Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy
| Melvin J Berman Hebrew Academy | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
13300 Arctic Ave Rockville, Maryland United States | |
| Coordinates | 39°4′25″N 77°6′1″W / 39.07361°N 77.10028°WCoordinates: 39°4′25″N 77°6′1″W / 39.07361°N 77.10028°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Locale | Residential area |
| Headmaster | Dr. Joshua Levisohn |
| Grades | 2N-12 |
| School color(s) | Blue, orange and white |
| Athletics | Cougars |
| Website | www.mjbha.org |
The Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, referred to locally as Berman or The Academy, is a coed Modern Orthodox Jewish day school serving the greater Washington area. The school has grades from Pre-K to 12. Originally founded in 1944, the school moved to its current location in Rockville, MD in 1999, site of the former Robert E. Peary High School, changing its name from the Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington to its current name after its benefactor Melvin J. Berman in the process. The student body consists of about 700 students, including 185 in the Upper School in the 2009-2010 school year. There were about 200 students in the 2014-2015 school year. The school has a dual curriculum including secular subjects as well as judaics, with the school day generally split in order to cover both curricula. The recently developed NETA program currently serves as the Hebrew language curriculum for the school.[1]
History
Berman was founded in 1944 at 1202 Decatur Street, NW Washington, D.C. It was founded by a group of Orthodox Jewish leaders and was one of the first Jewish Day Schools founded outside of the greater New York area. As the school has expanded in size, it has moved several times before arriving at its current location in Rockville, MD.[2]
Administration
The MJBHA has gone through pivotal changes in its administration over the past ten years. In those ten years, the current headmaster, high school principal, lower school principals and middle school principal have all been hired.
Subjects
Grades 1, 2, and 3 consist of two classes: General (English) Studies and Jewish (Hebrew) Studies. Beginning with grade 4, there are four classes: English, Chumash, Hebrew and Navi. In grade five, there are five classes: English, Hebrew, Chumash, Navi and Mishnah. Middle and Upper school students take nine classes. Most students take English, History, Math, Science, Chumash, Navi, Talmud, Hebrew language, and an elective.
Athletics
The MJBHA fields cross-county, soccer, basketball, track and field, ultimate frisbee, baseball, and volleyball teams. The teams compete in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference, the ISBVL for boys volleyball, and the WAFC for ultimate Frisbee.
Other Extra-Curricular Programs
Among the many extra-curricular programs that are available to MJBHA students is a Mock Trial team that competes yearly with other local high schools in Montgomery County, MD.
Logo
The Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy recently changed their logo and school colors. They transitioned from blue and yellow to blue and orange. The new logo which emphasizes a big "Berman" is designed to look more professional than the old logo.
References
- ↑ http://www.mjbha.org/about_mjbha/MJBHA%20Profile%202007-2008.pdf
- ↑ The Record, Volume 20, 1993-1994, pp. 29-38 by Evelyn Becker