Tehiyah Day School in El Cerrito is an amazing school and an equally wonderful community of families and educators!!! I have two children, a 5th grader and a 2nd grader, both of whom have been at Tehiyah since they were in Kindergarten. I can't say enough about the quality of the education they have received and the friendships they have developed. The teaching staff is truly devoted to their students, challenging them to think critically as well as learn the basics. My 5th grader has come home this year so enthusiastic about his assignments. He has been asked to create his own invention, do a research project and art installation on a woman in history, as well as participate in debates about Judaiac texts. The assignments are interesting,thought provoking and age-appropriate. The school also has a wonderful art program. This year alone my children have worked on weaving, printmaking, portraiture, collage and puppetmaking. There are equally wonderful opportunities for parents to get involved in the school. One can volunteer in some of the classrooms, take an adult Hebrew class, participate in parent education forums, as well as join one of the many volunteer commitees throughout the school. Tehiyah is a very special place that our family feels very fortunate to be a part of!!!!! Mom from El Cerrito

Hi, I'd like to let everyone know about Tehiyah Day School (www.tehiyah.org) in El Cerrito . My son is in second grade and has been at Tehiyah since kindergarten. He loves it there and we have found it to be a perfect mix of loving teachers, developmentally appropriate experiences, and educational excellence. The community of parents is warm and loving, and the school provides a Jewish education that inspires tolerance and a love of history and learning. Below is a list of upcoming admissions events:

Wednesday, October 25, 7:30 pm – Kindergarten Information Evening
Sunday, November 5, 10:00-11:30 am – Preschool Havdallah Celebration
Sunday, December 3, 2:00-4:00 pm – All-School Open House
Sunday, January 7, 10:00 am – Kindergarten Information Brunch
(childcare provided)
and/or have them call Amy at 510.233.3013 x239 for a private tour

Re: Secular Jew married to atheist wants ''religious'' framework for kids

My husband and I were in a similar situation. We started an informal family meditation group that is based on Buddhist principles and we also attend Spirit Rock family days. We sent our daughter to a private school that also honored many traditions. Those things did provide a framework for spirituality but not provide a sense of Jewish heritage. Ultimately, we transferred our daughter to Tehiyah Day School in El Cerrito. It sounds like your kids are preschool age, but you might want to consider Tehiyah for kindergaten. Here is some information I posted previously:

Originally we had not even considered a Jewish School because my husband is not Jewish and I am not practicing. I visited Tehiyah just to get another point of reference, but from the moment I set foot on to the school grounds, I felt that I had found something very rare and precious—a true feeling of community. Tehiyah has quite a bit of diversity considering that it is a Jewish school. There are families like mine that are not affiliated with a synagogue and some that are observant. There are single parent families, families with gay parents and many families where one or both parents are from another country (Israel of course, but also France, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Holland to name a few).

The school as a whole fosters creativity and truly honors the spirit of each child. Jewish Studies and Hebrew are a part of the curriculum which greatly influences the feel of the school. Rather than focusing on the practice of religion, the emphasis is on Jewish values and culture. Academic work is a priority in the curriculum. The teachers are extraordinarily dedicated and many have taught at the school for 10 years or longer.

Tehiyah must be experienced first hand. If you visit, come early, by 8:25 AM. Then you’ll be a part of Modeh Ani when the whole school from the tiny kindergarteners to the surprisingly unjaded eighth graders get together to welcome in the new day. In joyful song to the beat of drums and the gifted musicianship of Achi Ben-Shalom, the Judaic music teacher, the community celebrates together. There is a spirit and joy that is palpable. Beautiful artwork adorns the school and creative academic projects are proudly displayed in the hallways. My daughter feels that Tehiyah is her home away from home and my husband and I are very happy to have found a great school that welcomes our involvement and where our daughter is thriving. Happy Tehiyah Parent

Just like you, I wanted to give our boys a Jewish framework with which to begin their lives. My husband was not as sure. What we both agreed on was that we did not want a religious education per se, nor did we want any particular ideology thrown at them. What we wanted, and what we got at Tehiyah, was a diverse community of Jews and non-Jews, a first-class education, emphasis on social responsibility, and a tolerance for all levels of religiousness. Every morning, the children begin the day by gathering together and singing songs – it’s beautiful and moving. It’s this spirit of community at Tehiyah that gives my children, and me, a sense of place in the world.

