Berkeley Parents Network: Jewish Schools & Preschools

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Jewish Schools & Preschools

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > Jewish Schools & Preschools

Questions

Looking for a fun, easy-going Jewish preschool
Do I need to join a temple to get into preschool?
Looking for a Jewish Preschool in Oakland
Getting in to Jewish Preschools
Reasons for choosing a Jewish preschool
Neighborhood Public School vs. a Jewish Day School

Other Programs

Preschools

Beth El Nursery School Berkeley
Beth Sholom Preschool San Leandro
Gan Avraham Preschool Oakland
Gan B'Nai Shalom Preschool Walnut Creek
Gan Mah Tov Preschool Oakland
Gan Shalom Preschool Berkeley
HappyTogether Preschool Piedmont
Jewish Community Center Preschool Berkeley
Netivot Shalom Preschool Berkeley
Temple Sinai Jewish Preschool (Oakland)

K-12 Schools

Contra Costa Jewish Day School K-8 (Lafayette)
Oakland Hebrew Day School (Oakland)
Tehiyah Day School Jewish K-8 (El Cerrito)

After-School Programs

Edah After-school Program Congregation Beth El, Berkeley
JCC East Bay After School in Berkeley
JCC East Bay After School in Oakland

Looking for a fun, easy-going Jewish preschool

Dec 2008

Seeking Alternative Jewish school for young child
My son is still pretty young but I am starting to wonder about his education. I'd really like to find a fun, easy-going, quality Jewish preschool or day school kind of thing to give him a good start in this kind of thing. Any suggestions for the Berkeley area? Laura

Try Gan Shalom Preschool on Jefferson St. in Berkeley. My first child went for two years and my second is in her first year there. I continue to feel excited by the curriculum and the very creative teachers. There is a place for all families interested in Judaism and a respect for the diverse meaning that has within the community. Happy Parent

We sent both our children to Gan Shalom in Berkeley and love it there. A loving, kind, playful place that manages to create wonderful Jewish stories and songs and atmosphere on a level accessible for everyone from 3 year olds to grownups. We also have lots of friends with kids at Netivot Shalom who love it there too. Both places have a vibrant parent community. happy jewmamma

I'm not sure what you mean by 'alternative' but I have been very happy with the new preschool at Netivot Shalom in Berkeley. The school is now in it's second year (my son has been there since the opening last year). The community of parents is warm, welcoming and caring, the staff attentive and nurturing, and the Judaism vibrant, Hebrew-infused, and non-judgmental. Every morning the children sing their way into the sanctuary with the rabbi and his guitar to say 'boker tov' (good morning) to the Torah; on Fridays the children bake challah and we have a 'pretend shabbat' at the end of the school day; holidays are celebrated with joy; and Jewish values are woven throughout the curriculum. Come visit and see for yourself the wonderful preschool we have created! Netivot Shalom is a conservative, egalitarian congregation on University avenue with a diverse membership. To schedule a visit you can call Lauren Kindorf, CNS Preschool Director, at 510-549-9447 x110. Abby

My kids go to a wonderful, warm and nurturing Jewish preschool in Oakland called Gan Mah Tov. Kids must be 2 to start, do not have to be potty-trained, and are loved and cared for from the minute they walk in the door. I strongly encourage you to check it out - 510-530-2146! Delighted Gan Mah Tov Mom

Do I need to join a temple to get into preschool?

Sept 2008

I have just begun the task of looking into preschools for my son for next year when he is 2. I was raised fairly religious by west coast standards (went to jewish day school till 8th grade, whole family kept kosher-2 sets of dishes and everything, had a bat mitzvah, etc etc). Then I married a man who converted under a reconstructionist rabbi for his own reasons (#1 probably being to make my mother fully accept him).

Anyway we've lived in the bay area for a number of years-hardly celebrate anything with the exception of going to Saul's for Passover and Hannukah. Last year we had a baby and had our first Sedar at our home which went well and was fun. We always said that if we were going to have children we'd raise them Jewish. Now that we have a child I just don't know what exactly that means and where I should go from here.

I really think I want to send my child to a Jewish preschool next year to at least begin the exposure to the culture. I am torn b/c I wonder if I have to join a temple in order for him to be accepted into the preschool. So far it seems for nonmembers the price is higher and yet no website says exactly how much it costs to join a temple. I don't think I would attend very much if I actually joined a temple but you never know (I know my husband probably wouldn't attend unless I asked him to go with me). The other thing I have considered is sending him to the Berkeley JCC as I live about 2.5 miles away from there.

