• Owner: affiliated with Congregation Beth El
• Phone: (510) 848-9428
• Email: barbara@bethelberkeley.org
• Neighborhood: N. Berkeley on Oxford St.
• Zip: 94709
• License #: 013418160
• Capacity: 64
• Website: http://www.bethelberkeley.org/nurseryschool.html
• Bilingual:
• Ages:

A last minute opening for a 3+ year-old child is available at my children's nursery school. Beth El Nursery School, http://www.bethelberkeley.org/nurseryschool.html, has been my daughter's school since she was 2.5. My son will start in the fall. At this Jewish play-based school, my daughter has learned about the holidays and enjoyed a weekly shabbat musical celebration. There is a large outdoor playground and three separate classrooms for the three age groups. We have a close-knit community of families with patient, thoughtful, and creative teachers taking care of our children. For more information about this unique opportunity, contact Barbara Kanter, nursery school director. barbara@bethelberkeley.org
emily

Re: Do I need to join a temple to get into preschool?
My kids went to the preschool at temple Beth-El. It is located on Oxford st. so it's as close to Albany as the JCC is. We did join the temple precisely because it turned out to be cheaper and really didn't attend any of the temple's events. My kids liked the preschool a lot, there seemed to be many families there who were dealing with the same issues that you raised, as i can recall there was much openness and discussion among parents and staff around those issues. I liked the way they celebrated most of the holidays too. orit

We are considering sending our child to Beth El Nursery School. There are no reviews since the move. Anyone have experiences to share? Amy

Our almost 5-year-old has been reading since age 3 1/2; his teachers have found a way to incorporate his skills and interests, allowing him to become a leader but not a freak amongst his peers. When he was younger, and had less interest in making friends, they made it possible for him to develop his talents and explore the social realm at his own pace. Our 2 1/2 year old has also blossomed there, bonding with several of her teachers and delving into the world of messy art projects and new friends. She comes home happy and exhausted every day.

Each classroom has its own tenor -- the 2 year-old room has a no- nonsense head teacher who works teriffically for some (my 2 kids have responded very well) but whom others find alienating. The co-teachers there complement her well, adding softness. The 3- year-old room has a great head teacher whose enthusiasm seems endless and who manages to find a niche for each child. All three teachers work well together. This year the head teacher was out for a time recuperating from a serious illness, and the staff pulled together very well and ran the classroom happily in her absence.

The 4-year-old room is flat out fabulous. Marlene, the head teacher, has been teaching for 25 years and knows all the tricks. She deftly weaves the children's interests into her time-tested curriculum, introducing elementary-school readiness (working at centers, following multi-part directions, dictating stories) to eager, receptive students. She takes her job seriously, and goes the extra mile to reach out to parents and to make the children feel welcome and special. All the teachers incorporate Jewish curriculum in the classroom, which has been a huge plus for us. Our children come home singing holiday and Shabbat songs, and help us remember when to prepare for upcoming holidays. Beth El now has a preschool admissions policy which heavily favors membership there, and recommends joining the synagogue before your child is admitted. We found this burdensome. It has the effect of encouraging families to be more involved at the synagogue, so you should consider if this is something that suits your family.

The new building is great -- big windows in the classrooms, easy access to bathrooms for the children, and a kitchen in the hallway. It has a few kinks, some of which will be worked out: the ventilation needs to be improved, the storage is limited, the entrance to the 2-year-old room is narrow, especially with the inevitable baby strollers that accompany the parents. The parking lot is difficult to navigate, and the building's security makes enterring cumbersome. Elisabeth

As far as play time and art I am very satisfied. My daughter is extremely active and social and gets lots of stimulation at school. The teaching teams are wonderful. My daughter is in the Alef class and is learning so much this year. I like that there are native Hebrew speakers in two of the classes. I love the afternoon teacher Wendy and my daughter enjoys the activites throughout the day.

We feel very forutnate to have joined the synagogue when our daughter was 6 months old and spent the time to get to know the teachers and staff. Beth El is a second home to us so we are very comfortable leaving our daughter there each day. Julie

Hi, I'm looking for a more current recommendation than what's in the archives for Beth El preshcool. Specifically, I want to know about the 3 year old class. How did you like the teachers, the community, the playard (and amount of outdoor time the kids get), and what about teacher turn over. Thank you. anon

The play yard at the current beth El does not look like much and I was put off by it at first. But every time I have been there when the kids were playing in the yard, they seem to be having a blast. There is standard stuff--sand box, play structure, trikes etc.,--and the teachers put out a variety of different things every day. Most days, you can follow a glitter trail through the yard and into the classrooms and that to me is like the residue of magic that the kids create for themselves in that yard. Each class gets about an hour of ourdoor time each day, I think. And Beth El is constructing a new temple and school that should have newer play yard stuff.

The commmunity is wonderful. Perhaps it has something to do with being a part of a community where religion and spirit are important, perhaps it has to do with being a community of parents of young children, maybe it's singing the dinosaur song at Shabbat every Friday that keeps people in a good mood, but there seems to be a prevailing kindness among the families at Beth El that you don't find everywhere. I think the warmth that the families bring is evident in the kids as well. Feels like our whole family is thriving at Beth El. Carolyn

If you're looking for a nice Jewish pre-school, I recommend Congregation Beth El Nursery School. They had a hard patch transitioning to a new director in 2001 but are now back on track. Good diversity (Asian, Black, non-Jewish, Lesbian moms, etc) and wonderful caring teachers. My daughter's been there for 2 years and comes home speaking Hebrew and Spanish to me. RD

Re: Preschools with good playgrounds
Beth El in Berkeley has everything except the open access. Their playground has a large grassy area, a large sand box, and a structure. Because there are different age groups they are given seperate times to be outside. As it fits so many of your other criteria it may be worth looking at. Kean

I have checked the website but wondered if anyone had any updated feedback on Beth El Nursery School or Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center preschool. I know Beth El has a new director & had a lot of turnover in the past few years. I am interested in the two year old programs for both schools for next fall. Thanks for your feedback!!