Adath Jeshurun Congregation — Gan Shelanu Preschool and Camp Mishpacha Summer Program
10500 Hillside Ln. W.
Minnetonka, MN 55305
952-545-8694
adathjeshurun.org/ganshelanu
Gan Shelanu Preschool Director: Julie Ziessman, juliez@adath.net
Camp Mishpacha and Childcare Director: Heidi Zipkin, heidiz@adath.net
Gan Shelanu Preschool is a licensed early childhood program for children aged six weeks through prekindergarten. The Gan, as it is affectionately called, provides a rich variety of learning experiences to stimulate the cognitive and social development of your child within a Jewish context. We work to instill in our students pride in their heritage, the importance of community and love of giving back. This can be seen from our school’s activities, such as baking and delivering Hanuka cookies to Adath’s homebound congregants, singing for senior residents at Knollwood Place and Sholom Home and planting trees in Israel.
All students at the Gan enjoy music sessions led by a music specialist. Our preschool and pre-K students participate in special science and Hebrew curriculum. Classes are held each weekday during the nine-month school year, from September to May. Depending on the age of your child, you may choose from the following programs: Infant Care, Transitional Toddler Class, Toddler Class, Preschool Class or Pre-Kindergarten Class. Further details of these programs are outlined on our website. When you enroll your child in any of Gan Shelanu’s programs, you become part of our community. By sharing holiday celebrations and watching your child learn Jewish customs and traditions, you and your child will make lifelong friends and become part of the larger Adath community.
Bet Shalom Congregation — Bet Shalom Yeladim
13613 Orchard Rd.
Minnetonka, MN 55305
952-933-8525
Fax: 952-933-3238
info@betshalom.org
betshalom.org
Preschool Director: Iris Mascio
Through Jewish values, literacy, mathematics, music, art and science, we prepare kids for kindergarten and a lifetime of educational development. At Bet Shalom Yeladim Early Childhood Center, we provide an excellent educational experience for young children ages six weeks to five years, offering infant, toddler, preschool and pre-K classes.
Beth El Synagogue — Early Childhood Jewish Family Education (ECJFE)
5225 Barry St. W.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
952-873-7320
sconfeld@bethelsynagogue.org
bethelalephpreschool.org
Director: Sara Confeld
Safe, supportive and nurturing parent education classes — similar to ECFE but with the added benefit of a Jewish lens. You and your baby will meet other Jewish families as you engage in meaningful group discussions; experience developmentally appropriate activities; discuss child development and relevant parenting topics; discover ways to strengthen your home as your child’s first learning environment; learn exciting ways to integrate Judaism into your family; and much more.
Beth El Synagogue — Shirley R. Abelson Aleph Preschool
952-873-7320
sconfeld@bethelsynagogue.org
bethelalephpreschool.org
Director: Sara Confeld
Art, music and Hebrew enhance a traditional curriculum rich with Jewish customs. Afternoon enrichment classes will challenge your child’s curious nature. Choose from two-, three- or five-day programs for children 16 months to 5 years. Early morning and extended care is available.
Beth Jacob Congregation — Iyunim
1179 Victoria Curve
Mendota Heights, MN 55118
Senior Rabbi: Adam Rubin
Rabbi Educator: Tamar Magill-Grimm, rabbitamar@beth-jacob.org
Iyunim: Jewish Explorations @ BJC is our Shabbat morning educational program for children age three through third grade. Iyunim is inspired by the Reggio method of education. In Iyunim, we focus on our communal Jewish values while activating your children’s own curiosity. Your preschool children will play, sing and learn together through stories, activities, games and conversation. They learn Hebrew, songs, prayer and fundamental community skills, such as sharing and listening, activated by Jewish concepts, stories and language. Children younger than age three play together in the nursery and join their families and children in pre-K for Minyan Katan, our warm and welcoming family tefilla every Shabbat at 11:30 a.m. On Wednesday afternoons, and one Sunday a month, families and children in Iyunim come together in a non-Shabbat setting to continue our learning and community building through art, song, writing and crafts.
Jewish Beginnings
Executive Director: Mrs. Mushky Brook
612-405-6967
info@jbeginnings.com
jbeginnings.com
At Jewish Beginnings, we believe in child centered learning. Our classrooms are thoughtfully set up to provide our students with a comfortable and safe learning environment. Centered in play-based learning, our program encourages the natural curiosity of our children. Our teachers are committed to providing a nurturing, loving and stimulating environment, giving each child the individual attention they need to foster growth during the formative years. We want every child to feel safe and secure so that they will thrive both socially and emotionally through the rest of their life.
Minnesota JCC Early Childhood Centers
minnesotajcc.org
• Capp Center St. Paul
1375 St. Paul Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55116
Director: Jennifer Cox, jennc@minnesotajcc.org
651-255-4758
• Sabes Center Minneapolis
4330 Cedar Lake Rd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
Director: Angie Arnold, angiea@minnesotajcc.org
952-381-3441
The Minnesota JCC’s Early Childhood Centers are where educational excellence, imagination and creativity are inspired by Jewish values and culture. We offer exceptional preschool experiences for children ages six weeks to pre-K. We use The Creative Curriculum to support the “whole child” and foster all areas of development through hands-on exploration. From the nurturing of your infant to preparing your child for kindergarten, our program meets each individual child’s emotional, social, cognitive, physical, spiritual and emerging cultural needs as they grow. Plus, children have access to the resources only available at the JCC — swimming lessons, cultural arts programs, kid fitness and exposure to our diverse community, all adding to the richness of the ECC experience.
Temple of Aaron — ECFE/Childhood Education
616 S. Mississippi River Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55116
651-698-8874
templeofaaron.org
Rabbi Rachel Rubenstein, RabbiRachelRubenstein@TempleofAaron.org
Temple of Aaron runs once-a-month Shabbat morning Early Childhood Family Education programming for babies and toddlers, beginning at birth through 3 years old, that explores music, prayers and other areas of Judaism. It is an age-appropriate setting for parents to meet each other and for our youngest learners to begin their Jewish path in a fun, experiential setting led by clergy, guest musicians and experienced educators. Please contact Rabbi Rachel with questions or for more information.
Temple Israel — Early Childhood Center
2323 Fremont Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55405
612-374-0380
Fax: 612-377-6630
Director: Sharon Rosenberg-Scholl, sharon@templeisrael.com
Early Childhood Center Director: Sharon Rosenberg-Scholl
Temple Israel Early Childhood Center is an NAEYC accredited, Reggio-inspired, diverse Jewish preschool serving children ages 16 months to 5 years. Our classrooms are full of music and play, exploring and trying, laughing and dancing, building and creating. Work and play are one in early childhood, so our classrooms are set up to be places where children make choices and engage in hands-on learning while our teachers enrich and extend their endeavors.
Torah Tots Nursery School
The Guita (Roberts) Borenstein Center for Early Childhood Education at Torah Academy
2800 Joppa Ave. S.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
952-920-6630
Fax: 952-922-7844
office@torahacademymn.org
torahacademymn.org
Dean: Rabbi Pinchus Idstein
Executive Director: Rabbi Yehoshua Borenstein
Torah Tots is a licensed, early childhood program in a safe, warm and nurturing Jewish environment with a Four-Star Parent Aware Rating. The 2-year-old and 3-year-old program as well as the 4-year-old prekindergarten class meet from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with aftercare available. Call 952-285-8607 to arrange a personal tour.
(For corrections or updates, email community@ajwnews.com)