As a kind of ''pick and choose'' Jew who embraces some rituals and beliefs and not others — I feel entirely embraced and welcomed by the Tehiyah community. If you’d like to talk more, I’m happy to answer any questions you have. Dayna

I'll use myself as an example. I'm a Jewish mom married to a Catholic guy. My husband and I share the same goals, ethics and principles as you and your husband do, regarding our kids. Before we married, we agreed to raise our children Jewish. My husband was okay with it because he's not ecstatic about some of the hypocrisies of his religion. I was not raised in a very religious home. My family went to Temple on high holy days and that was about it aside from a one-two year try with Shabbat and Hebrew school.

I wanted my kids to have more information about their heritage as well as religion. We found the best of all worlds at Tehiyah Day School in El Cerrito. Our kids have Judaism class, and Hebrew class as well as all the regular academics--math, science, P.E., art, music, etc. In the regular course of their academics, they learn about other religions.

We find that the school meets all our needs. It's not all about Jewish this and that. It teaches about it informatively but does not ''ram it down kids' throats.'' It's the opposite. They learn and then appreciate what they learn and appreciate their Jewishness, for lack of a better word. There are kids at the school who are not Jewish. They get the opportunity to learn about Judaism while still practicing their own religion.

It's not new agey. It definitely is community oriented. One of the things I like best is that when I need help, a favor, whatever, there is someone I can call, someone I can trust. Whether it's a teacher, a parent, a staff person. We are one big community that is here for each other.

So hope this bit of information helps. Tehiyah is a great school. I'm happy and confident to recommend it especially when I think the description of what you are looking for is exactly what Tehiyah is.

Good luck! Marcia

Then, a few years ago when we started trying to figure out what to do for kindergarten for our older child, we discovered Tehiyah Day School. At that point we were not actively looking for the Jewish aspects of the school, but once we found ourselves there we became delighted with the Jewish cultural values and community. In fact, we have been surprised at how moved we have become by having such an open and inclusive Jewish community day school in our lives. For me personally, reconnecting with a Jewish community (in a progressive minded context) has been a visceral experience. It has an intangible resonance that I can not name, but I am so grateful to have happened upon.

There is something incredible about starting each school day with everyone (K-8) coming together and singing (mostly Hebrew, some English) to greet the new day. What we have found is a pluralistic Jewish community that feels Berkeley-ish in its openness. There are families with all sorts of backgrounds and approaches to Judaism, spirituality, and life in general.

There is a palpable love of learning at Tehiyah. The teachers we know (some of whom are not Jewish) have a genuine desire to understand and respect each kid for who they are. The general studies part of the program (which makes up the bulk of the day) gives kids the academic challenges and/or support they need based on their individual requirements. Jewish traditions are taught and presented as a starting point, not an end point. Torah stories are discussed with the acknowledgement that some people think they happened exactly as written, while others think they are myths and legends. Scientific thinking and archeology are added to the mix and the emphasis is placed on figuring out what is it that we can learn from Torah stories that is valuable in our own lives. Honoring the concepts of tikkun olam and tzadaka are also omnipresent parts of the underlying essence of Tehiyah.

It would be a pity for apathy and assimilation to succeed in doing what anti-Semitism has failed to do over the past many centuries. To me the key seems to be in knowing and understanding Jewish traditions so they can help propel us forward in our own lives and in the realm of Jewish thinking itself. In short, we have found Tehiyah to be a dynamic, understanding, and supportive school where our kids can learn to keep Jewish traditions alive while they personally thrive!!! Mother of Tehiyah Kids

I welcome anyone thinking of sending their kids to Tehiyah Day School to contact me. I am a very happy parent of two very happy kids. My boys are now in first grade, and are thriving in every way. The academics are strong, and they learn conflict resolution skills, but most of all, the sense of community is wonderful. You do not have to be Jewish (or religious) to go to Tehiyah! The community is based on shared values of learning and giving back to the world. Every morning the kids start their day with Modeh Ani, which includes music and singing. It's really a terrific place. If you have any questions and want to hear a parents' perspective, please feel free to email me. Dayna

I'd love to hear reviews of Tehiya from current parents. Listings in the archive are from last year and earlier. What are the plusses and minuses of the school? How do people deal with living far from school? Thank you! Seriously Considering Tehiya

