Robert M. Beren Academy records

The school was founded in 1969, by a dedicated group of families who valued the importance of a Jewish day school education. Originally named South Texas Hebrew Academy, the school was housed in United Orthodox Synagogues for its first five years. When it outgrew those facilities in 1975, the school moved to South Braeswood near Chimney Rock. Its location in the heart of Meyerland put the young school right in the center of Jewish Houston.

In 1976, with the school facing serious financial challenges and a student body of 70, lay leadership regrouped and redoubled fundraising efforts to ensure the stability of the Academy. The funds were used to renovate and update the school’s facilities, adding the Katz Lower School wing and a learning center dedicated to the memory of Larry Marc Rosen. In recognition of its high educational standards, the school received accreditation by the Texas Education Agency and by the prestigious Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1977-78. In celebration of these achievements, and to mark a new beginning, the name of the school was changed to the Hebrew Academy and a high school program was added. Soon the Hebrew Academy needed additional space. The expanding programs required more classrooms, laboratories, a Beit Midrash, performance/meeting space and facilities for indoor and outdoor athletic pursuits. Lay leadership found and purchased a large tract of previously unused land from a railroad company. Robert M. Beren’s naming gift anchored the major capital campaign that was launched to build the three wing academic building, gymnasium and outdoor fields, The Hebrew Academy became Robert M. Beren Academy, and in the fall of 2000, Robert M. Beren Academy moved just a couple of miles south to its new 52-acre campus.

The addition of a Day Camp in 2007 was a logical move to utilize the campus throughout the summer. Now known as Camp Moshava Houston, the Camp attracts close to 200 campers throughout the summer to be immersed in art, athletics and strong Judaic programming in an atmosphere committed to Torah and Israel. A four year high school program was incorporated beginning in 2008. Before that time, Robert M. Beren Academy concluded at 11th grade, allowing students to finish all necessary course work in 3 years.

Excerpted from: https://www.berenacademy.org/