My son started going to the daycare 11/2013 until we moved away from the bay area. Leaving a…read moredaycare provider that was family orientated and I knew my son was in good hands was a hard choice, but we had to move. (if i could of packed Naastarn's daycare with me I would). the first interview with the provider the homes was totally kid friendly and no room was off limits, she had a visable board showing her certificates, degrees, inspections, food programs and past teaching job. I liked how this was out if the open there were so many places I looked at that I had to call community care to pull reports. Her house is set up as a school and very kid friendly. (to the guys that stated she never worked at Peter Pan, she has a classroom picture in her home and I callled to check) It is a family setting (her whole family is involved) and my son just loved her mom. I got pictures emails and viedos all throughout the days which reassured me my son was doing okay during his first days. during my sons time there he was very pushy and unfirendly with the help and guidence of the home he became a loving boy to his peers and sometimes even shared. He thrieved like I had never seen him in his past center. he would say the kids and Nastarans name then babble when he wasn't there. there was hands on learning and even potty training. If you are looking for a small provider, with a family feel where your child will be well feed, learning time with fun times where you know you can leave each day and know your child is in good hands this is the place to go. They really made myself and my family feel like family and not just another client. It saddens me as I write this that my son is no longer attending and I have to once again search for another provider but least from my experience at nastarans I know what I want in a daycare.

My son has been with Nastaran since he was just 3 months old and I couldn't be happier with the…read morelevel of care and love that he gets there every day. As a working mother, putting your precious child in daycare is a very hard thing to do so it's not a decision that is taken lightly. I interviewed many different providers before I selected Nastaran and I'm so happy with my choice. She cooks fresh, organic, home cooked meals for the kids every day. They do daily activities and learning circle time. She often sends pictures of my son doing fun activities. My son is 16 months now and I couldn't imagine sending him anywhere else. As for the review by "Nancy G", her accusations are offensive and unfounded. Nastaran does have a very friendly and sweet little dog named Nemo. I think it's great that the kids are exposed to a pet. As to the religion accusations, that's just plain nonsense. Nastaran, her sister and her mother are all WONDERFUL daycare providers that LOVE the kids. What more could you ask for? I would be more than happy to answer any questions or provide any feedback to anyone who wants to message me. I know childcare decisions are tough but believe me, you won't find a more loving environment for your child.

My son has been participating in the Young Men Coming of Age Mentoring Program over the last four…read moremonths and it has had such a positive impact on my son, who has had a really hard time since high school. Eliyahu and Kieth understand the importance of building strong caring relationships with the boys, they are skilled at what they do and they offer my son something he can't get from either me or his father. I highly recommend this group for teenage boys, especially one's that think outside the box, though I do think there needs to be a certain level of maturity and open mindedness on the part of the teenage boy to benefit.

There are not enough words to express how fortunate we are to have found Uptown Little Birds Micro…read moreSchool and Day Care.  Martina and Alex treat my children as if they were their own.  The care they provide for our children exceed our expectations. My children are happy to go to school every morning and they are happy when we pick them up. Alex is organized, warm, and welcoming. Martina puts forth all her effort so that our children maintain our values and cultural traditions.  Alex and Martina have been of great support to our family!  I couldn't have found a better place for my children.  Uptown Little Birds Micro School and Day Care is the best!

Martina and Alex are wonderful instructors. We could not have survived this pandemic without their…read moresupport, love and instruction. They make everything so easy and my daughter loved going there. In fact, she still does the occasional drop in when her schedule allows. Martina really helped our daughter with reading and meeting kinder benchmarks. She helped her with her confidence to blend words and has made learning fun. Martina has her doctorate in education and was a former teacher so I trust her very much. On top of that she serves the kids healthy lunches and snacks, she is silly, fun and artistic. Alex is a wonderful math and piano teacher. He keeps the kids laughing and I loved hearing all the Alex stories at the end of the day. Alex and Martina are amazing care givers and human beings. I highly recommend Uptown Little Birds!

