Academics

Early Childhood

See Early Childhood faculty at the bottom of the page.

At RPRY’s Early Childhood Center, the academic, social, emotional, physical, cognitive, spiritual, and moral growth and development of your children take center stage!  Our talented and dedicated faculty members nurture our students’ love of Hashem, Torah, Eretz Israel, and their fellow Jews.  The curriculum sparks the curiosity, creativity, and imagination of our students; develops their desire to do mitzvot; and helps them grow in self-reliance, and responsibility.

Find a Program Option that is right for your child

Little girl with paper crown on her head

Breakfast Buddies: 7:00 am - 7:50 am

Full Day Program: 7:50 am - 3:25 pm
Half Day Program: 7:50 am - 12:30 pm

PM Playmates: 3:25 pm - 6:00 pm

Pre-Nursery (2 years old)
Full day and half day options available.
3-Day: Mon, Wed, Fri 5 Day: Mon-Fri

Nursery (3 years old)
Pre-Kindergarten (4 years old)
Full day and half day options available.
5-Day Program Only

Two young boys smiling and playing at a sand table.

What sets RPRY's Early Childhood Program apart...

  • Fostering a love of Torah, Mitzvot, and Eretz Yisrael

Torah is the nucleus of the curriculum. Classes center around learning about the parsha each week, mitzvot, chagim, and Israel. The love and enthusiasm spills over on Israeli holidays as well. On Yom Ha’atzmaut, the Early Childhood hallway transforms into an El Al flight to Israel! Students gather with their ‘passports’ to board for their trip. Once they arrive, they travel throughout Israel, each classroom representing another aspect of Israeli society.  The students may plant seeds at a kibbutz, join the IDF on the playground, or explore an archaeological dig. For Yom Yerushalayim, the students each write a mitzvah they have done on a brown paper bag. These are filled and transformed to be ‘stones’ forming our own Kotel, where our students dance, sing and daven in our in-school Yerushalayim. Children build their own ‘wells’ and ‘tents’ during imaginative play using a variety of classroom materials as they immerse themselves in the parsha stories. Experiential learning engages hearts and minds.

  • Extended hours for parents with full schedules

We understand that parents have a variety of needs when it comes to hours.  RPRY offers early arrival with the Breakfast Buddies program, late stay with PM Playmates, and a variety of school-day options.

  • Social Emotional Learning built in to the core curriculum

Social skills, emotional intelligence and self-regulation form the foundation for lifelong learning success. Through daily meeting times on the carpet, a wide variety of imaginative and guided play activities, and storytelling, children practice the language to support their emotional development. These skills are reinforced across curricular units.

  • Instilling confidence in children as learners, setting them up for success in Kindergarten and beyond 

At RPRY, we promote children’s healthy self-image as capable learners.  Students learn to problem solve in a fail-safe environment by encouraging exploration and experimentation with materials.  Complex tasks are presented in incremental steps and students rise to their level of individual challenge.  Teacher planning is balanced with flexibility.

  • Our Educators not only have the tools for best practices in early learning, but are gifted in implementing them 

Our educators have the benefit of years of seasoned experience.  Not only that, they participate in ongoing professional development to consistently integrate best practices and Jewish values. Every aspect of the classroom experience is designed with intentionality and teachers are attuned to each child’s individual level of proficiency.  For example, imaginative playtime is a mindfully constructed: materials and activities are specifically selected to facilitate individual growth. The toys, materials, and stations adjust as the child masters each targeted motor or developmental skill throughout the year.  In this and many other ways educators scaffold learning milestones, whether cognitive/language oriented or social/emotional, across multiple domains, including gross and fine motor skills, numeracy, role-playing, and phonemic awareness.  All of this skill development and conceptual exploration is refracted through the prism of our rich, Jewish heritage. Torah ideas are woven throughout units such as colors or animals, and cognitively oriented goals, such as social skills building.

Early Childhood Faculty

Photo of Rabbi Joshua Einzig

Rabbi Joshua Einzig

Principal of Judaic Studies and Early Childhood

Rabbi Einzig began his career as a Judaic Studies teacher at North Shore Hebrew Academy. He holds a Master's Degree in Education from City College of New York and received Semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University. Earlier in his career, Rabbi Einzig had the opportunity to serve in similar administrative roles at the H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy in St. Louis, MO, and the Samuel Scheck Hillel Day School in Boca Raton, FL. ... (click on name to read full bio)

Photo of Shulamis Benjamin

Shulamis Benjamin

Pre-Nursery Teacher

Photo of Mimi Blumenkrantz

Mimi Blumenkrantz

Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Morah Mimi earned her teacher's certification at Migdal Ohz teacher's seminary....

Photo of Rena Einzig

Rena Einzig

Pre-Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Photo of Alisa Hercman

Alisa Hercman

Nursery Assistant Teacher

Photo of Helene Lockspeiser

Helene Lockspeiser

Nursery Teacher

Morah Helene Lockspeiser has been a Jewish Early Childhood Educator for over 40 years. ...

Photo of Tzippy Mond

Tzippy Mond

Pre-Nursery Assistant Teacher

Photo of Hadas Rosenthal

Hadas Rosenthal

Nursery Teacher

Morah Hadas received teacher certification through the Israel Defence Forces and continued her studies to specialize in Early Childhood Education. She has several years of teaching experience in addition to experience in informal educational settings.

Photo of Judy Schwarzberg

Judy Schwarzberg

Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Photo of Marsha Shulman

Marsha Shulman

Pre-Nursery Assistant Teacher

Photo of Sharon Stern

Sharon Stern

Pre-Nursery Teacher

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