The mission of the Early Childhood Department is to ensure that early childhood Jewish programs utilize innovative and developmentally appropriate pedagogic practices and provide excellent and authentic Jewish educational experiences from knowledgeable Jewish teachers. We believe that early childhood Jewish education is the gateway for Jewish families to create lifelong connections to Judaism.

The Early Childhood Department works to:

• Maintain a presence for Early Childhood Jewish Education on the national Jewish agenda on the national and local levels.
• Develop and support research in early childhood Jewish education.
• Increase the quality and quantity of professional development for early childhood educators at CAJE conferences.
• Participates in a coalition of national organizations that support early childhood Jewish education.
• Act as the central clearinghouse for resources and information for Early Childhood Jewish Education.
• Establish moderated list-serves and web resources.
• Develop national guidelines for excellence for Early Childhood Jewish Education programs.

The Department currently has the following committees:

• Early Childhood Conference @ CAJE 32
• Director and Teacher List Serves
• Publications
• Membership
• Teacher Resource
• JPEN - Jewish Parent Engagement Network
• Advocacy
• Website
• Toolkit for starting an Early Childhood Jewish Program

We welcome member participation on all committees. Contact mlallen@caje.org if you would like more information.

Rhonda Mlodinoff, Director of Education Beth Emet: The Free Synagogue, Evanston Illinois chairs CAJE's Early Childhood Department Committee.

The Early Childhood Department is underwritten by the generosity of the Children of Harvey and Lyn Meyerhoff Philanthropic Fund, The Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation, and Temma and Alfred Kingsley.

Project Kavod is underwritten by a generous grant from the Covenant Foundation.