The other part of this is that my husband would prefer a preschool in our neighborhood (Albany/El Cerrito) for convenience purposes and b/c the kids may end up going to elementary school together. He would be dropping off and picking him up 2-3/week. Although ultimately I know my husband would go along with what I want and feel is best if the cost isn't too much more than the local places. Thanks Confused

I love Jewish preschool for the community it creates and for the opportunity it gives the children to develop their Jewish knowledge and identities. There are three Jewish preschools in Berkeley that have 2-year-old classes, plus a fourth, Gan Shalom, that accepts children starting at 2 years 9 months. I have experience at two of them -- Beth El and Netivot Shalom. We sent our two older children to Beth El and have just started the youngest at Netivot Shalom.

On the financial front, it is often cheaper to become a member of a synagogue and pay the member preschool rates than it is to pay the non-member rates. If you call the synagogues they should be able to tell you what annual dues cost. Most synagogues in the area are willing to negotiate reduced dues if your financial situation warrants it.

As far as admissions goes, I would recommend that you call each school's director and ask about admissions policy and history of admitting non-members. I would also ask for an information packet and set up a time to come and observe the classrooms. It is important to observe at all age levels since your child will most likely stay at the school until Kindergarten.

Joining a synagogue can be a great thing for the family, but I recommend that you choose your school independently from your spiritual home. There may be many logistic and pedagogical issues that affect preschool choice. That said, this is a common time of year for ''Shul shopping'', and you do have the opportunity to experience many congregations if you decide to go that route.

I feel compelled to put in a plug for the early childhood Shabbat morning programming at Netivot Shalom. Their Shabbat B'Yachad services are very sweet and do a great job of promoting community and teaching values and liturgy to the children. Did I mention that my husband often leads services for Shabbat B'Yachad? OK, end of shameless plug. I would be happy to discuss my experiences at either school offline. Good luck to you in your search. Elisabeth

What a hard decision! You have several factors to take into account as you choose your son's preschool, so I don't want to make a specific suggestion. However, I'd be glad to talk this through with you on the phone or in person, considering your priorities and hopes and those of your husband. If you like I can also introduce you to parents with children in any Jewish preschools you're considering. I run a nonprofit organization that helps people who are seeking the right Jewish connections for themselves and their families, and/or are exploring Jewish identity. I'm also a mom. Feel free to be in touch if you'd like. You can email me at rabbibridget@jewishgateways.org or call me at 510-559-8140. Warmly, Bridget Wynne

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

You know why it's confusing? Because it's complicated. There's so much involved - it's not just teaching your son about Jewish culture, it's about belonging... and family - your parents, the two of you. Do you have siblings? What about aunts, uncles and cousins? Of course there's the cost - and Lord knows, the economy isn't getting better anytime soon.

The Berkeley JCC is a great idea. But from your post I don't hear you really knowing what that choice means versus deciding on a synagogue.

I'd be happy to talk or email with you. I do this for lots of people. It doesn't cost anything. You can look at my website to see if that helps. (www.buildingjewishbridges.org) (510) 663- 8350 or dawn@buildingjewishbridges.org. It's good that you're thinking ahead, but don't worry, there's no rush. Dawn

We have been extremely happy with Gan Shalom in Berkeley, which is affiliated with Congregation Beth Israel (cbiberkeley.org). Although it is a nominally Orthodox preschool, many of the children come from intermarried families, some of whom have converted and many of whom have not. It is play-based, with several working artists on the faculty, so the art projects are impressively diverse, thoughtful, and well-conceived. It is a small (5 teachers, 25 kids), relaxed, loving environment, and kids learn a tremendous amount about the Jewish calendar, Jewish values, etc. I'd recommend a visit, at the least. Sara

I think you should go and check out (visit) several preschools, Jewish and otherwise, and then make your decision. I am a non-observant Jew and I send my son to a Jewish preschool. I love that he is learning about Jewish holidays, and comes home singing the same Hebrew songs I sang as a kid. But even more important, I think his preschool is excellent. Also, you don't necessarily have to join a synagogue to get a spot at a Jewish preschool. Most preschools do give preference to temple members, but we never joined a synagogue and got spots at two different Jewish preschools. The only place we did join - the JCC - did not offer us a spot. Go figure. One thing I do recommend is getting on the waiting lists quickly - these schools do fill up fast. Good luck with your decision

Check out Congregation Netivot Shalom on University Ave. It's Conservative, some members are close to orthodox in practice (but need the egalitarian aspect of CNS), some are pretty secular. Lots of people in the community have converted to Judaism, which I find unusual and refreshing in a congregation that is traditional on the prayer front. Participatory, i.e., Rabbi doesn't run services, members do. VERY concentrated on adult education, lots of programs at all levels - it's one of the defining characteristics of the community. So it could be a place that your husband may feel more comfortable in than others. (We were an intermarried couple of 15 years b/4 I converted, so I've had my experiences in being welcomed or not in various communities and this is the best.)

