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IKAR’s Early Childhood Center (ECC) was built, in the language of Heschel, with the dual mission of cultivating the minds and celebrating the spirits of our children. The preschool is built around core Jewish values and based upon philosophies inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. We aim to nurture gratitude, humility, and social responsibility in our children, families, and staff. The preschool also provides a loving and engaging environment in which our children’s physical, social, emotional, cognitive, creative, and spiritual growth is supported and their individuality respected.

The IKAR ECC welcomes people of all faiths, race, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Open to children ages 2-5 years, and we offer a variety of schedule options, including half-days until 12:30, full days until 3pm, and extended days until 5:30pm.

Click here for our tour schedule.

Let us kvell (share some ECC joy)!

The best way I can describe to you the way we feel about our experience with the ECC is in the form of feeling. From our daughter’s first day in Ahava to her graduation ceremony from Neshama there has been a consistent and resonant feeling of warmth, trust, community, and a deeply felt joy in the thriving of children and the honoring of their beings. We experienced these feelings throughout our child’s time at the ECC, we felt it every time we were at the school, in the presence of the loving and dedicated teachers, among the kids playing, creating, learning, laughing. The ECC was the beginning of our daughter’s journey in education and she loved it. For that, we will always be deeply grateful. — Jill & Mark

The IKAR ECC has been the loving, supportive, creative place that we couldn’t have ever dreamt up for our daughter. It has brought such joy and wonder to her, and such community and friendship to our lives that we can’t imagine the last few years without it. We’re excited to get another three years at the ECC when our son starts next year! — Betsy & Joel

Affiliated with the Bureau of Jewish Education. 

IKAR’s Early Childhood Center (ECC) offers a developmental, hands-on curriculum embracing the following five components:

• Judaism
• Introduction to conversational, written, and liturgical Hebrew
• Reggio-Emilia inspired Emergent Learning
• A respectful, reciprocal relationship with our sister community in Katira, Uganda
• A commitment to Tikkun Olam – learning to repair and care for the planet

Additionally, we offer:

• Weekly Shabbat celebrations with our rabbi and hazan
• Weekly visits with specialists including music, fine art, gardening, and drumming
• Afternoon enrichment classes including sports, puppetry, cooking, and mindful martial arts
• Early Care and Late Stay schedules (half-days until 12:30, full days until 3pm, and extended days until 5:30pm)
• Optional kosher vegetarian hot lunch prepared on campus

And so much more! We can’t wait to meet your family!

We are currently scheduling tours on an as-needed basis. Please email Beth Weisman, Director of Parenting and Admissions, at [email protected] for more information and to schedule an individualized visit.

– In anticipation of your tour, please tell us a little about yourself.

– We look forward to meeting you and showing you around!

Contact our leadership team at [email protected] for more information.

Dr. Jane Rosen, ECC Director of Education

Beth Weisman, ECC Director of Parenting and Admissions

Jenny Weston, ECC Operations & Office Manager

Contributions to IKAR’s Horowitz/Weintraub Early Childhood Center (ECC) Fund enable us to enhance the Jewish education experience for our young IKARites and instill a deep love of learning, Judaism, and justice. Your contribution directly benefits our ECC children. Thank you for your generosity.

Direct Checks To:
IKAR
1737 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035