Introducing E-T ECC’s New Director

Hi! I am Jill Weiner, and I am thrilled to serve as the new director of the Edlavitch-Tyser Early Childhood Center. I am so excited to be part of this sacred community and to share in the joy and commitment that it brings to education from birth and throughout life.

After spending a year in Israel working with blind and visually impaired babies, I knew that I wanted to be in the field of early childhood education. Watching an immobile, passive one-year-old become a running, babbling, silly two-year-old was one of the most rewarding and awe-inspiring experiences. While my Hebrew was proficient, my vocabulary did not extend to child-related needs and items and so I had to rely on gesticulations. That experience taught me two important lessons: that the most powerful connections can come from the simplest exchanges, and that careful observation is essential in truly understanding the whole child.

Back in Boston, I began my work in various Jewish Reggio-Emilia preschools in the area. I was invited to join the Paradigm Project, a grassroots campaign to improve and strengthen Jewish early childhood education. Through various workshops and conferences, my questions and curiosities about early childhood education led me to deepen my practice. I attended Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, which focused on the elements of a Reggio classroom. I was able to bring ideas from my classes into the classroom and bring them to life. After moving to D.C. with my husband, my journey led me to pursue an Education Doctorate in early childhood educational leadership at American Jewish University. My research explores the mental load and invisible labor of Jewish mothers in picture books from the perspective of the carer.

This research is deeply personal as it connects to my love of storytelling, my Jewish identity, and my commitment to honoring children and families. Judaism teaches us that every person is created in the image of God — b’tzlem Elohim. This means that each child holds a unique, limitless potential with a glimmer of holiness. Children are citizens of the world. They are not “mini adults” who need to be tamed, but rather their own person with their own ideas, views, and curiosities. At preschool, children have agency in their own process of learning. Educators spark curiosity by asking questions and creating an intentional classroom environment that provokes wonder. The goal is to not only listen to the children but truly hear them through their words and actions.

Being a citizen of the world leads to creating and seeking community. Children thrive when they feel like they are a part of something. As director, I hope to nurture not only the children’s connection to Washington Hebrew Congregation, but also the smaller and larger communities that help shape their identity and sense of belonging. Through traditions and everyday acts of kindness, I look forward to building a community where our children and families feel that they truly belong.