Check out their ''Shabbat b'Yachad'' program (preschool & younger) - it meets twice a month Saturday mornings, and is a really beautiful thing. You can drop in, and it's free although I think they like you to donate if you go regularly. You can get a sense if this seems the right community for you. It's great to join when your kids are small - best way to bond with the community. Their other family programs have varied over the years, but we loved the ones we did when our kids were younger. Families who come in when their kids are older have a bit of a tougher time integrating, I think.

As kids get older, Hebrew School is twice a week (Tuesday/Thursday). Most families seem to choose a Hebrew School that meets only once a week - but with my husbands Conservative background (kosher etc) he was never comfortable either with Beth El (reform) or Kehila in Piedmont (I find it too groovy for my taste and anyway, it's really far away). Feel free to contact me if you want more info. As you can tell, I love CNS. Meghan

You have a lot of decisions to make! A few years ago, I met a wonderful rabbi named Bridget Wynne who helped my family with similar questions. She runs an organization named Jewish Gateways, where she helps people to connect, Jewishly (whatever that may mean to you). She holds Shabbat dinners, holiday events, and discussions. She also runs groups for searchers; by the end of my group, all 6 of us had joined synagogues. Since she is not affiliated with any particular synagogue, there's no pressure for you to go in any particular direction. She is also available for one-on-one counseling. Plus, all of her events are kid-friendly, with free childcare. My daughter started accompanying me when she was 2.5, and she loves Rabbi Bridget! In October and November, she'll be hosting 2 events for young children and their families. Please check out her website at www.jewishgateways.org. You can reach her at 510-559-8140 or rabbibridget@jewishgateways.org. Happy With My Decisions

We have been extremely happy with Beth El Nursery School. The community is fabulous and the kids love celebrating Jewish holidays, making challah on Fridays, and celebrating Shabbat. Yes, it costs less if you are a member - but joining the temple has a lot of benefits - community, summer camp, High Holidays, and it is not as expensive as you might think. Definitely give the Nursery School director, Barbara Kanter, a call - her number is 848-9428. The Web site is www.bethelberkeley.org/nurseryschool. happy BENS parent

The Berkeley JCC has a good nursery school & draws from a wider area than just Berkeley. My cousin's daughters both went there, and they live in El Cerrito. Temple dues vary from place to place, but can easily be close to $1,500 to $2,000 yearly, and that will not include full time nursery school. However, if you call the temples you are interested in, the office will give you the dues schedule, nursery school costs, etc. Happy Grandmother

Certainly the selection of a preschool is an important decision for any parent. There are some wonderful Jewish preschools in the area, but there are also, of course, many other wonderful options. I think that the ultimate questions, is where is your son going to be in the best situation for him, based on his needs. I have my doctorate in child development (and attended a Jewish preschool myself!) and conduct assessments for parents in order to place children in the best childcare or preschool situation for them, based on the needs of the family and the individual characteristics of the child. I would be happy to talk more about this with you. You can contact me directly, or look at my website for more information: www.sfbaycare.com. Melissa

Looking for a Jewish Preschool in Oakland

Nov 2006

We are looking for a Jewish preschool in Oakland for our 2 year old daughter next fall. We like Temple Sinai but have been told that it is almost impossible to get in next fall. Are there others that are highly recommended? I have heard that the JCC and Temple Beth El in Berkeley are really good, but that is quite a schlep for us, especially during rush hour traffic. Any other Oakland recommendations? We are Reform, by the way. -anon

