Yonit P. is the mother of two children, Alec (age 7) and Jax (age 4), who both attended the APJCC Preschool, a program of Jewish Silicon Valley. From the family’s first day at the preschool’s orientation, Yonit said, “I knew immediately this was the place where my children would organically develop into who they are, make friends, express themselves, explore new ideas, and be surrounded by warmth and tender care.” It didn’t take long for Yonit to feel that the preschool, and the entire Levy Family Campus, was a second home for her family, where everyone knew her sons’ names.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, confining everyone to their homes, Yonit was concerned that her children, especially her youngest, would regress socially and academically. Jax became very attached to Yonit as the result of being constantly at home with the family during quarantine, and she worried that he would forget how to be comfortable interacting with people outside his own household.
When school reopened, Yonit expected that Jax would refuse to enter his preschool classroom without her. To her surprise, he gave her a hug, waved goodbye, and walked right in as if he had never left. “My son, who occasionally puts his shoes on the wrong feet just to make sure we are paying attention, had not forgotten an iota of this place. That is the power of this magical place,” said Yonit.
Later that day, Yonit received an email from Jax’s teachers with a thoughtful, detailed summary of the day’s events and photos to show her what the children had done. “I smiled from ear to ear,” said Yonit. “These daily emails about our children playing, planting, building, creating, learning, singing, dancing, exploring, helping, sharing and laughing continue to reinforce my confidence in the excellent care, instruction, and attention my son receives on a daily basis.”
Jewish Silicon Valley created a safe, warm environment for Yonit’s family at a time when the world seemed unstable and unpredictable. The APJCC Preschool program, based in Jewish values and open to everyone, became a vital support for parents who wanted to keep their young children connected to the wider community.
“The APJCC Preschool understands that it takes a village to raise caring, confident and compassionate children,” said Yonit. She feels secure knowing that her son is in the hands of nurturing teachers and staff who can provide children with stability and a sense of safety, “even in frightening and uncertain times.” She feels that her son is thriving in a very safe and loving place.
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