We Did It! And We're Still Going!

Because of our incredible community, we surpassed our goal and, as of 9:00 AM (10/23), have raised $204,487. With 386 donors rallying across 11 teams and 61 fundraisers, your generosity powers our Annual Campaign, making Jewish education more accessible through tuition assistance, strengthening excellent teaching and learning in both General and Judaic Studies, and sustaining a warm, safe, values-driven school where every student can thrive.

We’ll keep the campaign page open through the end of the week for anyone who still wishes to donate or continue fundraising: RMBA Giving Day page -give or keep fundraising.

Mazal tov to our contest winners: the first three fundraisers to reach 10 unique donors: Hannah Niman & David Abraham, Juliett & Ilan Melnik, and Rivkie & Levi Gottlieb, and to Rabbi Jordan Silvestri for securing the highest amount of donors. With deep gratitude for your partnership and momentum, let’s finish the week strong!

Helping Families Navigate ESA Programs

Last month, Head of School Rabbi Silvestri attended the fall board meeting of Texas Private Schools Association (TPSA) in Austin to discuss last year's Legislative Session, especially the upcoming introduction of the School Choice bill and Educational Savings Accounts (ESA). Over the coming month, the policies and process for applications and prioritization will be finalized. Together with our partners at TPSA, RMBA will be running information and support sessions to assist our families in applying for an ESA and ensuring the highest level of prioritization. Please stay tuned for more information regarding those sessions in early November. 

Honoring October 7:

Memory, Resilience, and Hope

On October 16, our Upper School marked the National Remembrance Day for October 7 with a quiet, dignified ceremony. Student speakers shared brief reflections and an original poem, interwoven with stories of courage, chesed, and perseverance from that day and its aftermath. We held space for loss, affirmed our collective resilience, and expressed deep gratitude for the survivors/hostages who have returned home. The ceremony concluded with our students and faculty reciting Tehillim together and singing Hatikvah.

Later that morning, our 4th and 5th graders participated in a separate, age-appropriate program in which students also spoke with sincerity and care. Across both gatherings, our message was the same: we remember, we strengthen one another, and we choose hope. May the memories of the victims be for a blessing.

Mastering Gemara Concepts

Middle School students gathered in the library to prepare for their upcoming Gemara test. Over the past month and a half, they have been learning the fundamentals of Gemara phraseology and exploring key concepts related to finding lost objects. Their hard work and dedication have deepened their understanding of this important topic and strengthened their textual learning skills.

Finding Meaning Through Poetry

This week, Middle School English Language Arts students in Ms. Ruben's class are wrapping up the first quarter with a creative twist. After exploring key themes in their literary units, they are now writing original poems that express their insights. Each poem demonstrates their growing command of language through the use of simile, metaphor, alliteration, and allusion.

Sharing Our Stories

Ms. Morrison's fourth graders are hard at work creating their All About Me slide shows, a project that encourages them to share their interests, families, and goals while strengthening their writing, organization, and technology skills. As they design their slides and add images, students are also preparing to present their work to the class. These presentations provide valuable opportunities to practice public speaking, express ideas clearly, and showcase creativity. Each student’s unique story adds a special touch to this engaging project.

A Complicated Voyage

Third-grade students in Mr. Simon’s class explored the life and legacy of Christopher Columbus. Through their studies, they discovered that his impact is complex. While Columbus did not discover America, his voyage westward helped prove that the Earth is round and opened the door to further exploration. However, his actions also brought suffering to the indigenous people of the Bahamas through enslavement, violence, and the spread of European diseases. Students compared Columbus to Marco Polo, recognizing Polo as a positive example of curiosity, acceptance, and respect for other cultures. They wrote and presented thoughtful essays reflecting on these lessons.

Second Grade News

This week, second graders in Ms. Morrison's class enjoyed listening to Too Many Mangos by Tammy Paikai. The story follows two children who pick more mangos than they can eat and decide to share them with their neighbors learning about generosity, community, and friendship along the way. After reading, we practiced sequencing the events of the story and discussed the importance of sharing and helping others. Students also identified the characters, described their actions, and shared their favorite parts of the story. It was a wonderful way to connect reading comprehension with real-life social skills!

Alphabet Adventure

This week, Morah Eliana's second grade class set out on an A–Z scavenger hunt through the Magic Forest! With clipboards in hand and curious eyes ready, students explored nature’s treasures while finding something for every letter of the alphabet. It was a magical mix of learning and adventure!

Celebrating the Joy of the Holidays



Morah Clara's EC3B students had a wonderful time exploring the holidays of Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. Through sensory play, music, art, and hands-on activities, the children experienced the joy and meaning of each Yom Tov in a way that was both engaging and age-appropriate. They listened closely to the sounds of the shofar, learned the rules for building a sukkah, and practiced saying the brachot for the Arba Minim (the 4 species). One of their favorite moments was shaking the lulav and etrog while singing lively holiday songs. Before Simchat Torah, the children celebrated with joyful dancing as they marked the completion of the Torah and the excitement of beginning it anew. Each child proudly danced with their personalized Torah, practicing name and letter recognition while moving, clapping, and smiling from ear to ear.

It was a beautiful way to celebrate the chagim (holidays) together through joy, learning, and play!

Bereshit Comes to Life

EC4A students in Morah Aviva's class began their Bereshit unit, exploring the six days of creation and the joy of Shabbat. In connection with the Parsha, friends engaged in sequencing puzzles, Bereshit discovery bags, and kinetic sand exploration featuring the alphabet letter of the week, “Dd.” Each child created a multi-sensory Bereshit globe mobile representing the six days of creation and Shabbat, bringing the story to life. After the Chagim, students also re-acclimated to fine motor and sensory “Dd” activities, tracing lower and upper case letters with stickers, practicing cutting skills, and using dotters to strengthen their fine motor development.

Exploring the Parsha Through Play

This week, EC3A students in Morah Sandy's class explored the story of Noah’s Ark through a variety of hands-on activities. Students enjoyed a sensory project where they turned the water blue and added animals, built and painted their own arks (teivot), and wore animal masks to bring the story to life. They also practiced fine motor skills by squeezing glue and placing sticks and stickers to create their own ark crafts. The class learned new songs and even the signs for “rainbow” and “animals.”

Splish Splash and Learn!

EC15 students had a wonderful time exploring “rain drops” at the sensory station with Morah Hadassah. Through hands-on activities, children practiced fine motor skills while engaging in playful exploration and discovery. The activity combined learning and fun, giving students a joyful way to connect with early science and sensory experiences.

Showers of Brachot

As we enter Mar Cheshvan (the "bitter" month after Tishrei as there are no holidays), we sweetened this “quiet” month with learning, our Bnot Sherut led a joyful Lower School program about rain, gratitude, and tefillah. Students explored why we begin adding “Mashiv ha-ruach u’morid ha-geshem” (“Who makes the wind blow and brings down the rain”) in the Amidah at this time of year, and how this blessing helps us notice the miracles in everyday weather. Students lesrned that rain is not just a nuissance in the forecast, but a blessing that nurtures life in Israel and here at home. We’re grateful to our Bnot Sherut for making Mar Cheshvan come alive for our learners and for helping them carry this kavannah into their daily tefillah and beyond.