Hi. I could have written your post 3 years ago. I moved to Oakland when my son was 1 1/2 and I wanted a Jewish preschool but could not get a space at Temple Sinai or Temple Beth Abraham (conservative synagogue with another great preschool). With some trepidation, I visited Gan Mah Tov, the preschool at modern Orthodox Congregation Beth Jacob. I say ''trepidation'' because I was raised reform (and now consider myself East-Bay - egalitarian conservative) and was afraid that Orthodox would be ''too religious'' or ''sexist'' or who knows what. Well, I did visit and I really liked what I saw and heard. Gan Mah Tov is a small, warm, nurturing preschool with first-rate teachers and a wonderful play-based program enriched with music, Hebrew, cooking, woodwork and more. My son has flourished there and is now in pre-K, an exceptional program in which he seems to be effortlessly and joyfully exploring numbers and letters and what they all mean. He will graduate this spring as a happy, well-adjusted, well-prepared student who loves learning and cares about others. He also has a strong, positive Jewish identity and it is a joy to experience the holidays through his eyes. As you can tell, I could go on and on. I have two main points: CHECK OUT GAN MAH TOV (www.thegan.net for Director Cheryl Schwarz) and FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY WITH ANY QUESTIONS. Good luck to you! Eden

I was a member at Temple Sinai and was, I believe, the first member to be declined at the preschool -- 2 years in a row. It's a great school and worth the application if you are a member. We ended up going to Gan Mah Tov Preschool in Oakland and have been very happy with it. The school is affiliated with Beth Jacob, which is modern orthodox. The community there has been welcoming and not everyone at the school is a member of the temple. It is a warm, nurturing environment with a Jewish curriculum. The teachers are lovely. The ratios are great. E-mail me if you want more personal details about our experience there.
Suzanne

We have our kids at Gan Mah Tov (Beth Jacob in Oakland). Although the congregation is Orthodox, it is an incredibly warm and open environment for all affiliations . Gan Mah Tov has exceeded all my expectations regarding a Jewish preschool and as a family who is not orthodox, we are extremly comfortable there. You should definitely contact Cheryl Schwartz, the director, who could put you in touch with families who are not orthodox to hear their experience. Good luck.
Happy at GMT

Getting in to Jewish Preschools

April 2004

We would like to send our son (who is now 1) to a Jewish preschool, but the synagogue that we belong to does not have one. How hard is it to get into a Jewish preschool without being a member? Any suggestions on how to do this? We are in Oakland. Thanks!

We send our son to Gan Avraham, the preschool at Temple Beth Abraham. We got in at the last moment but joined the Temple once we did. You get a break on tuition and its a great Congregation, with wonderful programs for small children, so you might consider joining. We were told originally that we would not get in, unless we were Temple members as members have priority. I also looked at Temple Beth Jacob's preschool. They did not require membership and it also seemed like a very sweet program, but the hours didn't fit my schedule. I suspect that for most preschools you have to be a member to get priority admission. Why don't you just call them and find out. Temple Sinai has a preschool and so does Temple Beth El in Berkeley. Good luck anon

I highly recommend Beth Sholom Preschool in San Leandro, right off the 580 freeway. You don't have to be a member of the temple, or even Jewish, which makes for a very nice diversity of families. But, if you do become a temple member, you get $129/month discount on tuition. Since temple membership IS $129 per month, it makes sense to join because the $129 counts as a tax write off to a charitable donation and you get the benefits of temple membership with out a net increase in costs. My kids have been going for 2 1/2 years now and we love it. Edna is the director and her number is 510/357-7920. Helena

At Temple Sinai I think it varies from year to year. For many years, there were kids in the preschool whose families were not members. This last year we add a second 2 yr old class and I believe there are families who are not members. Best to check it out next fall when the application process begins again and the new Director will have a handle on the amount of interest from current member families. 2 kids at TS preschool

We live in Oakland and didn't get into our first choice preschool. We're going to send our son to Gan Mah Tov, located at Beth Jacob. This is the Orthodox synagogue on Park Blvd. We are not orthodox. I asked many questions about the education and how I, or my son, would feel being from a different affiliation. It seems that they love the kids and are open to all different kinds of families. I didn't see a lot of difference educationally between the other Jewish pre-schools I visited. I now feel really good about the placement. Definately give them a chance before ruling them out due to their Orthodoxy. anon

First of all, good job! You are right to be working on this early. I am not an expert but I can share my experience getting my son into a Jewish preschool for fall 2004. We did NOT GET A SPOT at Gan Avraham (Temple Beth Abraham's preschool) even though WE ARE MEMBERS!! (We joined very recently, so we had the lowest priority of all the member applicants.) I heard that Temple Sinai also TURNED AWAY MEMBERS. On the other hand, we were able to secure a spot at Gan Mah Tov, the preschool at Congregation Beth Jacob. As you may know, Beth Jacob is a modern Orthodox shul. BUT, approx. half the preschool kids are NOT temple members and many are not Orthodox. Fortunately for us, we fell in love with Gan Mah Tov. Good luck and Happy Passover. Eden

