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Yelena Tsurkan

Day school

At the Jewish Community High School of the Bay in San Francisco, students learn in small groups — averaging 14 per class. The pluralistic school welcomes caring, inquisitive learners who self-identify as Jewish. In the five graduating classes to date, 162 students were accepted to universities that included Brown, U.C. Berkeley and Stanford.

Oakland Hebrew Day School’s motto is “A school, a home, a promise.” Started in 1991 with a group of kindergartners in one room, the K-8 school graduated its first class of eighth-graders a decade later, in 2001. Each year, these senior students go on a culminating 10-day trip to Israel, where they visit historical sites, work cooperatively and practice social justice.

The namesake of Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto worked to build the modern Israeli system of justice. Accordingly, justice and Israel are two themes familiar to students, who connect to the Jewish state through Torah and Hebrew-language studies, among other subjects. Founded in 1989, the K-8 school of 400 students emphasizes tikkun olam  and vibrant Jewish living.

Tied for first place in the South Bay/Peninsula is Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto. Graduates have been accepted to all eight Ivy League universities in the school’s relatively short existence — it opened in 2002. The school, with just 125 students, has small class sizes and many extracurricular offerings. It also happens to be the only community Jewish high school between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Weeklong class trips to Alabama, Jerusalem and the Pacific Northwest are  designed to take students out of their comfort zones, study history and culture firsthand, and learn how to work for social change.

The Marin campus of Brandeis Hillel Day School in San Rafael opened in 1991, and 95 percent of its graduates are accepted to their first-choice high schools. In addition to a new field and art studio, the expansive and modern facility includes spacious classrooms, a library and multimedia center, computer and science labs, a gymnasium, a theater, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a music room. The K-8 school has a sister campus in San Francisco, serving a total of 600 students in both locations.

Second-place winners were Brandeis Hillel Day School in San Francisco, Tehiyah Day School in El Cerrito and South Peninsula Hebrew Day School in Sunnyvale.

 

 1st Place

San Francisco

Jewish Community

High School of the Bay

(415) 345-9777

www.jchsofthebay.org

East Bay

Oakland Hebrew Day School

Oakland

(510) 531-8600

www.ohds.org

South Bay/Peninsula

Gideon Hausner Jewish

Day School

Palo Alto

(650) 494-8200

www.hausner.com

South Bay/Peninsula

Kehillah Jewish High School

Palo Alto

(650) 213-9600

www.kehillah.org

North Bay

Brandeis Hillel Day School

San Rafael

(415) 472-1833

www.bhds.org

 

 2nd Place

San Francisco

Brandeis Hillel Day School

(415) 406-1035

www.bhds.org

East Bay

Tehiyah Day School

El Cerrito

(510) 233-3013

www.tehiyah.org

South Bay/Peninsula

South Peninsula

Hebrew Day School

Sunnyvale • (408) 738-3060

www.sphds.org

College-prep

high school

A key to success in college, some would argue, is how well the student has been prepared academically in high school. The Readers’ Choice winners offer that advantage, and much more.

Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco strives to be “a private school with a public purpose.” To that end, students initiate endeavors such as Aim High, a summer tutoring program for middle-school students. Lick-Wilmerding offers not only a rigorous college preparatory program but also an athletic one, with top-notch facilities.

Head-Royce is a K-12 school, with a college-preparatory curriculum that starts in ninth grade. Founded in Berkeley in 1887 and located in Oakland since 1964, its motto is “Scholarship, Diversity and Citizenship.” Students can pick from 20 advanced-placement classes and 38 sports teams.

Tying for first place in the East Bay is the College Preparatory School in Oakland, which also has a spot in Harvard Review’s 25 academically strongest independent schools in the country. Students are taught to give back: In the stagecraft/woodworking class they created a collection of wooden toys that were shipped to AIDS-affected preschoolers in Zimbabwe.

Menlo School in Atherton, founded in 1915 as an all-boys school, is today a coed institution that starts in sixth grade — the same grade that students start preparing for college. The high school, or Upper School, offers innovative study including biotech, engineering and science research courses, which not only earn students acceptances to top universities, but win them scholarships as well.

The Marin Academy is a San Rafael high school that invites its students to question, reflect and demand social justice. These goals are supported with innovative hands-on community projects and service. This year, 20 students were accepted to the Cum Laude Society — a prestigious, worldwide honor society recognizing academic achievement.

Second-place winners were Lowell High School in San Francisco, Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto and the Branson School in Ross.

 

 1st Place

San Francisco

Lick-Wilmerding

High School

(415) 333-4021

www.lwhs.org

East Bay

Head-Royce School

Oakland

(510) 531-1300

www.headroyce.org

College Preparatory School

Oakland

(510) 652-0111

www.college-prep.org

South Bay/Peninsula

Menlo School

Atherton

(650) 330-2001

www.menloschool.org

North Bay

Marin Academy

San Rafael

(415) 453-4550

www.ma.org

 

 2nd Place

San Francisco

Lowell High School

(415) 759-2730

South Bay/Peninsula

Henry M. Gunn High School

Palo Alto

(650) 354-8200

www.gunn.pausd.org

North Bay

The Branson School

Ross

(415) 454-3612

www.branson.org

Early childhood education

Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco hosts the Marin Day Schools/Bright Horizons preschool, which has 18 satellite early childhood programs in the Bay Area. The program is family-friendly, and not just in name only: Parents can join their little ones in support groups, classes, discussion circles and child-centered Shabbat services.

