OUR PROGRAMS

HI YA BABY
Our newest parenting group, “Hi Ya Baby” is a great place for unaffiliated parents with infants to get acquainted as they meet weekly for support and discussion. New parents are greeted with a beautiful baby basket and attendance at “Hi Ya Baby” for 6 weeks, compliments of the Edna and Stanley Tuttleman Rabbinic Chair.

PLAY PARTNERS
You and your toddler will have fun through Jewish holiday and Shabbat activities, music, art, snacks, and exploration of parenting topics, facilitated by our leader, Bobby Danowsky. New sessions start every season and run for two hours each week on designated days.

TODDLERS AND TWOS
Adath Israel Preschool offers classes just for children starting at eighteen months old. These groups provide toddlers and twos with the opportunity to form relationships with other children and with their teachers and to acquaint themselves with the Preschool experience. Significant attention is given to easing the transition from an exclusively home environment to one outside of the home. We offer an introduction to Jewish life, through ritual, music, language and holiday celebrations. Children may attend Toddlers and Twos for two, three or five half or full day sessions, with the option of extended days.

PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
The stimulating curriculum in the preschool is designed for the total development of the child – physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual – and provides the children with valuable learning experiences. The curriculum includes social skills, music and art activities, language arts, movement, Jewish studies, pre-reading and pre-math development, problem-solving, and fostering independence. Each class offers both half, full day and extended day options.

PRE-KINDERGARTEN
Our Pre-Kindergarten classes offer a curriculum for those children who will be in Kindergarten the following year. Much of the learning revolves around themes that incorporate all areas of learning: art, music, language skills, social studies, science, and number concepts, The children are exposed to more of the Hebrew language and Jewish studies.

KINDERGARTEN
Our richly integrated program of general and Jewish studies continues in all-day Kindergarten. Multi-Cultural awareness, Hebrew language and Jewish studies are also integrated as part of the Kindergarten curriculum.

PRE-FIRST
The Pre-First class is an all-day program for those children who just missed the cut-off date for entering First Grade or for those children who would benefit from a stimulating yet developmentally appropriate curriculum before they enter First Grade. Adath Israel is the only Jewish center in the area with such a class.

Bernice Schwartz is our Pre-School Director. Bernice brings over 20 years of early childhood education experience. Before arriving at Adath Israel in the summer of 2001, Bernice was the Assistant Director, Camp Director and Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Adath Jeshurun Conservative Synagogue in Elkins Park. Ms. Schwartz who has a Bachelors and Masters degree in Education, holds a Certificate in Early Childhood Education. She is a member of the Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education (ACAJE) Early Childhood Directors’ Council, the National Jewish Early Childhood Network and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), where she is a validator for accreditation of programs.

THE PRESCHOOL BOARD
The hardworking Co-chairs of the Preschool Board are: Jennifer Brandt and Amanda Goldberg. Please feel free to call on these wonderful resources when you have questions about school or feel like you may have time to volunteer.