Senior Night Magic

Senior Night at RMBA was a celebration to remember as we honored our two varsity basketball seniors from the Class of 2026, captains Kayla Kupfer and Rafi Miller. Surrounded by family, teammates, and coaches, Kayla was recognized for her leadership, tireless energy, and involvement across campus, while Rafi was celebrated for his eight years in the Beren basketball program, his dedication to his team, and his outstanding athletic achievements. The evening was made even more special as both the High School Girls and Boys teams capped off the night by advancing to the playoff rounds, an exciting milestone that added extra ruach (spirit) to an already meaningful night.

Partnering Through TEFA

RMBA continues to prepare our community for the launch of Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), with parent applications opening on February 4. Thank you to the many families who joined our recent Parent Informational Webinar; RMBA remains committed to providing clear guidance, timely updates, and ongoing support throughout this process. Families are encouraged to review the TEFA program overview, watch the recording of the TEFA Parent Webinar, (passcode: 6C^?k$6t) and use the TEFA Parent Application Checklist to gather required materials in advance. As shared during the webinar, RMBA is working toward 100% parent participation, which strengthens our collective voice and helps maximize future funding opportunities for families. Additional guidance will be shared following RMBA’s preview of the parent application on February 2.

A Portrait of Memory and Meaning

After interviewing Holocaust survivor Ruth Steinfeld last week, 10th grade student Shoshana Cohen took the experience one step further. She searched for photographs of Ruth’s family members who were lost in the Shoah and painted a portrait bringing them together. The artwork served as a powerful and meaningful tribute, reflecting empathy, remembrance, and the deep impact of connecting personal stories to learning.

The Human Experience Through Short Stories

This week, Middle School students in Ms. Ruben's ELA class read a selection of short stories and connected various elements to their class novels. Through an exploration of characters, themes, and mood across seemingly different works of literature, students discovered how shared aspects of the human experience unite stories across genres and time.

The Lasting Impact of Inspired Teaching

Morah Eliana Ruben ('19), a Beren alum, created a heartfelt painting honoring her favorite teacher and mentor, Giveret Erlichman. The piece beautifully depicts Giveret Erlichman’s iconic classroom, a space rich with Hebrew language inspiration and meaningful learning. The artwork reflects the enduring influence of dedicated educators and the powerful connections that continue across generations.

Preparing for the Challah Board Project

Seventh graders in Mr. Duke’s Texas History class began the hands-on process of breaking down timbers this week as they prepared for their upcoming challah board building project. Students learned foundational woodworking skills while measuring, cutting, and preparing materials, setting the stage for a meaningful project that blends craftsmanship, creativity, and tradition.

A Fruitful Lesson

This week, Morah Eliana’s first grade students began learning about the Shivat HaMinim (the seven species) in honor of Tu BiShvat. As part of their learning, students created a fruit bowl representing the seven species, combining hands-on creativity with a deeper understanding of the holiday and its meaning.

Bringing Biographies to Life

Over the past two weeks, Mr. Simon’s third grade class explored the genre of biography. Each student selected a biography from the class library, read about a person of interest, and wrote an informative essay. The essays not only shared important facts but also captured the unique spirit of both the students and their chosen subjects. Along the way, students learned about figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Anne Frank, Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, and many others. The class enthusiastically brought their learning to life through reading, writing, and discussion.

Telling Our Stories Through Timelines

This week, 4th graders in Ms. Morrison's class are actively engaged in creating their Life Timelines, a project that encourages reflection, organization, and storytelling. Students are choosing meaningful moments from their lives and arranging them in chronological order, complete with photos, captions, and personal details. It has been a joy to see the variety of experiences shared and to hear the stories behind them. This project supports social studies and writing skills while building confidence as students share their journeys with classmates.

Cracking the Code

Last week, Lower School Montessori students were introduced to the Egg Drop Challenge and explored the surprising strength of eggs. They began brainstorming materials and designs for contraptions that will keep their eggs safe on the big drop. Creativity, teamwork, and problem solving are front and center as groups prepare to build next week using items from around the house only. No online instructions, just original ideas and imagination at work. Assembly and testing are coming up soon, and we cannot wait to see which designs rise to the challenge.

Marathon Update

This week marked the start of this year’s RMBA Marathon, with nearly 70 students participating. The excitement was palpable as students new to the marathon were mentored by returning runners. Participants were thrilled to be back on the track and even asked to run extra laps. While makeup runs are available, they are limited. Do not let your child miss out on an achievement they will always remember.

For those interested, this is the last week to sign up for the RMBA Marathon. Please use the Sign Up Form.

Learning Across Subjects & Grades



Ms. Morrison's 2nd graders have been combining reading, creativity, and science through their study of Charlotte’s Web. After completing Chapter 11, students created their own spider webs and wrote messages they imagined Charlotte might spin next, bringing the story to life while deepening their understanding of its characters and themes. Alongside the novel, students learned interesting facts about spiders and their role in the environment, connecting literature to the natural world.The 2nd and 3rd graders also teamed up for a collaborative math experience focused on multiplication. Third graders acted as teachers, working in small groups to help second graders explore early multiplication through models and hands-on practice. This partnership built confidence, communication skills, and a strong sense of community across grade levels.

Exploring Letters, Learning, & the Land

This week, EC4B students in Morah Aliyah's class jumped back into their Tu Bishvat learning by exploring the Shivat HaMinim (the seven species). The class learned about foods that come from the land, including wine and grape juice from grapes, olive oil from olive trees, and flour from wheat kernels. Students worked together to sort and match images of each food, and by the end of the week, they will be familiar with all seven species. They also began learning the letter of the week, L, by painting letter Ls in the art center and cutting out items that begin with the letter to add to their end of year ABC books. Scissor skills continue to improve with each week of practice. Students are halfway through their vowel unit, drawing and tracing short vowel letters and identifying them while singing the ABC song. In connection with the weekly parsha, students learned about Kriyat Yam Suf (splitting of the sea) and created a mini craft that they were excited to share with their families.

Learning, Creating, & Blooming

Trees were the focus of learning in Morah Aviva's EC4A class this week as students explored the importance of trees and their role in keeping the world healthy and full of life. The class observed the almond blossom tree, known in Israel as the shkediah, using the Smart screen, and then created their own textured shkediah trees using bubble wrap, paint markers, cotton balls, glue, and paint. The project also became a hands-on science lesson as students mixed red and white paint to create pink centers for their blossoms. In connection with learning the parts of a tree in both English and Hebrew, the class added movement and exercise to their daily routine by singing and acting out “Shorashim (roots), geza (trunk) , anafim (branches), alim (leaves).”

Yearbook Ads

The RMBA yearbook is now open for student and business recognition ads! This is a great opportunity to celebrate your child’s achievements, commemorate special moments, or promote your business while supporting our school. Designing your ad is quick and easy! Simply visit Jostens’ Custom Yearbook to craft your personalized message.

The deadline is Monday, February 9. Don’t miss this chance to be part of RMBA’s yearbook!

Parting the Waters

Morah Sandy's EC3A students explored Parshat Beshalach through a hands-on craft that provided both sensory and fine motor experiences. They painted the Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds), added paper waves, and sprinkled sand to represent where Bnei Yisrael safely crossed on dry land between the parted waters. Later, students will add figures to recreate the action of parshat Beshalach, bringing the story to life in their own creative way.