This Friday the children will celebrate their 100th day of school. They now come home and teach me Hebrew words. One of my children read me Hop On Pop for Chanukah. They are excited about learning, asking for math problems to do in the car and proud when they get the answers right. The work papers they bring home from school show me how much they are learning academically as well as socially. My shyer child is finally having play dates with peers.The Second Step Program that the school has recently implemented helps the classmates manage conflict and learn about emotions. Finally, the extended community has been warm, welcoming, and supportive. They celebrated the birth of my kindergardeners'new siblings with us, and extended themselves in every way they could to help our family with many transitions. We have felt blessed to be there. Jeannie

Pluses: Warm, welcoming community. Plenty of laughter. Morning all-school meeting with lots of spirit and smiles. Small classes with wonderful teachers (both 3rd grade teachers are amazing, as are the two 2nd grade teachers). Kindergarten is excellent - a loving environment.

The children don't seem to carry around a lot of ''attitude''. Rather, they are happy, playful, and surprisingly insightful. The 8th graders have repeatedly impressed me by their academic abilities and kindness towards the younger students.

There's a superb library that the children are encouraged to use. The art program is excellent as well. The male gym teacher towers over everyone and is loved by all.

Strong emphasis on critical discussion of events and history. Hebrew is taught at the intro through advanced levels. Jewish thought runs through the school, but you need not be Jewish to attend. Mainly, have a Jewish sense of humor.

Minuses: The lower classes haven't figured out how to teach arithmetic ... they've started ''Singapore Math'' which is drill- to-kill style of math teaching.

A weekly ''Second Step'' program is supposed to teach children how to relate to each other. My child says it's boring, stupid, and filled with psychobabble. The children pretty much recognize it as a politically-correct waste of an hour a week. I understand that other schools are doing the same thing, so this might not be just Tehiyah.

Tuition just jumped 9 percent (to about $15,000) because of the expensive gymnasium. The teachers didn't get a raise.

Getting there...

There's a bus that picks up around Albany and central Berkeley. Older students often take the AC Transit bus. But it is probably a difficult car commute from Oakland, although plenty of parents do it. A happy Tehiyah Parent

Re: Can't afford private school

I don't remember the original question, but I do want to support Tehiyah Day School. I have 3 children at the school and have been there for 8 years. One child is graduating this year. I volunteer in a class every week and have almost every year, so I see both the variety of teaching techniques as well as the broad range of children' abilities in the classroom. Unlike other schools, Tehiyah doesn't test in kids or have a very strict age cut-off. Tehiyah's written mission is ''committed to serving a diverse student body'' and that diversity is reflected in the classroom. The teacher's job is to reach all these kids. Depending on the range of abilities and the size of the class, the teacher can tailor the math curriculum to the class. Sometimes a child needs outside support and it is wonderful that parents have the resources to get them.

Two of my kids needed learning support and the staff and teachers could not have been more wonderful and helpful. There is a very good learning specialist on staff, who is fluent in Hebrew, a definite plus at Tehiyah. The school psychologist, Ken Benau, is bright, personable and very intuitive, as well as insightful. He steered us through some difficult learning issues and my children are now above grade level in all subjects and are flourishing. Most important, the teachers are absolutely on board in terms of recognizing and supporting learning differences. Steve Tabak, the head of Tehiyah, was my son's 7th grade math teacher and was both great in supporting my son, and in really getting the 7th grade mentality (and enjoying it!) He is a very gifted teacher, and as well, as 2 separate teachers told me, ''the best boss anyone could have.'' The teachers love him, morale is high and I see that most important the children seem very very happy. What you get at Tehiyah, that you cannot get at almost any other school, is a deep emergence into moral and spiritual issues, in action and in intellectual study. The school has made a big investment into teaching the children to respect each other and create a loving community from K-8 grades.