As I find spirituality comforting in my darkest moments, I knew that a healthy acceptance of faith…read moremay put me past negative family dynamics. Rabbi Bridget Wynne did that ever so gently by selective Torah studies reflecting families' values at Growing Together. She has a way for adults to share disparate upbringing and experiences and to weave together our human connection. When she explains her intellectual and spiritual discourse, it is eye-opening and reassuring. Growing Together has become a form of therapy for my personal growth. This section of Jewish Gateways is so aptly named! Our family struggled with finding initiation into Judaism as we looked how to intentionally shape our young family values. My partner was raised Jewish. His parents for whatever reason displayed lukewarm action towards passing Judaism to subsequent generations. But they laid down guilt trips when it came to attending their Passover dinners. Religion used for personal convenience and near coercion has always left a strong distaste. But I could not let the bad apples (ok...maybe I am still not quite yet letting that one go...LOL), even in my own family, ruin that. Being a second generation immigrant, I strongly felt a need for my child to have a deep understanding of all his heritages as a way of being, a proud sense of identity without geographic bounds, and an ambassador of his background. We "Shul shopped," attending different Tot Shabbats and holiday functions, and nothing felt like an immediate or consistent draw. When we attended Jewish Gateways Tot Shabbat at Totland, we liked the idea of learning more at Growing Together, which meets twice a month. With our hectic weekends, this felt like the right amount commitment and family accountability. Like all Shabbat, there is music, singing, and light prayers. The best part is when the children go into their classes, have tons of fun, and show-off their long-lasting creative projects. My child's strongest lesson thus far is bal tashchit (Hebrew: ) or "do not destroy." All I have to say is bal taschit, and he immediately conserves without me having to nag about recycling or composting, picking up neighborhood trash, turning off lights, conserving water, or finishing his meal. Stories that come from faith seem to move my child's intrinsic motivation more than modern day development and child-rearing guidance. Every Friday evening, he is very proud to use his DIY challah cover and Shabbat candle holders. He also has a pleasant attachment to his homemade Havdalah Spice Bag. The parents' bandwidth frees up tremendously to have thoughtful discussions around how faith plays a role in opening our U.S. borders and welcoming strangers, presenting easy opportunities to make Shabbat a habit, and loving the environment. We built a Sukkot and waved a Lulov. This was the first time I felt comfortable enough as a non-Jew to host Passover myself and invest in a beautiful Seder Plate. I have moved on from the family guilt trips and made this special holiday meaningful for my family. More importantly I yearn to do more Torah studies. I feel like I missed out a more vibrant and intentional life by not using religious relevancy to support my day-to-day actions and values. Lastly, I feel connected to more young families at Jewish Gateways with kind and empathetic smart discussions. Being in these families' presence melted away day-to-day mentally-draining conversations we have in the intense SF Bay Area. So grateful to have this special and unique form of Judaic support group!

My wife Laurie and I are in our 70s and adult children in later 30s. We began attending High…read moreHolidays at Jewish Gateways in 2016. Our attendance has continued and the family commitment and participation at Jewish Gateways grows. I am not Jewish, I am a spiritual seeker, and was immediately attracted to Rabbi Bridget's reference to Mussar in the sermon that year. Mussar is an ancient tradition that facilitates exploration of spiritual qualities and has enabled me to become more of a mensch. This was incorporated into our daily practice at home where we inventory and examine our previous 24 hours. Rabbi has been facilitating a series of Mussar 2 hour sessions for a diverse group of Jews and non Jews. Laurie and have participated in Mussar for the past 11 months. I have become more conscious of my impact on the family, friends and volunteer organizations I attend. I have been assisted to reach and choose how I want to be. Gateways is "WELCOMING: wandering Jews * wondering Jews * those of Jewish heritage * non-Jews * multiracial relationships * families * interfaith relationships * couples * adult children of interfaith families * Jews by choice * people of color * singles * LGBTQ folks" We feel welcomed and embraced by Rabbi Bridget and the Jewish Gateways community. This year my daughter will complete the Adult Bar and Bat Mitzvah class and we will join others to celebrate her bat mitzvah. We look to continue our participation and support of Jewish Gateways.

Ari. children's center no longer exists. due to lack of need. The program was suited for the needs…read moreof the congestion and open to the community. It was well received while in existance. But the program has been closed for a few years.

Both my kids were at Gan Shalom -- we loved every second of it. The teachers, the space, the joy,…read morethe community. It was amazing -- I wish my kids were still there instead of in high school. :-) Since my time there, they have a new building and a new director. I hear great, great things. Being Jewish is not a prerequisite but attracts most of the families to the community. The pre-school is a part of Berkeley's orthodox synagogue but the preschool is not prescriptive and how you do Jewish (or not) is something that is respected/celebrated. Robin who taught my kids is still there making kids feel connected and joyful. Like I said, I want my kids back there now.

Our daughter was at Gan Shalom Preschool for two years, and we couldn't have been happier with our…read moreexperience. The Jewish content was fantastic, the teachers were miraculous, and great friends were made. The Jewish vibe was fun and musical, and seemed to work for kids at every level of the religious observance spectrum. The new house and yard were also fantastic, full of light and nature. Along with the core teachers, we loved all the specialists, especially in music, dance and performance. We had many great options to choose from when going to a preschool, and Gan Shalom exceeded our expectations. D.S.

Leslie took a frustrated 5th grader and gave me wings. I was told I'd never be good at math, but…read morewith this teaching method I soon learned that math was something I could do. Going to this school did wonders for my self confidence and really helped me become the person (college educated) I am today. :)

I was a high school student at The Abelian Group many years ago. Looking back, I can honestly say…read moreit was the most important educational experience of my life. I learned a lot of math - enough to easily move through basic requirements of high school and college. But more importantly, they helped me to overcome a fear of difficult subject matter. I learned to focus and persist. I learned to trust in the process of slow, steady, incremental progress. Those lessons have been invaluable in the years since.

This Tutoring place has fantastic tutors and we owe them a lot of gratitude for the last 9 years…read morefor our daughters success.