Director: Helen G. Cohen

The FJECC serves children 2-5 years of age. The school is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., September to June following the Brookline Public School calendar.

Welcome to the FJECC at Temple Israel. We want to tell you a little something about our center and our founding director, Helen Cohen. Helen has been in the forefront of Jewish early childhood education for many years. She has extensive experience both as a teacher of young children as well as an administrator. She trains both graduate and undergraduate students at Wheelock College and Hebrew College where she is an adjunct faculty member. She continues to provide seminars and workshops for teachers, administrators and parents. Helen brings a wealth of experience to her work in maximizing each child's unique growth and development.

The center is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, non-pressured environment where inquiry, exploration and discovery are encouraged under the supervision of highly qualified early childhood professionals. This is a school that fosters respect for self and others, autonomy, competence in all areas of development and a love of learning. Play is valued as an important opportunity for children to construct and consolidate an understanding of their social, emotional, physical, cognitive, creative and Judaic skills. Above all this is a center where children truly have fun and enjoy the process of learning.

Another feature of our center is the incorporation of multi-generations into the classroom through our inter-generational program. Through this endeavor the many talents of each volunteer are shared with our young children. Other enrichment opportunities include Judaic and music specialists. These enrichment opportunities coupled with a dynamic and fluid curriculum to support the ever changing needs and interests of each child are what help to make this center a special place for children.