Jerusalem - Post Report Question and Answers
Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
There are many preschools available. You need to do your own research. Public preschool starts at age 3, which means the costs are subsidized, but it's full Hebrew-language immersion. - Nov 2022
Yes, lots of options. - Oct 2019
Preschools are plentiful. - Aug 2018
Yes. Many go to the YMCA, it's about $800 a month and it's in Hebrew and Arabic. Teachers are very warm and loving, and they feed them good food at the school for breakfast and lunch. They have activities like music, and swimming lessons for older kids. You have to register by January for the September start date, and they fill up. The only issue is the schedule: school normally ends at 4 p.m., and then at 12:30 p.m. on Fridays, so you need after school care, and it's hard to come by and expensive. - Apr 2018
Yes -- a ton of pre-schools. They are called "Gans" here. Many are conducted in English but you must seek them out through friends/colleagues, etc. They are cheaper than sending your pre-school aged kids to the pre-K programs at the the American and Anglican schools.
There are after school clubs at both schools but no "after school care". - Dec 2016
Yes. There are both neighborhood preschools (Gans) and private ones at the YMCA or at JAIS or the Anglican School. Cost is the same as in the U.S. - Aug 2015
We LOVED our daycare - the Peace Preschool at the YMCA. Instruction is in Arabic and Hebrew and the teachers are both Arab and Jewish. The parents there were all very cool, open-minded people. We will really miss that place. - Aug 2015
Yes, many use YMCA preschool which is located behind the Consulate - Mar 2014
Forget about U.S. standards of cleanliness which you'll not find here. The YMCA offers a pretty good curriculum including swimming, art and music for toddlers but only in Hebrew and Arabic. Expensive though. - Aug 2013
Nearly all Israeli children go to daycare, and local daycares are spread throughout the city. The cost is low by U.S. standards, but most programs are in Hebrew (in West Jerusalem) or Arabic (in East Jerusalem). It is possible to hire nannies, but you most earn more than the U.S. minimum wage and it is complicated to obtain a work visa for most of them due to increasingly strict visa rules. - Jul 2013
Yes, in English they have Augusta Victoria and Sunshine School, and people really like them. - Feb 2009