Children are exposed to Hebrew, Judaic studies, science and cooking at the Gan Mah Tov Preschool at Beth Jacob Congregation in Oakland. Early childhood programs cater to kids ages 2 to 5. Every Friday, children make their own challah and take turns leading prayer.

T’enna Preschool at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto offers programs for children from 18 months until kindergarten. Student-teacher ratios are 4-to-1 in the younger classes and 7-to-1 for older children. Science and yoga are among the diverse offerings.

Gan Israel Preschool in Terra Linda has its own garden where the children plant seeds, watch them grow, and then harvest and eat the fruits and vegetables. This year the kids participated in the annual Trike-a-Thon and Jewish Family and Children’s Services’ Seder Sacks campaign. The school raised enough funds for 20 Seder Sacks, delivered to needy Bay Area residents.

Second-place winners were JCC of San Francisco Preschools, Temple Sinai Preschool in Oakland, Peninsula JCC Preschool in Foster City and Osher Marin JCC Preschool in San Rafael.

 

 1st Place

San Francisco

Congregation Sherith Israel Preschool

(415) 346-1720

www.sherithisrael.org

East Bay

Gan Mah Tov Preschool

Oakland • (510) 482-1147

www.bethjacoboakland.org

South Bay/Peninsula

T’enna Preschool

Palo Alto • (650) 223-8788

www.paloaltojcc.org

North Bay

Gan Israel Preschool

Terra Linda • (415) 507-0460

www.ganisraelsanrafael.com

 

 2nd Place

San Francisco

JCC of San Francisco Preschools

(415) 292-1200

www.jccsf.org

East Bay

Temple Sinai Preschool

Oakland • (510) 832-6800

www.templesinaipreschool.org

South Bay/Peninsula

Peninsula JCC Preschool

Foster City • (650) 212-7522

www.pjcc.org

North Bay

Osher Marin JCC Preschool

San Rafael • (415) 444-8000

www.marinjcc.org

Day camp

Anyone who has ever spent a summer at Jewish day camp knows this is where memories and friendships are made to last.

The JCC of San Francisco sponsors a variety of camps according to age and interests. Kochav Camp has all-around programs for K-9 that integrate sports, art, music, science and nature, along with city excursions and lake trips. Also in the mix are theme days, penny drives and beach cleanups. Specialty camps allow kids to immerse themselves in sports, cooking, construction, water activities and more.

At Camp Kee Tov, part of Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, the emphasis is on ruach (spirit). Each day starts with morning songs and skits and ends with friendship circles. Students in grades K-9 swim, play games, go on overnights, take field trips, and drink fuzzy milk (you have to go to know). Two- and four-week sessions are offered.

The Peninsula JCC in Foster City day camps are for all ages, preschool through high school. Campers enjoy swimming, sports, science, drama, field trips and overnights. Specialty camps focus on arts, multicultural study, comics, superheroes, Lego and eco-arts. Hillbarn Theatre Conservatory programs are an additional offering at the PJCC.

Summers at the Osher Marin JCC are all about choice. Kids in preschool through 10th grade can participate in Jewish values–based programming in traditional day camps, adventure camps and specialty camps. Among the offerings are whitewater rafting, a weeklong music camp and field trips galore. Readers’ Choice voters favored the JCC’s early childhood education camps in particular.

Second-place winners were Camp Tzofim in Oakland, J-Camp in Palo Alto and Addison-Penzak JCC in Los Gatos.

 

 1st Place

San Francisco

JCC of San Francisco

(415) 292-1200

shamash.jccsf.org/summercamps

East Bay

Camp Kee Tov

Berkeley

(510) 848-2372

www.campkeetov.org

South Bay/Peninsula

Peninsula JCC

Foster City

(650) 212-7522

www.pjcc.org

North Bay

Osher Marin JCC

San Rafael • (415) 444-8000

www.marinjcc.org

 

 2nd Place

East Bay

Camp Tzofim

Oakland • (510) 848-0237

www.jcceastbay.org

South Bay/Peninsula

J-Camp

Palo Alto • (650) 223-8622

www.paloaltojcc.org

South Bay/Peninsula

Addison-Penzak JCC

Los Gatos • (408) 357-7416

www.svjcc.org

Youth program

The B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, a worldwide youth movement with local chapters, is the clear choice of j. readers — it was Readers’ Choice winner in all four counties.

The Central Region West includes Bay Area chapters of BBYO, including the very first permanent chapter of B’nai B’rith Girls — in San Francisco. BBYO is the nation’s oldest Jewish humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organization, offering leadership and community service opportunities for 85 years.

The Bay Area BBYO chapters join all others in a commitment to the security and continuity of the Jewish people and the state of Israel. Many Bay Area alumni are prominent figures in business, politics, academia, the arts and Jewish communal life.

Second-place winners were Club 18 in San Francisco, Midrasha in Berkeley, United Synagogue Youth in Palo Alto and North American Federation of Temple Youth in San Rafael.

 

 1st Place

Bay Area

B’nai B’rith Youth Organization

(888) 274-8418

www.bbyo.org

 

 2nd Place

San Francisco

Club 18

(415) 292-1281

www.jccsf.org/club18

East Bay

Midrasha

Berkeley • (510) 843-4667

www.midrasha.org

South Bay/Peninsula

United Synagogue Youth

Palo Alto • (408) 892-2732

www.pausy.org

North Bay

North American Federation

of Temple Youth

San Rafael • (212) 452-6763

www.nfty.org