Congregation Beth Am is thrilled to present Gan Ami (Preschool of My People), our early childhood education program, a member of the South Peninsula Jewish Preschool Alliance. Developed with the combined expertise of professionals from Beth Am and the SPJPA, Gan Ami provides play-based curriculum for young children and an opportunity for their families to connect with Judaism and the Beth Am community.
At Gan Ami, children are welcomed into a nurturing, safe environment at a Reform Jewish synagogue. Director
Sherrie Rose Maleson
and our dynamic clergy and educators play an integral part in helping children explore Jewish values and traditions. Families of our students connect to the larger Beth Am community through innovative learning opportunities and by participating in Shabbat and holiday celebrations on our beautiful campus, often led by Beth Am Staff.
As part of a synagogue environment, children at Gan Ami develop a comfort level within sacred space, visiting the chapel and sanctuary regularly. Key values of Reform Judaism (God, tikkun olam, tzedakah, Hebrew, k’lal Yisrael/community of
Israel
) are infused in art, dramatic play, music and other age-appropriate activities. Children explore these topics at their own pace in the classrooms filled with Jewish ritual objects. Class sizes are small (12 or fewer, staffed by 2 teachers) so that all children can receive specialized attention from teachers and discover a sense of their own uniqueness. Parents are encouraged to participate in learning opportunities and community building activities both in the classroom and in the larger Beth Am community.
Gan Ami Early Childhood Education Program is an extraordinary early learning institute that is licensed to provide education for 24 students each year. We are offering next Fall (2010) a:
Toddlers, 12 –30 months Program
(Garinim - Seeds)
Parent-toddler classes
Program hours:10:00 - 11:30 am
Fall session: Sept – Dec; Winter session: Jan – May
Parent/caregiver participates in class, which includes holiday celebrations, stories and songs, snack, arts & crafts, playground time and adult discussion on topics related to raising children Jewishly.
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2 year olds Program
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(Shorashim - Roots)
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5 day*, 3 day (MWF)*, and 2 day (TTh) options
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Program hours: 9:30 am – 12:00 pm with option for Lunch Bunch* from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.
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Children are required to be 2 by Sept 1
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3 year olds Program
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(Perachim - Flowers)
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5 day, 3 day (MWF), and 2 day (TTh) options
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Program hours: 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.
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Children are required to be 3 by Dec 31.
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4 year olds Program
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(Etzim - Trees)
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5 days per week
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Program hours: 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.
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Children are required to be 4 by Dec 31.
Early morning care available (not for Garinim students) 8:00 am – 9:30 am.
Afternoon care available (not for Garinim students) 1:00pm – 3:00 pm.*
Children need not be toilet trained to enroll.
*THIS IS NEW FOR 2010!!
Enrollment and Assistance
Admission to Gan Ami is open to all children who meet the appropriate age criteria. Enrollment priority is given to members of Congregation Beth Am, other local synagogues or JCCs.
Limited scholarship funds are available.
Gan Ami Staff Bios
Sherrie Rose Maleson - Gan Ami Director and Perachim v’Etzim Teacher
Sherrie Rose Maleson grew up in the Beth Am community and is very glad to be on the Beth Am staff as Gan Ami Director and Perachim v'Etzim Teacher. She has worked at the Palo Alto Jewish Community Center’s T’enna Preschool (where she attended as a young child) as Afternoon Program Coordinator and Early Childhood Teacher from 2002 through 2008. She received a BA in Psychology in 2002 from
Scripps
College
where she was very active in student life. In 2005, she earned an MA in Human Development, specializing in Early Childhood Education, from
Pacific
Oaks
College
. Sherrie Rose loves spending time with her dog, taking yoga classes, and working for the benefit of young children!
Uriela Ben-Yaacov - Garinim and Shorashim Teacher
Uriela Ben-Yaacov grew up in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), studied for a Bachelor's Degree in Hebrew University, Jerusalem, spent 10 years in South Africa and moved to California in 1980 with her husband and 2 children. Her third child was born in
California
(the only one born in the
USA
). She is also the grandmother of three young ones. She is a certified teacher in Early Childhood Education, and has previously taught in the T'enna preschool and in Thacher Preschool, and has just completed her first year of teaching in the Gan Ami program. She plays the guitar and the piano and enjoys teaching Jewish curriculum and Hebrew through music, dance and rhythm. She is also a parent leader in a non-profit organization that supports parents in the important job of parenting. Uriela enjoys swimming, walking, participating in Torah Study at Beth Am, and spending special time with her children and grandchildren.
Leah Strauss - Shorashim Teacher
Leah Strauss, a California certified master teacher of early childhood education, loves engaging very young children in Jewish tradition, practices and values. She began teaching parent-toddler classes at the Palo Alto Jewish Community Center's T’enna Preschool when her children enrolled in 1998, and most recently taught in the programs for two- and three-year-olds. She has interests in supporting young children with special needs and their families. Before she began teaching, Leah was an editorial and public relations executive at
Silicon Valley
technology companies. She has a BA in political science (UC Davis) and an MA in journalism (
University
of
Wisconsin
). She is a recent graduate of the Florence Melton Jewish Adult School, and participates in Beth Am's Torah and Talmud study groups. Leah also tries to find time to paint, write and read, and spend time with her husband, two teenage boys and the family's dog, Jupiter.
Janie Taylor - Perachim v’Etzim Teacher
Janie Taylor is entering her fourth year at Gan Ami this school year and will be teaching in the Perachim v'Etzim classroom. She started teaching in Early Childhood in 1996 and since that time has worked with children from ages 12 months to Young Fives. She holds a B.S. in Education from the
University
of
Memphis
. Janie completed her California Early Childhood Site Supervisor courses at
DeAnza
College
and is pursuing a Masters degree in Developmental Education at
Pacific
Oaks
College
. She is a certified Red Cross Instructor, is trained in advanced First Aid, and is a Disaster Service Worker. Janie has lived in the mid-Peninsula area for the last twenty years, currently residing in
Mountain View
with her husband, Andy Rose, her two children, Laurel and Jacob Detkin, and her two dogs.