That said, no school can be everything to all people and certainly if any school is not meeting your needs, perhaps a change is needed. But I would caution parents in taking a single child's or parent's perception of any institution and consider it as applicable to all students or the entire institution. cb

My daughter began kindergarden at Tehiyah in September, and we are very pleased with the school. We are not Jewish, and I was initially concerned about my daughter not feeling included. The opposite has been true. Other than some interesting discussions about faith and Santa Claus, she has had no problems being a non- Jewish student. It has enabled her to widen her cultural context, think about her own beliefs and to really explore diversity. She is also the only Native American/ Chicana/ Irish kid I know who is learning to speak Hebrew! I am impressed with Tehiyah's committment to each, individual child; meeting them where they are. My daughter is truly thriving at this school. Erin

Kids do get a strong cultural sense of being Jewish and there is a nice community feeling. Holidays are really wonderfully done. The classes are small and most teachers are quite good. The Hebrew program is not a strong one and I don't think that anyone sends their child to Tehiyah for language acquisition. I think it's wonderful that they study another language but don't expect fluency! Music is also not its strongest point. But it is a warm, nurturing environment and the kids seem to really love it. Plus there are alot of wonderful teachers and parents as well. Anon.

How does Tehiyah compare to other private schools? Are you happy with your experience there? Is it diverse enough? Thanks for any input! Researching Schools

1. Tehiyah presents a stimulating Judaic education which honors diversity of practice; the Judaic studies teachers are wonderful, and children are speaking, reading and writing in Hebrew very early on...The best part of the program is the unmitigated joy the teachers bring to celebration and respect for Jewish study and heritage, all under the guidance of Rabbi Tsipi Gabai, a spectacular head of Jewish Studies. I spent the first six months of my son's kindergarten class crying at the morning prayer in the courtyard just watching the children gather and sing.

2. Tehiyah is as much a community of teachers, parents and students as it is a school, and there are dozens of ways for parents and children to participate. The Tehiyah Parents Organization is very active and welcoming, the school practices what it preaches about diversity and it's the kind of place where your child will feel recognized and very special.

3. Teachers stay at Tehiyah...and there are many teachers who have been there nearly 20 years...in fact, my son's kindergarten teacher opened the doors to the school as its first Judaic Studies teacher to 13 children in 1979. The morale among teachers is wonderful and it shows in the freedom and creativity they have with classroom programming. My son's class is now learning about disabilities in a unit developed by his teacher, also there for nearly 20 years, and he can't stop talking about the visiting speakers and their stories.

4. The community, with the help of an anonymous million dollar gift from a Tehiyah family, built a multipurpose gymnasium that has been used for everything from sports to school celebrations to its book fair and graduation and school play. The building includes a Bet Midrash for Torah services and Jewish studies, a kitchen, a beautiful music room and other multipurpose spaces that have transformed the school into a home away from home.

But the very best part of Tehiyah are its students who graduate and go on to the best public and private high schools and colleges, and who return (!) to visit all the time because it is a place they loved. My only regret is that Tehiyah does not extend through high school. I would be delighted to talk to anyone interested in Tehiyah and to answer questions...Tehiyah is truly a gift you can give your child. Helaine

Tehiyah delivers on it's promises and then some. Not only is it a warm and caring environment in which our son is learning and growing by leaps and bounds, but it is also a warm and spirited, not to mention, incredibly welcoming, community.

Though a number of schools could have worked for our son, Tehiyah was our #1 choice. Why? While this may sound cliche, Tehiyah really is a special and unique school. First, it offers a very rich experience of Jewish culture and education with an active recognition of the diversity that exists within the Jewish world. Tehiyah also provides a wonderful academic education . We chose Tehiyah because this is what is offers and offers so beautifully. I honestly didn’t realize how important it was to me for our son to have a Jewish education outside of what he was getting at home....until he came home singing Hebrew songs and unveiled the challah he made.

Second, Tehiyah is a real community. I discovered during our school search last year that we were choosing a school not only for our son but for our entire family (including our 2 1/2 year old). From the first day he started kindergarten, when the entire school welcomed the incoming kindergarteners, our son has felt included, cared for and received by the community and his teachers, as is true for our whole family. Tehiyah seems very committed to creating what to me feels like a healthy environment for children to develop real friendships. It seems that no one gets overlooked, which is important to me, given that my son’s classroom has 19 children.

Third, Tehiyah’s approach to kindergarten offers just the kind of balance between academic learning and play we were looking for, which means most of the learning at this age takes place through play. This will naturally change as he gets older. My son is learning so much through play, without pressure, at his own pace. One day he came home from his art class so excited by Eric Carle’s art-making techniques he learned that he whipped up a dozen amazing paintings in one sitting.

