Early Childhood Jewish Education

Early Childhood Jewish Education explores some of the fundamental questions of early childhood Jewish education in today’s societal, moral, and educational debates. The book examines the challenges of transmitting Jewish heritage using developmentally appropriate pedagogy in the context of modern democratic society through the lenses of multiculturalism, gender awareness, and constructivism.

Researchers from Israel and the United States consider some of the core Jewish foundational subjects, including teaching the Bible, holidays and ceremonies, Hebrew, Jewish literature, and spirituality, as well as leadership issues in relation to these contemporary debates. The book represents the ongoing collaboration of leading researchers from Israel and the United States who have worked together since 2010 as the International Research Group on Jewish Education in the Early Years.

Sigal Achituv is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Early Childhood Education Graduate Program at Oranim Academic College of Education, Israel. She is a research fellow at The Center for Jewish and Democratic Education, University of Haifa, Israel.

Meir Muller is Assistant Professor in Early Childhood Education at the University of South Carolina, USA, and is cofounder of the Cutler Jewish Day School.

Shelley T. Alexander is Project Coordinator and Research Fellow for Early childhood at The Center for Jewish and Democratic Education, University of Haifa, Israel, and was Director of Early Childhood Services at the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay, Oakland, California, in the United States.


Hanan A. Alexander is Professor of Philosophy of Education at the University of Haifa, Israel where he was Dean of the Faculty of Education and Head of the Center for Jewish and Democratic Education. He is currently Visiting Professor in the Graduate School of Education and Koret Visiting Professor of Israel Studies at the Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies, University of California, Berkeley, USA.