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At the Washington Hebrew Congregation’s Early Childhood Center, we believe children are capable, competent, and full of wonder. We view learning as a process of construction, growth, and reflection. Our team of educators provides intentional experiences that will spark questions, inspire creativity, and set the stage for positive interactions.
Jewish ethical values help provide a foundation from which we strive to nurture, support, and create connections with our children, families, professional staff, and community. Our inquiry-based educational approach, which integrates a Judaic and secular curriculum, embraces the very best of developmentally appropriate practice.
The Rabbi Joseph Weinberg Early Childhood Center (RJW ECC) at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center in Maryland provides a warm, engaging environment where children can develop a strong identity and discover the world around them.
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2026-27 TUITION AND SCHEDULE
Our Rabbi Joseph Weinberg Early Childhood Center (RJW ECC) is part of WHC’s Julia Bindeman Suburban Center, our beautiful, expansive campus in Potomac, Maryland.
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Rooted in cutting-edge research and philosophies, we view the environment itself as the “third teacher.” Each classroom is intentionally designed to promote exploration and spark inquiry. We are blessed with stunning outdoor space and multiple playgrounds built to meet the developmental abilities of each age. Our indoor and outdoor environments are designed for each child to learn and explore, build meaningful relationships with peers and educators, and express their ideas, questions, and experiences.
We view learning as a life-long journey, and our educators are committed to learning in partnership with the children. Our experienced, qualified educators are passionate about building a positive and engaging community for the children and their families.
We value the growth of the whole child, and our educators intentionally design experiences to encourage developmental growth while honoring the interests and inquiries of the children.
Meet Our Team
We value the unique gifts that each child and family brings to our community. We are dedicated to working in partnership with families to ensure a quality educational experience for every child. In the WHC community, our Jewish values are integrated into each part of the children’s routine and provide a focal point of learning.
Interested in the current school year? We offer rolling admissions! Reach out to inquire about space available for the 2026-2027 school year.
The RJW ECC provides a safe and nurturing place for young toddlers to explore and connect as they begin their educational journey. Our educators intentionally set up the classroom environment to stimulate children’s imagination, encourage communication, and facilitate play. Our low child-to-teacher ratio allows teachers to meet children’s individual and social-emotional needs and with a variety of scheduling options available, you can choose what fits your family best.
For children who are 16- 24 months old.
Children make sense of the world that surrounds them through hands-on experiences and guidance from our caring early childhood educators. Our indoor classroom and outdoor environment promote the wonder and excitement the children need to embrace their school experience. Our program emphasizes social-emotional development and supports children’s developing communication skills.
For children who turn two by September 1.
At the RJW ECC, children learn through experience how to collaborate with their peers and build friendships that can last a lifetime. Our investigations incorporate early literacy activities, art, math and science concepts, and imagination into play, all while supporting their developing social skills.
Three-year-old students express their natural curiosity, which guides our educators as they plan learning opportunities to explore different concepts and further their thinking. In the classroom and on the playground, teachers ask reflective questions, encouraging the children to take time to observe their surroundings and formulate their own ideas.
For children who turn three by September 1.
Our pre-kindergarten program incorporates developmentally appropriate practices that prepare children for the next steps in their educational and life journeys.
We create a learning environment that encourages children to explore concepts about which they are curious. During these inquiries, our educators incorporate developmentally appropriate practices to help children build the early literacy skills that will prepare them for the next steps in their educational journey.
We focus on helping children build their social-emotional skills, including independence, self-regulation, and collaboration with peers. These foundational skills will serve the children well, not just during their educational journey, but throughout their lifelong journey as humans.
For children who turn four by September 1 or are taking an extra year before starting kindergarten.
Our Early Childhood Centers’ philosophy is rooted in the Social Constructivist approach where children and teachers co-construct the learning in partnership. We believe children learn through hands-on experiences (and play!) where they can use all of their senses and be fully involved in the learning experience. We strive to promote 21st-century life skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, perspective taking, communication, and collaboration. We draw inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach, noting the importance of the environment and its connection to learning. Judaism frames the arc of our year as well as our values. In particular, the Jewish belief that each child is unique and created in the divine image. We LOVE talking about our philosophy and invite you to reach out if you want to learn more or discuss our approach.
Classroom placements are based on a series of important and complex variables. Our priority is for students to develop friendships in their class; we also know that longstanding relationships are important. We accept two “social requests” per child and will consider these as we create the classes. We do not guarantee any social requests. We do, however, promise to work with each family to promote their child’s well-being and sense of comfort and community within their class. The development of meaningful friendships and relationships is core to our mission!
Our educators are each qualified according to the standards established by MSDE (the Maryland State Department of Education). We value continued learning and weave professional development for each teacher into our program. Our teachers are here because they love this sacred work and are highly gifted at it. We are proud of the longevity of our team, and their commitment to collaboration, support, and excellence.
We love how many families are familiar with teachers from our community! Our school places the highest emphasis on matching teachers and students. To do this, we consider a host of complex variables, including the teacher’s experience, knowledge of the age group, growth mindset, and more. We do not take teacher requests. We absolutely welcome and invite you to share information about your child, their disposition, and the best potential variables that will lead to a good match.
As a boutique model school, we always do our best to meet families where they are. If our offerings do not line up with your needs, just ask us. We will try!
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Caren Pilgermayer Director, Rabbi Joseph Weinberg ECC 301-354-3285 cpilgermayer@whctemple.org
