The Alpert JCC enriches Jewish life by creating a neighborhood where shared Jewish experience is nurtured by people of all generations. Here, we celebrate culture and life, offering everyone recreation, arts, and education in a safe and healthy environment. The Early Childhood Education Department's many programs offer the perfect stepping stone for young families to become a part of "the neighborhood." Our program, a leader in Long Beach education for more than 40 years, is designed to develop the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual well-being of each child. We focus on creating a safe and nurturing environment which offers opportunities for exploration and discovery; a place where children learn to care about and cooperate with others as well as play independently. In order to share our Jewish culture and traditions, we enjoy Shabbat each Friday, celebrate Jewish holidays, and flavor our lessons with Jewish songs, stories and special foods. At the same time, we encourage understanding and sharing between families of many cultures. The curriculum is filled with developmentally academic activities, designed to provide an enriching first educational experience. We offer imaginative play, cooking, music, block building, math concepts, small and large motor skills, playground time and art. Based on recent brain research, a primary focus of our curriculum is on language development; each classroom provides a word-rich environment filled with stories, oral language activities, and exposure to more than one language. Our goal is to help children develop into confident individuals who are able to communicate their needs, solve problems, and resolve conflicts. By providing solid building blocks, we prepare each child for their educational future.
