The Cheder of The Bay Area is one of those places where “you have to see it to believe it.” With some driving an hour and a half, they make the trip each morning to enjoy a day with friends, davening, and learning.
The Cheder of The Bay Area is one of those places where “you have to see it to believe it.” Smack in the middle of a not particularly Jewish area, stands a nondescript building that from the outside looks like another office building.
But open the door and you will suddenly wonder if you’ve been transported to Kfar Chabad or Crown Heights. Children davening with passion, Chumash and Gemara being learned with zest, everything you would not expect to see in Northern California, a region not known for tradition, let alone chasidishkeit.
“The school began as a small co-op, an alternative to online school,” says Rabbi Raleigh Resnick, director of Tri-Valley Chabad, where the Cheder has been hosted until this year. “Then another student joined, and another, and before we turned around we had over 100 students driving in from all over.”
The remarkable growth is a testament to the unwavering dedication to each child’s education. The students and staff go the extra mile—literally. Students and teachers travel hours to be a part of The Cheder community.
With some driving an hour and a half, like the Shluchim from Napa Valley in the north and S. Cruz in the south, they make the trip each morning to enjoy a day with friends, davening, and learning.
“Seeing the faces of the children each morning is the best motivator,” says Mrs. Chavie Zebberman, principal of the school. “They are so excited to see their friends and to enjoy another day of learning.”
Despite having opened just a few years ago, the school operates at a high level of academic rigor and professionalism. There is a great focus on every child’s strength and despite its small size, The Cheder works to give students of all abilities and interests a place to shine and feel success. The school recently featured “Color War”, where students worked in teams on multiple projects and performances. Students who might have a harder time sitting at a desk expressed their excitement for Yiddishkeit through composing songs and performing skits.
“My child has severe learning challenges,” said one parent who preferred to remain anonymous. “The school is going above and beyond anything I’ve ever seen to do whatever possible to help him succeed.”
The Rebbe says that from the fact that Haman wanted to abolish Yiddishe Chinuch, we can see how crucial it is for our people, and why it is so important we dedicate ourselves to it with Mesiras Nefesh.
One of the unique elements of The Cheder is that we do not have a local community to raise funds from, there aren’t any Anash, or community members we can ask for support. Instead, we turn to you, as a member of the worldwide Anash community, and ask you “Please take part in the Mesiras Nefesh for our Chinuch”.
To accommodate the over 100 students BH, we’ve expanded our facilities and staff. Now, we turn to YOU.
Your generosity ensures that students continue their individual journeys in becoming Chassidim, Yirei Shamayim, and Lamdanim, and always with simcha!
For the next 48 hours, the Cheder is raising two hundred thousand dollars to help it continue on its trailblazing path!
Thank you for fueling the dedication of our Bay Area Cheder!
Amazing! Will definitely be donating!
I have visited this Cheder and it is truly remarkable.
A very worthy cause.
The Cheder is amazing! They really need every donation!
Is it exclusively for Shluchim’s children?
It is not, practically speaking though there are almost only Shluchim who live in the area so it is mostly shluchim kids