Rather than trying to get into a Jewish preschool without being a member and free-riding on the contributions of others, why don't you just join the synagogue instead? (The bigger question is why Judiasm is so important to you that you want a Jewish preschool yet not important enough to want a synagogue?) If money is an issue, most synagogues will arrange reduced dues based on ability to pay. Proud to be a synagogue member

I just wanted to point out that the post that stated that the bigger question was why they were freeriding and refused to join a synogogue, was inappropriate because a) I thought it was not answering the question and berating the poster but also b) because the poster already stated that they were members of a synogogue that didn't have their own preschool. I personally think synogogue membership is a great thing but a lot of people become involved after their kids do and not before and if this were the case (which in this case it appears not to be) there is no reason to make people feel bad about it. ilfeld

I take exception to the person who replied with the phrase ''riding on the contributions of others'' or whatever it was. I thought that was a harsh email and didn't adhere to your policy. Non-members are charged more than members for their children to attend because they're not members. Also, there may be many valid reasons why someone is not yet ready to commit to joining a temple but still values Jewish education. They may be in an interfaith marriage, they may want to get a feel for the congregation before making that big commitment, they may just not be joiners by nature. Its a very personal decision, and the poster didn't deserve the ''lecture'' that they got. An anonymous congregant

Reasons for choosing a Jewish preschool

RE: Beth El versus Berkeley Hills
I don't think the fact that one is Jewish and the other is not is irrelevant. I am sending my child to another Jewish preschool and really love the way she is learning Jewish culture and traditions. I also enjoy the community, and it feels very comfortable to me. However, if this isn't important to you, a Jewish preschool may not be the right place -- it will be following a religious calendar (i.e. different days off than most workplaces), the holidays the kids learn about will be Jewish, and the art projects will often connect to Jewish holidays. In terms of diversity, there probably won't be that much difference in class or racial diversity, though obviously Berkeley Hills has more religious diversity. Good luck making a decision -- it might be a good idea to do a quick visit to both again to test out how you'd feel having your child at each one.

Neighborhood Public School vs. a Jewish Day School

October 2002

Our son will be going to kindergarten next year and we're trying to sort out the tradeoffs between Jewish day school vs Crocker Highlands, which is across the street from us. And if we go down the path of Jewish day school, what are the tradeoffs between Techiya and Oakland Hebrew Day. Pros we see for Jewish day school are the strong Jewish education (hebrew and judaica) and the values taught. Downside is the distance (including harder to make friends with the neighborhood kids, harder to arrange play dates with classmates), lack of diversity and cost. Do any of you have experience with these three schools? Can you share your own decision process and what you think in hindsight? Are the downsides real (besides cost!)? Thanks for your help!

My son just started Tehiyah as a 6th grader after going to public elementary school (Thornhill) for K-5. The issue of friends in the neighborhood is significant. Our son has local friends already. Though you will make friends thru sports, summer camps and synagogue. Still, I wish we had started Tehiyah sooner because 1) my son would have been better challenged. The public school teachers repeatedly told us that he was at the top of the class but fooled around a lot when things got boring. 2) the class sizes got much bigger at 4th grade and my son was more adrift as the teacher struggled with class control 3) my son needs a much more one-on-one relationship with the teacher to feel comfortable and engaged. The public school told me they don't really have time for that. The Tehiyah teachers actually want to know the kids. 4) the Judaic studies and Hebrew are a wonderful side benefit, will make his bar mitzvah prep easier, but were not our primary reason for going to Tehiyah.

We stuck it out in public school because of money, distance, friends. We were wrong. Doesn't mean it isn't right for your kid, but mine is very high energy, got in trouble a lot, and his learning disability was completely overlooked. He sailed thru on being bright - that DOES NOT WORK FOREVER.

The teachers and administration at Tehiyah have been very responsive to any concern I have. They like my child and he likes them. His core teacher says his hand is "always up." That may be a bit of a pain for her, because she can't call on him over and over again, but it tells me that he really likes the learning process and is involved.

Good luck and remember, either way you can switch if it doesn't work. Dawn

also see: Reviews of Tehiyah Day School (Oct 2002)

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