Bornblum Jewish Community School

Our Eighth Graders had an AMUSE-ing time at ! 💥💥💥

Our Fifth Graders began working on memorials made from designs they researched and materials made in our FabLab! 💙 it’s always a creative day at Bornblum!

Today, students gathered for a Yom HaZikaron/Yom Ha'atzmaut Program to honor Israel's 78th Birthday! 🇮🇱

Reminder! This Friday, April 24, is the last day to order Bornblum Lox Boxes: https://bornblum.crowdchange.co/57913

Every purchase directly supports the teachers who give so much to our community. Whether you’re celebrating Mother’s Day, gifting friends or family, or bringing something special to share at work, your order makes a real impact.

Go intimate with the Delancey for 4-5 people or crank it up with the Broadway for the whole mishpacha. Either way, it's way better than fighting the restaurant crowds on Mother's Day!

Order deadline is April 24th. You can pick up at Bornblum on May 10 or get it delivered right to your door for a small fee. Don't live in Memphis? Order boxes for family and friends who do!

Bornblum Lox Boxes Bornblum Lox Boxes

Our Bornblum Middle Civil Rights trip was filled with powerful, unforgettable moments! 💙 Read all about their adventures below!

In Selma, students stood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where they learned about Bloody Sunday from Terry Chestnut, son of J.L. Chestnut, who guided us throughout Selma and Montgomery. We truly couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide!

Students also visited Temple Mishkan Israel, reflecting on the difficult choices local Jewish residents faced during the fight for voting rights, and had the incredible opportunity to meet Rev. Benny L. Tucker, one of Dr. King’s bodyguards.

In Montgomery, the learning continued in meaningful ways. Students explored Centennial Hill, stepped into history by recreating pivotal Civil Rights moments, and learned about Claudette Colvin, whose courageous stand came before Rosa Parks. They also visited Nat King Cole’s home and Dr. King’s first church as a minister, Dexter Ave Baptist Church. Another highlight was a call with Sheyann Webb, one of Dr. King’s youngest foot soldiers.

Wednesday and Thursday took us through Atlanta, where students explored sites deeply connected to the civil rights movement and their middle school curriculum, all while enjoying the warmth of our wonderful host families from The Epstein School Atlanta.

The day began at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, where students walked through the Sweet Auburn neighborhood and gained a deeper understanding of how Dr. King's upbringing shaped the leader he would become. They visited his birth home, stood inside Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King delivered his first sermons, was ordained, and whose sanctuary later held his funeral, and paid their respects at his tomb.

From there, we shifted gears to the Carlos Museum at Emory University, where students came face to face with artifacts from ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, including mummies up close. We closed the day at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, learning about President Carter's lifelong commitment to human rights and racial justice.

Thursday morning brought a meaningful joint Torah service with our Epstein friends, followed by an unforgettable visit to the Georgia Aquarium.

We know the students will come home with lasting memories and plenty of stories to share. More than anything, we hope they carry with them a deeper appreciation for the courage it takes to stand up for what is right, and a renewed sense of the dignity and worth of every human being!

Check out the latest Spark podcast! From Dr. Weiss:

I wanted to share a conversation with Matthew Fieldman, executive director of Rekindle - Black-Jewish Dialogue, that proves sometimes the most powerful movements start with one simple observation: our communities should stop working in parallel and start working in partnership.

Matt's career has been a winding road through Jewish communal work—from leading Hillel services at University of Florida to volunteering in Israel, working for Federation in Cleveland and the Joint Distribution Committee in St. Petersburg, Russia. In 2020, standing on a Cleveland street corner watching the Jewish and Black communities run separate voter registration drives on opposite sides of the street, he had an epiphany: with so few resources and volunteer hours, we could be exponentially more effective working together.

That observation became Rekindle, a space for Black and Jewish communities to build genuine relationships through difficult conversations. Starting with just his friends around a restaurant table, Rekindle now runs in 20 cities with over 400 alumni nationally and three full-time staff. Participants don't just walk away with good feelings. They start internship programs for Black youth at their businesses, join literacy programs, and invite each other to Shabbat tables and church services. Matt's lesson? Sometimes being a follower is just as important as being a leader, and there's a deep human need for connection that transcends our differences. When Black and Jewish folks ally, we become extremely powerful in fighting for democracy and civil rights.

Bornblum Jewish Community School A conversation with Matthew Fieldman, executive director of Rekindle

From the stories etched in stone at Elmwood Cemetery to the iconic recording studio where Elvis and Johnny Cash made history, our Fifth Graders got a front-row seat to Tennessee history this week! There’s no better classroom than the city right outside our door.

Join us at Babka's Spy School for 3-6 year olds on Sunday, April 19, from 10 - 11:30 AM at Bornblum! 🔎 Sign up for free: https://bornblum.crowdchange.co/58173

Activities will include decoding a secret mission message from Babka, a spy training obstacle course, and creating an undercover disguise. And of course a spy-themed snactivity! Open to the whole community.

Chag Pesach sameach from Bornblum! 💐