Reggio-Inspired
Children are the driving force behind what they learn, engaging in collaborative, hands-on, joyful discovery that builds curiosity and resilience.
A warm, nature-inspired Jewish early childhood community where every child is known, every family belongs, and childhood is celebrated in all the ways that matter most.
A community that holds you.
The Palisades welcomes PJECC back,
stronger than ever.
Over 20 years ago, Chabad of the Pacific Palisades opened PJECC with a simple vision: a place where children could grow in an environment filled with warmth, curiosity, beauty, and genuine care. As our school grew, so did that vision, slowly shaping a campus and classrooms that feel alive with childhood.
After the Palisades fires forced a temporary move to the Westside, what began as a crisis response grew into an expansion. Today we're entering a new chapter: reopening our Palisades campus while continuing to nurture our Westside community, serving both and welcoming new families.
Through it all, our purpose has stayed the same: to create a place where every child is known, every family feels welcome, and childhood is celebrated in all the ways that matter most.
Children aren't just cared for or just taught, they're genuinely guided to become thinkers, explorers, and confident individuals. Here's what makes childhood at PJECC different.
Children are the driving force behind what they learn, engaging in collaborative, hands-on, joyful discovery that builds curiosity and resilience.
One of the few outdoor Jewish preschools by the coast, a natural landscape of grass fields, gardens, and play built by the hands of our community.
Judaism lives naturally in the rhythm of each day, nurturing kindness, respect, and a joyful connection to heritage, with every family welcomed.
Small classes with low student-to-teacher ratios, led by specialists in early childhood development who know each child deeply.
Children learn best when they're having fun. We honor childhood rather than rush it, inspiring wonder through play, art, music, and exploration.
We invest as deeply in our teachers and families as we do in our children. It's not just a program. It's a place that feels like family.
Where your child's story begins. From first steps to their leap toward kindergarten, every class meets children exactly where they are, with warmth, wonder, and room to grow.
Chaverim Alef
A warm, loving first home away from home. Through responsive care, sensory play, music, and meaningful relationships, we build trust, connection, and a lifelong love of learning from the very beginning.
Chaverim Bet
Curiosity comes alive. Children explore outdoors, create, climb, and build friendships through purposeful play, growing in confidence, independence, language, and social-emotional skills.
Chaverim Gimmel
Imagination takes center stage. Through open-ended materials, art, storytelling, and dramatic play, children develop creativity, communication, and a joyful love of learning.
Chaverim Daled
Deeper discovery through hands-on investigations inspired by nature, literature, and Jewish traditions, encouraging collaboration, critical thinking, and the confidence to explore new ideas.
Chaverim Hey
Our oldest learners are confident, capable, and ready to lead. Alongside creative, purposeful play, they build a strong foundation in literacy, math, and problem-solving, ready for kindergarten and beyond.
Find the right fit
Schedule a tour and we'll help you find your child's class, and let you feel the community for yourself. →
Our Philosophy
Educate a child according to his way.
At PJECC, we believe childhood is meant to be joyful. Every child is seen as an individual, full of curiosity, creativity, and endless potential. Our role is to create an environment where children feel safe to explore, ask questions, build friendships, and discover the world around them. We honor childhood rather than rush it.
The Torah's teaching, at the heart of everything we do
Rooted in the same values, warmth, and excellence our families have trusted for generations, now welcoming children across two coastal campuses.
Our founding home in the Pacific Palisades, a natural, sun-filled campus of gardens, grass fields, and play, back and stronger than ever for the 2026–2027 school year.
17315 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Schedule a tour →The warm community that grew from our new chapter, now serving Westside families with the same nurturing, individualized approach PJECC is known for.
1537 Franklin St, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Schedule a tour →It's the school where kids actually love going. They learn so much, but it never feels like pressure, it feels like joy. And the community? It's like family.
A PJECC ParentWe offer flexible scheduling to fit your family:
We welcome children from infancy through TK (about 0–5 years), across five age groups, our Chaverim classes:
We have two coastal locations:
Not at all. PJECC is open to families of all backgrounds. What unites our families is the desire to raise thoughtful, confident children who feel loved, respected, and connected. Jewish values are woven naturally into each day, nurturing kindness, respect, and belonging for every child.
We're a Reggio-inspired, play-based program, one of the few outdoor Jewish preschools by the coast. Children learn through play, nature, art, and hands-on discovery in small classes with low student-to-teacher ratios, guided by specialists in early childhood development. We honor childhood rather than rush it.
The best first step is to come see us. Schedule a tour using the form below, or reach out at chana@pjecc.org. We're now enrolling for the 2026–2027 school year at both campuses.
Join Us This Fall
PJECC is growing, and we'd love for you to be part of it from the very beginning.
If you're considering enrolling for the 2026–2027 school year, now is the moment. Come see the space, meet our educators, and experience the community that makes PJECC so special.