The Efshar Project

10/08/2026

🌟 Play isn't a break from learning. Play IS learning!

From counting objects in pretend grocery stores to building vocabulary through imaginative play, young children develop essential math, literacy, and social skills through hands-on exploration.

A recent Education Week article highlights how educators are bringing play-based learning back into the classroom, using intentional, guided play to reinforce academic skills while nurturing curiosity, creativity, and confidence.

At The Efshar Project, we recognize that play is foundational to high-quality early childhood education. Through professional development, reflective coaching, and support for educators, we champion learning environments where children can explore, discover, and grow.

Because when children play, they're doing some of their most important learning! 💙

📖 Read the article: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/how-play-based-learning-helps-children-practice-math-and-literacy-skills/2026/10

See how elementary teachers use play-based learning to reinforce math and literacy instruction.

10/06/2026

There’s something magical about watching Jewish stories come to life through a child’s eyes. 🌈🦒🐘

At Hebrew Educational Alliance Preschool, children are exploring the story of Noah’s Ark through hands-on, imaginative play—bringing animals aboard, building their own understanding of the story, and connecting with Torah in a way that is meaningful at their age.

This is Jewish early childhood education: wonder, curiosity, play, and tradition all coming together. 💙

With Parashat Noach coming up next week, we love seeing our youngest learners making these ancient stories their own.

10/05/2026

What if expanding access to early childhood education doesn’t always mean building a new center?

A recent piece from The Hechinger Report highlights the important role home-based child care can play in addressing shortages—particularly for infants and toddlers and in communities where traditional center-based care may not be available or feasible.

The article looks at New Mexico, where increased reimbursement and fewer zoning barriers have helped more home-based providers open their doors. In just one year, more than 70 new providers were licensed, creating 700+ new child care slots.

At Efshar, we're exploring how innovative models—including home-based early childhood programs—can help more families access high-quality Jewish early childhood experiences across Colorado.

Expanding access may require us to think differently about where early childhood education happens, who can provide it, and what support providers need to succeed.

Worth a read for anyone thinking about the future of early childhood education.

New Mexico is providing a blueprint and a path forward for solving the nation’s severe shortages

10/01/2026

Child care isn’t just a family issue. It’s workforce infrastructure.

We were encouraged to see The Denver Post's story highlighting Denver International Airport’s exploration of workplace child care — part of a growing recognition among employers that access to reliable, high-quality child care matters for recruiting and retaining employees. DIA alone is home to approximately 40,000 workers.

At Efshar, this resonates deeply with what we’re seeing through our own work to expand access to early childhood education across Colorado: families need more options, in more places, that reflect the realities of where and how they live and work.

Expanding child care access will require creativity — and partnership across early childhood providers, employers, philanthropy, government, and communities.

We’re excited to see more Colorado institutions thinking about child care as an essential part of a strong workforce and thriving community.

Denver International Airport is opening a childcare center for its new training facility and researching the cost and feasibility of providing care for all 43,000 of its employees.

09/28/2026

Last week, Efshar Board member and Boulder firebombing survivor Ed Victor traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for increased security resources for Jewish institutions and other vulnerable communities.

Ed shared that the attack propelled him to find ways to help others. He also spoke about one of his greatest concerns: that fear of antisemitism may cause people to step away from Jewish communal life.

We are grateful for Ed’s leadership, courage, and commitment to ensuring that Jewish spaces remain places where people can safely gather, learn, celebrate, and build community.

Read more from Jewish Insider.

‘Everybody, no matter where you fall, should get behind’ the Right to Worship Act, said Temple Israel attack survivor Cassi Cohen, calling it a ‘no-brainer’

09/25/2026

Hebrew Educational Alliance early childhood educator Nadine teaches her class how to say lulav and etrog and what the four species of the lulav represent—heart, eyes, lips, spine. Then, the class joined together to sing, "Come on into my Sukkah."

How are you bringing the joy and spirit of Sukkot to your classrooms and homes? Share in the comments! ⬇️

09/24/2026

Sukkot begins at sundown tomorrow! 🍋🌿

Bring the joy and meaning of the holiday home with our simple, accessible family resource guide, filled with easy ways to celebrate, connect, and create meaningful moments together.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1elVIcbK_MI-S2dHLOAPA3RhFsjO0iX2P/view?usp=sharing

09/24/2026

09/24/2026

We’re proud to see Efshar Board Member Ed Victor lending his voice to an important conversation about the future of early childhood education in Boulder County.

In his recent Daily Camera op-ed, Ed highlights challenges that families and early childhood programs know all too well: the high cost of care, a shortage of infant and toddler spaces, and the workforce challenges that make it difficult for programs to grow and thrive.

These challenges closely reflect what we’re hearing through Efshar’s work to expand access to high-quality Jewish early childhood education across Colorado. Strengthening ECE means thinking beyond individual classrooms—it means investing in educators, sustainable programs, and the infrastructure that allows young families to put down roots and thrive in our communities.

Thank you, Ed, for helping elevate this important conversation and for your leadership on the Efshar Board.

https://enewspaper.dailycamera.com/shortcode/DAI357/edition/6873ecf1-9ee9-4478-8ee8-0d9c559ecf46?page=75e85b26-19ff-4cbe-89cb-3cbaf6650615&

09/18/2026

Efshar traveled to San Francisco this week to attend EarlyJ’s Innovation and Impact Showcase.

We had the opportunity to visit three different Jewish early childhood education centers - Helen Diller Family Preschool, Rosenberg JCC ECE Center, and Brotherhood Way JCC - and learn from incredible innovators in the field of Jewish early childhood education.

The knowledge gained during our trip will help to power Jewish early childhood education possibilities in Colorado and beyond!