Laurel and Robert Bar of Iowa City, Iowa; along with Marlene Karp and Earl Karp of Milwaukee, Wisc., announce the engagement of their children, Matthew Tomas Bar and Rebecca Shira Karp.

 

Matthew, who attended Washington University of St. Louis, is the founder and executive director of Bible Raps, a venture that furthers Jewish identity through education — using rap, hip-hop and technology as its media — to illuminate Jewish core texts.

 

Rebecca attended the University of Pennsylvania and is the East Coast regional director for Moishe House, an international organization that supports and sponsors young Jewish leaders as they create vibrant home-based communities for themselves and their peers.

 

Both Matthew and Rebecca attended the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, although not at the same time.

 

Matthew is the grandson of the late Spencer and June Burns, and the late Samuel and Mildred Bar. Rebecca is the granddaughter of the late Marvin and Ethel Schenbaum, and Doris Karp and the late Sherman B. Karp.

 

Sharing in their joy is Matt’s sister and brother-in-law, Katy Bar and Marty Bohnenkamp, along with nephews Sammy and Jacob; and Rebecca’s brother, Steven.

 

Matthew and Rebecca met in the summer of 2010 in Jerusalem during the ROI Summit held by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.

 

The couple, who lives near the Italian Market, is planning a January 2013 wedding.