In Hebrew, Yom Kippur is written יוֹם כִּפּוּר and means Day of Atonement. Yom means day Kippur means cleansing or atone for sins The Jewish New Year falls 10 days before the holiest day for the Jewish people. While dipping apples in honey and hearing the shofar are still fresh in our minds, we begin to prepare for Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. These days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance or the Days of Awe. Jews reflect and make ame

In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah is written רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה and means Head of the Year. Rosh means head Ha means the Shanah means year The Jewish New Year! A time for celebrating the sweetness of a new beginning. In celebration, we have a number of sensory experiences happening both inside and outside of our classroom. We eat apples dipped in honey to remind us of a sweet new year. We make our challah round to symbolize the cycle of a year, the round shape of a head, or a crown resti

We are thrilled to announce that Kehillah is officially participating in Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA)—a county-wide Quality Improvement System dedicated to enhancing early learning for children from birth to five! We had our first meeting this week! As part of this initiative, our program utilizes CLASS® (Classroom Assessment Scoring System), a research-based observational tool backed by decades of early childhood development studies. CLASS focuses on measuring and streng

Several times a day, Kehillah’s youngest children step outside the classroom and start exploring our welcoming outdoor environment .What might look like simple play is actually something much richer: children learning through the relationships they build and the discoveries they make together. We believe children are naturally curious and capable to guide their own understanding of the world around them. What does the ice look like? IG: Legos! How does it feel? LO: Cold

We wonder what might happen if we add flowers, bark, herbs, sponges, or other materials collected from our outdoor environment. What new ideas might emerge? Through careful observation, we noticed how much our children enjoy painting, mixing materials, and exploring the world with all of their senses. Today, we invited them to investigate a collection of leaves gathered from our outdoor environment. Alongside the leaves, we provided yellow and blue paint, brushes, and paper.

-XR (4 YRS) The Learning Table: Nurturing Independence Through Family-Style Dining At Kehillah, mealtime is far more than a routine, it is a rich context for community, language, and self-discovery. By serving themselves from shared bowls and eating alongside their educators, children are actively shaping their own learning environment. Social Connection & Language Development Community & Courtesy: Passing serving bowls and sharing food naturally invites phrases like "May I h

-K (5 YRS) Documentation helps makes learning and thinking visible to everyone. (Giudici et al., 2001) Building Relationships Through Neighborhood Walks Every Wednesday, our class takes a neighborhood walk that has become an important part of our learning journey. As we navigate the sidewalks, the children strengthen their gross motor skills, balance, and spatial awareness while learning to coordinate their movements and practice safety and self-regulation as a group. By visi

As a child who attended public school, I remember thirteen years of celebrating this holiday by creating cards and giving candy. In my younger years, I sent them to everyone in my class because that was required; however, by middle school, I began selecting only my close friends. In high school, the gifts became more significant and meaningful, given to an even tighter circle of friends. Now, as Valentine’s Day approaches, I reflect on this ritual through the lens of a parent