stacey palevsky | staff writer
The first Jewish preschool in San Francisco’s Sunset District is open for business — as long as that business includes finger painting, learning shapes and listening to Torah stories.
“There hasn’t been a Jewish preschool in the Sunset,” Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz said. “It’s high time for one to be here.”
The new Adath Israel Preschool is taking care of another deficiency, as well. Before the preschool opened its doors several blocks from 19th Avenue in October, Congregation Adath Israel was the only Modern Orthodox synagogue in the Bay Area without a preschool, Strulowitz said.
Eleven children ages 2 through 4 are enrolled in the storefront school, which is located across the street from the synagogue, with space for nine more. The school day is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with extended care until 3 p.m.
The preschool was a labor of love for synagogue staff and volunteers. It took them nearly three years to renovate the space — previously a salon — and satisfy San Francisco building, zoning and fire codes
while also meeting state standards for early childhood centers.
Most of the enrolled children come from families who are already members of the congregation. Three kids are not affiliated with the synagogue, but their parents received the member rate anyway.
“We really want this to be a neighborhood school, and so we’re offering reciprocity to other synagogues in the neighborhood,” Strulowitz said. “We want people to feel this is a community school, though we’re still working within the philosophy and culture of our synagogue.”
That means a strong Jewish and secular curriculum that ensures young students to “learn about, embrace and love Judaism,” Strulowitz said.
The school’s two teachers, Jackie Novis and Laura Cunradi, create lesson plans that emphasize Hebrew, Torah stories, and Jewish blessings, prayers and holidays. Art projects revolve around Jewish themes or holidays. The children learn shapes, colors and numbers in English and Hebrew. Each day begins with “davening,” which for preschoolers means singing Jewish songs.
There is even a mitzvah tree in the classroom. Each child is designated a branch, and when they do a mitzvah, they earn a leaf. On Fridays, they help make challah.
Novis, the preschool’s director, grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has 35 years of early childhood and special education experience.
“I loved the idea of starting a preschool, and I was drawn to the synagogue,” Novis said. She wants students to get a strong Jewish education while also learning how to be independent, creative and compassionate.
The school employs an emergent curriculum, which means identifying each child’s interests and making time to teach those things.
The preschool also gives students plenty of free time to play, share and laugh. On a typical day, students in the backyard play area swing, go down the slide or use the sandbox, and students inside are play with plastic kitchen sinks or wooden puzzles.
“We want them to have independence and be creative,” Novis said.
Adath Israel Preschool will have an open house from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 10. Children and parents are welcome. For more information, visit www.adathisraelpreschool.org