The kids at Tehiyah seem to love learning because learning is made lovable. Now what more can you ask for? Go see for yourself. Good luck on the journey to school. Miriam

Tehiyah is a GRRREAT! school. Diverse economically, religiously (yes, religiously), behaviorally. Supportive administration and parent population. Academics are very good to excellent--a lot of different learning styles are represented. There is an emphasis on kindness and inclusion. - Hard to satisfy parent

I am interested in sending my son to a Jewish day school. I am wondering what people thought of Oakland Hebrew Day school vs. Tehiyah Day School. If you have recommendations of either individually that is great or a comparison if you looked at both and choose one. I am also interested in knowing if a family who does not observe Shabbat would fit in at Oakland Hebrew Day School. Thank you for your help. -looking for a good Jewish education

I had an older child (now in private high school) who wasn't particularly happy socially at Tehiyah, but as he is socially awkward, he would have been miserable elsewhere. I felt that he was very protected at Tehiyah, emotionally/socially.

My younger son is delighted with Tehiyah and even protests staying home when he is sick.

There are non-Jewish and interfaith families at Tehiyah who are completely comfortable, there, as well. Finally, we have an up and coming basketball team, and a GREAT! new gy Impressed and Happy Mother of 2

Re: School for 3rd grader with Selective Mutism
You didn't ask about other schools so I will suggest a school that may (or may not) fit the bill for you. My child attends Tehiyah (and got into all of the other private schools, as well). I am struck by Tehiyah's willingness to take children who are all over the learning and behavioral spectrum; it's amazing, since a lot of schools seem to have their radar up for only ''easy'' children. Good luck

Re: Neighborhood Public School vs. Jewish Day School
I think that Tehiyah Day School is a very welcoming and warm place. It is blessed with incredibly talented and loving teachers, and an administration who is not above hearing parent/child input. What is also nice about Tehiyah, also, is that it pulls from the spectrum behaviorally and economically. The children, overall, seem very precocious, and the school seems to be able to ''service'' children with various learning disabilities, as well. A nice testimonial to the school's appeal/success is that non-Jews attend because it is a very special place. And, finally, from what I've seen of other schools, public and private, Tehiyah hits the middle of the homework spectrum--not too much and not too little. It is a very special place, and of the kids who graduated last year who applied to private high school, all got their 1st and/or second choice school. D.

February 1999

I have found the teachers, with few exceptions, to be very committed and involved with the students, at all levels. The middle school core curriculum closely follows the state-defined framework. The school principal, Steve Taback, takes an active interest in the students and seems very accessible to me. The kids are expected to function at a very high level academically, but I do not get a sense from my step-kids or the teachers that strong and unproductive competition among the students is a problem. The Jewish studies curriculum is designed to meet the needs of kids who come from homes with a variety of religious observance and knowledge, although it probably doesn't meet the needs of every student. My stepchildren have all been happy at Tehiyah, and there seems to be great stability within the teaching faculty.

My major concern has to do with the limited opportunities the kids are afforded to meet kids of other backgrounds. Just about all the kids at Tehiyah are from middle to upper middle class backgrounds, Jewish, and most pretty liberal and/or progressive. I think it gives the kids a somewhat warped vision of the world, as would any educational environment in which most of the kids have a similar background.

Another concern is that most of the middle school kids go on to private high schools which perpetuate closely the same environment as Tehiyah, but my step-kids go on to Berkeley High School. My 16 year old stepson (10th grade) has found the adjustment process difficult and a bit frightening. Few of his Tehiyah classmates went on to B.H.S., and so he did not have much of a peer group to rely on, and really didn't know a lot of other Berkeley kids. For my stepdaughter (7th grade), I suggested that she be put in a regular Berkeley middle school, to ease the adjustment, but she is still at Tehiyah. She is not the same self-starter her older brother is, nor is she as strong a student, and I fear that she will be lost in the huge, multicultural, complex society of B.H.S. I believe parents should consider this situation before sending children to any small, private school with a fairly homogeneous population.

Despite my concerns, I highly recommend Tehiyah, and if my husband and I do have a child of our own, we would choose to send that child to Tehiyah, although I would be in favor of a public middle school if public high school is a likely outcome and we perceive that our child would have a difficult adjustment. Jane

In any event, you can't go wrong choosing Tehiyah Day School. There are many interfaith couples, and while the children get the Jewish culture, it is pretty secular. The non-Jewish parent is made to feel pretty welcome. Tehiyah is a safe environment for your child. Also, my daughter is at Stanford, so Tehiyah must have done something right. Sheila