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Heroes in the Making
This week, Mr. Simon's third-grade students immersed themselves in the study of biographies of various heroes. In the coming weeks, they will be crafting book reports focusing on the historical figures they individually selected. The photo above captures the students engrossed in reading, writing, and presenting their initial drafts to the class.
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Lessons in Kindness
This week, Morah Aviva's EC4A class had an exciting Winter/Penguins unit, crafting scenes and creating Potato Print Penguins. They continued their Alef Bet curriculum, focusing on the letter "Kaf" and the word "kachol" (blue). Additionally, they worked on the letter "Mm," attaching pretend money for their ABC books. Morah Aviva led a special lesson on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., discussing equality and kindness. The children shared their dreams to make the world better, illustrating them for display. In honor of National Appreciation of Law Enforcement Day, the class also visited the security desk to express gratitude to the police officers for keeping the school community safe.
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Number Bond Adventures
This week in Ms. Schneider's first-grade class, students continued their exploration of number bonds, approaching addition through various methods such as visual aids and manipulatives to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the concept.
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Exploring Opposites
This week in Ms. Morrison's 4th-grade English class, students delved into the concept of antonyms. Engaging in a lively game of memory, they skillfully matched words with their corresponding antonyms
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Letters and Dreams
In Morah Hanna’s EC4B class, students explored letters Lamed and L, engaging in creative Share and Tell activities related to the letter L. They discussed Martin Luther King's impactful speech on unity and kindness, creating self-portraits and illustrating their dreams. The week included a unique egg activity emphasizing our commonality despite differences. Penguin-themed lessons involved measurements, paintings, and a fun science experiment with butter. The week concluded with a study on Parsha Vaera, leading to the creation of 3D frogs. It was a vibrant week of learning and creativity!
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RMBA High School Fondren Shabbaton
January 12-13
We have an exciting Shabbat in Fondren planned out with the fun weekend culminating at Main Event!
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Around the World with RMBA
Motzei Shabbat, February 10, 2024
8:30 PM at RMBA
For tickets and sponsorship opportunities please click here.
Tickets begin at $100
RSVP Deadline: January 26, 2024
Please note: this event is not for children/students.
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Jewish Federation of Greater Houston Presents:
Yom Limmud
30th Anniversary of Houston's largest day of Jewish learning!
Sunday, February 4, 2024
9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Congregation Emanu El
We are thrilled to share that both Rabbi Jordan Silvestri, RMBA Head of School, and Rabbi Yitzchak Sprung, UOS Rabbi and RMBA High School Judaic Studies Teacher will be offering classes at this very special event.
We encourage all to check out the full class schedule and register to attend by
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Priority Camp Kochavim Registration Now Open for RMBA Families
Camp registration will be open to the greater Houston Jewish Community on
Thursday, February 1, 2024
9:00 AM
Session 1: June 10–June 21
Session 2: June 24–July 5
Session 3: July 8–July 19
Session 4: July 22–August 2
Ages 2-11
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Please see the Beren Academy Calendar as your most up to date source for information. The Week at a Glance is a snapshot, but does not reflect any changes made after that date.
MS Girls Basketball
The MS Girls Basketball team will host Westbury Christian on Thursday for a 5:00 game after dropping a tough one to Bay Area Christian on Tuesday.
MS Boys Basketball
The MS Boys Basketball team will host TDS on Tuesday, January 16th at 5:00 after dropping a tough one on Tuesday to Logos Prep.
HS Boys Basketball
The HS Boys Basketball team is currently 5-4 on the season and 3-1 in TAPPS after an impressive win over Living Stones. The Stars were led by Rafi Miller who finished with 38 points in the 58-30 victory. The boys will take the court again on January 11th when we host Divine Savior in a tough TAPPS match up.
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